3G

4G

802.11a

802.11b

802.11g

802.11n

Abend

Access

Access Point

ACL

Active-Matrix

3G refers to the third generation of

cellular data standards. Cell phone
companies often market mobile
phones as "3G...
4G is the fourth generation of
cellular data standards. Like 3G,
there is no single 4G technology.
Instead, 4G an...
802.11a is a Wi-Fi standard
developed by the IEEE for
transmitting data over a wireless
network. It uses a 5 GHz band...
802.11b is a Wi-Fi standard
developed by the IEEE for
transmitting data over wireless
network. It operates on a...
802.11g is a Wi-Fi standard
developed by the IEEE for
transmitting data over a wireless
network. It operates on a...
802.11n is a wireless ((Wi-Fi|wi-fi))
standard that was introduced in
2007. It supports a longer range
and higher...
Short for "Abnormal end." An abend
is an unexpected or abnormal end
to a process. In computer software,
it typically...
Microsoft Access, often abbreviated
"MS Access," is a popular database
application for Windows. Access
allows users to...
An access point provides wireless
access to a network. Devices
connected to an access point can
communicate with other...
Stands for "Access Control List." An
ACL is a list of user permissions for
a file, folder, or other object. It...
Active-matrix technology is used in
high-quality flat-panel displays,
such as laptop screens and thin
computer...

ActiveX

Ad Hoc Network

ADC

Add-on

ADF

ADSL

Adware

Affiliate

AGP

AIFF

AIX

This Microsoft-based technology

was built to link desktop
applications to the World Wide Web.
Using ActiveX...
"Ad Hoc" is actually a Latin phrase
that means "for this purpose." It is
often used to describe solutions
that are...
Stands for "Analog-to-Digital
Converter." Since computers only
process digital information, they
require digital...
An add-on is a software extension
that adds extra features to a
program. It may extend certain
functions within the...
Stands for "Automatic Document
Feeder." An ADF is used in copiers
and scanners to feed pages into the
machine. It...
Stands for "Asymmetric Digital
Subscriber Line." ADSL is a type of
DSL, which is a method of
transferring data over...
Adware is free software that is
supported by advertisements.
Common adware programs are
toolbars that sit on your...
Website affiliates are what drive
Internet marketing. Companies run
affiliate programs to generate leads
and sales...
Stands for "Accelerated Graphics
Port." This is a graphics card
expansion port designed by Intel
that resides on the...
Stands for "Audio Interchange File
Format." AIFF is an audio format
originally developed by Apple
Computer for storing...
Stands for "Advanced Interactive
Executive," though some Linux fans
have been known to refer to it as
"Ain't UNIX...

Alert Box

Algorithm

Analog

Android

ANSI

Antivirus

API

Apple

Applet

Application

Archie

An alert box, sometimes called a

message box, is a small window
that pops up on your screen to warn
you that your...
An algorithm is a set of instructions,
sometimes called a procedure or a
function, that is used to perform a
certain...
As humans, we perceive the world
in analog. Everything we see and
hear is a continuous transmission of
information to...
Android is Google's mobile
(operating system|
operating_system) (OS) that is used
by several smartphones, such as
the...
Stands for "American National
Standards Institute." ANSI's primary
goal is to enhance the global
competitiveness of...
Antivirus (also written "anti-virus"
or simply "AV") is software designed
to prevent, detect, and remove
viruses from a...
Stands for "Application Program
Interface," though it is sometimes
referred to as an "Application
Programming...
Apple is the company that makes
Macintosh computers, such as the
iMac, Mac mini, MacBook, MacBook
Air, MacBook Pro, and...
This a Java program that can be
embedded in a Web page. The
difference between a standard Java
application and a Java...
An application, or application
program, is a software program that
runs on your computer. Web
browsers, e-mail...
Archie is a program used for finding
files stored on FTP (File Transfer
Protocol) servers. Archie is not used

Archive

ARP

Array

ASCII

ASP

ASP.NET

ATA

ATM

Autoresponder

Avatar

Backbone

very...
An archive contains multiple files
and/or folders within a single file.
Archives can be saved in several
different...
Stands for "Address Resolution
Protocol." ARP is a protocol used for
mapping an IP address to a
computer connected to...
An array is a data structure that
contains a group of elements.
Typically these elements are all of
the same data...
Stands for "American Standard
Code for Information Interchange."
ASCII is the universal standard for
the numerical...
Just to confuse ordinary people like
you and me, there are two equally
important definitions of ASP. The
term can...
ASP.NET is a set of Web
development tools offered by
Microsoft. Programs like Visual
Studio .NET and Visual Web...
Stands for "Advanced Technology
Attachment." It is a type of disk
drive that integrates the drive
controller directly...
Stands for "Asynchronous Transfer
Mode." Most people know of ATMs
as automated teller machines -those friendly boxes...
An autoresponder is a program or
script on a mail server that
automatically replies to e-mails.
Though it is run from...
An avatar is an online character
that represents a person. For
example, games like World of
Warcraft and the Sims...
Just like the human backbone
carries signals to many smaller
nerves in the body, a network

Backside Bus

Backup

Bandwidth

Banner Ad

Base Station

Baseband

BASIC

Batch File

Batch Process

Baud

Bcc

backbone carries data to...

There are two types of buses that
carry data to and from a computer's
CPU. They are the frontside bus and
backside...
Backup is the most important
computer term you should know. A
backup is a copy of one or more
files created as an...
Bandwidth refers to how much data
you can send through a network or
modem connection. It is usually
measured in bits...
Whether you like it or not, much of
the Web is run by advertising. Just
like television or radio, websites can
offer...
The term "base station" was first
used to refer to the towers you see
on the side of the road that relay
cell phone...
A baseband signal is an original
transmission signal that has not be
modulated, or has been
demodulated to its original...
Stands for "Beginner's All-purpose
Symbolic Instruction Code." BASIC
is a computer programming
language that was...
A batch file is a type of script that
contains a list of commands. These
commands are executed in
sequence and can be...
As most computer users know,
some computing tasks can be
tedious and repetitive. Fortunately,
if a task is indeed...
Contrary to popular belief, baud is
not a direct measurement of data
transfer speed, but instead it
measures how many...
Stands for "Blind Carbon Copy."
When you send an e-mail to only
one person, you type the recipient's

Bespoke

Beta Software

Binary

Bing

Biometrics

BIOS

Bit

Bitmap

Bitrate

BitTorrent

Blob

address in the...
The term "bespoke" comes from
England where it originally referred
to custom or tailor-made clothing.
In recent years...
Before a commercial software
program is released to the public, it
usually goes through a "beta"
phase. During this...
Binary is a two-digit (Base-2)
numerical system, which computers
use to store data and compute
functions. The reason...
Bing is a search engine created by
Microsoft. It evolved from "MSN
Search," which was later renamed
"Windows Live...
Biometrics refers to technologies
used to detect and recognize
human physical characteristics. In
the IT world...
Stands for "Basic Input/Output
System." Most people don't need to
ever mess with the BIOS on a
computer, but it can be...
The computer term "bit" comes
from the phrase "Binary DigIT,"
which is different than that thing
you put around a...
Most images you see on your
computer are composed of bitmaps.
A bitmap is a map of dots, or bits
(hence the name...
Bitrate, as the name implies,
describes the rate at which bits are
transferred from one location to
another. In other...
BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer (P2P) file
sharing protocol designed to reduce
the quibandwidth rered to transfer
files...
If you're like me, you picture a blob
as a enigmatic green object that
lacks a defined shape or size. In the

Blog

Blu-ray

Bluetooth

BMP

Bookmark

Boolean

Boot

Boot Disk

Boot Sector

Boot Sequence

Bot

computer...
Short for "Web Log," this term refers
to a list of journal entries posted on
a Web page. Anybody who knows
how to...
Blu-ray is an optical disc format
such as CD and DVD. It was
developed for recording and playing
back high-definition...
This wireless technology enables
communication between Bluetoothcompatible devices. It is used for
short-range...
Short for "Bitmap." It can be
pronounced as "bump," "B-M-P," or
simply a "bitmap image." The BMP
format is a commonly...
Similar to a real-life bookmark, an
Internet bookmark acts as a marker
for a Web site. (In Internet Explorer,
they're...
This is the logic that computers use
to determine if a statement is true
or false. There are 4 main boolean
operators...
When you boot a football, you kick
it really far. When you boot a
computer, you simply turn it on.
Kicking your...
A boot disk is actually not a
computer disk in the shape of a
boot. If it was, most disk drives
would have a difficult...
A boot sector is the first section of a
hard drive or other data storage
media. It contains the master boot
record...
Each time a computer boots up, it
goes through an initial series of
processes. This sequence of events
is aptly named...
This is an automated software
program that can execute certain
commands when it receives a

Botnet

Bounce

bps

Bridge

Broadband

Buffer

Bug

Burn

Bus

Byte

C/C++

specific input (like a...

A botnet is a network of computers
that are controlled from a single
source. While some botnets are
used for...
The term "bounce" has several
different IT related meanings, yet
none of them include bouncy balls.
The most common...
Stands for "Bits Per Second." (The
"b" is lowercase because it stands
for bits, not bytes.) Bits per second
is the...
When a road needs to extend
across a river or valley, a bridge is
built to connect the two land
masses. Since the...
This refers to high-speed data
transmission in which a single cable
can carry a large amount of data at
once. The most...
A buffer contains data that is stored
for a short amount of time, typically
in the computer's memory (RAM).
The...
In the computer world, a bug is an
error in a software program. It may
cause a program to unexpectedly
quit or behave...
When you "burn a disc," you write
data on it. If you were taking an SAT
test, the analogy would look
something like...
While the wheels on the bus may go
"round and round," data on a
computer's bus goes up and down.
Each bus inside a...
A byte is a set of 8 bits that
represent a single character in the
computer's memory. Do not confuse
this term with...
C is a high-level programming
language that was developed

Cable Modem

Cache

CAD

Camera RAW

Caps Lock

Captcha

Card Reader

Cc

CCD

in the mid-1970s. It was

originally used for writing
Unix...
A cable modem is used for
connecting to the Internet and
is much faster than a typical
dial-up modem. While a 56K...
This term is pronounced like
"cash" -- not "catch," and
definitely not "cash." There
are many different types...
Stands for "Computer-Aided
Design." Also known by
engineers and architects as
the best invention of all time.
Today...
Most digital cameras process
and compress the pictures
you take immediately after
capturing the image. This can
be...
Caps lock is a feature nearly
all keyboards have that, when
active, capitalizes each letter
typed on the keyboard...
A captcha is a challengeresponse test that determines
whether a user is human or
an automated bot. A typical
captcha...
"Card reader" is the generic
term for an input device that
reads flash memory cards. It
can be a standalone device...
Stands for "Carbon Copy." The
term comes from carbon
copying, in which a piece of
carbon paper copies writing
from one...
Stands for "Charged Coupled
Device." CCDs are sensors
used in digital cameras and
video cameras to record still
and...

CD

CD-R

CD-ROM

CD-RW

CDMA

Cell

Certificate

CGI

Character

Checksum

Stands for "Compact Disc."

CDs are circular discs that are
4.75 in (12 cm) in diameter.
The CD standard was
proposed...
Stands for "Compact Disc
Recordable." CD-R discs are
blank CDs that can record
data written by a CD burner.
The word...
Stands for "Compact Disc
Read-Only Memory." A CDROM is a CD that can be read
by a computer with an optical
drive...
Stands for "Compact Disc ReWritable." A CD-RW is a blank
CD that can be written to by a
CD burner. Unlike a CD-R...
Stands for "Code Division
Multiple Access." CDMA is a
wireless transmission
technology that was
developed during World...
A cell is a location in a
spreadsheet defined by the
intersection of a row and
column. For example, cell C7
is the...
An SSL certificate, or secure
certificate, is a file installed
on a secure Web server that
identifies a website. This...
CGI stands for "Common
Gateway Interface" and is a
standard set of rules that
define how scripts and
programs can be...
A character is any letter,
number, space, punctuation
mark, or symbol that can be
typed on a computer. The
word...
A checksum is a calculated

Chip

Chipset

CISC

Clean Install

Clean Room

Client

Clip Art

Clipboard

CLOB

sum used to check the

integrity of a file. It can be
generated from one of many
algorithms...
Technically speaking, a
computer chip is a piece of
silicon with an electronic
circuit embedded in it.
However, the...
A chipset describes the
architecture of an integrated
circuit. This includes the
layout of the circuitry, the...
Stands for "Complex
Instruction Set Computing."
This is a type of
microprocessor design. The
CISC architecture...
A clean install is an (operating
system|operating_system)
(OS) installation that
overwrites all other content
on the...
A simple definition of this
would be "the opposite of my
bedroom." But technically
speaking, a clean room is a
highly...
In the real world, businesses
have clients. In the computer
world, servers have clients.
The "client-server...
Clip art is a collection of
pictures or images that can be
imported into a document or
another program. The images
may...
The clipboard is a section of
RAM where your computer
stores copied data. This can
be a selection of text, an
image, a...
CLOB is short for "Character
Large Object." It is a data type

Clock Cycle

Clock Speed

Clone

Cloud Computing

Cluster

CMOS

CMYK

Codec

Command Prompt

used to store large amounts

of character data. CLOBs...
A clock cycle, or clock tick, is
one increment of the CPU
clock, during which the
smallest unit of processor
activity...
Clock speed is the rate at
which a processor can
complete a processing cycle.
It is typically measured in
megahertz or...
What do sheep, droids, and
computers all have in
common? They can all be
cloned! Of the three,
computer clones are by...
Cloud computing is a general
term used to describe Internet
services. These include social
networking services like...
In the computer world, a
cluster can refer to two
different things: 1) A group of
sectors on a disk. While a
sector...
Stands for "Complementary
Metal Oxide Semiconductor."
This technology is typically
used in making transistors.
The...
Stands for "Cyan Magenta
Yellow Black." These are the
four basic colors used for
printing color images. Unlike
RGB...
No, this is not just a cheap ripoff of Kodak. The name
"codec" is short for "coderdecoder," which is pretty
much...
A command prompt is used in
a text-based or "commandline" interface, such as a Unix

Commercial Software

Compact Flash

Compile

Compiler

Component

Computer

Computer Ethics

Configuration

Contextual Menu

terminal or a DOS shell. It is

a...
Computer software comes in
three different flavors:
freeware, shareware, and
commercial software.
Freeware is free to...
Often abbreviated as simply
"CF," Compact Flash is a type
of flash memory. Compact
flash cards are most
commonly used...
When programmers create
software programs, they first
write the program in source
code, which is written in a
specific...
A compiler is a software
program that compiles
program source code files into
an executable program. It is
included as...
Computers are made up of
many different parts, such as
a motherboard, CPU, RAM,
and hard drive. Each of these
parts...
Technically, a computer is a
programmable machine. This
means it can execute a
programmed list of
instructions and...
Ethics is a set of moral
principles that govern the
behavior of a group or
individual. Therefore,
computer ethics is...
In the computing world, when
people talk about their
computer configuration, they
are referring to the technical...
A contextual menu is a pop-up
menu that appears when you
right-click on a certain area of

Control Panel

Controller Card

Cookie

Copy

Copyright

CPA

CPC

CPL

CPM

CPS

the screen. It is...

The Control Panel is a feature
of the Windows operating
system that allows the user to
modify system settings and...
The controller card, or simply
"controller," is a piece of
hardware that acts as the
interface between the
motherboard...
It seems like everyone who
tries to explain what a cookie
is just has to make a joke out
of it (because of the name...
Many software programs allow
you to copy data, such as text
in Microsoft Word or an image
in Adobe Photoshop. To copy...
Copyright protects an author's
original work from being
copied and republished by
others. It gives the author...
Stands for "Cost Per Action,"
and is used in online
advertising. CPA defines how
much revenue a publisher
receives...
Stands for "Cost Per Click,"
and is used in online
advertising. CPC defines how
much revenue a publisher
receives each...
Stands for "Cost Per Lead,"
and is used in online
advertising. CPL defines how
much revenue a publisher
receives when...
Stands for "Cost Per 1,000
Impressions," and is used in
online advertising. CPM
defines the cost an advertiser
pays...
Stands for "Classroom
Performance System." CPS

CPU

CRM

Cron

Crop

Cross-Browser

Crossplatform

CRT

CSS

CTP

refers to a technology system

that is used for educational
purposes...
Stands for "Central Processing
Unit." This is the pretty much
the brain of your computer. It
processes everything...
Stands for "Customer
Relationship Management."
This is a business term that
started somewhere in the
deep abyss of the...
Also known as a "cron job," a
cron is a process or task that
runs periodically on a Unix
system. Some examples of...
When you crop an image or
photo, you remove part of the
image. This may involve
cutting some of the image
from the...
Cross-browser means that a
website is compatible with
multiple (Web browsers|
web_browser). This means the
Web pages...
Software that can run on
multiple types of computer
systems. For example, the
graphics program Adobe
Photoshop and the...
Stands for "Cathode Ray
Tube." CRT is the technology
used in traditional computer
monitors and televisions. The
image...
Stands for "Cascading Style
Sheet." Cascading style
sheets are used to format the
layout of Web pages. They
can be...
Stands for "Composite
Theoretical Performance." CTP
is used to measure the

CTR

Cursor

Cut

Cyberbullying

Cybercrime

Cyberspace

Cybersquatter

DAC

Daemon

performance of computer
processors. The...
Stands for "Click-Through
Rate," and is used in online
advertising. Web publishers
typically generate revenue
from...
The cursor on your screen can
indicate two things: 1) where
your mouse pointer is, or 2)
where the next character
typed...
The Cut command removes a
selected object and copies it
to the clipboard. It performs
both a Delete and Copy
operation...
Cyberbullying involves
harassing, embarrassing, or
threatening a young person
via cyberspace. It
encompasses several...
Cybercrime is criminal activity
done using computers and the
Internet. This includes
anything from downloading
illegal...
Unlike most computer terms,
"cyberspace" does not have a
standard, objective definition.
Instead, it is used to...
A cybersquatter, or
"domainer," is someone who
registers a (domain name|
domain_name) without
intending to create a...
Stands for "Digital-to-Analog
Converter" and is often
pronounced "dac." Since
computers only recognize
digital...
The word "daemon" actually
comes from the Greek

Dashboard

Data

Data Management

Data Transfer Rate

Data Type

Database

DBMS

DDL

DDR

language, meaning an "inner

or attendant spirit" (Oxford
American...
Dashboard is a user-interface
feature Apple introduced with
the release of Mac OS X 10.4
Tiger. It allows access to...
Computer data is information
processed or stored by a
computer. This information
may be in the form of text
documents...
Data management refers to
the way individuals,
companies, and organizations
manage computer data. It
includes micro...
The data transfer rate is
commonly used to measure
how fast data is transferred
from one location to another.
For...
A data type is a type of data.
Of course, that is rather
circular definition, and also
not very helpful. Therefore,
a...
A database contains data
stored in a structured format.
It includes one or more tables,
which each contain multiple...
Stands for "Database
Management System." In
short, a DBMS is a database
program. Technically
speaking, it is a...
DDL is short for "Data
Definition Language." It is
used to define the structure of
a database, including the
tables...
Stands for "Double Data
Rate." It is an advanced
version of SDRAM, a type of

DDR2

DDR3

Debug

Debugger

Default

Defragment

Degauss

Del.icio.us

Delete

computer memory. DDRSDRAM, sometimes...

Stands for "Double Data Rate
2." DDR2 RAM is an improved
version of DDR memory that
is faster and more efficient.
Like...
Stands for "Double Data Rate
Type 3." DDR3 is an SDRAM
specification introduced in
2007. Compared to previous
DDR...
Computer programmers, like
everybody else, are not
perfect. This means the
programs they write
sometimes have small...
Even the most experienced
software programmers usually
don't get it right on their first
try. Certain errors, often...
This term is used to describe
a preset value for some option
in a computer program. It is
the value used when a...
Defragmenting your hard disk
is a great way to boost the
performance of your
computer. Though the term
"defragment...
Ever wonder what that
"degauss" button on your
monitor does besides make a
buzzing noise and cause the
screen to go...
Del.icio.us, pronounced simply
"delicious," is a community
bookmarking website in which
users can save Web pages
they...
Delete is computer
terminology for remove or
erase. You can delete text
from a document of delete

Desktop

Desktop Computer

Desktop Publishing

DHCP

Dial-up

Dialog Box

Digital

Digital Camera

Digital Signature

entire files or...

Your computer's desktop is
much like a physical desktop.
You probably keep a number
of commonly used items on
your...
A desktop computer is a
computer system designed to
be used at a table or desk.
Some desktop computers
have a separate...
When documents and images
are printed, they are
"published." Before computers
became commonplace, the
publishing...
Stands for "Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol." A
network server uses this
protocol to dynamically assign
IP...
A dial-up connection uses a
modem to connect to an ISP
or another computer. It uses
standard analog phone lines
to...
As the name implies, a dialog
box serves to initiate a dialog
with the user. It is a window
that pops up on the screen...
Digital information is stored
using a series of ones and
zeros. Computers are digital
machines because they can
only...
A digital camera is an
electronic device that
captures images in a digital
format. It works in a similar
way to a...
A digital signature is a block
of data that can be attached
to h as PDFs, word processing
files, and...

Digitize

DIMM

Direct Digital Marketing

Direct3D

Directory

DirectX

Disk Drive

Disk Image

Dithering

When you "digitize"

something, you convert it
from analog to digital. For
documents sucexample, if you
import a VHS tape from a
VCR...
Stands for "Dual In-Line
Memory Module." It is a type
of computer memory. A DIMM
is a small circuit board that
holds...
Direct Digital Marketing, or
DDM, is a type of marketing
that is done through a digital
medium. Common DDM
mediums...
Direct3D is an application
program interface (API)
developed by Microsoft that
provides a set of commands
and functions...
A directory is another name
for a folder. Files on your hard
disk are organized into
various folders, or
directories...
DirectX is a set of standard
commands and functions that
software developers can use
when creating their
programs...
The term "disk drive" is a
general term that describes a
device that reads and/or
writes data to a disk. It is
often...
A disk image is a software
copy of a physical disk. It
saves the entire data from the
disk, including the file...
Dithering is a process that can
be applied to both digital
images and audio files. For
digital images, dithering

DLL

DMA

DNS

DNS Record

Dock

Document

Domain

Domain Name

Domain Suffix

adds...
Stands for "Dynamic Link
Library." A DLL (.dll) file
contains a library of functions
and other information that
can be...
Stands for "Direct Memory
Access." DMA is a method of
transferring data from the
computer's RAM to another
part of the...
Stands for "Domain Name
System." The primary purpose
of DNS is to keep Web surfers
sane. Without DNS, we would
have...
DNS records are stored in
zone files and are used for
translating domain names to
IP addresses. They also
contain...
The Dock is a feature of the
Mac OS X Finder that provides
quick access to programs,
files, and folders. By default...
A document is a type of file
that has been created or
saved by an application. For
example, a text file saved
with...
While the term "domain" is
often used synonymously with
"domain name," it also has a
definition specific to local...
A domain name is used to
identify a website. Businesses
commonly have a domain
name that is their name with
the ".com...
A domain suffix is the last part
of a (domain name|
domain_name). Common
examples include ".com,"
".net," and ".org...

Dongle

DOS

Dot Matrix

Dot Pitch

Double Click

Download

DPI

Drag

DRAM

This funny-sounding computer

term has two widely different
definitions that are completely
unrelated: 1. A security...
Stands for "Disk Operating
System." DOS was the first
(operating system|
operating_system) used by
IBM-compatible...
A dot matrix is a 2D matrix of
dots that can represent
images, symbols, or
characters. They are used for
electronic...
This is the measurement used
to determine how sharp the
display of a CRT (Cathode Ray
Tube) monitor is. It is
measured...
Double clicking involves
clicking your mouse button
quickly two times. To perform
a double click, and not just
two...
This is the process in which
data is sent to your computer.
Whenever you receive
information from the Internet,
you...
Stands for "Dots Per Inch." DPI
is used to measure the
resolution of an image both
on screen and in print. As
the...
You can use your mouse to
drag icons and other objects
on your computer screen.
Dragging icons from your
desktop or an...
Stands for "Dynamic Random
Access Memory." DRAM is a
type of RAM that stores each
bit of data on a separate
capacitor...

Driver

DRM

Drop Down Menu

DSL

DSLAM

DTD

Dual-Core

DV

DVD

DVD+R

This term usually refers to the

person behind the wheel of a
moving car. In the computer
world, however, a driver is a...
Stands for "Digital Rights
Management." DRM refers to
a collection of systems used
to protect the copyrights of...
A drop down menu is a
horizontal menu that displays
a list of options when one of
the primary menu items is
selected...
Stands for "Digital Subscriber
Line." It is a medium for
transferring data over regular
phone lines and can be used
to...
Stands for "Digital Subscriber
Line Access Multiplexer." A
DSLAM is a device used by
Internet Service Providers
(ISPs...
Stands for "Document Type
Definition." A DTD defines the
tags and attributes used in an
XML or HTML document. Any...
A dual-core processor is a CPU
with two processors or
"execution cores" in the same
integrated circuit. Each
processor...
Stands for "Digital Video."
Unlike traditional analog
video, which is captured
frame by frame on a tape,
digital video...
Stands for "Digital Versatile
Disc." It can also stand for
"Digital Video Disc," but with
the multiple uses of DVDs...
Stands for "Digital Versatile
Disc Recordable." DVD+R
discs look the same as regular

DVD+RW

DVD-R

DVD-RAM

DVD-RW

DVI

DVR

Dynamic Website

E-commerce

E-mail Bankruptcy

DVDs, but can be used to

record...
Stands for "Digital Versatile
Disk Rewritable." A DVD+RW
is like a DVD+R, but can be
erased and rewritten.
DVD+RWs...
Stands for "Digital Versatile
Disc Recordable." A DVD-R
looks the same as a regular
DVD, but like a CD-R, it can
be...
DVD-RAM stands for "Digital
Versatile Disc - Random
Access Memory." It is one of
three rewriteable DVD
formats, along...
Stands for "Digital Versatile
Disk Rewritable." A DVD-RW is
like a DVD-R but can be
erased and written to again.
Like...
Stands for "Digital Video
Interface." DVI is a video
connection standard created
by the Digital Display Working
Group...
Stands for "Digital Video
Recorder." A DVR is basically a
VCR that uses a hard drive
instead of video tapes. It
can...
A dynamic website contains
Web pages that are generated
dynamically. Each time a user
accesses a page within a
dynamic...
E-commerce (electroniccommerce) refers to business
over the Internet. Web sites
such as Amazon.com,
Buy.com, and eBay...
In this day and age, most of
us receive several e-mails a

ECC

EDI

Edutainment

EIDE

Email

Emoticon

Emulation

Encryption

End User

day. Depending on your job,

you may even receive dozens
of...
Stands for "Error Correction
Code." ECC is used to verify
data transmissions by locating
and correcting transmission...
Stands for "Electronic Data
Interchange." EDI is a
standardized method for
transferring data between
different...
Edutainment is one of those
combo words, like
"guesstimate," that combines
two regular words into one
term that really...
EIDE is short for "Enhanced
Integrated Drive Electronics"
and is an improved version of
the IDE drive controller...
It's hard to remember what
our lives were like without email. Ranking up there with
the Web as one of the most
useful...
These are the little text-based
faces and objects that you
often see in e-mail and online
chat. They help give the...
The term "emulation" comes
from the verb "emulate,"
which means to imitate or
reproduce. Therefore,
computer emulation...
Encryption is the coding or
scrambling of information so
that it can only be decoded
and read by someone who has
the...
An end user is the person that
a software program or
hardware device is designed
for. The term is based on the

EPS

Ethernet

EUP

Exabyte

Exbibyte

Excel

Expansion Card

External Hard Drive

Extranet

E-commerce

idea...
Stands for "Encapsulated
PostScript." EPS is a PostScript
image file format that is
compatible with PostScript...
Just to be clear, the first
syllable is pronounced "eath"
as in "Heath Bar," not like
"eth" as in Bethany. Some
people...
Stands for "Enterprise Unified
Process." EUP is a software
development methodology
that helps companies create...
An exabyte is 2 to the 60th
power, or
1,152,921,504,606,846,976
bytes. It can be estimated as
10 to the 18th power...
A exbibyte is a unit of data
storage that equals 2 to the
60th power, or
1,152,921,504,606,846,976
bytes. While a...
Microsoft Excel is a
spreadsheet program for
Windows and Macintosh
computers. It is part of the
Microsoft Office...
An expansion card is a printed
circuit board that can be
installed in computer to add
functionality to it. For...
Nearly all personal computers
come with an internal hard
drive. This drive stores the
computer's operating
system...
If you know the difference
between the Internet and an
intranet, you have an above
average understanding of
computer...
E-commerce (electronic-

E-mail Bankruptcy

ECC

EDI

Edutainment

EIDE

Email

Emoticon

Emulation

Encryption

commerce) refers to business

over the Internet. Web sites
such as Amazon.com,
Buy.com, and eBay...
In this day and age, most of
us receive several e-mails a
day. Depending on your job,
you may even receive dozens
of...
Stands for "Error Correction
Code." ECC is used to verify
data transmissions by locating
and correcting transmission...
Stands for "Electronic Data
Interchange." EDI is a
standardized method for
transferring data between
different...
Edutainment is one of those
combo words, like
"guesstimate," that combines
two regular words into one
term that really...
EIDE is short for "Enhanced
Integrated Drive Electronics"
and is an improved version of
the IDE drive controller...
It's hard to remember what
our lives were like without email. Ranking up there with
the Web as one of the most
useful...
These are the little text-based
faces and objects that you
often see in e-mail and online
chat. They help give the...
The term "emulation" comes
from the verb "emulate,"
which means to imitate or
reproduce. Therefore,
computer emulation...
Encryption is the coding or
scrambling of information so
that it can only be decoded

End User

EPS

Ethernet

EUP

Exabyte

Exbibyte

Excel

Expansion Card

External Hard Drive

and read by someone who has

the...
An end user is the person that
a software program or
hardware device is designed
for. The term is based on the
idea...
Stands for "Encapsulated
PostScript." EPS is a PostScript
image file format that is
compatible with PostScript...
Just to be clear, the first
syllable is pronounced "eath"
as in "Heath Bar," not like
"eth" as in Bethany. Some
people...
Stands for "Enterprise Unified
Process." EUP is a software
development methodology
that helps companies create...
An exabyte is 2 to the 60th
power, or
1,152,921,504,606,846,976
bytes. It can be estimated as
10 to the 18th power...
A exbibyte is a unit of data
storage that equals 2 to the
60th power, or
1,152,921,504,606,846,976
bytes. While a...
Microsoft Excel is a
spreadsheet program for
Windows and Macintosh
computers. It is part of the
Microsoft Office...
An expansion card is a printed
circuit board that can be
installed in computer to add
functionality to it. For...
Nearly all personal computers
come with an internal hard
drive. This drive stores the
computer's operating
system...

Extranet

If you know the difference

between the Internet and an
intranet, you have an above
average understanding of
computer...

Facebook

Facebook is a social
networking website that was
originally designed for college
students, but is now open to
anyone...
Stands for "Frequently Asked
Questions," and can be
pronounced "fak" or simply
"F-A-Q." An FAQ is a text file
that is...
This strange term refers to
the way Windows stores data
on your hard drive. "FAT"
stands for "File Allocation
Table...
A favicon is a small website
icon. Just like software
programs can have custom
file icons, websites can have
custom...
This is a cable made up of
super-thin filaments of glass
or other transparent materials
that can carry beams of
light...
Stands for "First In, First Out."
FIFO is a method of
processing and retrieving
data. In a FIFO system, the
first...
A file is a collection of data
stored in one unit, identified
by a filename. It can be a
document, picture, audio or...
A file extension is the last part
of a filename, after the dot
(e.g. ".pdf"). Most file
extensions are three...

FAQ

FAT32

Favicon

Fiber Optic Cable

FIFO

File

File Extension

File Format

File System

File Type

Filename

Finder

FiOS

Firewall

Firewire

Firmware

Flaming

A file format describes the

way data is stored in a file. It
defines the data structure
(how the data is organized
in...
Most people have several
thousand files on their
computer's hard disk, so
imagine how hard it would be
to find anything...
A file type, as the name
implies, is a specific type of
file. Some file types are
associated with a single...
A filename is a text string that
identifies a file. Every file
stored on a computer's hard
disk has a filename that...
The Finder serves as the
primary graphical user
interface (GUI) for Macintosh
computers. It includes the
desktop...
Stands for "Fiber Optic
Service." FiOS is a data
communications service
provided by Verizon that uses
fiber optic...
The term "firewall" originally
referred to fireproof walls that
were designed to prevent the
spread of fire from one...
This high-speed interface has
become a hot new standard
for connecting peripherals (no
pun intended). Created by
Apple...
Firmware is a software
program or set of instructions
programmed on a hardware
device. It provides the
necessary...
Flaming is the act of posting
or sending offensive

Flash

Flash Drive

Flash Memory

Flat File

Flatbed

Floating Point

Floppy Disk

FLOPS

Flowchart

messages over the Internet.

These messages, called
"flames," may be...
Flash is a multimedia
technology used for creating
animations and interactive
websites. Web developers
often use Flash...
Flash drives have many
names jump drives, thumb
drives, pen drives, and USB
keychain drives. Regardless
of...
Flash memory is a type of
electrically erasable
programmable read-only
memory (EEPROM). Whew,
that's a mouthful. The...
A flat file database is a
database that stores data in a
plain text file. Each line of the
text file holds one record...
A flatbed is a type of scanner
or copier that uses a flat,
glass surface for scanning
documents or other objects.
Most...
As the name implies, floating
point numbers are numbers
that contain floating decimal
points. For example, the
numbers...
Floppy disks have an
interesting name, considering
they do not appear to be
"floppy." However, if you take
the actual...
FLOPS is an acronym that
means "Floating Point
Operations Per Second."
FLOPS is a measurement unit
that defines the...
A flowchart is a diagram that
describes a process or

Folder

Font

Format

Formula

FPU

Frame

Freeware

Frequency

Friend

operation. It includes multiple

steps, which the process
"flows...
Just like real world folders,
folders on your hard drive
store files. These files can be
documents, programs,
scripts...
A font is a specific typeface of
a certain size and style. For
example, one font may be
Arial 12 pt bold, while...
Formatting a disk involves
rewriting the directory
structure, or file system, of a
disk. All disks must be
formatted...
A formula is a calculation
performed on one or more
variables. It may be a simple
operation, such as the
addition of...
Stands for "Floating Point
Unit." The first computer
processors were far better at
dealing with integers than
with...
In the computer world, a
frame can be many different
things. The different
definitions of "frame" are
listed below: ...
Like shareware, freeware is
software you can download,
pass around, and distribute
without any initial payment...
Frequency is the number
times something occurs in a
specific amount of time. In
computing, frequency is used
to...
An online friend is a person
added to your list of friends
on a social networking

Frozen

FSB

FTP

Facebook

FAQ

FAT32

Favicon

Fiber Optic Cable

FIFO

website, such as Facebook or

MySpace...
While "frozen" describes the
state of Minnesota from
November to March, it also
refers to an unresponsive
computer...
Stands for "frontside bus."
The FSB connects the
computer's processor to the
system memory (RAM) and
other components...
Stands for "File Transfer
Protocol." It is a common
method of transferring files
via the Internet from one
computer to...
Facebook is a social
networking website that was
originally designed for college
students, but is now open to
anyone...
Stands for "Frequently Asked
Questions," and can be
pronounced "fak" or simply
"F-A-Q." An FAQ is a text file
that is...
This strange term refers to
the way Windows stores data
on your hard drive. "FAT"
stands for "File Allocation
Table...
A favicon is a small website
icon. Just like software
programs can have custom
file icons, websites can have
custom...
This is a cable made up of
super-thin filaments of glass
or other transparent materials
that can carry beams of
light...
Stands for "First In, First Out."
FIFO is a method of

File

File Extension

File Format

File System

File Type

Filename

Finder

FiOS

Firewall

Firewire

processing and retrieving

data. In a FIFO system, the
first...
A file is a collection of data
stored in one unit, identified
by a filename. It can be a
document, picture, audio or...
A file extension is the last part
of a filename, after the dot
(e.g. ".pdf"). Most file
extensions are three...
A file format describes the
way data is stored in a file. It
defines the data structure
(how the data is organized
in...
Most people have several
thousand files on their
computer's hard disk, so
imagine how hard it would be
to find anything...
A file type, as the name
implies, is a specific type of
file. Some file types are
associated with a single...
A filename is a text string that
identifies a file. Every file
stored on a computer's hard
disk has a filename that...
The Finder serves as the
primary graphical user
interface (GUI) for Macintosh
computers. It includes the
desktop...
Stands for "Fiber Optic
Service." FiOS is a data
communications service
provided by Verizon that uses
fiber optic...
The term "firewall" originally
referred to fireproof walls that
were designed to prevent the
spread of fire from one...
This high-speed interface has

Firmware

Flaming

Flash

Flash Drive

Flash Memory

Flat File

Flatbed

Floating Point

Floppy Disk

become a hot new standard

for connecting peripherals (no
pun intended). Created by
Apple...
Firmware is a software
program or set of instructions
programmed on a hardware
device. It provides the
necessary...
Flaming is the act of posting
or sending offensive
messages over the Internet.
These messages, called
"flames," may be...
Flash is a multimedia
technology used for creating
animations and interactive
websites. Web developers
often use Flash...
Flash drives have many
names jump drives, thumb
drives, pen drives, and USB
keychain drives. Regardless
of...
Flash memory is a type of
electrically erasable
programmable read-only
memory (EEPROM). Whew,
that's a mouthful. The...
A flat file database is a
database that stores data in a
plain text file. Each line of the
text file holds one record...
A flatbed is a type of scanner
or copier that uses a flat,
glass surface for scanning
documents or other objects.
Most...
As the name implies, floating
point numbers are numbers
that contain floating decimal
points. For example, the
numbers...
Floppy disks have an

FLOPS

Flowchart

Folder

Font

Format

Formula

FPU

Frame

Freeware

interesting name, considering

they do not appear to be
"floppy." However, if you take
the actual...
FLOPS is an acronym that
means "Floating Point
Operations Per Second."
FLOPS is a measurement unit
that defines the...
A flowchart is a diagram that
describes a process or
operation. It includes multiple
steps, which the process
"flows...
Just like real world folders,
folders on your hard drive
store files. These files can be
documents, programs,
scripts...
A font is a specific typeface of
a certain size and style. For
example, one font may be
Arial 12 pt bold, while...
Formatting a disk involves
rewriting the directory
structure, or file system, of a
disk. All disks must be
formatted...
A formula is a calculation
performed on one or more
variables. It may be a simple
operation, such as the
addition of...
Stands for "Floating Point
Unit." The first computer
processors were far better at
dealing with integers than
with...
In the computer world, a
frame can be many different
things. The different
definitions of "frame" are
listed below: ...
Like shareware, freeware is

Frequency

Friend

Frozen

FSB

FTP

Gamma Correction

Gateway

Gibibyte

GIF

software you can download,

pass around, and distribute
without any initial payment...
Frequency is the number
times something occurs in a
specific amount of time. In
computing, frequency is used
to...
An online friend is a person
added to your list of friends
on a social networking
website, such as Facebook or
MySpace...
While "frozen" describes the
state of Minnesota from
November to March, it also
refers to an unresponsive
computer...
Stands for "frontside bus."
The FSB connects the
computer's processor to the
system memory (RAM) and
other components...
Stands for "File Transfer
Protocol." It is a common
method of transferring files
via the Internet from one
computer to...

Gamma correction is used to

alter the output levels of a
display. Since the standard
input signal (or voltage level...
A gateway is either hardware
or software that acts as a
bridge between two networks
so that data can be
transferred...
A gibibyte is a unit of data
storage that equals 2 to the
30th power, or 1,073,741,824
bytes. While a gigabyte can...
The letters "GIF" actually

Gigabyte

Gigaflops

Gigahertz

GIGO

GIS

GNU

Gnutella

Golden Master

Goodput

stand for "Graphics

Interchange Format," but you
don't need to remember that.
What you...
A gigabyte is 2 to the 30th
power, or 1,073,741,824
bytes. It can be estimated as
10 to the 9th power, or one...
Gigaflops is a unit of
measurement that measures
the processing power of a
processor's floating point unit,
or FPU...
One gigahertz is equal to
1,000 megahertz (MHz) or
1,000,000,000 Hz. It is
commonly used to measure
computer...
Stands for "Garbage In,
Garbage Out." It means that if
invalid data is entered in a
computer program, the
resulting...
Stands for "Geographic
Information Systems." GIS
tools are used to gather and
analyze data about the
surface of the...
GNU (a recursive acronym for
"GNU's Not Unix") is a Unixlike (operating system|
operating_system) that is
available in...
Gnutella is a file sharing
network that allows users to
send and receive files over
the Internet. The first part of...
Golden master is the final
stage of the software
development process. It
describes the "Release to
Manufacturing" or...
Goodput sounds like a golf
term that describes sinking a

Google

Google Drive

Gopher

GPS

GPU

Graphics

GUI

GUID

Gamma Correction

20 foot birdie putt. However,

in the computer world,
goodput...
Google is the world's most
popular search engine. It
began as a search project in
1996 by Larry Page and
Sergey Brin...
Google Drive is a service
offered by Google that allows
you to store and share files
online. The service was
launched...
The Gopher technology was
invented at the University of
Minnesota, whose mascot is,
not surprisingly, the Golden...
Stands for "Global Positioning
System." GPS is a satellite
navigation system used to
determine ground position
and...
Stands for "Graphics
Processing Unit." Like the CPU
(Central Processing Unit), it is
a single-chip processor...
Computer graphics are
images displayed on a
computer screen. They can be
either two or threedimensional...
Stands for "Graphical User
Interface," and is pronounced
"gooey." It refers to the
graphical interface of a
computer...
Stands for "Globally Unique
Identifier." A GUID is a 128-bit
(16 byte) number used by
software programs to
uniquely...
Gamma correction is used to
alter the output levels of a
display. Since the standard

Gateway

Gibibyte

GIF

Gigabyte

Gigaflops

Gigahertz

GIGO

GIS

GNU

input signal (or voltage level...

A gateway is either hardware
or software that acts as a
bridge between two networks
so that data can be
transferred...
A gibibyte is a unit of data
storage that equals 2 to the
30th power, or 1,073,741,824
bytes. While a gigabyte can...
The letters "GIF" actually
stand for "Graphics
Interchange Format," but you
don't need to remember that.
What you...
A gigabyte is 2 to the 30th
power, or 1,073,741,824
bytes. It can be estimated as
10 to the 9th power, or one...
Gigaflops is a unit of
measurement that measures
the processing power of a
processor's floating point unit,
or FPU...
One gigahertz is equal to
1,000 megahertz (MHz) or
1,000,000,000 Hz. It is
commonly used to measure
computer...
Stands for "Garbage In,
Garbage Out." It means that if
invalid data is entered in a
computer program, the
resulting...
Stands for "Geographic
Information Systems." GIS
tools are used to gather and
analyze data about the
surface of the...
GNU (a recursive acronym for
"GNU's Not Unix") is a Unixlike (operating system|
operating_system) that is
available in...

Gnutella

Golden Master

Goodput

Google

Google Drive

Gopher

GPS

GPU

Graphics

GUI

Gnutella is a file sharing

network that allows users to
send and receive files over
the Internet. The first part of...
Golden master is the final
stage of the software
development process. It
describes the "Release to
Manufacturing" or...
Goodput sounds like a golf
term that describes sinking a
20 foot birdie putt. However,
in the computer world,
goodput...
Google is the world's most
popular search engine. It
began as a search project in
1996 by Larry Page and
Sergey Brin...
Google Drive is a service
offered by Google that allows
you to store and share files
online. The service was
launched...
The Gopher technology was
invented at the University of
Minnesota, whose mascot is,
not surprisingly, the Golden...
Stands for "Global Positioning
System." GPS is a satellite
navigation system used to
determine ground position
and...
Stands for "Graphics
Processing Unit." Like the CPU
(Central Processing Unit), it is
a single-chip processor...
Computer graphics are
images displayed on a
computer screen. They can be
either two or threedimensional...
Stands for "Graphical User
Interface," and is pronounced

GUID

Gamma Correction

Gateway

Gibibyte

GIF

Gigabyte

Gigaflops

Gigahertz

GIGO

"gooey." It refers to the

graphical interface of a
computer...
Stands for "Globally Unique
Identifier." A GUID is a 128-bit
(16 byte) number used by
software programs to
uniquely...
Gamma correction is used to
alter the output levels of a
display. Since the standard
input signal (or voltage level...
A gateway is either hardware
or software that acts as a
bridge between two networks
so that data can be
transferred...
A gibibyte is a unit of data
storage that equals 2 to the
30th power, or 1,073,741,824
bytes. While a gigabyte can...
The letters "GIF" actually
stand for "Graphics
Interchange Format," but you
don't need to remember that.
What you...
A gigabyte is 2 to the 30th
power, or 1,073,741,824
bytes. It can be estimated as
10 to the 9th power, or one...
Gigaflops is a unit of
measurement that measures
the processing power of a
processor's floating point unit,
or FPU...
One gigahertz is equal to
1,000 megahertz (MHz) or
1,000,000,000 Hz. It is
commonly used to measure
computer...
Stands for "Garbage In,
Garbage Out." It means that if
invalid data is entered in a
computer program, the

GIS

GNU

Gnutella

Golden Master

Goodput

Google

Google Drive

Gopher

GPS

resulting...
Stands for "Geographic
Information Systems." GIS
tools are used to gather and
analyze data about the
surface of the...
GNU (a recursive acronym for
"GNU's Not Unix") is a Unixlike (operating system|
operating_system) that is
available in...
Gnutella is a file sharing
network that allows users to
send and receive files over
the Internet. The first part of...
Golden master is the final
stage of the software
development process. It
describes the "Release to
Manufacturing" or...
Goodput sounds like a golf
term that describes sinking a
20 foot birdie putt. However,
in the computer world,
goodput...
Google is the world's most
popular search engine. It
began as a search project in
1996 by Larry Page and
Sergey Brin...
Google Drive is a service
offered by Google that allows
you to store and share files
online. The service was
launched...
The Gopher technology was
invented at the University of
Minnesota, whose mascot is,
not surprisingly, the Golden...
Stands for "Global Positioning
System." GPS is a satellite
navigation system used to
determine ground position
and...

GPU

Graphics

GUI

GUID

Hacker

Halftone

Handle

Hard Copy

Hard Disk

Hard Drive

Stands for "Graphics

Processing Unit." Like the CPU
(Central Processing Unit), it is
a single-chip processor...
Computer graphics are
images displayed on a
computer screen. They can be
either two or threedimensional...
Stands for "Graphical User
Interface," and is pronounced
"gooey." It refers to the
graphical interface of a
computer...
Stands for "Globally Unique
Identifier." A GUID is a 128-bit
(16 byte) number used by
software programs to
uniquely...
While this term originally
referred to a clever or expert
programmer, it is now more
commonly used to refer to
someone...
A halftone image is made up
of a series of dots rather than
a continuous tone. These dots
can be different sizes...
In online chat, the name you
use is often referred to as
your screen name, or handle.
So if you decided to name...
A hard copy is a printed
document. It may be a text
file, photograph, drawing, or
any other type of printable
file...
When you save data or install
programs on your computer,
the information is typically
written to your hard disk.
The...
The hard drive is what stores

Hard Token

Hardware

HDD

HDMI

HDTV

HDV

Heat Sink

Hertz

Heuristic

all your data. It houses the

hard disk, where all your files
and folders are physically...
A hard token, sometimes
called an "authentication
token," is a hardware security
device that is used to
authorize a...
Computer hardware refers to
the physical parts of a
computer and related devices.
Internal hardware devices
include...
HDD is short for "hard disk
drive." An HDD is a storage
device used to store data.
Unlike RAM, which requires...
Stands for "High-Definition
Multimedia Interface." HDMI is
a digital interface for
transmitting audio and video
data...
Stands for "High Definition
Televsion." HDTV is a highquality video standard
developed to replace older
video formats...
Stands for "High-Definition
Video." According to a
consortium of manufacturers
including Sony, JVC, Canon,
and Sharp...
A computer's CPU may
perform millions of
calculations every second. As
the processor continues to
work at a rapid...
Hertz (abbreviated: Hz) is the
standard unit of measurement
used for measuring frequency.
Since frequency is...
Generally speaking, a
heuristic is a "rule of thumb,"
or a good guide to follow

Hexadecimal

HFS

Hibernate

Hit

Home Page

Horizontal Market Software

Host

Hover

HSF

when making decisions. In

computer...
Hexadecimal is a base-16
number system. It is a
different method of
representing numbers than
the base-10 system we...
Stands for "Hierarchical File
System." HFS is the file
system used for organizing
files on a Macintosh hard
disk...
If you are not going to use
your computer for a few
hours, it is a good idea to put
it to sleep (also known as
standby...
Technically, a hit is a request
made to a Web server. It is a
popular misconception that
the term refers to the
number...
This is the starting point or
front page of a Web site. This
page usually has some sort of
table of contents on it and...
A horizontal market is one
that supplies goods to a
variety of industries instead of
just one. Therefore,
horizontal...
This is a computer that acts
as a server for other
computers on a network. It
can be a Web server, an email server...
When you roll the cursor over
a link on a Web page, it is
often referred to as "hovering"
over the link. This is...
Stands for "Heat Sink and
Fan." Nearly all computers
have heat sinks, which help
keep the CPU cool and

HTML

HTTP

HTTPS

Hub

Hyper-Threading

Hyperlink

Hypermedia

Hypertext

Hacker

prevent it from...
Stands for "Hyper-Text Markup
Language." This is the
language that Web pages are
written in. Also known as
hypertext...
Stands for "HyperText Transfer
Protocol." This is the protocol
used to transfer data over the
World Wide Web. That's...
Stands for "HyperText
Transport Protocol Secure."
HTTPS is the same thing as
HTTP, but uses a secure
socket layer...
This is a hardware device that
is used to network multiple
computers together. It is a
central connection for all
the...
Hyper-threading is a
technology developed by Intel
Corporation. It is used in
certain Pentium 4 processors
and all...
A hyperlink is a word, phrase,
or image that you can click on
to jump to a new document or
a new section within the...
Most Web navigation is done
by clicking text-based links
that open new pages in a
(Web browser|web_browser).
These...
Hypertext is text that links to
other information. By clicking
on a link in a hypertext
document, a user can
quickly...
While this term originally
referred to a clever or expert
programmer, it is now more
commonly used to refer to
someone...

Halftone

Handle

Hard Copy

Hard Disk

Hard Drive

Hard Token

Hardware

HDD

HDMI

HDTV

A halftone image is made up

of a series of dots rather than
a continuous tone. These dots
can be different sizes...
In online chat, the name you
use is often referred to as
your screen name, or handle.
So if you decided to name...
A hard copy is a printed
document. It may be a text
file, photograph, drawing, or
any other type of printable
file...
When you save data or install
programs on your computer,
the information is typically
written to your hard disk.
The...
The hard drive is what stores
all your data. It houses the
hard disk, where all your files
and folders are physically...
A hard token, sometimes
called an "authentication
token," is a hardware security
device that is used to
authorize a...
Computer hardware refers to
the physical parts of a
computer and related devices.
Internal hardware devices
include...
HDD is short for "hard disk
drive." An HDD is a storage
device used to store data.
Unlike RAM, which requires...
Stands for "High-Definition
Multimedia Interface." HDMI is
a digital interface for
transmitting audio and video
data...
Stands for "High Definition
Televsion." HDTV is a highquality video standard

HDV

Heat Sink

Hertz

Heuristic

Hexadecimal

HFS

Hibernate

Hit

Home Page

developed to replace older

video formats...
Stands for "High-Definition
Video." According to a
consortium of manufacturers
including Sony, JVC, Canon,
and Sharp...
A computer's CPU may
perform millions of
calculations every second. As
the processor continues to
work at a rapid...
Hertz (abbreviated: Hz) is the
standard unit of measurement
used for measuring frequency.
Since frequency is...
Generally speaking, a
heuristic is a "rule of thumb,"
or a good guide to follow
when making decisions. In
computer...
Hexadecimal is a base-16
number system. It is a
different method of
representing numbers than
the base-10 system we...
Stands for "Hierarchical File
System." HFS is the file
system used for organizing
files on a Macintosh hard
disk...
If you are not going to use
your computer for a few
hours, it is a good idea to put
it to sleep (also known as
standby...
Technically, a hit is a request
made to a Web server. It is a
popular misconception that
the term refers to the
number...
This is the starting point or
front page of a Web site. This
page usually has some sort of

Horizontal Market Software

Host

Hover

HSF

HTML

HTTP

HTTPS

Hub

Hyper-Threading

table of contents on it and...

A horizontal market is one
that supplies goods to a
variety of industries instead of
just one. Therefore,
horizontal...
This is a computer that acts
as a server for other
computers on a network. It
can be a Web server, an email server...
When you roll the cursor over
a link on a Web page, it is
often referred to as "hovering"
over the link. This is...
Stands for "Heat Sink and
Fan." Nearly all computers
have heat sinks, which help
keep the CPU cool and
prevent it from...
Stands for "Hyper-Text Markup
Language." This is the
language that Web pages are
written in. Also known as
hypertext...
Stands for "HyperText Transfer
Protocol." This is the protocol
used to transfer data over the
World Wide Web. That's...
Stands for "HyperText
Transport Protocol Secure."
HTTPS is the same thing as
HTTP, but uses a secure
socket layer...
This is a hardware device that
is used to network multiple
computers together. It is a
central connection for all
the...
Hyper-threading is a
technology developed by Intel
Corporation. It is used in
certain Pentium 4 processors
and all...

Hyperlink

Hypermedia

Hypertext

I/O

I/O Address

IBM Compatible

ICANN

ICF

ICMP

A hyperlink is a word, phrase,

or image that you can click on
to jump to a new document or
a new section within the...
Most Web navigation is done
by clicking text-based links
that open new pages in a
(Web browser|web_browser).
These...
Hypertext is text that links to
other information. By clicking
on a link in a hypertext
document, a user can
quickly...

Stands for "Input/Output" and

is pronounced simply "eyeoh." Computers are based on
the fundamental idea that
every...
Each I/O device connected to
your computer is mapped to a
unique I/O (Input/Output)
address. These addresses
are...
The personal computer
market in the early 1980's
consisted primarily of Apple
and IBM computers. Apple's
systems ran a...
Stands for "Internet
Corporation For Assigned
Names and Numbers." The
ICANN is an non-profit
corporation that is...
Stands for "Internet
Connection Firewall." ICF is a
Windows XP feature that
protects computers connected
to the...
Stands for "Internet Control
Message Protocol." When
information is transferred over

Icon

ICQ

ICS

ICT

IDE

IEEE

IGP

Illegal Operation

IM

the Internet, computer

systems...
Ever since the Macintosh was
introduced in 1984, icons
have been the way we view
files on computers. An icon on
your...
ICQ is a popular online chat
program that allows users to
communicate with each other
over the Internet. It is
similar...
Stands for "Internet
Connection Sharing." ICS
allows multiple computers to
connect to the Internet using
the same...
ICT is short for "Information
and Communication
Technologies." It is similar to
IT (Information Technology),
but...
IDE may either stand for
"Integrated Device
Electronics" or "Integrated
Development Environment."
The first is a...
Stands for the "Institute of
Electrical and Electronics
Engineers." This is a nonprofit organization that
develops...
Stands for "Integrated
Graphics Processor." An IGP is
a graphics chip that is
integrated into a computer's...
When a program on your
computer has an error, you
may see a message pop up
on the screen saying, "Illegal
Operation...
Stands for "Instant Message."
Instant messaging, or "IMing,"
as frequent users call it, has

IMAP

Impact Printer

Impression

Inbox

Index

Infotainment

Inkjet

Input

Input Device

Install

become a popular way to...

Stands for "Internet Message
Access Protocol" and is
pronounced "eye-map." It is a
method of accessing e-mail
messages...
An impact printer is a printer
that strikes a print head
against an ink ribbon to mark
the paper. Common
examples...
It is said that you never get a
second chance to make a first
impression. Well, in the
wonderful world of the
World...
An inbox is the main folder
that your incoming mail gets
stored in. Whether you check
your mail through a
webmail...
An index is a list of data, such
as group of files or database
entries. It is typically saved in
a plain text format...
Infotainment is a combo word,
like "fantabulous," that
combines two words into one.
It refers to television shows...
Inkjet printers are the most
common type of consumer
printers. The inkjet
technology works by spraying
very fine drops...
Whenever you enter data into
your computer, it is referred
to as input. This can be text
typed in a word processing...
An input device is any device
that provides input to a
computer. There are dozens of
possible input devices, but
the...
Most software programs

Installer

Integer

Integrated Circuit

Intellectual Property

Interface

Interlaced

Internal Hard Drive

Internet

InterNIC

require that you first install

them on your computer
before using them. For
example, if you buy...
In order to install new
software on your computer,
you often need to run an
installer program. This
program unpacks...
An integer is a whole number
(not a fraction) that can be
positive, negative, or zero.
Therefore, the numbers...
An integrated circuit, or IC, is
small chip that can function
as an amplifier, oscillator,
timer, microprocessor, or...
Intellectual property refers to
the ownership of intangible
and non-physical goods. This
includes ideas, names...
An interface is a port on a
hardware device that allows it
to connect to another device.
Common hardware
interfaces...
A common way to compress
video is to interlace it. Each
frame of an interlaced video
signal shows every other...
As the name implies, an
internal hard drive is a hard
drive located inside a
computer. Nearly all
computers come with...
Believe it or not, the Internet
was created way back in
1969, during the Cold War, by
the United States military. It...
Stands for "Internet Network
Information Center." The
InterNIC is an organization
created by the National
Science...

Intranet

iOS

IP

IP Address

iPad

iPhone

iPod

IPv4

IPv6

IPX

Contrary to popular belief,

this is not simply a
misspelling of "Internet."
"Intra" means "internal" or
"within," so...
iOS (pronounced "eye-oh-es")
is Apple's mobile (operating
system|operating_system)
that runs on the iPhone, iPad,
and...
Stands for "Internet Protocol."
It provides a standard set of
rules for sending and
receiving data through the...
Also known as an "IP number"
or simply an "IP," this is a
code made up of numbers
separated by three dots
that...
The iPad is a lightweight
tablet PC developed by Apple.
It looks similar to an iPhone,
but has a much larger...
Apple's iPhone is a
smartphone that functions as
a mobile phone, an iPod, and
can run third-party apps. It
runs the...
The iPod is a portable music
player developed by Apple
Computer. Though it is an
Apple product, the iPod can
be used...
IPv4 is the fourth revision of
the Internet Protocol and is
the most common version
used today. It uses 32-bit...
Every computer system and
device connected to the
Internet is located by an IP
address. The current system
of...
Stands for "Internetwork
Packet Exchange." (I didn't

IRC

IRQ

ISA

iSCSI

ISDN

ISO

ISP

IT

Iteration

know "exchange" started with

an "x" either.) It is a
networking...
Stands for "Internet Relay
Chat." IRC makes it possible
for people using the Internet
to converse with each other
in...
Stands for "Interrupt
Request." PCs use interrupt
requests to manage various
hardware operations. Devices
such as...
Stands for "Industry Standard
Architecture." ISA is a type of
bus used in PCs for adding
expansion cards. For
example...
Stands for "Internet Small
Computer Systems Interface."
iSCSI is an extension of the
standard SCSI storage
interface...
Stands for "Integrated
Services Digital Network." No,
it's not the same thing as the
ISBN you see in books. ISDN is
a...
Stands for "International
Organization for
Standardization." Yes,
technically the acronym
should be "IOFS," but I...
Stands for "Internet Service
Provider." In order to connect
to the Internet, you need an
ISP. It is the company that...
Stands for "Information
Technology," and is
pronounced "I.T." It refers to
anything related to computing
technology...
Iteration is the repetition of a
function or process in a

iTunes

IVR

Java

JavaScript

Joystick

JPEG

JRE

JSP

Jumper

computer program. Iterations

of functions are common in...
iTunes is an audio playback
program developed by Apple
Computer. You can use iTunes
to import songs from CDs as
well...
Stands for "Interactive Voice
Response." IVR is a telephony
technology that can read a
combination of touch tone
and...

While most of the world uses

"Java" as another term for
coffee, the computer science
world uses it to refer to a...
Like Java, this is a
programming language
designed by Sun
Microsystems, in conjunction
with Netscape, that can be...
A joystick is an input device
commonly used to control
video games. Joysticks consist
of a base and a stick that
can...
The term actually stands for
"Joint Photographic Experts
Group," because that is the
name of the committee that...
Stands for "Java Runtime
Environment" and may also
be written "Java RTE." Java is
a programming language,
similar to...
Stands for "Java Server Page."
This standard was developed
by Sun Microsystems as an
alternative to Microsoft's
active...
This is a small metal
connector that acts as an

on/off switch and is used to

alter hardware configurations.
A jumper...

Kbps

KDE

Kernel

Kerning

Keyboard

Keyboard Shortcut

Keylogger

Keystroke

Stands for "Kilobits Per

Second." Don't confuse this
with Kilobytes per second
(which is 8 times more data
per...
Stands for "K Desktop
Environment." KDE is a
contemporary desktop
environment for Unix
systems. It is a Free
Software...
This is a term for the
computing elite, so proceed at
your own risk. To understand
what a kernel is, you first
need to...
Kerning refers to the spacing
between the characters of a
font. Without kerning, each
character takes up a block
of...
As the name implies, a
keyboard is basically a board
of keys. Along with the
mouse, the keyboard is one of
the primary...
A keyboard shortcut is a key
combination that performs a
certain command, such as
closing a window or saving a
file...
A keylogger is a program that
records the keystrokes on a
computer. It does this by
monitoring a user's input
and...
A keystroke is typing one
character on a keyboard (not

Keywords

Kibibyte

Kilobyte

KOffice

KVM Switch

LAN

Laptop

Laser Printer

Latency

stroking your keyboard like a

cat). Every time you hit a
key...
Keywords are words or
phrases that describe
content. They can be used as
metadata to describe images,
text documents...
A kibibyte is a unit of data
storage that equals 2 to the
10th power, or 1,024 bytes.
While a kilobyte can be...
A kilobyte is 2 to the 10th
power, or 1,024 bytes. "But
doesn't 'kilo' mean one
thousand?" you ask. Well yes,
but...
KOffice (pronounced "Koffice") is an integrated office
suite for the K Desktop
Environment (KDE), a desktop
interface...
Stands for "Keyboard, Video,
and Mouse switch." As the
name implies, a KVM switch
allows you to used multiple...

Stands for "Local Area

Network," and is pronounced
like "land" without the "d".
(Computer people will think
you're...
Laptop computers, also
known as notebooks, are
portable computers that you
can take with you and use in
different...
A laser printer is a printer that
uses a focused beam or light
to transfer text and images
onto paper. Though contrary...
This is the amount of time it

LCD

LDAP

Leaderboard

Leaf

LED

LIFO

Link

LinkedIn

Linux

takes a packet of data to

move across a network
connection. When a packet is
being sent...
Stands for "Liquid Crystal
Display." LCDs are super-thin
displays that are used in
laptop computer screens and
flat...
Stands for "Lightweight
Directory Access Protocol." If
you want to make directory
information available over
the...
As the average computer
screen size has grown larger,
the size of online
advertisements as grown as
well. The...
What does a computer's hard
disk have in common with a
tall oak? While it may not look
like a tree on the outside,
the...
LED is short for "LightEmitting Diode." It is a type of
electronic light source that is
activated by an electrical...
Stands for "Last In, First Out."
LIFO is a method of
processing data in which the
last items entered are the first
to...
When you are browsing the
Web and you see a
highlighted and underlined
word or phrase on a page,
there is a good chance...
LinkedIn is a businessoriented social networking
website. It allows you to
create a custom profile and
add other...
Linux is a free, open source,

Listserv

Load Balancing

Localhost

Log File

Logic Gate

Login

Lossless

Lossy

LPI

Unix-like (operating system|

operating_system). It is
available in several different...
This term looks like it's
missing an "e", but that's how
it's spelled. A listserv, or list
server, is a small program...
Computer networks are
complex systems, often
routing hundreds, thousands,
or even millions of data
packets every...
"Localhost" refers to the local
computer that a program is
running on. For example, if
you are running a Web
browser...
A log file contains a record of
events generated by a
software program or output
by a hardware device. Most
log files...
Logic gates perform basic
logical functions and are the
fundamental building blocks
of digital integrated circuits...
If you are ever asked to enter
your username and password,
you are being asked to enter
your login information. A...
Lossless compression reduces
a file's size with no loss of
quality. This seemingly
magical method of reducing
file...
Lossy file compression results
in lost data and quality from
the original version. Lossy
compression is typically...
Stands for "Lines Per Inch."
LPI is used to measure the
resolution of images printed
in halftones. Because
halftone...

LUN

LAN

Laptop

Laser Printer

Latency

LCD

LDAP

Leaderboard

Leaf

Stands for "Logical Unit

Number." LUNs are used to
identify SCSI devices, such as
external hard drives,
connected to a...
Stands for "Local Area
Network," and is pronounced
like "land" without the "d".
(Computer people will think
you're...
Laptop computers, also
known as notebooks, are
portable computers that you
can take with you and use in
different...
A laser printer is a printer that
uses a focused beam or light
to transfer text and images
onto paper. Though contrary...
This is the amount of time it
takes a packet of data to
move across a network
connection. When a packet is
being sent...
Stands for "Liquid Crystal
Display." LCDs are super-thin
displays that are used in
laptop computer screens and
flat...
Stands for "Lightweight
Directory Access Protocol." If
you want to make directory
information available over
the...
As the average computer
screen size has grown larger,
the size of online
advertisements as grown as
well. The...
What does a computer's hard
disk have in common with a
tall oak? While it may not look
like a tree on the outside,
the...

LED

LIFO

Link

LinkedIn

Linux

Listserv

Load Balancing

Localhost

Log File

Logic Gate

LED is short for "LightEmitting Diode." It is a type of

electronic light source that is
activated by an electrical...
Stands for "Last In, First Out."
LIFO is a method of
processing data in which the
last items entered are the first
to...
When you are browsing the
Web and you see a
highlighted and underlined
word or phrase on a page,
there is a good chance...
LinkedIn is a businessoriented social networking
website. It allows you to
create a custom profile and
add other...
Linux is a free, open source,
Unix-like (operating system|
operating_system). It is
available in several different...
This term looks like it's
missing an "e", but that's how
it's spelled. A listserv, or list
server, is a small program...
Computer networks are
complex systems, often
routing hundreds, thousands,
or even millions of data
packets every...
"Localhost" refers to the local
computer that a program is
running on. For example, if
you are running a Web
browser...
A log file contains a record of
events generated by a
software program or output
by a hardware device. Most
log files...
Logic gates perform basic
logical functions and are the

Login

Lossless

Lossy

LPI

LUN

LAN

Laptop

Laser Printer

Latency

fundamental building blocks

of digital integrated circuits...
If you are ever asked to enter
your username and password,
you are being asked to enter
your login information. A...
Lossless compression reduces
a file's size with no loss of
quality. This seemingly
magical method of reducing
file...
Lossy file compression results
in lost data and quality from
the original version. Lossy
compression is typically...
Stands for "Lines Per Inch."
LPI is used to measure the
resolution of images printed
in halftones. Because
halftone...
Stands for "Logical Unit
Number." LUNs are used to
identify SCSI devices, such as
external hard drives,
connected to a...
Stands for "Local Area
Network," and is pronounced
like "land" without the "d".
(Computer people will think
you're...
Laptop computers, also
known as notebooks, are
portable computers that you
can take with you and use in
different...
A laser printer is a printer that
uses a focused beam or light
to transfer text and images
onto paper. Though contrary...
This is the amount of time it
takes a packet of data to
move across a network
connection. When a packet is
being sent...

LCD

LDAP

Leaderboard

Leaf

LED

LIFO

Link

LinkedIn

Linux

Listserv

Stands for "Liquid Crystal

Display." LCDs are super-thin
displays that are used in
laptop computer screens and
flat...
Stands for "Lightweight
Directory Access Protocol." If
you want to make directory
information available over
the...
As the average computer
screen size has grown larger,
the size of online
advertisements as grown as
well. The...
What does a computer's hard
disk have in common with a
tall oak? While it may not look
like a tree on the outside,
the...
LED is short for "LightEmitting Diode." It is a type of
electronic light source that is
activated by an electrical...
Stands for "Last In, First Out."
LIFO is a method of
processing data in which the
last items entered are the first
to...
When you are browsing the
Web and you see a
highlighted and underlined
word or phrase on a page,
there is a good chance...
LinkedIn is a businessoriented social networking
website. It allows you to
create a custom profile and
add other...
Linux is a free, open source,
Unix-like (operating system|
operating_system). It is
available in several different...
This term looks like it's

Load Balancing

Localhost

Log File

Logic Gate

Login

Lossless

Lossy

LPI

LUN

missing an "e", but that's how

it's spelled. A listserv, or list
server, is a small program...
Computer networks are
complex systems, often
routing hundreds, thousands,
or even millions of data
packets every...
"Localhost" refers to the local
computer that a program is
running on. For example, if
you are running a Web
browser...
A log file contains a record of
events generated by a
software program or output
by a hardware device. Most
log files...
Logic gates perform basic
logical functions and are the
fundamental building blocks
of digital integrated circuits...
If you are ever asked to enter
your username and password,
you are being asked to enter
your login information. A...
Lossless compression reduces
a file's size with no loss of
quality. This seemingly
magical method of reducing
file...
Lossy file compression results
in lost data and quality from
the original version. Lossy
compression is typically...
Stands for "Lines Per Inch."
LPI is used to measure the
resolution of images printed
in halftones. Because
halftone...
Stands for "Logical Unit
Number." LUNs are used to
identify SCSI devices, such as
external hard drives,

LAN

Laptop

Laser Printer

Latency

LCD

LDAP

Leaderboard

Leaf

LED

connected to a...
Stands for "Local Area
Network," and is pronounced
like "land" without the "d".
(Computer people will think
you're...
Laptop computers, also
known as notebooks, are
portable computers that you
can take with you and use in
different...
A laser printer is a printer that
uses a focused beam or light
to transfer text and images
onto paper. Though contrary...
This is the amount of time it
takes a packet of data to
move across a network
connection. When a packet is
being sent...
Stands for "Liquid Crystal
Display." LCDs are super-thin
displays that are used in
laptop computer screens and
flat...
Stands for "Lightweight
Directory Access Protocol." If
you want to make directory
information available over
the...
As the average computer
screen size has grown larger,
the size of online
advertisements as grown as
well. The...
What does a computer's hard
disk have in common with a
tall oak? While it may not look
like a tree on the outside,
the...
LED is short for "LightEmitting Diode." It is a type of
electronic light source that is
activated by an electrical...

LIFO

Link

LinkedIn

Linux

Listserv

Load Balancing

Localhost

Log File

Logic Gate

Login

Stands for "Last In, First Out."

LIFO is a method of
processing data in which the
last items entered are the first
to...
When you are browsing the
Web and you see a
highlighted and underlined
word or phrase on a page,
there is a good chance...
LinkedIn is a businessoriented social networking
website. It allows you to
create a custom profile and
add other...
Linux is a free, open source,
Unix-like (operating system|
operating_system). It is
available in several different...
This term looks like it's
missing an "e", but that's how
it's spelled. A listserv, or list
server, is a small program...
Computer networks are
complex systems, often
routing hundreds, thousands,
or even millions of data
packets every...
"Localhost" refers to the local
computer that a program is
running on. For example, if
you are running a Web
browser...
A log file contains a record of
events generated by a
software program or output
by a hardware device. Most
log files...
Logic gates perform basic
logical functions and are the
fundamental building blocks
of digital integrated circuits...
If you are ever asked to enter
your username and password,

Lossless

Lossy

LPI

LUN

MAC Address

Mac OS

Macintosh

Macro

Mainframe

you are being asked to enter

your login information. A...
Lossless compression reduces
a file's size with no loss of
quality. This seemingly
magical method of reducing
file...
Lossy file compression results
in lost data and quality from
the original version. Lossy
compression is typically...
Stands for "Lines Per Inch."
LPI is used to measure the
resolution of images printed
in halftones. Because
halftone...
Stands for "Logical Unit
Number." LUNs are used to
identify SCSI devices, such as
external hard drives,
connected to a...

Stands for "Media Access

Control Address," and no, it is
not related Apple Macintosh
computers. A MAC address is
a...
This is the operating system
that runs on Macintosh
computers. It is pronounced,
"mack-oh-es." The Mac OS
has been...
This is the name of the
computers that are made by
Apple Computer. The first
Macintosh was introduced in
1984 and was...
Macro has two computerrelated definitions, both of
which involve making your
computer experience more
efficient. ...
A mainframe is an ultra high-

Malware

MANET

Markup Language

Mashup

Maximize

Mbps

MBR

MCA

performance computer made

for high-volume, processorintensive computing. They
are...
Short for "malicious software,"
malware refers to software
programs designed to
damage or do other unwanted
actions on...
Stands for "Mobile Ad Hoc
Network." A MANET is a type
of ad hoc network that can
change locations and
configure itself...
A markup language is a type
of syntax used for defining
elements within a document,
such as a webpage or data
file. It...
The term "mashup" has
several meanings. It was
originally used to describe
songs that meshed two
different styles of...
Maximizing a window makes it
larger. In Windows, a
maximized window fills the
entire screen, while on a Mac,
it takes...
Stands for "Megabits Per
Second." One megabit is
equal to one million bits or
1,000 kilobits. While
"megabit" sounds...
An MBR, or "master boot
record," is a special section on
a hard disk that defines the
disk partitions and contains
the...
Stands for "Micro Channel
Architecture." It is an
expansion bus created by IBM
that was used in the
company's PS...

Mebibyte

Media

Megabyte

Megahertz

Megapixel

Memory

Memory Bank

Memory Leak

Memory Module

A mebibyte is a unit of data

storage that equals 2 to the
20th power, or 1,048,576
bytes. While a megabyte can
be...
In general, "media" refers to
various means of
communication. For example,
television, radio, and the
newspaper are...
A megabyte is 2 to the 20th
power, or 1,048,576 bytes. It
can be estimated as 10 to the
6th power, or one million...
One megahertz is equal to
one million cycles per second.
It is used to measure
transmission speeds of
electronic...
A megapixel is one million
pixels. It is commonly used to
describe the resolution of
digital cameras. For example,
a...
Just like humans, computers
rely a lot on memory. They
need to process and store
data, just like we do.
However...
A memory bank is an
individual section of data
stored in a computer's
memory. It typically contains
data that only...
A memory leak is like a virtual
oil leak in your computer. It
slowly drains the available
memory, reducing the
amount...
A memory module is another
name for a RAM chip. It is
often used as a general term
used to describe SIMM, DIMM,
and...

Memory Stick

Menu Bar

Meta Search Engine

Meta Tag

Metadata

Metafile

MIDI

Mini DV

Minimize

MIPS

Memory Stick is a type of

flash memory developed by
Sony. It is used to store data
for digital cameras,
camcorders...
A menu bar is a horizontal
strip that contains lists of
available menus for a certain
program. In Windows
programs...
Meta search engines are
search engines that search
other search engines.
Confused? To put it simply, a
meta search...
This is a special HTML tag that
is used to store information
about a Web page but is not
displayed in a Web browser...
Metadata describes other
data. It provides information
about a certain item's
content. For example, an
image may...
A metafile can refer to two
different types of computer
files. The first is a file that
describes the contents of...
Stands for "Musical
Instrument Digital Interface."
It is a connectivity standard
that musicians use to hook
together...
Most digital camcorders
record video and audio on a
Mini DV tape. The cassettes
measure 2.6 x 1.9 x 0.5
inches (L x W...
Minimizing a window
temporarily hides it from view
without closing it. In Windows,
a button for the minimized
window...
Stands for "Million Instructions

Mirror

Mirrored Volume

Mnemonic

Modem

Modifier Key

Monitor

Moodle

Motherboard

Mount

Per Second." It is a method of

measuring the raw speed of a
computer's processor...
A mirror is something that you
can see your reflection in.
Most mirrors consist of a
sheet of glass with a sheet
of...
A mirrored volume is a hard
drive or other form of storage
media that stores an exact
copy of the data from
another...
A mnemonic (pronounced
"nemonic") is a pattern that
can be used as an aid for
memorizing information. Most
often, this...
The word modem is actually
short for
Modulator/Demodulator.
(There's something you can
really impress your friends...
A modifier key is a key that
modifies the action of another
key when the two are pressed
together. Common modifier...
The term "monitor" is often
used synonymously with
"computer screen" or
"display." The monitor
displays the computer's...
Stands for "Modular ObjectOriented Dynamic Learning
Environment." Moodle is an
open source course
management system...
The motherboard is the main
circuit board of your computer
and is also known as the
mainboard or logic board. If
you...
In order for a hard disk or disk
partition to be accessible by a

Mouse

MP3

MPEG

MTU

Multimedia

Multiplatform

Multiprocessing

Multitasking

Multithreading

computer, it must first be

mounted. This is a...
A mouse, along with the
keyboard, is one of the two
main input devices used by
computers. It is a small
handheld...
Stands for "MPEG-1 Audio
Layer-3." MP3 is a popular
compressed audio file format
that helped popularize digital
music...
Stands for "Moving Picture
Experts Group." The MPEG
organization, which works
with the International
Organization for...
Stands for "Maximum
Transmission Unit." MTU is a
networking term that defines
the largest packet size that
can be sent...
As the name implies,
multimedia is the integration
of multiple forms of media.
This includes text, graphics,
audio...
If a software program is
developed for mulitple
operating systems, it is
considered to be
"multiplatform." Since...
For many years, the speed of
computer processors
increased through
improvements in the
architecture and clock speed
of...
Multitasking is processing
multiple tasks at one time. For
example, when you see
someone in the car next to
you eating...
Multithreading is similar to

MySpace

MySQL

multitasking, but enables the

processing of multiple threads
at one time, rather than...
MySpace is an online
community that allows friends
to keep in touch and meet
new people as well. It started
out as a...
MySQL, pronounced either
"My S-Q-L" or "My Sequel," is
an open source relational
database management
system. It is...