1. 7.1 Similar to 5.1's true surround sound with pairs of front and rear speakers,a centre speaker and a subwoofer 7.1 also offers two extra rear speakers. 2. .GIF (GIF = Graphics Interchange Format) A commonly used graphics file format popular for images displayed on websites. 3. 10pt Short for 10 point, a typographic measurement. The larger the number, the bigger the text character will appear. 4. 16:9 format The aspect ratio (width:height) of widescreen televisions and cinema screens. 5. 286 processor Early Intel chip used in desktop computers. It was followed by the 386 and 486, and then the Pentium series of processors. 6. 35mm The width of the film used in many traditional cameras. Often used to describe the cameras that use this size of film. 7. 386 processor Early Intel chip used in desktop computers. It was followed by the 486 and then the Pentium series of processors. 8. 3D graphics card An expansion card designed to handle the three-dimensional graphics seen in many of today's top games. 9. 3G Shorthand reference for 'third generation mobile telephone network'. 3G networks support fast data transfer, making such things as sound and video transmission possible. 10. 486 processor Early Intel chip used in desktop computers. It was followed by the Pentium series of processors. 11. 5.1 digital decoder Converts the surround sound soundtrack on a DVD movie into a signal that's sent to an amplifier. 12. 56Kbps The fastest standard for traditional modems. Modems convert electronic signals from your computer into sound signals that can be transmitted over a phone line. 56kbps means that a modem is capable of receiving up to 56,000 bits of computer data each second. 13. 5-pin DIN Archaic PC keyboard connector. It has been superseded by PS/2 and USB connectors. 14. Access point Wireless communication hub that allows users to connect to a Wi-Fi network. 15. ActiveX Technology for adding extra features to an application like a web browser. ActiveX components are usually downloaded automatically, or with minimal user interaction. 16. Add-in Extra features available in most Microsoft applications, but usually requiring installation from the original CD-ROM. For example, Excel's AutoSave feature is an Add-in module, and is only installed upon request. 17. Address In the context of the internet, an address is the information a web browser needs to locate a particular website. Microsoft's website address, for instance, is www. microsoft. com. 18. ADSL Stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A technology that converts an ordinary household telephone line into an extremely fast internet connection -- around ten times faster than a regular 56K modem. 19. Advanced Photo System (APS) A photographic film format capable of capturing three different picture sizes. APS-based cameras also benefit from the simplicity of slot-in-and-go loading of the film cartridges. Reprints can ordered from index prints, consisting of thumbnail representations of photos, and supplied with all developed film.20. AGP Accelerated Graphics Port. A PC interface (either an expansion slot or built-in) used for super-fast 3D graphics facilities. Ideal for handling the 3D worlds depicted in many of today's top games. 21. Analogue Signal whose value varies continuously over time. For example, when a person speaks, the sound wave is an analogue signal, varying smoothly as they talk. Analogue signal information differs from digital signals, which move sharply between fixed values. To help visualise this, consider the difference between an analogue watch face with sweeping hands and a digital watch display, which jumps from one number to the next. 22. Animated GIF Stands for Graphics Interchange Format, a popular file format for storing graphic images, often for use on websites. An animated GIF is simply a string of these images, creating the illusion of moving pictures when played back. 23. Annotation A comment or mark added to an image or a document, much like sticking a Post-it note on an office memo to highlight a point of interest. 24. Anti-virus software An application designed to protect PCs from malicious computer code. 25. Aperture In a camera, this is an opening that controls the amount of light passing through the lens. 26. API Stands for application programming interface, a standard used by computer programmers to allow operating systems and software applications to understand one another. 27. Applet Small utility program within Windows, like Calculator or ScanDisk. 28. Application A computer software program that enables the user to perform specific tasks. For example, Microsoft Word is used for word processing, while Paint Shop Pro is designed for image-editing requirements. 29. APS Advanced Photo System A film format developed by Canon, Fuji, Kodak, Minolta and Nikon that uses a small slot-in cartridge to store the unexposed, exposed and developed film. APS cameras can take panoramic ans well as regular photographs. 30. Artifical Intelligence (AI) The science of simulating or duplicating intelligence using a computer. AI is useful for situations where clear-cut decisions are not possible and for mimicing the behaviour of humans or animals. 31. ASF Advanced Streaming Format.A streaming file format from Microsoft. 32. Aspect ratio A measure of the relative width and height of a display. Traditional television screens, for instance, have an aspect ratio of 4:3 (meaning four units wide by three units high), while modern widescreen sets have 16:9 proportions. 33. ATAPI Stands for Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface, which is a control technology for devices like CD-ROM and hard disk drives. 34. ATRAC Stands for Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding, which is Sony's proprietary audio file-compression system, similar to MP3 but with additional security features designed to prevent piracy of copyright material. 35. Attachment A computer file, such as a word-processor document or spreadsheet, sent along with an email message. 36. Audio Format In the context of Windows' Sound Recorder program, the choice of storing recorded audio in one of three quality settings CD, radio or telephone. 37. Autocorrect A feature in a word processor that automatically corrects common spelling mistakes as they are typed. 38. Automatic document feeder (ADF) A facility of most printers and some scanners, enabling documents to be automatically fed through the print or scanner mechanism without user intervention. 39. Autoplay A Windows feature that allows CD-ROM/DVD discs to launch or play as soon they're inserted into a drive. 40. AutoSum A handy Excel feature that gives an at-a-glance total of a selection of figures. 41. Autotrace A feature of some image-editing programs that identifies outline shapes in a bitmap graphics and attempts to trace them, resulting in editable vector paths. 42. Avatar In computing context, a graphic or icon used to represent a person in an online chat-room or game. Avatars can usually be customised and range from simple images to complex three-dimensional shapes. 43. AVI A type of video file used by windows and usuall played using Windows Media Player. 44. Back up The process of copying your important computer files and documents from your hard disk to removable media (such as Zip or CD-RW discs) or another computer, to protect against loss of the originals. 45. Banding Noticeable stripes appearing on a print-out usually only a problem with inkjet printers. 46. Bandwidth In computing terms, a measure of the maximum amount of data that can be transferred over a connection at any one time. For example, if you connect to the internet using a modem, then the bandwidth is likely to be up to 56Kbps (or 56,000 bits of data per second). 47. Beta Version of a software application or system still in development. Companies make beta versions available to selected testers for evaluation, testing and feedback. 48. Bi-directional Refers to an ability for two-way communication. Most printer cables, for example, are bi-directional, so the computer can send data to the printer and the printer is able to respond with print-job progress information. 49. Binaries Newsgroup postings of encoded files (photographs, sound files, video clips and so on), rather than plain text. These are frowned upon except in certain groups, such as those beginning 'alt. binaries. '. 50. Binary A coding system used by computers and other digital devices to store data as a series just two digits 0 and 1. 51. Bioemtrics The use of measurable physical characteristics for idenitification purposes, such as fingerprinting. 52. BIOS Basic Input Output System. Software built into all PCs, to control the basic operation of devices such as the screen, hard disk and keyboard. When a PC is switched on, the BIOS automatically kicks in, and looks for a drive (like the hard disk) from which the operating system proper can be launched. 53. Bit A contraction of binary digit, which is the smallest unit of computer data. A bit can hold one of two values 1 or 0. Consecutive bits combine together to form larger units of information. There are eight bits in a 'byte'. 54. Bitmap (BMP) A type of graphic image recorded as many tiny dots (or pixels). Scanned photographs and similar images are often stored in this form. If you use an image-editing application to zoom in on a bitmap image, the pixels will gradually become distinct. BMP image files tend to be quite large, so other types are more popular. 55. Blanking plates Plastic or metal plates on the back and front of a PC, fitted by manufacturers to cover unused expansion bays. Blanking plates can be easily removed when new devices are fitted. 56. Blend In image editing, the combining of one or more graphic layers. 57. Bluetooth A technology that allows devices (computers, phones, printers, etc. ) to communicate with each other wirelessly. 58. Blu-Ray A new format that will deliver high-definition on DVD-sized discs.Movies and the first compatible players are expected by the end of 2005. 59. Body text Text makes up the bulk of a story, article or chapter, rather than the headings or footnotes. 60. Bookmark A way of flagging favourite websites in your web browser for later reference, much like marking a page in a book. 61. Boolean Logical propositions, such as AND, OR and IF, often used to refine searches or filter computer data. Named after Boole, a 19th c. English mathematician. 62. Boot The process a PC goes through after it is switched on performing a quick self-test, loading Windows, and so on. 63. Boot disk A disk containing the operating system components essential for getting a PC up and running. Usually, the boot disk is the computer's hard disk but in times of strife, a suitably-prepared floppy disk can be used to kick-start a PC. 64. Boot sector Area of a disk containing instructions enabling a computer to launch an operating system (such as Windows). These instructions are executed every time the computer starts up. 65. Bps Bits per second. Measure of computer data transmission speed. For example, a 56Kbps modem can receive up to 56,000 bits of computer data per second. 66. Broadband Refers to high-bandwidth internet connections, such as ADSL. 67. Browse Using a web browser application to look at websites on the net. 68. Browser The short name for a web browser an application that lets you view pages on the internet. Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator are the two most popular browsers. 69. Brush Image-editing tools offer a selection of brushes for 'painting' on the screen. Some act like thick marker pens while others create an aerosol-like effect. 70. Bubblejet Canon's trademarked name for its own inkjet printing technology. 71. Buffer A small amount of memory used as a reservoir for data that's provided (usually in spurts) from a source. 72. Burn-proof Technology used by some CD-RW drives to ensure error-free and foolproof disc creation. 73. Bus In computer terminology, a bus is the data path on the motherboard that devices use to communicate with the processor. 74. Bus mastering PCI A technology which reduces the burden on the processor when transferring data to and from the hard disk and other devices. 75. Byte a unit of computer storage that can hold a single character. 1024 bytes make a kilobyte, or 1Kb. 76. C++ Programming language popular with professional computer software developers, and used to create many of today's top applications. 77. Cable Shorthand for cable television and associated services. 78. Cache A store for frequently-used data or files. Data can be accessed from a cache more quickly than from its original source. Internet Explorer uses a hard disk cache for web pages, while computer processors often have small amounts of very speedy memory as a cache. 79. CAD Stands for Computer-Aided Design, which are special software applications that allow designers and architects to draw precise blueprints on screen, then model them in 3D to see how the design will appear in real life. 80. Caller ID A system which enables a telephone caller's number to be displayed before the handset is picked up. Supported by most telecommunications companies and systems these days. 81. Capture cards A video card that slots into a spare PCI slot in your computer and has the input and output sockets necessary for digitising video. 82. Capturing The process of taking an ordinary analogue signal from a camcorder and converting it into digital information to be stored on a computer's hard disk. 83. CD changer A device that can hold several CDs and switch between them as and when required. 84. CD writer A special type of CD-ROM drive, which allows you to create, or 'burn', your own CDs. 85. CD-R Standard for compact disc recordable format, or blank CDs onto which information (such as data or music) can be recorded but only once. Playable on most CD-ROM drives (except some older ones) and CD players. You need a CD-R drive to record onto CD-R discs. 86. CD-ROM A version of the CD, which can store a lot more than just music. This small plastic disc can hold up to 650Mb of data. 87. CD-ROM drive Used for installing software (on CD-ROM discs) and playing multimedia audio and video. Audio CDs can also be inserted. 88. CD-RW Stands for compact disc rewritable format, or blank compact discs which can be recorded on over and over again. 89. Celeron Cheaper but slower version of the Intel Pentium processor, used in budget PCs. 90. Cell A spreadsheet page uses rows and columns to divide a page into cells. Rows and columns are identified with letters and numbers, so each cell has a unique co-ordinate, such as D15. 91. Channels In the context of monitors, images are made up of three colour 'channels', one each to represent red, green and blue or RGB. 92. Charge-coupled device (CCD) A light-sensitive component used in digital cameras and camcorders. 93. Chat rooms Online venues for typed chat, rather like the premium-rate chat lines you see advertised on late-night TV. Some even allow you to create cartoon-style characters to represent yourself. 94. Checksum Mathematical formula performed on some data to generate a result that will be statistically unique for that data. 95. Chipset Broadly speaking, any group of computer chips working together to perform certain functions. For example, a graphics card will have a number of chips the chipset designed to handle all graphics output. 96. Chorus An audio effect that 'fattens up' the sound of a single instrument, to simulate several playing at once. 97. Chromakey effects Sometimes known as blue-screening because subjects are filmed in front of a blue screen before being 'extracted' from the video. The subject can then be placed on top of another scene, giving the appearance of being somewhere they're not. Without Chromakey, Superman would never have flown. 98. Click Pressing down once and releasing a mouse button, or other key. 99. Client A geeky term for an additional piece of software that runs alongside your web browser, allowing you to use services like newsgroups and internet chat. 100. Clipart A library of drawings or photographs that you can use in presentations, reports or in desktop-publishing documents. You must check whether there are copyright restrictions if you are intend using the pictures commercially. 101. Clock speed Term used to describe the speed of a computer processor, measured in megahertz or, increasingly, gigahertz 700MHz or 1GHz (1,000MHz) for example. 102. Clone In image-editing software, a tool that allows you to copy one part of an image and use it as a brush. 103. CMOS Stands for complementary metal-oxide semiconductor, and pronounced cee-moss. This is a special computer chip that looks after system set-up information, like date and time and so forth. 104. CMY Abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow the three colours found in a colour inkjet printer cartridge. Sometimes you may see CMYK where K stands for black (if they used B this might be mistaken for Blue). 105. Coaxial Cable that has one channel that carries the signal,which is surrounded (after a layer of insulation) by another concentric channel. 106. Code In computing terminology, short for program code meaning instructions that are intended to be executed by a computer. 107. Colour depth The range of colours with which an image can be displayed. Usually measured in 'bits', 1-bit colour gives two colours (usually black and white), 2-bit gives four colours, and so on. A 24-bit colour setting will allow up to 16. 7 millions distinct shades to be displayed. 108. Colour picker All painting programs have one, it's the electronic equivalent of a paint palette so you can choose which colour you want to use. 109. COM port Short for communications port, a PC can have up to four of these COM1 to COM4. It is through these ports that devices can talk to the rest of your PC. Anything fitted to a serial port will be allocated one of these, as will a modem. 110. Combination keystroke Literally where you have to hold down more than one key at once to access a particular function. Holding down the Alt and Tab keys, for example, lets you cycle through any programs you're running. 111. Command prompt Also known as DOS prompt. The Windows environment lets you point and click to navigate your way around the computer. However, the predecessor to Windows, DOS (disk operating system) requires typed in commands to control the PC and these are entered at the command prompt. 112. CompactFlash Matchbook-size memory cards with no moving parts. These slot into various devices to store data. Popular with digital cameras and handheld computers. 113. Composite A type of video signal in which the red, green and blue signals are mixed together. 114. Composite video A type of video signal used by some camcorders, video recorders and TVs in which the red, green and blue signals are mixed together. The aerial connection on a TV set uses composite video. 115. Compression To reduce the size of a file by encoding the data. This is useful for storing files which would otherwise take up lots of disk space, such as picture and video files. Compression also reduces transfer times, meaning files can be sent over the net, or to another disk, more quickly. 116. Configure To tweak the functions of software or hardware to the particular settings you require. For example, Windows can be configured so that it displays a particular colour background, or so that it uses a larger typeface 117. Context menus The context-sensitive menus that pop up when you right-click on something in Windows. What you see on the menu varies according to the task that you're engaged in and the program you're using. 118. Control Panel A collection of icons that allow you to configure the basic functions of Windows and your PC. Within the Control Panel there are icons to define display attributes, keyboard settings, passwords and a host of other options. 119. Cookies Text files generated by websites you visit and stored on your computer's hard disk. Cookies contain preferences and other information about your use of the sites, and are not harmful. 120. Copy and paste Just like it sounds: selecting part of an image or document in order to place it elsewhere. 121. Coverage In the context of mobile phones, the areas where you'll be able to get a signal. The phone networks tend to quote coverage in terms of population, not actual land area. A network may claim to cover 98 percent of the population, but with most of these people located in cities, vast tracts of the country are signal-free zones. 122. CPU An abbreviation for central processing unit, or processor the heart of a computer. The CPU does most of the hard work and the faster it is, the better the PC is likely to be. 123. Crash This is what happens when a software application or operation goes wrong, often freezing the computer. Sometimes, the only way to recover from a crash is to switch the PC off and start again and this in turn may cause you to lose documents or data you were working on. 124. CRT Cathode Ray Tube The glass tube-based technology used to produce an image in most TV sets and computer monitors. 125. Cursor A flashing shape on the screen showing where the next character you type in will appear. When entering text in a word processor, the cursor is normally a flashing vertical bar. Sometimes, the word cursor is used to describe the on-screen mouse pointer. 126. Cut Just like it sounds: this function will delete selected information, such as cells in a spreadsheet or a paragraph in a text document. 127. Data rate The speed at which digital information is transferred from one device to another, and can range from a few kilobits to many hundreds of megabytes per second. Traditional modems, for example, offer download data rates of up to 56Kbps. 128. Data table In the context of a spreadsheet, a table of figures used to create a chart. 129. Database Any collection of information, usually (but not always) used to refer to information stored on a computer. Database software applications usually include powerful search and data-filtering facilities. 130. Daughterboard A small card containing support circuitry for a larger expansion card, plugged into a socket on the main card or connected via a cable. 131. DDR (Double Data Rate memory) A type of memory that's twice as fast as ordinary memory. DDR memory is often used in graphics cards can now be found in PCs too. 132. Decoder A home cinema component that converts the surround sound soundtrack on a DVD movie into a signal that's sent to an amplifier. Decoders and amplifiers are often combined into a single unit 133. Decryption The process of making encrypted data readable again. 134. DECT Stands for Digitally Enhanced Cordless Telephone, a technology used by some cordless telephones to maintain clear call quality over long distances. 135. Default A standard software or hardware setting. Most programs, including the Windows operating system itself, ask you to make a series of selections in order to perform a task. Sometimes the computer will already have made some selections these are called the defaults. You can change the defaults to fit your own preference, or accept them as they are supplied. 136. Defragment (or 'defrag') To reorganise the data stored on a hard disk so that it can be accessed as quickly as possible by the computer. A fragmented disk can adversely affect system performance. 137. Degauss To remove the magnetism from a device, usually a monitor. Most monitors degauss automatically but some have a button. 138. Desktop What you see when you first start up a Windows-based computer. The Desktop will display your Taskbar and a selection of icons such as My Computer and Recycle Bin. 139. DHTML Dynamic HTML This is an extended version of the language used to describe web pages, which allows a page to change instantly when certain things happen, for instance the mouse moving over a specified area. 140. Dialogue box A small window that pops up to display or request information. In Windows, Menu options that end with an '' always open a dialogue box. 141. Dial-up Networking A component of Windows that allows PCs to connect to the internet using a modem and a telephone line. 142. Diamondtron Tube technology introduced by Mitsubishi in 1993. It uses the same principle as Trinitron aperture grille technology but with three electron guns at the back of the monitor rather than one. 143. Digital Unlike the smooth signal of analogue, digital information consists of discrete parts. An analogy would be a car's gearbox. A vehicle can be in first or second gear, but not first-and-a-half. Computers only recognise digital information, so must convert analogue signals. A soundcard, for example, converts the sound of a recording into a series of numbers the PC can process. 144. Digital camera A camera that stores images in computer memory rather than on light-sensitive film. 145. Digital signature A piece of encrypted data that can be used to verify the identity of someone who sent the message to which it is attached. 146. Digital stabiliser A method of removing small video camera shakes, such as the normal shaking of the operator's hand, by adjusting the picture by a compensating amount. Poorly implemented, it can cause a sudden jerk when you start an intended camera move. 147. Digital zoom Optical zoom is the normal camera method of magnifying a scene by changing the distance between the different elements of the lens. Digital zoom allows even greater magnification by expanding each of the dots, but at some cost to quality. 148. Digitising Changing an analogue signal, such as an audio/video recording, into digital data on a computer. 149. DIMM Dual Inline Memory Module. A slot-in card used to expand the memory of a desktop PC. 150. Directory An old name for what we now call folders. These provide a way of organising files and documents on disk, by grouping related items together. 151. DirectX Windows feature that ensures that all programs work with all the different types of hardware available. 152. Disk spanning Copying data from one disk to several smaller ones, automatically. This allows, for example, a large file to be copied from a hard disk to several floppy disks. 153. Dithering Process of creating colour shades by adjusting the value of adjacent pixels to give the appearance of more colours than a device, usually a monitor or display panel, is actually capable of displaying. 154. DivX A video compression standard that allows high quality video to be stored in small files. Freeview 155. DLP A new technology used for projecting images from a monitor onto a large screen for presentations. 156. DLP projector Produces a display by reflecting light off microscopic mirrors. 157. Docking cradle/station A receptacle for a portable device, like a palmtop computer or a digital camera, and connected to a PC. Through this, the linked machines can exchange documents and data. 158. Dolby digital A standard for high-quality digital audio used for video stored in digital format, especially on DVDs. 159. Dolby Pro Logic A way of encoding audio information, developed by Dolby Labs. 160. Dolby Surround Sound A system which literally surrounds the listener with sound, usually employing several speakers positioned around a room and controlled by a special decoder. Surround sound is used in feature films and many TV shows. 161. Domain name The name used to identify a site on the internet, such as computeractive. co. uk or microsoft. com 162. DOS Stands for Disk Operating System. The standard PC operating system before the dawn of Windows. DOS manages how files are stored on your PC. It is controlled through typed commands. 163. Dot matrix printer Prints by hammering small 'needles' through a typewriter-style ribbon. This type of printer is noisy and only really used where continuous-sheet paper or multi-part forms are required. 164. Dot pitch The distance between the dots which make up the image on a monitor. 165. Dots per inch (dpi) The way the resolution of printed and scanned images is measured. Both types of picture are made up of dots. The more dots there are per inch, the smaller they are and the better the picture looks. 166. Double-click To click twice quickly in succession on a mouse button. If you double-click on an application icon, Windows will then attempt to launch the application. 167. Download Process of transferring files onto your PC directly from another computer. You might, for instance, download pictures and files from the internet. 168. Drag In Windows, the action of clicking on something with the left mouse button, keeping the button pressed and moving (dragging) the object. 169. Drag and drop A feature of operating systems, including Windows, which allows you to easily move and manipulate on-screen objects and files. For example, if you want to delete a file from the Windows Desktop, you move the pointer to the file's icon, click once to highlight it, then press and hold down the left-hand button. The item can now be dragged and dropped into the Recycle Bin. 170. Drag out Click and hold down the left mouse button as you move the mouse. 171. Drive bay A blanked-off space at the front of a desktop PC originally designed for additional floppy disk drives. Now drive bays accommodate all manner of peripherals. 172. Driver Software needed to allow Windows (and other operating systems) to communicate with a peripheral. While Windows has many built-in drivers, often hardware-specific versions will be provided on CD-ROM with a new device. 173. Drop-down menu A list of options displayed beneath a menu bar when you select a menu option, or when you click on a down-pointing arrow in a dialogue box. 174. Dropper tool In image-editing, this is a feature used to set the foreground or background colour of the current drawing tool by simply clicking on part of an image. 175. DSL Electronics that apply special effects to digital audio to improve its sound or to make it sound like it's in a certain environment,such as a concert hall. 176. DSP Digital Signal Processor. Electronics that apply special effects to digital audio to improve its overall sound or to make it sound like it's in a certain environment, such as a church or concert hall. 177. DSTN A type of flat-panel display used primarily on budget notebook PCs. They are of lower quality than TFT screens. 178. DTP (desktop publishing) The design, layout and printing of documents, books and magazines using special software, such as Microsoft Publisher. 179. DTS Digital Theatre Systems. A digital movie soundtrack format used in cinemas and on some DVD movies. 180. DTS Neo:6 A digital movie soundtrack format used in cinemas and on some DVD movies. 181. Dual band A mobile phone that can work at two radio frequencies. Vodafone and Cellnet use the 900MHz band, as do most networks around the world. Orange and One2One use 1,800MHz. Only a few other countries use 1,800MHz. Dual-band phones can use either frequency, increasing the number of countries they can be used in. 182. Dual-layer DVD A DVD that holds twice as much data as an ordinary DVD by adding an extra layer. 183. DV Digital video. A DV camera stores images on digital medium. 184. DVC Digital Video Cassette, the latest video standard used in digital camcorders only. 185. DVD A type of disc able to store huge amounts of digital data, including full-length movies, with excellent-quality sound and pictures. 186. DVD RW A rewritable version of the DVD-R format whose discs are compatible with most DVD players and DVD-ROM drives 187. DVD+R One of the emerging recordable DVD standards. It uses DVD+RW disks that are designed to have data recorded on to them time and time again. Movies recorded on to DVD+RW disks are fully compatible with DVD players 188. DVD+RW A rewritable version of the DVD+R format. 189. DVD-R Standard for Digital Versatile Disc-Recordable format, or blank DVDs onto which information (such as data or music) can be recorded but only once. Playable on most DVD players and DVD-ROM drives. You need a DVD-R drive to record onto DVD-R discs. 190. DVD-RAM One of a number of competing standards for recordable DVD.DVD-RAM is really only of use in DVDRAM drives fitted in computers and some set-top DVD recorders. 191. DVD-ROM drive These drives will play both CD-ROM and DVD discs. Huge amounts of data can be stored on one DVD disc, which looks just like a CD, including full-length movies, with excellent-quality sound and pictures. 192. DVD-RW A rewritable version of the DVD-R format. 193. DVI (Digital Video Interface) A video connection used on some TFT monitors and graphics cards that provides a purely digital connection between a PC and monitor. This gives a higher quality image than using a standard VGA connection. 194. EAX (Short for 'environmental audio') a standard developed by Creative Labs for more authentic and immersive sound reproduction in games. 195. Ecommerce A term used to describe financial transactions over the internet. 196. ECP (enhanced capabilities port) A type of high-speed printer port which offers improved performance. 197. EIDE This is an interface for connecting hard disks and CD-ROM drives inside your PC. 198. EISA An enhanced version of the ISA expansion slot, offering faster data transfer speeds for suitable expansion cards. 199. Electronic Programme Guide Displays TV schedules on-screen,and lets you point and click at the ones you would like to record. 200. ELSPA The European Leisure Software Publishers Association a software copyright protection agency and one of the main anti-piracy bodies. 201. Email Short for electronic mail, a system of sending notes and memos between computers via internet. 202. EMS Enhanced Messaging Service. A development of SMS (Short Messaging Service) that allows simple pictures and ring tones to be sent between mobile phones. 203. Emulate An program that is used to make a computer act like another computer. For example, there are programs that can enable a PC to emulate a video arcade game. 204. Encoder In the context of digital music, a piece of software that converts audio CDs to MP3 or some other digital format. 205. Encryption The science of scrambling data be it text, audio, or video so that it can only be read by the authorised sender and recipient. Encryption can also be used to embed identifying markings in data, so that it can't be undetectably falsified. 206. Enhanced parallel port (EPP) A modern version of the parallel (or printer) port, which is the 25-pin connector at the rear of your PC where the printer normally plugs in. If your PC was bought in the couple of years or so, it should have an EPP port. This can be important as scanners that plug into the parallel port do require the enhanced version. 207. EPOC32 The operating system designed by Psion for its later handheld computers, like the Series 5mx. 208. Equalisers Similar to the tone controls on your hi-fi, although software implementations are usually a lot more comprehensive. 209. Ergonomics A term used to describe efficiency and health for people whilst in their working environment. 210. Ethernet A type of computer network developed by Xerox in the 1970s, allowing a number of PCs to be linked together and communicate with one another. 211. Events An action in Windows, such as opening a document, emptying the Recycle Bin, or shutting down your PC. 212. EVR (Electronic Version of Return) The Inland Revenue's computer program that duplicates the paper-based tax return for PAYE taxpayers. It's available free of charge from your tax office and allows you to complete your return on screen. 213. Executable files These are launchable programs, which have the file extension. EXE. Clicking on an executable file will start it running it may be an application, an animated greeting card or a game, for example. Avoid launching. EXE email attachments, as these may carry computer viruses. 214. Expansion card Card that can be fitted in an expansion slot within your PC to enhance its capabilities in some way for instance to improve its video or graphics performance. 215. Expansion slot A socket on a computer's motherboard designed to accommodate expansion cards. 216. Expert system A computer program designed to perform the same function as (and so replace) a human expert on a particular subject. 217. Explorer A program supplied with Windows that's used to browse files on your PC. Explorer can be used an alternative to the Windows Desktop. 218. Extension The three-letter code at the end of a filename that indicates the type or format of the file. For example,. BMP is a bitmap,. EXE is an executable program file. These enable Windows to recognise what type of file it's dealing with. 219. Extract The process of expanding compressed files so they can be opened. 220. Fader A vertical or horizontal sliding control used to alter the level of sound or other setting. 221. Fades, wipes and dissolves Methods of moving from one scene to another, without a sudden 'jump' cut. Fades let the picture fade in and out from black or white. Wipes are like a curtain moving up, down or across to reveal the picture. And dissolves fade one picture into another. 222. FAQ Stands for frequently asked questions, usually a text file containing useful information about an application or website. 223. FAT File Allocation Table A system used by Windows to organise files stored on a hard disk. Windows 95 used a system called FAT16, Windows 98 and Me use FAT32 that allows, among other things, long filenames. 224. Favorites/Bookmarks Your personal address book of places on the internet that you visit periodically. Bookmark a site and it will be stored in your Favorites/Bookmarks list for future visits. 225. Feathering A term used to describe a print-out of a text or picture which is marred by blurred or irregular edges. 226. Field In a database, a field is an individual container that can hold a particular type of information. For example, if you have a contacts list of your customers, each entry is called a record and the various parts of each record are called fields. 227. File extension The file extension is the suffix or letters after the dot in a file's name. Examples include .doc (for a word document) and .xls (Excel) and .txt (Notepad). This is how Windows knows which application to use to open a particular file. 228. File Manager Part of the Windows 3. 1 operating system, since replaced in later versions of Windows by Explorer. File Manager displays lists of all of the files you have stored on your PC's hard disk. 229. Fill The interior area of a vector shape, which may be given a colour, gradient, pattern, texture or a bitmap image. 230. Filter In image-editing, applies a transformation to either improve image quality or produce special effect on all or part of an image. There is a filter for every need from sharpening out-of-focus pictures to wrapping them round spheres. 231. Financial manager A program to help you manage your money. 232. Firewall A system that prevents unauthorised access to a computer over a network, such as the internet. Firewalls can be either hardware or software businesses tend to use the former; home users the latter. 233. FireWire A super-fast data link between your PC and devices such as digital camcorders. Also known as IEEE1394. 234. Firmware Basic software permanently stored on a device (such as a graphics card) that controls it's basic operation. Firmware can be upgraded using a process known as 'flashing'. 235. Flash An application used to create high-quality animations on websites. 236. Flash memory A special type of memory that maintains its contents even when the host machine, like a palmtop computer, is switched off. 237. Flatbed A type of image scanner that resembles a small photocopier. Place a document face down on the glass scanning bed and the scan-head is moved across it, building up a digital image as it goes. 238. Flat-panel display Slim monitors, similar to the liquid-crystal displays (LCD) found in notebook computers, designed for use with desktop PCs. 239. Floppy disk A small, rigid square of plastic used to store data. Inside the case is a circular magnetic disk (the floppy bit). The most common type of floppy disk is the 1. 44Mb 3. 5in version used by almost all PCs. 240. FM Stands for frequency modulation, a method of generating sounds from simple wave forms. 241. FM synthesis An old form of sound generation by soundcards. Still used by games, but doesn't sound as good as newer wavetable synthesis. 242. Folder Files on PC's hard disk are arranged within a system of folders, which group related items together, helping you find the item you need. Folders have names to describe what's in them, for example: My Documents. 243. Font A set of letters, numbers and other symbols in a particular style. Popular Windows fonts are Arial and Times New Roman. 244. Font size This is the measurement typographers use to describe the size of text. Thus, 72pt text is bigger than 34pt text. The text you are reading now is set in 8. 5pt. 245. Footer A special area at the bottom of a word-processor document: type something in here and it will appear at the base of every page. 246. Footprint The desk area occupied by a peripheral, like a printer or scanner. 247. Force feedback A term used to describe joysticks that can wiggle of their own accord, giving tactile feedback in games. 248. Form A document formatted in a certain way for entering data, much like the paper version. Forms are typically used by databases. 249. Format The process of preparing a floppy disk for use with a particular computer and operating system. 250. Formula bar In spreadsheets, this is located at the top of the screen, above the grid of rows and columns. If a selected cell contains a formula, it will be visible in the formula bar. Otherwise any contents in a cell will be displayed in the formula bar. You can, for example, type text directly into a selected cell, or into the formula bar the result will be the same. 251. Formulas Formulas tell spreadsheets how to act on data stored in cells. For example, '=SUM(B13+B16)' tells the program to add the contents of cells B13 and B16 together. 252. Fragmentation When there's not enough contiguous room to save a file in one physical location on your hard disk, the file will be spread over several smaller locations. This fragmentation is an inevitable consequence of constantly saving and deleting files especially if space is scarce. Eventually your hard disk will need to be tidied up, or defragmented. 253. Frame rate The number of images, or frames, shown each second that make up a moving image. The higher the rate, the smoother the moving image. Games and movies in particular benefit from high frame rates. 254. Frame size The size or resolution of each individual frame of video, usually set on capture and dependent on whether you require full screen or a small video window on your monitor. 255. Frames (web animations) Animated GIFs contain multiple images (otherwise they wouldn't move) which are held in frames, just like those you would see in a movie reel. 256. Frames (web pages) In the context of web pages, these are used to segment content. One frame might contain a menu of the website while the other displays the information that you're interested in. The frame borders might be visible but are often hidden. 257. Freeware Software, often downloadable from the internet, which is then free for you to keep and use. 258. FTP Stands for File Transfer Protocol, which is a way of transferring files over the internet, particularly when maintaining websites. 259. Full duplex The ability of a device (like a modem or sound card) to send and receive data simultaneously. 260. Gameport The D-shaped socket found on most sound cards. This is used to connect game controllers and also doubles as a MIDI interface 261. Gamma correction Correcting the overall brightness of an image to take into account differences between the way a PC reads an image and the human eye. 262. Gb (Gigabyte) A measurement of storage capacity usually for hard disks. 1Gb is equal to 1,024Mb (megabytes). 263. Gbits/s Gigabits per second. A measure of data transfer rate equal to 1024Mbits/s or 1,048,576Kbits/s 264. General protection fault A fault that occurs when an application incorrectly accesses computer memory, causing the program to crash. 265. Generational loss The loss in quality and detail that occurs every time you copy an analogue signal from source to another. Digital-to-digital copying does not involve any generational loss, unless it's through an analogue medium such as a video-capture card. 266. Geometry controls Features to adjust the shape and size of the image displayed on a computer monitor. 267. GHz (gigahertz) A thousand megahertz a measure of how fast the processor in your PC works. 268. GM (General MIDI) A standard governing the set of sampled sounds used by all MIDI devices. A GM file created on one device will sound at least similar on another (the instrument samples may vary in quality but not in type). 269. GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) A mobile phone standard that provides an 'always on' connection with speeds up to 150Kbit/s (existing GSM phones manage 9. 6Kbit/s). 270. GPS (Global Positioning System) Network of satellites orbiting the earth, and used to pinpoint an exact position on the planet. Used in modern in-car navigation systems and handheld GPS devices. 271. Gradient The gradual change from one colour to another, as if created by an airbrush. Also known as a 'fountain fill'. 272. Graphic equaliser A device for correcting undesirable noise output from audio equipment. 273. Graphics card The part of a PC that displays the image you see on your computer's monitor. Some are more advanced than others, featuring connections for video recorders or other similar devices. 274. Graphics processor A dedicated chip on a graphics card designed to controls the images displayed on a monitor. 275. Graphics tablet An alternative to the mouse: you move a stylus over a small board just as you would a pen on a piece of paper. Ideal for applications where fine detail is involved. 276. GS An extension to General Midi, offering more control over the way samples are played. 277. GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) The digital mobile phone system used in the UK and many other countries. 278. Hackers People who break into other people's computers and networks, often in an attempt to steal sensitive information. 279. Hacking The slang term used to describe illegal access of computer systems by unauthorised users. 280. Halftoning In laser printing particularly, the simulation of a continuous-tone image (shaded drawing or photograph) with a series of dots. 281. Handheld computer A small computer, about the size of a spectacles case. Handhelds usually have both a screen and keyboard in a folding case. The Psion Revo is an example of a modern handheld computer. 282. Handles In the context of software, small blocks that appear at the sides and corners of a selected object in certain applications. Dragging a handle with the mouse usually resizes the object. 283. Hard disk A high-capacity disk drive fitted in almost all PCs and used to store both applications and the documents and files they create. Hard disks are so-called because they use rigid magnetic disks to store data. Hard disk storage capacity is measured in gigabytes. 284. Hardware Your computer set-up is split into two parts hardware and software. Software covers the programs that run on your machine, while hardware describes the physical components, like the monitor and keyboard. 285. HDCP High-bandwidth Digital Content Provider. A method of protecting copyrighted digital entertainment content. 286. HD-DVD A new format offering high-definition video on DVD-sized discs. Rival to Blu-Ray. 287. HDMI High Definition Multimedia Interface. A specification that combines audio and video into one digital interfaces for use with DVDs,digital TVs and so on. 288. HDTV High Definition Television.High-resolution, widescreen digital TV that requires both an HDTV broadcast and television 289. Header A title that can be inserted at the top of the page, usually in a word-processor document. 290. Heatsink a block of machined metal, usually aluminium, used to dissipate heat from a hot component, such as a processor. 291. Heuristic A technique for assessing the probability of a file containing a computer virus. Useful for discovering previously unknown strains. 292. Hi8 (also Hi-8) A good-quality, high-band video standard used by camcorders (a high-band version of Video 8). 293. High-band Enhanced videotape formats, such as S-VHS, S-VHS-C and Hi8, which offer improved picture quality. 294. High-definition Also known as high-def or HD for short,a high-definition picture has a superior resolution to that of normal TV or video,and therefore shows more detail. 295. Homepage The first or main page of a website, usually containing links to more detailed sections or content. 296. Host The PC that you set up as the 'base' or central PC in your home network. It is usually attached to the printer. 297. Host drive When DriveSpace creates a compressed drive, it keeps part of it uncompressed the host drive. It's usually a very small part of the disk, but it contains important files that allows your newly compressed drive to work properly. 298. HSCSD High Speed Circuit Switched Data. An enhanced version of the GSM digital mobile phone network that can transfer data at speeds up to 28. 8Kbits/s. 299. HTML (HyperText Mark-up Language) The language used to create pages for a website. HTML code is written as text that is converted to a web page by a web browser. 300. Hyperlink A clickable link on a web page or in a document that takes you to elsewhere, like to another website or a later page. 301. Hyperthreading Technology developed by Intel that enables one of its newest Pentium 4 processors to behave as two processors for certain tasks, speeding up performance. 302. Icon A small image used by Windows to identify a file or application. 303. IDE Stands for integrated device electronics, which is a standard interface for connecting devices such as hard disks and CD-ROM drives to a PC. 304. Image-editing application Software used to manipulate digital images, either created from scratch or obtained via a scanner or digital camera. 305. Import filter A software feature that allows you read a file created using one application into a different one. 306. Infection Describes the way a virus transfers itself from one computer to another 307. Infrared An interface that allows you to transmit data via infrared light waves,allowing data to be transferred cordlessly between devices. 308. Infrared port An interface that allows you to transmit data via infrared light waves, allowing data to be transferred cordlessly between devices with infrared ports. Most PDAs and notebook computers feature infrared ports, but few desktop PCs are so lucky limiting the usefulness as a connection method. 309. Ink cartridge A plastic container holding ink, inserted into an inkjet printer. Some cartridges may incorporate the nozzles that will put the ink on the page but they are often just refills that slot into a reusable head. 310. Inkjet printer Type of printer which squirts tiny dots of ink onto the page to form text and images. Almost all inkjet printers print in colour as well as black and white. 311. Instant messenging Real-time text-based communication over a network (usually the internet), using a program such as AOL Instant Messenger. 312. Integrity check A type of virus check comparing previously-stored information about a file to later versions, noting any suspect modifications. 313. Interface In the context of software, the 'look and feel' of a program, such as its buttons, menus and windows. In hardware terms, it usually refers to a physical connection, like a parallel printer interface. 314. Internet An global network that links millions of computers, using phone and cable links. Users connect to server computers, which act rather like a local phone exchange. A modem connects your PC to the server from home, allowing you to become part of the internet. 315. Internet Explorer Microsoft's internet browser a program that allows you to 'browse' web pages, manage your favourite web sites, and so on. 316. Internet Protocol (IP) address An identifying number of a computer attached to a network. A computer's IP address is similar to a phone number in function. Every computer must have a unique IP address either a permanent address or one that is dynamically assigned to them each time they connect to the net. IP addresses are written as four sets of numbers separated by full stops; for example, 204. 171. 64. 2. 317. Internet service provider (ISP) A company which provides you with an internet connection, either for fixed monthly fee or for the cost of local call charges. Examples of popular ISPs include BT Internet, AOL and Freeserve. 318. Interpolation When scanner software increases the resolution of a scanned image by mathematically guessing extra details. 319. Intranet Has the look and feel of an internet website, and can be explored with a browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Unlike the web, access is limited to pages on a company's internal network. 320. IRC (or Internet Relay Chat) A vast, largely un-regulated global network allowing users to type messages in real time much like a real conversation. Divided into separate rooms, or 'channels'. 321. IrDA Infrared Data Association A standard that allows two devices to communicate with each other via their infrared ports. IrDA-compatible ports are often found on notebook computers. 322. IRQ Stands for interrupt request, which are settings that determine the memory addresses and processor usage for PC add-in cards and devices. You shouldn't change these unless you really know what you're doing. 323. ISA Stands for Industry Standard Architecture, which is an old type of expansion slot inside a PC. 324. ISDN Stands for Integrated Services Digital Network, which is a digital telephone connection providing high-speed data transfer, for such things as internet access. Popular in particular with businesses needing to transfer large amounts of data regularly and reliably. 325. Java A special language used to create advanced effects on websites, such as animated sequences and interactive buttons and menus. 326. Jaz drive A high-capacity storage device made by Iomega. Capable of storing 2Gb of data on removable cartridges. 327. Jitter Read errors caused by the timing electronics inside a CD player or CD-ROM drive 328. Joystick A stick-like device that lets you control actions in games. 329. JPEG (or JPG) A common format for image files. JPEG images are compressed and the small file size makes them ideal for web pages. 330. Jumpers Little metal pins, found on expansion cards and motherboards, which allow you to change settings manually. 331. Justified Text which lines up with both page margins or both edges of a column. 332. K6 Old processor from Intel's rival, AMD. In terms of performance, the K6 is roughly equivalent to a Pentium II processor. 333. Kb (kilobyte) Measure of capacity of a storage device. Equal to 1,024 bytes. 334. Kb/s Short for kilobytes per second, which is a measure of data transfer speed. 335. Kbit/s Short for kilobits per second, which is a measure of data transfer or modem speed. A kilobit is 1,000 individual bits of computer data, and most computer modems download information at up to 56Kbps. 336. Kerning Certain pairs of letters, such as 'A' and 'V', appear too widely spaced at large sizes and need to be squeezed together to look balanced. This is known as kerning and is used regularly in desktop-publishing applications. Can be performed either manually or automatically by software. 337. Keyword A word of particular importance on a web page that can be used by search engines to identify it. 338. KHz (KiloHertz) For digital audio, this refers to the number of samples per second a piece of music is recorded at. Audio CDs use 48KHz samples -- 48,000 samples per second. 339. Knowledge base A structured store of electronic information. Like an interactive encyclopaedia but designed to help with decision-making and problem-solving in a specialised field, not as general reference source. 340. LAN Local Area Network Describes two or more computers connected, either physically or wirelessly, with the ability to share resources, such as printers. 341. Laser printer A type of printer that produces high-quality text and graphics using a laser beam. The beam builds up characters and images as tiny dots on a rotating drum. The drum then attracts ink powder (toner) to these dots. This is then transferred and heat-fused to paper. 342. Launch To start up a program, such as Microsoft Word or Excel, by clicking on its icon or selecting it from the Windows Start menu. 343. Layers In image-editing, the equivalent of multiple sheets of glass heaped on top of the drawing canvas. You can draw onto any layer, then change the order, hide them and so on. 344. LCD (liquid-crystal display) Technology used to create low-power, slim display panels. Used in everything from digital watches to flat-screen monitors. 345. LED Light Emitting Diode. A low-power electronic device that emits light when an electric current is passed through it. 346. Legend A translation of the symbols or colours used in a chart. 347. Lens flare A special effect which produces a circular flare of light. 348. Li-ion Short for lithium-ion, which is a sophisticated type of rechargeable battery used in many portable computers and mobile phones. Li-ion cells offer good weight:life ratio and, unlike earlier battery technologies, do not suffer from the so-called 'memory' effects- allowing them to be recharged in haphazard fashion without detriment. 349. Link (or hyperlink) An object on a web page that, when clicked, takes you to another web page. Both text and graphics can be links. 350. Linux An operating system that runs on a variety of computers (including PCs) and can be freely modified and distributed by its users. It was developed by Linus Torvalds. 351. Lithium polymer An expensive type of battery that, for the time being, you'll only see on the most expensive portable devices. Polymer cells can be moulded into unusual shapes, making them suitable for all manner of applications. 352. Low-band A standard videotape format, such as VHS, VHS-C or Video 8. 353. LPT1 (abbreviation for line printer) Nowadays more commonly called a parallel port, this a connector at the back of a PC originally developed to connect a printer to the computer. All sorts of devices, like Zip drives and scanners, now make use of this port. A second parallel port will be called LPT2. 354. LS-120 An advanced but little-used version of a standard floppy disk drive, capable of storing 120Mb of data on a single disk. 355. Lumen A way of measuring brightness. 356. Macros In the context of software, an automated series of commands or operations that can be run at anytime. For example, if you always carry out a series of operations on your text to put it into a certain typeface and size, then you can set up a macro to perform this function. In photography, a macro mode allows for close-up shots without distortion. 357. Magic wand In image-editing, a feature that automatically selects an area of similar colour or tone. 358. Magnetic shielding Material that shields loudspeaker magnets, preventing them from interfering with nearby PC or TV screens. 359. Mail server The computers at your ISP that handle email coming into your account as well as all the email you send out. 360. Mailbox (or inbox) The folder in your email application that stores your incoming messages. 361. Mailing list A service provided by special interest groups that sends regular email updates to its (usually free) subscribers. 362. Mail-merge A useful tool included in most word-processing applications that allows you to create multiple documents based on data from another source, usually a database program. Mail merge is particularly useful and time-saving when you want to send the same letter to a group of people whose addresses are kept in your database. 363. Malware A generic term for software designed to perform harmful or surreptitious acts. 364. Masks In image-editing, a feature that allows certain parts of an image to be blocked off. Masked sections are immune to any changes you might make to the entire image. 365. Master pages In desktop publishing software, anything such as headers, logos or guides placed on a master page will appear on every page in the publication. 366. Mb (megabyte) A measurement of storage capacity, usually for computer memory. 1Mb is equal to 1,024Kb (kilobytes). 367. Mb/s Short for Megabytes per second, which is a measure of data transfer speed. 368. Mbit/s (megabits per second) A measure of data-transfer speed. A megabit is one million bits. 369. MBR Master Boot Record. Part of a hard disk read by a computer as soon as it is switched on. The MBR contains information about which hard disk to boot from. 370. Megapixel A measure of the level of detail recorded by digital cameras one megapixel means an image made from one million tiny dots (pixels). 371. Membrane keyboards A type of keyboard that has a plastic membrane grid under the keys. Membrane keyboards tend to have a soft, quiet action. 372. Memory (or RAM) Random Access Memory is the computer's temporary storage area, measured in megabytes (Mb). Anything written to memory will be lost when the power is switched off. Windows 95 needs at least 16Mb to work properly, and double that again to work smoothly. For Windows 98 and beyond, consider 64Mb as a realistic minimum. 373. Memory cards Small cards that can store many megabytes (Mb) of computer data or documents. Often used as a removable storage medium in digital cameras and palmtop computers. 374. Memory stick A type of proprietary memory card designed by Sony. Used to provide slot in, removable storage, for devices such as digital cameras. 375. Message board An internet-based equivalent of an actual message board, where people can post and reply to messages 'posted' by other people. 376. MFD (multifunction device) A machine that combines any or all of the functions of a copier, fax, printer and scanner. 377. MHz (Megahertz) A measure of how fast the processor in your PC works 800MHz Pentium III, for example. As a rule of thumb, the higher the number the faster a PC will be. 378. Mic in Sound cards have different sockets at the back so you know what plugs in where. The mic in socket is for the microphone. 379. Microswitched keyboard A type of keyboard where each key has its own tiny switch these being the microswitches. The switch sits underneath its key. The action that this gives the keyboard is often described as clicky. 380. MIDI Stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, which is a standard for controlling electronic musical instruments by computer. One MIDI instrument can be used to control and communicate with another, so that music created on one can be edited on another. 381. Midrange Sound frequencies in the middle of the audio spectrum. 382. MIME Stands for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, which is a standard for sending files and other data that is not plain text in mail messages over the internet. 383. MiniDisc Looks like a small floppy disk, but can record up to 74 minutes of digital sound using compression. Used in personal stereos and in-car entertainment systems 384. MiniDV The Digital Video (DV) tape format for digital camcorders. 385. Mirror site A duplicate of a website, usually in a different location, intended to share the load in times of heavy use. Shareware download sites use mirror sites for this very purpose. 386. MMC MultiMedia Card. A postage stamp-size solid-state memory card used by some digital cameras and MP3 players. See also SD card. 387. MMS Multimedia Messaging. Sending and receiving pictures to and from a mobile from. 388. MMX Stands for Multimedia Extensions, a special set of multimedia enhancements built into some early Pentium processors and designed to improve the performance of multimedia applications and games. 389. Modem A device that enables two computers to communicate with each other over a telephone line. A modem is usually needed to connect to the internet. 390. Moderator User who controls who can speak in a moderated chat room. 391. Modulation Way of varying aspect of a sound, such as vibrato or tremolo. 392. Moir (Moire) These are interference patterns that may be visible when a monitor displays certain images or patterns. Moir is a nuisance that can generally be resolved by changing the background colour. 393. Motherboard The main circuit board inside any PC into which every other component connects to and communicates through. 394. Mouse pointer Also known as the pointer, this is what you see on screen when you move your mouse. It usually looks like an arrow. 395. MP3 A standard for compressing digital audio. The sound quality of an MP3 file is close to that CD audio but requires only a fraction of the storage space. 396. MPEG Stands for Motion Picture Experts Group, and describes a method of compressing digital video. MPEG-1 compression gives VHS-quality vide, while MPEG-2 compression gives high-quality video with CD-quality sound. MPEG-2 compression is used for DVD movies. 397. MS DOS See DOS. 398. MTU Stands for maximum transmission unit, which is the largest collection of data bits that a computer network can transmit. 399. Multimedia Implies that either hardware (such as your PC) or software is capable of handling both video and sound. 400. My Computer Usually you will find an icon labelled 'My Computer' in the top-left corner of your Windows desktop. Double-click on this and a Window will appear, containing icons for any disk drives you have connected to your PC, as well as any printers you have installed. 401. Name In spreadsheets, an easy-to remember identifier for a cell or range. 402. Nanobot Notional microscopic machines, built using 'nanotechnology'. 403. Net Short for internet, which is a global network of computers you can hook up to through an ordinary phone line. 404. NetMeeting A software program developed by Microsoft and available free of charge. Allows you to talk and share data with other computer users over the internet; either audio only or, if you've a camera, visually. 405. Network A way of connecting several computers and printers so that they can share data. 406. Network Adapter A socket for connecting a PC to an office network or some broadband internet connections. 407. Network interface card Each PC on a network needs a network interface card, into which the network cable is plugged. Most can transfer data at 10Mbits per second (10 million bits per second) but 100Mbit cards are becoming more common. 408. Newsgroups Discussion areas on the internet, where you can post a message and read replies from other people, like an office noticeboard. 409. NiCad Heavy, cheap and basic type of rechargeable battery, which suffers badly from 'memory effect' that is, the problem of a battery not recharging properly if you attempt to charge it up before it is fully exhausted. 410. NiMH Stands for nickel-metal hydride, which is an older type of notebook battery. They last longer if you let them run flat before recharging, which can be inconvenient. 411. Notebook A portable computer, usually around the size of an A4 notebook. Also referred to as laptop. 412. NTFS NT File System. A more secure and reliable file system used by Windows NT and XP. 413. OCR An abbreviation of optical character recognition, the process by which printed text is scanned and converted into a computer-editable electronic document. 414. OEM Short for original equipment manufacturer, which refers to components sold to manufacturers purely for incorporation in complete systems. Often, OEM parts are similar to those sold retail, but may be cheaper or sold with different software. 415. Office suite A bundle of useful programs sold in one package. Lotus SmartSuite and Microsoft Office are prime examples. 416. Offline Working with internet software, like an email program, without being connected to the internet, potentially running up telephone charges. 417. Ogg Vorbis A free alternative to the MP3 standard. 418. On demand A virus checker in the form of a program which you run whenever you want to check something. 419. On-access A virus checker that runs continuously in the background and checks files each time you access them. 420. Onboard Already fitted to your PC as part of the main circuitry on the motherboard. So 'onboard AGP graphics', would mean the PC with built-in AGP graphics facilities. The alternative is a separate expansions card which is attached to the motherboard via a special port. 421. Online Being connected to the internet. 422. Online The time you spend connected to or via the internet. 423. Online instructions A read-me text file that will be installed on your computer during the installation of software, or will be present on the CD-ROM for future reference. Think of it as an electronic manual. 424. Online Service A company that provides its own online content that's accessible only to fee-paying members, as well as access to the internet proper. AOL is an online service. 425. OpenGL A programming standard used for work such as 3D modelling. Setting a game to use OpenGL can greatly improve the quality of the graphics. 426. Operating system A crucial piece of software which is so important that it loads automatically when you switch on a computer. Windows 98, 2000 and XP are operating systems, as is Mac OSX, Linux, and Palm OS5 (for the Palm handheld computer) Operating systems govern the way the hardware and software components in a computer work together. 427. Optical resolution The true resolution a scanner can 'see' as it passes across a document. Resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi), so a 300dpi scan will pick up 300 lines of information for each inch of the scanned page. 428. OSR2 This was a little-advertised version of Windows 95 distributed with new PCs and never made available to the general public as an upgrade. In many senses it was a test bed for new features that are now standard in later versions of Windows, such as USB. 429. Overclocked processor A processor that has had its operating speed improperly increased. 430. P11D The form used by an employer to tell the Inland Revenue about taxable benefits (such as company cars or accommodation) provided to employees earning more than 8,500 a year or to directors. The employee should receive a copy in July each year. 431. P60 A certificate, issued annually by employers, that shows an individual's total pay, income tax and National Insurance contributions. 432. P9D The form used by an employer to tell the Inland Revenue about taxable benefits (such as company cars or accommodation) provided to employees earning less than 8,500 a year. The employee should receive a copy in July each year. 433. Packet Information sent over the internet or other computer networks is split up into packets of data. Each of these includes the destination IP address, so they can travel separately and be rebuilt into the complete message on arrival. 434. Packet Writing A technique (provided through software) that allows CD-Rs and CD-RWs to be treated as floppy disks, with drag-and-drop file management. 435. Page printer General term for printers that, like laser printers or inkjets, process a whole page at a time. 436. Page Wizard A simple series of on-screen forms to generate a page layout based on your preferences. For example, Microsoft Publisher can automatically create a birthday card based on your answers to some simple questions. 437. PAL Stands for Phase Alternating Line, which is the broadcast TV standard used in the UK and in much of Europe. 438. Palette In an image-editing program such as Paint Shop Pro, a palette will allow a user to select a range of tools or colours to use for drawing or photo-retouching work. 439. Palmtop A PDA or small computer about the size of a pocket calculator. Usually without a keyboard and with a touch-sensitive screen, it will use text recognition for data entry. Most palmtops are supplied with contact management, diary and memo software, while many can access the internet and download email using a mobile phone. Third parties may supply on-screen maps, electronic books and the like. 440. Paper support Plastic trays which provide support for paper feeding into a printer, and for catching printed sheets. 441. Parallel cable Usually used to connect a PC to a printer, but can also be used to link two PCs together. Parallel cables allow data to be swapped between computers at a higher speed than serial cables. 442. Parallel port A single socket on the back of a PC typically used for connecting a printer or a low-cost scanner. 443. Parasitic virus Computer virus that spreads by attaching itself to another file, usually a program. 444. Parity error Some types of computer memory have a built-in 'parity checking' system to warn of memory errors that otherwise might not be noticed. If a problem is detected, a parity error warning is produced. If this is repeated frequently, the memory module is probably faulty. 445. Partition A large hard disk can be divided into two or more partitions or 'virtual' drives. Once partitioned, each section is treated by Windows as though it were a completely separate, smaller hard disk. 446. Patch (midi music) In the context of music recording, one of a selection of 128 different instrumental sounds that MIDI can use. 447. Patch (software) A software file or collection of files that fixes problems with an existing software application by making minor changes to the program. 448. Path (drawing software) in drawing software, vector lines, curves and outline shapes. A path is invisible until given a stroke or fill. 449. Path (file management) In file management, the names of the drive, folder and subfolders that indicate exactly where on a disk a file is stored, like 'C:WindowsMapsMyFile. xls'. This example means that the file MyFile. xls is located in the folder called Maps, which is inside the folder called Windows on your hard disk. 450. PAYE Pay As You Earn. The normal system of paying tax if you work for somebody else. Your employer deducts tax from your pay before you receive it. 451. Payload Activity initiated by a virus, such as displaying a message or deleting files. 452. PC Card A credit card-size device for adding anything from a modem to a hard drive to a notebook PC. Requires a PC Card slot (standard on almost all notebooks). 453. PCI Peripheral Component Interconnect. A high-performance expansion slot for desktop PCs, allowing simple installation of PCI components like sound cards and modems. 454. PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) A palmtop computer about the size of a pocket calculator. Usually without a keyboard and with a touch-sensitive screen, it will use text recognition for data entry. Most PDAs are supplied with contact management, diary and memo software, while many can access the internet and download email using a mobile phone or normal phone line. 455. PDF Portable Document Format. A file format developed by Adobe that allows formatted pages of text and graphics to be viewed and printed correctly on a variety of machines, without the original author having to worry about the recipients. PDF pages created with Adobe Acrobat need to be read with the free Acrobat Reader application. 456. Peer-to-peer A network connecting two or more computers without a central file server. 457. Pentium 4 The latest and fastest member of Intel's Pentium line of processors. 458. Pentium II An improved version of Intel's original Pentium processor it has now been superseded by the Pentium III and discontinued. 459. Pentium III Until recently the fastest member of the Intel Pentium family of processors. It still continues in parallel with the newer Pentium 4. 460. Pentium MMX A now-obsolete enhanced version of Intel's standard Pentium processor. The MMX part stands loosely for MultiMedia eXtensions, as the chip is optimised to handle all sorts of multimedia-intensive tasks such as playing videos and music. 461. Personal data Any information referring to identifiable individuals; usually (but not always) used to refer to computerised information. Most businesses and organisations storing personal data must register with the Data Protection Commissioner. 462. Phonebook A mobile phone memory used to record the owner's personal numbers, so they can be recalled and dialled easily rather than tapped out each time. 463. Phono A term often used to describe standard stereo (red and white) audio connections. 464. Photo cartridge Specialist cartridge of inks designed for printing photographic images. There are often six colours of ink compared to the four used in a normal inkjet print. 465. Piano Roll Editor An on-screen representation of music recording or playback, where a vertical keyboard shows the notes, and the horizontal axis shows elapsed time this is similar to the punched paper song rolls used in Pianola machines. 466. Piezo A system for inkjet printing, developed by Epson. The print head contains tiny crystals which change shape when an electric current is passed through them, forcing the ink onto the page. 467. PIM Personal Information Manager. A software application that helps you to organise all your personal data by managing your diary, contact list and messages. 468. Pincushion This setting controls curvature of left- and right-hand sides of a monitor's display. 469. Pins In thermal printers, these heat up and press against heat-sensitive paper to form images and text. In dot-matrix printers, they strike an inked ribbon against the paper to make their mark. 470. Pitch bending A technique much used by guitarists, who change the pitch of a note up or down by pulling the strings across the fretboard. 471. Pitch wheel A small rotating control found on most Midi keyboards that generates pitch-bend information. 472. PivotTable A built-in Excel macro, or mini program, which summarises large amounts of data. 473. Pixel Short for picture element, which is the smallest part of an image displayed on a monitor or captured by a scanner or digital camera. 474. Pixelation Many digital images are made up of tiny dots. So tiny that to the naked eye they cannot be seen. However, if an image is enlarged or 'blown up' the individual become visible. This process is known as pixellation. 475. Plasma A display where each pixel is illuminated by a tiny bit of plasma or charged gas. 476. Platform games These involve jumping and running across 'platforms', fighting foes and collecting sundry objects. 477. Playlist A list of audio tracks (usually MP3s) queued for playback, not unlike a stack of records on an old record player. 478. Plug and play A standard for Windows PCs that allows peripherals to be connected and used in a matter of moments. In theory, Windows will automatically detect the new device and install any needed drivers from its own database. 479. Plug-in A small program that adds extra features such as streaming video to your web browser or to other applications, and is loaded only when it's needed to display information 480. Pocket PC A generic term for any handheld computer that uses the Microsoft Pocket PC operating system. 481. Point size (or pt size) The measurement that typographers use to describe the size of text. One point is approximately 1/72nd of an inch. Accordingly, 72pt text is twice as big as 36pt text. 482. POP3 Post Office Protocol 3. A protocol for remotely accessing and retrieving email from an ISP. Most email applications and ISPs use POP3 483. Pop-up menu A menu that can be displayed on the screen at any time by pressing the appropriate key, usually displayed over material already on the screen. Once you have made a choice from the menu, it disappears and the original screen is restored. 484. Port A socket, which is located at the back of the computer's base, where you plug in items like the printer and keyboard. 485. Port scanning using a computer to search for weak spots in other computers connected to the internet, usually for unlawful purposes. 486. Portal A website that offers a variety of services, such as news, weather reports, stock information, email and so on. The information on offer may be personalised for your interests if you have registered with the portal. Most search sites are also portals. 487. Posting To send a message to a newsgroup. 488. PostScript A printer description language, including outline font technology, developed by Adobe. It enables typefaces to be displayed on screen exactly as they will print, and allows them to print to best effect on different resolution devices. 489. Power Management Power-saving features on a PC, printer or monitor, designed to turn off or put on standby any part of the system that is not needed. 490. Preferences The part of a program that lets you alter various settings and remembers your changes so it looks and behaves how you want it to. 491. Pre-payment No-contract phone services where there is no commitment and no monthly rental charge. Instead users buy calls in advance using pre-paid call vouchers. Pre-payment mobiles start from around 30. 492. Preview In graphics and drawing programs, a mode that allows you to see your artwork in colour with fills and strokes. Some programs offer more than one preview quality mode. 493. Preview pane Part of a window in an email application that lets you read a message without having to first double-click it to open it. This has the disadvantage that some malicious emails can contain HTML which will run automatically in the preview pane, potentially importing a virus to your system. 494. Preview scan A quick 'rough draft' of subject to be scanned at a low resolution. This allows you to pick out which areas of the image you want to scan in greater detail. 495. Print head The part of the printer that actually prints onto the paper. In the case of an inkjet printer, this is the part that squirts ink, in strips, onto the page. In a dot-matrix printer it's the part that hammers a row of pins through the ink ribbon 496. Printer carriage The internal printer mechanism which moves back and forth and to which the cartridge attaches. 497. Processor The chip that is the 'brain' of the computer. The faster the processor, the better a computer will perform. 498. Program Software or applications. Programs tell your computer, and its accessories (the hardware) what to do and how to do it. Examples are Excel, Word, and computer games. 499. Program Change A MIDI message that selects one of the 128 different instrumental sounds that Midi is able to use. 500. Programming Language The computer instructions that are used to build computer programs. There are many programming languages, with names like C++ and BASIC, and each is designed for a specific purpose. 501. Progressive scan Provides a more film-like image display for viewing DVDs on a television. 502. PS Receiver A small (usually handheld) device with a screen that's capable of receiving GPS satellite location information. 503. PS/2 A set of standards for such things as mouse and keyboard interfaces, originally used by IBM. 504. PS/2 port A small, round 6-pin connector, for plugging a keyboard and/or mouse into a computer. 505. Pt Point size. The measurement that typographers use to describe the size of text. One point is approximately 1/72nd of an inch. Accordingly, 72pt text is twice as big as 36pt text. 506. PVR Personal video recorders store recorded TV shows on hard disk,rather than tape or DVD.Most can be set to automatically record a whole series. 507. Quantising A way found in MIDI sequencers, including those on your PC, to force badly timed notes to the nearest 'correct' value, and so keep your recording in perfect time. 508. Quicktime A video file format invented by Apple, and used on both PCs and Macs. 509. QWERTY keyboard The standard English keyboard layout, so called because the first six letters on the top row of the keyboard are QWERTY. Similarly, French keyboards can be referred to as AZERTY while some other languages, including German, use a QWERTZ keyboard layout. 510. Radio button A method of selecting an option in an application dialogue box. Only one button in the control group can be selected: if you change your selection, your first choice is automatically deselected. 511. Rage Pro A type of 3D graphics card made by ATI. It was excellent when first launched but is now almost obsolete. You are most likely to find it or derivatives in corporate machines or notebooks which are unlikely to be used for gaming. 512. RAM Random Access Memory. The computer's working area, used for data storage while the PC is switched on. Its capacity is measured in megabytes (Mb): the more memory your PC has, the more things it can process simultaneously and the faster it will seem. Note that any information in RAM will be lost when the power is switched off. 513. Rambus A design of memory claimed to offer very high performance, albeit at a high price. Developed by Rambus Inc and licensed to RAM manufacturers, it is found in Pentium III and Pentium 4 systems. 514. Range In a spreadsheet, a defined block of cells. Rather than performing calculations on each cell individually, you can apply a formula to the whole range. 515. RCTC Rewriteable Consumer Time Code. Used on camcorders and video recorders to keep track of recording length. 516. RDRAM Rambus DRAM. A design of memory claimed to offer very high performance, albeit at a high price. Developed by Rambus Inc and licensed to RAM manufacturers, it is found in Pentium III and Pentium 4 systems. 517. RDS Radio Data System. A feature of many radios, especially in cars, which can interpret coded data included with the radio signal to display the name of the radio station and interrupt other programmes with local traffic reports. 518. Readme file A file created during an application installation that contains useful information. Readme files are usually found in the same Program Files folder as the application 519. Real time Something that takes place on a computer at the same speed as it would in real life. In real-time games perhaps a flight simulator a minute or an hour of game time is the same as in the outside world. In real time graphics processing, the onscreen image or video is rendered as you watch, rather than relying on a pre-recorded picture. 520. RealPlayer The software required to play RealAudio and RealVideo files streamed over the internet. A basic version is available as a free download while a more sophisticated version can be bought online. 521. Reboot