“I don't know these computer terms.”
These days it would really be hard to admit that you do not know these computer lingo or computer terms especially if you are parents. Do not be embarrassed to admit because after reading this article, you would be ready to use your Personal Computer or PC and find a software to balance your checkbook, design a new kitchen, play endless games with your kids, bring office work to home, you can even track down your old friends and loved ones. Learning the basic terminologies would be the first step to save your face in public and become an educated consumer.
Boot: It only means to "start” your computer.
Bulletin Board: This is also called forums or blogs, these are areas on commercial on-line services where anyone can post messages for other users to read and they may also respond.
CD-ROM: Compact Disc-Read Only Memory. A compact disc holds as much as 200,000 printed pages, reams of information, sounds and graphics. Through this drive, these big files can be seen on your monitor and hear through your speakers.
Connect Time: This is the time you consume to an on-line service. The on-line charge varies depending on the speed and the company.
Crash: It simply means that the computer stops its normal operation for some specific reasons.
Cyberspace: For the on-line world this is a catchall label which work as a physical space wherever. As you roam in the internet you will discover different information, locations and addresses. This is where you pick up emails, go and chat to and from people around the world, creates Friendster account and many other things.
Download/Upload: The process of transferring information to and from your computer over a network or thru modem. Inside the office, if your computer is inter-connected, you can easily upload a file from your computer to your colleague where she can easily download it in her computer.
Edutainment: Originally this refers to educational software or program that packs entertainment value to keep kids interested and motivate children to learn. But today marketers got hold of it and called almost every software"s that educates and entertain “edutainment.”
E-mail: Short for electronic mail. This replaced the traditional snail mail where a postman would knock on our door and deliver that envelope. Email revolutionized the dating game. Whenever you subscribe to an internet service provider or ISP or open an account with a search network you get your own unique email address.
Flaming: This is the practice of sending nasty messages on-line.
Hard Disk/Floppy Disk: A hard disk is also know or called as hard drive. It stores frequently used programs and holds files. Floppy disk holds lesser space and information and is remote. The modern day floppy disk looks like 3 ½ inches-wide square plastic. Inside it is a magnetic disk that holds important files. It is safe from being harmed with dust or fingerprints.
Icon: This is a tiny picture in the screen of your monitor or desktop. Each picture represents and computer command or program that once you click it, surely it will respond and perform its purpose.
Interactive Software: This is an umbrella term for programs that present information (from mathematical problems down to a simple puzzle game).
Internet: The www or worldwide web. The highway of information, the worldwide network of millions and millions of computers from a private home to libraries; from institutions to government agencies; from private individuals or corporations and vice-versa. It offers email, games, files, chats, pictures, programs, music and a lot more.
Log-on: It means you connect on-line through a modem, another compute device. Whenever one goes on line he/she supplies his/her username and password.
Lurking: This is done by Peeping Toms. They eavesdrop on electronic conversation instead of contributing good things to sciences.
Modem: A term for modulator and demodulator. This device is connected to your computer and a phone jack enables you to go on-line. This way you will be able to receive and transmit messages.
Mouse: A small handheld device that looks more like soap but with its cord it looks like a mouse with a tail. This moves the pointer on the computer screen and in just a click; a program would execute a command.
Multimedia: This combines text, sounds, animations, colorful graphics and videos and created an outstanding audiovisual program.
Network: This is composed of several computers connected with one another usually within the same room, building or the same perimeter.
Online: Through telephone lines or wireless connection, it connects your computer to another computer.
Online Services: These are companies that provide combination of services such as email, news, games and reference materials to consuming public. Prodigy, CompuServe and AOL or America On-line are best examples of this.
Real-time: When you are typing something in your monitor and it is being seen by someone else on another screen it means real time. When you are chatting right here, right now, it means real time. It differs from an email wherein you have the option to check and read it some other time or later in a day.
Software/Hardware: This refers to computer programs - word processor, spreadsheets, databases, games, applications, etc. Now the equipment itself, the central processing unit or CPU is the hardware, the tangible parts. This includes the internal chips, the fan, the circuitry, the monitor, the keyboard, the printer and the mouse as well.
Virus: Computer nerds formulated this destructive programs to get famous, and contend themselves by messing up other people's lives. Virus can be hidden in a game, in a file, in a program, in diskettes and this virus may destroy the data on your disk. It can totally harm and damage the entire system of the computer.
Windows: The program that lets you display more than one document at a time, run different programs simultaneously. This is the software design that made Bill Gates, once upon a time the wealthiest man in the Universe. Microsoft adapted the program for IBM.
