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A-Drive
Usually another name for the Floppy Disk drive, a slot into which a Floppy Disk can be inserted to save or retrieve information
Animation
In MS PowerPoint, the process by which individual items on a slide can be controlled to appear and move independently of each other
Application
Also known as software - a programme that performs a particular
useful function for you e.g a word processor like Word 97 or Word 2000.
ASCII
character
A character that can be typed by using a combination of the Alt
key on the keyboard and numbers on the number keypad. e.g. the "ê" can be typed by using Alt-136.
Bandwidth
How much information you can send/receive through a telephone
line connection when you are connected to the the Internet. Usually
measured in bits per second (bps).
A full page of English text is about 16,000 bits. This would take about
1 second to download.
Baud
In common usage the Baud rate of a modem
is how many bits it can send or receive per second. Technically,
Baud is the number of times per second that the carrier signal shifts
value - for example a 1200 bps modem actually runs at 300 baud, but
it moves 4 bits per baud (4 x 300 = 1200 bps).
Bit
Binary DigIT- A single digit number in base-2, in
other words, either a 1 or a zero. The smallest unit of computerised
data. Bandwidth is usually measured
in bits per second.
Bps
Bits Per Second - A measurement of how fast data is
moved from one place to another. A 28.8 modem can move 28,800 bps.
Browser
A program (software) that is used to look at various kinds
of Internet resources.
Byte
A set of Bits that represent a
single character. Usually there are 8 Bits in a Byte, sometimes more,
depending on how the measurement is being made.
C-Drive
Also known as the Hard Disk, this is the heart of a computer, on which all work and programs are stored as well as operating system requirements etc
Cache
The part of the computer's memory where web pages that have
been downloaded are stored temporarily. When you visit a web page on
the Internet, the web browser looks in the cache to see if it can retrieve
the data for that page instead of downloading it.
CD-ROM
a label for a specific type of CD containing information which can be viewed using a computer; CD-ROM stands for Compact Disc Read-Only memory, meaning that you can read information from the CD but not write new data onto it
Cell
each division of a grid (e.g. a table in MS Word or an MS Excel spreadsheet) is known as a cell
CGI
Common Gateway lnterface - A set of rules that describe
how a Web Server communicates with another programme
on the same machine, and how the other programme (the CGI programme)
talks to the web server. Any piece of software can be a CGI program
if it handles input and output according to the CGI standard. Usually
a CGI program is a small programme that takes data from a web server
and does something with it, like putting the content of a form into
an email message.
Click
refers to pressing either of the buttons on a mouse
Clip Art
a range of images (typically small drawings), and also sound and video files, which are usually provided with the MS Office software applications to enhance presentation
CPU
the computer's Central Processing Unit controls all activity on the machine, and affects speed of operation
Cyberspace
Term originated by author William Gibson in his novel Neuromancer.
The word Cyberspace is currently used to describe the whole range of
information resources available through computer networks.
Database
Any collection of data, or information,
that is specially organized for rapid search and retrieval by a computer.
Databases are structured to make the storage, retrieval, modification,
and deletion of data quick and easy.
Desktop
the first screen which appears after logging on to a computer is known as the Desktop
Domain
Name
The unique name that identifies an Internet site. Domain Names
always have 2 or more parts, separated by dots. The part on the left
is the most specific, and the part on the right is the most general.
For example,
the domain names:
schoolnet.org.za
(Schoolnet is the name of the organisation and org.za indicates that
it is an organisation in South Africa).
Dial-up
access
A type of connection to the Internet
that allows you to call a computer directly on the Internet, staying
online during the time you are connected.
Digital Camera
a camera which produces photos in digital format for easy use on computers; typically the camera can be plugged directly into the computer to enable users to save the photos to the computer and to process or edit them
Disk
any one of a variety of storage mediums, such as Hard Disk, Floppy Disk etc
Double-click
refers to pressing the left mouse button twice in very quick succession to execute a command
Download
The act of transferring information (normally files) from the
Internet to your computer.
Drag
to move the mouse physically to move or resize an object on the screen
Drag and drop
to move the mouse physically to move a data item to a different location
E-mail
Electronic Mail - Messages, usually text, sent from
one person to another via computer. Email can also be sent automatically
to a large number of addresses (Mailing list).
Extension
/ File extension
Part of the file name that follows name of the file. e.g. doc
is the extension of a word file called letter.doc.
File extensions are used to classify documents according file types
e.g. All Word files have doc. extension, and all Excel files have .x/s
extension.
File
a collection of data in a single item, such as a document, an image, a web page, or a software installation program
File size
this must be considered when trying to save items onto external storage devices (such as Floppy Disk or CD), or when posting items on the Internet or sending them via email; typically, images, photos, sound and video files are very large and should be approached with care in any of the above circumstances
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs are documents that
list and answer the most common questions on a particular
subject.
Favorites
When you find Web sites or pages that you like, you can keep
track of them, so it's easy to open them in the future by adding them
to the Favorites folder. Any time you want to open that page,
just click the Favorites button on the toolbar, and then click
the shortcut in the Favorites list.
Flame
Originally, Flame meant to carry forth in a passionate manner
in the spirit of honourable debate. Flames most often involved the use
of flowery language and flaming well was an art form. More recently
Flame has come to refer to any kind of derogatory comment on e-mail
no matter how witless or crude.
Floppy disk
a small storage disk (9 cm/3.5 in) used to transfer information from one computer to another; Floppy Disks typically contain up to 1.4 Megabytes of storage space
Folder
a collection of related files are typically stored in locations known as folders
Format
the act of changing the properties of text or other objects, such as colour, size and position
Formula
in MS Excel, a formula is used to carry out calculations
FTP
Stands for File Transfer Protocol. This is a common method
used for uploading files from your own computer to a Web
server. It was also commonly used for downloading
files from the Internet before these facilities became available
via a Web browser.
GIF
Graphical Interchange Format - this graphic (picture)
file format allows images to transfer over telephone lines more quickly
than other graphic formats.
Hard disk/drive
also known as the C Drive, this is the heart of a computer, on which all work and programs are stored as well as operating system requirements etc
Hardware
the parts of a computer which you can see and touch (eg. mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer etc)
Highlight
selected items change shade or colour or outline to show that they have been selected
Home
Page or Homepage
Several meanings. Originally, the Web
page that your Browser is set to use when it starts up. The more common
meaning refers to the main web page for a collection of web pages, e.g.
Check out so-and-so's new Home Page.
HTML
HyperText Markup Language - The coding language used
to create Hypertext documents for use on the World
Wide Web. HTML looks a lot like old-fashioned typesetting code,
where you surround a block of text with codes that indicate how it should
appear.In HTML you can specify that a block of text, or a word, is linked
to another file on the Internet. HTML files are meant to be viewed using
a World Wide Web browser, such as Internet
Explorer.
HTTP
HyperText Transport Protocol - The protocol
for moving hypertext files across the Internet. HTTP is the
most important protocol used in the World Wide Web (WWW).
Hypertext
Generally, any text that contains links to other documents
usually it is a word or phrase in the document that can be chosen or
clicked by a reader and which cause another document to be retrieved
and displayed.
Icons
small images which can represent functions or commands, and which are typically used as buttons which activate the given command
Image
A picture or graphic that appears on a Web
page.
Interactive
Interactive describes a computer system that will accept input
from a human being and will respond according to that input. The fact
that a computer places text on a screen when you type does not mean
that it is truly interactive. True interactivity is when you make a
change in the programme and it responds according to that change. Most
good computer games are interactive.
Internet
The vast collection of interconnected networks
that all use the TCP/IP protocols
and that evolved in the late 60s and early 70s. The Internet connects roughly over 100 000 independent networks into a vast global
Internet.
Intranet
A private network inside a
company or organisation that uses the same kinds of software that you
would find on the public Internet, but that is only for internal use.
As the Internet has become more popular many of the tools used on the
Internet are being used in private networks, for example, many companies
have web servers that are available only to employees. Usually connected
by special high speed cables rather than phone lines.
Note that
an Intranet may not actually be an Internet - it may simply be a network.
IP
Internet Protocol - The most important of the
protocols on which the Internet is based.
It allows a packet of data to travel
along multiple networks on the
way to its final destination.
IP
Number
Sometimes called a dotted quad. A unique number consisting
of 4 parts separated by dots, e.g. 165.113.245.2
Every machine
that is on the Internet has a unique IP number - if a machine does not
have an IP number, it is not really on the Internet. Most machines also
have one or more Domain names that
are easier for people to remember.
ISP
(Internet Service Provider) Just like you have a telephone service provider (e.g.Telkom), you have
to subscribe to an ISP if you want Internet access. Major ISP's in this
country are MWeb and IAfrica. There are many others.
Java
Java is a new programming language invented by Sun
Microsystems that is specifically designed for writing programs that
can be safely downloaded to your computer through the Internet and immediately
run without fear of viruses or other harm to your computer or files.
Using small Java programs (called Applets), Web pages can include functions such as animations,
calculators, and other fancy tricks.
Keyword
search
An electronic search that allows you to find more specific
information than a subject search because the computer looks at words
in the titles and content of a document as well as the subjects. The
challenge in using keyword searching is to refine your topic so that
the search yields an adequate number of useful references.
Laptop/Notebook
a portable computer, smaller and lighter than a desktop PC
LAN
Local Area Network
- A computer network limited to the immediate area, usually the
same building or floor of a building.
Leased-line
Refers to a phone line that is rented for exclusive
24hr, 7 days a week use from your location to another location. The
highest speed data connections to the Internet require a Leased- line.
Login
The user name used to gain access to a computer system.
Not secret (contrast with Password).
Verb: The act of entering into a computer network.
Mailing
List
A (usually automated) system that allows people to
work together online and to discuss, share, and produce information.
On a more
technical level, a mailing list consists of a list of e-mail
addresses of a group of people who are "members or subscribers" of that mailing list. This list with addresses is based at a host computer
connected to the Internet. The mailing list distributes each message
sent to it, to all members of the mailing list.
Memory
the size of a computer's memory (or of other storage devices) is measured in Bytes; images, sound files and video clips commonly require very large amounts of memory (in comparison to text files), which can lead to difficulties when using or saving such items
Menu
most software programs feature menus (typically at the top of the screen), which offer a wide range of actions and operations available to the user, such as Save, Edit, Print etc
Modem
Modulator, DEModulator - A device that connects
your computer to a phone line, that allows the computer to talk to other
computers through the phone system. Basically, modems do for computers
what a telephone does for humans.
Modify
To make partial changes to, to changes to suit our
needs.
Monitor
the TV-like screen on which a computer user can view their work
Mouse
an input device used to control computer functions, by enabling users to point to different places on the monitor screen and to select different options
Multimedia
Documents that include different kinds of media; for
example, plain text and audio and or video or text in several different
languages, or plain text and a spreadsheet.
Navigate
to move from one folder to another through the MS Windows operating system, enabling the user both to find items and to save them in suitable locations
Netiquette
The etiquette on the Internet.
Click here for some hints on e-mail etiquette.
Netscape
A well-known and commonly used browser; many people
use "Netscape" as a generic term to refer to the Web or to
browsers in general.
Network
Any time you connect 2 or more computers together so
that they can share resources, you have a computer Network. Connect
2 or more Networks together and you have an Internet.
Online
Connected to the Internet.
To work online you must have created a connection to the Internet via
a network or by dialling up to your Internet
Service Provider.
Operating System
a set of programs which enable a computer to function and which provide a user-friendly interface (e.g. Microsoft Windows XP, Macintosh OSx)
Packet
A bundle of data. On the Internet,
data is broken up into small chunks, called packets; each packet traverses
the network independently. Packet sizes can vary from roughly 40 to
32,000 bytes.
Password
A code used to gain access to a locked system. Good
passwords that others cannot easily discover contain letters and non-letters
and are not simple combinations such as virtue7. A good Password might
be: Hot$1-6
Paste
to insert a previously cut or copied data item into a new location, usually using the Edit menu in a program
Pedagogy
the art or science of teaching
POP
Two commonly used meanings: Point of Presence and Post
Office Protocol. A Point of Presence usually means a city or location
where a network can be connected to, often with dialup phone lines.
So if an Internet company says they
will soon have a POP in Belgrade, it means that they will soon have
a local phone number in Belgrade and/or a place where leased lines can
connect to their network.
PPP
Point to Point Protocol - Most well known
as a protocol that allows a computer
to use a regular telephone line and a modem
to make TCP/IP connections and thus
be really and truly on the Internet.
Processor
the heart of a computer, the processor affects the speed with which the computer can process information, open files, carry out functions etc
Programme Sometimes referred to as software or an application, a programme is a tool that performs
a particular useful function for you e.g a word processor like Word
97 or Word 2000.
Project-based
learning
Students engage in collaborative inquiry over an extended
period of time to solve real-world problems and then contribute their
findings to the body of knowledge on the subject.
Protocol
A set of standard rules, principles and meanings which
allow different kinds of computers and programmes to communicate with
each otheri. Protocol definitions range from how bits are placed on
a wire to the format of an electronic mail message. Standard protocols
allow computers from different manufacturers to communicate; the computers
can use completely different software, provided that the programs running
on both ends agree on what the data means.
RAM
Random Access Memory is the part of a computer's memory which is active during use, typically it will be able to cope with a few hundred Megabytes of files being open at the same time
Right-click
refers to single press on the right mouse button
Real
time
Synchronous communication. For example, talking to
someone on the phone is in real time, whereas listening to a message
someone left on your answering machine is not (asynchronous communication).
Save
work must be saved to a computer or network drive so that it can be opened again later or elsewhere
Search
to look for information on the Internet
Search
engine
A Web-based tool that finds Web
pages based on terms and criteria specified.
Select
the mouse can be used to choose a large range of items for further work, including single letters or words, blocks of text, images, other objects, or even entire files or folders
Server
A computer, or a software package, that provides a
specific kind of service to client software running on other computers.
The term can refer to a particular piece of software, such as a WWW
Server, or to the machine on which the software is running,
e.g. Our mail Server is down today, that's why email isn't getting out.
Shading/Fill
refers to the background colour of pages, tables, cells etc
Shareware
Software made available, usually over the Internet,
for free on a trial basis. The developer sometimes asks those who keep
and use it to pay a voluntary nominal fee.
Signature
A file, typically about five lines long, that people
often insert at the end of electronic mail messages. A signature contains,
minimally, a name and an email address.
Synthesis
/ synthesize The combination of parts or elements so as to form a whole; the combining
of often diverse conceptions into a coherent whole. In information literacy
this would often be taken to mean the consideration of various pieces
of information and bringing these together in a logical way to build
knowledge.
Tables
a tool used to control page layout in applications such as MS Word, consisting of adjustable rows and columns
TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
- This is the suite of protocols that defines the Internet. Originally
designed for the UNIX operating system, TCP/IP software is now available
for every major kind of computer operating system. To be truly on the
Internet, your computer must have TCP/IP software.
Template
A template is like a pattern - an outline that is used
over and over. A template for a document is a basic document with a
design, but it has no content or information. You open the template
document, insert the content or information into the document and then
save the document under a new name.
Toolbar
most software applications feature a series of words and icons (typically at the top of the screen) which show and provide shortcuts to commonly-used functions which are available to the user
Transitions
in MS PowerPoint, the way in which one slide changes to the next can be changed to happen in a variety of ways, such as fading, moving from left to right or top to bottom etc
URL
Uniform Resource Locator- The standard way
to give the address of any resource on the Internet
that is part of the World Wide Web (WWW).
A URL looks like this:
http://www.matisse.net/seminars.html
Upload
The act of transferring information (normally files) from your computer to the Internet.
Virtual
Not physically existing as such but made by software
to appear to do so. Virtual reality is a computer simulation of a whole
physical environment.
Web
See Also: WWW
Web
browser
A software program that allows you to view, search,
and download items from the Web. Common browsers are Netscape and Internet
Explorer.
Webmaster
A person who maintains a Web
site.
Web
page
A file accessible by a Web
browser on the World Wide Web. Web pages can contain text, sounds, pictures,
movies, and hypertext links to other Web pages.
Web
site
A set of Web pages
designed and published on a Web server for a person or organization.
Web
server
A computer directly connected to the Internet
that responds to requests from browsers to send Web
pages.
Window
a box on the computer screen which shows either a file, document or application; typically they have a blue title bar at the top, and are shown by name on the Taskbar at the bottom of the main screen
Wizard
an automated process which sometimes features in software to simplify tasks which may consist of a number of steps
Worksheet
one page of a spreadsheet
Workbook
a collection of worksheets in a spreadsheet
WWW
World Wide Web -Two meanings - First, loosely
used: the whole constellation of resources, or Web pages, that
can be accessed. Second, the universe of hypertext servers (Web servers)
which are the servers that allow text, graphics, sound files, etc. to
be mixed together.
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