Une référence rapide et facile sur la terminologie des ordinateurs

Windows Shortcuts List
Linux Shortcuts List

*.CSV FILE	A CSV file is a way to collect the data from any table (where the field values are separated by a character, usually a comma) so that it can be conveyed as input to another table-oriented application such as Microsoft Excel which can read CSV files. A CSV file is sometimes referred to as a flat file
3D	This means 3 Dimensions. Sometimes pictures look like they have 3 dimensions on the screen because of the way they are drawn. 3D means you can see more than one side of the object.

A
ACCELERATOR KEY	A combination of keys that carry out the same task as if you clicked on the menu with the mouse. eg. to save a file, press alt and s.
ACCESSORIES	Additional programmes and utilities that are shipped with Windows. For example, Calculator allows you to use the keyboard or mouse to make calculations. Go to Start - Programmes - Accessories - Calculator
ACTIVE	Describes the window or icon that you are currently using or that is currently selected
ACTIVE WINDOW	The window that is currently being used and has its title bar in blue.
ADAPTOR CARD	A card that plugs into the PC and adds a new function to it.eg a soundcard.
ADDRESS BAR	This is the bar below the toolbar where you type the URL of the web page that you require.
ADDRESS BOOK	List of email addresses of people with whom you communicate using electronic mail
ADDRESS SPACE	The space at the top of the internet browser where you type the address of the site.
ADJUSTMENT HANDLES	These are the boxes (small squares) that appear on the sides of a shape, pictures or text boxes when you click on a graphic or picture. It allows us to resize, format, edit and/or move the selected item by clicking and dragging
ALIGNMENT TAB	This tab on the toolbar allows you to either left, centre, right or justify your work across the page
ALT	An “alternative” key on the keyboard that when pressed in conjunction with another key performs a specific function. Eg ALT+F4 exits a programme.
ANALOGUE MONITOR	A monitor that accepts analogue signals and then can display a lot of colours. Examples are VGA and SVGA monitors.
ANCHOR	This feature anchors the selected object to either the page, a selected paragraph, character or as a character.
ANIMATE	If you want text or graphics to move when you compile a presentation, you animate them.
ANIMATION	To add a special visual or sound effect to text or object
ANIMATIONS SOFTWARE	Software that lets you draw several frames and makes them move to look like animation.
ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE	Software that will search for viruses on your computer and destroy them.
APPLE/MAC	These were the first computers that were developed over 20 years ago and are still used around the world, especially in the USA.
APPLICATION	These are programmes we use in every day work environments (not games). MS Word, Pastel and Lotus are applications.
APPLICATION SOFTWARE PROGRAMME	A programme that makes the computer do useful work, like a word processor or a spreadsheet.
ARCHIVE	A copy of important information made and stored away from the computer in case of loss, burglary or fire.
ARRANGE	A tool which allows you arrange symbols in various types of charts
ARROW KEYS	Set of four keys on the keyboard with arrows
ATTACHMENT	A document which you have created in a programme other than e-mail which you want to send to someone. You can attach the document to an e-mail message and send via e-mail.
AUDIO INPUT DEVICE	An audio input device records music and voice input into your computer. Examples of audio input devices are CD-ROM players and microphones.
AUTO CORRECT	A function which can be turned on or off which recognises and corrects the spelling of common words
AUTO PILOT	A sample of templates you can modify to suit your own needs.
AUTO SHAPES	A group of ready-made shapes which include rectangles and circles plus a variety of lines and connectors, block arrows, flowchart symbols, stars, banners and speech bubbles
AUTO SUMMARIZE	AutoSummarize identifies the key points in a document for you to share with others or quickly scan. AutoSummarize works best on well-structured documents such as reports and articles
AUTOSUM	This is an automated feature in MS Excel that totals the columns that you are currently working in.
AUTOTEXT	A help tip after you type 3 letters at the beginning of a word that matches a word in the Autotext list.

B
BACKGROUND	The screen background image used on a graphical user interface such as Windows. Any pattern or picture that can be stored as a bitmap (.bmp) file can be set as a screen background.
BACKGROUND PRINTING	The document you want to print is stored temporarily and printed one after the other, while you do other work on the computer
BACKSPACE	This is the key we use to edit text. It is the button at the top right hand side of the keyboard and has an arrow on it. It removes text from right to left is used as an eraser when we make a mistake. It rubs out to the left (backwards).
BACKUP	A spare copy of data or information that we make to ensure that the original copy is safe. The backup copy (either on stiffy or CD) should be kept offsite away from the original copy.
BAD SECTOR	When a hard disk or floppy disk has been damaged on the surface.
BANDWIDTH	The width of the range of frequencies that an electronic signal occupies on a transmission medium eg. a digital or analog signal used to transmit information using Internet or email>
BAR CODES	These are the close lines that we find on goods in shops. Bar codes keep stock, prices, details on the item and the supplier etc. Bar code readers ‘read’ this information and the price is shown on the till screen at the shop.
BASE HARDWARE	The minimum specifications needed for a PC to run a software package and are usually printed on the side of the software box.
BATCH FILE	These are DOS files that are executable. In other words they are programmes and have the extension name.bat. It is important not to run a batch file received via e-mail unless you know its contents as it could do harm to your pc.
BAUD RATE	The speed at which a modem communicates. Baud rate refers to the number of times the condition of the line changes. This is equal to bits per second only if each signal corresponds to one bit of transmitted data. Modems must operate at the same baud rate in order to communicate with each other. If the baud rate of one modem is set higher than that of the other, the faster modem usually alters its baud rate to match that of the slower modem.
BAY	A space in a computer’s case where you can fit a floppy disk drive, hard disk drive or a CD-ROM drive.
BINARY	A common name for base two maths, Computers count using base two, since the two values are easy to represent electronically, 0 and 1.
BIOS	Basic Input Output System. This is a programme that is stored on a silicon chip on the motherboard that ensures that your pc communicates effectively with equipment attached to your pc, eg. monitor and keyboard. This programme runs when you start (boot) your pc.
BIOS	Basic Input/Output System, a series of commands that manages your PC to perform basic functions. For example the BIOS looks after how the keyboard works and makes sure the right character code is set when you press a key.
BIT	BInary Digit. This is the smallest unit of storage and has a value of either 1 or 0. All bits of data are therefore made up of 1’s and 0’s, eg. 1011 0101001 110101101
BITMAP	An electronic picture image which is made up of dots. It consists of a graphics image in computer memory made up of rows of columns and dots. When you zoom in close you can see the spaces between the dots.The density of the dots, known as the resolution, determines how sharp the image is. This is often expressed in dots per inch (dpi) or by the number of rows and columns which the image takes up such as 640 by 480. MS Paint saves all pictures created as Bitmaps. The extension is name.bmp. Bitmaps can be very large in file size.
BITS PER SECOND (bps)	The number of bits transmitted every second, used as a measure of the speed at which a device, such as a modem, can transfer data.
BLINK	The way a cursor flashes to show where you are positioned on your screen.
BLOCK	The section of writing that you have selected or highlighted if you are going to move, delete or edit it.
BMP	Name given to files that store bitmap image data.
BOLD	A font style that makes the text darker and thicker. We use this kind of text for headings or to make something in our text stand out.
BOOKMARK	A special character or code in the document so you can move straight back to a place on a later date.
BOOT	The process of starting or resetting a computer. When first turned on (cold boot) or reset (warm boot), the computer runs the software that loads and starts the computer's operating system, which prepares it for use.
BOOT DRIVE	This is the drive that the computer reads from when it starts (boots) up. Long ago computers used to have to boot off floppy drives. Today they boot off either the hard drive or other internal drive.
BOOT FILES	The system files needed to start Windows.
BOOTING UP	When you turn your computer on you are ‘booting it up’. The computer goes through checks to see that all the additional equipment is attached and working, eg. keyboard.
BORDERS TOOLBAR	This is the toolbar that allows you to edit and change the format of the borders and lines within a table.
BOUNDING BOX	A rectangle which decides the shape and position of an image on the screen.
BROADBAND	Of or relating to communications systems in which the medium of transmission (such as a wire or fiber-optic cable) carries multiple messages at a time, each message modulated on its own carrier frequency by a modem.
BROADBAND CONNECTION	A high-speed connection. Broadband connections are typically 256 kilobytes per second (KBps) or faster. Broadband includes DSL and cable modem service.
BROADBAND INTEGRATED SERVICES DIGITAL NETWORK (B-ISDN)	An ITU-T communication standard for high-speed networking that provides new services, including voice, video, and data on the same network.
BROADCAST	An address that is destined for all hosts on a particular network segment.
BROWSER	A browser is a programme that helps you to navigate through your computer and find files. Internet Explorer is a browser. Software that interprets the markup of files in HTML, formats them into Web pages, and displays them to the end user. Some browsers also permit end users to send and receive e-mail, read newsgroups, and play sound or video files embedded in Web documents.
BRUSH TOOL	(Paint Brush) Use as you would an ordinary paint brush, to add colour to your drawing/diagram
BUFFER	An area in memory set to temporarily store information while waiting to be transferred between two locations, such as between an application's data area and an input/output device.
BUG	An error or fault in a programme that means it will not work properly.
BULLET	A symbol, often a filled square or box, placed in front of a word or text to draw attention to it.
BUS	A communication line used for data transfer among the components of a computer system. A bus essentially allows different parts of the system to share data. For example, a bus connects the disk-drive controller, memory, and input/output ports to the microprocessor.
BUTTON	When you click on a button, something happens. (eg. OK/Cancel)

C
CACHE	High speed memory section used to store data temporarily before it is used by the PC’s processor
CACHE MEMORY	Your computer has the facility to store web pages that you have visited on the hard drive. This saves time as the next time you access the site the local cached site will be loaded by accessing the pc’s electronic RAM memory.
CACHING	The process of temporarily storing recently used data values in a special pool in memory for quicker subsequent access.
CAD	Computer Aided Design. This is a type of programme that allows the user to design buildings, cars and other articles using the computer. It makes the job a great deal easier as you can move, delete and create walls, wheels and the like at the push of a button.
CANCEL	A button on your screen to stop what you are doing
CAPS LOCK	We use this key if we want to type more than one capital/uppercase letter. A light on the keyboard will indicate when the caps lock (Capital Lock) is active. You do not need to use the shift key when using caps lock.
CAPTURE	To store an image on the computer that is currently displayed.
CARRIER	The steady, continuous sound that is used to send data along the telephone.
CASCADING WINDOWS	An arrangement of windows overlapping so that only the title bar and caption show.
CASE	When using a computer you can make use of the following cases: lower case UPPER CASE Sentence case Title Case tOGGLE cASE
CD	Compact Disk. These are round disks that we can put into the computer. This is the most popular format for games and applications. It is made of a tough composite material and is fairly resistant to everyday scratches and abuse. Domestic CD’s can record up to 80 minutes of audio and 700Mb of data.
CD DRIVE	A mechanical space which holds the disk when you put it in the computer.
CD ROM	Compact Disk Read Only Memory – this means you can only read information off the disk and not write (save) to it. The speed of the drive is usually displayed on the outside of the drive. Original drives read at speeds of 8x. They are now available from 56x and upwards.
CD WRITER	A device that records information onto a CD
CD-R	Recordable compact disc. Data can be copied to the CD on more than one occasion; however, data cannot be erased from the CD.
CD-RW	Rewritable compact disc. Data can be copied to the CD on more than one occasion and can be erased.
CELL	This is the name given to one “block” within a table or spreadsheet or a single frame in an animation picture. A table has a number of cells arranged in rows and columns and has a name made up of the column name and row number (eg. D4)
CHARACTER	Changing (formatting) the font type, size, style and colour.
CHILD	A small window displayed inside a large window.
CHILD OBJECT	An object that resides in another object. A child object implies relation. For example, a file is a child object that resides in a folder, which is the parent object.
CHIP	The “brain” of the computer. A small piece of silicon that has many thousands of electronic circuits.
CLEAR	To turn off an option by removing the X or check mark from a check box. You clear a check box by clicking it, or by selecting it and then pressing the SPACEBAR.
CLICK	Pressing down once on the mouse button and then letting it go.
CLIENT / SERVER	On a network the main file server is the server and the pc’s or workstations that operate off the servers are called clients.
CLIPART	A computer name for a library of images or drawings on your computer or Internet that we use in programmes.
CLIPBOARD	The clipboard is part of the temporary memory (RAM) of the computer. It stores text or images (pictures) which have been copied to it. It is a special file or memory area (buffer) where data is stored temporarily before being pasted to another location.
CLIPPING	To select a smaller image in the area of the original one.
CMYK COLOUR SYSTEM	Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, blacK. This is the basis of how all colours are formed. By mixing the CMYK colours you can create any colour on a colour laser and ink-jet printer.
COLOR DEPTH	The number of colors per pixel your monitor and graphics adapter support.
COLOUR FILL TOOL	(Paint Can) Use to fill a selected area with a particular colour
COLOUR PALETTE	This is the block or palette of colours that you can select from when formatting text or graphics. You use a colour palette to choose a colour for text or a graphic just like an artist would use his palette to choose a colour to paint with. You can also sometimes mix your own colours and add them to the palette.
COLUMNS	In a Word Processor, columns mean splitting a page up into 2 or more vertical columns of text. Columns make text easier to read because your eyes don’t need to travel so far across the line to read the words. Newspapers, magazines and some brochures use columns
COMMAND PROMPT	This is represented by C:\> and is used primarily in DOS and Linux. It is the easiest way to control and give instructions to a computer. It is keyboard driven whereas Windows is mouse driven.
COMMAND PROMPT WINDOW	A window displayed on the desktop used to interface with the MS-DOS operating system. MS-DOS commands are typed at an entry point identified by a blinking cursor.
COMMUNICATION SETTINGS	Operating parameters, such as bits per second (bps) and modem type, that apply to serial ports on a computer.
COMPACT DISC (CD)	Compact Disk. These are round disks that we can put into the computer. This is the most popular format for games and applications. It is made of a tough composite material and is fairly resistant to everyday scratches and abuse. Domestic CD’s can record up to 80 minutes of audio and 700MB of data.
COMPRESSION	Reduces the size of the file by coding it. eg. Winzip
COMPUTER PROGRAMMER	These are people that programme computers to do very advanced things. For example a man will programme a computer to fill the bottles with milk on a conveyer belt at a milk bottling factory. Programmes that require programmers include C++, Basic and Delphi.
COMPUTER VIRUS	Just like we can catch viruses which make us sick, computers can also get infected with viruses. These viruses aren’t like a cold, they are programs which someone has written especially to make your computer work more slowly, destroy your files or sometimes to break the computer completely. Viruses can be spread on disks and through e-mail. Having an anti-virus program protects our computers from catching viruses.
CONFIGURE	To set the function of the hardware or software to any particular settings you choose.
CONSUMABLES	Things you will need a supply of when you own a computer such as disks, paper and ink. Items which get “used up / consumed” in the day to day running of your computer.
CONTEXT SENSITIVE HELP	Displays help about the function in the programme you are trying to use.
CONTROL	CTRL – stands for Control. This is a key on the bottom left hand side of the keyboard used together with other keys to perform special functions. For example, Control + P (if you press CTRL and hold it down while you press P) will send your work to the printer. CTRL will do different things in different programs.
CONTROL PANEL	The control panel is full of specialized tools that are used to change the way Windows looks and behaves
COPY	To make another copy of something like a graphic or a sentence. Select / highlight the text or graphic you want to copy, click on edit - copy or use the shortcut keys: Control + C to copy.
COPY AND PASTE	This feature allows you to copy text or graphics without having to retype or create them and paste into the same document or into another document or program (a time saving feature). To do this, select / highlight the text or graphic you want to copy. Click on edit - copy and then click where you want the copy pasted and click edit - paste. Alternatively use the shortcut keys: Control + C to copy and Control + V to paste.
CRASH	When a computer freezes up and stops working.
CROP	A formatting term that we use when we edit the edges of graphics. You would usually remove the part of the image that you did not require or want.
CTRL	CTRL – stands for Control. This is a key on the bottom left hand side of the keyboard used together with other keys to perform special functions. For example, Control + P (if you press CTRL and hold it down while you press P) will send your work to the printer. CTRL will do different things in different programs.
CURSOR	In a Word Processor (like Microsoft Word) the cursor is a flashing line which shows where the typing will appear on the screen. You can move the cursor with the mouse (by clicking where you want the cursor to be) or with the cursor (arrow) keys on the keyboard.
CURSOR KEYS	These are the arrow keys on the bottom right hand side of the keyboard. There are 4 of them. They move the cursor up, down, left and right. You can sometimes use the cursor keys instead of using the mouse. There is another set of cursor keys on the number pad on the right hand side of the keyboard.
CYBERSPACE	This is the name we give to the ‘network’ where computer users interact across the Internet. It is not a real place and sometimes e-mail or messages may get lost in Cyberspace. Nobody owns Cyberspace.

D
DATA	The name we give to information on the computer. It can be numbers, graphics and symbols etc. Data is produced by a computer.
DATA SERIES	Related data points that are plotted in a chart.
DATABASE	A collection of information stored in files in an organised way suitable for updating and / or viewing in an easily readable format. A database application (programme) is required to access information on a database. For example: Access.
DATE-TIME	Small memory area on your computer that keeps the date and time up-to-date. By double-clicking on the clock in the bottom right hand corner of your screen you can view a calendar and clock in a pop-up window.
DEFAULT	Options that are used automatically unless you specify a different option eg. font style.
DEFRAGMENTATION	To go through the entire hard disk and sort out the information, so that the information is put together again and is stored in complete continuous blocks.
DELETE	To get rid of or “rub out” sentences or graphics on your screen. There are 2 keys on the keyboard which we use to “rub out” or delete. When you press delete it rubs out forwards removing text from left to right. The backspace key also rubs out backwards removing text from right to left.
DENSITY	The darkness of your printed image, it will be lighter if you are running out of ink.
DESKTOP	What you see on your screen when Windows starts up. It may be a picture or a pattern or even a photograph. The on-screen work area on which windows, icons, menus, and dialog boxes appear.
DESKTOP BACKGROUND	The background of your desktop on your computer. It may be a picture or a pattern or even a photograph. It is also called wallpaper.
DESKTOP PATTERN	A design that appears across your desktop. You can create your own pattern or select a predefined pattern.
DESKTOP PUBLISHING	The printing, design and layout of books and documents using special desktop publishing software.
DESKTOP TASKBAR	The bar displayed along the bottom of the screen.
DEVICE	A name given to any electronic device that can be attached to a network or computer; for example, a computer, printer, joystick, adapter, or modem card, or any other peripheral equipment. Devices normally require a device driver to function with Windows.
DEVICE DRIVER	A program that allows a specific device, such as a modem, network adapter, or printer, to communicate with the operating system. Although a device might be installed on your system, Windows cannot use the device until you have installed and configured the appropriate driver.
DIALOGUE BOX	A box that appears asking for either input or for you to select an option. A good example is when you click on print, a print dialogue box appears asking you to input options for printing (copies, to which printer etc). A dialogue box could also display a warning.
DIAL-UP CONNECTION	Process of connecting to a computer over a telephone link.
DIGITAL CAMERA	A fairly new type of technology where pictures are taken in digital format and stored in the cameras memory either on a removable chip / stick or in the cameras built in or on-board memory. Pictures can then be transferred to a computer, viewed and the memory deleted to make way for new pictures.
DIGITAL VIDEO DISC (DVD)	A type of optical disc storage technology. A digital video disc (DVD) looks like a CD-ROM disc, but it can store greater amounts of data. DVDs are often used to store full-length movies and other multimedia content that requires large amounts of storage space.
DIRECT CABLE CONNECTION	A link between the I/O ports of two computers created with a single cable rather than a modem or other interfacing devices. In most cases, a direct cable connection is made with a null modem cable.
DIRECTORY	This is a filing system that we use on computers to save our work in an orderly way. Directories can contain sub-directories. Files or data are then saved in the directories.
DISABLE	To make a device non-functional. For example, if you disable a device in a hardware configuration, you cannot use the device when your computer uses that hardware configuration. Disabling a device frees the resources that were allocated to the device.
DISK	A storage device that is attached to a computer.
DISK DRIVE	A device that allows you to read to or write data to a disk. A stiffy, hard drive and optical disk are examples of disks.
DOCUMENT	Any self-contained piece of work created with an application program and, if saved on disk, given a unique file name by which it can be retrieved.
DOMAIN	This is a part of an e-mail address and tells you about the company, school or organisation that owns the e-mail address. Domain names are also made up of a suffix that tells you more about the organisation. For example: .edu, .gov, .mil, .com etc.
DOT COM/.COM	A website used for a business
DOT MATRIX PRINTER	These are the original printers that physically print dots onto the page using a ribbon. They are noisy, slow and do not print in good quality. They are not as popular as ink-jet printers but are more economical to use.
DOTS PER INCH (DPI)	The standard used to measure screen and printer resolution, expressed as the number of dots that a device can display or print per linear inch. The greater the number of dots per inch, the better the resolution.
DOUBLE CLICK	This is when you click (usually the left) mouse button twice very quickly and then release it. It is used to select or run a programme. If you cannot click twice then you can also click once and press enter.
DRAG	To click on/select an image and hold the left mouse button down. While holding it down, move/drag the object to where you want to move/resize it.
DRAG AND DROP	To click on/select an image and hold the left mouse button down. While holding it down, move/drag the object to where you want to move/resize it. When you have finished dragging the object to the desired location, drop it by releasing the left mouse button.
DRAW FUNCTIONS	A toolbar containing various drawing options (line, rectangle, ellipse, polygon etc.) within the OpenOffice.org package.
DRAWING TOOLBAR	A toolbar is a computer “toolbox” or bar (at the top, bottom or edges of your screen) which contains tools which we use to draw shapes.
DRAWING TOOLS	Drawing tools are the tools which enable us to draw things in a drawing programme.
DRIVE	An area of storage that is formatted with a file system and has a drive letter. The storage can be a floppy disk, a CD, a hard disk, or another type of disk. You can view the contents of a drive by clicking its icon in Windows Explorer or My Computer.
DROP	When you have finished dragging the object to the desired location, drop it by releasing the left mouse button.
DROP-DOWN MENU	Menu that contains a list of links that drops down or appears below an option.
DTP	This is a term given to software that is used to generate graphics, images and charts. It is used extensively in the advertising industry where you need to generate a professional looking document.
DVD	Digital Video Disk – A disc similar to a CD but with two sides. Optical disk technology that will replace the CD. It can hold up to 17GB of information (28 times more than a CD – 800Mb) on two layers on each of its two sides.

E
EDIT	To change (add or delete) data in a text document or picture.
ELECTRONIC MAIL	A shortened name is Email. This is a mail format that uses the Internet to send and receive messages. You can also send pictures, sounds and video clips as part of an e-mail message.An e-mail address is made up of a user name, a domain and either a country or company extension.For example: john@computers4kids.co.za
E-MAIL	The full name is Electronic Mail. This is a mail format that uses the Internet to send and receive messages. You can also send pictures, sounds and video clips as part of an e-mail message. An e-mail address is made up of a user name, a domain and either a country or company extension.For example:john@computers4kids.co.za
E-MAIL ADDRESS	An address that is made up of various parts that allows users to send messages across the world using the telephone line system or satellite via the Internet. An address is made up of a user name, a domain or company/school name and an extension which can either tell us what country the mail is coming from or what organisation/company.For example: john@computers4kids.co.za
ENCRYPTION	The process of disguising a message or data in such a way as to hide its substance.
ENTER KEY	Also known as the return key. This key (usually shaped) gives the computer a command similar to “ok” or “go-ahead/yes”. It takes you onto a new line when doing word processing.
ENVIRONMENT	The space where you work when you are on your computer. eg Windows
ERASE	To erase information from your computer.
ERROR BOX	A small window that pops up to tell you if there is an error in the programme, or if you have done something that the computer does not understand.
ESCAPE KEY	A key which says esc on it and can cancel something or escape out of a program when you press it.
EXPLORER	A program in which you can manage all the files stored on a disk.
EXPORT	To convert a file from its usual format to another format so that it can be read by a different programme.
EXTENSION	A three-letter code at the end of the name of the file. It indicates the type and contents of file. eg bmp

F
FAT	A File Allocation Table is a table or a recording system that runs on the pc that records the physical location of files on the hard drive.
FAVOURITES	If you find a great Internet site you can ‘bookmark’ it by placing it into your favourites folder so that you can access it quickly in the future.
FIELD	An individual space that can hold a particular type of information in a database.
FIELDS	These are codes that Microsoft uses where it will insert data automatically for you. Examples of field names include ‘NAME’, ‘AGE’ AND ‘DATE’
FILE	Data or information that has been created by a computer user is usually saved as a file. All files have a unique ending or extension that you can identify them with. MS Word files have a . doc extension, eg john.doc
FILES	Information on our computers is stored in files. Files are like a sealed envelope with a name written on the outside. We can move, rename and copy files without knowing what is inside them. Files could be documents we created in a word processor or programs or graphics or any number of other types of information.
FILE SERVER	A computer designed to store programmes, data, administrative tools etc on a local or wide area network. It “serves” this information on demand to other computers on the network when users enter their passwords
FILE SHARING	When two or more PCs which are linked can share files.
FILE TRANSFER	To send a file from one computer to another over a serial connection.
FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL (FTP)	A member of the TCP/IP suite of protocols, used to copy files between two computers on the Internet. Both computers must support their respective FTP roles: one must be an FTP client and the other an FTP server.
FILENAME	The name you use to save your document
FILL EFFECT / STYLE	When you want to format text to make it look more appealing you can add a fill effect which can include gradients, effects, colours and textures.
FIND	A feature on Windows that will search any disk on you computer for a file or document.
FIREWALL	A method of keeping a network secure from intruders eg hackers
FLOW DIAGRAM	A diagram using text boxes and graphics to show the sequence of certain events.
FOLDER	Folders are created and used to store / save documents in prearranged and determined places on computers. It saves time and ensures your documents are easily found at a later stage.
FONT	Fonts are different styles of lettering. There are many different styles of lettering called fonts. The letters and numbers of a particular font all look similar. Fonts are often named after places or people.
FONTWORK	With FontWork you can assign various effects to text objects created with the draw functions on the main toolbar.
FORMAT	To change the appearance of text or objects like text boxes. The text and objects have to be selected (highlighted) before any changes can be made
FORMAT PAINTER	This is the paint brush icon found in most Microsoft applications that allows you to copy the format of text and apply it to other text without having to reformat new text. It is a time saving feature.
FORMATTING TOOLBAR	This is the toolbar that allows you to format the text you are working with (bold, italics, font etc)
FORMULA	The method we use to solve mathematical problems in a spreadsheet programme
FORMULA BAR	The bar in a spreadsheet programme where you type a formula to enable you to perform a specific function in a spreadsheet.
FRAGMENTATION	If the disk on a computer is full, information is split up and stored in any available space on the disk
FREEFORM LINE TOOL	A drawing tool in some computer programmes which allows us to draw whatever shape we wish.
FULLY JUSTIFIED	Fully justified text is text (typing) which has a flat border on the left and right-hand sides of the page. The computer automatically stretches the spaces between your typing, so that the last letters on the right-hand side are in a straight line
FUNCTION KEYS	These are the keys labelled F1 – F12 on the top of the keyboard. They have various functions from offering help, to printing when used with other keys on the keyboards. Many games make use of the function keys for functions within the games.
FYI	For Your Information – used as an abbreviation when sending e-mail.

G
GALLERY	The Gallery is a library of objects and helps to organise your pictures.
GIF	This is a type of image (Graphics Interchange Format). It is used extensively on the Internet. Only has 256 colours and is a low resolution image.
GIF FILE	A format that stores drawings or images eg. paint
GIGABYTE (GB)	This is 1024 MB (megabytes) which is exactly 1,073,741,824 bytes of data, ie. letters, numbers etc.
GRAPHIC	A computer term given to pictures on the computer.
GRAPHIC ACCELERATOR	Special card that fits into your computer and speeds up the action of drawing lines and images on screen.
GRAPHICS	Information on a screen or in printed format that looks like pictures are called graphics.
GRID	A group of horizontal and vertical lines which are evenly spaced.
GROUP	A collection of objects (shapes, text boxes etc) that behave as one for the purpose of moving, resizing or rotating them.
GUI	A graphical user interface, an interface between a system or programme and the person operating it. eg. Windows
GUTTER	In DTP the gutter is the space between the columns where you have more than one column in your document.

H
HACKER	Somebody who accesses other peoples computers or company computers illegally. Usually uses the Internet. It is illegal to hack into computers in our country.
HANDLE	A small square on the edge of a frame that can make the frame bigger or smaller.
HANG	A slang word meaning your computer has stopped and has a fault.
HANGING INDENT	This is a style in word processing where the first line of the paragraph is not indented but all lines following the first line are indented. You can select the indentation by going to Format - Paragraph
HARDDISK	A disk that remains inside the computer (systems unit). Some hard disks are removable but the majority of them are not removable. All the work you create is usually saved to the hard disk.
HARD COPY	A printed copy of a document or image that is stored on your computer.
HARDWARE	This is computer equipment that you can touch and see.You need hardware to use the software (programmes). Hardware includes the monitor and mouse.
HEADER and FOOTER	Text or graphics which can be inserted to appear on every page or selected pages in a document. Headers and footers often contain page numbers, chapter titles, dates and author names
HELP KEY	A key on the computer which you press if you need help.
HIDDEN FILES	Windows sometimes ‘hides’ critical files so that they are not deleted or moved by the user. To hide or unhide the file you change the attributes of the file. It is not wise to unhide hidden files as they have been hidden for a good reason!
HIGHLIGHT	When you want to change the way text looks or if you want to select text you have to highlight the text. You do this by clicking at the start of the word/sentence and dragging your mouse across the text.
HOME KEY	Key on keyboard that says home on it and will move the cursor to the beginning of your sentence.
HOT KEY	A different way of choosing or commanding by pressing two or more keys at the same time. eg. Alt+C to copy
HTML	Hyper Text Mark-up Language. This is a programming language used to create web pages. HTML uses tags and attributes to ensure the page structure works 100% on the Internet. Most modern web page programmes allow you to design web pages in a word processor. The programme then converts the pages to HTML automatically.
HYPERLINK	A hyperlink links you to a new document or to a new place within the same document.The hyperlink is usually activated when you select a graphic, word or button which has been set to link you to the relevant place.
HYPERMEDIA	Media (text, graphics, video, audio) containing hyperlinks.
HYPERTEXT	A way of organising information under highlighted titles, so when you click on the titles, the hidden information comes up.

I
ICON	A graphic (picture) which represents a shortcut which, when we click on them, opens a file, object or programme on the computer.
IMPORT	This is the facility to take one file or image or any data and insert it into another programme. You import a file from a programme or you export it to another programme. Not all files can be imported.
INBOX	All email messages your receive are stored in an Inbox
INSERT	We use insert when going back over a previously typed document when you want to add more text. By pressing the insert key the text that has already been typed moves forward as you type the new text you want to add. If you do not press insert the text that you previously typed is erased as you type the new text.
INSERT OR INS KEY	A key which turns the insert mode on or off. In insert mode, when text is typed in the middle of a paragraph, all remaining text is moved to make space for it. If the insert mode is off, anything that is typed overwrites the letters already there.
INSTALL	Instructions on a disk to install a new programme onto the hard drive of your computer.
INTERNET	A network of computers around the world that share information. Communication takes place via the telephone line or via satellite under normal circumstances. For domestic use a modem is required.
INTERNET BROWSER	This is the programme that you use on your computer to access the Internet. Can you name some browser programmes?
ISDN	Integrated Services Digital Network. This is an Internet service offered by Telkom where a speed of 64k can be achieved. A special ISDN modem is required. It is a reliable and cost effective way of having high speed Internet connectivity.
ITALICS	This is the way that our font (letters) look. This sentence is in Italics. Other ways of making the font look different is to make the word bold or underline the word.

J
JAVA	This is a programming language created by Sun Microsystems. It is used for Internet applications and network environments.
JOYSTICK	A device that plugs into your computer that allows you to manipulate the cursor/target using a toggle mechanism. Usually used with games. It has similar buttons to a mouse, eg. an enter button (“fire”).
JPEG	A type of image file in compressed format. (Joint Photographic Experts Group). Used on the Internet for web pages and for transferring large pictures by e-mail as it can be compressed (made smaller) ..without losing too much quality.

K
KEYBOARD	The keyboard is the flat piece of hardware usually found in front of the monitor (screen) that has letters and numbers on it. The keys are pressed and the letter or number is shown on the screen. There are between 101 and 120 keys on all modern keyboards.

L
LAN	A Local Area Network. This is a network where all the computers are fairly close to each other (not more than a couple of hundred metres). LAN’s share peripherals like modems, Internet and printers. What is a network larger than a LAN? Do we have a LAN here at school?
LANDSCAPE	If we hold a piece of paper up the way we would normally print on it and turn it on it side, that is called landscape orientation. If we print in landscape it means we print with the paper on it’s side. To remember this, picture the landscape or land as flat. (Its width is greater than its height)
LINK	A link is a button we click on while on a web page or the Internet / Intranet which links us to another web page, document or file.
LINK (in Inspiration)	A feature in Inspiration that allows you to join two unrelated graphics or objects
LINKING INFORMATION	You use the OLE function to link information. eg. you can include a spreadsheet inside a document and is automatically updated whenever the spreadsheet changes.
LINUX	Free operating system software created originally by Linus Torvalds. It is a very stable OS and is used extensively as a means for networks to access the Internet. It is a form of competition for Microsoft.
LOCK ASPECT RATIO	When editing a graphic, you can select to keep the original size ratio proportional when you make the graphic bigger or smaller. If you do not do this, your graphic may appear too thin or thick in some cases.
LPT	LPT1, LPT2, LPT3 are the names given to parallel printer ports or printers. The letters stand for Line Printer Terminal. These ‘names’ are reserved for up to three printer ports. Normally a computer only comes with one parallel printer port (called LPT1) and if you need more you can add them later.

M
MAIL MERGE	To automatically include your address details from your database when you write a standard letter that will be sent to more than one person.
MAINFRAME	A really large computer that has many other computers or users attached to it. It can store a great deal of information and can process the information quickly. Companies like Shoprite and Edgars use mainframes.
MAPPING DRIVES	To be able to share a disk drive and printer connected to a computer with other computers on a local area network.
MARGINS	This is the space around the edges of the page where there is no typing or pictures. It is important to leave a margin around the edge of the document to make it look neat. You can change how big the margin around your typing is.
MAXIMISE AND MINIMISE	When working in more than one programme you can alternate between minimising and maximising the programmes to bring them to full screen. You use the minimise and maximise buttons found in the top right hand corner of the screen for this.
MAXIMIZE	To make the window bigger.
MEMORY	The computer needs different types of memory to function correctly. There is temporary memory for immediate needs (RAM) and long term memory for storage (disks).
MENU	A list of items or activities. In computers a menu allows us to choose different tasks to do.
MENU SHORTCUTS	A combination of two or more keys that do the same as if you select an option in the menu. An example would be to press Ctrl-S instead of save.
MERGE CELLS	To “join” cells together so that they become one larger cell
MESSAGE BOX	A small window that pops up onto the screen to warn or remind you of something eg to save your work
MHz	One MHz is equal to 1 000 000 (1m) cycles per second and the speed of all processors is measured in MHz. What is the speed of your pc?
MIDI	Musical Instrument Digital Interface is an electronically recorded musical tune that is usually downloaded off the Internet. You can create MIDI’s if you have an adapter in your pc.
MINI TOWER	This is the upright case that the computer is housed in. The older format is the desktop case where the monitor sits on top of the casing.
MINIMISE AND MAXIMISE	On our computer we can have more than one program running at the same time. If we want to go from one program to another without exiting the first program we can minimise a program using the buttons at the very top-most right corner of the screen. The program will become a button on the toolbar. When we want to use the program again we maximise it by clicking on the button.
MINIMIZE	Programs usually fill up the whole page, but what if we want to see another program which is hiding behind the one we are looking at? Then we minimize the program we are busy with so that it becomes a button on the toolbar at the bottom of the screen. When we want to see it again we can just press the button.
MODAL	A window that when displayed, doesn’t let you do anything outside it.
MODEM (modulator/de-modulator)	A device that allows you to connect to the Internet. It converts the text and graphics that you want to read or send into sounds and sends them along the telephone line.
MONITOR	This is the ‘screen’ that we a look at when working at the computer. We get colour and black and white monitors. You should not touch the glass screen.
MOUSE PAD	The little square piece of rubber underneath your mouse. It allows your mouse to move with ease.
MOUSE POINTER	The small arrow that shows where you are pointing on your screen and is controlled by the mouse.
MS PAINT	MS Paint is software program which lets us draw and colour in to make our own graphics. It comes with Windows on most PC’s.
MS PUBLISHER	A desktop publishing programme which can be used to make a wide variety of documents such as cards, signs, brochures, business cards etc.
MULTITASK	This is when you move between programmes while they are still open and working. You can either minimise and maximise the various programmes or you can use ALT+ Tab.

N
NAVIGATOR	You can move headings and text up and down in a document by using the navigator.
NET	A plan view of an article that once cut out, folded and glued, allows you to create a 3 dimensional article (Tabs +)
NETWORK	A ‘network’ of computers is a number of computers which are joined together with cables (most often). This lets the computers share information between them and share things like the printer or the Internet.
NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR	This is the person responsible for ensuring the network is functioning 100%. This person would add users to the network, set rights to access certain files etc. It is a demanding job and requires a high sense of responsibility and knowledge. What else can the administrator do in the centre?
NETWORK PRINTER	A printer connected to a computer connected to a network.
NETWORK SERVER	A special large computer used in offices to support a large amount of work.
NIBBLE	This is half a byte – about 4 bits.
NODE	A branch of a mind map which can contain text or a graphic (picture) in a mind mapping programme such as FreeMind
NOS	Network Operating System. Just like you need an OS on a pc (Windows, Linux etc), if you are running a network you also need a NOS. Examples are Windows NT, Novell etc. Do we have a NOS in this centre?
NOTEBOOK	Also known as a ‘laptop’. A small computer that is portable. They are fully functioning computers and operate with a battery or electricity. They are fairly expensive compared to desktop computers. Do any of your parents have notebook computers?
NUM LOCK	If you want to use the number keypad on the right hand side of your keyboard to type numbers you have to make sure NUMLOCK is turned on. Most keyboards have a little light which will show you when NUMLOCK is switched on. You can find the NUMLOCK key on your keyboard at the top left-hand corner of the number keypad. If NUMLOCK is off your number keypad will let you move the cursor around, they become cursor keys.
NUMBER KEYPAD	This is the section of the keyboard on the far right that has all the numbers and mathematical operations (like plus, minus, times and divide) in one place. It is laid out like an adding machine. People who make lots of calculations find it easier to use the numbers if they are in this arrangement.

O
OCR	Optical Character Recognition. This software usually accompanies a scanner. This is a technology that allows scanned text to be ‘read’ and transfers it into a word processor. This takes the issue of retyping text when you need to copy it from a hard copy. If the original is not clear the OCR software may not work 100%.
OEM SOFTWARE	This is software that can only be sold off with a new computer. It is original software but may come without packaging. It is the cheapest way of purchasing software.
OLE	Object linking and embedding. To cut and paste data from one application to another
OPEN OFFICE	An open source office package containing a word processor, a presentation programme, a spreadsheet programme, a database programme and a drawing programme
OPEN OFFICE CALC	A spreadsheet programme used to create various kinds of spreadsheets, charts, graphs etc, with formulas and functions.(OpenOffice.org)
OPEN OFFICE DRAW	The drawing programme within Open Office
OPEN OFFICE IMPRESS	A presentation programme that lets you design a presentation consisting of various slides. Theses can contain effects, transitions, graphics and text.(OpenOffice.org)
OPEN OFFICE WRITER	The word processing programme within Open Office
OPERATING SYSTEM	Windows, Linux, DOS are types of operating systems. This is the software that is required to run and operate a computer. What OS do we use here in our centre?
ORIENTATION (PAGE)	The format of your page when it prints. Either landscape (flat) or portrait (upright)
ORPHAN	This occurs when you type a paragraph and the 1^st line stays on one page and the rest of the paragraph goes onto the next page. You can stop this by editing your word processor settings.

P
PAGE BREAK	This is the end of a page of text or images. It is usually represented by a dotted or solid line. You can also force a page break if you want to start working on a new page. In MS Word you hold down Ctrl + Enter to force a page break.
PAGE ORIENTATION	Pages are either printed in ‘landscape’ (lengthwise) or ‘portrait’ (upright). A way to remember which is which is to remember that the ‘land’ is flat so if the page is lying flat or looks longer it means the orientation is landscape.
PAGE PREVIEW	A function that lets you view the way the page looks before it gets printed.
PAGE SETUP	Lets you decide how you want your page set up, margins, size and text.
PAGE UP / PAGE DOWN	Pressing these keys allows you to move up and down the pages you are working on and from one page to another.
PALETTE	A selection of colours in a toolbar that you can choose when using a drawing programme.
PALETTE	A choice of colours used in a paint programme
PALMTOP	A small computer device that fits into your hand. It is not as powerful as a notebook or desktop computer but you can do just about as much on them. Very portable as they fit into your pocket. Who has seen a palmtop before? Why is it called a palmtop?
PARALLEL	The input/output connector for a parallel interface device. Printers are generally plugged into a parallel port.
PASCAL	This is a programming language that was developed in the 1970’s and is still used extensively in our high schools. What other programming languages are there?
PATCH	A smaller programme designed to fix errors in larger programmes.
PATH	A series of directories or folders it takes to get to your particular file.
PC	A Personal Computer. Usually operated by one person and not networked together.
PCI	Stands for peripheral component interconnect, a high speed connection which can exchange large amounts of information fast.
PDL	Stands for page description language and is a series of codes that explain to the printer which text and graphics to print.
PERIPHERAL	A device, such as a disk drive, printer, modem, or joystick, that is connected to a computer and is controlled by the computer's microprocessor.
PICTURE TOOLBAR	One of the Microsoft toolbars that allows you to edit, crop and move graphics or pictures.
PIE CHART	A type of chart/graph that is available in MS Excel. It is shaped like a pie. Other types include bar and line. Do you know any others?
PIXEL	Short for picture element, one spot in a rectilinear grid of thousands of such spots that form an image produced on the screen by a computer or on paper by a printer. A pixel is the smallest element that display or print hardware and software can manipulate to create letters, numbers, or graphics. A pixel is also called a pel.
POINTS (pt)	This is the way font sizes are measured. A standard size for a font is 10pt or 12pt. We use bigger fonts for headings to make them stand out.
POP	A Point Of Presence for an internet service provider. It is the actual geographical location of the provider.
POP UP / DROP DOWN MENU	Window/s which appears on the screen. It contains tools which you can click on to enable you to perform more functions in the programme.
POP3	Post Office Protocol. This is the format used to retrieve e-mail from a dial up account – the e-mail accounts you would normally have at home. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) holds onto your mail until you dial in to get it.
POP-UP WINDOW	A window that can go on top of anything which is already on the screen.
PORT	A ‘plug’ at the back of the computer where you can plug various peripheral equipment, eg, printer, scanner etc.
PORTRAIT	This is the opposite of landscape. It is when the page we are working on is upright with the longer side going down. When we paint a portrait the canvas or paper is usually longer than wider.
POSITION TOOL	A tool available in some software packages that allows you to move the whole diagram / graphic at once
PPP	Stands for Point to Point Protocol, and is a set of instructions that allows a PC to use the TCP/IP protocol over the phone connection.
PRE-EMPTIVE MULTI-TASKING	A feature that allows an operating system to run several programmes efficiently at the same time.
PRESENTATION GRAPHIC	Pictures used to display business information or data eg MS Power Point
PRIMARY KEY	Uniquely identifies each record in a database
PRINT PREVIEW	Many software programs give us the opportunity to view our documents as they are going to look when we print them. This lets us get an idea of the layout (where things are on the page). We are usually shown the whole page on one screen so everything looks a lot smaller.
PRINT QUEUE	List of files that are ready to be printed.
PRINT SCREEN (PRINT SCR / PRT SCR)	Used in Windows to obtain screen captures. Pressing the PrtScr key copies the entire image on the screen as a bitmap to the clipboard. The image can then be pasted into a document and cropped
PRINT SPOOLING	To print a number of different documents automatically while the PC is busy with another task.
PRINTER	This is a machine that allows you to print out whatever you have created on the computer. It is usually connected to power and to the computer by cables. New printers use infra red to connect to the computer. We get dot matrix printers, inkjet printers, laser printers and wax printers.
PRINTER BUFFER	A temporary storage area for data waiting to be printed.
PRINTER DRIVER	This is a programme that controls the printer. When you buy a printer it usually comes with a disk with the printer drivers on it. When you send a document to the printer the driver takes control to ensure that the document prints correctly.
PROGRAMME	A set of instructions that tell the computer how to function and operate effectively. We get games and programmes that are used in the business environment. Can you name some programmes?
PROPERTIES	You can usually view the properties or attributes of a file or device by right clicking on the item and going to ‘properties’.
PROPORTIONAL SPACING	A way of displaying text so that each letter takes up proportional space to the width of its character.
PROTOCOL	Lists of codes that allow two different computers to communicate.
PSU	The Power Supply Unit inside the pc. It converts 220V to 12V – 5V as required by the components to function correctly. Do not open up a pc and play with the PSU as it can still contain a dangerously high voltage even when turned off.
PUBLIC DOMAIN	Software that has no copyright.
PUBLISH (A WEB PAGE)	Once you have created a web page, you need to publish it to your Intranet or to the Internet. This is done be sending the files across the Internet to a web server where other computers can access your site.

Q
QUERY	A “mini programme” which interrogates (searches) a database for information which matches certain criteria. A query does not store data, it extracts it from other tables in the database. The results of a query can however be stored as another table.
QWERTY	This is the type of keyboard that we use in our country. The letters ‘qwerty’ are found in the top left hand side of the 1^st row of letters.

R
RAM CACHE	High speed Random Access Memory used to buffer data transfers.
RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM)	Memory that can be read from or written to by a computer or other devices. Information stored in RAM is lost when the computer is turned off.
RANGE	Used predominantly in spreadsheets to express cells with a starting point and an end point. Eg, range A1 – B2 will include 4 cells namely A1, A2, B1 and B2.
RAPID FIRE	This is a specific feature in Inspiration that allows the user to just press enter for new thought bubbles to appear. The Rapid Fire button is represented by a red lightning bolt
READ-ONLY MEMORY (ROM)	A semiconductor circuit that contains information that cannot be modified.
REAL TIME	Processing time which is of the same proportion as the problem to be solved.
REBOOT	To switch your computer off then on again.
RECYCLE BIN	The place in which Windows stores deleted files. You can retrieve files you deleted in error, or you can empty the Recycle Bin to create more disk space.
REFRESH	To update displayed information with current data.
REFRESH RATE	The frequency with which the video screen is retraced to prevent the image from flickering. The entire image area of most monitors is refreshed approximately 60 times per second.
REGION FILL	To fill an open space or an outline of a graphic with colour.
REGISTRY	The database that forms the basis of Windows 95 and has information on all the programmes.
REPAGINATE	Used predominantly in word processing. The page breaks (start of a new page) are recalculated when you insert new pages or add graphics as the text or other images have to move down to accommodate the inserted item/s. This is usually done automatically.
REPORTS	Based on the information captured in the database, you can create and print reports on search criteria you have selected
RESET BUTTON	This button on the front of the case of the computer is used to reset the computer if you cannot get it to restart manually. It should be your last resort to restarting the computer. You may have to push a pen into the button to activate it. Do not use this button unless you have asked your teacher or parent.
RESOLUTION	This is the number of pixels or dots per inch that is used to grade a graphics image or printed image. The higher the resolution the better the quality. This document was printed with a 600dpi resolution (dots per inch)
RGB COLOR SPACE	Multidimensional color space consisting of the red, green, and blue intensities that make up a given color. This system is typically used in scanners, digital cameras, computer monitors, and computer printers.
RIGHT CLICK	We need to right click with the mouse when we want to see the documents properties or to call up a host of functions that we would normally use by using keyboard strokes or drop down menus. Examples are copy and paste.
ROM	A memory chip found in computers that has data on it that cannot be changed or edited. Usually used when the computer boots up.
ROTATE	This is when you turn graphics or text boxes around to a different angle. This graphic has been rotated 90 degrees.
ROTATE TOOL	An icon in the draw toolbar that allows you to rotate (turn) an object from 0 – 360 degrees.
ROW AND COLUMN HEADINGS	These are the names that we give to rows and columns in a spreadsheet programme. Rows are numbered 1, 2, 3… and columns A, B, C …. Rows go across the page and columns go down the page.
RSI	Repetitive stress injury, a pain felt by a person doing repetitive work, especially if they are sitting incorrectly.

S
SAVE	When we work on a computer we can save our work so that it can be seen or used again at a later date.
SAVE AS…	When we save a document with a new name we use the Save As… function in the menus. In this way we can save a document with a new name and make changes to it without changing our original document.
SCALE	Reducing the size of something according to a fixed rule
SCAN DISK	Scan Disk is used by Windows to check the hard disk for errors and correct problems that are found.
SCANNER	A device that allows you to copy an image in true colour. You can then edit the image and print it or e-mail it. Handheld scanners are not as popular as desktop scanners. Some scanners have software that ‘reads’ the text on the page (OCR – optical character recognition) which then allows the user to copy text without having to retype the entire scanned page.
SCREEN	The glass part of the monitor where you can see what you are doing on the computer
SCREEN RESOLUTION	The setting that determines the amount of information that appears on your screen, measured in pixels. Low resolution, such as 640 x 480, makes items on the screen appear large, although the screen area is small. High resolution, such as 1024 x 768, makes the overall screen area large, although individual items appear small.
SCREEN SAVER	A utility programme that either provides a changing effect on the screen or blanks out the screen indefinitely. This is used to prevent the screen from “burning” as such. Windows comes with a range of built in screensavers. Screensavers can also be purchased or downloaded from the Internet. Can you name some screensavers?
SCROLL	To move around a document, part of a document or a graphics library. You can scroll by clicking on arrows on the right of your screen, with a ball on your mouse or by clicking on icons (eg hands)
SCROLL BAR	Arrows on the side and bottom of the page that allows you to move up and down within a document
SCROLL DOWN/UP	Moving up and down the screen / page by using the little arrows found at the top and bottom right hand side of your screen.
SCROLLING / SCROLL BAR	We can’t always see the whole page when we are looking at our computer screen. The Scroll Bar is a button on the right hand side of the screen which lets you move up and down the page. Click on the scroll bar and drag the button up and down to see the rest of the page. The Scroll Bar at the bottom of a screen lets you move the page left and right.
SEARCH AND REPLACE	Used predominantly in word processing. If you need to change or delete a word in a document you can do a ‘search and replace’ where all the words/phrases would be found and replaced. This is one of the advantages of a word processor where time can be saved.
SEARCH BOX	An engine in an Internet browser or an application which assists in the search process
SEARCH ENGINE	A programme which searches the programme for graphics (pictures) according to the search word we type in the search for clips box.
SEARCH OPERATORS	Signs and symbols such as " " and + are search operators which group and link ideas together when searching for information on the Internet. They help to narrow the search
SELECT	Means to ‘choose’ something. In computers we usually ‘select’ something by clicking on it with the mouse (if it is a graphic) or dragging the mouse over it (if it is text).
SERIAL PORT	Also referred to as COM ports, these are ‘plugs’ at the back of the computer that allow you to plug a mouse, modem or camera into the computer.
SERVER	In general, a computer that provides shared resources to network users.
SHAREWARE	This type of software has been created by programmers with minimal start-up costs. The software can be copied and used freely but all users are expected to forward payment for usage if he/she decides to make use of it.
SHIFT	We use the shift key to create a capital letter or for inserting a key associated with a number at the top of the keyboard. You have to hold down shift before you press the key you want to capitalise. Also used as a key on the keyboard which gives the other keys an alternative function.
SHORTCUT	A small file which allows you to put an icon which points to the file or programme you are looking for. You can tell a shortcut from the icons representing actual files by the little curved arrow in the lower left corner
SHORTCUT KEYS	Keyboard short cuts save time. Control+P = print, Control+S = save.
SHORTCUTS	ALT+TAB Switch to the next window ALT+SHIFT+TAB Switch to the previous window CTRL+W or CTRL+F4 Close the active window CTRL+F5 Restore the size of the active window after you've maximized it BACKSPACE Delete one character to the left CTRL+BACKSPACE Delete one word to the left DELETE Delete one character to the right CTRL+DELETE Delete one word to the right CTRL+X Cut selected text to the Clipboard CTRL+Z Undo the last action
SPACEBAR	This is the long key at the bottom of the keyboard. It is used to insert a space between words. We also insert a space after a full stop at the end of a sentence. Some games also make use of the spacebar for certain functions. Where else would you use the spacebar?
SPAM	This is electronic junk mail that nobody really wants to receive. It is not ethical to send somebody junk mail or to ‘spam them’
SPOOL	Simultaneous Peripheral Operations On-Line. This is the programme that allows you to send various print jobs to the printer. The spooler will queue the jobs and you can then delete, move or pause print jobs.
SPOOLER	This is a built in utility in Windows (and Linux and other good OS) that places print jobs into a queue. You can then move, delete and pause print jobs as you need to.
SPREADSHEET	A program which we use on our computer to help us work with numbers. Spreadsheets have columns and rows of little blocks called cells which we can type numbers and words into. We can use a spreadsheet to add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers and to draw graphs for us. Spreadsheets are used a lot by business people but are also very useful at school and at home.
STANDBY	A state in which your computer consumes less power when it is idle, but remains available for immediate use. While your computer is on standby, information in computer memory is not saved on your hard disk. If there is an interruption in power, the information in memory is lost.
START KEY	Clicking on the Start Button on the Task Bar allows you to access all the programmes and documents on the computer. You can also use ALT-S as a short cut.
STATISTICS	This function displays statistics about your document including the number of words, characters and lines.
STATUS BAR	A line of information related to the current program. The status bar is usually located at the bottom of a window. Not all windows have a status bar.
STIFFY DISK	This disk for storing of data holds about 1.4 MB of data. It is called a micro floppy overseas and you may see this term in instruction manuals. You may not leave these disks in the sun and they must be handled carefully. They are inserted into the stiffy drive.
STYLIST	The stylists is used to assign different styles to objects and text selections.
SURGE PROTECTOR	These are devices that are placed between the power socket and the PC that ensure that surges and spikes in the power do not damage the hardware. It is essential to use a surge protector in rural areas.

T
TABLE	A table organises your text into columns and rows to make it look neater and easier to read.
TASKBAR	This is the bar at the bottom of the Windows screen. On the left it has the Start button and on the far right, the time. When you use a program a button will show on the taskbar. If you click on the button for a particular program, that program will appear ‘on top’ on your screen.
TCP / IP	Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol. This is the protocol that the Internet operates on. Most computers on network require TCP/IP to access the Internet.
TEMPLATE	A document which has already been created for the user to work in. It may contain graphics and text boxes for the user to edit and add to. The basic structure of the document is set up, but specific data or information has not yet been added
TERMINAL	A device consisting of a display screen and a keyboard that is used to communicate with a computer.
TEXT BOX	This is a box that you insert into a document where you add text. You can then format the text, change the shape, colour and size of the font etc.
TEXT FLOW	This function is used to control hyphenation and paragraph breaks.
TEXT TOOL	A tool that allows you to add text to a document. Usually represented by an ‘A’ or picture of a pencil/pen.
TEXT WRAPPING	This is the way that the text ‘wraps’ itself onto the next line or around a graphic. We can tell the text to make a square or to fit tightly around a graphic. If we like, the text can go over or under the text as well. In a Word processor the words wrap onto the next line automatically when we get to the end of a line or a graphic.
THESAURUS	A “book” of words put in lists according to their meaning. The computer has a built in thesaurus which we can use when we need to find similar words
THUMBNAIL	A miniature version of an image that is often used for quick browsing through multiple images.
TIGHT	When formatting a graphic or text box, you can set the properties of the item to be in line with the text, on top or behind the text or ‘tight’ which means the text will format itself around the item.
TITLE BAR	The horizontal bar at the top of a window that contains the name of the window. On many windows, the title bar also contains the program icon, the Maximize, Minimize, and Close buttons, and the optional ? button for context-sensitive Help. To display a menu with commands such as Restore and Move, right-click the title bar.
TOGGLE	Some toolbar buttons or shortcut keystrokes switch a function ‘on’ and ‘off’. For example: clicking the BOLD button in a Word Processor makes the following text BOLD and clicking it again makes the following text normal.
TOOLBAR	A variety of icons or graphics that allow you to move, change, edit or add graphics or text in the programme you are using. The above graphic is of a toolbar in a Windows application.
TOOLS	These are items in the software that allow us to change, edit or move things around the screen or document. They are there to help us. We will be using the drawing tool today.
TOUCHPAD	This is the pad usually found on notebooks that is used in place of the mouse. It is touch sensitive. Who has used a touch pad before?
TYPING CURSOR	The little black line that flashes on your screen when you are adding text.

U
UNDO ICON	A function in that allows you cancel the last instruction you gave.
UNINSTALL	This is the utility to remove a programme from a computer. Some programmes come with built in uninstall programmes. You can also uninstall some Windows programmes by going to the Control Panel and going to Add/Remove programmes. It is not wise to just delete files from within Windows Explorer as some files may be used by other programmes.
UPS SERVICE	A service that manages an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connected to a computer.
UNIVERSAL RESOURCE LOCATOR (URL)	The global address of documents and other resources on the Internet. It consists of: The service which provides the source, The address in the form of a domain name or an IP address preceded by //, The path to the document on the server’s system, The filename of the resource.
UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS (USB)	Universal Serial Bus. This is a new ‘plug and play’ type of connection for computers that is used with all new printers, scanners and cameras. The advantage of a USB connection is that Windows immediately picks up that new equipment has been added when you plug a device in.

V
VIDEO CONFERENCING	This is the facility where you can conduct a conference between two or more parties over the Internet using Webcams (or more powerful Internet cameras). The conference takes place in real time. You need a permanent connection to the Internet or at least an ISDN line.
VIRUS	A program that attempts to spread from computer to computer and either cause damage (by erasing or corrupting data) or annoy users (by printing messages or altering what is displayed on the screen). Viruses can be spread on disks and through e-mail. Having an anti-virus program protects our computers from catching viruses.

W
WALLPAPER	The background pattern or picture on your desktop
WAN	Wide Area Network. This is a network that is geographically far apart. Some large international companies have WANS. The Internet is also a WAN.
WATERMARK	This is a background image that is usually more feint than the rest of the page and is embedded in the page. Documents usually have a Copyright watermark on them.
WEB SERVER	A computer that is maintained by a system administrator or Internet service provider (ISP) and that responds to requests from a user's browser.
WEBCAM	This is a camera that is connected to the Internet and allows you to communicate with other parties in real time. Webcams are used during Video-Conferencing.
WEBSITE	A site on the World Wide Web. Each website contains a home page which is the first document you see when you enter a site. The site may also contain additional documents and files which can be accessed by clicking on links.
WILDCARD	This is a symbol that stands for any one or more characters (like a Joker in a pack of cards). It is used when doing searches etc. Should you want to find all Word documents on your pc you would search for .doc – the being the wildcard.
WINDOW	On our screen our programs are contained in windows. We can make the windows bigger and smaller and move them around to see more than one thing at a time.
WINDOWS	This is a programme created by Microsoft. It allows you to access all the programmes that are on the computer. There are different versions of Windows.
WIZARD	A template based ‘assistant’ that allows you to quickly complete tasks that could normally be fairly taxing. Examples are fax wizard and mail merge wizard
WORD PROCESSOR	A programme that lets us type words and then lets us add pictures and check our spelling. In a Word Processor we can change the way the words look (like the colour, font type and size of the writing) and move words around if they are in the wrong order.
WORD ART	This is a feature that Microsoft uses in most of their packages where you can create headings in colour using interesting effects.
WORDART ICON	An icon in the form of a capital “A” on the taskbar that allows you to insert a WordArt form. This WordArt can then be edited and moved.
WORKBOOK	A file in a spreadsheet programme is called a workbook. A workbook
WRITABLE CD	Recordable compact disc (CD-R) or rewritable compact disc (CD-RW). Data can be copied to the CD on more than one occasion. Rewritable compact discs can also be erased.
WYSIWYG	What You See Is What You Get. A term used when the printed image is identical to the image on the screen. It is pronounced "whizzy-wig”.

No items under X

No items under Y

Z
ZIPPED FILE	This is a compressed file. You would ‘zip a file’ to make it smaller for sending or copying. Once copied you would unzip it to bring it back to its original size and format. The file extension for a zipped file is name.zip. A well known unzip programme is Winzip which can be downloaded from the Internet.
ZOOM	Our computer screen shows us our work more or less at the size it will be printed but what if we want to magnify a part of the document or maybe look at a whole page to see what the document will look like? Most programs have *zoom* which allows us to view the work from closer or further away. This will not change the way the document is printed.

Windows Shortcut Keys
Shortcut Key	Effect
ALT+ENTER	View properties for the selected item.
ALT+Enter	Displays the properties of the selected object.
ALT+ESC	Cycle through items in the order they were opened.
ALT+F4	Close the active item, or quit the active program.
ALT+SHIFT+TAB	Switch to the previous window
ALT+SPACEBAR	Opens the shortcut menu for the active window.
ALT+SPACEBAR	Display the System menu for the active window.
ALT+TAB	Switch between open items.
ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name	Display the corresponding menu.
BACKSPACE	View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer or delete one character to the left
CTRL while dragging an item	Copy selected item.
CTRL+A	Select all.
CTRL+BACKSPACE	Delete one word to the left
CTRL+C	Copy.
CTRL+DELETE	Delete one word to the right
CTRL+DOWN ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph.
CTRL+ESC	Display the Start menu.
CTRL+F4	Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously.
CTRL+F5	Restore the size of the active window after you've maximized it
CTRL+LEFT ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word.
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item	Create shortcut to selected item.
CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys	Highlight a block of text.
CTRL+UP ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph.
CTRL+V	Paste.
CTRL+W or CTRL+F4	Close the active window
CTRL+X	Cut
CTRL+Z	Undo
DELETE	Delete
ESC	Cancel the current task.
F10	Activate the menu bar in the active program.
F2	Rename selected item.
F3	Search for a file or folder.
F4	Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
F5	Refresh the active window.
F6	Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.
LEFT ARROW	Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.
RIGHT ARROW	Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.
SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive	Prevent the CD from automatically playing.
SHIFT with any of the arrow keys	Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document.
SHIFT+DELETE	Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.
SHIFT+F10	Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu	Carry out the corresponding command.

Linux Shortcut Keys
Shortcut Keys	Effect
Enter key	Activates the focused button in a dialog
Esc	Terminates the action or dialog. If in OpenOffice.org Help: goes up one level. The cursor is positioned in the URL on the Function bar: returns the cursor to the document. If the URL has been selected, you have to press the key twice.
Spacebar	Toggles the focused check box in a dialog
Cursor keys	Changes the active control field in an option section of a dialog
Tab	Advances focus to the next section or element in a dialog.
Shift + Tab	Moves the focus to the previous section or element in a dialog
Alt+Down Arrow	Opens the list of the control field currently selected in a dialog. These shortcut keys apply not only to combo boxes but also to icon buttons with pop-up menus. Close an opened list by pressing the Escape key.
Del	Deletes the selected item(s) into the recycle bin.
Shift+Del	Deletes the selected item(s) without putting them in the recycle bin.
Backspace	When a folder is shown: goes up one level (goes back)
Ctrl + Tab	Goes to the next document that is open (except when positioned at the start of a header, instead a tab is inserted).
Shift + Ctrl + Tab	Goes to the previous document that is open.
Ctrl + O	Opens a document
Ctrl + S	Saves the current document
Ctrl + N	Creates a new document
Shift+Ctrl+N	Opens Templates and Documents dialog
Ctrl + P	Prints document
Crtl + Q	Exits application
Ctrl + X	Cuts out the selected elements
Ctrl + C	Copies the selected items
Ctrl + V	Pastes from the clipboard
Ctrl + A	Selects all
Ctrl + Z	Undoes last action
Ctrl + F	Calls the Find & Replace dialog.
Ctrl + Shift + F	Searches for the least entered search term.
Ctrl + Shift + J	Toggles the view between Full screen mode/normal mode
Ctrl + Shift + R	Re-creates the document window
Ctrl + I	The Italic attribute is applied to the selected area. If the cursor is positioned in a word, this word is also marked in italic.
Ctrl + B	The Bold attribute is applied to the selected area. If the cursor is positioned in a word, this word is also put in bold.
Ctrl + U	The Underlined attribute is applied to the selected area. If the cursor is positioned in a word, this word is also underlined.
Ctrl+Shift+O	Sets the cursor on the Load URL field on the Function bar.
Alt + O	In the Spelling dialog, the word that was originally marked as unknown/incorrect (original) will be transferred to the input row (word).