How-to Guides - Community Resource Kit

Resources for setting up and running community organisations and projects.

definitions of words

This section contains definitions of technology terms.

definitions of words

The following definitions of common IT words have been "downloaded" off the "internet". To find other words not in the list below, please click on or copy the following "links" into the search box of your internet "browser":

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z

Address book: Part of your email software where you store details of your friends' and contacts' email addresses so you don't have to remember them.
ADSL: Another word for broadband, a high-speed internet connection. It typically receives digital information at up to 560 kbps, 10 times faster than a normal modem and is "always-on".
Anti-virus: Anti-virus software helps protect your computer from viruses.
Application: Another word for computer program. For example, Word, which is used for creating documents, is a word-processing application.
Attachment: A file which is "attached" and sent with an email message. Often photographs or word documents are attached to emails.
Backup: The word used for copying files onto disk or CD-Rom for safe keeping so that they are kept in more than one place.
Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be carried per second by your internet connection. Usually measured in kilobits per second (kbps or kbit/s).
Bit: A bit (binary digit) refers to a digit in the binary numeral system, which consists of base 2 digits (ie. There are only 2 possible values: 0 or 1). For example, the number 10010111 is 8 bits long. Bits per second (bps or bit/s) are often use to measure communication speed (bandwidth).
Bookmark/favourite: Any website you like and want to remember can be made a "bookmark" or a "favourite" in your browser. So, when you want to go back to that page, you can go there in one click instead of trying to remember its address.
Boot up your system: Simply means to start your computer.
Broadband: Another word for ADSL, a high-speed internet connection. It receives digital information at up to 560 kbit/s, ten times faster than a normal modem and is "always-on".
Browser: A program you use to view web pages and "browse"websites e.g. Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer.
Bugs: Errors in a piece of software or web page that can make it break or work strangely.
Byte: Bytes are used to measure amounts of computer data. One byte is roughly the same as one character (letter) of text and is made up of 8 bits. Byte is abbreviated to B, while a bit is abbreviated to 'b'. One KB (or one K) is approximately 1,000 bytes, one MB is approximately 1,000 KB, and one GB is approximately 1,000 MB.
CD-Rom: Discs that look like a music CD but can hold software, data, text, pictures, sound and video files.
CD-RW: CD rewritable. These are CD-Roms you can save files on over and over again. (On CD-Rs you can only save once.)
Compressed: Compressed files are electronically "squeezed" so they take up less memory. This makes them quicker to send over the internet.
Compression: The process of reducing the size of computer files by electronically "squeezing" them so that they can be passed around the internet more quickly. Zip files are a common example of one type of compression.
CPU: Central Processing Unit — the "brain" of the computer. When people talk about the speed of a computer, they are talking about the speed of the CPU.
Crash: When your computer temporarily stops working. It may pause or "freeze" up, or tell you to restart or quit.
Cursor: The flashing vertical line on the screen that shows you where you are and where the next character you type will appear.
Cut and paste: Selecting text, images or files and deleting them from one place while putting them in another.
Database: A program that stores information in tables. This allows you to search, sort and use it in many different ways.
Desktops: Workstation computers.
Dotcom: A commercial website. Comes from the .com address which is used mainly by businesses in the United States.
Dial-up: Internet connection using a phone line. You have to dial a number (using your computer) and usually give a password before you can gain access to the internet, email, etc.
Directory: A folder where a computer stores other files and information. Keeping files on the same topic together in the same directory is a good way to keep track of your files.
Download: Getting a file onto your computer from another computer on the internet.
Drag and drop: Clicking on an icon or selection, holding the mouse button down and moving the mouse to "drag" the selection to a new location. When the mouse button is released the item is "dropped".
DVD: Looks like a thick CD but has a greater storage capacity — up to 4-8.5 GB compared to 650MB on a CD-Rom.
Email: Electronic mail. Messages (sometimes with attachments ) sent over the internet from one email address to another.
Error message: A "complaint" by the computer that something has gone wrong. There will often be some type of explanation, maybe including an "error code" which is usually hard to understand.
File: Data stored on a disk. There are two types: "program files" (with instructions that make up software application, e.g. Word) and "data files" (files created by you and me, e.g. a letter or photo).
File extension: The group of letters added after the full-stop at the end of the file name. They tell the computer which program to use when opening the file. For example, in the file "myfile.txt" the ".txt" is the file extension. Not used on Apple Mac computers.
File not found: Error message you see when you enter an incorrect website address or an address for a site that has moved.
Firewall: Program which sits between your computer and the internet and watches for hacking, viruses or unapproved data transfer.
Floppy disk: Small rectangular magnetic disks which go in the slot found on the front of your computer. They are becoming less popular as they can only hold 1.4Mb of data (not enough for one MP3 song.)
Font: The typefaces you see on-screen and in print in documents or on websites. Some of the most frequently used are Times New Roman, Arial and Courier.
Gigabyte (GB): A thousand million bytes (=1000 MB).
Hacking: Unauthorised access to a computer, its files and programs by a "hacker", a computer expert who can break through its security.
Hard drive/hard disk: The place inside your computer where you save documents, pictures, applications, etc.
Hardware: The physical stuff to do with computers like chips, keyboards, monitors, printers, modems, scanners, CD-Rom drives etc.
Hits: Strictly speaking, a hit is a file download (and one page visit can cause many hits), but it is often used for the number of times a web page (or web site) has been visited.
Homepage: The "front page" of a website, where you're told what's on the site, how to get around it and how to search for things that'll interest you.
Host: Another word for a computer offering services on the internet. When an Internet Service Provider (ISP) gives you space for your website on their computer they are said to be the "host" of your website.
HTML: Hyper Text Mark-up Language. The language web pages are written in.
HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The letters at the start of an address on the worldwide web.
Hyperlink: Technical name for a link on a web page. Clicking on one takes you to another page or internet file. The mouse pointer changes to a hand shape when passing over a hyperlink to show that it may be clicked.
Icon: A small picture which, when you click on it, launches an application, program or acts like a link on the web.
Inbox: The folder in your email program/webmail where you get your incoming emails.
Information technology: Known as IT. The use of electronic devices (such as computers, software, internet/intranet etc) to acquire, store, process and distribute information.
Installing: Putting a program on to your hard disk so you can use it. Installation is usually started by clicking on a file called "setup.exe" on Windows and shown by a diamond/arrow icon on a Mac. The most common ways to install programs is from CD-Rom or via the internet.
Internet: Millions of computers (and the data stored on them) around the world connected together by telephone lines, cables or satellites.
Internet address: A unique combination of letters, most of which start with HTTP.
Internet Explorer: One of the most popular web browsers, designed by the company Microsoft.
Intranet: A company's internal website used for communicating between staff.
ISDN: A special digital phone line that offers internet connections of up to 128kbit/s (kbps).
ISP: Internet Service Provider. An ISP is the company that provides internet connections to private and business customers e.g. Slingshot and ihug.
Java: A programming language widely used on the web, to run small programs in your browser called applets.
JPEG/JPG: A common type of image file that is good for saving photos and other images with many different colours.
Junk email: Direct marketing sent by email rather than by the post.
LAN: Local Area Network. Describes a network, usually (but not always) within an office, building or closed geographical area.
Laptop: A small, portable computer which can be battery operated as well as run from the mains.
Link: Words or pictures you can click on which take you from somewhere (an internet page, an email message etc) to somewhere else (another page, a picture etc).
Logging in: Using a user name and password to prove your identity so that you can enter your computer or internet account.
Macintosh/Mac/Apple Mac: A family of computers developed by Apple. The Mac operating system (Mac OS) was one of the first to use a "drag and drop" interface for organising files and is still the major rival to PCs.
Macro: A way to record and save a series of commands so you can reapply them later with a single command or keyboard stroke.
Mailbox: The folder that contains a person's individual items such as an inbox, outbox, sent items, notes and calendar.
Megabytes (MB): A measure of memory equal to 1000 kilobytes (=one million bytes).
Memory: The storage and thinking parts of your computer. More storage memory on your hard disk (ROM) means you can save more files and more thinking memory (RAM) means your computer can perform more complex tasks quicker.
MHz: Megahertz. A measurement of a computer's speed. The more MHz, the faster the computer.
Modem: MODulator-DEModulator. The hardware that connects you to the internet or to other computers around the world. Some are inside your computer (internal) and some are separate boxes outside your computer (external).
Monitor: The bit you look at — the display screen.
MPEG: A standard used for compressing video and audio files. The popular MPEG3 format is popular for distributing music on the internet.
MP3: A digital audio format that allows CD tracks to be reduced to around a tenth of their normal size without a significant loss of quality i.e. on average from a massive 35 megabytes down to three.
Narrowband: The opposite of broadband. Normally used to refer to a modem running at a speed of 56kbps or less.
Navigate: To move within or between websites using navigation bars and links.
Navigation bar: A set of links to the main sections of a website which appears on each web page within that website. The Nav Bar often appears at the top or left of a web page.
Net: Another word for internet.
Network: A group of computers communicating together via a server along cables or wirelessly.
Notebook: Another name for a laptop. A small, portable computer which can be battery operated as well as run from the mains.
Offline: What you call it when you are not connected to the internet.
Online: What you call it when you are connected to the internet.
Operating system: The software environment on your computer. The most famous ones are Windows and Mac OS.
Outlook Express: A free email program that usually comes with Internet Explorer. It can be downloaded from Microsoft's website at www.microsoft.com/.
Password: A series of letters, numbers and characters that you enter to get into your computer, internet connection, email or websites that you are registered with.
PC: Personal computer. Used to talk about computers which are IBM-compatible rather than Apple Macintosh computers.
PDF: Portable Document Format. These files will print exactly as they appear on the screen. You need the free Acrobat Reader program to open a PDF file.
Photoshop: A software package written by Adobe used to design, produce and alter images which can be used on websites or in print.
Portal: A website which acts as a gate to the internet by directing you to information elsewhere. Search engines are one example.
Pull-down menu: A menu appearing at the top of the screen in Windows applications. When selected, another menu drops down.
RAM: Stands for Random Access Memory. It's the memory a computer needs to run software. When you load or "run" software, it goes into RAM. If you type something it also goes into RAM before being saved on the hard disk. When you turn your computer off all the data in RAM is lost.
Refresh/reload: The button that you use to download a web page again. In Internet Explorer it's called "Refresh" and in Netscape Navigator "Reload". You should press this button if for some reason a web page appears not to have loaded correctly.
Scanner: A device which scans images or printed material and converts them into a digital format which the computer can then process. Scanned images can be used in desktop publishing or added to web pages.
Search engine: A search engine is usually a website which allows you to search the internet for information. The search engine lists results that relate to your search phrase. For example, inputting the word "IT" would bring up a list of sites on the web containing information on information technology. Google is a well-known search engine and can be accessed by clicking on www.google.co.nz.
Secure: A method of sending or storing information that is encrypted or security protected to prevent unauthorised users accessing it.
Server: A powerful computer which holds data to be shared over a network or over the internet. When you get a web page it is being sent to you by a server.
Signature file: A small file of text which can be automatically added to every email message you send. It usually contains details such as your name, email address, your job title or a favourite quote. It is sometimes called a ".sig".
SMTP: The internet protocol for the sending and receiving of email over the internet.
Snail mail: A slang term used for the normal postal service because it is slow (like a snail) compared to email.
Software: Any computer programs such as word processors, email applications or internet browsers.
Source: The code a web page is written in. This is usually HTML but may also involve CGI, Java or Java Script as well. You can view the HTML source code of a web page by clicking on the "View Source" menu option in your browser.
Spam: Junk email sent to many people at once, usually involving advertising or offering services. Spam is very deeply frowned upon by most internet users, and where it involves advertising or a false return address, it is particularly disliked.
Spyware: Software that you install on your computer, often without realising, that sends information on your software and internet usage to outside companies.
Surfing: Looking for interesting things on the worldwide web using search engines and hyperlinks.
Toolbar: The selection of buttons displayed vertically or horizontally offering desktop and application functions such as print, save, copy etc.
Uploading: The process of putting any data (text, audio, video) online.
URL: Uniform Resource Locator. A website address with the name of the server where the site's files are stored, the file's directory path, and its file name e.g. http://www.ird.co.nz .
Username: A series of letters and/or numbers you input into your computer, internet account or other computer network service to tell it who you are.
Virus: Pieces of code that are designed to reproduce and damage data or system performance. There are thousands of viruses and the numbers keep growing.
WWW: WorldWide Web (or the web). The web provides a way of linking the computers on the internet through HTML tags and using hyperlinks that allow you to click on a link and advance to another location on the web.