|
 BIOS |
|
Basic Input-Output System. Part
of the computer's operating system that is built
into the machine, rather than read from a disk
drive at startup. |
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Bridge |
|
A
dedicated computer used to connect two different
networks. It uses data link layer address i.e. ethernet, physical addresses. to
determine if packets should be passed between
the networks. |
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|
Browser |
|
A program that enables you to access
information on the Internet through the World
Wide Web. |
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Database |
|
A file created by a database manager
that contains a collection of information organized
into records, each of which contains labelled categories
(called fields). |
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E-mail |
|
Electronic Mail. Private messages
sent between users on different computers either
over a network, or via a modem connection to an
on-line service or BBS. |
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|
Encoding |
|
File transfer formatting that enables
encrypted, compressed or binary files to be transferred
without corruption or loss of data. |
| |
|
Encryption |
|
A way of coding information in a
file or e-mail message, so that if it is intercepted
by a third party as it travels over a network, it can not be read. |
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File |
|
A collection of information on a
disk usually a document or a program, that's
lumped together and called by one name. |
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Firewall |
|
A mechanism that isolates a network
from the rest of the Internet, permitting only
specific traffic to pass in and out. |
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FTP |
|
File Transfer Protocol. The Internet
standard high-level protocol for transferring
files from one computer to another, across the
network. |
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|
Gateway |
|
A special-purpose dedicated computer
that attaches to two or more disparate networks
and converts data packets from one form to another. |
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|
HTML |
|
HyperText Markup Language. A system
for tagging various parts of a Web document, that
tells the Web client programs how to display the
document's text, links, graphics and attached
media. |
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|
Hypermedia |
|
Describes hypertext in which various
types of data can be stored like sound, images, video,
etc. as regular text. |
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|
Information Technology |
|
Includes matters concerned with
the furtherance of computer science and technology,
design, development, installation and implementation
of information systems and applications. |
| |
|
Internet |
|
The Internet (note the capital I)
is the largest internet in the world. It is a
three level hierarchy composed of backbone networks
(e.g., NSFNET, MILNET), mid-level networks, and
stub networks. The Internet is a multiprotocol
internet. |
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|
LAN |
|
Local Area Network. A network of
directly-connected machines (located in close
proximity), providing high speed communication
over physical media such as fiber optics, coaxial
cable, or twisted pair wiring. |
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|
Links |
|
Synonymous with anchors, hotlinks
and hyperlinks. |
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|
Login |
|
The account name used to access
a computer system. |
| |
|
Modem |
|
A device which converts digital
signals into analog signals (and back) for transmission
over telephone lines (modulator and demodulator). |
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Navigation Tools |
|
Allows users to find their way around
a website or multimedia presentation. They can
be hypertext links, clickable buttons, icons,
or image maps. |
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|
Network |
|
In general, a group of computers
set up to communicate with one another. Your network
can be a small system that's physically connected
by cables (a LAN), or you can connect separate
networks together to form larger networks (called
WANs). The Internet, for example, is made up of
thousands of individual networks. |
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Operating System |
|
Software that supervises and controls
tasks on a computer. |
| |
|
Path |
|
A route used in finding, retrieving,
and storing files on a disk. The course leading
from the root directory of a drive to a particular
file. |
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Pixel |
|
Picture element. Digital images
are composed of touching pixels, each having a
specific colour or tone. The eye merges differently
coloured pixels into continuous tones. |
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|
SLIP |
|
Serial Line Internet Protocol. A
protocol used to run IP over serial lines, such
as telephone circuits or RS-232 cables, interconnecting
two systems. |
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|
SMTP |
|
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Internet
standard protocol for transferring electronic
mail messages from one computer to another. SMTP
specifies how two mail systems interact and the
format of control messages they exchange to transfer
mail. |
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|
Binary Number System |
|
A counting system used in computers
consisting of only 1's and 0's (zeros). |
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|
BinHex |
|
A file conversion format that converts
binary files to ASCII test files. |
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Black Point |
|
A movable reference point that defines
the darkest area in an image, causing all other
areas to be adjusted accordingly. |
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Booting |
|
Starting up a computer via the power
switch, which loads the system software into memory.
Restarting the computer via a keystroke combination
is called rebooting or a warm boot. |
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Client/server relationship |
|
A client application is one that
resides on a user's computer, but sends requests
to a remote system to execute a designated procedure,
using arguments supplied by the user. The computer
that initiates the request is the client and the
computer responding to the request is the server.
Many network services follow a client and server
protocol. |
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Descreening |
|
Removal of halftone dot patterns
during or after scanning printed matter by defocusing
the image. This avoids moire patterning and colour
shifts during subsequent halftone reprinting. |
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Dialog box |
|
A window that displays additional
options or questions when a command is chosen. |
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Dial-up line |
|
A communication connection from
your computer to a host computer over standard
phone lines. Unlike a dedicated line, you must
dial the host computer in order to establish a
connection. Dial-up line is currently the most
popular form of Net connection for the home user. |
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Dotted Decimal Notation |
|
The convention for writing 32-bit
IP Addresses as a set of four 8-bit numbers written
in base 10 with periods separating them. |
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Down-Sampling |
|
The reduction in resolution of an
image, necessitating a loss in detail. |
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ERIC |
|
An index to educational journal
articles and documents collected by national clearing
houses for educational information. It provides
summaries of the articles and documents, and contains
citations back to 1966. |
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Glossary 
