Laptop
Pilot Project
Glossary
Backup A duplicate copy of a file. You
should back up your data files regularly so you have a spare copy
if the original is accidentally damaged or lost.
Document Any self-contained piece of work
created using a program. A letter you create with your word processor is a
document; so, too, is a picture you create with a graphics editor or a Web
page you design with a Web page editor
E-mail Electronic mail. Messages exchanged
between users on a network.
Email Provider Companies that provide you
with email access. The most popular ones are Hotmail and Yahoo.
E-mail address A unique name that
identifies an e-mail recipient. E-mail addresses take the form
username@hostname. An example is johndoe@hotmail.com, which is pronounced
'john doe at hotmail dot com'. Note that e-mail addresses, unlike URLs
(Internet addresses), are not case sensitive.
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File A collection of related information stored
on a computer. Each document you create is stored in a file with its own
filename, so you (and the computer) can identify it. Programs, too, are
stored in files.
Folder A file container on a disk. Like a
folder in a filing cabinet, you can store related files in the same folder
to help organize your information.
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Ghost A way of installing software into the
laptop.
Hardware Refers to objects that you can
actually touch, like disks, disk drives, display devices.
Icon A small on-screen picture which represents
something: a program, a folder, a data file, a command shortcut.
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Internet A global network of computer
networks, allowing communication and information exchange.
Laptop A small, portable computer -- small
enough that it can sit on your lap. Nowadays, laptop computers are more
frequently called notebook computers.
Microsoft Access A program used to create
databases.
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Microsoft Excel A program used to create
spreadsheets.
Microsoft PowerPoint A program used to
create presentations.
Microsoft Publisher A program used
to create documents like flyers and cards.
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Microsoft Word A program used to type documents
like papers and reports.
Mouse A pointing device that lets a
user interact with a computer.
Network Two or more computers linked
together.
Network Account An account that is
used to get into a network. Most accounts consist of a username and a
password.
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Network Interface Card Often abbreviated as NIC,
an expansion board you insert into a computer so the computer can be
connected to a network. Most NICs are designed for a particular type of
network, protocol, and media, although some can serve multiple networks.
Operating System A collection of programs which,
together, manage all the basic functions of a computer. The operating
system runs other programs (such as a word processor or graphics editor),
manages the storage of your own documents, and coordinates the functions
of the computer itself and all the devices connected to the computer.
Windows Me, Mac OS and Linux are three examples of operating systems. A
program written to work under one operating system will not work on
another operating system (a different version must be written for each
operating system - such as Microsoft Office for Windows and Office for the
Mac.)
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Password A specially designed name used to
get into a network account.
Software A generic term for computer
programs. A program is a series of instructions used to manipulate data or
to control the workings of a computer system. The former type is often
called applications software, while the latter is called operating systems
software. A word processor is an example of applications software; Windows
Me is an example of an operating system.
UNIX One of the first operating systems. Your
student accounts here at the university are managed by this system.
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Upgrade The most recent updated version
of software or hardware.
Username A specially designed name used to
get into a network account.
Virus A computer program designed to replicate
itself. Many computer viruses are not harmful; some are harmful and can
either damage information and programs on your computer or cause your
computer to malfunction.
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Web Short for World Wide Web.
Web Browser A software application used
to locate and display Web pages.
Web Site A location on the World Wide Web,
consisting of at least one page (the home page) and possibly many
pages.
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Wireless network Two or more
computers linked together without using wires.
World Wide Web A collection of online documents
stored on interlinked computers called Internet servers, around the globe.
The documents are written in a language called HTML that supports links to
other documents. Users can view the documents using a Web browser, and can
jump from document to document by clicking on the links contained in the
documents. The Web is only a part of the Internet - some Internet servers
perform functions other than being Web servers. For example, mail servers
store and handle e-mail; news servers store and handle newsgroups.
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