AC = alternating current - house type electricity (~110 volts)
AGP = Accelerated Graphics Port - a fast video interface by Intel
AI = Artifical Intelligence, process of letting cmptrs take A + B and make C
ASC II = a 7-bit set of codes for defining letters, numbers, punctunation, etc.
AT clock = basic system function that tracks time of day for your PC
AVI = Audio Video Interleave - way of storing video & sound on same track
B&W = Black and White
BIOS = Basic Input/Output System - OS part that manages peripherals to CPU
CD = Compact Disc - digitally encoded optical disc recording/playing media
CD-RW = Compact Disc-ReWritable - a CD-ROM with 1,000 rewrites capability
CD-RO = Companct Disc-Write Once - write to once, read many times
CMOS = Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor - time & system config.
COBOL = Common Business-Oriented Language - hi-level bus. cptr. language
CPU = Central Processing Unit - microprocessor chip, i.e. "da brains"
CRT = Cathode Ray Tube - a computer monitor or terminal
DC = Direct Current - electricity that flows only in one direction, e.g. a battery
DCL = Digital Command Language, command level cmptr code by Digital Equip
DOD = Department of Defense
DOS = Disk Operating System - the underlying routines that support the OS
ECC = Error Correcting Code - cache that corrects memory errors w/o interruption
EGA = Enhanced Graphics Adapter - a type of PC video display adapter by IBM
FAT32 = MS disk sys using 32-bit values to support large disks, started w/ Win95B
FTP = File Transfer Protocol - method of file transfer over the internet
GB = giga bytes - usually a measure of data storage size
GIF = Graphics Interchange Format - popular graphics file format from CompuServ
HTML = Hypertext Markup Language - describes & formats plain-text files on web
HW= means computer hardware
I/O = Input / Output, abreviation for the term "Input and Output"
IBM = International Business Machines, big blue
IRQ = interrupt request - how HW gets attention of CPU to perform a needed task
ISP = Internet Service Provider - who provides you with web and email access
JPEG = Joint Photographic Experts Group - Intl group that sets graphic standards
kHZ = kilo (1,000) hertz
KB = kilo bytes - a unit of information storage equal to 1,024 bytes
LBA = Logical Block Addressing - translates SCSI & IDE disc addresses for BIOS
LAN = Local Area Network - direct connection of 2+ computers into own network
MB = mega bytes - usually a measure of data storage size (1,048,576 bytes)
Mhz = mega hertz - measure of frequency, equal to one million cycles per second
Mhrz = mega hertz - measure of frequency, equal to one million cycles per second
MIDI = Musical Instrument Digital Interface - for musical input, edit, play & store
MS = Microsoft Corporation®
NTFS = NT File System, newer alternate to FAT32, better security, reliability, etc.
OCR = Optical Character Recognition, process of converting text<>computer data
OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer, equip. maker who sells to a reseller
OS = Operating System, e.g. Windows XP Home®
PC = Personal Computer
PnP = Plug and Play, Intel technique of having HW/SW configure automatically
POST = Power on Self Test, system tests at boot, may sound a single beep if OK
RAM = random-access memory, hard memory always available to processor
SDAM = Static Random Access Memory, hi-speed, expensive memory chips
SIMM = Single Inline Memory Module, memory array w/ single row of I/O contacts
SP = Service Pack - the upgrade package for a version of MS windows®
SVGA = Super VGA, now refers to a video adapter or monitor above 640x480 res.
SW = means computer software
TCP/IP = Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, links web computers
TIFF = Tagged Image File Format, protocol to mng. scanned digital B&W images
URL = Uniform Resource Locator - primany internet location naming scheme
USB = Universal Serial Bus, 4wire 12Mbit/sec interface, supports upto 127 devices
VGA = Video Graphics Array, PC video adapter for text and graphics from 1987
WWW = World Wide Web - the internet: start of many URL's: http://www...
XMS = eXtended Memory Specification, method for real-mode apps to use exmem
XXX = a rating of graphical display that shows the human body naked


backplane = see motherboard
adware = see spyware
backup = refers to copying system and/or user data to another media
bad sector = a small portion of a disk that is flawed or damaged
basic = a low level computer language not used much anymore
bay = opening in computer case that can hold disk drives or other devices
baud = unit of measuring signal speed per second, e.g. a modem connection
boot sector virus = common PC virus that xfers to hard disk upon system boot
buffer = block of memory used to temporarily store data, i.e. a holding tank
bug = an error or defect in a SW program -- can destroy a programmer
byte = measure of data in bits, disk byte = 8 data bits, memory byte = 9 bits
cache = an intelligent buffer, used to increase efficiency of peripheral devices
card = a printed circuit board of electronic components - an entire circuit
centronics connector = either a SCSI or parallel cable connection
checksum = method of determining if a packette of data is valid upon receipt
cold boot = starting your PC by turning on the power first
com port = serial port on PC that conforms to RS-232 standard
control panel = in Windows, the HW/SW/user/network/config. management utility
controller = electronics that acts as a data intermediator between CPU & device
crash = malfunction that causes a processing halt, normally caused by SW
defrag. = process of rearranging disk sectors to be consecutive & adjacent
density = amount of data packed into a certain area on media
device driver = memory-resident program that controls a HW device
DIP switch = a tiny HW switch on a circuit board, usually for setting configuration
disc = flat, circular, rotating medium that can store various types of data
downtime = operating time lost due to a computer manfunction
duplex = a communications channel capable of carrying signals in both directions
Energy Star = program by EPA to certify devices that use less energy when idle
encryption = translation of data into unreadable codes to maintain security
expansion slot = slot on mother board for expansion cards
extension = the 2->4 letter suffix of the filename telling the computer what program it uses
fat32 = older (win98...) file management system, NTFS has replaced it
firewall = internet security program that restricts network access to your system
fdisk = a disk-partitioning (sectioning) program, under several OS's
floppy disk = a large removal media (floppy disc) disk drive
foot print = the space a computer takes on a desk or table
fortran = high-level technical-orientated programming language from IBM
fragmentation = state of having files scattered around a hard disk in pieces
gif = type of graphics compression format often used on the internet
giga = multiplier indicating one billion of some unit
gender = describes PC connectors as being male (pins) or females (receptacles)
hacker = people who have more time than brains or common sense
HAL9000 = 1 less letters than "IBM", famous for: Is there something wrong Dave
hard disk = the fixed media data storage on your PC - where your SW resides
head = a disk drive electromagnetic device that reads, writes and erases data
head crash = hard disk drive HW failure that is almost always fatal for the device
incremental backup = backup of all files that have changed since the last backup
internals = refers to the system code and structure basic to the system functions
internet = cmptr network joining gov, university & private cmptrs over phone lines
javascript = programming language used mainly for website creation and support
jpeg,jpg = type of graphic compression format for still and video files
jumper = small plastic-covered metal clip for connecting two circuit board pins
Kermit = file transfer protocol between computers, named after the famous frog
kernal = an operating system core component
kilobyte = (KB) unit of information storage equal to 1,024 bytes
LPT port = common term for a line parallel printer port
Mega Hertz = mega hertz, measure of frequency, equal to one million cycles/second
memory = HW that stores system and user data when power is on
modem = translates PC electrical signals to telephone audio form, and vice versa.
monitor = your video display (CRT, LCD, etc.)
motherboard = holds the CPU, BIOS (CMOS) chips, all circuit boards & more
nano = a prefix equal to one billionth of some unit
NiCad = a nickel cadmium older-style and outdated rechargeable battery type
NiHM = nickel metal-hydride rechargeable, better than NiCad but Li-ion are better
Li-ion = Lithium Ion is superior in many ways to the NiCad and NiHm batteries
over-clocking = process of running a CPU at a faster speed than officially marked
partition = a dedicated portion of a hard disk, most disks just have one partition
planar = see motherboard
read-only file = a file attribute set so that no SW can write into or over it.
refresh rate = term for the verical scan rate of monitors
resolution = 1)size of graphics pixels 2)monitor/video card horiz & vertical pixels
Registry = Windows config. utility for HW,SW,user,etc. settings for system use
Safe Mode = alternate boot option that starts system in minimal mode
Setup = normally refers to the BIOS setup mode you can enter @boot startup
slots = connecting slots on a motherboard for expansion card, processor card, etc.
soft error = intermittant, transient, recoverable read or write error
spyware = infecting monitoring programs to provide commerical stats on you
snail mail = postal mail, which takes so much longer than email
subdirectory = a directory within a directory, which means they are actually files
suffix = the 2->4 letter extension of the filename telling the computer what program it uses
stepping = the code used to identify the revisions (updates to) of a processor
system board = see motherboard
trojan horse virus = as the name implies, sneaks onto your PC & attacks later
upgrade = Installing newer versions of your HW or SW
V.90 = standards for 56Kbps modem communications
V.92 = adds increased options, e.g. modem on hold, call in and out on one line, etc.
virus = a SW program that "infects" your PC to damage and/or propagate
warm boot = restarting your windows session with the power staying on
zip drive = Iomega external drive that uses 100MB removable magnetic media