Numeric

2000-compliant or Y2OK. Describes a software program or other system that can work with dates in the year 2000 and beyond.

2K4. An abbreviation for the year 2004, alsoY2K4

404. Relating to a person who is out of touch or clueless.  Comes from the Web error message "404 Not Found. The requested URL was not found on this server."

419 Scam. A fraud, originating in Nigeria, in which a person is asked for money to help the relative of a deposed King/Ruler get millions of dollars out of the said country. The con artist offers the victim a percentage of the millions, in exchange for help in paying all sorts of fees to get trunks of money out of Nigeria.

9999 bug. A potential computer software problem where a program might confuse the date September 9, 1999 (9/9/99) with "9999," the end-of-file code in some older programming languages.

A

Application service provider (ASP). An organization that manages and distributes software-based services over the Internet.

Application software. Software programs that enable users to perform specific tasks or applications on a computer.

Arithmetic/logic unit (ALU). The part of the CPU that contains circuitry to perform arithmetic and logical operations.

ARPANET. The predecessor of the Internet, named after the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), which sponsored its development.

ASCII. A fixed-length, binary coding system widely used to represent text-based data for computer processing on many types of computers.

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B

BAM. A bricks-and-mortar company.

Bar code. A machine-readable code that represents data as a set of bars.

Binary numbering system. The numbering system that represents all numbers using just two symbols (0 and 1).

Biometric device. A device that uses the recognition of some unique physical characteristic (fingerprint, voice, etc.) to grant access to a computer network or physical facility.

Block. A rectangular group of contiguous cells in a worksheet.

Bluetooth. A standard used to facilitate automatic communications between devices once they get within the allowable range.

Boot. To start up a computer.

Bridge. An interface that connects two similar networks so they can communicate.

Browser plug-in. A program that supplies a browser with additional capabilities.

Bus network. A communications network consisting of a central cable to which all network devices are attached.

Bus. An electronic path on the motherboard or within the CPU or other computer component along which bits are transmitted.

Byte. A group of 8 bits that represents a single character of data.

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C

CD-ROM. A low-end optical disc that allows a drive to read data on the disc, but not write to it.

Cell. The location on a worksheet into which data can be typed; the intersection of a row and column.

Cellular technology. A form of broadcast radio that broadcasts using antennae located inside honeycomb-shaped cells.

Central processing unit (CPU). The chip located inside the system unit of a computer that performs the processing for a computer and communicates with its peripheral devices.

Cluster. The part of a track on a disk that crosses a fixed number of contiguous sectors and the smallest addressable area of a disk.

Coaxial cable. A communications medium consisting of a center wire inside a grounded, cylindrical shield, capable of sending data at high speeds.

Column. A vertical group of cells on a worksheet.

Communications. The transmission of data over a distance.

Computer network. A collection of computers and devices that are connected together to share hardware, software, and data, as well as to electronically communicate with one another.

Computer virus. A software program designed to spread itself to other computers without the users’ knowledge and, sometimes, to cause some harm to the system.

Computer. A programmable, electronic device that accepts data input, performs operations on that data, and presents and stores the results.

Constant value. A numerical entry entered into a worksheet cell.

Control unit. The part of the CPU that coordinates its operations.

Cookie. A small file stored on your hard drive at the request of a Web server; used to preserve customized settings and keep track of a user’s preferences.

Cracker.  Someone who breaks into someone else's computer system, often on a network; usually for profit, maliciously, for some altruistic purpose or cause, or because the challenge is there. Not the same as a Hacker.

Cramming.  Unauthorized, misleading, or deceptive charges on consumers' local telephone bill.

CRT (cathode-ray tube). A display device that projects images onto a display screen using similar technology as conventional TVs.

Cylinder. The collection of tracks located in the same location on a set of hard disk surfaces.

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D

Data. Raw, unorganized facts.

Dark-side hacker.  A criminal or malicious hacker; AKA Cracker.

Database software. Application software that allows the creation and manipulation of an electronic database.

Database. A collection of related data that is stored in a manner enabling information to be retrieved as needed; in a relational database, a collection of related tables.

Desktop. The background work area displayed on the screen when using Microsoft Windows.

Device driver. A program that enables an operating system to communicate with a specific hardware device.

Dialog box. A box that requires the user to supply information to the computer about the task being requested.

Dial-up connection. A type of Internet connection in which the PC or other device must dial up and connect to a service provider’s computer before being connected to the Internet.

Digital camera. A camera that records pictures as digital data (instead of film) images.

Direct connection. An always-on type of Internet connection where your PC or other device is continually connected to the Internet.

Directory. A collection of categories that are used to locate appropriate Web pages from a search database; also an older name for folder.

Disk access time. The time it takes to locate and read data from (or position and write data to) a storage medium.

Disk cache. A disk management scheme that directs a drive to read additional data adjacent to the required data during a disk fetch to reduce the number of disk fetches. Also used to refer to the part of RAM used to store this data.

Display device. An output device that contains a viewing screen.

Domain name. A text-based address used to uniquely identify a computer on the Internet.

DOS. The operating system designed for and widely used on early IBM and IBM-compatible computers.

Dot-con artist. Someone who runs an Internet-based scam or fraud.

Downloading. The process of copying a file from one computer to another over the Internet or other network.

DVD-ROM. A low-end optical disc that can be read from, but not written to, by the user.

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E

EBCDIC. A fixed-length, binary coding system widely used to represent text-based data on IBM mainframe computers.

E-book. A book in electronic format.

Electronic mail (e-mail). Electronic messages sent from one user to another over the Internet or other network.

Electronic pen. An electronic device, resembling an ordinary pen, used for computer input.

E-mail address. An address consisting of a user name and computer domain name that identifies a person on the Internet.

Ethernet. A collection of communications protocols that specifies one standard way of setting up a LAN; also commonly called 10Base-T or 100Base-T.

Exabyte. One quintillion bytes or one million-trillion bytes (10¹⁸)

Expansion card. A circuit board that can be inserted into a slot on a PC’s motherboard to add one or more functions or attach a peripheral device.

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F

Fat-finger dialing. Telephone scam in which a company sets up a toll number that is one digit different than a popular number.. The company earns money when customers accidentally misdial the legitimate number.

Fiber-optic cable. A communications medium that utilizes hundreds of hair-thin, transparent fibers over which lasers transmit data as light.

Field. A single category of data to be stored in a database, such as a person’s name or telephone number.

File. Something stored on a storage medium, such as a program, document, or image.

Firewall. A collection of hardware and software intended to protect a computer or computer network from attack.

Flash memory. A type of nonvolatile memory that can be erased and reprogrammed; commonly implemented in the form of sticks or cards.

Flash memory. A type of nonvolatile memory that can be erased and reprogrammed; commonly implemented in the form of sticks or cards.

Flat panel display. A slim type of display device.

Floppy disk. A low-capacity, removable magnetic disk made of flexible plastic permanently sealed inside a hard plastic cover.

Folder. A logical named place on a storage medium into which files can be stored to keep the medium organized. Sometimes called a directory.

Formula. An entry in a worksheet cell that performs computations on worksheet data and displays the results.

Function. A named formula that can be entered into a worksheet cell to perform some type of calculation or extract information from other cells in the worksheet.

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G

Gateway. An interface that connects two dissimilar networks so they can communicate.

Gigabyte (GB). Approximately 1 billion bytes.

Global positioning system (GPS). A system that uses satellites and a special type of receiver to determine the exact geographic location of the receiver.

Graphical user interface (GUI). A graphically-based interface that allows a user to easily communicate instructions to the computer.

Graphics tablet. An input device that consists of a flat board and a pointing mechanism that traces over it, storing the traced pattern in digital form.

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H

Hacker. Eric Raymond, compiler of The New Hacker's Dictionary, defines a hacker as a clever programmer. A "good hack" is a clever solution to a programming problem and "hacking" is the act of doing it. (From Searchsecurity.com)

Handwriting recognition. The ability to identify handwritten characters.

Hard disk system. A storage system consisting of one or more metal magnetic disks and an access mechanism typically permanently sealed inside its drive.

Hardware. Physical equipment in a computer system, such as the computer and its peripheral devices.

Home page. The main starting page for a Web site.

Hub. A device that acts as a central location where data arrives and is then transferred in one or more directions.

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I

Identity theft.  The theft of a person's financial information with the intention of using that data to commit fraud.

Icon. A small picture or other type of graphical image that represents a program or document and invokes some action when selected.

Information. Data that has been processed into a meaningful form.

Ink jet printer. A printer that forms images by spraying droplets of ink onto a page.

Input device. A piece of hardware that supplies input to a computer.

Input. What is supplied to a computer for processing.

Insertion point. An onscreen character that marks the current location in a document, which is where the next character typed will appear on the screen.

Internet address. What identifies a computer, person, or Web page on the Internet.

Internet appliance. A specialized network computer designed primarily for Internet access and e-mail exchange.

Internet content provider. An organization that provides Internet content.

Internet service provider (ISP). An organization that provides access to the Internet.

Internet. The largest and most widely used computer network in the world, linking millions of computers all over the world.

Intranet. A private network that is set up similar to the Internet’s World Wide Web.

IP address. A numeric address used to uniquely identify a computer on the Internet.

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J

Joystick. An input device that resembles a car’s gear shift.

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K

Keyboard. An input device containing numerous keys, arranged in a configuration similar to that of a typewriter, that can be used to input letters, numbers, and other symbols.

Keywords. Words typed on a search site to locate information on the Internet.

Kilobyte (KB). 1,024 bytes.

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L

Label. A primarily text-based entry in a worksheet cell that identifies data on the worksheet.

Laser printer. A printer that uses technology similar to that of a photocopier.

Linux. A version of Unix that is available without charge over the Internet.

Local area network (LAN). A network that connects devices located in a small geographical area, such as within a building.

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M

Mac OS. The operating system for Apple’s Macintosh line of computers.

Machine cycle. The series of operations involved in the execution of a single machine-level instruction.

Machine language. A binary-based programming language that the computer can execute directly.

Macintosh. A type of personal computer manufactured by Apple.

Magnetic disk. A storage medium that records data using magnetic spots on disks made of flexible plastic or rigid metal.

Magnetic in character recognition (MICR). A banking industry technology that processes checks by sensing special characters inscribed in magnetic ink.

Magnetic tape. A plastic ribbon with a magnetizable surface that stores data as a series of magnetic spots.

Mainframe computer. A large computer that performs extensive business transaction processing.

Megabyte (MB). Approximately 1 million bytes.

Memory. A temporary holding place for the computer to store data and program instructions awaiting processing, intermediate results, and processed output.

Menu. A set of options (usually text-based) that can be displayed on the screen to enable the user to issue commands to the computer.

Microcomputer. A computer system based on a microprocessor, designed to be used by one person at a time.

Microprocessor. Another name for CPU.

Microsoft Windows. The most common operating system for IBM and IBM-compatible PCs.

Microwave station. An earth-bound device that sends and receives high-frequency, high-speed, radio signals.

Midrange computer. An intermediate-sized and medium-priced computer.

Mobile device. A very small device, usually based on a wireless phone or pager, that can perform a limited amount of computing.

Modem. A communications device that enables digital computers to communicate over analog media.

Monitor. A display device for a PC.

Motherboard. The main circuit board of a computer, located inside the system unit, to which all computer system components connect.

Mouse. A common pointing device that you slide along a flat surface to move a pointer around the screen and make selections.

Multiprocessing. A technique for simultaneous processing by multiple processors operating under common control in a single computer system.

Multitasking. The capability of an operating system to execute two or more programs or program tasks concurrently for a single user.

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N

NetWare. The most widely used operating systems for PC-based local area networks (LANs).

Network computer (NC). A PC designed to access a network for processing and data storage, instead of performing those tasks locally.

Network interface card (NIC). An expansion card through which a computer can connect to a local area network.

Network operating system. A type of operating system designed to support multiple users over a network.

Network. A collection of computers and other hardware devices that are connected together to share hardware, software, and data, as well as to facilitate electronic communications.

Nonvolatile. Storage that retains its contents when the power is shut off.

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O

Online auction. An online activity where bids are placed on items and the highest bidder wins.

Online banking. Performing banking activities over the Internet.

Online music. Music played or obtained over the Internet.

Online shopping. Buying products or services over the Internet.

Online stock trading. Buying and selling stocks over the Internet.

Online storage. Storage located on a network storage device, such as on a server accessible through the Internet.

Operating system. A type of systems software that enables a computer to manage its resources and activities.

Operating system. The main piece of systems software that enables the computer to manage its activities and the resources under its control, run application programs, and interface with the user.

Optical character recognition (OCR). The ability of a scanning device to recognize written or typed characters and convert them to electronic form as text, not images.

Optical disc. A disc read and written to using a laser beam.

Optical scanner. A device that reads hard-copy documents and inputs them into the computer in digital form.

Output device. A piece of hardware that accepts output from the computer and presents it in a form the user can understand.

Output. The results of computer processing.

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P

Palm OS. The operating system used with Palm handheld PCs.

Parallel processing. A computing system that uses two or more CPUs to share work and simultaneously perform necessary processing.

Parallel transmission. Data transmission in which each bit in a byte follows its own path simultaneously with all of the other bits.

Password. A combination of characters used to gain access to a system.

Password trap. A program or Web site that uses a legitimate-looking interface to fool users into providing their passwords.

PC card. A small card that fits into a slot on the exterior of a portable computer to provide new functions.

PC compatible. A personal computer based on Intel microcomputer or compatible CPUs.

Petabyte (PB). One quadrillion bytes or one million-million bytes (10¹⁵)

Personal computer (PC). Another name for microcomputer.

Personal operating system. A type of operating system designed for single users.

Phishing. Creating a replica of an existing Web page to fool a user into submitting personal, financial, or password data.

Pipelining. A CPU feature designed to begin processing a new instruction as soon as the previous instruction reaches the next stage of the machine cycle.

Pixel. A single small dot on a display screen that can be lit up to form images on the screen.

Pointing device. A piece of hardware that moves an onscreen pointer, such as an arrow or insertion point, to allow the user to select objects on the screen.

Port. A socket on the exterior of a PC’s system unit to which a device may be connected.

Presentation graphics software. A type of program used to create presentation graphics, including online slide shows.

Printer. An output device that records output on paper.

Processing. The conversion of input to output.

Program. A set of instructions that tells a computer system to perform specific actions.

Programmer. A person whose job it is to write, maintain, and test computer programs.

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Q

Query. A question used to retrieve information from a database.

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R

RAID. A storage method that uses several small hard disks in parallel to do the job of a larger disk.

Random access memory (RAM). Chips located on the motherboard that provide a temporary holding place for the computer to store data and program instructions while they are needed.

Read-only memory (ROM). Non-erasable chips located on the motherboard that usually store program instructions.

Record. A collection of related fields in a database.

Recordable CD (CD-R). A type of CD that can be written to, but not erased or rewritten to.

Register. A high-speed staging area within the CPU that temporarily stores data during processing.

Relational database management system (RDBMS). The most widely used database model in use today; can link data in related tables through the use of common fields.

Rewritable CD (CD-RW). A type of CD that can be written to, as well as erased or rewritten to.

Rewritable DVD (DVD-RAM or DVD+RW). A type of DVD that can be written to, as well as erased or rewritten to.

Ring network. A communications network that connects devices in a closed loop.

Row. A horizontal group of cells on a worksheet.

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S

Satellite. An earth-orbiting device that relays communications signals over long distances.

Scam baiting. Teasing a scam artist by pretending to be interested in the scam and forcing the scammer to perform time-wasting tasks.

Scam card AKA Sucker card. A game card (usually the "scratch-and-win" type) where a winner is asked to call a 900 number to claim the prize, which ends up costing a huge sum of money.

Scanner. A term commonly used to refer to an optical scanner.

Scroll bar. A horizontal or vertical bar that appears along an edge of a window when the window is not large enough to display the entire content contained within the window; the scroll bar can be used to view the rest of the information in the window.

Search engine. A software program used by a search site to retrieve matching Web pages from a search database.

Search site. A Web site that allows users to search for Web pages that match supplied keywords or fit in particular categories.

Sector. A pie-shaped area on a disk surface.

Serial transmission. Data transmission in which every bit in a byte must travel down the same path in succession.

Slamming. Switching a customer from one long-distance phone company to another without the person's permission.

Slide. A one-page presentation graphic that can be displayed in a group with others to form an online slide show.

Smart card. A credit-card-sized piece of plastic containing a chip and other circuitry into which data can be stored.

Software suite. A collection of software programs bundled together and sold as a single package.

Software. Computer programs.

Spam. Unsolicited, bulk e-mail sent over the Internet.

Speakers. Output devices that produce sound.

Spreadsheet. A type of application program used to create documents that can be organized into rows and columns and typically contain a great deal of numbers and mathematical computations.

Star network. A communications network consisting of a host device connected directly to several other devices.

Storage. Saving data, results, or programs for future use.

Supercomputer. The fastest, most expensive, and most powerful type of computer.

System board. Another name for motherboard.

System clock. The timing mechanism within the computer system that synchronizes the transmission of instructions and data through the computer’s circuits.

System unit. The main box of a computer that houses the CPU, motherboard, memory, and other devices.

Systems software. Programs, such as the operating system, that control the operation of a computer and its devices, as well as enable application programs to run on the computer system.

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T

Table. In a relational database, a collection of related records.

TCP/IP. The protocol used with Internet computers that uses packet switching to facilitate the transmission of messages.

Telecommuting. Using a variety of computer and electronic devices to enable an individual to work from his or her home.

Telefelony. Telephone fraud, usually the result of a computer cracker breaking into a phone system and using it to make long distance calls.

Telephony. Communications using the web.

Terabyte (TB). One trillion bytes (10¹²)

Thin client. Another name for network computer.

Time-sharing. A technique used in a multiuser environment in which the computer assigns a specific processing time allotment to each program and then rotates between the programs accordingly.

Token ring. A ring-based communications protocol that uses token passing to control the transmission of messages.

Toolbar. A set of icons or buttons displayed horizontally or vertically on the screen that can be used to issue commands to the computer.

Touch pad. A rectangular-shaped input device that is touched with the finger or thumb to control an onscreen pointer and make selections.

Touch screen. A display device that can be touched with the finger to generate input.

Track. A concentric path on a disk where data is recorded.

Trackball. An input device, similar to an upside-down mouse, that can be used to control an onscreen pointer and make selections.

Twisted-pair wire. A communications medium consisting of wire strands twisted in sets of two and bound into a cable.

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U

Unicode. A coding system for text-based data in any written language.

Uniform resource locator (URL). An address, usually beginning with http://, that uniquely identifies a Web page on the Internet.

Unix. A long-standing operating system for midrange computers and high-end PCs.

User name. A name that uniquely identifies a user on a particular network.

User. A person who uses a computer system.

Utility program. A program that performs some frequently encountered operation in a computer system, usually related to managing the computer’s resources.

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V

Videoconferencing. Using computers and communications technology to carry on a meeting between people in different geographical locations.

Voice output system. A system that enables a computer to play back or imitate the human voice.

Volatile. Storage whose contents are erased when the power is shut off.

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W

Web browser. A program used to view Web pages.

Web page. A document, usually containing hyperlinks to other documents, located on a Web server and available through the World Wide Web.

Web server. A computer that hosts Web pages so that they can be accessed through the Internet.

Web site. A related group of Web pages usually belonging to an organization or individual.

Wide area network (WAN). A network that connects devices located in a wide geographical area.

Window. A rectangular area appearing on the screen of a computer using a GUI operating system such as Windows; windows can contain icons, documents, and other information.

Windows 2000. The upgrade to Windows NT.

Windows CE. A version of Windows used with handheld computers and mobile devices.

Windows Millennium Edition (Me). The upgrade to Windows 98.

Windows NT. The earlier version of the operating system designed by Microsoft Corporation for both high-end single-user and network applications that was replaced by Windows 2000.

Windows XP. The latest version of Windows; designed to replace both Windows Me and Windows 2000.

Windows. The primary PC operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation; common versions include Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows Me.

Wireless Application Protocol (WAP). A standard for delivering content to mobile devices.

Wireless Ethernet. A standard that allows the use of Ethernet with wireless network connections.

Word processing. A type of application program used to create, manipulate, and print written documents, such as letters, contracts, and manuscripts.

Word wrap. The feature found in a word processing program that automatically returns the insertion point to the next line when reaching the end of the screen line, and keeps the proper amount of text on each line after the document is edited and formatted.

Workbook. A collection of worksheets saved in a single spreadsheet file.

Worksheet. A document in a spreadsheet program.

World Wide Web (WWW). The collection of Web pages available through the Internet.

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X

XHTML - Extensible HyperText Markup Language. A programming-type language  XHTML is a set of document types and modules that extend HTML for Web page designs.

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Y

Y2OK or 2000-compliant. Describes a software program or other system that can work with dates in the year 2000 and beyond.

Yottabyte (YB). One septillion bytes or one trillion-trillion bytes (10²⁴)