(2) COMPUTER AND INTERNET

TECHNICAL JARGON

(2)COMPUTER AND INTERNET TECHNICAL TERMS (JARGONS)

access : connection to the Internet  account: an arrangement you have with a

company or Internet provider to use a service they provide.

browse: to look for information on a computer, especially the Internet.

browser:  a computer program that allows you to download or view web pages from the Internet onto your computer.

by default: by the system. It happens by itself. (default printer = active printer)

cache: to store the Web pages you visit in your computer (computer memory that stores information for a short time).

chat room: an area on the Internet where people exchange messages.

com : commercial organization used in the Internet address

configuration :the combination of equipment needed to run a computer system.

connect time: the amount of time that a computer is connected to another computer through a modem.

  customize: change something to make it more

suitable for you

data: information to be processed by a computer program

database: a large collection of related information

download: to move information to your computer from a computer system or the Internet.

edit : to make changes and corrections to text and graphics. (Well-known editing techniques are ‘select’, ‘undo’, ‘copy’, ‘cut’ and ‘paste’ a portion of text)

FAQ (frequently asked questions): a file containing a list of questions with answers to help people understand or use something.

  home page: a place on the Internet that you

choose to appear first on your computer screen each time you look at the Internet.

hyperlink :   an underlined blue word, image, text or button in a computer document that you can click on to move to another page on the website.

Once you click on a hyperlink, it will automatically

1. take you to a different part of the same page.

2. take you to a different page within the Website.

3. take you to a page in a different Website.4. enable you to download a file.5. launch an application, video or sound.

icon: a small picture representing an object, a process or function.

interactive: a program that allows you to communicate directly with it   and does things in reaction to your actions.

  Internet: a computer system that allows people in

different parts of the world to exchange information.

Intranet: a network within an organization that only members of that  organization can use.

  Internet Service Provider (ISP):a company that acts as

a gate between you and the Internet. You pay it a fee for the use of the Net. This company does not control the content of the Net, nor how any of it functions, but it offers you access to the Internet.

Key pal: someone who regularly emails someone else (pen pal / pen friend).

login: the act of identifying yourself when entering a network. You usually type your name and your password.

log on : to connect to a network log off : to disconnect from a network or

online system.

netiquette : \neti ket\ the polite way of expressing yourself or communicating with other people when you are using the Internet.

 

Here is a rough outline of accepted protocol:1. DON’T CAPITALIZE EVERYTHING. It is

difficult to read.2. Tolerate other people’s spelling and

grammatical mistakes.3. Make your message concise.4. Avoid spamming (sending mass mailings of

unsolicited (received but not asked for or wanted material)

5. Use smileys or emoticons to express intention e.g: :-)simply happy 8^o surprised, worried or concerned =-( sad or cross

newsgroup: a discussion group on the Internet, with a place where people with a shared interest can exchange messages.

offline: working on a computer but not connected to the Internet.

online: connected to or available through a computer or a computer  network, especially the Internet.

org : private organization pop-up menu/window: a menu that appears

suddenly on a computer screen when you are looking for a website.

refresh : if you refresh an Internet document in which information is  changing all the time, you click on a button that makes the most recent information appear.

scroll : to move a document in its window by using scroll bar so that text in another part of the document is visible. 

search engine: a computer program used for searching for information on the Internet\ a search tool that collects information from the Web running an automatic    program which visits huge numbers of web

Commonly Used Search Engines

1.http://www.google.com2.http://www.yahoo.com3. http://www.lycos.com4. http://www.altavista.com5. http://www.excite.com6. http://www.msn.com

shareware :       computer software that you can get on the Internet and use for a period of time before paying for it.

spamming :the practice of sending junk emails to large numbers of people on the Internet, especially when these are not wanted.

surf:     look at various places one after another on the Internet or on TV.

upload :     to send documents or programs from your computer to a larger system using the Internet.

URL:      Uniform Resource Locator :the full website address

viruses: programs that are written with the intent of damaging your system. They are hidden within files and may be present in any file that you download from the Internet. The simple solution is to install an anti-virus program on your computer.

virtual:  created by computers or appearing on computers or the Internet (simulated, not real)

Web/(WWW) the World Wide Web: (a very large collection of documents, pictures, sounds, etc stored on computers in many different places and connected through the Internet).

Web page : a page or document that you can read on a website.

Web server : a big and fast computer that is permanently connected to the Internet , so   that other people can browse the contents of the server 24 hours a day.

Website: a location on the Internet where

information is available about a particular subject,

organization, etc. This data is stored on WWW server

and can be accessed freely by people surfing the Net.

Multimedia: It is the combined use of several media

such as sound, graphics and full-motion video in

computer applications. Multimedia technology is

exemplified by the CD-ROM. Multimedia presentation

and programs are sequential and non- interactive.

Hypermedia: It is interactive multimedia. It is non-

sequential linking of information.