baud a measurement, in bits per second, of the time it takes a computer to transfer data.
BBS bulletin board system. A central computer system that can be accessed over telephone lines to relay data to a remote computer or to exchange messages with other computer users.
bells and whistles sales jargon for any unnecessary gadgetry or features on a computer.
beta test a manufacturer's test of new programming software among selected computer users.
bidirectional printer a printer that can print with its head moving backward or forward over a page.
biometrics computer-driven devices capable of scanning and identifying fingerprints, faces, and retinas, for security purposes. Also, the science of this.
bit short for binary digit, the smallest unit of information, represented by either a 1 or a 0.
blue affectionate nickname for an IBM computer, named after Big Blue.
board a printed circuit board.
bomb any computer failure in which a program ends prematurely and must be restarted.
boot to start up a computer.
bootstrap a brief program that gets a computer started.
bps bits per second. Bps bytes per second.
buffer an area of memory that temporarily holds incoming or outgoing data.
bug a mistake in a computer program.
bundled software any software supplied with a computer at no extra cost.
burn to write (record) data, images, or music on to a computer disk.
bus the connections or wires through which information is relayed to all of a computer's components.
byte 8 bits of memory space.
cache a data storage area that can be accessed quickly.
CAD computer-aided design; a computer system for creating blueprints and drafting layouts.
caddy a tray that slides out of the computer and holds a CD-ROM.
CAM acronym for computer-aided manufacturing. card a printed circuit board.
carpal tunnel syndrome swelling around a main nerve in the wrist, causing pain and numbness that can extend from the wrist to the fingers. It is caused by repetitive keyboard work and sometimes results in permanent injury.
cartridge a medium for storing programs. catalog a list of a disk's contents.
cathode-ray tube the picture tube in a monitor, consisting of a vacuum tube and fluorescent screen on which electrons are focused.
CD-ROM compact disk read-only memory. A compact disk (similar to the audio disk version) that stores huge volumes of computer information coded into it by the manufacturer.
chip see integrated circuit.
chiphead a computer enthusiast.
cipher text encrypted data.
clip art ready-made, non-copyrighted artwork or graphics that can be stored on a computer and incorporated into any document.
clipboard a temporary data storage area.
clone an imitation; it refers to a computer brand that imitates another computer brand or model.
COBOL an easy-to-read program for business data processing.
command an instruction to a computer.
compatibles any same-brand or competitive-brand computers or components that can work together.
compression the compaction of data to reduce the space needed to store it.
computerese computer jargon, slang, acronyms, etc.
computer forensics investigative techniques used to uncover illicit computer use.
CPu central processing unit. The part of a computer that executes directions and performs arithmetic and logic functions.
cracker one who breaks through security systems and infiltrates a computer system or network with criminal or mischievous intent.
cracking the illegal copying of commercial software by breaking down copy and registration protections.
crash any condition in which a computer malfunctions or stops operating.
Cray a family of state-of-the-art supercomputers manufactured by Cray Research, Inc.
CRT see cathode ray tube.
crunch to process calculations or figures with the computer; to number crunch.
cursor on a computer screen or monitor, the symbol that points out where the next typed-in character will appear.
cyberphobe one who has an aversion to computers.
cyberpunk a subgenre of science fiction involving computer culture.
database a computer catalog of information.
data communication the passing of data from one computer to another.
DDT a debugging program.
debug to work the bugs out of or remove the mistakes from a computer program.
defrag to clean up a computer's hard drive; defragment.
desktop publishing a computer program that handles all publishing tasks, from printing to editing to graphics. Also, the design and production of publications by a small computer.
diagnostic any computer program used to track down programming errors.
digital computer a computer in which quantities are represented by digits electronically, as distinguished from an analog. Most modern computers are digital computers.
digital fingerprinting any digital identification marker used to legally protect original documents from unauthorized use.
digitize to convert signals, text, or imagery into digital code for use in a computer.
digitizer the device that converts signals, text, etc., into code for computer use.
disk a medium, either built-in or independent, that stores computer information.
disk drive the device that gives a computer the ability to read and write information on disks.
DOS disk operating system.
dot matrix printer a printer that prints characters as a pattern of dots.
down malfunctioning or inoperable.
download to transfer information from a main computer to a smaller computer or a remote computer.
DRAM dynamic random access memory.
editor a program that allows the user to add, delete, or change information in a file or program.
emulator software that enables a computer to download pirated video games over the Internet and "emulate" any video gaming platform.
ENIAC Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator, the first electronic computer, composed of some 18,000 vacuum tubes, and built in the 1940s.
EPROM a memory chip that can be erased by exposing it to ultraviolet light.
expert system a computer program using a form of artificial intelligence drawn from an extensive knowledge base and an inference engine.
fatal error any internal error causing a program to stop or abort, sometimes resulting in a loss of data.
file a document or collection of documents stored in the same place or under the same name.
file compression the electronic reduction of a file to make it fit into a smaller memory space.