| Computer Glossary |
Game Port:- A port on the back of the computer which can accommodate joy sticks or other game playing input devices.
Gateway:- The original Internet term for what is now called a router or more precisely, IP router. It allows data transfers between
networks or between programs.
GDI (Graphics Device Interface):- The component of Windows that permits applications to draw on screens, printers, and other output
devices.
GIF:- Graphics Interchange Format. A commonly used graphics format created by CompuServe.
Gigabyte (GB):- One billion bytes.
GIGO:- Garbage In, Garbage Out.
Glitch:- The cause of an unexpected malfunction.
Gopher:- A menu driven system for jumping around participating linked host computers on the Internet. Named for the sports team of
the University of Minnesota, who developed the system.
GPF (General Protection Fault):- When the memory protection hardware in Windows detects an illegal memory instruction from a
program, causing the program to crash.
Graphics:- Pictorial matter such as charts, graphs, and diagrams that can be programmed into a computer's video display.
Graphics Mode:- The mode that enables applications to display images in addition to text.
Graphics Program:- A computer program designed to display and manipulate information in pictorial form.
Groupware:- Network software that enables groups of people to work cooperatively on projects, by communicating, sharing tasks and
information, and controlling work flow.
Guestbook:- A form on the WWW that allow visitors to enter information about themselves (i.e., name, snail mail address, e-mail
address, city, state, etc.).
GUI:- Graphical User Interface. A system that simplifies selecting computer commands by enabling the user to point to symbols or
illustrations (called "icons" ) on the computer screen with a mouse or other pointing device.
Hacker:- A person with programming skills who enjoys playing with computer systems in order to produce additional features or access
all or part of a computer system without the authorization to do so.
Hard Disk:- A disk that is built into your computer and is not removable. Hard disks have large storage capacities and access data and
programs at a high speed.
Hard Copy:- A permanent record of what you have done on the computer in the form of a paper printout.
Hardware:- The physical and mechanical components of a computer system.
Hayes Compatible:- Modems that use the commands originated by Hayes Microcomputer Products. While not required to access most
services, it is an industry standard and most popular communication software programs accept the Hayes commands.
Hardware Handshaking:- Hardware (usually a modem) handling data flow control automatically.
Head:- A small electromagnetic device inside a drive that reads, writes, and erases data on the drive's media.
Header:- The first part of a received E-mail message which contains information about the routing of the message.
Heat Sink:- A mass of metal attached to a chip carrier or socket for the purpose of dissipating heat. Usually found over the CPU.
Hidden Files:- Files that cannot be seen when you perform a DIR command. Files are usually hidden to prevent easy access to them.
You can hide/unhide a file by changing its attribute.
High Memory Area (HMA):- The first 64K of extended memory in an IBM PC or compatible computer. This area is used by Windows and
by some applications. MS-DOS can also be "loaded high" into the HMA to make more room in conventional memory.
High-Level Language:- A symbolic programming language readily understood by the user, such as Fortran, Pascal, or C.
Highlighted:- Indicates that an object or text is selected and will be affected by your next action, i.e., deleted or moved.
Hits:- Relevant records retrieved by an on-line search request.
Hits Per Day:- The number of visits that a Web site page receives in a day.
HomePage:- The main document in a Web site which is sometimes given in the Web site address.
Host Computer:- A computer providing certain resources that is accessed from another computer.
Hot Link:- A hypertext link from one Web site to another.
Hotkey:- A key or key combination that activates a command or set of commands.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language):- An ASCII text-based, script-like language used for creating hypertext documents like those seen
on the World-Wide-Web.
HTTP (Hypertext Transport Protocol):- The protocol used in an Internet address to access a page on the Internet.
Hue:- Position of a color along the color spectrum. For example, purple is between red and blue. Luminance and saturation also affect
the appearance of a color.
Hyperlink:- Colored and underlined text or a graphic that you click to jump to a file, a location in a file, an HTML page on the World Wide
Web, or an HTML page on an intra net.
Hypertext:- Documents presented in an interactive computer environment that allows users to branch from one screen display to other
text, graphics, or video.
Gateway:- The original Internet term for what is now called a router or more precisely, IP router. It allows data transfers between
networks or between programs.
GDI (Graphics Device Interface):- The component of Windows that permits applications to draw on screens, printers, and other output
devices.
GIF:- Graphics Interchange Format. A commonly used graphics format created by CompuServe.
Gigabyte (GB):- One billion bytes.
GIGO:- Garbage In, Garbage Out.
Glitch:- The cause of an unexpected malfunction.
Gopher:- A menu driven system for jumping around participating linked host computers on the Internet. Named for the sports team of
the University of Minnesota, who developed the system.
GPF (General Protection Fault):- When the memory protection hardware in Windows detects an illegal memory instruction from a
program, causing the program to crash.
Graphics:- Pictorial matter such as charts, graphs, and diagrams that can be programmed into a computer's video display.
Graphics Mode:- The mode that enables applications to display images in addition to text.
Graphics Program:- A computer program designed to display and manipulate information in pictorial form.
Groupware:- Network software that enables groups of people to work cooperatively on projects, by communicating, sharing tasks and
information, and controlling work flow.
Guestbook:- A form on the WWW that allow visitors to enter information about themselves (i.e., name, snail mail address, e-mail
address, city, state, etc.).
GUI:- Graphical User Interface. A system that simplifies selecting computer commands by enabling the user to point to symbols or
illustrations (called "icons" ) on the computer screen with a mouse or other pointing device.
Hacker:- A person with programming skills who enjoys playing with computer systems in order to produce additional features or access
all or part of a computer system without the authorization to do so.
Hard Disk:- A disk that is built into your computer and is not removable. Hard disks have large storage capacities and access data and
programs at a high speed.
Hard Copy:- A permanent record of what you have done on the computer in the form of a paper printout.
Hardware:- The physical and mechanical components of a computer system.
Hayes Compatible:- Modems that use the commands originated by Hayes Microcomputer Products. While not required to access most
services, it is an industry standard and most popular communication software programs accept the Hayes commands.
Hardware Handshaking:- Hardware (usually a modem) handling data flow control automatically.
Head:- A small electromagnetic device inside a drive that reads, writes, and erases data on the drive's media.
Header:- The first part of a received E-mail message which contains information about the routing of the message.
Heat Sink:- A mass of metal attached to a chip carrier or socket for the purpose of dissipating heat. Usually found over the CPU.
Hidden Files:- Files that cannot be seen when you perform a DIR command. Files are usually hidden to prevent easy access to them.
You can hide/unhide a file by changing its attribute.
High Memory Area (HMA):- The first 64K of extended memory in an IBM PC or compatible computer. This area is used by Windows and
by some applications. MS-DOS can also be "loaded high" into the HMA to make more room in conventional memory.
High-Level Language:- A symbolic programming language readily understood by the user, such as Fortran, Pascal, or C.
Highlighted:- Indicates that an object or text is selected and will be affected by your next action, i.e., deleted or moved.
Hits:- Relevant records retrieved by an on-line search request.
Hits Per Day:- The number of visits that a Web site page receives in a day.
HomePage:- The main document in a Web site which is sometimes given in the Web site address.
Host Computer:- A computer providing certain resources that is accessed from another computer.
Hot Link:- A hypertext link from one Web site to another.
Hotkey:- A key or key combination that activates a command or set of commands.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language):- An ASCII text-based, script-like language used for creating hypertext documents like those seen
on the World-Wide-Web.
HTTP (Hypertext Transport Protocol):- The protocol used in an Internet address to access a page on the Internet.
Hue:- Position of a color along the color spectrum. For example, purple is between red and blue. Luminance and saturation also affect
the appearance of a color.
Hyperlink:- Colored and underlined text or a graphic that you click to jump to a file, a location in a file, an HTML page on the World Wide
Web, or an HTML page on an intra net.
Hypertext:- Documents presented in an interactive computer environment that allows users to branch from one screen display to other
text, graphics, or video.
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