Common I.T. Terms
Bandwidth - The amount of information that can be sent across the Internet in a given time, usually measured in bits-per-second. A full page of English text is about 16,000 bits. A fast modem can move about 57,000 bits in one second. Full-motion, full-screen video would require roughly 10,000,000 bps, depending on compression. Large files are either slow to download and view, or require greater bandwidth to open quickly.BIOS - Basic Input/Output System - A built-in program on a computer that tracks and stores information about various computer components so that the operating system can function properly. BIOS controls the startup of the machines or computers and other functions such as the keyboard, display, and disk drive. The BIOS is stored on read-only memory and is not erased when the computer is turned off. The BIOS on newer machines is stored on flash read-only memory, allowing it to be erased and rewritten to update the BIOS.
Cable Modem - A modem that uses standard cable television lines to transmit data. The usual bandwidth is 500-1000 Kbps for downloads and 128-500 Kbps for uploads.
CPU (Central Processing Unit) The part of the computer that performs the actual processing. It is generally referred to as the brain of a computer. The CPU is directly related to a computer's performance. Also this term sometimes refers to the unit of the computer that contains the CPU chip, or the part of the computer apart from the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Examples: 386, 486, Pentium (Intel, Celeron, etc)
Device Driver - A software program the computer uses to control a specific device, e.g., a printer. The software acts as an intermediary between a CPU and a peripheral device. The CPU sends a command to the device driver, which translates that command into a one meaningful to the peripheral device.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) - A high-speed digital network connection, usually between a home or small business and a telecommunications vendor, providing an always-up direct connection to an Internet Service Provider (ISP). It can be either asymmetric or asynchronous, where the upstream and downstream speeds are dissimilar; or symmetric or synchronous, where the upstream and downstream speeds are the same. A DSL circuit is much faster than a regular phone connection, and the wires coming into the subscriber's premises are the same (copper) wires used for regular phone service. DSL speed varies considerably depending on the service bought; downloads can be as fast as 32 Mbps and uploads as fast as 1 Mbps.
Ethernet - A very common method of networking computers in a LAN. Ethernet refers to both the DIX version of this specification, or to the IEEE (802.3) version. The DIX version is distinguished by the reference "Ethernet V.2".
Ethernet Cable- Also known as a Cat 5e network cable or RJ-45 ethernet cable. This is the cable used to connect a computer to a network or to the Internet or both.
Ethernet Switch - A multiport bridge. This is where several computers and network devices can be hooked together to directly communicate with each other and possibly access other networks and the Internet.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) A very common method of moving files between two Internet sites, specifically a TCP/IP protocol specifying the transfer of text or binary files across the network. An FTP is a way to login to another site for the purposes of retrieving and/or sending files. FTP was invented and in wide use long before the advent of the World Wide Web and originally was always used from a text-only interface.
Firewall - Systems designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. They are often used to prevent Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet. A firewall has the following properties: all traffic between networks must flow through it, only authorized traffic is allowed to pass, and the firewall should be immune to compromise.
Firmware - A collection of programmed routines and instructions that is implemented in a computer chip or similar hardware form, instead of a software form.
Fragmentation - Storing files noncontiguous on a disk. Fragmentation increases the time it takes to read a file since the disk has to rotate more and the disk read heads have to seek more. (Defragmentation of drives or directories is used to speed up processing)
Hardware - objects used to store and run software, such as a computer, monitor, keyboard, disk, and printer.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) A subset of the US government's Standardized General Markup Language (SGML), HTML is the underlying base of the World Wide Web. HTML is the coding language used to create hypertext documents for use on the World Wide Web. HTML looks a lot like old-fashioned typesetting code, where you surround a block of text with codes that indicate how it should appear. HTML files are primarily meant to be viewed using a Web browser.
HTTP (Hypertext Transport Protocol or Hypertext transfer protocol) - The protocol in the Internet Protocol (IP) family used to transport hypertext documents across the Internet. This requires an HTTP client program to send and an HTTP server program to receive. HTTP is the most important protocol used in the World Wide Web.
IP (Internet Protocol) The internetwork datagram delivery protocol that is central to the Internet protocol family. An IP is necessary to connect to the Internet or a Network. An Ip number is a unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots. Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP number. If a machine does not have an IP number, it is not really on the Internet. IP Numbers are sometimes called a dotted quad.
ISP (Internet Service Provider) - An institution or company that provides access to the Internet in some form. Services can include a variety of transient and dedicated services. Note that ISPs are not necessarily directly connected via an Internet exchange; they may in turn buy connectivity from another ISP or NSP.
LAN (Local Area Network) - A computer network that connects workstations and personal computers for the purpose of sharing resources. Computers on a LAN can exchange files with each other and share common hardware, such as printers and modems. The computers on a LAN are typically joined by a single transmission cable and are located within a small area. A LAN is usually contained within one building. LANs can in turn be connected to the Internet or to other LANs.
Malware - Malware is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent. It is a portmanteau of the words "malicious" and "software". The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code.
Many normal computer users are however still unfamiliar with the term, and most never use it. Instead, "(computer) virus" is used in common parlance and often in the general media to describe all kinds of malware. Another term that has been recently coined for malware is badware, perhaps due to the anti-malware initiative Stopbadware or corruption of the term "malware".
Software is considered malware based on the perceived intent of the creator rather than any particular features. It includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, dishonest adware, and other malicious and unwanted software. In law, malware is sometimes known as a computer contaminant, for instance in the legal codes of California, West Virginia, and several other U.S. states.[1]
Malware should not be confused with defective software, that is, software which has a legitimate purpose but contains harmful bugs.
Memory - An area of storage on the computer. Usually refers to RAM (random-access memory), which dictates how much information the computer may handle at a given moment. RAM is a critical part of any modern computer's performance.
Modem - A computer device that transmits data over standard telephone lines. Modems may transfer data anywhere from 300 bps to 57.6 Kbps. Most modern modems are 14.4 Kbps, 28.8 Kbps, 44.4 Kbps, or 57.6 Kbps.
MOtherBoard (AKA CircuitBoard) - The main circuit board of a computer. It contains the most integral parts of a computer such as the CPU, BIOS, RAM, and additional boards. It allows various parts of a computer to communicate.
Network - A network is created when two or more computers are joined by some type of transmission media allowing them to communicate directly, or to share storage devices and peripherals. Transmission media can include cable lines, telephone lines or satellite systems.
OS (Operating System) - The basic program used by a computer to run other programs. The operating system is the underlying program running on a computer that allows the scheduling of jobs and the sharing of various system resources such as memory, disk space, and printers. An operating system recognizes input from the keyboard, sends output to the display screen, and keeps track of files and directories on the disk and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers. It provides a platform for other software applications. Examples of operating systems: Windows 3.1, Windows 95/98/2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, MSDOS, Linux, Unix, etc. It is what your computer uses to store, edit and change files and to run them.
Port - Generally, a place where information goes into or out of a computer, or both (e.g., the serial port on a personal computer is where a modem would be connected). On the Internet, port specifically refers to a number that is part of a URL, appearing after a colon (:) right after the domain name. Internet transport protocols use ports to distinguish among multiple simultaneous connections to a single destination host.
RAM (Random Access Memory) - This is your computers ability to temporarily store information for processing until it is no longer needed. The higher the RAM, the more it can process.
Reboot - A user activity where the user boots a computing device without interrupting its source of electrical power. The goal of this activity is typically to return the device to a known configuration state, or to remove unwanted data from volatile RAM. Also referred to as Restart or Reset.
Spyware - Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also gather information about e-mail addresses and even passwords and credit card numbers. Also called adware.
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) - Standard suite of transmission protocols used to connect hosts on the Internet. To be truly on the Internet, a computer must have TCP/IP software.
Trojan - A destructive program that masquerades as a benign application. Unlike viruses, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves but they can be just as destructive. One of the most insidious types of Trojan horse is a program that claims to rid your computer of viruses but instead introduces viruses onto your computer.
UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) - A power supply containing a battery that can sustain power during power failures. A computer can usually be kept running from 5 to 15 minutes with a UPS, allowing one to save files and shut down the computer properly.
Virus - Programming code that was designed to do something usually counterproductive and occasionally destructive, whether through ignorance or malice. A virus makes copies of itself without any conscious human intervention. Some viruses do more than simply replicate themselves; they might display messages, install other software or files, delete software of files, etc. A virus requires the presence of some other program to replicate itself. Typically viruses spread by attaching themselves to programs and files. For example, the file formats for Microsoft word processor and spreadsheet programs allow the inclusion of programs called "macros" which can in some cases be a breeding ground for viruses.
WWW (World Wide Web) - A system of Internet servers that support HTML formatted documents.
Worm - A virus-like program or algorithm designed to damage data and/or negatively affect productivity. A worm is a virus that does not infect other programs. It makes copies of itself and infects additional computers (typically by making use of network connections), but does not attach itself to additional programs. However, a worm might alter, install, or destroy files and programs.