A common message on the Internet meaning that the requested page could not be found. This may mean that the page has permanently moved and is no longer available or that the web page is only temporarily unavailable. 

404 also refers to someone who is totally clueless. From the error message “404 not found”, it is slang meaning that the person’s brain could not be located.

A word that is formed by combining parts or letters from the words they represent. For instance, modem is an acronym that is derived from MODulator/DEModulator. Often these are the first letters of each word of a long term.  By strick standards the acronym that is formed has to be a pronouncable word. So radar and NATO are acronyms. In everyday jargon, however, other abbreviations like BTW (by the way) are sometimes considered acronyms.

A suite of web development technologies for creating web applications. Web sites created with Ajax usually have a high degree of interactivity.

A program that searches for viruses and removes any virus that it finds. It is advisable to always have an anti-virus program running on your PC. Be sure that it is updated regularly to keep damaging viruses away from your computer.

A small circular opening inside of the camera lens through which the light passes. The aperture is adjustable. The diameter can be changed to control the amount of light available to the camera’s sensor. The aperture size is usually calibrated in f-numbers. The larger the number, the smaller the lens opening.

A set of rules that govern how application use and exchange data. If an API is open, it allows web developers to use it to develop new software application to go along with the original program.

A set of 128 alphanumeric and special control characters. These are used for character encoding based on the English alphabet. Most foreign language characters and symbols are represented by ASCII codes. These codes can be used to insert these characters and symbols into word processing programs and email documents. For example,

To enter the degree sign while using Microsoft Word, place the cursor into the document where you want the symbol to appear. Press the Num Lock key, then hold down the ALT key while pressing the number 167(the ASCII code for the degree sign.) When you release the ALT key, the cent sign will appear in your document.

The aspect ratio of a two-dimensional shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. The aspect ratio of an older television is 4:3. High Definition televisions have an aspect ratio of 16:9. In photography, the most common aspect ratios are 4:3 and 3:2.

Many of today’s cameras have an auto Focus feature that is activated by pressing the shutter release halfway down. When this is done, the camera focuses on a selected part of the picture subject and automatically calculates and sets the proper focus. The auto focus lag time is the time it takes to perform the function. If the lag time is too long, an action shot may be missed.

A multimedia format that was created by Microsoft. It is used in Microsoft Windows and is also commonly used for video.

Backing up is the process of copying important files and information from the PC’s hard disk to another medium, such as CD or external hard drive. The information that has been copied is called a backup. Although back up is technically a verb and backup or back-up a noun, many people use them interchangeably.

It is important to always have a backup of your important files. This can be used for an emergency if your computer or hard drive crashes or is otherwise incapacitated. Ideally, one should also keep a backup of important files off-site in case of flood, fire, or other catastrophe.

This is the process of using a person's unique physical characteristics for computer identification. Current biometric identification methods include identification by fingerprint, voice, iris, and face. Biometric identification is currently being used in many government agencies as well as large businesses. It is being tested in many areas such as airports where it speeds frequent travelers through passport lines. It is poised to replace passwords in the future. Some laptop computers already include fingerprint identification methods.

Basic Input Output System: a set of low-level routines in a computer's ROM that application programs (and operating systems) can use to read characters from the keyboard, to output characters to printers, and to interact with the hardware in other ways. BIOS also provides the initial instructions for POST (Power On Self-Test) and booting the system files.

This is a peer-to-peer file sharing application. It is a free, open source program. BitTorrent makes it easy to share videos and other complex data, so it is very popular. The data is broken down into small bits that are traded by many computer users. BitTorrent users sometimes share copyrighted information.

To blacklist is to deny access to something. Everyone on the blacklist is unable to use the program, function, or service involved. A blacklist is often used by ISPs to deny access to entities that are known hackers. You may also see this terminology used in email programs where you “blacklist” certain email senders that are known spammers.

This is one of the major formats of high definition DVDs. These DVDs boast picture quality that is far superior to that found on regular DVDs. The other high definition DVD format, called HD-DVD, is incompatible with Blu-ray. So only a Blu-ray player will play Blu-ray disks and an HD-DVD player will play HD_DVD disks. Several manufacturers have developed players that play both formats, but these are pricey. Blu-ray is backed by Sony and many major motion picture studios.

Many new wireless devices soon to be available will use an innovative technology called Bluetooth. Led by heavyweights like Intel, Nokia, IBM, Ericsson, and Toshiba, Bluetooth has created a global standard for wireless connectivity.

Bluetooth will enable Internet devices, mobile telephones, laptop computers, scanners, and other devices to communicate easily without wires. A Bluetooth camera could transmit its pictures to a Bluetooth computer or printer without being attached. A portable computer and a desktop computer could automatically synchronize files when they come into close proximity. The Bluetooth technology is embedded in a computer chip, which can be a part of many different devices. Everything from an automobile to a telephone to a blanket or a coffee pot can be Bluetooth compatible. So you could easily program your computer to wirelessly control other Bluetooth-enabled devices in your home.

Bluetooth operates on a 2.4 Ghz ISM band that is available globally, ensuring worldwide communication compatibility. The Bluetooth technology does not require an open line of site like many current infrared devices, including television remote controls. Its radio waves can pass through objects, making connecting easier. Bluetooth also has built-in encryption.

To mark a document or a specific place in a document for future reference. Bookmarks are used in Internet browsers to save the addresses of web pages in order to be able to return to them quickly in the future. In most web browsers, they are called Bookmarks, but in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, they are called Favorites.

A series of bot computers, sometimes as large as millions of computers, that do the bidding of some entity that has compromised the computers and taken control of them by installing some type of malware.

Broadband is a high-speed Internet connection. Technically speaking, broadband typically starts at 384 kilobytes per second.

The high-speed of broadband makes Internet pages appear and files download more quickly which results in more enjoyable Web surfing. Video, audio, or complex graphics that are becoming commonplace on the Internet are easily accommodated by broadband. This type of data transmission can carry several channels or communication paths at once in a single medium or wire. Because of this capability, broadband cable connections are able to transmit both television signals and Internet data at the same time. Broadband telephone connections like DSL are able to transmit both voice and data over the same line at the same time.

Broadband connections are always on. If your computer is on, you will be constantly connected to the Internet with no dial-up involved. For most average users, a broadband connection will mean accessing the Internet by either a cable modem provided by their local cable company or a DSL modem and telephone line provided by their local telephone service provider. Some educational and commercial users are lucky enough to be using a very fast broadband connection known as a T-1 line.

A computer bug is an error or defect in computer hardware or software that causes the computer or the computer program to malfunction. The first computer bug is said to have been a moth that was found squashed between the points of an electromechanical relay in the Mark II computer in 1945. This moth caused the entire computer to shut down. When the moth was removed, it was affixed to the computer’s log with a scribbled note that read, “First actual case of bug being found.” When the computer operators removed the moth, they claimed to have “debugged” the computer, thus introducing the term “debugging a computer program.” By the way, this first bug is now housed in the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian, and yes….someone who answered correctly that the first bug was a moth won a million dollars on the Who Wants to be a Millionaire television game show.

Just for the sake of accuracy, I must tell you that Edison used the word “bug” in the 1800s, and some say the word goes all the way back to Shakespeare. But whatever the origin, the word “bug” is now universally accepted as a problem with a computer. And do we have bugs!! Hardware bugs are not terribly prevalent, but today’s software seems to be riddled with bugs that were not found before the software was released.

The Internet can be accessed through a high-speed connection provided by a cable television line. This type of connection is much faster than the usual connection which uses a regular modem and a telephone line. To implement a cable connection to the Internet, a cable modem must be attached to a network connection (Ethernet connection) on your computer. Both the modem and the necessary network card are usually supplied by the cable company as part of their package. If you don’t have a cable outlet near the computer, the company that provides the service will install one for you.

To use this type of connection, your cable television company must have it available, and not all cable companies offer this service. Some companies that are not cable television companies are able offer this service because they have made affiliations and/or rental agreements with the cable television operators.

If you currently subscribe to cable television and you add cable Internet service, most cable companies will give you a reduced rate for this combination service. Also, you can watch television and surf the Internet at the same time.

A cable Internet connection is an always-on connection, meaning you don’t have to dial up the Internet when you want access. Just turn your computer on, and you are connected to the Internet. This always-on type of connection is convenient, but makes it easier for a hacker to access your computer data. Therefore, if you use cable to access the Internet, you should implement a firewall to protect your computer.

The drawback to cable Internet is that it is shared access, meaning that you share the bandwidth with your neighbors. If every one of your neighbors gets cable Internet access and every one of them is online simultaneously, your Internet connection will slow considerably. Slow speed is currently not a problem or even a consideration in most cases. However, if cable access becomes more widespread, speed slow-downs could become a drawback to cable Internet access.

The use of hardware and software for designing products. Many architects and design engineers use computer-aided design to generate three-dimensional images of various products, such as houses, automobiles, furniture, and airplanes.

A language used to describe a documents color, font, layout, and other characteristics. It is often used for web documents.

The cloud is a reference to the Internet. More and more applications and services that originally ran on a computer desktop are moving to the Internet. It is said that these applications and services run in “the cloud”.

An abbreviation for cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow(Y), and black (K). These are the four colors used in four-color printing.

A piece of software that is used to encode and decode digital data. A codec compresses and decompresses large files, such as video files, so they can be transmitted more quickly. If a file was encoded using a certain codec, you must have that codec in order to decode it.

A list of terms that are each separated by a comma. The comma tells the operating system how to separate the terms.

A type of memory card that is often used in a digital camera to store images. Compact Flash cards are slightly larger than many other types of memory cards.

are websites that will find and compare the prices of items from several competing online stores.

Qualifying to purchase an upgrade version of a software program because you already own a similar software program from a competing company.  An upgrade version is always considerably cheaper than a full version, so you can save money by purchasing a competitive upgrade.

The American Optometric Association defines Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) as eye and vision problems related to computer use. The symptoms of CVS include tired eyes, eyestrain, sore eyes, periodic blurred near vision, occasional blurred distance vision, headaches, dry eyes, slowness in changing the focus of your eyes, red eyes, and burning eyes. Bausch & Lomb reports that nearly sixty million people suffer from eye or vision problems due to computer work. One million new cases are reported each year. See the Computer Vision Center for more information about how the computer affects your eyes and how to protect your vision.

A number of small thumbnail-sized images printed on one sheet. These are used to preview and select images.

The merging or blending of distinct technologies, industries or devices into one. This is often used to describe the coming together of technologies like television, the computer, and the cell phone.

A cookie is a tiny piece of text that is placed on your hard drive.  Its job is to record bits of information such as the pages you've visited, items you've put into an online shopping cart, and your user name and password for a specific site that you have visited. Cookie files allow a Web server to store information about you on your computer, retrieve, and then use that information in the future. Cookies are activated when you use your browser to visit Web sites on the Internet. The two main browsers, Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, both support cookies.   For more information on cookies, see Cookies made Easy.

Simply put, the Core 2 Duo is the second rendition of Intel’s dual-core processor. It is faster than the Core Duo, which was the first release of this processor. Also, see Core Duo, and dual-core.

Simply put, this is a brand that refers to Intel’s computer processor that is dual-core, meaning that it contains two chips for faster processing. Also, see Core 2 Duo, and dual-core.

A serious computer failure caused by a hardware or software malfunction. A crash is said to happen when either the computer or the program stops responding. A computer crash can often be rectified by restarting the computer. Constant crashes, however, need to be eliminated by finding the source of the problem.

Using the skills of a wide variety of people to do a job or perform a task is called crowdsourcing. The people who perform such a function are often found on the Internet. Although these people can be paid, they are often volunteers.

An older analog technology used for televisions and computer monitors. CRTs are large and bulky and consume a considerable amount of electricity. They work by an electron gun that illuminates phosphor dots inside a glass tube producing screen images.

A common operation done on a computer to move and/or copy information from one place to another. This can be done with images as well as text. The text or object is highlighted by running the cursor over it. Then the cut or copy command is initiated by a menu selection, by clicking on the appropriate icon, or by pressing the appropriate shortcut key combination. The cursor is then placed in the new location and the paste command is issued. The cut command removes the text or object from the original location. The copy command copies the text or object without removing it from its original location.

Default is a setting or value that is assigned automatically by an operating system, program, or piece of computer equipment. It remains in effect unless changed by the end user. For example the Microsoft Word program sets a default font size of 10 points. Every document that is opened in Word will use this default font size unless the user changes it.

The process of taking pieces of files that are scattered or fragmented on the hard disk and unifying them.

When you add a file or a new program to a brand new computer, the hard disk is relatively empty so new data is written to the hard disk in one contiguous block. When you need to use that information, the computer can quickly access it because it is all in one place.

As you add files and programs to your computer, the hard disk begins to fill up. Deleting files or removing programs creates small empty areas among the other data that the computer will reuse. After awhile, the computer is no longer saving information in large blocks. Instead, it stores information in the many little empty nooks and crannies of your hard disk. The result is that one program or file is broken up, or fragmented, into little pieces and stored in many different areas of the hard disk. The computer ingeniously keeps track of the addresses of each piece of data and puts it all together when it is needed. Yet, obviously, the more broken up the information is, the longer it takes to access the data and the slower the computer operates.

The solution is a simple one. Your Windows computer comes with a program that will defragment your hard disk. This process reorganizes the disk by putting files into continuous order and gathering all the free space on the hard disk into one block making data retrieval faster and easier for the computer. Periodically, the hard disk should be defragmented to put files back into order.

Microsoft's Windows Vista automatically defrags the hard disk as the computer is used. This contrasts with previous versions of Windows that needed user intervention to start the defrag process. 

The process of removing or reducing a magnetic field. A CRT monitor can pick up discolorations over time and degaussing will return it to its original color. These monitors often have a command that allows them to perform the degaussing. Some CRT monitors degauss automatically when they are switched on. The degaussing often causes a popping sound and makes the display shake for a moment.

The word digital describes any system based on discontinuous data or events. The important word here is  discontinuous, which means not continuous or having breaks. The opposite of digital is analog.  

Analog processes information more or less in a continuous stream. The difference can be easily seen in a clock. An analog clock is one with hands that circle continuously producing a stream of time. Any minute and any fraction of a minute can be represented. For instance, you could look at an analog clock and say with some degree of accuracy that it is one and one half minutes past one o'clock. You could see that the minute hand was half way between one and two minutes. The average digital clock, which shows the time by flashing the hour and the minute, produces distinct minutes but cannot represent a half of a minute or a quarter of a minute. The digital clock will show that it is one minute past one or two minutes past one. You cannot tell from looking at the clock if it is one and one half minutes past one or one and a quarter minutes past one. 

From the above description, you may surmise that analog is more detailed than digital, but that assumption would be incorrect. Although the normal digital clock will show only minutes, a more detailed digital clock could show fractions of minutes - even a thousandth or millionth of a second, something that an analog clock could not do as accurately. Digital equipment can accurately produce minute details. Digital processing is important because a computer or other digital piece of equipment can store and manipulate digital signals quickly and easily. In addition, digital signals can be converted to analog signals to create a very high quality reproduction.

A camera that uses a digital sensor instead of film to capture the image. The photos are stored within the memory of the digital camera or on a removable memory card, so no film is needed. The digital image can be transferred to a computer for storage and manipulation or to a printer for printing. Since no film is used, no film development is needed. The digital picture is available immediately after it is taken.

A kind of simulated zoom that is created digitally. The camera takes a small portion of the image and through a mathematical method of interpolation, resizes the image to a larger size. Since digital zoom reduces the resolution of the image, it produces results that are not as clear as optical zoom. Digital zoom, which requires no moving parts, is much cheaper to add to a camera, but it produces results that are inferior to optical zoom. Many of today’s cameras have both optical and digital zoom.

This technology is a trademark owned by Texas Instruments. It uses small mirrors to project the image on a screen. Although not as thin as flat panel technologies, DLP is a popular choice for today’s high definition televisions.

These are fake Web sites that are masquerading as legitimate Web sites. Spammers and other criminal-types create these Web sites with names very similar to real Web site names. Then they use e-mail to direct people to these Web sites with the express purpose of stealing personal information. This type of online fraud has already produced domains similar to Citibank and EBay that have fooled thousands of unsuspecting users.

A driver is a piece of software necessary for the computer to operate a monitor, printer, or other attached device. When you purchase a new piece of equipment, it usually comes with a floppy disk or CD that has the software drivers. These drivers need to be installed on your computer before the new equipment will work properly. The exception is devices that are automatically recognized by the operating system.

Drivers are operating system specific: one driver may be used for Windows 95, another for Windows XP and/or for a MacIntosh computer. If you upgrade your operating system or purchase a new computer, you will often need a new driver for your attached equipment, such as printers, cameras, scanners, etc.

This is a system for protecting the copyrights on data that circulated via the Internet and other digital means. The DRM system encrypts the data so that it has limited use. Each DRM system has its own type and number of use restrictions. The data might only be able to be accessed by authorized users, it may only be allow ed to be copied a certain number of times, or it might become inaccessible at a certain date or time.

Digital Rights Management is common for music and videos. Apple’s iTunes music store was the first popular online store to implement its use for music tracks.

In simple terms, this is a computer processor that contains two chips for faster processing. While Intel has named their dual core chips “Core 2” and “Core 2 Duo”, AMD chips of this type are simply referred to as dual core.

Also known as a smiley. An emoticon is a group of keyboard characters that are put together to create a picture. Smileys or emoticons often show the feelings or emotions of the sender. The most common emoticon is :-) indicating a happy or smiling person. If you don’t see the smile, simply look at the emoticon while leaning your head to the left.          

means the data is scrambled so it cannot be read by anyone who might infiltrate the transaction.

The science, which studies the safety and comfort of machines and furniture for humans. Ergonomics plays an important part in the computer world, where sitting in a chair and performing repetitive movements can cause physical distress to the body. Preparing your workspace to meet ergonomic standards can improve your computing experience. Ergonomically designed furniture helps to avoid Repetitive Strain Injury, back and neck strain, and other computer-related physical problems. Simple adjustments in the way you work on the computer can also help. For instance, position your work surface at approximately elbow height when you are seated. In most cases, this means your mouse and keyboard are located below standard desk height. Also, adjust your chair so that your feet rest comfortably on the ground or use an adjustable footrest.

An Ethernet card is a piece of computer hardware that enables communication between two or more computers on a network. Creating a network allows multiple computers to share resources. Previously networks were only used for business-related tasks. However, with the proliferation of home computers, it is becoming more and more common for home computers to be networked so they can share Internet connections, printers, files, and other resources. Also, a computer must be equipped with an Ethernet card in order to use a cable or DSL modem.

A computer can be purchased with an Ethernet card already installed. If you want to have a high-speed Internet connection like cable or DSL, you may want to purchase your next computer with a pre-installed network card.An Ethernet card can be added to any computer that has an open slot. If the computer has no open slots, an Ethernet adapter can be added via the USB port. Laptop computers can use an Ethernet USB adapter or a PCMCIA card Ethernet adapter.

The term extension means two completely different things depending on the Operating System.

For Mac users, an extension is a program that extends the system’s capabilities. Extensions include drivers and other enhancements. They reside in the Extension folder and are loaded into memory when the system starts. Mac extensions are the counterpart to the CONFIG.SYS file in the PC world.

For Windows, DOS and many operating systems, other than Apple, the extension is the part of the filename that follows a period. In DOS and before Windows 95, an extension could only have up to three digits. Although more current Windows operating systems like Windows 98/Me/XP can have longer extensions, the extension is usually kept to three characters as a matter of convention.

This extension indicates the type of information that is stored in the file. For instance, Word documents end in .doc, executable files end in .exe, and zipped files end in .zip.

A social networking website that can be found at www.facebook.com. Facebook started as a website for networking for college students. It has now expanded to encompass everyone over 13. It is a popular website for uploading photos.

Compilation of the most commonly asked questions about a certain subject or product. Most companies have FAQs about their product on their website. Checking these out can often help answer your questions and solve your dilemmas quickly and easily.

Short for favorites icons, a favicon is an icon that represents a certain website. It is often see on the address line of the web browser when you are visiting a website. The favicon for this Compu-KISS website is a pair of red lips.

Firefox is a free web browser that was developed by Mozilla Corporation. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It features tabbed browsing, bookmarking, and all the other features of current web browsers. Firefox is an open source application and so many third party developers have created extensions that greatly expand the usability of this software.

A firewall is a security measure that protects a computer or a computer network from unauthorized access. A firewall can be software, hardware, or a combination of both. A good firewall will prevent hackers from accessing a computer. It will keep personal information safe. Firewalls don\'t prevent virus attack but in some circumstances they can stop viruses from sending information from an infected computer.

Having a firewall on a computer with a dial-up Internet connection is good but not a necessity. (If you use a regular telephone line and you click on an icon on your computer desktop to initiate your Internet connection, you have a dial-up connection.) However, unlike dial-up connections, both DSL and cable connections are always on, shared connections. It is easier for an intruder to break into your computer if you are using one of these connections. So it is essential to have a firewall on a computer that uses DSL or cable to connect to the Internet.

FireWire is a type of bus standard also known as IEEE 1394. This very fast bus supports data transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps (megabits per second). Because of its high speed, FireWire is often used for transferring video files. Found on most Apple computers, the name FireWire was originally developed and trademarked by Apple computer. Other companies use different names, like “ilink” and “Lynx” to describe their IEEE 1394 ports.

The flash technology is a popular way to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Previously own by Macromedia, the Flash Player and Flash authoring program are now owned by Adobe. Flash is built-into most web browsers and is also available for mobile phone and other non-PC devices.

The term font is often used synonymously with the word typeface. There is, however, a big difference. The typeface is only one part of the font because the font is made up of the entire design for a set of characters including letters and numerals. A font includes the typeface plus other qualities, such as size, pitch, and spacing.

A typeface defines only the shape of the characters. Some common typefaces are Times Roman, Arial, and Courier. If you look closely, you will see that the letters in each of these are shaped differently, some narrower, some more rounded, etc.

Within the Times Roman family, there are many fonts to choose from, including different sizes, italic, and bold. If you are working in a word processing program, the font might be Times New Roman, 10 point, bold. Changing the font can completely change the look and feel of a Web page or document.

An on-line discussion group where people exchange ideas about a common interest. Also called a message board.

Copyrighted software given away for free by the author. You can use such software, but cannot sell it in any way. There is a lot of freeware on the Internet, but you should be careful about what you download. Make sure that it doesn’t contain any spyware.

Technology built into a digital camera or part of an add-on device is able to tag each photo with the exact location that the picture was taken. Photos can then be sorted based on where they were taken. They can also be plotted on maps.

Google started as a search engine and has become a prominent player in online advertising. It is an American public corporation that is constantly expanding. Google is also prominent in online mapping, office productivity, photo and video sharing, and web-based email. 

Their search engine has become so popular that the word “google” has also become a word in the dictionary which means to search for using the Google search engine.

stands for Global Positioning System.  This is a navigation system formed by 24 satellites orbiting the earth that are able to read the exact location of a GPS receiver.

 see Spell/Grammar Check

An image that uses only a variety of gray colors, ranging from pure black to pure white. Most printers, even color printers, can print in grayscale. Photographs are often taken and/or printed in grayscale to produce a certain effect.

The storage disk inside of the computer that holds the operating system and programs. Hard disks are also used in other devices like MP3 players, video cameras, and digital video recorders.

How much information (data) the computer can hold.

This is one of the major formats of high definition DVDs. These DVDs boast picture quality that is far superior to that found on regular DVDs. The other high definition DVD format, called Blu-ray, is incompatible with HD DVD. So only a Blu-ray player will play Blu-ray disks and an HD DVD player will play HD DVD disks. Several manufacturers have developed players that play both formats, but these are pricey. HD DVD is backed by Toshiba and some major motion picture studios.

This is a digital audio and video interface that is often found on televisions, DVD players, video game consoles, video cameras, and other video equipment. This type of connector replaces older standard connectors like composite video, S-Video, component video, and DVI. It carries both audio and video in one cable. HDMI supports digital rights management systems.

See HDMI

An Internet connection that uses regular dial-up telephone lines and connections. A slightly faster speed is attained with software to speed up transmissions.

When used in reference to the World Wide Web, "hit" means a single request from a Web browser for a particular item from a Web server. For example, opening a Web page that contains four graphics would record five hits to the Web server: one for the HTML Web page and one for each of the four graphics. 

"Hits" are often used as a rough measure of the popularity of a Web page. As noted, however, a hit can represent anything from a request for a tiny document or graphic to a request for an entire Web page.

The ability to remove or add a device to a computer system without having to turn off the computer. USB and FireWire devices are hot-swappable. Although care should be taken to make sure the devices are not in use when they are removed, the computer does not have to be turned off to add or remove a USB or FireWire device.

This is any location that provides public wireless Internet access. Hotspots can often be found in parks, airports, train stations, hotels, and restaurants. Today many McDonald’s restaurants have become hotspots. Some hotspots are free while others require a fee. All of these hotspots can be accessed from a computer with a wireless network card or built-in wireless capability.

The language used to create Web pages and graphic documents for publication on the Web is HTML. Documents produced with HTML are like text documents that have tags embedded in them. The tags contain coding for attaching graphics, formatting, and hypertext links. An HTML document usually starts with <HTML><HEAD>, after which you enter the topic of the document. This is followed by the tags: </HEAD><BODY>, after which all information to be included in the Web page is inserted. The HTML document usually ends with </BODY></HTML>.   Other tags are inserted in the document as needed for formatting and more complex programming. You can view the HTML behind any Web page. In Internet Explorer, click on View from the main menu and choose Source. In Netscape Navigator, click on View as well and then Page Source.

A version of FireWire developed by Sony.

The iMac is an “all-in-one” desktop computer developed by Apple running the Mac operating system. Several different versions have been introduced over the years, each one being unique in its design.

The process of reducing the effect of the inadvertent movement of the camera. This is done by the use of an image stabilization device built into some digital cameras. Image stabilization can minimize the effect that a photographer’s shaky hand has on the photograph. It can also minimize the camera shake that would otherwise be seen in photos taken at slow shutter speeds or with telephoto lenses. Image stabilization can also be found in telescope and binoculars.

The phrase is easy to define because a “device” is an instrument that performs a simple task. “Input” is also easy - it is something put into a system. So in the technology world, an input device is any tool that feeds data into a computer. For example, keyboards, cameras, scanners, joysticks, and mice are input devices, whereas display monitors and printers are output devices. There are many different types of mouse substitutes that are all considered input devices. These include trackballs, light pens, touch screens, pointing sticks, and touch pads. The microphone is also an input device, and when used in conjunction with voice recognition software, a microphone can be quite an effective way of getting information into the computer.

This is a method for producing an image on a computer screen or television. Interlacing displays the picture by creating two fields for every frame. The two fields are comprised of odd number lines of the image and then the even number lines. To the human eye, the display seems to be complete. Interlacing can produce a certain amount of flickering that is not found in progressive scanning, which is the other type of image display. Interlace is used for most standard definition TVs. High definition televisions displays can be either interlaced or progressive. Interlacing is denoted by the “i” in terms like 1080i and 720i.

Many attempts have been made to create Internet appliances aimed at making the Web more accessible and easier to use. Internet appliances offer Internet access through a simple, easy-to-use appliance minus the bells and whistles of a standard computer. Most of these appliances like the i-opener by Netpliance and Microsoft’s WebTV have either failed or had limited success.

Also called a cybercafe, this is a restaurant or coffee shop where you can use a computer with Internet access. Usually a fee is charged for this service.

This is a web browser that was created by Microsoft and is currently the most popular web browser. Version 7 introduced tabbed browsing and other features that were already offered by other browsers. Internet Explorer is a free program.

Internet Radio is audio broadcasting transmitted via the Internet. This includes standard radio stations that stream their content over the Internet as well as audio content that is created or compiled just for the Internet. There is Internet radio available for news, sports, talk, and music. Internet radio stations, because of the global nature of the Internet are usually accessible from anywhere in the world.

The mathematical process of adding and/or subtracting pixels to an image to make it larger or smaller. For digital cameras, interpolation is often used to take a small portion of the image and enlarge it to produce a digital zoom. The image is enlarged by examining each pixel and using complex mathematic calculations to determine the location and color of extra pixels that are added to make the image larger than the original.

This is the unique web address of any device connected to the Internet. Under the current addressing system called version 4, the address is four numbers separated by periods. Each number can from one to three digits from 0 to 255. A typical address would be: 146.128.32.18. New addressing versions have also been developed to allow for more available numbers, but they are not yet in common use.

The iPhone is Apple’s cell phone. It is a smart phone with Internet capabilities and a touch screen. It also plays music and videos. The touch screen and sleek new design have sparked the creation of many new cell phones with similar looks and capabilities.

The iPod is a portable media player developed by Apple. All iPods play audio and some have video capabilities. The first iPod was created in 2001 and they have become the most popular digital audio players. Several different models are available. Some only about 1” x 1 ½” .  Music and videos can be transferred to an iPods using Apple’s free iTunes software.

The ISO speed was originally a measurement of the sensitivity of film to light. In digital cameras it has come to mean the rating of the digital cameras image sensor’s sensitivity to light. ISO stands for the International Organization for Standardization. iso is a prefix from the Greek work “isos”, which means “equal.”

This is one of the major formats of high definition DVDs. These DVDs boast picture quality that is far superior to that found on regular DVDs. The other high definition DVD format, called Blu-ray, is incompatible with HD DVD. So only a Blu-ray player will play Blu-ray disks and an HD DVD player will play HD DVD disks. Several manufacturers have developed players that play both formats, but these are pricey. HD DVD is backed by Toshiba and some major motion picture studios.

A programming language that was developed by Sun Microsystems to run easily on different types of computer systems.

A common programming language designed to run on web pages. JavaScript is a scripting language in which each step is handled sequentially rather that having the entire program compiled and converted into machine language before the task can begin. Although JavaScript, like Java, is trademarked by Sun Microsystems. The two languages are quite different.

This is a form of spyware. Once a keylogger is installed on a computer it can record every keystroke that is made on that computer and transmit it back to the person who created the keylogger. The purpose of a keylogger is to steal passwords, bank account numbers, and other personal information.

This is a word or phrase that has some significance. Keywords help to show the meaning or focus of an object. They are used for searching on the Internet. They are also used to categorize things like documents and photographs.

A computer does all its computing with on/off switches, therefore it works in the binary number system, which has just two unique digits, 0 and 1. The off position is represented by 0; the 1 represents on. All computer memory and storage systems are also calculated in binary. There are three commonly used measurements, a kilobyte, a megabyte, and a gigabyte.

Kilobyte (K or Kb) – in decimal systems, kilo stands for 1,000 but in binary systems a kilo is 1,024 (2 to the 10th power). It is, however, often used to loosely represent 1,000. The original IBM PC came which 64 K, which means that the main memory could store or process 65,536 bytes, or characters of information at any one time.

Megabyte (M or Mb or Meg) – a megabyte is 2 to the 20th power or 1,048,576 bytes. If your current computer has 256 Mb of memory, that means that the main memory can store or process approximately 268,435,456 bytes or characters of information at any one time. Quite an improvement over the original IBM PC!

Gigabyte (G or Gb) – a gigabyte is 2 to the 30th power or 1,073,741,824 bytes. A gigabyte is equal to 1,024 megabytes.

A small structure with a computer screen that you stand in front of and interact with.  Kiosks are often used in airports to print out boarding passes and assign seats. They have also become popular for printing pictures.

Printers that produce high quality printouts. They operate like a copy machine, using lasers and toner to produce an image. Laser printers that print in black are the most popular, but color lasers are also available. The cost of toner per page is much less than the cost of ink per page for an ink jet printers. At one time laser printers were primarily used by small businesses, but dramatic price reductions have made them available for everyone. Many people now own both an ink jet and a laser printer. They use the ink jet, with its higher per page costs, for printing photos and color documents and the black laser printer for everyday printing.

Display screens used for digital watches and most portable computers are Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs). LCD displays have two sheets of polarizing material. These sheets are separated by a liquid crystal solution. An electrical current passing through the liquid causes the crystal to align allowing or preventing light from passing through. Therefore LCD screens can be lightened or darkened by applying/removing current. Nearly all modern flat-panel displays use LCD technologies, although new technologies such as the amazingly realistic OLED screens are poised to take their place in the near future.

These displays are brighter than LCD and more highly colored, usually red or blue.

A computer that is free of old-type ports is said to be legacy free. This term appears often in computer advertisements. The phrase basically indicates that the computer has only the newer USB ports and does not contain any of the older parallel or serial ports. Since USB ports are faster, they are preferable; however, some older printers, scanners, cameras, and other peripherals have only serial or parallel connectors. In order to connect such a peripheral to a USB port, a special converter is needed. These converters generally work well, but sometimes getting a parallel or serial device to work on a USB connection may be difficult. In certain instances, these peripherals simply refuse to work with legacy free computers. It is best to use USB enabled peripherals with legacy free computers. Some legacy free computers also have another new connection called FireWire (IEEE1394).

This is the photographic darkroom of the digital age. In fact, it is sometimes called the Digital Darkroom. It is the work area where a photographer does his digital photography editing and organizing. It generally consists of a computer workstation with all the necessary computer hardware and software. 

There is also a software program by Adobe called Photoshop Lightroom that speeds up a photographer’s workflow.

An example of a lossy compression from the music world is the MP3 file that is produced from ripping a CD track. The resulting file is smaller, but has lost some of the detail of the original recording. While most of us may not be able to hear the difference, if compressing such a file over and over again can significantly degrade it. In the world of digital imaging, MP3 files are also a lossy format.

To hang out at a message board, discussion forum, or chat room reading the messages or chat comments without contributing to the conversation or to the messages.

When the power of a magnifier is described as 5X or 10X, it means that the image viewed through the magnifier is 5 or 10 times larger than the same image viewed through the human eye.

This term applies to all software that is created with the express purpose of infiltrating a computer without the computer user’s knowledge to steal information, perpetrate scams, obtain control of the target computer, or in anyway cause harm to the computer or its user. Malware includes spyware, viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other types of infectious software.

This is a PC that uses Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition.  It is a fully functioning desktop PC equipped with special hardware and software to display photographs and to display and record television and music.

A media extender is a piece of hardware that streams content to a TV from a networked computer. Many different companies have created Media Extenders including Apple, HP, Linksys, and D-Link. The Xbox 360 gaming system by Microsoft is also a media extender.

Drawing its name from PIX [picture] and El [Element], a pixel is the smallest unit used to create an image on a device such as a computer screen. The resolution of a graphics device, like a monitor, display, scanner, digital camera, etc., is measured in pixels. The higher the pixel resolution (the more rows and columns of pixels), the more information can be displayed. The term megapixel is used to refer to a resolution of over a million pixels.

On your screen, pixels are made up of one or more dots of color. Monochrome and gray scale systems use one dot per pixel. Color systems use three colorful dots per pixel; red, green, and blue. Each dot can be energized to different intensities. A range of colors can be created by mixing these dots. With more pixels on screen, more of the document is visible, but the text and images will appear smaller. 

In digital photography, the number of pixels is the major determinant of picture quality - the more pixels, the larger and clearer the picture is likely to be. It is especially important to note that the higher the resolution of a digital camera, the larger a photograph can be printed and still retain its clarity.

A list of commands, options, or hyperlinks which can be selected by the user. Use menus to choose a command to tell your computer what to do. An item can be chosen from the menu by highlighting it and then pressing the Enter or Return key, by pointing to the item with a mouse and clicking one of the mouse buttons, or, in some cases, by using a shortcut key combination such as pressing and holding down the CTRL key and the S key together. Menus reside in the menu bar which is usually at the top and/or left of the screen.

A horizontal or vertical band that contains the menu or the commands, options, or hyperlinks that a user can choose. Menu bars usually appear at the top of a window or along the left side of a window but can be placed in other areas as well.

A network that allows data to be transmitted between nodes. Each node on the network can connect to many other nodes. The network can still operate even when a node or several nodes stop working. The One Laptop per Child computers use this type of network to make it easier for the laptops to hook up to each other and to allow all the laptop access to the Internet even when only one computer may have direct Internet access.

Having one color. Monochrome generally refers to black-and-white images which are also called grayscale. However, it can refer to anything that uses different shades of one color. A sepia image is a monochrome image in various shades of brown. Many of the first computer monitors were monochrome, showing only shades of green or amber.

The lives of all Americans have changed recently. Thought is now being given to things that used to be mundane: air travel, receiving mail, and gathering in large groups. Technology has provided an answer for some of these concerns. Many folks are shopping online to avoid crowded malls. Some will be sending anthrax-free e-greetings this year instead of traditional cards. Although technology is successful in providing solutions to some of these new problems, it finds itself continually subject to its own hazards. Computers this year are being bombarded with viruses. These viruses may not have anything to do with terrorism, but they are a major threat. We must be alert and prepared to defend our computers against these high-tech attacks.

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This term applies to all portable digital music players. All can play music in the MP3 format. Most can play other formats as well. While Apple’s iPod is an MP3 player, MP3 players that have been created by other companies are not iPods.

One of the standards for compressing (encoding) full-motion digital video. There are several versions of MPEG including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-3, and MPEG-4.Other versions are also available, but are not commonly used.

This is a social networking website that can be found at www.myspace.com. It is a popular website where millions of visitors create a network of friends and post personal information that they would like to share with others.

On a local area network (LAN), a drive that other computers on the network can connect to. A network drive allows people to access shared files and folders.

A network is comprised of two or more PCs  connected so that they can communicate and share resources. Networked computers can share printers, scanners, CD-ROM drives, and files. Networking has always been popular in businesses, but since networked computers can also share Internet access and reduce both access and telephone line costs, networking is now becoming very popular with home computer users. To network computers, each must have a network card or network adapter often called an Ethernet card/adapter. While most networks use special network cables to connect the computers, many new options are available which eliminate the need for extra wiring. New network systems use the telephone or electrical lines already in place to network computers. Radio wave wireless systems are also becoming popular. 

is a program that handles RSS feeds and makes them appear in that program automatically.  Many Web browsers now can act as RSS news aggregator programs.

This is the part of the computer that allows it to connect to and communicate over a network. Some computers have dedicated network cards which are called NICs or Network Cards or Network Adapters. Some newer computers have built-in networking and no longer need NIC cards.

A type of rechargeable battery that provides very consistent voltage and is environmentally safe.  NiMH batteries are often used in laptop computers and digital cameras.

Noise is unwanted sound or visual pollution. Noise is commonly seen on older televisions as snow. It is the crackle in audio transmissions.

In digital photography, noise is unwanted digital pixels in images, which looks like multicolored confetti. Noise increases as the temperature of the sensor increases and as the camera’s ISO setting is increased. Different digital cameras have different amounts and types of noise.

The OCR process reads text from paper and translates it into a format that the computer can understand and manipulate. When text is scanned into the computer, the computer actually receives a picture or image of the text. The text in this image cannot be changed, manipulated, or used in a word processing program until it has been transformed into computer readable text by an Optical Character Recognition program.

This is a term that is used when one company uses a component from another company within its product or sells the product of another company under its own brand. In computers, an OEM license is often issued for software, like the operating system, that comes with such a computer.

A group of productivity software programs. This most often refers to Microsoft Office programs, but can also refer to programs such as StarOffice, Open Office, and Lotus SmartSuite. These usually include a word processing program, a spreadsheet program, presentation software, and a database. They can also include other pieces of software like email programs and graphic programs. Some office suites, like Microsoft Office, come in many different configurations.

A display screen that uses carbon-based film between two charged electrodes is called an OLED. When an electrical current is applied, a bright light is generated. OLEDs are lightweight and durable. They are ideal for screens on portable equipment. Since the OLED emits light, it does not need to be backlit like an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen, resulting in improved power efficiency. OLEDs also offer fuller viewing angles and greater brightness than LCD displays.

Led by Nicholas Negroponte, this is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to design, manufacture, and distribute affordable laptop computers to children around the world. The laptops were initially called the “$100 laptop”, but the final build cost almost $200 each. In 2007, the One Laptop per Child organization started distributing these laptop computers to children in developing countries. The laptops are green and white portable computers with special features and are called XO computers.

If software is created as open source, it means that the source code (the instructions for the program) is openly available to anyone who would like to use it. With the availability of the source code, software developers can create additions and/or changes to the code to develop additional features in the software. This contrasts with closed software like Microsoft Windows where the source code is only available to the company that developed it.

Opera is a free web browser developed by Opera Software Company. Opera runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, and several other operating systems. It is especially popular for use on mobile devices.

Drives that can read and/or write discs like CDs and DVDs.

A mouse that uses a laser to detect movement.  Optical mice are more precise than older mice that have a wheel and ball on the bottom.  Optical mice have no mechanical moving parts.  They don’t require the use of a mouse pad and work anywhere except extremely shiny surfaces like glass and  mirror.

This is the type of zoom that is found in standard cameras. Elements in the lens move to create a magnified field of view. This makes the object appear closer. Unlike digital zoom, the resolution of the image remains the same so the image clarity of optical zoom is superior to the quality produced by digital zoom. Many of today’s cameras have both optical and digital zoom.

A patch is an actual piece of computer code (instructions that tell the computer what to do) that is inserted (or patched) into the executable program. Normally a computer program is written in a programming language like C++, Visual Basic, or Cobol. This is called source code. The source code is run through a compiler, which translates that language into a set of instructions called object code. Then the object code is passed through a link editor, which transforms it into machine code. A patch is called a patch because it is really not integrated with the machine code. Instead, it is a piece of object code that has been written to correct a problem. It is like a band-aid that is applied to a cut or scrape, so patch is really an accurate term. 

When a computer manufacturer finds a bug in their program after it has been released to the public, they issue a patch that corrects the problem. This is usually posted on the manufacturer’s Web site along with instructions on how to download and install the patch.

A handheld device that acts as a mini-computer. A PDA functions as a personal organizer and usually contains appointments, to do lists, and contact information for friends and associates. Most PDAs use a stylus and a touch screen for input, although some have small keyboards. The Palm with its own proprietary operating system was the first highly successful PDA, and it is still popular today. The Palm licenses its operating system to other manufacturers for use on their PDAs like the Handspring Visor and the Sony Clié.

Other popular PDAs are based on Microsoft’s Pocket PC operating system. Handhelds like the Hewlett Packard Jornada that use the Pocket PC operating system are able to run Word, Excel, and other Microsoft programs; they also have the ability to record voice and play music.

Many extra programs and hardware add-ons are available for today’s personal organizers allowing them to access the Internet wirelessly, act as portable cell phones, and perform many other individualized functions.

Sometimes a digital document appears differently on different computers and prints differently when different printers are used. This happens often with documents like forms and books that have a lot of formatting. Adobe developed the PDF file format to eliminate this problem. The PDF file format that allows a document to appear the same no matter which computer they are viewed on or which printer is used. This format was developed by Adobe as an open-file format so it is widely used. Adobe distributes a free software program called Adobe Reader which is the software needed to properly read PDF files. PDF files and the Adobe Reader program can be used on both PCs and Macs.

Small devices that measure how far a person walks or runs.

Plasma is a type of flat panel display that is commonly used for large screen televisions. This technology uses an inert mixture of gas between two panels of glass. When the cells in the gas are electrically stimulated the phosphors emit light which displays the picture. First renditions of this technology had some problems, but these have all been eliminated making this an excellent display technology.

A playlist is simply a list of songs. Most digital music software, like Windows Media Player or iTunes, allows you to create playlists of music to listen to. You can create a playlist of music of a certain type, mood, by a certain artist, or by any other criteria of your liking. Your computer or digital music player will then allow you to play the songs in each playlist that you create.

A type of camera that has automatic settings that allow a person to simply point the camera at the subject and press the button to take the picture without having to take the time to adjust the camera settings.

Posting to the web is sending information to the web. This term is often used in message boards and forums. When you click on the post icon or button, the information you entered is sent to the web.

A page description language developed by Adobe that was built into many laser printers to enable them to recreate the page layout more accurately. PostScript is being replaced by PDF documents.

A method of book publishing using new printing technology to print books one at a time, as they are ordered.

QuickTime is a popular program that was developed by Apple for playing sound, graphics, and movie files. Although originally developed for the Apple, it is now available and used regularly on Windows computers, as well. The QuickTime Player is needed to play movies that were developed in QuickTime. The player is a free program available at Apple’s website (www.apple.com).

The Windows Registry stores system configuration details for the entire computer system as well as information for all installed programs. Registry information can be edited using a program called RegEdit and also with third party software. Extreme care should be taken when editing the registry. This task should not be attempted by a neophyte.

The RIAA was founded in 1952 to oversee audio standards. Since the advent of digital music the RIAA has become famous for bringing copyright infringement lawsuits against people of all ages who they accuse of sharing digital music illegally.

A rootkit is software that runs at the lowest level of the computer. It  infiltrates the kernel of the computer. A rootkit is a technique that is often used by hackers and virus creators to hide the files they create. It has also been used by manufacturers to hide digital right management software, much to the chagrin of the average computer user.

A device that moves data in a network and forwards traffic between networks. The router routes each packet of information. It determines where the destination computer is located and then finds the best way to transmit the data there. Routers also act to allow or disallow the data into the local network helping to keep data secure.

RSI is a type of injury where soft tissue in the body, such as muscles, nerves, tendons, and joints become irritated or inflamed. If the injury goes untreated, permanent damage can occur. These injuries are known to be caused by repetitive motions. Musicians and others who perform the same physical motions over and over are often targets of RSI. When dealing with computers, the repeated motions and prolonged use of the keyboard and/or mouse can lead to RSI in the hands, wrists, elbows, and arms. Simple measures such as taking occasional breaks from computer work and ergonomically correct positioning of the keyboard and mouse can often prevent Repetitive Strain Injury.

(Really Simple Syndication) is a type of news aggregation that feeds headlines and links to new stories to the end user automatically. With the newer Internet browsers, like Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox, you can access and subscribe to RSS feeds quite easily. When you are on a website that offers RSS feeds, an orange square appears on the right side of the address bar at the top of the screen. Just click on the orange square to see and/or subscribe to the RSS feed from that websites.

A digital image of all or a portion of what is showing on the computer screen. Special software is usually used to create the screen shot, although it can often be done with the tools provided by the operating system. Screen shots are often used in computer tutorials and how to books.

The diagonal measurement of the size of the screen.

is an online program that works in a web browser and searches for any information you request.  Basically, you tell the search engine what you are looking for by typing in some descriptive words and the search mechanism searches the Web and finds it for you.

This is a virtual world that can be accessed at www.secondlife.com. This online word is created by its residents, who are represented by motional avatars. The residents of Second Life can interact with each other, create businesses, and trade objects and money.

Search Engine Optimization is the process of tweaking a website to improve the volume of traffic that is produced by search engines. The idea is to give the website a higher ranking in the search engines thereby producing more traffic to the site. SEO includes using keywords and website design to get higher rankings with search engines.

Shareware is a popular type of software available for downloading from the Internet. Shareware is "try before you buy" software based on a unique concept. Someone creates a program, puts it on the Internet, and allows anyone to copy and use it. If the end-user likes the program, he or she pays the creator a fee. If the end-user doesn't like the program, they simply delete it from their computer. Because software developers have no advertising, shipping, or packaging costs, shareware is relatively inexpensive. The concept works quite well except when computer users abuse this type honor system. Some software developers have had to implement gentle, or at times not-so-gentle, ways to remind people to pay for the program. You are usually given thirty days to try a shareware program. If you have not paid your fee after this trial period, the program will use a nag screen to send you a gentle payment reminder.  Some shareware programs have built-in timing mechanisms that will completely disable the program if the user has not paid the fee at the end of the trial period.  For more information on shareware and other types of downloadable software, see my column on Freebie Software.

the delay between when you press the button to take a picture and when the camera actually takes the picture.

In technology, a skin is something that you put over a piece of hardware or software that gives it a different look. A software skin will give a program a new visual look. A hardware skin is usually thin plastic used to give the hardware a new look. Hardware skins are especially popular for cell phones and music players.

An SLR camera uses a technology that allows the camera user to determine what parts of the image are in focus and in the capture area by looking through the lens. Some newer  SLR cameras use a special technology that allows the LCD screen to show exactly what will be captured. On point-and-shoot cameras, what the viewfinder and/or LCD screen show can be significantly different than what is actually captured. 

SLR cameras also have a variety of interchangeable lenses making them suitable for professionals and serious amateurs.

See emoticon.

Social networks are communities of people who share similar interests and/or activities. The Internet has spawned a new realm of social networking with websites like classmates.com, mySpace, Facebook, and others.

Spam is unwanted e-mail or messages to several recipients, the electronic equivalent of junk mail. If you receive a lot of spam, check with your Internet Service Provider. Many have implemented programs that help control the amount of spam that you receive. Also consider opening a free e-mail account like Hotmail and use that address when you are asked to give your e-mail address.