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.