Jargon buster

...your guide to digi-babble

Adware

Adware, also known as advertising-supported software, is software which appears on to your system via an advertisement.

Active X

Sometimes quite beneficial in terms of updates, Active X can be quite harmful as it creates an open pathway which hackers can utilize to access your files.

ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)

ADSL cables make quicker Internet possible by using an Ethernet connection to connect through a phone line.

Antivirus Software

This is the most important security feature your computer will ever need. It scans your computer for problems and fixes any issues it may have.

AUP (Acceptable Use Policy)

This is usually a set of rules determined by our Internet service provider. It defines the limits of your internet use and cites under which circumstances it may cut you off.

Avatar

Having an Avatar is the ultimate geek accessory. It is basically you as an on-screen character.

BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)

A BIOS comes with your computer and maintains all standard settings you may need for your computer. It only ever needs to be tended to if you change hardware settings or add memory.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a wireless system operated by Bluetooth-enabled equipment.

Boot

Booting is turning on your computer - rebooting is restarting it.

Bot

Bots can be handy or really nasty as they perform small tasks, like sorting your emails or continuously bombarding a website with requests. Their operations depend on their commands.

Cache

This is a temporary memory storage unit, which should be emptied after each time you use your browser, as it stores passwords and search habits.

Codec (Compressor/Decompressor)

A Codec enables your system to decode data.

Computer virus

Software viruses work like normal viruses in that they hope to infect cells around themselves. They like spreading through emails, instant messaging and portable hardware like USB sticks.

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

This part is usually considered the brain of your computer from which every function in your computer receives orders.

Crawler

Google uses crawlers to snap up information about particular information and combining it into a search engine. Many other crawler systems exist.

Cybersquatter

Cybersquatters buy possible and obscure domain names hoping that somebody may want to pay a lot of money for them some day.

DDoS (Distribution Denial of Service)

Usual internet terrorism trying to block the activities of a certain website so that the owner will have to curb to the hacker’s ransom demands, which usually include the victim having to buy the hacker’s ‘decoder’. Several trained bots overflow the website with requests, stopping its real web activity.

Dpi (Dots Per Inch)

Used in photographic quality recognition, this measure ensures that users can discuss photo quality with the same standards in mind. The higher the dpi, the better the quality of the image.

Driver

Drivers lead new hardware to correct procedures when connected to a computer for the first time.

DRM (Digital Rights Management))

DRM was initially intended to curb illegal duplication of copyright material, however hackers have learned how to bypass this setting.

Firewall

Every computer should have a firewall, which is essential for blocking external threats to a network.

Firewire

Firewire cables enable quicker data transfers, but sometimes need extra hardware to perform.

Freeware

Sometimes confused with shareware, which offers software on a trial basis, freeware offers unlimited software for free.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

This mechanism is often used in business networks to upload and share files on a server.

GHz (Gigahertz)

This is a measure for the power and speed of a computer’s processors. The more GHz a processor has, the quicker your system may be.

Gigabyte

Computers usually have a few hundred gigabytes of memory, which enables them to work fast. One gigabyte is 1000 megabytes, 1 million kilobytes and 1 billion bytes.

Hacker

Hackers enjoy breaking into computer networks to extract or destroy information without prior consent of the owner of said data.

Hotspot

Any place offering wireless internet is a hotspot.

HTML(HyperText Markup Language)

The system of making web-pages including any effects like pictures, colours and music.

http (HyperText Transfer Protocol)

This is the way computers communicate web pages on the Internet.

IP address (Internet Protocol address)

Each computer which has internet access has either a ‘static’ (permanent) or ‘dynamic’ (temporary) internet IP address, which consists of four blocks of three numbers, looking similar to this 255.255.255.255..

ISP (Internet Service Provider)

An Internet Service Provider.

LAN

A local area network with numerous interconnected computers..

Malware

Malware is any type of software trying to harm your computer. It can consist of worms, viruses, Trojan horses, phishing software and adware.

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension)

This system helps your email depict attachments.

MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game)

An online role-playing game like Command and Conquer.

Motherboard

The point to which all your computer components lead.

Mp3 (MPeg-1 audio layer 3)

A compressed audio file standard.

MPEG (Motion Picture Experts Group)

Similar to the mp3, this set of standards relates to video and audio files.

OCR (Optical Character Recognition)

OCR can convert scans into readable text.

Open Source

Any software which is offered free of copyright or with limited copyright restrictions.

Patch

An amendment to a particular error or miscalculation in a programme.

PDF (Portable Document Format)

A nifty format for anyone wishing to view files as if they were pages in a book.

Platform-independent

Any piece of software which can operate in most operating systems. The internet does not rely on any particular platform, therefore it is platform-independent.

Portal

This is a gateway for computers or websites to access further hardware, links or files.

Processor

Processors are considered the nerve system of any computer.

Quad-core

Four processors combined, making a computer much faster than it would be with a single or Dual-Core processor.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

The real-time memory of your PC.

Registrar

An entity which records the details of each domain name and its registered owner.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

An mechanism which combines a particular kind of data together with similar data from several sources, and turning it into a list.

Security Suite

An antivirus package which includes most deterrence tools against malicious software.

Spyware

Spyware was designed to seize details from a foreign computer, often targeting bank and social security details. It can also remotely control a computer’s actions and take over its IP address.

Stream

Similar to downloading, streaming allows you to watch videos online but in a much more real-time fashion than downloading.

Torrent

Often considered illegal and unethical, torrents are a form of file-sharing and require downloaders to upload the content they have downloaded to keep the system going.

Trojan Horse

Trojan horses are malware which must be invited on to your computer before it can actually harm it. It usually disguises itself as a genuine file, although files names may look very sketchy.

Upload

Uploading is basically the opposite of downloading. Instead of taking data off the internet, you are putting it on there.

URL (Universal Resource Locator)

Any web address beginning with www. is a URL.

USB (Universal Serial Bus)

Removable and portable, the USB port in computers was previously favored for printers and scanner, however recently it has become much more linked to mp3 players and USB memory sticks.

VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)

VOIP presents the opportunity of free calls over the internet. They may be crackly but they are free!

W3C (World Wide Web Consortium)

A high committee of computer nerds who control what is acceptable as HTML.

WAN (Wide Area Network)

A bigger version of LAN, connecting networks, instead of only computers.

Worm

The most persistent of malware, the worm is self-duplicating and feeds off networks and transmission, therefore proving quite hard to exterminate. Antivirus software, however, can detect and remove most worms.