Jargon Buster
1080p high-definitionbest quality:Of the 1920x1080commonvideo, this types pixels.is the of 4K least Video 3840x2160with a resolutionpixels. of at 64bit informationA technologyin larger that chunks. processesMost modern computers are 64bit. 720p high-definitionA common video: resolution 1280x720of pixels. Add-intools that Microsoft’scan be added name to for Office software. Add-on A program that adds extra features to your browser. AMOLED Active-matrix Organic Light-emitting Diode. An alternative technology to LCD for creating flat-panel displays. Most commonly used in smartphones, tablets and smartwatches. Aspect ratio A measurement of the shape of a display. Traditional computer screens are 4:3. Widescreen displays are 16:9 or 16:10. Benchmarking Comparing software and products with an accepted standard. Beta A version of software that’s being tested. Beta versions are often released so problems can be ironed out.
Cache A temporary space for storing information. Can be memory used on a computer processor, or space on a hard drive used by a web browser. Clean installation An operatingsystem installation that overwrites all other content on the hard drive. Client A computer program used to access and manage a user’s email. CPU Central Processing Unit. Another term for a computer processor. DDOS Direct Denial of Service. A targeted cyber-attack which brings down a web server and the websites running on it.
E2EE End-to-end encryption. Ensures that messages can be seen only by the sender and recipient. Encode To convert media files to a new format, such as converting WAV audio files to MP3. EPUB A file format used by many popular ebook readers. EXE A program file designed to run in Windows. Has the file extension .exe.
Firmware Basic software stored on a device, such as a music player, to control its operation. Can sometimes be upgraded in a process often called flashing. FTP File Transfer Protocol. A system for transferring files between computers. Often used when uploading websites. Gesture Finger movements on a screen that perform an action, such as pinching to zoom. GHZ Gigahertz. A measure of how many instructions a chip can process per second. Gigabit Ethernet A very fast networking standard that can transfer data at up to 1,000Mbps. Graphics card A component in a computer that produces the image shown on the monitor. HDMI High-definition media interface. A type of connection that transmits high-definition video and audio signals. HTTPS Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure. The secure version of HTTP, the technology that sends data between your browser and the web. IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol. A method for email that lets the user manage messages stored on a remote server. IP address Internet Protocol address. A unique set of numbers used to identify computers and websites on the internet. LCD Liquid-crystal display. The technology used to create almost all flatscreen monitors.
LED electronicUsed Light-emittingon almost device all that electronicDiode. emits An light. devices, backlight andfor someto provide LCDS. the MicrosdmemorySD size using card. card an CanA adapter.smallbe convertedtype of to Openbe modified source by Softwareanyone, ratherthat can than companyjust by that the created employeesit. of the Phishingfraud that A tries form to of trick internetyou into revealing personal details. your Placeholder computer file thatA file lets savedyou openon files saved online in Onedrive Plain doesn’t text containText in anya document formatting, that such as bold characters and italics. Plug-in A small program that adds extra features to software or to your web browser. POP3 Post Office Protocol 3. A system for remotely accessing and retrieving email from an ISP. Most email applications and ISPS use POP3. Proxy server A computer that sits between your computer and the internet and filters the connection. Sometimes used simply to remove internet threats such as viruses. RAM Random-access memory. The computer’s working area, used for data storage while the PC is switched on. Ransomware Malware run by hackers who lock files on your PC and demand a payment to release them. Scaling How operating systems display text from different programs to make it readable on screen. SD card Secure Digital card. A popular type of memory card.
SIM Subscriber Identity Module. The smart card used by all digital mobile phones. The SIM card carries the user’s identity and phone number for accessing the network.
SRGB space A for standarduse on monitors,RGB colour printers and the internet. SSD uses Solid-stateno moving parts.drive. StorageFaster but that morehard drives. expensive than conventional System image A backup of your PC, which includes your operating system drivers, as well as your PC’S settings, programs and files. Tag A keyword used to describe a file or web page. Many programs use tags to organise related information quickly. Telemetry Microsoft’s system in Windows 10 that tracks how the operating system is used in order to improve it. Travel The distance the keys of a keyboard have to be pressed before the keystroke is recognised. USB 2.0 Faster successor to USB that’s used by devices such as external hard drives. USB Type-c A new connector that’s reversible, letting you plug it in upside down.
Virtual machine A softwarebased computer running inside another computer. Often used to emulate another operating system – for example, running Windows XP as a virtual machine inside Windows 7. Virtual desktop A desktop environment that you can expand beyond the physical confines of your PC’S screen. VPN Virtual private network. A technology for keeping all internet communication safe and private even on insecure networks. WIMP A type of computer desktop that uses Windows, Icons, Menus and a Pointer (cursor). It has been the standard since the mid-1980s. Write speed How long it takes a hard drive to save data. Zero-day vulnerability A previously unknown software flaw that can be exploited by malware or hackers before it’s fixed.