Jargon Buster
3G/4G/5G Technologies that deliver faster mobile broadband.
32bit/64bit A measure of how much data a PC can process at once. Most older computers are 32bit, more modern ones are 64bit.
4K Video with a resolution of at least 3840x2160 pixels.
720p/1080p/1440p Common types of high-definition video of 1280x720, 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 pixels respectively.
802.11ac A standard for wireless networks that allows for much higher transfer speeds than 802.11n.
Adware Unwanted adverts that come with software.
Bandwidth A measure of how much data can be transferred through a connection at one time.
Beta A version of software that’s being tested.
BIOS Basic Input-output System. Software built into every PC that connects the vital components.
Browser hijacker Program that changes your default browser, its homepage and search engine when you install them.
Blue screen of death (BSOD) Technically called a ‘Stop error’, this is shown when your PC crashes.
Cache A temporary space for storing information.
Captcha Distorted text you have to type to prove you’re a human.
Clock speed The speed at which a processor can perform operations.
Cookie A small text file stored on your computer by a website.
Core Units on a processor that carry out program instructions.
Cryptocurrency An online currency not backed by any country. The most popular is Bitcoin.
Dark web/dark net Websites that can only be accessed using the Tor privacy program. Deepfake A video that superimposes a fake voice over a clip of someone talking, or a fake face on someone’s body.
The results are becoming increasingly realistic.
Driver A file that tells Windows how to work with an external device.
Exe/executable file A program file designed to run in Windows.
False positive When an antivirus program wrongly detects a malware infection.
FAT32 An old system used for formatting hard drives, and still used for some portable drives.
Frame rate The number of still images, or frames, shown per second to create a moving image.
GEDCOM Short for Genealogical Data Communication. A file format used by genealogy programs to share data.
GHZ Gigahertz. A measure of how many instructions a chip can process per second.
Graphics card A component that produces the image on a monitor.
H.264 A type of MPEG4 video that is used on Blu-ray discs and recorded by many cameras.
HDMI High-definition media interface. Connection that transmits high-definition video and audio signals.
HDR High-dynamic range. A camera that takes more than one photo with different levels of colour and contrast.
Heat sink A block of metal used to help dissipate the heat from a computer chip.
Hotkey A key set up to perform a complex action.
Hotspot A public area covered by a Wi-fi network that allows you to access the internet, either free or for a fee.
HTML Hypertext Markup Language. The language used to write most web pages. Hyperlink Clickable link that takes you to a new document or website.
IP address Internet Protocol address. A unique set of numbers, separated by dots, used to identify computers and websites on the internet.
ISO file A type of image file that contains all data from a CD or DVD.
Keylogger Malware that records all the letters and numbers typed on a PC in an effort to find passwords or other valuable info.
M.2 A standard specification for PC expansion cards and connectors.
NFC Near-field communication. A technology that allows two devices to communicate by being touched together or placed near to each other. Can be used to pay for items in some shops using compatible mobile phones.
Noise Visible dust-like speckles that appear in photos and TV images.
NTFS New Technology File System. A file system used by all recent versions of Windows.
Open source Software that can be modified by anyone, rather than just by the employees of the company that created it.
Overclock Make a processor work faster to boost performance at the cost of it getting hotter and requiring more power.
Partition A large hard drive can be split into two or more partitions or ‘virtual’ drives.
PCIE Peripheral Component Interconnect Express. A faster version of PCI - a slot on the motherboard for expansion cards.
Phishing A form of internet fraud that tries to trick you into revealing personal details.
Plug-in A small program that adds extra features to software or to your web browser.
Product key A unique serial number that must be typed in by the user before a program will launch for the first time. PUP Potentially unwanted program. A program that may not be desired, despite the user consenting to it being downloaded.
RAM Random-access memory. The computer’s working area.
Ransomware Malware run by hackers who lock files on your PC and demand a payment to release them.
Raytracing Provides realistic lighting in an image by recreating how light behaves.
Read speed How long it takes a hard drive to ‘read’ data, and respond to it.
Sandbox A virtual container that you can run programs in safely.
SATA Serial ATA. Interface for connecting hard drives and disc drives to a computer.
SD card Secure Digital card. A popular type of memory card.
Security key A USB device you can plug into your computer to lock and unlock it.
Source code Program instructions written in a high-level language that are readable by people but not computers.
SSD Solid-state drive. Storage that uses no moving parts.
Thread Smallest sequence of instructions that can be managed by your processor.
Tor A web browser designed for anonymous surfing.
USB 2.0/3.0/3.1 Faster successors to USB.
USB-C A new connector that’s reversible, letting you plug it in upside down.
VPN Virtual private network. Keeps all internet communication safe and private.
Write speed How long it takes a hard drive to save data.
ZIP file A file that can contain compressed documents or files.