| A | B |
|---|
| CD-ROM | compact disk read only memory |
| Compact Disk | A disk on which a laser has digitally recorded information such as audio, video, or computer data. |
| CPU | The brain of the computer or central processing unit. |
| Floppy Disk | A portable magnetic storage medium for computer data that allows users to randomly access information. |
| Gigabyte | Approximately a billion bytes (or 1,000 megabytes). |
| Graphical User Interface | The use of graphical symbols instead of text commands to control common computer functions such as copying programs and disks. |
| Hard Copy | A printed copy of computer output. |
| Hard Disk | A fixed, large-capacity magnetic storage medium for computer data. |
| Hardware | The physical components of the computer system. |
| Icon | A small picture or symbol respresenting a computer hardware function or component. |
| Ink-jet Printer | A type of printer that forms letters on the page by shooting tiny electrically charged droplets of ink. |
| Input Device | The hardware that is used to pass information into the computer. |
| Laser Printer | A printer that uses both laser and photographic technology to produce high quality output. |
| Megabyte | Approximately a million bytes. |
| Modem | The device that allows your computer to talk to other computers over a telephone line. |
| Monitor | A video or computer display device. |
| Output Device | The hardware that receives and dislplays information coming from the computer. |
| pc | personal computer |
| Printer | The hardware that provides printed output from the computer. |
| RAM | The computer's working memory, sometimes called random-accessed memory. |
| ROM | The permanent memory that is built in your computer. This is read only. |
| Software | The programs or instructions that tell the computer what to do. |
| Bit | The smallest unit of measure for computer data. 1 or 0, on or off switches |
| Byte | a group of eight bits |
| Intranet | An private version of the internet |
| Kilobyte | 1024 bytes |
| Serial Port | The place in the back of the computer where you can plug in your modem also called a communications port |
| Mouse | A common device that allows the user to reposition an arrow on their computer screen in order to activate desired applications |
| Keyboard | " A hardware device consisting of a number of mechanical buttons (keys) which the user presses to input |
| Hard drive | The hard disk is a round, metal platter in the hard drive of the computer; it stores large amounts of information. |
| RJ-45 | A jack for Ethernet cables that connects your computer to a Local Area Network |
| Virus | A programs that adds to itself to "infect" another program or document and then creates copies of itself to infect other computers |
| Worm | A malicious program that replicates itself until it fills all of the storage space on a drive or network. |
| USB | Universal Serial Bus, a connection for keyboards, mice, modems, printers, and scanners |
| Microprocessor | An integrated circuit that contains the entire central processing unit of a computer on a single chip. |
| Memory | Memory is temporary storage space on chips in your computer. |
| Motherboard | The main board of a computer, usually containing the circuitry for the central processing unit, keyboard, and monitor and often having slots for accepting additional circuitry. |
| Power Supply | A source of electricity for a device, which converts, regulates, and transmits the external power for the device |
| Operating System | The software that allows computer users to run applications with the hardware of a specific system. |
| LAN | Local Area Network |
| Parallel Port | An interface between a computer and a printer where the computer sends multiple bits of information to the printer simultaneously |
| Firewall | A computer or program that connects a local network to the Internet and, for security reasons lets only certain kinds of information in and out |
