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| Software | term that refers to programs that tell a computer what to do and how to do it |
| System software | programs that manage basic operations such as starting and shutting down the computer and saving and printing files |
| Booting | the procedure for starting or restarting a computer |
| Buffers | small electronic chips that hold information and data waiting to be transferred to selected areas of RAM |
| Performance monitor | an operating system feature that typcially checks the computer's speed and efficiency |
| File manager | Operating system program that maintains a record of all stored files and their locations |
| Icons | thumbnail pictures that appear on the desktop |
| Menu bar | horizontal or vertical bar listing highest-level command options by name |
| Default option | option that has been preprogrammed |
| Button | grapahical element that causes particular action to occur when selected |
| Radio button | another name for option button |
| Check box | GUI box containing multiple options than cna be turned on or off |
| Text box | GUI box into which user keys information |
| Windows ME | designed for users of PCs found in homes and small offices |
| OS2 | IBM's response to Microsoft Windows |
| Application software | programs that perform a single task |
| Language translators | one of the main categories of system software along with operating systems and utility programs |
| Operating system | most important piece of sofware on personal computer |
| Platform | foundation or standard around which sofware is developed |
| Warm boot | restarting a computer while power is till on |
| Cold boot | starting a computer when power is off |
| BIOS chip | instructions that start a computer are contained on this chip |
| Processor type | along with operating system determines platform |
| Kernel | operating system program that manages computer components, peripheral devices and memory |
| Drivers | small programs that enable the operating system to communicate with peripheral devices |
| Multitasking | user's capability to work on two or more applications at same time |
| Toolbar | graphical user interface that uses icons and may be displayed in a row near top of screen |
| Cache memory | speeds up transfer of programs and data to processor |
| Power-on self test (POST) | Series of tests performed by BIOS chip(s) |
| Password | unique combination of characters that allows user to gain access to computer resources |
| User Name | unique combination of characters that identifies indivual user |
| Print spooling | technology that allows document to be held in buffer until printer is ready to print |
| POST | test performed when computer is started that checks whether components and devices are connected and operating properly |
| User interface | feature of software that contains instructions that allow communication between the software and user |
| Command-line interface | used by most early personal computer systems |
| Lisa | Apple PC introduced in 1983 that contained GUI |
| Disk defragmenter | utility program that reorganizes files and unused space |
| Prompt | symbol used with personal computers in a command-line interface |
| Macintosh | Apple PC introduced in 1984 containing OS that revolutionized personal computing |
| Microsoft Windows | dominant OS for personal computers presently |
| Windows 95 | Windows OS released in 1990s that was significant improvement over Windows 3.1 |
| Windows XP | first version of Windows OS to be copy-protected |
| Compiler | software that translates a program into machine language |
| Interpreter | software that reads and translates one program instruction at a time |
| Backup utilities | programs that allow users to make copies of contents of disks or tapes |
| Disk toolkit | commercial software that contains utility programs that let users identify and correct variety of problems with disks |
| Machine-language format | language that high-level languages must be translated into |
| COBOL | example of high-level language |
| Machine language | language written in 0s and 1s understood by computer |
| Throughput | measure of a computer's overall performance |
| Operating environment | early versions of Windows |
| Java | program of small applications that could run on all types of computer OS |
| Windows 98 | allowed users to set up an active desktop with incons linked to the World Wide Web |
| Windows NT Server | One of Microsoft's earlier entries into client/server market |
| GNOME | popular version of Linux |
| Uninstaller | utility program for removing sofware programs |
| GUI | most popular type of PC interface |
| Display window | rectangular areas of screen used to display programs or various kinds of data; main feature of GUI |
| Context sensitive | system can sense needs based on what user is doing |
| Active desktop | feature provided with Windows 98 |
| Tab | top of a folder where name of subset of options is displayed |
| Scissors | example of an icon |
| Boot drive | houses the computer's operating system |
| What determines platform | operating system and processor type |
| Booting the computer | procedure for starting or restarting a computer |
| Low memory | in DOS first 640K of memory; also called conventional memory |
| Upper memory | first 64K of extended memory; also know as high memory area |
| Extended memory | memory above and beyond standard 1MB of main memory that DOS supports; unavailable to most DOS programs |
| Expanded memory | conforms to published standard called EMS that enables DOS programs to take advantage of it |
| Configure and control devices | major function of OS |
| FAT | file allocation table |
| Menu | provides set of options |
| On-screen Desktop | work area where graphical elements are displayed |
| Dialog boxes | provide information and prompt responses; display temporarily and disappear when information entered |
| Online Help | where users can find answers |
| Utility program | performs a single maintenance or repair task |
| Antivirus program | protects the computer system from a virus attack |
| Data compression utility | reduces the size of files so they take up less disk space |
| Device driver | allows hardware devices to work with the computer system |
| Diagnostic utility | examines the computer sytem and corrects identified problems |
| Disk optimizer | identifies disk problems, and rearranges files so they run faster |
| Extender utility | adds new programs and fonts to the computer system |
| File viewer | displays quickly the contents of a file |
| Screen capture program | captures as a file the contents shown on the monitor |
| Uninstaller utility | Removes programs and files, along with all of the contents |
