| A | B |
|---|
| Keyboard | Most frequently used alphanumeric input device; resembles a typewriter keyboard. |
| Keyboard shortcut | Special key sequence used to choose a command directly without first accessing and displaying a menu. |
| Keypad | Supplemental set of keys resembling a calculator keypad. Convenient for entering a large amount of numerical data. Diretional arrow keys are superimposed on the numerical keypad and may be toggled back and forth with a Num Lock key. |
| Kilobyte | Roughly, one thousand bytes (actually 1,024). Abbreviated "K" or "KB". |
| List box | Column of available choices often arranged in alphabetical sequence. Usually only ONE, but sometimes more, can be selected . |
| Load (into memory) | To place or copy a porgram or document fiel into memory in preparation for using it. |
| Marco | Short for "macroinstruction". A series of frequently used key strokes and commands recorded by a softare program. Marcos can be "played back", often by just pressing one or two keys. |
| Mail merge | See Merge. |
| Main Document File | The document containing the common text, structure, or information to be used in a Merge Compare Data Document File. |
| Marquee | The dotted line around the active element within a dialog box which will receive your next keystroke(s). |
| Maximize | Enlarge an application window to occupy the entire screen, or enlarge a document window to fill the entire application window in which it resides. |
| Maximize button | Icon containinga single box located at the right end of the Title Bar. It is used to enlarge the wondow to its maximum size. |
| Megabyte | One thousand kilobytes. Abbreviated "M" or "MB"; often referred to as a "Meg". A refrence to memory storage or working space. |
| Memory | The high-speed working area of the computer where both the program being run and the data being processed are temporarily stored. |
| Menu | In applications software, a list of several options or operations are available to the user. |
| Menu bar | row below the Title bar which lists the top level of command menus which are available for the application. |
| Merge | A word processing operation allowing information form two files (such as text in a merge document and addresses from a data file) to be quickly and simply combined so that each form letter looks individually prepared. |
| Merge Document | The document containing the common text, structure, or information to be used in a Merge. |
| Message box | An informative type of dialog box that requires a single user response, usually the selection of an OK or CANCEL button. |
| Microcomputer | A small, relatively inexpensive, free standing computer designed for individual use. Also called "personal computer" or "PC". |
| Minimize | To reduce an application or document window to an icon.Also called iconize. |
| Minimize button | Icon containing a horizontal line located at the right end of the Title Bar. It is used to minimize the application to an icon to be placed on the Task Bar. |
| Monitor | The computer's video display. Sometimes called "concole" or "screen". |
| Mouse | An input device that controls mouse pointer movement by sliding on a flat surface. |
| Mouse Pointer | A pointing arrow or other graphical symbol that moves on the screen as you move the mouse. It allows you to point to that part of the screen you wish to act upon. |
| MS-DOS | A proprietary operating system distributed by the Microsoft Corporation. Also available as PC-DOS from IBM |
| Multitasking | To perform more than one task or run more that one computer program at a time on the same computer system. |
| Network | A group of computer connected through cables or telephone lines for the purpose of transferring information and sharing resources (like printers). |
| Open | To make a document available for viewing, revising, or printing. |
| Operation system | A program which supervises and controls the operation of a computer, the operation of all other software programs, and the user's communication (interface) with the computer. |
| Option Button | Round button in a dialog box used to select an option. Usually, within any group of option buttons, only ONE button can be selected. Also called radio buttons. |
| Output | Any information or results FROM the computer to the user. Compare Input. |
| Overwrite | In overwrite mode, any characters typed at the insertion point will erase pre-existing text as the new characters appear. See Insert. |
