N4 Introductory Computer Practice

(Du Toit and Van der Merwe)

GLOSSARY

@ – The “at” part of an e-mail address

Active cell – The cell in a spreadsheet where the cursor is currently positioned

ADSL – Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line is a type of DSL broadband communications

technology used for connecting to the Internet to be sent over existing telephone lines

Algorithm – A cornerstone of computational thinking; developing step-by-step

instructions or rules for solving a problem

ALU – Arithmetic Logic Unit; where all calculations in the CPU happens

Anti-virus software – This helps prevent infections from occurring as well as detect and

remove viruses from your computer

Application program – Software that performs a specific task, for example word

processing, spreadsheets, and more

ASCII – American Standard Code for Information Interchange; a set of codes to

represent characters in binary form

ATM – Automated Teller Machine; banks use ATMs, terminals that their bank customers

use to perform transactions with their bank accounts – often to draw

Backspace – A button on the keyboard used to delete the previously typed character or

characters

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Bar-code scanners – A laser scanner used in businesses to read a bar-coded label and

pass the data to a computer

Bit – The smallest piece of computer information, either the number 0 or 1, called

binary digits

C- or D – The hard drive of the computer

Capacity – The amount of information that can be stored on a storage device

CAPTCHA – Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans

Apart; software that generates and grades tests that humans can pass that the most

sophisticated computer programs cannot

Caps Lock – Press Caps Lock once to type all letters in uppercase; press Caps Lock again

to switch back to lowercase; Caps Lock is a toggle switch

CD – Compact Disc, used for storage of text, images and sound

CD-ROM – Compact Disk Read-Only Memory; used for permanent storage of text, images

and sound

Central Processing Unit (CPU) – The part of a computer in which operations are

controlled and executed

Clip Art – Graphic images that can be inserted into documents

Cold boot – The computer is off and is then switched on

Cookie – A text file sent by a Web server that is stored on the hard drive of a computer

and relays back to the Web server things about the user, his or her computer, and/or his

or her computer activities

Copy – To duplicate a file or selected text

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CPU – Central Processing Unit; the heart and the brain of the computer; data and

instructions are stored here; and the functioning of the computer and sequence of

processing are controlled here

Crash – A hardware or software problem that causes information to be lost or the

computer to malfunction

CRT – Cathode Ray Tube monitors are similar to a TV screen

csv file – Comma Separated Value file; the rows of the spreadsheet appear as individual

lines of text with a comma character between each column

CT – Computational Thinking; a 21st century skill vital for the 4th industrial revolution

Cursor – A moving position-indicator displayed on a computer screen that shows a

computer operator where the next action or operation will take place

Database – an organised collection of related information or data; it provides a method

of finding information quickly and easily

Delete – When typing text, press this key to delete characters to the right of the

insertion point; this key can also be used to delete selected files

Desktop Publishing (DTP) – Programs used to create professional printing of labels,

brochures, flyers, etc.

Dialog boxes – When you select some commands, a dialog box will appear; a dialog box

is just another window that contains a checklist to complete or to fill out and it may

display additional information; the options in the dialog box must be completed before

the command can be executed

Digital cameras – Used for taking still photographs and storing the results electronically

in memory

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Domain – Represents an IP (Internet Protocol) address or set of IP addresses that

comprise a domain; the domain name appears in URLs to identify web pages

Download – To copy a file or a program from another computer or from the Internet and

save to your PC

Electronic banking – Banking transactions conducted online from your computer or

smartphone, for example electronic funds transfer

Encryption – The process of transmitting scrambled data so that only authorised

recipients can unscramble it; encryption is used to scramble credit card information

when purchases are made over the Internet

End – To move to the end of a line or document

E-mail – Messages distributed by electronic means from one computer user to one or

more recipients via a network

Ergonomics – To setup the workstation in such a way that the user can optimise work

and minimise physical stress; this entails an ergonomic chair, adequate lighting,

ventilation, etc.

Esc – The function of Esc (Escape) changes according to the program in use; it is

basically used to escape from a position not desired or to cancel the last command

before executing

File – Related information is stored on a flash drive or hard disk in the form of files; each

file consists of characters (bytes); each file must be given a unique, meaningful file

name

Flash disk – A small, external storage device, connected to the PC through a USB port;

also called a memory stick or flash drive

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Folders – Files are stored in folders created on a drive, usually the hard disk

Fonts – Sets of typefaces that come in different styles and sizes

Format – To alter the appearance of text or a document, such as the font, and formatting,

such as bold

FTP – File Transfer Protocol; a format and set of rules for transferring files from a host

to a remote computer

Gigabyte (GB) – 1 024 megabytes; used to measure the capacity of computer memories

and storage devices

GIGO – Garbage In, Garbage Out; the computer can process only the data that is entered;

if incorrect data is entered, incorrect information will be output

Graphical User Interface (GUI) – Graphical User Interface, for example Windows 10; an

interface that displays windows, drop down menus and pictures, called icons

Graphics – Pictures, photographs, illustrations, Clip Art and images

Hard disk/drive – A a magnetic device that is used as external memory (secondary

memory) for magnetic storage of data

Hardware – The term hardware refers to the physical parts of the computer; hardware

components include those used for input, processing, output and storage

Home – To move to the beginning of a line or document

Home page – By default, the Internet Explorer Home page is displayed; your Home page

will be the one preset by you or your ISP; each website has a Home page, the starting

point of the website; provides information about the site, or direct the viewer to other

pages on the site

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HTML – Hypertext Markup Language is the standard markup language for documents

designed to be displayed in a web browser

HTTP – Hypertext Transfer Protocol; the method by which HTML files are transferred

over the Web; it is the first portion of all URL addresses on the World Wide Web

Hyperlink – Underlined word or sentence (underlined in blue by default) or image on

the WWW that is connected by hypertext coding to a different location; click on the text

or image with a mouse; the computer displays the linked web page

Icons – An icon appearing on the computer screen, represents a program, data file or

some other computer entity or function; double-click on an icon to activate it

IM – Instant Messaging; a form of real-time communication between two or more

people based on typed text

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) – Refers to a range of technologies for

gathering, storing, retrieving, processing, analysing and transmitting information

I/O – Input/Output process; input consists of entering data into the computer system;

the computer outputs the results in the form of information

Input – Consists of entering data into the computer system by means of the keyboard

and the mouse or other input devices

Input device – Device, such as a keyboard, stylus and tablet, mouse, or microphone, that

allows input of information (letters, numbers, sound, video) to a computer

Insert – Text typed will be inserted at the insertion point or will replace the text at this

point; the Insert key is used to switch between Insert and Overtype

Internet – The Internet is a decentralised global network of computers that enables

people all over the globe to communicate electronically; a worldwide system of linked

computer networks

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IP (Internet Protocol) address – An Internet Protocol address is a unique set of numbers

used to locate another computer on a network; IP addresses of web servers must be

registered to avoid duplicates

ISP – Internet Service Provider; to connect to the Internet, you need an account with an

ISP

IT – Information Technology; all technologies that, combined, allow people and

organisations to interact in the digital world

Joystick – This is a peripheral with a lever, which can move in different directions; the

joystick is used in games to control the movement of the cursor on the screen

Keyboard – The keyboard is the input peripheral through which you normally

communicate with the computer

Kilobyte (KB) – File and folder sizes and the capacity of storage devices are measured in

kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB); a kilobyte = 1 024 bytes/characters

LAN – Local Area Network A LAN uses direct, high-speed cables to connect computers

over a short distance to share hardware, software and data resources

Laptop (notebook) computers – A laptop is a personal computer designed for mobile

users; laptop and notebook computers are portable, lightweight microcomputers; these

computers can run on batteries, as well as mains power

LCD – Liquid Crystal Display; flat-panel monitor; newer monitor used with desktop

computers

Line spacing – The space between lines of text in a word-processing document

Lowercase – Text in lowercase characters, versus uppercase, capital letters

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LTE – Long Term Evolution is a 4G wireless broadband technology for wireless

communication for mobile phones to make data speeds even faster; makes it reasonable

to stream video to your phone

Mainframe computers – These are the larger commercial computers; they are able to

process an enormous amount of data at a very high speed

Megabyte (MB) – File and folder sizes and the capacity of storage devices are measured

in kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB); 1 megabyte (1 MB) = 1 024

kilobytes = 1 million bytes (characters)

Menu – A context-related list of options that users can choose from

Merge – To combine two or more files into a single word processing file, or two or more

cells in a spreadsheet

MFA – Multifactor Authentication; layered authentication, in which the identity of an

individual or system is verified by more than one authentication process

MHz – The speed of a microcomputer is normally measured in MHz (megahertz) or

Gigahertz and can currently be 1 to 4 Gigahertz or more; (1 024 MHz = 1 Gigahertz)

Microphone – A PC microphone is an audio input device that records (captures) music

and voice input into the computer

Microprocessor – The complete central processing unit (CPU) contained on a single

silicon chip

MMS – Multimedia Messaging Service for sending and receiving photos and video,

personal organising facilities, gaming, bluetooth, infrared and built-in camera with

video recorder

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Modem – A modem (short for “modulator” and “demodulator”) is a device that is linked

to the computer and the telephone line; a modem changes the digital data from the

computer into analog data (modulate) that can be transferred by telephone line

Monitor – Data entered via the keyboard, is displayed on-screen; the monitor looks like

a television screen to provide you with visual information

Mouse – A pointing device that can be used instead of the keyboard to move the cursor

or select an option

Multimedia – Software programs that combine text and graphics with sound, video, and

animation

Navigation – To navigate between folders to any location on your computer; or, navigate

when you follow the links in a web page and use the Back and Forward buttons until

you get to the information you are searching for

Network – A network can be described as two or more computers that are linked via a

network cable or a satellite connection, and capable of sharing information and

resources with each other

Online shopping – A form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly

buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser

Operating System (OS) – The operating system activates the computer; allows the user

to communicate with the computer, controls the functioning of the computer and

enables the computer to run application programs and transfer information between

the memory and disk, controls the management of files on the hard disk

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Output – The computer outputs the results of processed data, called information, by

means of the printer or monitor to decision makers at all levels of an organisation

PAN – Personal Area Network; a wireless network that connects information technology

devices close to one person

PDA – Personal Digital Assistants; special-purpose palmtops that keep phone

directories, electronic diaries, calendars, and provide calculator abilities

PDF – Portable Document Format; a document format presented by Adobe Acrobat that

allows documents to be shared over a variety of operating systems; these documents

can be viewed, printed and shared, but not easily edited by the viewer

Peripheral – Peripherals include all devices attached to the CPU to enhance operations,

for example an external hard drive, keyboard, mouse, scanner and printer

Personal computer – A desktop computer designed for use by one person at a time

Plotter – A computer-coordinated drawing machine that produces graphic output, such

as charts and architectural drawings

Pop-up menu – A menu window that opens on-screen to display context-related

options; also called a drop-down menu or pull-down menu

POS – Point-of-sale; for every business operation to function, shops need point-of-sales

where customers get invoices and pay – all of which happens via ICT

Printer – Output peripheral that produces paper copies of the information, called hard

copies

Program – A precise series of instructions written in a computer language that tells the

computer what to do and how to do it; programs are also called software or applications

Public network – A network that allows anyone to connect, for example a restaurant

that provides free WiFi

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Q

Quick Access Toolbar – The customisable toolbar at the top left of the window in MS

Word and Excel that contains a set of commands that represents the most frequently

used commands; icons can be added or removed

RAM (Random Access Memory) – RAM memory is temporary memory used while

working on the computer

Recycle Bin – Temporary storage for files and folders that have been deleted; files can

be restored

Restart – Saves all data and restarts (reboots) the system

Ribbon – The ribbon is below the title bar in the MS Word and Excel windows and

contains the commands that are grouped together and located under tabs

Right-click – Quickly press and release the right mouse to open drop-down menus

ROM BIOS – ROM Basic Input/Output System; special chip that contains the instructions

to start the computer

ROM (Read-only Memory) – ROM is permanent memory; software that is in constant use

is stored in ROM, for example the instructions for the CPU to perform its functions; this

memory contains data that cannot be changed; it can only be read and not written to

rtf files – Rich Text Format; a fixed-layout electronic file format that preserves

document formatting and enables file sharing

Scanner – A device that reads text, images or graphics (i.e. bar codes) on paper and

converts them into machine-readable characters; the text or graphic is copied directly

from the paper onto the screen and can be saved on the computer

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Search engine – A search engine is a program that searches documents on the WWW for

specified keywords and returns a list of documents in which the keywords were found;

examples – Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo

Server – A computer that shares its resources and information with other computers,

called clients, on a network

Shut down – Closes all open programs, closes the system, turns off the computer and

display

Sign out – Closes all programs you were using, but the computer is not turned off;

another user can log on without needing to restart the computer

Sleep – Saves your work to memory and then places the computer in power saving

mode; press any key or press the power button to switch on again

SMS – Short Message Service for text messaging

Software – The set of instructions (also called a program) that guides the hardware to

function; application software turns the computer into a tool for a specific use, for

example to do word processing or spreadsheets

Spreadsheet – A program that is used to create tables in which calculations can be done

by adding formulas and functions

Storage – A process through which digital data is saved on a magnetic storage device,

such as a hard disk; storage is a mechanism that enables a computer to retain data,

either temporarily or permanently

Surfing – Exploring the Internet

Systems software – Refers to programs designed to allow the computer to manage its

own resources and includes operating systems, language translators, utility programs

and user interfaces

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T

Tab – This key can be used to move forward through options in a dialog box or to use

tabular stops in a Word document to line up text

Tablet PC – A computer that is intermediate in size – between a laptop computer and a

smartphone; always portable and usually touchscreen

Taskbar – Serves as a home base and remains on the screen

TCP/IP – Transmission Control Protocol (Internet Protocol); the Internet ‘works’

because these computers and computer networks can all speak this language

Template – A document that is pre-written and formatted – all the default settings, like

font type, size and style, line spacing, margin settings, etc. are stored in the template

Title bar – Displays the name of the window open

Toolbar – A bar that normally appears at the top or bottom of the screen, containing

icons or buttons, to click on

Trackball – Input device that controls the position of the cursor on the screen; the unit is

mounted near the keyboard, and movement is controlled by moving a ball

Undo – A function in some programs that allows you to reverse the task or cancel the

previous action

Uppercase – Capital or lowercase letters

UPS – The purpose of the UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is to protect the user

against unexpected power failures; the UPS takes over when a power failure occurs and

the computer can then operate for a specified time with no loss of data

URL – Uniform Resource Locator; the address of an Internet file (web page), for

example http://www.msn.co.za

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USB – USB (Universal Serial Bus) is currently the newer interface that is used to connect

peripheral devices; a USB port supports devices, such as flash disks

VDU – Visual Display Unit or screen of the PC

Video teleconferencing – Video conferencing enables dispersed teams to connect with

each other in different locations locally or abroad, to communicate via video connection

Virus – A program designed to damage a computer system

VoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol; service that allows users to send text messages and

voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user

locations, and other media

WAN – Wide Area Network is a computer network that directly connects computers

separated by long distances

Web browser – An application used to view web pages and to find our way around the

World Wide Web

Web page – A web page is a page of a website

Website – A collection of web pages linked by hypertext links to other web pages to

create a site

WLAN – Wireless Local Area Network; uses high-frequency radio waves to enable

wireless connection between devices in a limited area

Word processing – The design, creation, editing, manipulation, storage and printing of

text

World Wide Web (WWW) – A collection of documents or websites, that you can access

using the Internet and a web browser

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Y

YouTube – A video-sharing website where users can upload, view and share videos on

personal devices

Zoom – To enlarge or reduce the size of a window or page; Zoom is also the name of an

online collaboration tool used for tele-conferencing and meetings

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