Cheney USD 268 Advanced Technology Terms

Computers & Peripherals

• CPU – Central Processing Unit –term used for a computer

• CD-ROM – optical disk to store audio or data files

• CD-R - optical disk that can be written to once

• CD-RW - optical disk that can be written to multiple times

• DVD – optical disk with high storage capacity, usually for video

•  Flat panel monitor – a thin monitor with a flat screen

• Flat screen monitor – a traditional looking monitor with a flat screen

• OCR – Optical Character Recognition – used with a scanner to convert text to a word processor

• File extensions – 3 characters placed after the dot in a file name to allow software to know the program used to create the file

• Pixel – A term (from Picture Element) to describe the smallest part of an image on a computer monitor

• UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply – a battery backup for computers and other electronic equipment

• DPI – dots per inch – a term used to define the quality of a printer – the higher the number, the higher the quality

• RAM – Random Access Memory – memory a computer uses to load and swap files / data

• Peripheral – external devices connected to a computer, such as printers, scanners

• ppm – pages per minute a printer will print

• 16X – speed of a CD-ROM or DVD drive
• USB – a port used to connect peripherals
• Firewire – a port used primarily for video (PC to digital video camera)
• Flash/Jump Drive – an external USB storage devise

Internet

• Cookie – Information stored on a surfer’s computer by the web server of the viewed page.  Passwords, user name and other information might be stored in a cookie.

• URL – Universal Resource Locator – web page address

• Hyperlink – text that, when clicked, will take the browser to a new web page

• Domain name – alpha or alpha-numeric name indicating a web site.

• ISP – Internet Service Provider – can provide dial-up, cable modem, ISDN, DSL, or other connectivity

• IP address – Internet Protocol address – a number identifying a server or other network device (http://ars.sirs.com/cgi-bin/denied?no-auth)

Networking

• WAN – Wide Area Network

• LAN – Local Area Network

General

• Moore’s Law – A theory created by Gordon Moore that the number of transistors on a processor doubles every 18 months.  Commonly stated that processor speeds double every 18 months.

• GPS – Global positioning system

•   PDA – Personal Digital Assistant