Computer Terminology

1
Computer Terminology

• An Alphabet Primer

2
A is for Analog

• Analog is basically a visual representation of
  numerical amounts, such as on a clock face where
  the hands rotate to let us tell the time.
• Analog is analogous to old-fashioned devices,
  rather than new-fangled digital devices.

3
B is for Bytes and Bits

• A byte is simply a keystroke. The name Carol has
  5 keystrokes, so it has 5 bytes.
• Do you remember the saying, Two bits, four bits,
  six bits a dollar? Well, just as there are 8
  bits to a dollar, there are 8 bits to a byte.
  Carol has 40 bits to her name.

4
C is for CD ROM

• CD stands for computer disk. It holds more
  memory than a floppy disk.
• A CD ROM is a disk that has a read only memory,
  which means you cant write to it, you just read
  from it.
• A CD-RW is a disk that you can read and write to.

5
D is for Digital Versatile Disk

• The digital versatile disk, or DVD, looks just
  like a CD, but it holds tons more memory
  capacity. It can hold 4.7 to 17 gigabytes of
  memory.
• (A gigabyte is 1billion bytes.)

6
H is for Hard Disk

• The hard disk is actually what it sounds like a
  hard disk inside the computer. It stays in the
  computer.
• You save or load data onto the hard disk drive,
  but you never SEE it.

7
E is for Ethernet

• The ethernet is a sophisticated networking
  language built into all newer MACs and PCs.
• I cant tell you much more, except that Larry
  Bird can make a basket at eithernet.

http//www.nba.com/nbaat50/greats/bird.html
8
F is for Floppy Disk

• A floppy disk is a round disk in a square shell.
• A floppy disk looks hard on the outside, but
  inside is a soft, plastic disk.
• It holds 1.4 megabytes

9
G is for Google.com

• Google is a very cool, helpful search engine. It
  helps you find web sites for just about anything.
• Just enter www.google.com and see where you can
  go!
• I wonder if it has google sites (10 to the 100th
  power.)

10
I is for Inkjet Printer

• The inkjet printer sprays ink from a matrix of
  tiny jets to print the images from your computer.
• It is cheaper but slower than a Laser printer.
• The ink smears easily, especially when your child
  is frantically printing a 12 page paper at 730
  am, and her tears drop on the pages because she
  was up until 3am writing the paper.

11
J is for .jpg

• When you copy a photo image, always follow the
  name you give it with the code .jpg
• This picture of Judy and Peg is also followed by
  .jpg.

12
D is also for Digital Camera

• This photograph of Don is from a digital camera.
  
• Digital cameras store images on memory cards or
  floppy disks.
• Digital images load directly into your computers
  memory.

13
K is for Kilobyte

• Now, you know that a byte is a keystroke. You
  probably also know that the prefix kilo- refers
  to 1000.
• Thus, a kilobyte is 1,000 bytes. This would
  equal approximately 1 page of typed, double
  spaced text with 1 margins.

14
L is for Laser Printer(and of course, Larry)

• A Laser printer directs a laser beam to charge a
  photostatically sensitive drum which then
  attracts the toner.
• I just know that a laser printer is faster and
  has a cleaner image than other printers.
• Is Larry Bird faster and with a cleaner image,
  too?

15
M is for Memory

• The hard disk and RAM chip provide memory for the
  computer.
• The RAM chip (random access memory) is faster
  than the hard drive.
• Milly likes memory.

16
N is for Nybble

• A nybble is half a byte.
• That would also mean a nybble is 4 bits.
• Ruths name is 4 bytes long, so it is 8 nybbles.
• When are nybbles used other than during snack
  time?

17
O is for Overrated

• I cannot find a term for O, but I think the clip
  art files are overrated. I cannot find many
  images that help illustrate any ideas I have been
  trying to express.

18
P is for Pixel

• Pixels are the little dots that make up your
  computer screen.
• Think of how the color in a comic strip is really
  a series of dots, and that is the idea of pixels.

19
Q is for Quest

• When you are on a quest for pictures, check out
  www.ditto.com.
• If you are on an information quest, check
  www.google.com.
• If you are on a computer problem quest, ask Rory.
  (Unless it is Summercore. Then ask Sam, Senam,
  Lynne or Steve.)

20
R is for RAM and ROM

• RAMRandom Access Memory
• The RAM chip is like a blank white board it is
  empty when you start the computer, but it gets
  filled up as you work.

• ROMRead Only Memory
• This is a chip that has frozen information that
  can only be read the data cannot be changed or
  written to.
• Many educational games are on ROM disks.

21
R is also for Rule of Three

• When saving data, follow these 3 rules
• 1. Give the file a good and useful name
• 2. Save the file in the correct storage device
• 3. Save the file in the correct folder.

22
S is for Scanner

• A scanner is a device that reads an image and
  feeds that image to the computer in a digital
  format.
• Pictures that are not taken with a digital camera
  can be loaded into a computer through use of a
  scanner.

23
T is for Track

• A floppy disk is divided into concentric circles
  called tracks, something like the bands on an old
  fashioned record.
• Each track is divided into chunks of information
  called sectors.
• Disk Doctor often needs to correct an error
  within a sector, but I never see it correct an
  entire track. Does it?

24
U is for Un, deux, trois

• When connecting a computer to a projector
• Unturn on projector
• Deuxplug projector into the only place it will
  connect to computer
• Troixstart or restart computer
• Dania says Voila!

25
V is for Viruses

• Viruses wipe out data on your computer.
• They spread like the plague, through email,
  networks and disks.
• NEVER open an attachment from a stranger. (Your
  mother told you not to talk to strangers!)

26
W is for WEB

• Youll never go wrong if you remember to cite
  your sources downloading from the web.
• Warren says if you dont cite a source, you may
  be guilty of plagiarism.

27
X, Y and Z

• X is for closing your screen.
• Y reminds you to ask someone younger than you for
  help.
• Z is for Zip drive. A zip drive condenses data
  so that a huge amount of data can be stored on
  one disk.