Glossary of some frequently used terms

If you are looking for a particular definition, you can either click on the letter of the alphabet that it starts with or use your browser's "find" function. In Internet Explorer, Opera and Mozilla Firefox this isctrl + f.
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

a

access keys

access keys are the shortcut keys for menus and dialog box controls which may have an underlined letter.

Application

computer program that you can interact with.

b

c

Clipboard

an area of the computer's memory where text, graphics and files can be stored before moving them to somewhere else.

d

Default button

the button in a dialog box which will be pressed when you press the ENTER key.

DOS

(pronounced "doss") - Disk Operating System, usually understood to mean MS-DOS; an Operating System that had a very simple interface of words and lines.

e

f

focus

the point which the computer deems importatn: for example the flashing cursor in text, the highlighted item on a menu.

g

GUI

(pronounced gooey) - Graphical User Interface - the icons toolbars and menus that are used to make applications more user-friendly. The most widespread is Windows®.

h

i

Icon

little pictures in a GUI that a user can click on to make the computer perform a certain action.

Interface

the "layer" that sits between the computer user and the Operating System.

j

k

l

m

menu

a list of options from which to choose an action the user wants the application to perform.

MousePad

a rectangular, touch-sensitive pad on a laptop computer used to move the mouse pointer around. Also called a TrackPad or TouchPad.

n

Nipple

a small rubber joystick on a laptop computer between the "G" and "H" keys, used to move the mouse pointer around.

o

OS - Operating System

Operating System - the set of commands that runs a computer "behind the scenes".

p

Pointer

the arrow that a mouse-user moves around the screen to point and click on icons, menus etc..

phish

to process of grabbing email addresses for malicious purposes.

q

QWERTY

the first 5 letters on the main part of a standard keyboard, denoting that part of the keyboard with letters rather than the NumberPad or navigation keys.

r

RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury)

"any tendon or muscle injury resulting from overuse, usually in the hand, wrist, or arm". Sometimes referred to as Upper Limb Disorder (ULD).

s

t

Toolbar

lots of icons all sitting next to each other in an application window.

TouchPad

see MousePad.

TrackPad

see MousePad.

u

ULD

Upper Limb Disorder - see RSI.

v

w

Windows

Microsoft's GUI Operating System.

Windows® logo key

the key with the wavy window - usually next the left hand CTRL key on a desktop computer.

x

y

z