Glossary of Technical Terms & Acronyms

(Computer Jargon)

BIOS - Basic Input/ Output System - computer firmware that directs many basic functions of the operating system, as booting and keyboard control.

Boot - The act of starting an OS.

Broadband Modem - A DSL or Cable modem usually provided by your ISP (Internet Service Provider). DSL modems connects to a phone jack while Cable modems connect to a coax cable jack

Browser - A program such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox that is used to navigate the internet. (Other browsers include Safari - usually for Macs, Chrome - new from Google, and Opera)

Bug - a software glitch.

CMD - Command Prompt - A command prompt is used in a text-based or "command-line" interface, such as a Unix terminal or a DOS shell. It is a symbol or series of characters at the beginning of a line that indicates the system is ready to receive input. It other words, it prompts the user for a command.

Cookie - Segment of data, containing information about a user, sent by a Web server to a browser and sent back to the server each time the browser requests a Web page.

CPU - Central Processing Unit - The CPU or simply processor, is the component in a digital computer that interprets instructions and processes data contained in computer programs

Database - A database is a collection of data, typically organized to make common retrievals easy and efficient.

Desktop - A PC enclosed in a tower or the like. Usually not portable.

Encryption - Encryption converts data into an encoded form before it is sent over the Internet. This prevents unauthorized access to the information. At FNB, we use 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption to secure your information.

External Hard Drive - a stand alone hard drive that connects to the computer via USB or Firewire cables

Firewall - A firewall is a system that secures a network, shielding it from access by unauthorized users. Firewalls can be implemented in software, hardware or a combination of both. In addition to preventing unrestricted access into a network, a firewall can also restrict data from flowing out of a network.

Firewire - High-speed external connection used for connecting peripherals, also referred to as "IEEE 1394"

HDD - Hard Disk Drive or just Hard Drive - The hard drive stores all the computer's information and retains the information when the computer is turned off.

HTTP - Hypertext Transfer Protocol. It is a standard method of transferring data between a Web server and a Web browser.

HTTPS - Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure . A URL protocol designed to provide encrypted communications for handling secure transactions.

IP - Internet Protocol

ISP - Internet Service Provider - Like AT&T or Comcast. They provide residential & business internet service.

LAN - Local Area Network - Typically a network of computers located in the same area or building. Local IP addresses always contain 192.168.x.x

Laptop - A computer that is small and portable.

Malware - Short for malicious software, a program or file that is designed to specifically damage or disrupt a system, such as a virus, spyware, or a Trojan horse.

Motherboard - The main circuit board inside a computer, containing the CPU, the bus, memory sockets, expansion slots, etc...

OS - Operating System - A master program that controls a computer's basic functions and allows other programs to access the computer's resources such as disk drive, printer, keyboard, and screen.

PC - Personal Computer

PCB - Printer Circuit Board - A fiber glass board coated with copper onto which an electronic circuit is chemically etched.

RAM - Random Access Memory - computer memory which can be used by programs to perform necessary tasks while the computer is ON

Reboot - To restart an OS

ROM - Read Only Memory - memory whose contents can be accessed and read but cannot be changed (such as a CD or DVD)

RSS - Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication - A data format for syndicating news and other content. People can subscribe to RSS feeds so they will be notified every time content is updated on a particular site.

Spam - Unsolicited email, often of a commercial nature, sent indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists or individuals.

Spyware - This is software that secretly gathers information about a user while he/she navigates the Internet. This information is normally used for advertising purposes. Spyware can also gather information about email addresses and even passwords and credit card numbers.

SSL - Secure Socket Layer - This is a protocol that provides a high level of security using encryption for communication over the Internet.

Trojan Horse - This is a program that disguises itself as another program. Similar to a virus, these programs are hidden and cause an unwanted effect. They differ from viruses because they are normally not designed to replicate like a virus.

USB - Universal Serial Bus or Port, connection port on a computer that is universally compatible with many types of devices, such as, printers, speakers, mouse, keyboard, external hard drive, etc.

USB Thumb Drive - A pocket sized memory storage device.

Virus - A computer virus is a piece of code that is secretly introduced into a system in order to corrupt it or destroy data. Often viruses are hidden in other programs or documents and when opened, the virus is let loose.

WAN - Wide Area Network - A Network that comprises of computers in various geographical locations.

Web Server - A software program that transforms an Internet-connected computer into a machine capable of hosting Web pages.