~~ Techie Terms 1 ~~

1) 7.1: Similar to 5.1's true surround sound ? with pairs of front and rear speakers,a centre speaker and a subwoofer ? 7.1 also offers two extra rear speakers.

2) .GIF (GIF = Graphics Interchange Format): A commonly used graphics file format popular for images displayed on websites.

3) 10pt:Short for 10 point, a typographic measurement. The larger the number, the bigger the text character will appear.

4) 16:9: formatThe aspect ratio (width:height) of widescreen televisions and cinema screens.
286 processorEarly Intel chip used in desktop computers. It was followed by the 386 and 486, and then the Pentium series of processors.

5) 35mm: The width of the film used in many traditional cameras. Often used to describe the cameras that use this size of film.

6) 386 processor: Early Intel chip used in desktop computers. It was followed by the 486 and then the Pentium series of processors.

7) 3D graphics card: An expansion card designed to handle the three-dimensional graphics seen in many of today's top games.

8) 3G: Shorthand reference for 'third generation mobile telephone network'. 3G networks support fast data transfer, making such things as sound and video transmission possible.

9) 486 processor: Early Intel chip used in desktop computers. It was followed by the Pentium series of processors.

10) 5.1 digital decoder: Converts the surround sound soundtrack on a DVD movie into a signal that's sent to an amplifier.

11) 56Kbps: The fastest standard for traditional modems. Modems convert electronic signals from your computer into sound signals that can be transmitted over a phone line. 56kbps means that a modem is capable of receiving up to 56,000 bits of computer data each second.

12) 5-pin DIN: Archaic PC keyboard connector. It has been superseded by PS/2 and USB connectors.

16) Access point: Wireless communication hub that allows users to connect to a Wi-Fi network.

17) ActiveX: Technology for adding extra features to an application like a web browser.
ActiveX components are usually downloaded automatically, or with minimal user interaction.

18) Add-in: Extra features available in most Microsoft applications, but usually requiring installation from the original CD-ROM. For example, Excel's AutoSave feature is an Add-in module, and is only installed upon request.

19) Address: In the context of the internet, an address is the information a web browser needs to locate a particular website. Microsoft's website address, for instance, is www. microsoft. com.

20) ADSL: Stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A technology that converts an ordinary household telephone line into an extremely fast internet connection -- around ten times faster than a regular 56K modem.

21) Advanced Photo System (APS): A photographic film format capable of capturing three different picture sizes. APS-based cameras also benefit from the simplicity of slot-in-and-go loading of the film cartridges. Reprints can ordered from index prints, consisting of thumbnail representations of photos, and supplied with all developed film.

22) AGP(Accelerated Graphics Port): A PC interface (either an expansion slot or built-in) used for super-fast 3D graphics facilities. Ideal for handling the 3D worlds depicted in many of today's top games.

23) Analogue: Signal whose value varies continuously over time. For example, when a person speaks, the sound wave is an analogue signal, varying smoothly as they talk. Analogue signal information differs from digital signals, which move sharply between fixed values. To help visualise this, consider the difference between an analogue watch face with sweeping hands and a digital watch display, which jumps from one number to the next.

24) Animated GIF: Stands for Graphics Interchange Format, a popular file format for storing graphic images, often for use on websites. An animated GIF is simply a string of these images, creating the illusion of moving pictures when played back.

25) Annotation: A comment or mark added to an image or a document, much like sticking a Post-it note on an office memo to highlight a point of interest.

26) Anti-virus software: An application designed to protect PCs from malicious computer code.

27) Aperture: In a camera, this is an opening that controls the amount of light passing through the lens.

28) API: Stands for application programming interface, a standard used by computer programmers to allow operating systems and software applications to understand one another.

29) Applet: Small utility program within Windows, like Calculator or ScanDisk.

30) Application: A computer software program that enables the user to perform specific tasks. For example, Microsoft Word is used for word processing, while Paint Shop Pro is designed for image-editing requirements.

31) APS (Advanced Photo System): A film format developed by Canon, Fuji, Kodak, Minolta and Nikon that uses a small slot-in cartridge to store the unexposed, exposed and developed film. APS cameras can take panoramic ans well as regular photographs.

32) Artifical Intelligence (AI): The science of simulating or duplicating intelligence using a computer. AI is useful for situations where clear-cut decisions are not possible and for mimicing the behaviour of humans or animals.

33) ASF (Advanced Streaming Format): A streaming file format from Microsoft.

34) Aspect ratio: A measure of the relative width and height of a display. Traditional television screens, for instance, have an aspect ratio of 4:3 (meaning four units wide by three units high), while modern widescreen sets have 16:9 proportions.

35) ATAPI: Stands for Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface, which is a control technology for devices like CD-ROM and hard disk drives.

36) ATRAC: Stands for Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding, which is Sony's proprietary audio file-compression system, similar to MP3 but with additional security features designed to prevent piracy of copyright material.

37) Attachment: A computer file, such as a word-processor document or spreadsheet, sent along with an email message.

38) Audio Format: In the context of Windows' Sound Recorder program, the choice of storing recorded audio in one of three quality settings ? CD, radio or telephone.

39) Autocorrect: A feature in a word processor that automatically corrects common spelling mistakes as they are typed.

40) Automatic document feeder (ADF): A facility of most printers and some scanners, enabling documents to be automatically fed through the print or scanner mechanism without user intervention.

41) Autoplay: A Windows feature that allows CD-ROM/DVD discs to launch or play as soon they're inserted into a drive.

42) AutoSum: A handy Excel feature that gives an at-a-glance total of a selection of figures.

43) Autotrace: A feature of some image-editing programs that identifies outline shapes in a bitmap graphics and attempts to trace them, resulting in editable vector paths.

44) Avatar: In computing context, a graphic or icon used to represent a person in an online chat-room or game. Avatars can usually be customised and range from simple images to complex three-dimensional shapes.

45) AVI: A type of video file used by windows and usuall played using Windows Media Player.
Back upThe process of copying your important computer files and documents from your hard disk to removable media (such as Zip or CD-RW discs) or another computer, to protect against loss of the originals.

46) Banding: Noticeable stripes appearing on a print-out ? usually only a problem with inkjet printers.

47) Bandwidth: In computing terms, a measure of the maximum amount of data that can be transferred over a connection at any one time. For example, if you connect to the internet using a modem, then the bandwidth is likely to be up to 56Kbps (or 56,000 bits of data per second).

48) Beta: Version of a software application or system still in development. Companies make beta versions available to selected testers for evaluation, testing and feedback.

49) Bi-directional: Refers to an ability for two-way communication. Most printer cables, for example, are bi-directional, so the computer can send data to the printer and the printer is able to respond with print-job progress information.

50) Binaries: Newsgroup postings of encoded files (photographs, sound files, video clips and so on), rather than plain text. These are frowned upon except in certain groups, such as those beginning 'alt. binaries. '.

51) Binary: A coding system used by computers and other digital devices to store data as a series just two digits 0 and 1.