CAT Glossary 2019

This glossary is provided by Study Opportunities. All descriptions/definitions are based on the Second Editions of the
Computers, part of your life series.
It can be used to look up terms, and for study purposes.
1: System Technologies
2: Networks and the internet
3: Social Implications
4: Information Management
5: Word, Excel, Access, HTML

Topic Term Description / Definition

1 3D Printer Printer that allows one to create physical three-dimensional objects from designs
created on a computer using CAD or 3D modelling software.
1 Accelerometer Input device in smartphones and tablets, used to detect which way around the
device is held or how it is being moved. This allows it to change the orientation of
the screen depending on how you hold it.
1 Access control The operating system asks for your permission before any software can be
installed. The purpose is to try to make it impossible for malware to be installed on
your computer without your knowledge.
1 Algorithm Step-by-step solution used to solve a problem (used in programming).

1 Application A group of programs that perform specific tasks for us as users, for example word
software processing programs.
1 Archiving (files) Making copies of files, where the copies are not meant to be accessed regularly
but are kept for reference when needed.
1 Aspect ratio The relationship between the width and height of the display, e.g. 16:9.
1 Backup Making copies of files with the aim of having extra copies of the files in case the
originals get lost or become damaged for one or another reason.
1 Beta software Preliminary (pre-sale) versions of software, released by developers to be tested by
the general public. Programmers try to fix all the reported errors before the final
version of the software is released.
1 Biometric The use of technology that measures/scans something biologically unique to each
identification person, such as a fingerprint or the pattern of the iris of an eye, for identification
purposes.
1 Bluetooth A wireless technology that allows devices such as mice, printers and smartphones
to communicate over a relatively short distance,
1 Blu-ray An optical disc format designed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of
high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data (more than
DVD).
1 Boot The term used to describe a computer’s start-up process. Restarting a computer is
called ‘rebooting’ it.
1 Bug (software) Mistake made by accident when the programmers wrote the software. (Not a
virus.)
1 Byte Each single character we store, such as ‘4’ or ‘A’ or ‘%’, takes up space which we
refer to as a byte.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

1 Cache memory A high-speed memory used to hold recently or frequently accessed data, in order
to be able to retrieve that data faster.
1 Card reader Device into which a memory card is inserted. Data can then be transferred
between the memory card and the computing device attached to the card reader.
1 Carpal tunnel A painful compression of the nerves in the wrist caused by repetitive manual action
syndrome (CTS) such as typing.
1 Clipboard Area in memory (RAM) where copied or moved objects – both text and graphics –
are temporarily stored. They are kept there until they are pasted somewhere (or
until the program is closed or the computer is shut down).
1 Cloud computing A general term that refers to the sharing and use of resources and applications
offered as services over the internet.
1 Cloud storage The online storage of files.
1 Colour depth The number of bits used to represent the colour of each pixel in an image.
1 Contrast ratio The relationship between the darkest black and the brightest white that a display
device can produce. Higher values are better.
1 Convergence The trend where separate technologies and functions that required different
devices in the past are combined into one single device, e.g. the smartphone and
the tablet.
1 Core A single physical processor. Chips that are ‘dual core’ have 2 processors, ‘quad
core’ have 4 processors, etc.
1 CPU Central Processing Unit – hardware component that processes all data and carries
out all instructions.
1 Dedicated device Devices that are designed to perform just one specific task, such as Automatic
Teller Machines (ATMs), GPS devices and household appliances like microwave
ovens and washing machines.
1 Default printer The printer that printing will be sent to unless otherwise specified by the user.
1 Defragmentation The process of using a defragmentation utility program to reverse the process of
fragmentation. The defragmenter utility program rearranges and consolidates the
scatted parts of files on disk so that they can be retrieved more quickly.
1 DIMM Dual Inline Memory Module – a standardized ‘stick’ of RAM designed to fit into a
DIMM slot on the motherboard.
1 Disk Cleanup A utility that can be used to make more storage space available by deleting
unnecessary files.
1 Disk scanner A utility that comes with all operating systems. It can be used to check a drive for
errors and bad sectors on the disk, and try to fix them.
1 Dongle Device plugged into a USB port to enable a wireless keyboard or mouse.
Also a 3G or 4G dongle used on a desktop computer or laptop to connect it to a
cellular network for internet access.

1 Downward / Ability of software to open and use files created in previous (or older) versions of
backward the software.
compatibility
1 Driver Software that allows a computer to communicate with hardware or devices. The
operating system comes with a large set of drivers, and in general drivers are
installed automatically.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

1 DSLR camera Digital Single Lens Reflex – a type of camera designed for professional use. It lets
you change lenses and allows more control over technical settings.

1 Entry-level A computer that is cheapest to purchase in its range (e.g. desktop PC), with fairly
computer low hardware specifications.
1 Ergonomics The study and design of the workplace and the equipment used in the workplace
for the comfort and safety of people in their work environments.
1 EULA End User Licence Agreement – a legally binding contract between a user and a
software company. It describes what one may and may not do with the software.
1 File attribute A property of a file that can be set. The most common attributes are the Hidden
and Read-Only file attributes.
1 File extension A set of characters (usually 3-5) added to the end of a file name that identifies the
type of file, e.g. docx is a Word file.
1 File property The basic information about a file such as its name, size and date modified.
1 Formatting (a disk) Preparing a disk to store data. Most disks are pre-formatted. Formatting a disk will
erase all the data that is on the disk.
1 Fragmentation The more you use your computer, the more the files (and parts of files) get
scattered on the disk. The more scattered the files’ parts are, the slower your
computer becomes, as the files take longer to retrieve.
1 Freeware Software that is fully functioning and that can be used and copied without any
restrictions.
1 Geo-tagging Process whereby the location (in terms of latitude and longitude co-ordinates) at
which a photo was taken by a digital camera, is stored in the metadata of the file.
1 GHz Gigahertz – the unit in which the speed of the CPU is measured. Higher is better.
1 GPS device A Global Positioning System device that calculates where you are on the earth’s
surface (latitude and longitude) based on signals it obtains from at least three GPS
satellites.
1 GPU Graphics Processing Unit – processing chip on a video card (analogous to the
CPU on the motherboard), which can improve computer performance with certain
types of software (CAD, 3D graphics, gaming, etc.).
1 Hard copy Output on paper (as opposed to soft copy – visual output on a screen).
1 HDMI High-Definition Multimedia Interface – an interface that transmits high definition
video and sound via a single cable. It provides better quality images because the
signals are digital.
1 Hidden (attribute) A file attribute that indicates if a file is visible or not. The only difference between a
hidden file and a visible file, is that a hidden file will by default not appear in the list
of files and folders you see in File Explorer.
1 Hybrid computer Laptop / tablet with a reversible or detachable screen and a normal keyboard. The
screen is touch- or pen-sensitive. This machine can be used either as a normal
laptop or as a tablet.
1 Inkjet printer Type of printer that sprays microscopic dots of ink onto the paper and is relatively
cheap to buy but is comparatively expensive to run. Good for high-quality graphics
such as photographs.
1 ISO rating A digital camera’s sensitivity to light. Higher ISO ratings are better.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

1 Laser printer Type of printer that works like a photocopier, using toner instead of ink cartridges.
Relatively expensive to buy compared to inkjet printers but cheaper to run and, of
the two, best suited for higher volume printing.
1 Linux An open source operating system.
1 Lumen This measures the brightness of the image projected by a data projector. The
higher the lumen rating, the more effective the projector will be.
1 Memory (RAM) Temporary storage area for programs and data being processed in the computer.
Memory loses its contents when the power is switched off.
1 Memory card Electronic storage media used in digital cameras and smartphones.
1 Metadata Additional data stored about a file that describes the contents of the file, such as
the author and title of the file.
1 Micro-USB A smaller type of USB port, usually found on mobile devices such as smartphones.
1 Mobile user User (not necessarily a separate category) who wants and needs to have their
technology with them wherever they are, e.g. sales people and consultants.
1 Motherboard Large rectangular board inside the computer case, containing circuitry with slots
and connectors for the CPU, RAM, storage devices and peripherals to connect to
it. It allows all the parts of a computer to communicate with each other.
1 Multi-function An all-in-one input/output device which can typically print, scan, photocopy and fax.
printer
1 Multitasking The ability of the operating system to load and process multiple tasks or processes
at the same time.
1 Multitasking The ability of an operating system to load and process multiple tasks or processes
at the same time.
1 Multi-touch (touch A screen that allows for two or more fingers to be detected and used on it at one
screen) time, e.g. for pinching actions.
1 Multi-user An operating system that allows multiple users to access a computer system at the
operating system same time. It is often used in networks where the same single operating system
deals with multiple users that are simultaneously logged on.
1 OCR Optical Character Recognition – converts text in an image into editable text.
1 Online storage Disk space that is allocated to you on a server on the internet. Accessible
wherever you can log into the server.
1 Open source Software that may be freely used, modified and distributed. It may, however, not be
software (OSS) sold.
1 Operating system System software that controls all activities that take place in a computer. Examples
include the Windows range, Linux, macOS, iOS and Android.
1 Patch Downloadable update to an operating system – especially one that fixes bugs or
security vulnerabilities.
1 Path The succession of folders, starting from the drive letter and separated by \ , that
lead to the location of a specific file, e.g. U:\Documents\Finance\2019
1 PDF Portable Document Format – a file format used to distribute document files, as it
does not require the program in which the document was created in order for it to
be read. You just need a free utility program called Adobe Reader to read it.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

1 Pen input A pen (or stylus) is an input device used together with a pressure-sensitive
digitising tablet.
1 Phablet A smartphone with a screen size larger than 5" (midway in size between a
smartphone and a tablet).
1 Pixel density Also known as dpi – how many pixels the display fits into a 1" horizontal line. A
higher pixel density is better.
1 Plain text file A text file that contains lines of plain text with no formatting. The file extension .txt
is associated with text files.
1 Platform A type of operating system, e.g. Linux, Android, Windows.
1 Plug-and-play A series of technologies where the operating system automatically detects and
configures a device that has been plugged into the computer, so that the device
can be used almost immediately.
1 Pointing stick An alternative to a mouse, used with laptops. It takes the form of a small button
between the keys of the keyboard. You move the pointing stick to move the
pointer, and press it down to click.
1 POS Point Of Sale system – designed to speed up the sale of goods and services in the
marketplace.
1 Power user Category of user who has computing needs that make the top-of-the-range
hardware and software indispensable, e.g. architects and engineers. They typically
also use all the advanced functions of the software they use.

1 ppm Pages per minute – the number of pages that a printer can print in a minute, i.e.
the ‘speed’ of a printer
1 Printer queue Temporary storage area on the hard drive where print tasks are sent and where
they wait until the printer is ready to print them. Each printer has its own queue.

1 Program files Actual programs, not data files, that run (execute) when opened. They normally
have a .com or .exe file extension. .
1 Proprietary Proprietary software (purchased from an owner) is software that is licensed, so
software users may only use the software under certain conditions. They may not change it
or distribute it.
1 QR code Quick Response Code – a two dimensional square type of ‘barcode’ that can store
much more data than a conventional barcode. QR codes can be scanned using the
camera on a mobile device.
1 RAM (See under Memory)
1 Read-only A file attribute that indicates if a file is read only or not. A read-only file cannot be
modified and saved under the same name within the same folder.
1 Refresh rate How often or quickly the screen display is refreshed. The higher the refresh rate,
the better.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

1 Resolution Display: The maximum resolution is the highest number of pixels that the display
supports, given by the number of horizontal pixels multiplied by the number of
vertical pixels (e.g. 1920 x 1080).
Scanner: The number of dots it can scan per inch – so its resolution is stated as
dpi (dots per inch).
Digital camera: The total number of pixels that make up the picture.
Printer: the number of dots the printer can create along a horizontal line; measured
in dots per inch (dpi).
1 RFID Radio Frequency Identification – uses small radio devices (smaller than a grain of
rice) to store and transmit data.
1 Rich Text Format A file format that supports text formatting such as bold, font sizes, tab settings and
(rtf) even images. Widely used and supported by most word processors.
1 ROM Read Only Memory – a special chip on the motherboard that holds the instructions
needed to start the computer and load the operating system when you switch it on.
1 rpm Revolutions per minute – unit in which the rotational speed of a hard drive is
measured, e.g. 7200 rpm.
1 Safe Mode A mode in which a computer can be booted in order to help fix various software
problems. In Safe Mode, only essential system programs and services are loaded.

1 SATA The internal hard drive interface or connection – the way the drive is connected to
the motherboard.
1 Scanner An input device that scans images into a computer, e.g. printed text, graphics,
barcodes, QR codes – even parts of the human body.
1 Scheduler A program that is used to run certain programs at specific times.
1 Screen lock A way of locking a mobile device by setting up a pattern you must ‘draw’ on the
pattern screen with your finger to unlock the device.
1 Sensor size The size of the sensor in a digital camera. The bigger the size, the better the
quality of the image.
1 Server A computer that provide services or resources to other computers (clients) that are
linked in the network.
1 Service Pack A collection of all the previous software updates for the last period of time (6
months to a year). It is meant to help people who are behind in their updates fix
their software all at once.
Service packs are pretty much a thing of the past. Most software companies create
software so that it will regularly check for updates and then automatically download
and install those updates.
1 Shareware Software that you can use for a trial period (usually 30 days). You can download
and try out shareware for free. Shareware usually stops working when the trial
period has expired, and the trial version sometimes does not include all the
features of the ‘full’ version. After the trial period, or should you wish to get the ‘full’
version, you will need to pay for it.
1 Single-user A licence under which you may only install one copy of the software. You may not
Licence install it on other computers.
1 Single-user An operating system that can only be used by a single user at a time.
operating system

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Topic Term Description / Definition

1 Site licence A licence agreement that allows a company or organisation an unrestricted number
of installations of the software within the company or organisation.
1 Soft copy Visual output on a computer screen (as opposed to hard copy – output on paper).
1 SOHO user Category of user (Small Office Home Office) who uses a computer for a business
that the user runs.
1 Speech Software that ‘listens’ to what you say and ‘understands’ it as a command or turns
recognition it into text (instead of the user typing the text).
1 Spooling The process of sending print tasks temporarily to disk (hard drive) until the printer
is ready to print them.
1 SSD Solid State Drive – a completely electronic alternative to the traditional hard drive.
It uses the same technology as flash drives, making for very fast disk access.
1 Subscription- Software where the user pays a monthly or yearly subscription for the use of the
based software software, e.g. Office 365.
1 System The minimum requirements (such as storage space, processing power and
requirements memory) needed to run a piece of software. When software requirements are
indicated, this usually relates to the operating system needed.
1 System software Software that is intended to control, support or operate the computer.
1 Tablet A portable computer with a touch- or pen-sensitive screen. Similar to smartphones,
with advantages of a larger screen and a longer battery life. It cannot however
make cellphone calls or send / receive SMS messages.
1 Task Manager Provides information about the computer’s performance and applications and
processes. Most often used to end non-responding tasks or programs.
1 Tooltip A tip or information that pops up when you rest the pointer on an icon or object.
1 Touch screen A screen used as both an input and an output device, and found in devices such
as smartphones and tablets. Some touch screens respond to finger touch, others
are designed to work with a stylus.
1 Touchpad A pressure-sensitive surface built into laptops. It is an input device that can be
used instead of a mouse.
1 Trackball An input device with a large ball on it. You move the pointer on the screen by
rolling the ball with your thumb.
1 Update (of Either the latest fix for bugs in the current version of the software, or the addition of
software) new, additional features to the software.
1 Upgrade A new version of the software, which means installing a new program with major
changes / new features. Upgrades usually have to be paid for.
1 UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply – a device used to protect a computer against power
surges, spikes, and outages. It only provides power for a limited duration – enough
time to save one’s work and shut the computer down properly.
1 USB port Standard port commonly used to connect devices such as keyboards, mice and
printers to a computer. USB ports and standards are evolving and becoming faster.
1 Utility programs System software used to help the user to perform maintenance tasks related to
managing a computer.
1 VGA port Port used to connect the monitor to the computer. Largely replaced today by other
connection types, such as HDMI.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

1 Video card A separate circuit board that plugs into a special slot on the motherboard. It has its
own video memory and a graphics processing unit (GPU) that improves video
processing.
1 Virtual Assistant Software that allows you to speak to your phone (or tablet) and have it ‘understand’
and respond to what you say, e.g. ‘turn off the lights’.
1 Virtual memory Free disk space on a hard drive that allows the operating system to work as if it
has access to more RAM than the amount of RAM that is physically present in the
computer. This allows the computer to run more programs at the same time.
1 Voice recognition Software that allows the computer to ‘understand’ you when you talk to it. There
software are two basic categories: giving the computer commands and dictating text, and
the so-called ‘virtual assistants’.
1 Volatile memory Memory (RAM) does not keep its contents when the power is switched off and this
means that it is volatile. Storage (and ROM) keeps its contents at all times –
therefore it is non-volatile.
1 Webcam A low resolution camera that is quick and easy to set up (or is built into many
laptops). It feeds video images to the computer in real time and is used for video
conferencing, security and other instances where a live video feed is required.
1 Zoom (digital) As you ‘get closer’ to the object being photographed and the picture gets larger, it
also gets blurrier and eventually pixelated.
1 Zoom (optical) Uses lenses on the camera to ‘get closer’ to the object being photographed. Use
optical zoom for better quality images.

2 3G / 4G (LTE) Generations of mobile (cellular) phone technology that consists of a high-tech

infrastructure of networks and web 3G/4G-enabled handsets such as
smartphones. 4G is also known as LTE.
2 802.11 a/b/g/n Specification used to indicate whether a device has a wireless adapter (for WiFi).
The letters indicate the speed that the wireless network is capable of.
2 Add-on / Extension A third-party app that can be downloaded to extend the functionality of a browser
(browser) beyond browsing, e.g. translator utilities and ad blockers. Also known as a browser
extension.

2 ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line – a permanent digital connection to the internet
using a normal landline or telephone line.
2 Archiving (email) Moving messages from your inbox to an archive folder without deleting them.
2 AUP Acceptable Use Policy – a policy which outlines the rights and responsibilities of its
users, especially in networked environments.
2 Backbone In networking, a cable connecting different LANs.
2 Bandwidth The total amount of data that can be transferred from one point to another in a
given period of time. Normally measured in Kilobits per second (Kbps) or Megabits
per second (Mbps).
2 Bookmarks (web An option that allows a user to store shortcuts to the web pages they frequently
browser) visit. Also known as Favorites.
2 Botnet A group of compromised or infected computers connected to a network such as
the internet and controlled remotely to attack other machines by infecting them with
malware, sending spam, etc.
2 Broadband A high-speed, high-bandwidth connection to the internet.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

2 BYOD Bring Your Own Device – a policy where people are allowed to bring their own
computing device (laptop, phone or tablet) to school or work and use it instead of
relying on equipment owned or supplied by the school or company. They connect
to the school or company network using WiFi.
2 Caching (web) Temporarily storing recently accessed web pages on disk so that they can be
loaded more quickly the next time they are requested.
2 Cap The limited amount of data that can be downloaded and uploaded in a month
without having to pay extra.
2 CAPTCHA A test to determine whether it is a human being interacting with the computer. It
usually takes the form of distorted letters and/or words that no computer software
can recognise, but which humans can recognise with ease.
2 Clients Computers connected to a network that use services and resources from the
servers.
2 Distributed A type of processing where the processing that is necessary to solve a problem is
processing distributed amongst computers (multiple servers in different data centres), which
increases the total processing power. (See also Grid computing.)
2 Distribution list (See under Mailing list)
(email)
2 E-commerce The general term for any type of business transaction done via the internet.
2 EFT Electronic Funds Transfer – transferring money from one account to another using
the internet and internet banking.
2 Email Electronic mail – the composing, sending and receiving of messages electronically
over a network including the internet.
2 Fibre cable A type of network cable that uses light to send data and is therefore very fast.

2 Firewall A firewall acts as a barrier between your computer and the internet. It checks
which programs are trying to access your computer via the internet or are trying to
access the internet from your computer. It can consist of hardware or software or a
combination of both.
2 FTP File Transfer Protocol – the protocol (rule for communication) used for the fast,
easy transfer of files between remote computers that have an internet connection.
2 Grid computing A system whereby the resources of different computers are shared and used at the
same time to solve a single problem.
2 HAN Home Area Network – a small network within a home environment that connects
devices such as computers, printers, tablets, smartphones, smart TVs and gaming
devices.
2 History (web An option that allows a user to find the web pages they have previously visited.
browser) When you click this option, it shows a list of sites you have visited.
2 Home page The first page of a website, which contains information about the website’s
purpose and content. It also provides links to other web pages and resources in
the site.
2 Hotspot The area in which a WiFi signal can be detected and used.
2 Hyperlink A built-in connection to another place in a document (web page, resource), often
indicated as text underlined in blue.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

2 Instant Messaging Live electronic communication usually between two people using computers or
(IM) other devices such as smartphones. IM apps can share not only text, but images
and video, and can make both voice and video calls using VoIP technology.
2 Internet A worldwide computer network, consisting of computers, devices and networks
that are linked using some form of communication media.
2 Intranet An organisation’s private network which is an internet-like environment consisting
of web pages relating to the organisation’s business. The information stored on the
intranet is only available to the organisation’s employees.
2 IP address Internet Protocol Address – a numerical address that uniquely identifies a
computer or device, either on a network or on the internet.
2 ISP Internet Service Provider – a company that has a permanent, fast connection to
the internet. They sell internet access and services to individuals or organisations
for a monthly fee.
2 ISP-based email When using ISP-based email, you access your email by using software such as
Microsoft Outlook on the device where your account settings have been
configured.
2 LAN Local Area Network – a network which connects computers in a small area such as
a school, university campus or company offices in one building.
2 LTE The next generation of high-speed cellular connectivity after 3G, also known as
4G.
2 Mailing list A list of email addresses grouped under a single name. An email sent to this
mailing list will be sent to all the email addresses on that list. Also known as a
distribution list or a contact group.
2 NFC Near Field Communication – a standard or technology that allows electronic
devices to connect wirelessly and exchange data, simply by touching them
together or bringing them close together. NFC is mainly used for payment
processing.
2 NIC Network Interface Controller – a controller that connects the computer to a cabled
network, allowing the computer to communicate with the network.
2 PAN Personal area network – a network organised around an individual or a couple of
individuals with a range of a few metres.
2 Plug-in (browser) A third-party app that the browser can call on to display specialised content such
as a Flash video.
2 Podcast An audio file (often in an MP3 format) that is made available to download for free
or to purchase from the internet. A video podcast (vodcast) includes video clips or
photos.
2 Pop-up (web A small web browser window that appears on top of the website you are viewing.
browser) They are usually created by advertisers and often open as soon as you visit a
website.
2 Real-time Online exchange of messages (also images, video and voice) in real time. It
messaging includes IM (e.g. WhatsApp) and chat.
2 Router A network device that enables devices to connect in a network and to allow
internet connectivity, using either a fixed line (telephone line or fibre optic cable) or
wireless means such as WiFi.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

2 RSS Really Simple Syndication – a technology that automatically provides users with
updated content, such as new blog entries, feeds from websites and news
headlines – all from many different sites.
2 Search engine A program that is used to search for documents located on the web by using
keywords or phrases entered by the user.
2 Secure URL A URL that begins with https:// or has a small closed lock displayed somewhere on
the page, often next to the URL. It means that the site is encrypted for security.
2 Shaped An internet connection where preference is given to certain services on the
connection internet, such as email, downloading and browsing. Other services, such as online
(network tuning) gaming and VoIP, are given less preference and are slower.

2 Skype A popular software package that allows people to communicate using VoIP. Skype
also allows you to make video calls if you have a webcam attached to your
computer.

2 Social networking A site where individuals and organisations can post their likes, dislikes, interests,
site comments, photographs and activities.
2 Spam The electronic equivalent of ‘junk mail’ – email advertisements sent to you that you
did not request.
2 Switch A device used to connect computers in a network (e.g. a LAN) with cables so that
communication can occur between the computers. It is not used for internet
access.
2 Synching A feature of online storage, where changes made to a file will be updated on all
devices that share that file. In this way you can ensure that you always work with
the latest version of the file.
2 Tabbed browsing Allows you to have several web pages open on separate tabs of a single web
browser, allowing you to quickly and easily jump between web pages.
2 Thin client A special (cheaper) type of computer that doesn’t have its own hard drive and has
limited memory and CPU power. It relies on a server for resources.
2 Throttling When your ISP slow down your internet connection, because the ISP believes you
are downloading excessively. Each ISP has an acceptable use policy (AUP) which
specifies how this is determined and done.
2 Twitter A microblogging service (‘micro’ is used to describe the service because messages
in Twitter can’t be longer than 280 characters). Twitter allows people to send
messages (tweets) to their ‘followers’.
2 Unshaped An internet connection that gives all the internet services the same priority.
connection
2 URL Uniform Resource Locator – a unique alphanumeric address used to identify
resources such as websites, web pages, documents and files stored on web
servers on the web. It is entered in the address bar of a web browser.
2 URL shortener A tool or service, such as TinyURL.com, which converts a long URL to a shorter
version. This shorter version of the URL will take a user to the same web address,
but is easier to remember and/or type out.
2 UTP cable Unshielded Twisted Pair – the type of cable most commonly used to connect
computers in a LAN, and also in a HAN.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

2 Video blog (vlog) A form of blog which uses video as the medium. Entries on the vlog normally
consist of video supported by text and images.
2 Video conference An online conference between two or more people at different locations, using a
computer network to transmit audio and video data, as if all the people were in the
same room.
2 Virtual community A group of people who gather online to share ideas and interests.
2 Virus signature The pattern that uniquely identifies the malware.
(definition)
2 Vlog (See under Video blog)
2 Vodcast (See under Podcast)
2 VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol – a technology that allows telephone calls to be made
over LANs, WANs and the internet, allowing you to talk to anyone who also has a
VoIP system anywhere in the world.
2 WAN Wide Area Network – a network that is spread over a wide geographical area, such
as a city, country or even continents.
2 Web application / Software that runs on servers on the internet. You view the interface in a web
Online software browser.
2 Web page A document on the web which can be viewed in a web browser, and created in
languages such as HTML, JavaScript, PHP and Python.
2 Web-based email A service that allows you to access an email account through a web browser from
any location that has internet access.
2 Weblog / blog Website updated often with news and events in chronological or sequential order.
A blog reads like a journal with the most recent entry at the top.
2 WiFi A way of connecting to an existing ADSL or fibre connection wirelessly, within a
fairly small area of coverage known as a hotspot.
2 Wiki A website where different people can work together by contributing or making a
few changes to the content, e.g. Wikipedia.
2 WiMAX An upgrade on WiFi and a more secure wireless networking technology, that
allows wireless devices to communicate with one another over a much wider area
than WiFi.
2 WLAN Wireless LAN – a term used to indicate that at least part of the network is linked
wirelessly.
2 World Wide Web A service that runs on the internet and consists of a vast collection of interlinked,
(WWW) interactive documents stored on computers all over the world.
3 Adware Software that downloads adverts and bombards you with adverts that pop up
whenever you are connected to the internet.
3 Augmented Reality Similar to Virtual Reality, except that it does not create a totally new virtual world,
but augments (‘adds to’) the real world you are viewing, by displaying computer-
created things like images and 3D objects on top of your view of the real world.
3 Big Data Very large structured and unstructured data sets that are analysed using
computers to reveal trends and associations.
3 Bitcoin A form of digital currency – it is electronic so there are no physical notes or coins. It
is not controlled by any bank or country.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

3 Bot (robot) A computer that has been compromised (or infected) and can be controlled
remotely when it is on and connected to the internet. A bot can also be called a
‘zombie’.
3 Card skimmer Device that reads the magnetic data from a bank card.
3 Click-jacking An attack in which a site appears to do one thing but your clicks are actually
redirected to do something else: e.g. a button on a web page that seems to be a
free download of a desktop wallpaper but that actually makes you ‘like’ a different
page on Facebook.
3 Computer virus A program that is written to disrupt the normal functioning of a person’s computer
without their knowledge or consent.
3 Computer worm Malware that is able to distribute itself over a network, normally via email, without a
person having run an infected program.
3 Crowdfunding The practice of funding someone’s business idea or project through small amounts
contributed by a large number of people, usually before the project is started.
Examples of crowdfunding platforms are Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
3 Cyber-bullying The spreading of rumours, gossip and the general bullying of another person using
digital communication methods.
3 Cyber-stalking Using the internet to stalk or harass someone.
3 Cyberterrorism A type of internet attack that attacks parts of a country’s IT infrastructure.
3 Digital Divide Large sections of the populations of developing countries (such as South Africa)
and poorer communities have limited access to technology and limited knowledge
of it.
3 Digital migration Digital migration is the process of changing TV signals so that they are broadcast
(digitisation of in a digital format instead of an analogue format.
media)
3 DoS attack Denial of Service attack, that uses thousands of compromised computers (bots) to
flood a server with requests for information. The attack is successful if the server
becomes so overwhelmed that normal users cannot access the system.

3 E-mail spoofing The forgery of an email header so that the email appears to be from a different
origin (or person).
3 Green computing Term used to describe using computers in a way that is sensitive to the
environment.
3 Hackers and Computer criminals who break into computer systems, either for prestige and
crackers recognition (hackers) or with criminal intent (crackers).
3 Hoax (internet) A message or article intended to deceive or defraud others. It can be sent via
email, SMS, WhatsApp messages or Facebook and Twitter posts.
3 Identity theft When criminals steal your identity and do things such as apply for credit in your
name.

3 Information What happens when people can’t cope with the amount of information they are
overload exposed to every day. It can make them feel helpless, unable to cope and can lead
to unproductive behaviour.
3 IoT Internet of Things – the trend for all sorts of things (e.g. your lights and your front
door lock) to connect to the internet, so that they can be monitored and controlled
remotely from wherever you are.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

3 Keylogger A type of spyware that records your keystrokes as you type (and possibly even the
movements of your mouse and screenshots of what is being displayed) in an
attempt to discover your usernames and passwords.
3 Malware Malicious software – any software that is written with negative intentions.
3 Mobile or A form of education and training delivered and conducted via the internet using
m-learning mobile devices.
3 Pharming A scamming practice where a user is automatically redirected to another (fake)
website even if he/she types in the correct URL for the official website. The
criminal is then able to use any data the user enters – usually passwords and
PINs.
3 Phishing Attempts to con or trick the user into giving out personal, confidential details such
as PIN numbers and passwords, usually by posing as a legitimate organisation,
and usually via email.
3 Quarantine (virus) Placing a virus in an area of the disk where it cannot infect the computer.
3 Ransomware Malware that encrypts data (making it unavailable) until you pay the hacker a
ransom fee.

3 RSI Repetitive strain injury – name given to injuries resulting from fast, repetitive
actions. Frequent text messaging is one example of where excessive use can lead
to RSI.
3 Smart home Home in which virtual assistant software is coupled to ‘pods’ that link to all the
electronically controlled devices in the home.

3 SMiShing When a phishing attack is done via an SMS on a smartphone. SMiShing is short
for SMS phishing.
3 Social engineering The use of deception to manipulate or ‘con’ someone into giving out confidential
information or into giving criminals access to their computer or premises. This can
be used to impersonate them, to install malware, or for other fraudulent purposes.
3 Software piracy The illegal copying and distribution of software and CDs / DVDs.
3 Spyware Any technique or software that tries to monitor and track the way you use your
computer, and then to report this information to a third party.
3 Telecommuting Workers communicate with one another and their employers and customers
electronically, instead of travelling to a traditional office. They ‘commute’ to work
simply by connecting to the network or internet.
3 Trojan A destructive program disguised as a useful application. The program relies on you
to activate it.
3 Virtual Reality (VR) A technology that combines multiple inputs and outputs, so that the computer
creates a whole new world for you to experience.
4 Closed questions Questions that can be answered directly with facts. These questions often start
with words such as What? When? Where? Who? How many? etc.

4 Open-ended Questions that cannot be answered directly with facts and require some form of
questions exploring, brainstorming or judgment. These questions often start with words such
as Why? How? What if? etc.
4 Sample group The group of people chosen to take part in a survey, whose responses are used to
reflect the opinions and responses of the bigger target group. The sample group
should be fairly representative of the target group.

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Topic Term Description / Definition

4 Target audience The group you are trying to inform or report to. This needs to be considered in
order to know at which level information should be ‘pitched’.

4 Target group The subset of people whose information you are trying to analyse in a survey or
questionnaire. A sample group of the target group is usually chosen to administer
the survey to.
5 Absolute cell A cell reference that will not change when the function or formula is copied. To
reference (Excel) make a cell reference absolute, a dollar sign ($) is inserted before the column letter
and/or row number.
5 Append (Access) Add records to an existing table in a database.
5 Attribute (HTML) A name and value combination that defines a property of an element. Some
elements have multiple attributes, e.g. the font size and colour of text.
5 Bibliography A list of cited sources found at the end of a document and formatted according to a
chosen style, e.g. APA or Chicago.
5 Bookmark (HTML) A position on a web page that can be marked and stored with a specific name
using HTML code. An anchor tag together with the href attribute is then used to
create a link to the bookmark.

5 Bookmark (Word) Used to mark places or specific sections of text in a document, enabling you to
navigate to them quickly and easily.
5 Caption (Word) A numbered description added to a graphic object (such as a diagram or photo) or
a table.

5 Chart Area (Excel) Includes both the Plot Area and the ‘outside’ part of a chart where the titles are
located.
5 Citation (Word) Reference to the source used in a specific instance and found in the text
immediately after the piece of information being referred to.

5 Column break Used if you want to shift text to the top of the next column.
(Word)
5 Combo Box A list of values from which a user can choose a value. Only one value is visible at a
(Access) time, the others will appear only when the user clicks on the arrow. A Lookup
Wizard is used to create the list of values.
5 Combo chart If a chart has more than one data series, a different chart type can be used for
(Excel) each series.
5 Constant (Excel) An entry which has a specific fixed value, e.g. 3.5.
5 Crop (Word) To remove parts of a picture that you do not need. You can also customize it, for
example to fit a specific shape.
5 Cross-reference Used to refer to related information elsewhere in the same document. One can
(Word) choose what information to display about the item referred to. A hyperlink to this
item is created by default.
5 CSV file Comma Separated Values file – a text file which uses commas to separate the
values in each line. Commonly used to import and export data between programs.
5 Data labels (Excel) The values of the data points on a chart.
5 Data series (Excel) A column or row of numbers in a spreadsheet that is depicted in a chart.
5 Data validation The application of any technique which can prevent invalid data during input of
data.

15
Topic Term Description / Definition

5 Date picker Control in Access that enables one to select a specific date by clicking on an on-
(Access) screen calendar.

5 Default value A value which is automatically allocated to a field in a new record.

(Access)
5 Delimiter A character such as a comma, space or tab, used to separate each piece of data
(each field) in a line in a CSV file.
5 Drop Cap (Word) An enlarged first letter or word of a paragraph, which drops into the line or lines of
text below.
5 En dash (Word) A dash that is slightly longer than a hyphen and used mostly with number intervals
and for parentheses.
5 Endnote (Word) Similar in function to a footnote, but different in that it appears at the end of a
section, or at the end of the document.

5 Exporting Saving data in a format that can be read by a different version of the same
application or even a totally different application.
5 Field (Access) A single fact or the smallest unit of data in a database.
5 Filter (Access) A criterion or rule that you set for a field to display only those records that comply
with the criterion.

5 Filter (Excel) Feature used to display only certain rows of data in a worksheet.
5 Footnote (Word) Additional information placed at the bottom of the page in a document, and linked
by a number or symbol to the relevant text in the body of the page.
5 Gap width (Excel) The distance between the columns or bars in a chart, expressed as a percentage
of the width of the columns or bars.

5 Gridlines (Excel Lines in the plot area of a chart, which make it easier to estimate visually the
chart) values of the data points.
5 Gridlines (Excel Set of lines forming a rectangular grid and distinguishing the individual cells in a
worksheet) worksheet.

5 Hard space (Word) A space where word wrapping cannot occur. The characters / words on either side
of it will remain together on a line.
5 Header / Footer An area within the top and bottom margins of a page, which can contain
information that appears on each page of the document or section, such as page
numbers, a company logo, or the file name.
5 HTML HyperText Markup Language – one of the languages in which web pages are
written. It is used to structure and present content on the WWW, including text,
graphics, audio and video.
5 Importing Opening or ‘reading’ data created in a different version of the same application, or
even a totally different application.
5 Input Mask A field property which can be set for a specific field in Design View. It is a code
(Access) made up of a combination of letters, digits and symbols, and is used to enforce the
entering of data in a specific format.
5 Label (Access) A control containing text, mainly used for headings and captions.
5 Legend (Excel) The ‘key’ which describes (gives the names of) the different data series in the
chart, by depicting the fill colours or the patterns used.
5 List Box (Access) A list of values from which a user can select a value but not add an additional one.

16
Topic Term Description / Definition

5 Markers (Excel) Small marks (e.g. dots or crosses) used to indicate the actual data points on a line
chart.

5 Non-breaking Used to force the words or characters on both sides of the hyphen to remain on the
hyphen (Word) same line. (<Shift><Ctrl><Hyphen>)
5 OLE Object A data type that can contain graphics, sound and video in addition to other data
(Access) types.
5 Page Break Starts text on a new page, without creating a new section.
5 Plot Area (Excel) The ‘middle’ part of a chart where the data – the bars/columns/line – is plotted.
5 Primary key A field that identifies each record with a unique value.
(Access)
5 Record (Access) A group of related fields that contains the particulars of a specific entity.

5 Relative cell When a formula or function is copied from one cell to another, the cell reference is
reference (Excel) automatically adjusted relative to the original cell.
5 Section (Word) A part of a document in which the page formatting can differ from the rest of the
document. Sections are thus used to vary the page layout on one or more pages of
the same document.
5 Section Break Separates a document or page into sections, and indicates the end of one section /
(Word) start of the next section. Distinguishes sections from one another, and allows
different sections to be formatted differently.

5 Stack and scale Where a data series in a chart is filled with pictures, and each picture is used to
(Excel) represent a certain number of units.
5 Stacked chart A type of chart where data series are placed one on top of the other – useful for
(Excel) comparing main categories (grand totals) and sub-categories in the same chart.
5 String (text data) Combinations of characters (letters, digits and symbols like @) in text data.
Examples are names and surnames, as well as strings of digits such as cellphone
numbers and postal codes.
5 Style (Word) A combination of formatting attributes such as font size and type, and paragraph
spacing, saved as a collection under one name.
5 Table of contents Automatically created list of headings or chapters and the pages on which they
(Word) start, placed at the beginning of a document.

5 Template A blueprint or framework for a specific type of document, with a suitable layout. It is
used by filling in only the missing information.
5 Track Changes A feature of a word processor that can be used to track or mark all the changes
(Word) made to a document.
5 Trendline (Excel) A straight or curved type of ‘best fit’ line in a chart, that shows the general trend or
direction of the values of a data series – usually over time.
5 Valid data Data where the values are acceptable in terms of permissible values, the limits
within which it occurs or the format in which it is entered.
5 Validation Rule The condition(s) that the data in a specific field must meet to be accepted as valid
(Access) data.
5 Validation Text The message that must be displayed if the data entered does not meet the
(Access) condition(s) in the Validation Rule.

17
Topic Term Description / Definition

5 Watermark (Word) Text or a graphic which appears very lightly as a background on all the pages in a
document.

5 Widow/Orphan A single ‘dangling’ line at the top or bottom of a page of a paragraph that splits
(Word) over a page.

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