Descriptionary

desktop publishing a computer program that han­dles all publishing tasks, from printing to editing to graphics. Also, the design and production of publica­tions by a small computer.

diagnostic any computer program used to track down programming errors.

digital computer a computer in which quantities are represented by digits electronically, as distin­guished from an analog. Most modern computers are digital computers.

digital fingerprinting any digital identification marker used to legally protect original documents from unauthorized use.

digitize to convert signals, text, or imagery into digital code for use in a computer.

digitizer the device that converts signals, text, etc., into code for computer use.

disk a medium, either built-in or independent, that stores computer information.

disk drive the device that gives a computer the abil­ity to read and write information on disks.

DOS disk operating system.

dot matrix printer a printer that prints characters as a pattern of dots.

down malfunctioning or inoperable.

download to transfer information from a main computer to a smaller computer or a remote com­puter.

DRAM dynamic random access memory.

editor a program that allows the user to add, delete, or change information in a file or program.

emulator software that enables a computer to download pirated video games over the Internet and "emulate" any video gaming platform.

ENIAC Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calcu­lator, the first electronic computer, composed of some 18,000 vacuum tubes, and built in the 1940s.

EPROM a memory chip that can be erased by exposing it to ultraviolet light.

expert system a computer program using a form of artificial intelligence drawn from an extensive knowl­edge base and an inference engine.

fatal error

any internal error causing a program to stop or abort, sometimes resulting in a loss of data.

file a document or collection of documents stored in the same place or under the same name.

file compression the electronic reduction of a file to make it fit into a smaller memory space.

flash drive an electronic device that stores digital data.

flat screen an alternative to cathode ray tubes, any video display employing liquid crystals or electrolu­minescence, as in laptop and notebook computers. Also known as flat-panel display.

floppy disk a small disk of magnetic film used for storing computer data.

flowchart a chart composed of characters and words to help guide a user through an algorithm.

font a group of type characters in one style, such as boldface or italics.

FORTRAN Formula Translation, a programming language developed in the 1950s.

fuzzy logic a form of computer intelligence that recognizes partial truths and variabilities, as a human brain does.

GIGO acronym for garbage in, garbage out, refer­ring to the fact that poor information fed into the computer always results in poor information coming out.

GPF general protection fault; a crash of a Windows program caused by one application attempting to use another application's memory.

Graffiti software that recognizes handwriting.

graphene an electrically conductive, one-atom-thick sheet of carbon, which is currently being developed to replace copper and silicon in a vast array of electron­ics applications.

grid computing a network of large computers pooled together to supply power and storage capabil­ity to smaller computers.

hacker originally a computer programming wizard, but now more often one who breaks through security systems and infiltrates other systems or networks with criminal or mischievous intent.

Hal Arthur C. Clarke's mad computer in the novel and movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

hang to crash so that the keyboard and mouse fail to respond to new inputs, requiring rebooting.

hard card a hard disk in the shape of a card.

hard copy a paper printout of computer data.

hard disk an information storage medium in the form of a built-in, nonremovable platter. Also known as a Winchester disk.

hardware the physical components of a computer system, such as the terminal, the monitor, and the integrated circuits, as distinguished from software.

hash useless information.

homeshoring in business, the growing practice of having contracted workers perform computer tasks at home on their home computers, saving on insurance and equipment costs.

host a master unit in a computer network.

icon a symbol or small graphic representation des­ignating a specific function or file on a computer program, as a tiny typewriter representing a word processing program.

import to retrieve and display files or information from another application.

ink-jet printer a printer that forms type characters with dots of ink.