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• Active program or window - The application or window at the front (foreground) on the monitor.

• Application - a program in which you do your work.

• Background - part of the multitasking capability. A program can run and perform tasks in the background while another program is being used in the foreground.

• Bit - the smallest piece of information used by the computer.
  

• Backspace Key - delete key that removes characters and words to the left of the cursor.

• Backup - a copy of a file or disk you make for protecting your work.

• Boot - to start up a computer.

• Byte - a piece of computer information made up of eight bits.
  

• CD-ROM - an acronym for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory drive or disc. Most new computers are equipped with CD-RW drive which is Compact Disc Read-Write and allows you to save lots of data to a CD.

• Clicking - Pressing the mouse button to select or perform a function.

• Clipboard - A portion of memory where the computer temporarily stores information.

• CPU - the Central Processing Unit. The processing chip that is the "brains" of a computer. 

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• Crash - a system malfunction in which the computer stops working and has to be restarted.

• Cursor - The pointer - arrow, cross-shaped, I-beam for texting and pointed finger for internet browsing - which is controlled by the mouse.

• Daisy Chaining - the act of stringing devices together in a series (such as SCSI).

• Database - an electronic list of information that can be sorted and/or searched.
  

• Desktop - A metaphor for the computer screen where icons and windows are displayed.

• Dialog Box - an on-screen message box that appears when the Mac requires additional information before completing a command.

• Digitize - to convert linear, or analog, data into digital data which can be used by the computer.

• Disk or diskette - a spinning platter made of magnetic or optically etched material on which data can be stored.
  

• Disk Drive - the machinery that writes the data from a disk and/or writes data to a disk [i.e., Drive A].

• Document - a file you create, as opposed to the application which created it.

• Download - to transfer data from one computer to another. (If you are on the receiving end, you are downloading. If you are on the sending end, you are uploading ).

• Drag - to move the mouse while its button is being depressed.

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• Drag and Drop - a feature which allows one to drag the icon for a document or folder into another folder.

• Driver - a file on a computer which tells it how to communicate with an add-on piece of equipment (like a printer).

• File - the generic word for an application, document, control panel or other computer data.

• Folder - an electronic subdirectory which contains files.
  

• Font - a typeface that contains the characters of an alphabet or some other letterforms.

• Footprint - The surface area of a desk or table which is occupied by a piece of equipment.

• Format - to prepare a disk for use in the computer. Most diskettes are sold already formatted.

• Freeze - a system error which causes the cursor to lock in place.
  

• Gig - a gigabyte = 1024 megabytes.

• Hard Drive - a large capacity storage device made of multiple disks housed in a rigid case [drive C].

• Hardware - The physical components of the computer - you can touch them [monitor, keyboard]

• Highlight - to select by clicking once on an icon or by highlighting text in a document.

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• Icon - a graphic symbol for an application, file or folder.

• Insertion Point - in word processing, the cursor which indicates where your next typing will begin.

• Installer - software used to install a program on your hard drive.

• K - short for kilobyte which is 1024 bytes.
  

• Keyboard - Your computer's data input device - type text, instructions and data into computer programs and applications.

• Keyboard Shortcut - a combination of keystrokes that performs some function otherwise found in a drop down menu.

• Landscape - in printing from a computer, to print sideways on the page.

• Launch - start an application.
  

• Measurements (summary) -

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• MB - short for megabyte which is 1024 kilobytes.

• Memory - the temporary holding area where data is stored while it is being used or changed; the amount of RAM a computer has installed.

• Menu - a list of program commands listed by topic.

• Menu Bar - the horizontal bar across the top of the Window of any program you are using that lists the drop down menus.
  

• Monitor - Television-like screen that shows you what your computer is doing.

• Mouse - Lets you control the computer by controlling the location and action of the cursor.

• Multi-tasking - running more than one application in memory at the same time.

• Operating System - the system software that controls the computer.
  

• Palette - a small floating window that contains tools used in a given application.

• Paste - to insert text, or other material, from the clipboard or copy buffer.

• PC - acronym for personal computer, commonly used to refer to an IBM or IBM clone computer, which generally uses a Windows Operating System.

• Peripheral - an add-on component to your computer.

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• Point - (1/72") 12 points = one pica in printing.

• Port - a connection socket, or jack on the Mac.

• Printer - a computer peripheral that transfers graphics and text from your computer to paper.

• Program - Software designed to perform specific functions [word processing, spreadsheets, etc.].
  

• RAM - acronym for Random-Access Memory.

• ROM - acronym for Read Only Memory; memory that can only be read from and not written to.

• Save - to write a file onto a disk.

• Save As - (a File menu item) to save a previously saved file in a new location and/or with a new name. This function generally will compress a file by overwriting it with all changes and edits updated.
  

• Scroll - to shift the contents of a window to bring hidden items into view.

• Scroll Arrows - at the ends of the scroll bar, used to navigate the page a line at a time.

• Scroll Bar - a bar at the bottom or right side of a window that contains the scroll box and allows scrolling. Clicking in the scroll bar allows you to move through the page a screen at a time.

• Scroll Box - the box in a scroll bar that is used to slide through a window in the amount of space needed.

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• SCSI - acronym for Small Computer System Interface.

• Shut Down / Log Off - the command from the start menu that shuts down the computer safely.

• Software - Programs/applications that contain instructions for a computer.

• Spreadsheet - a program designed to look like an electronic ledger.
  

• Surge Protector - a power strip that has circuits designed to reduce the effects of surge in electrical power.

• Title Bar - the horizontal bar at the top of a window, which has the name of the file or folder it represents.

• Tool Bar - A strip of icons in a software program located at the top of the screen.

• Upload - to send a file from one computer to another through a network.