Basic Computer Terminology - A
Application or Software Computer program: Software that allows you to perform a task or solve a specific problem. Programs that allow you to accomplish certain tasks such as write letters, analyze numbers, sort files, manage finances, draw pictures and play games.
Access time: The performance of a hard drive or other storage device how long it
takes to locate a file.
Application Files: Program files environment where you can create and edit the
kind of document that application makes.
Active program or window: The application or window at the front (foreground)
on the monitor. Active Cell In a spreadsheet, the cell you are working in. The cell is identified by a thick dark border.
Alert (alert box): A message that appears on screen, usually to tell you something
went wrong.
Alias: An icon that points to a file, folder or application (System 7).
Apple menu: On the left side of the screen header. System 6 = desk accessories System 7 = up to 50 items.
Application: A program in which you do your work.
Application menu: On the right side of the screen header. It lists running
applications.
ASCII (pronounced ask-key): American Standard Code for Information Interchange. It is a commonly used data format for exchanging information between computers or programs.
ABEND: Short for abnormal end, and refers to a program stopping prematurely due to a bug, from an IBM System/360 error message. Abend is the German word for evening, and some say ABEND is so-named because it's "what system operators do to the machine late on Friday when they want to call it a day."
Ada: A programming language named after Ada Lovelace, who is considered by many to be the first programmer.
Apache: The web server from the Apache Software Foundation. Originally this name was chosen by an author just because it was a catchy name. Soon enough, it was suggested that the name was indeed appropriate, because its founders got started by applying patches to code written for NCSA's http daemon.
The result was "a patchy" server.
AWK: A computer pattern/action language, name made up of the surnames of its authors Alfred V. Aho, Peter J. Weinberger, and Brian W. Kernighan
Anti Virus: An application or program designed to scan or search disks or hard drives for viruses and repair files that it finds.
Acceptable Use Policy (AUP): A set of rules and guidelines that are set up to regulate Internet use and to protect the user.
Active Cell: In a spreadsheet, the cell you are working in. The cell is identified by a thick dark border.
Alignment: The way in which text lines up across a page. The text can be right aligned, centered, left aligned and fully aligned (justified).
Animated Clip Art: A moving clip art graphic
Arrow Keys: The keys on the keyboard used to move the cursor up, down, left and right.
Ascending Order: One of two ways to sort a database. Numbers are arranged from smallest to largest. Text is arranged in alphabetical order (A to Z) (See Descending).
Attachments: A file you add to an email when you send it to someone else
