Jargon

AGP: (ADVANCED GRAPHICS PORT): This is a special interface designed to speed up 3D graphics processing by the computer. The graphics chip (or video chip) is part of the motherboard and is integrated with AGP capabilities.
Prior to AGP, 3D graphics chips were connected to the PCI BUS. In simple terms, before, all devices e.g. sound, video etc. used the same BUS i.e. PCI BUS. This slowed down the system especially if you required sound and video at the same time. The AGP BUS was developed, to give video its own BUS. Instead of using 33MHz speed as in the PCI BUS, since AGP is dedicated to video you can step up the speed by 2x thus giving video a speed of 66MHz plus. This way you can listen and watch any multimedia stream without any distortion.

AMD: Advanced Micro Devices. AMD produce processors like Intel. The K6 processor can be likened to the Pentium, the K6-2 processor can be likened to a Pentium II and the K6-3 can be likened to a Pentium III.

ATAPI: AT ATTACHMENT PACKET INTERFACE. A subset of EIDE used for controlling CD-ROM drives, and EIDE devices other than hard drives.

AUTOEXEC.BAT: A key system file under DOS/Windows 9x that configures the system environment and loads any Terminate Stay Resident (TRS’s) that are needed for the computer to function normally. For example MSCDEX that assigns a drive letter to the CD-ROM.

BAUD RATES: The maximum number of changes that can occur per second in sending and receiving information electronically. This is also used to measure MODEM speeds. See BPS.

BIOS: BASIC INPUT/OUTPUT SYSTEM. This utility is supplied with all computers. The basic hardware operating system is stored on a chip on the motherboard. When the computer is switched on this chip is the first to be accessed so that the instructions are given for the Power On Self-Test (POST) and to start booting the system files. To access the BIOS, you need to press either Ctrl Alt S together or the F2 key or the DELETE key. It varies from model to model, although you will be warned when the computer boots as to which keys you need to press. Changes in the BIOS are only necessary if the hard drive and/or memory have been changed, although most computers nowadays auto-detect anyway. On most of our notebooks, the BIOS is Flash upgradeable, this means that should a problem be found with the BIOS or should hardware be released that requires modification to the BIOS, it can be quickly and easily updated by running an update program. See also CMOS.

BNC: BRITISH NAVAL CONNECTOR. This is a type of socket/plug used to connect coaxial network cables. Usually used for 10Mbps (or slow) networks.

BOOT DRIVE: This is the drive that will be accessed first. In most computers you have the option to boot from either the A drive (floppy disk. If there is no disk in the drive then it will boot from the C drive (hard drive) or the D drive (CD-ROM).

BPS: BITS PER SECOND. This is a basic measurement of communication speeds. For example Modems these days run at 56kbps (56 kilobytes per second).

BROWSER: This is a program typically Internet Explorer or Netscape, which allows you to browse the World Wide Web. The browser acts as an interface between yourself and the Internet, making the information easy to find and use.

BUS: A computer's bus is for transportation of computer data. Inside your computer, binary data flows from your processor to other components via a data bus. This type of bus is called an external bus. As you would expect, there is also an internal bus. The internal bus is the path on which the data flows inside the processor.
The bus size is a measure of how much data that can be moved through the bus in a single operation. Bus sizes range from 8 bits to 32 bits. Think of a data bus as a road, and the cars as data bits. The wider the road, the more cars that can travel at one time. A road that has 8 lanes moving in one direction can move 8 cars at a time. Therefore, a data bus 8 bits wide can move 8 bits of data at one time. The wider the bus, the better.

CACHE: A small section, usually 32k to 512k of super fast static RAM chips with its own bus to the central processing unit (CPU), used to store data and code requested by the CPU. Cache memory differs from software cache, due to software cache using space on ordinary RAM to set aside information frequently taken from the disk drives.

CARRY CASE: A case, which is supplied standard with the notebook to keep it safe and to make it easier to transport.

CDR: Compact Disc- recordable-a special type of CD (normally gold in colour) that can be written to using a special CD-ROM drive called a CD Writer. As with an ordinary CD a CDR can hold 74mins of audio or 650MB of data.

CD-ROM: COMPACT DISC-READ ONLY MEMORY- a CD that contains up to 650MB of data

CE: COMMUNAUT… EUROPEENNES. The EC, all computers (and other electrical appliances) sold within the EC must be CE approved, to conform to the EC regulations on EMC.

CLUSTER: a group of sectors on a floppy or hard disk treated as a unit by the operating system.

CMOS: COMPLEMENTARY METAL-OXIDE SEMICONDUCTOR. This is a chip, which contains the basic hardware inventory of the system. It also contains the correct date, time and hard drive settings for the system. See also BIOS.

CODEC: The Compression/Decompression system used to reduce the size of media or transmission data for digitised audio or video data.

COLD BOOT: restarting a computer by turning off the system power and turning it back on again. This should only be done as a last resort as the hard drive may still be active and may be damaged. If a known virus is on the computer, a cold boot has to be done to clear it from the memory.

COM PORT: A serial port for attaching modems, plotters, mice etc. to a system. There are usually 2 COM PORTS on a computer. In the case of notebooks, one port (typically COM 1) is a 9-pin array for a mouse or modem. COM 2 is used for a wireless connection (Infra Red or IrDA). This can be used for printers, mobile phones etc.

COMMAND.COM: This is a command used by DOS based operating systems, e.g. DOS, Windows 3.11 and Windows 9x. It provides the C> prompt and it interprets the users commands and performs the requested operation.

COMPACT DISC: A plastic coated foil disc, 5.25” across that can store 74mins of audio or 650MB of data in digital format

COMPRESSION: Reduces the size of files. E.g. ZIP files, which are usually found on the Internet, are in compressed format. To view these files you need a piece of software like Winzip or PKZip.

CONFIG.SYS: This is the file on a computer, which performs memory configuration operations. This also tells DOS which device drivers to load. Its located in the root directory e.g. C:\ of the hard drive.

COOKIE: A harmless text file stored on your hard drive created by a web site you will have visited on the World Wide Web. It is used to store information relevant to the site and possibly to retain some information about your browser. Cookies are the simplest way for a web page to pass information across to another web page or program.

CPU: CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT. This is the “heart” and the “brain” of the PC. Just like a heart beats in a body, the CPU does the same thing. It has a specific clock speed to ensure the PC is running smoothly. It processes information too. This is why it acts like the brain. Other names for the CPU are “processor” and “chip”.

DIP SWITCH: switch mounted on PC board for configuration options. For example some notebooks have dip switch settings so that the right speed of processor is detected. AMD capable notebooks especially have dip switch settings.

DIRECTORY: A “folder” that contains files on a computer disk. For example, you can make a directory called DOCUMENT on the C: drive. It will be called C:\DOCUMENT by DOS or WINDOWS. The root directory is the main one, which contains everything on a drive.

DIRECT X: This is an add-on to Windows 9x from Microsoft that allows programmers to communicate directly with the hardware. There have been several versions of Direct X. Version 6 is shipped out as standard on Windows 98. The latest version is version 7.0

DLL: Dynamic Link Library is a collection of Windows programs that load into memory as required by the parent program

DMA: Direct Memory Access channels are set-aside to allow memory transfer without CPU intervention.

DOCKING STATION: A unit which can hold hard drives, CD-ROMS etc. Also has expansion slots for additional interface cards like SCSI cards. It has all the ports the notebook has plus a few extra. It turns the notebook into a desktop computer. Some have an additional platform so that an external monitor can be plugged in and rested on the platform.

DOS: DISK OPERATING SYSTEM. DOS has been around for years and has proved to be very popular. It is a program, which allows the computer to “talk” to you. When your computer boots, DOS is the first thing that loads. DOS is a basic text based operating system unlike Windows which has a graphical operating system. DOS was the original PC operating system, and over the years there have been several versions of it. The most common DOS on PC’s is MS-DOS from Microsoft who wrote the original version of DOS for the PC. All the Windows operating system except for Windows NT4.0 and Windows 2000 have been built using a DOS core. They all have the ability to run DOS applications.

DRAG AND DROP: A feature of Windows whereby files and text within documents can be moved around by highlighting them, dragging them with the mouse pointer and dropping them where you want them to go. This can be done to move files from folder to folder or paragraphs around a document.

DRIVER: A program that translates instructions for peripheral devices. Also known as device driver. In order to use peripherals such as graphics cards, CD-ROMs, sound cards and printers, drivers must be installed. These devices usually come with driver disks. This basically acts as an interface between the peripheral and the operating system.

DSTN: or DUAL scan To create a better picture than those on early passive-matrix, flat-panel displays, companies began splitting the screen into two parts and refreshing each simultaneously. These dual-scan displays are brighter and clearer than single-scan LCD screens. However, they are still not as bright as active-matrix displays.

DUAL BOOT: allows the computer to boot to two different operating systems (DOS & UNIX, for example).

DUMB BATTERY: This is the name given to a battery that gives no indication of how much charge is left. The only indication that is given is the computer bleeping when you have about 10 mins left. This has to be set in the BIOS to specify the time. The operating system will have no indication of how much life is left. As far as the operating system is concerned it thinks its still running on the mains.

DVD: digital versatile disk. This is an optical disk technology that is expected to rapidly replace the CD-ROM disk (as well as the audio compact disc) over the next few years. The digital versatile disk (DVD) holds 4.7 gigabytes of information on one of its two sides, or enough for a 133-minute movie. With two layers on each of its two sides, it will hold up to 17 gigabytes of video, audio, or other information. (Compare this to the current CD-ROM disk of the same physical size, holding 600 megabytes. The DVD can hold more than 28 times as much information!)

DVD-Video is the usual name for the DVD format designed for full-length movies and is a box that will work with your television set. DVD-ROM is the name of the player that will (sooner or later) replace your computer's CD-ROM. It will play regular CD-ROM disks as well as DVD-ROM disks. DVD-RAM is the writeable version. DVD-Audio is a player designed to replace your compact disc player.

DVD uses the MPEG-2 file and compression standard. MPEG-2 images have four times the resolution of MPEG-1 images and can be delivered at 60 interlaced fields per second where two fields constitute one image frame. (MPEG-1 can deliver 30 non-interlaced frames per second.) Audio quality on DVD is comparable to that of current audio compact disks.

E-MAIL: A system whereby each user has a unique address and can send and receive information to this address electronically over the Internet or other mail service.

ETHERNET CARD: A card, which allows you to plug your notebook into your local network, allowing you to share data.

FAT: FILE ALLOCATION TABLE. The system used for storing information on the hard disks under DOS and Windows. There are two versions of FAT- FAT 16 used by DOS and first edition Windows 95. Windows NT also uses FAT 16. Windows 95b OSR2, Windows 98 and Windows 2000 use FAT 32. FAT 32 is more efficient than FAT 16 when working with large hard disks. This allows you to have a partition size greater than 2Gb in size. However if you are using DOS applications, or early Windows 95 or Windows 3.1x applications, these may not be compatible with FAT 16.

FAX: A fax (short for facsimile) is a document transferred electronically across a telephone line. A fax machine takes a document, breaks it down into a series of dots and sends this down the telephone line. The fax machine on the other end puts together all the dots and reforms the document. Modems can also be used to send and receive faxes.

FDD: FLOPPY DISK DRIVE. This device reads from and writes to floppy disks. Drives are classified by the physical size and largest capacity of disk they will take. The most used now is a 3.5” drive with a capacity of 1.44Mb.

FM SYNTHESIS: FREQUENCY MODULATION. Is used by entry-level sound cards for sound and music reproduction. This has now been replaced by Wavetable synthesis.

FTP: FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL. This is a means of transferring binary files across the Internet.

FULL DUPLEX: This is usually used for sound cards, although modems are capable of doing this as well. It is a means of sending and receiving data at the same time.

GPF: GENERAL PROTECTION FAULT. This happens when a piece of software crashes. In Windows 9x if a GPF occurs, a dialogue window pops up. If you click on Details, the information given may help in diagnose a problem. There are many reasons why this can happen. It can be low memory, a corrupt program, incompatible drivers or hardware problems.

GSM: GLOBAL SYSTEMS for MOBILE communications. The digital system for mobile phone communications. GSM offers a higher rate of data transfer (9,600bps) than is available with analogue mobile phones (4,800bps)

GUI: GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE. This is a system whereby a user can control a computer using mouse pointer, icons etc. Windows has a GUI.

HALF-DUPLEX: This is similar to Full Duplex, but instead of being able to send and receive data at the same time, with Half Duplex, you can either send or receive data, but not at the same time.

HANDSHAKING: A process by which two devices communicate. The best example would be with a Modem. When you dial to an ISP, you can probably hear all the noises that the modem makes. These are the hand shaking signals between the modem and the ISP.

HARD DISK: This is a data storage system engineered like a stack of record platters. The platters are made of glass or aluminium and coated with magnetic material on both sides. Magnetic read/write heads are mounted on an actuator that resembles a record needle pickup arm. A hard disk's capacity is measured in megabytes or gigabytes. The hard disk is your PC's C: drive. Large amounts of data can be written at very high speeds. The hard disk contains the PC’s operating system i.e. Windows 9x and the applications run on it. Hard disks are non-volatile storage media. This means that when you switch off your computer you will not lose any information, unlike volatile memory (such as RAM), which loses its contents when the computer is switched off. When you switch on the computer the operating system is loaded into the RAM.

HEAD CRASH: occurs when the read/write head assembly of a hard drive strikes the surface of the platter. Older hard drives had to be parked before transport to avoid this. Today's hard drives are less sensitive, but still should be handled with much care.

HEAT SINK: An aluminium radiator that dissipates heat. Fast CPU’s like the Pentium III have heatsinks and cooling fans to dissipate the heat more efficiently.

HIMEM.SYS: the DOS/Windows device driver that manages extended memory. It is one of the first configuration options that loads from the CONFIG.SYS.

HTML: HYPERTEXT MARKUP LANGUAGE. This is a scripting language that web pages are usually written in.

HTTP: HYPERTEXT TRANSFER PROTOCOL. This is the standard used to transmit data (specifically web pages) across the Internet.

HUB: This is a device, which connects computers together over a network. They usually use RJ45 cables.

IEEE 1394: Also referred to as Firewire although this is in fact a term for Apple Macs. It is a high-speed serial protocol. Similar to SCSI but simpler to use and able to support transfer speeds of up to 200Mb/s. some claim up to 800Mb/s for the future. At the moment the main use for this port is for Digital video transfer from the digital video camera to the hard drive.

INTEL: Intel designed the CPU for the first PC, and has since developed most of the CPU’s used in PC’s today. They are responsible for all the Pentium class processors, and developed the MMX technology. Intel also designs the motherboard chipsets for Pentium processors.

INTELLIGENT BATTERY: This is the name given to a battery that is capable of telling you have much charge is left. More often than not, intelligent batteries have an LED indicator which when you press it, gives a visual display of how much charge is left. The operating system, such as Windows 98 will be able to give an approximation on how much life is left as well. Also referred to as a SMART battery.

INTELLIMOUSE: This is a new Mouse design from Microsoft that has a rubber wheel mounted vertically between the two buttons. Moving or clicking the wheel in certain Microsoft applications has a special effect like for example scrolling up and down a document.

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL RESOLUTION: Some notebooks can drive an external monitor at a higher graphics resolution than they can use on their own built in display panels. The quoted ‘internal’ resolution is the maximum resolution they can support via their display screen and the ‘external’ resolution is what they can support when used with an external monitor.

I/O: INPUT/OUTPUT. Input/Output refers to data transfer from input devices (keyboard, mouse, scanner, etc.) to output devices (printer, screen, etc.)

I/O ADDRESS: memory location for a particular device (disk drive, sound card, printer port, etc.). Two devices cannot share the same I/O address space

INTERNET: The Internet is a term used to describe the hundreds of thousands of computers that are connected by a 'net' of wires and satellites all over the world.

IO.SYS: a hidden DOS file that loads on boot with the MSDOS.SYS and the COMMAND.COM to provide basic I/O functions

IPX: Internet Packet eXchange is a Novell Netware communications protocol that handles routing of data packets from one node to another.

IRQ: INTERRUPT REQUEST. This is a function of the PC that allows devices to communicate directly with the CPU in a predefined sequence. Each hardware device that requires one is assigned an IRQ, then for a predefined length of time the CPU will access each IRQ line in turn, allowing the hardware device on that IRQ to talk to the CPU. There are 7 IRQ’s you can use although 4 or 5 of them are already assigned to Serial, Parallel, PS/2 or USB ports. Each Device has an IRQ it will normally use e.g. Parallel ports use 7, Serial ports use 4 and 3, etc. You should find that IRQ 9 and 11 are usually free. No two devices can share an IRQ. There are 16 IRQ’s in total. If your sound card stutters or your mouse freezes, an IRQ conflict is the likely cause.

ISP: INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER. This is a company or organisation that provides a service to the Internet, be it web-hosting, dial up access (for users), etc.

JAVA: a programming language designed to create programs which can run on multiple computer platforms with out having to be re-written. It was designed to have the "look and feel" of the C++ language, but it is simpler to use than C++ and enforces a completely object-oriented view of programming. Java can be used to create complete applications that may run on a single computer within a java virtual machine such as within a web browser or be distributed among servers and clients in a network. It can also be used to build small application modules or applets for use as part of a Web page. Applets make it possible for a Web page user to interact with the page. The major characteristics of Java are:

The programs you create are portable in a network. Your program is compiled into Java byte code that can be run on any server or client in a network that has a Java virtual machine. The Java virtual machine interprets the byte code into code that will run on the real computer hardware. This means that individual computer platform differences such as instruction lengths can be recognised and accommodated locally without requiring different versions of your program.
The code is "robust," here meaning that, unlike programs written in C++ and perhaps some other languages, the Java objects have no outside references that may cause them to "crash." Java was designed to be secure, meaning that its code contains no pointers outside itself that could lead to damage to the operating system. The Java interpreter at each operating system makes a number of checks on each object to ensure integrity.
Java is object-oriented, which means that, among other characteristics, similar objects can take advantage of being part of the same class and inherit common code.
Objects can be either a set of methods, made up of lines of code, or a set of variables, to hold information, all grouped under the same name.
Relative to C++, Java is easier to learn. (However, it is not a language you'll pick up in an evening!)
Java was introduced by Sun Microsystems in 1995 and instantly created a new sense of the interactive possibilities of the Web.
Since then, almost all major operating system developers (IBM, Microsoft, and others) have added Java compilers as part of their product offerings.
Because Java applets will run on almost any operating system without requiring recompilation and because Java has no operating system-unique extensions or variations, Java is generally regarded as the most strategic language in which to develop applications for the Web.

JAVASCRIPT: not be confused with Java, JavaScript, which originated at Netscape, is interpreted at a higher level, is easier to learn than Java, but lacks some of the portability of Java and the speed of byte code. It is browser specific java written within a HTML page executed when called for by events defined by the browser and the programmer.

JAZ: This is a removable re-writeable storage format from Iomega. A Jaz cartridge can hold 1Gb of data and operates like a removable hard drive. There are two types of Jaz drives available, internal SCSI and external SCSI. For notebooks, you will need a PCMCIA SCSI card to attach the Jaz drive externally.

JUMPER: This is a physical switch used to change the settings of a device. A jumper consists of two parts; a bank of two or more pins and a cap. The cap consists of a metal lined plastic cover that covers two pins. When a jumper cap is in place there is an electrical connection between the two pins, in this state the jumper is said to be closed or on. With the cap off the pins, it is said to be open or off.

KEYBOARD: This is the interface that is used to type up your documents etc. On a notebook, the keyboard is part of the unit. You can have external keyboards plugged in through the PS/2 port. In order to be a flexible input device a keyboard needs to provide as complete a set of alphabetic, numeric, punctuation, symbol, and control keys as possible. Twin concerns for Notebook manufacturers are to provide the functionality found in a full-sized keyboard and to reproduce the standard layout as far as possible.

KEYBOARD BUFFER: a small amount of memory set aside to store keystrokes by a fast typist.

LANDING ZONE: This area is set-aside on a hard drive platter for the heads to rest when the system powers down. Modern hard drives park automatically in the landing zone to avoid a head crash.

LAN: LOCAL AREA NETWORK. A LAN is when two or more computers or other devices are connected to each other. The methods used to connect the computers and devices (such as printers) vary widely. On a smaller scale, a network can be just a few computers connected via several wires. On a larger scale, a network could consist of many computers connected to a single central computer known as a server. A special type of local network allows the computers connected to it to access data in a way that is similar to browsing the Internet. This type of system is referred to as an intranet. Only computers attached directly to the intranet can see the information it provides, whereas the Internet's data can be accessed by any computer with a browser. LPT1: the first parallel or printer port on a PC. When you connect a printer, make sure you tell the PC it's on LPT1.

LCD: LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY. This is another name for the display panel. Liquid Crystal Display. Rather than using cathode ray tubes, a portable computer’s screen relies on the use of LCD panels. A three-panel LCD based system is currently the most common configuration for a projector. Light from a bright white source is split into its red, green and blue components, each of which is sent through a small high resolution LCD with an image appropriate to that colour. A prism then recombines the images into a full colour picture. You may also have a smaller LCD display just above the keyboard. This displays hard drive activity, power, charging of battery, etc.

LED: LIGHT EMITTING DIODE. This is a device that lights up when electricity flows through it in a given direction. You may have some LED’s on your notebook, the most likely would be power and if you battery is charged or being charged.

Li-ION BATTERY: LITHIUM ION BATTERY. These new batteries have been developed to give more life to a portable computer. Unlike the batteries that came before e.g. NiMH or NiCad, Li-ION does not suffer from the memory effect. Although to keep the battery lasting longer you should discharge the battery completely and then charge it up again. This just reconditions the battery.

LS-120 DRIVE: Similar to a floppy disk drive but capable of taking a disk which stores 120Mb. It is also faster than a floppy drive. It is also bootable. It can store up to 83 floppy disks on one LS-120 disk.

MHz: MegaHertz. The speed, or clock rate, that a processor runs at. One Hertz is one pulse per second so 1 MHz is a million pulses per second. If you double the clock rate then you effectively double the speed of the processor – but notice that other components of the machine, disk drives and the like, will not work any faster.

MICROSOFT: Microsoft developed an operating system called MS-DOS. Their operating systems have improved and become more user friendly every time a new edition is released. Previous operating systems include DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows NT4.0, Windows 98 and Windows 2000. Microsoft operating systems are the most popular worldwide, thus making Microsoft the largest software company in the world.

MMO: Intel’s Mobile Module, a single chip containing a processor, chipset, cache and other electrical circuitry, allows a notebook to be upgradeable to a faster processor by simply changing modules. This ensures future proofing against advances in technology.

MMX: MULTIMEDIA EXTENSIONS. This is a series of 57 CPU instructions designed to enhance multimedia software. It has been designed by Intel and is available on Intel Pentium MMX processors. An enhancement to improve graphical capabilities of Pentium-based computers. Additional instructions allow streamlining of repetitive program operations, particularly those involving the manipulation of pixels.

MODEM: MODULATE DEMODULATE. This is a device, which allows a computer to connect to another computer via a telephone line. Modems are either internal (on the motherboard) or PCMCIA cards (fit into the PCMCIA slot). Modem speeds are measured in BPS (bits per second), the higher the bps the faster the modem. These speeds range from as low as 300BPS to 56,600 BPS. Modern modems nearly all run at 56,600 bps. Modems can also be used to send and receive faxes, used as answer machines or as a hands free phone, providing you have a microphone and speakers.

MONITOR PORT: A socket at the back of the notebook that can be used to connect an external monitor.

MOTHERBOARD: Also known as the Mainboard. The motherboard is the main circuit board in a PC to which all other components connect. The CPU and memory usually connect directly to the motherboard. The graphics, sound and PCMCIA chips are all mounted on the motherboard. The hard drive and floppy drive connectors, parallel and serial ports, PS/2 ports USB and more recently IEEE 1394 are all built onto the motherboard.

MPEG Software: The MPEG standards are an evolving set of standards for video and audio compression developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG).

MPEG-1 was designed for coding progressive video at a transmission rate of about 1.5 million bits per second. It was designed specifically for Video-CD and CD-i media. MPEG-1 audio layer-3 (MP3) has also evolved from early MPEG work.

MPEG-2 was designed for coding interlaced images at transmission rates above 4 million bits per second. MPEG-2 is used for digital TV broadcast and DVD. An MPEG-2 player can handle MPEG-1 data as well.

A proposed MPEG-3 standard, intended for High Definition TV (HDTV), was merged with the MPEG-2 standard when it became apparent that the MPEG-2 standard met the HDTV requirements. An MPEG-4 standard is in the final stages of development and release. It is a much more ambitious standard and addresses speech and video synthesis, fractal geometry, computer visualisation, and an artificial intelligence (AI) approach to reconstructing images. An MPEG-7 is being discussed.

MPEG-1 and -2 define techniques for compressing digital video by factors varying from 25:1 to 50:1. The compression is achieved using five different compression techniques:

The use of a frequency-based transform called Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT).
Quantization, a technique for losing selective information (sometimes known as lossy compression) that can be acceptably lost from visual information.
.Huffman coding, a technique of lossless compression that uses code tables based on statistics about the encoded data.
.Motion compensated predictive coding, in which the differences in what has changed between an image and its preceding image are calculated and only the differences are encoded.
.Bi-directional prediction, in which some images are predicted from the pictures immediately preceding and following the image.
(The first three techniques are also used in JPEG file compression.)

MSCDEX.EXE: The file used by DOS and Windows to assign a drive letter to the CD-ROM. This program (usually in the Autoexec.bat) requires the device driver for the CD-ROM to be presenting the Config.sys.

NDIS: the Network Device Driver Specification is the developed by Microsoft and 3COM

NETBUI: the NetBIOS Extended User Interface is an enhanced version of NetBIOS

NiCad BATTERIES: NICKEL CADMIUM. NiCad rechargeable batteries used in portable computers. These were the first batteries to be introduced onto notebooks.

NiMH BATTERIES: NICKEL METAL-HYDRIDE. Longer-lasting rechargeable batteries. This was the next generation of batteries after the NiCad batteries. Li-ION batteries are more superior.

NTSC: NATIONAL TELEVISION STANDARD COMMITTEE. This television standard is used primarily in the USA.

NTFS: NEW TECHNOLOGY FILE SYSTEM. This is a file system used in Windows NT and Windows 2000. It is more powerful that the FAT that Windows 9x uses. It gives you added security, so only if you have a password and/or have administrative privileges will you be able to access the data. Its other feature is that it is a compressed file system. Much more stable and secure than FAT. Windows NT has NTFS but is based on FAT 16. Windows 2000 has NTFS but is based on FAT 32. Windows NT and 2000 converts the FAT system into NTFS.

OEM: ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER. AJP is an OEM. This means that we build PC’s. This also means that any software or peripherals that we supply, we have to support. For example, if you have an issue with Windows 98 and it was purchased from us, we have to support it. Microsoft will not help at all with OEM products.

OLE: Object Linking and Embedding. This is Windows programming that allows a document created from one program to be "built-into" another. For instance, if you place a spreadsheet chart in a word-processor document, OLE allows the chart to be automatically updated if the figures in the spreadsheet change.

OPERATING SYSTEM: the master program that, after being initially loaded into the computer by a bootstrap program, manages all the other programs in a computer. The other programs are called applications. The applications make use of the operating system by making requests for services through a defined application program interface (API). In addition, users can interact directly with the operating system through an interface such as a command language. An operating system performs these services for applications:

In multitasking operating systems where multiple programs can be running at the same time, the operating system determines which applications should run in what order and how much time should be allowed for each application before giving another application a turn. It manages the sharing of internal memory among multiple applications.
It handles input and output to and from attached hardware devices, such as hard disks, printers, and dial-up ports. It sends messages to the applications or interactive user (or to a system operator) about the status of operation and any errors that may have occurred.
It can offload the management of what are called batch jobs (for example, printing) so that the initiating application is freed from this work.
On computers that can provide parallel processing, an operating system can manage how to divide the program so that it runs on more than one processor at a time.
All major computer platforms (hardware and software) require and sometimes include an operating system. Apple Macintosh (MacOS), UNIX, Windows 95, DEC's VMS, IBM's OS/2, AIX, and OS/390 are all examples of operating systems.

PAL: PHASE ATTENUATION BY LINE. This is a television transmission standard used throughout Europe.

PCMCIA: PERSONAL COMPUTER MEMORY CARD INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION. Also known as PC Cards, as PCMCIA is a bit of a mouthful. A Committee has produced the standard format for the credit card-sized, plug-in memories, modems, network cards, sound cards and other devices that are used with notebook computers.

PARALLEL PORT: Also known as LPT1. The parallel port is a 25 pin female port at the back of the notebook. In this port the most common peripheral to attach is a printer. In addition, Zip drives, CD-ROM’s, scanners and other computers can all (with the correct cable, hardware and software combination) use the parallel port. They are faster than the serial ports, because they have eight data lines, so can transmit eight bits (one byte) simultaneously, serial ports can only send one bit at a time.

PARTITION: Before a hard drive can be used on a PC, the drive must be partitioned. A hard drive can be split into multiple partitions (each is assigned a different letter). If the drive is larger than 2Gb and you are using FAT 16 i.e. DOS, then you will need to split the drive in two. If you are using Windows NT and using a hard drive larger than 4Gb then again you will have to split the drive. Once a disk has been partitioned it must be formatted before it can be used.

PCI: PERIPHERAL COMPONENT INTERCONNECT. This is the latest 32-bit architecture commonly used in Pentium and above PC’s.

PENTIUM: This is the most recent CPU from Intel. It has a 64-bit internal design and 3.1 million transistors. Similar processors from Intel's competitors are called 586 and 686.

PERIPHERAL: any hardware device attached to a PC: printer, modem, monitor, etc.

PIXEL: PICTURE ELEMENT: All notebook displays are made up of a grid of small dots (pixels). By changing the colour of specific pixels, images are created.

PLUG & PLAY: a Microsoft / Intel specification that allows for self-configuration of computers and peripherals. It is part of Windows 95 and requires a PnP motherboard to accommodate it. We do not recommend using PnP peripherals with Windows 3.X or non-PnP motherboards.

PORT REPLICATOR: Similar to a docking station, but does not add any hardware. It allows the user to slot their notebook into a unit, automatically plugging in the cables and thus preventing wear and tear of port connectors.

POWER SUPPLY UNIT: PSU. This converts 230VAC mains into 5 and 12V DC required by the notebook. The PSU’s supplied with the notebook are auto-sensing and are compatible worldwide.

PROCESSOR: Also known as the ‘chip’. This is the brain of the computer, obeying the instructions that make up a program. Types of processor include Pentium II, AMD K6 and Cyrix MX.

PS/2 PORT: An external type of port, which allows you to connect your mouse or keyboard to the computer. It is a small round, six-pin connector.

RAM: RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY. It is known as “random” because every byte of RAM can be individually addressed for instant access. They are volatile memory chips, which store data while power is applied to them. It forms the main memory inside PC’s and stores data in a binary form once it has been read from, or before it is written to disk. While a PC runs a program it is stored in RAM. The main drawback with RAM is that when the computer is turned off, everything in RAM is lost, so if it has not been saved to disk it has been permanently lost. RAM comes in various configurations, and is available in various types-DRAM, EDO, SDRAM, VRAM, SGRAM and ECC.

REBOOT: restarting a computer. You can do this by hitting the CTRL-ALT-DEL keys together (warm boot) or by pressing RESET or turning off/on (cold boot.) A cold boot is essential during virus removal.

RESOLUTION: The fineness of detail produced on a printer or monitor. A printer’s resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi). The image on a monitor is measured by the total number of vertical and horizontal dots that make it up.

ROM: READ ONLY MEMORY. This form of memory holds their programming contents permanently. For instance, the BIOS information your PC needs to start up is stored in ROM. It is a special type of non-volatile memory that (once it has been initially written to) cannot be written to, only read from.

SCSI: SMALL COMPUTER SYSTEM INTERFACE. This can support up to 8 devices (including the controller). Often used for hard drive, scanners, tape drive and CD-ROMs. The only way to have SCSI devices on a notebook is to buy a SCSI PCMCIA card. Adaptec are the most popular.

SDRAM: (Synchronous dynamic random access memory). This is a generic name for various kinds of DRAM that are synchronized with the clock speed that the microprocessor is optimised for. This tends to increase the number of instructions that the processor can perform in a given time. The speed of SDRAM is rated in MHz.

SECAM: système electronique couleur avec memoire. A television signal standard (625 lines, 50 Hz, 220 V primary power) used in France, eastern European countries, the former USSR, and some African countries.

SEEK TIME: the average time it takes for a hard drive to position its heads to a specific area. The shorter, the better!

SERIAL PORT: This is a connection for a serial device like a mouse or a modem. On a PC, this socket is a 9 pin male connector at the back of the notebook. They work with a single data line-sending data one bit at a time. Also known as a COM (Communication) port.

SGRAM: (Synchronous Graphics RAM). This is clock-synchronized RAM that is used for video memory. It is relatively low-cost video memory. It uses masked write, which enables selected data to be modified in a single operation rather as a sequence of read, update, and write operations. It also uses block write, which allows data for background or foreground image fills to be handled more efficiently. SGRAM is single-ported. Its special features are what make it a moderately fast form of video memory.

SURROUND SOUND: It is known as 3D Sound as well. Stereo sound is standard and uses two speakers. 3D sound attempts to create a full sound stage, including noises from the rear, using just two speakers. It works best with headphones, so is an ideal extra for a portable.

SVGA: SUPER VIDEO GRAPHICS ARRAY. This is an enhanced version of VGA. Unlike VGA, SVGA tends to be proprietary, with exact specifications varying from manufacturer to manufacturer. While a VGA display driver would generally work with any video card, SVGA drivers are specific to a particular video card. SVGA offers higher resolutions and greater colour depths than VGA. It is capable of doing resolutions of 1600 by 1200, depending if the monitor and video card are capable of going this high. They can also go up to 32-bit colour (16.7 million colours).

TCP/IP: This is the most widely used routeable network protocol, also the protocol which is used by the Internet.

TFT: Thin Film Transistor, a superior type of LCD screen also referred to as ‘active matrix display’. In this type of display its own transistor, which results in higher resolution, controls each of the screen’s pixels and contrast and an improved vertical refresh rate.

TRACKPAD/POINT: A pointing device that allows you to move the mouse pointer by sliding a finger around on a touch-sensitive surface. To click tap your finger on the surface or press a button.

TRUE COLOR: video cards that can show 24-bit colour (up to 16.7 million colours). Video cards with 1 MB of memory can handle true colour.

TSR: TERMINATE STAY RESIDENT. This is a program which when loaded stays in memory and remains active but returns control of the PC back to the user. Anti-virus packages tend to include a virus guard program which remains in memory looking for virus infection, this program is a TSR.

UDMA: ULTRA DIRECT MEMORY ACCESS. This is a new standard replacing the EIDE of hard drives. The main reason for this is that it allows data to be transferred at much faster speeds. In order to use UDMA, you need to have a hard drive, hard drive controller and operating system, all capable of using UDMA.

USB: UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS. A system of connecting up to 127 different peripherals (printers, modems, joysticks) to a computer using a single type of connector. Developed by a consortium including Intel and Microsoft, the USB will allow ‘hot’ insertion of peripherals – i.e. without powering down the system. It should also make things easier for the user by doing away with technicalities such as IRQ and DMA settings.

V.90: This is a standard for 56kbps modems. V.90 modems are designed to have download speeds of 56kbps and upload speeds of 33.6kbps.

VGA: Video Graphics Array, now considered a minimal screen display. 640x480 pixels in at least 256 colours.

VIDEO CONFERENCING: A setup in which each person has a small video camera on their desk enabling each person to' view and speak to each other over the network (being either local or wide using a telephone).

VIRUS: a piece of programming code inserted into other programming to cause some unexpected and, for the victim, usually undesirable event. Viruses can be transmitted by downloading programming from other sites or be present on a diskette. The source of the file you're downloading or of a diskette you've received are often unaware of the virus. The virus lies dormant until circumstances cause its code to be executed by the computer. Some viruses are playful in intent and effect ("Happy Birthday, Ludwig!") and some can be quite harmful, erasing data or causing your hard disk to require reformatting. Generally, there are three main classes of viruses:

File infectors. These viruses attach themselves to program files, usually selected .COM or .EXE files. Some can infect any program for which execution is requested, including .SYS, .OVL, .PRG, and .MNU files. When the program is loaded, the virus is loaded as well.
System or boot-record infectors. These viruses infect executable code found in certain system areas on a disk. They attach to the DOS boot sector on diskettes or the Master Boot Record on hard disks.
Macro viruses. These are among the most common viruses, and they tend to do the least damage. Macro viruses infect your Microsoft Word application and typically insert unwanted words or phrases.
The best protection against a virus is to know the origin of each program or file you load into your computer. Since this is difficult, you can buy anti-virus software that typically checks all of your files periodically and can remove any viruses that are found. Two leading anti-virus software products are Norton Anti-Virus and MacAfee Virus Scan.

WARM BOOT: rebooting a computer without turning the power off. Pressing CTRL-ALT-DEL on the keyboard of a PC will cause the system to perform a Warm Boot. You should however do a Cold Boot before trying to remove viruses.

WAVETABLE SYNTHESIS: creating sound from digital samples of real musical instruments. This method gives the most realistic MIDI music performance.

WINDOWS: The most popular Graphical User Interface (GUI) for the PC. Windows allows you to go into programs, switch between programs and manage files by clicking on icons with a mouse. Windows makes it easier to use DOS.

WIRELESS COMMS: This is electronic communications without using cables. Such as Infra red.

WWW: WORLD WIDE WEB. This is the most popular part of the Internet. This is the collective term for everything on the Internet that uses HTTP.

XGA: Extended Graphics Array. A computer display system that offers a resolution of 1,024x768 picture elements or ‘pixels’ with 256 colours at once. The display is compatible with the popular VGA system

ZIP DRIVE: a small, portable disk drive used primarily for backing up and archiving personal computer files. The trademarked Zip drive was developed and is sold by Iomega Corporation. Each Zip disk holds 100 megabytes of data or the equivalent of 70 floppy diskettes. The Iomega Zip drive comes with a software utility that lets you copy the entire contents of your hard drive to one or more Zip disks. (Copying 500 megabytes of data takes about 45 minutes and five Zip disks.) In addition to data backup, Iomega suggests these additional uses:

Archiving old e-mail or other files you don't use any more but may want to access someday
Storing unusually large files, such as graphic images that you need infrequently
Exchanging large files with someone
Putting your system on another computer, perhaps a portable computer
Keeping certain files separate from files on your hard disk (for example, personal finance files)

ZIP FILES: A commonly used software compression format. ZIP software uses advanced data compression techniques to take a file (or collection of files) and compress them into a single zip file, which is much smaller than the size of the original file(s). Once compressed in this form, zip files can then be unzipped to create the original files at their original sizes. Zip files are a very common way of exchanging files over the Internet.

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