Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the word commonly used to describe the data transfer rate of an internet connection. The more bandwidth you have the quicker you can download your web pages or files.
Bing
Bing is a search engine provided by Microsoft
BIOS
BIOS stands for Basic Input Output System and is the part that loads on your computer before any other part does including the operating system. The BIOS checks all the hardware on your computer and if it deems everything to be ok it will then proceed to load your operating system. The BIOS is stored on an EPROM chip on the main board of your computer.
Blu-Ray
Blu-Ray is an optical disc format that is used to store a large amount of data (25GB). Blu-Ray is commonly used for High Definition videos. It is expected that in time Blu-Rays will replace DVD`s as the media of choice for movies.
Bookmark
Bookmark in computer jargon usually refers to an internet bookmark which is the process of saving a web page so that you can easily find it at a later date without having to remember and type in the address again. In some browsers they are referred to as favourites but mean the same thing.
Boot
When someone tells you to boot your computer although tempting when you have a problem they do not mean physically kick the computer. What they mean in computer jargon is simply turn the computer on. It is called booting as when the computer starts it goes through a boot process loading all the devices and settings.
Broadband
Broadband is what most of us use to connect to the world-wide web and is a high-speed connection to the internet as oppose to a dial up connection. You pay an Internet service provider a monthly subscription for your broadband connection.
Browser
People often confuse a browser with a search engine or operating system. When refered to in computer terms a browser is a software program that translates code sent over the internet so that it is viewable and readable to us. Think or your browser as a translator that is translating a language you do not understand into something you do. Common browsers include Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is computer jargon that confuses even the best of us is the process of offering applications and services over the internet and is a relatively new concept. The idea behind a cloud is that many users can share the same information. Cloud backups are now a popular service and if you have used Google drive this is another example of a cloud based service where you can access the data from any machine anywhere and share with anyone. Mozy is a good example of a cloud backup service
Codec
Codec’s refer to video and audio files. Audio and video are often compressed to save space and this is done using a codec. To play a movie or audio file after it has been compressed you need the codec to play the audio or movie back. The most popular codec’s are AVI and MPEG. Codec’s are also used to broadcast live over the internet or stream movies.
Command Prompt
A command prompt is a command line interface such as DOS. The command prompt allows user to type commands into a simple text interface. Most users never need to use a command prompt unless prompted to by technical support in which case it can be found under accessories in windows.
Control panel
When used in computer terms the control panel is sort of the mission control of your windows operating system. It allows you to make a lot of changes to how your computer runs including hardware settings, software settings, appearance settings, mouse and keyboard settings. Pretty much every part of the operating system can be modified via the control panel.
Cookie
No not the eating type but the computer jargon type that techs tend to use. A cookie on a computer refers to a small amount of data generated by a website when you visit that is stored on your computer. It is designed to remember basic information about you to enhance future visits. For example if you have to login to the site you can opt to remember login details so you don’t have to go through a login process every time. Other uses are things like remembering you location to give weather for your area.
Copy
Copy when talking in computer terms means exactly what you think it means, it means to copy something. This is usually used when copying and pasting text or files to somewhere else. You can copy text or a file by simply selecting it and pressing CTRL and C together on your keyboard.
Cursor
A cursor is used to show you the location of your mouse on the screen. This is usually an arrow but can change depending on circumstances. For example if you were enlarging a window it would turn to a line with an arrow at each end. A cursor is also used to show where the next character will be typed when using a word processor or similar.
Cut
Whereas copy just copies an item and makes a duplicate somewhere else cut actually moves an item from one location to another. You can cut by simply pressing CTRL and X together.
And there you have it our computer jargon and common computer terms explained. Lookout for our next installment and be sure to “bookmark us” (now you know what that means)
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