A
AC Power
Power source that is used by all electronics devices, such as a digital camera, a laptop, scanner, etc.

Active Matrix
Referred to as Thin-Film-Transistor (TFT).  This technology acts faster at speeds 10 times faster than normal monitors.

ADSL
Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line.  It moves data at speeds up to 8.5mbits/sec.  The maximum speed is 9,000 feet.

Address Bus
A type of communication of the microprocessor which involves sending and receiving of data or instructions. 

AGP
Term used for Accelerated Graphics Port.  A bus specification from Intel that provides graphics cards faster access to PCI bus, and speeds up graphics display and texture rendering, especially virtual reality and 3D rendering and display.  It increases the use of frame buffer memory, helping 2D graphics performance as well.
There are various throughputs that are offered in the market (2X gives 533MBps, 4X gives 1.07GBps, 8X gives 2.15GBps)

AMR
Audio Modem Riser and CNR (Communications Network Riser) are slots on motherboards that can accommodate low cost sound cards, network cards, etc.  So far there isn't really much available for these slots, and they're not likely to be used much in the future either.

APM
Advanced Power Management.  It describes a layered control system that controls PC devices to reduce power consumption using both BIOS and API interfaces.

ASCII
Characters of information in the BIOS.  These are usually called ASCII codes.

ATA
A dominant hard disk interface for the PC.  Its full name is AT Attachment. 

ATX
A standard that defines the  number and position of the motherboard mounting holes and offers recommendations as to component, expansion board, and port connector placement.  An ATX board must use an ATX Power Supply. 

Audio Codec 97
A standard by which all audio systems could be measured.  It is a target for the designers of audio systems. 

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B
Bad Sector
In the manufacture of hard disk platters, defects occasionally occur in the magnetic medium.  These defects will not properly record data.  Sectors in which these defects occur are called bad sectors.

Bit
A measuring scale in the computing world.  8 bits of data will create 1-byte.

Byte
A measuring scale in the computing electronic world.  1 byte consists of 8-bits of information data.

Bays
Refers to a place in the computer to install a CD-Rom drive or other devices. 

Bi-directional Ports
A port that speeds up a parallel port connection by allowing simultaneous data communication between two devices connected with a cable.

BIOS
Basic Input/Output System of a computer which sets permanently recorded program routines that give the system its fundamental operational characteristics, including instruction telling the computer how to test itself every time it is turned on. 

BNC
Connector for connecting coaxial cables.  It is used to connect IEEE 802.3 cables. 

Boot Sector
The first sector in the BIOS.  It contains all the information required for the computer to start up. 

Buffer Underrun
This happens when a system cannot supply information to the CD Recorder fast enough.  The buffer of information is run out of data to write to the disc.

Bus
This term is used to describe the communication of data and information inside a computer.  Information is traveled as a bus to different parts of the computer such as the processor, memory chips, hard drive, etc.

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C
Cable Modems

Cache
A location that stores data or instructions that the microprocessor is most likely to need next.  These memory cache differ in size and location. 

CD
Short for compact disc.  Most commonly used to store program applications and can store up to 650MB of data.  Now, there are CDs that can store up to 700MB of information.

CD-R
Same as a compact disc, only that is blank and can be written by the user.  This disc can only be written once, and cannot be erased.

CD-RW
Same as a compact disc, and a CD-R only that is designed to allow the user to write to it multiple times.  It can be erased and re-write information to it. 

Chipsets
It is the support circuitry on the PC motherboard.

Clusters
A gathering of several sectors to make its basic unit of storage for disk files. 

CMOS
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor.

CNR
See AMR

Coaxial cables
Cable for networking that uses single ended signals.  The outer conductor operates at ground potential to serve as a shield. 

CROSSOVER
Network RJ-45 cables which pins are crossed over from one end to another.  These cables are often used to connect two computers together without using a switch or a hub in between. 

CRT
Term used for picture tubes that use the Cathode Ray Tubes. 

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D
Data Bits

DDR
Double Data Rate memory.  Memory chips that are double the speed of standard SDRAM memories.  DDR also consumes less power, which makes it well-suited to notebook computers.  The various numbers, DDR266/333/400, represent the bus speed of the memories.

DIMM
Dual Inline Memory Module.  A way of adding RAM to the computer.  DIMMs normally have 168 pins.

DirectX

DMA
Direct Memory Access.  A tool for a microprocessor to delegate the control of the bus to special circuitry dedicated to the task.

DPI
Dots per Inch is a measurement used both on monitors and printers. The measurements are done different ways though. The higher numbers on printers generally represent more detailed print quality (i.e. 1440x1440 would be very high resolution printing). The lower numbers on monitors represent clearer picture quality (i.e. .22 dpi would be a very high quality monitor).

DRAM
Dynamic RAM chip. 

DVD
Data and video discs that provide digital image and can store at least 2GB of information.  Typically used for storing movies.

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E
ECC
Error Correction Code.  Fixes single-bit errors without crashing the system.  Uses additional bits to determine the occurrence of memory error.

EDO
These memories refer to SIMMs. 

EPP
Enhanced Parallel Port.  Uses the same 25-pin D-shell connectors.  When it is enhanced, only the eight data lines and five signals actually are used. 

Ethernet
A network system or configuration that connects systems together.

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F
FAT
File Allocation Table.

FAT32
an enhancement of the File Allocation Table file system that supports large drives with improved disk space efficiency.

FCC
Federal Communications Commission.  Regulates certain standards of products.

FireWire
A type of connection that uses a IEEE 1394 cable connection.  Its speed is much faster than USB connection.

Flat Panel Display
Normally, it refers to LCD screens.  The technology of flat panel displays decrease the amount of light reflection projected onto the screen.

Flicker
Images take on a ghostly appearance, lingering for a few seconds and slowly fades away. 

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G
GIFs
A format of a graphic image.  GIF files take less space than other formats.

Gigabyte
A measuring scale to measure hard drives.  1 Gigabyte consists of 1000 Megabytes.

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H
Hard Drive
The computer's brain system.  It stores all the information and data in a computer system.

Handheld Devices
These are equivalent to PDAs.  They are computers that are the size of a hand. 

HTML
Short for HyperText Markup Language, the authoring language used to create documents on the World Wide Web.

Hub
Used to connect devices using twisted-pair copper media to hubs to concentrate computers together.

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I
I/O
Input output ports in a computer.

IDE
A hard drive connection type.  IDE stands for Integrated/Intelligent Drive Electronics. It is an ATA specification (the terms are often used interchangable). This is the most common disk interface for hard drives, CD-ROM drives, etc. It is easy to use, but also the most limited. IDE is integrated into your motherboard. It only allows for 4 devices.  The other option is SCSI which is faster, more complicated, and allows for many more devices. SCSI requires a separate add-on card and different types of hard drives (SCSI).

IEEE Ports
Named after the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers that set standards for different type of connections of cables for distinct devices.

IrDA
A port that uses infrared waves for communication.  Remote controls of a TV use this technology.

Internet
The World Wide Web.

IRQ
Abbreviation of interrupt request line, and pronounced I-R-Q. IRQs are hardware lines over which devices can send interrupt signals to the microprocessor.

ISA
is an older technology for connecting computer peripherals (stands for Industry Standard Architecture). Common current devices include modems and sound cards. ISA is much slower than PCI, so PCI devices are generally better if you have a choice. ISA is starting to fade and eventually will be removed entirely.  Most motherboards still come with at least one or two ISA slots on them.

ISDN
which stands for Integrated Services Digital Network, is a system of digital phone connections which has been available for over a decade. This system allows data to be transmitted simultaneously across the world using end-to-end digital connectivity.

ISP
Abbreviation for Internet Service Provider.  Examples of providers are AOL, CompuServe, MSN, EarthLink, and more.

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J
Java
A high-level programming language developed by Sun Microsystems.

JPEG

Jumpers
Small plastic connectors used to jumper specific pins in a computer motherboard.  It can also be used to set drives such as CD-Roms, DVD-Roms, and Hard drives to either Master, Slave, or Cable select.

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K
Kilobyte

KVM
Short for keyboard, video, mouse switch, a hardware device that enables a single keyboard, video monitor and mouse to control more than one computer one at a time.

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L
LAN
A computer network that spans a relatively small area. Most LANs are confined to a single building or group of buildings. However, one LAN can be connected to other LANs over any distance via telephone lines and radio waves.

LapLink

LCD
Abbreviation of liquid crystal display, a type of display used in digital watches and many portable computers. LCD displays utilize two sheets of polarizing material with a liquid crystal solution between them. An electric current passed through the liquid causes the crystals to align so that light cannot pass through them. Each crystal, therefore, is like a shutter, either allowing light to pass through or blocking the light.

LED
Abbreviation of light emitting diode, an electronic device that lights up when electricity is passed through it. LEDs are usually red. They are good for displaying images because they can be relatively small, and they do not burn out. However, they require more power than LCDs.

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M
MegaBytes
Megabytes are the measurement used for the amount of hard drive space available, used, required, etc. One megabyte is equal to one million bytes or one thousand kilobytes. One megabyte is small by today's typical file sizes.  Hard drive sizes are commonly given in gigabytes, each of which is one thousand megabytes. Memory is also measured in megabytes. 
Megapixel

Memory controller

MemoryStick

MIDI
Musical Instrument Device Interface.  MIDI instructions are used to communicate to the synthesizer circuitry on the sound board, to generate music and plays it through the mixer and amplifier on the sound board. 

MMX
A set of additional instruction (Multi-Media Extensions) integrated into CPUs starting with the Pentium MMX CPUs. They are still present in the Pentium III CPUs, and AMD integrated them into their K6 series of CPUs.  The MMX instruction sets had a fairly small impact.  SSE or KNI are a similar set that was integrated into the Pentium III and later CPUs.

Modem
Short for modulator-demodulator. A modem is a device or program that enables a computer to transmit data over, for example, telephone or cable lines.

Motherboard
It is essentially the entire computer.  It is a self contained board that holds the most vital electronic components. 

MP3
Is the file extension for MPEG, audio layer 3. Layer 3 is one of three coding schemes (layer 1, layer 2 and layer 3) for the compression of audio signals.  By using this format of compression, a normal audio track is compressed to 3 to 4MB of size.

MPEG
Short for Moving Picture Experts Group, and pronounced m-peg, a working group of ISO. The term also refers to the family of digital video compression standards and file formats developed by the group. MPEG generally produces better-quality video than competing formats, such as Video for Windows, Indeo and QuickTime. MPEG files can be decoded by special hardware or by software.

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N
NetBEUI
Pronounced net-booey, Netbeui is short for NetBios Enhanced User Interface. It is an enhanced version of the NetBIOS protocol used by network operating systems such as LAN Manager, LAN Server, Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95 and Windows NT.

Network

NICs
A Network Interface Card allows your computer to connect to a network of computers.  The most common type of NIC is ethernet - a very fast method of transferring data between computers. NIC uses a cable that usually connects to a hub which connects to a router which connects to a switch, and these pieces are also often connected to a server through the same type of cable and to the Internet backbone via a fiber optic cable

NTFS
Short for NT File System, one of the file system for the Windows NT operating system (Windows NT also supports the FAT file system).

NTSC
Abbreviation of National Television Standards Committee. The NTSC is responsible for setting television and video standards in the United States (in Europe and the rest of the world, the dominant television standards are PAL and SECAM).

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O
OCR
optical character recognition refers to the branch of computer science that involves reading text from paper and translating the images into a form that the computer can manipulate (for example, into ASCII codes).

Operating Systems

Overclocking
To run a microprocessor faster than the speed for which it has been tested and approved. Overclocking is a popular technique for eking out a little more performance from a system. In many cases, you can force your CPU to run faster than it was intended simply by setting a jumper on the motherboard. Overclocking does come with some risks, however, such as over-heating, so you should become familiar with all the pros and cons before you attempt it.

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P
Parallel port
A parallel interface for connecting an external device such as a printer. Most personal computers have both a parallel port and at least one serial port.

Parity
The quality of being either odd or even. The fact that all numbers have a parity is commonly used in data communications to ensure the validity of data. This is called parity checking.

Partitioning
To divide memory or mass storage into isolated sections.

PCB
Printed Circuit Boards, or PCB, a thin plate on which chips and other electronic components are placed. Computers consist of one or more boards , often called cards or adapters. Circuit boards can be a motherboard, an expansion board, a controller board and more.

PCI
Abbreviation for Peripheral Component Interconnect.  The most common PCI cards in the market include some low-end video cards, sound cards, modems, and network cards.

PCMCIA
The most common peripheral connection for laptops and notebook computers.  A card-type connector at a size of a credit card.  This connector is considered as a standard in the portable computer industry.

PDAs
Abbreviation for Personal Data Assistance.  It refers to a handheld computer. 

Pixel
Short for Picture Element, a pixel is a single point in a graphic image. Graphics monitors display pictures by dividing the display screen into thousands (or millions) of pixels, arranged in rows and columns. The pixels are so close together that they appear connected.

Plug and Play

PPGA
This stands for Plastic Pin Grid Array.  PPGA is the same as Socket 370 and is a relatively new CPU connection type. The CPUs are very similar to the Socet 7 CPUs, but they cannot be used in the same motherboards. Like the Socket 7 CPUs, they have pins at the bottom of a flat square CPU, and sit parallel to the surface of the motherboard. 

PS/2 port

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Q

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R
RAID
Short for Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks, a category of disk drives that employ two or more drives in combination for fault tolerance and performance. RAID disk drives are used frequently on servers but aren't generally necessary for personal computers.

RAM
Random Access Memory

RAMBus
Rambus Dynamic Random Access Memory.  A high-bandwidth, high speed DRAM from Rambus Inc.  These memories are used only in Pentium 4 systems. 

RCA

Refresh Rate
This is the speed at which the monitor's picture is redrawn or flashed in front of your eyes. Slower refresh rates provide a noticable flicker.  Higher refresh rates create a steady picture (and is easier on your eyes). The refresh rate is determined by the video card, but also must be supported by the monitor. The maximum refresh rate will be different for different resolutions.  A minimum of 75 Hertz is recommended (TV refresh rates are 30 Hz, which is why there is a noticable flicker).

RIMMs
Another term to describe RAMBus memories.

ROM
Read only memory.  Instructions of data that is stored and cannot be written.

RS-232
A standard connection code for serial connection cables.  These cables use 9-pin connections.

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S
S-Video
Super-Video, a technology for transmitting video signals over a cable by dividing the video information into two separate signals: one for color (chrominance), and the other for brightness (luminance). When sent to a television, this produces sharper images than composite video , where the video information is transmitted as a single signal over one wire. This is because televisions are designed to display separate Luminance (Y) and Chrominance (C) signals. (The terms Y/C video and S-Video are the same.)

SATA
Serial ATA is a serial link -- a single cable with a minimum of four wires that creates a point-to-point connection between devices. Transfer rates for Serial ATA begin at 150MBps. One of the main design advantages of Serial ATA is that the thinner serial cables facilitate more efficient airflow inside a form factor and also allow for smaller chassis designs. Serial ATA cables can extend up to one meter.

SCSI
This acronym is pronounced "scuzzy" and stands for Small Computer Systems Interface. There are two types of interfaces for hard drives, CD-ROM drives, etc.  One is SCSI, the other is IDE.  IDE is much more common and less expensive. SCSI is more expensive and also more flexible and generally faster. 

SDRAM
Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory.  High-speed DRAM that adds a separate clock signal to the control signals.  SDRAM can transfer bursts of non-contiguous data at 100 MB per second.

SIMM
Single Inline Memory Module.  A slim circuit board that holds Random Access Memory chips.  These memory chips must be plugged in multiples of two or four. 

Storage Device
Devices and tools that are used to store data and information.  These tools can be a CD, a hard drive, or memory chips such as Memory Sticks, Compact Flash memory, or Smart Media.

Switches
Full-duplex dedicated bandwidth to LAN.  It is also called an intelligent hub that guarantees a certain amount of connection to the computer to which it is connected.

SVGA
Short for Super VGA. 

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T
T1

Tape Backup
A storage device used to backup large size information.

TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, the suite of communications protocols used to connect hosts on the Internet. TCP/IP uses several protocols, the two main ones being TCP and IP. TCP/IP is built into the UNIX O/S and is used by the Internet, making it the standard for transmitting data over networks. Even network O/S that have their own protocols, such as  Netware, also support TCP/IP.

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U
UltraDMA/UltraATA
Also known as ATA/33, this is a technology in newer IDE hard drives that allows for greater overall throughput.  ATA/66 is now available with many hard drives which is even faster.  However, a 7200 rpm ATA/33 drive will generally be faster than a 5400 rpm ATA/66 drive. That is, the speed of the drive itself is much more important than the ATA/33 or 66 rating. 

Universal Serial Bus
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus and is a new technology theoretically capable of connecting a very large number of external devices on a computer.  USB is intended primarily for low bandwidth (slow) components such as mice, keyboards, modems, joysticks, etc., but not fast devices like hard drives

UPS
This stands for Uninterruptable Power Supply, and it is a device that provides continuous, reliable power to your computer.  It is a device that plugs into your outlets and you then plug your computer, monitor, and other components into. It uses a battery to make sure that the computer will stay on even if there is a power outage

UTP
Unshielded Twisted Pair, a popular type of cable that consists of two unshielded wires twisted around each other. Due to its low cost, UTP cabling is used extensively for (LANs) and telephone connections. UTP cabling does not offer as high bandwidth or as good protection from interference as coaxial or fiber optic cables, but it is less expensive and easier to work with.

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V
VGA
This is the most common connector for a video monitor for computers.  It consists of a 15-pin high density D-shell connector. 

Virus
A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Viruses can also replicate themselves. All computer viruses are manmade.

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W
WAV
The format for storing sound in files developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM. Support for WAV files was built into Win95 making it the standard for sound on PCs. WAV sound files end with a .wav extension and can be played by nearly all Windows applications that support sound.

Web

WWW
The world wide web.  It allows people to go to the Internet.

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X
XGA
Short for extended graphics array, a hi-resolution graphics standard introduced by IBM in 1990. XGA was designed to replace the older 8514/A video standard.  It provides the same resolutions (640 by 480 or 1024 by 768 pixels), but supports more simultaneous colors (65 thousand compared to 8514/A's 256 colors). In addition, XGA allows monitors to be not-interlaced.

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Y-Z
 

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