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| There are 226 entries in the glossary. |
| Pages: «1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 » |
| FDD | (Fixed Disk Drive, Floppy Disk Drive). The slot on the PC which accepts floppy disks, almost always referred to as [Drive A:] by the computer. |
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| Fiber Optics | A technology that uses glass (or plastic) threads (fibers) to transmit data. A fiber optic cable consists of a bundle of glass threads, each of which is capable of transmitting messages modulated onto light waves.Fiber optics has several advantages over traditional metal communications lines. Data can be transmitted digitally (the natural form for computer data) rather than analogically. The main disadvantage of fiber optics is that the cables are expensive to install. In addition, they are more fragile than wire and are difficult to split. |
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| File | All information on a computer is stored in files, whether it is part of a program, a document created by a user, a picture, or anything else. Most software is made up of dozens, sometimes hundreds, of different files. |
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| File server | A type of computer used on networks to provide files and other services to other computers. Often just called a server. |
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| Filter | A device which allows you to use an ordinary phone over a telephone line set up for an ADSL internet connection. Also called a micro-filter. |
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| FiOS | Verizon FiOS is a broadband service designed to provide TV, Phone Service and Internet access. FiOS can obtain a maximum connection speeds of up to 30 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps upstream. FiOS is fastern then dial-up, DSL and Cable internet because FiOS is provided on a state-of-the-art fiber-optic network. |
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| Firefox | An alternative browser, available free from Mozilla, which you can use instead of Internet Explorer. It has a number of useful extra features, but perhaps the best is that it doesn\\\'t support Windows ActiveX, thus preventing rogue websites from using it to hijack your computer. |
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| Firewall | Originally a dedicated computer between you and the internet, preventing hackers, spammers and similar undesirables from taking over your PC. Now often just a program running on your PC, performing the same task. Absolutely essential if you have an always-on internet connection such as ADSL or cable |
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| Firewire | A standard for very fast data transfer, popular for applications that use very large files, particularly video editing. Requires special hardware, generally added to a computer as an expansion card. |
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| Flame | Internet slang for an email or newsgroup post insulting or telling someone off. They range from elegant rapier wit to obscene profanity. |
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| Flamewar | A public trading of insults in a newsgroup or forum. Sometimes flamewars get so out of hand that there are hundreds of flames in the newsgroup and almost nothing else. |
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| Floppy disk | Also known as a diskette. Originally called floppy disks because they were round and non-rigid, but modern floppies might as well be called rigid squares, as the actual floppy disk is enclosed inside a rigid, almost square protective casing. Most programs used to be released on floppy disks, but modern programs are so large that they are now released on CD ROM or DVD instead. Standard floppy disks have a capacity of only 1.44 Megabytes. Floppy drives are becoming less standard on todays PCs. |
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| Folder | An area on a disk for storing files in. Folders can also contain other folders, which in turn can contain more folders, and so on almost to infinity. Also called a directory, especially by people used to DOS. |
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| Forum | A public or semi-public area on a website or bulletin board where you can read and post messages on a particular topic, allowing public debate. See also Usenet, newsgroups. |
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| FPS | (First Person Shooter) A computer game where you shoot things, played from a first person perspective, ie with you standing behind the gun(s). Also known as a shoot-\\\'em-up. Americas Army a free game developed by the United States Army is perfect example. |
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| frag | To shoot or kill someone in a computer game. |
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| FTP | (File Transfer Protocol). A way of transferring files to or from an internet server. Often how you upload webpages to the internet. |
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| GB | See Gigabyte. |
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| GHz | Gigahertz - billions of cycles per second. Often used as a measurement of a PC processor chip\\\'s speed and power, with bigger numbers meaning a bit more speed, and a higher price. 1000 MHz = 1.0 GigaHertz. See also MHz. |
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| GIF | (Graphics Interchange Format) A popular type of compressed graphics (picture) file, widely used on the WWW. Best for artwork with 256 colours or less. See also jpg, compression. |
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