Computer Terms

Named after a French engineer, the term baud was historically associated with the speed measurement of telegraphic transmissions. Today, the terms baud and bps, or bits per second, are associated with computer modems. However, baud is not always synonymous with bps. Only when referring to low speed modems is the term baud interchangeable with bps

The term BBS usually refers to Bulletin Board System, an online message center where you can post messages or review and respond to messages that others have left previously. A BBS is a host computer that's accessed through modem dial-up. In order to do so, you usually need to know the phone number of the host.

DOS, or Disk Operating System, is an operating system for computers that does not use graphics and operates using only text commands. DOS was originally designed for IBM by Microsoft, and was commonly considered the standard operating system for IBM compatible personal computers up until the early 1990's .

A word that might be puzzling for some computer novices is the term 'downloading.' Downloading refers to the duplication of information or data from another source, usually a Web page or a file from a bulletin board service, onto your computer. You can also download data from a network file server, which is one computer devoted mostly to the storage of computer files.

In computer terminology, the term 'file format' describes a prearranged order of collected data. The different files or documents on your computer are classified and categorized according to the type of file or document. The different types of file formats indicate how the information in the file is organized. For example, file formats can specify whether or not a file is readable or not.

GUI is an acronym that stands for graphical user interface. A GUI makes it simple to use what are often considered to be complicated programs. Instead of having to type out arcane, complicated text commands to run a program, you simply point your mouse cursor at the on-screen icon which represents the program and click on it.

Information recorded on computers can be narrowed down to finite units, called bits. Bits, an abbreviation for the term 'binary digits,' are the smallest unit of information that the computer uses during operation. Bits can be grouped together to create larger bundles of information, called bytes, an abbreviation for 'binary units.

MPC stands for multimedia personal computer. Multimedia means your computer can handle text, graphics, video, animation, and sound. The ability to read and write text, draw and paint graphics, run and edit videos, animate, and play and record sounds are all possible as a result of integrated multimedia packages.

RAM, or Random Access Memory, is the memory that your computer uses to store information temporarily about the programs that are currently running. RAM is usually measured or megabytes, or millions of bytes. Most computers are capable of using up to 512 megabytes of RAM, but usually come with anywhere from 32 to 128 megabytes.

ROM stands for read-only memory. Devices that use read-only memory, such as your computer, calculator, and printer, are using stored data that can't be altered by the user. That is, you're limited only to reading the information recorded - you can't write over what's already been recorded. This is mostly a protective feature to prevent you from accidentally writing over crucial data your computer needs to run properly.

Formerly, VLB, short for VESA Local-Bus, was the dominant design for computer bus hardware. VESA, in turn, stands for video electronics standards association. A bus is an internal hardware device that connects the various hardware components of a personal computer, such as a monitor and printer, to the computer's main processor.