| application |
An application (often called
"app" for short) is simply a program
with a GUI.
Note that it is different from an applet.
|
| boot |
Starting up an OS
is booting it. If the computer is already
running, it is more often called rebooting.
|
| browser |
A browser is a program
used to browse the web.
Some common browsers include Netscape,
MSIE
(Microsoft Internet Explorer), Safari,
Lynx,
Mosaic, Amaya,
Arena,
Chimera, Opera, Cyberdog, HotJava,
etc. |
| bug |
A bug is a mistake in the design of something,
especially software. A really severe bug
can cause something to crash. |
| champion |
A person who is IT literate and keen on
promoting the implementation of PC labs. |
| chat |
Chatting is like e-mail,
only it is done instantaneously and can
directly involve multiple people at once.
While e-mail now relies on one more or less
standard protocol,
chatting still has a couple competing ones.
Of particular note are IRC
and Instant
Messenger. One step beyond chatting
is called MUDding.
|
| click |
To press a mouse button. When done twice
in rapid succession, it is referred to as
a double-click. |
| cursor |
A point of attention on the computer screen,
often marked with a flashing line or block.
Text typed into the computer will usually
appear at the cursor. |
| database |
A database is a collection of data, typically
organized to make common retrievals easy
and efficient. Some common database programs
include Oracle, Sybase, Postgres,
Informix, Filemaker, Adabas, etc. |
| desktop |
A desktop system is a computer designed
to sit in one position on a desk somewhere
and not move around. Most general purpose
computers are desktop systems. Calling a
system a desktop implies nothing about its
platform. |
| directory |
Also called "folder", a directory
is a collection of files
typically created for organizational purposes.
Note that a directory is itself a file,
so a directory can generally contain other
directories. It differs in this way from
a partition.
|
| disk |
A disk is a physical object used for storing
data. It will not forget its data when it
loses power. It is always used in conjunction
with a disk drive. Some disks can be removed
from their drives, some cannot. Generally
it is possible to write new information
to a disk in addition to reading data from
it, but this is not always the case. |
| donor |
Somebody who gives (in this context money
or donations-in-kind). There are many different
types of donors: local and foreign, individuals,
foundations, trusts, NPOs and companies,
governments and government agencies |
drive
|
A device for storing and/or retrieving
data. Some drives (such as disk drives,
zip drives, and tape drives) are typically
capable of having new data written to them,
but some others (like CD-ROMs or DVD-ROMs)
are not. Some drives have random
access (like disk drives, zip drives,
CD-ROMs, and DVD-ROMs), while others only
have sequential
access (like tape drives). |
| e-mail |
E-mail is short for electronic mail. It
allows for the transfer of information from
one computer to another, provided that they
are hooked up via some sort of network
(often the Internet.
E-mail works similarly to FAXing, but its
contents typically get printed out on the
other end only on demand, not immediately
and automatically as with FAX. A machine
receiving e-mail will also not reject other
incoming mail messages as a busy FAX machine
will; rather they will instead be queued
up to be received after the current batch
has been completed. |
| file |
A file is a unit of (usually named) information
stored on a computer. |
| floppy |
An extremely common type of removable
disk.
Floppies do not hold too much data, but
most computers are capable of reading them.
Note though that there are different competing
format
used for floppies, so that a floppy written
by one type of computer might not directly
work on another. Also sometimes called "diskette".
|
| format |
The manner in which data is stored; its
organization. For example, VHS, SVHS, and
Beta are three different formats of video
tape. Computer information can be stored
in literally hundreds of different formats,
and can represent text, sounds, graphics,
animations, etc. Computer information can
be exchanged via different computer types
provided both computers can interpret the
format used. |
| function keys |
On a computer keyboard,
the keys that start with an "F"
that are usually (but not always) found
on the top row. They are meant to perform
user-defined tasks. |
| fundraising cycle |
The functions of fundraising from planning
to receiving donations – often covering
a twelve-month period. |
| funding proposal |
A document drawn up to be submitted to
a potential donor introducing an NPO, identifying
a need in society and focusing on how (via
a specific project) the NPO will address
the need. The proposal should also cover
the evaluation process as well as the future
sustainability of the project. |
| graphics |
Anything visually displayed on a computer
that is not text. |
| hardware |
The physical portion of the computer.
|
| hypertext |
A hypertext document is like a text document
with the ability to contain pointers to
other regions of (possibly other) hypertext
documents. |
| Internet |
The Internet is the world-wide network
of computers. There is only one Internet,
and thus it is typically capitalized (although
it is sometimes referred to as "the
'net"). It is different from an intranet.
|
| keyboard |
A keyboard on a computer is almost identical
to a keyboard on a typewriter. Computer
keyboards will typically have extra keys,
however. Some of these keys (common examples
include Control, Alt, and Meta) are meant
to be used in conjunction with other keys
just like shift on a regular typewriter.
Other keys (common examples include Insert,
Delete, Home, End, Help, function
keys,etc.) are meant to be used independently
and often perform editing tasks. Keyboards
on different platforms
will often look slightly different and have
somewhat different collections of keys.
Some keyboards even have independent shift
lock and caps lock keys. Smaller keyboards
with only math-related keys are typically
called "keypads". |
| language |
Computer programs
can be written in a variety of different
languages. Different languages are optimized
for different tasks. Common languages include
Java,
C,
C++,
ForTran,
Pascal,
Lisp,
and BASIC.
|
| laptop |
A laptop is any computer designed to do
pretty much anything a desktop
system can do but run for a short time (usually
two to five hours) on batteries. They are
designed to be carried around but are not
particularly convenient to carry around.
They are significantly more expensive than
desktop systems and have far worse battery
life than PDAs.
Calling a system a laptop implies nothing
about its platform. By far the fastest laptops
are the PowerPC
based Macintoshes.
|
| memory |
Computer memory is used to temporarily
store data. In reality, computer memory
is only capable of remembering sequences
of zeros and ones, but by utilizing the
binary
number system it is possible to produce
arbitrary rational numbers and through clever
formatting
all manner of representations of pictures,
sounds, and animations. The most common
types of memory are RAM,
ROM,
and flash.
|
| modem |
A modem allows two computers to communicate
over ordinary phone lines. It derives its
name from modulate / demodulate,
the process by which it converts digital
computer data back and forth for use with
an analog phone line. |
| monitor |
The screen for viewing computer information
is called a monitor. |
| mouse |
In computer parlance a mouse can be both
the physical object moved around to control
a pointer on the screen, and the pointer
itself. Unlike the animal, the proper plural
of computer mouse is "mouses".
|
| multimedia |
This originally indicated a capability
to work with and integrate various types
of things including audio, still graphics,
and especially video. Now it is more of
a marketing term and has little real meaning.
Historically the Amiga
was the first multimedia machine. Today
in addition to AmigaOS,
IRIX
and Solaris
are popular choices for high-end multimedia
work. |
| NC |
The term network computer
refers to any (usually desktop) computer
system that is designed to work as part
of a network
rather than as a stand-alone machine. This
saves money on hardware,
software,
and maintenance by taking advantage of facilities
already available on the network. The term
"Internet appliance" is often
used interchangeably with NC. |
| network |
A network (as applied to computers) typically
means a group of computers working together.
It can also refer to the physical wire etc.
connecting the computers. |
| notebook |
A notebook is a small laptop with similar
price, performance, and battery life. |
| NPO Act – Non-Profit
Organisation Act of 1998 |
South African legislation governing the
NPO sector. This act provides for voluntary
registration by non-profit organisations
and also stipulates the conditions for maintaining
such registration. |
| NPO Number |
a number granted by the Department of
Social Development’s NPO Directorate
on successful registration by an NPO in
terms of the NPO Act. |
| organizer |
An organizer is a tiny computer used primarily
to store names, addresses, phone numbers,
and date book information. They usually
have some ability to exchange information
with desktop
systems. They boast even better battery
life than PDAs
but are far less capable. They are extremely
inexpensive but are typically incapable
of running
any special purpose applications
and are thus of limited use. |
| OS |
The operating system
is the program
that manages a computer's resources. Common
OSes include Windows
'95, MacOS,
Linux,
Solaris,
AmigaOS,
AIX,
Windows
NT, etc. |
| PC |
The term personal computer properly refers
to any desktop,
laptop,
or notebook
computer system. Its use is inconsistent,
though, and some use it to specifically
refer to x86
based systems running MS-DOS,
MS-Windows,
GEOS,
or OS/2.
This latter use is similar to what is meant
by a WinTel
system. |
| PC lab |
A PC lab is a number of PCs that have
been refurbished and networked. |
| platform |
Roughly speaking, a platform represents
a computer's family. It is defined by both
the processor
type on the hardware
side and the OS type on the software
side. Computers belonging to different platforms
cannot typically run each other's programs
(unless the programs are written in a language
like Java).
|
| portable |
If something is portable it can be easily
moved from one type of computer to another.
The verb "to port" indicates the
moving itself. |
| printer |
A printer is a piece of hardware
that will print computer information onto
paper. |
| processor |
The processor (also called central processing
unit, or CPU) is the part of the computer
that actually works with the data and runs
the programs.
Some computers have more than one processor
and are thus called "multiprocessor".
This is distinct from multitasking.
Advertisers often use megahertz
numbers as a means of showing a processor's
speed. This is often extremely misleading;
megahertz numbers are more or less meaningless
when compared across different types of
processors. |
| program
|
A program is a series
of instructions for a computer, telling
it what to do or how to behave. The terms
"application"
and "app"
mean almost the same thing (albeit applications
generally have GUIs).
It is however different from an applet.
Program is also the verb that means to create
a program, and a programmer is one who programs.
|
| prospective donor (or potential
donor) |
A donor with which/whom a fundraiser has
begun communication regarding a donation
and who has indicated interest or not yet
declined. |
| resource mobilisation |
A newer term rapidly gaining popularity
to describe the broad process of NPOs finding
money, friends, volunteers, donations-in-kind
and establishing income generating projects
in the interests of their future financial
self-sustainability. |
| rollout |
The process of disseminating the PCs which
occurs once a PC lab is ready for distribution
and installation. |
| run |
Running a program
is how it is made to do something. The term
"execute" means the same thing.
|
| software |
The non-physical portion of the computer;
the part that exists only as data; the programs.
Another term meaning much the same is "code".
|
| spreadsheet |
A program
used to perform various calculations. It
is especially popular for financial applications.
Some common spreadsheets include Lotus 123,
Excel, OpenOffice
Spreadsheet, Octave, Gnumeric,
AppleWorks Spreadsheet, Oleo, and GeoCalc.
|
| user |
The operator of a computer. |
| word processor |
A program
designed to help with the production of
textual documents, like letters and memos.
Heavier duty work can be done with a desktop
publisher. Some common word processors
include MS-Word, OpenOffice
Write, WordPerfect, AbiWord,
AppleWorks Write, and GeoWrite. |
| www |
The World-Wide-Web
refers to all the publically accessable
documents on the Internet.
It is used quite loosely, and sometimes
indicates only HTML
files and sometimes FTP
files, too. It is also sometimes just referred
to as "the web". |