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Computer Glossary: F-P

Fat Binary: Macintosh software which includes the codes required to operate correctly on both 680x0 and PowerPC processors.

File: Defined group of data given a singular name. (Note: The term Data File is usually used to describe files created by the user. System File and Application File describe files created by software publishers.)

Finder: System software application that creates and displays the Macintosh Desktop, and allows users to navigate through the various drives, windows and folders that store and display files. The Finder application is stored in the Mac's System Folder.

FireWire: Working name for a high-speed communications standard under development to replace SCSI as the primary bus used to communicate between computers and storage devices.

Floppy Disk: (Floppies) Flexible data storage disk encased in a rigid plastic casing for protection. Original floppy disks measured 5.25" in diameter and were covered by a flexible sleeve. Since 1984, all Macs and most PCs have used the more durable 3.5" plastic diskettes. Data is recorded on or removed from disk using the "Diskette Drive" inside the computer. Modern floppies hold 1.44MB data. (Note: Some older Macs and PCs contain diskette drives which are not capable of using high capacity (HD) diskettes and can only access older 800K disks. Mac floppy drives are also referred to as SuperDrives.

Folder: Named storage space which contains a group of files. Macintosh Folders can also hold other folders. While the Finder is active, double-clicking on a folder icon opens a Window which displays the files present inside the folder. (Equal to a Windows subdirectory.)

Format: Specific language a device or software application uses to create or record data. Other devices and software can read this data only if the required translation software is found. For example, PCs and Macs use a different Format to record data on floppy disks. However, Macs can read and understand both formats. The term "Format" also describes the process of preparing a data storage device to accept data.

Freeze: Situation that occurs when an error causes the computer to no longer accept any form of user input.

Freeze Loop: Situation that occurs when an error causes the processor to continuously attempt to execute the same instruction. Represented by an unusually lengthy appearance of the "spinning ball" or "spinning watch" cursors. (Note: It is normal for these cursors to appear briefly any time the processor is executing a complex instruction.)

GIF: (Graphics Interchange Format, pronounced with a soft "g" as in "jif") File compression technology used to reduce the size of bitmap images on the Internet. Limited to a 256 color palette.

Gigabyte: (GB or "gigs" - pronounced with a hard "g," as in "game") Large measurement unit for computer data or space. One Gigabyte equals 1,024 Megabytes.

Graphics Accelerator: Printed circuit board containing VRAM and specialized circuitry to improve onscreen color accuracy and accelerate monitor performance. Mostly used by professionals.

GUI: (Graphical User Interface, pronounced "Gooey") It was the Graphical User Interface that set the Macintosh apart from all other computers in 1984. With a GUI, a mouse is used to point and click at objects on screen, making the computer much faster and easier to operate. Microsoft copied the Macintosh GUI to create the Windows Operating System in 1987.

Hard Disk Drive: (Also: Disk Drive, Hard Drive, Hard Disk) Mechanical device used to permanently store data. Uses magnetized metal particles to represent each data bit. Actual working mechanism is sealed inside a protective case to prevent dust infiltration which could damage data or cause premature mechanical failure.

HFS / HFS-Plus: (Hierarchal File System) Guidelines used to define the arrangement and maximum number of files on a Macintosh storage device. HFS-Plus (available only with MacOS version 8.1 or higher) allows for a greater maximum number of files.

HTML: (HyperText Markup Language) Device independent standard file format for displaying information on the Internet

Icon: Picture which visually represents a File within a Graphical User Interface (GUI).

IDE: Acronym for Independent Device Electronics, a hardware and software specification used to define communications between a computer and peripheral storage devices. (Also "EIDE for "Enhanced".) Often used interchangeably with the acronym ATA.

Ink Jet Printer: Any printing device which reproduces images on paper by spraying a defined pattern of tiny ink droplets onto the paper. Mac ink jet printers use QuickDraw technology - a reproduction of the screen image - to define the ink droplet pattern

Intel: Respected manufacturer of computer processors that has been forced to continue making poorer-performing CISC processors due to the limitations of the Microsoft Windows operating system.

IRC: (Internet Relay Chat) Language for controlling communications between two or more persons over a TCP/IP connection

ISDN: (Integrated Services Digital Network) Developing communications standard for high-speed modem connections.

JPEG: (Also: JPG, Pronounced "J-Peg") File compression technology used to compress bitmapped images on web sites to improve download speeds and to reduce storage space requirements.

Kilobyte: (KB or K) Measurement unit for computer data or space. One Kilobyte equals 1,024 Bytes.

Laser Printer: Device which reproduces images on paper by using a laser beam to electronically charge selected areas of the paper, then heat-fusing dry toner to those areas. Most contain a built-in processor to improve image clarity and deliver faster print speeds.

License: Legal definition of how an application can be used, copied and/or distributed. Most often, a license grants one person temporary usage of an application on a single computer. Unauthorized copying or distribution is called "Software Piracy," a violation of federal Copyright law that is punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.

Line Screen: Defines the lines-per-inch (lpi) which determine the maximum number of gradations used to reproduce continuous-tone images using individual dots of printing ink or toner on paper. (Most modern laser printers are optimized to produce a line screen of 85 lpi.)

LocalTalk: Built-in networking hardware and software format found in every Macintosh computer.

Logic Board: Large printed circuit board inside your computer to which all memory chips, electronic components and devices are mounted or connected. Essentially, the heart of your computer system.

Macintosh: Delightfully fast, stabile, affordable and productive brand of personal computers which the rest of the industry has unsuccessfully been attempting to duplicate since 1984.

MacOS: (Macintosh Operating System, System Software) The set of files which allow a computer to operate. (See: Operating System.)

Manual: Printed book that ships with most hardware devices and applications. Provides helpful answers to every question you have about using the application or device. Please read the manual!

Media: Term to describe the physical form of the recording surface in a data storage device.

Megabyte: (MB or "megs") Measurement unit for computer data or space. One Megabyte equals 1,024 Kilobytes.

Megahertz: (MHz) Unit of measure for the speed of repetitive electronic events. Literally means "millions of cycles per second." The clock chip inside your computer regulates the system's operation by sending synchronizing pulses to each of the various logic board components.

Microsoft: Large software company that convinced IBM to pay for the purchase and alteration of a third company's prototype operating system, then sold that same operating system to any company that "acquired" the hardware technology needed to duplicate the IBM PC.

MMX: Brand name of Intel's "Multimedia Extensions" technology - a series of CISC instructions permanently embedded on some processors to allow PCs to perform certain multimedia tasks at higher speeds. Requires software specifically written to include this instruction set.

Modem: (MOdulator-DEModulator) Device which converts digital computer signals to analog (sound) signals for transmission and communications over phone wires.

Motherboard: (See: Logic Board)

MTBF: (Mean Time Between Failures) Estimated mechanical life span of a device, usually expressed in hours. Often used for disk drives.

Network: (LAN - Local Area Network) Two or more computers connected in a manner that allows sharing of files or peripherals. For example, if you Network four Macs, they can all use the same printer. Term also describes the process of connecting devices together on a network, as in "We're going to network these machines tomorrow."

NuBus: Older hardware and software specification for communicating with expansion devices. NuBus "slots" were found inside the first Power Macs and older Macs that used Motorola 680x0 processors. NuBus has now been replaced by PCI.

Operating System: The collection of Files that controls all computer operations. On a Macintosh, the Operating System is collected inside the System Folder, which is stored on the hard disk drive.

Page Layout Program: Software application that allows users to arrange both words and pictures on paper with exact precision. Many novice users attempt to accomplish page layout tasks using a word processor. The results are often unprofessional and disappointing.

Partition: Process of creating two or more volumes on a single data storage device.

Parallel: Hardware and software specification for communications between PCs and peripheral devices (usually printers).

PCI: (Peripheral Component Interface) Hardware and software specification for communicating with expansion devices. Inside your computer, you may have up to three PCI "slots" to accept expansion cards which enhance your system's performance and abilities.

Pentium: (also: Pentium II and Pentium Pro) Brand name of Intel's series of high-performance CISC processors.

Peripheral: Any external device attached by cables to a computer.

Pixel: (Picture Element) One single point of light on a monitor screen, or one single grid point in a bitmapped image data file.

Platform: Term used to define the broadest range of compatible hardware. For example, there are more than 15,000 software titles written for the Macintosh Platform.

Plug-In: Extensions written for use with one specific application.

Port: Cool technobabble word for any socket on the outside of your computer into which cables are inserted.

Postscript: Page description language developed by Adobe to define the appearance of an image or page. Provides improved color accuracy and precision compared to QuickDraw printing technology. Requires a Postscript processor to translate the data into imaging commands the printer can recognize. (See also: Laser Printer, RIP)

PowerPC: Brand name of the RISC processors used by Macintosh computers. Developed by the A.I.M. alliance - a cooperative business venture between Apple, IBM and Motorola.

PPC: Acronym for PowerPC. Typically used with software designed to be run on computers which use the PowerPC series of processors.

PPI: (Pixels-per-Inch) Standard of measurement used when discussing monitors, scanners and data files. (See: Resolution)

PPP: (Point-to-Point Protocol) Language used by computers to establish communications with remote computers using a modem connection.

PRAM: (Parameter RAM, pronounced "Pea-RAM") Small RAM space located on the computer's logic board which stores user preferences for memory allocation, current date and time, display resolution and bit depth. Unlike all other RAM, PRAM is connected to a long-life lithium or alkaline battery which allows it to remember these settings even when the machine is turned off. Battery failure and PRAM corruption can cause the computer to behave erratically.

Processor: (See: CPU)

Program: (See: Application)

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Resources: 8 of 10
Computer Glossary: F-P Fat Binary: Macintosh software which includes the codes required to operate correctly on both 680x0 and PowerPC processors. File: Defined group of data given a singular name. (Note: The term Data File is usually used to describe files created by the user. System File and Application File describe files created by software publishers.) Finder: System software application that creates and displays the Macintosh Desktop, and allows users to navigate through the various drives, windows and folders that store and display files. The Finder application is stored in the Mac's System Folder. FireWire: Working name for a high-speed communications standard under development to replace SCSI as the primary bus used to communicate between computers and storage devices. Floppy Disk: (Floppies) Flexible data storage disk encased in a rigid plastic casing for protection. Original floppy disks measured 5.25" in diameter and were covered by a flexible sleeve. Since 1984, all Macs and most PCs have used the more durable 3.5" plastic diskettes. Data is recorded on or removed from disk using the "Diskette Drive" inside the computer. Modern floppies hold 1.44MB data. (Note: Some older Macs and PCs contain diskette drives which are not capable of using high capacity (HD) diskettes and can only access older 800K disks. Mac floppy drives are also referred to as SuperDrives. Folder: Named storage space which contains a group of files. Macintosh Folders can also hold other folders. While the Finder is active, double-clicking on a folder icon opens a Window which displays the files present inside the folder. (Equal to a Windows subdirectory.) Format: Specific language a device or software application uses to create or record data. Other devices and software can read this data only if the required translation software is found. For example, PCs and Macs use a different Format to record data on floppy disks. However, Macs can read and understand both formats. The term "Format" also describes the process of preparing a data storage device to accept data. Freeze: Situation that occurs when an error causes the computer to no longer accept any form of user input. Freeze Loop: Situation that occurs when an error causes the processor to continuously attempt to execute the same instruction. Represented by an unusually lengthy appearance of the "spinning ball" or "spinning watch" cursors. (Note: It is normal for these cursors to appear briefly any time the processor is executing a complex instruction.) GIF: (Graphics Interchange Format, pronounced with a soft "g" as in "jif") File compression technology used to reduce the size of bitmap images on the Internet. Limited to a 256 color palette. Gigabyte: (GB or "gigs" - pronounced with a hard "g," as in "game") Large measurement unit for computer data or space. One Gigabyte equals 1,024 Megabytes. Graphics Accelerator: Printed circuit board containing VRAM and specialized circuitry to improve onscreen color accuracy and accelerate monitor performance. Mostly used by professionals. GUI: (Graphical User Interface, pronounced "Gooey") It was the Graphical User Interface that set the Macintosh apart from all other computers in 1984. With a GUI, a mouse is used to point and click at objects on screen, making the computer much faster and easier to operate. Microsoft copied the Macintosh GUI to create the Windows Operating System in 1987. Hard Disk Drive: (Also: Disk Drive, Hard Drive, Hard Disk) Mechanical device used to permanently store data. Uses magnetized metal particles to represent each data bit. Actual working mechanism is sealed inside a protective case to prevent dust infiltration which could damage data or cause premature mechanical failure. HFS / HFS-Plus: (Hierarchal File System) Guidelines used to define the arrangement and maximum number of files on a Macintosh storage device. HFS-Plus (available only with MacOS version 8.1 or higher) allows for a greater maximum number of files. HTML: (HyperText Markup Language) Device independent standard file format for displaying information on the Internet Icon: Picture which visually represents a File within a Graphical User Interface (GUI). IDE: Acronym for Independent Device Electronics, a hardware and software specification used to define communications between a computer and peripheral storage devices. (Also "EIDE for "Enhanced".) Often used interchangeably with the acronym ATA. Ink Jet Printer: Any printing device which reproduces images on paper by spraying a defined pattern of tiny ink droplets onto the paper. Mac ink jet printers use QuickDraw technology - a reproduction of the screen image - to define the ink droplet pattern Intel: Respected manufacturer of computer processors that has been forced to continue making poorer-performing CISC processors due to the limitations of the Microsoft Windows operating system. IRC: (Internet Relay Chat) Language for controlling communications between two or more persons over a TCP/IP connection ISDN: (Integrated Services Digital Network) Developing communications standard for high-speed modem connections. JPEG: (Also: JPG, Pronounced "J-Peg") File compression technology used to compress bitmapped images on web sites to improve download speeds and to reduce storage space requirements. Kilobyte: (KB or K) Measurement unit for computer data or space. One Kilobyte equals 1,024 Bytes. Laser Printer: Device which reproduces images on paper by using a laser beam to electronically charge selected areas of the paper, then heat-fusing dry toner to those areas. Most contain a built-in processor to improve image clarity and deliver faster print speeds. License: Legal definition of how an application can be used, copied and/or distributed. Most often, a license grants one person temporary usage of an application on a single computer. Unauthorized copying or distribution is called "Software Piracy," a violation of federal Copyright law that is punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both. Line Screen: Defines the lines-per-inch (lpi) which determine the maximum number of gradations used to reproduce continuous-tone images using individual dots of printing ink or toner on paper. (Most modern laser printers are optimized to produce a line screen of 85 lpi.) LocalTalk: Built-in networking hardware and software format found in every Macintosh computer. Logic Board: Large printed circuit board inside your computer to which all memory chips, electronic components and devices are mounted or connected. Essentially, the heart of your computer system. Macintosh: Delightfully fast, stabile, affordable and productive brand of personal computers which the rest of the industry has unsuccessfully been attempting to duplicate since 1984. MacOS: (Macintosh Operating System, System Software) The set of files which allow a computer to operate. (See: Operating System.) Manual: Printed book that ships with most hardware devices and applications. Provides helpful answers to every question you have about using the application or device. Please read the manual! Media: Term to describe the physical form of the recording surface in a data storage device. Megabyte: (MB or "megs") Measurement unit for computer data or space. One Megabyte equals 1,024 Kilobytes. Megahertz: (MHz) Unit of measure for the speed of repetitive electronic events. Literally means "millions of cycles per second." The clock chip inside your computer regulates the system's operation by sending synchronizing pulses to each of the various logic board components. Microsoft: Large software company that convinced IBM to pay for the purchase and alteration of a third company's prototype operating system, then sold that same operating system to any company that "acquired" the hardware technology needed to duplicate the IBM PC. MMX: Brand name of Intel's "Multimedia Extensions" technology - a series of CISC instructions permanently embedded on some processors to allow PCs to perform certain multimedia tasks at higher speeds. Requires software specifically written to include this instruction set. Modem: (MOdulator-DEModulator) Device which converts digital computer signals to analog (sound) signals for transmission and communications over phone wires. Motherboard: (See: Logic Board) MTBF: (Mean Time Between Failures) Estimated mechanical life span of a device, usually expressed in hours. Often used for disk drives. Network: (LAN - Local Area Network) Two or more computers connected in a manner that allows sharing of files or peripherals. For example, if you Network four Macs, they can all use the same printer. Term also describes the process of connecting devices together on a network, as in "We're going to network these machines tomorrow." NuBus: Older hardware and software specification for communicating with expansion devices. NuBus "slots" were found inside the first Power Macs and older Macs that used Motorola 680x0 processors. NuBus has now been replaced by PCI. Operating System: The collection of Files that controls all computer operations. On a Macintosh, the Operating System is collected inside the System Folder, which is stored on the hard disk drive. Page Layout Program: Software application that allows users to arrange both words and pictures on paper with exact precision. Many novice users attempt to accomplish page layout tasks using a word processor. The results are often unprofessional and disappointing. Partition: Process of creating two or more volumes on a single data storage device. Parallel: Hardware and software specification for communications between PCs and peripheral devices (usually printers). PCI: (Peripheral Component Interface) Hardware and software specification for communicating with expansion devices. Inside your computer, you may have up to three PCI "slots" to accept expansion cards which enhance your system's performance and abilities. Pentium: (also: Pentium II and Pentium Pro) Brand name of Intel's series of high-performance CISC processors. Peripheral: Any external device attached by cables to a computer. Pixel: (Picture Element) One single point of light on a monitor screen, or one single grid point in a bitmapped image data file. Platform: Term used to define the broadest range of compatible hardware. For example, there are more than 15,000 software titles written for the Macintosh Platform. Plug-In: Extensions written for use with one specific application. Port: Cool technobabble word for any socket on the outside of your computer into which cables are inserted. Postscript: Page description language developed by Adobe to define the appearance of an image or page. Provides improved color accuracy and precision compared to QuickDraw printing technology. Requires a Postscript processor to translate the data into imaging commands the printer can recognize. (See also: Laser Printer, RIP) PowerPC: Brand name of the RISC processors used by Macintosh computers. Developed by the A.I.M. alliance - a cooperative business venture between Apple, IBM and Motorola. PPC: Acronym for PowerPC. Typically used with software designed to be run on computers which use the PowerPC series of processors. PPI: (Pixels-per-Inch) Standard of measurement used when discussing monitors, scanners and data files. (See: Resolution) PPP: (Point-to-Point Protocol) Language used by computers to establish communications with remote computers using a modem connection. PRAM: (Parameter RAM, pronounced "Pea-RAM") Small RAM space located on the computer's logic board which stores user preferences for memory allocation, current date and time, display resolution and bit depth. Unlike all other RAM, PRAM is connected to a long-life lithium or alkaline battery which allows it to remember these settings even when the machine is turned off. Battery failure and PRAM corruption can cause the computer to behave erratically. Processor: (See: CPU) Program: (See: Application)
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