Boot Disk
So, what is a boot disk? Well, first of all, a boot disk is also often referred to as a bootable disk, so don’t think they are two different things. Basically, a boot disk is just a disk that a computer can use to boot up or start from. Normally, computers boot up from the internal hard drive, but there are other options, such as a floppy disk… Continue reading
HTML vs. Plain Text
Ever since I mentioned these two terms in a tip last week, I’ve come to the conclusion that some of you aren’t sure what the difference is between them. How do they differ? How do they effect your computing life and why am I even going over this? Well, keep reading and I do believe you will see!
Basically, the differences between HTML and plain text… Continue reading
TCP
I mentioned the term TCP Protocol in another tip last week and I got to thinking that some of you may not know what it means. We’ve also used it in some of the other tips we’ve done in the past, so I figured it would be a good idea to give you all a little definition of it today.
TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol and it deals… Continue reading
Datagrams
Have you ever heard of datagrams? It’s not a term that comes around too often, so you may not have, but you won’t be able to say that anymore, because I’m here to tell you what they are! The easiest way to understand datagrams is to think of them as a type of communication that is used within the Internet.
Datagrams are often referred to as packets as well… Continue reading
AVI
We’ve been talking a lot about different computer terms lately, so I thought I would finish the week off with one more. Have you ever heard of AVI? Maybe you know it as Audio Video Interleave. Either way, it is the term used to describe a multimedia format for videos used on computers. AVI was introduced by Microsoft back in 1992 and has stuck around ever since.
AVI files… Continue reading
Vlog
You’ve heard of a blog, right? Maybe you even have your own that you share with your friends and family over the Internet. So, what about a vlog? Have you heard of that? To be honest, I never heard of it until just the other day, but it intrigued me, so I thought I would share the news with all of you wonderful people too!
A vlog is short… Continue reading
Bitmap
We used this term in yesterday’s digital photography tip and I got to thinking that some of you may not even know what a bitmap is. So, I figured I would share the definition with you all today! How does that sound? Okay, here we go!
Basically, all of the digital photos that you take with your digital camera are composed completely of bitmaps when you first place them… Continue reading
Q:
I heard the term “wikis” the other day. What does that mean?
A:
Ah, yes, the famous wikis term. I love this question, so thank you very much for asking. I think I love this question so much because of the answer, which just happens to be something I myself use quite often. It seems as if different types of wikis have been popping up all over… Continue reading
Define IM
I know we’ve done some tips on this term before, but we’ve never really explained to you what it exactly is, so I thought I would do that for you today. First of all, IM stands for instant message and it is also known as IMing, like instant messaging. It basically is the most popular way to talk to your friends and family over the Internet.
You do… Continue reading
AGP
You may or may not have heard of this term, but either way, AGP stands for Accelerated Graphics Port. Now, you’re probably wondering why I’m bringing it to your attention, right? Well, basically the AGP helps the way your computer communicates with your graphics card, in turn, enhancing both the look and the speed of the graphics you work with on your computer.
The AGP feature even goes beyond… Continue reading
Knowledge Base
Have you ever heard of this term? It’s not used a lot, but it does have something to do with computers, so it’s helpful to know about it. Basically, a knowledge base is a special kind of database for knowledge management within a computer. It holds all of the computerized information for a system and it is able to retrieve the knowledge as well.
There are two major… Continue reading
You may know that DOS files are stored in directories or subdirectories. Well, in today’s Windows world, directories are called folders and when talking about DOS, specific rules apply to creating and naming those files and directories.
DOS uses what is called an 8.3 file naming structure, otherwise known as eight dot three. This simply means that a file name can be up to eight characters long and have a… Continue reading
Uploading, to the regular computer user, mainly deals with photos, but the term is also used with other files like documents and music, too. Basically, uploading is the transfer of a file from your computer to another system via the Internet. You can also upload files from your computer to a server over a local area network (LAN) or an FTP server.… Continue reading
GUI
What is GUI, you may be asking? Well, it stands for graphical user interface and after talking about a standard user interface last week, I’ve gotten some request e-mails from you all to tell a little about a GUI. For starters, GUI is pronounced “gooey,” so that’s a little bit of an easier way to keep it all straight.
Basically a GUI is the method of working with your… Continue reading
User Interface
We tend to use this term quite a bit in our tips, but do you really understand what all is behind it? First of all, you should know that every time you use a new software program or any new application on your computer, you are experiencing the user interface. Basically, an interface allows you, the user, to interact with any program, any device or any other tools… Continue reading
UPS
No, I’m not talking about the package delivery company. If you need to do some mailing, you might want to try looking up your local UPS’ phone number in the phonebook. The UPS I’m referring to is actually a term that is used with computers quite often as well.
In this case, UPS stands for Uninterruptible Power Supply. It is basically a power supply that provides back up power… Continue reading
Q:
I just upgraded to Windows XP and I keep getting an explorer.exe error. How can I stop it?
A:
This is a common error to receive if you, like you said, have just upgraded from an older Windows operating system. This message usually only appears when you first log in to the new version, but it could stick around if you don’t fix it right away. The… Continue reading
Mail Transfer Agent
You may have heard of this term before, but what really is a Mail Transfer Agent? Also known as an MTA, a Mail Transfer Agent is basically what handles your e-mails after you hit the Send button and release them to the cyber world. It is a computer program (or a software agent) that helps transport e-mails from computer to computer (from yours to your friend’s).
An… Continue reading
PS/2 Port
You may have heard this term before, but what really is a PS/2 port? I know this type of port is required for some of the items WorldStart sells, so you may have seen it on our Web site. So, if you’ve never needed a PS/2 port before, your time may come, so here is a little description of one for you.
A PS/2 port is also commonly… Continue reading
Runtime Error
What is a runtime error and what is its purpose? Well, it’s probably no surprise that everyone reading this has probably come across a runtime error sometime in their computer using lives. Runtime errors are common, but what are they? Here’s a little description for you.
Basically, it is an error that occurs during the execution of a program. Runtime errors go along with the “bug” errors that… Continue reading
USB Cables
Have you ever needed to use a USB cable to hook up an external USB device to your computer? If you have, you may already know the cable specifications that are required with any device, but if you don’t, here are some details for you.
The longest cable you can use depends on if you’re connecting a full speed device (such as a CD/DVD burner or a flash… Continue reading
Q:
What are the different types of USB connectors?
A:
That’s an excellent question, because most of us have to use a USB port at some point in our everyday computing. Since so many of us work with computers on a daily basis now, it’s very likely that we have used a USB connector somewhere along the line. Today, most computers come with two or more USB ports… Continue reading
Q:
What is DSL?
A:
We’ve had a couple tips in the past about DSL, but we’ve never really told you what it is. Here’s a quick explanation for you.
DSL stands for “digital subscriber line” and it’s basically a type of broadband Internet access that is simply carried over a regular phone line. DSL delivers a high-speed service and it is high… Continue reading
Laser Printer
Ever wonder how a laser printer does its job? Well, to begin, a laser printer is a little different from a regular inkjet printer. A lot of people wonder how it can print words and pictures on to paper with just a single laser beam, but it sure can!
Basically, a laser printer works primarily with static electricity, believe it or not! While clothes dryers use static electricity… Continue reading
NIC Cards
You may often hear the term “nic” being thrown around in reference to computers. Ever wonder what it means? Well, NIC stands for Network Interface Card. It is pronounced like “nick” and it is basically the card that makes the physical connection between your computer and a network cable.
NIC cards usually go along with an Ethernet connection and they also come in different sizes; those being 10… Continue reading
Troubleshooting
What does the word troubleshoot mean? You’ve probably heard it mostly in relation to computers, right? If you ever run into a problem with your computer, you’re always told to first do some troubleshooting. But, what does it mean exactly? How are you supposed to know what to do?
Well, troubleshooting simply means isolating the problem that you are experiencing so you can work toward fixing it completely. Also… Continue reading
Hits
Have you ever heard the term “hit”? Do you have any idea what it refers to in means of the Internet world? If you have heard of it, are you really sure you know what it means?
There is actually a big misconception with this term. Many people think a hit refers to the number of visits a certain Web site gets. They think every time someone goes to… Continue reading
