computer

I

(Roget's IV) n.

Syn. personal computer, PC, microcomputer, minicomputer, mainframe, laptop computer, home computer, workstation, supercomputer, electronic brain, thinking machine, data processor, word processor, calculator, processor, supermini, superminicomputer, supermicro, master control, number cruncher*, machine, cybernetic organism, digital computer, analog computer, network, neural net, neural network.

Various trademarked brands of computers include: IBM, Apple, Macintosh, Mac, Compaq, Cray, Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, Digital, NEC, Sun, Amiga.

II

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) n.

calculator, data processor, microprocessor, PC, laptop, *number cruncher, adding machine, *micro, supercomputer, mainframe, workstation, PDA, notebook, Apple^™, Macintosh^™, *Mac, IBM^™ , Compaq^TM.

WORD FIND

• AI: artificial intelligence

• auxiliary device: peripheral

• aversion: cyberphobia

• blinking symbol showing where next character will appear on screen: cursor

• bps: bits per second

• byte: eight bits of memory space

• calculating, rows and columns program: spreadsheet

• California manufacturing mecca: Silicon Valley

• CD, write data or music on to: burn

• CD-Rom tray: caddy

• chip: microprocessor, integrated circuit

• Clarkeís mad computer in 2001, Arthur C.: Hal

• clean up hard drive: defrag (defragmentation)

• clicker, hand: mouse

• communication between, means of: protocol

• compaction, data: compression

• copies of files to safeguard from accidental loss, make multiple: back up

• CPU: Central Processing Unit device enabling communication with other

• computers over phone lines: modem (MOdulator, DEModulator)

• device enabling computer to read, write info on disks: disk drive

• devices, physical: hardware

• disrupting prank or criminal program that infects other computers: virus, worm

• document-creating programs: word processor; desktop publishing

• drafting and blueprint creation system: CAD (Computer Aided Design)

• easy to use: user-friendly

• engineering process of deciphering how something works by taking it apart: reverse engineering

• enthusiast: hacker, *chiphead, *geek

• EPROM: erasable memory chip

• execute program: run

• failure and freeze-up: crashed; down

• flaw in software or hardware: bug

• giant computer serving multiple users: mainframe

• GIGO: garbage in, garbage out

• handheld computer, battery-powered: PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), Palm Pilot^™, organizer

• injury from repetitive keyboard work: carpal tunnel syndrome

• instructions: program

• Internet, connected to the: online

• keyboard and monitor portion: terminal

• language/program: AGOL, BASIC, C, COBOL, FORTRAN, JAVA, PASCAL, PROLOG

• linkage of several computers: network

• logic that recognizes partial truths, computer: fuzzy logic

• mail sent from one computer user to another: e-mail

• main circuit board: motherboard

• MP3 format, digitize CDs to: rip

• MS-DOS: Microsoft Disk Operating System

• multiple things at once, doing: multitasking

• network, company: intranet

• network, international: the Internet, World Wide Web

• operating systems: Linux; Windows; Macintosh, MS-Dos, Unix

• options to choose on screen: menu

• paper printout: hard copy

• paper propelling device: tractor feed

• plugged in, where on the computer devices are: port

• portable computer, small: laptop, notebook, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), organizer

• printout, long paper: *wallpaper

• programs: software

• RAM, memory chip group or: random access memory

• read-only memory chip: ROM

• restart computer: reboot

• science fiction involving computer culture: cyberpunk

• screen, TV-like: monitor

• screen imagery designed to protect monitor from permanently burned-in images, moving: screen saver

• secret opening designed into program to allow access at later date: trap door

• software designed to boost performance of an application: plug-in

• software shared free by all: freeware

• software supplied free with one’s computer: bundled software

• software not ready for general sale, test: beta test software

• speech recognition technology: voice recognition, speech recognition

• start up computer: boot up

• stick-like controller used with games in place of mouse: joystick

• storage area, data: memory, cache, hard disk

• storage area, temporary data: clipboard

• storage medium, data: disk, diskette, floppy disk, cartridge, CD-ROM, Zip disk

• superimposed screen within a screen: window

• transfer data from your computer to another’s: upload

• transfer data from another computer to yours: download

• transfer data to memory: store

• virus protection program: anti-virus; vaccine; antidote; *DDT

• virus type: strain

see internet, on-line