General Purpose Packages Glossary
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| Applications package | A piece of software (together with its accompanying disks and manuals) which performs a particular task. | |
| Amend | To change. | |
| ASCII | American Standard Code for Information Interchange | |
| Audio | A type of data made up of music or any sound produced by a computer. | |
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| Backup | A copy of a program or data in case the original is lost or destroyed. | |
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| Character set | A list of al the characters, symbols and numbers which can be produced by a keyboard. | |
| Common HCI | The similarity of the human computer interface across the different parts of an integrated package makes it easy to learn how to use the package. | |
| Computer crime | Using a computer for criminal purposes. Hacking is a computer crime. | |
| Computer Misuse Act | A law which allows computer criminal like hackers and the creators of viruses to be prosecuted. | |
| Customising HCI | Changing the HCI of a General Purpose Package or an Operating System to suit the user. | |
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| Data | A general term used for numbers, characters, symbols, graphics and sound which are accepted and processed by a computer system. | |
| Data Protection Act | A law which regulate how personal data about individuals should be kept on computer. | |
| Data subject | A person about whom data is held. | |
| Data user | The person or organisation holding the data (now known as the data controller) | |
| Dedicated | A computer or a machine which can only perform one task. | |
| Delete | To remove data | |
| Download software | Freeware, shareware, commercial. A file which is recieved via network such as a software update. | |
| Dynamic data linkage | A change to the data in one file is automatically carried over to the same data in another file. | |
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| Graphical User Interface (GUI) | An interface which enables the user to work with icons and a mouse e.g. WIMP interface. | |
| Graphics package | A piece of software used for the production of, or editing graphics. | |
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| Hacking | Illegally intefering with information stored on a computer system. | |
| Hardware | The physical parts or devices which make up a computer system. | |
| Human Computer Interface (HCI) | The way in which the computer and the user communicate. | |
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| Icons | Symbols or pictures on a screen - part of the graphical user interface. | |
| Import | To bring in data from one file into another, sometimes between two different types of package. | |
| Insert | To put new information in. | |
| Integrated package | A piece of software made up of separate parts which can share data. Each part has a similar HCI. | |
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| Keyboard shortcuts | A combination of keys that can be used instead of having to select an item from a menu. | |
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| Local Area Network | A network confined to a single room or building. | |
| Log on | The way of identifying the user to a computer system (or to a network) | |
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| Menu | A list on screen from which the use can make choices e.g Open, Save, Print files from the File menu | |
| Multimedia | The presentation of information by a computer system using graphics, animation, sound and text. | |
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| Network | Two or more computers joind together so that data can be transferred between them. | |
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| On line help | Help wich is avaiable in the form of information screen when using a computer program. | |
| On line tutorial | A series of guided lesson on how to a computer program | |
| Operating system | Programs which control the operation of a computer system such as a monitor or a printer. | |
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| Package | A computer program and its associated documentation | |
| Pointer | A shape displayed on screen which is used to select from a menu, usually controlled by a mouse or tackpad. | |
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| RTF | Rich text format - a standard file format for the transfer of data between packages. | |
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| Shareware | Shareware is not free, apart from a short tiral period, during which the user is allowed to evaluate the software. | |
| Software | The programs that the hardware of the computer system runs. | |
| Standard file formats | A way of storing data in a way that it can be understood by, and transferred between, a number of different application packages. | |
| Static linkage | A change to the data in one file will not affect the same data in other files. | |
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| User fiendliness | Programs that are easy to learn to use and help you understand as you are using them are called user friendly programs. | |
| User freindly | An interactive computer system which helps the user by giving clear prompts, menus and help screens when needed. | |
| User identity | Your name or a code whicvh identifies you to the network. Usually used with a password. | |
| Utility | A program which helps you perform a taks such as delete a file, format a disk. | |
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| Virus | A 'rogue'\program which can spread through computer systems and may damage files. | |
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| Wide Area Network | A network which covers a large geographical area like a country. | |
| WIMP environement | WEindows, Icon, Menu, Pointer | |
| Windows | Areas of the screen set aside for particular purposes such as displaying files or documents. | |
| Wizard | wizard is a feature of a package that helps you step through the process of document creation. | |
| Word processor | A program used for writing and editing text. | |
| WYSIWYG | Stands for ' What You See Is What You Get'. When what you see on the screen is exactly the same as the way it will be printed. | |
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