Virtual Memory Definition
Memory is hardware that your computer uses to load the operating system and run programs. It consists of one or more RAM chips that each have several memory modules. The amount of real memory in a computer is limited to the amount of RAM installed. Common memory sizes are 256MB, 512MB, and 1GB.
Because your computer has a finite amount of RAM, it is possible to run out of memory when too many programs are running at one time. This is where virtual memory comes in. Virt...
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Folder Definition
Folder Definition
A digital folder has the same purpose as a physical folder – to store documents. Computer folders can also store other types of files, such as applications, archives, scripts, and libraries. Folders can even store other folders, which may contain additional files and folders.
Folders are designed for organizing files. For example, you might store your digital photos in a "Pictures" folder, your audio files in a "Music" folder, and your word processing documents in a "Document...
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File Definition
File Definition
A file is a collection of data stored in one unit, identified by a filename. It can be a document, picture, audio or video stream, data library, application, or other collection of data. The following is a brief description of each file type.
Documents include text files, such as a Word documents, RTF (Rich Text Format) documents, PDFs, Web pages, and others. Pictures include JPEGs, GIFs, BMPs, and layered image files, such as Photoshop documents (PSDs). Audio files include MP3s...
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Megabyte Definition
Megabyte Definition
A megabyte is 106 or 1,000,000 bytes.
One megabyte (abbreviated "MB") is equal to 1,000 kilobytes and precedes the gigabyte unit of measurement. While a megabyte is technically 1,000,000 bytes, megabytes are often used synonymously with mebibytes, which contain 1,048,576 bytes (220 or 1,024 x 1,024 bytes).
Megabytes are often used to measure the size of large files. For example, a high resolution JPEG image file might range is size from one to five megabytes. Uncompressed R...
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Terabyte Definition
Terabyte Definition
A terabyte is 1012 or 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.
One terabyte (abbreviated "TB") is equal to 1,000 gigabytes and precedes the petabyte unit of measurement. While a terabyte is exactly 1 trillion bytes, in some cases terabytes and tebibytes are used synonymously, though a tebibyte actually contains 1,099,511,627,776 bytes (1,024 gibibytes).
Terabytes are most often used to measure the storage capacity of large storage devices. While hard drives were measured in gigabytes for m...
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Application Definition
Application Definition
An application, or application program, is a software program that runs on your computer. Web browsers, e-mail programs, word processors, games, and utilities are all applications. The word "application" is used because each program has a specific application for the user. For example, a word processor can help a student create a research paper, while a video game can prevent the student from getting the paper done.
In contrast, system software consists of programs that r...
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Web Page Definition
Web Page Definition
Web pages are what make up the World Wide Web. These documents are written in HTML (hypertext markup language) and are translated by your Web browser. Web pages can either be static or dynamic. Static pages show the same content each time they are viewed. Dynamic pages have content that can change each time they are accessed. These pages are typically written in scripting languages such as PHP, Perl, ASP, or JSP. The scripts in the pages run functions on the server that retur...
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Default Definition
Default Definition
Default is an adjective that describes a standard setting or configuration. While it is not specific to computers, it is commonly used in IT terminology. In computing, "default" may describe several things, including hardware, software, and network configurations.
A default hardware configuration (or "default config") is a prebuilt system with standard specifications. This includes standard components such as the CPU, RAM, storage device, and video card. Retail stores typical...
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Link Definition
Link Definition
A link (short for hyperlink) is an HTML object that allows you to jump to a new location when you click or tap it. Links are found on almost every webpage and provide a simple means of navigating between pages on the web.
Links can be attached to text, images, or other HTML elements. Most text links are blue, since that is standard color web browsers use to display links. However, links can be any color since the style of the link text may be customized using HTML or CSS styles....
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Install Definition
Install Definition
Most software programs require that you first install them on your computer before using them. For example, if you buy Microsoft Office, you need to install it on your computer before you can run any of the included programs such as Word or Excel. You can install software from a CD or DVD, an external hard drive, or from a networked computer. You can also install a program or software update from a file downloaded from the Internet.
Installing a software program writes the ne...
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