32-bit application A program written to take advantage of the Windows 95 interface and to integrate easily with other Windows 95 application programs.
640KB barrier Programs written for previous Windows environments could not address more than 640KB of memory without performing memory tricks that slowed down the computer.
accelerator key A key found on a menu, usually a function key used in conjunction with the Alt key (such as Alt+F4), that lets you initiate a menu command from the keyboard without first having to display the menu.
Accessibility Time Out Turns off the accessibility options after a preset period of time.
accessory programs Programs Microsoft included with Windows 95; they fall under several categories such as multimedia programs, text editors, and games such as Solitaire.
Active Movie Control The new Windows 95 video player. If you do not see the Active Movie Control on your Multimedia menu, you can contact Microsoft or check out the company's Web site (www.microsoft.com) for an update.
analog recording The opposite of digital recording, where all sounds coming from a sound source are stored as continuous analog noise impulses that cannot be reproduced or changed without loss of quality. There are some modern-day digital tape recorders in use, but most tape recorders use an analog signal so you cannot make copies of recordings without losing some quality.
anchor position The starting coordinate pair of lines and other geometric shapes.
animated cursors Cursors that display movement during the cursor's display, such as a cursor showing a picture of a running horse or a playing piano.
applet A Windows 95 utility program such as the Clipboard Viewer.
attach Add a binary file to an e-mail message so the receiving user can receive the binary file or load the file using tools available to the receiving user.
auto detect HyperTerminal automatically detects the remote computer's technical requirements so you do not have to know anything but the remote computer's telephone number for HyperTerminal to talk to the machine.
AutoPlay The Windows 95 feature that starts the loading and execution of a CD-ROM as soon as you place the CD-ROM in your computer's CD-ROM drive. AutoPlay plays audio CDs as well.
backscroll buffer The memory area, adjustable in size, where HyperTerminal keeps track of previous online screens while you work on a remote computer.
backup file set A description that contains a specific list of files that you want to back up. For example, you may have a backup file set that backs up your accounting data files only, as well as a full backup file set that backs up your entire hard disk.
baud rate A term that describes the speed of computerized telephone communications.
BBS An acronym for bulletin board system. BBS lets you connect your computer, via the phone lines, to exchange electronic mail and files with the BBS's primary computer and other computers connected to the BBS.
binary The base-2 numbering system.
binary operators Operators that work on two values such as the addition and subtraction operators.
BIOS Stands for Basic Input Output System and refers to the system unit's ROM-based code that handles I/O devices.
bitmap The technical name for a graphics file. Windows 95 often uses bitmaps for the Windows 95 wallpaper.
BounceKeys Keeps users from producing double-keystrokes if they accidentally bounce keys several times in succession.
Briefcase The Windows 95 application that synchronizes the document files from two computers so that you can have the most up-to-date files at any time.
bullet-proof The term applied to Windows 95 because of its increased protection against locking up in certain situations.
burn-in Characters left on older computer monitors begin to burn into the monitor, leaving their outlines even after the monitor's power is turned off.
byte One character of storage.
C2-level security File encryption that conforms to the U.S. Government's security standards.
carbon copy A secondary recipient that gets a copy of someone's e-mail message.
cascade The effect of neatly stacking all open windows on the screen so that each window's title bar appears.
checkbox A Windows 95 control that appears next to each item in a list that you use to select one or more items from the list.
click The process of pressing and immediately releasing one of the mouse buttons.
Clipboard An area of Windows 95 that temporarily holds documents or parts of documents. The Clipboard can hold any kind of document including text, sound, and graphic images.
Clipboard Viewer A Windows 95 applet that lets you look at the contents of the Clipboard no matter what kind of data resides on the Clipboard.
closing a window The practice of eliminating a window from view and terminating any program that might be running within the window at the time.
command button A Windows 95 control that appears and acts like a pushbutton on the screen.
compression The process of squeezing your disk drive so that almost 100 percent more data fits on a disk.
connection profile An individual remote computer site's connection-setting information. HyperTerminal keeps track of a remote computer's description, icon, phone number, and modem settings inside each connection profile.
context-sensitive The process Windows 95 uses to respond to what you're doing.
context-sensitive help Refers to the capability of Windows 95 to look at what actions you are currently performing (the context) and display help that explains how to complete those actions.
Control menu A menu available on all windows within Windows 95 that lets you move and resize windows from the keyboard; it is accessed by clicking the window's icon in the upper-left corner of the window.
Control Panel A folder window within the My Computer window that lets you change your computer's system settings.
coordinate A pixel position on the screen defined by a coordinate pair.
coordinate pair A pair of numbers of which the first represents the number of pixels from the left edge of the drawing area of an image and the second represents the number of pixels from the top edge of the drawing area. In Paint, the coordinates appear on the status bar.
copy The process of sending a copy of an item such as a document or part of a document to the Clipboard. From the Clipboard you can place the item elsewhere, in effect making a copy of the item in at least two places on your computer system.
cross-referenced help topic Underlined green text inside help dialog boxes that display definitions when you click them.
cursor A pointing device, such as the arrow that represents the mouse pointer location and the insert bar that represents the Windows 95 text location. The cursor moves across the screen as you type or move the mouse.
cut The process of removing an item, such as a document or part of a document, from somewhere in your computer system. The removed item goes to the clipboard. From the clipboard you can place the item elsewhere, in effect, moving the item.
decimal The base-10 numbering system.
default drive and directory When you start MS-DOS, the MS-DOS command prompt always contains a disk drive and directory. The disk drive is normally C, and the directory is the root directory called \ (backslash). You can change the default disk or directory by entering a new one at the command prompt.
deferred printing The process of issuing print commands but delaying the physical printing of those documents until later. Sometimes deferred printing is called delayed printing.
deinstaller The section of a program that removes the program from your computer.
deselect The process of reversing a selected item so that item is no longer selected. Usually when you deselect an item the highlight around the item disappears.
desktop The Windows 95 screen and background.
dial-up networking The ability of a remote laptop computer to dial into a network over the phone lines and work as if connected to the network by cable.
dialog box A window containing text and one or more screen controls that you use to issue instructions to Windows 95.
differential backup A backup of only the files that have changed since the most recent backup. Also called an incremental backup.
digital recording The opposite of analog recording, where all sounds coming from a sound source are stored as discrete digital impulses that can be reproduced or changed without loss of quality.
direct cable connection The connection between two computers with a cable attached to both parallel or serial ports.
disk crash A disk-drive failure.
Disk Defragmenter A Windows 95 program that collects and removes blank disk space left from deleted files.
disk operating system The program inside memory that controls all the hardware and software interactions.
docking station A device into which you can insert some laptop computers. The docking station instantly connects the laptop to a full-size screen, keyboard, mouse, and printer.
document-centered The concept that Windows 95 promotes by maintaining that you work with the computer's files, as if they were documents inside folders in a file cabinet.
download The process of receiving a file from a remote computer over the phone lines.
dragging The process of moving an image or selected text from one screen location to another using the mouse. To drag the mouse, you move the mouse while holding the mouse button. When you've dragged the item to the final position, release the mouse to anchor the item in that position.
drivers Software files that often accompany hardware to tell the computer how to control the hardware when you install it.
DriveSpace The name of the Windows 95 utility program that condenses the disk space so that more data fits on a disk.
e-mail Message files sent electronically to others who receive the messages
via modem.
E-mail stands for electronic mail.
Energy Star A name applied to monitors that comply with environmental guidelines that limit the use of continuous power applied to your monitor.
Enhanced CD A new audio CD standard that puts graphics and text on the same CDs that your stereo plays.
event A Windows 95 action you perform, such as opening and closing windows or displaying a menu.
Explorer A powerful system-listing application that gives you both high-level and detailed descriptions of your computer system and the files on the system.
FAT (file allocation table) Controls the placement of files on your disk.
field A single value, such as quantity or last name, in a Cardfile record.
file extension The end part of some filenames including a period followed by one to three characters. By giving some files the same filename extension you can group them together so that, using wildcards, you can work with those files as a collection. All major applications support their own filename extension. For example, WordPad uses the Word for Windows standard .DOC filename extension at the end of all documents you open with WordPad. You can select a different filename extension in WordPad if you prefer to work with a different type of document.
file system The collection of disk access routines and memory.
FilterKeys The group of keystroke aids that include RepeatKeys and BounceKeys.
firmware The computer's internal memory, also known as RAM, which stands for Random Access Memory. Firmware memory is volatile, meaning that the contents remain in memory for only as long as the PC is turned on. The disk drive is hardware, not firmware, because the disk drive retains its contents after the computer is turned off.
flat-file database A collection of data values, stored in a uniform manner, that allows for simple searching, printing, and sorting of data.
flat memory model The term applied to the use of memory by Windows 95 so that programs can take advantage of all your computer RAM memory without slowing down to adjust for memory above the 640KB barrier.
FM synthesis An older sound standard that produces non-realistic computer-generated sounds.
focus The highlighted command button or control in a dialog box that Windows 95 automatically selects when you press enter.
folder A special icon that contains other icons, which are displayed when you double-click the folder icon; a grouping of related files stored under the same subdirectory.
font A specific typestyle. Fonts have names that distinguish them from one another. Some fonts are fancy and others are plain. Choose a font style that best serves the idea your words need to convey.
font family Characters that take on the same typeface appearance, but that come in italics, boldfaced, and underlined versions, are all part of the same font family.
formats Different files are stored on the disk differently depending on the nature of the file. The format is the nature of the file that determines if the file is a graphic, text, or program file.
full backup A complete backup of your entire disk drive.
full system backup file set A backup file set supplied by Backup that performs a full backup.
GDI (Graphics Device Interface) Consists of your graphics resources.
GUI A Graphical User Interface, such as Windows 95, that lets the user interact with the computer primarily through graphic images as opposed to a more traditional text-based interface that requires typed commands.
hardware tree A collection of hardware configurations, taken from parts or all of the registry, that your computer may require.
header A one-line message that describes the sender information for electronic messages.
hexadecimal The base-16 numbering system.
high-contrast display A video option that makes your screen more readable by increasing the size of icons, menus, and text, as well as changing screen colors so that the items on the display are as readable as possible.
home position The upper-left position of a document or of a window.
host drive A logical new drive that DriveSpace creates to hold compression information.
hot key The combination of an Alt keypress with another key that selects command buttons. The key you press with Alt is displayed with an underlined letter in the command button you want to select.
I/O Stands for input and output.
icons Small pictures that represent commands and programs in Windows 95.
incremental backup See differential backup.
index line A line at the top of each card in the Cardfile that contains unique information that identifies the card.
insert mode Newly typed text shifts the existing text to the right.
jumpers Special routing connections many older, legacy hardware require to change the electrical path flows so the hardware works properly on your specific machine.
KB The abbreviation for kilobyte. 8KB refers to approximately 8,000 characters of storage.
kernel The internal native operating system that controls the hardware and software interaction. The CPU's processor routines.
kilobyte Approximately 1,000 characters of storage. See also KB.
landscape view Shows how the document would look if displayed across the wide edge of the page. Landscape view is helpful for wide documents.
legacy Older hardware that was designed before engineers invented the Plug-and-Play specification.
link Pasted Clipboard contents with which Windows 95 keeps an active connection. If you change linked data in its original application, after you have pasted it elsewhere from the Clipboard, the data then also changes inside the other application(s) containing the pasted contents.
logging off The process of typing a command that tells the remote computer you are finished using the computer and are ready to exit HyperTerminal or dial a different connection.
logging on The process of typing an identifying name and password when you first connect to a remote computer to gain access to the remote computer's capabilities. The process that lets you gain access to a networked computer.
login name A nickname you go by on a remote computer.
low memory RAM below one megabyte.
maximized window A window that you've expanded to the size of the entire screen.
media The types of storage on which you store and back up data. Examples of media would be a diskette, a tape, and paper.
Media Player The Windows 95 application that plays video clips.
Memory Manager Controls the various segments of memory that Windows 95 tracks.
Microsoft Exchange See Microsoft Messaging.
Microsoft Fax A program that uses your fax modem to send and receive faxes as well as to create cover pages and provide for viewing of received faxes.
Microsoft Messaging The application that uses a universal Inbox to log on to all your electronic mail sources and to send and receive any waiting mail.
Microsoft Network An online service available from Microsoft.
Microsoft Plus! A Windows 95 add-on product that you can purchase that can automate the backup process (as long as you back up to tape, a network drive, or another hard disk) so that you can request a backup at any time of day or night.
MIDI Stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface and reproduces musical instruments and other sounds.
minimized window A window that you've shrunk down to a taskbar icon.
mobile computing environments The computer environment that includes laptop computers and desktop docking stations for the laptops.
modifier keys The Alt, Ctrl, and Shift keys.
MouseKeys Lets you simulate mouse movements and clicks using the keyboard's numeric keypad.
MPC Stands for Multimedia Personal Computer. A computer hardware and software standard that has been in effect for several years. It determines the minimum hardware and software requirements for a product to be called a multimedia product that's endorsed by the MPC compliance committee.
MPC-2 A more modern version of the MPC standard that requires a double-speed CD-ROM drive.
MS-DOS command prompt When you open an MS-DOS window you must issue a command to the MS-DOS environment. The command prompt, usually shown on the screen as C:\>, indicating the current default drive and directory, accepts your MS-DOS commands as you type the commands.
MS-DOS program A program written specifically for the MS-DOS environment. MS-DOS programs do not take advantage of the graphical nature of Windows 95.
multiprocessor A system unit with multiple CPUs, and each CPU works in parallel to double or even triple the speed of single-unit processors.
multitasking The process of a computer that is running more than one program at the same time.
mutually exclusive Two or more Windows 95 controls, such as option buttons, are mutually exclusive if you can set only one option at a time.
n The number of entries in a statistical series.
non-proportional font A font in which all characters occupy the same width on the screen or printer.
octal The base-8 numbering system.
offline A printer is offline when it is turned off or turned on, but not ready to accept output. (You might turn the printer offline when you need to feed pages through the printer manually.)
online Information that is available interactively as you use Windows 95. Also applies to connected hardware. A printer is online when the printer is turned on and ready to accept output.
opening a window The process of starting a program in a window or double-clicking an icon to display a window.
Option buttons A Windows 95 control that appears next to each item in a list that you use to select one and only one item from the list.
orientation The way the document appears on the page. The orientation is either the portrait view (vertical) or landscape view (horizontal).
overtype mode Newly typed text overwrites existing text.
paperless society The lofty and incorrect prediction from the early 1970s that said electronic mail and files would replace most of the paper used in the workplace and homes.
parallel port A connector on your computer where most printer cables plug into.
paste The process of sending the contents of the Clipboard to another area of the computer system such as to a specific folder or to the Windows 95 desktop.
PC 95 hardware Hardware that has been tested and approved by Microsoft to work with Windows 95 and support such features as Plug-and-Play.
PCMCIA Cards (also called PC Cards) Small credit card-sized I/O cards that add functionality--such as modems and memory--to laptops and to some desktop systems.
Personal Address Book A central address book that holds people's names, phone numbers, addresses, fax numbers, e-mail numbers, and notes.
pixel Stands for picture element. A pixel is the smallest addressable dot on your screen.
Plug-and-Play The name Microsoft gives to hardware that you can install without making any hardware or software changes. The Windows 95 Plug-and-Play feature will take care of setting up things correctly for you.
point A measurement of 1/72 inch (72 points equals one inch). Most computers' on-screen and printed text measures from 9 to 12 points in size. Another name for coordinate. The action made by the screen's mouse cursor when you move the mouse.
portrait view Shows how the document would look if displayed down the page, as a novel's text is typically printed.
print codes Special characters that dictate how printers output and format characters.
print jobs Every document that you print creates a print job on the print spooler.
Print Preview A full-screen representation of how your document will look when you print the document.
printer drivers Small descriptor files that allow Windows 95 to communicate properly with specific printers.
printer subsystem A program automatically started by Windows 95 that controls the way output appears on the printer.
profile A file that describes a specific online service to Microsoft Messaging. Once Microsoft Messaging reads an online service's profile, Microsoft Messaging can manage that service's information using the Windows 95 universal Inbox.
proportional font A font that generally makes for a more natural appearance of text. The letters within the text do not all consume the same screen width. For example, the lowercase letter i consumes less space than the uppercase M.
protocol The technical connection details that must be in place before two computers can communicate with each other.
queue A list, such as the list of print jobs, that you see in the Printer window when you double-click a printer icon.
real device drivers Hardware device driver files that reside in low memory.
reboot The process of restarting your computer through the keyboard (by pressing Alt+Ctrl+Del) without shutting off the computer's power.
record A single card image from the Cardfile program. If the Cardfile describes an inventory of parts, each part has its own card with a description of that part, the quantity, and the price. Those values form that inventory item's record. In the Cardfile program a record is a Cardfile image with data.
Recycle Bin A special location in Windows 95 that temporarily holds all the files that you delete. Until you empty the Recycle Bin, you can recover the deleted files just as you can remove trash from your office trash can until the can's contents are taken away by the janitor.
redial properties Determines how many retries and the time between retries Microsoft Fax attempts when a called fax number is busy or does not answer.
registered A file is registered when you've associated an application with that file's extension.
Registry A central repository of all possible information for your hardware.
remote computer The computer you are trying to connect to using HyperTerminal.
RepeatKeys Users can turn on or off the repetition of keys, so that holding down a key does not necessarily repeat that keystroke.
resolution A measurement that specifies how close together individual screen dots can be. The higher the resolution, the closer together the dots that form characters and graphic images, and the better the picture will be.
rich-text format (RTF) A file format that enables different applications to exchange formatted documents.
ROM Stands for Read-Only Memory and refers to devices or memory that you can read from but not write to, delete from, or change.
Roving Help Windows 95 lets you point to items on dialog boxes and click the window's question mark command button to get help about that item. You also can display this Roving Help by right-clicking over an item to see a description of that item and learn the commands you can perform.
RTF Stands for Rich-Text Format and refers to a universal file format that many different programs support. The RTF format differs from a straight text file format because RTF files can contain text encoded with special effects such as boldfacing and underlining.
running total The Windows 95 Calculator operations, such as addition and subtraction, keep operating on the Calculator's running display. For example, if the display contains the value 87 and you press the plus sign, and then press 5, the Calculator adds the 5 to the 87 and produces the sum of 92. If you press the plus sign again and enter another value, the Calculator adds that number to the 92, producing a continuous running total. The running total continues until you clear the display or close the Calculator program.
scaleable A font is scaleable if Windows 95 can generate characters from the font in more than one size.
scaleable user interface elements The text, title bars, and icons enlarge to make them easier to see.
Scientific Calculator A Windows 95 Calculator that supports trigonometric, scientific, and number-conversion operations.
scrap A selected portion from a document that you send to the desktop.
screen saver A program that waits in the background and executes only if you stop using your computer for a while. The screen saver either blanks your screen or displays moving text and graphics. Screen savers have, in the past, helped eliminate burn-in problems.
scroll bars Windows 95 control tools that enable you to view a window's contents more fully.
search string A string of one or more characters, such as a filename, for which you want to search.
separator page A page that prints before each print job to separate multiple print jobs on an output stack for networked printers.
SerialKeys Lets the user use a non-keyboard input device.
series A set of values on which you perform statistical operations.
shortcut When you create a shortcut by adding programs to the Start menu or by creating shortcuts within Explorer or within Open dialog boxes, Windows 95 creates a link (the shortcut) to that item instead of wasting disk space with two separate files that have the same contents.
shortcut key An underlined letter on a menu that you can combine with the Alt key to issue a menu command.
ShowSounds Provides visual feedback on the screen when applications produce sounds.
SlowKeys Windows 95 can disregard keystrokes that are not held down for a preset time period. This aids users who often accidentally press keys.
Sound Recorder The Windows 95 application with which you can record and edit sounds.
sound scheme A collection of customized Windows 95 event sounds. Once you add sounds to Windows 95 events, you can save that collection of sounds in a sound scheme file.
SoundSentry Sends a visual clue when Windows 95 beeps the speaker (in the case of warning or error message dialog boxes).
spooled output Output that is sent to a disk file before being routed to a printer.
Standard Calculator A Windows 95 Calculator that performs common mathematical operations.
standard scan The quickest ScanDisk version that checks your disk files for errors.
Start button The button at the left of the taskbar that displays the Windows 95 cascading menu of choices. When you click the Start button, the Windows 95 Start menu appears.
Start menu A Windows 95 system and program menu that appears when you click the taskbar's Start button.
startup disk A disk that you create from the Control Panel. The startup disk enables you to start your computer if your hard disk's system files get corrupted due to a hardware or software problem.
startup logo The image you see when Windows 95 loads.
statistics box A box that holds your entered series of statistical values. (The Calculator's display can hold only a single value at a time.)
status bar A message area at the bottom of a window that updates to show you what is happening at any given moment. For example, when you click over a menu item, the status bar tells you what that menu item will do.
StickyKeys Lets the user press the Shift, Alt, or Ctrl keys individually instead of having to press them with their combined keystrokes.
System Administrator The person in charge of assigning user names and setting up new users on networked environments.
System Monitor A Windows 95 program that graphically illustrates your computer's resources as you use the computer.
system resources The amount of CPU, memory, and disk space utilization consumed by Windows 95 and the applications you are running.
tabbed dialog box Two or more cascaded dialog boxes appearing on the screen at the same time.
TAPI (Telephone Applications Programming Interface) TAPI describes the centralized integration of Windows 95 and telephone communications, such as the universal Inbox and Phone Dialer.
taskbar The bar at the bottom of a Windows 95 screen where running program icons appear along with the system clock.
taskbar properties menu The menu that appears when you click the right mouse button over an empty spot on the taskbar. You can control the performance and appearance of the taskbar and Windows 95 through the taskbar properties menu.
Taskbar Properties tabbed dialog box A tabbed dialog box that appears when you select the Properties command on the taskbar properties menu. The Taskbar Properties tabbed dialog box lets you modify the appearance and performance of the taskbar and the Start menu.
text editor A program that creates document files but offers only primitive formatting and printing functionality.
text frame A rectangular area where text goes when you type the text.
thorough scan The slower, but more thorough, scan that checks the files and performs a disk surface test to verify the integrity and safety of disk storage.
thumbnail sketch A small representation that shows the overall layout without showing a lot of detail.
tiling The effect of placing all open windows on the screen so that the body of each window appears next to, above, or below the other windows.
title bar A location above many Windows 95 windows (such as the Explorer right-hand window) that describes the documents you are currently viewing.
ToggleKeys Sounds a high noise on the speaker if the CapsLock, NumLock, or ScrollLock keys are activated and a low noise when these keys are deactivated.
tool box Paint's collection of drawing, coloring, and painting tools.
toolbar This area of a window contains a list of icons that instantly execute pushbutton commands. Many Windows 95 applications and dialog boxes contain toolbars that make issuing commands easier for you.
tools The individual drawing, painting, and coloring tools on the tool box represented by icons.
transfer protocol A predetermined method of downloading and uploading files. When one computer sends another computer a file, both computers must use the same transfer protocol.
TrueType A scaleable font that Windows 95 prints using 32-bit technology to make text look as close to typeset characters as possible.
unary operators Operators that work on single values such as square root.
universal Inbox A central repository of electronic mail where you can send, receive, and manage all your electronic mail and faxes.
upload The process of sending a file to a remote computer over the phone lines.
URL The address of an Internet Web site. URL is an acronym for Uniform Resource Locator.
User profile The customized interface and file-access rules set up for each networked user.
Video for Windows The internal player Windows 95 uses to produce full-motion video on your screen.
viewer A Windows 95 accessory program with which you can look at documents.
virtual device drivers Device driver files that can move themselves to high memory to leave extra low memory free.
VM Stands for Virtual Memory and refers to the concept that each MS-DOS window acts like a separate PC that has access to full memory and other system resources.
wallpaper The background graphics that appear on the Windows 95 desktop.
Wave Also called wavetable. Sound that produces realistic sounds from your computer's speaker.
wildcard character When you want to refer to more than one file, you often can use the * or ? wildcard characters. The * substitutes for zero or more characters in a filename and the ? substitutes for one character. Therefore, *.txt refers to all files whose names end in the .txt filename extension, whereas month?.txt refers only to those files that match the pattern month1.txt, month2.txt, montha.txt, month$.txt, and so on.
Windows metafile A special Windows 95 file that ends with the .WMF filename extension. You can use Windows metafiles for separator pages that you create yourself provided that you have a program that can create metafiles with the .WMF filename extension.
wizard A step-by-step process that leads you through the execution of a Windows 95 task. Many Windows 95 programs, such as Microsoft Word for Windows, include specific wizards of their own.
wrap When an editor or word processor automatically moves the cursor to the start of the next line when the cursor gets to the edge of a window or Ruler margin.