| Facebook |
Facebook is a social networking website that was originally designed for college students, but is now open to anyone... |
| FAQ |
Stands for "Frequently Asked Questions," and can be pronounced "fak" or simply "F-A-Q." An FAQ is a text file that is... |
| FAT32 |
This strange term refers to the way Windows stores data on your hard drive. "FAT" stands for "File Allocation Table... |
| Fiber-Optic Cable |
This is a cable made up of super-thin filaments of glass or other transparent materials that can carry beams of light... |
| FIFO |
Stands for "First In, First Out." FIFO is a method of processing and retrieving data. In a FIFO system, the first... |
| File |
A file is a collection of data stored in one unit, identified by a filename. It can be a document, picture, audio or... |
| File Extension |
A file extension is the last part of a filename, after the dot (e.g. ".pdf"). Most file extensions are three... |
| File Format |
A file format describes the way data is stored in a file. It defines the data structure (how the data is organized in... |
| File System |
Most people have several thousand files on their computer's hard disk, so imagine how hard it would be to find anything... |
| Filename |
A filename is a text string that identifies a file. Every file stored on a computer's hard disk has a filename that... |
| Finder |
The Finder serves as the primary graphical user interface (GUI) for Macintosh computers. It includes the desktop... |
| FiOS |
Stands for "Fiber Optic Service." FiOS is a data communications service provided by Verizon that uses fiber optic... |
| Firewall |
The term "firewall" originally referred to fireproof walls that were designed to prevent the spread of fire from one... |
| Firewire |
This high-speed interface has become a hot new standard for connecting peripherals (no pun intended). Created by Apple... |
| Firmware |
Firmware is a software program or set of instructions programmed on a hardware device. It provides the necessary... |
| Flaming |
Flaming is the act of posting or sending offensive messages over the Internet. These messages, called "flames," may be... |
| Flash |
Flash is a multimedia technology used for creating animations and interactive websites. Web developers often use Flash... |
| Flash Drive |
Flash drives have many names — jump drives, thumb drives, pen drives, and USB keychain drives. Regardless of... |
| Flash Memory |
Flash memory is a type of electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). Whew, that's a mouthful. The... |
| Flat File |
A flat file database is a database that stores data in a plain text file. Each line of the text file holds one record... |
| Flatbed |
A flatbed is a type of scanner or copier that uses a flat, glass surface for scanning documents or other objects. Most... |
| Floating Point |
As the name implies, floating point numbers are numbers that contain floating decimal points. For example, the numbers... |
| Floppy Disk |
Floppy disks have an interesting name, considering they do not appear to be "floppy." However, if you take the actual... |
| FLOPS |
FLOPS is an acronym that means "Floating Point Operations Per Second." FLOPS is a measurement unit that defines the... |
| Flowchart |
A flowchart is a diagram that describes a process or operation. It includes multiple steps, which the process "flows... |
| Folder |
Just like real world folders, folders on your hard drive store files. These files can be documents, programs, scripts... |
| Font |
A font is a specific typeface of a certain size and style. For example, one font may be Arial 12 pt bold, while... |
| Format |
Formatting a disk involves rewriting the directory structure, or file system, of a disk. All disks must be formatted... |
| Formula |
A formula is a calculation performed on one or more variables. It may be a simple operation, such as the addition of... |
| FPU |
Stands for "Floating Point Unit." The first computer processors were far better at dealing with integers than with... |
| Frame |
In the computer world, a frame can be many different things. The different definitions of "frame" are listed below:
... |
| Freeware |
Like shareware, freeware is software you can download, pass around, and distribute without any initial payment... |
| Friend |
An online friend is a person added to your list of friends on a social networking website, such as Facebook or MySpace... |
| Frozen |
While "frozen" describes the state of Minnesota from November to March, it also refers to an unresponsive computer... |
| FSB |
Stands for "frontside bus." The FSB connects the computer's processor to the system memory (RAM) and other components... |
| FTP |
Stands for "File Transfer Protocol." It is a common method of transferring files via the Internet from one computer to... |
