Glossary of Common Computer Terms
(I to M)

------ I ------

Infrared Port (IrDA, Infrared Data Association)
Uses infrared light waves to allow devices to communicate without any cables.

Inkjet Printer
A printer that produces text and images by spraying jets of quick-drying ink onto the paper.

Input
Anything that goes into a computer from an input device.

Input device
A tool that sends data and instructions to a computer. Keyboards, scanners and mice are input devices, whereas monitors and printers are output devices.

Installation disk
A CD-ROM (or floppy disk) that contains the information needed to install a program onto the hard disk.

Internet
A global network (or web) of computers that allows people to communicate with each other and share information.

Internet Security
A general term usually referring to antivirus, firewall, anti-spyware and anti-spam software or hardware that will help protect you from malicious software and "hackers" who are trying to gain unauthorized access to your computer via the internet.

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
A fast online connection - needs a special telephone line.

ISP (Internet Service Provider)
A company that allows you to connect to and use its computers to connect to the Internet.

IT (Information Technology)
A technical term for using computers to communicate and handle information.

------ J ------

Joystick
A lever device, similar to but larger than a mouse. Designed for playing games on the computer it may be useful for people with poor manual dexterity.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
A common format for image files, particularly photographic images. It is pronounced j - peg.

------ K ------

Kbps
Kilobits (thousands of bits) per second. A measurement of data transmission speed for modems.

Keyboard
An input device used to type data and instructions into the computer.

Keyboard shortcut
A single key or combination of keys that sends instructions to the computer. The only way of doing so if you do not use a mouse but sorely underused by those who do.

Kilobyte
Usually rounded to one thousand bytes, a kilobyte is actually 1,024 bytes.

------ L ------

Laptop
A small, portable computer sometimes referred to as a notebook computer.

Laser Printer
Printers that operate like a photocopier, using lasers and toners to produce high quality text and images.

------ M ------

Megabyte (Mb)
A unit of computer storage space, roughly equivalent to one million bytes.

Megahertz (MHz)
A unit the number of instructions per second your computer's processor can carry out. One MHz represents one million cycles or instructions per second.

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
A way of transforming music into data that can be "read" by a computer.

Modem (MOdulator/DEModulator)
A device that allows computers to communicate which each other over standard telephone lines.

Monitor
A television-like screen that lets you see what your computer is doing.

Motherboard
The main circuit board of the computer.

Mouse
An input device that allows you to control the computer by controlling the location and action of a cursor on the screen.

MP3
A way of compressing files that contain music.

[ A-C ]  [ D-H ]  [ I-M ]  [ N-R ]  [ S-Z ]

Definitions supplied by Electronic Aids for the Blind under the Creative Commons Licence.