Microsoft Windows 95 Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Accessories Built-in programs that come with Windows 95 that you can use for day-to-day tasks.

Active application The application or program that is running. See also Task Bar.

Active window A window that you are currently using. If a window is active, its title bar changes color to differentiate it from other windows.

Application A task-oriented software program that you use for a particular kind of work, such as word processing or database management. Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Word are all applications.

Background The surface of your desktop on which icons and windows appear; you can customize its appearance using the Display Properties dialog box.

Bitmapped character A character that consists of small dots organized to form a letter.

Bulletin Board System Telecommunications services which you can access to read and post messages, as well as download and upload software.

Check box Clicking this square box in a dialog box turns an option off or on.

Click To press and release the mouse button once quickly.

Clipboard Temporary storage space that contains information that has been cut or copied.

Close Use to quit a program or remove a window from the desktop. The Close button usually appears in the upper-right corner of a window.

Command Directive that provides access to a program's features.

Command button In a dialog box, a button that carries out an action. A command button usually has a label that describes its action, such as Cancel or Help. If the label is followed by an ellipsis, clicking the button displays a dialog box.

Command prompt Symbol used to represent the drive and directory at which you can launch a program (usually C:\> is called the DOS command prompt).

Context-sensitive help Help that relates to the task you are currently working on.

Control Panel A Windows utility for changing computer settings.

Copy To copy information in a file and place it on the Clipboard to be pasted in another location.

Cursor The blinking vertical line in the Notepad document window which indicates where text will appear when you type. Also referred to as the insertion point.

Cut To remove information from a file and place it on the Clipboard.

Cut and paste To move information from one place to another using the Clipboard as the temporary storage area.

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Defragment A feature that allows you to rewrite the files on your disk to contiguous blocks rather than in random blocks.

Desktop An on-screen version of a desk that provides workspace for different computing tasks.

Dialog box A window that appears temporarily to request information. Many dialog boxes have options you must choose before Windows can carry out a command.

Directory Part of a structure for organizing your files on a disk. A directory can contain files and other directories (called subdirectories).

Disk label Name that you assign to a disk using the Properties dialog box.

Document window Displays the current document.

Double-click To press and release the mouse button twice quickly.

Drag To point at an item, press and hold the left mouse button, move the mouse to a new location, then release the mouse button.

Electronic mail (e-mail) A system used to send and receive messages electronically.

Edit To change the contents of a file without having to recreate it.

File A collection of information that has a unique name, distinguishing it from other files.

File hierarchy A logical order for folders and files that mimics how you would organize files and folders in a filing cabinet.

File management A skill to organize and keep track of files and folders.

Folder A collection of files and other folders that helps you organize your disks.

Font The design of a set of characters (i.e., Times Roman).

Format To change the appearance of information but not the actual content.

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Graphical user interface (GUI) A software program that works hand in hand with the MS-DOS operating system to control the basic operation of a computer and the programs that run on it.

Help button A button in a Help window that when clicked jumps to a dialog box or opens a program to answer your question.

Highlight When an icon is shaded differently indicating it is selected. See also Select.

Horizontal scroll bar Moves your view from right to left through a window. See also Scroll Bar.

HyperTerminal A telecommunications Accessory provided by Windows 95.

Icon Graphical representation of files and other screen elements

Insertion point The blinking vertical line in the Notepad document window which indicates where text will appear when you type. Also referred to as the cursor.

Internet A collection of networks that connect computers all over the world using phone lines, coaxial cables, fiber optic cables, satellites, and other telecommunications media. See also Network.

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Keyboard shortcut A keyboard alternative for executing a menu command (i.e., [Ctrl][X] for Cut).

Landscape orientation When you print with the page being wider than it is tall.

Launch To start a program or application so you can use it.

List box A box in a dialog box containing a list of items. To choose an item, click the list arrow, then click the desired item.

Maximize To enlarge a window so it takes up the entire screen. There is usually a Maximize button in the upper-right corner of a window.

Menu A list of available commands in an application window.

Menu bar Provides access to most of a program's features through commands.

Microsoft Exchange What Microsoft Windows 95 calls e-mail

Microsoft Network An online service provided by Windows 95.

Minimize To reduce the size of a window. There is usually a Minimize button in the upper-right corner of a window. Double-clicking the Minimize button shrinks the window to an icon.

Mouse A hand-held input device that you roll on your desk to position the mouse pointer on the Windows desktop. See also Mouse pointer.

Mouse buttons The two buttons on the mouse (right and left) that you use to make selections and issue commands.

Mouse pointer The arrow-shaped cursor on the screen that follows the movement of the mouse as you roll the mouse on your desk. You use the mouse pointer to select items, choose commands, start applications, and word process in applications. The shape of the mouse pointer changes depending on the application and the task being executed.

Multitasking The ability to run several programs at once and easily switch among them.

My Computer Use to view the files that are available on your computer and how they are arranged. The icon appears on the desktop.

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Network Two or more computers connected together in order to exchange and share data.

Newsgroup Online discussion groups about a particular topic.

Online services Offer a variety of information, in the form of news, discussion groups, files, software, and electronic mail capabilities.

Operating System Controls the basic operation of your computer and the programs you run on it.

Pattern A design that will display as your desktop background.

Point To move the mouse pointer to position it over an item on the desktop.

Pop-up menu The menu that appears when you right-click an item on the desktop.

Portrait orientation When you print with the page being taller than it is wide.

Program software used to accomplish complex tasks such as word processing or database management

Program button The button that appears on the Taskbar and represents a minimized (but still running) program.

Properties The characteristics of a specific element (such as the mouse, keyboard, or desktop display) that you can customize.

Radio button A small circle in a dialog box that you click to select an option.

RAM (random access memory) The memory that applications use to perform necessary tasks while the computer is on. When you turn the computer off, all information in RAM is lost.

Recycle Bin An icon that appears on the desktop that represents a temporary storage area for deleted files. Files will remain in the Recycle Bin until you empty it.

Restore To reduce the window to its previous size before it was maximized. There is usually a Restore button in the upper right corner of a window.

Right-click To press and release the right mouse button once quickly.

Run To operate a program.

Screen saver A moving pattern that fills your screen after your computer has not been used for a specified amount of time.

Scroll bar A bar that appears at the bottom and/or right edge of a window whose contents are not entirely visible. Each scroll bar contains a scroll box and two scroll arrows. You click the arrows or drag the box in the direction you want the window to move.

Scroll box Located in the vertical and horizontal scroll bars and indicates your relative position in a window. See also Horizontal scroll bar and Vertical scroll bar.

Select When you click and highlight an item in order to perform some action on it. See also Highlight.

Shortcut A link that you can place in any location that gives you instant access to a particular file, folder, or program on your hard disk or on a network.

Shut down The action you perform when you are finished your Windows work session. After you perform this action it is safe to turn off your computer.

Start button A button on the Taskbar that you use to start programs, find files, access Windows Help and more.

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Taskbar A bar at the bottom of the screen that contains the Start button and shows which programs are running

Text box A box in a dialog box in which you type text

Text file A document file containing words, letters, or numbers, but not special computer instructions, such as formatting.

Title bar The area along the top of the window that contains the file name and program used to create it.

Toolbar Contains buttons that allow you to activate a command quickly.

ToolTip A description of a toolbar button that appears on your screen.

Triple-click In some programs, this action causes an entire line to be selected.

True Type character A character that is based on a mathematical equation so the curves are smooth and the corners are sharp.

Undo Reverses your previous command.

Vertical scroll bar Moves your view up and down through a window. See also Scroll Bar

The Vertical Scroll Bar.

Wallpaper An image that is in the same format as Windows 95 Paint files that will display as your desktop background.

Window A rectangular frame on a screen that might contain icons, the contents of a file, or other usable data

Windows Explorer Use to manage files, folders, and shortcuts; more powerful than My Computer and allows you to work with more than one computer, folder, or file and once.

World Wide Web (WWW) A vast series of electronic documents called Web Pages or Web Documents that are linked together over the Internet. Also referred to as The Web and W3.