Personal computing

Terms related to personal computers, including definitions about computers sold as consumer products and words and phrases about laptops, tablets and smartphones.

static IP address - A static IP address is a 32 bit number that is assigned to a computer to be its address on the internet.
steampunk - Steampunk is a design style inspired by Victorian-era industrialism.
Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) - Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) is a connection-oriented network protocol for transmitting multiple streams of data simultaneously between two endpoints that have established a connection in a network.
streaming media - Streaming media is video or audio content sent in compressed form over the internet and played immediately over a user's device, rather than being saved to the device hard drive or solid-state drive.
substrate - A substrate is a solid substance or medium to which another substance is applied and to which that second substance adheres.
Sun Microsystems - Sun Microsystems (often just called "Sun"), the leading company in computers used as Web servers, also makes servers designed for use as engineering workstations, data storage products, and related software.
SYN flood attack - A SYN flood attack is a type of denial-of-service (DoS) attack on a computer server.
tablet (tablet PC) - A tablet is a wireless, portable personal computer with a touchscreen interface.
takedown request - A takedown request, also called a DMCA takedown or a notice and take down request, is a procedure for asking an internet service provider (ISP) or search engine to remove or disable access to illegal, irrelevant or outdated information.
technology addiction - Technology addiction is an impulse control disorder that involves the obsessive use of mobile devices, the internet or video games, despite the negative consequences to the technology user.
TED talk - A TED talk is a recorded public-speaking presentation that was originally given at the main TED (technology, entertainment and design) annual event or one of its many satellite events around the world.
telegraph - A telegraph is a communication system that sends information by making and breaking an electrical connection.
teletypewriter (TTY) - A teletypewriter (TTY) is an input device that allows alphanumeric character to be typed in and sent, usually one at a time as they are typed, to a computer or a printer.
Text message abbreviations and acronyms - This handy fast reference will help you quickly understand hundreds of Text, Twitter and Chat abbreviations and acronyms that are popularly used in text messages and social media.
texture mapping - Texture mapping is a graphic design process in which a two-dimensional (2-D) surface, called a texture map, is "wrapped around" a three-dimensional (3-D)object.
thick client (fat client) - A thick client (sometimes called a fat client) is a form of client-server architecture.
thin client (lean client) - A thin client (or lean client) is a virtual desktop computing model that runs on the resources stores on a central server instead of a computer's resources.
third-party cookie - A third-party cookie is a cookie that's placed on a user's device -- computer, cellphone or tablet -- by a website from a domain other than the one the user is visiting.
thumbnail - A thumbnail is a small image representation of a larger image, usually intended to make it easier and faster to look at or manage a group of larger images.
TikTok - TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to create, share and discover short-form videos.
time-to-live (TTL) - Time-to-live (TTL) is a value for the period of time that a packet, or data, should exist on a computer or network before being discarded.
timeline - A timeline is a visual representation of a chronological sequence of events along a drawn line that helps a viewer understand time relationships.
TL;DR (too long; didn't read) - TL;DR is an abbreviation for "too long; didn't read.
ToFu, MoFu and BoFu - ToFu, MoFu and BoFu is a method used by sales and marketing professionals to pace and cater their approach to sales leads within a sales funnel, depending on the customer’s current phase of the purchase decision.
Top 10 spyware threats - The top 10 spyware list describes the 10 common spyware threats behind famous spyware attacks and is frequently identified by Webroot's Spy Audit, a free spyware scanner tool.
Tor browser - The Tor (the onion routing) browser is a web browser designed for anonymous web surfing and protection against traffic analysis.
torque - Torque is a twisting or turning force that tends to cause rotation around an axis; it can also be thought of as the ability of something that is rotating, such as a gear or a shaft, to overcome turning resistance.
touch screen - A touch screen is an electronic display screen that is also an input device.
trackball - A trackball is a computer cursor control device used in many laptop computer keyboards and older versions of computer mice.
TrackPoint (pointing stick) - A TrackPoint, also called a pointing stick, is a cursor control device found in Lenovo ThinkPad notebook computers.
trolling - Trolling, in the context of the web, is the act of responding to online content or comments in a purposely disruptive fashion.
TrueView ad - TrueView is a video ad format that gives the viewer options, typically the ability to skip the advertisement after five seconds.
Tumblr - Tumblr is a free microblogging site.
tweet - A tweet is a post on Twitter.
Twitter - Twitter is a free social networking site where users broadcast short posts known as tweets.
Twitterbot - A Twitterbot is a software program designed to automatically follow Twitter users, like and retweet posts.
U (measurement) - A U is a standard unit of measure for designating the height in computer enclosures and server rack cabinets.
UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter) - A UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter) is the microchip with programming that controls a computer's interface to its attached serial devices.
UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery and Integration) - UDDI, or Universal Description, Discovery and Integration, is an Extensible Language Markup (XML)-based standard to describe, publish and find information about web services.
Ultra High-Definition TV (UHDTV) - Ultra-high-definition (UHD) television, also abbreviated UHDTV, is a digital television display format in which the horizontal screen resolution is on the order of 4000 pixels (4K UHD) or 8000 pixels (8K UHD).
uncanny valley - The uncanny valley is a common unsettling feeling people experience when androids or humanoid robots and audio/visual simulations closely resemble humans in many respects but aren't quite convincingly realistic.
unified communications (UC) - Unified communications (UC) is an umbrella term for the integration of multiple enterprise communication tools -- such as voice calling, video conferencing, instant messaging (IM), presence and content sharing -- into a single, streamlined interface, with the goal of improving user experience (UX) and productivity.
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) - Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, or UEFI, specifies how a software program connects a computer's firmware to its operating system and attached computing hardware.
Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) - A Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) is a character sequence that identifies a logical (abstract) or physical resource -- usually, but not always, connected to the internet.
Universal Naming Convention (UNC) - The Universal Naming Convention (UNC) is a standard for naming resources -- such as files and devices -- that are shared by computers on a network.
uploading - Uploading is the transmission of data from a local device to a remote device.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator) - A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a unique identifier used to locate a resource on the Internet.
URN (Uniform Resource Name) - A URN (Uniform Resource Name) is a permanent identifier for internet resources that employs the urn scheme.
USB 3.0 (SuperSpeed USB) - USB 3.0 is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) data transfer standard that is backwards compatible with USB 2.
USB-C - USB-C, or Universal Serial Bus Type-C, is a standard connection type for mobile and portable devices.
User Datagram Protocol (UDP) - User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is a communications protocol primarily used to establish low-latency and loss-tolerating connections between applications on the internet.
User Principal Name (UPN) - In Microsoft Active Directory, a User Principal Name (UPN) is a username and domain in an email address format.
Uuencode (Uuencode/Uudecode) - Uuencode (also called Uuencode/Uudecode) is a popular utility for encoding and decoding files exchanged between users or systems in a network.
vector graphics - Vector graphics are computer images created through a sequence of commands or mathematical statements that place lines and shapes in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space.
Viber - Viber is a VoIP and instant messaging application with cross-platform capabilities that allows users to exchange audio and video calls, stickers, group chats, and instant voice and video messages.
video streaming service - A video streaming service is an on-demand online entertainment source for TV shows, movies and other streaming media.
Vimeo - Vimeo is a U.
virtual asset - A virtual asset is a digital representation of an item that has value in a specific environment.
virtual assistant (AI assistant) - A virtual assistant, also called an AI assistant or digital assistant, is an application program that understands natural language voice commands and completes tasks for the user.
virtual classroom - A virtual classroom is an online learning environment.
virtual presence - Virtual presence is the ability of a user to feel that they are actually in a virtual location such as a web site or an immersive simulation using technologies like virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR).
virtual reality - Virtual reality, or VR, is a simulated three-dimensional (3D) environment that lets users explore and interact with a virtual surrounding in a way that approximates reality, as it's perceived through the users' senses.
virtual reality cloud (VR cloud) - Virtual reality cloud is the application of cloud computing to create VR environments and experiences.
virtual reality gaming (VR gaming) - Virtual reality gaming (VR gaming) is the application of a three-dimensional (3D) artificial environment to computer games.
virtual reality sickness (VR motion sickness) - Virtual reality sickness (VR motion sickness) is the physical discomfort that occurs when an end user's brain receives conflicting signals about self-movement in a digital environment.
vishing (voice or VoIP phishing) - Vishing (voice or VoIP phishing) is a type of cyber attack that uses voice and telephony technologies to trick targeted individuals into revealing sensitive data to unauthorized entities.
visitor-based networking (visitor-based network) - Visitor-based networking (VBN) is a computer network with high-speed internet access provided by an organization for temporary use by visitors, guests or other users in a public area.
voice recognition (speaker recognition) - Voice or speaker recognition is the ability of a machine or program to receive and interpret dictation or to understand and perform spoken commands.
von Neumann bottleneck - The von Neumann bottleneck is a limitation on throughput caused by the standard personal computer architecture.
VR locomotion (virtual reality locomotion) - VR locomotion is technology that enables movement from one place to another (locomotion) within a virtual reality environment.
walled garden - On the internet, a walled garden is an environment that controls the user's access to network-based content and services.
WAN (wide area network) - A wide area network (WAN) is a geographically distributed private telecommunications network that interconnects multiple local area networks (LANs).
war driving (access point mapping) - War driving, also called access point mapping, is the act of locating and possibly exploiting connections to wireless local area networks (WLANs) while driving around a city or elsewhere.
water cooling - Water cooling, also called liquid cooling, is a method used to lower the temperature of computer processor units (CPUs), and sometimes graphics processor units (GPUs).
wearable computer - A wearable computer is any small technological device capable of storing and processing data that can be worn on the body.
wearable technology - Wearable technology is any kind of electronic device designed to be worn on the user's body.
Web 2.0 - Web 2.0 are websites and applications that make use of user-generated content for end users.
web server - A web server is software and hardware that uses HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and other protocols to respond to client requests made over the World Wide Web.
Web texting - Web texting is two-way text messaging from the Web to a handheld mobile device, usually a cellular phone.
WebGL - WebGL is a graphics application programming interface (API) created for use in web applications.
weblog - A blog, short for weblog, is a frequently updated web page used for personal commentary or business content.
webOS - WebOS is an LG-owned, Linux-based operating system for smart devices, particularly smart TVs.
What are data caps and why do Internet providers use them? - A data cap, also known as a bandwidth cap, is a limit that service providers impose on the amount of data a user account can transfer at a specified level of throughput over a given time period, for a specified fee.
What is a drone (UAV)? - A drone is an unmanned aircraft.
What is a Server? - A server is a computer program or device that provides a service to another computer program and its user, also known as the client.
What is an inbound call? - An inbound call is typically initiated by a customer to a call center or contact center.
What is an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)? - An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a device that allows a computer to keep running for at least a short time when incoming power is interrupted.
What is malware? Prevention, detection and how attacks work - Malware, or malicious software, is any program or file that's intentionally harmful to a computer, network or server.
What is PaaS? Platform as a service definition and guide - Platform as a service (PaaS) is a cloud computing model where a third-party provider delivers hardware and software tools to users over the internet.
What is Software as a Service (SaaS)? - Software as a service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which a third-party provider hosts applications and makes them available to customers over the Internet.
What is the dark web (darknet)? - The dark web is an encrypted portion of the internet not visible to the general public via a traditional search engine such as Google.
What is user-generated content and why is it important? - User-generated content (UGC) is published information that an unpaid contributor provides to a website.
WhatsApp - WhatsApp is a free cross-platform messaging service.
whitelist (allowlist) - A whitelist (allowlist) is a cybersecurity strategy that approves a list of email addresses, IP addresses, domain names or applications, while denying all others.
wiki - A wiki is a web-based collaborative platform that enables users to store, create and modify content in an organized manner.
Windows 7 - Windows 7 is the Microsoft Windows operating system (OS) released commercially in October 2009 as the successor to Windows Vista.
Windows as a service - Windows as a service is the approach Microsoft introduced with Windows 10 to deploy, update and service the operating system.
Windows event log - The Windows event log is a detailed record of system, security and application notifications stored by the Windows operating system that is used by administrators to diagnose system problems and predict future issues.
Windows key (winkey) - The Windows key (winkey) is a button on a Windows computer keyboard.
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) - Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is a specification for a set of communication protocols to standardize the way wireless devices, such as mobile phones and radio transceivers, can be used for internet access, including email, the web, newsgroups and instant messaging.