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- daisy wheel printer
- a printer which has
characters that are fully formed on the
"petals", like typewriter keys.
- data
- the raw facts given to the
computer, like first name, price, quantity ordered
- data automation
- making data entry and
validation as automatic as possible
- data projector
- device that projects image
onto a wall screen
- data transfer rate
- rate of data transfer from
storage disk. Measured in kilobytes per second
(kbs).
- data communications
- transmission of data and
information over a communications channel,
- data recovery
- program which attempts to
recover deleted or damaged data
- data compression
- program which force data
into less space on the storage medium
-
database
- a program to manage lists
that are not entirely numbers, such as addresses,
phone lists, inventories... A database is made up of
files which contain records which are make up of
fields.
- debug
- look for and remove errors
in a program
- default
- the original settings; what
will happen if you don't change anything
- defragment
- puts files on storage disk
so that the whole file is in sequence rather than
stored with parts in various locations on the disk
- delete
- remove selected object (not
saved anywhere)
- density (tape)
- how close bit may be placed
on magnetic tape. Measure in bits per inch (bpi)
- desktop computer
- personal computer that will
fit nicely on a desk
- desktop publishing (DTP)
- program which give precise
control of where text and graphics appear on the
page
- dialing software
- tells the computer how to
place a call on the phone line connected to it.
Display messages about call progress
- digital camera
- device which takes still
photos but records the pictures on computer disks or
memory chips
- digital info
- information stored as a
string of zeros or ones
- digital signal
- a stream of 0's and 1's.
- digitizer
- device that converts
drawings, photos, etc. to digital signals
- directory
- a grouping of files
- directory tree
- hierarchy of directories
- discrete speech recognition
- a voice input system in
which the speaker must pause between words for the
computer to tell when a word stops.
- disk management
- program involving
formatting and defragmenting your disk
- diskette
- used for storing data. Made
of Mylar with an oxide coating. 5¼"and
3½" sizes exist with the smaller size
dominating now. Also called a floppy or floppy disk.
- documentation
- the printed or online
documents that explain things: identify the parts of
your hardware or software, give installation
instructions, give directions for use. In
programming this includes explanations of the code -
why it is written that way, what the code is doing.
- DOS
- Disk Operating System
- dot matrix printer
- forms characters using
row(s) of pins, 9, 18, or 24 which impact the ribbon
on top of the paper
- dot pitch
- distance between dots on a
monitor screen. Several ways to measure. May be
measured from center to center between nearest dots
or between dots of the same color (for color
monitors). May be measured from center to vertical
line through nearest dot of same color - a shorter
distance than center to center.
- double-sided disk
- top and bottom surfaces of
a storage disk are used.
- download
- transfer a file to your
computer from elsewhere
- dpi
- dots per inch. Used to
measure printer resolution.
- draft quality
- quality good enough for a
test print or for internal use
-
drawing program
- a graphics program that
deals with images as a set of geometric shapes. Each
shape is defined by a vector, an equation. Has
smaller file sizes and resizes with little loss of
picture quality. File formats include cdr, cgm, cdx,
drw, wmf, wpg and many more.
- driver
- file that gives directions
to the computer on how to use a device connected to
the computer
- dumb terminal
- a terminal which cannot
store or process data
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