Partition

To divide memory or mass storage into isolated sections. In DOS systems, you can partition a disk, and each partition will behave like a separate disk drive. Partitioning is particularly useful if you run more than one operating system. For example, you might reserve one partition for Windows and another for UNIX.

In addition, partitioning on DOS and Windows machines can improve disk efficiency. This is because the FAT system used by these operating systems automatically assigns cluster size based on the disk size: the larger the disk, the larger the cluster.

Unfortunately, large clusters can result in a wasted disk space, called slack space. There is an entire sector of the software industry devoted to building utilities that let you partition your hard disk.

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WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get)

Pronounce it WIZ-zee-wig. Short for what you see is what you get. A WYSIWYG application is one that enables you to see on the display screen exactly what will appear when the document is printed. This differs, for example, from word processors that are incapable of displaying different fonts and graphics on the display screen even though the formatting codes have been inserted into the file. WYSIWYG is especially popular for desktop publishing.

Note that the WYSIWYGness of an application is relative. Originally, WYSIWYG referred to any word processor that could accurately show line breaks on the display screen. Later WYSIWYGs had to be able to show different font sizes, even if the screen display was limited to one typeface. Now, a word processor must be able to display graphics and many different typefaces to be considered WYSIWYG. Still, some WYSIWYG applications are more WYSIWYG than others. For example, many desktop publishing systems print text using outline fonts (PostScript fonts, for example).

Many of these systems, however, use corresponding bit-mapped fonts to display documents on a monitor. What you see on the display screen, therefore, is not exactly what you see when you print out the document. In addition, standard laser printers have a resolution of at least 300 dpi, whereas even the best graphics monitors have resolutions of only 100 dpi. Graphics and text, therefore, always look sharper when printed than they do on the display screen. And colors often appear differently on a monitor than they do when printed out.

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Internet address

It is an Internet address. While you are in your browser (which you are probably in now) you will see a section at the top of the page that is titled “location”. If you type in the address of someone’s web page and hit enter, your browser will take you to that page. However the address you type in the location bar must be an exact match.

Load
It means download and upload. If someone asks how long did the page take to load? He/She is referring to the time it takes a page to appear on your screen. If a web page is loading slowly it means that it’s taking a long time to fully appear on your screen. You can often scroll through a page and look at the parts that have loaded while the rest of the page continues to load. Also, you can usually click a link on the page you are loading and link to another page without waiting for the current page to fully load.

Once you access to the Internet you are online. Often people will say they are online meaning they have access to the Internet and have an e-mail address, but may not necessarily be connected to the Internet at that moment.

What you need while surfing the web. Some web pages seem to take forever to fully appear on your screen - [Patience].

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Selecting Items by Access Key or by Name

Most dialog box controls, menu titles, and menu items have underlined access keys. You can press ALT along with the access key to activate the control or menu anywhere within the active window. If an item doesn't have an underlined character, its access key is the first character in its name.

Access keys can sometimes be used without the ALT key for choosing controls or menu items. Use access keys without ALT to select items from an open menu. You can choose a dialog box control by typing its access key alone, except when the focus is on an edit box, a list box, or another control that expects typed characters. Therefore, using the ALT is a more reliable method.

Choosing controls in this way normally activates them, except when more than one item has the same access key. In that case, it will navigate to the next item assigned that key, but will not activate it. You must then press ENTER to activate it.

Within a list box, list view, tree view, or on the desktop, you can select an item by typing the first one or more characters in its name. You can begin typing a new name by pausing, and in some cases by pressing BACKSPACE. Pressing the same character more than once at the beginning of a name will select the next item beginning with that character.

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Newsgroups

Also called Usenet, they are groups that often have nothing to do with news. Newsgroups are a worldwide system of ongoing discussion groups among people on the Internet who share a mutual interest.

There are a large number of newsgroups available. Discussion is not in real time; it is done through leaving messages and reading messages that other people have left. If you can think of a subject you can probably find a Newsgroup for it.

If you have an interest in a subject, the Newsgroups are well worth your time. To learn how to use Newsgroups, just check out the help section of your browser.

Word Of Caution: Never give your real (permanent) E-Mail address in the Newsgroups.

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Spam (or Spamming)

It is generally agreed that Spam is unwanted email. Many believe that Spammers are abusers of the email system.

Spam is an ugly word that is over used and means any unsolicited e-mail, one e-mail or dozens or hundreds of thousands. Many individuals do not mind a little of it. They are afraid of missing an opportunity to meet a new friend or of finding a useful service or business opportunity. Other individuals make studies of what is said on these e mails. One can really get an education on ad writing from these e-mails.

Still others even sign up for the mailing lists or participate in an activity, which makes them a target for unsolicited mails. Still other individuals do “Unsolicited Bulk E-mail” and know the cost is to receive "Unsolicited Bulk E-mail” in return. It is one cost of doing “Unsolicited Bulk E mail." If you participate in discussion lists, which allow advertising, or you maintain "Bulk E- mailing Lists", please don’t make a pest of yourself. If your name is seen too often, then some people will NEVER join you. They will send unsubscribe requests. If you are on a discussion list, people may unsubscribe or just ignore you. Make yourself a pest and you will defeat yourself. This is called loss of mind share.

Another reason some people are tolerant of un-solicited e-mail is that all it takes is a couple of keystrokes and offending mail is gone. If they do not like what the person is sending (such as, solicitation to visit or receive pornography) they are willing to write a polite email and ask to be deleted from their mailing list.

I have never been refused. Perhaps Mr. Internet BEAR has a use after all. One type of Bulk E-mail is acceptable for all occasions. This Bulk E-mail is one where a person has asked to be placed on the list. It is this type of e-mail whether it be a newsletter like this one or a discussion list that has always been accepted on the Internet.

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What is Cookie

A "cookie" is an Internet site’s way of keeping track of you. It’s a small program built into a web page you might visit. Typically you won’t know when you are receiving cookies. Ideally a cookie could make your surfing easier by identifying you, tracking sites you visit, topics you search, and get a general feel for your preferences. This can make surfing easier, faster, more personal, and more efficient. It can also be used to collect your e-mail address for marketing (spamming) purposes.

You can set your browser to warn you before you accept cookies or not accept them at all. Check your (advanced) browser settings. Keep in mind that some secure sites, such as stock trading sites, won’t work if you don’t accept their cookies.

First Party Cookies is an Cookies from the site you are visiting.

Third Party Cookies is Cookies from a different site than the one you are visiting. For example, on About.com if there is a Double-click add on the page there is probably also a Double-click cookie.

Session Cookies. Temporary cookies used as long as you are accessing a site. For example, when you log onto About.com a session cookie is created. Each time you visit another About.com forum or post a message it uses this session cookie. Without this session cookie you would have to log in each time you post a message or visit another forum.

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