National Teaching and Learning Change ProgrammeInformation and Communication Technology:
Dictionary

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• snail mail
  A term used for mail sent by ordinary post, as opposed to using email.
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• software
  These are the programs used by a computer, e.g. computer operating systems, or applications software, e.g. word processing, spreadsheet and database software.
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• software library
  A collection of software. It can include complete software packages, package modules which will only be required occasionally, and machine-code routines for loading into user programs.
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• software licence
  When software is purchased there will be a software licence (also known as the licence agreement or end user licence agreement, EULA) which gives conditions for the use of the software. These conditions vary considerably between products. Any use of the software not allowed by its licence is illegal.
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• solution
  The answer to a problem.
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• sort
  Sort is a facility that allows the user to arrange data items in a particular order, e.g. alphabetical or numerical, ascending (going up) or descending (going down).
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• sort ascending
  Sorting items in ascending order, such as, a, b, c, d.
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• sort descending
  Sorting items in descending order, such as, d, c, b, a.
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• source code
  The source code is the original language in which a program is written. This then has to be interpreted or compiled into machine code before it can be run.
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• space
  The blank area between words, lines, etc.
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• space
  The free (available) area on a disk for storing data and programs.
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• spacebar
  The bar on a keyboard which inserts spaces into a document.
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• spam
  Unsolicited bulk or junk email.
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• spam filter
  A software filter used to identify spam emails before they reach an inbox.
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• speakers
  Output device for sound.
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• specification
  A written document which defines precisely the various aspects of the system. Specifications may be written at different parts of the development cycle and serve different purposes.
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• speech recognition software (SRS)
  Software which recognises a voice pattern, e.g. when used to dictate directly to a computer, rather than entering data with a keyboard.
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• speech synthesiser
  Speech synthesis is the artificial production of human speech, and a speech synthesiser (or voice synthesiser) achieves this either by the use of software or by using standard sound-generating hardware. An example of speech synthesiser is a talking word processor.
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• spell check
  A tool within software such as word processors to check and correct the spelling in a document.
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• spider
  A computer program that travels the internet looking for particular resources and indexing them. Used by search engines.