National Teaching and Learning Change ProgrammeInformation and Communication Technology:
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• embed
  The embed HTML tags <EMBED> </EMBED> allow for a variety of objects to be placed or "embedded" within HTML documents, e.g. Flash movies can be placed in web pages using the embed tags.
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• emoticon
  Simple icons, often formed by joining together a number of characters, and used to indicate feelings in email and chat messages. These icons are often known as
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• enable
  To enable something is to start it working.
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• encode
  Similar to encrypt, i.e. encrypting data so that it cannot be read without first decrypting (or decoding) it.
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• encryption
  Encryption makes data in a computer system unintelligible without a decryption key. The encrypted data appears to be meaningless and is sometimes described as scrambled data. Encryption provides security for the data (by preventing it being understood), both when stored electronically and when transmitted between computer systems. Decryption is converting the unreadable data back into an understandable form.
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• encryption key
  An encryption key is a word or code selected by the user to govern the encryption process.
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• end of file (EOF) character
  A character written to a file by the operating system immediately after the last record to signal the end of that file to the controlling program. A programmer can use this to process a variable amount of data in a file, processing records until the end of file character is found.
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• end tag
  In HTML, a tag is a piece of code, which describes how a web page is formatted. The tag appears between the open and closed bracket, e.g. <b> is the start tag, indicating that the following text should be bold, and the end tag </b> stops subsequent text being displayed as bold.
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• enter
  Also called return, this key is normally used to send a command to the computer, or to start a new paragraph in word processing. It is also used to select an option or make a choice.
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• enter
  To send data to the computer, usually via a keyboard.
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• entity
  In a relational database, an entity is the name of the objects about which the database stores data. For example, in an estate agent database, an entity might be a house, a buyer.
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• entity relationship diagram
  A diagram which illustrates the relationship between the various entities in a database.
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• environment variable
  A variable that describes the operating environment of a process. Common environment variables describe the home directory, command search path, and the current time zone.
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• ergonomic keyboard
  Specially designed keyboard which reduces the risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI).
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• ergonomics
  The study of the working environment, and making it suitable for the people using it, for example an ergonomic office chair is one which is comfortable, which makes it easy to work at a desk, but which also is healthy, e.g. by making sure the person using it has a healthy posture.
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• error
  An incorrect result produced by a computer or user, for example as a result of a programming mistake, or entering the wrong data.
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• error message
  A message which appears, usually on the screen, to explain the cause of an error.
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• error trap
  A technique used in programming that deals with any errors generated during the running of a program.
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• esc key
  One of a number of special keys which is often used to cancel an operation. Its exact function will depend on the software.
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• escape
  The escape key has a different effect depending on the program. It is often used to cancel an action.