National Teaching and Learning Change ProgrammeInformation and Communication Technology:
Dictionary

• Home
• Data representation
• General
• Hardware
• Internet/web
• Managing data
• Multimedia
• Networks and communications technology
• Programming
• Security
• Software
• Systems design
• My downloads

Search results

• wildcard
  A wildcard is a symbol used in some commands or search instructions to replace one or more characters, e.g. a search command including *.doc would find all the files with the file extension .doc.
• 
• window
  An area on the screen that contains information, such as documents and programs. Windows are also used to communicate with the user through dialog boxes, etc. Users can open or close a window, move it around, resize and scroll through it. Typically used in graphical user interfaces.
• 
• window
  A menu option on most Windows and Apple Mac computers.
• 
• Windows
  When capitalised, the general name of the Microsoft operating system.
• 
• wipe the disk
  Delete all the contents from a disk.
• 
• wireless
  Where computers and peripherals are able to connect to each other, and to other networks, using radio frequencies, without using cables.
• 
• wireless access point
  A hub on a local area network. Any computer with a wireless network interface, which is within range, can communicate with the local area network by radio to the wireless access point.
• 
• wireless application protocol (WAP)
  A specification for a set of communication protocols to standardise the way that wireless devices, such as mobile phones and radio transceivers, can be used for internet access to facilities including email, the web, newsgroups, and chat.
• 
• wireless card
  A card which allows a computer to connect to a network using radio frequencies.
• 
• wireless local area network
  A local area network, but one which uses wireless technology to communicate, rather than cables.
• 
• wireless router
  A router which uses wireless technology, not cables.
• 
• wizard
  A feature of some applications packages, which helps users to perform a task. By asking the user some questions, a wizard provides help in making best use of the available facilities. For example, a table wizard in a database might help to create tables by offering a number of possible options, or a letter wizard might show how you could set out a letter for a particular situation.
• 
• word
  A group of bits that can be addressed, transferred and manipulated as a single unit by the central processor. The size of a word, the word length, is determined by the width of the data pathways within the computer and is usually larger than a byte, possibly consisting of 16, 24, 36 or even 64 bits. Large word sizes mean that a computer can transfer data in larger groups than a computer with a smaller word size, and this generally means faster operation.
• 
• word count
  A tool in word processors to count the number of words in a document.
• 
• word processor
  A word processor is an applications package which allows the user to produce documents including letters, reports, manuals and newsletters.
• 
• word wrap
  A facility available in word processing packages which breaks lines automatically between words. When the text being typed on the line reaches beyond the right-hand margin, the whole of the last word is transferred to the beginning of the next line and the typing then continues on the new line.
• 
• workbook
  A spreadsheet document containing one or more worksheets.
• 
• working store
  A working store is a section of immediate access store reserved as a temporary working area for use by an application. It is also called a work store or scratch pad.
• 
• worksheet
  The working area of a spreadsheet.
• 
• world wide web
  Part of the internet, the web is comprised of all the websites which are accessed via the internet.