a
@ Sign ("at sign")
The "at sign" is part of an email address. It goes between the "user name" and then "domain name". Every person with a certain domain name has a different user name – all three parts together are the email address.
Adaptive Equipment
Any tools or devices that help you do normal, daily tasks. This includes equipment that helps you use your computer, but also many other kinds of equipment.
Adware
Programs that automatically show ads on a computer. Often the ads are in pop-ups. There are programs that can help you get rid of adware; some are free and some you have to buy.
ALT
“ALT” is short for “alternate”. If you hold down the ALT key and push another key, that key will do something different than it usually does. It is kind of like the shift key that makes a letter key type a capital letter instead of a small letter, but it does lots of different things.
Antivirus software
Programs you put on your computer to stop it from getting viruses and to help find viruses and get rid of them. Some antivirus programs are free and some you have to pay for. Sometimes your Internet Service Provider will give you an antivirus program as part of the service you are getting.
Assistive Hardware
Equipment that you get for a computer to make it easier to use. Sometimes people also mean adjustable computer tables and things like that. Usually they mean switches, printers that print Braille, and things like that.
Assistive Software
Programs that people with disabilities (and others) can put on their computers to make their computers easier to use.
Assistive Technology
Hardware, software, and other equipment that helps people with disabilities be more independent or do things they couldn’t do before.
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Bookmarks
A way of remembering the address of a web site you might want to visit again later. All browsers have some way to save bookmarks (or favorites).
Booting Up
When you turn on your computer, it automatically loads the basic programs that make the computer work. This is called “booting up”.
Browser (Web Browser)
A browser is a program that finds web pages and shows them to you on your computer screen.
Browser Tab
Browser tabs let you keep more than one webpage open in a single browser window. You click on the tabs to switch between open web pages.
Browser Window
A browser window is the window that opens on your screen when you open a browser, usually by clicking on its icon. You can have more than one window open at a time, but you have to minimize one to be able to see another (or make them small so that several windows show on the screen at the same time). Usually, it is easier to have just one window and use tabs.
A button is a small, outlined area that you can click on to make something happen.
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Case sensitive
If something is case sensitive (like a password) it means that the capital and small letters matter. If you mix them up, the password won’t work.
Capitalization
Capitalization means using capital letters. When you are typing URLs and email addresses, capitalization usually does not matter. You can use big or small letters. But in passwords, capitalization usually does matter. It can matter in other places, too. If capitalization matters, then that is called “case sensitive”.
Chain letters
Usually, a chain letter asks you to send copies to more people and also to send something to one person on a list in the letter. Never respond to chain letters that ask you to send something of value (money or something that costs money or is private) to anyone. Generally, it is a good idea just to delete chain letters without responding, even when a friend sends you one. You never have to respond to a chain letter, even if the letter says you have to.
Client Based Mail
Client-based email is downloaded directly onto your computer. You can only see it there. There is no website that where you can see your mail. Programs like Outlook Express and Eudora are client-based email programs.
CC (Closed Captioning)
A service that writes what the voice is saying in a video or other presentation. It is like subtitles in movies.
Compose Mail
Think of what you want to say and write it (or talk it) into an email.
Computer Program
A set of instructions that tells the computer what to do.
A list of people, organizations, or companies and how to contact them by regular mail, telephone, fax, email, pager, and so forth.
CTRL/Control
The “control key” is usually in the bottom left corner of the keyboard. It is used the way the shift key is used – you hold it down while you press another key. The Ctrl key is often used for short cuts, quick ways to do something like copy a whole page (CTRL-a) or create a bookmark for a webpage (CTRL-d).
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Default
Default is the choice a computer will make if you don’t tell it to do something different. For example, if you don’t tell the computer how big to make your text, it will use a default size – usually 10 points or 12 points.
Delete
Deleting is like erasing. When you delete text or a file, it gets put in the “trash”. You can get it back until you “empty” the trash. Then it’s gone. Deleting is different from “cutting”. When you “cut” something, you can “paste” it somewhere else. When you delete something, it does to the trash.
Desktop
The desktop is what you see after you boot up your computer and log in to your identity. It usually has a taskbar on the bottom or one side. It has icons on the screen that take you to programs or files if you click on them. Sometime it has “gadgets” like a clock or a calendar. The background can be a picture, a design, or just a solid color.
Disable
For some programs, or features of programs, you can turn them on and off. Turning them on is called “enabling” and turning them off is called “disabling”.
Discard
Throw away or get rid of.
Discussion Group
For computer users, a discussion group is a group of people who talk to each other using email.
Do not forward
Sometimes an email is marked “do not forward”. That means the person who sent it does not want you to send it to anyone else. Usually that happens with the information, ideas, or opinions in the email are private.
Documents
When you are talking about computers, the word “document” means any computer file that is created by a computer program (or “application”).
Download
When you copy a file from a source on the Internet (or on another computer) and put it on your own computer, that is called “downloading.”
Drafts
A draft is a version of a document that is not ready to share with others. For example, when you write an email to someone, you might want to keep a draft for a while and then decide when you are ready to send it.
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Edit Subject
In email programs, “edit subject” lets you change the subject line on an email that is a reply to someone else or that is a forward of a message from someone else.
Emoticon
An emoticon is a symbol you can put in emails to show how you feel about what you are saying. You might use a smiley face to show you are being friendly, or a winking face to show you are making a joke. You can make emoticons with your keyboard, or you can download them. Be careful if you download them, though, because emoticon sites often have viruses or spyware. Never download emoticons to someone else's computer! (See supplementary materials for more information.)
Enable
Some programs or applications you put on your computer can be turned on and off. Turning one on is called “enabling” it.
Enable web history
In an Internet browser, web history keeps track of what websites you have visited. If you want to turn on web history, you “enable” it.
Enter
Sending information to a computer is called “entering” it. When you are typing on a keyboard, the “enter” key starts a new paragraph. Entering information is not the same as saving it. After you enter information, you will have to save it if you want the computer to have the information after you leave the program where you created it.
Etiquette
Rules of behavior that people in a society or a social group follow in order to get along with everybody. Generally, etiquette tells you how to be polite and considerate. When you are using the Internet, the rules of etiquette are called “Netiquette”.
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Favorites
Favorites or Bookmarks is a list of websites that you keep in your browser so that you can find websites you like in one step. When you find a website you think you will want to come back to, you add it to your “favorites” or “bookmarks” list.
Flash Drive
A flash drive, or a “USB flash drive”, is a small device that you can plug into a USB port on a computer. You can store files on a flash drive and then use them on any computer you plug the drive into. If you are using a public computer, or someone else’s computer, it is good to store your work on a flash drive. You can also store some programs on your flash drive and use them on any computer without having to put the programs on the computer you are using.
Flash drives are also called thumb drives, Jump drives, pen drives, or USC drives.
Font
The style and size of numbers, letters, and other symbols you can type is called the font. You choose the general style you want, and then decide on the size, whether or not you want to make it bold (wider and darker) or make it italic (slanted). Some fonts can be hard to read. Be careful to use fonts that will not cause problems for the people who are going to read what you are writing.
Forwarding
When you receive an email and then send it on to someone else, not the person who sent it to you, that is called “forwarding”. Do not forward email without permission unless you are absolutely sure the writer wants to share it with everyone in the world.
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Headset
Usually, when people say “headset”, they mean headphones with a microphone attached. You can use a headset with a computer or a telephone, but not all headsets work with all computers or telephones. Make sure that you have a headset that works with the equipment you have. Sometimes, people say “headset” when they really mean “headphones”.
Help
Most big computer programs, and many websites, have a feature or option called “help”. “Help” gives information about how to use the program or website.
Highlight
Highlighting means making something on your computer screen stand out, the same way you can highlight words on a piece of paper. You need to highlight parts of the screen to do many things, like copy it, cut and paste it, or have it read out loud. Usually you highlight by holding down your left mouse button while you drag the cursor over the words or pictures you want to highlight.
Home page
The main page of a website is called the home page. It is the page you see when you put the main URL for a website into your browser (without anything after a / sign). Once you are inside a website, you can usually get back to the home page by clicking on a link or button that says “home” or by clicking on the name of the website or the organization sponsoring the website.
Hyperlink
A hyperlink is a spot on a website that you can click on to go to another part of the website, or even to a different website or an email form. Usually, you can find hyperlinks because they are on buttons, are underlined, or are in a different color.
Hyperlink pointer
When you move your cursor over a hyperlink on your screen, the cursor symbol will change from an arrow to a hand with a pointing finger. That symbol is called a hyperlink pointer and helps you know when you can click on a hyperlink.
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Icon
When you are talking about a computer, an “icon” is a picture that stands for a program or an idea. Usually, you can click on icons to use the program or go to something about the idea. Sometimes, you need to double click.
Input is information that you give a computer so that it can do something. You put the information into the computer with an “input device”. The most common input devices are mice and keyboards, but there are many others, including touch screens, microphones, joysticks, and switches.
Install
When you are working with computers, “install” means putting software (programs) on the computer or connecting hardware (keyboards, mice, speakers, etc.) to a computer. Sometimes, installs can be automatic, like when you plug in a printer that the computer knows how to deal with. Sometimes, you have to go through an install process after you download a program or put in a CD, DVD, or flash drive.
Internet Connection
An internet connection allows you to connect your computer to the Internet. Most of the time, you will connect to the Internet with a telephone line (dial up or DSL), a cable device (broadband), or a satellite dish, and you will be working with an “Internet Service Provider”(ISP).
ISP (Internet Service Provider)
An ISP is a company that provides computer users with a way to connect with the Internet. Most people pay for their ISP, but you can also get internet access without paying if you use someone else’s ISP. This is what happens in libraries, free “Internet hotspots”, and other places that provide “free Internet”. In those cases, someone else pays the ISP, not the person actually using the computer to connect to the Internet.
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Joystick
For computers and videogames, a joystick can be used instead of a mouse to move the cursor (or pictures) around the screen and click to make the computer do something. It is a stick that you can move around with a button or some other way to “click”.
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Keypad
A key pad is a set of keys or buttons that are used to input information into a computer.
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Later
Sometimes, a computer program will give you a choice of “later”. That means that the action it is asking about will not happen, and will not be cancelled. Instead, clicking “later” means that you might want to do the action, but not right now.
Log In
A “log in” is a set of information that you give to a computer, a program, or a website to show it that you are allowed to use it. Most often, a log in includes a “user name” and a password. Whenever you set up a log in, be sure to save the information somewhere safe in case you forget it. Many people like to use their email address as their main user name.
Logging On
Logging On means telling a computer, Internet connection, program, or website that you are allowed to be using that device or program. Sometimes, you have to use a user name and password (a log in).
Logging Off
When you are finished with a program or anything that you had to log into, you should log off. On websites, you will see a link or button that says “log off”, “exit”, sign out”, or something like that. To log off (or log out), click on it.
Logo
A logo is a picture or symbol that stands for a company or organization. For example, Microsoft Windows has a logo that is a circle with a four-colored flag inside it. Internet Explorer’s logo is a blue letter “e” with a gold ring around it.
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Mailing List
A computer mailing list is a list of email addresses that you can send one email to, all at the same time. Many discussion groups work by sharing a mailing list.
A menu is a set of choices. Computer programs and websites use lots of menus. Sometimes you just see the menu already on the screen, and sometimes you have to click on a button or a little arrow to see the menu.
Monitor
The computer monitor is the screen that lets you see what you are putting into the computer and what the computer has done with it. It looks a lot like a television screen.
Multi-switch Adapter
Some people control their computers using switches instead of mice, keyboards, touch screen, and so forth. If they use more than one switch, then they need a device to tell the computer what all the switches do and to connect all the switches to the computer. That device is a multi-switch adapter.
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Netiquette
Netiquette is the rules of behavior that Internet users can follow to be considered polite and considerate. For example, writing emails in all capital letters is considered shouting, and is not polite. Netiquette says you should not do that.
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Open [website/document/file]
Websites, documents, programs, and files are all stored electronically. In order for a person to see them (or listen to them), they must be “opened”. Usually, you open a file or document by clicking or double-clicking its name or icon.
Output/Output Device
After a computer program does something, it gives the results to you. This is called the computer’s output and you get it using an output device. The most common output device is the computer screen or monitor, but sometime the output goes to speaker, printers, or other devices.
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Password
A password is a secret set of numbers, letters, and symbols that is used by a computer program or website to tell who you are. Different programs and websites have different rules for making up passwords. Be sure to keep a record of all your passwords in a safe place that you can get to when you are using the computer.
Phishing
Phishing is a kind of bad email that is trying to get private information about you. Usually, phishing emails tell you they are from a business like a bank or a store and that they need information like your account number or social security number. Do not respond to any email that might be phishing! If you are not sure, call the business on a telephone number you have from somewhere else (not from the email) and check. Or do a search on the sender of the email – often you will get a warning that the sender is phishing.
Pointing Device
A pointing device controls the cursor or pointer on a computer screen.
Pop-up
A pop-up is a window that suddenly opens (or pops up) when you click on something on a websites. Some pop-ups are part of the website itself, but others are ads that you may or may not want. Most browsers have pop-up blockers that stop pop-ups. You have to disable the pop-ups when you are using a website or document that has pop-ups you want to see.
Windows that open like pop-ups, but under the window you are working in, are called pop unders. You don’t see these until you close the window you were visiting. Often pop-unders are ads, but sometimes they are surveys or other material from the website you were just looking at.
Pop-up and pop-under ads can be annoying, but they help pay for “free” websites.
Power Strip
A power strip is a strip of electrical outlets that you plug into one wall outlet. Power strips allow you to plug in many devices when you don’t have enough wall outlets. Many also have surge protectors and on-off switches.
Private Computer
A private computer is a computer that belongs to a person, a family, or an organization. It is used only by certain people.
Public Computer
A public computer is a computer that can be used by members of the public. The most common places to find public computers are libraries and hotels. Usually you cannot and should not install programs or save documents on a public computer. Instead, email your work to yourself or store it on a flash drive.
Punctuation
Punctuation is the marks like periods, commas, and question marks that make written material easier to read.
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Re:
“Re:” means “about”. When you are using email and reply to or forward an email, the subject line of your new email will start with “Re:” and then copy the subject line from the email you are replying to or forwarding. Usually, this is fine. But if you are going to change the subject, or if you want to personalize the subject line or put more information in it, you can change it or start over.
Reply
When you want to respond to an email, you click “reply”. In most cases, the new email will automatically be addressed to the person who sent you the email. If the email came from a mailing list, the reply might be to the mailing list address, or it might be to the person who mailed that email to the mailing list. Be sure to check and make sure the right email address is in the address line. If it’s not, you can change it.
Reply All
Sometimes, you get an email that was sent to many people. If you want to respond to all of them, then click “reply all” instead of “reply”.
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Save Now
When you are using Gmail (and some other programs) to write a message, you will see a “save now” button above the box where you are writing. If you need to save what you are writing and are not ready to send it, click “save now” and it will be saved for you to finish later.
Many times, a whole page or webpage cannot show in the screen of your computer all at one time. You have to move up and down (and sometimes from left to right) in order to see everything. Moving the page on the screen this way is called “scrolling”. There are several ways to scroll. If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel, you can use that. On the right and bottom sides of the window, there may be scroll bars with sliders in them and arrows at each end. You can move the sliders or click on the arrows to scroll. Sometimes, you can also use the up, down, left, and right arrows on your keyboard.
Search
Search means to look for something. On the Internet, you often find websites by searching using words or key words. You do this with a search engine.
Search engine
There are many search engines that can help you find websites and information on the Internet. In this tutorial, we use one of the most popular, Google. Other popular search engines are Bing, Yahoo, and Ask.
Search Terms
The words you use in your Internet search are called search terms. Choosing search terms is important. If you don’t find what you are looking for, think of different search terms.
Seminar
A seminar is a group of people who meet to learn something or to discuss a topic.
Security Question
For some log ins, you need more information than just your password. Often, the registration asks you for answers to security questions – usually, they give you a choice of questions and you choose one where you have a good answer you won’t forget. Then when you log in, the website or program will ask you the security question and you will need to know your answer to log on.
Send
When you send email, the process of telling the computer to send the email out on the Internet to the person you are writing to is called sending. In Gmail, the email will be sent as soon as you click the “send” button. In other programs, sometimes the message goes to your outbox first. You then have to tell the computer to send what is in the outbox.
Sent Mail
Email programs have a file called “sent mail” that stores all the messages you have sent. In some programs, storing the sent email is automatic or is a default setting for sending mail. In others, you have to choose a setting to make sure the mail you send is saved automatically. It is a very good idea to save all of your sent mail.
Settings
Many computer programs give people a lot of choices about how they want the program to work. You tell the computer what your choices are by using “settings”. In Gmail and Google, you can see all your settings choices by clicking on the little gear icon in the top right corner of the Gmail window. In Internet Explorer, you can see your settings by clicking on “Tools” and then on “Internet Options”. In many programs, settings are called “preferences”.
Sign In
Signing in is like logging in. Usually you need to tell the program or website your user name and your password.
Sign Out
Signing out is like logging out. If you had to sign in, then you should also sign out.
Single Switch
Some computer programs can be controlled by just one switch. These are called single switch software. If you want to use single switch software, but don’t have a switch, you can usually use the space bar on the computer or the left click on the mouse.
Site Map
A site map is like an index to a website. It is usually a list of topics and it can help you find what you are looking for, especially if you don't see what you want on the regular menus. The link for the site map is sometimes in one of the main menus at the top or side of the page, but sometimes it is buried at the very bottom of the page. Not all sites have site maps.
Slide Show
A slide show is a set of pictures that can be viewed in order. Very often, slide shows are created with a program called PowerPoint. The tutorials on this website are all slide shows created in PowerPoint. If you download the PowerPoint presentation but do not have the PowerPoint program on your computer, you can watch the slide show if you download the PowerPoint viewer program. This will let you look at the slide show even when you are not connected to the Internet.
Spam
Spam is email that is sent by strangers to lots and lots of people. Usually it is just advertising, but sometimes it is dangerous because it has attachments with viruses or because it is phishing. If you think an email might be spam, don’t open any attachments or download any pictures. Just delete it. In Gmail, click on the button “Report Spam” and that will tell Gmail about the problem and delete the spam at the same time.
Spoof
Email spoofing happens when someone uses a false sender name to send email to people. The spoofer steals email addresses and pretends he is sending from those addresses. If you get an email from someone you know but it doesn’t seem right, don’t open any attachments or download anything. Send a separate email to your friend (not using “reply”) and ask them if it’s a real email from them. If it is, that’s fine. If not, just delete it. Also tell your friend what happened.
Website spoofing is the same kind of thing. Someone creates a webpage or website that pretends to be from a person, company, or organization that it isn’t. A spoof bank site can collect private financial information and use it to steal from or hurt people, for example. Sometimes people spoof pages on social networking sites like Facebook. It’s a good idea to search for your own name on the Internet once in a while to make sure no one is spoofing you.
Speech-to-text
Spyware
Spyware is programs that sneak onto your computer and report back over the Internet about information on your computer. Often, spyware is just from companies trying to make their advertising more effective, but it can also be dangerous if it is stealing information for bad purposes. There are many programs available, some free, to help protect your computer from spyware.
Stay signed in
Sometimes when you sign in to a website, you have a chance to check a box that says “stay signed in”.
Supplementary/Supplemental
Things that are supplements are useful extras. In this tutorial, there are supplementary materials to explain things we don’t have time to explain in the lessons, and to review things we did explain.
Surge Protector
When we get electricity in our homes and offices, it usually comes in at a steady level. Every once in a while, for a brief moment, too much electricity comes in through the wiring. This is a power surge and it can damage electronic equipment. To prevent this damage, many people use surge protectors, often built into power strips or back up batteries. They won’t work if your house is struck by lightning, but for smaller problems, they can be very useful.
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Text size
Text size is another word for font size, or the size of the print in a computer document. In Gmail, you can set the text size you are using by clicking on the tT symbol above the compose mail box and then on the type size you want to use.
Thumb Drive
Thumb drive is another word for flash drive. A flash drive, or a “USB flash drive”, is a small device that you can plug into a USB port on a computer. You can store files on a flash drive and then use them on any computer you plug the drive into. If you are using a public computer, or someone else’s computer, it is good to store your work on a flash drive. You can also store some programs on your flash drive and use them on any computer without having to put the programs on the computer you are using.
Tool tips are explanations in words of icons you see on the computer screen. In programs with tool tips, the tool tip will appear if you hover your pointer over the icon you want explained. In many programs, you can turn tool tips on and off (enable and disable them).
Touch screen
A touch screen is a computer screen that lets you point and click by touching the screen itself instead of using a mouse. A touch screen with an on-screen keyboard lets you type directly on the screen instead of using a keyboard.
Trash
When you want to get rid of a file or document stored on your computer or flash drive, you move it to the trash or the recycle bin. Every so often, you then empty your trash, which more or less removes the item from your computer. (Sometimes an expert can get it back, but no always.) If you put something in the trash but then realize it was a mistake, you can get it back by restoring it (unless you have already emptied the trash).
Tutorial
A tutorial is a set of lessons designed to do yourself, on your own schedule and at your own pace.
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Undo
In many computer programs like word processors, email, and drawing programs, you can undo something you just did by clicking on “undo”. In some programs, you can undo all the way back to the last time you saved your work. In other programs, you can only go back one or two steps.
Uninstall
When you want to take a program or application off your computer, you uninstall it. If your computer is a Windows computer, you should always use the uninstall process to get rid of programs. Never just put them in the trash. On Macintosh computers, you can uninstall by moving the program icon to the trash.
URL is the technical name for a website address. A main page usually has two or three parts, something like “www” or “www2”, then a dot, then a name, then a dot, and then a short suffix like “com”, “gov”, “edu”, “info”, or “biz”. URLs for pages inside the website will have all of that, then a slash (/) and then more letters and numbers. A URL has to be entered absolutely correctly or it will not work. Usually it doesn’t matter about capital and lower case letters, though.
User Name
A user name is the name you use to identify yourself to a program or on-line group. Many people use a version of their own name or their email addresses. If you don’t want people to be able to figure out who you are, use a different name.
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Virus
A virus is a program that can install itself on your computer without your knowing it. Most viruses don’t do much, but some can cause huge amounts of damage in your computer and even across the Internet. Use virus protector software and Internet firewalls to prevent viruses. Also do not open any attachments or downloads for emails or websites you can’t trust absolutely.
Vista
Vista is a Microsoft operating system used on many PCs and laptops.
Voice Commands
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Wallpaper
The background you see on your desktop is called wallpaper. You don't need to use wall paper at all. If you want wallpaper, you can choose one that comes with your operating system, download one from the Internet, or use a picture or photograph you transfer to your computer from your camera or via flash drive, CD, or email.
Web
The Web is the whole set of documents (web pages) that are connected using the Internet.
Web Browser
A web browser is a program that helps you find documents on the Internet and view them on your computer.
Webcam
A Webcam is a camera connected to your computer that sends pictures directly out over the Internet. It lets you see the people you are talking to or send pictures and diagrams that you want to share as you talk.
Webinar
A Webinar is a seminar (group discussion or lesson) that takes place among people who are connected by their computers and often by telephone, too.
Windows
A window is a rectangular area on the computer screen that shows information for a program. Most programs use windows, and so do operating systems. Usually, a window has a title bar and then a frame that includes toolbars to help you use the program. Inside the frame is the content of the program.
Windows 7
Windows 7 is currently the newest Microsoft operating system.
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is the Microsoft operating system that came before Windows 7. Many computers still use Windows Vista.
Windows XP
Windows XP is the Microsoft operating system that came before Windows Vista. Microsoft wants people to stop using it, but many people like it and have not yet changed to a newer system.
Wirelessly
Until the last few years, all the parts of a computer system communicated with each other through wires that connected them directly to each other. More recently, technology has allows us to connect without wires, or “wirelessly”. Wireless connections require networking software on all the devices and also a “router” that directs wireless messages from one device to another.