Appendix VI. Computer Terms and E-mail Etiquette
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CD-ROM
Short for “Compact Disc-Read-Only Memory,” a type of optical disk capable of storing large amounts of data. A single CD-ROM has the storage capacity of 700 floppy disks, enough memory to store about 300,000 text pages.
chat room
A virtual room where a “chat session” takes place. Technically, a chat room is really a channel, but the
term room is used to promote the chat metaphor.
DVD
DVD stands for “Digital Versatile Disk.” A DVD is a high-capacity optical disk that looks like a CD
but can store much more information enabling massive computer applications and full-length movies
to be stored on a single DVD.
database
A database is a data structure used to store organized information that is typically made up of many
linked tables of rows and columns. For example, a company might use a database to store information
about their products, their employees and financial information.
desktop publishing
Desktop publishing is the use of a personal computer or workstation to produce high-quality printed
documents. A particularly important feature of desktop publishing systems is that it enables one to see
on the display screen exactly how the document will appear when printed.
disk
A round plate on which data can be encoded. The machine that spins a disk is called a disk drive;
within each is one or more heads that actually read and write data. There are two basic types of disks:
magnetic disks and optical disks.
On magnetic disks, data is encoded as microscopic magnetized needles on the disk’s surface. Data can be recorded and erased any number of times, and come in several different forms:
• floppy disk: Five and a quarter-inch floppy disks usually hold 1.2 MB of data; three and a halfinch floppies normally hold 1.2 or 1.44 MB of data.
• hard disk: Store 20 MB or more of data and are 10 to 100 times faster than floppy disks.
• removable cartridge: Hard disks encased in a metal or plastic cartridge.
Optical disks record data by burning microscopic holes in the surface of the disk with a laser and come in three basic forms:
• CD-ROM: Most optical disks are read-only and already filled with data when purchased. They cannot be modified or deleted.
• Worm: Stands for write-once, read-many; a special WORM disk drive is needed to write data onto a WORM disk.
• Erasable optical (EO): Can be read to, written to and erased just like magnetic disks.
download
Receiving a file from a computer, e-mail or web site.
e-mail
Acceptable on all references for electronic mail; preferred use as a noun, but acceptable as a verb.
home page
First screen of the University’s site on the World Wide Web; starting point or front page of a Web site.
Usually a home page has a table of contents and describes the purpose of the site.
HTML
Stands for Hyper-Text Markup Language, used in the creation of web pages. Web pages must conform
to the rules of HTML in order to be displayed correctly in a web browser.
Internet
Decentralized network of computers linked by high-speed lines; always capitalize; do not use Net. The
Internet was created in 1969 by the United States military as a “nuke-proof” communications network.
Today, it spreads across the globe and consists of countless networks and computers, allowing millions
of people to share information. It is maintained by the major Internet service providers such as MCI
Worldcom, Sprint, GTE, ANS and UUNET.
intranet
“Intra” means “internal” or “within,” so an intranet is an internal or private Internet used strictly within
the confines of a company, university or organization. “Inter” means “between or among,” hence the
difference between the Internet and an Intranet.
keyboard
The set of typewriter-like keys that enables you to enter data into a computer.
laptop
A portable computer; not a desktop, more frequently called notebook computer. See notebook (below)
in this section.
login
Combination of information that authenticates your identity, such as a name and password or an ID
number and security code. Many secure web sites use login information to authenticate visitors before
allowing them access to certain areas of the site. Login should only be used as a noun, (you don’t login
to a server, you log in to it).
megabyte
Abbreviated MB. By definition, a megabyte should contain 1,000,000 bytes, but it actually contains
1,048,576 bytes.
mouse
A device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on a display screen.
multimedia
Integration of multiple forms of media, including text, graphics, audio, video, etc.
notebook
An extremely lightweight personal computer that typically weighs less than 6 pounds and is small enough to fit easily in a briefcase.
online
Means “turned on and connected.” Users are considered online when they are connected to a computer
service through a modem; that is, they are actually on the line.
plug-in
A software plug-in is an add-on for a program that adds functionality to it. A browser plug-in (such as
Macromedia Flash or Apple QuickTime) allows certain multimedia files to be played.
upload
Sending a file from a personal computer to another system.
URL
Short for Uniform Resource Locator; the technical term for a specific World Wide Web address on the Internet. A URL cannot have spaces or certain other characters and uses forward slashes to denote different directories.
World Wide Web
Or the web on second reference; Internet-based information network that uses a graphical interface. Do not use WWW except when listing URLs; this is not a synonym for the Internet.
It is not necessary to include http:// when referring to web addresses with the exception of hyperlinks. Note that the College of Graduate and Professional Studies web address requires http:// (http://cgps. umw.edu). The University’s address is www.umw.edu. (For AP Style, see Web in Appendix XII.)
webmaster
Lowercase unless using it as a title with someone’s name. An individual who manages a web site. (For
AP Style, see Web in Appendix XII.)
web page
A document on the World Wide Web. Every web page is identified by a unique URL (Uniform Resource Locator). (For AP Style, see Web in Appendix XII.)
web site
A site (location) on the World Wide Web. Each web site contains a home page, which is the first document users see when they enter a site, and may also contain other documents and files. Each site is owned and managed by an individual, company or organization. (For AP Style, see Web in Appendix XII.)
workstation
Also spelled work station or work-station. A type of computer used for engineering applications (CAD/CAM), desktop publishing, software development, and other types of applications that require a moderate amount of computing power and relatively high quality graphics capabilities.
Adapted from the web site www.webopedia.com.
E-mail Etiquette: Helpful Tips Regarding Electronic Communication
With the proliferation of computers and electronic communication, questions arise regarding proper etiquette for electronic mail. Here are some aspects to consider when composing, sending and replying to e-mail messages.
• The subject line should be brief and provide a clue to the contents of the message.
• Messages should be concise and to the point. Try to keep messages to 25 lines or less.
• If you include a salutation in the message, use one you would normally use in traditional written correspondence.
• E-mail is more conversational than traditional paper-based correspondence. However, people who
do not know you will form an impression of you by reading your message. Think about what you
need to say. Phrase it properly with acceptable grammar usage. Use punctuation only where it is
necessary rather than scattering it about for emphasis.
• Keep your intended audience in mind and construct your message accordingly. Reread the message
to make sure it is clear before you send it.
• Special characters, fancy fonts and colors are not read the same by all machines. Avoid using them
if possible.
• Some systems cannot accept attachments or nontext files. It is wise to determine the capabilities of
the recipient’s system before sending attachments.
• Avoid abbreviations, jargon and acronyms unless you are certain those in the e-mail conversation
will understand what they are.
• If you must add emphasis, you can (1) put an asterisk (*) before and after a word or short phrase,
(2) capitalize the first letter of a word or the whole word (using uppercase letters is equivalent to
shouting in e-mail messages so use them sparingly), or (3) add extra exclamation marks.
• Include your printed name, title and contact information (frequently designated as a signature) at
the end of your message. The way e-mail addresses are written does not necessarily make it clear
who is sending the message. All signatures should include the University of Mary Washington.
• If you get an e-mail response and wish to keep the conversation flowing, do not start a new e-mail
message since this will lose the connectivity of the conversation. Simply reply and keep the
exchanges together in the same message. However, you eliminate the need for the correspondents
to review the entire exchange by using the symbol > and keying in enough information from the
previous message to indicate to what your response is related.
• One of the advantages of e-mail is that it can save paper if one does not print every message. Make an effort to save electronic messages on your computer and print only when necessary.
• Remember that no e-mail is private. Considering the open nature of the Internet, someone, somewhere probably has the ability to read your e-mail. You have no control over what the recipient of your e-mail does with your message. Do not send an e-mail that you would not want to
read in tomorrow’s newspaper.
• E-mail messages are permanent even though you can “delete” them from your computer. Someone with skill and knowledge can retrieve them from the system.
• E-mail is designed for convenience. Do not expect an immediate response.
• Employees may learn more about computer technology, use and policy at the University of Mary Washington by visiting http://www.umw.edu/policies.