Some of the terms used by IT specialists and suppliers are explained here. If you find a technical term used on this site that is not explained here, we would be delighted to add it.
"Different languages"
Application
Business application. Software that does something directly for a person or people. Examples are a word processing program, an accounting system, a CRM system.
Browser
A browser is a program used to interact with the information on the world wide web, also known as “surfing the net”. E.g. Internet Explorer.
Communications
In the context of IT, communications means digital electronic communication between computers, rather than people communicating with each other.
Computer
A computer is a machine that follows stored instructions very quickly (and sometimes very stupidly), but never gets tired and always does what it is told.
CRM
Customer relationship management.
Email, e-mail
Electronic mail. A system by which people can send written messages to each other anywhere in the world, via the internet. Internal email usually refers to messages sent within an organisation, via the internal network.
Firewall
Facility (software and/or hardware) to prevent unwelcome intrusion into your network and your computers from the internet, whether to steal information or to introduce malicious software.
Hardware
Physical equipment. Contrast with software.
Host
Often used in the context of a web site, as a noun and a verb. The host is the computer on which the web site resides, which could be anywhere in the world, via the internet.
ICT
Information and communications technology. Means the same as IT, and is more literally accurate, although the term is only used in the public sector.
Implementation
To implement a substantial software package is a change management project, of which installing the software is a relatively small part. The result of a successful implementation is that people change the way they work and do things differently using the new system, which adds value to the company.
Install (software)
To install software is to copy the components from the supplied media (e.g. a CD) into the right place onto the relevant computer, and to set up everything necessary for the software to do what it is supposed to do.
Internet, “the net”
The internet is an international network of computers that are linked together so that a computer can communicate with any other computer anywhere in the world.
IT
Information technology. The term describes everything to do with the use of computers to process digital information, including communications technology.
IT infrastructure
IT infrastructure is all the hardware, software, communications equipment and services that support the applications that the company uses.
Network
The network is the links that connect computers together so that they can communicate.
Package
Software package. A set of software components packaged together to form an application.
PC
Personal computer. A computer that is only used by one person (at a time). It is the computer on your desk or that you carry.
Printer
Device attached to a computer that prints out what it is told to on paper.
Release
Software release. A new version of a package. The set of components comprising the new version.
Remote assistance
System by which a support engineer takes control of your PC from another location (with your permission) and you can watch what they do, whilst also talking on the phone.
Security copy
A security copy is also known as a back-up. It is a copy of the company’s information that is made regularly, so that if the working version is lost, the information can be recovered.
Server
A server is a computer that serves many people, e.g. one that holds a database of customer s that is used by everyone in the company. As opposed to personal computer.
Shared printer
A shared printer is available through the internal network for people to use from a number of PCs.
Software
Software is a set of instructions that tell the computer what to do. It has no physical form, and is weightless. It includes operating systems, PC programs and business applications. When a piece of software has errors in it, it can be replaced by a corrected version.
Support engineer
Support engineers are specialists in helping people to overcome problems in using computer systems, particularly in the infrastructure. They need an intimate knowledge of the systems that they support, and the problems that people can encounter.
System
Computer system. The term varies in scope according to context, from an individual PC to the whole system for a company including servers and network. Generally refers to everything that is automated, rather what people do.
Virus protection
Computer viruses are a form of malicious software, usually transmitted by e -mail, which reproduce themselves and “infect” computers causing them to malfunction.
Word processing
Using a keyboard to produce a formatted text document on a computer; that document can then be printed, amended & reprinted as required.
WWW, "the web"
WWW stands for world wide web. This is collectively all the information on computers across the world that is available for people to look at and read (“browse”) from their own computer, via the internet. The same (web) technology is used to make information available within companies, via the internal network.
