Glossary of Terms

ADSL and ADSL2+

ADSL or ADSL2+ internet uses an active phone line connection to connect to the internet. You can use your home phone at the same time as being on the internet to make calls. ADSL is the slower of the two types of ADSL2+. What type of ADSL you choose will depend on your how fast you want your internet to go.

However, if your home hasn’t had a telephone line connected in the last 2-5 years, this will need to be connected again. This process can be expensive. After your phone line is connected, a monthly phone line rental fee will need to be paid in order to get and maintain an ADSL or ADSL2+ internet connection.

Android

Android is an operating system developed by Google for mobile devices like smart phones and tablets.

App

Apps are computer programs that can run on your mobile phone, smartphone or tablet. They can also run through any device, including the devices mentioned before as well as desktop computers and laptop computers with a web browser. There are two types of apps; mobile apps and online apps.

Apple

Apple is a technology company which makes smart phones, tablets, computer and software. Their most popular products are the iPhone, iPad and iPod.

Apple App Store

Apple’s online store where you can purchase and download apps for all apple devices including iPad and iPhone.

Attachment

Documents and files like photos and scanned documents, which are attached and sent with emails.

Blackberry

Blackberry is a company that makes mobile devices, specializing in smart phones. All Blackberry phones use the operating system Blackberry 10 or Blackberry OS.

Blog

A blog is a type of website that usually features thoughts, opinions, links and photos. There are different types of blogs, ranging from personal blogs of people you might know to company blogs and celebrity blogs.

Bookmark

When referring to the Internet or a browser, a bookmark is a method of saving a web page's address when you're using an internet browser.

For example, with most browsers pressing Ctrl + D will bookmark the page you are viewing. Users running Microsoft Internet Explorer can think of a bookmark as a favorite, which is what Microsoft uses to describe a bookmark.

Broadband

A permanent high-speed internet connection. It receives information about 100 times faster than dial up internet and is always on.

Cable

A wire that connects your computer to another device or a wire that connects your router to your home internet connection.

Cable Internet Connection

Cable internet uses a special cable to provide internet to your home. It does not rely on the phone line network, so it can be more reliable than ADSL services. However it is more expensive because it has its own special cable which means it will need to be installed into your home.

Captcha

A part of a web form that asks you to re-type letters and numbers shown in an image to prove that you are a real person.

Computer program

A computer program is a list of instructions that tell a computer what to do. Everything that is done on a computer is completed using a computer program. A computer program is stored as a file on the computer’s hard drive.

Computer program license

A computer program license is required to use some computer programs. You can usually trial computer programs for 30-60 days before you buy them. When this time period expires you will require a computer program license to continue to use it. Usually, you will have to pay a sum of money to buy this license. However, once bought, the computer program license will grant you permission to use the software on a specified number of devices for as long as you want.

Cropping
Cropping refers to the removal of some parts of an image. Cropping an image can help focus on the subject. It can also change an image from potrait to landscape. In an online context, cropping usually refers to using digital image editing software to edit an image.
Desktop Computer

A desktop computer/personal computer or PC has a base unit or tower which is the main part of the computer and houses all the computer wiring and circuits. These parts of the desktop computer are called hardware. It also has a monitor, a mouse and a keyboard, which are used to view and control the desktop computer. A computer is only useful if it has both hardware and software.

Device

A device is any machine you can use to access the internet on. This includes desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets and smart phones.

Dial-up

Dial-up internet uses an active phone line connection to connect to the internet. Whilst you are connected to the internet you will not be able to make calls on your home phone.

Digital inclusion
Digital inclusion is about affordable access to information technology, economic development of disadvantaged communities, increasing individual's digital literacy skills, the creation of relevant content and the inspiration of local communities to lifelong learning.
Digitised

Digitised is to convert pictures or sound into a digital format that can be processed by a computer.

Dongle

A small device, usually a USB stick, that you can plug in to your computer to gain access to internet anywhere there is a mobile phone network.

Download

To transfer a file from the internet on to your device.

Downloading
Transferring a file from the internet on to your device. (present tense)
eHealth record

eHealth is a federal government and Medicare initiative to digitise your medical records. It is a way for you and your doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers to view and share your health information.

Email

The verb, to email is a way of sending messages from one email address to another. You can attach files to send and receive too.

Email account

An email service which you can log in to through any internet browser so that you can send and receive emails online.

Emoticon
An emoticon is a method of showing an emotion on the internet and text-based communication such as e-mail, chat, and SMS. The term emoticon is also often interchangeable with emoji. Emoticons use numbers and letters on a conventional keyboard to show emotion. Emojis use small graphic pictures to show emotion. Emoticons or emojis are also referred to as a smiley faces, smiles, winks, or winky.
Forum

One type of a forum is an online discussion site on the Internet. Users can type messages for others to see, and reply to other user's messages. Messages (or "posts") are organised by topic (or "thread"), with each poster either replying to an existing topic or creating a new topic for a new conversation.
 

Forums can be found on a lot of websites. Internet forums are often used to show people information. Things like pictures hyperlinks and images can also be put on the board, or "posted".
 

Many Internet forums have rules against things such as bullying and abuse. If people do those kind of things, they will be warned, and if they continue, they will be banned from forums.

Gmail

An online email service run by Google.

Google

A global company named after the its online search engine ‘Google’. It also runs the most popular online navigation service Google Maps and online email service, Gmail.

Google Maps

Google maps is an online navigation tool. Using your web browser connected to the internet, you can enter any address or location in the world and ask for directions to another address or location. You can also explore different countries and their streets and terrain.

Google Play Store

Google’s online store where you can purchase and download apps for all devices that use the Android operating system. Google Play is the most popular and secure Android app store.

Google Street View

A feature of Google maps, allowing you to see exactly what your location looks like from a ‘street view’ perspective.

Hard drive

This is a device’s main storage for files. A hard drive stores everything from computer programs to photos to emails. Hard drives can be external or internal to the device. The bigger the hard drive the more space you have to store files.

Hardware

The physical parts of a computer including the internal parts like the hard drive and the external parts like the keyboard and mouse.

Hashtag

A word or phrase preceded by a hash sign (#) is used on social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. It turns any word or group of words that directly follow it into a searchable link which is called a hashtag. Hashtags can be used to group messages on a specific topic.


For example: #FootballWorldCup So, if you wanted to post about the Football World Cup, you would include #FootballWorldCup in your post to join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.Then you can select the #FootballWorldCup hashtag to see all the posts that mention the subject in real time on a social media platform.

Homepage

The homepage is the webpage that your internet browser displays whenever you open your browser. You can set this to whatever you like. Many people set their homepage to websites like their email service or the local weather.

Inbox

The folder of your email account where you can view every email sent to your email address.

Install

Install refers to adding new computer programs to your computer’s harddrive. Once your computer program is installed correctly you can start using it.

Internet

The internet is the name given to the network of millions and millions of computers and servers around the world connected by telephone lines, cables, satellites. This network, the internet, allows all people using the internet to exchange information so we can all browse the world wide web.

To explain more simply; The internet is the pipes and the world wide web is the water that flows through it.

Internet connection

An internet connection provides access for individual devices to the Internet, enabling you to access Internet services like email, weather reports and news services. You can get an internet connection by either connecting to a wireless network or plugging your device into an internet router using a special cable.

Different type of internet connections in Australia include dial-up Internet, broadband internet and the National Broadband Network. You can also access the internet over the mobile phone network in Australia.

Internet Service Provider

An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a company that provides access to the internet.

iPad

A touch-screen 'tablet' device made by Apple, which will only run software approved by Apple and purchased through the iTunes store.

iPhone

A touch-screen smartphone made by Apple which will only run software approved by Apple and purchased through the iTunes store.

Keyword

Keywords are used categorise and find information online. When searching online for information, the more keywords you use the more relevant the information you will find.

Landline

A landline is a physical wired connection to the telephone network.

Laptop computer

A laptop is a portable version of a desktop computer. It has combined all of the features of a desktop computer, a monitor, keyboard mouse, speakers and hardware, into a single device that makes it portable and easy to carry around. Most modern day laptop computers also have a webcam and a microphone pre-installed. A laptop can be powered either from a rechargeable battery, or by mains electricity via an AC adapter.

Liking

'Liking' allows Facebook users to use the 'like' button to support different content on Facebook. 'Liking' something lets you show support for Facebook content without having to write a comment.

For example: You can 'like' a potential employers Facebook profile/page to show support and get to know the company.

Location based services (LBS)

Most mobile devices made in the last 5 years will have some form of Location-based services (LBS). LBS uses the Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS is a network of satellites that helps users determine their location anywhere on Earth. These services are used for things like Google Maps on your mobile device.

Mac OSX

An operating system for Apple products like iPad, iPhone etc

Menu
When you're using a device such as a laptop or tablet, a menu is the list of options available for you to select and interact with. When you select a menu item, you will generally be taken to a set of new information. You can use menus to: navigate through device settings navigate through a website search for an app to download navigate through documents stored on your device.
Microsoft

The company who makes Microsoft Windows, which comes as standard on most PCs and popular software including Microsoft Office.

Microsoft Office Suite

A suite of computer programs used to create text documents, slide shows and spreadsheets.

Microsoft Word

A word processing computer program that creates basic documents in a digital format.

Mobile Device

A mobile device is any device you can use to wirelessly access an internet connection. Mobile devices either access wireless networks or access internet through the mobile phone data network. This includes tablets and smart phones.

Mobile Phone

Mobile phones do the basics like send and receive text messages and phone calls. Some might have a camera and simple games that you can play.

Mobile phone data

Mobile phone data allows you to connect to the internet when you are away from other types of internet connections i.e at home, work or the library. This means you can connect to the internet anywhere there is a mobile signal, allowing you do anything on the internet, on the go! Be careful though as mobile phone data is much more expensive than your average home internet connection!

Modem

A modem is a device that is used to connect your computer to the internet. If you use dial up internet you will have a modem.

Naked ADSL and Naked ADSL2+

Naked ADSL, Naked ADSL2+ internet uses an existing phone line to connect to the internet. The reason it is called naked ADSL is that you do not have to pay the monthly phone line rental fee like ADSL and ADSL2+. Most Naked ADSL services offer unlimited local and interstate VOIP (voice over internet protocol) calls to any phone in Australia. VOIP calls use your broadband connection to call other landlines in Australia and sometimes overseas.

However, if your home hasn’t had a telephone line connected in the last 2-5 years, this will need to be completed again. This process can be expensive. However once the phone line is installed you will not have to be monthly phone line rental fee to maintain your naked ADSL connection.

National Broadband Network

The National Broadband Network (NBN) is a nation wide infrastructure project, designed to deliver broadband to all Australians by 2021. You may be able to connect your home to the NBN for free, depending on where you live.

NBN Internet Connection

National Broadband Network (NBN) uses a type of special cable to connect superfast internet to your home. The NBN is available in select areas, as it is a nation wide Federal Government project that will be finished in 2021.

Online

The term online can describe two things.
a) to be connected to the internet. Example: I’m online ready to chat.
b)to be hosted on the internet. Example: My website is online and ready to view.

Online App Account

An online app account is needed to purchase and/or download apps from app stores. Two of the most popular app stores are Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. To visit these stores you will need an online app account using your email address and selecting a password to register and login.

Online data storage

Online data storage is a place where you can store your files on the internet instead of on your own device. Online data storage allows you to access the files you have stored online from anywhere you have a device connected to the internet.

Online shopping

Online shopping allows to you browse stores and buy things using a device connected to the internet. You need a credit or debit card and an address where the things you buy online can be sent.

Operating System

The basic computer program on your computer which instructs all the different parts to work together. All computers need an operating system (OS) to work. Popular operating systems include Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

Password

A secret word, phrase or series of characters that is used for authentication to get into secure websites online.

Platform

A combination of device and operating system which computer programs can run on. Mobile phones, computers and tablets are all different platforms.

Profile

A page on an online account which lists information about you - like your name, interests and location would be featured on your Facebook profile but your name and email address only would be featured on your Google account.

Profile picture

Your profile picture is the picture that friends see next to your name on online platforms where you have a profile. A profile picture is a way to help people recognise you online.

Router

The router is a small box that connects your devices to your home internet connection. You can plug a cable from the router to a laptop or desktop computer. Some routers also broadcast a wireless signal to allow your device to connect to the internet wirelessly.

Search engine

An online service which searches the internet far and wide for the keywords you specify to find the information you are looking for. All search engine return results and you can organize these by date, name, relevance etc.

Selection Criteria

Selection criteria describe the characteristics that an employee will need to succeed in a job. These can include;

  • knowledge

  • skills

  • abilities

Most jobs will ask you to address selection criteria to help measure your suitability to perform in a job. 
 

Sometimes there are also called 'key selection criteria' or 'mandatory criteria'.

Selfie

A photograph that a person takes of themselves. A selfie is often casual, and can include more than the person taking the photo. Typically, this photo is taken with a smartphone held at arm's length or in a mirror and shared via social media.

Smartphone

A smartphone is a mobile phone with extra features and more capabilities. Smartphones have cameras, web browsers and email management. They have large amounts of storage space so they can store photos and videos, music and other information.

Social media platform

A type of website which lets you connect and communicate with your existing friends and meet new ones online. Examples include Facebook and Twitter.

Social networking

Using websites like Facebook and Twitter to share information like photos, links, information with your friends on social media sites.

Software

Software is the computer programs stored on a computer. Software uses the hardware to give instructions to the computer. Software or computer programs are used for things such as listening to music, reading the news, and writing.

Tablet

A tablet is a cross between a laptop and a smart phone. It is essentially a flat panel portable computer, which is operated by touch screen. It is smaller than a laptop and bigger than a smartphone. Generally speaking, tablets also have forward and rear-facing cameras. Instead of using a keyboard and mouse, you touch the screen to control the tablet.

Uninstall

To delete computer programs off the harddrive of your device. Once you have uninstalled the program you will no longer be able to use it.

Upload

To transfer a file from your device to the internet.

URL

URL stands for Universal Resource Locator is the technical term for the web address of information hosted on the internet such as a website or an image within a website. A URL can also be called a Web Address.

USB

USB stands for Universal Serial Bus (USB) and is an industry standard connection for cables used across many devices like connecting keyboards to computers and charging mobile phones for example.

Username

A username is a unique name to identify you on websites. A lot of websites will make you use your email address as your username as it is completely unique to you. Other websites will make you create a username for their system. Your username will be created at the same time as your password. Use the correct username and password to login to different websites where you have accounts. For example; internet banking, facebook, email account

Web browser

A web browser is a computer program on your device that allows you to access websites on the internet. Web browsers are free to download. The most popular web browers are Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer.

Web page

Any page on the internet. This page is a web page.

Website

A website is a set of pages of information that is hosted on a specific web address. LeapON is a website just like Facebook is a website.

Wiki

A wiki is a website or database which lets anyone add and edit content.
A popular example of a wiki is Wikipedia. Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia with over 4.8 million topics covered.

Wireless network

A wireless network is often called wifi. A wireless network enables devices to access an internet connection wirelessly rather than through cables. This internet connection can either be a signal from an internet router or a connection to a mobile network and its internet connection.

World Wide Web (WWW)

The World Wide Web (WWW) is the billions of pages linked to each other that contain text, graphics, multimedia files, and other interactive software.The World Wide Web is also sometimes called the web or W3.


To put it simply, the internet is the pipes and the World Wide Web is the water that flows through it.