glossary of internet terms - t

A COMPLETE LIST OF DEFINITIONS OF THE TERMS USED THROUGHOUT OUR WEBSITE

Use the letters below to jump to a particular section or scroll down through the definitions.

misc A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Tab - Dialogue boxes often combine settings for different associated functions. Each 'page' of settings is separated by a tab, as though it were sheets of paper filed away and separated by tabbed dividers.

Tab stops - Preset points along a line of text, where the cursor will stop when the tab key is pressed.

Tablet PC - A type of notebook PC with a touchsensitive screen that can be written on, like a writing pad.

Tag - Part of the syntax of HTML, the language used to define web pages, tags assign attributes ? such as colour and position ? to each of the elements of a web page.

Talktime - The maximum lifespan of a mobile phone battery when used for calling continuously, or the number of minutes included in your monthly fee to your mobile service provider.

Tape drive - A high capacity storage device based on magnetic tape used for making backups.

Tariff - Each mobile phone network offers a choice of price plans or 'tariffs'. Some tariffs have low monthly charges, but relatively high call charges. Other tariffs have higher monthly charges but lower caller charges.

Taskbar - The bar that runs along the bottom of the screen in versions of Windows from 95 onwards. It includes the Start button and System Tray, and contains icons for programs that are running.

TCP/IP - Transmission control protocol/internet protocol. The protocol used to transfer data and information from one internet-connected computer to another.

Template - A web page design, document or a spreadsheet that contains all the required formatting for a particular style or type of document. This 'master' can then be used over and over and again, merely filling in the newly changed information or text each time.

Tempo - The speed of music, measured in beats per minute (bpm).

Text and picture boxes - Empty frames designed to hold either words or pictures. They are used in many page layout and graphics programs, and some word processors, to exactly position text or graphic elements on a page.

Text box - In desktop publishing, a piece of text set apart from the main story on a page ? just like this jargon buster box.

Text messaging - Most mobile phones can send and text messages of up to 160 characters to other mobile phones, generally regardless of network or model of phone.

Text tool -
Often represented by the letter T and an arrow in image-editing and drawing programs, this tool allows you to add text to the picture or image you are working on.

TFT (or thin-film transistor) - Technology used to create thin, flat colour screens for such things as computer monitors and digital cameras. TFT displays are very high quality and will display clear and bright images using thousands or millions of colours.

Thin Ethernet - Also called 10Base2, this networking technology uses cable which looks a lot like a thin TV aerial cable and ends in 'BNC' plugs similar to those used by TV aerials.

Thumbnail - A small (usually postage stamp-size) image used to give a quick preview of a much larger image.

TIFF - Tagged Image File Format. A standard file format used to store graphic images. It can handle monochrome, grey-scale, 8-bit or 24-bit colour images. TIFF images can be compressed without any loss of detail.

Time code - Digital signal, part of a video recording, which indicates elapsed time in hours, minutes, seconds, and frames.

Time signature - The number of beats in every bar, and the musical length of each beat ? the classic time signature for pop music is 4/4 time, or four beats to the bar.

Timeshift record - Technology that allows you to 'pause'a live broadcast.

Timing out - Your browser sets a time limit on how long it will try to download a web page before determining that it cannot access the appropriate server. If web access is very slow, you are likely to be 'timed out'.

Toner - The dust-like powdered ink used by laser printers and copiers. Most types of toner are carcinogenic.

Toolbar - A strip of icons that runs across the top of most Windows applications. Used to provide quick access to certain important features, such as saving and printing.

Toolbox - The software equivalent of a mechanic's toolkit. An program's toolbox should contain everything necessary to complete the task in hand. In an image-editing application, the toolbox will have a selection of drawing, colouring and editing tools.

Top-level domain - The suffix after the final '. ' in a website (or 'domain') name. The most common top level domain is '. com' for 'commercial'. Other examples include '. co. uk' for a UK company and '. org' for a non-profit organisation.

Touchpad - A small, touch-sensitive pad, usually a couple of inches square, which acts as an alternative to a mouse on some notebook/palmtop computers. It works by sensing fingertip pressure.

Tower -
A computer system unit which stands upright (as opposed to a 'desktop' version which lays flat). Although bulky, they give plenty of room for future expansion.

Trackball - A popular alternative to mice, trackballs are pointing devices with a flat base and an upwards-facing ball. You roll the ball around 360 degrees with your fingers or thumb in order to position the cursor.

Trackpad - A small, touch-sensitive pad, usually a couple of inches square, which acts as an alternative to a mouse on some notebook/palmtop computers. It works by sensing fingertip pressure.

Trackpoint - An alternative to a mouse on some notebook PCs, this is a small rubberised 'nipple', usually in the centre of the keyboard. Wiggle it like a joystick and the mouse pointer moves on screen. Although they take some getting used to, trackpoints can be more predictable than trackpads in situations like train journeys, where movement can cause ghost cursor placements.

Traffic - the amount of information being carried by a communication device (usually the internet) at any one time

Transceiver - A combined radio transmitter and receiver.

Transitions - In video editing, methods of smoothly cutting from one video clip to another, such as fading between them.

Transparency adapter - Flatbed scanners can be fitted with an adapter so that you can scan in slides and negatives. Because of lower resolution, image quality is rarely as good as from a dedicated transparency scanner.

Transport bar - A set of graphic buttons that mimic the stop, start, play, fast forward, rewind, and record buttons that you see on any audio cassette recorder.

Trapezoid - Setting controlling the width of the top and bottom edges of a monitor's display.

Trigger event - Event that causes a virus to activate itself and unleash its payload. This can be a particular date ? Friday 13, April Fool's Day, Michelangelo's birthday ? or perhaps a counter, incremented each time the computer boots, reaching a certain value.

Trinitron - A CRT monitor technology developed by Sony in 1968. It uses very fine strips of wire (an aperture grille) to deflect the electron beam and ensure colours are displayed correctly. A similar, competing technology is Diamondtron. These monitors are most efficient at producing sharp images, and are ideal for graphic intensive work.

Trojan Horse - A malicious computer program that's disguised as a different, harmless program. For example, a trojan horse may be disguised as a game but it's actually a program that steals your internet username and password. Trojan Horses don't copy themselves and so are not viruses or worms.

TrueType - An outline font technology developed jointly by Microsoft and Apple. It enables typefaces to be displayed on screen exactly as they will print, and allows them to print to best effect on different resolution devices.

Tuner presets - In a radio tuner, a number of memories that can store your favourite station settings.

TV out - a socket found on a hraphics card that can be used to make a connection to a TV set's aerial-in socket.

TV tuner - An expansion card, which, when fitted into a PC, receives TV signals and allows a TV picture to be displayed on your PC's screen.

TWAIN - Technology Without an Interesting Name. TWAIN is a standard way for scanners and some other devices to talk to your PC. In theory, all TWAIN-compliant image-editing applications, including Paint Shop Pro and PhotoShop, should be able to directly access the image data produced by any TWAIN-compliant scanner or digital camera.

Tweeter - A loudspeaker designed to reproduce high audio frequencies.

Type 1 Postscript - An outline font technology developed by Adobe. It enables typefaces to be displayed on screen exactly as they will print, and allows them to print to best effect on different resolution devices.

Type II PC Card - The most common type of credit card-size expansion card used to add peripherals such as modems to a notebook PC. Fits into a Type II PC Card slot, which is standard on all notebooks.

Typeface - Sometimes called fonts, thousands of different typefaces are available, each with its own individual letter shapes and characteristics.
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