GLOSSARY FOR WINDOWS

Active Window: The program or document window in which you are currently working is known as the active window. The active window always appears in the foreground and may partially or completely cover other windows. Any commands you enter from the keyboard only affect the active window.

Check Box: Check boxes are most commonly found on dialog boxes. They appear next to options you can turn on or off. If the option is on, an X appears in the check box. If the box is empty, the option is off. You may check more than one option when they are formatted as check boxes.

Clipboard: The Clipboard is a temporary storage area. The Clipboard "holds" cut or copied information until you paste it or cut or copy new information. You use the Clipboard whenever you move or copy information in one program to another program.

Close Button: The Close button appears in the top, right corner of the window. When you active the Close button, you close the window.

Click: Click is the act of pressing and releasing the left-mouse button one time. When you click on an item, you are selecting it.

Combo Box: Combo boxes are most commonly found on dialog boxes and toolbars. Initially, a combo box contains one option. However, when you press the Down Arrow key, a list of additional options descends from the box. You can only select one option from the list. The Windows literature may refer to a combo box as a Drop down List Box.

Command: Commands are directions for the computer. When you enter a command you are telling the computer to perform a specific task.

Command Button: Command buttons are most commonly found on dialog boxes and toolbars. A command button tells the computer to carry out an action. For example, the OK button tells Windows to close the dialog box and accept the information listed in the dialog box. The Cancel button tells Windows to close the dialog box and ignore any changes made in the dialog box.

Control Menu: The Control menu lets you move, close, or change the size of a window.

Control Menu Box: The Control menu box is a button appearing in the top, left corner of the window. When you activate the Control menu box the Control menu appears.

Default: A value that is assigned automatically and remains in effect unless it is changed.

Desktop: The Desktop, along with the Taskbar, serves as the main graphical interface to your computer. You can access all your programs and files from either the Desktop or the Taskbar. The Desktop lists program icons which you can use to start programs. Whenever you start a program, it appears on the Desktop.

Dialog Box: A dialog box is a rectangular window which varies in size and usually appears in the center of the screen. A dialog box can have several fields of information. You can either accept the information listed in the fields or change it. A field in a dialog box can be formatted as a Check Box, Command Button, Drop down List box, List Box, Option Button, Spin Box, or Edit Field. A dialog box may also contain Tabbed Pages.

Document Window: A document window is the graphical interface Windows 2000 uses to display the contents of a program's document. You can view and edit the contents of a document through the document window. A document window is always appears in the program window's work area.

Double-Click: Double-click is the act of pressing and releasing the left (or right) mouse button twice in rapid succession. When you double-click on an item, Windows selects and executes the command associated with the item. For example, you may double-click on a program icon to start the program.

Drag: Dragging is the act of moving a selected item to a different location on the screen. The term is usually associated with the mouse.

Drive: A drive is a place to store information on your computer. Drive letters represent different types of drives. Your hard drive, often referred to as the C drive, stores most of the information your computer requires. Generally, drive A is reserved for accessing information on a floppy disk, and drive D or E is reserved for CD-ROMs. Other drive letters are usually only used in a network environment. A colon following a letter represents a drive (for example, A: equals A drive).

Edit Field: Edit fields are most commonly found on dialog boxes. An edit field allows you to enter text. When the edit field is empty, an insertion point appears in the field. If the edit field contains text, a selection cursor appears around the text. This field may be referred to as a text box.

Executable File: An executable file contains computer code that directs the computer to perform a task, such as open a program. Humans cannot read an executable file.

Extension: An extension follows the period in the file name. The extension is usually used to indicate the type of file. For example a file with an "exe" extension indicates the file is a executable file.

File: All computers store information in files. A file is any information given a name and stored on a disk. A computer uses many different types of files: data files, text files, program files, etc. Different types of files store different types of information. For example, program files store programs, whereas text files store text. Documents you create using a specific program, such as a word-processor, are often referred to as files.

File Extension: A file extension follows the period in the file name. The file extension is usually used to indicate the type of file. For example a file with an "exe" extension indicates the file is an executable file.

Focus: The focus refers to the area or object on which the computer's attention is directed. Any commands you enter from the keyboard only affect the area or object in focus.

Folder: To help keep your files organized and easy to find, Windows places your files into folders. In addition to files, a folder may contain several other folders. A folder is similar to a directory.

Hot Key: A hot key is a single key that represents the menu or menu command. The hot key is the underlined letter in the name of the menu or menu command. For example, the letter P in the Programs command is underlined indicating the P key is the hot key for this command. Often, a keyboard shortcut includes the command hot key.

Icon: An icon is a small picture which represents a program, folder, or document. When you activate an icon you start the program, open the document, or access the contents of the drive or folder.

Input Device: An input device is a piece of equipment used to enter data and commands into the computer. The mouse and the keyboard are the most common input devices. Floppy disk drives, CD-ROM drives, and microphones are also input devices.

Insertion Point: An insertion point is a flashing vertical bar that indicates where the information you type will appear. The insertion point appears in documents and edit fields. The insertion point always appears to the right of the last character you typed. The insertion point is sometimes referred to as simply "the cursor."

Keyboard Shortcut: A keyboard shortcut is a single keystroke or a combination of keystrokes that executes a command without opening a menu.

List Box: A list box contains a list of options. Usually, you can only select one option in a list box.

Maximized Window: Maximizing means to expand the window to its fullest possible size. A maximized document window fills the entire work area of the program window. Some maximized program windows cover the entire Desktop, with the exception of the Taskbar. Other program windows only partially cover the Desktop when they are maximized.

Menu: A menu contains a list of available commands in a program. While all Windows programs use a menu system to group related commands, the number and names of menus and the number and types of commands listed on a menu depend on the Windows program you are using. However, most Windows programs will have at least a File menu and a Help menu.

Menu Bar: The menu bar is a horizontal bar the length of the window. It appears at the top of a program window, directly beneath the title bar. The menu bar lists all menus for the program.

Minimized Window: Minimizing a window means to reduce a document or program window to a button. When you minimize a document window the button appears in the work area of the program window. The minimized program appears as a button on the Taskbar. When you minimize a program or document, it is still running; you have not exited the program or closed the document.

Mouse: The mouse is an input device used to navigate through Windows 2000 and enter commands. You can use a keyboard shortcut to perform most tasks which are performed with a mouse.

Mouse Pointer: The mouse pointer indicates the position of the mouse on the Desktop. The mouse pointer always follows the movement of the mouse. As a result, the mouse pointer is not always in the same position on the screen as the insertion point or selection cursor. However, the computer ignores the mouse pointer until you activate it by clicking the left or right mouse button, either on the mouse itself or using the equivalent keystroke. When you activate the mouse pointer, you are telling the computer to direct its attention to the item or area on the screen where the mouse pointer appears.

Multi tasking: Multi-tasking is the ability to execute numerous commands at once. In the Windows 2000 environment, it is the ability to have several programs open at once.

My Computer: My Computer is a Microsoft program that provides you with a graphical overview of your computer and its contents. Using the My Computer window, you can create, copy, move, open, rename, and delete folders and files on your various drives.

Output Device: An output device is a piece of equipment the computer uses to send information to you. Monitors, printers, and speakers are common output devices. Speech synthesizers and Braille displays are also output devices.

Path: A path is the course that leads from the drive to the file you want to use. Sometimes, a path is referred to as a pathname. A path is formatted as follows: drive letter:\folder\filename. Use a colon and a backslash to separate the drive letter from the folder. Use only a backslash to separate the folder and filename.

Point: Point means to place the mouse pointer on a specific item.

Program Folder: Windows may place programs that have a similar purpose or are often used together into one folder. Program folders often appear on the Programs sub-menu as commands with their own sub-menu. Accessories is an example of a program folder. Placing the programs together keeps your information organized and makes it easier for you to find the program you need.

Program Window: A program window is the graphical interface Windows 2000 uses to display the contents of a program. You can enter commands for the program through the program window. Often, the results of the commands appear in the document window.

Radio Button: Radio buttons are most commonly found on dialog boxes. When you are allowed to only choose one in a list of options, the options are grouped together as radio buttons. A radio button appears as a circle next to the option. The currently selected option has a darkened circle. When you move out of the radio button field, the last option read remains selected. You cannot select grayed options. Radio buttons are usually used when you must choose one of only a few options. If you must choose one of many options, the field is formatted as a list box or a combo box.

Recycle Bin: The Recycle Bin in a Microsoft program that holds deleted files. The Recycle Bin allows you to retrieve files or delete the files permanently from your computer.

Resize Buttons: The resize buttons appear in the top, right corner of the window. The resize buttons allow you to maximize, minimize, and restore a window. The resize buttons perform the same tasks as the sizing commands on the Control menu.

Restored Window: Restoring returns the window to its previous size after you have expanded it (maximized) or reduced it to a button (minimized).

Right-Click: Right-click is the act of pressing and releasing the right-mouse button one time. When you right-click in Windows 2000, a shortcut menu appears.

Scroll Bar: A scroll bar is a bar along the right edge and/or bottom edge of a window that lets you scroll the contents of a window or list box to show information not currently visible on the screen.

Selection Cursor: The selection cursor appears as a frame around a selected item or as a highlight, changing the color of the selected item. The selection cursor appears on menus to indicate which menu or command is selected and on dialog boxes to indicate which field is selected. A selection cursor also appears around text selected for editing functions, such as copying and cutting, or formatting functions, such as bolding and underlining. The computer does not do anything to the item in the selection cursor until you give it a command. For example, you must press Enter to tell the computer to execute a selected menu command; you must execute the copy command in order to copy selected text. The selection cursor is sometimes referred to as simply "the highlight."

Spin Box: Spin boxes are most commonly found on dialog boxes. A spin box contains incremental values. You may type in a valid value, or use the Up or Down Arrow key to select a higher or lower value from a defined list. Increments can be in terms of percents or whole numbers. Spin boxes are normally used when you are to set the size of the selected item, such as a margin.

Status Bar: The status bar is a horizontal bar beneath a document window that lists status information such as page number, date, time, or status of task.

Tabbed Pages: When a dialog box contains numerous fields, it is divided into tabbed pages. Tabbed pages look like hanging file folders in a file cabinet drawer. Each tabbed page contains a different set of fields.

Taskbar: The Taskbar is a thin, horizontal bar below the Desktop. By default, the Taskbar always appears on the screen, even when you have a program running. The Taskbar contains the Start button, buttons for open programs, and a clock. The Taskbar allows you to quickly start programs, manage tasks on the Desktop and on your computer, and exit Windows. From the Taskbar, you can start any program on your computer and access any document.

Title Bar: The title bar is a horizontal bar directly below the window's top border between the Control-menu box and the resize buttons. The title bar lists the window's name.

Text Box: Text boxes are most commonly found on dialog boxes. An text box allows you to enter text. When the text box is empty, an insertion point appears in the field. If the text box contains text, a selection cursor appears around the text. This field may be referred to as an edit field.

Toggle Command: A toggle command is a command that alternates between on and off. When a toggle command is on, it will perform the task associated with it. When a toggle command is off, it will not perform the task associated with it.

Wild Card Characters: A wild card character is a special symbol that stands for one or more characters. In DOS and Windows, an asterisk (*) stands for any combination of letters. Wild card characters are especially helpful when performing searches. For example, a search using mon* would result in Monday, money, monkey, monastery, etc.

Window: A window is simply a framed region on the Desktop. Each window contains a different program or document. Windows 2000 uses two types of windows, program windows and document windows.

Window Borders: Window borders are the four edges that define a window.

Windows 2000: Microsoft's Windows 2000 is the program that governs all operations on your computer. Windows 2000 uses a graphical user interface (GUI) consisting of windows, menus, icons, and dialog boxes to help you tell your computer what to do. Windows presents options and commands to you, accepts your responses, and translates them into commands for the computer.

Wizard: A wizard is a Windows program which guides you through a series of steps to complete a task.

Work Area: Every window has a work area. What you do in the work area depends on the window. Generally, a window's work area holds information. For example, a program window's work area holds the document window.