System Software

breadcrumbs

Internet navigation tool that defines a location within the hierarchy of a Web site

graphical user interface (GUI)

a computer interface that enables a user to control the computer and launch commands by pointing and clicking at graphical objects such as windows, icons, and menu items

check box

a dialog box feature that indicates an option a user can turn on or off; an option activated by clicking and thus adding a check mark; usually one of several options that can be selected

icon

a graphic symbol that represents a software program, command, or feature

button

a graphical element that, when selected with the mouse or keyboard, causes a particular action to occur within a software program

main menu

a horizontal or vertical bar in a software program that shows the highest-level command options; also called menu bar

drop-down menu

a menu containing various lower-level options associated with main menu options; also called pull-down menu

print spooling

a printing technique in which a document to be printed is placed in a buffer instead of being sent to the printer; the document is held in the buffer until the printer is ready to print it, thereby enabling the printer to print at its own speed and free the CPU to perform other tasks

title bar

a rectangular area at the top of a window in which the window's name is displayed

display window

a rectangular area of the screen used to display a program, data, or information

scroll bar

a rectangular bar at the side or bottom of a window that enables a user to see and work with other portions of the document by moving the small arrows at the tips of a scroll bar or by dragging the small box between the two arrows

desktop

a screen on which graphical elements such as icons, buttons, windows, links, and dialog boxes are displayed

password

a secret code of letters and numbers used to prevent access to a computer system by unauthorized people

user interface

a set of instructions that allow the software to communicate with the user and, in turn, the user to communicate with the software; the manner in which the user enters data and commands and in which information and processing options are presented is controlled by the program's interface

performance monitor

a set of operating system instructions that monitor the computer system's overall performance

driver

a small program that enables the computer to communicate with devices connected to it, such as a keyboard or a printer

antivirus software

a software program for personal computers that seeks out and destroys any viruses found on a computer

tab

a subset of options, each of which is labeled as if it were a manila folder within a file drawer; the name of the subset of options is displayed in a tab at the top of the folder; clicking on the tab brings the particular group of options to the front of the dialog box

prompt

a symbol, character, or phrase that appears on-screen to inform the user that the computer is ready to accept input

buffer

a temporary storage place to which part of data to be displayed, printed, or transmitted is written

option button

a type of button used with a graphical user interface and resembling buttons on a standard radio that enables you to choose from among a set of options; also called a radio button

text box

a type of dialog box used for typing information that will allow the computer to continue or complete a task

toolbar

a type of menu on which sets of icons are displayed that represent actions unique to the software and ones frequently employed by users; the number and kinds of icons often vary among programs and among different versions of the same program

system software

a type of software consisting of a set of programs that control the operations of a computer system, including starting the computer, processing applications, formatting disks, and copying files; software that controls all components and devices that comprise the computer system

operating system (OS)

a type of software that creates a user interface and supports the workings of computer devices and software programs that perform specific jobs

user ID

a unique combination of characters (letters and numbers) identifying an individual computer user; also called a user name

uninstaller

a utility program for removing (deleting) software programs and any associated entries in the system files

spam blocker

a utility program that allows users to block incoming unsolicited e-mail messages sent to computer users by a business or individual to promote products or services

diagnostic utility

a utility program that assesses a computer's components and system software programs and creates a report identifying problems

dialog box

an element in a graphical user interface that displays a rectangular box providing information to a user and/or requesting information from a user; usually displays temporarily and disappears once the user has entered the requested information

ribbon

an interface device in Microsoft Office 2007 that groups commands in a tab format instead of a menu bar

menu

an on-screen set of options from which a user can make selections by clicking the option with a mouse or by typing one or more keystrokes

cross-platform operating system

an operating system capable of being used on more than one type of computer

file manager

an operating system function that performs basic file management functions, including keeping track of used and unused disk storage space and allowing a user to view stored files and to format, copy, rename, delete, and sort stored files

default option

an option that has been programmed into a program by the software publisher under the assumption that that option is the one most likely to be chosen

platform

compatible computers from one or more manufacturers; the two popular platforms for personal computers are PC and Macintosh

malware

malicious software

application software

programs that enable a user to perform specific tasks; examples of programs include word processors, database programs, spreadsheets, and desktop publishing

firewall

software and hardware systems that place an invisible wall around the internal network, protecting it from unauthorized material from the Internet

proprietary software

software owned by an individual or business that cannot be used or copied without permission; software that does not adhere to open standards but instead uses algorithms, protocols, file formats, and so on that were developed exclusively for the software by its developers to fulfill a certain purpose

backup utility

software that allows the user to make copies of the contents of disks or tapes

Adware

software that tracks the Web sites that a user visits in order to collect information for marketing or advertising

spyware

software that tracks the activity of Internet users for the benefit of a third party

open-source software program

software whose programming code is owned by the original developer but made available free to the general public, who is encouraged to experiment with the software, make improvements, and share the improvements with the user community

multitasking

the ability of an operating system to run more than one software program at a time; the use of different areas in Windows RAM makes this possible

boot drive

the disk drive that houses the operating system

booting

the procedure for starting or restarting a computer

file compression

the process of shrinking the size of a file so it occupies less disk space

defragmenting

the process used by a defragmenter utility to reorganize files and unused disk space allowing the operating system to locate and access stored files and data more quickly