Compaq Presario Internet PC - Manual (Page 123)

M Y P RESARIO —G ETTING S TARTED AND B EYOND G LOSSARY 9
log on To gain access to a computer
network or the Internet by entering a user
name and password. See network.
M
mailing list An electronic mail-
forwarding service that allows subscribers
to send e-mail to a single address where the
message is copied and sent to all addresses
on the list.
main memory RAM memory chips
inside the computer. Every program you
launch and every file you open must be
copied from a storage disk, disc, or diskette
into main memory. The amount of main
memory in your computer determines how
many programs you can run and how much
data you can process at one time. Memory
is measured in megabytes (1 million bytes
or characters) of information. Most
personal computers come with a minimum
of 32 megabytes of main memory—the
minimum recommendation for
Windows-based programs. You can install
extra memory (refer to “Computer
Upgrades” in this guide). See RAM. See
also byte.
maximize To enlarge the screen (or
maximize the window) in a
Windows-based program by clicking the
Maximize button
T
—the button with an
open square in the upper-right corner of a
window that has not been maximized. See
Microsoft Windows. See also minimize.
microprocessor A silicon chip inside your
computer that processes the instructions
and data from input devices (such as the
keyboard and mouse) and communicates
them to output devices (such as the
monitor, speakers, and printer).
Microsoft Internet Explorer A Web
browser developed by the Microsoft
Corporation. See browser.
Microsoft Windows The most popular
computer operating system in the world. It
is characterized by the use of windows and
icons. Each running program and open file
has its own window. Instead of
memorizing commands, you click icons to
communicate with the computer. Clicking
the Minimize button shrinks a program to
a button on the taskbar. Clicking the button
redisplays the program as a window. You
can have several windows open at the
same time and toggle from one to another
by using Alt+Tab (press and hold down
the Alt key, press the Tab key, and then
release both keys). A palette with an icon
for each program is displayed. Click the
icon for the program you want.
MIDI (musical instrument digital inter-
face) (pronounced middy). A file format
used to store electronic music sounds. A
sound card that supports MIDI files allows
the computer to generate the synthesized
musical sounds found in games,
CD-ROMs, and multimedia presentation
packages. The format is easily identified
by the file extension .mid. See file
extension.
minimize To shrink a running program
window into an icon on the Windows
taskbar by clicking the Minimize
Q