JCU - Computing Terms for JCU Campus

An InfoHelp How To...?

A

Account code

Code with which users log in; also known as login id or username, e.g. jc654321 A password is also required.

Adobe Acrobat Reader

B

Barra: This used to be one of JCU's central servers, but has retired and is no longer available.
Blackboard: see LearnJCU
Browser: An Internet Browser interprets the programming language of the Internet, into the words and graphics that you see when viewing a web page.
Brolga: Brolga is the server that the web service and the Squid proxy service runs on.
Byte: Abbreviation for binary term. A byte is the smallest addressable unit of storage and is capable of holding a single character. On most modern computers, a byte is equal to 8 bits. 1,024 bytes makes up 1 kilobyte (or 1Kb) and 1,024Kb makes up 1 megabyte (or 1Mb).

C

CD-RW Drives for DELL PC's or CD-RW Drives for iMac's: CD-RW (Compact Disc ReWritable drives) Drives give you the opportunity to store Megabytes of Data on CD.
CD-ROM: CD that is read only, and can't be saved to.
CD-R: CD that you can record Data to only once using a CD-RW Drive . The physical space on a CD-R can only be used once. You can delete the files, but that does not free up space like with floppy or zip disks.
CD-RW: is a re-writable CD that can be saved to using a CD-RW drive. The information can be erased and the CD can have new information written to it - much like a floppy, zip or hard disk.

Cookies

Cookies are messages (files) written in your browser by your server. When you return to a Web page, your browser sends the "cookie" information to the server. This information identifies you, and your preferences, making it possible to alter a Web site to your needs.
Cuda: This used to be one of JCU’s central servers, it has retired and is no longer available.

D

DHCP: DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Control Protocol - a method for automating connection of networked computers on the JCU network.
Dial IP: JCU has a new service from Telstra which gives dial-in access to JCUnet without having to own its own modem banks. This dial-in service is called Dial IP and can be accessed by staff and post-graduates of JCU from (almost) anywhere in the world. This will be a dial in solution for staff and post-grads and the costs will be accounted for and charged to the nominated charge code.
Domain: A group of computers and devices on a network that are administered as a unit and have common rules and procedures. The domain is the unique address for an organization (i.e. jcu.edu.au).
Dynix: The system which runs the whole of the Library Management System.

E

Eudora: Email software available on campus to staff ( NOT Supported ).
Explore: The standard Windows 9x, 2000, XP and NT File Management software for moving, deleting and copying files and directories.

F

Finance One: The Windows software used by Resources and Purchasing Officers to manage departmental budgets.
FinWeb: A web interface to the finance system to view the budget status of research grants etc.
Firewall: Special software designed to protect a private computer system from unauthorized access ie. to keep hackers out. The JCU computer system is protected by a firewall.
Floppy Disk: Portable disk that stores information magnetically. You can use a floppy disk to exchange information between computers, or to make a backup of your files. A high density 31/2" floppy disk holds 1.44 Mb of data.
FTP: File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard Internet protocol. It is a simple and efficient method of exchanging files over the Internet FTP allows you to put files on and get files off another computer. FTP is commonly used to transfer Web page files from their creator to the computer that acts as their web server for everyone on the Internet It is also commonly used to download programs and other files to your computer from other servers.

G

GATCF: General Access & Teaching Computer Facilities used by currently enrolled students and staff of James Cook University (JCU).
GUI: Graphical User Interface, which used symbols, pictures and buttons instead of text. For example, Windows has a GUI, but the text version of Tropicat does not, it relies on text and keystrokes.
Google

This is one of the search tools on the Web (WWW) that we recommend.

H

Homes Drive/I:Drive: The Homes drive is like your own 10mb (maximum limit) disk on the Central Server. You can save files to it from any GATCF lab machine, then open them up again at a later date from another GATCF machine (or any machine with Internet acces)s. If you want to know how to access your Homes Drive please click here.
HTTP: HyperText Transfer Protocol, is the underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web. HTTP defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. For example, when you enter a URL(web address) in your browser, this actually sends an HTTP command to the Web server directing it to fetch the requested Web page and transmit it to your computer monitor.
Hydra: is a High Performance Computer (HCP). If you are a staff member, post-graguate or external student who is doing research in any field, and need access to fast computing - especially involving floating point intensive calculations, then Hydra and Octopus are the machines for you.. To apply for an account on hydra please click here

I

IMAP: IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol. It is a method of accessing electronic mail messages that are kept on the mail server. In other words, it permits a "client" email program to access remote message stores as if they were local. For example, email stored on an IMAP server can be manipulated from a desktop computer at home, a workstation at the office, and a notebook computer while traveling, without the need to transfer messages or files back and forth between these computers.

Infohelp: InfoHelp is JCU's 'one-stop information shop' for assistance with computer problems, locating information for essays and assignments developing information literacy and research skills.
Internet Accounting: Accounting for Internet traffic ensures best use of a valuable resource so students and staff will receive reasonable network response and equitable access to the Internet.
Internet Explorer: Internet Explorer, or IE, is a Graphical web browser.
Internet Quota: Amount of Internet usage allocated to staff and students of the JCU community. Quotas have been devised to meet reasonable staff and student needs.
Infoweb: InfoWeb is a central point from which staff and students can access corporate data via the Web.

J

K

Kilobyte: 1024 Bytes.

L

LearnJCU

Allows students to access their subject materials online, from the one place, with a single login.

Lipper

The old JCU Central Server which runs on a VMS operating system, this server currently runs Time Tables and Room Bookings.

Login id

(see account code)

M

Magpie: The server that currently runs email and archives information on JCU users.
Mail Redirection: This is when you need to set up your JCU email to be redirected to your Home email or other Email address.

Microsoft Windows: A family of operating systems for personal computers. Includes Windows 95 - Windows 2000, and Windows NT. Windows provides a graphical user interface (GUI), virtual memory management, multitasking, and support for many peripheral devices.
Megabyte: 1,048,576 (2 to the 20th power) Bytes.

N

Netware: A local-area network (LAN) operating system developed by Novell Corporation, which runs in the GATCF. It provides users and programmers with a consistent interface that is independent of the actual hardware used to transmit messages.
Netscape: Graphical web browser.
NT: Stands for Windows New Technology (NT). A program that targets the top 10 percent of computer users who need a powerful operating system. Unlike earlier versions of Windows, this program is a true operating system because it does not need MS-DOS to operate. Windows NT lets you exchange information through a network. It also provides security features to protect information and lets you use up to 255 characters to name a document.

O

Octopus: is a High Performance Computer (HCP). If you are a staff member, post-graguate or external student who is doing research in any field, and need access to fast computing - especially involving floating point intensive calculations, then Hydra and Octopus are the machines for you.. To apply for an account on Octopus click here
Operating System: The low-level software which schedules tasks, allocates storage, and interfaces with the hardware and application software. In other words, it tells your monitor to display what you have typed using your keyboard and tells your disk drive to write information to your disk when you press "Save".

P

Password: Passwords are issued with account codes. They are required to log into computers at the GAT Labs, access email and to gain access to off campus Internet sites. You can change your password.
POP: Post Office Protocol works best when one has only a single computer, since it was designed to support "offline" message access, wherein messages are downloaded and then deleted from the mail server. This mode of access is not compatible with access from multiple computers since it tends to sprinkle messages across all of the computers used for mail access.
Proxy Server: A server that sits between a client application, such as a Web browser, and a real server. It intercepts all requests to the real server to see if it can fulfill the requests itself. If not, it forwards the request to the real server. JCU uses a proxy server to improve performance and to filter requests
Public_html: Default (standard) folder created in user directory (Homes drive) to place personal web pages in so that they can be viewed on the Internet.
: .

Q

Questnet: Queensland Education, Science and Technology Network which JCU is a member of.

R

RAM: Random Access Memory temporarily stores information inside a computer. If you do not save the data, it will disappear when you turn off the computer. It works like a blackboard that is constantly overwritten with new data.
Ripper: The New JCU Central Server which runs on a VMS which runs the Student System.
ROM: Read Only Memory is nonvolatile storage - it retains its contents even when the power is switched off, in contrast to RAM. Think of a CD-ROM - you can read data from it, but you can change it or erase it.

S

Scandisk: An MS-DOS command to check for and fix faults on a disk. In Windows 9x ScanDisk is under Accessories and then System Tools.
Secure Shell: Secure SHell (SSH) protocol is a convenient method to access systems at James Cook University from off campus. It encrypts (codes) all traffic, and provides a high level of protection against hacker attacks. Main features of Secure Shell include secure remote logins, terminal emulation, fully integrated secure file transfers, secure tunneling of X11 traffic, and secure access to e-mail over the Internet.

SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is a protocol used in sending and receiving e-mail. However, since it's limited in its ability to queue messages at the receiving end, it's usually used with one of two other protocols, POP or IMAP, that let the user save messages in a server mailbox and download them periodically from the server. In other words, users typically use a program that uses SMTP for sending e-mail and either POP or IMAP for receiving messages that have been received for them at their local server.
SPAM: Spam is unsolicited e-mail on the Internet. From the sender's point-of-view, it's a form of bulk mail, often to a list culled from subscribers to a discussion group or obtained by companies that specialize in creating e-mail distribution lists. To the receiver, it usually seems like junk e-mail. In general, it's not considered good netiquette to send spam. It's generally equivalent to unsolicited phone marketing calls except that the user pays for part of the message since everyone shares the cost of maintaining the Internet.
Squid: Squid is a high-performance proxy caching server for web clients, supporting FTP and HTTP data objects. Unlike traditional caching software, Squid handles all requests in a single, non-blocking, I/O-driven process.
SSH: Secure Shell
Staff Online: Is the gateway to: Your Personal Information, Academic Staff Information, Student Feedback about Subjects(If you have any as a Staff Member, Library Information, Computing Information and other information which is relevant to the individual - for current JCU staff only.
Students Online: Is the gateway to: Your Personal Enrolment Information, Fees & Charges, Library Information, Computing Information, Student Feedback about Subjects and Useful Links - for current JCU students only.

T

Telnet: A program you can use to log onto another computer on the Internet You can run programs and search databases on this remote computer as if you were sitting in front of that computer. You can use Telnet to access computerized libraries all over the world - and even our own Tropicat.
Tropicat: JCU's Library catalogue.
Terminal: A device that enables you to communicate with a computer. Generally, a terminal is a combination of keyboard and display screen. In networking, a terminal is a personal computer or workstation connected to a mainframe. The personal computer usually runs terminal emulation software that makes the mainframe think it is like any other mainframe terminal.

U

UNIX: Multi-user. Multitasking operating system used on JCU central servers.
USB memory sticks: USB ( Universal Serial Bus ) memory sticks are a convenient way to transport large amounts of data around on a device which is usually no bigger that your finger.
There are an increasing number of brands of USB memory sticks available but they all tend to be of approximately the same physical size . Data storage size typically ranges from 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, and 512MB. 1GB and 2GB versions are also available, but are disproportionately more expensive.



URL: Uniform Resource Locator, the global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web. The first part of the address indicates what protocol to use, and the second part specifies the IP address or the domain name where the resource is located, for example http://www.jcu.edu.au (JCU's home page) means that hypertext protocol will be used to display the contents of a webpage on JCU's web site.
Username: (see account code)

V

Vacation Message: This is when you are going away and you want an automatic reply when someone emails your JCU A/C to say you will be away from a designated time.
Viruses: A virus is a piece of programming code usually disguised as something else that causes some unexpected and usually undesirable event. A virus is often designed so that it is automatically spread to other computer users. Viruses can be transmitted as attachments to an e-mail note, as downloads, or be present on a diskette or CD. The source of the e-mail note, downloaded file, or diskette you've received is often unaware of the virus. Some viruses wreak their effect as soon as their code is executed; other viruses lie dormant until circumstances cause their code to be executed by the computer. Some viruses are playful in intent and effect ("Happy Birthday, Ludwig!") and some can be quite harmful, erasing data or causing your hard disk to require reformatting.
VMS: VMS (Virtual Memory System) is one of the most secure operating systems on the market (making it popular in financial institutions). JCU runs a VMS server called Lipper and Ripper.
VISA: Virtual Information Skills Activity - is a guide for defining your topic, determining your information requirements, locating and retrieving relevant information, researching with electronic tools, evaluating and organizing your information, communicating with technology, using information properly and an overview of the JCU Library.

W

WWW: World Wide Web is an application which provides access to all of the resources on the Internet. It allows users to link other resources on the WWW.
Windows: When spelt with a capital 'W', stands for Microsoft Windows.

X

X-Windows: The X Window System is a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows you to log on to a workstation and run multiple X Windows applications simultaneously. You can also run X Windows on a PC using excursion software. Most UNIX machines include X as part of their operating system.

Y

Yahoo

Search tool to find "pages" on the World Wide Web. Yahoo is organized by subjects, such as Art, Business, Computers, Economy, and even What's Cool?

Z


Zip Disks: Portable 100 megabyte disks. They fit into internal and external ZIP drives (NOT in Labs).

Computer Dictionaries:

http://207.136.90.76/dictionary/index.html

http://www.InstantWeb.com/foldoc/index.html

http://webopedia.internet.com/

If this information is inadequate, incorrect, or can be improved in any way, please let us know