Compu-pedia glossary v-z

VGA	Video Graphics Array. 640 480 16 resolution. Can have more colors if there is enough video RAM.
virtual memory	Memory addresses and data that appear to the CPU to be in RAM but actually are on a hard disk. Special software manages this memory and gives the CPU access to it.
virus	Software that copies itself onto hard drives and floppies without user intervention, usually when a floppy is placed into the drive of a computer. Viruses usually carry a payload (qv), triggered by some preset condition. Viruses are frequently written with antisocial intent.
voice mail	A technical term used to describe a phone message left on an answering machine or audix.
wallpaper	A picture or pattern that serves as the background on the Windows desktop. Wallpaper must be a .BMP or .RLE graphics file.
.WAV	The usual extension for a Microsoft® sound file filename.
window	A rectangular area on the screen that contains its own data.
Windows	A graphical operating system that uses windows and runs on top of DOS.
Windows NT	Windows New Technology. An advanced, self contained 32-bit operating system from Microsoft.
write protect	To cover a notch or move a tab on a floppy disk so the contents of the disk cannot be changed.
WYSIWYG	(wizzy-wig) What You See Is What You Get. When what appears on the screen looks the same as what comes out of the printer.
X-Files	A popular science fiction television show on Sunday nights. Also, an excuse to have an entry for X.
Y2K	The "Year 2000" problem. The problem dates back to the 1960s, when programmers wrote applications using a standard date format of DD/MM/YY to conserve then expensive storage space. When 2000 arrives, the "2000" will be read by older computer systems as "00," potentially causing a complete system failure or producing incorrect calculations in time-sensitive programs.
.ZIP	The usual filename extension for files generated by the popular PKZIP file compression utility or WINZIP.
ZZ Top	A little old band from Texas.