Data Protection Act
The laws that protect personal information stored electronically and on paper. The DPA gives you the right to see data held by a company about you and prevent it being passed on without your permission
Defrag
The process of taking files in their fragmented form (parts of files spread all over the disk) and ordering them into complete files. This makes it quicker for applications to access the files they need and frees up disk space, making the computer run more efficiently
Dial-Up
A connection, usually to an ISP, that is made over a telephone line by dialling a phone number. This method of connecting is very slow and very out-dated
Directory
A folder where a computer stores files
DNS (Domain Name System)
The system that changes a human-readable hostname or URL into an IP address, needed by the network hardware to transmit information
Docking Station
This is a base that a laptop fits onto which contains the mains power and other connections and often one or more drive bays. This means that you can leave your connections set up at home or in the office whilst you take your portable laptop away with you
Domain Name
Also known as a host name, these are the more memorable names that stand in for the IP address of a web site or computer system. DNS is used to decrypt the domain name into an IP address
DOS (Disk Operating System)
This is the OS used on PCs before Microsoft Windows. It features a non-graphical interface and commands must be typed in rather than click on
Download
The transfer of data from one computer to another
Drag and drop
Clicking an icon or selected icons, holding the mouse button down and moving the mouse to 'drag' the selection to a new location. When the mouse button is released the item is 'dropped'
Driver
The software that enables your hardware and OS to talk with each other. Most new hardware comes with a CD containing the driver software
DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)
Looking identical to a CD but with a much greater storage capacity - up to 4Gb compared to 650Mb on a CD-Rom; DVDs were originally created for film distribution but like with CD the computer industry soon adopted it for data storage
