Dictionary, File, Volume, Label, Drive Name

DICTIONARY

A dictionary is an alphabetical listing of words and their meanings. Dictionaries help users look up definitions to get a better understanding of the word and an overall better understanding of a language or field. Many computers do not include an electronic dictionary, however, with access to the Internet, there are hundreds of free online dictionaries.

What’s the difference between a dictionary and a thesaurus?

A dictionary is used to describe the meaning of a word. A thesaurus is used to group different words with the same meaning (synonyms) and similar words. For example, looking up the word “computer” in a dictionary would define the word like what is found on our computer definition. Looking up the word “computer” in a thesaurus may give words like PC, CPU, calculator, abacus, and laptop that could be used in place of the word computer.

Why would someone need a dictionary on a computer?

A dictionary is used on a computer most often to find the meaning words and as a way to find the correct spelling of a word.

FILE

A file is an object on a computer that stores data, information, settings, or commands used with a computer program. In a GUI (graphical user interface), such as Microsoft Windows, files display as icons that relate to the program that opens the file. For example, the picture is an icon associated with Adobe Acrobat PDF files. If this file was on your computer, double-clicking the icon in Windows would open that file in Adobe Acrobat or the PDF reader installed on the computer.

How are files created?

A file is created using a software program on the computer. For example, to create a text file you would use a text editor, to create an image file you would use an image editor, and to create a document you would use a word processor.

VOLUME

(i) When referring to sound, volume refers to the amplitude of the sound being projected from a speaker. As seen in this picture, two knobs are used to change the volume level: one controls the subwoofer, and one controls the main (overall) sound volume.

(ii) When referring to data storage, a volume refers to a logical drive, which has a single file system and is usually located on a single partition. For instance, on a typical Microsoft Windows computer, the volume named C: contains the operating system. In Windows, any drive which has an assigned drive letter is a volume.

LABEL

A label may refer to any of the following:

1. In general, a label is a sticker placed on a floppy diskette drive, hard drive, CD-ROM or other equipment that contains printed information to help identify that object or its data.
2. In a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel, a label is text within a cell, usually describing data in the rows or columns surrounding it.
3. When referring to a chart, a label is any text over a section of a chart that gives additional information about the charts value. For example, in our pie chart example each section of the pie chart is labeled to give the value of each percentage.
4. When referring to HTML, the <label> tag is used to create labels for items in a user interface.
5. In programming, a label is either a reference point or command used to move throughout a program. See the goto definition for an example of how this may be used.
6. Label is also an MS-DOS and Windows command line instruction used to change the identity of a hard or floppy disk drive.

DRIVE

A drive is a location (medium) that is capable of storing and reading information that is not easily removed, like a disk or disc. All drives store files and programs that are used by your computer. For example, when you write a letter in a word processor the program is loaded from you hard drive and when you save the document it is saved to the hard drive or other disk or drive.

In the example shown on this above, drive A: is the floppy drive, C: is the primary hard drive, D: and E: are partitions of the hard drive, and F: is the CD-ROM drive. The CD-ROM drive is usually the last drive letter, so in most situations the hard drive is the C: drive and a CD-ROM or other disc drive is the D: drive.