Glossary of Terms - F

frequently asked question. This term generally refers to a document posted on the internet or elsewhere for the specific purpose of assisting new users.

File Allocation Table. A table held on a floppy or hard disk that tells the operating system the location of data and what order it is stored in. Using 16bit addresses, it supports disk sizes of 2GB, whereas FAT32 uses 32bit addresses and supports disk sizes up to 2TB (terabytes).

Windows error message generated by the operating system when it detects invalid code, invalid data or illegal instructions being accessed by a program. It frequently results in the infamous "blue screen of death". Generally requires restarting your PC to clear it.

A serial data transfer architecture that uses optical fibre to connect devices. It is designed for mass storage devices that need high bandwidth.

A means by which an operating system can manage files on a disk.

A system or software utility designed to stop unauthorised access to a private network. Can also be used by a company to control what resources outside the network employees can access.

Very fast serial interface for connecting external devices. Also known as IEEE 1394 or iLink, it supports up to 63 devices and speeds of 400Mbps (megabits per second). First implemented on the Mac, it is more expensive than USB and suited to devices that require high-speed transfer rates, such as digital cameras.

Software that is permanently stored on ROM (read-only memory). It provides many devices such as printers, modems and tape drives with basic instructions and, where flash ROM is used, the code can be changed by downloading a new set of instructions.

The front side bus (FSB) or system bus is the physical bi-directional data bus (group of electronic signals) that carries the information between the central processing unit (CPU) and the northbridge chip.

See Front Side Bus

File Transfer Protocol. A means of transferring files from one computer to another across the internet, and one of the principal tools that is available on the web (the three other key functions are email, newsgroups and the web).