NetGuide : Internet Guide

People in the computer industry love to hear themselves talk. Specifically, they love to throw around complicated computer acronyms and multisyllabic terms. This can be intimidating to outsiders, especially new computer users trying to educate themselves on the ways of the computer world. So, if you don’t know an ISP from ISDN, don’t fret. There are plenty of online computer dictionaries and encyclopedias that explain technology concepts in simple terms. Here are some of our favorites.

• Whatis.com is an easy-to-use, searchable technology dictionary that alphabetically lists hundreds of terms. The site also has plenty of resources for computing novices, such as a guide to the Internet, a guide to HTML and lists of hardware and software terms and products.
• PC Webopaedia is a comprehensive encyclopedia of computing terms. You can search by word or by category (“types of computers” being a typical category). Search results include a definition of the term, as well as links to other places on the Web where you can learn more about the subject.
• TechWeb’s TechEncyclopedia has more than 10,000 definitions of technology terms and concepts. Feeling serendipitous? Try searching for a random definition.
• NetLingo lists hundreds of definitions for Web-related terms. One neat feature of NetLingo is the pocket dictionary, which is a floating JavaScript toolbar that sits on your desktop and enables you to search for definitions of terms as you encounter while Web surfing.
• The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing is a bare-bones dictionary that contains more than 11,000 definitions of technology terms. Definitions contain links to related terms.