Word up! Explore the lexicon of tech

T

Tag cloud - A visual system of displaying content, such as that found on a website, by order (alphabetically) and also by popularity (using different font sizes)

Techie - A person with in-depth technical knowledge, typically of computer systems, networks and software
e.g. "The site's down again - someone call the techies"

Technophobe - A person who mistrusts, dislikes and/or is sceptical about technology

Teleworking - Working from home rather than in the office

Texting - Using a mobile phone to send a text message to another mobile phone user

New word order

Want to own your fellow techies? Then get your teeth into our essential guide to IT neologisms by clicking on the links below…

A to E: Adware to Exploit
F to N: Fat pipes to Nipples
O to S: Owned to Supercomputer
T to Z: Tag cloud to Zombie

Toothing - The practice of using a Bluetooth-enabled device as a pick-up tool by sending suggestive messages to other Bluetooth devices
e.g. "Have you seen the CSI Miami episode where Eric goes toothing?"

Touchscreen - An input device incorporated into a screen

Traffic - Data travelling around the internet

Trojan - A piece of malware that is concealed within another piece of apparently harmless software

Trolling - Posting an inflammatory or inappropriate message online with the intention of causing offence to others
e.g. "The chatroom moderator kicked me out for trolling"

U

Unbundling - The process of rivals to an incumbent telco installing their own equipment in its exchanges so they can offer new services to customers

User-generated content - Web content created by a website's visitors rather than by site staff

Username - The name used by a computer user to identify themselves when logging into a system, network or online service, typically coupled with a password

V

Vapourware - Software or hardware that has been hyped but fails to materialise

Vendorwear - Branded clothing or other items accumulated by techies, often as freebies
e.g. "Chris' collection of vendorware was incredibly extensive but it was his Intel fleece and matching pen-set that was his pride and joy"

Virus - Self-propagating code designed to cause disruption or damage to computer systems and their data

Vlogging - A blog that contains video content

Voicemail - A repository for audio messages accessed via a phone

W

Wardriving - Scanning for wireless networks from a moving vehicle

Warez - Software that has had its copy-protection removed by hackers and has been made available for others to acquire
e.g. "He spends every weekend downloading warez"

Web 2.0 - The 'second wave' of the internet, consisting of online services with desktop-like user interfaces, the building of online communities and social networks, websites offering user-generated content and increased user-participation via talkback features and forums

Widget - Downloadable mini-apps offered through Apple's Mac OS X Dashboard or through Yahoo! Widgets or similar online services

Wiki - A website or section of a site offering its users the ability to write and/or edit its contents

Wild, in the - Denoting that something (usually a virus) is at large and active on the net

Wireless - Radio networks used to transmit data

X

Xanga - A blog (as hosted on Xanga.com), or the process of updating a blog
e.g. "She's been Xangaing loads lately"

Y

Y2K - The millennium computer bug - now often referenced in sentences including the phrase 'the next Y2K' to denote something that could either be very big or a complete white elephant

Yootoogling - Searching for a particular video or type of video on YouTube
E.g. "I was Yootoogling David Blaine last night"

Z

Zip - To compress a file

Zombie - An internet-connected PC that is being remotely controlled by an outsider

Got a suggestion? Think we missed a trick? Let us know your favourite tech-flavoured neologisms by posting a Reader Comment below or by emailing us as editorial@silicon.com.