The s

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*hack*		Fixing specific software weaknesses by making changes to the actual code, especially if done without finesse. Also the change itself. See kludge, patch.
hacker		Originally, a computer hobbyist. Now, someone with antisocial intent who attempts to invade remote systems.
half duplex		When two communicating terminals take turns transmitting. Each terminal displays the signal it is sending on its screen. Compare full duplex, simplex
half-height		Refers to drive mechanisms that are about 2" high. Can be applied to any similarly-sized device.
hand-held		Same as a palm-top computer, or smaller.
handshake		Preliminary signals between devices that indicate readiness to send or receive data.
hang		When a computer stops operating, usually because something went wrong in the software. Same as " bomb", "crash", and "lock up". Although these terms are used interchangeably, "hang" and "lock up" are used more often when the screen appears normal. Usually requires rebooting the computer.
hard copy		Output printed on paper.
hard disk drive		A disk drive which has larger capacity and is faster than floppy disks. The storage medium is one or more aluminum disks with a thin magnetizable coating and permanently sealed in a dust-proof housing. Some companies make removable hard drives, from which the entire disk housing can be removed.
hard disk partition		See partition.
hardware		Refers to the parts of a computer system that are physical objects.
hardwired		Any function physically built into the computer, and therefore not subject to change, or physically connected, such as with a cable. Compare firmware and software.
Hayes compatible		Refers to modems that use the same commands as modems manufactured by Hayes Microcomputer Products. See AT command.
head		The part of a drive mechanism that reads and writes data onto the disk. Looks somewhat like a phonograph needle. Also called read/write head.
head crash		When the read/write head in a hard disk drive touches the platter, damaging that part of the platter.
help		A system of providing information about a program directly on the screen, usually accessed by the press of a special key or key combination, frequently F1 or Ctrl + ?. See context sensitive.
Hercules		An early monochrome graphics standard. 720 348 resolution.
Hertz		Cycles per second. A measure of frequency. Named after Heinrich Hertz.
hex		Short for hexadecimal.
hexadecimal		A number system that uses 16 as the base. (Place value indicates powers of 16.) It uses the digits 0-9 and A-F. Used around computers because a byte (eight binary digits) easily converts to a two digit hexadecimal number. Hexadecimal numbers are often indicated with the letter H, a dollar sign, or a subscripted 16 after the number. Compare binary, decimal.
HDD		Hard Disk Drive
high density		5.25" diskettes that hold 1.2MB, and 3.5" diskettes that hold 1.44MB. Compare double density. The magnetic characteristics of double density and high density disks differ. Therefore, do not attempt to format a double density disk as a high density one.
high memory		Addresses in main memory between 640K and 1MB.
high res		High resolution.
high resolution		Finely detailed screen or printer output. Generally anything as fine or finer than about 640 480 on a screen or 300 dpi on a printer.
highlight		To make conspicuous on a computer screen by changing the color of an area, especially characters and their immediate background. Often the colors are the reverse of the non-highlighted area. Also the highlighted area itself.
HMA		High Memory Area. See high memory.
holstein		Any of a breed of large usually black-and-white dairy cattle originally from northern Holland and Friesland that produce large quantities of comparatively low-fat milk.
home		The upper left corner of the display, especially in text mode. There is some variation from this in some software. Wherever the Home key places the cursor.
Home key		A key on the keyboard that moves the cursor to a location the software defines as home, usually the beginning of a document or the screen.
home page		Usually the main/top level page (default) accessed by a World Wide Web user who goes to a Web site.
host adapter		An expansion card that serves as a controller for SCSI devices.
host name		The unique name of a computer on a network. On the Internet, the host name is loosely translated as the ASCII form of a Web site address. e.g. www.gw2k.com.
HTML		HyperText Markup Language. A hypertext document format used to create World Wide Web documents by using tags imbedded in text.
hub		Any device to which several other devices are attached, especially the central unit in a star network. See star topology.
hypertext		A collections of documents containing links to one another that allow a user to easily jump between documents.
Hz		See Hertz.

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