The Computer Folks Glossary

Undelete utility	An operating system subcomponent, that, in some cases, allows the user to retrieve data that has been erased.
Unicode	A 16-bit character-representation code that can represent more than 65,000 characters.
Uninterruptible power supply (UPS)	A device containing a battery and other circuitry that provides a continuous supply of power to a computer system in the event of a power failure or intermittent disruptions of power.
Unit testing	The process of testing a completed application unit, to make sure that it operates reliably and correctly.
UNIX operating system	A multi-user, multitasking operating system developed by AT&T's Bell Laboratories.
Unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable	Cable containing pairs of wires twisted together without shielding.
Unstructured problem	Problems for which there is no established procedure for arriving at a solution.
Unzipping	In computer jargon, decompressing a file.
Update	To change data in a record.
Uploading	The processing of sending a copy of a file from a user's computer to a remote computer.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator)	An Internet address used to access a Web page.
Usenet server	A computer that handles the exchange of comments amoung members of Internet discussion groups.
User account	A means of providing a user with access to network resources and of accumulating information about the user, such as log-in and log-out times.
User ID	A combination of letters and numbers that serve as a user's "call sign" or identification.
User interface	The means by which human beings interact with computers.
User reference	Documentation that contains information to help users learn to use a computer program.
User rights	Rules that specify the directories and files that an individual user can access.
Utilities	A subcategory of system software designed to augment the operating system by providing ways for a computer user to control the allocation and use of hardware resources.