| There are acronyms and abbreviations in just | | | | be a little confusing working out the difference |
| about all industries, but the computer and internet | | | | between them. Here's a breakdown of the most |
| world have a whole heap of jargon, which | | | | commonly used picture file formats to help decide |
| appears to be just letters put together. So here is | | | | the best way to save your photos or images: |
| a list of randomly used jargon which can help you | | | | JPG, jpeg or Joint Photographic Experts Group is |
| understand what’s happening in the | | | | the most common format for photos and high |
| technology space: | | | | quality images. The letters at the end of your file |
| Types of Data Sizes: | | | | will help you determine that your image is a JPG |
| So what’s a GIG? It’s a nickname for | | | | as it will appear as imagename.jpg. Most modern |
| “Gigabyte” which works out to be around | | | | digital cameras will automatically transfer photos |
| 1000 megabytes, or about 1 billion bytes. At a | | | | to your computer in JPG format. |
| more granular level, ‘bits' and 'bytes' are | | | | GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format and |
| terms used to describe how we measure things | | | | is best used for saving graphics - flat shapes with |
| like file sizes, computer memory and internet | | | | solid blocks of colour. Because of the way a GIF |
| download data. | | | | file is constructed, simple graphics get saved in |
| To understand how big a GIG is; imagine one gig | | | | maximum quality with minimum file size. GIFs |
| is about 16 hours of your favourite MP3 music | | | | have a limited colour range, but they support |
| files, or about 1 movie download or 3 hours of | | | | animation - so you can make moving pictures. |
| watching TV over the Internet; and when it | | | | PNG stands for Portable Networks Graphics. |
| comes to web browsing, a gig lets you surf about | | | | Unofficially, they're called "PNGs, Not GIFs". Think |
| 500 regular web pages (and yep, just looking at a | | | | of a PNG as a grown-up GIF - they |
| page means you're downloading). | | | | accommodate a wider range of colours and save |
| Types of Audio files: | | | | graphics with a smaller file size, but don't support |
| Something which people are not aware about is | | | | animation. PNG images are widely supported, but |
| that there are heaps of audio file types and each | | | | aren't as common as JPGs and GIFs, which have |
| are different in their own little way. Some of the | | | | been around for longer. |
| most common audio file types are: | | | | Types of Internet Connections: |
| MP3 is the most popular audio file format for | | | | Dialup internet uses a modem and a phone line to |
| listening to music on your computer. They let you | | | | dial in to your Internet Service Provider's modem. |
| to listen to your favourite song in high quality and | | | | Think of this like making a phone call, except data |
| because they are so common and compress the | | | | is exchanged instead of words. |
| music without sacrificing too much quality, you can | | | | DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line and is the |
| easily send files onto your family and friends. | | | | parent word to describe the technology that |
| AAC files are relatively new on the scene and | | | | allows the transmission of data over the copper |
| they generally provide audio at a higher quality | | | | line originally installed in the ground to connect you |
| than MP3. If you have an iPod or use iTunes, you | | | | to your local telephone exchange in order to |
| may have noticed that your songs are saved as | | | | transmit your phone calls. This data represents |
| AAC files and this is because AAC files are | | | | your connection to the internet. |
| Apple's preferred file format. | | | | ADSL describes a type of DSL and the 'A' stands |
| If you're a Windows user, you may have heard | | | | for Asymmetric. The asymmetric puts more |
| of WMA files as they were developed by | | | | emphasis on the download (as this is where |
| Microsoft for use in Windows Media Player. The | | | | people need the fastest speeds), providing |
| sound quality isn't as good as MP3 or AAC files | | | | greater download speeds then upload speeds. |
| but it's still a popular way to listen to music from | | | | ADSL2+ is a technical term used to describe a |
| your computer. | | | | form of high speed broadband internet. This |
| So what's the best audio file to use? You can | | | | means that you can download up to 3 times |
| assess the above three types by having a think | | | | faster than a normal ADSL connection, or over |
| about the quality you require, your desired file size | | | | 400 times faster than dialup. |
| or what programs you use to listen to your | | | | DSLAM stands for Digital Subscriber Line Access |
| music. | | | | Multiplexer. A DSLAM is a special device used to |
| Types of Image files: | | | | connect you to the internet. |
| With so many file formats to choose from, it can | | | | |