garbage --
1. A string of unwanted, meaningless, or unintelligible characters produced by error.
2. Incorrect input to a computer. See GIGO.
Get a real computer! --
An imperative issued as a response to someone who is complaining about not being able to get work done on an obsolete, single-tasking, graphical, or otherwise lame computer. Generally, UNIX systems are considered to be real computers in opposition to Windows-based systems.
GIF --
See Graphics Interchange Format.
GIGO --
Acronym for Garbage In Garbage Out. Usually said in response to complaints that a program didn't "do the right thing" when given bad or flawed input. See garbage.
glitch --
A small malfunction.
Golden Rule of Netiquette --
"Remember the Human", the rule upon which all Netiquette is based. Often in electronic communications, it is easy to forget that you are communicating with real people, not just networks of computers. See Netiquette.
Gopher --
A menu-driven program developed at the University of Minnesota that helps you locate and retrieve information on the Internet.
go word --
The word associated with a forum or area on a commercial online service that allows you to get to that place quickly.
Graphics Interchange Format --
(abbreviation: GIF)
A file format for storing images, commonly used on the web.
grep --
1. To rapidly scan a large volume of information looking for a particular string or pattern.
2. A UNIX command used to scan a file or group of files for a matching search string or pattern.
GUI --
Abbreviation for Graphical User Interface. A set of screen presentations and metaphors that utilize graphic elements such as icons in an attempt to make an operating system easier to use. Unlike UNIX and DOS, which feature a command line interface, the Windows and the Macintosh operating systems present graphical environments for input and output.
guru --
An expert who acts as a knowledge resource for others and who is generally venerated by the people whose problems he or she solves.