Ten years ago, could any of us have predicted how thoroughly computers would take over our lives? Could we have imagined all the techie terms we'd have to learn? Could we have expected the terms to be so inconsistent?

This month's newsletter concerns all those pesky terms like log on, backup, and Web site. Many of them have more than one form, depending on how they're used, and that seems to be confusing to a lot of us.

The ones that stay the same include Web site, the Web, Internet, and Net. Each of these is capitalized to show the precise meaning. Web site, of course, refers to the World Wide Web - all words capitalized. (The sharpies among you know that worldwide is usually written as one word . . . just another case of the Web going against tradition.) Although I believe Web site will turn into website in the future, right now the preferred form (The Gregg Reference Manual; The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law) is Web site. However, just to confuse us all, Webmaster is one word.

E-mail is another term that has only one form; the current preferred style has a hyphen and a small e, unless the term starts a sentence. Stay tuned, though; it'll probably change officially over the next few years to email.

Log on is one term that changes according to usage. If you use it as a verb (log on to your server), it's two words. But if you use it as a noun (your logon was successful), it's one word or possibly a hyphenated word (log-on). The same holds true for log off / log in, back up (v.) and backup (n. and adj.), set up (v.) and setup (n.), and sign up (v.) and sign-up (adj.).

The general rule is that verbs are usually two separate words, compound adjectives are usually hyphenated, and nouns may be one word or a hyphenated term. Phew!

An exception to the verb rule is double-click, which is always hyphenated.

The two-word forms of some terms -- file name, home page, spell checker, screen saver, voice mail -- are preferred, although the one-word forms are starting to catch on.

Sometimes, though, the one-word forms are preferred -- barcode, handheld, hardwired, online, touchpad, wordwrap -- with the hyphenated forms considered slightly less acceptable. Funny: My spell checker accepted the first four, but not the last two.

A few others you might use are dot.com, hot key, hyperlink, and workstation.

Note: If an Internet address falls at the end of a sentence, you do need a period to end the sentence. Most readers will understand that the period is not part of the address. If you're not sure about that, though, try rewriting the sentence so the address isn't the last word.

If an Internet address breaks awkwardly at the end of a typed line, you can either put it all on the next line or you can break it before a slash or a period within the address. Don't, of course, add a hyphen, or someone will believe the hyphen is part of the address.

The bottom line for computer terms is to be consistent and think of your reader. If you're writing to a Web-savvy person, the terms will automatically have the right meaning. If you're writing to your grandmother, who may think webs are what spiders build, you'll have to be very clear!