computertechnology

One billion ticks of the system clock per second.

The time it takes a storage device to locate an item on a storage medium or the time required to deliver an item from memory to the processor.

(Arithmetic Logic Unit) component of a processor that performs arithmetic, comparison, and other operations.

American Standard Code for Information Interchange; the most widely used coding system to represent data.

(Basic Input/Output system) Firmware that contains the computers startup instructions.

The smallest unit of data a computer can process. Bit is short for binary digit.

Process of starting up or restarting a computer.

Application software that allows users to access and view web pages.

Eight bits that are grouped together as a unit. A byte provides enough different combinations of 0's and 1's to represent 256 individual characters.

Digital modem that sends and receives digital data over the cable television (CATV) network.

(Computer Aided Design) software is a sophisticated type of application software that assists professional users in creating engineering, architectural, and scientific designs.

(CD-ROM) Type of optical disc that uses laser technology to store data, instructions, and information that users can read but not write on or erase.

Erasable multi session optical disc on which users can write data, instructions, and information multiple times.

(Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) technology used by some RAM chips, flash memory chips, and other types of memory chips that provides high speeds and consumes little power by using battery power to retain information even when power to a computer is off.

Series of instructions that directs a computer to perform tasks.

(Central Processing Unit) Electronic component on the computers motherboard that interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate the computer.

(Cathode-Ray Tube) Type of desktop monitor that contains a cathode-ray tube.

The vertical section of the hard disk track that passes through all platters.

A utility program that reorganizes the files and unused space on a computers hard disk so that the operating system accesses data more quickly and programs run faster.

Collection of data organized in a manner that allows access, retrieval, and use of that data.

Memory chips on a hard disk that store frequently accessed items such as data, instructions, and information. sometimes called a buffer.

A type of impact printer that produces images when tiny wire pins on a print head mechanism strike an inked ribbon.

Dots Per Inch, is a measure of a print resolution.

Small program that tells the operating system how to communicate with a specific device.

(Digital Subscriber Line) type of digital technology that provides high-speed internet connections using regular copper telephone lines.

High capacity optical disc on which users can read but not write or erase.

A spreadsheet program by Microsoft.

(Frequently Asked Question) List that helps users find answers to frequently asked questions.

Each column in a database that a specific category of data within a record.

Named unit of storage.

Type of non-volatile memory that can be erased electronically and rewritten.

(File Transfer Protocol) An internet standard that permits file uploading and downloading with other computers on the internet.

(Graphics Interchange Format) Graphics format that uses compression techniques to reduce file size.

(GB) Approximately 1 billion bytes.

(Garbage In, Garbage Out) It is used primarily to call attention to the fact that computers will unquestioningly process the most nonsensical of input data (garbage in) and produce nonsensical output (garbage out).

(Graphical User Interface) Menus and visual images such as buttons and other graphical objects used to issue commands.

Electric, electronic, and mechanical components contained in a computer.

(Hypertext Transfer Protocol) a set of rules that defines how pages transfer on the internet.

(Instant Messaging) a real-time internet communications service that notifies you when one or more people are online and then allows you to exchange messages or files or join a private chat room.

Type of non-impact printer that forms characters and graphics by spraying tiny drops of liquid ink on a piece of paper.

Any data and instructions entered into the memory of a computer.

The basic operation cycle of a computer. It is the process by which a computer retrieves a program instruction from its memory, determines what actions the instruction requires, and carries out those actions.

Technology that allows users to speak to other users over the internet.

(Joint Photographic Experts Group) Format that compresses graphics to reduce their file size.

The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. The prefix kilo means 1000 in the International System of Units (SI), therefore 1 kilobyte is 1000bytes.

Input device that contains keys users press to enter data and instructions into a computer.

Type of high-speed, high-quality non-impact printer that creates images using a laser beam and powdered ink called toner.

Desktop monitor that uses liquid crystal display instead of a cathode ray tube to produce images on a screen resulting in a sharp flicker free display.

Popular, multitasking UNIX-type operating system.

Large, expensive, powerful computer that can handle hundreds or thousands of connected users simultaneously, storing tremendous amounts of data, instructions, and information.

(MB) Approximately 1 million bytes.

Electronic components in a computer that store instructions waiting to be executed by the processor, the data needed by those instructions, and the results of processing the data.

Technology that reads text printed with magnetized ink.

Pointing device that fits comfortably under the palm of a user's hand.

Moving Pictures Experts Group.

(Optical Character Recognition) Software that enables scanners to read and convert text documents into electronic files.

(OS) Set of programs containing instructions that work together to coordinate all activities among computer hardware devices.

A petabyte (derived from the SI prefix peta- ) is a unit of information equal to one quadrillion (short scale) bytes, or 1000terabytes. The unit symbol for the petabyte is PB.

The smallest element in an electronic image, short for picture element.

(Post Office Protocol) Communications protocol used by some incoming mail servers.

Standard printer language used by professionals in the desktop publishing and graphics art fields, designed for complex documents with intense graphics and colors.

Slideshow program by Microsoft.

(Redundant Array of Independent Disks) Group of two or more integrated hard disks that acts like a single large hard disk.

(Random Access Memory) Type of volatile memory that can be read from and written to by the processor and other devices.

Type of data access in which the storage device can locate particular data items or files immediately without having to more consecutively through items stored in front of the desired data item or file.

Each row in a database that contains data about a given person, product, object, or event.

Read only memory.

Light-sending input device that reads printed text and graphics and then translates the results into a form the computer can process.

Program that finds web sites, web pages, images, videos, news, maps, and other information related to a specific topic.

Type of data access in which the storage device reads and writes data consecutively.

(Server Operating System) Operating system that organizes and coordinates how multiple users access and share resources on a network.

Series of instructions that tells a computer what tasks to perform and how to perform them.

A software package refers to computer software packaged in an archive format to be installed by a package management system or a self-sufficient installer.

Complete operating system that works on a desktop computer, notebook computer, or mobile computing device.

Location in which data, instructions, and information are held for future use.

Fastest, most powerful, and most expensive computer, capable of processing more than one quadrillion instructions in a single second.

(TB) Approximately 1 trillion bytes.

Work arrangement in which employees work away from a company's standard workplace and often communicate with the office through the computer.

Type of non impact printer that generates images by pushing electronically heated pins against heat sensitive paper.

Multitasking operating system that now is a available for most computers of all sizes.

(Uniform Resource Locator) Unique address for a web page.

Windows operating system.

3-D environment that contains infinite space depth created with special VR software.

document composing software by Microsoft.

Microsoft's earlier operating system that was replaced with Vista.

Association for Computing Machinery is a scientific and educational organization dedicated to the advancing knowledge and proficiency of information technology.

Artificial Intelligence is the application of human intelligence to computers.

Step in the system development cycle that consists of two major activities: conducting a preliminary investigation and to perform detailed analysis.

Interpreted program that runs a client, but is compiled.

Business to Business is when e-commerce is conducted between businesses.

Business to Consumer is when e-commerce is conducted between a business and a consumer.

COmmon Business-Oriented Language, evolved out of a joint effort between the United States government and major universities in the early 1960's.

Small text file that a web server stores on a computer.

Huge Database that stores and manages the data required to analyze historical and current transactions.

Database Management System is a program that allows a user to create a computerized database; add, modify, and delete data in the database, sort and retrieve data from the database; create forms and reports from the data in the database.

Phase of the system development cycle that consists of two major activities: if necessary, acquire hardware and software and to develop all of the details of the new or modified information system.

Data Flow Diagram is a systems analysis and design tool that graphically shows the flow of data in a system.

Information system that captures and stores the knowledge of human experts and then imitates human reasoning and decision making.

Dozens of thin strands of glass or plastic that use light to transmit signals.

Hardware and/or software that protects a network's resources from intrusion by users on another network such as the internet.

Fuzzy logic is a form of multi-valued logic derived from fuzzy set theory to deal with reasoning that is approximate rather than accurate. In contrast with "crisp logic", where binary sets have binary logic, fuzzy logic variables may have a truth value that ranges between 0 and 1 and is not constrained to the two truth values of classic propositional logic.

The genetic algorithm (GA) is a search heuristic that mimics the process of natural evolution. This heuristic is routinely used to generate useful solutions to optimization and searchproblems.

Hyper Text Markup Language; special formatting language that programmers use to format documents for display on the web.

Worldwide collection of networks that connect millions of businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, and individuals.

An internal internet that uses internet technologies.

Object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems.

An input device used on tablet PC's to draw or write and have the computer recognize and translate the motions of the pen into data.

Microsoft Certified Applications Specialist certificate that tests a user's skills of Microsoft Office 2007 programs and windows Vista.

System that attempts to imitate the behavior of the human brain.

Database item that contains data, as well as the actions that read or process the data.

Conversion strategy where the old system runs alongside the new system for a specified time.

Management activity that involves establishing goals and objectives.

Field in a database that uniquely identifies each record in a file.

Working model of a proposed system.

Storage Area Network; high speed network with the sole purpose of providing storage to other servers to which it is attached.

Unsolicited e-mail messages or newsgroups posting sent to many recipients or newsgroups at once.

Person responsible for designing and developing an information system.

Multimedia authoring program with a graphical user interface that uses an object-oriented approach, so that programmers can design multimedia applications using basic objects.

Potentially damaging computer program that affects, or infects, a computer negatively by altering the way the computer works without a user's knowledge or permission.

Programming language that allows programmers to easily build complex task oriented object-based programs.

Malicious-logic program that copies itself repeatedly, using up system resources and possibly shutting down the system.