Computer Terminology
What they mean
Access The reading or writing of data to gain entry to data. Most commonly used in connection with information access, via a user ID, and qualified by an indication as to the kinds of access those are permitted.
Access Control List (ACL) A list of the services available on a server, each with a list of the hosts permitted to use the service.
Access Time The time interval between the instant that data is requested and the instant that it is received.
Account Name electronic name. Same as login ID or user ID.
Address A register, a location or some other data source or destination.
Algorithm A set of rules for solving a problem in a given number of steps.
Analog A method of storing information An analog device uses a physical quantity, such as length or voltage, to represent the value of a number. By contrast, digital storage relies on a coding system of numeric units.
Application The use to which a data processing system is put within a given discipline, e.g an airline reservation application or a network application.
Application Software A group of programs designed to perform tasks that can be tailored to a users specific needs.
Argument Synonymous with parameter. It is a value supplied to a procedure, macro, subroutine, or command that is required in order to evaluate that procedure, macro, subroutine, or command.
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. The form in which text characters are handled in most computer systems and networks. ASCII text has no special characters for formatting such as underlined or bold characters, font changes, etc., thus can be viewed on any personal computer or terminal.
Assembler A program that converts symbolically-coded programs into object level, machine code.
ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) A standard for cell relay that uses fixed length cells of 53 bytes, 5 bytes of which are headers. Can support multiple services including voice, video and data.
Audit A personal or computerized review process that accounts for the adequacy, effectiveness, security and overall functionality of a data activity.
Background Processing A computer process that runs "behind the scenes" (i.e. in the background) and without user intervention..
Backup To save as in to make a copy in case of future failure or corruption.
Bandwidth A measurement of bit-rate of available or consumed data communication resources expressed in bits per second or multiples of it (bit/s, kbit/s, Mbit/s, Gbit/s, etc.). The digital data rate limit (or channel capacity) of a physical communication link is proportional to its bandwidth in hertz.
Baseband A network medium that uses only one carrier frequency. Examples are Ethernet and PhoneNet.
Basic Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. A commonly used personal-computer language, first developed at Dartmouth during the 1960s.
Batch Processing execution of a series of programs ("jobs") on a computer without manual intervention.
Binary A base-2 numeral system, represents numeric values using two symbols: typically 0 and 1
Bit A binary digit, either a 0 or 1. In U. S., 8 bits make up one byte; in Europe, byte equals one word.
Block A sequence of words or characters written contiguously, such as into a group, by a computer and stored on a disk, diskette, magnetic tape, etc.
Boot Turning on the computer.
Bridge Filters data traffic at a network boundary. Bridges reduce the amount of traffic on a LAN by dividing it into two segments.
Broadband A communications medium on which multiple signals are simultaneously transmitted at different frequencies. In telecommunications it is defined as any channel with a bandwidth greater than voice grade (4 KHz).
Browser A software tool used to read electronic documents. Crome, NetScape etc. are the most popular browsers.
Buffer a software application designed to manage social networks, by providing the means for a user to schedule posts to Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin.
Bug An error. Can be a hardware malfunction or a software programming error.
BUS Topology Network wiring commonly used by Ethernet in which all nodes on the network see all packets.
CD-ROM Compact Disk – Read Only Memory. Optical (CD) disks that are mastered and the data cannot be manipulated, removed, etc.
Channel Any medium by which information can be transmitted.
Chip A tiny piece of semi-conductive material, usually based on silicon, used in the manufacture of electronic components.
Client A computer program that uses the services of another computer program. Software that extracts information from a server; your auto-dial phone is a client, and the phone company is its server.
Client-Server Interface a distributed application structure that partitions tasks or workloads between the providers of a resource or service, called servers, and service requesters, called clients.
COBOL Common Business Oriented Language The first standardized computer language.
Communications Line A physical medium (wire, microwave beam) used to transmit data.
Compiler A program that translates human-readable programs into a form the computer understands.
Cursor A symbol on a display screen that indicates the position at which the next character entered will be displayed. The symbol often blinks so that it can be easily noticed.
Data Information suitable for communication, interpretation or processing by a computer.
Data Processing The systematic performance of operations upon data, for example, handling, merging, sorting and computing.
Database A collection of interrelated data values that may be integrated permanently into a single connected structure or integrated temporarily for each interrogation
Database Management System DBMS. A systematic approach to storing, updating, securing and retrieving information stored as data items, usually in the form of records in one or more files.
Debug To detect, trace and eliminate errors in computer programs.
Digital Used in computers to describe information that can be represented by a collection of bits.
Disk Or Diskette A small, flat, either rigid or floppy magnetic disk for storing data permanently.
Distributed File System Allows files on remote nodes of a network to appear locally connected.
Documentation A collection of organized documents or the information recorded in documents.
DOS Disk Operating System. A Microsoft program that controls a computer's transfer of data to and from a hard or floppy disk.
Drive A generic term used to identify the equipment that serves as a player or recorder for a storage medium.
E-Mail electronic mail. Information exchanged by electronic means in a manner analogous to that provided by the postal service.
E-Mail Server A computer system that provides MTA, mailbox storage and directory services and optionally UA services.
Encapsulation Combining or defining a data structure of attributes and a group of associated functions and behaviors as a single object.
Ethernet A physical and data link layer technology for local area networks (LANs). Ethernet was invented by engineer Robert Metcalfe. Systems communicating over Ethernet divide a stream of data into shorter pieces called frames. Each frame contains source and destination addresses and error-checking data so that damaged data can be detected and re-transmitted. As per the OSI model Ethernet provides services up to and including the data link layer.
Fiber Optics A high speed channel for transmitting data. Made of high-purity glass sealed within an opaque tube.
File A collection of any form of data that is stored beyond the time of execution of a single job. A file may contain program instructions or data, which may be numerical, textual or graphical information.
Folder A place where a user's e-mail messages may be stored. Every user has a folder for new messages, and on most systems may create other folders for specific purposes.
Format To put data into a predetermined structure or divide a storage medium, such as a disk into sectors, so that it is ready to receive data.
FORTRAN FOrmula TRANslation. A high level scientific programming language.
Frame A packet sent over a serial link.
FTP File Transfer Protocol. A program that allows for file transfers over the Internet.
Gateway An electronic door between one computer network and another.
GIF Graphic Interchange Format. Introduced by CompuServes.It is non-platform specific format for low-resolution, compressed graphics interchange.
GUI Graphical User Interface. Defines a format for scroll bars, buttons, menus, etc., and how they respond to the user.
Hard Disk A data-recording system using solid disks of magnetic material turning at high speeds.
Header The portion of a message, preceding the actual data, containing source and destination address and error-checking fields.
HTML Hypertext Markup Language. A convention of codes used to access documents over the World-Wide Web. Without HTML codes, a document would be unreadable by a Web browser.
HTTP Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. Extremely fast protocol used for network file transfers in the WWW environment.
Hub A device that is a center of network activity because it connects multiple networks together.
Hyperlink a reference to data that the reader can directly follow either by clicking or by hovering or that is followed automatically.
Information Server A computer on the Internet which acts as a library of documents and files that users can download.
IP Internet Protocol. The Internet standard protocol that provides a common layer over dissimilar networks, used to move packets among host computers and through gateways.
IP Address The numeric address of a computer connected to the Internet; also called Internet address.
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group. The ISO proposed standard for compression of digital data, especially 24-bit color images.
Kilobyte(Kb) 1,024 bytes, often used to mean 1,000 bytes.
Link A form of markup which designates that data within a document will automatically connect with either nested data or an outside source. Used in the design of hypertext.
Load To transfer a program held on some external storage medium (such as magnetic tape or disk) into the main memory of the machine in a form suitable for execution.
Login Or Logon The opening sequence of keystrokes used via computer screen instructions to connect to a system or begin operations on a computer.
Mainframe The cabinet that houses the central processing unit and main memory of a computer system, separate from peripheral devices such as card readers, printers, disk drives, etc. and device controllers.
Megabytes(MB) 1,048,576 bytes, often used to mean one million bytes (1,000,000) bytes.
Modem Short for MOdulation/DEModulation, it is a device that can convert a digital bit stream into an analog signal (modulation) and can convert incoming analog signals back into digital signals (demodulation).
Module A logically self-contained and discrete part of a larger computer program.
Multiplexer A device that merges information from multiple input channels to a single output channel.
Nesting Placing documents within other documents. Nesting allows a user to access material in a non-linear fashion – this is the primary factor needed for developing hypertext.
NetScape One of the most recent developments in browsing technology, it is considered to be faster than the original Mosaic.
OSI Open Systems Interconnect. An international standard suite of protocols defined by International Standards Organization, that implements the OSI reference model for network communications between computers.
Operating System software that controls the basic, low-level hardware operations, and file management. It is provides the link between the user and the hardware. Popular operating systems include: DOS, MacOS, VMS, VM, MVS, UNIX, and OS/2
Pixel Picture Element. In computer graphics, the smallest element of a display space that can be independently assigned color or intensity.
Port That portion of a computer through which a peripheral device may communicate. Often identified with the various plug-in jacks on the back of your computer.
Program A set of actions or instructions that a machine is capable of interpreting and executing.
Prompt A character or message provided by an operating system or program to indicate that it is ready to accept input.
Protocol An agreement that governs the procedures used to exchange information between cooperating entities and usually includes how much information is to be sent, how often it is sent, how to recover from transmission errors and who is to receive the information.
Public Domain Not protected by copyright; one may freely make copies and distribute them; you may make derivative works.
Query A request that specifies the manner in which data is to be extracted from one or more databases.
Queue A sequence of stored computer data or programs awaiting processing that are processed in the order first-in first-out (FIFO).
RAM Random Access Memory. Memory in which each element can be individually addressed and accessed with the same speed as any other element of the memory. A faster more recent form of RAM is called Dynamic RAM.
Realtime Pertaining to an application in which response to input is fast enough to affect subsequent inputs and guide the process and in which records are updated immediately.
ROM Read-only memory. Information is stored once, usually by the manufacturer, that cannot be changed. Most compact discs are ROM.
Root Directory The directory that contains all other directories.
Router A device connecting separate networks that forwards a packet from one network to another based only on the network address for the protocol being used. For example, an IP router looks only at the IP network number.
Shell A term that usually refers to the user interface of an operating system. A shell is the command processor that is the actual interface between the kernel and the user.
Simulation An imitation of the behavior of some existing or intended system, or some aspect of that behavior.
Software Computer programs that perform various tasks. Word processing programs (like WordPerfect or Microsoft Word), spreadsheet programs (like Lotus or Excel), or database programs (like dBase III+, Foxbase, or FileMaker) are all software.
Software Tool A program that is employed in the development, repair or enhancement of other programs. Tools include editors, compilers and linkers. Also refers to utilities, such as formatters and file utilities.
Source Code The program in a language prepared by the programmer. This code cannot be directly executed by the computer and must first be translated into object code.
SPARC Scalable Processor ARChitecture. Trademark of SunMicrosystems 32-bit RISC microprocessor architecture. The architecture is open in the sense that other vendors can obtain the processor chips and documentation sufficient to build computers using it.
SPOOL Simultaneous Peripheral Operations On-Line. A scheme that allows multiple devices to simultaneously write output to the same device such as multiple computers printing to the same printer at the same time. The data are actually written to temporary files while a program called a spooler sends the files to the device one at a time.
SQL Structured Query Language. ANSI standard data manipulation language used in most relational data base systems. A language for requesting data from a relational database.
Striping Disk striping copies blocks, bytes or bits across multiple disks in such a way that if one disk is lost, the data can be created using the blocks or bits on the remaining disks.
TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/INTERNET Protocol. The communication protocols on which the Internet is based.
Terminal A device connected to a computer network that acts as a point for entry or retrieval of information.
Terabyte (TB) 1,099,551,627,776 bytes, often used to mean one trillion bytes (1,000,000,000,000).
Unix A popular computer software operating system used on many Internet host systems.
URL Uniform Resource Locater. A scheme used to locate a document accessible over the Internet.
Usenet The network of UNIX users, generally perceived as informal and made up of loosely coupled nodes that exchange mail and messages. Started by Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill. An information cooperative linking around 16,000 computer sites and about 1 million people. Usenet provides a series of "news groups" analogous to on-line conferences.
Variable In social science research, for each unit of analysis , each item of data (e.g., age of person, income of family, consumer price index) is called a variable.
VMS Virtual Memory System. An operating system for the VAX and Alpha computers of Digital Equipment Corporation.
Virus A program that can make a copy of itself without you necessarily being aware of it; some viruses can destroy or damage files, and generally the best protection is to always maintain backups of your files
Windows A trademark of Microsoft Corporation for a software product that provides an environment for a graphical user interface for DOS and DOS applications.
Word Processor A program used to enter or edit text information in personal computers, often used to create a file before it is uploaded to a network; may also be used to process text after it has been downloaded.
WordWrap An editor feature that causes a word that will not fit on a line to be moved in its entirety to the next line rather than be split at the right margin.
Work Space Disk space made available to the system to provide temporary storage space for files too large to fit within a users permanent disk storage quota or for files not needed beyond a single run of a program or set of programs.
WWW World Wide Web. A wide-area hypermedia information retrieval technology that interconnects information around the world. It allows you to travel through the information by clicking on hyperlinks that can point to any document anywhere on the Internet.
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