Computer Dictionary

ABACUS – A manual calculating device that uses beads to represent
decimal values.

ACCESS TIME – The time interval between the instant at which
data is called for from a memory device and the instant delivery is
completed that is the read time. The time interval between the
instant at which data is requested to be stored and instant at which
data is requested to be stored and instant at which storage is completed
that is the write time.

ADDRESS – An identification, as represented by a name, label
or number for a register, location in a storage, or any other data source
or destination, such as the location of a station in a communication
network. (2) Loosely, any part of an instruction that specifies the
location of an operand for the instructions.

ALGORITHM – A mechanical computational procedure

ALPHANUMERIC – A set of characters, letters, digits, punctuation
and special symbols.

ANALOG COMPUTER – A computer that represents variables by
physical analogies. Thus, any computer that solves problems by
translating physical conditions such as flow temperature, pressure,
angular positions or voltage into related mechanical or electrical
quantities and uses mechanical electrical equivalent circuit, such as
an analog for the physical phenomenon being investigated.

APPLICATION – A problem or task to which a computer solution
can be applied.

ARITHMETIC – A machine capable of adding, subtracting,
multiplying and dividing.

ARITHMETIC AND LOGIC UNIT (ALU) – The computing unit
of the central processing unit or CPU. It performs arithmetic and
logic operations requested by an input command.

ARITHMETIC OPERATION – A computer operation of ordinary
arithmetic performed on numbers.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) – The field of study of the
computer science that explores the development of computers able to
engage in human-like through processes such as learning, reasoning
and self-correction.

ASCII - An acronym for American Standard Code for Information
Interchange, used when transmitting data between computers.

ATANASOFF-BERRY COMPUTER (ABC) – The first electronic
digital computer designed by John V. Atanasoff and Clifford Berry
in the late 1930’s.

BASIC - An acronym for Beginners Ail-Purpose Symbolic Instruction
Code. A widely used time-sharing language developed by Professor
Kemeny and Kurts.

BATCH PROCESSING – A technique by which items to be
processed must be coded and collected into groups prior to processing.

BAUD – A unit of signaling speed that amounts to 1 bit per second.

BINARY-CODED DECIMAL – Pertaining to a decimal notation in
which the individual decimal digit are each represented by a group
of binary digits; e.g. in the 8-4-2-1 binary coded decimal notation,
the numebr 23 is represented as 00100011, where as in binary notation,
23 is represented as 10111.

BINARY SYSTEM – A number system in which data are represented
by combinations of Os and 1 s.

BIT – (1) An abbreviation of binary digit. (2) A single character in
a binary number. (3) A single pulse in a group of pulses. (4) A unit
of information capacity of a storage device. Maybe a 0 or a 1,
the digits used in the binary number system.

BOOT – The procedure for loading the operating system into the
computer’s memory and preparing a computer system for use.

BYTE – A set of consecutive binary digits operating as a unit. 8
bits is equivalent to 1 byte.

CALCULATOR – A device capable of performing arithmetic. (2)
Generally and historically, a device for carrying out logic and
arithmetic digital operations of any kind.

CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU) – A major device
containing the arithmetic logic, main memory and control unit.

CHARACTER – A unit of alphanumeric datum. A letter, number
or special character.

CHIP – A memory device made from waters of silicon which is
externally wired, sealed in plastic, for building the main memory of
a computer.

CLORE – A hardware device or a software package that emulates
a product with an established reputation and market acceptance.

COBOL – Common Business-Oriented Language, a procedural
language developed for business data processing. The language is
business program to a computer with a suitable compiler.

COLD BOOT – Booting by switching on the computer BIOS checks
its main memory by counting up to its maximum memory capacity.

COMMAND NAME - states the action you want DOS to carry out.

COMPILE – To prepare a machine-language program from a
computer program written in another programming language by
making use of the overall logic structure of the program, generating
more than one machine instruction for each symbolic statement, as
well as performing the function of an assembler.

COMPUTER – A calculating device that processes data. Data are
accepted as input and processed them to produce information as
output.

COMPUTER-ASSISTED INSTRUCTION (CAI)- A concept that
applies computers and specialized input/output display terminals
directly to individualized student instruction.

COMPUTER WORD – A sequence of bits or characters treated as
a unit and capable of being stored in one computer location.
Synonymous with machine word.
DATA – Unprocessed or “raw” facts, concepts, characters, or quantities
available for processing into information by a manual, mechanical or
electronic data processing system.

DATA COMMUNICATION ” Transmitting or receiving processed
data, sound or other bits of information over telephone wire, radio,
or other electromagnetic means.

DATA – PROCESSING CYCLE – The sequence, of steps involved
in manipulating business information.

DATA WORD – A word that may be primarily regarded as part of
the information manipulated by a given prograrn. A data word may
be used to modify a program instruction, or to be arithmetically
combined with other data words.

DEBUG – To detect, locate and remove mistakes from a routine or
malfunctions from a computer.

DECIMAL – The base-10 numbering system.

DEFAULT DRIVE - The drive DOS system files shows after the
booting.

DIGITAL COMPUTER – A computer that operates on data that are
expressed in a discrete format

DISK DRIVE - A device that allows to be read from a disk and
written on a disk.

DISKETTE - a thin, flexible disk for secondary access data storage.
Data are recorded as magnetic Spots

DOCUMENTATION – As a means of communication, a written
record of a phase of a specific project; it establishes design and
performances criteria for various phases of the project.

DOS (Disk Operating System) – A generic reference to a disk based
operating system.

DUMP – A snap of the computer’s internal storage. It is expressed
in hexadecimal system to save space.

EBCDIC (Extended Binary-Coded Decimal Interchange Code)
-an 8-bit code first used with the IBM 360 system.

EDVAC - Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer; The
computer used a program to control the steps of calculation along
with the data being used for calculations.

ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING – The processing of data by
an electronic device such as a computer.

ENIAC - Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, the first
general-purpose electronic computer, built in the early 1940s by
Prosper Eckert, Jr. and John W. Mauchly and was operational in
1946.

FILE – A collection of records relating to a class subjects.

FILENAME – A name assigned to a file.

FLOPPY DISK – A small, single magnetic disk made of material
so thin it is not rigid, used for recording input data.

FLOWCHART – A graphical representation for the definition,
analysis or solution of a problem, in which symbols are used to
represent operations, data flow and equipment.

FORMATTING – is the process of arranging the magnetic material
on the disk so it can receive information.

FORTRAN – (Formula Translations) – Any several specific procedure-
oriented programming languages. A problem-oriented language,
initially designed for scientific applications, which allows the
programmer to think in terms of the problem rather than the computer
used in solving it. The language is quite convenient for many business
applications.

GENERAL-PURPOSE COMPUTER – A computer that is designed
to solve a wide class of problems.

HARDWARE – Physical equipment; that is mechanical, magnetic,
electrical or electronic devices

HEXADECIMAL – Relating to a number-representation system using
base sixteen.

HOLLERITH – A widely used system of encoding alphanumeric
information onto cards, hence Hollerith cards, are synonymous with
punched cards.

HIPO - (Hierarchy + Input / Processing / Output). A design and
documentation tool or structured programming utilized to record input/
processing/output details of the hierarchical program modules.

IBM – acronym for International Business Machine

INFORMATION - The results of processing data, in a form that will
be useful to people.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY – is the collective name given
to machine like the radio, the television and telephone and video
recorder which accepts data, processes and releases informations.

INPUT - (1) The data to be processed. (2) The state or sequence
of states occuring on a specified input channel. (3) The device or
collective set of devices used for bringing data into another device.

(4) A channel for impressing a state on a device or logic element.

(5) The processes of transferring data from an external storage to an
internal storage.

INPUT DEVICE – The mechanical unit designed to bring data to
be processed into a computer; e.g. a card reader, a tape reader, or
a keyboard.

INSTRUCTION - A set of characters that defines the details of an
operation.

INSTRUCTION WORD – A computer word that contains an
instruction.

INTERNAL COMMANDS – Commands automatically loaded into
the RAM when you boot the computer.

INTERRUPT – A break in the normal flow of a program,-usually
caused by an external source. The interrupt causes the computer to
handle a particular set of events before resuming the ordinary
operation.

JACQUARD’S LOOM - a weaving machine used punched cards to
control the placement of threads to create design.

JOB CONTROL PROGRAM – A program containing instructions
necessary for the operating system to properly set up hardware and
execute a program.

KEY PUNCH – A keyboard-operated device that punches holes in
a card to represent data.

KEYBOARD - A group of marked levers operated manually for
recording characters.

LABEL – One or more characters used to identify an item of data.
Synonymous with key.

LOGIC – (1) The science dealing with the criteria or formal principles
of reasoning and thought. (2) The systematic scheme that defines the
interactions of signals in the design of an automatic data-processing
system. (3) The basic principles and application of truth tables and
interconnection between logical elements required for arithmetic
computation in an automatic data-processing system.

MEMORY – (1) A device into which data can be entered, in which
it can beheld, and from which it can be retrieved at a later time.
(2) Loosely, any device that can store data.

MICROCOMPUTER – A computer smaller than a minicomputer,
also referred to as personal computer.

MICRODISK - a 3 -1/2 – inch flexible disk used for data storage

MICROPROCESSOR – Is the “brain” or the processing unit of the
system developed in 1969 by Intel Corporation headed by Ted Hoff,
also called logic chip.

MICROSECOND – One millionth of a second.

MILLISECOND - One thousandth of a second.

MINICOMPUTER – A midsized computer with storage capacity and
power less than a mainframe’s but greater than a personal computer’s

MIPS – Millions of instructions per second. A measure of the speed
a CPU can process information.

MNEUMONICS – A word or abbreviations to aid memory.

MODEM – (MODULATOR/DEMODULATOR) A design to interface
between the computer and the communication system.

MONITOR - Software or hardware that observes, supervises, controls
or verifies the operations of a system.

MONOCHROME – A computer screen that displays information in
one color, a black or white.

MOTHERBOARD – A microcomputer circuit board that contains the
microprocessor, electronic circuitry for handling such task as input/
output signals from peripheral devices and memory chips.

MOUSE – A device that when moved across desktop a distance and
directions causes some movements of the cursor on a screen.

MULTIPROCESSING – Relating to a system involving more than
one arithmetic and logic unit for simultaneous use.

MULTIPROGRAMMING – Running two or more programs
simultaneously by interleaving their operations.

NANOSECOND – One billionth of a second.

NUMLOCK - A key to access number(s) in the numeric keypad.

ODOMETER - A device that uses Pascal’s Principle

OUPUT – (1) Data that has been processed. (2) The state or sequence
of states occuring on a specified output channel. (3) The device or
collective set of devices used for taking data out of a device. (4) A
channel for expressing a state of a device or logic element. (5) The
process of transferring data from an internal storage to an external
storage.

OUTPUT DEVICE – The part of a machine that translates the
electrical impulse representing data processed by the machine into
permanent results, such as printed forms, punched cards and magnetic
writing on tape.

PARALLEL PROCESSING (run) – Concurrent processing of two
or more programs stored in memory.

PARAMETER – A variable that is given a constant value for specific
purpose of process

PERIPHERALS – Hardware accessories such as keyboard, printer
and mouse.

PICOSECOND – one trillionth of a second or 10-12 seconds

PIXEL – An addressable point on a display screen to which light
can be directed under program control. A picture element on a
computer display screen.

PRIMARY MEMORY - The memory area in which all programs
and data must reside before programs can be executed or data
manipulated.

PRINTER – A device used to prepare hardcopy output.

PROCESS – A general term covering such terms as assemble, compile,
generate, interpret and compute.

PROCESSOR – The logical component of a computer system that
interprets and executes program instructions.

PROGRAM – (Noun) (1) A plan for solving problem. (2) A routine.
Computer instructions structured and ordered, when executed cause
a computer to perform a particular function. (Verb) (1) To devise a
plan for solving a problem (2) To write a routine.

PROGRAM FLOWCHART – A graphic representation of a computer
problem, using symbols to represent machine instructions or groups
of instructions.

PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS – are rules provided to the computer
that tell the microprocessor what to do.

PROGRAMMING – Preparing a logical sequence of events which
the computer must follow and execute to solve a problem.

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION – A list of the information
requirements of the system with emphasis upon the input and output
specifications, existing files, and the processing details, related systems
specifications.

QUEUING – A computer technique which involves living up input
instructions or messages from various terminals and processing, then
on a first-come, first-served basis according to a priority system
controlled by a multiplexor-programmed routine.

RANDOM-ACCESS MEMORY (RAM) – One of the basic types
of semiconductor memory used for temporary storage of data or
programs during processing.

READ – To acquire or interpret data from storage device, a data
medium, or any other service.

READ/WRITE HEAD – The component of a disk drive that reads
from and writes to its respective magnetic storage medium.

READ-ONLY MEMORY (ROM) – A basic type of semi-conductor
memory used for permanent storage, can also be read, not “written”,
i.e. changed. Variations are “Programmable Read-Only Memory”
(PROM) and “Eraseable Programmable Read-Only Memory” (EPROM)

RECORD – A collection of related items of data, treated as a unit.

RESERVED WORD – Word which represents a particular meaning
to be used in prescribed context.

ROBOT – A computer controlled manipulator capable of locomotion
and/or moving items through a variety of spatial motions.

RUN – A single continuous performance of a computer program or
routine.

SAVE – It is a system command that causes the existing program
to be written onto a disk for later use.

SCREEN – a television like output device that can display
information.

SECONDARY STORAGE – Permanent data storage on magnetic
disk and/or tape. Secondary storage is separate from processor and
memory.

SECTOR – A disk storage concept; a pie-shaped portion of a disk
a diskette in which records are stored and retrieved.

SEMI-CONDUCTOR – Any object where an electric current can pass
through.

SOFT COPY – Temporary output that can be interpreted visually, as
on a monitor.

SOFTWARE – The collection of programs and routines associated
with a computer.

SORT / MERGE PROGRAM - A program that places the records
of a file in a specified order or merges them based upon the values
in each record’s keyfield.

SORTING – Arranging numbers or data in a given sequence.

SOURCE DOCUMENT – A document from which basic data is
extracted.

STRUCTURED PROGRAMMING – A programming methodology
which involves the use of a “top-down” program design and use a
limited number of control stuctures on a program to create highly
structured “modules” of program code.

SUBDIRECTORY – A directory that is subordinate to a higher-
directory.

SUPERCOMPUTER – The category that includes the largest and
most powerful computers.

SWITCH – A DOS command that affects the way the command
performed its functions.

SYNTAX ERROR – error in grammatical correctness of instruction
structure or rules of instruction design.

SYSTEM – An organized collection of men, machines and methods
required to accomplish a specific objectives.

SYSTEM FLOWCHART – a graphical representation of a system
in which data provided by a source document are converted into final
documents.

SYSTEM ANALYSIS – Analyzing in detail the components and
requirements of an existing system

SYSTEM ANALYST – A person skilled in the definition and
development of techniques for the solving of a problem, especially
those techniques for solution on a computer.

TERMINAL – Any device capable of sending and receiving data over
a communication channel.

TRANSISTOR – An electronic switching device that can be used
to vary ^voltage or alter the flow of current.

TOP-DOWN DESIGN – A methodology of structured programming
in which a program is organized into “functional modules,” with the
programmer designing the “main module” first, and then the lower
- level modules.

UNIVAC 1 (Universal Automatic Computer 1) – The first computer
built for business purposes.

USER-FRIENDLY – Pertains to an on-line system that permits a
person with relatively little experienced to interact successfully with
the system.

VACUUM TUBE – A medium for string data in memory used in
the First Generation Computers.

VARIABLE – A name that is chosen to represent numbers and
computer locations where they are located.

VIRUS – A program written with malicious intent and loaded to the
computer system. The program destroys or introduces error in
programs.

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