| Name | Class Definition | Alternate Definition | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| application software | A program which allows us to apply ourselves to a particular task, such as editing an image, accessing Internet resources, or playing a game. | A program or group of programs designed for end users. Application software can be divided into two general classes: systems software and applications software. Systems software consists of low-level programs that interact with the computer at a very basic level. This includes operating systems, compilers, and utilities for managing computer resources (Webopedia 2011a.) |  Reference 1 |
| ASCII | American Standard Code for Information Interchange; an international standard for encoding characters into 7-bit codes; ASCII is the basis of the more modern and inclusive Unicode standard. | Acronym for the American Standard Code for Information Interchange. Pronounced ask-ee, ASCII is a code for representing English characters as numbers, with each letter assigned a number from 0 to 127. Most computers use ASCII codes to represent text, which makes it possible to transfer data from one computer to another (Webopedia 2011b.) |  Reference 2 |
| binary code | A scheme for encoding data using only the digits - and 1; binary code can be used to encode text, images, sounds, and programs, amongst other data. | Pertaining to a number system that has just two unique digits. For most purposes, we use the decimal number system, which has ten unique digits, 0 through 9. All other numbers are then formed by combining these ten digits. Computers are based on the binary numbering system, which consists of just two unique numbers, 0 and 1. All operations that are possible in the decimal system (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) are equally possible in the binary system (Webopedia 2011c.) |  Reference 3 |
| bit | Contraction of the term binary digit; hence 0 or 1. | A Bit is a digit in the binary number system. It can have two values, 0 or 1. In computer RAM and ROM memory, a bit is a small electrical switch which is either on (value 1) or off (value 0) (Bolton 2011a.) |  Reference 4 |
| booting | The process by which a computer loads its operating system in primary storage from secondary storage using the instructions found in ROM. | n simple terms, to boot a computer is to turn it on. Once the computer's power is turned on, the "boot process" takes place. This process involves loading the startup instructions from the computer's ROM, followed by loading the operating system from the current boot disk. The boot disk is usually an internal hard drive, but can also be an external drive, a CD or DVD-ROM, or even a floppy disk. Once the operating system software is loaded, the boot process is complete and the computer is ready to be used (Techterms 2011a.) |  Reference 5 |
| bus | An electrical connection through which data are transmitted. There is sending and receiving station. | A bus, in computing, is a set of physical connections (cables, printed circuits, etc.) which can be shared by multiple hardware components in order to communicate with one another (Jeff 2009.) |  Reference 6 |
| byte | Contraction of the term binary term; the smallest unit of info which can be accessed directly by a computer. Most modern computers are 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, or 64-bit bytes. | In most computer systems, a byte is a unit of data that is eight binary digits long. A byte is the unit most computers use to represent a character such as a letter, number, or typographic symbol. A byte can also hold a string of bits that need to be used in some larger unit for application purposes (Searchstorage 2000a.) |  Reference 7 |
| character | A collection of like units, treated as a whole, examples : character string, bit string. | A character is any letter, number, space, punctuation mark, or symbol that can be typed on a computer. Each character requires one byte of space, so "computer" takes up 8 bytes. The list of characters that can be typed is defined by the ASCII and extended ASCII set (Techterms 2011b.) |  Reference 8 |
| computer | A programmable electronic device for the programming of information. | A computer is a device that accepts information (in the form of digitalized data) and manipulates it for some result based on a program or sequence of instructions on how the data is to be processed. Complex computers also include the means for storing data (including the program, which is also a form of data) for some necessary duration (Searchwinit 2000.) |  Reference 9 |
| CPU | Central Processing Unit; a miniaturized electronic component which controls the execution of a computer and which performs basic arithmetic and logical operations. Colloquially called the computer's "brain." | Pronounced as separate letters it is the abbreviation for central processing unit. The CPU is where most calculations take place. In terms of computing power, the CPU is the most important element of a computer system. (Webopedia 2011d.) |  Reference 10 |
| directory | A logical collection of files stored under a single name. | A simulated file folder on disk. Programs and data for each application are typically kept in a separate directory (spreadsheets, word processing, etc.). Directories create the illusion of compartments, but are actually indexes to the files which may be scattered all over the disk. Your Dictionary's directory (Yourdictionary 2010a.) |  Reference 11 |
| file | A logical collection of information, stored under a single name. | A collection of data or information that has a name, called the filename. Almost all information stored in a computer must be in a file. There are many different types of files: data files, text files , program files, directory files, and so on (Webopedia 2011e.) |  Reference 12 |
| Firewire | Apple’s name for the IEEE 1394 High Speed Serial Bus; also called i.LINK by Sony and Lynx by Texas Instruments. | This high-speed interface has become a hot new standard for connecting peripherals (no pun intended). Created by Apple Computer in the mid-1990's, Firewire can be used to connect devices such as digital video cameras, hard drives, audio interfaces, and MP3 players, such as the Apple iPod, to your computer (Techterms 2011c.) |  Reference 13 |
| gigabyte | 2 to the power of 30 bytes; approximately 1 billion bytes. | A gigabyte (GB) is a measure of computer data storage capacity and is "roughly" a billion bytes. A gigabyte is two to the 30th power, or 1,073,741,824 in decimal notation (Searchstorage 2000b.) |  Reference 14 |
| hardware | The physical parts of the computer; any part of the computer which can be seen and touched. | Hardware is a comprehensive term for all of the physical parts of a computer, as distinguished from the data it contains or operates on, and the software that provides instructions for the hardware to acoomplish tasks (Openproject.) |  Reference 15 |
| information | Words, pictures, and sounds which have meaning to us. | Information is the summarization of data. Technically, data are raw facts and figures that are processed into information, such as summaries and totals. But since information can also be the raw data for the next job or person, the two terms cannot be precisely defined, and both are used interchangeably (Yourdictionary 2010b.) |  Reference 16 |
| input devices | Devices used to put information into a computer. Common examples of input devices are keyboards, mouses, disc drives, and modems. | An input device is any device that provides input to a computer. There are dozens of possible input devices, but the two most common ones are a keyboard and mouse. Every key you press on the keyboard and every movement or click you make with the mouse sends a specific input signal to the computer. These commands allow you to open programs, type messages, drag objects, and perform many other functions on your computer (Sharpened.) |  Reference 17 |
| kilobyte | 2 to the power of 10 bytes; approximately 1 thousand bytes. | A unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to 1,024 (210) bytes (Thefreedictionary 2005a.) |  Reference 18 |
| megabyte | 2 to the power of 20 bytes; approximately 1 million bytes. | A megabyte is 2 to the 20th power, or 1,048,576 bytes (Techterms 2011d.) |  Reference 19 |
| monitor | A visual-display device, on which a computer displays information about its internal state, allowing people to monitor the activities of the computer. | The monitor displays the computer's user interface and open programs, allowing the user to interact with the computer, typically using the keyboard and mouse (Techterms 2011e.) |  Reference 20 |
| operating system | A set of programs which tells a computer how to perform its most basic tasks, such as "reading" information from input devices, "writing" information to output devices, launching application software, and executing the instructions of launched software. | An Operating System is a software program or set of programs that mediate access between physical devices (such as a keyboard, mouse, monitor, disk drive or network connection) and application programs (such as a word processor, World-Wide Web browser or electronic mail client) (Hitachi-id 2011.) |  Reference 21 |
| output devices | Devices used by a computer to put out information. Common examples of output devices are monitors, printers, disc drives, and modems. | Electronic or electromechanical equipment connected to a computer and used to transfer data out of the computer in the form of text, images, sounds, or other media (Thefreedictionary 2008b.) |  Reference 22 |
| peripheral | Any hardware element which is peripheral to a computer’s system unit. Common examples are input devices and output devices. Even output devices which are often found within the system unit, like disc drives and modems, are considered peripherals, because they are peripheral to the core elements of the computer: the CPU, RAM, and ROM. | A computer peripheral is any external device that provides input and output for the computer. For example, a keyboard and mouse are input peripherals, while a monitor and printer are output peripherals (Techterms 2011f.) |  Reference 23 |
| primary storage | A miniaturized electronic component which provides temporary storage of information. Primary storage is volatile and relatively expensive, but it’s used because it is fast, and (with few exceptions) the only storage which the CPU can access directly. The single example of primary storage is RAM. | Primary storage, also known as main storage or memory, is the main area in a computer in which data is stored for quick access by the computer's processor. On today's smaller computers, especially personal computers and workstations, the term random access memory (RAM) - or just memory - is used instead of primary or main storage, and the hard disk, diskette, CD, and DVD collectively describe secondary storage or auxiliary storage (Searchstorage 1998c.) |  Reference 24 |
| programmable | Capable of performing varied and different tasks, limited only by the sophistication of the programs provided. | Capable of following instructions. What sets the computer apart from all other electronic devices is its programmability (Yourdictionary 2011c.) |  Reference 25 |
| program | A set of instructions which tells a computer what to do and when to do it. The instructions must be written in a language which the computer understands. | A computer program is a set of instructions for a computer to perform a specific task. Programs generally fall into these categories applications, utilities or services. Programs are written in a programming language then translated into machine code by a compiler and linker so that the computer can execute it directly or run it line by line (interpreted) by an interpreter program (Bolton 2011b.) |  Reference 26 |
| RAM | Random-Access Memory, we can access it in random order. | RAM is computer memory that holds instructions and data. When the computer is switched off, the contents of the RAM are lost. It's just like a calculator- switch that off and you lose the contents (Bolton 2011c.) |  Reference 27 |
| ROM | Read-Only Memory. A miniaturized electronic component which provides permanent storage of information. In most cases, the information in ROM is "written" only once, at the factory. Thereafter, ROM can be used only to read from, and not to write to. | Stands for "Read-Only Memory." ROM is memory containing hardwired instructions that the computer uses when it boots up, before the system software loads. In PCs, the instructions are read from a small program in the ROM, called the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) (Techterms 2011g.) |  Reference 28 |
| root | Short for "root directory" the main directory, in a hierarchical directory structure, which (logically) contains all other directories. In DOS- and Windows-based systems, the root directory is represented by a backslash (\). In Mac OS, Unix, and Linux systems, the root directory is represented by a forward slash (/). | In a hierarchically organized structure of entities, the main level from which all other levels branch out. Such a structure can take the form of a root with multiple branches, each of which may have multiple leaves (Yourdictionary 2010d.) |  Reference 29 |
| secondary storage | Any storage medium which provides (relatively) permanent storage of information. Secondary storage is non-volatile and relatively inexpensive, but it is slow. With few exceptions, secondary storage cannot be accessed directly by the CPU. The most common examples of secondary storage are magnetic and optical discs and magnetic tape. | Secondary storage technology refers to storage devices and storage media that are not always directly accessible by a computer. This differs from primary storage technology, such as an internal hard drive, which is constantly available (Techterms 2009h) |  Reference 30 |
| software | Synonym of program | Computer instructions or data. Anything that can be stored electronically is software. The storage devices and display devices are hardware (Webopedia 2011f.) |  Reference 31 |
| string | A collection of like units, treated as a whole. For example, a string of characters, a string of bits. | A linear series of things, such as bits or characters (Yourdictionary 2010e.) |  |
| system unit | A plastic or metal box which contains the principal parts of a computer: the CPU, RAM, ROM, various connecting cables, and an AC/DC converter. In modern microcomputers, it’s common to find peripheral devices installed inside the system unit; examples include disc drives and modems. | The system unit, also known as a "tower" or "chassis," is the main part of a desktop computer. It includes the motherboard, CPU, RAM, and other components. The system unit also includes the case that houses the internal components of the computer (Techterms 2011i.) |  Reference 32 |
| USB | Universal Serial Bus; a standard for connecting peripherals to a computer over inexpensive cables. | Short for Universal Serial Bus, an external bus standard that supports data transfer rates of 12 Mbps. A single USB port can be used to connect up to 127 peripheral devices, such as mice, modems, and keyboards (Webopedia 2011g.) |  Reference 33 |
© Kumaran Subendran