Annex 6: IT Terms

IT terms

1 Hardware Hardware is the term referring to all the physical parts in a computer system. It includes
the monitor, the keyboard, and the mouse.

2 Software ‘Software’ is the term which refers to the instructions needed to make a computer work
3 mainframe Mainframe computers are the big, powerful, expensive computers used in the background
computer by most large organizations

4 PC Personal computer

5 MAC The Apple Mac is a computer, but NOT a PC. It uses a different operating system, and
requires special versions of application programs

6 Capacity Capacity refers to how much disk space one or more storage provides

7 Speed Speed indicates how fast your computer runs and is measured in hertz

8 System Unit The "system unit" is the name given to the main PC box which houses the various elements
which go together to make up the PC

9 Motherboard The system (mother) board is contained within your system unit and all the vital computer
systems plug directly into the system board.

10 CPU CPU means ‘Central Processing Unit’. This is the place of computer data handling.
Moreover, it does all the data manipulation, calculations and formatting data for output.

11 RAM “Random Access Memory” or “Ready Access Memory”. It is a temporary notepad where
your computer sends information to disk, or to the storage place of instructions from other
input devices.

12 ROM-BIOS The ROM-BIOS (Read Only Memory - Basic Input Output System) chip is a special chip held
on your computer's system (mother) board. It contains software which is required to make
your computer work with your operating system

13 Server A computer that is responsible for responding to requests made by a client program (e.g., a
web browser or an e-mail program) or computer. Also referred to as a “file server”.

14 Serial Port An interface on a computer that supports transmission of a single bit at a time; can be used
for connecting almost any type of external device including a mouse, a modem, or a
printer.

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15 Parallel Port The parallel port is a socket located at the back of your computer which enables you to
connect items to the computer, such as a printer. It is commonly labeled as LPT1 or LPT2.

16 Universal Serial The Universal Serial Bus is a relatively new item within the PC. You will see one or more
Bus(USB) USB sockets at the back of the system unit, allowing you to plug in devices designed for the
USB. These devices include printers, scanners and digital cameras.

17 Input Devices Input devices allow you to input information to the computer and include things such as
the keyboard and mouse.

18 Output Devices Output devices allow you to output information from the computer and include the printer
and the monitor.

19 Peripheral A peripheral device is any device which you can attach to your computer. Thus, you could
Devices attach a scanner or modem to the back of your system unit.

20 Keyboard An Input device. The keyboard allows you to type information into the computer.

21 Mouse An Input device. When using an operating system, such as Microsoft Windows, you use the
mouse to select drop down menus, to point and click on items, to select items and to drag
and drop items from one place to another.

22 CD Most computers are now supplied with a CD-ROM (Compact Disc - Read Only Memory)
drive. CD-ROM discs look exactly like music CDs but contain computer data instead of
music.

23 DVD Drives Short for "Digital Versatile Disk”. Similar to CD-ROM drives but allows you to use DVD disks,
which contain vastly more information than a traditional CD ROM disk.

24 Floppy Disk Floppy disks are also known as diskettes. They are very slow compared to hard disks or CD-
ROMs, and hold relatively small amounts of data

25 Hard Disk Hard disks are the main, large data storage area within your computer. Hard disks are used
to store your operating system, your application programs and your data.

26 Monitor The part of a computer that contains the screen where messages to and from the central
processing unit (CPU) are displayed. Monitors come in a variety of sizes and resolutions.

27 Modem A modem is a device which is used to attach your computer to the telephone system. The
modem converts data into sound which is sent over the telephone line, the receiving
modem turns the sounds back into data.

28 Printer Most data is printed once you have created it and there are a vast number of different

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 printers available to accomplish this. Most common are inkjet and laser printers both of
which can now produce colored output

29 Scanner Scanners allow you to scan printed materials into your computer, which can then be stored
within the computer. These pictures can then be altered, resized and printed as required.

30 Storage The Component of your computer that allows you to store and access data on a long-term
basis.

31 Memory Stores information such as data and programs for immediate use in the computer.

32 Files Data and programs are stored on your disk as files

33 Graphics Refers to a technology that generates images on a computer screen

34 Operating The operating system is a special type of program which loads automatically when you start
System your computer

35 Application An application program is the type of program which you use once the operating system
Program has been loaded into memory (RAM)

36 Word A word processing program (such as Microsoft Word) allows you to produce letters,
Processing memos, etc., easily.

37 Spreadsheets A spreadsheet program (such as Microsoft Excel) allows you to work out a company’s
income, expenditure and then calculate the balance.

38 Databases A collection of information organized so that a computer application can quickly access
selected information; it can be thought of as an electronic filing system. Traditional
databases are organized by fields, records (a complete set of fields), and files (a collection
of records).

39 Web Browsing Applications used to view and interact with the World Wide Web

40 Graphical User A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is simply an additional part of the operating system which
Interface displays windows and drop down menus, and also enables you to drive your computer
using a mouse.

41 LAN A local area network is a small network that’s confined to a local area. For example, your
home network or an office network is a LAN

42 WAN A WAN (Wide Area Network) as the name implies allows you to connect to other
computers over a wider area

43 Client/Server This term relates to the type of network where resources are kept centrally on the server
and used locally by the client.

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44 Internet A collection of networks started by and for the US military to enable them to 'survive' a
nuclear war. Later adopted by the educational system, and now exploited by the
commercial world.

45 Intranet An Intranet is a smaller, closed version of the Internet, which can only be accessed by
authorized members of an organization. Intranets are becoming an increasingly popular
way to share information within a company or other organization.

46 Email Email allows you to send a message to another person almost instantly, anywhere in the
world. It requires both computers to be connected to the Internet.

47 Network A group of interconnected computers capable of exchanging information. A network can be

as few as several personal computers on a LAN or as large as the Internet, a worldwide
network of computers.

48 E-Commerce The phrase e-commerce is a buzzword which relates to buying or selling via the Internet.
Increasingly you can purchase directly via a Web site by selecting the goods or services
which you require and entering your credit card details.

49 Information This is a general term which covers all aspects of computer security.
Security

50 UPS A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is a device which you can attach to your computer
which will guard against power cuts (or indeed someone tripping over your power cable
and pulling the plug out).

51 Password A Password is a string of characters used to verify the identity of a user during the
authentication process.

52 Viruses Viruses are small programs which hide themselves on your disks (both diskettes and your
hard disk).

53 File File compression is the process of making computer files take up less space on your
Compression computer by reducing the size of the file.

54 Desktop On computers like IBM PC or compatibles and Macintoshes, the backdrop where windows
and icons for disks and applications reside.

55 Download The process of transferring one or more files from a remote computer to your
local computer. The opposite action is uploading.

56 Gmail Free email service provided by google

57 Outlook Free email service provided by Microsoft

58 Cloud Cloud is a technology that uses the internet for storing and managing data on remote

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 servers

59 Google Drive Is an online cloud storage launched by google

60 One Drive Is an cloud storage service launched by Microsoft

61 Google Calendar Used for scheduling calls with clients and setting due dates and reminders for important
projects

62 Google forms Used for creating and analyzing surveys right in your mobile

63 Waterfall Linear and sequential approach used in project management

64 Agile Increment and Iterative approach used in project management

65 Data Collection of facts and statistics to be used for reference or analysis

66 Data Science Data Science is the study of data

67 AI Artificial Intelligence is when you make a computer like a little brain

68 Machine Machine learning is the study of computer algorithms that improve automatically through
learning experience. It is seen as a subset of artificial intelligence.

69 Deep learning Deep learning is a subset of machine learning, in which artificial neural networks adapt and
learn from vast amounts of data.

70 Google Map Google map is a Web-Based service that provides detailed information about geographical
regions and sites around the world

71 Zoom Zoom is a proprietary video telephony software program

72 Google meet Meet is a proprietary video telephony software program developed by google

73 Microsoft Microsoft Teams, also referred to as simply Teams, is a unified communication and
Teams collaboration platform that combines persistent workplace chat, video meetings, file
storage, and application integration.

74 WAP Wireless Application Protocol; a set of communication protocols for enabling wireless
access to the Internet.

75 Wi-Fi Wireless Fidelity; A generic term from the Wi-Fi Alliance that refers to of any type of 802.11
network

76 Wireless The ability to access the Internet without a physical network connection. Devices such as

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(networking) cell phones and PDAs that allow you to send and receive email use a wireless Internet
connection based on a protocol called WAP (Wireless Application Protocol).

References:
https://www.toppr.com/guides/computer-aptitude-and-knowledge/basics-of-computers/basic-
computer-terminology/
https://www.dpsolutions.com/success-center/it-terminology-glossary

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