Glossary of Key Terms

Abort To terminate a process before completion. Used typically in

reference to a mainframe program. On the PC we are
accustomed to using the Escape key to exit a program.
Access To activate for use. The programs and data files residing on
a computer are not active unless called by a program or
routine. Also, accessing a peripheral (like a printer) may
require drivers or system files.
Access code The security code or user name required for accessing the
computer or files residing on the computer. Access to such
secured files requires the user to type in this code before
these can be made available to the user.
Access time The interval between a request made for data from computer
storage and the moment it is made available to the user.
Accumulator/ A computer register that holds the initial data to be operated
Accumulator upon, the intermediate results and final results of processing
register (arithmetic and logical) operations.
Active document A document that is currently available for manipulation by
the user.
Active file A computer file that is currently available for processing by
the user or the computer.
Active matrix A technology used in the flat panel liquid crystal display
(LCD) of notebook and laptop computers. The screen display
is constantly refreshed by means of transistors embedded in
the screen. Active matrix displays provide a more responsive
image at a wider range of viewing angle than passive matrix
displays.
Active window The window that is currently selected by the user in a system
Glossary of Key Terms

that allows viewing and accessing multiple documents or

programs on the screen.
Add-on Either is a hardware unit that can be added to a computer to
increase its capabilities or a program utility that enhances a
primary program. Sound cards and graphics cards are
examples of add-ons. Software add-ons are common for
games, word processors, and accounting programs. A similar
term is plug-in, a term originated by Netscape for application
programs that can be activated within a Netscape Web
browser window.
Address Is used in several ways:
1) An Internet address or IP address — a unique computer
(host) location on the Internet expressed either as a unique
string of numbers (e.g., 195.65.0.4) or as its associated
domain name (e.g. yahoo.com).
2) A file (or home page) address — expressed as the
defining directory path to the file on a particular server. In
case of a Web page, it is also called a Uniform Resource
Locator, or URL (e.g., http://mysite/starthere/intro.html).
3) An e-mail address — the location of an e-mail user
expressed by the user's e-mail name followed by a @ symbol
and the user's server domain name (e.g.,
[email protected])
4) Inside a computer, a storage address — the beginning
location of a sequence of data that is stored on an electronic
storage medium.
Addressing A program instruction for assigning a memory location to a
command or data.
Algebraic A formula that follows the conventions of mathematical
expression syntax (like in spreadsheets).
Algorithm Pronounced AL-go-rith-um, it is a procedure or formula for
solving a problem. It is a set of precise instructions
characterized by a finite number of steps and definite start
and stop locations. Computer programs and routines can be
viewed as algorithms.
Alias Pronounced AY-lee-uhs,it is an alternate name for someone
or something. In literature, a ‘pen name’ is an alias for the
author's real name. Some operating systems and programming
languages use alias as an alternative (and usually easier-to-
 Glossary of Key Terms

understand) name for defined data objects.

Alignment Placement of type in the line (left, right, centred, justified). It
is also used to refer to the position of a block or object in
relation to its placement on the page.
Allocation Assignment of a particular computer resource for a specific
purpose (e.g., memory set aside for a user's program).
Alphanumeric A description of a string that may contain both alphabets (A
to Z or a to z) and numbers (0 to 9). In some usages, the
alphanumeric strings may also include punctuation marks,
and symbols (such as @, &, and *) along with alphabets and
numbers.
Alternate key A type of control key used in conjunction with other keys to
(Alt) modify their actions or to execute commands.
American The primary organization for fostering the development of
National Standard technology standards in the United States. It is the Institute
(ANSI) concerned with the standardization of computer elements.
Long- established computer standards from ANSI include the
American Standard Code for Information Interchange
(ASCII) and the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI).
American A standardized code for representing characters (including
Standard Code print and control) for computers. ASCII-7 is a 7-bit
for Information code (allowing for 128 different characters), while ASCII-8
Interchange is an 8-bit extended version (allowing 256 different
(ASCII) characters) of the same. ASCII (developed by the American
National Standards Institute) is the most common format for
text file in computers and on the Internet. UNIX and DOS-
based operating systems use ASCII for text files. Windows
NT and 2000 use a newer code, Unicode. IBM systems
use a proprietary 8-bit code called EBCDIC. Conversion
programs are available which support different operating
systems to change a file from one code to another.
Amplification The process of increasing a signal or sound.
Amplifier An electronic device that increases the voltage, current, or
power of a signal. Amplifiers are used in wireless
communications and broadcasting, and in audio equipment
of all kinds.
Analog Describes data that is in the form of continuously variable
physical quantities such as sound or electrical impulses.
Analog signal A signal used to transmit information. The term originated
because the modulation of the carrier wave is analogous to
the fluctuations of the human voice or other sound that is
Glossary of Key Terms

being transmitted. Broadcast and telephone transmission have

conventionally used analog technology.
Analog to digital A device that converts analog signals to digital data so that
converter the computer can process it. Analog-to-digital conversion is
defined as an electronic process in which a continuously
variable (analog) signal is changed, without altering its
essential content, into a multi-level (digital) signal.
Analysis The process of breaking down something into its components
in order to study it. In terms of computers, it is used to compile
and examine data such as finances of a business, inventory
of an organization, customer satisfaction for services provided
etc.
Analyst An experienced individual responsible for compiling and
assessing data to predict trends, potential problems, and
opportunities. A systems analyst is the person who is normally
responsible for conducting the system study (understanding
client's requirements), analysing the existing systems (finding
where they are inefficient or non-optimal) and suggesting
possible solutions (to address the drawbacks of the current
systems).
Anti-virus A program or routine designed to detect any undesirable
and unauthorized alteration of the computer or programs
residing in it.
Applet A tiny application. Associated with the Web, an applet is a
small program that can be sent along with a Web page to a
user. Typically, Java (an object-oriented programming
language) can be used to create applets that perform
interactive animations, immediate calculations, or other
simple tasks (without having to send a user request back to
the server).
Application In information technology, an application is the use of a
technology, system, or product.
Application The process of writing, combining and arranging computer
development routines to create programs designed for a specific use.
Application Also called application programs / packages — are programs
designed software to perform specific functions directly for the user or, in some
cases, for another application program. Examples of
application programs include word processors; database
programs; Web browsers; development tools; drawing, paint,
and image editing programs; and communication programs.
Architecture In information technology, architecture is a term applied to
 Glossary of Key Terms

both the process and the outcome of thinking out and

specifying the overall structure, logical components and
logical interrelationships of a computer, its operating system,
a network, or other conception. On the other hand, when
referenced in terms of computer architecture we could be
talking about the five fundamental components: input/output,
storage, communication, control, and processing. Thus, as
usual, context contributes to usage and meaning.
Argument The value or variable in a formula. Thus, in a formula 6 + 5,
+ is the operator, while 6 and 5 are the arguments.
Arithmetic and Components of the Central Processing Unit that perform
logic unit arithmetic and logic operations. This means
that when the control unit encounters an instruction that
involves an arithmetic operation (add, subtract, multiply, divide)
or a logic operation (equal to, less than, greater than), it
passes control to the ALU.
Arithmetic A formula that uses mathematical operators and returns a
expression numeric value.
Artificial Commonly known as AI, it is the simulation of human
intelligence intelligence processes like learning (acquisition of
information and rules for using the information), reasoning
(using the rules to reach approximate or definite conclusions),
and self-correction, by machines, especially computer
systems. Particular applications of AI include expert systems
and speech recognition.
Assembler A program that takes basic computer instructions and
converts them into a pattern of bits that the computer's
processor can understand and use to perform its basic
operations. An interpreter or compiler does the same for
programs written in high-level languages.
Assembly Assembly language was the first step in the evolution of
language programming languages. It used mnemonics (symbolic codes)
to represent operation codes and strings of characters to
represent addresses.
Asynchronous Pronounced ay-SIHN-kro-nuhs, it has originated from
communication Greek asyn, meaning ‘not with’, and chronos, meaning ‘time’
and is an adjective used to describe objects or events that
are not coordinated in time.
ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode is a dedicated-connection
switching technology that organizes digital data into 53-byte
cell units and transmits them over a physical medium using
Glossary of Key Terms

digital signal technology. Each cell is processed

asynchronously relative to the other cells and is queued before
being multiplexed over the transmission path. ATM, along
with synchronous optical network (SONET), is a key
component of broadband and ISDN (BISDN). ATM also
stands for Automated Teller Machine, a machine that bank
customers use to make transactions without human tellers.
Attribute A property or a characteristic (e.g., colour is an attribute of
your eyes). When referenced in computer related
terminology, an attribute is a changeable property or
characteristic of some component of a program that can be
set to different values. In the Hypertext Markup Language
(HTML), an attribute is a characteristic of a page element,
such as a font. An HTML user can set font attributes, such
as size and colour, to different values. In a database
management system (DBMS), an attribute may describe a
component of the database, such as a table or a field, or may
be used itself as another term for a field. In the DOS
operating system, file properties, such as ‘read-only’ or
‘visible’ are called file attributes.
Audio system The sound card, speakers, and related software that together
are used to produce a sound from the computer.
Audio-visual The integration of sound and sight used to represent
information in a program.
Automatic A term associated with processes and devices that, once
established, operate without human intervention.
Available Includes computer resources available for use. These include
resources resources like processor, memory, peripherals, and storage.
Also resources that are available after those that have been
utilized or occupied by primary processing (e.g., RAM
available after a program has been loaded).
Back slash The back slash symbol ( \ ) on the computer's keyboard is
used by most operating systems as a separator for directory
and filenames, e.g., C:\MyDocuments\First.doc means that
the First.doc file is located in the MyDocuments directory of
the C drive.
Backup The process of copying files or a database for the purpose
of safeguarding them in case of disk or equipment failure.
Backup should be treated as a part of the regular operations
in all business houses — large and small. Backup of data, in
case of personal computers, can be taken locally (using disks
or Zip drives) and/or over the network (on another site for
 Glossary of Key Terms

safekeeping in case of hard disk crash). Program and

configuration files that are changed often are good candidates
for backup.The process of retrieving these backed up files
is known as restore.
Background Computer operations that execute out of view while the user
processing can continue to manipulate other data or files in the
foreground. Printing from the print buffer while the user
continues work on the file, is a typical example of background
processing.
Bar chart A graphical representation of data in the form of columns of
varying lengths based on their relative magnitudes. Most
spreadsheet programs have the ability to create bar charts
from the spreadsheet data.
Bar code A bar code (often seen as a single word, barcode) is a pattern
of thick and thin lines (bars) and spaces that is affixed to
retail store items, books etc. to identify a particular product
number, person or location. A barcode reader is used to read
the code. The reader uses a laser beam that is sensitive to
the reflections from the line and space thickness and variation.
The reflected light is translated into digital data, which is
then transferred to a computer for immediate action or
storage. Bar codes and readers are most often seen in
supermarkets and retail stores.
Base, The value on which a numbering system is founded, e.g.,
Base number decimal system is on base 10, binary on base 2, octal on
base 8, and hexadecimal on base 16.
BASIC Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code was one
of the early programming languages and is among the
simplest and most popular programming languages. Because
of its simplicity, BASIC has frequently been used in teaching
the introductory concepts of programming. It often comes
with sound and graphics support. A popular version of BASIC
is QBASIC. Microsoft's Visual Basic adds object-oriented
features and a graphical user interface to the standard
BASIC.
Basic input/ BIOS is the program a personal computer's microprocessor
output system uses to get the computer system started after you turn it on.
(BIOS) It manages the data flow between the computer's operating
system and attached devices such as the hard disk, keyboard,
mouse, printer and other peripheral devices.
Batch file A text file that contains a sequence of commands to be
Glossary of Key Terms

processed in order by the computer's operating system. It is

called a batch file because it batches (or bundles) into a
single file a set of commands that would otherwise have to
be presented to the system interactively from a keyboard
one at a time. A batch file is created for command sequences
that are usually repeated by the user. This can then be initiated
by simply entering the name of the batch file on the command
line. In DOS, a batch file has the file name extension ".BAT"
(AUTOEXEC.BAT is the best known DOS batch file which
initializes DOS when you start the system). In UNIX-based
operating systems, a batch file is called a shell script.
BCD Binary coded decimal (or BCD) is one of the early memory
codes. It is based on the concept of converting each digit of
a decimal number into its binary equivalent rather than
converting the entire decimal value into a pure binary form.
It uses a combination of 4 binary digits to represent each
decimal digit.
Benchmark A benchmark is a point of reference by which something
can be measured or compared. In computer and Internet
technology it is used to define a set of conditions against
which a product or system is measured. Technology
laboratories frequently test and compare several new
computers or computer devices against the same set of
application programs, user interactions and contextual
situations. The total context against which all products are
measured and compared is referred to as the benchmark. It
is therefore a set of performance criteria that a product is
expected to meet.
Binary code Usage of binary digits to represent characters is termed as
binary code.
Binary digit (BIT) A bit (short for BInary digiT) is the smallest unit of data in a
computer. It is characterized by having a single binary value
of either 0 or 1. Computers store data and execute
instructions in bit multiples called bytes (usually eight bits).
Binary system The number system that has only two symbols (0 and 1) and
has a base of 2 is known as a binary system.
Block A collection of data, files etc. that can be manipulated as a
unit. In an application like Word Processor or a Spreadsheet,
adjoining data selected for copying, moving, or formatting, is
also termed as a block.
Boot, Booting The process of loading the operating system into the
 Glossary of Key Terms

computer's main memory (or RAM). Once the operating

system is loaded, the computer system is ready for users to
run applications.
Bootstrap To bootstrap (or ‘to boot’) is to load a program (which is
usually an operating system) into a computer to enable it to
function.
BPS Bits per second is the measure of data transmission speed.
Buffer A data area shared by hardware devices or program
processes that operate at different speeds. The buffer allows
each device or process to operate without being held up by
the other.
Bug A coding error in a computer program. The process of finding
these bugs and rectifying them is called debugging.
Bug patch An instruction or a routine added to a program to circumvent
a bug. Vendors provide bug patches to fix bugs that may
have been caused due to errors in the software provided, or
changes in technology.
Bullet A symbol (commonly a dot) placed at the beginning of a line
in order to set it off.
Bus Can be used in different contexts: (1) A bus is a network
topology that provides for placement of terminals along a
straight line. In a computer or on a network, a bus is a
transmission path along which a signal is carried (e.g.,
between the CPU and disk controller, printer, scanner etc.).
Business A set of programs designed for a specific business area
application e.g., Inventory, Finance, Payroll.
Byte The unit that most computers use to represent a character
(like ;A’, ‘2’, ‘/’) and is usually eight bits (two nibbles). They
can also be used to store numeric values.
Cable, Cable is the medium used as a transmission link between
Coaxial cable various devices in a computer system. Coaxial cable is the
kind of copper cable used to connect the community antenna
with user homes and businesses by the cable TV companies.
It is also widely installed for use in business and corporation
Ethernets and other types of local area networks. A coaxial
cable is called ‘coaxial’ because it includes one physical
channel that carries the signal surrounded (after a layer of
insulation) by another concentric physical channel, both
running along the same axis. The outer channel serves as a
ground.
Glossary of Key Terms

Cable connector Plugs used to join cables or connect various parts of the
computer or its peripherals.
Cache, Cache memories are small, fast memories placed between
Cache memory the CPU and the main memory. They are faster than the
main memory with access times closer to the speed of the
CPU. Caches, although fast, are also very expensive
and so are used only in small quantities.
CAD/CAM Computer aided design / Computer aided manufacturing is
a software used to design and subsequently plan for the
manufacture of products like electronic circuit boards in
computers and other devices. Architects, engineers, artists
and others primarily use it to create precision drawings or
technical illustrations. CAD software supports the creation
of two-dimensional (2-D) drawings or three-dimensional
(3-D) models.
CAE Computer aided engineering is a broad term used by the
electronic design automation (EDA) industry for the use of
computers to design, analyze, and manufacture products and
processes. CAE includes CAD — the use of a computer
for drafting and modeling designs, and CAM — the use of
computers for managing manufacturing processes.
CAI Computer aided instruction is a term used to define the use
of computers in teaching. It includes programs used for
administrative tasks associated with teaching like preparing
teaching sessions, tracking the attendance and grades etc.
Capacity Physical size of a storage device.
Card slot The channel on the mother board where a printed circuit
board for on add-on device can be placed.
Carriage return In computer terminology, it is synonymous with the Enter
key on the keyboard. During the creation of text files it is
used to mark the end of each line and in case of Word
Processing it is used to mark the end of a paragraph (since
word processing has a word wrap feature to wrap words at
the end of each line). This computer jargon originates from
the typewriter era where manual typewriters had a moveable
carriage and a fixed printing head.
Cartridge A container such as a tape cartridge is a container for a
magnetic tape.
Case conversion The changing of the text attribute — Capitals to lower case
or vice versa.
 Glossary of Key Terms

Case sensitive Descriptive of a command that must follow the exact type
format of the text, i.e., whether UPPER (capital) or lower
case matters or not.
Cathode-ray tube A specialized vacuum tube in which images are produced
(CRT) when an electron beam strikes a phosphorescent surface.
Most desktop computer displays make use of CRTs. The
CRT in a computer display is similar to the ‘picture tube’ in
a television receiver.
CDMA Code-Division Multiple Access is one of the protocols used
in wireless communications. As the term implies, CDMA is
a form of multiplexing which allows numerous signals to
occupy a single transmission channel, thereby optimizing the
use of the available bandwidth. The ultra-high-frequency
(UHF) cellular systems operating in the 800 MHz and 1.9
GHz bans typically use this technology.
CGA The term display mode refers to computer display
characteristics of image resolution (in number of pixels,
horizontally and vertically), and the maximum number of
colours that it can support. There are several display modes
that can be found in personal computer (PC) systems today.
Personal computers in earlier days used monochrome
monitors that were used in word processors and text-based
computer systems. In 1981, IBM introduced the Color
Graphics Adapter (CGA) that was capable of rendering four
colors and had a maximum resolution of (320 x 200) pixels.
While this is quite comfortable for simple graphics and
computer games like solitaire and checkers, it does not offer
sufficient image resolution for extended sessions of word
processing, desktop publishing or sophisticated graphics
applications.
Character A printable symbol having phonetic or pictographic meaning
and usually forming part of a word of text, depicting a numeral,
or expressing grammatical punctuation. In information
technology today, a character is generally one of the letters
(A-Z or a-z), numbers (0-9), and a limited number of symbols
(like &, *, +, @ etc.). There have been various standards of
computer encoding for characters. The most commonly used
in personal computers is ASCII. IBM mainframe systems
use EBCDIC. A new standard, Unicode, is now used to
represent a larger set of characters (used for multilingual
support).
Character printer A printer that can print only characters or graphic symbols
Glossary of Key Terms

in an extended character set.

Character reader A device used to scan characters and symbols and convert
them into digital data for the use by computers.A Magnetic
Ink Character Reader (MICR) scans and converts into digital
form, data that is seen on cheques (cheque numbers and
related information written using magnetic ink).
Character set The set of all the characters and symbols that are used and
recognized by a particular system.
Character string A group or set of characters processed as a unit.
Chart A graphic representation that depicts the relationship between
a set of associated values, e.g., bar charts and pie diagrams
are commonly used graphic representations.
Chip Short form for microchip. It is a tiny but complex module
that stores the computer's memory or logic circuitry. Basically
an IC or Integrated Circuit, it is manufactured as a silicon
wafer, which is first cut to size and then etched with the
necessary circuits. The current stage of micro-integration has
led to Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI). The best known
chips are the Pentium microprocessors from Intel. The
PowerPC microprocessor, developed by Apple, Motorola,
and IBM, is used in Macintosh personal computers and some
workstations.
Circuit A path between two or more points along which an electrical
current can be carried. Typically, a device called circuit breaker
interrupts the path when necessary to protect other devices
attached to the circuit as in case of a power surge.
Client In a network, it is the workstation that can use the resources
of another (server). In a client/server relationship, a client is
the requesting program or the user, e.g., the user of a Web
browser effectively making client requests for pages from
servers all over the Web. The computer handling the request
and sending back the HTML file is the server.
Client-server Client/server describes the relationship between two
technology computer programs in which one program, the client, makes a
service request from another program, the server, which fulfills
the request. Although programs within a single computer can
use the client/server idea, it is more useful over a network.
A common usage of client/server technology can
be seen in bank applications where to check your bank account
from your computer, a client program in your computer
forwards the request to a server program at the bank. That
 Glossary of Key Terms

program may in turn forward the request to a database server

and retrieve your account balance. The balance is returned
back to the client in your personal computer, which then displays
the information for you (Note: this example has been simplified
for the purpose of under standing).
Clip art, Clip art describes the artwork designed for use in publications
Clip art file or Web pages by artists or non-artists, saved as digital
computer files. It includes both subject-related illustrations
and visual elements such as horizontal lines, bullets, and text
separators. Clip art on specialized subjects can be purchased
form companies like Adobe, Coral and various other smaller
companies.
Cluster A group of servers and other resources that act like a single
system providing high availability, load balancing and parallel
processing (in some cases) is termed as a cluster.In personal
computer storage technology, a cluster is the logical unit of
file storage on a hard disk, managed by the computer's
operating system. Any file stored on a hard disk may take
up one or more clusters of storage. These can further be
scattered across different locations on the hard disk. To
keep track of the clusters associated with the file, a File
Allocation Table (FAT) is used. When you read a file, the
entire file is obtained for you without you being aware of the
clusters it is stored in.
COBOL Common Business Oriented Language is a structured
computer programming language used for business
applications like Payroll, Accounting, Inventory and the like.
COBOL was an effort to make a programming language
that was like natural English, easy to write and easier to
read after coding. The earliest versions of the language,
COBOL-60 and COBOL-61, evolved to the COBOL-85
standard sponsored by the Conference on Data Systems
Languages (CODASYL).
Code A term used for the statements written in a particular
programming language (source code), and a term for the
source code after it has been processed by a compiler and
made ready to run by the computer (object code). In
cryptography, Code is often used to mean any kind of
concealed writing, including ciphers.
Code set The exhaustive set of words, characters, and symbols
recognized as instructions by a particular computer
Glossary of Key Terms

programming language.
Command line The position at which commands may be entered by the
user or a program in order to direct computer processing.
Communication In computer terminology, communication is the transfer of
data between two (or more) computers or a computer and
its peripherals, using a transmission medium (like telephone
lines, radio transmission, optical transmission etc.).
CD A compact disc (also spelled disk) is a small, portable, round
(Compact disk) disc made of molded polymer used for electronically
recording, storing and playing back audio, video, text, and
other information in digital form. Initially, CDs were read-
only, but newer technology allows users to record as well.
CDs will probably continue to be popular for music recording
and playback. However, the digital versatile disc (DVD), a
newer technology, stores much more in the same space and
is used for playing back movies.
Compiler A special program that translates an entire high-level language
program into its machine code equivalent. This version can
then be run as a single program. Typically, a programmer
writes language statements in a language such as COBOL
or C one line at a time using an editor. The file that is created
contains what are called the source statements. The
programmer will then need to run the appropriate language
compiler to convert it into machine language (also called the
object code).
Compression A technique used for reducing the data size for more efficient
storage or transmission. It is performed by a program that
uses an algorithm to determine how to compress or
decompress data. WinZip is a popular Windows program
that compresses files while packaging them in an archive
file.
Computer A device that accepts data and manipulates it based on a
program or sequence of instructions, to give the desired
results. It can be defined as a programmable machine
capable of storing and retrieving data and performing high-
speed mathematical and logical operations.
Computer Animation is used to give visual impact to your multimedia
animation application. In simple terms, it can be defined as an entity
(text object or image) moving across the screen. An
animation consists of a series of rapidly changing
objects, which when blended together give an illusion of
movement. The speed with which each object is replaced
 Glossary of Key Terms

by the next one is so rapid that the eye perceives this as

motion.
Computer game Refers to a computer program designed for amusement.
Computer Charts, pictures and diagrams created with the aid of
graphics computers are known as computer graphics.
Computer The use of computers to change, edit or enhance drawn or
imaging photographed images is called computer imaging.
Computer A language that can be understood by the computer. It is
language the computer's ‘native’ language. Computer languages serve
the same purpose as human languages.
Computer Refers to the process of safeguarding a computer, its network,
security and/or the programs and data residing on the computer, from
unauthorized users.
Co-processor An auxiliary chip that augments the functions of the
processor.
Copy The process of duplicating a file or groups of files. In the
context of Word Processors, it is the process of duplicating
text or graphics for insertion elsewhere in the same document
or another document.
Copy and paste The process of duplicating text or graphics and then placing
this copied material at another location in the same or another
document, or another application package such as
Spreadsheet.
CPU The central processing unit in a computer system containing
the logic circuitry that performs the instructions of a
computer's program to complete a task. All the major
calculations and comparisons are carried out inside the CPU.
Additionally, the CPU is responsible for activating and
controlling the operations of various units of the computer
system. It activates the peripherals to perform input or output.
Cryptography The science of information security (derived from the Greek
word Kryptos meaning hidden). It uses various techniques
and methods to hide the information while storing or during
transit. In today's computer world, cryptography is most
often associated with scrambling plaintext (ordinary text)
into ciphertext (a process called encryption), and then back
again (known as decryption). Individuals who practise this
field are known as cryptographers.
Cursor A cursor is the position indicator on a computer display screen
where a user can enter text, or the location where the next
Glossary of Key Terms

action is to take place. It is usually shaped like a dash but

can be in the form of a block or any other character.
Cut and paste The process of deleting text or graphics from a location and
placing it at another location in the same or another document
or application (e.g., Spreadsheet).
Cyberspace Cyberspace is the complete domain of human beings
connected through computers and telecommunication without
regard to physical geography.
Cycle time Cycle time of the CPU is the time taken by the CPU to
execute a well-defined shortest micro-operation. Memory
cycle time is the speed at which the memory can be accessed
by the CPU. Cycle time is usually measured in nanoseconds.
Cylinder The set of corresponding tracks from all the surfaces of a
disk pack that can be accessed by a single movement of the
access arm is called a cylinder.
Daisy wheel A type of impact printer in which the printed image is created
by raised characters mounted on a rotating wheel.
Data In computer terminology, data is information that has been
translated into a form that can be processed by the computer
(binary from).
Data bank A collection of data that is available to a computer, e.g., a
database.
Data block The selection of a set of data records based on a search
criterion.
Data collection The process of accumulating data from various sources
(includes hard copy, softcopy, different locations etc.). This
is typically done for the purpose of further processing to
achieve a specific task.
Data entry The process of entering or updating information in a computer
file.
Data field A specific area of interest for data capture (e.g., Name,
Age, Date of Birth, Salary etc.) in a database record.
Data manage- A general-purpose software package used for building
ment system distinct and separate database systems.
Data processing Manipulation of data like selecting, sorting or creating a report
is referred to as data processing.
Data record A collection of related fields that comprise a unique entry in
a database.
Data set A block of related database records or files is termed as a
 Glossary of Key Terms

data set. When referred to in terms of related records, a set

generally contains a collection of business data (Names,
Salaries, Sale figures, and so forth) whereas in case of a file
it may contain many types of data (graphic images, audio
data, video data, and so forth). A database is a newer
alternative to the data set and the file, in case of business
data.
Data transmission The transmission of information through a computer or
between remote systems.
Data type A data type in a programming language is a set of data with
values having predefined characteristics. Character, number,
string, pointer are all examples of data type. The programming
language usually defines the range of values a data type can
hold, the way these will be stored, and how the computer
processes these values. In case of object oriented languages,
programmers can create new data types to meet their
application needs.
Data validation The process of verifying that the information entered in a
field of the database record is of the correct size and type is
referred to as data validation. Validation may also include
that certain fields cannot be left blank.
Database A collection of data that is organized in such a way that its
contents can easily be accessed, managed, and updated.
Relational Database is the most prevalent type of database
and is characterized by data being organized in a tabular
form (rows and columns). Databases contain aggregations
of records or files like inventories, customer profiles, student
information and much more. Typically, a database manager
(or administrator, often called DBA) provides users the
capability of accessing data, analysing it, and creating
reports.
Database field The basic unit of a database record and contains a specific
item of information.
Database file A collection of related records of information.
Database sort Arranging records in the database according to a user-
specified criterion is referred to as database sort. This could
be in ascending or descending order of a specific field or a
combination of fields.
DDE (Dynamic Dynamic data exchange (DDE) allows information to be
data exchange) shared or communicated between programs. It is a kind of
link between applications in which the shared data is updated
Glossary of Key Terms

whenever it is changed in the source application. For example,

when you change a data item in a Spreadsheet program, it
can be set up to also change this item wherever it occurs in
other programs you may use. Various applications such as
Microsoft's Excel, Word, Visual Basic and Quattro Pro
support DDE.
Decimal Decimal is a term that describes the base-10 number
system (probably the most commonly used number system).
It consists of ten single-digit numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
and 9.
Decryption The process of converting encrypted data back into its original
form so that it can be understood. Usually, a decryp-tion key
(an algorithm) is required to undo the work of encryption.
Defrag, De-fragmentation is the process reordering a computer disk
De-fragmentation so that all parts of large files are recorded in contiguous
clusters. It includes locating the noncontiguous fragments
of data into which a computer file may be divided on the
hard disk, rearranging these fragments and restoring them
so that the file is stored as a whole or in fewer fragments.
De-fragmentation reduces data access time and allows
storage to be used more efficiently.Some operating systems
automatically defragment storage periodically while others
require that the user occasionally use a special utility for
this purpose. ‘Defrag’ is a short form of the verb to
defragment.
Delete To erase a block of text or an entire file.
Desktop A collection of computer accessory programs that emulates
objects that one might find on a real desktop: documents,
phonebook, telephone, reference sources, writing (and
possibly drawing) tools, project folders etc. Desktop is also
used as an abbreviation for a desktop computer – a personal
computer that fits on top of a desk.
Desktop A personal computer that is small enough to fit conveniently
computer on top of a typical office desk but too large to be easily
ported. It typically comes with various units that are
connected together during installation: the processor (which
can be in a microtower or minitower), the display monitor,
input and output devices - usually a keyboard and a mouse, a
CD-ROM drive, (sometimes) a diskette drive and a printer.
Desktop The use of computers for typesetting, creating graphics
publishing and special effects, and laying out pages typically for
 Glossary of Key Terms

publishing.
Device In general, a device is a machine designed for a purpose. In
this context, a computer can also be considered a device. In
computer terminology, however, a device is any component,
peripheral, program or routine that is part of a computer
system. Thus keyboards, mice, CD-ROM players, hard disk
drives, monitors etc. all fall under the category of devices.
Device driver A device driver is a program or set of programs that controls
a particular type of device attached to your computer.
Separate device drivers exist for printers, displays, CD-ROM
readers, diskette drives, and so on.
Dialog box A small window or pane that appears on the screen as part
of a program to request for user input or provide information
or necessary instructions.
Dial-up In a computer network, it pertains to a telephone connection
to a host computer or to a network. A dial-up connection is
typically established and maintained for a limited time
duration. An alternative to this is a dedicated connection,
which is continuously in place.
Digit Can be defined as a symbol used to represent an integer in a
numbering system. Thus, a digit is a number in a specific
context. In the decimal (base-10) numbering system, the digits
are the elements of the set {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}. Similarly,
in the binary number system, the digits are the elements of
the set {0, 1}, in the octal number system, the digits are the
elements of the set {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7} and in the hexadecimal
system, the digits are the elements of the set {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F}.
Digital Electronic technology that generates, stores and processes
data in terms of two states: positive (represented by 1) and
non-positive (represented by 0). Data transmitted or stored
with digital technology is therefore expressed as a string of
0s and 1s (or bits). This technology is being primarily used
with new communication media such as satellite and fibre
optic transmission.Prior to digital technology, electronic
transmission was limited to analog technology, which uses
electronic signals of varying frequency added to carrier waves
of a given frequency, to convey data. Broadcast and phone
transmission have conventionally used analog technology. A
modem is used to convert the digital information in the
computer to analog signals for the phone line and to convert
Glossary of Key Terms

analog phone signals to digital information that can be

processed by the computer.
Digital camera A camera that records and stores photographic images in
digital form for downloading and viewing on a computer
screen. Currently, Kodak, Canon, and several other
companies make digital cameras.
Directory In general, it is an approach to organizing information. A
telephone directory is the most common example of a
directory. A directory in a computer file system is a named
group of related files that are separated from other groups
of files by the naming convention.
Diskette A random access, removable data storage medium that can
be used with personal computers. It is characterized by a
magnetic medium housed in a rigid plastic cartridge. The
most commonly used diskette is 3.5 inches square and can
store up to 1.44 MB (megabytes) of data.Earlier computers
used magnetic diskettes that were 5.25 inches square capable
of storing up to 1.2 MB of data. These were commonly
known as 'floppies' or 'floppy disks' since their housings are
flexible.
Disk crash Often used to describe a disk failure. A common reason for
this could be the read/write head coming in contact with the
disk surface resulting in the destruction of the disk.
Disk drive A device that contains a computer disk and has the mechanism
to read from or write to a disk.
Disk A condition in which the data for a single file is scattered
fragmentation across the disk rather than being stored in contiguous sectors.
This results from continuous reading and writing to the disk.
Disk pack A hard disk or fixed disk that is made up of several individual
disks connected by a spindle.
Display console The computer screen where a user can view data and
monitor the operations of a computer.
DMA (direct A capability provided by some computer bus architectures
memory that allows data to be sent directly from an attached device
access) (such as a disk drive) to the computer's main memory without
having to go through the CPU. This frees the CPU from
being involved in data transfer activity, thereby speeding
up the overall computer operation. Typically, a specified
portion of the memory is designated to be used for direct
memory access.
Document A document is information (written, pictures, sound or a
 Glossary of Key Terms

combination of these) that can be put in an electronic form

and stored in a computer as one or more files. Sales invoices,
deeds, resumes, newspaper issues, sales orders, product
catalogues and many more are examples of documents.While
using a computer application like Word Processor, any unit
of work saved as a uniquely named file can be termed as a
document.
Domain An area of control or a sphere of knowledge. As related to
the Internet, a domain consists of a set of network addresses.
It is a name with which name server records are associated
that describe the host, e.g., 'www.Mysite.com' and
'www1.Mysite.com' could be records associated with the
domain 'Mysite.com'.
Domain name Locates an organization or other entity on the Internet. For
example, the domain name 'www.Mysite.com' is an address
for 'Mysite.com' on a host server named 'www'. The 'com'
(for commercial) reflects the purpose of the organization or
entity and is called the top-level domain. 'Mysite' defines the
organization or entity name and together with the top-level,
is called the second-level domain name.
DOS Short for Microsoft Disk Operating System, it is a single
user, single tasking operating system. It has a command-
line, text-based / non-graphical user-interface commonly
referred to as Character Based User Interface (CUI). DOS
(Disk Operating System) was the first widely installed
operating system for personal computers (the first personal
computer version of DOS was called PC-DOS). Microsoft
Windows operating system was really an application that
ran on top of the MS-DOS operating system. Today, Windows
operating systems continue to support DOS (or a DOS-like
user interface) for special purposes.
DSS (decision A computer application that is directed towards analyzing
support system) business data and presenting it in a form such that users can
make business decisions more easily. It is an ‘informational
application’ that collects data like sales figures from one
week to another; projected revenue figures based on sales
assumptions etc., in the course of normal business operation,
analyses it, and then presents the information graphically or
otherwise. Further, it may contain an expert system or
artificial intelligence. It could also be aimed at business
executives or specific groups of knowledge workers.
Dot matrix Dot Matrix printers use a print head made up of a series of
Glossary of Key Terms

small pins that strike on a ribbon coated with ink to transfer

it on paper at the point of impact. Characters thus produced
are in the form of a matrix. Dot matrix printers are in fact
the most popular impact printers used in personal computing.
Download Downloading is the transmission of a file from one computer
system to another. In the Internet world, receiving a file from
another computer or from a Web page on another computer
is termed as downloading. The File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
is the Internet protocol used for downloading and uploading
files.
DPI (dots per Measure of the quality of an image — output to a printer or
inch) scanned from a scanner. The more dots per inch, the finer
the image. An average personal computer printer today
provides 300 dpi or 600 dpi. It may be worth noting that a
higher print quality would result in slower speed of printing
per page.
DRAM (Dynamic The most common kind of Random Access Memory random
access (RAM) for personal computers. It stores binary information
memory) in the form of electric charges that are applied to capacitors
inside the chip. The stored charge on the capacitors tends to
discharge with time and so must be periodically recharged
by refreshing the dynamic memory. The dynamic RAM,
however, offers larger storage capacity and reduced power
consumption.
EBCDIC Extended Binary-Coded Decimal Interchange Code
(EBCDIC - pronounced ehb-suh-dik) is a binary code for
representing alphabetic and numeric characters, and was
developed by IBM for its larger operating systems. Each
character in EBCDIC (alphabetic, numeric, special) is
represented by an 8-bit binary number. It is therefore possible
to define 256 possible characters. IBM's PC and workstation
operating systems do not use IBM's proprietary EBCDIC.
They use the industry standard code for text, ASCII.
Conversion programs are available that allow operating
systems to change a file from one code to another.
Edit To make changes in a document or a file. This typically
includes activities like adding, deleting, moving text or
graphics.
Electronic funds Commonly known as EFT, it is a system of transferring money
transfer from one bank account to another without any paper
money changing hands. Income directly credited to one's
 Glossary of Key Terms

bank account and paying bills by directly transferring amount

to the creditor's account are common examples of EFT
transactions.
Electronic data Any manipulation of data by electronic means is defined as
processing Electronic Data Processing or EDP. The origination of this
term is from the days of data processing (DP) when
information was input using punched cards and output was
typically in the form of paper reports.Today, this term has
been replaced by terms like 'IS' (Information Services or
Systems) or 'MIS' (Management Information Systems).
E-mail E-mail (also spelt email) or electronic mail is the exchange
of computer-stored messages by telecommunication. These
messages are usually ASCII encoded messages but support
sending graphic images and sound files as attachments (these
are sent as binary streams).
Embedded The computer program instructions that define and
commands maintain the appearance and special characteristics of text
and graphic objects.
Embedded objects The objects such as charts drawings and sound that are
imported from another document or file. Such objects do not
remain linked to the source document or file but remain linked
to the application that created it (e.g., a chart created in MS-
Excel, in this case, will remain linked to the MS-Excel
application). This provides activation of the source application
from within the host document or file whenever the object is
to be edited.
Emulation A program that directs a computer peripheral to imitate
software another. Typically seen in the case of terminals where X-
Term (an emulation software) is run on a client PC Terminal
to make it imitate a server terminal.
Encryption The process of converting sensitive data into a form that
cannot be easily understood by unauthorized individuals. Data
in this form is called ciphertext . It requires Decryption (a
process of converting encrypted data back into its original
form) to be understood.
EPROM A programmable read-only memory that can be erased and
re-used. In both ROM and PROM, the write operation can
be performed only once and whatever is written cannot be
changed. To take care of cases where you mostly read but
Glossary of Key Terms

may need to write a few times, a memory chip called

EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-only Memory) was
developed. R&D personnel who experiment by changing
micro-programs on the computer system to test the efficiency
typically use EPROMs.
Error message A message displayed on the monitor indicating the
occurrence of an error. It is generated by the application
program or the operating system and usually cites the source
of the error.
Ethernet The most common Local Area Networking (LAN) protocol
used for connection and communication between computers.
It typically uses coaxial cables or twisted pair wires for
physical connectivity. Ethernet is also being used in wireless
LANs.
Execute, To carry out an instruction or a set of instructions. An
Executable executable is a program file that is capable of being
executed in a computer. Such files are sometimes
referred to as binaries and typically have file extensions of.
exe, .bat, or .com (In DOS or Windows operating systems).
Executive A software package that allows data to be accessed from
information various sources and subsequently configured according to
system one’s own need.
Expansion card Also known as an add-on card, it is a board installed in the
computer to provide additional memory or functions.
Expansion slot Also known as a card-slot, it is a place in the computer
reserved for the installation of expansion cards.
External storage Storage that is not part of the computer's main storage or
memory is termed as external storage. 'Auxiliary storage',
and 'secondary storage' are other terms used to address
external storage. Disks and tapes are commonly used for
external storage.
Extranet A private network used to securely share parts of business
information and operations with partners, suppliers, vendors,
or other businesses. It can, therefore, be viewed as a part of
the company's intranet extended to users outside the
company. Companies typically use extranets to exchange
volumes of data with parties of interest (suppliers, vendors
partners etc.), share product catalogues (with those in the
trade), provide access to services provided by the company
to a group of other companies, and share news of common
interest (usually with the partner companies).
 Glossary of Key Terms

Fax card A card or controller board that enables sending and receiving
of facsimile over telephone lines.
Fax, Facsimile Refers to transmission of a document to a remote terminal
by means of a fax machine or computer modem over
telephone lines or other transmission media.Typically, this
activity involves scanning the original document with a fax
machine, which treats the contents (text and images) as a
single graphic image and converts it into a bitmap. This
information, in digital form, is transmitted to the remote
location as electrical signals through telephone lines. The
receiving fax machine then reconverts the coded image and
prints a paper copy of the document.
Fibre optics Also known as 'optical fibre', it is a medium and the
technology associated with the transmission of information
as light impulses along a glass or plastic wire or fibre
The transmission of data is often by means of pulses of light.
Fibre optic wires are far less subject to electromag-
netic interference and can carry much more information
than the conventional copper wire. Most telephone
companies have therefore opted for fibre optics for their
long-distance lines.
FIFO 'First-In, First-Out' in computers is an approach to handling
requests from queues or stacks. As the name suggests, it
enables handling the oldest requests first. As opposed to this
is the LIFO (Last-In, First-Out) approach in which the most
recent requests are handled first delaying the oldest request
until it is the only one left on the queue. A stack that is
handled using LIFO is sometimes referred to as a push-
down pop-up stack or list.
File allocation A File Allocation Table (FAT) is a table maintained on the
table hard disk and used by the operating system to identify and
locate files on the disk.
File attribute Defines the nature of the file for identification or protection
(Read-only, Hidden, Archived). A file having an attribute of
Read-only specifies that the file is accessible by the users
but cannot be altered by them. Hidden is an attribute
associated with files that are critical in nature and could cause
great harm if altered or deleted. An attribute of Archived
means that the file has been altered and saved. This attribute
is often used to support incremental backups.
File extension A file name extension is an optional suffix to the file name of
the form '.xxx' where ‘xxx’ represents a limited number of
Glossary of Key Terms

alphanumeric characters and differs from one operating

system to another; e.g.. in Windows 3.1, a file extension can
be no more than 3 characters.The file name extension can
also be used to define the format of the file so that users can
identify the type of file without having to 'open' it, e.g., a file
named 'Startcomp.bat' can be easily identified as a batch
file, 'Zip.exe' can be identified as an executable etc.The file
name extension also helps an application program recognize
whether a file is a type that it can work with.
File management The organization and tracking of files by the OS, users or a
software utility.
File name The designation that identifies a file and usually consists of
alphanumeric characters, numbers and special characters
(like a hyphen '-' or an underscore '_'). Different operating
systems have different rules for defining file names.
File server In the client/server model, a file server is a computer
responsible for the central storage and management of data
files for a number of users in a network. A file server allows
users to share information over a network without having to
physically transfer files using floppy disks or some other
external storage device. In a network, any one of the
computers can be configured to be the host and behave like
a file server.
File transfer File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard Internet protocol
protocol (or rules) that governs the transfer of data files between
computers on the Internet.
Financial planning A software that assists the user in making decisions like
software investment, saving, budgeting etc.
Firmware Programming that is inserted into programmable read-only
memory (PROM). It therefore becomes a permanent part
of a computing device. Firmware is created and tested like
software (using microcode simulation) and is also sometimes
distributed for printers, modems and other computer
devices.
Flowchart A flowchart is a formalized graphic representation of a
logic sequence or any other formalized structure (e.g.,
manufacturing process, organization chart etc.). In computer
programming, flowcharts were formerly used to describe
each processing path in a program (the main program and
various subroutines that could be branched to). Flowcharting
involves the use of simple but specific geometric symbols to
 Glossary of Key Terms

represent the program logic, e.g., an oval represents the

beginning and end of the program, a rectangle stands for a
process, a diamond for a decision, and a parallelogram for
an I/O process.With the advent of object oriented
programming (OOP) and visual development tools, the
traditional program flowchart is much less frequently seen
and newer forms of data and class modeling are being used.
Font A set of printable or displayable text characters in a specific
style and size, such as Arial Italic point 10. It is like having
different handwritings available on your computer.
Footer The matter that appears at the bottom of every page. The
most commonly used footer seen in documents is the page
numbers.
Foreground Describes the activity that is in view of and under the control
of a user. Foreground is also a term used to describe an
activity that has a processing priority over another.
Fragmentation A condition of being broken into parts.In computer file
systems, a data file is stored in fragments or chunks rather
than contiguous sequences of bits if the file is over a certain
size. This process is called fragmentation. This allows small
unused sections of storage (for example, where old data has
been deleted) to be reused. In the Windows 95 system, for
example, the file allocation table (FAT) is used to maintain
information about file fragments and their locations. Because
fragmentation over time can slow data access (each fragment
of a file must be accessed for the entire file to be read ) data
re-organization, a process called disk defragmentation, is
frequently required.
Frame A window on the computer screen that is displayed by a
program and contains information to be viewed by the
user.When referred in the context of video recording and
playback, it is a single image in a sequence of images that
are recorded and played back.In telecommunications, a frame
is data that is transmitted between network points as a unit
complete with addressing and necessary protocol control
information.
Gigabyte Pronounced GIG-a-bite, it is a measure of computer data
storage capacity and is roughly one thousand million (one
billion) bytes. A gigabyte is two to the 30th power, or
1,073,741,824 in decimal notation.
GIGO (garbage An axiom used to define that the quality of information
in garbage out) derived from computer processing is directly related to
Glossary of Key Terms

the quality of data inputted in the computer.

Graceful A process by which an overloaded computer system or
degradation program continues to run, although less efficiently, so that
the user can shut down the system with minimal loss of data.
Graphic card A computer circuit board that determines the resolution of
display, e.g., CGA, VGA, Super VGA, etc. The graphics
card is also called a video card.
GIS A system that allows you to envision the geographical
(geographical aspects (longitude, latitude, or other national grid
information coordinates) of specific data. It has the ability to
system) translate implicit geographical data (such as a street address)
into an explicit location on a map. It primarily lets you access
and analyse data in the database and provide results in the
form of a map. Because of these capabilities, GIS systems
have their application in weather forecasting, land use and
planning, population forecasting, and many other such areas.
Graphics Pictures are known to express more than normal text.
Graphics is computer data represented pictorially. Extensively
used in multimedia, graphics are known to enhance the overall
look of the application.
Graphical user GUI (usually pronounced GOO-ee) is a graphical interface
interface to a computer. It consists of functions and programs,
represented as icons or menus, selected using a mouse or
a pointing device rather than having to type commands using
a keyboard.The term came into existence because the first
interactive user interfaces to computers were not graphical,
used keyboard to enter commands that had to be remembered
and provided computer responses that were really cryptic
and brief. Today's major operating systems provide a
graphical user interface.
Hacker Hacker is a term commonly used to refer to 'someone who
tries to break into computer systems' knowingly. S/he is a
proficient and 'clever programmer' who has acquired the
skills and technical knowledge to identify weak points in a
security system.
Handheld A computer that is small enough to be held in a hand
computer and can be used while holding it. It can be made to
connect and interact with larger computers and data sent
to it via telephone lines or other transmission media.
It has a tiny keyboard suitable for entering small amounts of
data—not practical for large data input. Personal Digital
 Glossary of Key Terms

Assistants (commonly known as PDAs) are today's widely

used handheld computers. Handheld computers are typically
used for personal information manager (PIM) type of
applications: maintaining schedules, keeping names and
phone numbers, doing simple calculations, taking notes, and
with a modem, exchanging e-mail and getting information
from the Web.
Hard copy Output produced on paper or material that can be touched is
known as Hardcopy Output.
Hard disk A hard disk is made up of a stack of metal plates (disks) on
which data is recorded in concentric circles or 'tracks'. A
read/write head reads or records (writes) information on the
tracks. Two heads, one for each surface of the disk, read
and write data as the disk spins. Each read or write operation
requires data to be located, which is an operation called seek.
A hard disk can be categorized as a Disk Pack or a Winchester
Disk depending on the way it is packaged.
Hardware The physical aspect of computers, tele- communications and
other information technology devices. The term is collectively
is used for computers along with connectors, cables, power
supply units and peripheral devices such as mouse, keyboard,
and printer.
Header In general, something that precedes or goes in front of
something else. Common uses of header include: 1) In a
document, a header is a combination of text and images that
can be made to appear at the top of each page when displayed
or printed. 2) In an e-mail, the header is the part of a
message that describes the originator, the addressee and
other recipients, message priority level, and so on.
Hexadecimal Hexadecimal is a base-16 number system. It has sixteen
digits, which are represented as 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A, B, C,
D, E, F.
High level A programming language in which the commands are
language English like, somewhat similar to the spoken language.
Working in this language frees the user from having
knowledge of machine language. High-level languages are
so called because they permit a programmer to ignore
the low-level details of the computer's hardware. It was the
lack of portability of programs (written using machine or
assembly languages) between different computers that led
to the development of high-level languages.
Hyperlink A method that connects or associates computer documents
Glossary of Key Terms

or applications such that the user can switch from one to the
other rapidly. An instance of such an association is called a
hyperlink. On the Web, hyperlinks are used to provide more
information about a particular topic when the user clicks on
the link.
Hypertext Hypertext is characterized by the organization of information
units into connected associations that a user can choose to
make. An instance of such an association is called a link or
hyperlink. The invention of the World Wide Web, in fact, can
be attributed to the concept of hypertext. This is because, in
a nutshell, the World Wide Web can be viewed as a large
database of information connected by an enormous number
of hyperlinks.
Impact printer A printer that uses a variation of standard printing mechanism
whereby a hammer strikes the paper through an inked ribbon
to transfer the image on paper. Such a printer therefore uses
a mechanism that touches the paper in order to create an
image.
Indexed (ISAM) A file management system (developed at IBM)
sequential that allows database records to be stored sequentially (in the
access Method order they are entered) and be accessed either sequentially
or randomly by using an index. For example, an index may
be created on last names so that
employee information can be retrieved alphabetically by last
name.
Inkjet printer A printer that uses a series of nozzles to spray tiny jets of
ink directly on paper in order to create images. These nozzles
are selectively heated by an IC register which results in the
spraying of ink from these nozzles.
Input/Output A part of the computer memory that accepts and temporarily
buffer stores data before it can be transferred to its destination.
The input buffer, for example, compensates for the difference
in transmission speeds among various devices and assures
that data transfer happens without interruption to other
processing.
Input device A device linked to the computer that allows for entry of
data. Keyboard, mouse, pointer, scanner are all examples of
input devices.
Instruction set The list of specific instructions supported by the CPU is
termed as its instruction set.
Integrated A software package that offers a combination of features
 Glossary of Key Terms

software like Word Processor, Spreadsheet and Database capability.

These applications can further share data.
Interface A hardware or software that allows devices to communicate
with each other by creating a link between them.
GUI (Graphical User Interface) provides a 'picture-oriented'
user-friendly means of interacting with technology, A
programming interface consists of functions, statements and
other methods that a program or programming language
provides for a programmer to use. In case of hardware,
interface means making an appropriate physical connection
such that it allows two pieces of equipment to communicate
with each other.
Internet Also called ‘the Net’, it is a worldwide system of computer
networks. It was conceived by the Advanced Research
Projects Agency (ARPA) of the US government in 1969
and was first known as the ARPANET. World Wide Web
(abbreviated 'WWW') is the most widely used part of the
Internet.
Interpreter An Interpreter translates the instructions of the program one
statement at a time. This translated code is first executed
before the interpreter begins work on the next line. Thus,
instructions are translated and executed simultaneously. The
object code is not stored in the computer's memory for future
use. Each time the instruction is to be used, it needs to be
freshly translated by the interpreter.
Interrupt An interrupt is a signal from a device attached to a computer
or from a program within the computer that causes the
computer to halt processing at one level and move to another.
In general, there are hardware interrupts and software
interrupts. A hardware interrupt occurs, for example, when
an I/O operation is completed such as reading some data
into the computer from a tape drive. A software interrupt
occurs when an application program terminates or requests
certain services from the operating system.
Intranet A private network that is restricted to an enterprise and is
characterized by interlinked LANs and WANs (Wide Area
Networks). The main purpose of an intranet is to share
company information and computing resources among
employees. Intranets provide a means of working in groups
and support features such as teleconferencing.When a part
of an intranet is made accessible to customers, partners,
suppliers or others outside the company, it is termed as
Glossary of Key Terms

extranet.
Inventory control A system that records details of goods inventory.
system Information about stock receipts and withdrawals is
maintained using an inventory system. It typically works in
conjunction with accounts receivable and accounts payable
so that the value of inventory is also adjusted with each
transaction.
IT Information Technology is the driving force behind what is
called 'The Information Revolution'. It is a term that
encompasses all forms of technology used to create, store,
exchange and use information in its various forms (business
data, voice conversations, still images, motion pictures,
multimedia presentations etc.).
Justify To space the text in such a way that it is lined up at the left
and right margins.
Keyboard An input device consisting of buttons (or keys) having
alphabets, numbers, symbols and special characters, used
for entering data into a computer.
Kilobyte (KB) A measure of computer memory or storage. A kilobyte is
1024 bytes (2 to the 10th power).
Label A name used to identify a disk, a file, a set of program
instructions, or a range of cells in a Spreadsheet.
LAN A group of computers and other devices (like printers) that
are connected (physically or through wireless) so that they
can share resources (like processor, storage, data, programs,
output devices) within a small geographical area. A local
area network may serve as few as two or three users (for
example, in a home network) or as many as thousands of
users (for example, in an FDDI network). Ethernet, Token
Ring, ARCNET, and FDDI (Fibre Distributed Data
Interface) are the main local area network technologies.
Laser printer A non-impact electrostatic printer that uses laser technology
to create images on paper. Laser printers use dry ink (toner),
static electricity, and heat to place and bond the ink onto the
paper. They use a combination of laser and photocopier
technology. Most laser printers print only in monochrome.
Even though colour laser printers are available, they are not
commonly used because they are up to 10 times more
expensive than monochrome laser printers.
LCD (liquid It was introduced in watches and clocks in the 1970s and is
crystal display) now applied to display terminals. In this, the Cathode
 Glossary of Key Terms

Ray Tube was replaced by liquid crystal to produce the image.

It does not have colour capability and the image quality is
relatively poor. The main advantage of LCD is its low energy
consumption. It finds its most common usage in portable
devices where compactness and low energy requirements
are of prime importance.
Light pen A pen-shaped photosensitive device connected to the
computer, allowing natural movement on the screen. It is
made up of a light sensitive cell and a lens assembly designed
in such a way that it focuses onto itself any light in its field of
view. The pen contains a light receptor and is activated by
pressing the pen against the display screen.
Lookup table Consists of a set of values arranged in a two-dimensional
arrays (rows and columns). It is used to locate a specific
value from within the values of interest.
Machine A program that can function or execute only on a specific or
dependent specific type of computer.
Machine The computer can understand only instructions written using
language combinations of 0s and 1s. Such instructions are termed as
machine language instructions. First generation
computers used programs written in machine language.
Macro A set of instructions or a sequence of keystrokes that can
be executed or recalled by a single command or a shortcut
key or hot key, is termed as a macro. Macros are most often
used to simplify the execution of repetitive tasks that would
otherwise require a number of individual steps.
Magnetic card A card with a magnetic strip attached that holds information
like credit information, medical data etc.
Magnetic disk Magnetic disks are a direct-access medium used to store
computer data. Also known as 'secondary storage devices' ,
they are used for online data storage. Hard disks and floppy
disks are types of magnetic disks known to us.
Magnetic tape Magnetic tapes are a sequential access medium used for
storing computer data or files. They are typically used as
backup storage for archiving data.
Main memory The computer's internal memory is the main memory. Also
known as RAM, it is the memory from where programs are
run.
Megabyte Abbreviated MB, it is a measure of computer memory (real
Glossary of Key Terms

and virtual) or storage and is 1,048,576 bytes (2 to the 20th

power).
Memory A shorter synonym for Random Access Memory (RAM), it
is the electronic holding place for instructions and data used
by the computer's microprocessor. The operating system and
some or entire application program and related data reside
in the RAM once the computer is switched on and is being
used by the user. The more RAM you have, the less
frequently will the computer have to access instructions and
data from the more slowly accessed storage like the hard
disk.
Memory The designation of a specific memory location for allocation
a particular function like Input/output.
Menu A list of options contained within a computer application
which can be called upon and subsequently selected by a
user.
Menu-driven A computer application that provides options via a menu
from which a user can select.
Microcomputer Commonly known as a Personal Computer (or a PC), it is a
small computer designed for an individual driven by a single
integrated circuit (IC).
Minicomputer A computer of an intermediate size between a microcomputer
and a mainframe. Originally, these were systems with
attached terminals and other devices seen in mid-sized
business organizations. In recent years, however, the
minicomputer has evolved into the ‘mid-range server’ and is
a part of a network. IBM's AS/400e is a good example.
Mainframe A large computer designed to handle a large number of users
and complex applications. Mainframes find their applications
in areas such as weather forecasting, main- taining and
analysing mammoth statistical data, research etc.
MIS A general term used by enterprises to refer to computer
(management systems that provide information about their business
information operations and the people who manage these systems. An
systems) MIS department in a corporation consists of a centrally-
coordinated computer system (including the corporation's
entire network) and computer expertise. In the beginning,
computers were used for the practical business of computing
the payroll, keeping track of accounts payable and receivable,
sales information, inventory, and other data that helped
manage the enterprise. Today, the term is used in a number
 Glossary of Key Terms

of varied contexts and includes (but is not limited to): decision

support systems, resource and people management
applications, project management and database retrieval
applications.
MMS As the name suggests, Multimedia Messaging Service is the
ability to send messages comprising a combination of text,
sounds, images and video to MMS capable handsets.
Modem A short form for Modulator DeModulator, it is an electronic
device that converts digital signals to analog and vice versa.
Since the computer stores data in a digital format and
telephone lines transmit data only in the analog form, modems
allow digital data to be sent and received through normal
telephone lines by converting any kind of digital data (text,
pictures, sound, movies etc.) into analog data and vice versa.

Motherboard The primary circuit board in the computer that hosts the
computer's basic circuitry and components like the
microprocessor, memory, basic input/output system (BIOS),
expansion slots, interconnecting circuitry and (optionally) co-
processors. The most common motherboard design in
desktop computers today is the AT, based on the IBM AT
motherboard.
Multimedia Any combination of text, graphic art, sound, animation and
video elements delivered to you by your computer or any
other electronic means is referred to as multimedia. The
word Multimedia is actually derived from multi, which means
many, and media meaning communication/transfer medium.
Multiprocessing Multiprocessing involves the use of multiple processors (more
than one CPU) for coordinated processing of program(s) by
more than one computer processor. Having more than one
CPU in a single system can result in enhancing the
performance to a large extent.
Multitasking The property of the operating system that allows multiple
programs to be run simultaneously by the same computer.
For example, the user of a computer can simultaneously play
games while a word document is being printed. Windows
2000 and Linux are examples of multitasking operating
systems. In fact, almost all of today's operating systems can
multitask. Thus, multitasking involves simultaneous processing
by a computer system with a single CPU as opposed to
multiprocessing which is simultaneous processing by a
computer system having multiple CPUs.
Glossary of Key Terms

Multithreading The ability of a program or an operating system process to

mange its own use by more than one user at the same time
or to manage multiple requests by the same user without
having multiple copies of the program running in the computer
system. Each user request, therefore, is kept track of as a
thread having a separate identity. Multithreading is a form of
multitasking that allows multiple parts of a software program
to be run simultaneously. For example, a user can perform a
spell check in a word document and simultaneously print
another word document.
Multi-user A multi-user operating system is an OS that permits
system multiple users to use the computer and run programs at
the same time. Examples include UNIX, Linux and Windows
NT.
Network A number of computers and peripherals interconnected such
that they can share resources and information. Networks
can interconnect with other networks and can also contain
sub-networks.
Network server A computer identified to store and manage the peripherals
and program data for other computers connected through a
network. It is sometimes also called a file server.
NIC A network interface card (NIC) is a computer circuit board
or card that enables the computer to be connected to a
network.
NLQ Based on the printing quality, printers are classified as Near-
Letter-Quality (NLQ), Letter-Quality (LQ), Near-Typeset-
Quality (NTQ), or Typeset-Quality (TQ). The ability of a
printer that emulates the quality of a typewriter is called
Near Letter Quality.
Number system A system of displaying values in which the position of the
number determines its value. A number system is also
characterized by a base, e.g., decimal numbering system is
a numbering system having a base 10, binary has a base of
2, octal a base of 8 and hexadecimal has a base of 16.
Object linking OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) is Microsoft's
and embedding framework for a compound document technology. It
consists of objects like text, graphics, audio and video that
can be created, embedded and linked between documents
and applications. Linking implies that any modification
made to the original object would result in an automatic
update of the object in the host to which the object is linked.
Embedding an object includes saving the object in a host file
 Glossary of Key Terms

while retaining a connection with the application in which it

was originally created. This allows the source application to
be activated from within the host whenever the object is
to be edited.
OCR Optical Character Recognition or OCR is the recognition of
printed or written text characters by a computer. The process
includes photoscanning the text character-by-character,
analysing the scanned-in image, and translating this image
into character codes (such as ASCII), which can then be
used for processing. OCR can typically be seen in libraries
used for digitizing and preserving their holdings. Another
common usage of OCR is in processing credit card slips.
Octal system Pronounced AHK-tuhl, it derives from the Latin octo or
‘eight’, and is a numbering system that has a base of eight.
It consists of eight single-digit numbers: 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7. In
computer programming, binary numbers are sometimes
represented as octal since they are shorter.
Offline Descriptive of a condition of being capable of but not currently
connected to, or controlled by, a central computer or computer
network. The opposite term is online.Off-line and off line
are deprecated spellings of offline.
Online Descriptive of a condition of being connected to a network
of computers or other devices. It is the opposite of offline.
On-line and on line are deprecated spellings of online.
Operating system Commonly abbreviated as 'OS', it is the program that
manages and directs all the basic functions of a computer,
such as accepting commands from the keyboard, displaying
the output on screen and controlling the peripheral devices.
The other programs called application programs make use
of the operating system by making requests for services
through a defined application program interface (API). In
addition to this, users can interact directly with the operating
system using an interface like the graphical user interface.
(GUI) or the command language.
Optical disk Optical disks are storage devices with huge storage capacities.
They are a relatively new storage medium and use laser
beam technology for writing and reading data. Optical disks
consist of one large track that starts from the outer edge and
spirals inward towards the centre (this is unlike the magnetic
disk in which tracks are concentric circles on the disk platter).
An optical disk is also split up into sectors, but these are of
the same length regardless of their location on the track.
Glossary of Key Terms

Data is therefore packed at maximum density over the

disk.The storage capacity of an optical disk is determined by
multiplying the number of sectors with the number of bytes
per sector.
Package Software that typically has a variety of uses and is available
software in the open market.
Parse Parse means to divide or breakdown into discrete parts for
the purpose of analysing in an orderly manner. Parsing, in
computers, refers to breaking down or dividing a statement
into parts that can be made useful to the computer and is the
responsibility of the parser (a component of the compiler
program).
Password A password is a series of characters (alphabets, numbers,
symbols) used to determine whether the computer user
requesting access is an authorized user. It is usually between
4 and 16 characters, depending upon how the computer
system is set up. Password characters are typically not
displayed on screen when typed, in order to prevent others
from seeing them (input characters are echoed as some other
characters - usually asterisk '*'). Usage of passwords as a
medium of protection has now been extended to sensitive
data and files also.
PDA (Personal PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) is a term used to describe
digital small mobile hand-held devices that have a small keyboard
assistance) for entering data and commands and provide computing,
information storage and retrieval capabilities for personal
or business use. PDAs are typically used for keeping
schedule calendars and address book information handy.
PDAs can now be connected over a modem to send e-mails
and faxes, connect to online services and transfer data to
another PDA or a computer.
Peripheral Any computer device that is not part of the main computer
devices system (like the processor, memory, and data paths) but is
connected and controlled by the computer is termed as a
peripheral device. Peripherals such as the hard disk are
mounted in the same case as the main computer, while others
such as printers and scanners are connected to the computer
using wired or wireless connection. In fact, a near synonym
for peripheral devices is Input/Output (or I/O) devices.
Personal Commonly known as PIM, it is a utility program that allows
information users to store, organize and retrieve data important to an
manager individual. Maintaining addresses, appointments, important
 Glossary of Key Terms

dates etc. are common uses a PIM is put to.

Pixel The pixel (a word derived from ‘picture element’) is the
smallest component of a computer screen image or some
graphic representations (like a bitmap).
Plotter Plotters are used to produce graphical output on paper. They
are devices capable of producing charts, drawings, graphics,
maps etc. They are similar to printers to an extent, but are
designed to print graphs instead of alphanumeric characters.
Based on the technology used, plotters may be Pen Plotters
or Electrostatic Plotters. While pen plotters have an ink pen
attached to draw the images, electrostatic plotters work
similar to a laser printer. The image is produced by charging
the paper with a high voltage. This voltage attracts the toner,
which is then melted on the paper with heat. Electrostatic
plotters are fast, but the quality is generally considered to be
poor when compared to pen plotters. This is why pen plotters
are more extensively used than electrostatic plotters. Flatbed
Plotters and Drum Plotters constitute the most commonly
used plotters.
Plug-and-play The capability of an operating system that gives users the
ability to plug a device into the computer and have the
computer recognize the device without special configuration
by the user is termed as Plug-and-Play. This was originally
developed by Microsoft for its Windows 95 operating system.
Port On a computer, a port is generally a specific place for being
physically connected to some other device, usually using a
socket and plug of some kind. Typically, a personal computer
is provided with one or more serial ports and usually one
parallel port. The serial port supports sequential, one-bit-at-
a-time transmission to peripheral devices such as scanners ,
and the parallel port supports multiple-bits-at-a-time
transmission to devices such as printers. In programming, a
port is used to define a place of 'logical ' connection and is
specifically used in TCP/IP programming.
Preprocessing The configuring of data before it is entered into a program ,
e.g., delimiting a text file using commas for separating values
before entering them in a database.
Processing The manipulation of data by a computer.
Processor The integrated circuits that control the operations of a
computer. The term Central Processing Unit (CPU) has
generally replaced the term processor.
Program In computing, a program is a set of ordered instructions for a
Glossary of Key Terms

computer to perform. Programs are written using computer

languages. Such statements are called the source code. These
are then compiled, which then results in the object code that
can be subsequently executed. Programs can be
characterized as interactive or batch in terms of what drives
them and how they run. An interactive program receives
data from an interactive user (or possibly from another
program that simulates an interactive user) while a batch
program executes and stops once its work is completed
(unless it encounters an error during execution).
Programming Each and every problem to be solved by the computer needs
to be broken down into discrete logical steps before the
computer can execute it. The process of writing such
instructions in a computer or programming language is called
programming or coding.
Programming Just like any other language used for communicating,
language programming languages are used to communicate with the
computer. They are a set of precise vocabulary and syntax
used for writing instructions for the computer.
PROM Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM) is read-only
memory (ROM) that can be modified once by a user. ROMs
came pre-programmed by the manufacturer, which could
not be modified by the users, leading to inflexible process
and mass production requirements. Therefore, a new kind
of ROM called PROM (Programmable Read-only Memory)
was designed. PROM was a way of allowing the user to
tailor a microcode program (using a special machine called
a PROM programmer). The write operation can be
performed only once and whatever is written cannot be
changed. Since this process leaves no scope for errors, ROM
chips in the variations of erasable programmable read-only
memory (EPROM) or electrically erasable programmable
read-only memory (EEPROM) were designed.
Protocol In information technology, a protocol is the special set of
rules that end points in a telecommunication connection use
when they communicate. These could be for transfer of data
within the computer, within the computer and its peripherals,
or between computers in a network.TCP/IP (Transmission
Control Protocol / Internet Protocol), HTTP (Hypertext
Transfer Protocol) and FTP (File Transfer Protocol) are the
commonly known protocols used over the Internet.
Public domain A software that is not copyrighted and is available for use
 Glossary of Key Terms

software and modification by anyone. Programs in the public domain

can be used as components of other programs without
any restriction.
Query Data requested in the form of a single record or a set of
records from a database.
Query language A formal language (notation or terminology) used for
requesting or querying data.
QWERTY The most popular keyboard used today having 101-keys.,
keyboard it has a traditional QWERTY layout, an alphanumeric
keypad, 12 function keys, a variety of special-function keys,
a numeric keypad and dedicated cursor-control keys. It is
so called because the arrangement of its alphanumeric keys
in the upper left row (the first six letters on the upper row of
the keyboard) are Q W E R T Y.
RAM A fast and volatile memory used to store the operating system,
application programs and currently used data. RAM is much
faster to read from and write to than other kinds of storage
such as hard disk, floppy disk or CD-ROM. It is the mode in
which any memory location can be accessed in any order in
the same amount of time. Ferrite and semiconductor
memories, which generally constitute the primary storage or
main memory, are of this nature.
RAID RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) is an
acronym for a disk array and consists of a number of hard
disks and disk drives with a controller in a single box. The
basic idea of RAID was to combine multiple small,
inexpensive disk drives into an array of disk drives that
would yield a performance exceeding that of a Single Large
Expensive Drive (SLED). Additionally, this array of drives
would appear to the computer as a single logical storage
unit or drive. The concept was pioneered through academic
research funded by Digital Equipment Corporation and has
now become a standard in the computing industry for
applications requiring fast, reliable storage of large volumes
of data.There are at least nine types of RAID, plus a non-
redundant array (RAID-0): RAID-0, RAID-1, RAID-2,
RAID-3, RAID-4, RAID-5, RAID-6, RAID-7, RAID-10,
RAID-53
Raster A term used to define that region of the cathode ray tube
(CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD) that is capable of
rendering images. In a CRT, the raster is a sequence of
horizontal lines that are scanned rapidly with an electron
Glossary of Key Terms

beam from left to right and top to bottom, in much the same
way as a TV picture tube is scanned while in case of an
LCD, the raster (usually called a grid) is scanned differently
than in a CRT; image elements are displayed individually.
The raster normally matches the screen monitor in size. But
if low resolution is used (for example, 640x480 pixels on an
LCD intended for 800× 600), the displayed image may fill
only part of the screen. On the other hand, if a higher
resolution is used, the image may exceed the area of the
screen and may require scrolling to view the necessary
portions of the raster.
RDBMS A relational database management system (RDBMS) is a
program that allows you to create, update and administer a
relational database (using a Structured Query Language or
SQL). Oracle, IBM's DB2, and Microsoft's SQL Server
are the leading relational Database Management Systems
used today by most commercial organizations.
Real time The time period considered sufficiently immediate in terms
of computer responsiveness, i.e., from the time data entry
was made till the time processing is completed. Real-time is
used to define computers or processes that operate in real
time. Real-time response is required in case of applications
having constantly updated data like weather conditions.
Remote access The ability of a computer to get access to a computer or a
network that is not in its immediate vicinity. For example,
home users can access the Internet through remote access
to an Internet service provider (ISP). Dial-up connections
over regular telephone lines, or dedicated lines, are common
methods of supporting remote access.
Resolution The fineness of an image on a computer screen or as
produced by a printer or scanner. In case of a display monitor,
resolution is the number of pixels (individual points of colour)
contained on a display monitor expressed in terms of the
number of pixels on the horizontal axis and the number on
the vertical axis. The image sharpness depends on the
resolution as well as the size of the monitor. The same pixel
resolution will be sharper on a smaller monitor and gradually
lose sharpness on larger monitors because the same number
of pixels is being spread out over a larger number of inches.In
case of a printer or a scanner, it is expressed in terms of dpi
or dots per inch.
Resources Refers to the sum of all the computer capabilities, and is
 Glossary of Key Terms

determined by its hardware and software configuration.

Resources include main memory (RAM), storage devices
floppy disk and hard disk drives), input and output devices
(keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer etc.) etc.
RISC (reduced RISC (reduced instruction set computer or computing) is a
instruction set microprocessor designed to perform a smaller number of
computer) types of computer instructions so that it can operate at
higher speeds. Since each instruction type that a computer
must perform requires additional transistors and circuitry,
a larger list would mean the microprocessor being more
complicated and slower in operation.While a number of
microchips today use the RISC concept and are typically
found in Sun Microsystems, SPARC microprocessors and
other medium sized computers like IBM RS/6000 and Intel's
Pentium microprocessors are CISC microprocessors.
ROM Read-only memory is ‘built-in’ memory used to store
programs that are permanently resident in the computer.
These programs can be accessed but not altered. Typically,
a program called the bootstrap loader (which allows to
computer to 'boot') is stored in the ROM. Unlike a
computer's random access memory (RAM), the data in the
ROM is not lost when the computer power is turned off.
Root directory A computer's file system is organized in the form of a
hierarchy or tree. The primary directory in this hierarchical
structure that holds all the other directories is termed as the
root directory. In UNIX-based systems, the root directory is
represented simply as '/'.
Scandisk A Windows utility used to check the hard disk for any
problems or errors and fix the same if found. These kinds of
errors usually result when Windows locks up and requires
restarting.
SCSI (small Pronounced SKUH-zee, it is a set of ANSI standard
computer electronic interfaces that allow personal computers to
system communicate with peripheral hardware such as disk drives,
interface) tape drives, CD-ROM drives, printers and scanners at high
speeds. It also supports multiple peripherals through a single
PC expansion slot. SCSI ports are built into many personal
computers and are supported by all major operating systems.
Sector Every disk consists of a number of concentric circles called
tracks. Each track is further divided into segments called
sectors. A sector is typically 512 bytes in length and is the
smallest unit of data addressed by the disk controller. Sectors,
Glossary of Key Terms

along with the rest of the organization of data, are set up

during the formatting process. Most current day diskettes
come pre-formatted, but if you need to format a disk, a
utility to do the same is provided with the operating system.
Seek time The time taken to position the read/write head on a specific
track. The seek time varies depending on the
position of the access arms at the time the read/write
command was received, i.e., if the access arm was
positioned on the outermost track and the current read
operation required it to be positioned on the 10th track, then
the time taken to position the access arm on track 10 is the
seek time.
Semantics Pronounced seh-MANT-iks, it refers to the philosophy or
study of signs that deals with meaning. In discussing natural
and computer languages, the distinction is sometimes made
between syntax (the exact computer command notation) and
semantics (what the words really say or what functions are
requested in the command).
Server The word server is associated with the following:
1) In its common usage, a server is a computer whose
resources like storage, printer etc. are available for use by
other terminals (or clients) in a computer network.
2) A server program is one that provides services to other
computer programs in the same or other computers. In the
client/server programming model, a server is a program that
awaits and fulfills requests from client programs in the same
or other computers. A given application in a computer may
function as a client with requests for services from other
programs and also as a server of requests from other
programs.
3) Specific to the Web, a Web server is the computer
program (housed in a computer) that serves requested
HTML pages or files. Typically, a Web client requests for
HTML files from the Web server(s).
Shared resources A scenario where resources like peripherals, storage etc.
serve more than one computer or user.
Shareware Software that is available free of charge on a trial basis. To
make sure that customers pay for the software if continued
usage is required, shareware software developers usually
offer shareware software programs with built-in expiration
dates or provide scaled down versions of the software (also
 Glossary of Key Terms

called liteware).
Single-user Means one user (at a time). A single user OS does not allow
multiple users to use the computer and run programs at the
same time, e.g., MS-DOS. In terms of software licensing,
single user license allows software to be used by only one
person. Applications that can be accessed by multiple users
usually carry a higher license fee.
SMS (short SMS is a service for sending messages of up to 160 characters
message (224 characters if using a 5-bit mode) to mobile phones
service) that use Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication.
SMS is similar to paging and does not require the mobile
phone to be within range (or active) all the time to receive
messages, since messages are usually held (for a period of
time) so that they can be delivered.
Softcopy Output produced that cannot be touched. Output on display
units or as stored on disks or as speech output are examples
of softcopy outputs.
Software A term given to the set of instructions, or programs to be
executed by the computer. Software is often classified as
Application Software (programs that are designed to perform
specific functions directly for the user or, in some cases, for
another application program) and System Software (which
includes operating systems and other general programs that
provide the environment to facilitate the writing of application
software). The term Middleware is sometimes used to
describe programming that mediates between application and
system software.
Software utility Utilities are the software tools included with the operating
system that assist in the operation of the computer or another
program. They are small useful programs with limited
capability that can be installed and used independently.
Sort To arrange the data in a specific order (ascending or
descending) based on one or more fields (e.g., ascending
order of date, descending order of sales etc.)
Speech Speech or voice recognition is the ability of a machine or
recognition program to recognize and act on voice commands. In general,
it involves matching the voice pattern against a predefined
database of vocabulary. Most speech-recognition systems
are speaker-dependent, that is, they respond to the speech
of a particular individual. They therefore require a
database of words to be created for each person using the
Glossary of Key Terms

system.
Speech synthesis The computer-generated simulation of human speech
comprises speech synthesis. A speech access system
converts text to spoken words. The system consists of a
synthesizer that does the speaking (the hardware component)
and the screen access program that directs the synthesizer
(the software component). It is used to translate written
information into aural information and has its application in
voice-enabled email and unified messaging systems. It is
also extensively used to assist vision-impaired people, e.g.,
display screen contents can be read aloud to a blind user
Spool, Spooling Spool (which stands for ‘simultaneous peripheral operations
online’) refers to reading in and storing large documents (or
jobs) on large storage media (such as hard disks) so that
they can be processed at a more convenient time. This results
from the fact that the computer operates at a much faster
speed than peripherals such as printers. Spooling, for
example, provides an effective way of storing the processed
information on a disk until it can conveniently be printed when
the printer is free. Actually, a printer has a buffer but
frequently the buffer isn't large enough to hold the entire
document, requiring multiple I/O operations with the printer.
Spreadsheet A computer application that provides for capturing, displaying
and manipulating data for reporting, in a series of rows and
columns. The spaces that hold data in a Spreadsheet (at the
intersection of a row and column) are called cells and are
labelled according to their address within the Spreadsheet,
e.g., A1, B1, D20 (where the alphabets A, B and D identify
the column, and the numbers1,1 and 20 identify the row in
the Spreadsheet.
Structured Structured programming (a subset of procedural
programming programming) enforces a logical structure on the program
being written to make it more efficient and easier to
understand and modify. Languages such as COBOL, Ada,
and Pascal are structured programming languages. Programs
written using structured programming employ a top-down
design approach dividing the overall program structure into
submodules. Further, they follow a simple hierarchical model
having loop constructs such as 'for' and 'while', and
discourage the use of statements such as 'go to'.
Syntax The syntax of a language refers to the rules that govern the
way statements are to be constructed in a programming
 Glossary of Key Terms

language. It therefore defines the grammar, structure or order

of the elements in a language statement.
System A system is typically referred to as a group of elements,
logically related, having a common goal to achieve. A
computer system consists of hardware components that have
been carefully arranged to work well together and software
components or programs that run on the computer.
System software Includes general programs that control the operation of the
computer and its peripherals. It provides the environment to
facilitate the writing of application software. System software
is therefore that which makes your computer work.
TCP/IP TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
is the communication protocol that binds the Internet. It is
primarily a point-to-point form of communication (from one
point or host to another point or host in a network).
Temporary An area, such as the computer's main memory, that holds
storage the data or programs that are currently active, is called
temporary storage.
Terminal In computers, a terminal is an end-user device with little or
no software of its own relying on another computer for its
intelligence. It usually consists of an input device such as the
keyboard and a monitor screen.The term is sometimes used
to mean any personal computer or user workstation that is
connected to a network.
Tracks Data stored on the disk is stored in concentric circles called
tracks. A disk track is one such concentric circle where
data can be stored.
Transaction Changes made to a database in real time constitute
processing transactions, e.g., rail reservations, flight reservations, ATM
system transactions and so on. A system that manages these
transactions and controls their access to the DBMS is
referred to as a Transaction Processing (TP) Monitor. A
Transaction Processing System (TPS) usually consists of one
or more DBMS, a TP Monitor and a set of application
programs containing transactions. Processing of such
transactions is called On-Line Transaction Processing
(OLTP).
Text editor A computer program that allows users to enter, change,
store and usually print text without special formatting. Emacs
and vi are the commonly used text editors available on the
Glossary of Key Terms

UNIX platform.
Tree The hierarchical representation of information in the form of
a root and branches that branch off from the root is termed
as a tree. It is commonly used to represent the directory
structure (root directory and sub-directories).
User friendly A term associated with computer systems or programs that
are intuitive, making them easy to learn and operate.
Virtual memory Virtual memory (also known as logical memory) is a concept
by which a computer and its operating system provide to its
users, an extension of its main memory (RAM) by using a
dedicated portion of the hard disk storage. It therefore allows
programmers to use a very large range of memory addresses
for stored data.Virtual memory is implemented using storage
swapping between the active storage (RAM) and the hard
disk or other high volume storage devices. This typically
results in speeding up the overall system performance due
to reduction in the amount of physical storage access required.
Virus A piece of programming code usually disguised to disrupt
the normal operations of the computer. It is designed to
automatically spread to other computer users, and hence the
name 'virus'. Viruses are commonly transmitted as
attachments to e-mails, with downloads, or through their
presence on diskettes or CDs.
VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration (LSI) meant fitting hundreds of
large scale transistors on a single chip. Very Large Scale Integration
integration) (VLSI) is the current level of computer microchip
miniaturization and refers to microchips containing
hundreds of thousands of transistors.
Volatile memory In computers, volatile is used to describe memory
content that is lost when the power is interrupted or switched
off. The computer's main memory (or RAM) is volatile
memory.
WAN Wide Area Network or WAN is a term used to describe a
geographically dispersed telecommunications network. A
wide area network may be privately owned but is usually
seen to include public networks too.
WAP WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) is a specification
for a set of communication protocols to standardize the
way wireless devices such as cellular telephones and radio
transceivers including e-mail, Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
etc. can be used over the Internet. This is because in the
 Glossary of Key Terms

past manufacturers have used different technologies, making

it difficult and sometimes impossible to interoperate. In the
future, devices and service systems that use WAP will be
able to interoperate.
Web server A program that serves the files that form Web pages to Web
users. It uses the client/server model along with the World
Wide Web's Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to do this.
Any computer on the Internet that hosts a Web site must
have a Web server program. Apache (the most widely-
installed Web server), and Microsoft's Internet Information
Server (IIS) are the two leading Web servers today.
Wildcard A symbol used within a command to represent an unknown
search. It is commonly used when only a part of the filename
or information to be searched is known and is used in place
of the unknown part of data. For example, a command such
as 'DIR My*.dat' (where the asterisk symbol is the wildcard
used) represents searching for all files having a filename
beginning with 'My' and having an extension of 'dat'.
Wireless, Wireless is a term used to describe telecommunications in
Wireless which electromagnetic waves (rather than some form of
communication wire) carry the signal over a part of or the entire
communication path. Cordless computer peripherals such
as the cordless mouse and cordless telephone sets are
common examples of wireless communication.
Word processor A computer program that allows entering, modifying, storing,
and printing text with special formatting. It has capabilities
beyond that of a text editor and is used to create and maintain
business letters and other documents.The most popular word
processor is Microsoft Word, available as part of Microsoft's
Office suite.
www As defined by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) ‘The
World Wide Web is the universe of network-accessible
information, an embodiment of human knowledge.’
Write Protect 'Write protected' defines the state of the disk that allows
access in the form of read only. Data or files cannot be
modified and saved or deleted from the disk.