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Intro to Digital Technology Midterm Vocabulary

Terms in this set (46)

computer
An electronic, programmable device that can assemble, process, and store data.
analog computer
A computer that uses mechanical operations to perform calculations, as with an older car speedometer or a handheld calculator
digital computer
A computer that uses symbols that represent data in the form of code.
supercomputer
A computer with the ability to perform trillions of calculations per second, usually custom-made for a particular use or used as a large server
petaflop
A measure of supercomputing power representing a thousand trillion operations per second
computer cluster
A group of computers joined together to provide high computing power
render farm
A custom-designed connection between groups of computers joined in a computer cluster.
desktop computer
A non-portable computer whose central processing unit (CPU) might be housed in a tower configuration or in some cases within the monitor, as with the Apple iMac
laptop
A portable computer with a built-in central processing unit (CPU), monitor, keyboard, mouse, and battery. Are also called notebooks
Tablet PC
A portable computer that includes a special electronic stylus used to write on the screen. Ink technology allows you to use programs to convert your writing to text or graphic objects
netbook
Designed as devices for people who mainly want to browse the Internet or use email. This style of computer is small, usually with screen sizes ranging from eight to ten inches, and weighing only two to three pounds.
technological convergence
The tendency of technical devices to take on each other's functions, such as a cell phone performing tasks traditionally performed by a computer
convergence device
A type of device that combines several technologies, such as the ability to calculate, store data, and connect to the Internet. Examples of this type of device include your cell phone, a GPS navigation system, a digital camera, or an appliance that you can program remotely to perform tasks at a certain time.
ubiquitous computing
Placing computing power in your environment as with, for example, a system in your house that senses and adjusts lighting or temperature. It is also called embedded technology.
computer engineering (CE)
The study of computer hardware and software systems and programming how devices interface with each other.
computer science (CS)
The study of designing software, solving problems such as computer security threats, or coming up with better ways of handling data storage
information systems (IS)
A computer profession that bridges the needs of an organization and the way its information is handled to solve business problems. An IS professional considers who needs what data to get work done and how it can be delivered most efficiently.
information technology (IT)
The study, design, development, or management of computer systems, software applications, and computer hardware.
software engineering (SE)
A field involving writing software programs, which might be developed for a software manufacturer to sell to the public, or writing a custom program for a large organization to use in-house.
webmaster
Someone who makes sure website content is delivered to users efficiently.
Internet law
A legal specialty that includes writing the legal terms and policies for websites.
web designer
Someone who designs the layout of websites
data
Raw facts; what you put into a computer.
information
Raw facts that are processed, organized, structured, or presented in a meaningful way; what you get out of a computer.
information processing cycle
A cycle of handling raw data and information that has four parts: input of data; processing of data; output of information; and storage of data and information.
binary system
A system consisting of two possible values, 0 and 1, called binary digits, or bits
bit
The smallest unit a computer can understand and act on. An abbreviation for binary digit.
byte
A collection of 8 bits
input
Data that is entered into a computer or other device or the act of reading in such data.
central processing unit (CPU)
The part of the computer system that interprets instructions and processes data. Sometimes referred to as the processor or core
processing
The manipulation of data by a computer to create information
microprocessor
A computer chip that can accept programming instructions that tell a computer what to do with data it receives.
computer memory
Temporary storage areas on the computer, including random access memory (RAM) and cache memory.
random access memory (RAM)
A holding area for data while your computer processes information. When you turn your computer off, data temporarily stored in RAM disappears. RAM is also referred to as volatile memory.
volatile memory
See random access memory (RAM)
cache memory
A memory area located on or near the microprocessor chip for the most frequently used data.
resolution
A measurement of the number of pixels on a screen
pixel
A single point in an image; short for picture element.
storage
A permanent recording of information, data, and programs on a computer's storage medium, such as a magnetic disk or optical disc, so that they can be retrieved as needed.
file
A computer's basic storage unit, which might contain a report, spreadsheet, or picture, for example.
DRAM
Short for dynamic random access memory. The type of memory is most commonly found in computers. It works quickly and is compact and affordable. It requires electricity and is fragile, meaning that the data held in RAM must constantly be refreshed.
SRAM
Short for static random access memory. This type of memory is about five times faster than DRAM. Though dependent upon electricity, it does not require constant refreshing and is more expensive than DRAM. It is therefore often used only in cache memory applications.
SDRAM
Short for synchronous dynamic random access memory. This updated version of DRAM provides significant improvements in access speed. Most modern computer memory is some variation of SDRAM, including DDR-SDRAM, DDR2-SDRAM, and DDR3-SDRAM.
machine cycle
A cycle a computer uses during which four basic operations are performed: (1) fetching an instruction, (2) decoding the instruction, (3) executing the instruction, and (4) storing the results.
instruction register
instruction register
output
The information that results from computer processing or the act of writing or displaying such data
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