COMPUTER & TECHNOLOGY BASICS COURSE

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The locations in a computer where information is stored for use by the Central Processing Unit (CPU; the part of the computer that processes data and directs the operation of all parts of the computer). A CPU makes use of physical data storage devices in order to do its job of processing data. A data storage device could be thought of as a collection of boxes. Each box can contain one piece of data. Each box has an individual identifier so that the CPU can keep track of it. These "boxes" are called memory locations. The individual identifier for a memory location is called an address. The CPU can "read" or "write" to these memory locations - "read" means to get the value of the information in the location; "write" means to set the value of the information in the location. EXAMPLE: If the CPU was processing an addition operation where two numbers were being added together, it would likely need three addresses to work with - the address where it could find the first number, the address where it could find the second number, and the address where it would store the result of the addition (the "total").

Back end:

The part of a website or software program that performs vital computing functions, but is not typically seen by the user of the site or program. This includes things like a database (an organized collection of stored information by the site or program). Back end developers are those skilled in the technology required to create and organize the back end. EXAMPLE: In a software program that allows a warehouse manager to monitor and manage the contents of the warehouse, the back end would be the collection of data about the warehouse contents. The front end would be the screens she uses to view and change that data.

Content:

The substance that makes up a book, article, website, etc. Content includes words, pictures, videos, and all other relevant material - as opposed to form or design. In the context of a web page, "content" is the information being presented - the text, images, videos, sounds, etc. EXAMPLE: The content of a website that centered around a particular popular band might include information about upcoming concerts, videos from past performances, photographs of the band members, catalogs of merchandise available for purchase, etc.

Intermediary:

acting between two other things. In computers, intermediary things are things that connect two other things so they can communicate. Intermediate machines link other machines together. EXAMPLE: When you send an email (electronic message) to someone, it doesn't go directly to them. It typically goes to a special computer that can store it until that person checks for any new emails. That special computer is an example of an intermediary.

Port address:

The unique identifier for a port on a computer. In this use of the word, a port is a non-physical connection that is used in relation to the Internet. The Internet is a connected network of computers around the world. Different types of information can be sent between these computers - electronic documents, electronic messages, etc. Computers in the network can specify an exact computer to request information from or send information to. When a computer sends or receives information in this manner, it uses a special computer program to control the process. Part of this process is the creation of uniquely-named connections called "ports" that send or receive information. These ports are given unique numbers. A computer can manage the creation and operation of many different ports at once. EXAMPLE: If your computer was receiving an electronic file from another computer over the Internet, your computer might use port 20 to input the data.

Digitize:

To digitize something is to make it digital. Digital means "of or related to a circuit or device that represents magnitudes in digits." Computers are digital devices; information in computers is represented using digits. Usually this means you are taking something that can have a smoothly changing amount, like the weight of a bucket of water as you fill it up, and you are changing that smoothly changing weight amount and converting it into a series of distinct, exact amounts that come close to describing the smooth increase in weight of the bucket. EXAMPLE: A scanner can digitize things, since it can take the printed image on a paper and convert it to a set of individual digits that a computer can use to make a displayed image that looks very much like the actual image on paper.

Log out (log off):

To disconnect from a system, computer, or program. Often, this refers to the situation where access to the computer or program requires providing certain credentials, or where the computer or program needs to keep track of who is using it. The opposite of logging out would be logging in. Logging in typically requires a username and password. EXAMPLE: If you don't log out of Facebook, then people can read your messages, comment for you, etc.

COMPUTER ALGORITHMS

To fully understand what an algorithm is for computers, some terms and concepts must be cleared up first. Algorithms are composed of five separate characteristics: 1) Result: The outcome of something. In computers, a response could be considered the result. You type in: "Tell me the date", the computer replies: "Jan 3, 2017." "Jan 3, 2017" would be the result. Answers to problems are also considered a result. Algorithms always have a result. If there is no result, it cannot be considered a valid algorithm. EXAMPLE: Print the number "2." Result: 2.

Redress:

To go back and make something right again. To remedy something. EXAMPLE: If you were typing and made a mistake, you could go back and fix your typo. That would be a redress.

Compress:

To make something smaller. In computers, this is the changing of data in such a way that it can be stored in a computer using less space than if it were stored in its original form. Compression programs are special computer programs that convert electronic files to a smaller format so that they take up less room, making it easier and/or faster to send those files to other locations. This can also free up available storage space in a computer, as the files don't use as much space.

Webmail:

Webmail is a service where the email client program is on a web server. To use email services in this setup, you would access the web server using your browser. The web pages that get sent to your browser would provide the same functions - typically to create, send, receive, and store email messages. The advantage of webmail is that you can have access to your email messages from any computer that has a browser and can connect to the Internet. When the email client is on your computer, you can only access your email messages from your computer. The disadvantage of webmail is that if you do not have access to the Internet, you cannot access your email messages. EXAMPLE: Gmail and Yahoo email are popular webmail clients.

Wikipedia:

Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia on the web created through the collaborative effort of a community of people known as Wikipedians. Anyone who signs up for the site can create and edit articles in the encyclopedia. Wikipedia is the largest encyclopedia ever created. EXAMPLE: Though there are strict guidelines for posting information on Wikipedia, not all information on Wikipedia is completely accurate or true because virtually anyone can post on it.

Word processing:

Word processing is something that a word processor does. A word processor is a program on a computer that allows you to create, format, modify, and print documents. EXAMPLE: Microsoft Word is a famous word processor and, as is implied, it processes words by creating them, editing them, deleting them, etc.

Function:1.

Work performed by something. A function is an action taken to get something done. In computers, a function is a command put into a computer that makes the computer complete an exact task or series of tasks. A computer function is a procedure the computer performs. There are thousands of functions entered in your computer behind the scenes that instruct your computer how to operate EXAMPLE: When you erase a file on a computer, the file is removed by a delete function.

XHTML:

XHTML is a combination of HTML and XML. It stands for "Extensible HyperText Markup Language". XHTML is similar to both HTML and XML and uses things from both languages. XHTML is another language that can be used in developing websites and can be used to design different things you want to have a computer do for people. EXAMPLE: When you look at a website, you see words, pictures, sounds and videos. One language that could be used behind the scenes to tell the computer to show you those words, pictures, sounds, and videos is XHTML. The thing to remember is that there are many different languages you can use to write websites.

Bus:

You are familiar with buses that drive people around on exact routes. In a computer, a bus is a group of wires that reside inside the computer. Electronic signals flow along the wires to reach a specific destination in the computer. Buses are used to connect parts of the computer to each other. They carry information, electricity, etc., through a computer. EXAMPLE: Most computers have a device, either internal or external, to store information on. This device is called a "hard drive." To send or receive information to and from this hard drive, the computer uses a bus.

Pseudocode:

You put pseudo in front of a word to show that you are describing something that is pretending to be something it is not. Pseudo means false or "not really that way." Pseudocode is a way to describe a code or coding without using the actual code itself. Pseudocode is an informal way of describing the programming code you will use, and what it will tell the computer to do, in words that read very much like regular English. EXAMPLE: If the user is younger than 18 Print that they are a minor If the user is 18 or older Print that they are not a minor

Environment:

The overall structure within which a user, computer, etc. operates. This is often used to mean "the combination of physical hardware and operating system that my computer uses." EXAMPLE: Your computer might have an environment that is specifically set up for creating and modifying detailed artistic drawings. This could mean that the computer's display and the speed the computer operates at would be set up in order to best facilitate those tasks.

Install:

When you are adding a new feature to your computer, your computer might say "please wait, installing..." to you.

Hypertext:

Hypertext is a system for linking related electronic documents. It works by taking one or more words in the text of the document and giving it a special property - it links to another electronic document. When that specific text is selected, the reader is taken to the linked document. The origin of the term is taken from "hyper," which means "beyond." The special text is called a "hyperlink" because it links to a document that is "beyond" the one the user is reading. EXAMPLE: Websites are composed of hypertext documents.

A _______ is a method of checking data to ensure it is accurately sent.

Parity bit

Raw Data:

Raw data is data that hasn't been handled by and sent through the computer yet. Raw data is information that hasn't been looked at and analyzed or modified by you or the computer. EXAMPLE: If you have a computer gathering information all day, that information is raw data. Once you start sorting the information and looking it over, it is no longer raw data.

Media/Medium:

Refers to communication of information to large quantities of people. Radio, Internet, newspapers, music, and magazines are all considered media. A medium is something used to relay media over. EXAMPLE: The Internet is a medium.

High res:

Short for "high resolution." High res means there are many dots (pixels). Therefore, the picture is very clear and detailed. EXAMPLE: Modern displays are high-resolution. If you compare them to displays of only a few years prior, you will see that the images on the earlier display are less clear.

Twitter:

Twitter is a website that allows people to write short messages that can be viewed by other users of Twitter. These short messages are called tweets, and were previously limited to 140 characters. In November 2017, the maximum amount of characters allowed increased to 280 for most languages. People can keep track of friends, strangers, celebrities, etc. to see what they are saying. EXAMPLE: Some famous political figures utilize Twitter to comment on world events.

Fatal error:

When a computer is executing instructions that a person entered into the computer, something might go wrong with the instructions as those instructions are executed. If this error is so severe that the computer can't continue to execute any instructions at all, that would be described as a fatal error. This is because the error effectively "killed" the actions the computer was attempting. EXAMPLE: A fatal error could occur in a game you were playing and force it to shut down.

CRC

"A _____ is a set of steps taken by a computer to locate errors in the computer. When you store information in the computer, it is normally followed by a _____ to make sure the information didn't develop any errors during the storage process. This process works by comparing the information received by the computer with the original information from where it was sent.

Format: 2.

Formatting means preparing a computer's memory device for use by erasing all the information on it and dividing it up into sections for the information to go when it is eventually used as a storage device. EXAMPLE: If you format a compact disc, you erase everything on it before you save anything new on it.

A _____ is a number that is used to verify the integrity of a set of transmitted data. You use this _____ to ensure that the correct data has been transmitted.

Checksum

Drag:

The act of moving an item on your computer screen using your mouse. You typically drag by using a mouse button to click down on the item you want to move, holding the button, followed by moving the item over to the desired location on your screen, then releasing the click pad on the mouse. EXAMPLE: You can organize different types of files on your computer by dragging them around.

Ether:

The upper regions of space; the clear sky; the heavens. EXAMPLE: Clouds are located in the ether.

Algorithm: ( definition by Schneider and Gersting:)

Algorithm: A well-ordered collection of unambiguous and effectively computable operations that, when executed, produces a result and halts in a finite amount of time.

Button:

An image on a computer screen that can be used to interact with the computer; it is often used to tell a computer what you want to do. It can often look like a small circle or a rectangular bar. They usually represent a choice to be made. The computer user would choose the button that represents the choice they would like. EXAMPLE: If you were using a computer program to handle paychecks for a company, you might have a button in the program that you would click on when the checks were ready to be printed.

Cisco:

Short for Cisco Systems. Cisco is a giant company that specializes in building and selling computer networking equipment. It has about 70,000 employees internationally. It is based in San Jose, California. EXAMPLE: You can purchase security cameras from Cisco.

Bandwidth:

The capacity for traffic flow on the path that information travels both to and from a computer. The more bandwidth there is, the faster information can be sent. Bandwidth determines how fast information can be transferred from computer to computer. If something takes a lot of bandwidth up, it means that it is comprised of a lot of information and it takes up a lot of the "path." EXAMPLE: Bandwidth is similar to a pipe in that the wider the pipe (bandwidth), the more water (data) can flow through.

Data bus:

The data bus carries the actual electronic data used by the CPU and the various devices in the computer. EXAMPLE: When you click on a video to play it, the data bus would contain the electronic information about the video images to display. It would also contain the data about the audio sounds to play.

Home (Home page):

The home page is usually the main web page on a website. Home is where you can navigate to other sections of the site from. When you type in a website name and go there, the first page you usually see is the home page. EXAMPLE: The home page for a university's website might have a picture of the university, and links to pages about the courses the university offers.

What is the difference between the internet and the world wide web?

The internet is a massive network, and the world wide web is built on top of the internet and is the primary tool we use to access information from the internet.

6502 (Sixty-five 0 2):

The name of a type of computer introduced in 1975. It became very famous because it could be purchased for about 20% of the usual price of computers of that era. 6502 computers were the basic design used in many original video game systems. EXAMPLE: Atari and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) used the 6502 or variations of it.

Transmission:

Transmission is the action of sending information from one place to another. Computers are often used to transmit and receive information to and from other computers or electronic devices. EXAMPLE: If you print something, there is a transmission from the computer to the printer instructing what to have the printer put on the paper.

Channel:

A channel is something that other things can pass through. It is a passageway for something to travel; a path. EXAMPLE: A wire is a channel for electricity.

Decimal:

A number system based on the amount "ten." "Decimal" comes from Latin decimalis meaning "tenth." EXAMPLE: Nearly all math and counting actions you've encountered have used the decimal system. For example, if an item at the grocery store costs $4.83, and you give the clerk a $5 bill, the change of 17 cents is calculated using the decimal system.

Installer:

Install means to put something inside a computer that the computer can then use. You can install software and you can install hardware. An installer is a specialized computer program that installs other programs on a computer. EXAMPLE: When you put a new game on your computer, you use an installer.

World Wide Web (www):

The World Wide Web (the "Web") is a collection of linked electronic documents, organized into groups called websites. EXAMPLE: There are websites on the World Wide Web dedicated to the films of famous actors.

Video card:

The video card is the part of a computer that handles what is displayed on the computer screen. A video card is essentially a small computer that handles all duties related to displaying images, thus freeing the CPU up for other tasks. EXAMPLE: The better your video card is, the better the potential image quality will be on your computer screen.

What does TCP stand for?

Transfer Control Protocol

XNOR:

XOR gate and a NOT gate combined. This basically takes the way an XOR gate works and reverses the output. Meaning, if either input going into the gate is on (but only one, not both), then the output is off. If both of the inputs are off, the output is on. If both of the inputs are on, the output is on.

Scene:

A sequence in a movie or video usually taking place in one area with the same characters. EXAMPLE: You might have a favorite scene in your favorite movie.

AND gate:

If both input bits are on, electricity will flow through the gate.

XOR gate:

XOR stands for "Exclusive Or." If either of the input gates are on, electricity will flow through. But if both inputs are on simultaneously, no electricity will flow through.

Enable wire:

"Enabled" means that something is turned on and active. An enable wire would be a wire that causes something to turn on. EXAMPLE: Computers could not operate without enable wires because there would be no electricity present.

NOT gate:

A gate with only one input. The gate is set up so that the output does the opposite of the input. If the input is on, the output is off, and vice versa.

System:

A group of things that work together in an orderly fashion. A computer system is a full computer setup with everything you need to make it run.

Port:

A port is a specific location or device for the input and output of information. There are a few different uses of the word "port" in computers. 1. A port is a physical location on a computer that is used to connect some sort of input/output device. EXAMPLE: There is nearly always a port on a computer that can be used to connect some sort of display device, so that users have a display screen for use of the computer.

Numeral:

A symbol, word, figure or letter that expresses a number. EXAMPLE: 1,001 is a numeral.

Web browser:

Called browser for short. This is a program you use to view items on the Internet. The most common thing people use browsers for is to find and view websites - more particularly, the web pages on websites. There are other types of information available through the Internet that you can find and view in a browser. EXAMPLE: Internet Explorer is a common web browser and you have probably seen its logo:

Clock rate:

The rate of operation for the device on the computer that controls the timing of the CPU. It is measured in "Hertz," with one full "high-to-low' cycle per second being 1 Hertz. Hertz is abbreviated Hz. EXAMPLE: The faster your computer's clock can operate, the better your computer can perform.

.gov:

.gov is a suffix added to websites that only government entities are allowed to use. EXAMPLE: The website for the Texas government is texas.gov.

Hertz:

A Hertz is a measurement of how many times a vibrating electronic signal vibrates in one second. Hertz was named after Heinrich Hertz, a German scientist who lived in the 1800's. Hertz did some of the early research that led up to radio and as part of this research he studied the behavior of electricity. Hertz means how many "ups and downs" in an electric flow that occur per second. Example: 500 Hz (Hertz) means that electricity is cycling at a rate of 500 ups and downs in one second.

Update:

An update is bringing something up to the newest version. Sometimes an update is done to fix any problems that might be happening with the computer, or it can be done in order to simply add something new to it. EXAMPLE: Your cell phone might get an update that makes it faster or fixes a problem you have been having with it.

Analog:

Analog means energy is flowing out in a continuous stream. The opposite of this would be energy that is on or off (on, off, on, off, etc.). Analog means that the item gradually increases or decreases, or stays the same in a steady flow. The gas pedal of a car could be considered analog. Phone lines connected to power lines are analog. Computers are not analog because the information is broken up into small, separate pieces. EXAMPLE: A light switch isn't analog. A dimmer switch (a knob turned that can increase or decrease the amount of light) is analog.

Bookmark:

A bookmark is a marker set on an electronic document so you can easily return to that document or to a specific location in the document. They are commonly used in relationship with websites. Websites are organized collections of electronic documents that are part of the World Wide Web - a collection of interconnected electronic documents that are stored on computers all around the world. You access these websites using the Internet - a network of computers located all around the world. Creating a "bookmark" is when you save the location of a website on the Web so that you can easily return to that website again. When you "bookmark" something, you save it in a list of bookmarks so that when you are on the Web, you may simply select the bookmark in that list and be taken to that website. It comes from the idea of saving your spot in a book using a bookmark. Bookmarks are used by, and stored in, special software called "browsers." This software is what you use to find and view websites. EXAMPLE: If you have a website that you visit often that has articles about upcoming movies, you could bookmark that website so that you are taken to it with one click of a button, instead of having to type out the website name every time.

Character:

A character is an individual letter, number, symbol, etc. EXAMPLE: "A" is a character. "7" is also a character. "A,#$Sf1247SA^D" is 14 characters.

Column:

A column is a vertical (up and down) arrangement of numbers or information. The opposite of a column is a row (side to side). A column can have a "header" that is basically a title explaining what type of information is stored in a given column. EXAMPLE: If you were creating a written document to track the academic progress of the students in a school, you might have columns such as "Full Name," "Overall Grade Point Average," "Age," etc.

Instruction:

A command or set of commands entered into a computer that performs a certain operation(s). Instructions control a computer and tell it what to do. EXAMPLE: You could make a computer draw a square by typing in instructions.

Complement:

A complement is something that completes something else. It is used in how computers do math. This relates to positive and negative numbers. Positive numbers are greater than zero; negative numbers are less than zero (e.g. 8 is a positive number; -4 is a negative number). You could represent the positive number 8 with a "+" before it, like this: +8. This is not common though, since people speak about positive numbers much more frequently than they do negative numbers.

Antivirus software:

Anti- means against. Antivirus software is software that protects the computer from viruses (harmful programs). EXAMPLE: If someone tried to send a virus to your computer, antivirus software could warn you and stop the virus from infecting your computer

Virus:

A computer program designed to do something harmful to a computer, and that can copy itself onto other computers. A virus is something that travels from computer to computer and does bad things. It is intentionally created to cause damage. EXAMPLE: A virus could be something that steals confidential information off of your computer and gives it to the creator of the virus. It may also make your computer send out emails to all of your contacts without you knowing it, carrying the virus along with the email message. If any of your contacts open up the email, it might allow the virus to be copied onto their computer.

Current:

A flow of electricity. It is a measure of the flow of electrons through a material. Electrical current can have different levels. A current is electricity moving from one point to another. Not all materials will let electricity flow through them. A material that will allow electricity to flow through itself is called a conductor. Some conductors allow electricity to flow more easily than others. Most metals (like copper, gold, silver, etc.) are good conductors. Rubber is a very poor conductor, so it is often used to protect people and things so that electricity can't connect to those people and things. If you receive an electrical shock, it is the current (the rapidly-moving electrons) that cause the actual damage to your body. EXAMPLE: A blender has a cord. The cord has wires inside it. When you plug in the blender, a current is sent through the cord, and the blender will now work when you push the buttons that control it.

Function: 2.

A function is a block of organized, reusable computer instructions that is used to perform a single related action. It can also be called a subprogram or a subroutine or a method. EXAMPLE: You can often find pre-made functions that can be copied and pasted for use in your own computer programs. This helps prevent "reinventing the wheel" by eliminating the need to create functions for commonly-used actions.

ALU:

Arithmetic Logic Unit. The ALU is used in the Central Processing Unit (CPU). "ACC" stands for "accumulator." The accumulator is in the CPU. The ACC temporarily stores the results of math performed. It is called this because the results of mathematical operations "accumulate" (stack up) there. The arithmetic itself is performed in the ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) in the CPU. An ALU is the part of the CPU that performs mathematical functions and logic operations. It does addition and subtraction and moves things around inside the memory of the computer. It can be made to operate when you type exact instructions into a computer. After the ALU executes a math problem, the resulting number is stored in the ACC. EXAMPLE: You type in 2 + 5. The ALU takes 2, adds 5 to it, and determines the answer is 7. The result, 7, is then stored (accumulated) in the ACC.

Macbook:

A laptop computer created by the technology company Apple. Macbooks were first introduced in 2006. Their screens range from 11-17 inches in size. The "Mac" part of the name is short for "Macintosh," which is a variety of apple. EXAMPLE: A Macbook can be used to record and edit music.

Tracker:

A large machine that keeps track of all the computers that are involved in Bit-Torrent is called a tracker. The tracker lets computers know who they can connect up to and share information with so that Bit-Torrent can operate faster. EXAMPLE: If you used Bit-Torrent to look at videos about kittens, occasionally the tracker would find other people on Bit-Torrent who also do so and hook each of you up so that you can all download the videos faster (less wait time).

Hub:

A machine that relays information to the computers on a network. It doesn't matter which computer requested the information, the hub will send it to all of the computers. EXAMPLE: If your family had four computers on a network, the hub would send information to all four computers. If you were on the Internet and requested information, your request goes to the hub, the hub gets the information from the Internet, and then it passes the information to all the computers. That doesn't mean everyone else would see the information on their computer; it just means the hub sends out the data and then the computer that requested it knows to display it on the screen.

Network card:

A network card is a physical card that permits a computer to connect to a network and to transmit and receive information on that network. EXAMPLE: You can connect to an office computer network by plugging a cable into a network card.

Lurker:

A person who hangs out in a chatroom or on a message board and just lurks or does not participate. EXAMPLE: In a chatroom, if you just watch and don't chat, you are a lurker.

Hard Copy:

A physical copy of something that you can hold in your hands. An example of something that is the opposite of a hard copy would be something that is stored on a computer. EXAMPLE: A printed book is a hard copy. The electronic files of that book on a computer would be a soft copy.

Plugin:

A plugin is a small computer program that you can add to a larger computer program that adds new functions to the larger program. It's basically an optional set of functionality that can be added to a program. EXAMPLE: You could add a plugin to a sales-tracking program that could keep track of commissions to be paid based on various sales factors.

iPod:

A portable electronic device created by the technology company Apple, for playing and storing digital files, like movies or music. It also has access to use apps. It is just like an iPhone, without the telephone functionality. EXAMPLE: You can listen to music and play games on your iPod.

BMP:

BMP stands for "bitmap." Bits are "binary digits" - the 1s and 0s that are used to store information for computers to process. Mapping something means to lay it all out in detail. A bitmap is a type of file used when saving images on a computer. It is a type of picture saved on a computer. If your computer has been set up so it can process data stored in the BMP format, the computer can process those files and display the images they represent. EXAMPLE: If you were on the Internet and saw a picture of a tiger that you liked, you could click on it and save it as a bitmap file type. The resulting image file would be "tiger.bmp," where "tiger" is the name of the file and "bmp" is the format of the data in the file.

Low-level Language:

A programming language that is designed to be efficient for a computer to execute. This is called a low-level language because it is brought close down to the computer's level of physical construction. A person attempting to read a low level language may become confused because the lower the language, the less it is like English. Most people find that a low-level language is more difficult to learn than a high level language.

Quantum computer:

A quantum computer is a theoretical machine that can perform calculations based on the behavior of particles at a subatomic level. Such a computer could be capable of processing far more instructions per second than any existing computer. This advance in processing capability would be based on the fact that the data units in a quantum computer can exist in more than one state at a time. In computers today, the data units can only exist in one state - "on" or "off." The field of quantum computing is still in its infancy; no actual quantum computers have been created. EXAMPLE: A quantum computer might be a part of a science fiction story.

Row:

A row is a horizontal (left to right) arrangement of numbers or information. The opposite of a row is a column (up and down). EXAMPLE: Spreadsheets have rows and columns.

Skype:

A service provided by Microsoft. Skype is a telephone company that uses the Internet to permit people to talk as if they are on the phone, but through their computer. You can choose to hear their voice, or even talk while seeing each other's faces on the computer screen. EXAMPLE: If you wanted to talk to someone in Germany for free, you could use Skype.

Gadget:

A small machine used for something. Example: Your smartphone is a gadget.

Solid State Drive (SSD):

A solid state drive is a type of hard drive with no moving parts. It stores information on silicon chips and is faster than most Hard Disk Drives. SSDs usually use flash memory (a memory type that remains even without power/electricity). EXAMPLE: Many modern computers are equipped with an SSD.

Carry in wire:

A wire inside the computer that brings (carries) electricity into a part of the computer. EXAMPLE: A wire connected to a section of your computer that allows the travel of electricity into that section would be a carry in wire.

ALGORITHMS

Algorithms are fundamental in understanding Computer Science as a subject. The purpose of this article is to thoroughly define what an algorithm is and how it relates to computers. An algorithm is a mathematics term that means a plan for solving a problem. Algorithms consist of a sequence of steps. Computers use algorithms. An algorithm is a set of instructions that is used to get something done. EXAMPLE: An algorithm for selecting the right kind of shirt might have the following steps: 1. Pick a shirt from your closet. 2. Put the shirt on. 3. Look at yourself in the mirror. 4. Decide whether or not you like the way you look in that shirt. If you like how you look, leave the shirt on and go to step 6. If you do not like how you look, take the shirt off and put it back in the closet where you got it from. 5. Repeat steps 1 - 4 6. End this procedure.

Assembly Language:

Also called assembly code. Computers "speak" and "think" in numbers. This is called "machine language." Due to the fact that people speak in words, it is sometimes difficult for us to read and write in machine language - even though it's what the computer would prefer. To handle this, people invented "assembly language," a simple language that replaces the numbers used in machine language with easily-remembered English words and phrases that people can understand. An "assembler" is a program built into the computer that automatically translates the assembly language (easily understood by people) into machine language (the numbers a computer can use to perform its functions). EXAMPLE: Instead of writing "01100110" to tell the computer to begin its work, assembly language would let you write a word like "LOAD" to do it. The assembler would then convert the instruction "LOAD" into "01100110" and pass that onto the computer.

Character code

Also called character encoding. This is a system where numbers, letters, etc. are represented by codes. The codes used are in a form that computers can easily understand. The system used for each type of code depends on how that code is going to be used. EXAMPLE: The letter "A" could be represented by the code "65." Usually, the actual codes for a letter, number, etc. are in binary (a number system that uses only 1s and 0s). Every letter or symbol has a unique number so that the computer knows what letter or symbol you mean, and this is called the character code. The letter "B" might have 1000010 as its character code.

.NET Framework:

Also called just .NET. The .NET Framework is a collection of tools and pre-made software that help developers to make computer programs. It was created by Microsoft. It has several programming languages that it can work with. As a developer, you can write a program that uses one or more of these languages. The .NET Framework can take these programs and convert them down to instructions that will work on pretty much any computer that runs a version of the Windows operating system. This means you only have to write the program once and don't have to write variations of it for all the various combinations of hardware and operating systems that are out there. EXAMPLE: The operating system Windows was made using the .NET Framework.

Machine Language:

Also called machine code. Machine code is composed of a series of 1s and 0s; computers are operated using 1s and 0s since it is very easy to make a machine that only has to differentiate between two different states. EXAMPLE: 01011010 11001010 is an example of machine language.

Blogosphere:

Blogosphere is a term that describes all blogs and their interconnections. The term implies that blogs exist together as a connected community or as a social network in which authors can publish their opinions. EXAMPLE: Bill says, "Hey Jane, where did you hear about that new band?" Jane replies, "Somewhere in the blogosphere."

C++:

C++ (pronounced "C plus plus") is a programming language that was created in the beginning of the 1980s. It is based on one of the most popular computer programming languages: C. It can be used in conjunction with some other programming languages. C++ has many uses and can be used to create several types of things. Many computers contain something on them that was created using C++ as it is one of the most common programming languages. EXAMPLE: Many computer games have been made using C++.

Abstraction:

"Abstract" indicates ideas, thoughts and theories, as opposed to physical or concrete existence. Abstraction is a general idea about a type of situation, thing, or person rather than a specific example from real life. Regarding computers, abstraction is the hiding away of the implementation details, and only providing the description of the behavior to be performed. Abstraction is a less complicated way to say what task a computer is doing, without displaying the long list of details that are happening behind the scenes that are part of how the computer is doing the task. EXAMPLE: An automatic coffee dispenser machine will simply have a button that says "Make Coffee." It doesn't display information on how exactly it is done, and you don't necessarily need to know what functions the machine performs - you just know the expected behavior. This is abstraction.

XML:

"Extensible Markup Language" (XML) is a type of markup language. Remember that a markup language is used to create and organize information ABOUT other information, put on top of that other information itself. HTML is one such language. HTML uses tags to give the computer information about the APPEARANCE of text on a web page - in other words, information about information. The difference here, with XML, is this: In HTML, the various markup tags that you can use are unchangeable. Things like <title></title>, <body></body> and others are all agreed upon by the professionals using the World Wide Web, and an individual computer programmer can't make up their own tags. With XML, the computer programmer CAN come up with their own markup tags. They can be used to do a lot more than just describe how you want the computer to mark up certain text. We can tell the computer about an employee that we have using XML.

Disk:

Also spelled "disc." A flat, thin, round object that can be used to store electronic information for use in a computer. Disks operate by rapidly rotating while information is put onto them or retrieved from them. EXAMPLE: A CD (compact disk) is a type of disk, commonly used to store music for replay.

NOR gate:

An OR gate and a NOT gate combined. This basically takes the way an OR gate works and reverses the output. Meaning, if either input going into the gate is on, then the output is off. If all of the inputs are off, the output is on.

Add-On:

An add-on is an additional thing that is included or added to something so that it can do more work for you, or it can do some very specific work for you. EXAMPLE: You buy a special case for your phone that has a bigger battery in it. That case and bigger battery could be called an add-on for your phone. Another example of an add-on would be if you had a computer game and you bought an add-on, this would allow you to play more levels, etc. Add-ons are also used in combination with web browsers to increase the performance of internet searches, etc.

Buffer:

An area where information is stored for later use. Buffers are usually needed where information is being put into a computer faster than the computer can process it. A special part of the computer is used to store the incoming information until such time as it can be processed by the computer. That part is called a buffer. You may have a case where not enough information has arrived for the computer to perform the requested action. In this case, the incoming data is stored in a buffer for later use. Buffering means to preload data into the buffer. EXAMPLE: When a video is loading up on your computer, you may occasionally get a message saying "buffering."

Subscribe:

Computer programmers can set up a website so that it can send those updated content items to people who wish to receive them. Visitors to the website can subscribe to content updates. Then, when new content is published on the website, it is also sent to the computer of the subscriber. EXAMPLE: If you subscribed to a YouTube channel, you would be notified each time a new video was added, etc.

COMPUTER ALGORITHMS 4

Effectively computable operations: This means a command that can be processed successfully by a computer. The phrase literally means an operation that can be computed in an effective way. With algorithms, all of the parts of the algorithm must be possible to execute. EXAMPLE: A non-effectively computable operation could be: Multiply green by red - the computer can't process this because it isn't computable. Operations contained in algorithms must be effectively computable operations, such as "2 + 2 =".

ISP (Internet Service Provider):

ISP Stands for "Internet Service Provider" and is a company that provides accounts allowing customers to access the Internet. They are an intermediary between the individual computer user and the network of computers that make up the Internet. ISPs exist because an extremely large set of physical equipment is needed to connect all of the many computers to the Internet. This is equipment like cable, telephone lines, wireless transmitters, etc. The companies that own this equipment are key elements of the Internet. EXAMPLE: Comcast is an Internet Service Provider.

Raw material:

Physical things that haven't been processed, combined, etc. Before you put something together, you have a bunch of separate parts referred to as raw materials. Wood, nails and glue are each raw materials. Combined, they could be formed into an item such as a table or a chair. EXAMPLE: The raw materials that go into a book are ink, paper, etc.

Initialize:

Preparing something for use for the first time. It means to put something in the proper format or condition for operation. EXAMPLE: When you initialize something, sometimes it means that you wipe it clean so it can be used for the first time.

Cache:

Pronounced "cash." A cache is a collection of items stored somewhere for use at a later time. For example, a weapons cache is a place where weapons are kept until they are needed. In computers, a cache is a set of computer memory where information can be stored for later use. One of the most common uses for a cache in computers relates to situations where there is a significant time delay in acquiring certain information. In order to provide a faster user experience, the computer will store the information in a cache after the first time that information is used in order to avoid having to read the information from a slower device, or avoid having to dig around in the computer to find the information again. EXAMPLE: Things that you view from a cache may only take 2 or 3 seconds to display on your screen, while something new could take 30 seconds to be acquired, prepared for display, and then displayed.

Floppy Drive:

Short for floppy disk drive. A floppy disk drive is a place in the computer that you insert a floppy disk into so that the computer can then communicate with the disk. EXAMPLE: Most computers nowadays don't have a floppy disk drive in them.

Social Networking:

Social networking is interaction over the Web between people - using websites, email (electronic messages) and other communication methods - so they can get to know each other better. It allows people to communicate to one another socially through messages, commenting on information they have put on a website, posting pictures, etc. EXAMPLE: Facebook is the most popular social networking website.

Software Development:

Software development is the act of creating software. It is the typing of exact commands and instructions into a computer to create many of the computer programs we use on a day-to-day basis. Software development utilizes various computer languages to create things on a computer that others can use. Software development also includes creating websites. A software developer is someone who engages in software development. EXAMPLE: Computer programs are created by software development teams.

Machine:

Something that uses energy to do things. Machines are most commonly made out of metal and plastic and have several parts that work together. They are usually made up of fixed and moving parts that each serves a particular purpose. Machines are used by people as tools to assist in getting something done.

Command:

Something the computer is told to do. Commands are usually typed in by a person and cause the computer to respond in some fashion. These commands can be stored in files on the computer for use at a later time. EXAMPLE: You could tell the computer to print a document on a printer. This would be a "print" command.

AMD:

Stands for "Advanced Micro Devices." This is a computer company that was founded in 1969 that makes computer parts. AMD is an international company based in California and is one of the largest computer parts manufacturers on the planet. EXAMPLE: If you wanted to increase the speed of your computer, there are electronic parts that you can buy from AMD that would make that possible.

Basic:

Stands for "Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code." BASIC is a computer programming language that was developed in the mid-1960s to provide a way for students to write simple computer programs. BASIC has evolved into a more advanced and powerful language that can be used to create programs for modern computers. EXAMPLE: Many computer games from the 1970s and 1980s were created using BASIC.

DVI:

Stands for "Digital Video Interface." It is a type of connector that is used to connect a video source to a display device. This came out in the 1990s and allows higher quality video displays than VGA (Video Graphics Array - a connector that is used to connect a video source to a display device that came out in the 1980s). There are several different types of connectors that relate to passing video and audio signals. This is because manufacturers of audio and video equipment have continued to improve the performance of their equipment over the years, and this means that often, earlier connectors can't take advantage of the newer, better features of that equipment - so new connectors had to be designed. EXAMPLE: Higher-end laptops have DVI ports which can be used to connect your laptop to a high definition monitor.

HD:

Stands for "High Definition." It is used in connection with electronic devices that display images, such as television. Definition is how clear something is. The definition of an image is how sharp and clearly defined the image is. High definition means that the picture, video, sound, etc. have extreme clarity. EXAMPLE: An HD video looks clearer than standard definition.

HDMI:

Stands for "High-Definition Multimedia Interface." HDMI is a specification (a standardized method of construction and operation) for equipment used in transferring high definition audio and video signals. It was created in the early 2000s. It is usually applied to cables that connect computers to televisions and other display devices. EXAMPLE: HDMI cables are used to connect computers with certain advanced televisions. You would look at the television's manual to see if it could connect to another device using an HDMI cable.

HTTPS:

Stands for "Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure." The connected computers that make up the Internet need to operate off agreed systems for formatting and transmitting various types of data. These systems are called "protocols." One such protocol is Hypertext Transfer Protocol. It is the agreed-upon system for organizing and transmitting hypertext documents. HTTPS means the same thing as HTTP, except HTTPS is more secure (the "S" stands for secure). There are certain requirements one must meet in making a website HTTPS. EXAMPLE: Many websites on the Internet are preceded with https, which shows that the information you're viewing used the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure as its method for being requested, being received, and being displayed. https://www.bankofamerica.com shows that the Bank of America website you're viewing uses an SSL Certificate.

IMAP email :

Stands for "Internet Message Access Protocol electronic mail". IMAP is a protocol for passing data over the Internet in the same way that HTTP is a protocol. The type of data the IMAP protocol is concerned with is electronic mail - also called e-mail. Most people have used email. IMAP email is a tool you can use if you have multiple email addresses that you send and receive from. IMAP can help you set it up so that all your emails are sent to only one of your email addresses. For example: If you have a work email address and a personal, IMAP allows you to have all your work emails sent to your personal email as well. EXAMPLE: If you have five different email addresses that you use, you can set up an IMAP to ensure all emails sent to you are received at one email address, no matter which address people use for contacting you. Further example: Let's say you make Gmail the central account that all your emails go to. You also have a Yahoo account. If someone emails you at Yahoo, the email goes to both Yahoo and Gmail if you use IMAP. You can access the email on either account as many times as you'd like, and it stays saved on the email servers for both Yahoo and Gmail.

VGA:

Stands for "Video Graphics Array." A VGA connector is used to connect a video source to a display device. VGA came out in the 1980s and most laptops and computers have VGA ports used to connect to a monitor. EXAMPLE: You can plug an additional screen into your laptop using the VGA port.

VPN:

Stands for "Virtual Private Network." It is a special kind of computer network. It is best understood in the context of a public network. A public network is a system of connected computers that can be accessed by any computer with the necessary computer programs installed. An example is the Internet, a worldwide network of computers. A private network is one that can only be accessed by specific computers. An example might be a network of computers in a company office building. A VPN is a way to safely share a private network over a public network. Basically, it is stringing a secure line from a private network (like a company's networked computers), through the Internet, to your destination point - without revealing anything to anyone beyond your intended destination point. EXAMPLE: You have a company that handles legal documents. These legal documents are shared in your company's network. You have a lawyer working in another state that you want to be able to access your company's network. You can set up a VPN at your company and allow him to connect to that VPN, via the Internet, without exposing the information publicly. The VPN keeps the information secure and away from unauthorized viewing.

FLV:

Stands for "flash video." A type of video that you can save and/or play on your computer. Flash videos are very common and are an exact format to store, transfer and display videos on a computer. EXAMPLE: If you save a video of a horse race on your computer, it could be saved as "horserace.flv" - which means it is a flash video.

SD Card:

Stands for Secure Digital card. An SD card is a portable memory storage device. It is a small card that has electronics inside it. You can record electronic information on the card; the information can be accessed by computers. EXAMPLE: A very common use of SD cards are to save photos from a digital camera.

SSL:

Stands for Secure Sockets Layer. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) means that the information being sent over the Internet is safe from interception and use by someone other than the intended people. SSL is a layer of security put over the information as it is transported on the network. An SSL certificate means that whoever you are dealing with has been inspected by an authorized security organization (a "certificate authority") and has been verified as a trustworthy organization. EXAMPLE: It is highly recommended that if you are paying for something with a credit card on the Internet, that you ensure that whoever you are dealing with (paying) has an SSL certificate. You can often find information about this on their website.

USB card:

Stands for Universal Serial Bus drive. It is a concept that all computer manufacturers agreed to use. It is a standard physical port on the computer that can be used to send and receive information. EXAMPLE: Most chargers for cell phones can plug into the USB port on a computer and use the electronic signal from the computer to charge the phone. A thumb drive is also called: USB drive, USB flash drive, USB stick, flash drive, disk-on-key, jump drive, pen drive, and memory stick. EXAMPLE: USB drives are now inexpensive enough that they can come embedded in a rubber model of a character from popular entertainment.

Email:

Stands for electronic mail. It is used for sending "mail" to someone using your computer. It is written communication sent person-to-person using computers. You type out what you want to say and then send it to another person. The other person receives the email and then can read it and reply if they choose. EXAMPLE: You want to ask someone how much something costs, so you send them an email.

GB:

Stands for gigabyte. Giga means one billion (1,000,000,000). Bytes are a set of 8 "binary digits," or bits. Bits are the 1s and 0s that are used by computers to represent information. In computers, a Gigabyte means one of two things: 1. One billion bytes (8,000,000,000 bits). 3.4 gigabytes is 3,400,000,000 bytes. 2. More commonly, a gigabyte is considered to be 1,073,741,824 bytes (8,589,934,592 bits). That's because computers commonly operate off of powers of two: 2 to the thirtieth power is 1,073,741,824. Since this is the closest "2 to the power of" can get to one billion, the computer industry uses the term "giga" to describe that number (1,073,741,824). EXAMPLE: Gigabytes are sometimes used to measure computer memory (how many bytes a computer can store). You may see computers promoting 16GB. That would mean that the computer can hold 17,179,869,184 bytes of memory (or 137,438,953,472 bits).

Apple 2:

The Apple 2 was the first computer from Apple that was sold to the public. It was released by Apple in 1977. It was highly successful and many units were sold. EXAMPLE: You could type documents in an Apple 2.

Address bus:

The address bus is used to specify the memory location (such as memory location in RAM) to be used for an individual operation by the CPU. EXAMPLE: If the CPU was processing an addition operation where two numbers were being added together, it would likely need three addresses to work with - the address where it could find the first number, the address where it could find the second number, and the address where it would store the result of the addition (the "total"). These addresses, one at a time, would be placed on the address bus for use by the CPU as it performs the steps of an addition operation.

Base:

The base of a number system is how many unique digits are used in that number system. The number system you are most used to using is a base ten number system, which uses only ten unique digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. We are so used to only using these digits that we may not think about the fact that other number systems exist. There are many different number systems, each using a specific number of unique digits to express different quantities. Base ten is the number system that all math and counting that you have learned is based on. This number system is called "decimal," from Latin decimalis meaning "tenth." EXAMPLE: A "base four" number system would count, add, subtract, etc. using only four digits: 0, 1, 2 and 3. Digits like 7 and 9 would not exist in a base four number system. This doesn't mean you couldn't represent quantities like 7 and 9 in a base four number system; it just means you'd have to do so using only the digits 0, 1, 2, and 3.

// (two slashes):

The double slash has various uses. In computer programming, the double slash is used by the person creating the program when they want to enter in comments or explanations about the program itself. These comments don't tell the computer to do anything in particular. They are there for the person creating the program - the programmer. They are often used as a reminder of what a particular thing in the program does, or to leave a note about a feature that might be added to the program in the future. These comments are not something that the person using the finished program would normally see, but are only used by programmers. EXAMPLE: A programmer could write himself a note inside a program using two slashes like this: // This next section of the program needs to be improved - it works, but the speed could be faster. This would be saved as a note inside the code, for the programmer, that no one would ever see unless they looked at the actual code. You also see the double slash in web addresses. The double slash was originally created in the 1980s to help separate the different parts of the address, but two slashes aren't actually necessary. One slash is adequate and there is actually no difference. It is one of those things that has become a habit and doesn't have to be done that way. EXAMPLE: You may see a website that is http://www.cats.com//meowing and it means the same as writing http:/www.cats.com/meowing When following "http", it is common practice to have //. If you type a website in with only one /, it will usually automatically format to //. Basically, // is used following http: to separate it from www. or the name of the website, and it holds the same meaning as a single slash.

Count:

The number representing the result of a process of counting; the total number. EXAMPLE: The count of students in a class is the total number of students in that class.

Source Code:

The set of computer instructions that make up a computer program, in such a form that a computer programmer can modify the instructions. Code is what you type into a computer to make programs. It is a bunch of instructions, written in a computer language that programmers can easily understand, that together end up making a full program to be run on the computer. Source code is the version of a computer program as it is originally written (i.e., typed into a computer in a programming language) by the designer of the program. Normally, when the programmer is done making the program, he has the computer convert the code he wrote the program in (the "source code") to another format that is easier and faster for the computer to use. In that new format, the program can't be easily understood by people - but it is very useful to the computer. It also can't be modified by other programmers at that point. EXAMPLE: If you can access and modify the source code of a program, you could end up ruining the program entirely if you don't know exactly what you're doing. If you got a hold of the source code for a computer game, you might be able to modify it so that you could cheat while playing.

Format: 1.

The way that something is laid out, designed, and put together. In computers, format can mean two things: 1. The type of data you're dealing with. Information can be created and saved in different formats. It's not the data itself; it's information ABOUT the data - how it's arranged, what the computer can do with it, etc. EXAMPLE: If you have a file called "SoupRecipe" that is a written document, you might have "txt" added to the name. This would be written "SoupRecipe.txt". Here, "SoupRecipe" is the name of the file, and "txt" is the extension (information that tells what type of information is contained in a file - the extension usually goes after the name of the file).

Check bit:

This is a binary digit (a 1 or a 0) that is used to check for possible errors in the transmission or storage of a piece of data. Because all data is stored in 0s or 1s on a computer, the computer can simply check if there is an even or odd number of 1s in that piece of data. If there should be an even number, but there is an odd number, the computer then knows there has been an error somewhere in the storage or sending of the data and vice versa. The check bit would be a 0 if the number of 1s was even, or it would be 1 if the number of 1s was odd. The computer would compare the check bit to what it received and then determine if there was an error or not. It is a built-in quality control function inside computers. EXAMPLE: Computer A sends data to computer B. Computer A tells computer B that the check bit was 1 for that particular chunk of data. Computer B looks at what it received and sees that it received an even number of 1s. It now knows that there was an error somewhere, since the check bit should be a 0 if there are an even number of 1s in the data.

FaceTime:

This is a method of calling someone using your smartphone or computer where your face is shown on the screen. The person can hear your voice and see your face when you use FaceTime. FaceTime is similar to video chat. It was developed by Apple and is available on devices from Apple like the Macintosh computer, the iPhone, and the iPad. EXAMPLE: On some iPhones, you can call someone using FaceTime. You hold your phone in front of your face - the person at the other end can see your face and hear your voice. If the other person's phone is capable of FaceTime, you will be able to see their face and hear their voice on your phone.

Velocity:

This is how much work people are assigned to handle in one set period of time. This can be determined by looking over how fast they took on their last assignment or by simply asking them how much they think they can get done in a set period of time. Velocity is how fast a project will be completed and its completion date can be determined thereby. EXAMPLE: You meet up with 5 people who are creating a new computer game. You meet every two weeks, so they tell you they can finish one level a week. You meet every two weeks, so the determined velocity is that they will complete two levels.

Heat sink:

This is the part of a computer that prevents overheating. Computers use electricity. When they are doing lots of work, they use more electricity. When electricity flows, it generates heat. This means there are parts of a computer that can get hot when the computer is working a lot. A heat sink is something installed in a computer to keep it cool. A fan can also be used to help make the heat sink even more effective at removing heat from the computer. EXAMPLE: Heat sinks are like the air conditioning for your computer.

Handshake:

This is when two things (computer, machine, etc.) establish a connection. Handshaking is used to mean that two computers are becoming linked. EXAMPLE: Sometimes when you are connecting your computer to another computer, it will say "handshaking" until the connection is complete.

Inbox:

This is where all electronic mail (email) messages are stored when they first arrive. It's essentially the "mailbox" on your computer.

HOME KEY

This key was originally provided to assist in text input on a computer. It is used to move the cursor to the beginning of the current line of text.

END KEY

This key was originally provided to assist in text input on a computer. It is used to move the cursor to the end of the current line of text.

Export:

This means to take some information that is used by a computer program and send it somewhere else - usually so that the information can be used by another computer program. EXAMPLE: If you had a program that kept track of all the customers at your bicycle manufacturing company, you might export all the information about your customers so it could be used by a computer program that prints customized holiday greeting cards.

TAB KEY

This moves the cursor forward on the screen a set number of spaces - usually this is set to eight spaces.

DNS:

This stands for "Domain Name System." It is a naming system for computers that are connected to the Internet. Typically, the name for a computer is represented in the DNS by a series of four numbers, separated by periods - for example, 127.0.0.1 is a DNS name. DNS is something that works in the background when you are on the Internet. DNS changes domain names from human language (e.g. doughnuts.com) to computer language (e.g. 131.235.98.45). It does this because your computer doesn't understand "doughnuts.com." Your computer and the Internet communicate with numbers. DNS is sometimes compared to a phone book. You tell your computer where you want to go on the Internet, DNS translates that to your computer and the Internet, and voila!, you are taken there. DNS helps people navigate the Internet. EXAMPLE: You type in cheeseburgers.com, and DNS changes it to 452.376.12.32 so that your computer can find the web server for cheeseburger.com on the Internet.

Snapshot:

This term comes from photography, meaning a quick shot (picture) taken with a camera, but also refers to any brief look at something or summary of it. EXAMPLE: If you said, "I only saw a snapshot of what it will look like," you are saying that you briefly saw a summary of the thing.

Client:

This word is used to describe the computer that is requesting service from another computer. The client is the computer that requests and receives information from a server - a powerful computer that sends out information to other computers. EXAMPLE: If you have one computer in an office that stores all the appointment data for the office employees, and many people need access to that information, the individual computers that connect to that "appointment data" computer are clients of the "appointment data" computer, which is the server. Your web browser (program that you use to look at things on the Internet) is also a client.

Call:

To "call" means to demand or direct something. In normal English, this could be used like: "This calls for celebration!" In computers, a call is a direction by a main computer program to execute the tasks of a subprogram. More specifically, a "call" is when a program temporarily transfers control of the computer to a subprogram. Once the subprogram is done executing, control of the computer is returned to the main program. A program could make many "calls" to multiple subprograms as the program does its sequence of tasks. EXAMPLE: If you were using a video game program, the video game program could call a "high score" subprogram after every game ended to make the words "High Score" pop up on the screen.

Augmented reality:

To augment means to make something better, bigger, expanded or increased. Augmented reality can be thought of as looking at the real world in front of your face through a computer. This computer could be your phone. You look at the world through the camera of your phone and you see the world on the screen of your phone. Augmented reality would then add things to the view of the world that you see on the screen of your phone. EXAMPLE: You could check out the reviews of a restaurant or store by pointing your phone's camera at the store, then augmented reality would load up reviews of the place and show them on your screen. Another example would be that you could point your phone's camera at a sign that was written in a foreign language, and the phone could then translate the words to your language and display them on the screen in place of the foreign words.

Conducting channel:

To conduct means to allow electricity to flow through. A channel is a path that something moves along. A conducting channel is something that passes electricity through it. EXAMPLE: There are many conducting channels inside a computer. A common example would be a wire. Certain objects can be manufactured where the object is made up of one material, but certain parts of the material are modified so that they allow electricity to flow. These parts of the object would be called conducting channels.

Iteration:

To iterate means to say or do something again - to repeat something. An iteration is the act of repeating. Iteration means to go through a defined series of actions, repeating a certain number of times. Usually this defined series of actions is repeated a certain number of times or until a condition is met. EXAMPLE: Computer programs are usually created in iterations: Coming up with a basic working version, reviewing the program for mistakes to correct and improvements to make, doing that work, and repeating. This can be continued indefinitely.

Refine:

To remove unwanted things so you can get more of what you want. In computers, it means correcting things in a computer. EXAMPLE: You can refine search results to more precisely find what you are looking for.

Twitter Search:

Twitter Search is a tool on a computer that you can use to locate tweets on specific subjects. EXAMPLE: You could type in "the Beatles" on Twitter Search and see what people on Twitter have said about the Beatles.

COMPUTER ALGORITHMS 5

Unambiguous: Ambiguous means unclear, confusing, or not specified. Un = not. Something that is unambiguous means that it is clear and defined. In computers, your algorithms must be unambiguous. You have to be extremely specific about each step/part of an algorithm, or the algorithms cannot be processed by the computer. EXAMPLE: If you have an algorithm that is processing a list of ten numbers, and then a step of your algorithm is "delete the number," the computer cannot process this because you did not clearly specify which number you wanted deleted.

COMPUTER ALGORITHMS 3

Well-ordered: If something is well-ordered, it means it is listed out in the correct sequence and in an organized fashion. Computers can only execute an algorithm if it is well-ordered. If it is put out of sequence or no sequence is specified, etc., the computer cannot process the algorithm. EXAMPLE: This is an incorrect algorithm because it is not well-ordered: 1. Close the program 2. Print "I am here" inside the program 3. Save the program 4. Open the program You would get an error message because this is the incorrect sequence

Network server:

When several computers are joined together and share information, the main computer that stores the information is called the network server. EXAMPLE: If you had an office with nine computers and wanted to make it into a network, you would turn your best computer into the network server. That computer would send and receive information between the computers and it would look something like this (the middle computer is the server):

Bucket:

You are familiar with the normal definition of bucket: something used to hold a liquid or other material. In computers, a bucket is a system for grouping information together. A bucket is something that similar information is stored in. Where you have various different categories of information to collect and store, each category might have a different bucket to go in. EXAMPLE: If you were putting together a collection of household receipts on your computer, you might have buckets like "Mortgage," "Groceries," "Clothing," "Cell phones," etc. You could take pictures of each receipt and store the pictures in the appropriate bucket on your computer.

Load testing:

You can run tests on a program or website where you simulate it being used by many individual users at once in order to see how it performs under those conditions. This is called "load testing." EXAMPLE: There are many companies that offer load testing as a service.

SharePoint:

A Microsoft program that you use over the Internet. It is used to have a central place for a business's employees and clients to access websites and documents for that business. It can also show each employee's calendar for coordinating meetings, etc. It basically keeps everyone in an office or on a project, on the same page, with all the newest information available. EXAMPLE: You can coordinate all project meetings through the SharePoint calendar.

Off:

"Off" means that no electricity is running through a part of a computer, which means that part of the computer isn't operating. EXAMPLE: Just like if a light is off, there is no electricity flowing through the bulb = no light.

COMPUTER ALGORITHMS 2

2) Finite amount of time: This is an exact amount of time for something. Algorithms should have an exact amount of operations included in them and should execute these operations in a set period of time. Algorithms should never be open-ended or infinite. An incorrect algorithm would be: 1. Start at an amount of 1 2. Add 1 to that amount 3. Go to step 2 The computer would then count 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc, forever. EXAMPLE: The following would be a correct algorithm because it contains a finite amount of time: "Count from 1 to 10 and then print a message that says, 'I counted from 1-10.'"

Extension:

An extension is meta data (data that provide information about other data) about an electronic file; it tells what type of information is contained in the file. The extension usually goes after the name of the file. EXAMPLE: If you have a file called "SoupRecipe" that is a written document, you might have "txt" (short for text) added to the name. This would be written "SoupRecipe.txt." Here, "SoupRecipe" is the name of the file, and ".txt" is the extension. An extension is also an optional feature that extends the abilities of a computer program. Something added onto a working program that makes it perform better or adds features is considered an extension.

Instant Message (IM):

A message sent from computer to computer that immediately shows up on the screen of the computer of the receiver. It can also be used as a verb, "IMing," meaning "having a conversation using Instant Messaging." EXAMPLE: In the 1990s, IMing was very popular among teenagers.

iPod:

A portable electronic device for playing and storing digital files, like movies or music. It also has access to use Apps. It is just like an iPhone, without the telephone functionality. EXAMPLE: You can listen to music and play games on your iPod.

Register:

A register is a place in a computer where special types of information can be stored. Registers are physically located in the computer. There are different types of registers, each with their own name, inside your computer. EXAMPLE: When the computer is performing one specific instruction it has been given, it might store the next instruction it will execute in a specific register.

Worm:

A worm is a type of computer program that replicates itself so that it can be installed on more computers. Once a worm program has been installed on a computer, it copies itself and leaves a worm in the original computer and puts the copy in the next computer it travels to, and so on. Worms can be used to cause harm to computers. They can include other programs that can allow damage to the already-installed programs on a computer. EXAMPLE: A worm is created by someone and saved on computer A. The worm is sent from computer A to computer B. Now there are two worms (one on computer A and one on computer B). Then it goes from computer B to computer C, and we have three worms (computer A, computer B, and computer C now all have viruses) - and so on.

Crowdsourcing:

Crowdsourcing happens when you get other people (outside of your company and other than yourself) to help you with a project. There are different ways to crowdsource, including publicly displaying your project at a location where people may be able to find out about it and decide to help you if they wish to. EXAMPLE If you had a project where you wanted to create new software, you could crowdsource the work and have many computer programmers contribute to writing the code.

Motherboard:

"Boards" are thin plates with many little parts attached that electricity flows through; boards help machines perform certain functions. "Mother" is used to refer to something that protects or cares for other things. The motherboard is the largest board in a computer. It contains the most important electronic parts in the computer. Lots of things are placed on top of and as part of the motherboard. Every part of the computer is connected in some way to the motherboard. It can be considered the "glue" that holds all sections of the computer together. EXAMPLE: More individual parts of the computer are stored on the motherboard than any other part of the computer.

Let:

"Let" is a command you type into a computer that tells it to do something. You are telling your computer to let something occur. EXAMPLE: You could type "Let: Computer restart" to get your computer to turn off, then back on.

.com:

.com is short for commercial (refers to a company that exists for profit) and is a suffix added to the name of a website to show that the website belongs to the .com domain. EXAMPLE: Chipotle (a restaurant) is a company that makes money by providing a service, so their website is chipotle.com.

.html (also called .htm):

.html is a description for a type of electronic file that is used in websites. In particular, when a web server sends a web page back to a browser that requested it, the web server is sending a .html file. These files contain instructions written in Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) - a computer language that describes the appearance, content and behavior of web pages. This is why they have the file type "html." The files are stored with a file name and a file type, like this: filename.html, where the "html" is now a suffix added after the file name. EXAMPLE: If there were a web page with data and pictures about kittens playing on a doghouse, the electronic file that had the data for that web page might be called "kittendoghouse.html."

.net:

.net is short for network. .net was originally a suffix added to websites used to designate a website that oversaw a network - meaning, websites ending in .net used to only be websites that acted as the central point in a network for computers to give and receive information from; a website ending in .net meant that the owners of that site were the bosses of a network. Nowadays, anyone can choose to call their website so-and-so.net. EXAMPLE: The website for the popular tool "SpeedTest" is "speedtest.net." This site can be used to check the speed of a computer's connection to the Internet.

Traffic:

1. Anything that is communicated or sent through a computer or from computer to computer. EXAMPLE: A high load of traffic on a computer would probably cause the computer to operate more slowly because it means the computer has to handle more information at any one time.

Google Alerts:

A service provided by Google that notifies you according to your requests. You inform Google of what you are interested in, and they send you daily emails on that subject EXAMPLE: If you were paparazzi, you could set up Google Alerts regarding certain celebrities.

Unit:

A single item. It means literally: how many ones are there? 1 unit = one, 2 units = two, etc. EXAMPLE: 25 has twenty-five units.

Video editing:

After shooting a video, you edit the footage to make it a complete, viewable video. This consists of, but is not limited to, cutting out parts, adding special effects, and adding sound. Video editing is the act of refining a filmed video so that it can be shown to others as a completed product. EXAMPLE: Video editing can be done on a computer.

Online:

Also written on-line. Online means that a machine is connected to electricity and is turned on. Online is also used to say that a computer is connected to a network. If you are online, your computer is capable of giving and receiving information from a network it is attached to. EXAMPLE: If a printer is online, it means that there is a connection going to and from other devices to the printer.

Simulation:

An artificially-created version of something that represents the actual thing. In computers, a simulation is a representation of the real world on a computer. EXAMPLE: You might have a computer program that was used to create a simulation of a roller coaster. You could change various aspects of the construction of the roller coaster, and the program would demonstrate how the roller coaster would operate.

Link:

Any kind of communication path between two computers. A link is a connection between two or more computers. A link is also something that you click on that takes you somewhere else. Links are often distinguished as blue underlined text. EXAMPLE: You are looking at something on your computer and you see the words "click here," so you click on it and you are taken somewhere else.

C#:

C# is a programming language that was invented in 1999 by Microsoft. C# has many uses and can be used to create several types of things. The purpose of C# is to precisely lay out steps of instructions that a computer can perform to accomplish a task. Anything that a computer can physically do can be programmed using C#. C# is one of the most commonly used programming languages. It is well-suited to make large software programs that enable businesses to automate business processes. Some uses of C# are: Sending or receiving information to and from a database Displaying a very clear picture in movies and video games Controlling other machines that you connect to your computer Playing music and sound effects on a computer EXAMPLE: Some parts of the Windows operating system were created using C#.

COMPILERS AND INTERPRETERS

Computer programmers write programs in a language they can read. They also use a certain specialized program to turn that program into a language the computer can understand. A compiler is one such specialized computer program, used in the creation of other computer programs. A compiler takes the program you wrote in a language that people can read and changes it into a form the computer can understand and operate from (instructions made up of certain unique patterns of 1s and 0s). This final form is what we know as a program. One important aspect of how a compiler works is that it takes all of the instructions in the program and turns them all into language that the computer can understand before actually executing the program. Meaning, it converts all the code into machine language and then runs it. There is another similar specialized program called an interpreter. Interpreters convert the program instructions one at a time, only moving on to the next instruction when the computer has finished converting it and executing it.

Software:

Computer programs (the sets of instructions in a computer that tell it what to do). Software is created by people to make the computer do things and perform certain functions. The opposite of software is hardware (physical components of a computer). EXAMPLE: Computer games are software.

Core 1.

Core is an old term for the main memory of a computer. The word core in this case is a special word that describes a small physical device used to store information in a computer. The full name for this type of computer memory device was "magnetic-core memory." Core memory had an arrangement where wires were run around a round magnetic ring several times and through the hole in the middle of the ring. The round magnet was called the "core." It was shaped like a doughnut. Older computers used these cores as memory to store information in since you could set the magnet up in one of two distinct states; and that state wouldn't change unless you used electricity to make it change. Even though computers don't use this type of memory any longer, the memory of a computer is sometimes still called "core." EXAMPLE: Erasing memory could be called wiping the core.

Data format:

Data format is a term that describes the way a set of data is organized. Usually the data is organized a certain way so that it can be used by specific types of computers, or by certain types of processes the computer is doing. There are many data formats. Examples of different data formats might be: data that is organized so that it can be displayed as a picture, or data that is organized so that it will display as written text. EXAMPLE: The data format of a movie is different than the data format of a song.

Data:

Data is information. It can be things like words, symbols, pictures, etc. An input device is something that is used to input (input means to put something into something else) information into a computer - a common input device would be a keyboard. Data is most often put into a computer using input devices. Data is the main thing that a computer handles. Example: When you look at a picture on a computer, that picture is the result of data traveling through the computer.

Folder:

Files are collections of data stored on a computer. The data in a file is organized in a specific manner, usually based on how that data is going to be used by the computer. Files each have their own name and contain their own data. Files often stored in a folder. Folders are a way of organizing files on a computer. Folders are where one or more files are stored. Folders are usually given a descriptive name. EXAMPLE: A holiday greeting letter you type up on a computer could be saved as a file and stored in a "Greetings" folder on your computer.

File size:

Files are organized collections of data that are stored in a computer. They each have their own name and contain their own information. Folders are where one or more files are stored. File size is how big a file is, or how much space it takes up on your computer. EXAMPLE: A video has a larger file size than a one-page typed document.

IP Address:

IP address stands for Internet Protocol Address. An IP address is the numbered address of a machine, in the format used on the Internet. Each computer that uses the Internet is assigned its own IP address. IP addresses are written as a series of numbers with periods in between them and they designate an exact computer. EXAMPLE: An IP address of a computer could be written as 128.192.12.9.

Increment:

Increment is the amount that is added to an earlier amount. If you count by fours (4, 8, 12, etc.), the increment is four. An increment is one step, phase, or part of something. EXAMPLE: Computers sometimes use increments when handling numbers and performing operations. If you have a computer read through a list of employees four at a time, your increment is four.

Value:

Information stored in a computer. A value is an actual piece of data being used by a computer. It is not the name of the data. EXAMPLE: In a computer program used to track students at a school, a value for a particular student's Grade Point Average might be 3.25. The number 3.25 would be the value. The name of the data would be "Grade Point Average."

Upload:

It may be necessary to get certain electronic files from your computer onto a web server. This process of sending a file from your computer to a web server is called uploading. EXAMPLE: You could create a video and upload it to YouTube. It would then be on one of YouTube's web servers, and other people could go to YouTube and watch that video.

JQuery:

JQuery is a library of pre-made JavaScript instructions that help computer programmers create websites. A library is a collection of files. A library can also be a set of automatic commands a computer performs. Programmers often make libraries of useful computer code so that others don't have to do all that work over when they need to do things that the code in the library does. It is pronounced "Jay-Query." EXAMPLE: JQuery can be used to quickly add a feature to a website where a set of pictures is displayed, one after the other, on the screen.

LED:

Light-Emitting Diode. A small electronic device that can give off light. Emit means to send out. A diode is an electronic device that will allow electricity to pass through it in one direction only; when electricity does pass through the device, the device itself gives off light. LED lights generally use less electricity than other types of devices (such as light bulbs) and are usually less hot and therefore run a smaller chance of causing a fire. EXAMPLE: Some flashlights use LEDs to create light.

Sub-atomic:

Literally this means "smaller than an atom" or "contained within an atom." An atom is one of the smallest units in the physical universe. It is the particle of matter that uniquely defines a chemical element. EXAMPLE: There are about 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 atoms in one grain of salt.

False:

Not true. This is an important element of how computers work because they are often used to make decisions based on information. They need to be able to evaluate whether a certain condition is true or false, as far as the data they are processing, and then perform certain other actions depending on the answer. EXAMPLE: The computer is asked to evaluate a list of students and determine whether or not each student has a grade point average above 3.2. The computer would look at each student in turn and determine whether it was TRUE or FALSE that their GPA was above 3.2.

Optical disk drive:

ODD for short. A device that can read or write information to and from optical disks. Optical disks are flat, circular disks that can store digital information such as audio files, video files or computer programs. EXAMPLE: A CD player is an example of an Optical Disc Drive.

Chassis:

Pronounced "Cha-see." In an electronic device, the chassis consists of a frame or other internal supporting structures on which the parts that make up the device are mounted. You can think of it as the skeleton of the machine - it's the frame on which the actual working parts are attached. The internal framework of a structure is its chassis. Other parts of the structure are attached to the chassis. EXAMPLE: The chassis of a car is the frame, including the axle and wheels that the remainder of the car rests on.

URL:

URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. Uniform means that something is the same every time. A resource is something that helps or assists you with something. The URL is you telling the computer where on the internet you want to go. Just like you need the address to go find someone's house, you also need the address of where you want the computer to go on the internet. The URL is that address. Everything on the web has its own URL. The URL is the name of the website that you are going to. EXAMPLE: When you type in "http://www.google.com" on the web, that is a URL. You are telling the computer, "take me to the website 'Google.'" Here, the method of accessing the data is also given: HTTP. HTTP stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, and is one standard method, among others, of transferring information to and from computers over the Internet.

k, K:

tands for kilo. This is a part of the Metric measuring system. "Kilo" means one thousand. In computers, kilo means one of two things: 1. Kilo can be used to indicate 1000 of a thing. 2. More commonly, kilo is used to refer to an amount of 1024. That's because computers commonly operate off of powers of two: 2 to the first power is 2; 2 to the second power is 4; two to the third power is 8, etc. 2 to the tenth power is 1,024. Since this is the closest "2 to the power of" can get to one thousand, the computer industry uses the term "kilo" to describe the amount 1024. EXAMPLE: The weight of a kilo of bricks would be 1,000 pounds (not 1024 because this example doesn't have to do with computers).

Screen:

A TV screen is the part of the TV that shows the pictures. It is the same thing with a computer - the computer screen is the part of a computer where you can view things. It is also called a monitor or a display.

Monitor:

A TV screen is the part of the TV that shows the pictures. It is the same thing with a computer: the computer monitor is the part of a computer where you can view things. Other terms for this include "display" and "screen." Occasionally, people mistake the monitor for the computer itself. The computer is not a display device; it is a data-processing machine that can make use of a display. EXAMPLE: To watch a video from your computer, you would need to look at the computer monitor.

Computer Programmer:

A computer programmer is someone who can create computer programs, which are prepared sets of computer instructions designed to accomplish certain tasks. A programmer can type exact commands and instructions in a computer to create many of the things we use computers for on a day-to-day basis. Programmers learn various computer languages and use these languages to create things on a computer that others can use. EXAMPLE: Lots of computer programmers work at Google and help design many of Google's products.

File:

Files are collections of data stored on a computer. The data in a file is organized in a specific manner, usually based on how that data is going to be used by the computer. Files each have their own name and contain their own data. Files often are collected together in a thing called a folder. Folders are used to organize files on a computer. Folders are usually given their own name. EXAMPLE: A holiday greeting letter you type up on a computer could be saved as a file titled "Christmas" and stored in a folder titled "Greetings" on your computer.

Digital:

Of, or related to, a circuit or device that represents magnitudes in digits. Computers are digital devices; data in computers is represented using digits. The opposite of "digital" is "analog." Analog refers to data flowing out in a continuous stream. Digital things can only be in one of the available states for that thing, and not "in between" two of the available states. For example, a light bulb with a regular flip switch would be digital because it has only two states: totally off or totally on. If the light bulb had one of those round dimmer switches instead of a flip switch and it could be set to anywhere between "totally off" and "totally on," it would not be digital. If it had four positions - off, low, medium and high - and it couldn't be in between those positions at all, that would also be digital. EXAMPLE: As familiar examples, methods of recording pictures, music and video have all shifted from analog to digital in the last 40 years.

ALTERNATE KEY

Often abbreviated "Alt." This key doesn't do anything by itself. Instead, it is a modifier key. It is used in combination with other keys, and it provides a way to use one key to have two different functions. Often, a key will have a primary output written on it (say, the letter "A"), as well as a secondary output (say, a left arrow to indicate that the key can be used to move the cursor one space to the left). Normally the key will produce the primary output when not accompanied by another key. However, when it's pressed while the Alt key is being held down, it will perform the secondary function.

CONTROL KEY

Often abbreviated "CTRL" or "Ctrl." This key doesn't do anything by itself. Instead, it is used in keyboard shortcuts. Instructions to do something like this are written as follows: [CTRL]-[Other key to be pressed]. For example, "CTRL-P" means to hold down the Control key and then press the "P" key, then release both keys. This key combination, by the way, is a nearly-universal shortcut to activate the "print a document" function in the various programs on a computer.

FUNCTION KEYS

Often abbreviated "F." Many keyboards have several Function keys, and they are usually numbered - that is, one key would be the F1 key, the next would be the F2 key, and so on. These are used to provide keyboard shortcuts. It is common for one computer program to make use of the Function keys in a different manner than another program. For example, in a word processing program, the F3 key might be used to open a search box where you could search the document for a specific word or phrase; in a video game, that same F3 key might be used to pause the game momentarily. Occasionally, a keyboard might have a single Function key in addition to the numbered Function keys; this usually operates as a modifier key in the same manner as the Alternate key, which is described next.

INSERT KEY

Often abbreviated "Ins." This key was originally provided to assist in text input on a computer. It is used to change the text input mode. Before it is pressed, The computer is in "insert mode" - new characters that are typed are added at the position of the cursor, forcing any existing text over to the right. If the Insert key is pressed, it toggles the keyboard into "overtype mode," and the keyboard operates differently - new characters will overwrite the character at the cursor position.

Soft Copy:

Something that is stored on a computer and can be viewed on the computer, as opposed to a physical copy of something that you can hold in your hands (a "hard copy"). EXAMPLE: If you create and save a document on a computer, that document would be considered a soft copy. If you print that document out, that would be a hard copy.

CD-ROM:

Stands for "Compact Disc - Read-Only Memory Drive." A compact disk is a flat plastic disk that you can store information on for later use by computers. Information on CDs can be accessed by computers and other specialized machines. Read-Only Memory is information stored in such a manner that it may not later be changed. A CD-ROM is a CD that has some information stored on it at the time it is manufactured, and from that point forward, that information can be read by a computer, but not changed. EXAMPLE: Many computer games come on a CD-ROM

Scripting:

Scripting is creating a series of commands that cause your computer to automatically perform actions. Tasks can be very valuable to automate because, with automation, instructions don't have to be entered in again every time you want to do those tasks. Scripting languages have some of the following characteristics: a. The code is written in a similar way to English - meaning, it is easier for people to understand and read than some more highly technical languages. b. You can use it in conjunction with HTML so that you can add features to websites. c. You use scripting language to program automatic functions into a computer that are performed without the person using the computer having to type out every instruction. The origin of the term was similar to its meaning in "a movie script tells actors what to do." A scripting language controlled the operation of a normally-interactive program, giving it a sequence of work to do all in one batch. For instance, one could put a series of editing commands in a file, and tell an editor to run that "script" as if those commands had been typed interactively.

NAND gate:

A NOT gate plus an AND gate combined. This basically takes the way an AND gate works and reverses the output. Meaning, if both inputs going into the NAND gate are on, then the output is off. If both inputs are off, the output is on.

Trojan:

A Trojan is a type of computer virus - a computer program created to perform certain harmful actions to computers. A Trojan is a virus that is installed on a computer with the intention of damaging the computer, stealing information, etc. The Trojan is created in such a way that the person who receives it is led to believe that it is harmless. Trojan viruses get their name from the ancient story of the Trojan horse. According to myth, there was a war about 3000 years ago between the Greeks and the residents of the huge city of Troy. The Greeks had been trying to conquer the city of Troy for 10 years. In an effort to trick the Trojans, the Greek army constructed a large wooden horse and hid a group of soldiers inside. They then pretended to sail away, as if they were retreating. The Trojans, believing they were now victorious in defending their city, went out and brought the wooden horse into the city as a victory trophy. That night, the soldiers inside the horse crept out and opened the city gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had returned in the darkness of the night. The Greek army was then able to enter the city and defeat the Trojans. In similar fashion, a Trojan virus may be attached to a seemingly harmless message you receive on your computer. By opening the message, you might allow the Trojan to be installed on your computer, thereby allowing another person to connect to your computer and operate it without your knowledge. EXAMPLE: Someone wants to steal your credit card information, so they create a small computer program that can search your computer for that information. They disguise the computer program as a document called "surprise birthday party - driving directions." Not suspecting the document is dangerous, you open it. When it opens, it isn't a document after all - it is that small computer program.

Batch processing:

A batch is a group of things. Processing is when a computer carries out a series of commands and performs instructions. Batch processing refers to the act of processing multiple pieces of data at once. In batch processing, a person gives the computer a batch of information and waits for the computer to process it all at once. The computer doesn't process the batch until all the information is gathered by someone in one location. Some benefits to batch processing include the processing taking place when you are not using your computer, and it is done automatically. It therefore doesn't require you to intervene throughout. EXAMPLE: You could compute and send detailed sales reports overnight from a branch office to the headquarters using batch processing.

TRANSISTORS AND SEMICONDUCTORS

A transistor is a type of semiconductor device - a device made using a semiconductor. A semiconductor is a material that can switch between allowing electricity to pass through it (conducting) and stopping electricity from passing through it (resisting). This switch happens as the temperature of the semiconductor material changes; as the temperature of the semiconductor material increases, the resistance of the material to the flow of electricity decreases. A transistor is an electronic device that uses semiconductor material to control the strength of an electric signal. It can take in a signal with a certain strength, and put out a signal with a varying strength - it can be higher or lower strength than the strength of the input signal. It can even stop the input signal by putting out no signal at all. There are other semiconductor devices besides transistors, such as Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). A diode is a simple semiconductor device that either allows electricity to flow through it in one direction, or does not allow it to flow at all. A Light Emitting Diode is a diode that has the added feature of putting out light when electricity is passing through it.

Condition:

A condition is something that other things depend on. In math, a condition is something that is required for something else to be true. Conditions are points that are necessary to be present for other points to be present. If you say something is "conditional," that means it relies on the state of another thing. EXAMPLE: "Electricity is allowed to flow through this part of the computer if you type 1" could be a condition. Or say you have a word problem like this: "Come up with two digits that when added together, equal six - but the digits 2 and 4 are never to be used to get the answer." Here, the part that tells you that you can't use the numbers 2 or 4 in your answer is a condition.

Semiconductor:

A conductor is something that allows electricity to flow through it. A semiconductor is a substance (most commonly a material called silicon) that can conduct electricity under certain conditions, but not others. Semiconductors are a good way to control electricity. If you increase the temperature of a semiconductor, it will allow more electricity to pass through it; if you decrease the temperature of a semiconductor, it will allow less electricity to pass through it. This is one way that semiconductors can be used to regulate electricity. EXAMPLE: There are many semiconductors inside a computer that help control the electrical flow throughout the computer.

Conductor:

A conductor is something that allows electricity to flow through it. Metal is a conductor. Rubber is not a conductor. EXAMPLE: Many tall buildings have a large metal pole at the top, and metal wires connecting the pole to the ground at the base of the building. These poles are called lightning rods, and their purpose is to conduct the electricity from a lightning strike from the top of the pole, through the wires, and down into the earth below, so that the electricity doesn't flow through the building itself, possibly causing damage or hurting people.

Cookie:

A cookie is a set of information that a website causes to be stored on your computer for use during a session in which you visit that website. These cookies are managed by your browser. Cookies can be a tool to help make a particular website display more quickly the way you want it, or to personalize your experience on that site. In general, there are two types of cookies: temporary and persistent. A temporary cookie expires when a web browser session ends - usually, this happens when the browser is closed down. This is a session cookie. The cookie's information is not stored on your computer permanently. The information in a persistent cookie is stored on your computer for a specific time period. These cookies always have expiration dates; the cookie is erased from your computer after the expiration date. Not all websites make use of cookies. It is considered good practice for a website to inform you if it uses cookies. EXAMPLE: If you regularly visited a shopping website, the cookie for that website might store the most common type of product you liked to purchase, so that those types of products would be displayed first when you next visited the website.

Backup:

A copy of information created as an alternate in case the original information is lost or becomes unusable. It is used to store information for safekeeping. EXAMPLE: You can copy important files that are on your computer and save the copies of those files on a thumb drive (a small electronic storage device that you plug into a computer that allows you to give and take information). This could be considered "backing up" information. Many different systems, devices and services exist to facilitate backing up electronic information. Losing vital electronic records can have a damaging effect.

Error:

A difference between the desired performance of a computer and the actual performance or behavior of a computer. An error is an unexpected occurrence - a mistake. EXAMPLE: If you tell the computer to give you the answer to "4 + 7" and it gives you "12," that is an error.

Google Reader:

A discontinued service from Google. It was a way to send information from websites that you were interested in directly to you. EXAMPLE: You could use Google reader to be kept up to date on your favorite newspaper(s).

Drain:

A drain is a place where stuff can leave an area. In computers, a drain is the section of a computer part where electricity flows out. Electricity flows into a computer part and exits through the drain. EXAMPLE: As electricity flows through a computer, it passes into a computer part and out through a drain.

Driver:

A driver is a special computer program that helps that particular model of computer work with certain devices. The driver acts as a "translator" between the computer and the device so that they can understand each other and work together. A driver is software that coordinates the functions of the hardware. EXAMPLE: In order to use a printer with your computer, it is usually necessary to install a driver so that your computer understands how to control that exact printer model. These drivers are usually created by the printer manufacturer. The manufacturer needs to get the technical information about how that particular computer communicates with devices that get connected to it, and then make a computer program that aligns how their printer is controlled with how that particular computer works.

Front end:

The term "front end" has to do with how websites are presented and interacted with. The front end of a website is the part of the site that a user directly interacts with and sees, as opposed to the back end, which consists of things behind the scenes that users don't typically deal with directly. The front end is handled by the web browser. It encompasses things like preparing the requested website files for display, formatting the text and image that appear on the screen, handling user interaction with the web page (clicking on text and images, etc.), and sending information back to the web server (things like requests for further web pages or user information that was entered in on a web page). EXAMPLE: When you look at a website and you see the text and pictures, that is all the "front end." The back end would be all the functions that happen on the web server for that site.

Blog:

The term blog is short for "web log" or "weblog." A log is a written record with descriptions of things that happen, which is then added to over time. A blog is a collection of written communications that is published on the World Wide Web. A blog is usually something where a person writes about a certain subject over a period of time. Each time the person writing the blog writes something on the blog, what they wrote is called an "entry" in the blog. This can be a blog about politics, a blog about animals, a blog about how that person is doing, or whatever is on their mind. Blogs are stored on the web. EXAMPLE: Bill, who is a fan of classic cars, says "Check out my blog entry about the Ford Mustang." He is telling you to go on to his web log on the Web and read what he wrote about the Ford Mustang.

Computer case:

This is the plastic or metal structure that forms the outside of a computer. EXAMPLE: Most cases are solid metal or plastic, and you can't see through them. However, certain cases are made of transparent plastic (as a design element), and you can see the computer parts through the case.

Flag:

A flag is something that is used to indicate the presence or absence of a looked-for condition. The flag can be in one of two states, which tells you whether the looked-for condition is there or not. Usually, in computers, this means: on (1) or off (0). Flags are used to indicate one out of two possible outcomes, or are used to control which of two things are to be done. EXAMPLE: If you had a computer ask the age of anyone using the computer, you could add a flag to the information you stored in the computer about those people. The flag could indicate whether or not the person was under 18 years of age. In this case, if the flag were set to "1," that would mean the person was under 18; if it were set to "0," that would mean they were 18 years old or older.

Floppy disk:

A floppy disk is a type of storage device. It has only one disk, and it is made of a flexible magnetic material. A floppy disk is contained in a hard plastic case. In order to be used by a computer, that computer must have a special component installed that can hold the floppy disk. This component is called a floppy disk drive. Once the floppy disk is inserted into the drive, the drive can spin the disk as needed in order for the computer to retrieve or add information to the disk. Floppy disks are virtually obsolete. There are newer storage technologies that can hold much larger amounts of information and that can operate at much higher rates of data transfer. EXAMPLE: Years ago, if you were to purchase a computer game, it might have come on several floppy disks. In order to install the game on your computer, you would have to put the disks into the drive, one after the other, until all the program information was loaded into the computer.

Gate:

A gate is a tiny electronic part in a computer that is used to manipulate the electricity in the computer as it operates. It does that as part of the way a computer only ever operates on the numbers "0" and "1," as covered in the section on number systems. In a computer, having electricity present at a specific spot can be considered a "1," and having no electricity present at that spot can be considered a "0." It's how we make a computer work on the binary number system. When we want to input a "1" somewhere, we let electricity into that spot in the computer, and the computer knows that means "1." Gates are small electronic parts that can control whether or not electricity flows to specific spots in the computer - just like a gate is the thing that controls access of people to locations. A gate has one or more "inputs" where electricity may be applied. It also has an "output" where electricity can flow - depending on whether the gate allows it to flow or not. This way we can use gates to control applying 1s and 0s to spots in the computer.

Font:

A type and style used in displaying and printing text. There are many different types of fonts. It is used make letters, numbers and symbols look the way we choose. The word "font" comes from the Latin word "fundere" which mean "to pour." This is because at one time the letters were cast (material heated up until liquid and poured into a mold). EXAMPLE: These words that you're reading are styled by a specific font called Montserrat.

Host (Hosting):

A host is a company that manages web servers. A server is a computer where the information about your website is stored. The data about all of your web pages (the written text, the pictures, all web pages and the website itself) are all kept with a host. There is a lot of information in one website. It's also a lot of work to have your computer sending information out to everyone trying to view your site. Using a host means you are basically renting someone else's computer(s) - a server - to store your website in so that your site is kept safe. They can then deal with all the work it takes to send your website to each person's computer that requests seeing it. Hosting is usually pretty inexpensive and allows you to set up a website with its own name and location on the web. The word comes from "host," which means to help and take care of someone. EXAMPLE: You can design a website and then pay a company a monthly fee; they will save your website files somewhere on a server, and when people want to check out your website, their computer communicates back and forth to the host computer. You still have full control over your website and what happens with it.

Algorithm:

A mathematics word that means a plan for solving a problem. An algorithm consists of a sequence of steps to solve a problem or perform an action. Computers use algorithms. An algorithm is a set of instructions that is used to get something done. EXAMPLE: An algorithm for selecting the right kind of shirt might have the following steps: 1. Pick a shirt from your closet. 2. Put the shirt on. 3. Look at yourself in the mirror. 4. Decide whether you like the way you look in that shirt. If you like how you look, leave the shirt on and go to step 6. If you do not like how you look, take the shirt off and put it back in the closet where you got it from. 5. Repeat steps 1 - 4 6. End this procedure.

Streaming:

A method of sending information from one computer to another in which the information is used on the destination computer as it arrives to that computer, rather than being used only after all of the information has arrived. This is used most often to describe a method of consuming (watching, listening, etc.) to video and audio media. In this situation, it means that a company that provides the media content has the media files (the digital information that makes up the media) on its own computers. When a remote computer connects and wants to consume that media, the company's computer starts sending the media one part at a time. As the parts arrive at the destination computer, they are processed and presented to the user. The media information is not usually preserved on the destination computer. In this situation, the source computer is said to be "streaming" the media to the destination computer. Usually, many destination computers can connect to the source computer at once. Each one will be receiving its own "stream" of information. EXAMPLE: You could use your computer to connect to a service that lets you watch movies. You would select a movie to watch. The service would then start sending the electronic data for the movie to your computer. You could start watching the movie right away, without waiting for all the movie's data to arrive to your computer.

Bus network:

A network is where two or more things (such as computers) are connected to each other. There are several different types of networks, mainly based on the form of the connections and the relationship of each computer to the other computers on the network. A bus network is a form of network where you have several computers connected to a single main wire. Data is transferred between the computers along this one line. An advantage here is that if one of the computers fails, the bus network still works because each computer is connected to the main line. A disadvantage here is that it will take longer to transfer data if they are farther apart, since there is only one line to be used for data transfer; also, you have to wait for data to stop flowing on the line before you can start another data flow. EXAMPLE: You may decide to have your computers operate on a bus network if you can't afford a great deal of connecting wire for your network.

Node:

A node is a point where lines meet; it is where paths intersect. In computers, a node is something connected to a network. If several computers are joined together, each computer is considered a node. In a computer network, the various connected devices send signals to each other. This sometimes requires the use of electronic equipment that is not the final intended device for the signal to arrive at, but is instead, a device that simply helps route the signal to the destination. A node is any device in the network that can send and receive those signals - so it includes the actual computers and devices that are communicating with each other, as well as the various devices that can receive the signals and send them on to the intended recipient. EXAMPLE: A printer hooked up to a network is a node.

Whole number:

A number that has not been broken into pieces. It is a number that has not been divided. EXAMPLE: 5 is a whole number. 3.2 is not a whole number. 168 is a whole number. 13 ½ is not a whole number.

Secure password:

A password that is hard for other people or computers to guess. EXAMPLE: "Password" is not a secure password, but "Z$7f!k25@" could be.

Volatile:

Volatile is used to describe something that can change. In computers, we use volatile when talking about a certain type of information stored in a computer. It simply means that when the power is turned off, the information is no longer there. Information that is stored in a computer that doesn't erase when you turn the computer off is not volatile. EXAMPLE: You have an alarm clock plugged into the wall. That alarm clock has the time set into it by you. Someone unplugs the alarm clock. You plug it back in and now the time displays: 12:00:00. The time on an alarm clock is volatile.

Peer:

A peer is someone or something considered equal in some regard. In computers, a peer is another computer you can hook up to directly to give and share information with. Establishing a "peer-to-peer" relationship means directly joining computers together so that they can share things. This activity is often abbreviated as P2P. Peer-to-peer is best understood by comparing it to the more common arrangement of computers where one computer acts as the primary source of needed information, and other computers issue requests to that primary computer for information - or they send information to that primary computer so the data becomes available to other computers that can access the primary computer. Here, the "primary computer" is called a server; all other computers that can access the server are called clients. This arrangement is known as a "client/server" system. In a peer-to-peer system, any two computers can act as either client or server, so each one can provide information to the other in response to requests. This is different than using a client/server system to connect to another computer because there is no central server that coordinates all incoming and outgoing traffic. Instead, your computer and the other computer are connected directly. This means that no one can easily track what information is going between the two computers. EXAMPLE: P2P can be used illegally, as in the activity of sharing songs with other people who didn't buy them. There are also legitimate uses of P2P.

Pin:

A pin is a thin piece of metal. In computers, pins are used to transfer electricity. One use pins have in a computer is to plug one part into another part of a computer. The pins are inserted into another part of the computer to connect them together. EXAMPLE: Data can be transferred through a computer by passing electricity through pins.

Pixel:

A pixel is the smallest single component of a digital image. It can be thought of as a small dot that helps to make up an image on a computer display, television, or similar display device. Each pixel gets set to display a specific color; when many pixels are arranged together, an overall image is displayed that is a composite of the individual pixels. EXAMPLE: If you are looking at a picture on a computer, that image is actually made up of many small pixels of different colors. Together, they combine to form the picture.

Broadband:

A type of access to the Internet (a network of computers located around the world). It is used to describe a high-speed connection, meaning computers accessing the Internet can send and receive digital information at a high rate of speed. The primary use of the Internet is to access the World Wide Web, a collection of linked electronic documents known more generally as the "Web." When broadband came into heavy use in the 1990s, it provided a much faster form of access to the Web than the prior Internet access technology, which relied on the use of conventional telephone lines. EXAMPLE: Broadband Internet requires a computer user to switch from equipment that uses their telephone line to equipment that uses their cable television line. A provider of telephone Internet service might have been a company such as AT&T; a provider of broadband cable Internet service might be a company such as Comcast Cable.

Spreadsheet:

A type of computer program that allows you to organize, modify and analyze data. The data is stored in individual containers called cells; these cells are organized into rows and columns. A set of rows and columns is called a table. This type of computer program was developed based on accounting worksheets where businesses could record important data on paper in a similar fashion. Spreadsheet programs that came out in the early 1980s helped the computer industry transition from a system where only large companies used computers (and those computers were large themselves) to a system where smaller companies were able to buy small desktop computers, get a spreadsheet program, and perform needed financial calculations much faster than they could do with a paper-based system. The popularity of spreadsheet programs helped drive up sales of these smaller "personal computers." EXAMPLE: If you wanted to keep track of how many hours you worked each week, you could type this in a spreadsheet.

JPEG:

A type of electronic file that holds images, pictures, etc. JPEG is short for Joint Photographic Experts Group (a group of highly trained people who decided upon some standards required in the sharing of digital images). JPEG is a file format for storing images. JPEG file format is often used for high-quality photographic images. JPEGs are also called JPGs. It is usually pronounced "jay-peg." EXAMPLE: You may have a JPG of your dog.

Algebra:

A type of math that uses letters and other symbols to represent numbers and amounts. EXAMPLE: 1 + n = 4. This is an algebra problem. In this case, "n" would be "3."

Gigahertz:

A unit of measurement of the frequency of a vibrating electronic signal. Giga means "billion." Gigahertz describes an electronic signal that cycles one billion times per second. It is abbreviated as GHz. EXAMPLE: 5.4 gigahertz means that in one second an electronic flow cycles up and down 5,400,000,000 times.

Volt:

A unit of measurement showing the force of an electrical current. Voltage is the electronic force expressed in volts. EXAMPLE: A car battery has a voltage of 12 to 15 volts or so. Cell phone batteries have a voltage of 3-5 volts or so

Default:

A value that a computer assumes, or a course of action that a computer will take when the computer user specifies no overriding value or action. This usually refers to the settings you may find in a computer program or electronic device when it is initially started up. These settings are usually configured to provide the most common setup for the program or device; a user who wishes to change one or more of these settings can usually do so. They may also be able to restore the program or device to its original "default" settings after making changes. EXAMPLE: If you print something from a computer, the default printer is the printer the computer automatically prints to.

Tab:

A visual representation on a computer display that identifies an element on the screen. It is similar to the tabs that are placed on file folders in a physical organizing system. It can be used in the case where a computer program allows multiple versions of a similar display element, so that each element can be identified and controlled. EXAMPLE: Using a computer program to work on three different written documents at once. On the screen, the program could present three small tabs near the top of the screen, with the name of each document on the tab. You could use these tabs to switch between the documents as you work.

Wave:

A wave is a flow of energy that has a low point and a high point. Waves come in all sorts of types, patterns, and sizes. Waves are how energy moves through space. The space between one point in a wave and the next exact same point in the wave is called a wavelength. EXAMPLE: Light is composed of waves.

Web application:

A web application is a computer program that uses both the browser and the web server to accomplish its functions. Note that this differs from the way many computer programs work, where the entire program resides on your computer. The browser handles the display of information to the user and gives the user a place to enter instructions for the program. The web server handles various data processing actions based on the user instructions. EXAMPLE: Dropbox is a popular web application.

Wiki:

A wiki is a website that allows the people viewing it to add things and change the website using their browser. Wikis are a team effort where anyone can alter the website, as long as they follow the basic rules established by the operators of the wiki. "Wiki" means "quick" in Hawaiian. The creator of the first wiki was Howard G. Cunningham; he chose to use that word. EXAMPLE: Wikipedia is the largest wiki in the world.

Podcast:

A podcast is a series of regularly-created audio recordings that are available for users to download from the web and listen to whenever they want. It can be thought of as "radio on demand." Creators of podcasts can record the actual content of the podcast at any point in time. When they want to release it for people to listen to, they take the recording and put it on a web server. At that point, people who want to listen to the podcast can request a copy of the recording to be sent to their computer or smartphone. When they get the recording, they can listen to it whenever they want. Specialized computer programs exist that help people search for, store, and listen to podcasts. EXAMPLE: There are many podcasts available to entertain you with stories, news, music, etc. If you had a particular popular TV show you were a fan of, like Star Trek, chances are you could find many different podcasts related to that TV show to listen to.

Perl:

A popular computer programming language developed by Larry Wall in the 1980s. EXAMPLE: Perl has been referred to as the "Swiss Army Knife of programming languages" because of its flexibility.

Port: 2.

A port is a non-physical connection that is used in relation to the Internet. The Internet is a connected network of computers around the world. Different types of information can be sent between these computers - electronic documents, electronic messages, etc. Computers in the network can specify an exact computer to request information from or send information to. When a computer sends or receives information in this manner, it uses a special computer program to control the process. EXAMPLE: If your computer was receiving an electronic file from another computer over the Internet, your computer might use port 20 to input the data.

Thumb drive:

A portable data storage device. It can be used to store electronic documents, images, songs, videos, etc. This is often useful for transferring information from one computer to another. A thumb drive is about the size of a person's thumb, and that's how it got the name. A thumb drive is also called: USB drive, USB flash drive, USB stick, flash drive, disk-on-key, jump drive, pen drive, and memory stick. EXAMPLE: Thumb drives are now inexpensive enough that they can come embedded in a rubber model of a character from popular entertainment.

iPhone:

A product line of smartphones created by the technology company Apple that uses their mobile operating system called iOS. In addition to having cell phone functionality, an iPhone plays and stores digital files like movies or music. It also allows the installation of programs that add additional functionality to the device (called apps). EXAMPLE: iPhone debuted in 2007. It is one of the best-selling electronic devices of all time.

Instruction address register (IAR):

A register is a place in a computer where special types of information can be stored; registers are physically located in the computer. The instruction register is the part of a computer that stores commands that are currently being executed by the CPU (central processing unit - the part of the computer that processes data). The "instruction address register" (IAR) stores the address of the next instruction that is to be moved over to the IR. The IAR points out the address of the next command to be done from the IR. The IAR helps store the address of upcoming instructions to be executed by the CPU and then passes them over to the IR at the proper time. EXAMPLE: When a computer is performing several tasks, the next one to be performed is stored in the IAR temporarily, but directly before being executed by the CPU.

Instruction register:

A register is a place in a computer's memory where special types of data can be stored; registers are physically located in the computer. A register will have an "address" - a unique identifier that the computer can use to locate that register. An Instruction is a specific action that a computer is directed to perform. There are many instructions available when programming a computer. The Instruction Register (IR) is the part of a computer that stores the instruction that is currently being executed by the CPU (central processing unit - the part of the computer that processes data). The CPU only performs one instruction at a time; the Instruction Register is where that instruction is stored EXAMPLE: If a computer is being directed to add two numbers together, the first step might be "read the number entered on the keyboard." That instruction would be in the Instruction Register. The CPU would do that action. Then the next instruction would be put in the IR. It might be "store that number in memory so you can use it later."

Ring network:

A ring network is a type of computer network wherein computers and devices are connected in a loop (ring). To pass information along the network, the information is passed in a circle until it arrives at its destination. EXAMPLE: A ring network could be utilized in an office wherein employees share data with each other.

Script:

A script is a set of computer instructions that automates a task so that a multi-part task can occur without your involvement. The origin of the term is similar to its meaning in "a movie script tells actors what to do," in that a script tells a computer what to do. EXAMPLE: A script could be created that checks for new orders created at a manufacturing company every ten minutes, and prints them off on a printer.

Scripting language:

A scripting language is a computer language used to make scripts. Often the tasks these scripts accomplish are valuable to automate, so that the task steps don't have to be entered into the computer again every time you want to do those tasks. Scripting languages have some of the following characteristics: a. The code is written in a similar way to English - meaning, it is easier for people to read and understand than some more highly technical languages. b. You can use it in conjunction with HTML (popular programming language mainly used to make websites), so that you can add features to websites. c. You use a scripting language to program automatic functions into a computer that are performed without the person using the computer to type out every instruction. The origin of the term is similar to its meaning in "a movie script tells actors what to do": a scripting language controlled the operation of a normally-interactive program, giving it a sequence of work to do all in one batch. For instance, one could put a series of editing commands in a file, and tell an editor to run that "script" as if those commands had been typed interactively. EXAMPLE: If you wanted to make it so that every night at midnight, a list of all the people who signed up for your school classes was printed, you could use a scripting language.

Search Engine:

A search engine is a special program that can access an index containing data about many of the web pages from websites around the world. Using a search engine, you can enter descriptive search terms and get back a list of all the web pages that contain those search terms. This is valuable because there are now billions (or even trillions) of web pages available through the Web. Search engines are very popular tools used by nearly every user of the Web. In fact, the most popular website in the world is google.com, the search engine owned by the U.S. technology company Google. EXAMPLE: Google and Bing are search engines.

Senior Developer:

A senior developer is a master software developer and is the highest "rank" one can achieve in this area. A senior developer is trained in several languages and has vast experience. Software development teams and projects are usually run by a senior developer. EXAMPLE: The main thing that determines whether someone is a junior or senior developer is their competence level. A senior developer might have 5 to 20 years of experience in software development.

Ethernet:

A set of technologies for creating computer networks that relies on physical wires to connect computers to the network. Ethernet was developed in the late 1970s refers to computers linked together with a special type of cable called an Ethernet cable. An Ethernet cable is able to receive information and send out information simultaneously. EXAMPLE: Many computers use Ethernet to connect to a network.

Profile:

A short description written about a person or organization. EXAMPLE: Your profile on a website would tell people things about you like what city you live in and what your interests and hobbies are.

Silo:

A silo is a system, process, department, etc. that operates in isolation from others. A siloed mentality means that you are focused on one thing. Sometimes it is used negatively to refer to the fact that someone cares only about what they're doing, with no regard for the group needs. Siloed is being individual, not a team. The word comes from actual silos - the tall, cylindrical containers used in farming to store grain after it's been harvested. EXAMPLE: Someone working on a computer project who was being siloed would focus on their part of it, working on their own computer and not be very involved with the overall project.

/ (slash):

A slash is a symbol which looks like this: "/". It is most commonly used in the following ways: a. to show choices - meaning literally "and or"; for example "small/medium/large" on a menu; b. to show a ratio of things (miles/day in traveling would be how many miles you travel per day; it could be spoken as "miles per day"); c. to separate the different parts of a collection of electronic documents. This third use is the most common use of the "/" symbol in computers and it has been used for a long time. It was created as an aid to organizing and finding the various files you might store on a computer. Files are collections of data stored on a computer. The data in a file is organized in a specific manner, usually based on how that data is going to be used by the computer. Files each have their own name and contain their own data. Files are often organized in folders - also called "Directories." Folders can contain files. Folders can also contain folders - each of which could contain further files and/or folders. The resulting structure of files and folders is called a hierarchy. A hierarchy is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another. The "/" symbol is used to show that one item is below another. The item on the left is above the one on the right. EXAMPLE: Recipes/BakedChickenRecipe This could be a folder called "Recipes," which contains a document called "BakedChickenRecipe." In technology, slashes are used especially in the addresses of websites (a website is a collection of electronic documents, collected together. It can be accessed on the Internet, a network of connected computers around the world. You use web addresses to locate exact websites and web pages on the Internet. The main website name is basically the name of the collection of documents; web pages are the individual electronic documents on that website).

Social media:

A social network is a website that allows people to communicate to one another socially through messages, commenting on their page, posting pictures, etc. Social media is the content you put on social networks - posts, pictures, videos, etc. EXAMPLE: Pictures of your birthday party that you put on the website Facebook would be social media.

iTunes:

A software program from the technology company Apple. It functions as a media player (media is visual, audio or video content), a media library, and a mobile device management tool. It is used to play, download, and organize digital audio and video files on personal computers and to connect those files with your iPhone or iPod (called syncing, short for synchronization). EXAMPLE: You can save all of your music on iTunes, then transfer them to your iPhone.

Compiler:

A special computer program that is used to convert other computer programs to a form that the computer can actually use. When a computer programmer makes computer programs, the programs are usually written in a form that looks almost like English.

Torrent file:

A torrent file is information that can be sent over BitTorrent. It is a BitTorrent file being transferred from computer to computer. EXAMPLE: If you used a BitTorrent client to download a particular video about waterfalls, your computer would communicate with other computers that have that video and will download small pieces of the video from several sources at once. The more people that have this video, the faster your computer will download it. And later, when others want to download the video, your BitTorrent client could receive requests for that video, and it could send out small pieces of that video as part of the process for another BitTorrent user.

Internet Exchange Point:

Abbreviated IX or IXP. An IXP is a physical machine that different Internet service providers exchange Internet traffic through. An Internet exchange point is the connection point through which ISPs (Internet service provider, such as Comcast and CenturyLink) share Internet information with each other. EXAMPLE: IXPs allow companies to team up and thereby increases Internet speed.

Gigabyte:

Abbreviated as GB. Giga means one billion (1,000,000,000). Bytes are a set of 8 "binary digits," or bits. Bits are the 1s and 0s that are used by computers to represent information. In computers, a Gigabyte means one of two things: 1. A gigabyte is one billion bytes (or 8,000,000,000 bits). 3.4 gigabytes is 3,400,000,000 bytes. 2. More commonly, a gigabyte is considered to be 1,073,741,824 bytes (8,589,934,592 bits). This is because computers commonly operate off of powers of two: 2 to the thirtieth power is 1,073,741,824. Since this is the closest "2 to the power of" can get to one billion, the computer industry uses the term "giga" to describe that number (1,073,741,824). EXAMPLE: Gigabytes are sometimes used to measure computer memory (how many bytes a computer can store). You may see computers promoting 16GB. That would mean the computer can hold 17,179,869,184 bytes of memory (or 137,438,953,472 bits).

Access Time:

Access time is the amount of time needed by a memory device to transfer information to the CPU. It is measured from the instant the CPU requests information until the instant that the CPU receives the information. EXAMPLE: If you click a file in order to open it, the CPU tells the memory to deliver the file. It then reports back to you with an opened file. If that takes 30 seconds, the access time was 30 s.

Google AdWords:

AdWords is a paid advertising service by Google for businesses wanting to display ads on Google and its advertising network. The AdWords program enables businesses to set a budget for advertising and only pay when people click the ads. The ad service is largely focused on keywords. EXAMPLE: Google AdWords can ensure that your website comes up (as an ad) at the top of the search results.

Shortcut:

Also called an "alias." For computers, this often means something you click on (other than the original icon itself) that opens up the content within. In the case of a file, you aren't clicking on the original file; you are clicking on something that points to the original file. You would have saved the shortcut, or alias, somewhere besides the location of the actual file - probably for ease of access. EXAMPLE: If you saved a copy of a file in folder A, you could create a shortcut for the file in folder B and be able to access the file from both locations. Links (something you click on that takes you elsewhere) are also considered shortcuts. Pressing combinations of keys on your keyboard (such as "s" and "ctrl" at the same time to save a file) are also shortcuts. Anything that shortens the time it takes to perform an action on a computer is a shortcut.

Adder:

Also called an adding machine. This is a part in a computer that adds numbers together. A computer will use many adders. They are very small. The adder takes numerical information passed into it and is able to determine amounts. There are two types of adders: half adder and full adder. They both are used in adding numbers, but they operate in slightly different ways. The full adder is bigger than the half adder and is used to perform larger math functions. EXAMPLE: If you type 13 + 3 into a computer, the adder will determine that it equals 16.

Version Control:

Also called source control. Version control is the tools and processes that are used to manage multiple versions of computer files and programs as the files and programs change over time. A version control system, or VCS, provides two primary data management capabilities. It allows users to 1) lock files so they can only be edited by one person at a time, and 2) track changes to files. When you create things using your computer, you often revise them over time. This can mean the creation of documents, graphic images, computer programs, and other items. Keeping track of the changes to these items over time is called "version control." It also includes the control of changes to items like this when more than one person can make changes to the items. A version is an exact snapshot of something at a specific point in time. If you wrote a song, that would be Version 1. If you later added bagpipes over the top of the song, that would be Version 2. Version control is managing different versions of things on a computer. This is used a lot when you are creating computer programs. EXAMPLE: If a team of writers were preparing a large textbook and each writer could add, edit, and remove content to the textbook at any time, they would find a version control system valuable in keeping track of all changes as the textbook was written.

Online discussion forum:

Also just called "forum" or "Internet forum." A forum is a meeting of people on a website where ideas and viewpoints are shared about a particular issue. Online discussion forums are places on the Web where people discuss certain subjects. It usually consists of people writing messages on a "board" that can be seen by all of the other people having the discussion. EXAMPLE: You could join a political forum and either engage in the conversation or read what other people are saying to each other about politics.

Core.2

Core is a slang term for a key part of a Central Processing Unit. The CPU is basically the "brain" of the computer. It controls all the different tasks a computer can do. The processor does one action at a time - things like taking in data from a keyboard, or storing data in the computer's memory, etc. It can do billions of these types of actions every second, but it only ever does one thing at a time. The basic job of all processors is to execute a sequence of stored instructions built into them. While a CPU handles many types of tasks related to communicating with and controlling the devices connected to it (screen displays, keyboard, etc.), the primary purpose of a CPU is to process data - take data in, perform operations on that data, and use the results of those operations to control the rest of the computer. The part of the CPU that does this data processing is called the processor. The term "core" is a slang term for this processor. EXAMPLE: Many computers have two or more cores which allows the computer to process data faster than a comparable computer with only one core.

CRC:

Cyclic Redundancy Check. Cyclic refers to a cycle (something that repeats, start to finish, over and over, like a circle). A Cyclic Redundancy Check is a set of steps taken by a computer to locate errors in the computer. When you store information in a computer, it is normally followed by a Cyclic Redundancy Check to make sure the information didn't develop any errors during the storage process. This process works by comparing the information received by the computer with the original information from where it was sent. EXAMPLE: If you transferred a file from one computer to another, a CRC would occur. If there was any alteration or mistake, an error message would pop up.

Electrical signal:

An electric current that can be used to convey information from one place to another. EXAMPLE: Music is conveyed from your music player to your speaker via an electrical signal

Bug:

An error in a computer program that impairs or prevents its operation. A bug could slow something down in your computer or stop your computer altogether. Some say this term came from incidents during the early days of computers where actual bugs (insects) got inside the computer and caused malfunctions. EXAMPLE: Something that causes your computer to freeze whenever you click on a specific image is a bug.

Index:

An index is a tool you use to find information rapidly. There are a number of different applications of indices. ("Indices" is the plural for "index.") One type of index is a named category of information of a certain type. Specifically, this type of index tells you about what kinds of information are in a collection of data, and where to find each type of information in that collection. For example, a manual for a tractor might have an index that lists out all the key subjects in the manual, and the various places in the manual where that subject is discussed. EXAMPLE: Per the above description of an index for a tractor manual, you might find entries like this in the index for the manual: engine: pages 3, 10-12, 14 steering system: pages 43-50 water pump: page 22 In computers, an index is information about a collection of data. This information in the index tells where pieces of information with similar characteristics are located in the main data, so you don't have to search through each piece of data in the big collection, one by one, in order to get all the information that is related in some way. EXAMPLE: If you have a set of information that is 10,000 movie quotes, you could create an index for that set of information. If you wanted to search for all movie quotes about Superman, you could go to the index and search for "Superman." When you found "Superman" in the index, the index would have the locations of every quote in the main set of information that related to "Superman." You could then go rapidly to each of those locations to get the information you wanted, rather than searching one by one through all the quotes to make sure you got all of the ones about Superman.

Bits per second (bps):

An indication of how fast a computer can transfer electronic data. It is given in "bits per second." A bit is a binary digit. A binary digit is a 1 or a 0, which are the only digits a computer uses to represent information. Bps is literally the number of bits that the computer can transfer per second. EXAMPLE: If your computer received the following stream of data: 011010100011101010010, and it could only receive and process ten of those binary digits per second, that would mean it operated at 10 Bps (and would likely be the slowest computer on Earth). Your computer would probably have to store the rest of the data (the remaining 11 bits) somewhere and handle it in chunks of ten bits per second until it had handled all of the data. Modern computers can transfer billions of bits per second or more. Early computers were much slower.

Keyword:

An informative word used in an information retrieval system to indicate the content of a document. When you search for something in a collection of data, the keyword is what you type in as the thing to search for. EXAMPLE: If you type the word "fish" into the search bar, that would be a keyword. Ideally, this would result in the computer returning a list of all content related to fish. You could then view that content.

Interface:

An interface is a common point or boundary between two things. It means that two things interact smoothly and communicate with each other. In the computer world, an interface is a device or program that enables a user to communicate with a computer. A user interface is something that someone using a computer can use that makes the interaction with the computer easier or smoother. EXAMPLE: Your web browser is an interface you use to access the Internet.

Interpreter:

An interpreter is a special program that converts high level (similar to English) language instructions into low level language (designed to be easy for a computer to execute) instructions. An interpreter converts code in this way one instruction at a time, rather than converting the entire set of instructions in the program prior to execution. In other words, the interpreter will read an instruction, convert it to language the computer can understand, have the computer execute that instruction, then go on to the next instruction in the program and repeat. EXAMPLE: Interpreted computer languages use interpreters.

Windows:

An operating system created by the technology company Microsoft. An operating system is a special-purpose computer program that supports the computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks, running other computer programs, and controlling peripherals (external devices such as keyboards, mice and displays). EXAMPLE: Windows comes in various versions, typically written like: Windows 7, Windows 10, etc. It is the most popular operating system in the world.

Application (called app for short):

Another term for a computer program - "app" for short. An app is something in a computer that performs exact tasks. Applications have exact purposes and are used by people to do certain things using a computer. An application can also be something you use on the Internet (an interconnected network of many computers around the world, and a set of methods, or protocols, for transferring different types of data between those computers) that performs exact functions and does things with and for you. The word "app" typically refers to programs you use on a phone or handheld device, but it technically means any program run on any type of computer. EXAMPLE: Microsoft Word is an app.

Anti-phishing software:

Anti-phishing software is a tool to help you detect something coming from a non-legitimate source so you don't mistakenly get your information stolen - it protects you from phishing attacks. EXAMPLE: If you receive a phishing email from an entity pretending to be your bank, anti-phishing software may notify you with a statement like: "This is likely not a legitimate email from your bank." This gives you an opportunity to contact your bank and verify the validity of the email.

Workstation:

Any computer used for any purpose. A workstation is also a computer that is typically used for some type of technical or scientific work. It is usually more powerful than a regular computer and is used for more specific tasks than your typical computer. While a personal computer could be used to watch videos or play games, a workstation would be a computer that is more high powered and would be used for more advanced, large, complex and important tasks. EXAMPLE: If you worked at Ford and had a special computer to help you design cars, that computer would be called a workstation.

Chemical element:

Any of the more than 100 known substances (92 of which occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances, and that singly or in combination constitute all matter. EXAMPLE: Carbon, oxygen, lead, silver, and gold are chemical elements.

Big data:

Big data usually describes the storage, maintenance and use of a very large amount of electronic data, often from multiple sources - so much data that a special database and/or special software must be used to store, maintain and use the data. It can also refer to the business or technology impact of having access to, or responsibility for, such collections of data. EXAMPLE: If you had a huge company with 10,000 offices and billions of dollars a year in revenue, work that you did involving the data produced and stored by your company would be considered "big data."

Binary:

Binary is a number system that uses only two digits: 0 and 1. The base of a number system is how many unique digits are used in that number system. The number system you are most used to using is a base ten number system, which uses only ten unique digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. We are so used to only using these digits that we don't always think about the fact that other number systems exist. There are many different number systems, each using a specific number of unique digits to express different quantities. Computers use a base two number system. Meaning, computers only use the digits 1 and 0. Computers communicate using 1s and 0s. This is called binary, from "bi" (meaning "two"). To represent quantities above one, we start over at "1" in a second column to the left. The difference here is that the second column shows how many "twos" are in the quantity, instead of what you're used to with decimal, where the second column shows how many "tens" are in the quantity. EXAMPLE: The quantity "one" would be written in binary as 1. The quantity "two" would be written in binary as 10. This is because here, the digit "1" represents the quantity two, and the digit "0" represents zero.

Business Intelligence:

Called "BI" for short. BI is the capture and presentation of data in various meaningful forms for useful business purposes. BI can handle enormous amounts of raw data and organize it into forms that give the people in a business valuable insight to inform their business practices. EXAMPLE: If you had five branches in your company, business intelligence could be used to gather all historical information into one location, organize it, and create various graphs, diagrams, etc. that demonstrate the change of that data over time. Executives could then use this to determine whether or not to close one of those branches, or instead to change some aspect of how that branch is manned or operated so as to improve its performance.

Card:

Card is short for "expansion card." A card is something that you can put inside your computer or other electronic equipment to have it perform better or perform additional functions. When you buy a computer there are cards within it that each perform its own functions. EXAMPLE: There are cards you can buy that allow you to hook up cable TV to your computer so that you can watch TV on your computer - no television needed.

Certificate authorities:

Certificate authorities are companies that give out digital certificates. Digital certificates are specially-formatted data that get saved on a web server. They are evidence of a certain degree of trust you can have that the website you're using is safe to use, as far as not letting any valuable private data you might submit to the website fall into the wrong hands. Essentially, the website is given a digital "passport" proving that they are who they say they are and that it's okay for website users to send their information. Certificate authorities are official organizations that state that a company appears to be safe to deal with over the Internet. EXAMPLE: Most websites that have received a certificate from a certificate authority will display a logo that looks something like a padlock or a green checkmark. It is VERY IMPORTANT to understand that having an icon like these is not proof that a website has a valid certificate - the actual certificate is a file saved on the web server for the website. Anyone can put these icons on the pages of their website. The actual proof that the website has a valid certificate is found in one or both of two ways: 1. The address of the website in the web browser has an "s" after the "http" - the "s" stands for "secure," and is only there if the website has a valid certificate on its web server. 2. Some browsers have a padlock icon somewhere in the browser that is NOT where the web pages are displayed. This can be found at the very bottom of the browser, at the top near the website address, or in other places. The presence of this icon indicates the browser has verified the web server has a valid certificate.

Computer programming:

Computer programming is the act of creating computer programs - prepared sets of computer instructions designed to accomplish certain tasks. It consists of typing exact commands and instructions into a computer to create many of the things we use on a day-to-day basis. To do computer programming, you must learn various computer languages and use these languages to create things on a computer that others can use. EXAMPLE: The program on your computer entitled "calculator," which you can use to do math, is the result of computer programming.

JSON:

Stands for JavaScript Object Notation. JSON is code used in exchanging information. The format is relatively easy for humans to read and write, while also being able to be understood and handled by computers. JSON is mainly used to transmit data back and forth between a server and an internet application. JSON is compatible with many languages. EXAMPLE: If you designed a website, you could use JSON to ensure your app smoothly exchanges information with the computers of people visiting that website.

Spooling:

Stands for simultaneous peripheral operations on-line. Peripheral refers to equipment outside of a computer that interacts with the computer (such as a printer). Spooling is when several tasks are to be done by a peripheral, and the computer is sending tasks to the peripheral faster than the peripheral can perform the tasks. The computer gives a task to the peripheral, and while it waits for the other machine to perform the task, the remaining tasks spool (which means the computer stacks up the tasks in a queue, gives another task to the peripheral when it's ready for one, then monitors the remaining tasks until they are done). This lets the computer get on to other tasks without having to wait until the operation on the slower-moving peripheral is done. EXAMPLE: Sometimes when you attempt to print several documents at once, the documents spool and only the first one or two documents get sent to the printer. Then, when the printer can handle more printing tasks, more of the documents will be sent to the printer.

GPS:

"Global Positioning System." This is a satellite-based system which (as long as some of the satellites can reach your device) can tell you exactly where you are in the world. It can also tell time and weather conditions, but it is mainly used for navigation purposes. EXAMPLE: Most cell phones have GPS built in.

On:

"On" means there is electricity flowing through part of a computer, which means that part of the computer is operating. In computers, "on" is represented by the number 1, and "off" (no electricity moving through that section of the computer) is represented by the number 0. 1 = on, 0 = off. EXAMPLE: An oven that is on has electricity flowing through it and therefore would heat up and cook food.

Corruption:

(Also called "data corruption") refers to errors in computer data that occur during writing, reading, storage, transmission, or processing, which introduce unintended changes to the original data and cause errors. When electronic information is stored, there is a pre-determined form as to how the information will be stored. If that form gets distorted, the information will not be usable by the computer in the future. EXAMPLE: Let's say you were creating a file that would store the records of a group of students. You decide that the information will be stored in this order: Student Name ** Teacher ** Grade Point Average A set of uncorrupted data might look like this: Jane Brown ** Mr. Henderson ** 3.58 | Marte Jonsson ** Mrs. Andrews ** 3.97 | David Jones ** Mr. Tolliver ** 2.66 If a particular computer program knew the format of this data, the program could read the data and use it in performing the program's tasks. Here is an example of corrupted data: Jane Brown ** Mr. Henderson ** 3.58 | Marte Jonsson ** 3.97 ** David Jones | Mr. Tolliver ** 2.66 ** A computer program would not be able to read this information and use it, since the individual pieces of information are not in the order it is programmed to expect.

.biz:

.biz is a suffix added to websites that are business websites (biz is just short for business). Usually, websites created for companies are under the .com top level domain, but companies can use .biz in two scenarios: 1. If .com is already taken for that particular name (let's say you wanted to call your website hotdogs.com, but someone else is already using that name; you could call it hotdog.biz instead) or 2. If you prefer to call your business' website ".biz." EXAMPLE: neustar.biz is a website for a marketing company.

.org:

.org is short for organization and is a suffix added to websites for nonprofit organizations. It has also gradually become a general-purpose domain, with websites of nearly any type of entity represented. EXAMPLE: The website for the popular web encyclopedia Wikipedia is wikipedia.org.

Traffic: more defined

2. To understand another use of the word traffic, you need to know about these other terms: web server and web browser. The electronic files that make up a website are stored on specialized computers called web servers. These are computers that accept requests from other, remote computers for specific web pages, and deliver those files needed to make the web page display on the remote computer. The type of program you would use to view web pages is called a web browser. It is this program that would make the requests to the web server for the website files. Traffic is a measure of how many requests a web server is getting for a particular web page or website in a given length of time. EXAMPLE: If 100,000 users visit a website in a day, that is probably very good traffic.

Domain:

Domains are the various high-level categories of websites that are available on the World Wide Web. Typically, these are categories like "websites for commercial companies," "websites for educational institutions," etc. These categories are given two- or three-character names. EXAMPLE: "com" is an example of a domain; this is the domain for commercial companies. Websites for educational institutions are usually in the "edu" domain. EXAMPLE: Gmail.com is a domain name. The website name is gmail, and the website is in the .com domain. Name of website: Google + Name of domain. .com = Domain name (google.com).

Engineering:

Engineering is the application of mathematics combined with scientific, economic, social, and practical knowledge in order to invent, design, build, maintain, research, and improve structures, machines, tools, systems, components, materials, processes, and organizations. The discipline of engineering is extremely broad and encompasses a range of more specialized fields of engineering, each with a more specific emphasis on particular areas of applied science, technology, and types of application. From building bridges to combining chemicals in a lab, engineering embraces many fields. There are many types of engineering, such as civil engineering (design and maintenance of physical structures) and mechanical engineering (design, construction, and use of machines). Computer and software engineering have to do with the building and operation of computers and the designing of programs that run on those computers. EXAMPLE: Intel (a major computer company) employs computer engineers.

COMPUTER ERGONOMICS

Ergonomics is a science concerned with designing and arranging things people use with the intention of assuring an efficient and safe interaction between people and things. It is a field of study that attempts to reduce strain, fatigue, and injuries by improving work space arrangement with a goal of comfortable, relaxed posture. Working extended hours on computers without frequent breaks can have adverse impacts on your body. It can physically stress your body parts, e.g. if you are extending wrists, slouching, sitting without proper foot support or using poorly placed monitors. If you do not take proper care while working with computers, it may result in injuries with symptoms of pain, muscle fatigue, and reduced performance. Laptops are not ergonomically designed for prolonged usage. It is advisable to use separate monitor and hand support so that your elbows can rest at a 90 degree angle. Also, it is wise to arrange your workstation so that your eyes are level with the monitor. While working with computers, sit straight with a chair that supports your back, use an ergonomically designed mouse if needed, and keep your feet parallel with the floor. It is recommended that you sit straight - aligning your ears, shoulders and hips, switch hands when using a mouse, and completely rest your wrists during breaks taking your hands off the mouse.

Syntax:

Every spoken language has a general set of rules for how words and sentences should be structured. These rules are known as the syntax of that particular language. With programming languages, syntax serves the same purpose. Syntax is the rules you must follow when talking to a computer and telling it what to do. There are many languages that you can use to program a computer. Each language has its own syntax. Failing to use the syntax of a particular language correctly can mean that whatever you are designing will not work at all. Put another way, it is the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language. In computer science, it is the language that allows the user to write out the program. Syntax is the rules about how to write code properly. EXAMPLE: If a computer language required you to write "cmd:" (meaning "command") at the beginning of each command, that would be part of the syntax of that language. If you wrote "cmmd:" instead, the computer would not be able to process and execute the command because you violated syntax.

OR gate:

If either of the input bits are on, or both are on, electricity will flow through the gate.

Key:

In computers, a key can be a few different things, including: 1. One of the buttons you press with your fingers on the keyboard. EXAMPLE: One of the uses of the "shift" key is to capitalize letters. 2. When dealing with the storage of computer information, a key is a unique identifier for a piece or collection of information. EXAMPLE: If you were storing records for student performances in a computer program used to operate a school, and each record was for a specific student, you would have a unique piece of information in each record that could be used to exactly identify that record. This could be a student ID number, the student's Social Security Number, etc. The important thing would be that the key would never be used to identify another student, as that could lead to confusion. 3. Another word for a password. EXAMPLE: The network "key" is the password for access to the network.

Router:

In computers, a router is a machine that sends information to two or more locations. A router is most commonly used to transfer information to various computers in a network EXAMPLE: If you had a network where one computer had a set of information that was commonly accessed by the other computers in the network, a router would help manage the requests by those computers for that information. This would be especially important in the event that two simultaneous requests were given for the same exact information - the router would make sure that the requests were both handled.

Reader:

In computers, reading is when the computer acquires information from a storage and is able to perform with that information. A reader is something that obtains and looks at stored information from another thing. EXAMPLE: A CD reader would be the part of a computer that reads CDs.

File format:

In computers, there are things you can store in the computer called "files." These are just sets of data that go together. For example, you might have a file that is a written document. You might also have another file that is a picture, or another that is a video. The data in these files is organized in a specific way, usually based on how the data will be used by various processes the computer does. EXAMPLE: The data in a file that is a written document will be organized in a very different way than the data in a file that is a video. The manner in which the data is organized is the file's format. It is often indicated using an extension. An extension is a code that tells you what the file format is - it tells you what the file contains (text, video, image, etc.). The extension usually goes after the name of the file. For example, if you have a file called "SoupRecipe" that is a written document, you might have ".txt" added to the name. This would be written "SoupRecipe.txt." Here, "SoupRecipe" is the name of the file, and "txt" is the extension.

Architecture:

In day-to-day life, architecture is the design and construction of buildings. In technology, architecture refers to the design of a computer. It is the organizing of all the parts of the computer. Different computers have different architecture depending on what they are meant to handle. Architecture is also used to describe the overall design of a computer program. This means how the various parts of the program are organized relative to each other, and also how that program is designed in terms of how it will interact with other programs in a computer as needed. EXAMPLE: Some computers' architecture is set up so that the computer does the same thing over and over all day. Other computers' architecture is set up so that people can use them for personal reasons.

Socket:

In the computer industry, the term socket has a few different meanings: 1. A socket is where two internal parts of a computer connect. 2. A socket is a connector used to connect your computer to other computers and devices. 3. A socket is an important part of a computer network. Each computer in a network has a computer program running that sends and receives information with the other computers in the network. This program creates non-physical elements called "sockets" - the uniquely-named sending/receiving points for information. So a socket, here, is a "virtual" connector on a computer. EXAMPLE: You can fit two computer parts together by connecting one to a socket.

Address:

In the real world, an address signifies a specific location in your town, city, neighborhood, apartment building, etc. In the computer industry, "address" refers to the location of a specific piece of information, device, or other item that can be accessed by computers. The word address has several specific uses: 1. This often applies to a network of computers and other devices - a system where those computers and devices are all connected to each other in some way. Each computer or device on that network will have a unique "address" that is known by the other computers and devices in the network. When a computer in the office wants to connect to another computer or device, it has a special computer program that sends out a signal which contains the address of the desired device. When the desired device receives that signal, it responds with a signal to the original device, using the address of that device - and now the two devices can share information back and forth. EXAMPLE: An example would be a shared printer in an office. When you want to print something from that printer, your computer looks up the address of the printer, and then sends a signal to it. When the printer responds, it starts sending it the electronic file you wish to print. As the printing process proceeds, your computer and the printer send information back and forth - each using the address of the other device to ensure the information arrives at the intended device.

Class:

In the world around you, you are surrounded by objects - your dog, the TV, etc. Objects have a state and a behavior. The state of an object would be the size, color, etc. The behavior of an object would be what the object does - the actions it takes. In computers, objects are parts of computer programs. They share a similarity to real life objects: they have a state and behavior. You create these objects by creating what are called "classes," using one of many specialized computer programming languages. Classes are used to describe one or more objects. This would be created by creating (or "declaring") a class called a "Customer" class. It is important to know that when you first create this class, you are describing the POTENTIAL characteristics and behavior of that TYPE of thing. You will still need to create an actual one of those things. This process is called "creating an INSTANCE" of the class, where "instance" means "an actual one" of the things described when you declared the class. EXAMPLE: In a computer program designed to track pay records for all employees, you could have a class called "Employee." Each program element representing an actual employee (John Smith, Sally Jackson, etc.) would be an instance of the "Employee" class.

Object:

In the world around you, you are surrounded by objects - your dog, the tv, etc. Objects have a state and a behavior. The state of an object would be the size, color, etc. The behavior of an object would be what the object does - the actions it takes. EXAMPLE: A race car could be an object. Things that described its state could be: engine type, engine horsepower, wheel size, gas tank capacity, etc. Things that describe its behavior could be: accelerate, decelerate, turn right, turn left, etc. In computers, objects are parts of computer programs. They share a similarity to real life objects: they have a state and a behavior. Another example: An application might work with a "Customer" object. Again, the state of an object would be the characteristics and attributes of the object, and the behavior would be what the object could do. In our example, the "Customer" object could have states like 'active' or 'deleted.' It could have behavior like 'Upgrade Rewards Level' or 'Add to Family Account.' Objects are one of the first things you think about when designing a program. An object is something on a computer that you can click on, interact with, move around, etc. It can also be something behind the scenes that is made up of information and procedures to manipulate information. An object is what actually runs in the computer. Another example: Let's say you wanted to make two different types of cars on a computer, each car would be an object. Each object (car) would have its own size, shape, color, speed, distance it could travel without needing more gas, etc.

Integer:

Integers are like whole numbers in that they do not include fractions - but they can be negative. Examples are -1024, 45, -2, 555, 0, 90004. EXAMPLE: 0 is an integer. 56 is an integer. -78 is an integer. 9.368 is not an integer, as it has a fraction of a number in its value.

Interactive:

Interactive means that two things influence one another and create effects on each other. In computers, interactive refers to a computer that is able to be communicated with and directed to perform activities by a human; these activities involve the person using the computer. An interactive computer (most computers you've handled, if not all, have been interactive) is a computer that you can affect in some way (like moving a pointer on a screen and selecting something) and which will respond in some manner. A non-interactive computer would be one that simply performed a specific, predetermined set of actions and did not respond to any user actions - for example, a computer that controlled the display of an electronic billboard. The computer has no method for receiving input, and as long as it is turned on, all it does is display the same images, one after the other. EXAMPLE: An interactive computer might be a display at a mall that allows you to enter in a type of store or item, and which then showed you the name and location of any stores in the mall that matched the words you entered.

Interface:

Interface means that two things interact smoothly and communicate with each other. A user interface is something that someone using a computer can use that makes the interaction with the computer easier or smoother. EXAMPLE: Your web browser is an interface that you use to access the internet.

Megapixel:

Mega means one million. A pixel is the smallest single component of a digital image. It can be thought of as a small dot that helps to make up an image on a computer display, television, or similar display device. Each pixel gets set to display a specific color; when many pixels are arranged together, an overall image is displayed that is a composite of the individual pixels. A megapixel is 1,000,000 (one million) pixels. A megapixel is a measurement that indicates how many pixels a certain display screen can display. 5 megapixels = five million pixels. EXAMPLE: A display screen that measured 100 pixels tall by 150 pixels wide would be a 15000-pixel screen. This example serves the purpose of showing the math involved; actual display screens are often in excess of one million pixels. There is another use of the term pixel that applies to modern digital cameras: an image sensor element in a digital camera. A digital camera contains sensors that record the image the camera is pointing at. The sensors can be thought of as a grid of many tiny image detection points. Camera image detection accuracy is given in terms of pixels - here, pixel is used to describe those individual image detection points that make up the grid. This is usually given in megapixels - how many millions of pixels there are in the sensor of that specific camera. EXAMPLE: A 3.2 megapixel (3.2 MP) camera has 3.2 million image sensor elements.

Memory address register:

MAR for short. The MAR is part of the CPU and it holds the addresses for where various data can be found in a computer. The computer looks at the MAR to find out: The address where it can read certain data from, or The address where the computer wants to write information to. EXAMPLE: If you were having the computer do addition, the MAR would store the addresses that contained the two numbers you wanted to add together, as well as the address where the answer would be stored.

MP3 player:

MP3 is a specific format for a type of file that contains information about sounds; this kind of file can be used to play songs and other audio content on computers and other devices. MP3 stands for "Moving Picture Experts Group Audio Layer III." The Moving Picture Experts Group is a group of industry experts chosen to determine the standards for how video and audio content will be transmitted, shown, etc. Layer 3 is one of the seven "layers" used in one method of transmitting messages between points in a network of computers. Layer 3 involves handling how to address and route data to the correct destination. An MP3 is an audio recording - such as a song - put into a form which a computer can process, and which uses much less computer processing and storage than the original audio recording. The information that makes up the song is organized in a specific format. There are other formats besides MP3 that are used to store audio files, but the term "MP3" has come to mean any music or audio file. An MP3 player is any handheld device used to store and play audio files. EXAMPLE: The iPod, manufactured by the technology company Apple, is a popular MP3 player.

Scrambling:

Making something jumbled. This takes information sent from one computer to another and changes the characters. The characters are then changed back at the receipt point for security purposes. EXAMPLE: If a criminal stole credit card numbers online, but the information was scrambled, they wouldn't be able to utilize the information.

Resolution:

Means how clear an image is. On a computer or TV, pictures are made up of many tiny little dots, arranged in a grid. A higher resolution means there are more of these little dots in a given area, so a higher level of image clarity will be present. At low resolution, you can actually see these dots (the dots are bigger) and the image would be relatively unclear. At high resolution, you can't identify the individual dots. EXAMPLE: A modern television will have a much higher resolution than one which is ten years old.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO):

Search engine optimization is the process of setting up a website so that it is more likely to appear near the top of search results for specific search terms. There are many factors involved in where a website might rank in a particular search result, and those factors change fairly often. The basic elements, though, are related to how much the website really aligns with a particular search term. As an example, consider a website that sells antique bicycles. The content and images on the site probably relate to the sale of antique bicycles. Because of this, a search for "lawn mower repair" would probably not have the antique bicycle website in the search results. EXAMPLE: It is usually considered good practice to update the content of a website often in order to ensure that the new content accurately represents the purpose of the website. That action is one aspect of search engine optimization.

Dump:

Short for Data Dump. A large amount of information transferred from one location to another. EXAMPLE: If you dumped information from one computer to another, you would be moving all the information from that computer onto another computer.

ID:

Short for Identification. Identification is something that uniquely identifies a person or thing. IDs are used often in computers. Each user of a computer, for example, might need a unique ID so that the computer can store their files in an area only they can access. Pieces of computer equipment each have a unique ID as well. That way, when computers are connected together, each one knows how to connect to a specific computer in the network. EXAMPLE: When you go on a website, you are often required to enter a user ID and password.

Board:

Short for printed circuit board. These are thin, flat objects that contain complex electronic circuits. They go inside electronic equipment. A circuit is a metal path that electricity flows through from beginning to end. Boards are thin plates with many little parts attached that electricity flows through. Boards help electronic machines perform certain functions. Printed refers to the fact that someone initially designs the circuits for the board and then the metal tracks that comprise the circuits are then printed by a machine onto the board - similar to how you could type a document and then print it out using a printer. EXAMPLE: If you wanted your computer to be able to display rapidly-changing images better (for instance, because it would improve the quality of gameplay for a computer game), you could purchase a printed circuit board called a "graphics card" and install in into your computer. This board would have circuits on it that would allow your computer to have improved graphics performance.

Developer:

Short for software developer. A software developer is a person who writes software (computer programs). They write up exact sets of computer instructions that, when executed by computers, are some of the computer programs we use on a day-to-day basis. Software developers learn various computer languages (sets of commands that can be entered into a computer to create computer programs). When talking about computer programming, people sometimes use the words "programmer," "developer," and "engineer" to mean the same thing. EXAMPLE: Microsoft Excel was created by a team of software developers.

Social bookmarking:

Social bookmarking is when you publish links to websites that you like so that other people on the web can see them and check them out. There are social bookmarking websites that allow people to do this broadly. EXAMPLE: Technically, even by emailing a friend a link, you are involved in social bookmarking.

Operation:

Something a computer is designed to do. An operation is an action or set of actions created by a person that makes a computer do something. EXAMPLE: If you set your computer to turn the screen black every five minutes the computer is undisturbed, the computer performs an operation to dim the screen each time five minutes pass where the computer is untouched.

Attachment:

Something added onto something else, and sent along with it. If you have a piece of paper and you paperclip a card to the back of it, the card is the attachment. In computers, an attachment is information connected to the primary thing being created or sent to another. EXAMPLE: If you sent someone an email (written communication sent person to person using computers) and attached a picture to the email, the picture would be an attachment.

Switch:

Something that can be placed in one of two or more physical states, and which modifies the operation of a machine based on the state it is placed in. The physical position the switch is placed in is called its "position." The most common switch you may be familiar with is a light switch. It does only two things, based on its position: 1. Stops electricity from flowing through, or 2. Allows electricity to flow through. This results in the light being "on" or "off." Some switches may have several different positions. For example, you might have three display screens set up for a computer, and a switch whose position determined which of the displays would show the information from the computer at any point in time. EXAMPLE: There is a form of power switch on every computer, used to turn the computer on and off.

Remote:

Something that is located far from the main area. Things that are remote are distant. If you are working remotely, it means you are far away from headquarters. EXAMPLE: You can work on creating a website remotely, which means you are working from home or at a personal office as opposed to working in the building of the company paying you to do the work.

Feed:

Something that notifies a person that something new is available. A feed is a stream of information about something. EXAMPLE: A news feed would be information sent to your computer giving current news. You might set up your feed to only present news related to a certain subject; for example, only news stories concerning auto racing.

Podcatcher:

Specialized computer programs exist that help people search for, store, and listen to podcasts. One term for these specialized programs is "podcatchers." EXAMPLE: There are many podcasts available to entertain you with stories, news, music, etc. If you had a particular popular TV show you were a fan of, like Star Trek, chances are you could find many different podcasts related to that TV show to listen to. The program you would use to find, store, and listed to those podcasts would be a podcatcher.

DSL:

Stands for "Digital Subscriber Line" and is a way to access the Internet at a high speed. A subscriber is someone that requests to receive information from a particular source. DSL uses telephone lines. What this means is that the subscriber connects to the Internet through the telephone line leading to their building. EXAMPLE: When people utilized dial-up internet (internet access through their phone line), DSL existed as a faster option. Dial-up internet was slower and prohibited one from making phone calls while online. DSL allows you to make calls and use the internet at a faster speed, simultaneously.

LAN:

Stands for "Local-Area Network." A LAN is a network of connected computers where the computers are located near each other (in the same room or building, for example). The fact that the computers are connected via the network allows them to share access to files and devices (such as printers). EXAMPLE: 3 computers connected in an office would be a LAN. There is a common activity in the gaming community where gamers will bring their computers to a central location for a large gaming activity called a "LAN Party." All the computers will be connected together for the duration of the event, and the gamers can play multi-player computer games.

POP email:

Stands for "Post Office Protocol electronic mail". POP email is also called POP3 email (the 3 means it is the third version). POP is yet another protocol for sending and receiving electronic mail (e-mail) over the Internet. POP email is a tool you can use if you have multiple email addresses that you send and receive from. POP can help you set it up so that all your emails are sent to only one of your email addresses. For example: If you have a work email address and a personal email address, POP allows you to have all your work emails sent to your personal email as well. When you open an email that was sent to your email using POP, the email is then erased from the server and can't be accessed again from any other email address other than the one you accessed it from. For example, let's say you have an email address at Gmail and another at Yahoo, and you set up POP so that everything is received at Gmail. When someone emails you at your Yahoo email address, a copy of the email is sent to Yahoo and a copy is sent to Gmail. If you open that email in Gmail, it will delete from Yahoo. If you open the email in Yahoo, it will delete in Gmail. EXAMPLE: If you have five different email addresses that you use, you can set up POP to ensure all emails sent to you are received at one email address, no matter which address people use for you

QR Code:

Stands for "Quick Response Code." A QR code is a unique image that contains encoded information. It is a type of barcode; instead of a series of vertical lines like the barcodes on items in a grocery store, it is a square image made up of many small square dots in a unique pattern. QR codes originated in the automotive industry in Japan. However, their most common use now relates to the Web. QR codes can be created with encoded information linking it to a specific web page. When you take a picture of the image with your smartphone, it takes you to that web page. EXAMPLE: QR codes can be used to promote a music concert. Using a smartphone, someone can take a picture of a QR code and their phone will open up a web page with information about the concert.

RSS:

Stands for "Rich Site Summary". RSS is a tool that allows things to automatically be sent to you so that you are kept updated on your favorite subjects. RSS sends information to you as you request it. That way you don't have to go to several different places to get the information you want. Instead, the information from all those different places gets sent to you. EXAMPLE: If you like The New York Times, you could use an RSS reader to go to their website and click on an RSS button on the site. This is called "subscribing" to the RSS feed. Then you would regularly be sent articles from The New York Times, which you could read using your RSS reader.

API (Application Programming Interface):

Stands for Application Programming Interface. An API is a special part of a computer program that allows other programs to give information to that program and also to get information from them. It is basically a way that a computer program can tell other programs: "If you want to give or get information, here is the exact way you'll need to ask me." The reason programs would have an API is so there is a description of the standard way other programs can access that program. That way, any programmer who has a description of the API can make software that can connect to the API. If there is no API for a program, other programs can't access that program easily. EXAMPLE: If there were a software program that kept track of the inventory for a bicycle manufacturer, that program might have an API that would allow the company's dealers to connect to the program and find out how many of a certain type of bicycle were available at the manufacturer. In this case, the dealers could have a software program of their own, which would connect to the API of the software at the manufacturer and request that inventory information.

MB:

Stands for megabyte. Mega means one million (1,000,000). Bytes are a set of 8 "binary digits," or bits. Bits are the 1s and 0s that are used by computers to represent information. In computers, a Megabyte means one of two things: 1. One million bytes (or 8,000,000 bits). 3.4 megabytes is 3,400,000 bytes. 2. More commonly, a megabyte is considered to be 1,048,576 bytes (8,388,608 bits). That's because computers commonly operate off of powers of two: 2 to the first power is 2; 2 to the second power is 4; two to the third power is 8, etc. 2 to the twentieth power is 1,048,576. Since this is the closest "2 to the power of" can get to one million, the computer industry uses the term "mega" to describe that number (1,048,576). EXAMPLE Megabytes were used in the past to measure computer memory (how many bytes a computer can store). In the past, one may have seen computers promoting 16MB. That would mean the computer could hold 16,777,216 bytes of memory (or 134,217,728 bits).

Commodore 64:

The Commodore 64 is a very old computer (released in 1982) that was extremely popular. It was one of the first computers that made it possible for average families to own and use a computer in their homes. EXAMPLE: KoalaPainter was one of the applications on the Commodore 64, allowing users to create drawings on their computer.

Internet:

The Internet is two things: an interconnected network of many computers around the world, and a set of methods, or protocols, for transferring different types of data between those computers. EXAMPLE: If someone in China wrote an article you wanted to read, they could put it on the internet, and you could then view it on your computer via the internet.

Netflix:

Netflix is a subscription service where a person pays to stream (streaming is sending a continuous flow of information, typically audio or video content, from one computer to another) movies or TV from the Netflix computers directly to their computer or TV. They also have a mail subscription service for renting DVDs and Blu-Ray disks that are then sent to them in the mail. EXAMPLE: Netflix has many popular TV shows and movies available for viewing; they create their own shows and movies as well.

BACKSPACE KEY

Often abbreviated "Back." This key was originally provided to assist in text input on a computer. It is used to move the cursor back one space. Computer programmers have often made use of it for other functions in various different types of computer programs - for example, in a program that lets you access the World Wide Web, the Back key might be used to navigate to the prior web page.

Wi-Fi:

One of the most common uses of Wi-Fi is to connect a computer or device to the Internet. The Internet is a connected network of computers around the world that can be used to access the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web (the "Web") is a collection of linked electronic documents, organized into groups called websites. EXAMPLE: Most cell phones can connect to the Internet over Wi-Fi.

C:

One of the most widely-used programming languages. C was developed between 1969 and 1973. Many other languages have borrowed concepts and technology from C. The most up to date version (called C11) was approved in December 2011. C is used in the creation of many things, from operating systems (the basic program that allows a computer to perform any tasks at all), to apps, games, and business productivity programs. It is a very wide-ranging language with many capabilities. EXAMPLE: When you buy a new printer, you often need to put a special program on your computer that allows the computer to interact with that printer. That special program might be written in C.

Fiber/Fiber Optics

Optics is the study of visible and invisible light. Fiber optics is a term for a physical cable that can be used to transfer information over long distances. It is made out of glass or plastic, formed into threads (fibers). These fibers can carry pulses of light (which can represent information). Obviously, these pulses of light move at the speed of light - 186,000 miles per second. When computers are connected by fiber, data transfer between them happens very quickly. EXAMPLE: As of 2018, fiber optics allows for the fastest possible internet speed.

Output:

Output is a part of a computer that sends out electricity. EXAMPLE: An electrical outlet that you insert a plug into (in this example, the outlet is the output because it puts out electricity).

Bit:

A bit is short for "binary digit." Binary digits are the way computers represent information. Binary is a number system that uses two digits - 0 and 1 - to represent quantities. A binary digit is just that - a 0 or a 1. Inside the computer, a bit is represented in a number of different ways. In terms of storing information in the computer, a bit is represented by the state of a location in the computer's memory storage device. This location is a physical object that has only two possible states: 1 or 0. In terms of transferring information from one location to another, the computer sends bits as electronic signals on a physical piece of metal wiring. Here, a 1 bit is represented by the presence of electricity on the wire, and a 0 bit is represented by the absence of electricity on the wire. You can also use the term "bit" to describe the size of electronic files. A picture, a document, a movie, etc. are saved on a computer as electronic files. These files are all composed of a certain number of bits. The larger the file, the more bits the file is made up of. When a group of 8 bits are put together for certain purposes, this group is given a special name: a byte. EXAMPLE: A small file might have 25,000 bits. A large file might have 50 million bits. Note: Computers are often characterized by the size of the instructions and information that they can process at once. This measurement is given in bits. This would mean that an 8-bit computer could only handle an instruction that was made up of 8 binary digits (a byte), whereas a 64-bit computer could handle an instruction that was made up of 64 binary digits. This means that the 64-bit computer could process information much faster than the 8-bit computer, since each instruction could contain much more data.

Email client:

A client is a software program that can request information from a server, receive the requested information, and do something with it. A web browser is a kind of a client. Another kind of client is an email program. It helps a user contact special servers over the Internet where email messages are stored, and retrieves them for the user. The first versions of these email clients were programs you would put on your computer. You'd set the program up to use whatever email address you were using, and when you wanted to get your messages, the client would request them from a server and store them on your computer. Later versions of these email clients were actually put on websites, so you could view your email messages without saving them to your computer. This is called a webmail client. EXAMPLE: Outlook is a popular email client.

Clip:

A clip is a short video that is typically made up of a scene or scenes from a longer video. EXAMPLE: A movie preview is composed of clips.

Array:

A collection of data, arranged in rows and columns. In computers, an array is a group of related things that are stored together in a sequence. It is a way things can be organized in a computer in a logical way. Arrays can be quite simple, or quite complex. EXAMPLE: A simple array would be something like the numbers 7, 3 and 15. It would be written out like this: [7, 3, 15] These three pieces of data are called elements - they are the elements of the array. A system is needed for identifying each element of an array. The simplest method for this is to start numbering them at zero starting at the left position and counting up from there. In the above example, the element "7" would be at position 0, "3" would be at position 1, and "15" would be at position 2. Another word for the position of an element is the "index" of the element - for the above example of an array, index 0 is "7," index 1 is "3," etc. Each element, therefore, has two properties: its index and its value. EXAMPLE: You have three pictures of your cat, and you could save them in an array: CatPic1, CatPic 2, and CatPic 3. Here, index 1 has a value of "CatPic2."

Set:

A collection of things. In math, sets are groups of numbers listed together. EXAMPLE: 2,4,6,8 is a set. 12423, 4, 54, 943 is a set. "Bob," "James," "Tim," "Charles" is also a set. There doesn't have to be a pattern to the things in the set. Usually a set has these symbols at the beginning and the end, so you can easily tell what is in the set: [ ]. Another example would be: You could write a set that has the first five letters of the alphabet as ["A," "B," "C," "D," "E"]. Each individual thing in the set is called an element - that is, a set has multiple elements.

Language:

A communication system that allows you to transfer ideas in written and spoken words. Computer languages are organized systems of words, phrases and symbols that allow you to communicate with the computer and tell it what to do. There are many different types of computer languages. EXAMPLE: A computer game could be written using one or more languages, depending on your skills and preferences.

Component:

A component is one of the pieces of something that adds up to the whole. There are different components to a car, like the engine, wheels, seats, etc. There are also different components to a computer. EXAMPLE: Your hard drive is a component of your computer that stores information.

Machine Cycle:

A computer can only do one thing at a time. Each action must be broken down into a series of the most basic instructions. To complete an instruction, a computer does a series of steps called a machine cycle. This cycle is often called the "fetch-decode-execute" cycle.

High-level language:

A computer programming language that is designed to be easy for people to read and write. High-level languages look somewhat like English, and the words used have similar meanings to what they mean in normal conversation. EXAMPLE: Code written as follows would be high level language: Print "hello";

Server:

A computer that is used as the source of data and/or services by one or more other computers. In this case, the computers are connected into a network, and are equipped with specialized computer programs that allow them to communicate with each other over that network. A common design for a computer network is to designate one or more of the computers in the network as a "server," and all the other computers as "clients." The servers will contain important data and computer programs needed by the client computers. Using those specialized computer programs, clients will request data or services from the servers. The servers will get the needed data from their storage devices and send it to the requesting client computer. There are many different types of servers, depending on the need of the computer users. EXAMPLE: The technology company Google has over 1,000,000 servers in various locations around the world.

A NOTE ON HOSTS:

A host is a computer that is connected to a network. It typically provides services or data to other computers on a network. ​It is called a host because it provides a home for various resources that other computers on the network might have need of - that is, it "hosts" those resources. Typical resources might be text files, web pages, audio and video files, etc. Any computer connected to a network is considered a host, in that it can potentially hold resources needed by other computers in the network. Example: Computer A and Computer B are both connected to a network - they are both hosts. There is an image file hosted on Computer B that is needed by a program on Computer A. Computer A connects to Computer B and requests that image from Computer B. Computer B sends the image to Computer A. This brings us to the concepts of servers and clients. A common way to operate networked computers is to have one of the computers (a "server") operate mainly as a location to store resources needed by other computers in the network (the "clients"), but NOT to have the clients store resources needed by the server. In other words, the clients only use, or "consume", the resources on the server, and not the other way around. This is called Client/Server network architecture. From this, you can probably see that all servers and all clients are hosts, but not all hosts are servers.

Junior Developer:

A junior developer is someone who has recently been trained in software development and doesn't yet have much experience. They may require assistance and will most certainly make mistakes. "Junior developer" is considered the lowest "rank" of software developer, and refers to someone newly trained in the area. EXAMPLE: A junior developer has the basic skill-set necessary to work in the computer industry professionally.

Mainframe:

A large central computer that can maintain and process a lot of information and is very secure. Mainframes hold massive bodies of information and provide information to other computers. A mainframe can support hundreds to thousands of computers. It is a very powerful computer. These came before the smaller "personal computers" that we are all used to working with today. The word actually comes from the early days of the telephone industry. There were places where many telephone wires could all come together so that phone calls could be connected to various places around the country. These were called telephone exchanges. The wires and equipment for a telephone exchange would all be contained in a large metal frame. These came to be called mainframes. When the computer industry formed, the terminology started being used to describe the large frames that contained the parts of a large computer. EXAMPLE: A company that handles gigantic amounts of data, like a huge bank, might have mainframe computers.

Weblog:

A log is a description of things that happened, added to over time. A weblog is a collection of written communications that is published on the World Wide Web. They are more commonly referred to as "blogs." A blog is usually something where a person writes about a certain subject over a period of time. Each time the person writing the blog writes something on the blog, what they wrote is called an "entry" in the blog. This can be a blog about politics, a blog about animals or a blog about how that person is doing and whatever is on their mind. Blogs are stored on the web. EXAMPLE: Bill, who is a fan of classic cars, says "Check out my blog about the Ford Mustang." He is telling you to go to his web log on the Web and read what he wrote about the Ford Mustang.

Loop:

A loop is something that connects back to the beginning point. In computers, a loop is a sequence of instructions that are continually repeated until an exact condition is achieved. Usually a loop would be where a certain set of actions are performed by a computer program. The program then checks to see if it has reached the condition required for completion. If not, it starts over and repeats the set of actions. If so, it exits the loop and moves on to the next consecutive instruction in the computer program. EXAMPLE: You tell the computer to search through a list of paint colors until the color "red" is found.

Markup Language:

A specialized computer language used to modify the appearance and format of written documents. In order to understand markup language, you first need to understand the term markup. "Mark up" is an old term used in making books and other printed things. When someone was writing a book or other text, they would literally "mark up" the pages and say what size they wanted the words to be, or different things they wanted done to the text when the book was printed, etc. They were basically instructions to the next person that would be involved in the creative process to manipulate things OTHER THAN the text content itself. These instructions are called annotation. When the document is printed, whether on a piece of paper or on a computer display screen, these annotations are not shown - instead, they are used to determine the appearance of the text, images, etc. that are displayed. This transferred over into a computer language because with a computer markup language you are telling the computer something like "hey, this is what size text to use here," or "hey, please make all my chapter titles larger than the rest of the text in the chapter." Markup language is a language that can be understood by people as well as computers. You can use it to make certain text in a written document behave differently than the rest of the plain text in the document. EXAMPLE: When creating a fiction book, you could receive the written document from the author and give that document to a designer. The designer would use markup to set various presentation elements, such as the size of the text used for chapter headings and regular text, the border to be used for any photographs or images, etc. The document, along with its markup, would be given to a printer who would produce the finished book.

Star Network:

A star network is a very common type of computer network. A star network is where many computers are connected to each other via a central computer or machine. This central computer or machine is called a "hub." The hub passes information to and from computers on a star network. EXAMPLE: There is a company using a star network. Employee A writes a supply list and saves it on the network as a document. Employee B opens the supply list document in the network. What happens here is that when Employee A saved the supply list document, it saved on the hub. When Employee B clicked on the supply list document, he got it from the hub (the hub passed the information to Employee B's computer).

Negative and positive:

A state of an electrical signal or an electrical energy source. To understand positive and negative in relation to electricity, you have to know what "electrons" and "protons" are. Electrons and protons are small, individual parts of an atom. Atoms are the things that all matter is made of; there are lots of different kinds of atoms. Atoms are VERY small. An electron is a very small thing that contains electricity in it. Different atoms have different amounts of electrons in them. For example, the atoms in gold have a different quantity of electrons in them than the atoms in aluminum. Protons are tiny things that are all exactly the same. Different atoms have different amounts of protons in them. Protons are attracted to electrons and vice-versa. If you say an atom is negative (written as "-"), that means the atom contains more electrons than protons. The atom could be said to have "negative energy." Negative energy is attracted to and drawn toward positive energy. If you say something is positive (written as "+"), that means the thing contains more protons than electrons. Positive energy is attracted to and drawn toward negative energy. This behavior of an atom is the basis for electricity.

Subprogram:

A subprogram is a set of computer instructions to be used by a main computer program that performs some task that you may want to do over and over again at various times. The main computer program could do some of its own actions in a specific sequence, then ask the subprogram to do its tasks, and then continue on where it was before it asked the subprogram to do its tasks. Another term for this is "subroutine," since a routine is just a set of computer instructions - a computer program. EXAMPLE: Within a computer program used to operate a college, there could be a subprogram that checked to see if any new students had been enrolled since you last used the program. The main program could use that subprogram as it was starting up, get the data on any new students, and then continue on with its primary functions.

# (hashtag):

A symbol used to categorize written content. This is used mainly on social networking websites. Hashtags are used to make searching for content easier. You can search for all content on a certain subject by using hashtags - if you find all content that has the same hashtag attached to it, they should have a large quantity of related content. EXAMPLE: If you search #TheOffice, content that has been tagged with #TheOffice will come up.

Offline:

Also written off-line. Offline means that a machine is not connected to electricity and is turned off. Offline is also used to say that a computer is not connected to a network. If you are offline, your computer is not giving and receiving information from a network it is attached to. EXAMPLE: If a printer is offline, it means that there is no connection going to and from other devices to the printer. This could mean that the computer is not connected to a computer network (you can connect to printers using a network) or that the printer is turned off, etc.

Internet server:

An Internet server is also called a web server. An Internet server is a location where large amounts of information are stored and sent out to computers that request the information from the web. The server is the thing that is giving and receiving information from the Internet to your computer and vice versa. EXAMPLE: You type in "What is a snake?" on the Internet. Your computer then communicates with the web server and the web server sends your computer the answer.

Alias:

An alias is a name that something is known by, rather than the actual name of the thing itself. For computers, this often means something you click on (other than the original data itself) that opens up data. This is also called a "shortcut." In the case of a file, you aren't clicking on the original file; you are clicking on something that points to the original file. You would have saved the alias, or shortcut, somewhere besides the location of the actual file - possibly for ease of access. EXAMPLE: If you saved a copy of a file in folder A, you could put an alias for the file in folder B and be able to access the file from both locations. Another use for an alias is when the actual name for a thing is lengthy, and a shorter version would make it easier to write computer code using that name. If a computer file is called "BridgeSupportPlanDiagram_123_subsection_456," you might give it an alias of "sub456." Any references to "sub456" would be interpreted by the computer to refer to the actual file "BridgeSupportPlanDiagram_123_subsection_456."

Archive:

An archive is a collection of historical records. In computers, this means a collection of data that provides a record of what's happened over time. Usually the data in an archive is all related in some way. EXAMPLE: You may have a bunch of emails related to a project. Many computers can present those emails to you organized by the date you received each email. You now have an archive of those emails - that is, a collection of the emails that present a historical record.

BitTorrent:

BitTorrent is a protocol for sharing large electronic files over the Internet. This gives computer users a way to share information across computers that sometimes works faster than the traditional methods of downloading. It is a "peer-to-peer" protocol for transferring data, meaning all computers involved in the file transfer can act as both providers and consumers of data. (In computers, a peer is another computer you can hook up to directly to give and share information with. This differs from earlier systems in which your computer is required to go through a specialized third-party computer called a server in order to access information from another computer.) Traditional downloading usually means one central computer has the electronic file that you want, so you send a request to that machine to send your computer the file. For example, if you download a video, you are having your computer pull the electronic files for the movie from another machine somewhere so that you can watch the video on your computer. If 100 computers are downloading a specific video from the same machine at once, the video would download slower than if only 5 computers were downloading it at once. Peer-to-peer file transfer protocols like BitTorrent provide a way to download the file you want from several computers at once; each computer would only be providing you with a smaller portion of the overall file. In BitTorrent, you are also offering your computer (in a safe way) to be a machine that others can download from. So the more people that are downloading using BitTorrent, the faster it will download because more people are sharing information and fewer people are using the same physical "roads" for data transfer. This is done by installing one of several software programs called a "BitTorrent client." This is a file transfer program that uses the BitTorrent protocol to transfer files. EXAMPLE: If you used a BitTorrent client to download a particular video about waterfalls, your computer would communicate with other computers that have that video and will download small pieces of the video from several sources at once. The more people that have this video, the faster your computer will download. And later, when others want to download the video, your BitTorrent client could receive requests for that video, and it could send out small pieces of that video as part of the process for another BitTorrent user. Note: BitTorrent systems are often used for illegal activities, such as downloading copyrighted works like music and videos.

HTML:

HTML is a computer language that describes the appearance, content and behavior of web pages. There are actually two concepts here: "hypertext" and "markup." Hypertext is a system for linking related electronic documents. It works by taking one or more words in the text of the document and giving it a special property - it links to another electronic document. When that specific text is selected, the reader is taken to the linked document. The origin of the term is taken from "hyper," which means "beyond." The special text is called a hyperlink because it links to a document that is "beyond" the one the user is reading. Markup is the process of adding special data to the text on a page that dictates various changes to the appearance or format of that text. A typical example would be to make certain words bold or italic. You could even have them appear as a list. The browser first receives the .html file from the web server. It then processes the HTML and the text in the file. From there, it works out the visual appearance of the page that should be displayed on the screen. EXAMPLE: When you go to a website, you can find web pages that have words, pictures, sounds, and videos. The main language that is used behind the scenes to tell the computer to show you those words, pictures, sounds, and videos is HTML. Like any markup language, HTML uses many different tags. These various tags handle things related to modifying the text displayed. They also handle things like displaying images, creating hyperlinks, etc. One common tag in HTML is the <title> tag. It tells a browser what to display in the tab in your browser. For example, if you go to the website for NBC, it might say "NBC TV Network" in the little tab in your browser where you see the NBC website.

HTTP:

HTTP stands for "Hypertext Transfer Protocol" and is one standard method, among others, of transferring information to and from computers over the internet. HTTP was devised many years ago. The type of information that HTTP is concerned with is the information on web pages - regular text, hypertext, images, videos, etc. Most computers are designed so that they can read and understand HTTP, so HTTP is an important way of ensuring computers can communicate with each other via the internet and that the World Wide Web keeps working. If you try to make a web page without following HTTP (the protocols required in making a web page), your web page won't work. EXAMPLE: Websites on the internet are preceded with http, which shows that the information you're viewing used the Hypertext Transfer Protocol as its method for being requested, being received, and being displayed. http://www.facebook.com just shows that the Facebook website you're viewing uses the Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

Variable:

In math, a variable is a symbol used to represent an unknown quantity or a quantity that may change. In computers, a variable is used to store information for later use. Computers often have to keep track of various pieces of information. These can be things like the name of a computer user, the color of the background shown on the computer screen, an order number for something a user ordered from a company, etc. The computer usually gives each of these pieces of information a NAME and a VALUE. The NAME is used to identify the exact piece of information, and the VALUE is used to show the actual information we need to keep track of. These things the computer is keeping track of are usually called "variables." This is because the VALUE part of it can change when you tell the computer to change it. The fact that the value can vary is why it's called a "variable" - its value is not permanent or constant. Usually the "=" symbol is used to set the VALUE of a variable. When the "=" symbol is used to set the value of a variable, it is usually used like this: [NAME of the variable] = [VALUE that is being assigned to that variable] EXAMPLE: fabricColor = "blue" Here, there is a piece of information that the computer is keeping track of that has been given the name "fabricColor." By using the "=" symbol, we can set the value of the piece of information called "fabricColor." In this case, we are setting that value to the series of letters that make up the word "blue."

JavaScript:

JavaScript is a computer language that works on most computers. It is useful in making websites. JavaScript is used mainly to make websites more dynamic (websites that have content that change based on user action or other factors, rather than being static in appearance and content). There are many other uses for JavaScript; it is used in the creation of many different types of computer programs. EXAMPLE: JavaScript can be used to make videos that start to play as soon as a user moves their mouse over the video.

Leading zero:

Leading zeros in binary are all the zeros you can add to the beginning of a binary number without changing the number. EXAMPLE: 1010 is the same amount as 00001010 in binary as the leading zeros are all "off."

Queue:

Literally means a line of people or things waiting to be served or worked with. You have probably seen queues at the Department of Motor Vehicles, a grocery store, or an amusement park. In computers, a queue means a sequence of information or tasks that are waiting to be handled. The computer (or other device) takes one item from the queue and handles it. It then handles another item. This process continues until all items are handled. Meanwhile, the information is stored so that things in the queue are not forgotten. EXAMPLE: When you try to print five different documents at once, these are placed in a queue, and your printer then prints them one at a time.

Logic:

Logic has its own special definition when dealing with computers. Being logical means basing your decisions on facts. Computers use logic in a mathematical way. Computer logic is using a series of facts to come to a decision based on different possible scenarios. The most fundamental element of the logic used in computers is the two conditions "true" and "false." This is used in the most basic of computer operations: the "if/then" decision. EXAMPLE: Binary (0s and 1s, yes or no, true or false, etc.) is part of computer logic.

Microprocessor:

Microprocessor is the same as CPU (Central Processing Unit). It is the part of a computer that controls the actions the computer does. The microprocessor does one action at a time - things like taking in data from a keyboard, or storing data in the computer's memory (stored information on a computer that can be referred back to), etc. It can do millions of these types of actions every second, but it only ever does one thing at a time. The basic job of all microprocessors is to execute a sequence of stored instructions built into them, and to execute instructions that are given to it by external devices. EXAMPLE: If you have a list of students in a computer file and you give the computer an instruction to put the list in alphabetical order, it is the CPU that performs the analysis and re-ordering of the list. In addition to "microprocessor" and "processor," the CPU can be referred to as the "control unit" or "computer processor."

True:

Not false. This is an important element of how computers work because they are often used to make decisions based on information. They need to be able to evaluate whether a certain condition is true or false, and then perform certain other actions depending on the answer. EXAMPLE: The computer is asked to evaluate a list of students and determine whether or not each student has a grade point average above 3.2. The computer would look at each student in turn, and determine whether it was TRUE or FALSE that their GPA was above 3.2.

Branch:

One of two or more possible series of actions that may be performed in a computer program - also known as a leg. A fundamental aspect of a computer program (the set of instructions that, when performed by the computer, result in the computer taking in information, performing work, and putting out information) is the idea that the computer can have multiple possible actions it can perform. That is, the computer can be told to perform one of two or more available actions depending on the state of certain information. As an example, the computer might be told to check the test scores of a student, and depending on whether or not the student's test scores were above a minimum level, send them a message inviting them to an advanced class. This type of operation would require two important elements: an instruction to evaluate information for the purpose of determining what to do, and the actual instructions to be performed once that determination has occurred. This is basically the concept of "if this, then that," applied to computer programming. The first part, the evaluation instruction, is called a "conditional statement" - because which steps the computer will do next are conditional, and are based upon the evaluation of the information given to the conditional statement. An example might be: "if age is greater than 19," or "if the number of items in the order is equal to or less than 10." The second part, the actual instructions to be executed based on the evaluation of the conditional statement, is called "branches." There are always at least two branches. Based on the result of the conditional statement, one of the sets of instructions is performed. An example might be "mark this student as an adult learner," or "apply a 10% discount to the order." Each of these possible sets of instructions is called a "branch." It can also be known as a "leg." EXAMPLE: If you are using a computer program to order food from a restaurant, and the restaurant has a different procedure for ordering, depending on whether you want the food to be delivered instead of being set aside for you to pick up, there will be a point in the computer program where the user will be prompted as to whether their order is for pickup or delivery; the computer will have two possible branches it can perform. The conditional statement in the computer program will take in the choice the user made, evaluate that information, and execute one or the other of these branches based on the user's choice.

Overhead:

Overhead is the base cost it takes to operate an activity. This term applies to the business world, but also to computers - but in different ways. Your business overhead is the price of rent, electricity etc., as opposed to things like paying for marketing. In computer terms, overhead can have a number of meanings. For example, you might have an electronic document stored on your computer - say, a letter to a friend. In looking at the data for that document that is stored on the computer's storage device, you would see the actual data of the letter - the words you wrote. You would also see data apart from the actual words. This is data that the computer uses to do its job as far as that electronic document is concerned. It might be data such as: when the file was created, who was using the computer when it was created, who last changed the document, how much space the document took up on the storage device, where the document was stored on the device, etc. This type of data is called "overhead" - it is the data you need to have just to have an electronic document on a computer. Another example might be the routine tasks the computer does as it is sitting unused - it is periodically checking the keyboard to see if the user has typed anything; it is continually sending information to the computer display, etc. These tasks require work on the part of the computer - therefore, if you give the computer other tasks to do (such as printing a document), it will still need to do those basic tasks in addition to the new task you gave it. The work done by the computer on those basic tasks is called overhead. EXAMPLE: If you design a computer program that continually places news headlines at the bottom of the computer screen, you have added to the overhead of the computer.

As a note:

Per Steve Jobs at a conference in 1998, the "i" at the beginning of some Apple products represents several things, including: internet individual instruct inform inspire

Phishing:

Phishing is a scam where someone pretends to be an official company or someone trustworthy in order to steal information like your credit card number or anything else. This is called "phishing" because it is a variant of "fishing." The implication is that you are the "fish," and when you take the bait, the "fisher" gets your information. These are also called "phishing attacks." EXAMPLE: The following email would most likely be phishing: "This is Mr. Adams. I am from your bank, Acme Bank. I need you to send me your account information so I can wire you funds." If you were to actually reply to this email and give them your bank account information, you might get money stolen from your bank account.

Graphics:

Pictures displayed on a computer. Graphics are art created on a computer by a person. EXAMPLE: If you say a game has amazing graphics, you are saying the pictures and videos in the game look amazing.

Protocol:

Protocols are the rules and regulations computers have to follow to be able to transfer data between each other. One protocol is the set of behind-the-scenes rules that determine exactly how an internet document gets sent to your computer screen and displayed. Protocols are the rules that people are required to follow when telling a computer what to do (such as creating something that is going to be on the world wide web). In a bank, there are rules in place that keep your money safe. These rules, or protocols, are enforced out of sight but you know that your money will be there in a predictable fashion. There are rules that people are required to follow when telling a computer what to do (such as creating something that is going to be on the internet) and these are also considered protocols. EXAMPLE: If you don't follow protocols when attempting to create something you intend on sending out to other computers, the things will not send successfully to other computers.

Runtime:

Runtime means the time when something in the computer is running - the time when the program is run. You can say something happens at runtime or it happens at compile time. The term "runtime" also describes software or instructions that are executed while your program is running - especially those instructions that you did not write explicitly, but are necessary for the proper execution of your code. This is actually a "runtime library," but is often shortened to simply "runtime." In computer programming, a runtime library is a special program library used by a compiler to implement functions built into a programming language during the runtime (execution) of a computer program. EXAMPLE: You can design videos to load during runtime or prior to runtime. If they were loaded during runtime, then you would have to wait for it to load after you clicked on it. If they were loaded prior to runtime, the videos would have loaded when you originally opened the program (set of instructions entered into a computer that performs exact functions), and so the program would take longer to load up when started.

Scripting:

Scripting is the creating of scripts. A script is a set of computer instructions that automates a task so that a multi-part task can occur without your involvement. The origin of the term is similar to its meaning in "a movie script tells actors what to do," in that scripting tells a computer what to do. EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: Scripting would be the process to create a script that checks for new orders created at a manufacturing company every ten minutes, and prints them off on a printer.

Gb:

Stands for gigabit. Giga means one billion (1,000,000,000). Bits are "binary digits"; these are the 1s and 0s that are used by computers to represent information. In computers, a gigabit means one of two things: 1. One billion bits. 2. More commonly, a gigabit is considered to be 1,073,741,824 bits. That's because computers commonly operate off of powers of two: 2 to the first power is 2; 2 to the second power is 4; two to the third power is 8, etc. 2 to the thirtieth power is 1,073,741,824. Since this is the closest "2 to the power of" can get to one billion, the computer industry uses the term "giga" to describe that number (1,073,741,824). EXAMPLE: Gigabits are sometimes used to measure how fast digital information can transfer from one computer to another - for example, if you were transferring music files from your computer to a portable audio player, that rate of data transfer would be measured in "bits per second," or bps. If the method of connecting your computer to the audio player is capable of high transfer rates, you might achieve 1 Gbps or more.

Kb:

Stands for kilobit. Kilo means one thousand (1,000). Bits are "binary digits"; these are the 1s and 0s that are used by computers to represent information. In computers, a kilobit means one of two things: 1. One thousand bits. 2. More commonly, a kilobit is considered to be 1,024 bits. That's because computers commonly operate off of powers of two: 2 to the first power is 2; 2 to the second power is 4; two to the third power is 8, etc. 2 to the tenth power is 1,024. Since this is the closest "2 to the power of" can get to one thousand, the computer industry uses the term "kilo" to describe that number (1,024). EXAMPLE: Kilobits are sometimes used to measure how fast digital information can transfer from one computer to another, although modern devices are capable of much faster speeds than this. For example, if you were transferring music files from your computer to a portable audio player, that rate of data transfer would be measured in "bits per second," or bps. If the method of connecting your computer to the audio player is only capable of low transfer rates, you might only achieve 1 Kbps.

KB:

Stands for kilobyte. Kilo means one thousand (1,000). Bytes are a set of 8 "binary digits," or bits. Bits are the 1s and 0s that are used by computers to represent information. In computers, a Kilobyte means one of two things: 1. One thousand bytes (or 8,000 bits). 3.4 kilobytes is 3,400 bytes. 2. More commonly, a kilobyte is considered to be 1,024 bytes (8,192 bits). That's because computers commonly operate off of powers of two: 2 to the first power is 2; 2 to the second power is 4; two to the third power is 8, etc. 2 to the tenth power is 1,024. Since this is the closest "2 to the power of" can get to one thousand, the computer industry uses the term "kilo" to describe that number (1,024). EXAMPLE: In the past, kilobytes were used to measure computer memory (how many bytes a computer can store). You saw computers promoting 16KB. That would mean the computer could hold 16,384 bytes of memory (or 131,072 bits).

m, M:

Stands for mega. This is a part of the Metric measuring system. "Mega" means one million. In computers, mega means one of two things: 1. Mega can be used to indicate 1,000,000 of a thing. 2. More commonly, mega is used to refer to an amount of 1,048,576. That's because computers commonly operate off of powers of two: 2 to the first power is 2; 2 to the second power is 4; two to the third power is 8, etc. 2 to the twentieth power is 1,048,576. Since this is the closest "2 to the power of" can get to one million, the computer industry uses the term "mega" to describe the amount 1,048,576. EXAMPLE: The weight of a mega of bricks would be 1,000,000 pounds (since bricks do not relate to computers, the first definition applies).

Mb:

Stands for megabit. Mega means one million (1,000,000). Bits are "binary digits"; these are the 1s and 0s that are used by computers to represent information. In computers, a megabit means one of two things: 1. One million bits 2. More commonly, a megabit is considered to be 1,048,576 bits. That's because computers commonly operate off of powers of two: 2 to the first power is 2; 2 to the second power is 4; two to the third power is 8, etc. 2 to the twentieth power is 1,048,576. Since this is the closest "2 to the power of" can get to one million, the computer industry uses the term "mega" to describe that number (1,048,576). EXAMPLE: Megabits are sometimes used to measure how fast digital information can transfer from one computer to another - for example, if you were transferring music files from your computer to a portable audio player, that rate of data transfer will be measured in "bits per second," or bps. If the method of connecting your computer to the audio player is capable of high transfer rates, you might achieve 1 Mbps or more.

Broadcast:

The act of sending out audio and/or video content over any one of several systems. Usually this involves the distribution of a signal from one source, which is received by many target devices - hence the term: the content is cast out over a broad area. The first popular use of broadcasting was in the early part of the 20th century, as radio stations started sending out audio programs across a wide geographical area. In any broadcasting system, the target devices are capable of converting the electronic signal they receive into the needed audio and/or video and reproduce the original content from the sending device. This term is now applied in many areas, all based on the physical system used to transmit, receive and present the audio/video content. These include radio, television, and Internet (the Internet is a network of computers located around the world; it is what we use to access the World Wide Web - a collection of linked electronic documents that are organized into various "websites"). EXAMPLE: A professional football game takes place in San Francisco, California. At the stadium, equipment is available that allows audio and/or video of the game to be broadcast over radio, television, and Internet. A fan of the game could use any one of these mediums to listen to or watch the game, depending on what receiving equipment they owned.

Plagiarism:

The act of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as your own. Plagiarizing is considered to be stealing. EXAMPLE: Someone caught plagiarizing a product could be forced to pay all profits from the plagiarizer to the true inventor.

Fragmentation:

The breaking up of files on your computer into multiple storage locations. During the normal operation of a computer, as it is asked to store electronic files on the hard drive, it may have to break up the file into two or more pieces on the drive, simply because no one point on the device contains enough available storage space for the entire file to be recorded. While this does not prevent the file from being used, it does mean that computer operations on that file take longer, as the computer has to manage the multiple locations of the file's information. EXAMPLE: Fragmentation can slow down how fast your computer operates because it has to dig around to find things since the pieces are spread out over a wide distance.

":" (colon):

The colon is used when separating the HTTP from the rest of the address of a website. The colon is placed after http to create a separation point to help the computer find the address you want to go to. The colon is used in a browser to separate two things. To the left of the colon, you'll find the protocol the browser used in requesting, receiving, and displaying information found using the Internet. To the right of the colon, you'll find the particular information being displayed. EXAMPLE: You've probably noticed that most websites have http: at the beginning of them. If you've ever notice your browser showing something else to the left of the colon, you should know that it was telling you what protocol the browser used to find, retrieve and display the information you were seeing. Colons are used in lots of other ways in the computer industry. A colon nearly always is used to separate two things that have some sort of a relationship to each other.

Control bus:

The control bus carries the commands issued by the CPU to control the devices in the computer system, and also carries certain status signals from those devices to tell the CPU the result of the commands. EXAMPLE: If you click on a video you want to watch, the bus will have data on it specifying the exact actions the display screen is to perform so that the video is displayed. It will also have instructions on it to tell the speakers what to do.

Clock:

The device on the computer that controls the timing of the CPU. When the clock is "high," it is putting out electricity. When it is "low," it is not. The moment the clock goes "high," the CPU detects that this has occurred, and then knows it should start its next action. EXAMPLE: The faster your computer's clock can operate, the better your computer can perform. This is called "clock rate."

SEARCH ENGINES VS. BROWSERS

The difference between a browser and search engine is: a browser is used to visit and display websites, while a search engine is used to search for websites. For example: You could use the browser Google Chrome to search on Yahoo's search engine. You would use the Chrome browser to view the websites that were found by the Yahoo search engine.

Source:

The emanation or origination point of something. Sourcing is receiving something from a particular source. In business, sourcing refers to finding people that supply goods and services. EXAMPLE: Outsourcing is finding another person or company to handle some work for you. If you had a restaurant, you could outsource baked bread to another company (meaning, your restaurant cooks everything you serve except the bread).

WHAT IS A MODEM?

The word "modem" comes from these two terms: "modulate/demodulate." To modulate a thing means to change it. To demodulate means to reverse that change. Modem is short for "modulator-demodulator." In the area of computer technology, this means you take a constant electrical signal and change it (modulate it) so that it now carries information along with the constant signal. EXAMPLE: You could have a machine that puts caps on soda bottles at a soda plant. The machine could output a continuous sound, with a constant volume, when no bottles are being capped. When the machine starts to operate and cap bottles, you could then cause that sound to spike up in volume for a split second every time a bottle was capped. You have now modulated (changed) the output signal so that it carries information (in this case, the information it carries is the rate at which bottles are being capped). A visual representation of the signal, over time, might look like this: __|__|__|_|____|__|__|__ Here, the "_" character represents the constant-volume, steady sound emitted by the machine, and the "|" character represents the spike in volume of that sound whenever a bottle is capped. Since it would be easy to lose track of the count if you were listening to the changing sound, it would be good to have another piece of equipment that could just keep track of the spikes in the sound signal. That would be a demodulator. A common type of modem is one that converts data from a computer into a signal to be transmitted over telephone lines, or vice versa. Most computers have a modem installed inside them. Here, the modem does two things, depending on whether it is receiving information or sending information. When a computer has information it wants to send to another computer, it gives that information to the modem. The modem takes that information and uses it to modulate a constant signal that can be sent over phone lines. When the destination computer is receiving the information, its modem extracts the information carried on that constant telephone signal and turns it into computer information. Here is what it might look like:

Thread:

The word thread has two meanings in computers. 1. A conversation between multiple computer users that has a common subject or theme. EXAMPLE: If you were using your computer to have typed conversations with people in other parts of the world about their pets, there might be a "Labrador Retriever" thread. The primary subject of the communication in this thread would be the dog breed Labrador Retriever. 2. A task that a computer is doing, while the computer is also doing other different tasks. This comes up where computers are set up to do more than one thing in a given period of time. Each "thing" they are doing is called a "thread." This is because each task can be seen as a length of thread, with each step of the task coming one after the next along the thread. EXAMPLE: A computer could have one thread that was related to printing a document, while another thread was related to displaying a graph on the screen. The computer would not be working on each thread at once - rather, it would keep track of all the tasks it is doing (the "tasks") and it will switch back and forth between them.

Code:

There are a couple of definitions for "code." The first is: Code is what you type into a computer to make programs. Code is written in specialized computer languages. Coding means typing out instructions (using a particular computer language) to create a program that will make the computer perform specific actions. EXAMPLE: You can write code that makes a computer game.

Object-oriented programming:

There are different approaches you can take to programming. Object-oriented is an approach to programming that focuses on objects and information (as opposed to actions or some other approach). The first step in OOP, is determining what objects you are going to be dealing with and how all the objects relate to each other. OOP is a popular approach to programming computers that is used in many languages. EXAMPLE: If you were creating a website using object-oriented programming, you would focus on all the things you wanted included in the website (pictures, pages, videos, etc.) first, then design the basic outline of each type of thing from there, always focusing on the information and objects to be used by and contained in the website.

Load:

There are two common meanings for this term in the computer industry: 1. To transfer memory from one location to another (usually the original memory is kept intact). EXAMPLE: When you load a file, it usually means that you are opening one from memory and viewing it on your screen. 2. The amount of demand on a computer program or computer system. EXAMPLE: If you had a computer network where one of the computers held information that all the other networked computers needed to access, and one hundred other computers were consumers of that data where, at any one point in time, 80 of those computers were trying to access the computer that had the information, you could say that the load on that "data computer" was 80%.

Checksum:

This is a number that is used to verify the integrity of a set of transmitted data. You use this checksum to ensure that the correct data has been transmitted. A special computer program is used to calculate a unique number, based on the exact contents of an electronic file. When that file is sent from one computer to another, the checksum is also sent. If the computer receiving the file performs the same calculation and compares the number it calculated to the checksum it received, it can determine if any part of the data it received is different from what was sent. EXAMPLE: Your file has a checksum of 1234567890. You then transmit the file to your friend's computer. Your friend then creates a checksum for the file she received, using the same method you used to create your checksum. If the checksum she gets is 1234567890, it means her file is identical to yours. If the checksum she gets is 0798645321, the file is not identical - likely there were errors in transmitting the file. Checksums are a type of quality control method used by computers to ensure files are transmitted properly.

RAM socket:

This is where you plug RAM into. RAM Stands for "Random Access Memory." RAM is information stored on a computer that is easily and rapidly available. It is called "random access" because it is temporarily stored information that you may need to access randomly while using a computer. The difference between RAM and other computer memory is that when you turn your computer off, all the RAM is erased. Things saved on a computer are not saved in RAM. A socket is a slot you can push something into to make a connection. EXAMPLE: RAM sockets are housed inside your computer.

Encrypt:

This means to change information into a form that can't be understood by regular means, but can be converted back to its original form through certain means. If you have the password "catsarefun," and then encrypted it, it might look like "4s(7_G^k" to anyone else viewing it. If you needed to send that password to another person but wanted to keep it safe, you would encrypt it and tell the other person the method you used to encrypt it. Computers work the same way; there are several standard ways of encrypting data, and if the computer that is receiving encrypted information knows the way it was encrypted, it can restore it to its original form. EXAMPLE: Encryption is used to keep personal information secure. Your bank will encrypt your personal information when its computers send that data to each other so that if anyone intercepts the information they won't be able to understand what they are seeing.

Configure:

This means to set up a machine to be used in a particular way. When there is a function that the computer does and you make that function behave in a certain way, you are configuring that function. Computers configure things so that they communicate smoothly with other things and work properly. EXAMPLE: If you bought a new computer game, your computer would have to configure some of its functions relating to how it displays things, so that the image quality would align with what your monitor is able to do. Some monitors would have a lower quality picture than others, for example, and the computer might individually configure the best possible picture for that monitor. As a note: When a computer displays "configuring..." that means the computer is arranging and ordering its system or a program so that it is prepared for a particular task. Simply put: it is setting everything up.

CSS:

This stands for "Cascading Style Sheet." Cascading Style Sheets are used to control the appearance of the text, images, video, etc., on web pages. Cascading is a term that comes from the idea of water flowing down a series of drops in height. Think of it as a series of small waterfalls. Information can cascade, meaning it can be stored at one central, most important location and then can be applied to other locations that are considered to be lower than, or derived from, that more important central location. This is a benefit to the people making a website because if they want to change any of the things that they set up in the style sheet, they only have to change it in that one place. Those changes will then be applied to all pages in the website at once. A style sheet is a tool used to design the format of a web page. Style sheets are a central place to store data about how that page will appear and how it will behave. It can be used to store information about how to display colors, pictures, text, etc. It is a sheet that handles the style of the website. With Cascading Style Sheets, the people who make a website can create one master style sheet, and then make the functionality described in that style sheet apply automatically to all the web pages in that website. As of 2018, CSS3 was the newest version of CSS. EXAMPLE: You write a website using CSS. In the main style sheet for the website, you specify the color of all text to be used on all pages of the site to dark blue. Later, you decide you want to have all text be red. You would change that one setting in the style sheet for text color, and now all text on all web pages for the website would be red.

ASP.NET:

This stands for Active Server Pages dot (.) NET. Early on in the development of the Web, web pages were static - they just had text and images, and the text and images didn't change unless the creator of the web page edited the files that make up the web page. Website creators needed a way to make some of the content on a web page dynamic - meaning that the exact content could change based on one or more factors such as the specific identity of the person requesting to see the web page; the time or date; the specific inventory available for sale at any point in time, etc. One such method was Active Server Pages. This was a way to combine the standard language of web pages (Hyper Text Markup Language) with specific computer code that would create web page content on the fly as needed. It was quite popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. A framework is a set of software, documentation, etc. that form a basic platform on which to create large software applications. ASP.NET is a framework for making complex websites. ASP.NET is simply a set of tools offered by Microsoft used when making websites. ASP.NET allows one to develop complicated websites that contain large amounts of information and sections. It is considered an advanced tool for those interested in making websites and web pages. The terms "ASP.NET" uses the letters "ASP," but ASP.NET has very little to do with ASP. The creators of ASP.NET used the "ASP" acronym basically as a marketing element when they released ASP.NET. EXAMPLE: The website MySpace was created using ASP.NET.

Import:

To bring something into something else. With computers, it has the same meaning. You can import pictures by moving them from one location to another. Importing refers to taking computer information from one location and placing it in another location. You can also import things onto a computer from a device (such as a camera or video camera). EXAMPLE: You can import people's contact information from their Facebook account to their email acount.

Optimization:

To optimize something means to make it more optimum (ideal; close to a perfect state). So it is with computers - optimization means to make a certain aspect of the computer, or something contained in the computer, perform better and accomplish things more efficiently. Optimization is an attempt at doing something as near to perfect as possible. The term "optimize" is used most often in reference to making sure that the web pages on a website will operate well and have a pleasing appearance when the device that is displaying the web pages is not a normal computer display. Specifically, there are many devices today that are capable of displaying web pages that are much smaller than a usual display. Since there is much less display space available, the designer of the web page often sets the page up so that it displays differently on smaller screens. This process is called optimization. EXAMPLE: If you looked at a website using your computer's regular display, and then looked at that same website using a smartphone, they would probably look different - possibly there might be a different arrangement of the elements on the page so that they were in one long stack, rather than being broken into two or three side-by-side columns. If so, the website has been optimized for mobile devices.

Defragment:

To reformat the data on a digital storage device so that the individual electronic files on the device are not broken up and stored in multiple locations in the device. This usually applies to the central storage device on computers, called the hard drive. When a hard drive is defragmented, all the files on the hard drive are examined, and are then rearranged such that all files are undivided, if at all possible. This often leads to more efficient computer operation. EXAMPLE: If your computer is running slowly, defragmenting the hard drive often makes the computer run faster.

Encode:

To turn something into a code (a system where you can use a symbol to represent another thing). If you encode a message, you convert it into code. Doing this usually makes it difficult to figure out the original message. EXAMPLE: Britain intercepted encoded German messages during World War II that might have contained information vital to the war effort. Due to the brilliant work of an early computer pioneer named Alan Turing, the British military was able to figure out the original German messages.

Asynchronous:

To understand Asynchronous, you must know what "synchronous" means. Synchronous means that two things exist or happen at the same time. In computers, synchronous means that something is happening in a set way, and in regular intervals. It is a smooth, predictable flow. "A" as a prefix means "not" or "without." So when you add "a" in front of "synchronous," you get "asynchronous," which means something can occur without being subject to a regular set of intervals. When a synchronous process is occurring, each of the separate steps of the process are done consecutively, and each step has to be fully completed before the next step is begun. An asynchronous action, on the other hand, does not have to complete before the next steps of the process can continue. EXAMPLE: A computer program is processing a list of students. The program is supposed to search through a collection of documents, find the documents that have the name of the student in the document title, and count up how many documents each student has. This is a synchronous process. An asynchronous element of this could be: If no matching documents are found for a particular student, the program could send an email to that student alerting them of that fact. Since that action is asynchronous, the program can continue on checking the next student without having to wait for the entire email process to occur. Later, when the email action is done, the program can be informed of that fact.

DHTML:

To understand DHTML, you must know what "dynamic" means. Dynamic refers to actions that take place the moment they are needed, rather than in advance. A restaurant that prepares your food to your specifications, when you order, would be dynamic. The opposite of dynamic is "static," meaning "unchanging." A restaurant that has the food pre-cooked and waiting before you order would be static - the food doesn't change in regards to time or circumstance. In computers, dynamic means the computer processes your request right when you ask it to - it does not have a predetermined result ahead of time. Dynamic relates to the Internet by describing websites that have content that changes while the website is being viewed, depending on things like what part of the web page you move to with the mouse. DHTML stands for "Dynamic HyperText Markup Language." This is not actually a computer programming language - it's actually a collection of different computer technologies. This set of technologies can be used to make web pages that are displayed differently based on various factors (meaning the web pages are dynamic). You type certain things into a computer, using the DHTML technologies, and you can make a web page that behaves differently based on various user actions taken on the web pages. The usual HTML language is not able to do this - web pages written in HTML will always show up the same in a web browser, regardless of any user actions. EXAMPLE: With DHTML you could develop a web page with a calendar where the appointments scheduled for a specific day would be displayed in larger size letters when the user rolled the mouse pointer over that specific day.

Cloud Computing:

To understand cloud computing, you need to understand the usual way that people store information on computers. For many years, people and businesses would use computers that were located at their home or place of business to store data on or to run special computer programs on. At some point in the early part of the 21st century, new businesses started appearing that offered customers the use of large computers owned by these new businesses. These computers could be used by the customers to store information and programs on. The customers could connect to these computers from wherever they lived or worked, using the Internet, and access the information or use the programs. Since the actual physical computers were no longer located in the home or office of the customer, they started being described as being "in the cloud," as in "well, they're somewhere up there in the clouds; I don't know exactly where..." The cloud is other people running computers on your behalf so that you can reach over the Internet. EXAMPLE: You could take several pictures with your camera and then use a program to get the pictures off your camera and store them in the "cloud." Later on you could access those pictures using your phone or a computer.

address 2

To understand the second use of the term "address," you need to know about these other terms: Internet, World Wide Web, website, web page, web browser, and web server. The Internet is a connected network of computers around the world that can be used to access the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web (the "Web") is a collection of linked electronic documents, organized into groups called websites. A website is composed of one or more individual web pages, where a "page" is an organized, separate document containing text, images, videos, and other elements. The electronic files that make up a website are stored on specialized computers called web servers. These computers accept requests from other, remote computers for specific web pages, and deliver those files needed to make the web page display on the remote computer. The type of program you would use to view web pages is called a web browser. It is this program that would make the requests to the web server for the website files. Anything that can be accessed over the Internet is called a "resource." This can be a website, of course, but it could also be a security camera, a printer, a machine that manufactures auto parts, etc. - if the item has a computer inside it, and that computer is connected to the Internet, it is a "resource." Every resource on the Internet has a unique address, so that every other resource on the Internet can identify that device. The most common system used for addresses on the Internet uses a series of numbers, separated by three dots. An example would be: 127.0.0.1 EXAMPLE: Your own personal computer has a unique address that it uses when interacting with the various resources on the Internet; it might be something like 123.45.67.890. When you use your browser to request a web page from a web server, the web server usually makes a record of which computer asked for the web page, what web page was requested, and whether or not the web page was successfully sent to the requesting computer. The record will contain, among this other information, the address of your computer - 123.45.67.890 in our example.

Tag:

To use a markup language, you surround the text that you want to modify with special words called "tags." A tag usually has two parts, a start tag and an end tag. They tell the computer what to do with the text in between the start tag and the end tag. Tags are words with a special format - they have these symbols before and after them: "<" and ">". A start tag might look like this: <bold>. An end tag might look like this: </bold>. The "/" symbol is used to tell the computer that the tag is an end tag.

Trolling:

Trolling is when people try to intentionally upset others. It is most commonly used when someone puts content on a website, and then a troll (person engaged in trolling) writes something mean in an attempt to get a response or start an argument. A troll is considered someone who has a lot of time on their hands and intentionally seeks out places they can write responses to deceive, confuse, and upset other people. EXAMPLE: Singer: "Here's my latest song. I hope you like it." Troll: "It sounds like a cat is dying. You should never sing again."

Place value:

When you write a number (a series of digits, like "327"), each digit in that number has its own place value based on where it is placed in the written series of digits. If you write 7, there is only one place value. If you write 327, there are three different place values. The places are counted starting from the right. The quantity that each digit represents changes, depending on where the number sits in the series of numbers (how many spaces over from the right). There are many different number systems, so the exact quantity represented by each place varies - but as you move to the left, the quantity increases. EXAMPLE: In the decimal system (a counting system using ten digits; 0-9), the first place represents how many "ones" there are in terms of quantity. The second place represents how many "tens" there are; the third represents how many "hundreds," and so on. So the number 327 would be read as "seven 'ones' plus two 'tens' plus 3 'hundreds'" - or 7 + 20 + 300.

Laptop:

A small, lightweight computer (usually under 8 pounds) with a screen you can flip up. A laptop is powered by rechargeable batteries and is easily portable. EXAMPLE: A lot of students have laptops so they can carry their computer from class to class.

Execute:

Execute means to perform a specific task or action; you are putting something into action. In computers, you are telling the computer to start doing a set of instructions. EXAMPLE: To execute something in a computer, you can click on it with a mouse.

Word (Microsoft Word):

Microsoft Word (commonly referred to as "Word") is a program created by Microsoft for use in creating written documents. It is mainly just used for typing things, but you can also add things like pictures. It is used in almost all businesses and is also quite common in general. EXAMPLE: Letters, invitations, and promotion are all things one can create in Word.

Oculus Rift:

Oculus comes from the Latin word "oculus" meaning "eye." A rift is a break or split in something. Oculus Rift is a virtual reality machine that you wear on your head. It has an internal screen and an audio system. The Oculus Rift lets players step inside their favorite games and virtual worlds EXAMPLE: Oculus Rift looks like an over-sized set of sunglasses.

ESCAPE KEY

Often abbreviated "Esc." This key is used to manually stop a computer action. This can take many forms, depending on how the computer programmer decided to make use of the Escape key. For example, you may be using a computer program to connect to another computer so that you can access the files on the remote computer. You might be able to use the Escape key to stop the connection process. Another common use is to abandon a "Drag and Drop" operation you're doing with the mouse - if you were to press the Escape key while dragging an item you had selected with the mouse pointer, the Drag and Drop operation would be abandoned and the item would return to its original location.

Power Cable:

Power is where a machine receives its energy (usually electricity) from. A cable is a wire or wires, wrapped in a protective casing, that are used to transmit electricity. A power cable is the cord that provides electricity to something. EXAMPLE: Usually if you suddenly unplug a power cable, your computer will turn off.

Read:

Read means to view something and then understand it. In computers, reading is when the computer acquires information from a storage device and is then able to use the information. When a computer reads something, it takes in information from somewhere and is able to operate with it. If a computer is given data that is not in the format the computer expects it to be, or is given data from a device that is broken or somehow faulty, the computer can't "read" it. EXAMPLE: If you put a music CD into a computer, it reads the CD and plays the music. If the CD is badly scratched, the computer may not be able to read the CD and play the music.

Computation:

The action of calculating an answer to a problem, usually by using math. This can be done with a computer, a calculator or your own mind. When you are performing addition, subtraction, multiplication or division, you are involved in computation. Computers are able to evaluate, calculate, and figure out the amounts of things because people designed them to do so. EXAMPLE: If you type "8 x 2" into a computer, it performs a rapid computation and gives you the result "16."

Hard Drive:

The hard drive is a device used to store information that can be used by your computer. A typical hard drive is only slightly larger than your hand, yet can hold a massive amount of information. The information is stored on a stack of disks that are mounted inside a solid case. A small "reader" is positioned over the disks so it can access the data stored on them. These disks spin extremely fast so that data can be accessed nearly immediately from anywhere on the drive. The data stored on the hard drive stays on the drive even after the power supply is turned off. EXAMPLE: When you wipe (erase) a hard drive, you are taking all the stored information off the computer.

Google:

The most used website of all time. Google is used mainly to assist people with searching for things on the Internet. Google offers many other services as well, and makes the majority of its profit from advertising. Google was founded in 1998 and is based in California. EXAMPLE: If you want to search for something on the Internet, people commonly refer to that as "Googling."

Platform :

Usually, a platform is a term that refers to a computer's operating system and hardware combined. When you speak of a platform, you are talking about what kind of hardware composes the computer and what operating system (the major part of a computer that helps all the programs in it to work together) it uses. There are many different types of platforms. A computer with really nice hardware and a slick operating system (top of the line platform) will do everything better than a computer of lower quality. It is called a platform because everything else rests on top of it and depends on it. You build off of your platform. EXAMPLE: If you buy a computer with Windows on it, the computer and all physical components and software (including Windows) is your platform.

Read Only Memory:

"ROM" for short. Read-only is a computer term that means that what you are viewing is not meant to be edited or changed. It means that you can only read (view) the information there. ROM is memory containing important information that the computer uses every time you turn it on and every time the computer performs any function. ROM is meant to be left alone and not fiddled around with because changing it could make it so that a part of your computer or a particular computer function doesn't work anymore. EXAMPLE: The instructions on what exactly the computer should do from the point it is turned on until it is ready for user input are stored in ROM.

Device:

A device is a tool that you use for a particular purpose. Anything that you use for a job or specific purpose could be considered a device. In computers, a device is something that is external to a computer that can be connected to the computer and can work with the computer. Devices are also the physical parts of the computer that you can see, touch and interact with - such as the computer screen, the keyboard, or the mouse. EXAMPLE: When you hook up a camera to your computer, the camera is considered a device.

Tablet:

A tablet is a computer that you can use with your fingers or a stylus (plastic rod that you use to touch something). You click on things by just tapping on them. Tablets commonly measure between 7 and 10 inches diagonally. In terms of size, a tablet is between a computer and a mobile phone. EXAMPLE: Kids sometimes watch movies on tablets while riding in a car.

Computer Science:

Abbreviated CS or CompSci. Computer science is a subject having to do with the mathematical and scientific study of the principles and possible uses of computers. Computer science is a wide-ranging field including mathematics, engineering, and even the study of how people think in comparison to how computers operate. It covers all the subjects related to the operations and functions of computers. People interested in learning about computers typically take a Computer Science course to find out how they work. EXAMPLE: Some people who want to work in the computer industry go to college to major in Computer Science.

Compute:

Compute means to determine the answer to something. Computing can refer to figuring out a problem using numbers. To compute is to evaluate something and look it over with the purpose of coming to a conclusion. In computers, compute means that you are using a computer to help you solve a problem or get something done. EXAMPLE: You want to know what 2 + 2 is. You type it into a calculator and it gives you the answer of 4. The calculator computed the math problem.

Input:

Input is data or information that is collected by a computer. This can take many forms. It may be information a user has typed into a form on the computer. It may be electric signals sent to the computer by an attached device, like a mouse or a display screen that takes touch input. It may be a set of electronic data from another computer that is connected to the first one by wires. EXAMPLE: A customer service agent at a retail store takes down your information and types it into her computer; that information is input for the computer to use.

Linux:

Linux is a family of operating systems. There are free and for-fee versions of Linux available. Linux was created in 1991. It is based on an earlier, proprietary operating system called Unix. Unix was created by the communications company AT&T in the 1970s. EXAMPLE: Linux is often used for specialized computers called servers - these are computers that act as a central repository of data that will be used by many other computers.

Microsoft:

Microsoft stands for "microcomputer software." A long time ago, computers were very big and filled up entire rooms. Micro just means "very small." Microcomputers came around in the 1970s and were basically small computers (small compared to the huge ones that people were used to). Nowadays most computers are "microcomputers" because they are small, but we just call them computers. Microsoft is a computer company founded by Bill Gates (one of the richest men on Earth) that makes software and electronic devices; it also delivers consulting and other services. EXAMPLE: Windows is a famous type of program created by Microsoft.

Intel:

One of the most successful computer hardware manufacturers on the planet. Intel makes specialized parts for computers and was founded in 1968. They are based in California. EXAMPLE: Certain parts of your computer may say Intel on them.

CD:

Short for compact disc. A compact disc is a flat plastic disk that you can store information on for later use by computers. Information on CDs can be accessed by computers and other specialized machines. EXAMPLE: Music is commonly stored on CDs.

Chip:

Short for microchip. Micro means "very small." Chips are very small parts of a computer that are usually made of an element called silicon. A single chip can contain millions of parts that store and pass on information. There are many types of chips, but they all share the same basic operation of handling different functions in a computer using electricity. EXAMPLE: When you save something on a computer, it could be saved on a chip.

Memory:

A computer makes use of physical data storage devices in order to do its job of processing data. A data storage device could be thought of as a collection of boxes. Each box can contain one piece of data. Each box has an individual identifier so that the computer can keep track of it. These "boxes" are called memory locations. The individual identifier for a memory location is called an address. The computer can "read" or "write" to these memory locations - "read" means to get the value of the data in the location; "write" means to set the value of the data in the location. Memory storage devices are either volatile or persistent. Volatile devices lose their data when they are not powered on; persistent devices maintain their data even when they are not powered EXAMPLE: When you save a file, it is saved in the persistent memory of the computer.

Circuit:

A path that electricity flows along from beginning to end. Electricity that comes from a source and returns back to the source is a circuit. As the electricity flows along the circuit, it can be used to do work. EXAMPLE: A flashlight has a basic circuit in it: electricity leaves one end of the battery, goes through the light bulb (which makes the bulb give off light), and then returns to the other end of the battery. In this example, the electricity would come from one end of the battery, travel through the light bulb, and arrive back at the other end of the battery. Along the way, it would cause the light bulb to turn on.

Programming Language:

A programming language is a language used to write a computer program. There are many different types of programming languages that you can learn and use depending on what kind of programs you want to write and what your tastes are. The most basic computer language used in a computer is called machine code. It is composed of a set of commands that accomplish various math and data processing operations. Each instruction is a unique set of binary digits. Binary is a number system that only uses the digits "0" and "1" to represent all numbers. A typical instruction in machine code might look like this: 000000 00001 00010 00110 00000 100000 It is very inconvenient to program a computer using this language. Many other languages exist that use instructions that are words. These are called "higher-level" languages. An example of an instruction in one of these "higher-level" languages might be: sum = num1 + num2 EXAMPLE: There is a common programming language called C. It has been used for several decades to create millions of computer programs.

Smartphone:

A smartphone is a cell phone that you can also use for other things besides just calling someone. You can do more advanced things with a smartphone because it is basically a small computer that is also a phone. The term "smart" refers to the ability to interact with other devices and networks wirelessly. EXAMPLE: Using a smartphone, you can scan written documents and save them on your phone.

Icon:

A symbol or graphic representation on a screen of a computer program or option, especially one of several for selection. EXAMPLE: If you want to look at what you have stored on your computer, you could click on the "My Computer" icon.

Digit:

A symbol that represents a quantity. Digits are single symbols that make up a numeral. The most common digits are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. EXAMPLE: The symbol "3" is a digit and represents a quantity of three. By combining the digits "2" and "4" into a numeral, the quantity twenty-four (24) can be represented.

Transistor:

A transistor is something that can alter the flow of electricity in something. It can let electricity flow through it, it can stop the flow of electricity through it, or it can make the flow of electricity even bigger. A transistor is something that sends electricity on through, smooths out the flow or holds it back depending on what the computer is told to do with it. There are billions of transistors inside a computer that are so small you can't see them.

User:

A user is simply a person who uses something, whether that thing is a computer or a telephone or anything else. It is most commonly used when talking about using a computer in that the user is the person who, in the end, will be using that computer to do things. EXAMPLE: When you operate a computer program that lets you create written documents, you are that program's user.

Silicon:

A very common material found in this universe. Most sand is small pieces of silicon and sand can be heated up into larger chunks of silicon. Silicon has many uses - for example, you can use silicon when making glass. If silicon is processed in a certain way, it gains a valuable property: its physical structure can be changed back and forth between two states, just by applying a small amount of electricity to it. This property makes it very useful in making the tiny parts of a computer. This is because the two states that it can have are "able to allow electricity to flow through itself" and "unable to allow electricity to flow through itself." In other words, the material is a semiconductor - a material whose ability to conduct electricity can be turned on and off. EXAMPLE: Many parts of the computer are made using silicon.

Web page:

A web page is a destination within a website on the world wide web. There may be one or more web pages as part of one website. Websites are usually composed of several web pages. EXAMPLE: A website that was all about hockey might have a web page that listed out hockey championships over the last 100 years.

Website:

A website is composed of one or more individual web pages, where a "page" is an organized, specific document containing text, images, video, and other elements. The electronic files that make up a website are stored on specialized computers called web servers. These computers accept requests from other, remote computers for specific web pages, and deliver those files needed to make the web page display on the remote computer. The type of program you would use to view web pages is called a web browser. It is this program that would make the requests to the web server for the website files. EXAMPLE: Facebook is a website.

Access:

Access means to get information from a computer. If you access something in a computer, you are ordering the computer to pass something over to you. EXAMPLE: Files are collections of data stored on a computer. The data in a file is organized in a specific manner, usually based on how that data is going to be used by the computer. Files each have their own name and contain their own information. If you click on a file on a computer in order to modify it, you are accessing it.

Computer:

An electronic machine that stores and deals with information. A computer is made up of many different parts through which electricity passes. Computers are a tool that people use to help them do things. Computers follow instructions entered into them by people. A computer can store instructions to be done at later points in time so that people do not have to re-enter the same instructions over and over again. The computer automatically performs a series of functions when it is on and also responds to commands that a person enters into it. The way it responds to commands is all set up beforehand by people. Machines, such as cars and phones, can have computers inside them that perform specific functions. Computers typically exist to help people by performing repetitive activities, storing information and making certain activities faster or more efficient.

Programs:

These are written instructions, entered into the computer, that make it perform certain tasks. Programs are the things on a computer that you interact with to get things done. You use a program of one sort or another for basically everything you do on your computer, whether it be checking the weather or looking up banking information. There are countless programs that people have created over the years that can do any number of different things. EXAMPLE: "Paint" is a program on your computer that allows you to draw and color things.

Apple:

Apple is a computer company that was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. Apple is one of the top computer and electronics companies on the planet. It is based in Cupertino, California. EXAMPLE: The iPhone is a popular Apple product.

Database:

A database is an organized collection of related data, typically for use on a computer. Other computers might connect to a database that is stored on another computer in order to access the data in the database. EXAMPLE: A large collection of data containing all the names of a school's students, along with data about their grades and attendance, organized in a logical way, would be a database.

Drive:

A drive is a device that the computer can use to store data for later use. The creation of storage drives was a major breakthrough in the computer industry, as it allowed users to set up data in an organized fashion, store it on a device that the computer could access, and then have the computer use that data as needed. Before this, users would have to manually enter data for the computer to use - if the computer was turned off, the data was gone, and it would have to be entered again when the computer was turned on again. Drives are often referred to as "disk drives" because the first designs made use of one or more metal disks that could be used to store computer data. The surface of these disks are magnetic and can be modified so that it stores data for use in computers. When the computer needs to access data on the disk drive, the disk spins around quickly. As the disk spins, the data on the magnetic surface is read by the computer. Another term for this is "hard disk drive," so named because the disks were made of a rigid material. The hard disk drive is differentiated from a similar type of storage device called a floppy disk; in that case, there is one disk, and it is made of a flexible magnetic material. These floppy disks were popular in the past and used for portable data storage. A floppy disk is contained in a hard plastic case. In order to be used by a computer, that computer must have a special component installed that can hold the floppy disk. This component is called a floppy disk drive. Once the floppy disk is inserted into the drive, the drive can spin the disk as needed in order for the computer to retrieve or add information to the disk. Floppy disks are nearly obsolete. There are newer storage technologies that can hold much larger amounts of information and that can operate at much higher rates of data transfer. It is now very common for drives to have no moving parts - the data is stored in a solid piece of material that can hold millions of individual pieces of data. These are called "solid state drives," but the older term "disk drive" is often used when talking about these newer drives. A drive will have a unique identifier (a "name") so users will know where to go to get stored data. Drives are sometimes assigned letters as names (like A, B, C, etc.) For many computers around the world, the "C drive" is often the place on a computer where important data is stored - but other naming systems are used as well. One primary factor of importance regarding drives is their capacity - that is, how much information can be stored on them. Current drives can hold millions of times as much information as those of just a few decades ago. EXAMPLE: You would likely store the main software program for your computer on a hard drive.

Hard Disk Drive (HDD):

A hard disk drive or HDD is a type of hard drive that stores data on a stack of disks that are mounted inside a solid case. A small "reader" is positioned over the disks so it can access the data stored on them. These disks spin extremely fast so that data can be accessed nearly immediately from anywhere on the drive. The data stored on the hard drive stays on the drive even after the power supply is turned off. Hard drives are typically the C drive in a computer. EXAMPLE: When an HDD is loading something, you can sometimes hear the sound of a spinning disk inside your computer.

Cursor:

A mobile marker on the display screen of the computer that indicates where you can type in text. Early computer systems needed to have a way to tell users that the computer was ready to accept input. The common way to do that was to have a small square or thin vertical line located at the point where text could be accepted. The square or line was also made to blink when the computer was ready to receive input. This is still used as the most common way to show a computer user where they will be entering information. EXAMPLE: That flashing up and down vertical line (or bar) that shows you where you are typing on a computer screen is a cursor.

Network:

A network is a system where two or more computers are connected to each other. The computers can be connected by a cable (wired) or connected wirelessly. Network is the word used to describe a link between things that are working together. Networks are used in many different ways with computers. EXAMPLE: Information can be shared from computer to computer through the use of a network.

Facebook:

Facebook is one of the most popular websites in the world. People use it mainly for social networking. On Facebook you put in information about who you are, what things you like, and even where you are from. You can connect with friends, send them messages, write things so that others can see them, etc. Facebook has over one billion users. EXAMPLE: You might access Facebook to write something about a nice vacation you took.

NUMBERS, NUMERALS AND DIGITS

A number is a mathematical object that is used to count, measure and label things. This usually means a way to represent the quantity or amount of something. Numbers are expressed using symbols we call numerals. The numerals we use most often are the symbols 0 through 9. These are called digits, where a digit is a unique symbol used to represent a number. The number is the actual amount, while the numeral is how you express that amount. Most people use the word "number" when they technically mean "numeral." The terms have become interchangeable in normal conversation. Technically a number is a quantity in your mind or in the physical universe, and the numeral is how we write it in order to record it or communicate it to others. EXAMPLE: You look out and count five trees - that's an actual quantity of an actual thing - it's a number. You can then write "5 trees" - here, 5 is the numeral. You could also write it as "V trees", using Roman numerals. In this case, the actual quantity, or number, of trees hasn't changed - we are just using a different symbol (numeral) to represent that quantity. Digits ​relate to numerals similar to the way letters relate to words. Meaning, the individual symbols that make up a numeral are digits. EXAMPLE: 3, 6 and 5 are the digits which compose the numeral 365.

Number system:

A number system is a system for naming and representing quantities. Some of the digits you're used to using are 2, 3, 7, etc. A number system is concerned with how many digits will be used in counting, doing math, etc., and what symbols will be used to represent those digits. Digits are the fundamental part of any number system. EXAMPLE: There are many different number systems. The one we are used to using uses ten digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Other number systems exist that even use letters (such as: A, B, C...) in addition to digits.

Boot:

Also said as "boot up." Boot means to start up a computer. Booting up a computer means that you turned it on and now it is preparing to operate. It is actually short for "bootstrapping," which means "starting a self-sustaining process that is supposed to proceed without external input." The term "bootstrap" originated in America in the early 1800's through use of the phrase "pull one's self up over a fence by one's bootstraps." A strap is a tab, loop, or handle of cloth or leather. Boots often have straps near the top of the boot that the wearer can use to help pull the boots on without another's help. The phrase "pull one's self up by one's bootstraps" came to mean "perform a difficult task without external help." The computer industry adopted this term to describe the process of getting a computer running because, once it's started up, it can sit there operating on its own - but it can't start up without someone's external action. During the "boot" process, a computer is doing several things that are needed before the computer can be used for its routine tasks. These are things like: connecting to external equipment (such as a monitor, keyboard, or mouse), installing all required instructions into the computer's temporary data storage for use as the computer is operated, and turning on any specific computer programs that the user has said must be turned on when the computer starts. EXAMPLE: You usually press the power button to boot a computer.

Operating System (OS):

An operating system is a special-purpose computer program that supports the computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks, running other computer programs, and controlling peripherals (external devices such as keyboards, mice, and displays). Most computer programs need an operating system installed on a computer in order to function on that computer. Nearly all computers available today come with an operating system already installed on the computer. Computer manufacturers install the operating system before they sell a computer. Some operating systems are free; others are available for a fee. The most popular operating system in the world is called Windows. It is sold by the technology company Microsoft. Other popular operating systems are OS X (created by the technology company Apple and installed on their desktop computers and laptops), Linux (a family of operating systems; there are free and for-fee versions available), Android (owned by the technology company Google; it is used on mobile devices like smartphones), and iOS (created by the technology company Apple and installed on their iPhone, iPad and iPod mobile devices). EXAMPLE: Windows 10 is a popular operating system.

CPU:

Central processing unit. The CPU is basically the "brain" of the computer. A Central Processing Unit is the part of a computer that controls all the actions the computer does. It is a small device that contains billions of tiny electronic components. Most CPUs have a set of built-in "instructions." They define the various actions the CPU can take - things like taking in data from a keyboard, storing data in the computer, sending data to a display, etc. The basic job of all processors is to execute various combinations of those simple instructions built into them. It only ever performs one of these instructions at a time, but modern computers can perform billions of instructions per second. All actions you can make a computer do will be composed of various combinations of these built-in actions. EXAMPLE: If you have a list of students in a computer file and you give the computer an instruction to put the list in alphabetical order, it is the CPU that performs the analysis and re-ordering of the list.

Data types:

Data is information. There are many different kinds of information. Common types of information used in computers are letters and numbers. When information is used in a computer, that information will have a "data type." To know what data type something is, we have to ask two questions: "what kind of information is this?," and "what kind of things can we do with this information?" Different data types can be used in different ways. When data is stored in a computer, its type is also stored - that way the computer knows how to work with that particular piece of data. The various things you can do with data are called operations. Not all data types have the same operations available to them. EXAMPLE: A "decimal number" (0 through 9) is a data type. Typical operations you could do with decimal numbers data are addition, subtraction, multiplication, etc. "Text" is another data type. Typical operations you can do with text data are "convert the text to uppercase" and "concatenate." (Concatenate means to link together, as in a chain. For example, you could take the individual text elements "purple" and "?!," and then concatenate them into "purple?!," etc.) When creating computer programs, every piece of data being kept track of by the computer is a certain type of data. For example, the datum 342.98 is data of type "decimal." The datum "casserole" is data of type "text." It would not make sense to apply mathematical operations to text data - for example, trying to tell a computer to add the number 34 to the text "banana" wouldn't work because the two types of data are different, and mathematics don't apply to text data.

Download:

Download means to get an electronic file from a website and then put a copy of that file onto your computer. If you download a video, you are having your computer pull the video file over the Internet from another computer and store that file on your computer so you can watch it later. EXAMPLE: If you wanted to save a music video on your computer, you could download the video onto your computer and then be able to watch it whenever you wanted. The opposite of download is upload, and that is when you take a set of data on your computer and send it to a website.

Hardware:

Hardware is the physical parts of a computer. Hardware consists of the parts of the computer that you can touch, as opposed to the instructions stored in the memory of the computer, which you can't touch. EXAMPLE: The screen of the computer is hardware.

Equation:

In math, an equation is when you say two or more things are the same using numbers. An equation is a statement that states one thing is equal to another thing. Computers are able to do equations; a computer can take numbers, run them through a series of steps and determine an exact outcome. EXAMPLE: 2 + 4 = 6 is an equation. You are saying that 2 + 4 is the same as 6. An equation can also be a math problem where you don't know what one of the numbers is so you replace it with a letter instead; the letter represents the unknown quantity. For example: 4 - x = 1 is an equation. (x would be 3 in this equation.)

Computer Language:

In order to understand the term computer language, you will need to understand these terms: program and language. Programs are written instructions, entered into the computer, that make it perform certain tasks. Languages are communication systems that allow you to transfer ideas in written and spoken words. Programming languages are organized systems of words, phrases and symbols that allow you to create programs. Programming languages are also called computer languages. There are many different types of programming languages, each of which was created to fill a specific purpose. Usually a language is created in order to make the creation of certain types of computer programs easier. EXAMPLE: Python is a popular computer language. Typing out the following statement of words and symbols is how you would tell a computer to display the words "Hello, world!" on the screen, using the computer language Python: print ("Hello, world!")

INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE

Input/Output devices (written as "I/O devices") are machines that people use to communicate with a computer. "Input" refers to putting data into a computer. For example: A microphone connected to your computer is an input device. "Output" refers to taking data from a computer. For example: A printer is an output device because it receives data from the computer.

KEYBOARD

Keyboards have been the primary I/O device used with computers since computers were first created. This was a logical move, since typewriters were in common use in society, and since alphanumeric data (data made up of a combination of letters and numbers) was a common type of data needed by computer programs. The main part of a keyboard is much like a typewriter - it has keys for alphanumeric input. This includes keys for the letters A through Z, a Space bar to insert an empty space, the digits 0 through 9, and a Shift key to modify the output from the A-Z letter keys from the usual lowercase to uppercase. Keyboards can often have a "Caps Lock" or "Shift Lock" key that can toggle (switch) between two states. If the Caps Lock hasn't been pressed, the A-Z keys are lower case. If the Caps lock key is pressed once, the keyboard is in a different mode, and the A-Z keys will be upper case without needing to use the Shift key. When the Caps Lock key is pressed again, the keyboard returns to the previous mode, and the A-Z keys are lower case again. Over the years, computer manufacturers have worked together with keyboard manufacturers to add additional keys to keyboards that provide certain functionality beyond just input of alphanumeric data (text). Not all keyboards have these keys, and some keyboards can have others not listed here. Keyboards often come with a manual that describes the use of these additional keys. These additional keys are often used in combination with other keys to perform special actions. This involves holding down one key while pressing one or more other keys. This action is usually described as a "keyboard shortcut," because it is common to use various key combinations to replace more complex interactions involving the mouse and the various programs on the computer.

MP4:

MP4 is a specific format for a type of file that contains information about videos, sounds, subtitles, etc.; this kind of file can be used to play videos on computers and other devices. MP4 stands for "Moving Pictures Experts Group-4." An MP4 is a video and audio recording, such as a film, put into a form which a computer can process, and which uses much less computer processing and storage than the original video and audio recording. The Moving Pictures Experts Group is a group of people chosen to determine set standards for how video and audio content will be transmitted, shown, etc. The -4 only refers to the type of file it is and that there were three earlier formats before this one. EXAMPLE: Some videos you've watched on a computer were in the MP4 format.

Macintosh:

Mac for short. The main computer produced by the technology company Apple. It was introduced by Apple's co-founder, Steve Jobs, in 1984. Macs operate on a different operating system from other computers. An operating system is a special-purpose computer program that supports the computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks, running other computer programs, and controlling peripherals (external devices, such as keyboards, mice and displays). At the time of this writing, the operating system used by Macintosh computers is called OS X. Macs come in different forms, mainly laptop and desktop computers. EXAMPLE: Macintosh computers were the first computers to popularize a graphical user interface, in which visual images were used to represent the various elements of the computer system that the user would interact with (files and their storage arrangement, computer programs that were installed on the computer, etc.)

MOUSE

One of the primary I/O devices is a mouse. It is a device that allows the user to interact with the visual display screen of the computer. It is a moveable device about the size of a small hand. There is a pointer on the computer's display screen that moves in unison with the movement of the mouse. This allows the user to specify an item or items on the screen that they want to interact with. They do this by moving the pointer to the desired location on the screen. Once the pointer is in the desired location, the user will want to take some action with the item or items that are at that screen location. A mouse has one or more buttons that can be used to control the action to be taken. The common physical actions you can perform to control actions are: "Click" (press the button down and release it right away); "Double-click" (perform two clicks in rapid succession); and "Drag and Drop" (press the button down and hold it down while moving the mouse pointer; then release the button when you want). Click and Double-click operations are often used to start programs on the computer. They are also sometimes used to select an item on the screen that you wish to do some sort of work on. Drag and Drop is often used to move various items around on the screen. Most mice have two buttons side-by-side - the left button and the right button. Each of the two buttons can do those same operations - Click, Double-click, Drag and Drop. The terminology used is [Right or Left] [Action]. For example: "Left Click"; "Right Double Click". As the left button is the primary button, you will often see an instruction that neglects to specify with button - for example, "Click the picture on the screen". This means to move the mouse pointer over the indicated picture and then click the left button. There are many ways to configure how the mouse and its buttons can be used, and they vary based on the manufacturer of the mouse or the computer, as well as the way a specific computer program is created. Programmers can specify what mouse actions they will use, and what will happen in the program based on those mouse actions. They can even make the program make use of a combination of key presses on the keyboard with a simultaneous action of the mouse - for example, "Hold down the Shift key and double-click the image." Another thing that can be specified by a programmer is what will happen, if anything, when a mouse pointer is positioned on an item on the screen but a mouse button isn't being clicked. This action is called "hovering." A common possibility here is that some short text item might be displayed when the mouse pointer is hovering over an item. For example, if you made the mouse pointer hover over a picture of a bird, the programmer might have set it up so that some text appeared near the mouse pointer that said, "American Eagle in a nest" or similar text. This text is called "hover text".

ADDITIONAL DATA ON THE DEFINITION OF DIGITAL

Photography film is a smooth, continuous preparation of chemicals applied to a piece of clear plastic. Whatever light is allowed to hit the film creates an image on the film. The film isn't divided up into many small squares like a computer screen. The quality of the image depends on the quality of the chemical preparation. In a digital camera, light is allowed to hit the "sensor". The sensor has lots of individual locations, and each location registers a certain brightness and color of light. That information has to be somehow translated into digits (actual numbers) that the computer can store. The quality of the image then depends on how many of those locations the sensor has, and how well each location can produce a number that accurately represents the light that landed on it. While digital cameras were available for purchase as early as 1990, film cameras had superior image quality into the early 2000's. Once the digital cameras were good enough, the shift to digital wasn't really because the pictures were better, it was because digital is cheaper and easier to work with. Taking digital pictures costs nothing, whereas film is not free and cannot be reused. Of course digital image quality continues to improve to this day and in most every application is now superior to film. Another example of the difference between digital and analog comes from music. Music consists of waves of pressure moving through the air. Your ears "feel" these pressures and you hear them as sounds. You can actually feel big waves (loud volume, in other words) of lower pitch, like a bass guitar or bass drum, as the pressure pushes and pulls on your chest. If you are standing next to a drumset and someone kicks the kick drum, of course there is no force in nature "chopping that sound up into numbers" like a computer. It's just a motion of air back and forth which then moves your eardrums. The sound itself is analog. It is natural and continuous. Recording music, then, is somehow capturing those constantly changing waves and then re-creating those same waves again later. The continuous groove in a record is actually the shape of this wave cut into the vinyl material. You can actually place any little pin, held in your fingers, on a spinning record and you will hear the song faintly. Tape that pin to a cone of paper, and you'll hear it clearly! The pin is not a magical microcomputer; it's just a stick of metal. There is no system here that deals with numbers - the groove in the record is just a direct, mechanical impression of the sound. The sound that comes from this is an analogy of the physical form of the groove in the record, just as the groove is an analogy of the actual sound that was being created by a band when the record was being recorded.

Run:

Run means to start or execute something. By running something you are putting it into action to perform some task or procedure. Essentially you are pressing the "go" button. When you run something on a computer, you are telling the computer to perform a series of instructions. EXAMPLE: If you pressed "run" on a coffee maker, it would make coffee for you.

RAM:

Stands for Random Access Memory. Storage hierarchy refers to a system where various data storage devices are given a hierarchical importance ranking as far as how they are used by the CPU. The primary factor influencing a given device's ranking is its response time - how long the device takes to return a requested piece of stored data when the CPU requests the data. Faster response times are ranked higher. Memory storage devices are either volatile or persistent. Volatile devices lose their data when they are not powered on; persistent devices maintain their data even when they are turned off. The most common type of volatile memory is called Random Access Memory (abbreviated RAM). RAM has very fast response times, so it is ideal for meeting the CPU's need to rapidly manipulate data during computer operation. Main storage, also called primary storage, main memory or internal memory, is the only memory storage directly accessible by the CPU. It is the area the CPU uses in its main activity - processing information. If the CPU needs data that is stored in another data storage device - the disk drive, for example - it gives that device an instruction to move data into main storage. At that point, the CPU can operate on that data. EXAMPLE: If you had a text document stored on your disk drive containing a list of students, and you wanted to sort the list alphabetically, the CPU would put that list into RAM, where it could process the data into an alphabetical list and then store it in the document back on your disk drive. It is called "random access" because any particular piece of data stored in the memory can be retrieved just as quickly as any other piece of data in the memory - that is, if you choose a piece of data at random that you wish to retrieve, it can be accessed just as quickly as any other. The development of Random Access memory was a big step forward in the speed of computer operations. The reason for this is that previous forms of volatile memory were NOT random access - that is, if you were to choose any piece of data at random that you wished to retrieve from memory, it would take a longer or shorter time to retrieve that piece of data than to retrieve any other piece of data. This is because previous forms of volatile memory were based on a physical design that wouldn't allow access to individual points of data with the same length of time between "request" and "response." As an example, a common type of persistent memory was magnetic tape. These were basically very large versions of the common cassette tapes that are used to store pre-recorded music. The data on magnetic tapes like these was stored on a strip of magnetic material that was wound around two wheels. To get to a specific piece of data on the tape, a motor had to turn the wheels until the exact point on the tape was reached that contained that exact piece of data. You can see, then, that any particular piece of data on the tape would be reached in a length of time that was different from that needed to reach any other piece of data on the tape - therefore, any two randomly-selected pieces of data would have different access time, so this was not "random access" memory.

Technology:

Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes to solve a problem. Technology is anything that makes something easier. In today's world, "technology" is generally used when talking about something like a computer or any other tool or way of doing something that is considered advanced. EXAMPLE: A printer is an example of technology - it is an electronic and mechanical device that makes it much easier and faster to create printed pages

Virtual:

The main English definition of the word "virtual" is hundreds of years old, and means "nearly as described, but not according to strict definition". For instance, let's say you got a secret spy message on paper and you were told to read it, then remove it from existence. So, you burned the piece of paper, put the ashes in muffin mix, cooked the muffins and fed the muffins to your dog. You have virtually removed the original piece of paper from existence. A scientist would say the original paper still exists in altered form so it's not "removed from existence according to strict definition", but it's pretty clear that no one could read it at this point. Virtual is used to describe something that seems to exist in the physical world, but instead is generated by a computer. EXAMPLE: If you have a helmet that that shows an image to each eye and blocks all other vision, and changes what you see as you move your head, this is called "virtual reality". If you look down and it shows your feet on the ledge of a skyscraper, and the image quality is good, you might experience a real fear of heights! So it feels like reality, but of course you are not really on the ledge of a skyscraper, nor in danger.

Information Technology (IT):

The study and use of machines (especially computers) that store, send, and receive data. IT is mainly used when talking about computers, but technically other advanced machinery subjects, such as phones, fall under the category of IT too. IT has to do with machines that handle information. EXAMPLE: If one says they are studying IT in college, they are basically saying they are studying computers.

ARROW KEY

These keys were originally provided to assist in text input on a computer. They are used to move the cursor around in a text document. There are four arrow keys - left, right, up and down. They are often used in other ways, depending on the computer program being used - for example, a computer game that lets the user direct the path of a vehicle might use the arrow keys to "steer" the vehicle on the screen.

Dot (.):

This is used in computers to separate multiple pieces of data, where the whole set of data is meant to be processed by the computer. The "." character is used by the computer to show where one piece of data ends and another begins. EXAMPLE: When you type google.com, you are telling the computer that the name of the place you want to go is "Google," and that Google is a "com" (stands for commercial - something that exists for profit) entity. Google and com are different things. One is a name, the other is a type of thing, and the "." separates the two.

ENTER (RETURN) KEY

This key can function in several ways, but they all involve telling the computer to perform a certain operation after the user has had a chance to provide some input. The original use was for entering individual instructions into a computer, back when all instructions had to be typed one at a time, and there was no visual interface on the screen to represent the various files and programs on the computer. It was the computer operator's (user) responsibility to type out a specific instruction for the computer and then press the Enter key. The computer would execute that instruction, and when it was done doing so, the user could enter another instruction. Over time, the Enter key has become the primary way a user tells the computer to start doing whatever function is being presented to the user. This could mean that, after the user enters in data in a form on the screen, pressing Enter could cause the data in the form to be sent to the program being used. On some keyboards there is a "Return" key instead of an Enter key; it generally performs the same functions as the Enter key. The origin of the name "Return" is from typewriters; the "return" key on a typewriter would move the typewriter down one line of text and back to the far left of the paper - in other words, the typewriter would "return to the home position."

Wireless:

This means that you are connecting to something without using wires. There are many different things that can be wireless. Wireless usually means that the information, data, etc. is being passed through air. EXAMPLE Before cell phones were invented, you had to use a phone that had a wire connected to it. Now with cell phones you don't need to have the wire. It connects "wirelessly." Note that the word "wireless" relates to how the device receives and transmits data. The way that device receives electrical power is another thing - most devices will need to be plugged into a power source at various points in time, even if only to charge the batteries (if it's a battery-powered device). It was decided to call mobile phones "cell phones" because of how the towers that send and receive information for the phones work. These towers send and receive data. Each tower has a range around it in which it can send and receive data. Once you go beyond that range, the data can't be detected by another tower. This area around a tower in which the signal is effective is called a "cell," from its resemblance to a physical cell in a body. Towers are physically placed close enough to each other that these "cells" overlap - so that information can be passed from one "cell" to another. That way, information can go from your cell phone, across this network of "cells," to the cell phone of the person you're talking to.

PC:

This stands for "personal computer." A PC is the same as a computer; it is a computer that is typically used by one person at a time. The computer itself (as opposed to the screen) is usually in a box made of metal and/or plastic. This box is sometimes called a "tower," since they often stand upright like a tower. When you say "PC," you can be talking about the computer all by itself, or you can be talking about the computer AND all the parts that are needed to use it (monitor, keyboard, etc.). Usually these other parts are physically separate from the computer itself. Sometimes, manufacturers make machines that have the monitor and the computer all in one container; this is still called a PC. An important note: While the term "personal computer" can be used to apply to any computer that is intended for use by one person at a time, there is another use of the specific acronym "PC": As the personal computer evolved and became more popular, a few major manufacturers became dominant. The majority of computers in those early years, and still today, are modeled off of a design created by the technology company International Business Machines (IBM). IBM called their first personal computer the IBM PC. Like any computer, these machines needed an operating system - a special-purpose computer program that supports the computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks, running other computer programs, and controlling peripherals (external devices such as keyboards, mice and displays). The early IBM PCs - and most personal computers over time that use designs based on those early IBM PCs - use operating systems from the technology company Microsoft. The operating system from Microsoft is called Windows; it is the most popular operating system used on personal computers. Therefore, any personal computer that uses the Windows operating system is often referred to as a PC. Another popular operating system is OS X. It comes from the technology company Apple. Since the most popular line of personal computers manufactured by Apple have been marketed under the name "Macintosh," or "Mac," computers manufactured by Apple that use the operating system OS X are often referred to as "Macs." You will often see comparisons between "PCs" and "Macs;" the above is what they are referring to. EXAMPLE: Most companies provide their employees a personal computers to work on while they are in the office. Some of these may be PCs; some may be Macs.