EDPM Terms

Resolution

A characteristic of a monitor's screen, determined by the number of pixels that can be displayed by it.

Validation

A checking process in a program which is aimed at finding out if data is correct, meaningful or secure. Validation should be carried out on any data that is entered from the keyboard, even when this is simply a Y or N response.

Database

A collection of data files that may be used by a number of applications with storage and access to the data controlled by a set of programs known as Database Management System. (DBMS)

Record

A collection of fields on data related to one entity.

Software

A collection of programs, procedures and routines which direct the operations of a computer.

Microcomputer

A computer based on a microprocessor.

Menu

A screen listing commands of action or alternatives to lead the user through an interactive program.

Operating system

A set of programs that control and supervise the resources of a computer system. It also acts as an interface between the user and the computer.

Protocol

A set of rules and procedures controlling the transmitting and receiving of data so that different devices can communicate with each other.

Syntax

A set of rules defining the structure of a computer program.

Microprocessor

A single chip which contains the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) and the control unit (CU).

Magnetic tape

A storage medium consisting of a flexible plastic strip of tape covered with magnetic material on one side, used to store data. It is available in spools or cassettes.

CPU

Central Processing Unit.

Microfloppy disk

Refers to 3.5 inch floppy disks. They are housed in rigid plastic casting having a sliding shutter which automatically closes when the disk is received from the disk drive.

Main-memory

See immediate access storage.

Scrolling

The act of shifting the contents of the screen up or down. In upward scrolling the lines formerly appearing at the top of the screen are "scrolled away", those below are moved up and new lines of data which exist below those formerly on screen now come into view. In downward scrolling the reverse takes place. Scrolling usually proceeds a line at a time, (may be facilitated on some computers by use of a scroll-on/off key) in combination with up and down cursor movements. Scrolling may also be performed sideways to the left or right using left and right cursor movements.

Natural language processing

The availability of the computer to understand and translate a natural language, like English, into commands to perform a given operation.

Field

(1) A section of a record containing data relating to one attribute of an entity. (2) Part of a machine instruction containing an operation Part or address.

Minicomputer

A computer whose size, speed and capabilities lie between those of a mainframe and a microcomputer.

Aligning

A data item residing in a cell will usually be aligned in one of three positions within the cell, namely left-align, right-align or centered.

Printer

A device specially designed to produce a hard copy of computer output.

Point of sale terminal

A device that reads data at the source of a transaction, for example, a supermarket checkout and stores it for subsequent transmission directly to the computer system for processing.

Spell-check

A dictionary feature associated with a word processor which allows the user to easily detect and correct errors in spelling. One can add new words to the dictionary so that the latter may grow with usage.

Web page

A document on the World Wide Web, consisting of an HTML file and any related files for scripts and graphics and often hyperlinked to other Web pages.

Source document

A document used for the initial recording of data relating to business transactions. Very often source data needs to be converted into machine-sensible form, for example, punched cards or paper tape, before it can be processed by a computer.

Turnaround

A document which, after being output by the computer, can be used to record data.

Mail-merge

A facility found in full fledged word processing programs that draws information from a data source, usually a mailing list, to print multiple copies of a document. Each copy contains some common text but each bearing different addresses.

Font

A family or collection of characters (letters, punctuation marks, numbers and special characters) of a particular size and style.

Floppy disk

A flexible magnetic coated disk, commonly used with microcomputers, on which data can be stored magnetically.

Software package

A fully documented program or set of programs generalised and designed to be used with little or no modification.

Byte

A group of eight bits, usually representing a single character.

Mainframe

A large-scale computer with a variety of peripheral devices, a large amount of backing store and a fast CPU. The term is often used in comparison with a smaller or subordinate computer. It should be noted that there is no clear dividing line between mainframes and minicomputers.

Light pen

A light-sensitive input device which when it touches the screen detects the presence or absence of light. It is used to select an entry or indicate a position.

Dry-run

A manual traversal of the logic of a program.

Telecommuting

A method of working where an off-site employee uses computer and a communication channel to communicate with the office computer.

Magnetic disk

A mylar (floppy disk) or metallic (hard disk) circular plate on which electronic data can be stored magnetically. Suitable for direct or random access data storage and retrieval.

Network

A network is a group of connected computers that exchange information and share equipment.

Register

A permanent location in the internal memory of a processor used for the temporary storage of data during processing operations.

Sector

A pie-shaped division of each disk track.

Template

A pre-developed page layout in electronic or paper media used to make new pages with a similar design, pattern, or style.

Real-time

A processing mode in which the passage of real-time is critical to the application.

Interactive processing

A processing system that allows "dialogue" between computer and user.

On-line

A processing technique whereby terminals and other peripherals are connected to and controlled by the central processor. It provides the means for using computers on the basis of time sharing, on-line data input, interactive, conversational-mode processing, random enquiries and for real-time processing.

Web browser

A programme which lets you view and explore information on the World Wide Web.

Monitor

A television-like device used to display data.

Simplex

A transmission system that allows data transfer in one direction only.

LAN (Acronym for Local Area Network)

A type of computer network where two or more computers are directly linked within a small area such as a room or building site. A common characteristic of this system is that computers are linked by direct cables rather than by telecommunication lines.

Modem

Acronym for modulator-demodulator. A device that converts signals from analogue to digital and vice versa. A modem lets computers exchange information through telephones lines.

Touch terminal

Also called a touch screen. A device that allows data to be input by touching a screen with the finger or other object. The surface of the screen consists of a number of programmed touch points each of which may trigger a different action when selected by the user.

Bit

An acronym for binary digit. It can have a value of 1 or 0.

Bulletin board

An electric equivalent of a conventional bulletin board. It is used as part of a communication network where users can post messages, read messages posted by other users, communicate with the system operator and upload or download programs.

Mouse

An input device that controls the movement of the cursor. The cursor moves in response to the movement of the mouse on a flat surface.

Joystick

An input device that uses a lever to control cursor movement or graphic images.

Plotter

An output device specially designed to produce a hard copy of graphical data.

Microfiche

An output medium consisting of microfilm sheets. Very high density storage can be attained using this method of storage.

Peripheral

Any hardware device connected to and controlled by the central processing unit (CPU).

Numeric Data

Comprising digits on which mathematical operations can be performed by a computer system.

Automation

Computer control of machines and processes.

Indexing

Creating a secondary file which contains pointers to items in an associated database file and allows rapid location of records in the file.

URL

Each page on the Web has a unique address called the Uniform Resource Locator

Computer

Electronic machine or device that accepts and processes data to produce information.

Key-to-disk

Keyboard entry of data directly to magnetic disk without previous preparation on another medium.

HTML

Hyper Text Markup Language. A markup language used to structure text and multimedia documents used extensively on the World Wide Web.

HTTP

Hyper Text transfer Protocol. A protocol used to request and transmit files, especially Web pages and Web page components, over the Internet or other computer network.

Border

In printing a spreadsheet certain groups of column or rows may be designated as left or top borders to ensure that the information they contain will appear on all pages of the print-out.

Electronic mail

Mail or messages transmitted electronically by computers via communication channels. It is usual for such messages to be held in a central store for retrieval at the user's convenience.

Information

Meaningful knowledge produced from raw data files.

Backing storage

Memory external to the computer used for storage of large quantities of data or large programs. ____________________ is also known as secondary store, auxiliary store or external store.

Examples of popular web browsers are

Microsoft, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome

Character

One of the set of symbols that may be represented in a computer. ___________________ may be letters, digits and symbols.

Kilobyte

One thousand and twenty four bytes.

Sort

Pre-distribution of data into an order on the basis of the contents of a key item (sort-key).

Search

Process of locating data in a database file by reference to a key field(s) in the records.

Upload

Process of reading data from a user's computer storage and sending it to another computer via communication channels.

Invoke

Process of starting up a program by using its name (or selecting its icon).

Download

Process whereby programs or data are transferred via communications channels, from a computer and stored on media located at the user's computer.

Database Management System

Programs and database files that allow timely and easy controlled access to data by a number of users.

Web site

Set of interconnected Web pages, usually including a home page, generally located on the same server, and prepared and maintained as a collection of information by a person, group, or organisation.

Usenet

Short for Users Network is the largest discussion forum in the world. It allows people with common interest to communicate with one another.

Margins

Space provided to the left, right, top and bottom of a page of text or data.

TCP/IP

Stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. This is a common set of rules that govern communication among computers.

World Wide Web (WWW)

The World Wide Web, commonly referred to as "the Web", is a graphical easy-to-use system of interlinked files on the Internet.

Internet

The __________ is the largest computer network system in the world. It consists of many smaller networks connected together around the world. The _________ is often called the information superhighway or cyberspace.

Menu-driven

The characteristics of a software program that provides the user with a menu.

Terminal

The combination of a monitor and keyboard to input and check data and to view output. A terminal does not necessarily include a processor.

Merge

The combination of two or more files on the basis of common field (key field).

Telemarketing

The employment of telephone lines and computers to market products and manage accounts.

Home page

The file available for access at a World Wide Web site intended chiefly to greet visitors, provide information about the site, and direct them to other sites with more related information.

Immediate access storage

The memory within the central processor. Also referred to as internal use or main store.

Track

The path on a tape, disk or drum on which data is stored. On a disk these paths are concentric circles; on a tape there are several tracks parallel to the edge of the tape; on a drum there are bands of equal size along the circumference of the drum.

Hardware

The physical components of a computer system such as the computer itself, input, output, and storage devices.

Keyboarding

The process of rapidly and accurately entering data into a computer via the keyboard as an input device.

Information retrieval

The process of retrieving specific information from data files.

Telecommunication

The process of transmitting data between devices using transmission facilities such as telephone lines or microwave links.

Justification

This is the adjustment of alignment of one or more lines of text with a particular margin, for example, alignment with the left margin, the right margin or both. The term justification often is used to refer to full justification of the alignment of text along both margins.

Integrated package

This package combines several applications in a suite of programs. Most of these packages combine a word processor; spreadsheet and database program. Data is shared easily between these integrated programs.

Social media

is a social instrument of communication that allows the creation and exchange of user-generated content. Social media websites include sites for Social networking (for example Facebook) and sites for Social Photo and Video Sharing (for example YouTube, Flickr).