Chapter 1
true
A pointing stick is a pressure-sensitive pointing device the size and shape of a pencil eraser.
false
First-generation computers contained many components still in use today.
true
In 1834, English mathematics professor Charles Babbage designed a calculator called the Analytical Engine.
false (laptop not notebook)
Notebooks that weigh less than 4 pounds are called Ultrabooks.
unicode
a 16 bit coding scheme; it is an extension of ascII that can be used to create over 65000 symbols and characters in many languages
bus width
a characteristic of a bus that determines the speed at which data travels. bus width is measured in bits
biometric input device
a data collection machine that creates a digital imprint of a physical characteristic and then transfers that information to a host system for review
all in one desktop
a desktop computer that combines the system unit with the monitor so the computer is a single unit
web cam
a digital video camera that captures video and sends it directly to a computer; often built into laptops, tablets, and smartphones, they can be attached through a usb or firewire port.
byte
a group of 8 bits used in digital electronics to measure digital storage capacity; a byte can represent a letter, symbol, or number.
ultrabook
a laptop that includes an intel processor, weighs less than 4 pounds, uses solid state drives, and provides a long term battery
abacus
a manual counting device that people used to add, subtract, multiply, and divide by moving beads along parallel rods
binary number system
a number system consisting of only two digits: 0 and 1
chip
a set of electronic circuits on one small plate of semiconductor material such as silicon
cache
a storage space for recently or frequently used data that is quick and easy to access
biometric technology
a system that analyzes a person's unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints or voice patters, to confirm identity and grant access to restricted spaces or computer systems
benchmark
a test run by a labratory or other organizaiton to determine processor speed and other computer performance factors
level 2 (l2) cache
a type of processor cache built into the processor chip, though not as close to the core as the l1 cache
level 1 (l1) cache
a type of processor cache built into the processor chip; the cpu can retrieve data from the l1 cache faster than it can from other caches
level 3 (l3) cache
a type of processor cache residing on a chip separate from the processor
ascII
an eight bit coding scheme, with a binary code representing each uppercase letter, lowercase letter, mathematical operator, and logical operation
bus
an electronic channel that allows the cpu and various devices inside or attached to a computer to communicate
address bus
an electronic channel that transfers information to the cpu about where data exists in memory
central processing unit (cpu)
an integrated circuit that processes all computer instructions and makes it possible to operate a computer
bit
short for binary digit, the smallest unit of information handled by a computer and the basis today's computer processing. a bit can have the value of 0 or 1
bios
the basic input/output system, which includes the instructions for starting a computer as it performs the power on self test (post)
arithmetic logic unit (alu)
the part of the cpu that performs arithmetic operations, such as addition and subtraction, and comparison operations, such as comparing two numbers to see if they are the same. the alu temporarily holds data, such as two numbers to add, in registers, or small storage locations within the cpu
circuit board
thin rigid board containing an electronic circuit
boot
to start a computer
