Computer Science

base 2

When developing a number system for a computer, we only have two symbols available to us, corresponding with the two states of a single bit. However, the power of place value allows our binary or "base 2" number system to express any value we wish.

Packet Metadata

data added to packets to help route them through the network and reassemble the original message

Scalability

The capacity for the system to change in size and scale to meet new demands

bit

A contraction of "Binary Digit". A bit is the single unit of information in a computer, typically represented as a 0 or 1.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

A protocol for computers to request and share the pages that make up the world wide web on the internet

Ip Address

A protocol for sending data across the internet that assigns unique numbers to each connected device.

User Datagram Protocol

A protocol for sending packets quickly with minimal error-checking and no resending of dropped packets

abstraction

A simplified representation of something more complex.

World Wide Web

A system of linked pages, programs, and files

binary

A way of representing information using only two options.

Analog

Any continuously changing signal that is not restricted to finite set of values.

digital

Data or signals represented by a finite number of values.

Overflow

Error from attempting to represent a number that is too large

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

It is slower but more accurate. Number of packets so they can be reordered, confirm all were received , resend any missing packets. Multiple back and forth confirmations between sender and receiver.

pixel

Short for "picture element", the fundamental unit of a digital image, typically a tiny square or dot that contains a single point of color of a larger image.

byte

The most common fundamental unit of digital data eg. Kilobyte, Megabyte, etc. A single byte is 8 bits-worth of data.

base 10

The number system we use today uses the concept of place value to allow us to express any value we wish by combining only 10 symbols (0, 1, 2 ...). We therefore call it a "base 10" number system

The Domain Name System (DNS)

The system responsible for translating domain names like example.com into IP addresses

Packet

a chunk of data sent over a network. Larger messages are divided to packets that may arrive at the destination in order, out-of-order, or not at all

lossless comp

a data compression algorithm that allows the original data to be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed data.

lossy comp

a data compression method that uses inexact approximations, discarding some data to represent the content.

router

a type of computer that forwards data across a network

Fault Tolerant

can continue to function even in the event of individual component failures. This is important because elements of complex systems like a computer network fail at unexpected times, often in groups

DataStream

information passed through the internet in packets

intellectual property

refers to the ownership of intangible and non-physical goods. This includes ideas, names, designs, symbols, artwork, writings, and other creations.

redundancy

the inclusion of extra components so that a system can continue to work even if individual components fail, for example by having more than one path between any two connected devices in a network