Definitions / Glossary on COMPUTER

A
Algorithm - a programming technique for gaining a desired result by manipulating data.
AGP - Accelerated Graphics Port: Allows for acceleration of 3D computer graphics, this
means that the graphics are read from the system ram (memory) by the adapter instead of
being processed through the system processor. Thus speeding up the display of 3D
graphics.
B
BIG -Built In Garage. When the "Clone" revolution was at it's peek some computer
companies were housed in the owners garage. A lot of the sole proprietorship companies
(i.e. startup companies) start in garages or spare bedrooms. BIG Computers.
BIOS - Basic Input Output System the underling program that controls the input and
output of the physical devices connected to the computer. A embedded program that can
not be changed.
Binary - Base two digit numbering system. ( two digits zero and one, off or on, true or
false, Computers use the binary system to manipulate data)
Bit - Basic building block of the computer, one binary digit, one storage location, can
only be zero or one.
Boot - The process of starting up the computer, loading the BIOS, the POST process, and
starting the OS.
Byte - Eight bits, binary number of bits that are the building blocks of programming for
computers. Most computer components are measured in BYTEs, some confuse the
measurement with BITs. Such measurements reduce the measurement by a factor of
EIGHT. KiloBYTE. MegaBYTE, GigaBYTE.
C
Clone - Computers that had the IBM PC style case and a compatible main board and were
cheaper than the IBM PC by thousands of dollars.
CD-ROM - Compact Disk - Read Only Memory, CD's became available for music in the
1980's, early in the 1990's CD ROM Drives became available for the computer market.
Writeable CD's with the correct format can be used in Audio CD players, or you can store
up to 800 meg of data on one disk. Also comes in Re-Writeable format.
D
Deframentation - The process of taking all the parts of a file and writing them to
contagious blocks or sectors of a hard drive.
DIMM - Dual Inline Memory Module, 168 or 184 pin memory module
DDR - Double Data Rate, 240 pin memory Module
Disk - There are three types of disks, Floppy, Hard, and CD ROM.
DVD - Digital Versatile Disc, same format and size as the CD-ROM with a higher
capacity. Writeable DVD's created on a computer have the capacity to be used in regular
DVD players. Data storage on DVD's can be either 4.7 Gig or 8.4 Gig with the Dual
Layer DVD.
Decimal - Base 10 numeric system, how humans count.
E
EPROM or EEPROM - Electronically Programmable Read Only Memory. Some devices
have a Read Only Memory chip for programming the functions of the device. This
memory is non-volatile, it can not be erased. EPROM's are chips that can be erased and
reprogrammed. EEPROM's can be erased electronically, you system bios is a EEPROM
for example.
ESD - Electro Magnetic Discharge, static electricity that builds up naturally by
movement. Has catastrophic effects on electronic components when discharged.
Grounding will dissipate the static electric with out damage to components.
Encryption - A process that will scramble a word, document, or program. Making it
unreadable by normal processes, such as a word processor or text editor. Encrypting takes
a special program that uses two 'keys' created by the person requiring the encryption. The
'keys' are called a 'public key' and a 'private key' the strength of the encrypted file or word
depends on how 'strong' the algorithm is that creates the 'key pair'. Once the object. file,
word, or program) is encrypted it can only be decrypted by with the key pair in unison.
F
Floppy Disk - A non-ridged disk made out of very thin Mylar, the term floppy
came from the disks in the early 1970's, these disks were 8 inch in a thin plastic
sleeve, when you picked up one it had a tendency to bend, or flop around. Newer
disks come in a more ridged plastic case but are still bendable to a certain degree before
they break.
Format - Process of setting up a volume to store data, a raw partition needs markers
placed on the physical hard drive platters for programs to store data.
Fragmentation - Fragmentation is defined as the fragmenting of a file when it is written to
a device. This happens on hard drives when the capacity of the drive does not
accommodate the complete file in contiguous (one after another) blocks.
G
Gig - One billion. (close enough for us, unless you are interested in converting
Hexadecimal to Decimal)
GHz - Gig Hertz the frequency of the clock speed measured in Gigs (hexadecimal)
H
Hard Drive - Term coined back in the 1980's by IBM when they
introduced the first drive that did not have removable media (i.e. a floppy
disk). The reason for the name was the original R&D of the device was
code named "Winchester" to throw off the competition. The platters are
ridged and made out of aluminum with a thin coating of iron metal oxide.
Hertz - The time it takes a certain type of sine ware to complete 360 degrees in electronic
components.
Hex - Base 16 numeric system (Humans use a base ten numeric system to count,
computers use binary to code for programs, it is easier to code if it is converted from
binary to hex).
I
IDE -Integrated Drive Electronics. The integration of electronics inside the body of the
drive allows for more control over the capacity of the drive. Before IDE all controls were
on the outside of the drive, thus limiting the capacity of the format of the platter. When
the electronics were moved to circuit boards inside the drive the capacity has increased
by a million fold, soon more than a billion fold.
J
Jazz Drive - A small high capacity storage device that uses Mylar film disk in a hard
case. Capacity ranges from 2 meg to 2 gig.
K
Kilo - One thousand, (Kilobyte, actually 1024 if converted from Hex or binary to
decimal)
KBS - Kilo Bytes per Second, how fast data is transferred in kilobytes. Or Kilo Bits Per
Second (multiply by 8 to get Kilo Bytes per Second).
M
Memory - Two types of memory - non -volatile - read only, or volatile -
changeable. Non volatile is a type of write once, once it is written it can
not be changed, like a CD or DVD. Volatile memory is memory that can
be changed, you write to it, change your mind and erase it, then write to it
again. Your Computer ram is writeable memory.
Modem - A device that communicates with another device across a long
distance. Dial up modems connect to a phone line, this is a analog signal,
the modem converts a digital signal from the computer to analog to send
the data and back to digital when it receives data. (Modem transfer speed
is measured in KBS).
MBS - Data transfer speed, Mega Bytes per Second. (Network transfer speed is measured
in MBS).
N
Non-Volatile - Something that can not be changed with out destroying it.
O
OS - Operating System, high level program that controls the computer, allows for input
and output.
Overclocking - A process of making a chip (memory or processor) perform beyond the
manufactures specifications from when the device was made. Say you have a processor
that is rated at 800 MHz you if change this to 850 MHz the computer may run faster.
Overclocking the memory or processor can lead to damage of the component or the main
board or both. Not Recommended.
P
Partition - Before a raw hard drive can be formatted it has to have physical pointers
applied to the hard drive physical disk platters, these are the starting and ending points for
the format program to its job.
Port - A term used for any opening that the computer can use to communicate with a
external device, program, or data. Computers have connections for external devices, these
connections are called ports.
POST - Power On Self Test - Most computer manufactures provide a way to test the
computer when it is powered up, checking components for malfunctions, this program is
built into a program called BIOS.
R
Ram - Physical Random Access Memory. Ram is a silicon chip that is electronically
charged and discharged to retain data.
S
Storage - Physical devices that retain data when power is removed from the device.
SVGA - Super Video Graphics Adapter:: The VGA adapter allowed for memory and a
processor to be incorporated on the card. The resolution went from thousands of colors
to millions of colors.
U
USB - Universal Serial Bus. USB is used for connecting external devices
to your computer, it is an upgrade to the serial bus specification allowing
for more than one device to connect to the bus at one time..
V
VGA - Video Graphics Adapter: The first video adapters were mono
chrome and did not display graphics, characters only. Then came the
CGA, Color Graphics Adapter. This adapter displayed 16 colors then 256 colors. The
VGA adapter allowed for memory and a processor to be incorporated on the card. The
resolution went from 256 colors to thousand of colors over night.
W
Winchester - first hard drives were called Winchesters, this was the code name for the
development of the small hard drive for PC's by IBM. (Small is relative, the original
IBM hard drive was 5 1/4 inches wide, 7 inches long, and 3 inches high and weighed
approximately 9 pounds!)
Z
Zip - A file compression algorithm.

Posted in: COMPUTER