Computer Glossary

 

*What is a computer?  **What can a computer do?  ***What can't a computer do?  ****What can a computer do that was impossible before?  Why are computers here?  How will they affect your and others' lives?  How do you feel about them and why?

 

Hardware  (the mind and the senses)

Computer System

CPU/Central Processing Unit/MicroProcessor {brain

Speed -- bandwidth & cycles/sec. (MHz, MFlops)

Memory / RAM

Capacity -- in KB and MB

Speed -- in nSecs.

Keyboard -- Input

keys (Standard, Cursor, Function, Special)

Mouse -- Input

CD ROM -- Input

Seek Time

Data Transfer Rate

Monitor -- Output

Color / Monochrome

Resolution - in pixels Horiz. & Vert.

Pixel Size -- in cm.

Speed -- in Hz

Sound Board & Speakers -- Output

Hard Disk Drive -- Input/Output

Capacity -- in MB, GB, TB

Data Transfer Rate -- in KB/sec., MB/sec.

Floppy Drive -- Input/Output

Capacity -- in KB, MB

Data Transfer Rate -- in KB/sec.

Peripherals / External Devices

Scanner -- Input

Printer -- Output

Resolution - DPI

Speed - CPS/LPM/PPM

Fax/Modem -- Input/Output

BAUD Rate

Tape Backup -- Input/Output

Other (Host) Computers -- Input/Output

Network

Media (books, papers & mags)

Floppy Diskettes

Size -- 3.5", 5.25" Diameter

Capacity -- in MB

Sidedness -- Single, Double

Density -- Single, Double, High

Compact Disks

Software (what and how to do and think)

Operating Systems

DOS, Windows, System 7, UNIX

Languages

C, Pascal, BASIC, ForTran, COBOL

Libraries

Tools

Data Base Management -- data, tables, records & fields

dBASE IV, FoxPro, Paradox

Word Processing -- text, documents, text stream

WordPerfect, WORD

Spreadsheet -- numbers, worksheets, rows & columns

Lotus 1-2-3, Excel, Quattro Pro

Applications

Business

Home

Education

Data (personal experience, memories and decisions)

all the stuff that's yours

the stuff that makes a computer valuable in the first place

Some additional Concepts

ASCII -- American Standard Code for Information Interchange

Bits -- binary digits

Bytes -- characters

Quantities

# of Bytes	# (in English)	computerese	meaning	secs. per cycle
1,000	one thousand	1 KB (kilo-bytes)	1 double-spaced page	1 millisecond
1,000,000	one million	1 MB (mega-bytes)	1 average book = 0.2 War and Peace	1 microsecond
1,000,000,000	one billion	1 GB (giga-bytes)	1 large encyclopedia set	1 nanosecond
1,000,000,000,000	one trillion	1 TB (tera-bytes)	1 branch of NYC Pub. Library	1 I don't know

 

Computer Operations

      Input / Output -- Read, Write, Seek

      Data manipulation (Move, Logic, Math)

      IF (logical condition)

      GO (memory address)

Computer Operations

      Input

      Process

      Output

      Storage

 

      What is a computer?  A computer is a powerful, swift-to-respond information storage/retrieval and manipulation device.  A computer is a mind-enhancing tool.  A computer is a personal communications megaphone.  A computer is a robot's brain and nervous system.  A computer is a tool-inventing tool.  A computer is our passport to any future we can barely imagine.

      What can a computer do?  Be VERY fast at digital operations.  Mathematical/Logical Calculations.  Evaluate relative sizes.  Conditional decision-making.  Storage and Retrieval.  Graphics.  Sound/Music.