Chapter 1 Definitions:
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Computer: An electronic device operating under the control of instructions stored in its
own memory than can accept data, process data, produce results, and store results
Printer: Output device
Portable Media Player: Output device
Monitor: Output device
PC Video Camera: Input device
CD/DVD Drive: Storage device
Scanner: Input device
Keyboard: Input device
Mouse: Input device
System Unit: Processor, memory, and storage devices
Hard Disk Drive: Storage drive
Digital Camera: Input device
Microphone: Input device
Modem: Communications device
Card reader/writer: Storage device
USB Flash Drive: Storage device
External Hard Disk: Storage device
Information Processing Cycle: Input, output, process, and storage
Data: a collection of unprocessed items
Information: Conveys meaning and is useful to one or more people
Computer Users, Users, and End Users: People who use the computer directly or use the
information it provides
Computer Program or Software: Detailed instructions that tell a computer exactly what
to do
System Unit: Box-like case
Input Device: Any hardware that allows you to enter data, ect into a computer
Keyboard: An input device that allows you to press keys to enter data
Stylus: A small metal or plastic device that uses pressure to write
Mouse: A pointing device
Pointer/Mouse Pointer: Movement of the pointer
Processor(CPU): Interprets and carries out basic instructions that operate a computer
System Unit: A case that contains electronic components of the computer used to
process data
Motherboard(system board): Main circuit board of the system unit
Arithmetic/Logic Unit: Performs the logical and arithmetic processes
Control Unit: Interprets the instructions
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Memory(RAM): Made of electric components that temporarily store instructions waiting
to be executed by the processor, data needed by those instructions, and the results of
processed data (information)
Kilobyte(K/KB): 1,000 memory locations
Megabyte(MB): One million memory locations
Gigabyte(GB): One billion memory locations
Memory Location/ Byte: Usually stores one character such as A
Output Devices: Make the information resulting from processing available for use
Impact Printer: Prints by striking an inked ribbon against the paper
Nonimpact Printer: Ink-jet and laser printers
Photo Printers: Produce photo-quality pictures and are ideal for home or small business
use
Display Device: An output device that visually conveys text, graphics, and video
information
Monitor: A display device that that is packed as a separate unit
Flat Panel Monitor: A basic monitor
LCD Monitor: Flat panel monitor
CRT: A type of monitor
Pixels: Individual picture elements
Storage Device: Stores data, instructions, and information
Magnetic Disks: Use magnetic particles to store items
Formatting: The process of dividing the disk into tracks and sectors
Track: A narrow recording band
Sector: A pie-shaped section that breaks tracks into smaller arcs
Portable Storage Medium: You can remove the medium and carry it to another
computer
Hard Disk: Storage device that contains one or more inflexible, circular platters that
magnetically store data
Head Crash: When a read/write head touches the platter and causes memory loss
Backup: A duplicate of a file
Floppy Disk/ Diskette: Inexpensive portable medium
Floppy Disk Drive: A device that can read and write on a floppy disk
Access Time: The required time to receive and access data
CD-ROM: Compact disc read-only memory
CD-ROM Drive: Used to read a CD-ROM
CD-R: Compact disc-recordable
CD-RW: Compact disc-rewritable
DVD-ROM: Digital versatile disk-read-only memory
DVD-ROM Drive: Used to read the DVD-ROM
DVD-R/DVD+R: Competing DVD-recordable formats
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Blu-ray (BD-ROM)/HD DVD: Higher quality and more capacity than most DVDs
DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+RAM: Competing DVD formats.
BD-RE, HD DVD-RW: Competing higher-capacity rewritable DVD formats.
Tape: Magnetically coated ribbon of plastic housed in a tape cartridge
Tape Drive: Used to read and write on a tape
Miniature Mobile Storage Media: Rewritable media
Flash Memory Cards: Solid state media
USB Flash Drive: Flash memory storage device
Smart Cards: Stores data on a microprocessor embedded in the card
Communications Device: A hardware component that enables a computer to send and
receive data, instructions, ect.
Transmission Media: Where communications occur (telephone poles)
System Software: Consists of programs to control the operations of computer
equipment
Operating System: Tells the how to perform functions such as loading, storing, ect
Booting: When the operating system is loaded into the computer’s memory
Graphical User Interface (GUI): Provides visual cues such as icon symbols
Icon: Something used to represent an application
Application Software: Has programs designed to make users more productive
Word Processing Software: Used to create, edit, and format, and print documents
Electronic Spreadsheet Software: Allows the user to add, subtract, and perform userdefined calculations on rows and columns of numbers
Database Software: Allows the user to enter, receive, and update data in an organized
and efficient manner
Presentation Graphics Software: Allows the user to create slides for use in a
presentation to a group
Network: A collection of computers and devices connected together
Online: When a computer connects to a network
Local Area Network (LAN): A network that connects computers in a limited geographic
area (office)
Wide Area Network (WAN): A network that covers a large geographical area (national
corporation)
Internet: Worldwide connections of networks
ISP (International Service Provider): An organization that supplies connections to the
Internet for a monthly fee
Online Service Provider (OSP): Provides access to the internet as well as a variety of
other specialized content and services (news)
World Wide Web (Web): Contains billions of documents called Web pages
Web Page: Can obtain text, graphics, audio, and video, as well as links to other websites
Web site: A related collection of Web pages
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Web browser: software program used to view Web pages
Uniform Resource Locator (URL): A Web page that has a unique address
http:// (hypertext transfer protocol): communications standard to transfer pages on the
web
e-commerce: electronic commerce
business to consumer (B2C): involves the sale of goods to the general public
consumer to consumer (C2C): involves one consumer selling directly to another
business to business (B2B): provides goods and services to other businesses