Part 2: Commonly used Technical terms

Here are some common words used in computing.

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A
Alpha - "Alpha" software is software that is in an early stage of development. Don't use alpha software unless you can live with the bugs and general incompleteness. B
Beta - "Beta" software is software that is still under development. It may have obvious bugs in it.
Binary - A file that doesn't contain human-readable data. A counting system based on ones and zeros.
BIOS - Basic Input Output System - A special piece of software that is stored on a chip on the motherboard, that is executed during the boot-up process.
Bit - Binary digIT - A single binary value.
Boot - "To pull one up by one's bootstraps" - The process your computer takes to prepare itself for normal operation. It starts after you flip the switch. See POST.
Bug - An error or glitch in a program. Anything that causes unintended operation.
Burner - See CD Recorder.
Burning - A process where a CD Recorder writes data to a CD-R or a CD-RW. It involves a laser burning tiny pits into an inner layer of the disc.
Burn-in - Damage can occur to a monitor that is left on with a static image displayed. The constant bombardment of the phosphor in the screen can cause it to deteriorate, leaving a ghost of the image on the screen that can be seen even when the monitor is off. This damage mostly occurs in older monitors, especially monochrome ones.
Byte - A collection of eight bits.
C
Carriage Return - The Enter key.
CD-R - Compact Disk Recordable - A specially manufactured plastic platter that can be used to create CD-ROMs through a process called burning. CD-Rs can not be erased and rewritten, although you can write in multiple sessions.
CD-RW - Compact Disk ReWritable - A specially manufactured plastic platter that can be used to create CD-ROMs through a process called burning. CD-RWs can be erased and rewritten.
CD-ROM - Compact Disk Read Only Memory - A plastic platter that stores a large amount of data, commonly used to distribute software and music. See ISO9660.
CD-ROM Drive - A device that reads CD-ROM discs.
CD Recorder - A device that can write data to a specially made CD-ROM. See CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW.
CMOS - A chip on the motherboard that stores settings your computer needs to operate.
Corner case - A programmer's term. A corner case is a result of an operation that needs special handling. An example is "Division by Zero."
CPU - Central Processing Unit - The "Brain" of a computer. It is a complex chip that performs the mathematical and control operations of a computer.
Crash - Either a hardware malfunction, a process "jumping off its tracks" and getting killed by the OS, or the OS itself malfunctioning into a non-recoverable state
Cursor - Any one of a number of visual indications that define what places actions are performed on.
D
Data - Information.
Defrag - "Defragmenting" is a computer maintinence task that speeds up access to your files by reorginizing how they are stored on a hard drive.
Delete - To remove a set of data.
Division by Zero - If a program tries to divide a number by zero, the OS throws an exception. Dividing by zero is mathematically impossible.
DLL - Dynamic Link Library - A chunk of program code, stored in a file, that can be shared between programs.
Document - A file that contains an object created by the user, such as a letter or a photo.
Drive - A device used for storing files.
E
Exception - A way of handling corner cases. If the OS can not handle a program's request, it "throws an exception", which gives the program a chance to recover itself instead of crashing.
Extention - A set of letters that signify the type of data contained in a file. Also, another name for "plugin".
F
Fault - If a program encounters conditions it was not designed for and can't handle, a fault has occured. Very often leads to a crash.
File - A chunk of related data, associated with a filename.
Filename - The name in the filesystem index that can be used to get a file.
Filesystem - An index that stores and organizes files in a heirarchy on a disk.
Floppy Disk - A mylar disk in a rigid or flexible plastic sleeve that stores a small amount of data.
Freeze - See Hang.
FDD - Floppy Disk Drive - A device that reads and writes floppy disks.
G
Graphics Card - See Video Card.
Grok - A techie term meaning "To understand."
H
Hang - A state where a program stops functioning normally and either does nothing or gets stuck in an infinate loop.
HDD - Hard Disk Drive - The main permanent storage of a computer. A device that stores a very large amount of data.
I
IBM
ISO - The International Organization for Standardization.
ISO9660 - An international standard that defines how data is stored on CD-ROMs.
storage -permanent -temporary Recovery multisession MIME killed POST process video card plugin ISO9660 USB keychain drive media word

This file last modified

Count started Feb. 22, 2005.