Vocabulary & Terms
Vocabulary & Terms – Ongoing list of common terms used with Technology.
| Adware | Any advertising software which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertising material to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used. |
| Bandwidth | Bandwidth in computer networking refers to the data speed supported by a network connection. It is most often expressed in terms of bits per second (bps) or megabits per second (Mps). The term represents the total distance between the highest and lowest signals on the communication channel (band). |
| Bit | The smallest unit of information that a computer can hold. |
| Broadband | The term Broadband is usually used to describe any high-speed connection to the internet. |
| Byte | Small unit of data storage; 8 bits; usually holds one character. |
| Crowd-Source | Crowdsourcing is the process of completing a task or project, solving a problem, gathering ideas or content, obtaining services, etc. by soliciting contributions from a large group or network of people. |
| Downloading | The process of copying a file from an Internet site to the hard drive of a personal computer. |
| Hardware & Software | “Hardware” is the machine itself–the computer, keyboard, mouse and other physical equipment. “Software” refers to the programs you run, which tell the computer what to do. |
| CPU & Peripherals | The central processing unit, or CPU, is the “brain” of the computer, the part that does the work. “Peripherals” are devices used to give instructions to the CPU, carry out the CPU’s instructions or add function to the CP; they include keyboards, mice, monitors, printers and scanners. |
| Encryption | A way of coding the information in a file or email so that if it is read by a third party as it travels over a network it cannot be read. Only the persons sending and receiving the information have the key and this makes it unreadable to anyone except the intended persons. |
| Hard Drive/Hard Disk | Most commonly used computer storage device which reads and writes one or more spinning disks. Hard drives are the storage medium in desktop and laptop computers. |
| Internet Protocol (IP) Address | A string of four numbers separated by periods (such as 192.168.211.100) used to represent a computer on the Internet. |
| Internet Service Provider (ISP) | Internet Service Provider. A company that provides an Internet connection. |
| Memory | Random access memory–often called RAM or just “memory”–describes the amount of data a computer can hold in its “brain” at any one time, without having to go retrieve information from another source. The more memory, the more tasks the computer can handle at once, and the faster it can work. |
| Podcast | A pre-recorded audio program that is made available for download (manually or automatically) so people can listen to them on personal computers or mobile devices. |
| Random Access Memory (RAM) | The best known form of computer memory. RAM is considered “Random Access” because you can access any memory cell directly. RAM is volatile memory — its contents are lost as soon as power to the computer is turned off. |
| Read Only Memory (ROM) | This memory holds all the basic instructions the computer needs to do very simple stuff, such as making the letter “X” appear on the monitor when you press the “X” key. This memory cannot be changed, so losing power does not affect it. |
| Storage | Storage devices are where you save all your data. Every computer has a hard drive as its primary storage device. You can add additional hard drives for more storage; “flash drives” are small, portable storage devices. |
| USB |
The Universal Serial Bus, or USB, is a system for connecting devices to computers. In the past, different devices required different kinds of plugs and connections, making compatibility a nightmare. USB has standardized connections. |
…To Be Continued