Basic Computer Terminology - Dictionary of Computer Terms
A dictionary of computer terms with simple definitions. A glossary of computer and Internet terms with definitions that are easy to understand.
| Access Time | The time taken to retrieve date from a storage device or to obtain data from peripheral unit |
| Alphanumeric | Pertaining to a character set that contains letters, digits and usually other characters such as punctuation marks |
| Background Job | A Job in an operation system which has a lower priority than jobs being run simultaneously which involve any online activity |
| Binary Digit | The digit 0 to 1 |
| Binary Number System | Number system with a base of 2 |
| Bit | Smallest possible unit of information (Binary digit) |
| Bug | Any mistake or malfunction of computer (programme or system |
| Bus | A line or circuit used for transmitting data or power to a large number of devices |
| Central Processing Unit | The computer unit that performs the execution of instructions |
| Character Set | A set of unique symbols arranged in a fixed order used by a device or language to denote information |
| Chip | The tiny bit of silicon that forms the heart of an integrated circuit |
| Cobol | Common Business Oriented Language |
| Compile | To translate a computer programme written in a higher level source language into a machine language programme |
| Computer System | A central processor and associated peripheral units |
| Data processing | The operations performed on data |
| Debug | To locate and correct any errors in a computer programme or to correct malfunctions in the computer or its peripheral equipment |
| Downtime | The period during which a computer is not operating correctly due to mechanical or electronic failure or malfunction |
| EDP | Electronic Data Processing; the processing of data with electronic equipment |
| Executive | A Programme that helps manage the operation of a computer system |
| Flowchart | A graphic representation of the definition analysis or solution to a problem in which symbols are used to represent operations, data flow or equipment |
| FORTRAN | A high level programming language for scientific and mathematical use (Formula Translation) |
| Hardware | Physical equipment such as mechanical, magnetic, electrical or electronic devices |
| Hexadecimal Number System | Number system with a base of 16 |
| High-Level language | Developed to make the task of programming easier |
| Input | The actual data which must be put into the computer to accomplish some task |
| Label | A group of characters used as a symbol to identify an item of data, an area of memory |
| Machine language | Refer to instructions written in machine code which can be immediately obeyed by a computer without translation |
| Main Storage | The store from which instruction are executed |
| Memory | The chips in the computer where information and instructions are stored in Binary code |
| Micro Second | One Millionth of a second |
| Millisecond | One Thousandth of a second |
| Octal Number System | Number system with a base of 8 |
| Offline | Not connected directly to the main computer system |
| Online | Refers to any equipment or process that sends information directly to the computer for immediate processing and immediate results |
| Operating System | An integrated collection of computer programmes which supervises the sequencing of programme by a computer |
| Output | The results of the computer's processing |
| Over Flow | A quantity of data that exceeds the memory capacity of the storage register or location which is to receive the result |
| Packaged Programme | Programmes and subroutines written and supplied by the computer manufacturers to their customers |
| Processing | A general term for any device capable of carrying out operation on data; sometimes used as a synonym for central processor |
| Programme | A sequence of instructions written in computer language |
| Programmer | A person who prepares problem solving |