computer definitions

A. Computer: a combination of related elements (hardware and software) working together to acheaive a common goal.
B. General purpose computers: computers where both coputation and input/output processing capabilities support a wide array of applications.
C. Information: data in a form that humans can understand and use.
D. Information/Data processing: the process of sharing information between two humans and computers. It includes sorting, classifying, calcuating, summarizing and comparing data.
E. Information Utilities : buisnesses or universities that use large computers to store huge amonts of information about many subjects and make it available to the public.
F. Application Program: a program that instrusts the computer to perform a specific user defined task.
G. Computer System: a combination of hardware and software that interacts to accomplish a goal.
H. Hardware: the tangible physical equiptment of a computer which includes input, processing, storage, and output devices.
I. Input: data that enters the computer system via an input or storage device.
J. Input device: a hardware device that enables the computer to accept data.
K. Microminiaturization: the ongoing technical process of size reduction that has enabled an entire micro-processor to occupy the space of a tiny chip.
L. Output: data that leaves the computer system via any output or storage device.
M. Output device: a hardware device that reports information in an understandable form.
N. Processing: activity within the computers processor where detailed instructions, called software programs, tell computers what to do to produce the desired information.
O. Processor: a hardware device that processces data into meaningful information.
P. Program: a series of detailed, step-by-step instructions that tell the computer what to do.
Q. Raw data/Origional data: data fed into the computer for processing.
R. Software: the non physical, electronic instructions that tell a computer what to do; software includes system and application programs.
S. Source documents: paper forms on which data maybe written before being entered into the computer.
T. Storage device: a hardware device that permits storage of data.
U. System Program: a program that controls the computers circuitry and hardware devices.
V. Information superhighway: a global network of computers that provides acces to digital, voice, and video commuication to info resources anywhere in the world.
W. Megahertz: one million cycles or pulses per second; this meausurement is used to state the internal clockspeed of a computer.
X. Local Area Network: cmputer networks limited to a small area such as a school or an office building and generally connected with cables.
Y. Internet: the worlds largest wide area network. Begun by the U.S. Defense Department. it is now world wide and includes governmental, educational, commercial and personal users.