Information Technology, ICT, and Computer History - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from IT, ICT, computer hardware/software, networks, storage, evolution of computers, and the digital age as presented in the lecture notes.

Information Technology (IT)

The use of computers, networks, storage devices, and other physical systems to create, process, store, secure and share electronic data.

Information Technology (IT) — Hardware and Software

IT comprises multiple layers of physical hardware, operating systems, virtualization, and software.

Information Communication Technology (ICT)

The use of electronic computers, communication devices, and software to convert, store, secure, process, send, and retrieve information from any location at any time.

Hardware

The physical components of a computer system (e.g., computers, smartphones, servers, networking equipment, storage devices) that enable digital operations.

Software

Programs, operating systems, and platforms that enable users to interact with hardware.

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

The brain of the computer; its main components include the Control Unit (CU) and Arithmetic/Logic Unit (ALU).

Control Unit (CU)

Part of the CPU that directs and coordinates the operations of the computer.

Arithmetic/Logic Unit (ALU)

Part of the CPU that performs arithmetic and logical operations.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

Volatile internal memory that stores instructions and data temporarily during operation.

ROM (Read-Only Memory)

Non-volatile internal memory containing unchangeable instructions.

Primary Storage

Main memory (RAM) used for active data and instructions.

Secondary Storage

Non-volatile memory used for permanently storing files and data.

Input Device

Hardware that accepts data and instructions from the user or the environment.

Keyboard

The most widely used input device; enables entering text, numbers, and commands.

Mouse

A pointing device used to control the on-screen cursor.

Trackball

A ball-based pointing device, often considered an upside-down mouse.

Joystick

An input device used to control movement or input on-screen.

Lightpen

A pen-like input device that allows drawing directly on the screen.

Digitizing Tablet

A pen-like device used for sketching images or inputting drawings.

Pen-based systems

Input systems that use a stylus to enter handwriting and marks.

Bar Code Reader

Device that reads bar codes and converts signals into digital form.

OCR (Optical Character Recognition)

Reads printed characters from documents and converts them to digital text.

OMR (Optical Mark Recognition)

Reads pencil marks on forms to extract data.

MICR (Magnetic-Ink Character Recognition)

Reads numbers printed with magnetic ink on bank checks.

Fax Machine

Scans an image and transmits it as an electrical signal over telephone lines.

Smart Card

Card with an embedded microprocessor and memory chip for processing data.

Optical Card

Plastic, laser-recordable card used with an optical card reader.

Sensor

Device that collects data from the environment (e.g., color, IR, temperature, humidity, etc.).

Bus

Electronic pathway that carries data between computer components.

Port

Connection point that attaches input and output devices to the computer.

Expansion Slot

Slot that allows adding extra features or cards.

Registers

Temporary storage that allows fast acceptance, storage, and transfer of data and instructions.

Motherboard

The primary circuit board that connects CPU, memory, storage, and other components.

Power Supply

Converts AC power to DC power to power the computer.

System Clock

Governs the speed of computer activities.

Cache Memory

Fast memory that speeds up data retrieval for the CPU.

PCMCIA

Slots and cards establishing a bus standard for notebooks and pocket PCs.

HDD (Hard Disk Drive)

Magnetic storage device that stores and retrieves digital data on rotating disks.

Optical Storage

Storage that uses a laser to densely pack information onto a moveable disk.

Magnetic Tape

Sequential storage medium using magnetic tape for data storage.

Magnetic Disk

Magnetically-coded data storage on rotating disks.

COM (Computer Output Microfilm)

Microfilm-based storage for large data amounts.

Plotter

Output device that prints high-quality graphics; types include Pen Plotter, Electrostatic Plotter, and Thermal Plotter.

CRT Display

Cathode Ray Tube display; a common softcopy display in earlier microcomputers.

Flat Panel Displays

Slim, sharp displays such as LCD and LED screens used with portable computers.

Modem

Device that translates digital signals into analog signals for transmission over phone lines.

LAN

Local Area Network; a network connecting devices within a limited area.

WAN

Wide Area Network; a network that covers large geographical areas.

Internet

Global network that connects millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks.

Cloud Computing

Remote storage and processing platforms (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox, AWS) accessed over the Internet.

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)

Software that integrates various business functions into a single system.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

Software that manages customer interactions and data.

E-commerce

Online platforms for buying and selling goods and services (e.g., Amazon, eBay, Shopify).

E-Learning

Education delivered via digital platforms and online resources.

Telemedicine

Virtual medical consultations and remote patient care using ICT.

Electronic Health Records (EHR)

Digitized patient records that healthcare providers access quickly (e.g., Epic, Cerner).

Wearable Health Devices

Devices like Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Oura Ring that monitor vital signs in real time.

Tim Berners-Lee

Inventor of the World Wide Web in 1989 at CERN.

World Wide Web (WWW)

A user-friendly system of interlinked documents accessed via the Internet; popularized in the early 1990s.

Eniac

One of the first electronic general-purpose digital computers (1946).

UNIVAC I

First commercial computer built for business use (1951).

IBM System/360

First widely used general-purpose computer family (1964).

Turing Machine

A theoretical model of computation introduced by Alan Turing in 1936.

Ada Lovelace

Wrote what is considered the first computer algorithm.

J. Presper Eckert & John Mauchly

Creators of ENIAC; early pioneers in electronic computing.

First Generations vs Later Generations

First generation used vacuum tubes; second used transistors; third used integrated circuits; fourth used microprocessors; fifth generation aims at AI and advanced processing.

Generations of Computers

A framework describing the evolution of computers from vacuum tubes to AI-driven systems.

Analog, Digital, and Hybrid Computers

Digital computers count discrete values; analog computers process continuous data; hybrid computers combine both approaches.

GUI (Graphical User Interface)

A user interface that uses graphical elements like windows and icons for interaction.

ARPNET

Early network that evolved into the Internet; first permanent link established in 1969.

Katie: Data Security and Encryption

Techniques to protect data during storage and transmission from unauthorized access.