COSC 103: Introduction to Computer Applications - Exam Revision Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary revision flashcards covering core concepts, hardware classifications, system and application software, networking, spreadsheets, and number systems for COSC 103.

Computer

An electronic device that accepts data, processes it according to instructions, stores it, and produces information.

Data

Raw, unprocessed facts entered into a computer for processing (e.g., numbers or marks).

Processing

The act of working on data to make it useful, such as performing calculations or adding marks.

Information

Processed, meaningful results produced from raw data (e.g., an average mark).

Hardware

The physical parts of a computer system that you can touch, such as the keyboard, monitor, CPU, and printer.

Software

Sets of programs or instructions that tell the computer hardware what to do.

Peopleware

The people/users who operate or use the computer system.

Information-Processing Cycle

The four-stage sequence of computer operations: Input → Processing → Output → Storage.

First Generation Computers

Computers that used vacuum tubes as their main technology, characterized by very large size, high heat generation, and high power consumption.

Second Generation Computers

Computers that replaced vacuum tubes with transistors, making them smaller and more reliable.

Third Generation Computers

Computers that utilized integrated circuits (ICs), resulting in more compact and faster systems.

Fourth Generation Computers

Computers powered by microprocessors, marking the era when personal computers became common.

Fifth Generation Computers

Advanced processing and AI-oriented systems focused on intelligent capabilities.

Supercomputer

An extremely powerful computer designed to handle complex scientific calculations and simulations.

Mainframe

A large multi-user computer designed to process large volumes of data for organizations such as major banks and institutions.

Analog Computer

A computer that operates by measuring continuous physical quantities, such as fluctuating temperature or pressure.

Digital Computer

A computer that processes discrete, binary data ($0$s and $1$s); the category to which most modern computers belong.

Hybrid Computer

A computer system that combines analog measurement with digital processing capabilities.

System Unit

The main case containing key internal components such as the motherboard, processor, memory, and internal storage.

Impact Printer

A printer that produces characters or images by physically striking an ink ribbon against paper (e.g., a dot-matrix printer).

Non-Impact Printer

A printer that forms images and text without striking the paper (e.g., inkjet and laser printers).

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

The component of the CPU that executes arithmetic operations ($+,-,\times,\frac{}{}$) and logical comparisons ($<,>,=$).

Control Unit (CU)

The CPU component that directs and coordinates computer operations and manages the flow of instructions and data.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Volatile primary working memory used directly during processing, whose contents are erased when power is lost.

Read-Only Memory (ROM)

Non-volatile primary memory that permanently stores essential startup instructions and retains its content without electrical power.

Byte

A standard unit of computer memory consisting of $8$ bits.

System Software

Programs designed to run and manage computer hardware and provide a platform for application software (e.g., operating systems, device drivers, utilities).

Application Software

Programs developed to assist end-users in performing specific tasks, such as word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation design.

Operating System (OS)

Core system software that manages hardware and software resources and provides an interface between the user, applications, and hardware.

Cold Boot

The process of starting a computer system up from a completely powered-off state.

Warm Boot

The process of restarting a computer that is already turned on.

Computer Virus

Malicious code that attaches itself to programs or files and replicates when executed or shared, causing system disruptions.

Word Processor

Application software specifically designed to create, edit, format, save, and print text-based documents.

Mail Merge

A feature in word processors that automatically combines a main document with a data source to generate multiple personalized documents.

Presentation Graphics Software

Application software used to design, organize, and display information formatted as a sequence of slides (e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint).

Transition

The motion or visual effect that takes place when navigating from one slide to another during a presentation.

Animation

The visual effect or motion applied to an individual object or text element within a single presentation slide.

Spreadsheet

Application software that organizes numeric and text data into a grid of rows and columns to perform calculations and data analysis.

Cell

The individual intersection point of a specific row and column within a spreadsheet worksheet (e.g., B3).

Computer Network

A collection of two or more computers or devices linked together to communicate and share data, hardware, or software resources.

Local Area Network (LAN)

A network that connects computers within a limited geographical area, such as a single room, office, building, or school campus.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

A high-speed network that spans a broader geographical area than a LAN, typically covering an entire town or city.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

A network that spans a large geographical region, country, or continent; the Internet is the primary global example.

Internet

The worldwide public infrastructure of interconnected computer networks communicating via standard protocols.

World Wide Web (WWW)

A system of interlinked hypertext documents and multimedia resources accessed across the Internet via web browsers.

Intranet

A strictly private, secured internal network reserved exclusively for members or employees of an organization.

Extranet

A restricted portion of an organization's internal private network safely extended to authorized external users or partners.

Hexadecimal Number System

A base-$16$ positional number system that uses sixteen distinct symbols: digits $0$ through $9$ and letters A through F.