ITM100 Week 3 part b: Hardware and Software Basics

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to hardware and software basics, computer components, categories, storage, and types of software, based on the provided lecture notes. Includes definitions for critical terms and concepts for exam preparation.

Information technology (IT)

Any computer-based tool that people use to work with information and support the information and information-processing needs of an organization.

Hardware

Consists of the physical devices associated with a computer system.

Software

The set of instructions that the hardware executes to carry out specific tasks.

Computer

An electronic device operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory that can accept, manipulate, and store data.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The actual hardware that interprets and executes the program (software) instructions and coordinates how all the other hardware devices work together.

Primary Storage

The computer's main memory, which consists of the random access memory (RAM), cache memory, and the read-only memory (ROM) that is directly accessible to the CPU.

Secondary Storage

Equipment designed to store large volumes of data for long-term storage (e.g., diskette, CD, DVD, memory stick).

Input Device

Equipment used to capture information and commands (e.g., mouse, keyboard, scanner).

Output Device

Equipment used to see, hear, or otherwise accept the results of information processing requests (e.g., monitor, printer, microphone).

Communication Device

Equipment used to send information and receive it from one location to another (e.g., modem, wireless card).

Control unit

Interprets software instructions and literally tells the other hardware devices what to do, based on the software instructions.

Arithmetic-logic unit (ALU)

Performs all arithmetic operations (e.g., addition and subtraction) and all logic operations (e.g., sorting and comparing numbers).

Megahertz (MHz)

The number of millions of CPU cycles per second.

Gigahertz (GHz)

The number of billions of CPU cycles per second.

Binary digit (bit)

The smallest unit of information that a computer can process.

Byte

A group of eight bits representing one natural language character.

Complex instruction set computer (CISC) chip

Type of CPU that can recognize as many as 100 or more instructions, enough to carry out most computations directly.

Reduced instruction set computer (RISC) chip

Limit the number of instructions the CPU can execute to increase processing speed.

Virtualization

A protected memory space created by the CPU allowing the computer to create virtual machines.

Random access memory (RAM)

The computer's primary working memory, in which program instructions and data are stored so that they can be accessed directly by the CPU via the processor's high-speed external data bus.

Read-only memory (ROM)

The portion of a computer's primary storage that does not lose its contents when one switches off the power (Non-volatile).

Flash memory

An electronic non-volatile computer memory storage medium that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed.

Megabyte (MB)

Roughly 1 million bytes.

Gigabyte (GB)

Roughly 1 billion bytes.

Terabyte (TB)

Roughly 1 trillion bytes.

Kilobyte (KB)

1,024 bytes.

Petabyte (PB)

1,024 TB (1015 bytes).

Exabyte (EB)

1,024 PB (1018 bytes).

Magnetic medium

A secondary storage medium that uses magnetic techniques to store and retrieve data on disks or tapes coated with magnetically sensitive materials.

Magnetic tape

An older secondary storage medium that uses a strip of thin plastic coated with a magnetically sensitive recording medium.

Hard drive

A secondary storage medium that uses several rigid disks coated with a magnetically sensitive material and housed together with the recording heads in a hermetically sealed mechanism.

Optical medium

Secondary storage media that use laser technology to store and retrieve data, such as CD-ROMs and DVDs.

Cloud storage

A model of computer data storage in which data is stored remotely in logical pools and accessible to users over a network, typically the Internet.

Keyboard

An input device that provides a set of alphabetic, numeric, punctuation, symbol, and control keys.

Mouse

An input device with one or more control buttons housed in a palm-sized case, designed for movement on a surface to control a pointer on screen.

Touch screen

An input device that allows the use of a finger to point at and touch a monitor to execute commands.

Image scanner

An automated input device that captures images, photos, graphics, and text that already exist on paper.

Bar code scanner

An automated input device that captures information existing in the form of vertical bars whose width and distance apart determine a number.

Biometric scanner

An automated input device that captures human physical attributes such as a fingerprint or iris for security purposes.

Monitor

An output device that displays visual information, categorized by types such as CRT, LCD, LED, and OLED.

Ink-jet printer

A printer that makes images by forcing ink droplets through nozzles.

Laser printer

A printer that forms images using an electrostatic process, the same way a photocopier works.

Multifunction printer

A printer that can scan, copy, fax, and print all in one device.

3D Printer

A printer that can produce solid, three-dimensional objects.

Clustering

A technique developed from supercomputing research allowing multiple computers to work together as a single system.

Parallel processing

A technique developed from supercomputing research involving multiple processes executing instructions simultaneously or concurrently.

Smart Phone

A cellular telephone with a keypad that runs programs, music, photos, and email, and includes many features of a PDA.

Personal digital assistant (PDA)

A small, handheld computer that performs simple tasks such as taking notes, scheduling appointments, and maintaining an address book and a calendar.

Laptop computer

A portable computer that fits on a lap or in a bag, with its own power source or battery, and equipped with all the technology of a personal desktop computer.

Tablet computer

A computer with a flat screen that uses a mouse or fingertip for input instead of a keyboard, often with a stylus for writing notes.

Desktop computer

A personal computer that sits on, next to, or under a user's desk and is too large to carry around.

Workstation computer

Similar to a desktop but has more powerful mathematical and graphics processing capabilities and can perform more complicated tasks in less time, typically used for software development and engineering.

Minicomputer (server)

Designed to meet the computing needs of several people simultaneously in a small to medium-sized business environment, often used for managing internal company networks and websites.

Mainframe computer

Designed to meet the computing needs of hundreds of people in a large business environment, a step up in size, power, capability, and cost from minicomputers.

Supercomputer

The fastest, most powerful, and most expensive type of computer, employed by organizations involved in intense research and number crunching or extensive customer transaction processing.

System software

Controls how the various technology tools work together along with the application software.

Operating system software

Controls the application software and manages how the hardware devices work together (e.g., Windows, Mac OS, Linux).

Utility software

System software that provides additional functionality to the operating system, such as antivirus, disk optimization, and data recovery tools.

Application software

Performs specific information processing needs for users or organizations (e.g., word processing, spreadsheet, browser).

Crash-proof (utility software)

A type of utility software designed to help prevent system crashes or recover from them.

Antivirus (utility software)

A type of utility software that protects computers from malicious software like viruses.

Word processing software

A type of application software used for creating and editing text documents (e.g., Microsoft Word).

Spreadsheet software

A type of application software used for organizing, analyzing, and storing data in tabular form (e.g., Microsoft Excel).