DATA PROCESSING

Data

Raw facts and figures.

Information

Data converted into a meaningful and useful context.

Processing

To manipulate or change.

Data Processing

The transformation of data into a form that is useful for a specific purpose.

Offline

Not online. Not connected to the internet.

Online

Computers that are connected and ready to receive and/or transmit data.

Batch processing

Accumulating transaction records into groups for processing at a regular interval such as daily or weekly.

Realtime Processing

Processing transactions individually at the moment the economic event occurs; no lag time between event and processing.

Timesharing operating system

An operating system which enables many people, located at various terminals, to use a particular computer system at the same time.

Multiprocessing OS

The coordinated processing of programs by more than one processor.

Multitasking operating system

An operating system which enables several programs to be run on a computer at the same time.

Multi-user operating system

An operating system which accomodates many users at different terminals to share processing time on a powerful central computer.

Mainframe computer

A large powerful central computer to which users are connected by terminals.

Non-interactive

This means that the user cannot get an immediate response to input.

Multiprogramming

The technique of keeping multiple programs that compete for access to the CPU in main memory at the same time so that they can execute.