DEFINITION OF COMPUTER TERMS

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COMPUTER HARDWARE SERVICING NC II Alinajeb D. Macarimbang 2012

Address – a number that represent a unique location in memory.

ALU – Arithmetic Logic Unit, part of a microprocessor. It does all arithmetic

functions and calculation in the CPU.

ASCII – American Standard Code for Information Interchange, code

representing the character symbols possible for specific hexadecimal codes.

BIOS – Basic Input/Output System, the part of the operating system that
controls the input and output functions.

Bit – the single smallest unit of data in a computer.

Board – a shortened reference to a printed circuit board or the insulated surface

on which circuit components are mounted and soldered in place.

Boot – a term meaning to load DOS or an operating system.

Byte – comprised of 8 bits to form a word

Character – the equivalent meaning of byte formed.

Chip – a complete electronic circuit which may contain miniature resisters,

transistors, diodes, and related circuitry all integrated into a miniature silicon base and
mounted in a common housing.

Computer – an electronic device designed to make rapid, accurate computations

from data programmed into it.

Control Unit – decodes each instruction that enters the computer. It then generates
the necessary pulses to carry out the functions specified.

CP/M – Control Program for Microprocessors, the first operating system developed for
microcomputers.

CPU – Central Processing Unit, the heart of a system. It controls all data
transfer and devices in a microcomputer system.

DMA – Direct Memory Access, data transfer involving large blocks of information directly
between the memory and disk drives. DMA is
controlled by another processors which speeds up data transfer and
unloads the central processors of this function.
DOS – Disk Operating System, a software program used to set certain
parameters involving the operation of the computer system. To start it
up especially data transfer and the disk drives.

Hardcopy – a print out or a visual copy on paper.

I/O – short for Input/Output, any operation or device that sends or receives
data from or to the CPU.
IC – short for Integrated Circuit, building blocks of a computer system or
other electronics devices comprising many electronics parts such as
transistors, resistors, etc. in a single package.

Interrupt – an input signal to the processors that sets the order to initialize all
System devices for operation.
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 Kilo – prefix which means 1,000 units

LSI – Large Scale Integration, describes the intensity of integration

commonly used in microprocessors, comprising many ICs.

Mainframe computers – the largest and most expensive computers designed

specifically to serve business, industry, and government in
applications that require mass storage and fast retrieval.
Example: Banks, airlines, and the Internal Revenue Service use mainframe Computers

Mega – prefix which means 1,000,000 units

Memory – the part of a computer that stores vital information for the computer’s operation.

Microcomputers – the smallest and least expensive computers, designed for desktop or
portable use by an individual at home, yet versatile enough for applications in business,
industry, and government.
Example: Microcomputers enjoyed early popularity in the home for both educations and
playing electronic games, but as microcomputers expand in powers such as muliti
tasking and multi-user applications, their use in business and industry increases.

Microprocessor – the arithmetic logic unit, registers, and timing and decoding circuitry usually
contained in a single integrated circuit that controls computer activities.

Minicomputers – medium-sized and medium-priced computers that rival the

storage capacity and operating speed of smaller main-frames, and are used in
business, industry, and government where they perform mostly dedicated or
single-task activities.
Example: Food processors, laboratories, and hospitals use minicomputers
Peripheral – any device or accessory such as a disk drive, printer, modem, or video display
added to a microcomputer to provide increased capacity for handling, storing, or presenting
data.
POR – Power On Reset, or power on routing, term to describe the sequence of
operations of a machine during power up.
Programs – contain the instructions that tell the computer what to do. It is a sequential set of
instructions to solve a particular problem.
Prototype – the first of its kind, the original from which later models are patterned.
RAM – Random Access Memory, data can either be read from or written to(read/write).
Read – to get data from a device.
Reset – a short pulse during power up of perform control function in computer, used to
initialize all system devices for operation.
ROM – Read Only Memory, data can only be read from this type of memory. It cannot
be altered and contains the basic operating instruction of the computer.
Unix – the operating system used by the IBM PC, having a more powerful command
structure and greater expandability than CP/M
Write – to put data into a device.

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 COMPUTER ACRONYMS
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ACE - Asynchronous Communication Element ISA - Industry Standard Architecture
ACPI - Advance Configuration and Power Interface JFET - Junction Field Effect Transistor
ADC - Analog-to-Digital Converter JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group
ADO - Active Data Object LAN - Local Area Networking
ADSL - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber LED - Light Emitting Diode
Line (variant of DSL) LBA - Logical Block Addressing
AGP - Accelerated Graphics Port LSB - Least Significant Bit
ALU - Arithmetic Logic Unit MAN - Metropolitan Area Network
AMR - Audio Modem Riser MB - Megabyte
API - Application Programming Interface MHz - Megahertz
ASCII - American Standard Code for MIDI - Musical Instrument Digital Interface
Information Interchange MPEG - Motion Pictures Experts Group
ATA - Advanced Technology Attachment MODEM - Modulator Demodulator
BCD - Binary Coded Decimal MPU - Microprocessor Unit
BEDO RAM - Burst EDO RAM NTFS - New Technology File System
BIOS - Basic Input Output System OCR - Optical Character Recognition
BIU - Bus Interface Unit OS - Operating System
CGI - Common Gateway Interface PATA - Parallel ATA
CAD - Computer – Aided Design PC - Personal Computer
CMOS - Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor PCB - Printed Circuit Board
CPU - Central Processing Unit PCI - Peripheral Component Interconnect
CRT - Cathode Ray Tube PIC - Programmable Interval Controller
DMA - Direct Memory Access PPI - Programmable Peripheral Interface
DTE - Data Terminal Equipment PDF - Portable Document Format
DDR - Double Data Rate PNG - Portable Network Graphics
DIMM - Dual Inline Memory Module PnP - Plug-and-Play
DLL - Dynamic Link Library PS/2 - Personal System/2
DNS - Domain Name System RAID - Redundant Array of Independent Disks
DOS - Disk Operating System RAM - Random Access Memory
DRAM - Dynamic Random Access Memory RISK - Reduce Instruction Set Computing
DSL - Digital Subscriber Line RMW - Read/Modify/Write
DVD - Digital Versatile Disc R/W - Read/Write
EDO - Enhanced Data Output ROM - Read Only Memory
EPROM - Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory RGB - Red Greed Blue
FAT - File Allocation Table SATA - Serial ATA
FRAM - Ferro-Magnetic RAM SCSI - Small Computer System Interface
FDD - Floppy Disk Drive SDRAM - Synchronous Dynamic RAM
FSB - Front Side Bus SRAM - Static RAM
FTP - File Transfer Protocol SVGA - Super Video Graphics Array
GIF - Graphics Interchange Format  SMART-Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and
GPRS - General Packet Radio Service Reporting Technology
GSM - Global System for Mobile SSRAM - Synchronous Static RAM
Communication TCP/IP - Transmission Control
GUI - Graphical User Interface Protocol/ Internet Protocol
HDD - Hard Disk Drive URL - Uniform Resource Locator
HTML - Hypertext Markup Language UPS - uninteraptable Power Supply
HTTP - Hypertext Transport Protocol USB - Universal Serial Bus
IC - Integrated Circuit VGA - Video Graphics Array/Adapter
IBM - International Business Machines VIRUS - Vital Information Resource Under Seize
ICT - Information and Communication Technology WAN - Wide Area Network
IDE - Integrated Drive Electronics WAP - Wireless Application Protocol
I/O - Input/Output Wi-Fi - Wireless Fidelity
IP - Internet Protocol WLAN9 - Wireless Local Area Network
IRQ - Interrupt Request  www - World Wide Web
IT - Information Technology  ZBR – Zone Bit Recording