Computer
a system that manipulates data according to a set of instructions
APPLICATIONS
such as word processors, spreadsheet programs, and payroll programs
PERIPHERAL DEVICES
mouse, keyboard, monitor, speaker, microphone, printer, etc.
OPERATING SYSTEM
instructions that a computer follows come from software. A basic software environment is established by the computer's (OS)
RAM
Random access memory which converts a series of instructions
CPU:
Central Processing Unit that receives each instruction or data file from memory and processes it
STORAGE
data written into different types of storage devices like a hard drive or optical discs
MAINFRAME
a large high speed workstation and the primary memory of a computer
WORKSTATION
a type of pc housed in a case that can sit on or under a desk
MOTHERBOARD
where the pc's components are attached to and contained within a computer's case
SERVER
any computer providing services to other computers, implies a powerful computer that supports a number of users simultaneously in a computer network
FAULT TOLERANT
in order for a server to be reliable it needs to starting specifying high quality components and also by using extra copies of components for redundancy
POWER SOURCE
portable computers can be run from internal battery packs as well as from building power
NETWORKING
portable computers use wireless radio technologies to connect to networks rather than cabled connections
INTERNET OF THINGS (OIT) DEVICES
refers to a world in which many different types of things are embedded with processing and networking functionality
OEM
pc and laptop companies producing these are referred to this because rather than making each component that goes into a pc, they source components such as cpu's and RAM modules from manufactures and put them together as a branded PC system. Original Equip
MEDICAL DEVICES
represents another class of devices where use if electronics to remotely monitor and configure that appliance is expanding rapidly. Ex: cardiac monitors, defibrillators, insulin pumps
GAMING CONSOLE
have powerful cpus and graphics processors, plus Ethernet and WiFi for wired and wireless home networking and internet connectivity.
INPUT DEVICE
the computer receives data entered by the user through peripheral devices like mice, keyboards, scanners, cameras and microphones
OUTPUT DEVICE
the processed data is shown or played to the user through an output device like a monitor or loudspeaker system
ALT+F4
to close a tab
TOUCHPAD
the mouse build in to the laptop
TASKBAR
opening programs easier for your favorite or mainly used programs which is located at the bottom of the screen.
NOTIFICATION AREA
usually on the right side of the screen notifying you about what you want like an alarm or an update on a program, etc.
POST
Power-On Self-Test which starts right before the Windows loading screen pops up when you turn on the computer
RSI
Repetitive Strain Injury which occurs usually when you're working on a task or even playing games for long period of time
ERGONOMICS
a setup to easily fit the user, such as chair and a desk to make the user be comfortable and work better. Also to reduce RSI
LOCK SCREEN
Sign in screen to windows before entering
BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION
like a fingerprint verification on an iPhone or laptop to access or sign in to it.
SHORTCUT ICONS:
ease of access for programs
START MENU
manage programs and easily search different applications
KERNEL
a computer program which is the core of the OS that controls everything in the system
GUI
Graphical User Interface which helps make the computer easier to use by non-technical staff and home users
SERVER OS
Ex- Windows Server, Linux or UNIX. It's based on similar code to its workstation OS equivalent. Includes software packages to run network services and use different licensing to support more users.
COMMERICAL OS
means the user must purchase a license to install and use the OS software on a particular device.
EMBEDDED OS
a computer or appliance designed for a very specific function
BIOS
Basic Input/Output System provides industry standard firmware that operates the essential components of the PC and ensures the design of each manufacturer's motherboard is PC compatible
UEFI
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface provides support for 64-bit CPU operation at boot, a full GUI and mouse operation at boot and better boot security
VIRTUALIZATION
that multiple operating systems can be installed and run simultaneously on a single computer
WINDOWS 10
released in 2015 and is the current windows of today. Microsoft doesn't plan on making another version but instead updating its features periodically
WINDOWS 10 MOBILE
mobile device of Microsoft like Windows CE, Windows Phone 7 and 8. Failed to succeed like Windows did in the PC market
APPLE MAC OS
Apple's OS for macbooks and iMac that when it first arrived in 1984 came with GUI when IBM's PC used only command-line DOS operating system
APPLE iOS
the operating system for all Apple smartphones and tablets
LINUX
based on UNIX OS and developed as a fully open source alternative to UNIX
CHROME OS
Derived from Linux and developed by Google designed for the budget amrket
FILE EXPLORER
Windows Explorer is the file management interface for Windows used to view, create, rename and delete files on local disks, removable drives and the network
CONTROL PANEL
the location for the basic user-configurable settings for Windows and some apps via applets
MICROSOFT EDGE:
a web browser to search the internet that's preinstalled on Windows. Windows recommends to use Edge because it provides a consistent browser experience across devices like Android or iOS
Management Interface
a graphical or command-line tool used to perform some aspect of system configuration
Computer Management
console that contains a number of different administrative snap-ins
Snap-ins
each of these configures the settings for a different OS sub-system, like disk management or user management
mmc.exe
used to create custom snap-ins
Threads
parts of the program scheduled for execution by the CPU
Task manager
allows the user to shut down processes that aren't responding
Taskkill
terminating a process through task manager which is often called "killing" the process
Service
a Windows process that doesn't require any sort of user interaction and thus runs in the background (w/o a window)
Task Scheduler:
sets tasks to run at a particular time
Cron
a utility often used to run tasks or scripts at a particular time
Process
a program starts the app code executes in memory as this
System Memory
this memory is volatile, meaning that it is only preserved while the system is powered up. It's provided by RAM modules
KiloByte
(Kb) 1000 bytes ( 10
10
10 bytes) small files
MegaByte
(Mb) 1000*1000 bytes (1,000,000 bytes) many files
GigaByte
(Gb) 1000
1000
1000 bytes (1,000,000,000 bytes) Disk capacity
TeraByte
(Tb) 1000GB (1,000,000,000,000 bytes) Individual disk units might be 1 or 2Tb usually used to describe large storage networks
PetaByte
(Pb) 1000Tb or 10^15 bytes (1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes) Largest storage networks and cloud systems would have petabytes of capacity
Decimal Notation
decimal system (base 10) is well understood and based on the principal of expressing ten different numbers using a single digit in the range 0 to 9.
Binary Notation
computers use this notation to calculate and process info. It's a numbering system where each single digit can express only two values, range 0 to 1 (base 2)
Hexadecimal Notation
enables you to express 16 different numbers using a single digit in range 0 to F. Used in programming like IP (internet protocol) networks
Intellectual Property
often the most valuable info asset that an organization owns, various different types of IP and different ways to protect them from theft
Digital Products
one that is sold or distributed as binary computer data like software, pc games, ebooks, music, tracks, streaming video, video downloads, etc
Patents
a legal protection for some kind of invention that CAN apply to an idea so long as the idea is original (or novel), useful, and distinctive or non-trival
Trademark
must be distinctive within the industry in which the company is selling goods and servies
DRM (Digital rights management)
invented to try to enforce "per-per-use" for digital products. Vendor may license the file for use on a restricted number of devices when purchasing a digital product.
PROGRAM SEQUENCE
instructions for your computer to perform
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
code that is used as basis for the apps that are used on your computing device
ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE
represents a machine code in human-readable text. Specific to a hardware architecture, to complied, interpreted, and query languages which you can use to write code that can be run on a number of platforms.
VARIABLES
value that can change during the execution of the program
LOOPS
similar to branches in as much as they deviate from the initial program path according to some sort of logic condition
OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING (OOP)
popular way to designing code, the idea is that creating recogniziable things within the code and making them interact through defined method makes the code and making them interact through defined methods makes the code easier to maintain and update.
SCRIPTING LANGUAGES
these languages support the automaion and configuration of a particular OS
BATCH FILES
are a collection of command-lie instructions that you store in a .CMD file
WINDOWS POWERSHELL
enables you to perform management and admin. tasks in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016.
VBSCRIPT
provides similar functionality to Javascript, often used by networking admins to perform repetitive admin tasks.
SINGLE-PLATFORM SOFTWARE:
software programs written to run under a particular OS
CROSS-PLATFORM SOFTWARE:
software programs written to run for PCs and laptops for touched-based mobile devices and OS
CPU:
Central Processing Unit which "runs" software programs. The brain of the computer
MEMORY
When a program starts its instructions are loaded here
SSD
Solid State Drive which uses a type of transistor-based memory called flash memory and are much faster than HDDs (Hard Disk Drive)
NIC
Network Interface Card which is a wired network that provides an Ethernet port in the computer
GPU
Graphics Processing Unit that displays a high-res image to the user that requires a lot of processing power, especially if the image changes rapidly, as well as video, or used complicated 3D and texture effects like with computer games
CPU vendors such brands like Core, Pentium, Celeron, Atom, Xeon
CPU vendors such brands like Core, Pentium, Celeron, Atom, Xeon
PENTIUM
was Intel's premium 32-bit CPU brand. Used on "Mid-range" computer
AMD
CPU vendor such brands like Ryzen, Threadripper, Epyc
ALU
Arithmetic Logic Unit, the control unit decodes each instruction in turn and either executes it itself or passes it to here
CLOCK SPEED
the number of instructions it can process in one second
BUS SPEED
the interface between the CPU and system memory
AGP:
Accelerated Graphics Port, PC architecture is based on one of PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnection), PCI with AGI, or PCI Express (PCIe). Used for old graphics adapters only with a bandwidth of 2133 MBps.
DUAL-CORE
essentially two processors combined on the same die
AGP
Accelerated Graphics Port, PC architecture is based on one of PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnection), PCI with AGI, or PCI Express (PCIe). Used for old graphics adapters only with a bandwidth of 2133 MBps.
HEATSINKS
is a block of metal with fins that exposes a larger surface area to the air around the component, a greater cooling effect by convention is achieved.
FLAT FILE SYSTEMS
is an Excel spreadsheet
Relational Database Management System (RDBMS)
is an highly structured type of database. Information is organized in tables known as relations.
SEMI-STRUCTURED DATABASE:
is an unorganized database.
UNSTRUCTURED DATABASE
no rigid formatting, just text files, and images.
PROGRAMMATIC ACCESS
provides libraries to default code for connecting to a database and executing queries.
BACKUPS AND DATA EXPORT
it backs up the relational data management service.
ONE-TIER
is when the database, processing logic, and the database engine are all on one cpu.
THREE-TIER
is a separate server as a virtual machine.
PRIMARY KEY
has value in the column ad is used to reference another key, called foreign key.
FOREIGN KEY
a column or group of columns in a relational database table that provides a link between data in two tables
USB
universal serial bus, plug and play 1.1: transfer rate is 12mbps 2.0: 480mbps. 3.0: 5Gbps, 3.1: 10Gbps
FIREWIRE:
competitor to USB but never received mainstream support amongst PC vendors. Can connect 63 devices
VGA
Video Graphics Array, standard for the res and color depth of computer displays (640x480) 16 colors @60hz
HDMI
High Definition Multimedia Interface
THUNDERBOLT
primarily used on Apple workstations and laptops. Used to display interface (like DisplayPort) and as a general peripheral interface
DVI
Digital Visual Interface, high-quality digital interface designed for flat-pane display equipment. (1920x1080)
PS/2
connect the mouse port marked with a mouse icon (usually color-coded green) then switch on the PC
BLUETOOTH
used for PAN (Personal Area Networks) to share data with a PC, printer, wireless headset, wireless mouse/keyboard, etc.
NFC
Near Field Communications, peer-to-peer version of RFID; that is, an NFC device can work as BOTH tag and reader to exchange info with other NFC devices. Works at up to 2 inches with rates of 106, 212, and 424 Kbps
NIC
Network Interface Card, allow computers to join a wired network with other nearby computers by connecting the devices to the same Ethernet switch, or switched fabric in an enterprise network.
RJ-11
Fax modem uses twisted pair cabling with this connector at the fax end and a connector suitable for use with the country's phone system at the other end
RJ-45
an ethernet network adapter used with twisted pair cable will have this port to connect the computer to the network, via another RJ-45 port in the network equipment.
Plug-and-play
device plugged in that connects instantly and can be used right away, Windows will install the device driver on the spot
Device Drivers
the firmware within the device that makes it work with the OS and be able to be configured
Device Manager
view all the devices that are within the computer, update, delete driver or remove the device
LCD:
Liquid Crystal Display, or flat screens, used on portable computers and replaced the old and bulky Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). Red, green, blue are the primary colors
Digital Projectors
large format display suitable for use in a presentation or meeting
Screen Resolution
the number of pixels used to create the screen image
Audio Card
to process signals and provide interface for connecting equipment and one or more input and output devices
Inkjet Printer
used for good quality color output. Cheap to buy and expensive to run with the ink and high grade paper
Laserjet Printer
works by fixing a fine powder called toner to the paper surface and applied using electrostatic charging then fixed using high heat and pressure in the fuser unit which creates a durable printout with no smear or fade
HD Partitions
Hard Disk Partitions, is the act of dividing it into logically separate storage areas. Maybe help improve performance of the disk or provide a logical separation of different data areas
FAT:
File Allocation Table, a type of file system used for older Windows and is preserved under Windows for compatibility, permits a max file size of 4gb and max partition size of 32gb
NTFS
New Technology File System, for 64-bit it allows much larger partitions (up to 2TB) than FAT, supports extended attributes, allowing for file-level security permissions, compression and encryption that make it more stable and secure than FAT
HFS+
Hierarchical File System, Apple Mac workstations and laptops use this
ext4
delivers significantly better performance than ext3 and would usually represent the best choice for new systems
OneDrive
signing in under Microsoft account, it shows the files and folders saved to your cloud storage system on the Internet
File Explorer options
You can find the navigation pane to expand and collapse objects or the breadcrumbs on the address bar and back and forward buttons on the toolbar
Copying vs moving files
Copying- CTRL+C to copy or right-click and select copy, when you find where you want to drop it you can use CTRL+V or right-click and select paste. Moving- simply select which folder or file you want, left-click and drag it to where you want to move it
Recycle Bin
deleted files are left here; in case you accidentally deleted a file or folder you can come here to recover/retrieve them. Can only hold to 10% of the HD capacity, any larger amount would be permanently deleted to make room for the newly deleted files
File Attributes
a file's name, the data the file was created, accessed or modified, it's size, it's description, and markers - Read-only (R), Hidden (H), System (S), Archived (A)
Portable Document Format, a file format for distributing documents, now an open standard so different productivity apps can use
MPG
Motion Pictures Expert Group, early standard for video files with lossy compression
MP4
the MPEG-4 standard audio/video file format, acts as a container for audio and video media streams
FLV
another container file format designed to deliver Flash Video, for video created in Adobe Flash
WMV
Window Media Video, a video container file format developed by Microsoft, well supported by media players and can be used as the format for DVD and Blu-ray Discs
MP3
developed from MPEG, remains the most popular formats for distributing music and is almost universally supported by media players
AAC
Advanced Audio Coding, developed from MPEG as a successor to mp3, widely supported
M4A
audio-only file format deriving from the MPEG-4 standards track. Usually uses AAC compression
FLAC
Free Lossless Audio Codec, achieves file size compression w/o discarding audio data not widely supported
WAV
early Windows audio file format, not widely supported by media players but may be used by audio editing apps
ZIP
format developed for the PKZIP utility but now supported "natively" by Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. This means the OS can create and extract files from the archive w/o having to install a third-party app
TAR
originally a UNIX format for writing to magnetic tape (tape archive) but still used with gzip compression (tgz or .tar.gz) as a compressed file format for UNIX, Linux and macOS. Third party utility is required for tar files in Windows
RAR
proprietary format is used by the WinRAR compression program
ISO
a file in one of the formats used by optical media, main formats are ISO 9660 (CDs) and UDF (DVDs and Blu-ray discs)
DMG
a disk image file format used by Apple macOS
LAN
Local Area Network, network in a single location
WAN
Wide Area Network, networks in different geographic locations but with shared links
TCP
Transmission Control Protocol, suites the protocols work to provide the apps and services we increasingly rely on
ARPA
Advanced Research Projects Agency, the OG research underpinning TCP was performed in the late 60's and early 70's by them
UDP
(User Datagram Protocol) is an alternative communications protocol to Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) used primarily for establishing low-latency and loss-tolerating connections between applications on the internet.
ICMP
Internet Control Message Protocol, sends messages and reports on errors regarding packet delivery