Task 4 Glossary of Terms

Name: Lewis Brady

INPUT

Input is the term denoting either an entrance or changes which are inserted into a system and which activate or modify a process. It is an abstract concept, used in the modelling, system design and system exploitation.

OUTPUT

Output is the term denoting either an exit or changes which exit a system and which activate/modify a process. It is an abstract concept, used in the modelling, system(s) design and system(s) exploitation.

PROCESSING

Processing is an open source programming language and integrated development environment (IDE) built for the electronic arts, new media art, and visual design communities with the purpose of teaching the

fundamentals of computer programming in a visual context.

CPU

A central processing unit (CPU), also referred to as a central processor unit, is the hardware within a computer that carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The term has been in use in the computer industry at least since the early 1960s.

RAM

Random-access memory is a form of computer data storage. A random-access device allows stored data to be accessed directly in any random order. In contrast, other data storage media such as hard disks, CDs, DVDs and magnetic tape.

STORAGE MEDIA

Storage media are devices that store application and user information. The primary storage media for a computer is usually the internal hard drive.

CACHE

In computer science, a cache is a component that transparently stores data so that future requests for that data can be served faster.

SINGLE CORE PROCESSOR

A chip with one CPU (one processing unit). Microprocessors have been single core since their inception in the early 1970s

DUAL CORE PROCESSOR

A dual core processor for a computer is a central processing unit (CPU) that has two separate cores on the same die, each with its own cache. It essentially is two microprocessors in one.

DVD

DVD (sometimes explained as "digital video disc" or "digital versatile disc"is a digital optical disc storage format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995.

UMD

The Universal Media Disc (UMD) is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on their PlayStation Portable handheld gaming and multimedia platform.

ADDRESS BUS

An address bus is a computer bus (a series of lines connecting two or more devices) that is used to specify a physical address. When a processor or DMA-enabled device needs to read or write to a memory location, it specifies that memory location on the address bus (the value to be read or written is sent on the data bus).

CAPACITOR

A capacitor (originally known as a condenser) is a passive two-terminal electrical component used to store energy electrostatically in an electric field.

OPTICAL DISK

In computing and optical disc recording technologies, an optical disc (OD) is a flat, usually circular disc which encodes binary data (bits) in the form of pits (binary value of 0 or off, due to lack of reflection when read) and lands (binary value of 1 or on, due to a reflection when read) on a special material (often aluminium ) on one of its flat surfaces.

MAGNETIC TAPE

Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic recording, made of a thin magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic film. It was developed in Germany, based on magnetic wire recording.

TRANSISTOR

Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic recording, made of a thin magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic film. It was developed in Germany, based on magnetic wire recording.

BINARY

In mathematics and computer science, the binary numeral system, or base-2 numeral system, represents numeric values using two symbols: typically 0 and 1. More specifically, the usual base-2 system is a positional notation with a radix of 2.

MHz

Abbreviation for megahertz. One MHz represents one million cycles per second. The speed of microprocessors, called the clock speed, is measured in megahertz. For example, a microprocessor that runs at 200 MHz executes 200 million cycles per second.

GHz

Abbreviation for gigahertz. One GHz represents 1 billion cycles per second. The speed of microprocessors, called the clock speed, often is measured in gigahertz. For example, a microprocessor that runs at 200 GHz executes 200 billion cycles per second.

HARD DRIVE

A hard disk drive (HDD)is a data storage device used for storing and retrieving digital information using rapidly rotating disks (platters) coated with magnetic material. An HDD retains its data even when powered off.

QUAD CORE PROCESSOR

A quad-core processor is a chip with four independent units called cores that read and execute central processing unit (CPU) instructions such as add, move data, and branch.