GRADE 12 : IT TERMINOLOGY LIST
32-bit – a processor with registers this big will process 64-bit numbers in two
stages, twice as slow as a 64-bit register processor, and can handle less addresses
to send to, send less data over the data bus.
3G – The 3rd generation of cellphone data access technology. Enables internet access
4G (LTE) – The 4th generation of cellphone data access technology. Enables ultra-
broadband Internet access.
64-bit – A processor with registers this big will process 64-bit numbers in one stage,
an address bus
this big can send to more locations and more data can be sent over a data bus with
this size
Abstraction – act of representing essential features without including background
details. It is a technique of creating a new data type that is suited for a specific
application. Only displays essentiall information and hides other details.
Access Modifier – public (+) private (-) protected (#)
Accessor – Typed Accessor Getter (TAG)
Activation codes – Used in software licensing. Know open source, proprietary,
freeware vs
shareware etc.
Adobe Flash – Know about RIA’s and plugins.
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) – resolves the IP addresses to the address
used in the LAN by Ethernet
Adobe Reader – As this is machine independent, this guarantees the sender will
see it, read only, it
is free to download the reader.
ADSL – Asynchronous Internet access, faster downloading than uploading.
Permanent digital connection to the internet using a telephone line. Different
packages and bandwidth specifications available from service providers. Used for
small or large networks
Adware – Malware in terms of adverts, comes through the browser/phone apps, e.g
pop ups, it is
unsolicited (never asked for it).
Android – An open source operating system. An example of FOSS (Free and Open
Source
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,Software).
Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) – a technique for creating fast and
dynamic webpages which updates parts of a webpage, without reloading the whole
page
Anomalies – Insert, delete, and update anomalies in normalization in databases.
Know definitions
of them from book.
Anti-virus software – Defends your PC against malware (used with a firewall,
firewall is NOT anti- virus software, firewall prevents other people getting in).
API – Application Programming Interface, gives details about classes and methods in
those classes.
Applications – Sits above the OS in the onion model of System Software.
Archive – This utility involves compression and generally moving the data to
another location once
compressed.
Array – collection of variables of the same type. When you need to store a list of
values, such as numbers, you can store them in an array, instead of declaring
separate variables for each number.
Artificial Intelligence – Software designed to emulate human thought, related to
the Turing test (which tests to see if an entity is intelligent).
Assembler – The software/program that turns code into a low level language like
machine code (assembly language). Interpreters turns high level language into low
level language line by line, so code will always run, up until the error, unlike
compliers, which won’t run if there is a syntax error.
Asymmetric Encryption – The key to encrypt plaintext into cipher text is not the
same as the key
to decrypt that cipher text back into plaintext.
Attenuation – A problem associated with copper cables, signal degrades over
distance, a repeater fixes this problem by boosting signal. Linked to crosstalk, EMI,
eavesdropping.
Attribute – A variable/field/property in a class.
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, Audio and Video on Demand (AVOD) – TV on demand, can either be streaming
or download and match, e.g. DSTV Catchup/Box-office
Audit trails – can identify changes to the data since the data was corrupted
provided the audit trail is stored in a separate place to the faulty hard drive
AUP – Acceptable User Policy, example on page 131 in Gr 11 book. Defines the rules
in which a
user of a certain computer service must use that service.
Backup – A copy made of data, in case the original data is lost. Usually stored
externally from the original data (if back up of file made on the same machine of
the file, and that machine is destroyed, the original and they backup will be lost.
Bandwidth – The maximum carrying capacity of a channel (wired or wireless),
measured in a rate of data per second.
Biometrics – Using unique biological characteristics to identify a human.
BIOS – Firmware (=software that does not change on a chip). Stored on ROM
memory, runs the POST (Power on Self Test) software, gets the data to run the POST
software from the CMOS memory (e.g. user/personal settings) – Unified Extensive
Firmware Interface (UEFI) replace BIO – faster boot time, provides a GUI
(navigation with mouse), supports larger drives
BitTorrent – Peer – to – peer protocol used to share large files over a network. You
can download a file from anyone who has the smallest part of that file on their
computer. Seed (you are not downloading from one place), bottleneck at server can
occur so someone (the seed) downloads the complete file, and then people download
from the seed instead of the server.
Benefits – many users can download a file quickly (increase spend because not
overloading single server), reduces cost to host ( no single host pays for millions of
people downloading from their server), forces equality in sharing (when you run the
software people download from you), Offers effective use of available download
bandwidth, Client software usually free.
Risks – infected files/malware (BitTorrent client guarantees that the file has not been
altered from when the torrent was crated but it could have been infected before. Run
malware scan on files first & infected files usually found + deleted quickly), make
piracy easy, not anonymous ( does not prevent anyone from seeing your IP address
and file you download, can be traced back to you)
Blockchain – decentralized technology spread across many computers that manages
and records transactions. New transaction is requested, once verified, it is combined
with other transactions to make up a black of data In the ledger
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