IT Terminology-1

Term Definition (English) Image Software Set of instructions that tell a P a g e 1 | 19 computer what to do. Application A type of software that is designed to Software perform a specific task such as writing report, creating a video, viewing a Webpage or sending photos to friends. Operating It is a type of software that System coordinates all resources and activities on a computer. Utility It is a type of software designed to Software help analyze, protect, configure, maintain a computer. For example: antivirus and compressed programs.

Anti-virus Antivirus is a type of software designed to prevent, scan, detect, delete viruses from a computer. Compressed It is a file that takes up less storage file space and can be transferred to another computer. Mobile It’s a type of operating system that is Computing designed for handheld computers Operating such as smartphones and tablets. System Personal It’s a type of operating system that is Computer designed for personal computers Operating such as laptop and desktop. System Embedded It’s a type of operating system that is Operating designed electronic devices such as cars, digital cameras, GPS, and traffic System lights. BIOS A basic input/output system (BIOS) is a program used to initially start the computer after it is turned on. POST The POST (power-on self-test) is a set of procedures that test/check all Backup system components during the boot Software process. It is a utility software that provides users with the ability to copy data stored on a computer, including files, folders, and documents. P a g e 2 | 19

Commercial It is software that is developed and Software sold for a profit online or through retail stores. Freeware It is a type of software that is Software provided free of charge by a developer. Shareware It’s a type of software that can be Software downloaded for free for a limited period of time, but then requires payment and registration for full legal usage. Open-Source It is a type of free software that the Software copyright holder grants users the rights to use, share, edit, and distribute the software. P a g e 3 | 19

Motherboard The motherboard is the backbone that ties the computer's components together with the computer pieces, such as the CPU, GPU, or hard drive. CPU The processor is called as the brain of the computer. It is a computer processor that joins the functions of a central processing unit (CPU). RAM RAM is the abbreviation of Random- Access Memory; this is a computer memory that accessed randomly. P a g e 4 | 19

ROM Read-only memory (ROM) is a type of non-volatile memory used in computers and other electronic devices. Hard disk A hard disk is a magnetic storage medium for a computer. Hard disks are flat circular plates made of aluminum or glass and coated with magnetic material. Hard disks for personal computers can store terabytes of information. Data are stored on their surfaces in concentric tracks. Graphics A graphics processing unit (GPU) is Processing a specialized electronic circuit Unit (GPU) designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. GPUs are used in embedded systems, mobile phones, personal computers, workstations, and game consoles. P a g e 5 | 19

Power Supply A Power Supply Unit (PSU) is an Unit internal IT hardware component. A power supply unit (PSU) converts mains AC to low-voltage regulated DC power for the internal components of a computer. Computer case A computer case, also known as a computer chassis, tower, system unit, or cabinet, is the enclosure that contains most of the components of a personal computer (usually excluding the display, keyboard, and mouse). Monitor A computer monitor is an output device that displays information in pictorial or text form. P a g e 6 | 19

Keyboard A computer keyboard is a peripheral input device modeled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys. Scanner A scanner is a device that captures images from photographic prints, posters, magazine pages, and similar sources for computer editing and display. Mouse A computer mouse is an input unit in a computer a hand-held pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows a smooth control of the graphical user interface of a computer. P a g e 7 | 19

Printer A printer is an external hardware output device that takes the electronic data stored on a computer or other device and generates a hard copy. Computer A computer speaker is an output Speakers hardware device that connects to a computer to generate sound. The signal used to produce the sound that comes from a computer speaker is created by the computer's sound card. projector A projector or image projector is an optical device that projects an image (or moving images) onto a surface, commonly a projection screen. Most projectors create an image by shining a light through a small transparent lens. P a g e 8 | 19

Optical disc A Compact Disc also called a CD is drive(CD) a storage device that is a small plastic disc that store and retrieve computer data or music using light. Flash A USB flash drive is a data storage device that includes flash memory with an integrated USB interface. It is typically removable, rewritable, and much smaller than an optical disc. External hard An external hard drive is a device, dick usually around the size of a book, that you can store any file or app on. If you've ever used a USB flash drive, external hard drives are essentially the same thing, but bigger and with more storage space. P a g e 9 | 19

Address This number is used as an address of that device on a network. For example, IP address is one such address which can be used when devices are connected to a TCP/IP network. “Just like student ID cards, each computer or a network device can be identified individually by a specially assigned number on a network.” Cable Modem A cable modem uses cable television lines to send and receive data. P a g e 10 | 19

Client Any device, such as your smartphone, that transmits data through a server and uses its other services is known as a client. Digital Digital subscriber line (DSL) is a Subscriber technology that transports high- Line bandwidth data over a simple telephone line that is directly connected to a modem. Domain Name Web browsers like Google Chrome need Server Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to lookup resources that are available online. When users type domain names like imco.edu.om or squ.edu.om in a browser, then upon receiving a request, the Domain Name Server provides IP address of that server so that the client computer can access information through a website that is run on the server. P a g e 11 | 19

E-Commerce Companies like LuLu, Bank Muscat, Amazon and thousands of other companies and individual people use Internet to run their businesses. This method of business is known is E- Commerce. Ethernet Cable A telephone-like RJ-45 cable used in an Ethernet network, which is the universal standard for local area networks. An Ethernet port looks like a regular phone jack but is slightly wider. Extranet This network is just like Intranet, however, in this people/organizations from outside the host of network are allowed to access the network to obtain internal information. Gateway A gateway connects networks using different communications protocols so that information can be passed from one network to the other. The gateway converts data to a form that is compatible with the destination network and then transmits the data. P a g e 12 | 19

Hub A hub is used to connect multiple Internet devices on a network. The difference between a switch and a hub is that it forwards data frames from a device to all the other connected devices that could be its destination. When you connect your smartphone or laptop with the Wi-Fi in the college or at home, you get connected to many smaller networks through a small network. Internet Service Providers like Omantel and Oreedoo are some of the sources here in Oman to help you make this connection. Intranet When a company or an organization provides network services to its employees where they can access important documents by connecting to the network system, then this setup is called Intranet. P a g e 13 | 19

Local Area A local area network is created by Network joining multiple devices like laptops, desktops, and other devices to exchange information and resources in very small environment. One such example can be a network in a small office or a computer lab where two or more electronic devices are connected to each other. Media Access The address that identifies a Network Control Interface Card on a network is known as Media Access Control (MAC) address. Modem A modem helps send/receive your messages over, for example, WhatsApp or email services through a network of cables and telephone lines. It helps in converting the data from one form to another, a process which is known as modulation and demodulation. P a g e 14 | 19

Network Faults Network faults occur when there is network device that has failed to perform and therefore data cannot be transmitted to the destination(s), or resources cannot be accessed because of this reason. Network A Network Interface Card (NIC) is a Interface Card device within a computer attached to its motherboard or incorporated in it. This card helps the device connect with the network. It can also determine the flow of data on a network. Packet Just like parts of a big factory like PDO Switching or OQ (Orpic) cannot be brought together on lorry or a truck, they need to be brought one by one then assembled on a site, similarly in a network system data is broken down into smaller pieces which can be transmitted over the network one by one in a manageable and convenient manner. Peer-to-Peer In this type of network computers do not seek services of a particular device for sharing information or applications. All computers are connected in a similar way for sharing certain permissible data/information P a g e 15 | 19

Public A public switched network (PSN) is Switched a common carrier network that Network (PSN) provides connections among public users Router A router is a device that analyzes the Server contents of data packets transmitted within a network or to another network. Routers determine whether the source and destination are on the same network or whether data must be transferred from one network type to another, which requires encapsulating the data packet with routing protocol header information for the new network type. It is a computer which is relatively more expensive than a regular network computer as it has more RAM and processing power and is installed with a superior operating system which is used to manage resources on a network. This computer helps multiple computers by providing each computer one or more services P a g e 16 | 19

Switch It is a computer network device. It is known to be much faster than a hub because unlike a hub it forwards the data frame to a particular connected device on a Local Area Network, where it is meant to be sent, instead of sending the data to all the possible destination devices Switched (Public Switched Telephone Networ Telephone k) The worldwide voice telephone Network network. Also called the \"plain old (PSTN) telephone system\" (POTS) and originally analog only, the backbones of telephone networks today are all digital. However, the lines from the home and office to the digital loop carrier (DLC) junction box in the neighborhood often remain analog. At that point, analog signals are converted to digital. Transmission (Transmission Control Protocol) The Communication reliable transport protocol within the Protocol TCP/IP protocol suite. TCP ensures that all data arrive accurately and 100% intact at the other end. TCP is \"connection oriented\" and requires a handshake before the session can begin. P a g e 17 | 19

VOIP (Voice over IP, IP telephony) is a technology that lets subscribers to the VoIP service make telephone calls using a computer network that supports IP (Internet Protocol). VPN VPN stands for \"Virtual Private Network\" and describes the Wide Area opportunity to establish a protected Network network connection when using public networks. VPNs encrypt your internet traffic and disguise your online identity. This makes it more difficult for third parties to track your activities online and steal data. The encryption takes place in real time. Just like a small Local Area Network, there is a Wide Area Network. The difference is the size and scale of the network. Local Area Network can be found in small office building, a house, or a room, but Wide Area Network covers a larger geographical area such as a governorate, a national network system or multiple countries. P a g e 18 | 19

Wireless Local WLAN is just like Local Area Network. Area Network It can be connected wirelessly and there (WLAN) is no need of wires for connecting the devices Reference  Morrison, C., Wells, D. and Ruffolo, L. (2015). Computer Literacy Basics. 5th ed. USA: Cengage Learning. P a g e 19 | 19