Computer Terms Glossary

A

Android – Operating system for smart mobile devices (mobile phones, tablets), developed by Google.

Animation (Computer animation) – Formation of a continuous sequence of images that differ slightly from one another, simulating a visual effect of movement or process.

Application – An app, executable program.

ASCII – American Standard Code for Information Interchange.

AC (alternating current) – Alternating electric power.

Access Point – Device (like a wireless router) that enables network or internet access.

ADSL – Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line.

AMD – American semiconductor company, competitor to Intel.

AGP – Accelerated Graphics Port, an older analog graphics port replaced by DVI.

Antivirus – Software that protects computers from malware and unauthorized access.

Autorun – Automatic execution of software from CD/DVD media.

B

Bar code – Machine-readable product code consisting of black and white bars.

Bit – Basic unit of digital information.

Byte – 8 bits.

Backup – Copy of files for protection against data loss.

BIOS – Basic Input Output System.

Broadband – Wide-band, high-capacity data transmission channel.

Browse – To view or search.

Browser – Internet browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc.).

Button – A clickable UI element.

Buffering – Temporary data storage for smooth multimedia playback.

Bluetooth – Short-range wireless communication between devices.

Blu-Ray Disc – High-capacity optical disc format.

Boot Camp – macOS application for installing Windows on Mac.

C

CPU – Central Processing Unit.

Chip – Integrated electronic circuit.

Cache – Fast-access memory.

Computer – A digital machine for data processing.

Code – Assigning symbolic/digital values for identification or classification.

CrossFire – Multi-GPU technology by AMD.

Cracking – Modifying software to remove protection mechanisms.

CMOS – Chip that stores BIOS settings.

Cloud computing – Distributed computing across networked servers.

Cookies – Data sent by websites to browsers for session tracking.

D

DDR SDRAM – Type of computer RAM.

Dual Core – Processor with two cores.

Display – Visual output device (LCD, LED, Plasma).

DirectX – Multimedia API suite for Windows.

DVD – Digital Video Disc optical media.

Driver – Software enabling communication with hardware.

Download – Receiving data from the internet.

DOS / MS-DOS – Disk Operating System for x86 computers.

Domain name – Unique identifier of a website or online resource.

E

Enable – To activate.

Encryption – Securing information by encoding it.

Enter – Confirm/execute a command.

E-mail – Electronic mail.

Excel – Spreadsheet software by Microsoft.

e-Government (e-Uprava) – Online platform for administrative services.

ECC memory – Error-correcting RAM used in critical systems.

F

File – Stored data unit on a computer.

Fingerprint reader – Biometric security device.

File format – Standardized structure for storing digital data.

Folder – Container for files.

Font – Typographic style of characters.

Form factor – Size and shape standard of hardware components.

Facebook – Social networking platform.

Firewall – Network security system preventing unauthorized access.

Firmware – Embedded hardware-level software.

Flash memory – Rewritable non-volatile memory.

FSB – Front Side Bus, CPU interface.

G

Google – Global IT corporation.

GPU – Graphics Processing Unit.

GIF – Graphics Interchange Format.

GPS – Global Positioning System.

Gmail – Google email service.

H

HTML – Web markup language.

Hacker – Person accessing systems without authorization.

Hard disk drive (HDD) – Mechanical storage device.

HDMI – High-Definition Multimedia Interface.

Hotspot – Device sharing its internet connection over WiFi.

Hosting – Service for storing and managing online content.

I

IP – Internet Protocol.

IP address – Unique numerical device identifier.

Inbox – Storage for incoming email.

Interface – Medium for user-hardware or hardware-hardware interaction.

J

Jack – Audio connector.

Java – Programming language.

Jumper – Hardware connector for circuit configuration.

K

Kbps – Kilobits per second.

Keyboard – Input device for typing.

Kernel – Core part of an operating system.

L

LAN – Local Area Network.

LCD – Liquid-Crystal Display.

LED – Light-Emitting Diode.

Level – Layer, degree, or stage.

M

Mile – Unit of distance (nautical or land).

Modem – Modulator-demodulator device.

Motherboard – Main circuit board.

Memory card – Removable storage card (SD, M2, XD).

Master device – Primary device in a hardware configuration.

N

NTFS – New Technology File System.

Network – Connected digital systems.

Northbridge – Motherboard chip linking CPU with RAM and GPU.

O

OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer.

Operating system – Software managing hardware (Windows, macOS, Linux).

OLE – Object Linking and Embedding by Microsoft.

Open Source Software – Free, publicly available software.

Optical cable – Cable transmitting information via light.

Outsourcing – Using external service providers.

P

Password – Authentication string.

PC – Personal Computer.

PCI Express – Expansion slot standard.

Power Supply – Computer power unit.

Patch – Software update or modification.

Partition – Logical section of a storage drive.

R

RAID – Array of disks for redundancy or performance.

RAM – Volatile system memory.

ROM – Read-only memory.

Router – Device for routing network traffic.

rpm – Rotations per minute.

Rooting – Gaining privileged access on Android.

Reballing – Re-soldering chip contacts on a motherboard.

S

SEO – Search Engine Optimization.

Syndication – Distributing content to multiple platforms.

Safe Mode – Minimal OS startup mode.

Skype – Communication software.

Switch – Network device grouping data traffic.

Semiconductor – Material with controlled conductivity.

SSD – Solid State Drive.

Socket – CPU slot on motherboard.

SPDIF – Digital audio interface.

Slave – Secondary hardware device.

Smartphone – Mobile device with advanced capabilities.

Street View – Google’s panoramic imagery service.

T

Touch screen – Touch-sensitive display.

Trojan Horse – Malicious software type.

Thermal paste – Heat-conductive paste for CPUs/GPUs.

Torrent – Peer-to-peer data transfer protocol.

torrent file – Metadata file for torrent distribution.

U

UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply.

Upload – Sending data to the internet.

Update – Software or data upgrade.

USB – Universal Serial Bus.

User Name – Account identifier.

UEFI – Successor to BIOS, firmware interface.

V

VGA – Video Graphics Array.

W

WiFi – Wireless communication technology.

Windows – Operating system by Microsoft.

Web Design – Creating and structuring web pages.