TERMS USED IN COMPUTING FIELD

GLOSSARY OF COMPUTER ACRONYMS AND

MEANINGFUL WORDS

ACM - Association for Computing Machinery founded in 1947, over 57,000 computer professionals are members of it.

ADA - the high-level programming language developed as a standard for the department of defence. ADA was named after Augusta Ada Byron (1815-1852), daughter of the English poet, Lord Byron

ADP - Automatic Data Processing is a nationwide Computer Service Organization.

AI - Artificial Intelligence is machine intelligence referring to applica­tions of the computer which, in operation, resemble human intelligence.

ALGOL - ALGOrithmic Language is the high-level programming lan­guage designed for solving mathematical problems. It was developed as an international language in the early 1960s.

ALU - Arithmetic/Logic Unit is the circuitry in the computer that performs the arithmetic (add, subtract, multiply, divide) and logical (equal, unequal, greater than, less than) functions.

AM - Amplitude Modulation is a transmission method used to transmit audio and data signals. It is contrast with FM (Frequency Modulation).

AMT-Advanced Memory Technology is the new American Corporation producing modern computer facilities.

Apple II - the Personal Computer System introduced in 1977 by Apple Computer, Inc. was among the first microcomputers to be packaged as a consumer product.

BASIC - Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code is the easiest Programming Language to learn developed in the mid 1960s and used on all sizes of computers.

BIG BLUE - the nickname of IBM, Inc. The firm's personnel wears blue uniforms.

BIMOS - Binary MOS is a type of microelectronic circuit design widely used for processors (logic chips) and memories.

BIT - Binary digIT is a single binary digit in a binary number (0 or 1). A BIT is physically a storage cell, a pulse, a magnetic spot, or a magnetic bubble.

С - the High-level Structured Programming Language developed by Bell Laboratories originally for the operating system UNIX in 1972. С is a compiler language which is noted for its ability to handle conditions that normally would have to be written in an Assembly Language.

CAR - Computer Assisted Retrieval system. It refers to text documents or data records stored on paper or on microform which uses the computer to keep track of them.

CATV - CAble Television provides full television service combined with interactive capabilities. Interactive Cable Television implies full television viewing. Viewers can respond to the actual TV program.

CDC - Control Data Corporation (USA) producing big high- speed computers.

CMOS - Complementary MOS is a type of microelectronic circuit design widely used for processors (logic chips) and memories. The CMOS technique uses a PMOS and NMOS transistor connected in a complementary fashion. CMOS chips are available for portable, battery-operated devices.

COBOL - COmmon Business Oriented Language is a high-level programming language for business applications developed in 1960.

CODASYL - Conference on DAta SYstem Languages is the organization devoted to the development of data languages. COBOL is a product of CODASYL.

COMPACT II - Numerical Control Programming Language. It is a high-level programming language used to generate instructions for numerical control devices.

CP/M - Control Program for Microprocessors is the first operating system to become a standard across a large number of different computers. It became popular because it was one of the first operating systems written for microprocessors.

CPU - Central Processing Unit. The CPU refers to the processor and main memory. It also refers to just the processor by itself, such as microprocessor.

CRAY1 - the supercomputer named after its inventor Seymour Cray in 1975.

CRT - Cathode Ray Tube is the technical term for the vacuum tube used in a TV or video terminal screen.

CYBER - series of large-scale mainfraimes and supercomputers manufactured by the Control Data Corporation.

DAP - Distributed Array Processor is a specialized parallel computer system linked with its host computer. It was first developed by the ICL and now is manufactured by the new company AMT.

DASD - Direct Access Storage Device is a magnetic disk or a magnetic drum, or a memory. Individual storage locations can be accessed directly by their addresses.

DBMS - Data Base Management System is the software that organizes and retrieves data in a data base. A data base management system makes it easier to access all varieties of data/information stored in a computer. It allows users to request data the way they see it rather than the way the computer sees it.

DEC - Digital Equipment Corporation is the American firm manufacturing a variety of digital computer facilities.

DIP-Dual Inline Package is a housing commonly used to hold a chip. Tiny wires bond the chip to the metal pins which become the plugs used to insert the DIP into a socket on the printed circuit board.

DMA - Direct Memory Access is a computer design technique that refers to a fast method for transferring data to and from a memory.

DOS - Disk Operating System. A DOS refers to an operating system which manages a disk environment.

DP - Data Processing is the capturing, storing, manipulating and retrieving of data/information.

DPP - Distributed Parallel Processing is a system of' computers con­nected by a communications network which represents communications channels of one or more types designed to connect two or more devices together. A DPP is used usually in parallel computations.

DSA - Distributed Systems Architecture is a Honeywell Network Architecture which includes the choice of hardware, software, and protocols chosen in a communication network.

ECMA - European Computer Manufacturers' Association develops standards used by most companies produced computers and software for them.

EEPROM - Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory is reusable memory chip for program storage. It is Firmware. Instructions are stored in the EEPROM by writing the binary code into it from the computer. The computer can erase it and write it again.

ENIAC - Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (1946) is the Pennsylvania University computer.

EPROM - Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory is a reusable memory chip for program storage. The computer writes the EPROM, but it must be removed and placed under ultraviolet light to erase the content (instructions, informations, etc.).

FORTRAN - FORmula TRANslator is the high-level programming language developed for solving scientific and mathematical problems. It was designed to easily express mathematical for­mulas for computer processing. The FORTRAN was developed in 1954 by IBM and was the first high-level language.

HIS - Honeywell Information System is the computer systems division of Honeywell, Inc.

HP - Hewlett-Packard Corporation producing mini- and microcomputers.

IBM - International Business Machines Corporation is the American corporation developing and producing hardware and software for computers and personal computers as well.

1С - Integrated Circuit is a chip (miniaturized electronic circuit) containing several hundred thousand electronic components (transistors, resistors, etc.) The terms CHIP, INTEGRATED CIRCUIT and MICROELECTRONIC are synonymous.

ICL - International Computers Ltd. is the British company developing and manufacturing supercomputers.

IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers was founded in 1963. The IEEE holds numerous meetings and technical conferences on all topics of engineering and computer control. It has' 30,000 students.

Illiac V - the Illinois Automatic Computer V developed by the Illinois University in 1969.

IMS - Information Management System is an example of a hierarchical data base. It is a product of the IBM corporation.

Intel - the American corporation developing and manufacturing microprocessors (Intel 8080, Intel 8086, Intel 80286, etc.)

INMOS - the English company developing the new architecture for parallel computers and originating a transputer and OCCAM, the parallel programming language.

I/O - Input and Output. An information transfer between a CPU and a peripheral device. Every information transfer is an Output from one device and an Input into another.

IPL - Initial Program Load. An IPL gets the computer started, i.e. initialization of the computer.

К - Kilo or 1000 but 1024 in computer storage locations because the computers use binary numbers: 1 multiplied by 2 is 4 and so on up to 1024 (1 - 2 - 4 - 8 - 16 - 32 - 64 - 28 - 256 - 512 - 1024).

LAN - Local Area Network is a local computing net.

LED - Light Emitting Diode. LEDs are a particular variety of semiconductor diodes which emit light when charged with electricity. LEDs are used in floppy and hard disk drives, as well as in display panels. They are also used to generate light signals for transmission in optical fibers.

LISP - LISt Processing is a high-level programming language used extensively in artificial intelligence applications. It was developed in 1960.

HIS - Honeywell Information System is the computer systems division of Honeywell, Inc.

HP - Hewlett-Packard Corporation producing mini- and microcomputers.

IBM - International Business Machines Corporation is the American corporation developing and producing hardware and software for computers and personal computers as well.

1С - Integrated Circuit is a chip (miniaturized electronic circuit) containing several hundred thousand electronic components (transistors, resistors, etc.) The terms CHIP, INTEGRATED CIRCUIT and MICROELECTRONIC are synonymous.

ICL - International Computers Ltd. is the British company developing and manufacturing supercomputers.

IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers was founded in 1963. The IEEE holds numerous meetings and technical conferences on all topics of engineering and computer control. It has' 30,000 students.

Illiac V - the Illinois Automatic Computer V developed by the Illinois University in 1969.

IMS - Information Management System is an example of a hierarchical data base. It is a product of the IBM corporation.

Intel - the American corporation developing and manufacturing microprocessors (Intel 8080, Intel 8086, Intel 80286, etc.)

INMOS - the English company developing the new architecture for parallel computers and originating a transputer and OCCAM, the parallel programming language.

I/O - Input and Output. An information transfer between a CPU and a peripheral device. Every information transfer is an Output from one device and an Input into another.

IPL - Initial Program Load. An IPL gets the computer started, i.e. initialization of the computer.

К - Kilo or 1000 but 1024 in computer storage locations because the computers use binary numbers: 1 multiplied by 2 is 4 and so on up to 1024 (1 - 2 - 4 - 8 - 16 - 32 - 64 - 28 - 256 - 512 - 1024).

LAN - Local Area Network is a local computing net.

LED - Light Emitting Diode. LEDs are a particular variety of semiconductor diodes which emit light when charged with electricity. LEDs are used in floppy and hard disk drives, as well as in display panels. They are also used to generate light signals for transmission in optical fibers.

LISP - LISt Processing is a high-level programming language used extensively in artificial intelligence applications. It was developed in 1960.

LSI - Large Scale Integration refers to the large numbers of electronic components built on a chip.

Macintosh - the name of a personal computer produced by Apple Computer, Inc. It uses the Motorola 68000 microprocessor and has powerful built-in facilities for direct interaction with a user.

Microsoft - the American company developing and producing personal computers software: interpreters, operating systems, application packages. It is the chief software designer for IBM PCs.

MODEM - Modulator-DEModulator is a device converting the digital pulses from a terminal or a computer to audio tones. It also converts audio tones back into digital pulses at the other end. A MODEM is a digital to analog, analog to digital converter.

MOS - Metal Oxide Semiconductor, a special technology of designing and fabricating logic and memory chips.

Motorola - the American company, the manufacturer of semiconductors. One of the most commonly used microprocessors for computer workstations and highly productive personal computers is Motorola 68020 (32-bit microprocessor).

MS - Microsoft.

NEC - Nippon Electric Company is a Japanese firm, the manufacturer of computers, peripherals and electronic devices.

NMOS - N-Channel MOS is a type of microelectronic circuit design. NMOS integrated circuits are widely used for processors (logic chips) and memories. NMOS transistors are faster than PMOS and more transistors can be built onto a single chip.

OCCAM - the parallel programming language developed by the IN-MOS for application on computers having a large number of processors.

OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer is organizations that develop customized computer systems. OEMs buy components from different hardware and software vendors and package a complete system for resale as a turnkey product.

OS - Operating System is a master control program which runs the computer. The OS is the first program copied into the computer's memory from a disk or tape after the computer is first turned on. Operating Systems are generally supplied by the hardware vendor. In smaller personal computers the OS is often stored in a ROM chip and is immediately available when the computer is turned on.

PASCAL - the high-level programming language which is noted for its simplicity and structured programming design. It was developed in the early 1970s and gained popularity in universities and institutes in Europe and the United States and all over the world. It is named after the French mathematician, B.

Pascal who designed and built the first calculator, the "Pascaline."

PC - Personal Computer is a computer used for home or personal use. Personal computers are microcomputers. They can be used for education, games, home or hobby record keeping (data management system), writing, personal financial planning (electronic spreadsheet), electronic mail, etc.

PCB - Printed Circuit Board is a flat board which holds chips and other electronic components. The PCB contains many slots for chips, as well as connections for a variety of electronic components. The back side of the PCB is printed with electrically conductive pathways between the components.

PDP - Programmed Data Processors. PDP-11 is a series of 16-bit minicomputers manufactured by the Digital Equipment Corporation.

Pixel - picture element. A pixel is the smallest part of a video screen. A computer video screen is broken up into thousands of tiny dots. A pixel is one or more dots which are treated as a unit.

PL/1 - Programming Language 1 is a high-level programming language developed by IBM in 1964. It was designed as a gen­eral-purpose programming language incorporating features from both COBOL and FORTRAN.

PMOS - P-Channel MOS is a type of microelectronic circuit design. PMOS transistors were used in the first microprocessors.

PROLOG - PROgramming in LOGic is a programming language which is used in artificial intelligence problems. It is based on predicate calculus. PROLOG represents a statements' set and rules. Statements consist of predicates, connectives, constants, variables and form a data base.

PROM - Programmable Read Only Memory is a permanent memory chip for program storage. Instructions and/or information are stored in the PROM through the use of a PROM programmer. The PROM programmer is a device that permanently writes PROM chips and copies a program in a machine language form onto one or more PROM chips at the same time.

RAM - Random Access Memory is a computer memory called so because information can be transferred into and out of any single byte of memory, independent of the rest. The storage cells (bits) of a RAM chip require power to retain their content. If the power fails, the contents are lost.

RGB - Red, Green, Blue are special video signals for a colour display.

ROM - Read Only Memory is a permanent memory chip for program storage. Instructions and/or information are stored in the ROM at the time of their manufacture and cannot be altered.

SLSI - Super LSI refers to ultra-high density chips which contain 1 million or more transistors.

S-100 bus - Standard bus for a microcomputer. A bus is a common pathway (channel) between hardware devices. When bus architecture is used in a computer, the processors, memory banks, and peripheral control units are all interconnected via one or more common buses. In a microcomputer common buses are called: the address bus and the data bus. The address bus is used to select where data is located, and the data bus is used to transfer the data.

TTL - Transistor Transistor Logic is integrated circuit design technique. It refers to the design of circuits which use the transistor as its predominant component.

UNIX - the Operating System primarily developed by Bell Laboratories for the minicomputer PDP-11. But later it was rewritten in a high-level programming language С and adapted to many other vendors' computers.

VHSIC-Very High Speed Integrated Circuit refers to ultrahigh-speed chips employing LSI and VLSI technologies.

VLSI - Very Large Scale Integration refers to the very large number of electronic components that are built onto a single chip. It ranges approximately from 100,000 to 1,000,000 transistors on a chip.

VTR-Video Tape Recorder is an analog recording and playback device for video (TV) signals.

WKS - WorKStation in an intelligent terminal. Workstations are terminals with sufficient computer and peripheral resources to support a particular class of users.

WP-Word Processor or Word Processing. A word processor may refer to a computer specialized for word processing, or to a word processing software package. Word processing hardware integrates word processing functions into the keyboard function keys. Functions, like insert and delete, are single keys which command the software to manipulate the text.

Xerox PARC-Xerox Palo-Alto Research Center (USA) is a center which develops AI, programming languages and systems such as Interlisp and Smalltalk. It also developed the local computing net named "Ethernet".

X-Y - two directions at right angles.

Z80, Z8000 - Microcomputer chips developed by ZILOG Corporation. The Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor which is widely used in small business and personal computers. The Z8000 is a 16-bit microprocessor.

Не нашли, что искали? Воспользуйтесь поиском по сайту: