Software & Hardware

HARDWARE TERMINOLOGY

Binary: A number expressed in the binary numeral system, or base-2 numeral system, which represents numeric values using two different symbols: typically, 0 (zero) and 1 (one).
Bit: The smallest unit of data in a computer represented by one or zero.
Bluetooth: A wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances (using short-wavelength UHF radio waves in the ISM band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz [4]) from fixed and mobile devices and building personal area networks.
Bus: The electrical connection between different computer components is an important determiner of the computer’s speed.
Byte: A unit of data that computers use to represent a character such as a letter, number, or typographic symbol with a group of eight bits.
Central Processing Unit (CPU): The “brains” of the device, carries out the commands sent to it by the software and return results to be acted upon.
Digital Devices: This is an electronic device that uses discrete, numerable data and processes for all its operations.
Electronic Waste: Used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal.
Hard Disk: Where data is stored when the computer is turned off and where it is retrieved from when the computer is turned on.
Hardware: The part of an information system you can touch–the physical components of the technology.
Hertz: A measure of computer processing speed.
Input Devices: Peripheral hardware used to provide data and control signals to a computer. Examples of input devices include keyboards, mice, scanners, digital cameras, and joysticks.
Integrated Computing: Integration of computing technology into everyday products to enhancing its capabilities.
Memory: Specifically, Computer Memory. Any physical device capable of storing information temporarily or permanently.
Moore’s Law: The observation that over the history of computing hardware, the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit has doubled approximately every two years.
Motherboard: The main circuit board on the computer that connects to the CPU, memory, and storage components, among other things.
Network Connection: Provides connectivity between your computer and the Internet, a network, or another computer.
Read Access Memory (RAM): The working memory that begins to load information from the hard disk as the computer starts up.
Output Devices: An output device sends data from a computer to another device or user. This includes audio and video output. Other examples are monitors, projectors, speakers, headphones, and printers.
Removable Media: Fixed storage components. Portable removable storage media. Storage: The retention of retrievable data on a computer or other electronic system.
Storage Devices: This is any device used to store digital data or information through input or output operations.
Solid State Drive (SSD): Performs the same function as a hard disk: long-term storage that uses spinning disks, flash memory, which is much faster.

SOFTWARE TERMINOLOGY

Android:  A mobile operating system (OS) based on the Linux kernel and currently developed by Google.
Application Software: An application is a set of computer programs designed to permit the user to perform a group of coordinated functions, tasks, or activities. It cannot run on itself but is dependent on the OS.
Cloud Computing: The practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or a personal computer.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): An approach to managing a company’s interactions with current and future customers. It often involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support.
Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP): A software application utilizing a central database that is implemented throughout the entire organization.
LINUX/UNIX: Linux is a version of the Unix operating system that runs on a personal computer. Unix is an operating system used primarily by scientists and engineers on larger minicomputers.
iOS (iPhone OS): An operating system used for mobile devices manufactured by Apple Inc. “Killer” App: An application viewed as so desirable by consumers that it can influence them to purchase devices or applications that include it.
Mobile Applications: Programs that run on tablet computers and smartphones.
Open Source: Software that can be freely used, changed, and shared (in modified or unmodified form) by anyone.
Operating Systems: The program that, after being initially loaded into the computer by a boot program, manages all the other programs in a computer.
Private Cloud: A particular model of cloud computing that involves a distinct and secure cloud-based environment in which only the specified client can operate.
Productivity Software: Software applications have become standard tools for the workplace. For example, Excel or spreadsheet software.
SAP: Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing. A German multinational software corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations.
Software: A set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do.
Supply Chain Management (SCM): The management of the flow of goods and services.
Virtualization: Refers to the act of creating a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, including (but not limited to) a virtual computer hardware platform, operating system (OS), storage device, or computer network resources.
Windows:  Microsoft’s operating system.