Hardware Flashcards
computer terminal
any input/output device connected by telecommunications links to a computer
direct access
a method of storage in which each storage position has a unique address and can be individually accessed in approximately the same period without having to search through other storage positions. same as random access. contrast with sequential access.
graphical user interface
a software interface that relies on icons, bars, buttons, boxes, and other images to initiate compute-abased tasks for users
information appliances
small web-enabled microcomputer devices with specialized functions, such as handheld PDAs, TV set-top boxes, game consoles, cellular and PCS phones, wired telephone appliances, and other web-enabled home appliances
magnetic disk
a flat, circular plate with a magnetic surface on which data can be stored by selective magnetization of portions of the curved surface
microcomputer
a very small computer, ranging in size from a “computer on a chip” to handheld, laptop, and desktop units, and servers
minicomputer
a type of midrange computer
Moore’s Law
a theory advanced by Gordon Moore that suggests that computing power will double every 18 to 24 months at a given price point
network computer
a low-cost networked microcomputer with no or minimal disk storage, which depends on Internet or intranet servers for its operating system and Web browser, Java-enabled application software, and data access and storage
off-line
pertaining to equipment or devices not under control of the central processing unit
online
pertaining to equipment or devices under control of the central processing unit
optical disks
a secondary storage medium using CD (compact disk) and DVD (digital versatile disk) technologies to read tiny spots on plastic disks. the disks are currently capable of storing billions of characters of information
pointing devices
devices that allow end users to issue commands or make choices by moving a cursor on the display screen
secondary storage
storage that supplements the primary storage of a computer. synonymous with auxiliary storage
semiconductor memory
microelectronic storage circuity etched on tiny chips of silicon or other semi conducting material. the primary storage of most modern computers consists of microelectronic semiconductor storage chips for random-access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM)
