System Technologies Cycle 1 2023 Flashcards
3D Printer
Printer that allows one to create physical
three-dimensional objects from designs
created on a computer using CAD or 3D
modelling software.
Accelerometer
Input device in smartphones and tablets, used
to detect which way around the device is held
or how it is being moved. This allows it to
change the orientation of the screen
depending on how you hold it.
Access control
The operating system asks for your
permission before any software can be
installed. The purpose is to try to make it
impossible for malware to be installed on your
computer without your knowledge.
Algorithm
Step-by-step solution used to solve a problem
(used in programming).
Application
A group of programs that perform specific
tasks for us as users, for example, word
processing programs.
Archiving (files)
Making copies of files, where the copies are
not meant to be accessed regularly but are
kept for reference when needed.
Aspect ratio
The relationship between the width and height
of the display, e.g. 16:9.
Backup
Making copies of files with the aim of having
extra copies of the files in case the originals
get lost or become damaged for one or
another reason.
Beta software
Preliminary (pre-sale) versions of software,
released by developers to be tested by the
general public. Programmers try to fix all the
reported errors before the final version of the
software is released.
Biometric
identification
The use of technology that measures/scans
something biologically unique to each person,
such as a fingerprint or the pattern of the iris
of an eye, for identification purposes.
Bluetooth
A wireless technology that allows devices
such as mice, printers and smartphones to
communicate over a relatively short distance,
Blu-ray
An optical disc format designed to enable
recording, rewriting and playback of highdefinition video (HD), as well as storing large
amounts of data (more than DVD).
Boot
The term used to describe a computer’s startup process. Restarting a computer is called
‘rebooting’ it.
Bug (software)
Mistake made by accident when the
programmers wrote the software. (Not a
virus.)
Byte
Each single character we store, such as ‘4’ or
‘A’ or ‘%’, takes up space which we refer to as
a byte.
Cache memory
A high-speed memory used to hold recently or
frequently accessed data, in order to be able
to retrieve that data faster.
Card reader
Device into which a memory card is inserted.
Data can then be transferred between the
memory card and the computing device
attached to the card reader.
Carpal tunnel
syndrome (CTS)
A painful compression of the nerves in the
wrist caused by repetitive manual action such
as typing.
Clipboard
Area in memory (RAM) where copied or
moved objects – both text and graphics – are
temporarily stored. They are kept there until
they are pasted somewhere (or until the
program is closed or the computer is shut
down).
Cloud
computing
A general term that refers to the sharing and
use of resources and applications offered as
services over the internet.
Cloud storage
The online storage of files.
Colour depth
The number of bits used to represent the
colour of each pixel in an image.
Contrast ratio
The relationship between the darkest black
and the brightest white that a display device
can produce. Higher values are better.
Convergence
The trend where separate technologies and
functions that required different devices in the
past are combined into one single device, e.g.
the smartphone and the tablet.
Core
A single physical processor. Chips that are
‘dual core’ have 2 processors, ‘quad core’
have 4 processors, etc.
CPU
Central Processing Unit – hardware
component that processes all data and carries
out all instructions.
Dedicated
device
Devices that are designed to perform just one
specific task, such as Automatic Teller
Machines (ATMs), GPS devices and
household appliances like microwave ovens
and washing machines.
Default printer
The printer that printing will be sent to unless
otherwise specified by the user
Defragmentation
The process of using a defragmentation utility
program to reverse the process of
fragmentation. The defragmenter utility
program rearranges and consolidates the
scatted parts of files on disk so that they can
be retrieved more quickly.
DIMM
Dual Inline Memory Module – a standardized
‘stick’ of RAM designed to fit into a DIMM slot
on the motherboard
Disk Cleanup
A utility that can be used to make more
storage space available by deleting
unnecessary files.
Disk scanner
A utility that comes with all operating systems.
It can be used to check a drive for errors and
bad sectors on the disk, and try to fix them.
Dongle
Device plugged into a USB port to enable a
wireless keyboard or mouse.
Also a 3G or 4G dongle used on a desktop
computer or laptop to connect it to a cellular
network for internet access.
Downward / backward compatibility
Ability of software to open and use files
created in previous (or older) versions of the
software.
Driver
Software that allows a computer to
communicate with hardware or devices. The
operating system comes with a large set of
drivers, and in general drivers are installed
automatically.
DSLR camera
Digital Single Lens Reflex – a type of camera
designed for professional use. It lets you
change lenses and allows more control over
technical settings.
Entry-level computer
A computer that is cheapest to purchase in its
range (e.g. desktop PC), with fairly low
hardware specifications.
Ergonomics
The study and design of the workplace and
the equipment used in the workplace for the
comfort and safety of people in their work
environments.
EULA
End User Licence Agreement – a legally
binding contract between a user and a
software company. It describes what one may
and may not do with the software.
File attribute
A property of a file that can be set. The most
common attributes are the Hidden and
Read-Only file attributes.
File extension
A set of characters (usually 3-5) added to the
end of a file name that identifies the type of
file, e.g. docx is a Word file.
File property
The basic information about a file such as its
name, size and date modified.
Formatting (a disk)
Preparing a disk to store data. Most disks are
pre-formatted. Formatting a disk will erase all
the data that is on the disk.
Fragmentation
The more you use your computer, the more
the files (and parts of files) get scattered on
the disk. The more scattered the files’ parts
are, the slower your computer becomes, as
the files take longer to retrieve.
Freeware
Software that is fully functioning and that can
be used and copied without any restrictions.
Geo-tagging
Process whereby the location (in terms of
latitude and longitude co-ordinates) at which a
photo was taken by a digital camera, is stored
in the metadata of the file.
GHz
Gigahertz – the unit in which the speed of the
CPU is measured. Higher is better.
GPS device
A Global Positioning System device that
calculates where you are on the earth’s
surface (latitude and longitude) based on
signals it obtains from at least three GPS
satellites.
GPU
Graphics Processing Unit – processing chip
on a video card (analogous to the CPU on the
motherboard), which can improve computer
performance with certain types of software
(CAD, 3D graphics, gaming, etc.).
Hard copy
Output on paper (as opposed to soft copy –
visual output on a screen).
HDMI
High-Definition Multimedia Interface – an
interface that transmits high definition video
and sound via a single cable. It provides better
quality images because the signals are digital.
Hidden (attribute)
A file attribute that indicates if a file is visible
or not. The only difference between a hidden
file and a visible file is that a hidden file will by
default not appear in the list of files and
folders you see in File Explorer.
Hybrid
computer
Laptop / tablet with a reversible or detachable
screen and a normal keyboard. The screen is
touch- or pen-sensitive. This machine can be
used either as a normal laptop or as a tablet.
Inkjet printer
Type of printer that sprays microscopic dots of
ink onto the paper and is relatively cheap to
buy but is comparatively expensive to run.
Good for high-quality graphics such as
photographs.
ISO rating
A digital camera’s sensitivity to light. Higher
ISO ratings are better.
Laser printer
Type of printer that works like a photocopier,
using toner instead of ink cartridges.
Relatively expensive to buy compared to inkjet
printers but cheaper to run and, of the two,
best suited for higher volume printing.
Linux
An open source operating system.
Lumen
This measures the brightness of the image
projected by a data projector. The higher the
lumen rating, the more effective the projector
will be.
Memory (RAM)
Temporary storage area for programs and
data being processed in the computer.
Memory loses its contents when the power is
switched off.
Memory card
Electronic storage media used in digital
cameras and smartphones.
Metadata
Additional data stored about a file that
describes the contents of the file, such as the
author and title of the file.
Micro-USB
A smaller type of USB port, usually found on
mobile devices such as smartphones.
Mobile user
User (not necessarily a separate category)
who wants and needs to have their technology
with them wherever they are, e.g. sales
people and consultants.
Motherboard
Large rectangular board inside the computer
case, containing circuitry with slots and
connectors for the CPU, RAM, storage
devices and peripherals to connect to it. It
allows all the parts of a computer to
communicate with each other.
Multi-function
printer
An all-in-one input/output device which can
typically print, scan, photocopy and fax.
Multitasking
The ability of the operating system to load and
process multiple tasks or processes at the
same time.
Multi-touch
(touch screen)
A screen that allows for two or more fingers to
be detected and used on it at one time, e.g.
for pinching actions.
Multi-user operating system
An operating system that allows multiple users
to access a computer system at the same
time. It is often used in networks where
the same single operating system deals with
multiple users that are simultaneously logged
on
OCR
Optical Character Recognition – converts text
in an image into editable text.
Online storage
Disk space that is allocated to you on a server
on the internet. Accessible wherever you can
log into the server.
Open source
software (OSS)
Software that may be freely used, modified
and distributed. It may, however, not be sold.
Operating
system
System software that controls all activities that
take place in a computer. Examples include
the Windows range, Linux, macOS, iOS and
Android.
Patch
Downloadable update to an operating system
– especially one that fixes bugs or security
vulnerabilities.
Path
The succession of folders, starting from the
drive letter and separated by \ , that lead to
the location of a specific file, e.g.
U:\Documents\Finance\2019
Portable Document Format – a file format
used to distribute document files, as it does
not require the program in which the
document was created in order for it to be
read. You just need a free utility program
called Adobe Reader to read it.
Pen input
A pen (or stylus) is an input device used
together with a pressure-sensitive digitising
tablet.
Phablet
A smartphone with a screen size larger than
5” (midway in size between a smartphone and
a tablet).
Pixel density
Also known as dpi – how many pixels the
display fits into a 1” horizontal line. A higher
pixel density is better.
Plain text file
A text file that contains lines of plain text with
no formatting. The file extension .txt is
associated with text files.
Platform
A type of operating system, e.g. Linux,
Android, Windows.
Plug-and-play
A series of technologies where the operating
system automatically detects and configures a
device that has been plugged into the
computer, so that the device can be used
almost immediately.
Pointing stick
An alternative to a mouse, used with laptops.
It takes the form of a small button between the
keys of the keyboard. You move the pointing
stick to move the pointer, and press it down to
click.
POS
Point Of Sale system – designed to speed up
the sale of goods and services in the
marketplace.
Power user
Category of user who has computing needs
that make the top-of-the-range hardware and
software indispensable, e.g. architects and
engineers. They typically also use all the
advanced functions of the software they use.
ppm
Pages per minute – the number of pages that
a printer can print in a minute, i.e. the ‘speed’
of a printer
Printer queue
Temporary storage area on the hard drive
where print tasks are sent and where they wait
until the printer is ready to print them. Each
printer has its own queue.
Program files
Actual programs, not data files, that run
(execute) when opened. They normally have a
.com or .exe file extension.
Proprietary software
Proprietary software (purchased from an
owner) is software that is licensed, so users
may only use the software under certain
conditions. They may not change it or
distribute it.
QR code
Quick Response Code – a two dimensional
square type of ‘barcode’ that can store much
more data than a conventional barcode. QR
codes can be scanned using the camera on a
mobile device.
RAM
(See under Memory)
Read-only
A file attribute that indicates if a file is read
only or not. A read-only file cannot be modified
and saved under the same name within the
same folder.
Refresh rate
How often or quickly the screen display is
refreshed. The higher the refresh rate, the
better.
Resolution
Display: The maximum resolution is the
highest number of pixels that the display
supports, given by the number of horizontal
pixels multiplied by the number of vertical
pixels (e.g. 1920 x 1080).
Scanner: The number of dots it can scan per
inch – so its resolution is stated as dpi (dots
per inch).
Digital camera: The total number of pixels that
make up the picture.
Printer: the number of dots the printer can
create along a horizontal line; measured in
dots per inch (dpi).
RFID
Radio Frequency Identification – uses small
radio devices (smaller than a grain of rice) to
store and transmit data.
Rich Text
Format (rtf)
A file format that supports text formatting such
as bold, font sizes, tab settings and even
images. Widely used and supported by most
word processors.
ROM
Read Only Memory – a special chip on the
motherboard that holds the instructions
needed to start the computer and load the
operating system when you switch it on.
rpm
Revolutions per minute – unit in which the
rotational speed of a hard drive is measured,
e.g. 7200 rpm.
Safe Mode
A mode in which a computer can be booted in
order to help fix various software problems. In
Safe Mode, only essential system programs
and services are loaded.
SATA
The internal hard drive interface or connection
– the way the drive is connected to the
motherboard.
Scanner
An input device that scans images into a
computer, e.g. printed text, graphics,
barcodes, QR codes – even parts of the
human body.
Scheduler
A program that is used to run certain
programs at specific times.
Screen lock
pattern
A way of locking a mobile device by setting up
a pattern you must ‘draw’ on the screen with
your finger to unlock the device.
Sensor size
The size of the sensor in a digital camera. The
bigger the size, the better the quality of the
image.
Server
A computer that provide services or resources
to other computers (clients) that are linked in
the network
Service Pack
A collection of all the previous software
updates for the last period of time (6 months
to a year). It is meant to help people who are
behind in their updates fix their software all at
once.
Service packs are pretty much a thing of the
past. Most software companies create
software so that it will regularly check for
updates and then automatically download and
install those updates.
Shareware
Software that you can use for a trial period
(usually 30 days). You can download and try
out shareware for free. Shareware usually
stops working when the trial period has
expired, and the trial version sometimes does
not include all the features of the ‘full’ version.
After the trial period, or should you wish to get
the ‘full’ version, you will need to pay for it.
Single-user Licence
A licence under which you may only install
one copy of the software. You may not install
it on other computers.
Single-user operating system
An operating system that can only be used by
a single user at a time.
Site license
A license agreement that allows a company or
organisation of an unrestricted number of
installations of the software within the
company or organisation.
Soft copy
Visual output on a computer screen (as
opposed to hard copy – output on paper).
SOHO user
Category of user (Small Office Home Office)
who uses a computer for a business that the
user runs.
Speech
recognition
Software that ‘listens’ to what you say and
‘understands’ it as a command or turns it into
text (instead of the user typing the text).
Spooling
The process of sending print tasks temporarily
to disk (hard drive) until the printer is ready to
print them.
SSD
Solid State Drive – a completely electronic
alternative to the traditional hard drive. It uses
the same technology as flash drives, making
for very fast disk access
Subscription-based software
Software where the user pays a monthly or
yearly subscription for the use of the software,
e.g. Office 365.
System
requirements
The minimum requirements (such as storage
space, processing power and memory)
needed to run a piece of software. When
software requirements are indicated, this
usually relates to the operating system
needed.
System
software
Software that is intended to control, support or
operate the computer.
Tablet
A portable computer with a touch- or pensensitive screen. Similar to smartphones, with
advantages of a larger screen and a longer
battery life. It cannot however make cellphone
calls or send / receive SMS messages.
Task Manager
Provides information about the computer’s
performance and applications and processes.
Most often used to end non-responding tasks
or programs.
Tooltip
A tip or information that pops up when you
rest the pointer on an icon or object.
Touch screen
A screen used as both an input and an output
device, and found in devices such as
smartphones and tablets. Some touch screens
respond to finger touch, others are designed
to work with a stylus.
Touchpad
A pressure-sensitive surface built into laptops.
It is an input device that can be used instead
of a mouse.
Trackball
An input device with a large ball on it. You
move the pointer on the screen by rolling the
ball with your thumb.
Update (of
software)
Either the latest fix for bugs in the current
version of the software, or the addition of new,
additional features to the software.
Upgrade
A new version of the software, which means
installing a new program with major changes /
new features. Upgrades usually have to be
paid for
UPS
Uninterruptible Power Supply – a device used
to protect a computer against power surges,
spikes, and outages. It only provides power for
a limited duration – enough time to save one’s
work and shut the computer down properly.
USB port
Standard port commonly used to connect
devices such as keyboards, mice and printers
to a computer. USB ports and standards are
evolving and becoming faster.
Utility programs
System software used to help the user to
perform maintenance tasks related to
managing a computer.
VGA port
Port used to connect the monitor to the
computer. Largely replaced today by other
connection types, such as HDMI.
Video card
A separate circuit board that plugs into a
special slot on the motherboard. It has its own
video memory and a graphics processing unit
(GPU) that improves video processing.
Virtual
Assistant
Software that allows you to speak to your
phone (or tablet) and have it ‘understand’ and
respond to what you say, e.g. ‘turn off the
lights’.
Virtual memory
Free disk space on a hard drive that allows
the operating system to work as if it has
access to more RAM than the amount of RAM
that is physically present in the computer. This
allows the computer to run more programs at
the same time.
Voice recognition software
Software that allows the computer to
‘understand’ you when you talk to it. There are
two basic categories: giving the computer
commands and dictating text, and the socalled ‘virtual assistants’
Volatile memory
Memory (RAM) does not keep its contents
when the power is switched off and this
means that it is volatile. Storage (and ROM)
keeps its contents at all times – therefore it is
non-volatile.
Webcam
A low resolution camera that is quick and easy
to set up (or is built into many laptops). It
feeds video images to the computer in real
time and is used for video conferencing,
security and other instances where a live
video feed is required.
Zoom (digital)
As you ‘get closer’ to the object being
photographed and the picture gets larger, it
also gets blurrier and eventually pixelated.
