Definitions

Question 1

ADDRESS BUS

Answer 1

Carries the address of a memory location currently being read from or written to.

Question 2

APPLICATION S/W

Answer 2

Software written to perform user tasks

Question 3

BATCH OS

Answer 3

A process runs from beginning to end without user intervention

Question 4

BAUD RATE

Answer 4

Number of voltage changes per second. One baud ≈ One bit/s

Question 5

BIT RATE

Answer 5

Number of bits per second

Question 6

BUS

Answer 6

A set of wires connecting components

Question 7

CHECK DIGIT

Answer 7

Calculated using the data and a special algorithm and appended to the original data to check integrity

Question 8

CLI

Answer 8

Command Line Interface. User has to type in commands e.g. DOS

Question 9

COMPILER

Answer 9

Whole source code translated into object code (executable file) in one go

Question 10

DATA BUS

Answer 10

Carries the data currently being read or written

Question 11

FOREIGN KEY

Answer 11

An attribute in one table and the primary key in another (linking the two tables)

Question 12

HANDSHAKING

Answer 12

An exchange of signals to establish that one device is ready to send and another ready to receive data

Question 13

HARDWARE

Answer 13

The physical components of the computer

Question 14

HCI

Answer 14

Human Computer Interface. Interaction between the user and the computer

Question 15

IMPERATIVE HLL

Answer 15

Computer executes instructions in programmer defined sequence

Question 16

INDEX

Answer 16

An alphabetical list of a particular attribute

Question 17

INTEGRATED PACKAGE

Answer 17

One program with several functions (e.g. MS Works)

Question 18

INTEGRITY OF DATA

Answer 18

Making sure data is accurate/valid

Question 19

INTERACTIVE OS

Answer 19

Computer and user are in direct two-way communication

Question 20

INTERPRETER

Answer 20

Translates and executes code one line at a time

Question 21

INTRANET

Answer 21

A company-wide internet

Question 22

LAN

Answer 22

Local Area Network. A number of computers connected together on one site

Question 23

NETWORK OS

Answer 23

Allows a number of computers to be connected together so they can share resources

Question 24

OS

Answer 24

An interface between the user and the hardware controlling the running of the machine

Question 25

PARALLEL

Answer 25

Bits sent down several wires simultaneously

Question 26

PARITY

Answer 26

The most significant bit of a byte set to 0 or 1 to used for error detection (odd/even)

Question 27

PEER TO PEER LAN

Answer 27

Network where all computers have equal status. There are no dedicated servers

Question 28

PROTOCOL

Answer 28

A set of rules governing the ways computers communicate

Question 29

PSEUDO REAL-TIME OS

Answer 29

A response is required within a few seconds (almost immediately)

Question 30

RANDOM (DIRECT) FILE

Answer 30

Records written at an address calculated by hashing the key field

Question 31

REAL-TIME OS

Answer 31

A response is required immediately

Question 32

RELATIONAL DATABASE

Answer 32

A collection of tables linked together

Question 33

SECURITY OF DATA

Answer 33

Making sure data is safe

Question 34

SEQUENTIAL FILE

Answer 34

Records written in key order

Question 35

SERIAL

Answer 35

Bits sent along a single wire one at a time

Question 36

SERIAL FILE

Answer 36

Records written one after the other in no particular order

Question 37

SERVER BASED LAN

Answer 37

Network in which security, administration and other functions are provided by dedicated servers

Question 38

SOFTWARE

Answer 38

Programs which run on the computer

Question 39

SOFTWARE SUITE

Answer 39

Several separate programs sold as one package (e.g. MS Office)

Question 40

SYSTEM S/W

Answer 40

Layer of software which enables the user to operate a computer

Question 41

VALIDATION

Answer 41

Process of checking whether data is sensible/reasonable

Question 42

VERIFICATION

Answer 42

Process of entering data twice, with the second entry compared against the first entry to ensure accuracy

Question 43

WAN

Answer 43

A number of computers connected together over a large geographical area

Question 44

WIMP

Answer 44

Windows, Icons, Mouse and Pull-down menus

Question 45

WORD

Answer 45

The number of bits that can be manipulated in one go

Question 46

OBJECT CODE

Answer 46

Code produced by an assembler or compiler