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42 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Application programming interface
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A block of code in the operating system that software applications need to interact with.
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Application Software
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An application program that helps business owners manage their finances more efficiently by providing tools for tracking accounting transactions such as sales, accounts receivable, inventory purchases, and accounts payable.
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Basic Input/output System
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Aprogram that manages the data between the operating system and all the input and output devices attached to the computer system; also responsible for loading the operating system (OS) from its permanent location on the hard drive to random access memory (RAM).
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Boot process
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The process for loading the operating system (OS) into random access memory (RAM) when the computer is turned on.
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Command-driven interface
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The interface between user and computer in which the user enters commands to communicate with the computer system.
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Desktop
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As its name implies, the computer's desktop puts at your fingertips all of the elements necessary for a productive work session and that are typically found on or near the top of a traditional desk, such as files and folders.
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Device Driver
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the operating system.
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Device Manager
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A feature in the operating system (OS) that lets individuals view and change the properties of all devices attached to the computer.
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Directory
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A hierarchical structure that include files, folders, and drives used to create a more organized and efficient computer.
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Disk Clean up
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A Windows utility that removes unnecessary files from the hard drive.
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disk defragmenter
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A utility that regroups related pieces of files on the hard disk, enabling faster retrieval of the data.
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Error-Checking
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A Windows utility that checks for lost files and fragments as well as physical errors on a hard drive.
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Extension (file type)
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In a filename, the letters that follow the user-supplied filename after the dot (.); the extension identifies what kind of family of files the file belongs to or which application should be used to read the file.
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File
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A collection of related pieces of information stored together for easy reference; see also table.
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File allocation table
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An index of all sector numbers that the hard drive stores in a table to keep track of which sectors hold which files.
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File compression utility
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A program that takes out redundancies in a file to reduce the file size.
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File Management
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The process by which humans or computer software provides organizational structure to a computer's contents.
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File Path
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The exact location of a file, starting with the drive in which the file is located, and including all folders, subfolders (if any), the filename, and extension. (Example: C:\Users\username\ Documents\Illustrations\EBronte.jpg)
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Folder
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A collection of files stored on a computer.
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Graphical User Interface
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Unlike the command- and menu-driven interfaces used earlier, GUIs display graphics and use the point-and-click technology of the mouse and cursor, making them much more user-friendly.
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Kernel (supervisor program)
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The essential component of the operating system that is responsible for managing the processor and all other components of the computer system. Because it stays in random access memory (RAM) the entire time the computer is powered on, the kernel is called memory resident.
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Linux
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An open source operating system based on UNIX. Because of the stable nature of this operating system, it is often used on Web servers.
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Mac OS
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Apple Inc.'s operating system. In 1984, Mac OS became the first operating system to incorporate the user-friendly point-and-click technology in a commercially affordable computer; based on the UNIX operating system.
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Mainframe
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A large, expensive computer that support hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously and executes many different programs at the same time.
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Menu
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A list of commands that displays on the screen.
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Menu Driven Interface
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A user interface in which the user chooses a command from menus displayed on the screen.
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Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-DOS)
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A single-user, single-task operating system created by Microsoft. MSDOS was the first widely installed operating system in personal computers.
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Multitasking
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The capability of the operating system to allow a user to perform more than one task at a time.
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Multiuser operating system (network operating system)
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An operating system (OS) that enables more than one user to access the computer system at one time by efficiently juggling all the requests from multiple users.
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Open source softward
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Program code made publicly available for free; it can be copied, distributed, or changed without the stringent copyright protections of proprietary software products.
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Operating System
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The system software that controls the way in which a computer system functions, including the management of hardware, peripherals, and software.
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paging
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The process of swapping data or instructions between main memory (RAM) and auxiliary memory on the hard drive.
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platform
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The combination of a computer's operating system and processor. The two most common platform types are the PC and the Apple Macintosh.
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Plug and play (PnP)
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The technology that enables the operating system, once it is booted up, to recognize automatically any new peripherals and configure them to work with the system.
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Power-on self-test (POST)
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The first job the basic input/output system (BIOS) performs, ensuring that essential peripheral devices are attached and operational. This process consists of a test on the video card and video memory, a BIOS identification process (during which the BIOS version, manufacturer, and data are displayed on the monitor), and a memory test to ensure memory chips are working properly.
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Preemptive multitasking
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When the operating system processes the task assigned a higher priority before processing a task that has been assigned a lower priority.
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real-time operating system (RTOS)
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A program with a specific purpose that must guarantee certain response times for particular computing tasks, or the machine's application is useless. Real-time operating systems are found in many types of robotic equipment.
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Registry
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A portion of the hard drive containing all the different configurations (settings) used by the Windows operating system (OS) as well as by other applications.
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Restore point
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The snapshot of the entire system's settings that Windows creates every time the computer is started, or when a new application or driver is installed.
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Root Directory
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The top level of the filing structure in a computer system. In Windows computers, the root directory of the hard drive is represented as C:\.
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Safe mode
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A special diagnostic mode designed for troubleshooting errors that occur during the boot process.
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Scrollbar
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On the desktop, the bar that appears at the side or bottom of the window and controls which part of the information is displayed on the screen.
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