Glossary
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This document provides definitions for common computer hardware, software, and networking terms. It explains that RAM is used for temporary storage, the CPU carries out instructions, and graphics processors render shapes and colors. Storage media saves files permanently unlike RAM. A power supply provides electricity to the computer. The operating system coordinates hardware and software. Humans interact with computers through input tools and see outputs on displays. Local area networks connect nearby devices, while wireless protocols allow internet access on mobile devices. Caches store frequently used data for quick access. Programming languages differ in how they are compiled and interpreted.
Glossary
- 1. Glossary RAM: RAM stands for random access memory, which is used constantly in computing, everything you see or hear on a computer and much more is in the RAM but when it is saved it is moved to the Storage. Or if deleted from the RAM it is gone forever. CPU: CPU stands for central processing unit, which is a piece of hardware in a computer that carries out instructions which are logical input/output and arithmetical operations of the system. Graphics Processor: a graphics processor is the hardware that takes information to render them into shapes, colours and give them a dimension. This will use everything from a word document to 3D games. Video Display/Output (LCD, Monochrome, and Colour): video displays are always 2D screens that make information into 3D coloured video to 3D sound. LCD is the most common video display of late and almost always in colour, monochrome is not used apart from art, photography or giving video an effect. Sound/Audio: this is what you hear, without sounds such as music and speech, listening is pointless and watching a TV show becomes almost impossible. Storage Media: storage media is the memory unlike RAM it is what everything you save is on, and everything you load is on. Without storage media you would be unable to use a computer. Power Supply: a power supply is what powers the computer and/or display, which (in the UK) uses resistors in the supply, to change a 230V to whatever is needed, which is much less. Software Kernel (operating system): a software kernel is a computing program that a user can use to select other parts and uses of the computer’s hardware and software. It uses data and the CPU to work, to the user all this will look like, applications. HCI: a HCI is how humans interact with computers (human-computer interaction) to interact with computers humans use input tools such as a mouse, microphone or USB’s, mostly even today by
- 2. touch. The computer then uses this input and uses it the information given which is calculated into an outcome, and this is what you will see on the output display, or hear when you playback sounds. LAN: LAN stands for local area network, which most computers, gaming consoles and phones have, with one software or another (Bluetooth, is a common one on phones), Ethernet and Wi-Fi can be used as LAN but are preferred as long range networking. GPRS: GPRS is software that you can use to connect your laptop to your phone, used mainly in offices and work spaces GPRS is mostly difficult to turn on and use for many. It mostly uses 3 modems, Bluetooth, USB, and/or Infrared. WAP: WAP is wireless application protocol which is a technical standard for accessing information over a mobile wireless network, or web browser for phones. Before WAP phone users could only Email by mobile phone, take track of stock-market prices, get sports results, get news headlines, and download music. Cache: a Cache is something all modern day computing items use, is uses a second storage to save items most used so that future requests can be faster for the user. Smaller but efficient, a cache isn’t always correct in what you may use in the future as it saves your history and what is most commonly used to work. MCP (Media Communications Processor): And MCP is something that the nVidia hardware computer designed, otherwise known as part of the nForce, the MCP helps the motherboard to uses greater bandwidth, faster performance and help CPU over docking problems. 2D v 3D graphics processing: a 2D graphics processor will only process, images and/or videos of low ability and low quality games which are never 3D, while a 3D processor will do almost anything including all the functions of a 3D processor, with upgraded capabilities Subscription TV: subscriptions TV, is where you pay a certain amount of money every week or month so you can watch extra TV stations like Sky, Virgin Media and 3. If you do not pay you will have 160 channels (60 radio stations) instead of the thousands, many TV’s come with some free channels anyway.
- 3. ETV (Enhanced Television): ETV is an example of interactive TV, most users of ETV will have their computers and TV in the same room to help the ETV work though web browsing and applications, but some computers have tuner cards which do the job fine. API (Graphical and Sound): is in computer programming, where an application programming interface will specify how some software components work with others. Interpreted programming languages for games: an interpreted language is a programming language for mostly implementations executes instructions directly, without previously compiling a program into another language for machines. Compiled programming languages for games: a compiled language is a programming language whose implementations are typically compilers (translators from machine code to source code). But not interpreters, where no pre-runtime translation takes place. Object-oriented programming: OOP is a programming paradigm that represents the concept of ‘objects’ that have data fields (attributes that describe an object). Objects which are usually instances of classes are used to interact with one another to design applications and computer programs. Scripting Languages for Games: many games use scripting language for animation and gameplay logic. This has the advantage of quick prototyping, and better organization of code almost every non-trivial game engine uses some kind of scripting language. There are many languages for scripting, Binary is seen as one but in fact that is programming and not scripting. A programme called Lua is mostly used in the game scripting language.