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E
EBCDIC - Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code, a standard code.
Echo - The bounce or return of a transmitted signal from a destination point.
Electrode - A device that attracts or emits electrical charge carriers.
Electromagnetic Field - The environment setup when a device which can only be magnetized when an electric current is passed through it is energized.
Emulate - To imitate one system with another such that the imitating system accepts the same data, executes the same programs and achieves the same results as the imitated system.
Enable - To program or forewarn the processor to accept an interrupt signal or priority processing task.
EPROM - Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. A nonvolatile memory, or one whose contents are not lost when electrical power is removed.
Execute - A function following on from a statement in the program where a command is performed on the address indicated by the register under program control.
Extrapolate - To forecast or estimate results based on previous data.
F
Farads - A measure of the capacitance present in a circuit or produced by individual components.
Feasibility Study - A formal survey to establish the economics, practicality or technical implications of following a certain course of action.
Fiber Optics - The process of transmitting light images along fine filament fibers. The fibers, made from glass or Perspex, have highly polished surfaces with a refractive index which allows very little of the transmitted light to escape or attenuate.
Field - In programming terms a logical block of storage, or any length recognizable by the computer, in which a particular part of data or program is held and decoded.
FIFO - First In First Out. A method of storing data in a stack or table and retrieving first the first item stored.
File - Data categorized as being of a certain type or having a specific relationship may be treated as a specific entity. The literal term refers to the computer-readable medium on which the data is to be stored.
File Name - A unique acronym or grouping of characters which identifies a specific file to the system.
Filter - A electrical device or circuit designed to transmit and accept signals only within predefined limits. Any signal falling outside these limits will be suppressed.
Firmware - Software instructions which have been permanently stored in ROM (Read Only Memory). The memory converts these instructions into machine language on demand by a program.
FORTRAN - Acronym for Formula Translator, a widely used language for mathematics and technical programming.
Frequency - The measure of the number of repeats of a pulse per unit of time.
Full Duplex - Simultaneous transmission over a communications channel or series of wires in both directions.
G
GIGO - Garbage In Garbage Out . A computer slang term abbreviating the practical reminder that if a system receives bad, inaccurate or incomplete information the output will have similar deficiencies.
Glitch - An expressive term for a bug or gremlin.
H
Half-duplex – Alternate transmission over a communications channel in both direction.
Handshake – Receive and transmit signals
Hard Copy – Printer or graphical output produced on paper by a computer system.
Hard Disk – A hard disk has much greater storage capacity than a floppy disk, the actual capacity depending upon the manufacturer and the specific design of the disk driver and read/write head. The disk itself is made from a rigid alloy plate and coated with a magnetisable compound.
Hardware – The individual components, i.e. mechanical, electromechanical, magnetic and electronic devices that comprise any computer system.
Heat Sinks – The generic term for any device, method or material that can dissipate unwanted heat from an electric circuit, or any other source of heat.
Henrys (H) – A measure of the inductance present in a circuit or produced by individual components such as coils.
Hertz (Hz) – The SI Unit of frequency; the count of cyclical phenomena occurring each second.
Hexadecimal – A system of numbers and letters using 16 as a base, it uses the characters 0 to 9 and A to F and is interchangeable with binary. The system is easier to use and remember than binary and can offer more efficient use of memory.
High Level Language – A computer language which is easy to understand and use, but which requires extensive translation (compiling) into machine code before it can be used by a computer system. The general aim of high level language is to offer English like instructions.
Hot Start – A system restart following a very brief period of inactivity.
I
IBM - International Business Machines Corporation. One of the major forces in the computing industry ever since its inception .
IEE - Abbreviation for the Institution of Electrical Engineers. The British professional body responsible for educational and industrial standards.
IEEE - Abbreviation for the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. American body widely concerned with the definition of standards.
Inductance - The measure of energy stored in a magnetic field, which is setup by an electric current. The unit of measure of inductance is the Henry (H).
Inductor - A device which creates inductance, typically a coil of wire wound around an iron core.
Initialize - The process of setting all memory and counters, timers etc., to zero or start values. This is a normal commencement routine for a program and minimally involves clearing registers.
Ink Jet - A technology used in computer printers, where small jets impel ink onto paper. The character which is created is made up of dots of ink. The dots themselves are contained in an array, or matrix and be individually switched on and off under program control to form a complete character.
Input - The signals that are given to a computer for processing.
Input/Output (I/O) Ports - Connections to the internal bus system of the central processing unit to interface the computer to other modules and peripherals.
Instruction - A binary word which is interpreted by the central processing unit instruction decoder as a command to carry out specific tasks.
Instruction Decoder - An array of logic gates or circuits or a small Read Only Memory (ROM) internal to the central processing unit.
Instruction Register - A register within the central processing unit which is used to hold instructions fetched from memory.
Instruction Set - The total set of unique instructions which can be executed by a given computer system, to provide basic information necessary to assemble a program.
Insulation - The condition created by surrounding a conductor with insulation (or non-conducting) material so that current is limited to known path.
Integrated Circuit (IC or ic) - A semiconductor device containing circuit elements which are fabricated from a single piece of material (e.g. silicon) directly connected to perform a unique given function.
Intelligent Device - A device which contains sufficient logic to enable it to be programmed independently of the host computer, to which it is connected.
Interpolate - The reverse of extrapolate. Deducing a result or point on a graph based on readings on either side or immediately, i.e. one line at a time.
Interpreter - A program which translates as interpretive-language source program into machine code and executes immediately one line at a time.
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) - Gives a user up to 56 kbps of data bandwidth on a phone line that is also used for voice, or up to 128 kbps if the line is only used for data.
ISO - International Standards Organization.
J
Joystick - A control lever or multiple switch which can be rotated through 360° with mechanical advantage, to make or break a series of electrical connections.
Jumper - A direct connection between two points in a printed circuit, points which were not part of the original circuit. Generally used to improvise a change to the circuit.
K
K - Kilo. Commonly taken to mean 1000. In fact this is an approximation. To be strictly accurate K is 1024. K is used to describe the memory capacity of a computer, e.g. 32 Kb or 32000 bytes of memory. The exact memory size represented by 32 Kb is 32,768.
Karnaugh Map - A particular form of truth table, or an array of values which represent the logic states of inputs and outputs for a given logic gate.
Key - A button which can be depressed on any peripheral device, most commonly a keyboard. A key can also be a legend in a program or a very important element in a program.
KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid. An exhortation to programmers in particular. The underlying advice is very relevant. Several small and simple programs are generally easier to write, test and amend than one large , complex program.
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