| A | B |
|---|
| booting | process of loading the operating system software into memory to start a computer |
| camcorder | hand held video camera |
| central processing unit | the chip that performs all of the information processing |
| CPU | the main component 'brain' of the computer |
| computer | electronic machine that can perform calculations and can process large amounts of information accurately and more rapidly than the human brain |
| digitized effects | change analog information into digital information that the computer can use |
| disk drive | device that reads from and writes to a floppy drive or hard drive |
| diskette | a disk covered with a hard plastic jacket with a slide moved to read/write information |
| hardware | the physical equipment of a computer |
| keyboard | input device that resembles a typewriter |
| laserdisc | disc that is recorded with sound and pictures and read on a laserdisc player |
| laser printer | printer that produces high quality images using a method similar to that of a photo copy machine |
| modem | device that permits a computer to transmit and receive data over a telephone line |
| monitor | display screen designed as an output device for a computer |
| printer | mechanical device that can print text and sometimes graphics |
| bit | smallest unit of data that a computer can process or understand |
| byte | equal to eight bits |
| RAM | computer's temporary memory |
| ROM | permanent memory that can only be read |
| printer | output device that gives you a hard copy of your work |
| megabyte | one million bytes |
| silicon | material used to manufacture an integrated circuit chip |
| binary system | based on the numbers one and zero |
| kilobyte | one thousand bytes |
| cursor | blinking light on the screen |
| mouse | pointing device |
| mainframe | computer used by businesses that can perform many tasks at once and can be used by hundreds of users at the same time |
| functions of the computer | input, output, processing, storage |
