Glossary

Acceptable User Policy (AUP):Guidelines outlining acceptable behavior and usage of computer systems, networks, and the internet by users.

Advanced Research Projects Administration (ARPA): An experimental network that eventually became known as the Internet.

Algorithms: A set of rules or processes to solve a specific problem or task.

Analog Signals: Continuous signals represented by smooth wave patterns.

Android: A mobile operating system (OS) based on the Linux kernel and currently developed by Google.

Antivirus Software: If properly installed on a computer system, can prevent access to computer systems by unwanted computer programs.

Application Software: Allows the user to perform tasks such as creating documents, recording data in spreadsheets, or messaging a friend.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): The ability of a computer or machine to think and learn, and mimic human behavior.

Augmented Reality (AR): Enhances one’s view of the real world with layers of digital information added to it. With AR, there is no created scenario; instead, an actual event is being altered in real-time.

Backup: A copy of some data.

Big Data: Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.

Binary: A number expressed in the binary numeral system, representing numeric values using two symbols: typically 0 (zero) and 1 (one).

Bit: The smallest unit of data in a computer, represented by one or zero.

Bluetooth: A wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances.

Brick-and-Click Business: Selling products to consumers via several channels, one of which is usually a tangible shop, and the other one an e-business.

Business Intelligence (BI): Combines business analytics, data mining, data visualization, data tools and infrastructure to help organizations make more data-driven decisions.

Business to Business (B2B): When a business sells a good or service to another business.

Business to Consumer (B2C): When a business sells a good or service to an individual consumer.

Business to Government (B2G): E-commerce transactions with the government.

Byte: A unit of data that computers use to represent a character with a group of eight bits.

Central Processing Unit (CPU): The “brains” of the device, carries out the commands sent to it by the software and returns results to be acted upon.

Chat-bots: Computer programs that use AI and natural language processing (NLP) to understand customer questions and automate responses.

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA): Requires the Federal Trade Commission to issue and enforce regulations concerning children’s online privacy.

Cloud: Refers to applications, services, and data storage on the internet.

Cloud Computing: The practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage, and process data.

Code of Ethics: A set of official standards of conduct that the members of a group are expected to uphold.

Collaborative Systems: Systems that allow users to brainstorm ideas together without the necessity of physical, face-to-face meetings.

Common Law Trademark: A trademark established solely through use in commerce in a specific geographical area.

Competitive Advantage: A condition or circumstance that puts a company in a favorable or superior business position.

Computer Network: A group of two or more computer systems linked together by communications channels to share data and information.

Computer Security: A branch of information technology known as information security intended to protect computers.

Consumer to Business (C2B): When a consumer sells their own products or services to a business or organization.

Consumer to Consumer (C2C): When a consumer sells a good or service to another consumer.

Consumer to Government (C2G): E-commerce transactions between the government and individuals.

Creative Commons: A nonprofit organization that provides legal tools for artists and authors.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management): An approach to managing a company’s interactions with current and future customers.

Data: The raw facts and devoid of context or intent data can be quantitative or qualitative.

Data Communication: The exchange of data between two or more networked or connected devices.

Data Integrity: The accuracy, completeness, and quality of data as it’s maintained over time and across formats.

Data Mining: The practice of analyzing large databases to generate new information.

Data Redundancy: When multiple copies of the same information are stored in more than one place at a time.

Data Resource Management: Deals with computer science and information systems.

Data Visualization: The graphical representation of information and data.

Data Warehouses: A large store of data accumulated from a wide range of sources within a company and used to guide in management decisions.

Database: A structured set of data held in a computer, especially one that is accessible in various ways.

Database Management System (DBMS): Stores and retrieves the data that an application creates and uses.

Database Technology: Takes information and stores, organizes, and processes it in a way that enables users to go back easily and intuitively and find details they are searching for.

Deep Learning (DL): A subset of Machine Learning – Deep Learning refers to when computers can solve more complex problems without human intervention.

Decryption: A way to change an encrypted piece of information back into unencrypted form.

Differential Backup: Only copies the data that has changed since the last full backup.

Digital Devices: An electronic device that uses discrete, numerable data and processes for all its operations.

Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA): Extended copyright law to take into consideration digital technologies.

E-commerce: Commercial transactions conducted electronically on the internet.

E-commerce Business Model: The method that a business uses to generate revenue online.

E-commerce Platform: A way to build and create an online experience that allows a company to make sales and fulfill orders.

E-Payment: Any payment done electronically.

Enterprise Database: Must be able to keep track of all operations on the database that are applied by a certain user during each log-in session.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): A software application with a centralized database that can be used to run an entire company.

Enterprise Software: Refers to applications that address the needs of multiple, simultaneous users in an organization or workgroup.

Ethical Dilemma: A situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two courses of action, either of which entails transgressing a moral principle.

Ethics: Moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity.

Extended Reality or XR: An umbrella term that covers all forms and combinations of real and virtual environments.

Expert Systems (ES): Designed to emulate the human ability to make decisions in specific contexts and have had a large impact in the world of AI.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): A US law that protects the privacy of student education records.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): A federal agency that administers antitrust and consumer protection legislation.

Firewall: A part of a computer system or network designed to block unauthorized access while permitting outward communication.

Full Backup: Copies all of the data.

Grandfather-Father-Son: Means that we keep different types of backup for different amounts of time.

Hardware: Includes the physical parts of the computer, such as the case, central processing unit, random access memory, monitor, mouse, keyboard, computer data storage, graphics card, sound card, speakers, and motherboard.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): A law that gives patients specific rights to control their medical records.

HTTP Cookie: A simple computer file made of text.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): A communications protocol used to send and receive webpages and files on the internet.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS): A secure version of HTTP, the protocol over which data is sent between your browser and the website that you are connected to.

Incremental Backup: Only copies the data that has changed since the last incremental backup.

Information Security: The state of being protected against the unauthorized use of information, especially electronic data.

Information Systems (IS): A formal, sociotechnical, organizational system designed to collect, process, store, and distribute information.

Information Technology (IT): Any computer-based tool that people use to work with information and support the information and support the information and information-processing needs of an organization.

Intangible: Unable to touch or grasp; not having a physical presence.

Intelligent Agents: Process the inputs it receives and make decisions/take action based on that information.

Internet: A network of networks.

Internet of Things (IoT): Refers to a network of physical devices, vehicles, appliances, and other physical objects embedded with sensors, software, and network connectivity.

iOS (iPhone OS): An operating system used for mobile devices manufactured by Apple Inc.

Killer App (Killer Application): An application viewed as so desirable by consumers that it can influence them to purchase devices or applications that include it.

Knowledge: Is human beliefs or perceptions about relationships among facts or concepts relevant to that area.

Knowledge Management: Efficient handling of information and resources within a commercial organization.

LAN (Local Area Network): A computer network that interconnects computers within a limited area.

LINUX/UNIX: Linux is a version of the Unix operating system that runs on the personal computer.

Machine Learning (ML): A technique used by an AI system to analyze data, find patterns, and make decisions automatically or with minimal human support.

Malware (Malicious Software): A kind of software that can be installed on a computer without approval from the computer’s owner.

Manufacturing Resources Planning (MRP): An information system used by businesses involved in manufacturing goods.

Memory: Specifically, Computer Memory. Any physical device capable of storing information temporarily or permanently.

Meta Base: An open-source tool that allows for powerful data instrumentation, visualization, and querying.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): Spans a larger area like a city or region.

Mobile Applications: Programs that run on tablet computers and smartphones.

Mobile Wallet: An application on your mobile device that stores your payment information to allow contactless payments.

Modem: Converts the format of the data so it may be transmitted between computers.

Moore’s Law: The observation that over the history of computing hardware, the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit has doubled approximately every two years.

Motherboard: The main circuit board on the computer that connects to the CPU, memory, and storage components, among other things.

MRP (Manufacturing Resources Planning): Refers to an information system that is used by businesses involved in manufacturing goods.

Nanobot: A robot whose components are on the scale of about a nanometer.

Natural Language Processing (NLP): Allows computers to extract meaning from human language.

Network: A connecting system (wireline or wireless) that enables multiple computers to share resources.

Network Connection: Provides connectivity between your computer and the Internet, a network, or another computer.

Non-Obvious Relationship Awareness (NORA): The process of collecting large quantities of a variety of information then combining it to create profiles of individuals.

Normalization: The process of organizing data in a database.

Open Source: Software that can be freely used, changed, and shared by anyone.

Operating Systems: Software that provides the interface between the hardware and the application software.

Output Devices: An output device sends data from a computer to another device or user.

Patents: Creates protection for someone who invents a new product or process.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P): Denoting or relating to computer networks in which each computer can act as a server for the others, allowing shared access to files and peripherals without the need for a central server.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Information about a person that can be used to uniquely establish that person's identity.

Privacy: Means the ability to control information about

Patents: Creates protection for someone who invents a new product or process.

Peer-to-peer (P2P): Denoting or relating to computer networks in which each computer can act as a server for the others, allowing shared access to files and peripherals without the need for a central server.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Information about a person that can be used to uniquely establish that person's identity.

Privacy: Means the ability to control information about oneself.

Private Cloud: A cloud computing environment dedicated to a single organization.

Productivity Software: Several software applications that have become standard tools for the workplace. (Example: spreadsheet, word processing, other Microsoft Office suite applications)

Programming Software: Software whose purpose is to make more software.

Protected Health Information (PHI): Any information about health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care that can be linked to an individual.

Protocol: A set of rules that govern how communications take place on a network.

Public Cloud: A cloud computing environment in which resources are shared among multiple organizations.

Pure-play Business: A company that focuses on only one industry.

Pyramid Scheme: An illegal and unsustainable business model where financial returns are based on recruiting new members rather than product sales.

Python: A high-level programming language known for its readability and versatility.

Quadcopter: A type of drone with four rotors.

Quantitative Data: Numeric data, the result of a measurement, count, or other mathematical calculation.

Query-by-Example (QBE): A database query language for relational databases.

Quick Response (QR) Code: A two-dimensional barcode that can store information, often scanned by smartphones.

Quality Assurance (QA): The process of ensuring that a product or service meets specified standards before it reaches the customer.

Quantum Computing: A type of computing that uses the principles of quantum mechanics to perform certain types of calculations much faster than classical computers.

Quarantine: Isolating or restricting the movement of individuals, software, or data to prevent the spread of a disease, malware, or other threats.

Query: A request for information from a database.

QuickTime: A multimedia framework developed by Apple that can handle various formats of digital video, picture, sound, panoramic images, and interactivity.

Queue: A data structure that follows the First-In-First-Out (FIFO) principle, where the first element added is the first to be removed.

Quality of Service (QoS): A set of technologies that manage data traffic to reduce packet loss, latency, and jitter on a network.

Quad HD (QHD): A display resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, providing higher image quality than Full HD.

Quantum Encryption: A method of secure communication using quantum mechanics to provide encryption keys.

Query Language: A language used to interact with and retrieve information from databases.

QR Code Scanner: A device or application that can read Quick Response (QR) codes.

Quantum Mechanics: A branch of physics dealing with the behavior of matter and energy at the quantum level.

Quality Control (QC): A process that ensures the quality of a product or service during and after production.

Query Optimization: The process of improving the efficiency of database queries to enhance performance.

Query String: A part of a URL that contains data to be passed to web applications.

Queue Management System: Software or system that controls the flow of people or tasks in a queue.

Ransomware: Malicious software that encrypts files and demands payment for their release.

Real-time Processing: Immediate processing and analysis of data as it is generated or received.

Registered Trademark: The name or symbol of a product or company, shown by the sign ®, which is officially recorded and cannot legally be used by another producer or company.

Reinforcement Learning: A form of Machine Learning in which a machine learns from trial and error.

Relational Data Model: A logical data structure where data tables, views, and indexes are separate from physical storage structures.

Remote Desktop: A technology that allows a user to connect to and control a remote computer.

Responsive Web Design (RWD): Designing web pages to ensure optimal viewing across various devices and screen sizes.

Robotics: The design, construction, and operation of robots for various tasks.

Robots: Automated machines that can execute specific tasks with little or no human intervention.

Rootkit: Malicious software that provides unauthorized access to a computer.

Router: A device that directs data traffic between computer networks.

Ruby on Rails: A web application framework written in Ruby programming language.

SaaS (Software as a Service): Software that is rented rather than purchased on a subscription basis.

Safe Harbor Provision: Limits the liability of online service providers when someone using their services commits copyright infringement.

Scalability: The ability of a system to handle increased workload or demand.

Scanner: A device that converts physical documents or images into digital data.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The process of optimizing a website to rank higher on search engine results pages.

Server: Manages network resources or performs special tasks such as storing files, managing printers, or processing database queries.

Smart Home: A residence equipped with smart devices for automation and control.

Smartphone: A mobile phone with advanced features, such as internet connectivity and applications.

Social Engineering: Manipulating individuals to divulge confidential information.

Social Media: Online platforms for creating and sharing content, connecting with others, and networking.

Solid State Drive (SSD): A storage device that uses flash memory for faster data access.

Spam: Unwanted or irrelevant messages, often sent in bulk, typically through email.

Spyware: Software that secretly collects user information without their knowledge.

Supply Chain Management (SCM): The optimization of a product’s creation and flow from raw material sourcing to delivery.

System Software: Software that provides a platform for running application software and managing computer hardware.

Tablet Computer: A portable computing device with a touchscreen interface.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol): A communications standard for exchanging messages over a network.

Trademark: A word, phrase, logo, shape, or sound that identifies a source of goods or services.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): Part of the TCP/IP protocol suite, responsible for reliable data transmission.

Trojan Horse: Malicious software disguised as legitimate to gain unauthorized access.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator): A web address that specifies the location of a resource on the internet.

User Agent: A computer program representing a person, such as a browser in a web context.

User Interface (UI): The visual elements and interactions of a software application.

Virtual Reality (VR): Computer interaction in which a real or imagined environment is simulated.

Virtualization: The process of creating a virtual version of a computer or network.

Virus: Malicious software that infects and spreads within computer systems.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol): Technology for making voice calls over the internet.

VPN (Virtual Private Network): A secure network connection over the internet.

Wearable Technology: Devices worn by consumers, often with health and fitness tracking capabilities.

Web 2.0: The social web era between 2000-2010, emphasizing user-generated content and collaboration.

Web 3.0: The semantic web era after 2010, enabling more intelligent web interactions.

Web 4.0: The future intelligent web, involving the Internet of Things and connected devices.

Web Browser: Software for accessing and navigating the World Wide Web.

Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity): Technology for wireless local area networking.

Windows: Microsoft’s operating system.

Wireless LAN (WLAN): A local area network that uses wireless communication.

World Wide Web (WWW): An information system on the internet that allows documents to be linked by hypertext.

Worm: A self-replicating computer program that spreads without human intervention.

WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access): A set of security protocols for wireless networks.

Wearable Technology: A category of technology devices worn by consumers, often including health and fitness tracking.

XML (eXtensible Markup Language): A markup language that defines rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable.

XSS (Cross-Site Scripting): A type of security vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages.

Yottabyte: A unit of information equal to one septillion (10^24) bytes.

YouTube: A popular online video-sharing platform.

Zettabyte: A unit of information equal to one sextillion (10^21) bytes.