MSCE Computer Studies flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Stored-program concept

Von Neumann design in which both instructions and data reside in the same read-write memory, letting a computer load and run different programs without rewiring.

First-generation computers

Machines built with vacuum tubes, such as ENIAC in 1946; they were large, hot and unreliable, used machine language and stored data on drums or punched cards.

Supercomputer

Fastest and most expensive class of computer, optimised for massive floating-point calculation and simulation in weather forecasting, physics research and cryptography, measured in FLOPS.

Digital computer

Computer that represents data as discrete binary digits and processes it with logic circuits, contrasted with analog computers that measure continuous physical quantities.

Control unit

CPU component that fetches instructions, decodes them and directs the ALU, registers and input/output devices to carry out each operation.

Cache memory

Small, fast SRAM between the CPU and RAM, storing recently or frequently used data; L1 is smallest and fastest, while L3 is largest and often shared.

RAM

Volatile main memory holding the programs and data currently in use; its contents are lost when power is removed, and capacity is measured in gigabytes.

Solid-state drive

Storage device using flash memory with no moving parts; faster, quieter and more shock-resistant than a magnetic hard disk, but usually costlier per gigabyte.

Operating system

System software that manages processes, memory, files and devices and provides a user interface and platform on which application programs run.

Round-robin scheduling

Preemptive CPU scheduling that gives each ready process a fixed time slice in turn; fair for time-sharing systems, with performance depending on slice length.

Virtual memory

Technique using disk space as an extension of RAM, moving pages between memory and a swap area so programs larger than physical memory can run.

Device driver

Software that translates general operating-system commands into the specific signals required by a particular piece of hardware, such as a printer or graphics card.

Two's complement

Method for representing signed binary integers: invert all bits of the positive value and add one; an 8-bit byte then ranges from −128 to +127.

Hexadecimal

Base-16 number system using digits 0–9 and A–F; each hex digit maps to exactly four binary bits, making it compact notation for memory addresses and colour codes.

ASCII

Seven-bit character code defining 128 codes for English letters, digits, punctuation and control characters; an extended 8-bit version adds accented letters and extra symbols.

Binary to decimal conversion

Sum each bit multiplied by 2 raised to its position, counting positions from 0 at the right; for example 1011₂ equals 8 + 0 + 2 + 1 = 11.

Absolute cell reference

Spreadsheet reference written with dollar signs, such as $A$1, that stays fixed when the formula is copied to other cells.

Primary key

Field or combination of fields that uniquely identifies each record in a table; it cannot contain duplicate values or nulls.

Mail merge

Word-processing feature that combines a main document with a data source to generate personalised letters, labels or envelopes for many recipients.

Database normalisation

Process of organising tables to remove redundancy and update anomalies; first normal form requires atomic values, later forms remove partial and transitive dependencies.

Router

Network device that forwards packets between different networks by examining IP addresses and choosing the best path using a routing table.

DNS

Domain Name System service that translates human-readable domain names such as example.com into the numeric IP addresses needed for routing.

Star topology

Network layout in which every device connects to a central hub or switch; a single cable failure affects one node, but the centre is a single point of failure.

Packet switching

Data-communication method that splits messages into small packets routed independently and reassembled at the destination, sharing links efficiently.

Algorithm

Finite, unambiguous sequence of steps that takes input, performs operations and produces output, terminating after a limited number of actions.

Binary search

Search that repeatedly halves a sorted list by comparing the target with the middle element; it needs about log₂n comparisons and requires sorted data.

Compiler

Translator that converts an entire high-level source program into object or machine code before execution, reporting syntax errors and producing a fast standalone program.

Iteration

Control structure that repeats a block of statements while a condition holds or for a fixed count, using loops such as FOR, WHILE or REPEAT.

CIA triad

Three core security goals: confidentiality keeps data secret from unauthorised users, integrity keeps it accurate and unaltered, availability keeps it accessible when needed.

Phishing

Social-engineering attack using fake emails, messages or websites that impersonate a trusted party to trick users into revealing passwords or financial details.

Digital signature

Encrypted hash attached to a message that proves the sender's identity and confirms the message was not altered in transit.

Incremental backup

Backup copying only files changed since the last backup of any type; fast to create but slower to restore, since the last full backup plus all increments are needed.