Tech Terms: Definitions for Hardware, Software, and Security

Posted on Jan 28, 2025 in Computers

Essential Computer and Programming Terminology

Apple: A company that produces Macs and other computer products.
Ubuntu: A specific type of computer operating system. Servers often use this operating system.
Linux: A computer operating system.
Terminal: A computer that allows users to input command lines.
Open Source: Software that can be distributed with the same basic source code.
Free Software License: Allows users to change and distribute programs.
OpenOffice: An open software package similar to Microsoft Office.
Microsoft Office: A software package that offers word processing and spreadsheet programs.
Interface: Provides a way for a user to interact with a computer.
Samba: A Linux program that allows Linux to act as a client on a Windows-based network.
Vendor: Someone who distributes programs and utilities.

TCP/IP Protocol: (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) A standard for communication between computers.
Attack: An attempt to get through computer security.
Replicate: To make copies of oneself.
Hacker: A person who exploits computer hardware and software for their own purposes.
Log in: To provide a computer security system with the proper identification to use the computer.
Virus: A harmful computer program file that takes up residence in a computer without the owner’s knowledge or permission.
Host: A computer system that has a computer virus attached to it.
Piggybacking: To gain unauthorized access to a computer system by taking advantage of the owner’s legitimate connection.
Overwriting: A computer virus that copies its code over and destroys the files of the original data.
Anti-antivirus viruses: A computer virus that attacks and often disables antivirus software.
Resident virus: A computer virus that becomes part of a file or disk drive but does nothing until activated by a trigger event.
Imbed: To become a part of something.
Resident Extensions: Add-ons to a computer virus that causes it to become a part of the host computer’s operating system.
Infect: To infect a computer is to contaminate it with a computer virus.

PHP: (Hypertext Pre-Processor) A scripting language that is used to create dynamic web pages.
Programmer: Someone who writes computer programs.
User-friendly: If something is user-friendly, it is easy to access and use.
XML: (Extensive Markup Language) A programming language that is used to encode web pages.
HTML: (Hypertext Markup Language) A way to alter the look of text on web pages.
Interactive: If something is interactive, it will respond to a user’s commands.
Scripts: A group of commands to be carried out automatically.
Web developers: Someone who builds a website.
Visual Basic: A simple programming language with a graphical component.
GUI: (Graphical User Interface) How a user interacts with a computer using images and text.
Component: A part of something bigger.
Back end: If something is back end, it occurs at the end of a project or job.
Editor: A program that is used to create and change files.