Abbreviations

We only provide the interpretation of abbreviations used in computer science!

Cross-references are marked with →

 

ALU (Arithmetic-Logical Unit): →calculator, a subunit that performs arithmetic and logical operations

ANSI (American National Standards Institute): US nonprofit organization for the coordination of various domestic and international standards systems

ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange): →alphanumeric code system used in the USA for the storage, display and transmission of information →on computers

B (byte): byte (8-bit in →IBM-compatible →computers) unit of data

baud: unit of measurement of data transfer rate ; in computing, 1 baud = 1 bps

BCD (Binary Coded Decimal): binary (≥ 4 bits) coded decimal (digit)

bpi (Bit Per Inch): number of →bits that can be written on a magnetic tape section of one inch (1” = 2.54 mm) length

bpch (Bit Per Character): number of →bits that make up a character

bps (Bit Per Second) : number of →bits transmitted in 1 s

Bps: (Byte Per Second) : number of →bytes transmitted in 1 s

bpW: (Bit Per Word): length of a →machine word →measured in bits

CAD (Computer Aided Design): →computer-aided (engineering) design

CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing): →computer-aided manufacturing, →using NC machines

CGA (Color Graphics Adapter): an interface card for controlling color monitors, originally with a Motorola 6845 →microprocessor

chpl ( Character Per Line): number of characters that appear on a line on the screen or in print

cpm (Card Per Minute): card reading speed: number of punched cards read in 1 minute

chps (Character per Second): print speed: number of characters printed in 1 s

CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computing): processor operating with a complete (using all instruction bit combinations) → instruction set

COCOM ( Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Control): an organization founded by 17 (+ 6 supporting) member countries to regulate export traffic

CPU (Central Processing Unit):→central processing unit

CRT (Cathode Ray Tube): a cathode ray tube-screen information display device

DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung): German standards institute for the localization of international (ISO) standards; every DIN standard has an →ISO equivalent

DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory): a semiconductor →RAM in which bits are stored by capacitors (charged →1 bit, discharged →0 bit); these must be refreshed periodically due to self-discharge

DTL (Diode-Transistor Logic): a circuit (storage and operation) built from semiconductor diodes and transistors

EBCDIC (Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code): extended code system, →for storing, displaying and transmitting →binary (≥ 4 bit) coded →decimal digits →in computers

EDS (Electronic Data Systems): US company that manufactures and distributes electronic devices

EPROM (Erasable Read Only Memory): a semiconductor memory that can be electronically written or rewritten and is only readable during normal operation.

flop (FLOoating Point operation): →floating point operation

GEM (Graphics Environment Manager): the world's first (~1980) graphical, mouse-controlled, windowed-icon user interface software package

Since the developer, Digital Research, did not legally protect it sufficiently, →MS could easily have stolen the idea.

G (giga = 10 ⁹ ): 1 billion times a unit of measurement

GUI (Graphical User Interface): graphical user interface; facilitates the integration of graphical elements (windows, menus, selection and control buttons, icons, etc.) into programs, and then uses them to interactively control the program's execution

IC (Integrated Circuit): →integrated circuit

IBM (International Business Machines): one of the world's largest computer technology companies (USA)

ips ( Instruction per Second): number of machine instructions executed in 1 s

ISO (International Organization for Standardization): international standards organization for the development and publication of uniform standards adopted by more than 100 member states

k (kilo = 10 ³ ) : 1000 times a unit of measurement

K ( = 2 ¹⁰ ): 1024 times a unit of measurement:

kB:   1000 →bájt

KB: 1024 →bájt

kips: (Kilo Instruction per Second): number of machine instructions executed in 1 second, in thousands

LCD (Liqud Cristal Display): liquid crystal information display device

LED (Light Emitting Diode): light-emitting (semiconductor) diode, for displaying individual points of light

lpm (Line per Minute): Number of lines displayed or printed in 1 minute

LSI ( Large Scale Integration): high component density (500-20,000 elements/→chip) →integrated circuit

μ (micro = 10 ^-6 ) : 1 millionth of a unit of measurement

m (minute): minute

M ( Mega = 10 ⁶ ): 1 million times a unit of measurement

MB ( MegaByte): 1 million →bytes

MDA (Monochrome Display Adapter): →interface card for controlling monochrome monitors, originally with Motorola 6845 →microprocessor

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface): a standard (protocol) used to connect electronic musical instruments (synthesizers, studio equipment, etc.) for asynchronous, serial line data transmission

Mio (= 2 ²⁰ ): 1048576 times a unit of measurement

Unfortunately, it is common practice to give the 1048576 →B →main storage capacity – which can be addressed with 20 →bits – as 1 →MB instead of the correct 1 MioB; we have retained this notation out of necessity.

Mips (Mega Instruction per Second): Number of machine instructions executed in 1 second, in units of 1 million

MMU (Memory Management Unit): a smaller, mainly 8-bit, main memory address management chip used in computers to convert virtual addresses to physical addresses and to implement paging.

MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor): metal oxide based semiconductor

MS: ( Microsoft Corporation): one of the world's largest software development and distribution companies (USA)

MSI (Medium Scale Integration): medium component density (10-500 elements/→chip) →integrated circuit

MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): the average time between two consecutive system failures, characterizing the "goodness" (usability, reliability) of a computer

NC ( Numerical Controlled ) machine : a numerically controlled , automatic production machine , its operation is usually controlled by a →computer-generated →punched tape

NTSC (National Television Systems Committee): analog television standard (USA, Canada, Mexico, Far East)

n (nano = 10 ^-9 ): one billionth of a unit of measurement

PCB: a printed circuit board with one or more layers formed on an insulating base plate(s) , on each layer of which the components are connected by conductive (usually copper) metal strips (instead of wiring)

PAL (Phase Alternating Line): analog color television standard (Europe)

PIO (Programmable Input/Output): programmable input/output →interface

RAID ( Redundant Array of Independent Discs): two or more independent disks operating synchronously for parallel (redundant) data storage

RAM (Random Access Memory): → random access memory built from ferrite rings (“ferrite memory”), semiconductor memory cells (→SRAM) or capacitors (→DRAM)

RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing): a processor that operates with a reduced instruction set (not using all bit combinations).

RGB (Red-Green-Blue) : a video signal that separately controls the circuits that drive the red, green, and blue light points of the display screen

ROM (Read Only Memory): read-only non-destructive semiconductor memory from which data cannot be erased after being loaded once

rpm (Ratation Per Minute): revolutions per minute

s (second): seconds

SCSI (Small Computer System Interface): a set of standards (commands, protocols, electrical and optical interfaces) for controlling data traffic between the →central unit and →external (peripheral) devices

SRAM (Static Random Access Memory): non-destructive RAM built from semiconductor flip-flops

SSI ( Small Scale Integration): low component density (1-10 elements/chip) →integrated circuit

T (Tera = 12 ¹² ): 1 trillion times a unit of measurement

TB (TeraByte): 1 trillion →bytes

TTL (Transistor-Transistor Logic): a circuit (storage and operation) built from transistors

ULSI (Utra Large Scale Integration) : ultra-high component density (>1,000,000 elements/→chip) →integrated circuit

USB (Universal Serial Bus): an industry standard that defines the size and design of cables, connectors, and ports used to connect →computers and various →external devices

VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display): a cathode ray tube, usually used to display individual characters, or perhaps dot matrices

VGA (Video Graphics Array): video card, a special-purpose →LSI video processor-controlled, self-operating circuit card for displaying color images

VIC (Video Interface Chip): →An integrated circuit made with MOS technology, used to generate graphics and audio-video signals.

VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration): very high component density (20,000- 1,000,000 elements/→chip) →integrated circuit

VRAM (Video RAM): dual-access →DRAM, mainly for graphics applications (→GUI, →VGA)

Its two interfaces allowed it to use the computer's main memory and graphics display simultaneously, significantly increasing its operating speed while its price barely exceeded that of traditional video interface devices.

W (W ord): →machine word

Y/C (Yellow/Color, Y stands for the Greek letter Γ ): a dual video signal, in which one is the brightness or luminance signal corrected ( with a Γ filter), and the other is the color signal carrying both saturation and hue

The control circuits of the screens produce the composite (→monochrome) and RGB (color) video signals from the two