Computer Dictionary E-H

Updated 04/8/01 Copyright 2001, J.Graham; All rights reserved.

E-book: A book stored in a format that is accessed using specialized computer or a general purpose computer. E-books are easier to publish and distribute, but at this time they may be harder to read, and it is much harder to deter illegal copying.

EBCDIC (Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code): The code used for character data in the memory of IBM Mainframes.

ECC (Error Checking and Correction): Techinque used for detecting and correcting machine errors, including those involving memory.

E-Commerce: Conducting business on the Internet or other computer network; Buying and selling on the Internet or other network.

E-Business: Conducting business on the Internet; A business which operates in that manner.

Electronic Data Interchange: An older (pre-Internet) standard (method) for conducting business to business transactions over a computer network.

email: Mail sent electronically over the Internet or any other network or networks.

Embedded System: A computer built into another machine, such as a car, an elevator system, or a factory machine.

Encryption: The process of putting information into codes designed to protect its privacy or secrecy.

ENIAC: One of the earliest electronic computers. The ENIAC was designed by John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert. Its was created as a secret project for the US Army's Ballistics Research Lab and was completed in 1945.

Enterprise Portal: A portal pertaining to a particular company as opposed to a general purpose portal. Access to the portal may be restricted to those within the company or those within the company and the company's channel partners.

Excel: A popular spreadsheet program. For more information on Excel click here.

Encryption: Putting information into code. Encryption is necessary for sending credit card numbers on the Internet. An example of a program that provides encryption is McAfee PGP Personal Security

Encryption Key:A piece of data used in the process of encryption. By using different keys, the same encryption program can put data into different codes.

Enterprise Applications: Programs used for sharing information between different departments of a large company.

Enterprise Server: A large computer which serves many users at the same time. The users connect to the computer through a network.

Ethernet: A protocol designed by Xerox Corp for local area networks. It is now also used for larger networks. For a more technical definition, go to http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=ethernet and scroll down.

External Drive: A drive which is not inside the system unit but is outside.

Extranet: A network that belongs to a particular organization, but is used not only by those within the organization, but is also used selected persons connected with the organization, such as customers or suppliers. Book suggestion: Building a Strategic Extranet.

Evolutionary Computing: A form of programming that allows programs to adapt appropriately to relevant changes in the environment.

Fiber Optics: Cables which use laser light instead of electricity for communication. Fiber optics are less susceptible to interference than copper wire or coaxial cable, so they can carry data at higher speeds. However they are more expensive to install and maintain.

File: A unit of data which has a name and may be stored on storage media or may be transmitted over a network. A file may, for example be a picture, document, sound file, a webpage, or a program. A database file may contain the data for a population and would be comprised of smaller units called records, each of which represents one member of the population.

Firewall: A security barrior, which may be composed of software or software and hardware, used to protect the security of a computer or a network. Firewalls can defend systems against hackers and viruses, and could also be used for filtering Internet content. For an exaple of a firewall for personal computers, click here.

Floating Point: A code for representing numbers which can handle an extremely large range of numbers, including positive and negative numbers of great magnitude and very small fractions.

Floppy Disk: A type of magnetic storage media which is removeable, but does not have a large capacity. The most common floppy disks in use are 3.25 inches, and are rigid rather than flexible.

Fourth Generation Language: Newer programming languages which are more english-like and easier for programmers to use for complicated projects.

FPU (Floating Point Unit): The part of a cpu that does math with floating point numbers.

Front End: The part of the system that handles contact with users, particularly users that are outside the company, such as customers or suppliers.

Frontpage: A software package used for creating web pages. For more information on Frontpage, click here.

Function: A part of a program used to perform an action. The programmer defines a function, giving it a name, defining the variables it needs to use, and writing the instructions it contains. In general, a function gives back a result, consisting of one data item, to the rest of the program.

Geographic Information System: A system which can create maps for various purposes. It may be able to take addresses of items in text form and put the items on the maps. It may have the ability to create customized maps instantly.

Global Positioning System (GPS): A system which is used to locate a moving object. For example, could be used to find the location of a ship at see. Or it could be used by a business to locate delivery trucks or repair trucks. The GPS is on board the vehicle and may transmit its location to a computer at another location.

Graphical User Interface (GUI): Part of an operating system or other program which allows the user to use graphics on the screen in order to give commands to the software. Icons, Pull-down Menus, Scroll Bars, and Dialog Boxes are part of Windows graphical user interface.

Gigaherz: A measure of CPU speed. A billion cycles per second.

Hackers: Usually used to mean those who break into computers or computer networks or those who break copy protection. Originally the word was used to mean master programmer. Book suggestions: A Complete Hacker's Hdbk: Everything You Need to Know About Hacking in the Age of the Web, Network Intrusion Detection: An Analyst's Handbook.

Hard Disk: A magnetic disk which is in a sealed enclosure. It can be accessed faster than a floppy disk, and has much larger storage capacity. Hard disk drives are usually the main storage device in a microcomputer, and are generally not removeable as floppy disks are.

Hard Disk Drive: The device that reads from and writes to the hard disk. To see examples of hard drives, click here and scroll down.

Hardware: The machinery of the computer system. The hardware of the computer system includes the system unit and all of the peripherals.

Heuristic: A rule that is true most of the time, but not all of the time. Heuristics are used in artificial intelligence. Book suggestion: How to Solve It : Modern Heuristics

Hosting Company: A company which provides web servers to host the websites of other companies and individuals.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): The language used for creating webpages. Book suggestion: Sams Teach Yourself Html 4 in 24 Hours