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DAC1 WGU Definitions
Definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1-tier infrastructure | the most basic setup because it involves a single tier on a single machine. |
| 2-tier infrastructure | the basic client/server relationship. |
| 3D printer | printer that can produce solid, three-dimensional objects. |
| 3G | third generation standard for mobile devices; its download speed usually varies from just under 1 Mbps (Megabits, or millions of bits, per second) to just over 2 Mbps. |
| 3-tier infrastructure | the most common approach used for Web applications today. |
| 4G | fourth generation standard and can be up to 10 times faster than 3G. |
| Abandon rate | the percentage of callers who hang up while waiting for their call to be answered. |
| Abandoned registrations | number of visitors who start the process of completing a registration page and then abandon the activity. |
| Abandoned shopping carts | the number of visitors who create a shopping cart and start shopping and then abandon the activity before paying for the merchandise. |
| Accuracy | usually measured inversely as error rate, or the number of errors per thousand (or million) that a system generates. |
| Ad hoc (nonrecurring) decision | decision you make infrequently (perhaps only once) and for which you may even have different criteria for determining the best solution for each time. |
| Ad-supported | derives revenue by selling advertising space, much like the concept of an affiliate program. |
| Adult sexting | sexting between two consenting adults. |
| Adware | software to generate ads that installs itself on your computer when you download some other (usually free) program from the Web. |
| Affiliate program | an arrangement made between two e-commerce sites that directs viewers from one site to the other. |
| Agent-based modeling | way of simulating human organizations using multiple intelligent agents, each of which follows a set of simple rules and can adapt to changing conditions. |
| Agent-based technology (software agent) | a small piece of software that acts on your behalf (on behalf of another piece of software) performing tasks assigned to it. |
| Agile methodology | a form of extreme programming that aims for customer satisfaction through early and continuous delivery of useful software components. |
| Analysis phase | of the systems development life cycle involves end users and IT specialists working together to gather, understand, and document the business requirements for the proposed system. |
| Analytics | the science of fact-based decision making. |
| Anonymous Web browsing (AWB) service | hides your identity from the Web sites you visit. |
| Anti-spyware software | utility software that detects and removes spyware and other unwanted software that can track every electronic move you make. |
| Antivirus software | detects and removes or quarantines computer viruses. |
| Application generation subsystem | of a DBMS contains facilities to help you develop transaction-intensive applications. |
| Application software | the software that enables you to solve specific problems or perform specific tasks. |
| Arithmetic logic unit (ALU) | a component of the CPU that performs arithmetic, as well as comparison and logic operations. |
| Artificial intelligence (AI) | the science of making machines imitate human thinking and behavior. |
| ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) | the coding system that most personal computers use to represent, process, and store information. |
| Augmented reality | the viewing of the physical world with computer-generated layers of information added to it. |
| Automatic speech recognition (ASR) | a system that not only captures spoken words but also distinguishes word groupings to form sentences. |
| Autonomous agent | software agent that can adapt and alter the manner in which it attempts to achieve its assigned task. |
| Average speed to answer (ASA) | the average time, usually in seconds, that it takes for a call to be answered by an actual person. |
| Back office system | used to fulfill and support customer orders. |
| Backup | the process of making a copy of the information stored on a computer. |
| Bandwidth | capacity of the communications medium, refers to the amount of information that a communications medium can transfer in a given amount of time. |
| Bar code scanner | reads information that is in the form of vertical bars, where their width and spacing represent digits (often used in point-of-sale [POS] systems in retail environments). |
| Basic formatting tag | HTML tag that allows you to specify formatting for text. |
| Benchmarking | a process of continuously measuring system results, comparing those results to optimal system performance (benchmark values), and identifying steps and procedures to improve system performance. |
| Benchmarks | baseline values a system seeks to attain. |
| Binary digit (bit) | the smallest unit of information that your computer can process. |
| Biochip | a technology chip that can perform a variety of physiological functions when inserted into the human body. |
| Biometric scanner | scans some human physical attribute, like your fingerprint or iris, for security purposes. |
| Biometrics | the use of physiological characteristics—such as your fingerprint, the blood vessels in the iris of your eye, the sound of your voice, or perhaps even your breath—to provide identification. |
| Biomimicry | learning from ecosystems and adapting their characteristics to human and organizational situations. |
| Black-hat hacker | a cyber vandal. |
| Bluetooth | a standard for transmitting information in the form of short-range radio waves over distances of up to 30 feet, used for purposes such as wirelessly connecting a cell phone or a PDA to a computer. |
| Bot | computer program that runs automatically. |
| Botnet | network of malware-bot infected computers. |
| Broadband | connection that is a high-bandwidth (high-capacity) telecommunications line capable of providing high-speed Internet service. |
| Broadband (home) router | a device to connect several computers together to share a DSL or cable Internet connection in a home or small office. |
| Browser-safe colors | 215 colors that can be viewed by all browsers and computers. |
| Business continuity plan | a step-by-step guideline defining how the organization will recover from a disaster or extended disruption of its business processes. |
| Business intelligence (BI) | collective information about your customers, your competitors, your business partners, your competitive environment, and your own internal operations that gives you the ability to make effective, important, and often strategic business decisions. |
| Business requirement | a detailed set of knowledge worker requests that the system must meet to be successful. |
| Business to Business (B2B) e-commerce | when a business sells products and services to customers who are primarily other businesses. |
| Business to Consumer (B2C) e-commerce | when a business sells products and services to customers who are primarily individuals. |
| Business to Government (B2G) e-commerce | occurs when a business sells products and services to a government entity. |
| Buyer agent or shopping bot | an intelligent agent on a Web site that helps you, the customer, find the products and services you want. |
| Buyer power | in Porter’s Five Forces Model it is high when buyers have many choices from whom to buy, and low when their choices are few. |
| Byte | a group of eight bits that represents one natural language character. |
| Cable modem | a device that uses your TV cable to deliver an Internet connection. |
| Call center metrics | measure the success of call center efforts. |
| Capacity planning | determines your projected future IT infrastructure requirements for new equipment and additional network capacity. |
| Cat 5 (Category 5) cable | a better-constructed version of twisted-pair phone cable. |
| CAVE (cave automatic virtual environment) | a special 3-D virtual reality room that can display images of other people and objects located in other CAVEs all over the world. |
| CD-R (compact disc—recordable) | an optical or laser disc that you can write to one time only. |
| CD-ROM (compact disc—read-only memory) | an optical or laser disc whose information cannot be changed. A CD stores up to 800 Meg of information. |
| CD-RW (compact disc—rewritable) | an optical or laser disc on which you can save, change, and delete files as often as you like. |
| Central processing unit (CPU) | the hardware that interprets and executes the system and application software instructions and coordinates the operation of all the hardware. |
| Chief information officer (CIO) | responsible for overseeing every aspect of an organization’s information resource. |
| Chief privacy officer (CPO) | responsible for ensuring that information is used in an ethical way and that only the right people have access to certain types of information such as financial records and payroll. |
| Chief security officer (CSO) | responsible for the technical aspects of ensuring the security of information such as the development and use of firewalls, intranets, extranets, and anti-virus software. |
| Chief technology officer (CTO) | responsible for overseeing both the underlying IT infrastructure within an organization and the user-facing technologies (such as CRM systems). |
| Choice | the third step in the decision-making process where you decide on a plan to address the problem or opportunity. |
| Class | contains information and procedures and acts as a template to create objects. |
| Clickstream | a stored record about your Web surfing session, such as which Web sites you visited, how long you were there, what ads you looked at, and what you bought. |
| Click-through | a count of the number of people who visit one site, click on an ad, and are taken to the site of the advertiser. |
| Client/server infrastructure (client/server network) | a network in which one or more computers are servers and provide services to the other computers, called clients. |
| Cloud computing | technology model in which any and all resources—application software, processing power, data storage, backup facilities, development tools, literally everything—are delivered as a set of services via the Internet. |
| Coaxial cable (coax) | one central wire surrounded by insulation, a metallic shield, and a final case of insulating material. |
| Cold site | a separate facility that does not have any computer equipment but is a place where the knowledge workers can move after the disaster. |
| Collocation facility | available to a company that rents space and telecommunications equipment from another company. |
| Communications medium | the path, or physical channel, in a network over which information travels. |
| Communications protocol (protocol) | a set of rules that every computer follows to transfer information. |
| Communications satellite | microwave repeater in space. |
| Communications software | helps you communicate with other people. |
| CompactFlash (CF) card | a flash memory card that is slightly larger than a half-dollar, with a capacity of up to 6 gigabytes. |
| Competitive advantage | providing a product or service in a way that customers value more than what the competition is able to do. |
| Competitive intelligence (CI) | business intelligence focused on the external competitive environment. |
| Component-based development (CBD) | a general approach to systems development that focuses on building small self-contained blocks of code (components) that can be reused across a variety of applications within an organization. |
| Composite primary key | consists of the primary key fields from the two intersecting relations. |
| Computer crime | a crime in which a computer, or computers, played a significant part. |
| Computer network (network) | two or more computers connected so that they can communicate with each other and share information, software, peripheral devices, and/or processing power. |
| Computer virus (virus) | software that is written with malicious intent to cause annoyance or damage. |
| Conditional formatting | highlights information in a cell that meets some criteria you specify. |
| Connectivity software | enables you to use your computer to dial up or connect to another computer. |
| Constant | a named element whose value doesn’t change. |
| Consumer to Business (C2B) e-commerce | when an individual sells products and services to a business. |
| Consumer to Consumer (C2C) e-commerce | when an individual sells products and services to other individuals. |
| Consumer to Government (C2G) e-commerce | when an individual sells products and services to a government entity. |
| Control unit | the component of the CPU that directs what happens in your computer, sends to RAM for instructions and the information it needs. |
| Conversion rate | the percentage of potential customers who visit your site who actually buy something. |
| Cookie | a small record deposited on your hard disk by a Web site containing information about you. |
| Copyright | the legal protection afforded an expression of an idea, such as a song, video game, and some types of proprietary documents. |
| Cost-per-thousand (CPM) | sales dollars generated per dollar of advertising, commonly used to make the case for spending money to appear on a search engine. |
| CPU (machine) cycle | consists of retrieving, decoding, and executing the instruction, then returning the result to RAM, if necessary. |
| CPU cache | a type of memory on the CPU where instructions called up by the CPU wait until the CPU is ready to use them. |
| CPU clock | a sliver of quartz that beats at regular intervals in response to an electrical charge. |
| Cracker | a hacker for hire; a person who engages in electronic corporate espionage. |
| Crash-proof software | utility software that helps you save information if your system crashes and you’re forced to turn it off and then back on again. |
| Critical success factor (CSF) | a factor simply critical to your organization’s success. |
| CRM analytics | the analysis of CRM data to improve functions such as sales force automation and customer service and support. |
| Crossover | the process within a genetic algorithm where portions of good outcomes are combined in the hope of creating an even better outcome. |
| Crowdsourcing | when businesses provide technologies that enable people (i.e., crowds)—instead of a designated paid employee—to create, modify, and oversee the development of a product or service. |
| CRT | a monitor that looks like a traditional television set. |
| CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) | the four procedures, or ways, a system can manipulate information. |
| Custom Filter function | allows you to hide all the rows in a list except those that match criteria, besides “is equal to,” that you specify. |
| Customer relationship management (CRM) system | uses information about customers to gain insights into their needs, wants, and behaviors in order to serve them better. |
| Cyberterrorist | one who seeks to cause harm to people or destroy critical systems or information. |
| Data | raw facts that describe a particular phenomenon. |
| Data administration | the function in an organization that plans for, oversees the development of, and monitors the information resource. |
| Data administration subsystem | of a DBMS helps you manage the overall database environment by providing facilities for backup and recovery, security management, query optimization, concurrency control, and change management. |
| Data definition subsystem | of a DBMS helps you create and maintain the data dictionary and define the structure of the files in a database. |
| Data dictionary | contains the logical structure for the information in a database. |
| Data management | component of a DSS that performs the function of storing and maintaining the information that you want your DSS to use. |
| Data manipulation subsystem | of a DBMS helps you add, change, and delete information in a database and query it for valuable information. |
| Data mart | a subset of a data warehouse in which only a focused portion of the data warehouse information is kept. |
| Data warehouse | a logical collection of information—gathered from many different operational databases—used to create business intelligence that supports business analysis activities and decision-making tasks. |
| Database | a collection of information that you organize and access according to the logical structure of that information. |
| Database administration | the function in an organization that is responsible for the more technical and operational aspects of managing the information contained in organizational information repositories (databases, data warehouses, and data marts). |
| Database management system (DBMS) | helps you specify the logical organization for a database and access and use the information within a database. |
| Data-mining agent | an intelligent agent that operates in a data warehouse discovering information. |
| Data-mining tool | a software tool you use to query information in a data warehouse. |
| DBMS engine | accepts logical requests from the various other DBMS subsystems, converts them into their physical equivalent, and actually accesses the database and data dictionary as they exist on a storage device. |
| Decision support system (DSS) | a highly flexible and interactive IT system that is designed to support decision making when the situation includes nonstructured element. |
| Demand aggregation | the combining of purchase requests from multiple buyers into a single larger order, which justifies a discount from the business. |
| Denial-of-service (DoS) attack | floods a server or network with so many requests for service that it slows down or crashes. |
| Design | the second step in the decision-making process, where you consider possible ways of solving the problem, filling the need, or taking advantage of the opportunity. |
| Design phase | of the systems development life cycle builds a technical blueprint of how the proposed system will work. |
| Desktop computer | the type of computer that is the most popular choice for personal computing needs. |
| Desktop publishing software | extends word processing software by including design and formatting techniques to enhance the layout and appearance of a document. |
| Development phase | of the systems development life cycle takes all your detailed design documents from the design phase and transforms them into an actual system. |
| Differentiation | (in Porter’s three generic strategies) offering a product or service that is perceived as being “unique” in the marketplace. |
| Digital camera | captures still images or video as a series of 1s and 0s. |
| Digital dashboard | displays key information gathered from several sources on a computer screen in a format tailored to the needs and wants of an individual knowledge worker. |
| Digital forensics | the gathering, authentication, examination, and analysis of electronic information for presentation in court. |
| Digital still camera | digitally captures still images in varying resolutions. |
| Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) | a high-speed Internet connection using phone lines, which allows you to use your phone for voice communications at the same time. |
| Digital video camera | captures video digitally. |
| Digital wallet | both software and information—the software provides security for the transaction and the information includes payment information (for example, the credit card number and expiration date) and delivery information. |
| Direct materials | materials that are used in production in a manufacturing company or are placed on the shelf for sale in a retail environment. |
| Disaster recovery cost curve | charts (1) the cost to your organization of the unavailability of information and technology and (2) the cost to your organization of recovering from a disaster over time. |
| Disaster recovery plan | a detailed process for recovering information or an IT system in the event of a catastrophic disaster such as a fire or flood. |
| Disintermediation | use of the Internet as a delivery vehicle, whereby intermediate players in a distribution channel can be bypassed. |
| Disk optimization software | utility software that organizes your information on your hard disk in the most efficient way. |
| Distributed agent | software agent that works on multiple distinct computer systems. |
| Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack | attack from multiple computers that floods a server or network with so many requests for service that it slows down or crashes. |
| Distributed infrastructure | involves distributing the information and processing power of IT systems via a network. |
| Distribution chain | the path followed from the originator of a product or service to the end consumer. |
| Domain name | (technical name for a Web site address) identifies a specific computer on the Web and the main page of the entire site. |
| Dot pitch | the distance between the centers of a pair of like-colored pixels. |
| Drone | bot-infected computer. |
| DS3 | a high-speed business network circuit running at 44.736 Mbps. |
| DVD-R or DVD + R(DVD—recordable) | a high-capacity optical or laser disc to which you can write one time only. |
| DVD-ROM | a high-capacity optical or laser disc whose information cannot be changed. |
| DVD-RW or DVD + RW | (depending on the manufacturer) a high-capacity optical or laser disc on which you can save, change, and delete files. |
| E-book reader (e-book device or e-reader) | portable computer designed specifically for reading digitized books and periodicals. |
| Effectiveness | refers to doing the right thing. |
| Efficiency | doing something right (e.g., in the least time, at the lowest cost, with the fewest errors, etc.). |
| E-gallery | electronic gallery of works that demonstrates your skills. |
| Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP) | a system that sends bills (usually to end consumers) over the Internet and provides an easy-to-use mechanism (such as clicking on a button) to pay them if the amount looks correct. |
| Electronic check | a mechanism for sending money from your checking or savings account to another person or organization. |
| Electronic commerce (e-commerce) | commerce, but it is commerce accelerated and enhanced by IT, in particular the Internet. |
| Electronic data interchange (EDI) | the direct computer-to-computer transfer of transaction information contained in standard business documents, such as invoices and purchase orders, in a standard format. |
| Electronic job market | consists of employers using Internet technologies to advertise and screen potential employees. |
| Electronic marketplace (e-marketplace) | an interactive business providing a central space where multiple buyers and sellers can engage in e-commerce and/or other e-commerce business activities. |
| Electronic portfolio (e-portfolio) | collection of Web documents used to support a stated purpose such as demonstrating writing, photography, or job skills. |
| E-mail (electronic mail) software | enables you to electronically communicate with other people by sending and receiving e-mail. |
| Encapsulation | information hiding. |
| Encryption | scrambles the contents of a file so that you can’t read it without having the right decryption key. |
| Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system | software system for business management, supporting areas such as planning, manufacturing, sales, marketing, distribution, accounting, finance, human resource management, project management, inventory management, service and maintenance, transportation, a |
| Entity class | a concept—typically people, places, or things—about which you wish to store information and that you can identify with a unique key (called a primary key). |
| Entity-relationship (E-R) diagram | a graphic method of representing entity classes and their relationships. |
| Entry barrier | a product or service feature that customers have come to expect from organizations in a particular industry and that must be offered by an entering organization to compete and survive. |
| Ethernet card | the most common type of network interface card. |
| Ethical (white-hat) hacker | a computer security professional who is hired by a company to break into its computer system, so as to find security lapses. |
| Ethics | the principles and standards that guide our behavior toward other people. |
| Expandability | refers to how easy it is to add features and functions to a system. |
| Expansion bus | the set of pathways along which information moves between devices outside the motherboard and the CPU. |
| Expansion card (board) | a circuit board that you insert into the expansion slot on the motherboard and to which you connect a peripheral device. |
| Expansion slot | a long skinny socket on the motherboard into which you insert an expansion card. |
| Expert system (knowledge-based system) | an artificial intelligence system that applies reasoning capabilities to reach a conclusion. |
| External information | describes the environment surrounding the organization. |
| Extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) | a three-step process that includes: (1) extracting needed data from its sources, (2) transforming the data into a standardized format, and (3) loading the transformed data into a data warehouse. |
| Extranet | an intranet that is restricted to an organization and certain outsiders, such as customers and suppliers. |
| Extreme programming (XP) methodology | breaks a project into tiny phases and developers cannot continue on to the next phase until the first phase is complete. |
| F2b2C (Factory to business to Consumer) | e-commerce business model in which a consumer communicates through a business on the Internet that directly provides product specifications to a factory that makes the customized and personalized product to the consumer’s specifications and then ships it |
| Facial recognition software | software that provides identification by evaluating facial characteristics. |
| Fair Use Doctrine | allows you to use copyrighted material in certain situations. |
| Feature analysis | captures your words as you speak into a microphone, eliminates any background noise, and converts the digital signals of your speech into phonemes (syllables). |
| Feature creep | occurs when developers add extra features that were not part of the initial requirements. |
| File transfer protocol (ftp) | communications protocol that allows you to transfer files of information from one computer to another. |
| Filter function | filters a list and allows you to hide all the rows in a list except those that match criteria you specify. |
| Financial cybermediary | an Internet-based company that makes it easy for one person to pay another person or organization over the Internet. |
| Financial EDI (financial electronic data interchange) | an electronic process used primarily within the Business to Business e-commerce model for the payment of purchases. |
| Firewall | software and/or hardware that protects a computer or network from intruders. |
| Firewire (IEEE 1394 or I-Link) port | fits hot-swap, plug-and-play Firewire connectors and you can connect up to 63 Firewire devices to a single Firewire port by daisy-chaining the devices together. |
| First call resolution (FCR) | the percentage of calls that can be resolved without having to call back. |
| First-mover advantage | being the first to market with a competitive advantage and thus having a significant impact on gaining market share. |
| Five Forces Model | helps business people understand the relative attractiveness of an industry and the industry’s competitive pressures. |
| Flash memory card | has high-capacity storage units laminated inside a small piece of plastic. |
| Flash memory device (jump drive, thumb drive) | a flash memory storage device that is small enough to fit on a key ring and plugs directly into the USB port on your computer. |
| Flat-panel display | thin, lightweight monitor that takes up much less space than a CRT. |
| Focus | (in Porter’s three generic strategies) focusing on offering products and services (1) to a particular market segment or buyer group, (2) within a segment of a product line, and/or (3) to a specific geographic market. |
| Foreign key | a primary key of one file (relation) that appears in another file (relation). |
| Forensic image copy | an exact copy or snapshot of the contents of an electronic medium. |
| Friendly fraud | identity theft when the victim knows the person who stole his/her identity. |
| Front office system | the primary interface to customers and sales channels. |
| FrontPage | Web authoring software. |
| Ftp (file transfer protocol) server | maintains a collection of files that you can download. |
| Function procedure | a VBA macro that returns a single value. |
| Fuzzy logic | mathematical method of handling imprecise or subjective information. |
| Game controller | used for gaming to better control screen action. |
| Gamepad | a multifunctional input device with programmable buttons, thumb sticks, and a directional pad. |
| Gaming wheel | a steering wheel and foot pedals for virtual driving. |
| Garbage-in garbage-out (GIGO) | if the information coming into your decision-making process is in bad form (i.e., garbage-in), you’ll more than likely make a poor decision (garbage-out). |
| Gas plasma display | sends electricity through gas trapped between two layers of glass or plastic to create a screen image. |
| Genetic algorithm | an artificial intelligence system that mimics the evolutionary, survival-of-the-fittest process to generate increasingly better solutions to a problem. |
| Geographic information system (GIS) | a decision support system designed specifically to analyze spatial information. |
| Gigabyte (GB or Gig) | roughly 1 billion bytes. |
| Gigahertz (GHz) | the number of billions of CPU cycles per second that the CPU can handle. |
| Glove | an input device that captures and records the shape and movement of your hand and fingers and the strength of your hand and finger movements. |
| Goal Seek | works backward from an objective to compute an unknown value. |
| Good-enough technology economy | marked by the lack of seeking perfection, focusing rather on getting “good enough” products out the door, often allowing them to evolve and improve over time through user feedback. |
| Government to Business (G2B) e-commerce | when a government entity sells products and services to businesses. |
| Government to Consumer (G2C) e-commerce | the electronic commerce activities performed between a government and its citizens or consumers including paying taxes, registering vehicles, and providing information and services. |
| Government to Government (G2G) e-commerce | either (1) the electronic commerce activities performed within a single nation’s government or (2) the electronic commerce activities performed between two or more nations’ governments including providing foreign aid. |
| Graphics software | helps you create and edit photos and art. |
| Hacker | a knowledgeable computer user who uses his or her knowledge to invade other people’s computers. |
| Hacktivist | a politically motivated hacker who uses the Internet to send a political message of some kind. |
| Haptic interface | uses technology to add the sense of touch to an environment that previously had only visual and auditory elements. |
| Hard disk | magnetic storage device with one or more thin metal platters or disks that store information sealed inside the disk drive. |
| Hardware | the physical devices that make up a computer (often referred to as a computer system). |
| Hardware key logger | a hardware device that captures keystrokes on their journey from the keyboard to the motherboard. |
| Heading tag | HTML tag that makes certain information, such as titles, stand out on your Web site. |
| Headset (head-mounted display) | a combined input and output device that (1) captures and records the movement of your head, and (2) contains a screen that covers your entire field of vision. |
| Help desk | a group of people who respond to knowledge workers’ questions. |
| Hidden job market | the collective term used to describe jobs that are not advertised. |
| Holographic device | a device that creates, captures, and/or displays images in true three-dimensional form. |
| Holographic storage device | stores information on a storage medium that is composed of 3-D crystal-like objects with many sides or faces. |
| Horizontal e-marketplace | an electronic marketplace that connects buyers and sellers across many industries, primarily for MRO materials commerce. |
| Horizontal market software | application software that is general enough to be suitable for use in a variety of industries. |
| Hot site | a separate and fully equipped facility where the company can move immediately after the disaster and resume business. |
| Hot swap | an operating system feature that allows you—while your computer is running—to unplug a device and plug in a new one without first shutting down your computer. |
| HR analytics | the analysis of human resource or talent management data for such purposes as work-force capacity planning, training and development, and performance appraisal. |
| HTML document | a file that contains your Web site content and HTML formatting instructions. |
| HTML tag | specifies the formatting and presentation of information on a Web site. |
| Hub | a device that connects computers together and passes messages by repeating all network transmissions to all the other computers. |
| Hypertext markup language (HTML) | the language you use to create a Web site. |
| Hypertext transfer protocol (http) | the communications protocol that supports the movement of information over the Web. |
| Identity theft | the forging of someone’s identity for the purpose of fraud. |
| Image scanner | captures images, photos, text, and artwork that already exist on paper. |
| Implant chip | a technology-enabled microchip implanted into the human body that stores important information about you (such as your identification and medical history) and that may be GPS-enabled to offer a method of tracking. |
| Implementation | the final step in the decision-making process where you put your plan into action. |
| Implementation phase | of the systems development life cycle distributes the system to all the knowledge workers and they begin using the system to perform their everyday jobs. |
| Information | data that have a particular meaning within a specific context. |
| Information agent | intelligent agent that searches for information of some kind and brings it back. |
| Information decomposition | breaking down the information and procedures for ease of use and understandability. |
| Information granularity | the extent of detail within the information. |
| Information partnership | two or more companies cooperating by integrating their IT systems, thereby providing customers with the best of what each can offer. |
| Information technology (IT) | any computer-based tool that people use to work with information and support the information and information-processing needs of an organization. |
| Information view | includes all of the information stored within a system. |
| Information-literate knowledge worker | can define what information they need, know how and where to obtain that information, understand the information once they receive it, and can act appropriately based on the information to help the organization achieve the greatest advantage. |
| Infrared, IR, or IrDA (infrared data association) | uses red light to send and receive information. |
| Infrastructure | a relative term meaning “the structure beneath a structure.” |
| Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) | delivery model for all the “extra” technologies necessary in a networked environment (e.g., network routers, communications servers, firewalls, anti-”you name it” software) in which you pay for the technologies on a pay-per-use basis instead of buying the |
| Infrastructure-centric metric | is typically a measure of the efficiency, speed, and/or capacity of technology. |
| Inheritance | the ability to define superclass and subclass relationships among classes. |
| Inkjet printer | makes images by forcing ink droplets through nozzles. |
| Input device | tool you use to enter information and commands. |
| Insourcing | using IT specialists within your organization to develop the system. |
| Instance | an occurrence of an entity class that can be uniquely described with a primary key. |
| Integrated collaboration environment (ICE) | the environment in which virtual teams do their work. |
| Integration testing | verifies that separate systems can work together. |
| Integrity constraint | rule that helps ensure the quality of the information. |
| Intellectual property | intangible creative work that is embodied in physical form. |
| Intelligence | the first step in the decision-making process where you find or recognize a problem, need, or opportunity (also called the diagnostic phase of decision making). |
| Intelligent agent | software agent that incorporates artificial intelligence capabilities such as learning and reasoning; software that assists you, or acts on your behalf, in performing repetitive computer-related tasks. |
| Interface | any device that calls procedures and can include such things as a keyboard, mouse, and touch screen. |
| Inter-modal transportation | the use of multiple channels of transportation—railway, truck, boat, and so on—to move products from origin to destination. |
| Internal information | describes specific operational aspects of an organization. |
| Internet | a vast network of computers that connects millions of people all over the world. |
| Internet backbone | the major set of connections for computers on the Internet. |
| Internet server computer | computer that provides information and services on the Internet. |
| Internet service provider (ISP) | a company that provides individuals, organizations, and businesses access to the Internet. |
| Interoperability | the capability of two or more computing components to share information and other resources, even if they are made by different manufacturers. |
| Intersection relation (composite relation) | a relation you create to eliminate a many-to-many relationship. |
| Intranet | an internal organizational Internet that is guarded against outside access by a special security feature called a firewall (which can be software, hardware, or a combination of the two). |
| Intrusion detection system (IDS) | a device that watches network traffic for intrusion attempts and reports them. |
| Intrusion prevention system (IPS) | type of intrusion detection system (IDS) that also takes action against intrusion attempts, for example, by creating new policies in a firewall to block the source of the attack. |
| Intrusion-detection software | looks for people on the network who shouldn’t be there or who are acting suspiciously. |
| Invisible backlog | the list of all systems that an organization needs to develop but—because of the prioritization of systems development needs—never get funded because of the lack of organizational resources. |
| IRC (Internet Relay Chat) server | supports your use of discussion groups and chat rooms. |
| IT culture | affects the placement structurally of the IT function within an organization and manifests the philosophical approach to the development, deployment, and use of IT within an organization. |
| Joint application development (JAD) | occurs when knowledge workers and IT specialists meet, sometimes for several days, to define and review the business requirements for the system. |
| Joystick | vertical handle with programmable buttons that controls action. |
| Just-in-time (JIT) | an approach that produces or delivers a product or service just at the time the customer wants it. |
| Key logger (key trapper) software | a program that, when installed on a computer, records every keystroke and mouse click. |
| Key performance indicator (KPI) | the most essential and important quantifiable measures used in analytics initiatives to monitor success of a business activity. |
| Keyboard | the most often used input device for desktop and notebook computers. |
| Knowledge management (KM) system | an IT system that supports the capturing, organization, and dissemination of knowledge (i.e., know-how) throughout an organization. |
| Knowledge-based system (expert system) | an artificial intelligence system that applies reasoning capabilities to reach a conclusion. |
| Language processing | attempts to make sense of what you’re saying by comparing the word phonemes generated in step 2 with a language model database. |
| Laser printer | forms images using the same sort of electrostatic process that photocopiers use. |
| Legacy information system (LIS) | represents a massive, long-term business investment; such systems are often brittle, slow, and nonextensible. |
| Link (hyperlink) | clickable text or an image that takes you to another site or page on the Web. |
| Linux | an open-source operating system that provides a rich operating environment for high-end workstations and network servers. |
| Liquid crystal display (LCD) | makes the screen image by sending electricity through crystallized liquid trapped between two layers of glass or plastic. |
| List | a collection of information arranged in columns and rows in which each column displays one particular type of information. |
| List definition table | a description of a list by column. |
| Local area network (LAN) | a network that covers a building or buildings in close proximity, such as one campus of a university or corporation. |
| Location mashup | a geographic information system (GIS) that displays a particular geographic area and then overlays content according to the user’s desires. |
| Location-based services (social locationing) | the use of a mobile device and its location (as determined by GPS) to check into locations such as businesses and entertainment venues, find friends and their locations, and receive rewards and take advantage of “specials” based on location. |
| Logical view | focuses on how you as a knowledge worker need to arrange and access information to meet your particular business needs. |
| Long Tail | refers to the tail of a sales curve—first offered by Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine, as a way of explaining e-commerce profitability. |
| Looping | repeating a block of statements or code numerous times. |
| Loyalty program | rewards customers based on the amount of business they do with a particular organization. |
| Mac OS | Apple’s operating system. |
| Macro | a set of actions recorded or written by a user. |
| Macro language | a programming language that includes built-in commands that mimic the functionality available from menus and dialog boxes within an application. |
| Mail server | provides e-mail services and accounts. |
| Mailing list | discussion groups organized by area of interest. |
| Mainframe computer (mainframe) | a computer designed to meet the computing needs of hundreds of people in a large business environment. |
| Maintenance phase | of the systems development life cycle monitors and supports the new system to ensure it continues to meet the business requirements. |
| Maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) materials (indirect materials) | materials that are necessary for running a modern corporation, but do not relate to the company’s primary business activities. |
| Malware | software designed to harm your computer or computer security. |
| Malware bot | bot that is used for fraud, sabotage, DoS attacks, or some other malicious purpose. |
| Management information systems (MIS) | deals with the planning for, development, management, and use of information technology tools to help people perform all tasks related to information processing and management. |
| Marketing analytics | the analysis of marketing-related data to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing efforts including product placement, marketing mix, and customer identification and classification. |
| Marketing mix | the set of marketing tools that your organization will use to pursue its marketing objectives in reaching and attracting potential customers. |
| Mashup | a combination of content from more than one source. |
| Mass customization | the ability of an organization to give its customers the opportunity to tailor its product or service to the customers’ specifications. |
| Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) | a game in which thousands or perhaps millions of people play and interact in a robust virtual world. |
| M-commerce | the term used to describe electronic commerce conducted over a wireless device such as a cell phone, PDA, or notebook. |
| MD5 hash value | a mathematically generated string of 32 letters and digits that is unique for an individual storage medium at a specific point in time. |
| Megabyte (MB or M or Meg) | roughly 1 million bytes. |
| Memory Stick Media card | elongated flash memory card about the width of a penny developed by Sony with capacities up to 512 megabytes. |
| Message | how objects communicate with each other. |
| Metropolitan (municipal) area network (MAN) | a set of connected networks all within the same city or metropolitan area, but not in immediate proximity to each other. |
| Microblogging | users exchanging small bursts of information that often include links to Web sites, videos, and the like. |
| Microphone | captures audio for conversion into electronic form. |
| Microsoft Windows Vista | Microsoft’s personal computer operating system in a wide range of editions including Vista Home Basic, Vista Home Premium, Vista Business, and Vista Ultimate. |
| Microsoft Windows XP Home | Microsoft’s predecessor to Vista designed specifically for home users. |
| Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Windows XP Pro) | Microsoft’s predecessor to Vista with enhanced features to support home users and business users. |
| Microwave transmission | a type of radio transmission. |
| Minicomputer (mid-range computer) | a computer designed to meet the computing needs of several people simultaneously in a small to medium-size business environment. |
| Mobile agent | software agent that can relocate itself onto different computer systems. |
| Mobile analytics | the analysis of data related to the use of mobile devices by customers and employees. |
| Mobile computing | broad general term describing your ability to use technology to wirelessly connect to and use centrally located information and/or application software. |
| Mobile CPU | a special type of CPU for a notebook computer that changes speed, and therefore power consumption, in response to fluctuation in use. |
| Mobisode | short one-minute video clips of TV shows designed for viewing on a small cell phone screen. |
| Model management | component of a DSS that consists of both the DSS models and the DSS model management system. |
| Monitoring-and-surveillance agent (predictive agent) | intelligent agent that constantly observes and reports on some entity of interest, that could, for example, be a network or manufacturing equipment. |
| Mouse | a pointing device that you use to click on icons or buttons. |
| Multi-agent system | group of intelligent agents that have the ability to work independently but must also work with each other in order to achieve their assigned task. |
| Multi-channel service delivery | the term that describes a company’s offering of multiple ways in which customers can interact with it. |
| Multidimensional analysis (MDA) tool | slice-and-dice technique that allows you to view multidimensional information from different perspectives. |
| Multifunction printer | a printer that can scan, copy, and fax, as well as print. |
| Multimedia (HTML) résumé | a multimedia format displayed on the Web for employers to explore at their convenience. |
| MultiMediaCard (MMC) | flash memory card that looks identical to an SD card (but SD cards have copy protection built-in), is a little larger than a quarter, and is slightly thicker than a credit card. |
| Multi-state CPU | works with information represented in more than just two states, probably 10 states with each state representing a digit between 0 and 9. |
| Multitasking | allows you to work with more than one piece of software at a time. |
| Multi-tenancy | multiple people simultaneously using a single instance of a piece of software. |
| Mutation | the process within a genetic algorithm of randomly trying combinations and evaluating the success (or failure) of the outcomes. |
| Nanotechnology | a discipline that seeks to control matter at the atomic and sub-atomic levels for the purpose of building devices on the same small scale. |
| Near Field Communication (NFC) | a wireless transmission technology being developed primarily for cell phones to support mobile commerce (m-commerce) and other cell phone activities. |
| Nearshore outsourcing | contracting an outsourcing arrangement with a company in a nearby country. |
| Network access point (NAP) | a point on the Internet where several connections converge. |
| Network hub | a device that connects multiple computers into a network. |
| Network interface card (NIC) | an expansion card for a desktop computer or a PC card for a notebook computer that connects your computer to a network and provides the doorway for information to flow in and out. |
| Network service provider (NSP) | such as MCI or AT&T, owns and maintains routing computers at NAPs and even the lines that connect the NAPs to each other. |
| Neural network (artificial neural network or ANN) | an artificial intelligence system that is capable of finding and differentiating patterns. |
| Nonrecurring (ad hoc) decision | one that you make infrequently (perhaps only once) and you may even have different criteria for determining the best solution each time. |
| Nonstructured decision | a decision for which there may be several “right” answers and there is no precise way to get a right answer. |
| Normalization | process of assuring that a relational database structure can be implemented as a series of two-dimensional tables. |
| Notebook computer | a small, portable, fully functional, battery-operated computer. |
| N-tier infrastructure | balances the work of the network over several different servers. |
| Object | an instance of a class. |
| Objective information | quantifiably describes something that is known. |
| Object-oriented approach | combines information and procedures into a single view. |
| Object-oriented database | works with traditional database information and also complex data types such as diagrams, schematic drawings, video, and sound and text documents. |
| Object-oriented programming language | a programming language used to develop object-oriented systems. |
| Offshore outsourcing | contracting with a company that is geographically far away. |
| Online ad (banner ad) | small advertisement that appears on other sites. |
| Online analytical processing (OLAP) | the manipulation of information to support decision making. |
| Online training | runs over the Internet or off a CD or DVD. |
| Online transaction processing (OLTP) | the gathering of input information, processing that information, and updating existing information to reflect the gathered and processed information. |
| Onshore outsourcing | the process of engaging another company in the same country for services. |
| Open-source information | content that is publicly available (in a broad sense), free of charge, and most often updateable by anyone. |
| Open-source software | software for which the source code (how the software was actually written) is publicly available and free of charge. |
| Operating system software | system software that controls your application software and manages how your hardware devices work together. |
| Operational database | a database that supports OLTP. |
| Optical character reader | reads characters that appear on a page or sales tag (often used in point-of-sale [POS] systems in retail environments). |
| Optical fiber | uses a very thin and flexible glass or plastic fiber through which pulses of light travel. |
| Optical mark reader | detects the presence or absence of a mark in a predetermined spot on the page (often used for true/false and multiple choice exams answers). |
| Optical storage media | plastic discs on which information is stored, deleted, and/or changed using laser light. |
| Organic light emitting diode (OLED) | uses many layers of organic material emitting a visible light and therefore eliminating the need for backlighting. |
| Output device | a tool you use to see, hear, or otherwise recognize the results of your information-processing requests. |
| Outsourcing | the delegation of specific work to a third party for a specified length of time, at a specified cost, and at a specified level of service. |
| Overall cost leadership | (in Porter’s three generic strategies) offering the same or better quality product or service at a price that is less than what any of the competition is able to do. |
| Page exposures | average number of page exposures to an individual visitor. |
| Parallel implementation | using both the old and new system until you’re sure that the new system performs correctly. |
| Parallel port | fits parallel connectors, which are large flat connectors found almost exclusively on printer cables. |
| Path-to-profitability (P2P) | a formal business plan that outlines key business issues such as customer targets (by demographic, industry, etc.), marketing strategies, operations strategies (e.g., production, transportation, and logistics), and projected targets for income- statement |
| Pattern classification | matches your spoken phonemes to a phoneme sequence stored in an acoustic model database. |
| PC Card | the expansion card you use to add devices to your notebook computer. |
| PC Card slot | the opening on the side or front of a notebook, where you connect an external device with a PC Card. |
| Peer-to-peer collaboration software | permits users to communicate in real time and share files without going through a central server. |
| Personal digital assistant (PDA) | a small handheld computer that helps you surf the Web and perform simple tasks such as note taking, calendaring, appointment scheduling, and maintaining an address book. |
| Personal finance software | helps you maintain your checkbook, prepare a budget, track investments, monitor your credit card balances, and pay bills electronically. |
| Personal information management software (PIM) | helps you create and maintain (1) to-do lists, (2) appointments and calendars, and (3) points of contact. |
| Personal productivity software | helps you perform personal tasks—such as writing a memo, creating a graph, and creating a slide presentation—that you can usually do even if you don’t own a computer. |
| Personal software-as-a-service (personal SaaS) | a delivery model for personal productivity software such as Microsoft Office in which you pay for personal productivity software on a pay-per-use basis instead of buying the software outright. |
| Pharming | the rerouting of your request for a legitimate Web site, that is, you type in the correct address for your bank and are redirected to a fake site that collects information from you. |
| Phased implementation | implementing the new system in phases (e.g., accounts receivables, then accounts payable) until you’re sure it works correctly and then implementing the remaining phases of the new system. |
| Phishing (carding or brand spoofing) | technique to gain personal information for the purpose of identity theft, usually by means of fraudulent e-mail. |
| Physical view | deals with how information is physically arranged, stored, and accessed on some type of storage device such as a hard disk. |
| Pilot implementation | having only a small group of people use the new system until you know it works correctly and then adding the remaining people to the system. |
| Pirated software | the unauthorized use, duplication, distribution or sale of copyrighted software. |
| Pivot table | enables you to group and summarize information. |
| Pixels (picture elements) | the dots that make up the image on your screen. |
| Planning phase | of the systems development life cycle, in which you create a solid plan for developing your information system. |
| Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) | a delivery model for software identical to SaaS with the additional features of (1) the ability to customize data entry forms, screens, reports, and the like and (2) access to software development tools to alter the way in which the software works by addi |
| Plotter | form output by moving a pen across the surface of a piece of paper. |
| Plug and play | an operating feature that finds and installs the device driver for a device that you plug into your computer. |
| Plunge implementation | discarding the old system completely and immediately using the new system. |
| Pointing device | a device that is used to navigate and select objects on a display screen. |
| Pointing stick | a little rod (like a pencil-top eraser) used almost exclusively on notebook computers. |
| Polymorphism | to have many forms. |
| Pop-under ad | a form of a pop-up ad that you do not see until you close your current browser window. |
| Pop-up ad | small Web page containing an advertisement that appears on your screen outside the current Web site loaded into your browser. |
| Port | a place on your system unit, monitor, or keyboard through which information and instructions flow to and from your computer system. |
| Portable document format (PDF) | standard electronic distribution file format. |
| Portable document format (PDF) résumé | a standard electronic distribution format typically used for e-mailing. |
| Prediction goal | the question you want addressed by the predictive analytics model. |
| Prediction indicator | specific measurable value based on an attribute of the entity under consideration. |
| Predictive analytics | uses a variety of decision tools and techniques—such as neural networks, data mining, decision trees, and Bayesian networks—to analyze current and historical data and make predictions about the likelihood of the occurrence of future events. |
| Presentation software | helps you create and edit information that will appear in electronic slides. |
| Primary key | a field (or group of fields in some cases) that uniquely describes each record. |
| Privacy | the right to be left alone when you want to be, to have control over your own personal possessions, and not to be observed without your consent. |
| Private cloud | cloud computing services established and hosted by an organization on its internal network and available only to employees and departments within that organization. |
| Procedure | manipulates or changes information. |
| Procedure view | contains all of the procedures within a system. |
| Program | a set of instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to behave in a specific manner. |
| Programming language | the tool developers use to write a program. |
| Project manager | an individual who is an expert in project planning and management, defines and develops the project plan, and tracks the plan to ensure all key project milestones are completed on time. |
| Project milestone | represents a key date by which you need a certain group of activities performed. |
| Project plan | defines the what, when, and who questions of systems development including all activities to be performed, the individuals, or resources, who will perform the activities, and the time required to complete each activity. |
| Project scope document | a written definition of the project scope, usually no longer than a paragraph. |
| Proof-of-concept prototype | a prototype you use to prove the technical feasibility of a proposed system. |
| Prototype | a smaller-scale representation or working model of the user’s requirements or a proposed design for an information system. |
| Prototyping | the process of building a model that demonstrates the features of a proposed product, service, or system. |
| PS/2 port | fits PS/2 connectors, which you often find on keyboards and mice. |
| Public cloud | cloud services that exist on the Internet offered to anyone and any business. |
| Public key encryption (PKE) | an encryption system that uses two keys: a public key that everyone can have and a private key for only the recipient. |
| Push technology | an environment in which businesses and organizations come to you via technology with information, services, and product offerings based on your profile. |
| Query-and-reporting tool | similar to a QBE tool, SQL, and a report generator in the typical database environment. |
| Query-by-example (QBE) tool | helps you graphically design the answer to a question. |
| Random access memory (RAM) | a temporary holding area for the information you’re working with as well as the system and application software instructions that the CPU currently needs. |
| Rapid application development methodology (RAD, rapid prototyping) | emphasizes extensive user involvement in the rapid and evolutionary construction of working prototypes of a system to accelerate the systems development process. |
| Recovery | the process of reinstalling the backup information in the event the information was lost. |
| Recurring decision | a decision that you have to make repeatedly and often periodically, whether weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly. |
| Redacting | blacking out portions of a document, usually to protect confidential information, so that it cannot be recovered later. |
| Relation | describes each two-dimensional table or file in the relational model (hence its name relational database model). |
| Relational database | uses a series of logically related two-dimensional tables or files to store information in the form of a database. |
| Repeater | a device that receives a radio signal, strengthens it, and sends it on. |
| Report generator | helps you quickly define formats of reports and what information you want to see in a report. |
| Request for proposal (RFP) | a formal document that describes in detail your logical requirements for a proposed system and invites outsourcing organizations (or “vendors”) to submit bids for its development. |
| Requirement recovery document | a detailed document which describes (1) the distinction between critical and noncritical IT systems and information, (2) each possible threat, and (3) the possible worst-case scenarios that can result from each disaster. |
| Requirements definition document | defines all the business requirements and prioritizes them in order of business importance. |
| Resolution of a printer | the number of dots per inch (dpi) it produces. |
| Resolution of a screen | the number of pixels it has. |
| Response time | average time to respond to a user-generated event, such as a request for a report, a mouse click, and so on. |
| Résumé | summary of your qualifications. |
| Reverse auction | the process in which a buyer posts its interest in buying a certain quantity of items with notations concerning quality, specification, and delivery timing, and sellers compete for the business by submitting successively lower bids until there is only one |
| RFID (radio frequency identification) | uses a microchip (chip) in a tag or label to store information, and information is transmitted from, or written to, the tag or label when the microchip is exposed to the correct frequency of radio waves. |
| Risk assessment | the process of evaluating IT assets, their importance to the organization, and their susceptibility to threats to measure the risk exposure of these assets. |
| Rivalry among existing competitors | in the Five Forces Model is high when competition is fierce in a market, and low when competition is more complacent. |
| Rootkit | software that gives you administrator rights to a computer or network whose purpose is to allow you to conceal processes, files, or system data, from the operating system. |
| Router | a device that passes network traffic between smaller subnetworks (or subnets) of a larger network. |
| Run-grow-transform (RGT) framework | an approach in which you allocate in terms of percentages how you will spend your IT dollars on various types of business strategies. |
| Sales force automation (SFA) system | automatically tracks all of the steps in the sales process. |
| Satellite modem | modem that allows you to get Internet access from your satellite dish. |
| Satisficing | the process of making a choice that meets your needs and is satisfactory, without necessarily being the best possible choice available. |
| Scalability | refers to how well your system can adapt to increased demands. |
| Scannable (or ASCII) résumé | a paper résumé without any formatting that becomes electronic when it is scanned into a computer. |
| Scanner | used to convert information that exists in visible form into electronic form. |
| Scope creep | occurs when the scope of the project increases beyond its original intentions. |
| Screenagers | the term applied to the current generation of young people because they spend so much time in front of a screen. |
| Script bunny (script kiddie) | someone who would like to be a hacker but doesn’t have much technical expertise. |
| Search engine | a facility on the Web that helps you find sites with the information and/or services you want. |
| Search engine optimization (SEO) | improving the visibility of a Web site through the use of tags and key terms found by search engines. |
| Secure Digital (SD) card | flash memory card that looks identical to an MMC card (but SD cards have copy protection built-in), is a little larger than a quarter, and is slightly thicker than a credit card. |
| Secure Electronic Transaction (SET) | a transmission security method that ensures transactions are legitimate as well as secure. |
| Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) | creates a secure and private connection between a Web client computer and a Web server computer, encrypts the information, and then sends the information over the Internet. |
| Selection | the process within a genetic algorithm that gives preference to better outcomes. |
| Selfsourcing (also called end-user development) | the development and support of IT systems by end users (knowledge workers) with little or no help from IT specialists. |
| Selling prototype | a prototype you use to convince people of the worth of a proposed system. |
| Service level agreement (SLA) | a formal contractually obligated agreement between two parties; within different environments, an SLA takes on different meanings. |
| Service level specification (SLS) or service level objective (SLO) | supporting document to a service level agreement that clearly defines key metrics for success regarding the SLA. |
| Service-oriented architecture (SOA or SoA) | a software architecture perspective that focuses on the development, use, and reuse of small self-contained blocks of code (called services) to meet all the application software needs of an organization. |
| Sexting | the sending of sexually explicit messages and/or photos, primarily between mobile phones. |
| Sign-off | the knowledge workers’ actual signatures indicating they approve all the business requirements. |
| Skill words | nouns and adjectives used by organizations to describe job skills which should be woven into the text of an applicant’s résumé. |
| Slack space | the space left over from the end of the file to the end of the cluster. |
| Smart card | a plastic card the size of a credit card that contains an embedded chip on which digital information can be stored and updated. |
| SmartMedia (SM) card | flash memory card that’s a little longer than a CF card and about as thick as a credit card with capacities of up to 512 megabytes. |
| Smartphone | cell phone with additional features such as a camera; Internet connectivity; note taking capabilities; GPS capabilities; and digital music and video players. |
| Social engineering | conning your way into acquiring information that you have no right to. |
| Social media analytics | the analysis of data related to social media use, mainly by customers or competitors, to help an organization better understand the interaction dynamics of itself with its customers and also to help an organization scan social media for competitive intell |
| Social network system | an IT system that links you to people you know and, from there, to people your contacts know. |
| Social networking site | a site on which you post information about yourself, create a network of friends, share content such as photos and videos, and communicate with other people. |
| Software | the set of instructions that your hardware executes to carry out a specific task for you. |
| Software suite | bundled software that comes from the same publisher and costs less than buying all the software pieces individually. |
| Software-as-a-service (SaaS) | delivery model for software in which you would pay for software on a pay-per-use basis instead of buying the software outright. |
| Spam | unsolicited e-mail (electronic junk mail) from businesses that advertises goods and services. |
| Spam blocker software | utility software that filters unwanted e-mail from your inbox. |
| Spear phishing | phishing that is targeted to specific individuals. |
| Spoofing | the forging of the return address on an e-mail so that the e-mail message appears to come from someone other than the actual sender. |
| Spreadsheet software | helps you work primarily with numbers, including performing calculations and creating graphs. |
| Spyware (sneakware, stealthware) | malicious software that collects information about you and your computer and reports it to someone else without your permission. |
| Steganography | the hiding of information inside other information. |
| Storage area network (SAN) | an infrastructure for building special, dedicated networks that allow rapid and reliable access to storage devices by multiple servers. |
| Storage device | a tool you use to store information for use at a later time. |
| Storyboard | a visual representation illustrating relationships of objects on a Web page. |
| Structure tag | HTML tag that sets up the necessary sections and specifies that the document is indeed an HTML document. |
| Structured decision | a decision where processing a certain kind of information in a specified way will always get you the right answer. |
| Structured query language (SQL) | a standardized fourth-generation query language found in most DBMSs. |
| Stylus | penlike device used to write or draw on a PDA or tablet PC. |
| Sub procedure | computer code that performs some action on or with objects. |
| Subjective information | attempts to describe something that is unknown. |
| Supercomputer | the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive type of computer. |
| Supplier power | in the Five Forces Model is high when buyers have few choices from whom to buy, and low when their choices are many. |
| Supply chain management (SCM) | tracks inventory and information among business processes and across companies. |
| Supply chain management (SCM) system | an IT system that supports supply chain management activities by automating the tracking of inventory and information among business processes and across companies. |
| Swarm (collective) intelligence | collective behavior of groups of simple agents that are capable of devising solutions to problems as they arise, eventually leading to coherent global patterns. |
| Switch | a network device that connects computers and passes messages by repeating each computer’s transmissions only to the intended recipient, not to all the computers connected. |
| Switching cost | a cost that makes customers reluctant to switch to another product or service supplier. |
| System availability | usually measured inversely as downtime, or the average amount of time a system is down and unavailable to end users and customers. |
| System bus | electrical pathways that move information between basic components of the motherboard, including between RAM and the CPU. |
| System software | handles tasks specific to technology management and coordinates the interaction of all technology devices. |
| System testing | verifies that the units or pieces of code written for a system function correctly when integrated into the total system. |
| Systems development life cycle (SDLC) | a structured step-by-step approach for developing information systems. |
| T1 | a high-speed business network circuit typically used for business connections, running at speeds up to 1.544 Mbps (1.544 million bits per second). |
| Tablet PC | slim-line computer that is about the size of a notebook or smaller with a touchscreen and has the functional capabilities of notebook or desktop computer. |
| TCP/IP (Transport control protocol/Internet protocol) | the primary protocol for transmitting information over the Internet. |
| Technical architecture | defines the hardware, software, and telecommunications equipment required to run the system. |
| Technology-literate knowledge worker | person who knows how and when to apply technology. |
| Telecommunications device | tool you use to send information to and receive it from another person or computer in a network. |
| Telephone modem (modem) | a device that connects your computer to your phone line so that you can access another computer or network. |
| Terabyte (TB) | roughly 1 trillion bytes. |
| Test conditions | the detailed steps the system must perform along with the expected results of each step. |
| Testing phase | of the systems development life cycle verifies that the system works and meets all the business requirements defined in the analysis phase. |
| Text analytics | process of using statistical, artificial intelligence, and linguistic techniques to convert information content in textual sources—like surveys, e-mails, blogs, and social media—into structured information. |
| Threat of new entrants | in the Five Forces Model is high when it is easy for new competitors to enter a market, and low when there are significant entry barriers to entering a market. |
| Threat of substitute products or services | in the Five Forces Model is high when there are many alternatives to a product or service, and low when there are few alternatives from which to choose. |
| Thrill-seeker hacker | a hacker who breaks into computer systems for entertainment. |
| Throughput | the amount of information that can pass through a system in a given amount of time. |
| Tiered infrastructure (layer infrastructure) | the IT system is partitioned into tiers (or layers) where each tier (or layer) performs a specific type of functionality. |
| Time service factor (TSF) | the percentage of calls answered within a specific time frame, such as 30 or 90 seconds. |
| Top-level domain (TLD) | extension of a Web site address that identifies its type. |
| Total hits | number of visits to your Web site, many of which may be by the same visitor. |
| Touchpad | the little dark rectangle that you use to move the cursor with your finger, often found on notebook computers. |
| Trackball | similar to a mechanical mouse, but it has a ball on the top. |
| Traditional technology approach | has two primary views of any computer-based system—information and procedures—and it keeps these two views separate and distinct at all times. |
| Transaction speed | the speed at which a system can process a transaction. |
| Trojan horse software | software you don’t want hidden inside software you do want. |
| Trojan horse virus | hides inside other software, usually an attachment or download. |
| Twisted-pair cable | a bundle of copper wires used for transmitting voice or data communications; it comes in several varieties. |
| Twitter jockey | person who focuses on Twitter to communicate with customers, sponsors, business partners, and the like. |
| U3 Smart drive | looks like and is a USB flash drive, but it stores and can launch and run software on any computer. |
| Ubiquitous computing | computing and technology support anytime, anywhere with access to all needed information and access to all business partners, both internal and external to the organization. |
| Unallocated space | the set of clusters that have been set aside to store information, but have not yet received a file, or still contain some or all of a file marked as deleted. |
| Uniform resource locator (URL) | an address for a specific Web page or document within a Web site. |
| Uninstaller software | utility software that you can use to remove software from your hard disk that you no longer want. |
| Unique visitors | the number of unique visitors to your sites in a given time. |
| Unit testing | tests individual units or pieces of code for a system. |
| USB (universal serial bus) port | fits small flat plug-and-play, hot-swap USB connectors, and, using USB hubs, you can connect up to 127 devices to a single USB port on your computer. |
| User acceptance testing (UAT) | determines if the system satisfies the business requirements and enables knowledge workers to perform their jobs correctly. |
| User agent (personal agent) | an intelligent agent that takes action on your behalf. |
| User documentation | highlights how to use the system. |
| User interface management | component of a DSS that allows you to communicate with the DSS. |
| Utility software | software that provides additional functionality to your operating system software. |
| Value-added network (VAN) | B2B service that offers information-sharing intermediary services between organizations based on various standards regarding the format of the information and how it will be sent and received. |
| Variable | a place to store a piece of information. |
| Vertical e-marketplace | an electronic marketplace that connects buyers and sellers in a given industry (e.g., oil and gas, textiles, and retail). |
| Vertical market software | application software that is unique to a particular industry. |
| View | allows you to see the contents of a database file, make whatever changes you want, perform simple sorting, and query to find the location of specific information. |
| Viewable image size (VIS) | the size of the image on a monitor. |
| Viral marketing | encourages users of a product or service supplied by a B2C e-commerce business to encourage friends to join in as well. |
| Virtual good | nonphysical object. |
| Virtual private network (VPN) | uses encryption to protect the confidentiality of all network transmissions between two endpoints. |
| Virtual reality | a three-dimensional computer simulation in which you actively and physically participate. |
| Virus (computer virus) | software that is written with malicious intent to cause annoyance or damage. |
| Visual Basic Editor (VBE) | a separate application where you write and edit your Visual Basic macros. |
| VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) | allows you to send voice communications over the Internet and avoid the toll charges that you would normally receive from your long distance carrier. |
| Walker | an input device that captures and records the movement of your feet as you walk or turn in different directions. |
| Waterfall methodology | a sequential, activity-based process in which one phase in the SDLC is followed by another from planning through implementation. |
| Web 2.0 | so-called second generation of the Web, which focuses on online collaboration, users as both creators and modifiers of content, dynamic and customized information feeds, and many other engaging Web-based services. |
| Web 3.0 | third-generation of the Web focused on semantics. |
| Web analytics | the analysis of data related to the Internet, often focusing on optimizing Web page usage. |
| Web authoring software | helps you design and develop Web sites and pages that you publish on the Web. |
| Web browser software | enables you to surf the Web. |
| Web log | consists of one line of information for every visitor to a Web site and is usually stored on a Web server. |
| Web page | a specific portion of a Web site that deals with a certain topic. |
| Web portal | a site that provides a wide range of services, including search engines, free e-mail, chat rooms, discussion boards, and links to hundreds of different sites. |
| Web server | provides information and services to Web surfers. |
| Web site | a specific location on the Web where you visit, gather information, and perhaps even order products. |
| Web site address | a unique name that identifies a specific site on the Web. |
| Web space | storage area where you keep your Web site. |
| Webcam | captures digital video to upload to the Web. |
| Web-centric metric | a measure of the success of your Web and e-business initiatives. |
| Whaling | the use of phishing targeted at senior business executives, government leaders, and other types of high-profile individuals. |
| White-hat (ethical) hacker | a computer security professional who is hired by a company to break into its computer system, so as to find security lapses. |
| Wide area network (WAN) | a set of connected networks serving areas or buildings not in immediate proximity to each other. |
| WiFi (wireless fidelity or IEEE 802.11a, b, or g) | a standard for transmitting information in the form of radio waves over distances up to about 300 feet. |
| Wiki | a Web site that allows you—as a visitor—to create, edit, change, and often eliminate content. |
| Wired communications media | transmit information over a closed, connected path. |
| Wireless access point (WAP) | a device that allows a computer to use radio waves to access a network. |
| Wireless communications media | transmit information through the air. |
| Word processing software | helps you create papers, letters, memos, and other basic documents. |
| Workshop training | held in a classroom environment and is led by an instructor. |
| World Wide Web (Web) | a multimedia-based collection of information, services, and Web sites supported by the Internet. |
| Worm | a type of virus that replicates and spreads itself, not just from file to file, but from computer to computer via e-mail and other Internet traffic. |
| xD-Picture (xD) card | flash memory card that looks like a rectangular piece of plastic smaller than a penny and about as thick, with one edge slightly curved. |
| Zombie | bot-infected computer. |
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