Technical support

Terms related to computer fundamentals, including computer hardware definitions and words and phrases about software, operating systems, peripherals and troubleshooting.

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soft copy - A soft copy (sometimes spelled 'softcopy') is an electronic copy (or e-copy) of some type of data, such as a file viewed on a computer's display or transmitted as an email attachment.
soft reset - A soft reset is a restart of a device, such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop or personal computer (PC).
software - Software is a set of instructions, data or programs used to operate computers and execute specific tasks.
software documentation - In the software development process, software documentation is the information that describes the product to the people who develop, deploy and use it.
software package - A software package is a group of programs bundled together into a product suite.
Software patch/fix - A software patch or fix is a quick-repair job for a piece of programming designed to resolve functionality issues, improve security or add new features.
solid - A solid is a state of matter that retains its shape and density when not confined.
sound card - A sound card (also referred to as an audio card) is a peripheral device that attaches to the ISA or PCI slot on a motherboard to enable the computer to input, process, and deliver sound.
sound wave - A sound wave is the pattern of disturbance caused by the movement of energy traveling through a medium (such as air, water or any other liquid or solid matter) as it propagates away from the source of the sound.
space - Space is a term that can refer to various phenomena in science, mathematics and computing and generally encompasses the concept of an area or region.
spectrum analyzer - A spectrum analyzer is a device that measures and displays signal amplitude (strength) as it varies by frequency within its frequency range (spectrum).
square meter (meter squared) - The square meter, also called the meter squared, is the International System of Units (SI) unit of area.
Squid proxy server - Squid is a Unix-based proxy server that caches Internet content closer to a requestor than its original point of origin.
SRAM (static random access memory) - SRAM (static RAM) is a type of random access memory (RAM) that retains data bits in its memory as long as power is being supplied.
stack overflow - A stack overflow is a type of buffer overflow error that occurs when a computer program tries to use more memory space in the call stack than has been allocated to that stack.
standard - A standard is a generally agreed-upon technology, method or format for a given application.
standard temperature and pressure (STP) - Standard temperature and pressure (STP) refers to the nominal conditions in the atmosphere at sea level.
statistical mean, median, mode and range - The terms mean, median, mode, and range describe properties of statistical distributions.
Stefan-Boltzmann constant - The Stefan-Boltzmann constant, symbolized by the lowercase Greek letter sigma (σ), is a physical constant expressing the relationship between the heat radiation emitted by a black body and its absolute temperature.
STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) - STEM is an educational approach that prepares primary and secondary students for college, graduate study and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
stereoscopy (stereoscopic imaging) - Stereoscopy, sometimes called stereoscopic imaging, is a technique used to enable a three-dimensional effect, adding an illusion of depth to a flat image.
storage (computer storage) - Data storage is the collective methods and technologies that capture and retain digital information on electromagnetic, optical or silicon-based storage media.
storage filer - A storage filer is a type of file server designed and programmed for high-volume data storage, backup and archiving.
storage medium (storage media) - In computers, a storage medium is a physical device that receives and retains electronic data for applications and users and makes the data available for retrieval.
storage volume - A storage volume is an identifiable unit of data storage.
straw man - In general, a straw man is an object, document, person, or argument that temporarily stands in for and is intended to be "knocked down" by something more substantial.
streaming media - Streaming media is video or audio content sent in compressed form over the internet and played immediately over a user's device, rather than being saved to the device hard drive or solid-state drive.
Sun Microsystems - Sun Microsystems (often just called "Sun"), the leading company in computers used as Web servers, also makes servers designed for use as engineering workstations, data storage products, and related software.
supercomputer - A supercomputer is a computer that performs at or near the highest operational rate for computers.
superposition - Superposition is the ability of a quantum system to be in multiple states at the same time until it is measured.
synchronicity - Synchronicity is a concept developed by psychologist Carl Jung to describe a perceived meaningful coincidence.
Sysprep (System Preparation Tool) - Sysprep is Microsoft's System Preparation tool intended to duplicate, test and deliver new installations for the Windows operating system based on an established installation.
system administrator (sysadmin) - A system administrator (sysadmin) is an information technolog professional who supports a multiuser computing environment and ensures continuous, optimal performance of IT services and support systems.
system software - System software is a type of computer program that is designed to run a computer's hardware and application programs.
systems thinking - Systems thinking is a holistic approach to analysis that focuses on the way that a system's constituent parts interrelate and how systems work over time and within the context of larger systems.
taxonomy - Taxonomy is the science of classification according to a predetermined system, with the resulting catalog being used to provide a conceptual framework for discussion or analysis.
TCO (total cost of ownership) - Total cost of ownership (TCO) is an estimation of the expenses associated with purchasing, deploying, using and retiring a product or piece of equipment.
tebibyte (TiB) - A tebibyte (TiB) is a unit of measure used to describe computing capacity.
technical requirements - Technical requirements, in the context of software development and systems engineering, are the factors required to deliver a desired function or behavior from a system to satisfy a user’s standards and needs.
technological convergence - Technological convergence is a term that describes bringing previously unrelated technologies together, often in a single device.
telecommuting - Telecommuting is an arrangement to work outside the traditional office or workplace, usually at home or in a mobile situation.
template - A template is a form, mold or pattern used as a guide to make something.
Terabyte (TB) - A terabyte (TB) is a unit of digital data that is equal to about 1 trillion bytes.
theory of relativity - Albert Einstein's theory of relativity is actually two separate theories: his special theory of relativity, postulated in the 1905 paper, The Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies and his theory of general relativity, an expansion of the earlier theory, published as The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity in 1916.
throughput - Throughput is a measure of how many units of information a system can process in a given amount of time.
tilde - A tilde (pronounced TILL-duh or TILL-dee) looks like this: ~.
token - In general, a token is an object that represents something else, such as another object (either physical or virtual), or an abstract concept as, for example, a gift is sometimes referred to as a token of the giver's esteem for the recipient.
torque - Torque is a twisting or turning force that tends to cause rotation around an axis; it can also be thought of as the ability of something that is rotating, such as a gear or a shaft, to overcome turning resistance.
Total Quality Management (TQM) - Total Quality Management is a management framework based on the belief that an organization can build long-term success by having all its members, from low-level workers to its highest ranking executives, focus on quality improvement and, thus, delivering customer satisfaction.
touch screen - A touch screen is an electronic display screen that is also an input device.
troubleshooting - Troubleshooting is a systematic approach to problem-solving that is often used to find and correct issues with complex machines, electronics, computers and software systems.
truncation error - A truncation error is the difference between an actual and a truncated, or cut-off, value.
trusted execution environment (TEE) - A trusted execution environment (TEE) is an area on the main processor of a device that is separated from the system’s main operating system (OS) to ensure that sensitive data can be stored and managed in a secure environment.
truth table - A truth table is a breakdown of all the possible truth values returned by a logical expression.
Turing Test - A Turing Test is a method of inquiry in artificial intelligence (AI) for determining whether or not a computer is capable of thinking like a human being.
unique identifier (UID) - A unique identifier (UID) is a numeric or alphanumeric string that is associated with a single entity within a given system.
unzipping - Unzipping is the act of extracting the files from a zipped single file or similar file archive.
uptime and downtime - Uptime is a computer industry term for the time during which a computer is operational.
user group - In personal or business computing, a user group is a set of people who have similar interests, goals or concerns.
utility computing - Utility computing is a service provisioning model where a provider makes computing resources, infrastructure management and technical services available to customers as they need them.
value chain - A value chain is a concept describing the full chain of a business's activities in the creation of a product or service -- from the initial reception of materials all the way through its delivery to market, and everything in between.
value-added reseller (VAR) - A value-added reseller (VAR) is a company that resells software, hardware, and other products and services that provide value beyond the original order fulfillment.
vendor - A vendor is an individual or company that sells goods or services to somone else in the economic production chain.
virtual - In computing, the term virtual refers to a digitally replicated version of something real, whether it's a machine, a switch, memory or even reality.
virtual reality - Virtual reality is a simulated 3D environment that enables users to explore and interact with a virtual surrounding in a way that approximates reality, as it is perceived through the users' senses.
virtual reality sickness (VR motion sickness) - Virtual reality sickness (VR motion sickness) is the physical discomfort that occurs when an end user's brain receives conflicting signals about self-movement in a digital environment.
volatile - In general, volatile (from the Latin "volatilis" meaning "to fly")is an adjective used to describe something unstable or changeable.
volatile memory - Volatile memory is a type of memory that maintains its data only while the device is powered.
von Neumann bottleneck - The von Neumann bottleneck is a limitation on throughput caused by the standard personal computer architecture.
wall time (real-world time or wall-clock time) - Wall time, also called real-world time or wall-clock time, refers to elapsed time as determined by a chronometer such as a wristwatch or wall clock.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulation (WEEE) - Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulation (WEEE) is a directive in the European Union that designates safe and responsible collection, recycling and recovery procedures for all types of electronic waste.
wave number - The term wave number refers to the number of complete wave cycles of an electromagnetic field (EM field) that exist in one meter (1 m) of linear space.
web application (web app) - A web application (web app) is an application program that is stored on a remote server and delivered over the internet through a browser interface.
webmaster - A webmaster is a person who creates and manages the content and organization of a website, manages the computer server and technical programming aspects of a website or does both.
What is a neural network? Explanation and examples - In information technology, an artificial neural network is a system of hardware and/or software patterned after the operation of neurons in the human brain.
What is a Server? - A server is a computer program or device that provides a service to another computer program and its user, also known as the client.
What is patch management? Lifecycle, benefits and best practices - Patch management is the subset of systems management that involves identifying, acquiring, testing and installing patches, or code changes, that are intended to fix bugs, close security holes or add features.
What is server virtualization? The ultimate guide - Server virtualization is a process that creates and abstracts multiple virtual instances on a single server.
white paper - A white paper is an article that states an organization's position or philosophy about a social, political, or other subject, or a not-too-detailed technical explanation of an architecture, framework, or product technology.
wipe - Wipe, in a computing context, means to erase all data on a hard drive to render it unreadable.
word - In computer architecture, a word is a unit of data of a defined bitlength that can be addressed and moved between storageand the computer processor.
workload - In computing, a workload, typically, is any program or application that runs on any computer.
x86-64 - x86-64 is a 64-bit processing technology developed by AMD that debuted with the Opteron and Athlon 64 processor.
yottabyte (YB) - A yottabyte (YB) is a measure of theoretical storage capacity and data volumes equal to 2 to the 80th power bytes, or approximately a million trillion megabytes (MB).
zettabyte - A zettabyte is a unit of measurement used by technology professionals and the general public to describe a computer or other device's storage capacity.
Zulu (Zulu time) - Zulu (Zulu time) is used in the military and navigation for timekeeping purposes to avert confusion when coordinating with countries using other time standards.

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