Programming Related Terminologies

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TERMS:

Access Time: the avarage time it takes a computer to find information in memory or to retieve it from a storage device.
Address: the numbered location of a bit or word in a computer's memory.
Algorithm: a step by step procedure for solving a problem.
Array: a data structure containing elements thata have some feature in common.
Artificial Intelligence: a branch of computer science that attempts to create programs capable of emulating human characteristics like learning and reasoning.
Assembler: a program that converts the mnemonic instructions of assembly-language programs into the zeros and ones of binary machine code.
Assembly language: a low level programming language, specific to a given computer, that uses short mnemonics corresponding directly to machine instructions and allows for symbolic addresses.
Binary code: a system for representing information by combinations of two symbols, such as one and zero, true and false, or the presence of absence of voltage.
Bit: binary digit, the smallest unit of information processed or stored by a computer.
Block structure: the division of a progran into self contained units, used for writing and testing parts of a program separately.
Boolean: a logic that allows one of two values: true or false. Named after it's creator George Boole.
Byte: a series of eight bits treated as a unit for computation or storage.
Cell: a single location in a computer's memory, capable of storing one bit of information.
Checksum: an extra byte derived from a group of bytes and appended to them to enable a computer to detect errors after data has been transmitted or stored.
Complier: a program that converts high level language instructions into lower assembly language or machine code files, for later execution. Compare with interpreter.
Constant: a declared value that remains unchanged during the execution of a program.
Data structure: a collection of data in which related elements are referred to by a common name in orider to organize, store, and retrieve the information efficiently.
Data type: the classification of a constant, variable, or element according to whether it will hold an integer, string, real number or Boolean value.
Declaration: a sesries of statements that identifies the data structures and types of data that a program will manipulate.
Dialect: a variation of a programming language that tailors the language to a certain application or to exploit the sttrengths of a particular computer.
Extension: an expanded version of a language supplimented with features that increase the language's capabilities.
Function: a type of subroutine that produces a single value, such as complex math operations, compared to built-in operators like + used for addition.
Garbage Collection: the identifying and removing of unneeded data from memory to make room for new information.
Hamming Codes: error detection techniques based on data and check bits, that locates errors in a group of bits.
Hexadecimal: a number system, based on 16 (0-9, A-F).
High level language: a programming language that approximates human language more closely than assembly or machine code.
Indentifier: a label given to a constant, variable or data structure that identifies it to the computer.
Instruction cycle: the series of steps a computer does to read an instruction for memory, decode it, execute it, and prepare for the next instruction.
Interleaving: an error correction technique for transmitted data, that separates a sting of data so that errors can be handled individually.
Interpreter: a program that translates a high level language into machine code one line at a time, during execution. Compare with compiler.
Keyword: a word in a programming language that has a specific meaning to the complier or interpreter, and so cannot be used for any other purpose in that language.
List processing language: a type of programming language that represents data in lists of words and other symbols in order to link concepts in a manner roughly analogous to the way they many be linked in the human brain.
Loop: a technique that allows a program to repeat a series of instructions a number of times.
Machine Code: a set of binary digits that can be directly understsood by a computer without translation.
Machine independant: a characteristic of a language that allows its programs to be translated and run on computers of a different design.
Mnemonic: a short term or symbol used to designate an instruction or operation.
Natural: The Natural Programming Project is developing general principles, methods, and programming language and environment designs that will significantly reduce the amount of learning and effort needed to write programs for people who are not professional programmers. These principles are based on a thorough analysis of previous empirical studies of programmers and new studies designed to discover more natural approaches to programming.
Nonprocedural language: a language that allows a programmer to describe the desired result of a program without having ot specify how to obtain it.
Object code: the machine code output of a compiler.
Object oriented language: a type of programming language that represents information in units called objects, each containing data and a set of operations to manipulate that data.
Octal: a number system based on 8, in which a single digit represents 3 binary digits.
Opcode: Operating Code, the part of an assembly language instruction that tells a computer what operation is to be performed.
Operand: the part of an assembly language instruction that gives the computer the address of the data to be operated on.
Operation: an action performed by a computer in response to an instruction.
Operator: a word or symbol in a high level language that represents mathematical operations, logical comparisons or other operations on data.
Optimizer: the part of a compiler that attempts to shorten or reorganize object code so that it occupies less space in memory or runs faster when it is executed.
OR: boolean logic operation which yeilds a zero when combining two bits that are alike, and a one when the bits are different.
Parity check: an error correction technique for transmitted data, that appends either a one or a zero to a group of bits to make the total number of ones even. After transmission or storage, a change to odd indicates an error.
Proceedural language: a programming language that requires sequences of explicit instuctions for arriving at a desired soluition.
RAD:Rapid Application Development
Recursion: the ability of a program to refere to itself as a subroutine.
Reserved Word: same as keyword, a word used only for the compiler or interpreter.
Segment: the result of dividing a program or data into portions of unequal size to accommodate the available memory spaces.
Source code: the lines of programming in a high-level language that are fed to a compiler or interpreter to be translated into assembly or machine code.
Statement: an instruction in a high level program that tells the computer what to do.
String: a series of characters, often a name or word.
Structured Programming: a way to create software, were you divide programs into small independent tasks.
Subroutine: a self contained section of a computer program that can be separately prepared and referred to by a singe name. Sometimes referred to as a module.
Subset: a limited version of a language that contains only some of the features of the full language.
Symbolic Address: a word in an assembly language program that is used instead of a number to refer to an address in memory.
Syntax: the rules for arranging words and symbols in a programming language in a manner that is inderstandable to the language's complier or interpreter.
Variable: a declared element whose value may be changed during a programs execution.
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