Chapter+9+All+definitions

Computer hardware The physical components of information technology, which can include the computer itself plus peripherals such as storage devices, input devices output devices, and networking equipment.

Software A computer program or a collection of programs. It is a precise set of instructions that tells hardware what to do

Operating system The software that controls the computer hardware and establishes standards for developing and executing applications

Applications Includes desktop applications, enterprise software, utilities, and other programs that perform specific tasks for user and organizations, a computer program used to do a specific kind of work

Firmware Software stored on nonvolatile memory chips (as opposed to being stored on devices such as hard drives or removable discs). Many products allow for this to be upgraded online or by connecting to another device

Embedded systems Special-purpose software designed and included inside physical products (often on firmware).Make devices "smarter" by sharing usage information, helping diagnose problems, indicating maintenance schedules, providing alerts, or enabling devices to take orders from other systems

Desktop software Applications installed on a personal computer, typically supporting tasks performed by a single user

Enterprise software Applications that address the needs of multiple users throughout an organization or work group.

ERP (enterprise resource planning)

SCM (supply chain management)

CRM (customer relationship management

BI (business intelligence) software

Database management system (DBMS) Sometimes referred to as database software, it is software used for creating, maintaining, and manipulating data

Server A program that fulfills the requests of a client.

In a hardware context, this is a computer that has been configured to support requests from other computers

In a software context, a this is a program that fulfills requests

Application server Software that houses and serves business logic for use (and reuse) by multiple applications

Web services Small pieces of code that are accessed via the application server which permit interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network.

results in:

Fewer errors

Time savings

Cost reductions

Creating whole new ways of doing business

Application programming interfaces (APIs) Programming hooks (or guidelines) published by firms that tell other programs how to get a service to perform a task, such as send or receive data

Service-oriented architecture (SOA): A robust set of Web services built around an organizations processes and procedures

EDI (electronic data interchange) A set of standards for exchanging information between computer applications

-send the electronic equivalent of structured documents between different organizations

-speed processes, cut the cost of transactions, and reduce errors

Extensible markup language (XML) A tagging language that can be used to identify data fields made available for use by other applications

Programming Language Provides the standards, syntax, statements, and instructions for writing computer software

Integrated development environment (IDE) An application that includes an editor (a sort of programmer's word processor), debugger, and compiler, among other tools

Scripting languages Programming tool that executes within an application.

-interpreted within their applications, rather than compiled to run directly by a microprocessor

Interpreted Languages where each line of written code is converted (by a software program, called an "interpreter") for execution at run-time

Total cost of ownership (TCO) All of the costs associated with the design, development, testing, implementation, documentation, training and maintenance of a software system.

Cost Caterogies-

Software development and documentation

Purchase price

Ongoing license and support fees

Configuration

Testing

Deployment

Capability maturity model integration (CMMI) A process-improvement approach that can assist in assessing the maturity, quality, and development of certain organizational business processes. Also suggests steps for their improvement


 * By Moaead Yahya**