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A Plain-Language Glossary of Computing Terms
A broad starting glossary of computing terms, from algorithm and bit to router and workstation, each defined in plain language with a note on its history.
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Glossary and Word Origins
Plain-language explanations of computing terms and where they come from.
Bits, Bytes and Other Units of Data
Learn what bits, bytes, nibbles and words are, how kilo and mega prefixes became confusing, and why megabits and megabytes are not interchangeable.
Computing Acronyms Decoded
Spells out common computing acronyms such as RAM, ROM, ASCII, BASIC and URL, and looks at how some, like modem and pixel, turned into ordinary words.
Hardware Terms Explained
Plain definitions of common hardware words such as processor, memory, bus, motherboard, port and peripheral, with notes on how their meanings developed.
Mainframe, Minicomputer and Workstation: Types of Computers
What mainframe, minicomputer, microcomputer, workstation and supercomputer meant when they were new, and how those category names blurred over time.
Networking and Internet Terms Explained
Plain definitions of networking words such as protocol, packet, router, domain, IP address, bandwidth and latency, with notes on their historical background.
Software Terms Explained
Plain definitions of software words such as program, application, firmware, driver, source code, library and patch, with notes on how each term came about.
Where Computing Words Come From
How words like computer, boot, program, mouse, cursor, spam and cloud were borrowed from older meanings, and why so many computing terms are metaphors.
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How Computers Work The core ideas inside a computer, explained through the history of how they developed. Computing by Decade A decade-by-decade tour of what computing looked like and what changed. Preserving Computing History How old machines, software and data are saved, restored and kept readable. Myths and Misconceptions Popular stories about computing history, checked against what is known.