Program design language. See Pseudocode.

Program documentation. Written or printed information necessary to support the ongoing existence of the software.

Program generator. Automatic generation of a program as a result of writing specifications about the problem to be solved.

Program testing. The process of verifying a program for its ability to perform its intended function and not to perform anything unexpected.

Programmable industrial automation. Flexible, easy-to-learn-and-use, intelligent automation applied to factory systems. It includes robotics, vision systems, and information systems.

Programmer. A person who creates computer programs.

Programmer analyst. A job classification that combines the functions of a programmer and a systems analyst.

Programming language. A formally constructed artificial language in which (the syntax and grammar are stated so precisely that a computer can analyze, interpret, and understand the meaning) of that language. Examples are Ada, Assembly language, C, COBOL, FORTRAN, and Pascal.

Protocol. A formal set of rules For specifying the format and relationships when exchanging information between communicating devices.

Protocol converter. Hardware or software that translates the codes of one computer or terminal into the code of another computer or terminal. It enables incompatible computers or terminals to communicate with one another.

Prototyping. The process of building working models of a system's inputs, outputs, and files.

Pseudocode. A method for writing English-language statements that are equivalent to programming-language statements in their sequence. Often used in alternative to flowcharting. Sometimes called program design language.

Pull-down menu. A menu that is hidden from view until needed.

Q

Query. A question or request for information.

Query by example (QBE). A fill-in-the-blanks approach to questioning a database. The user searches for information by filling out a query form on the display screen.

Query language. The capability to question a database or file of information without an) knowledge of how or where the information is stored. QWERTY. An abbreviation used to designate a standard typewriter keyboard layout, indicated by the first six letters in the first row of alphabetic characters.

R

RAM. An acronym for random-access memory. A temporary memory that is empty until the microprocessor needs to use it, that is, load programs and data into it. RAM is often called read/write memory, meaning that the microprocessor can read its contents and write programs or data into it. Its name comes from the method used to access information from the memory: random access. This means that it takes the same amount of time to access any one piece of information as it does another.

RAM disk. A section of random-access memory (RAM) that is treated as if it were a disk.

Random access. (1) A technique for organizing the cells in RAM so that the access time for any one cell is the same as that for any other cell. (2) A technique for organizing information on a disk so that records can be processed in an order other than sequential.

Random-access device. A device that can read and write information at any location on the device in the same amount of time, regardless of its physical location.

Date: 2016-01-03; view: 909