We're
really excited about the release this spring of the 14th edition of
Computers: Systems, Terms and Acronyms. It's the latest
edition of the book thousands have relied on since 1989 to explain
technology in plain English - with new information, new terms, and
even a new size! The 14th edition includes 17 chapters of broad
coverage of IT and over 3,000 definitions of the most common
technical skills and products. It's a stand-alone tool but works
best as a companion to TechRef, our 24/7 online database
which has more than 14,000 entries!
Find out about our
pre-release special. Details follow in the following article: Go to
"THE
BOOK" is
Back!
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DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGIES and
TECHNIQUES
Discussions of software
development usually concentrate on languages and tools, as these are
visible and definitive. We know the names of languages, and know
that different languages are used by different programmers for
different assignments. Development tools, which are used for design
and testing in addition to writing programs, also have names and
specific functionality which usually follows a defined methodology
or technique.
Almost as soon as people started to use
computers to solve business problems, the need for rules and
standards to govern the development process appeared. The first
methodologies were defined in the early 1970s, and concentrated on
stating rules for developing software that would make it easier for
someone else to understand and maintain (make changes). These
methodologies concentrated on the programming and testing phases.
Standardizing development is still a major goal, however, the
current methodologies are equally concerned with the quality of the
product being developed and SQA (Software Quality Assurance) is the
basis for many of today’s methodologies.
Today’s SQA
produces methodologies that define standards for development and
include formal monitoring to make sure that the standards are
followed. Because the standards must be set in the beginning of the
development life cycle, and testing is the most common QA activity,
these methodologies cover the entire life cycle. Techniques used in
various methodologies include inspections, algorithm analysis,
decision-table analysis, and Petri-net modeling, all of which can be
used in design.
An inspection is an example of a non-testing
QA technique, and is based on a technique introduced in the ‘70s -
the programming walkthrough. Every time a program was written, a
walkthrough would be scheduled. The program code would be reviewed
by a team of developers, and potential problems would be discovered
before the programs were actually tested. Walkthroughs are the basis
of inspections which is a technique used in the XP (eXtreme
Programming) methodology. An inspection is a critical examination of
software development by a formal, group review of documents created
during the development process. While most often it is program code
that is inspected, program specifications, data diagrams, test plans
and test data, and other documents can also be inspected. Extreme
programming operates on the principle of not allowing errors into
systems and uses inspections to review analysis and design documents
before the code is even written. This is to keep errors out of the
code and not let them get to the programming and testing phases The
objective is to find errors quickly, and techniques that work in the
analysis and design phases are becoming more popular. They
supplement the many testing techniques that are a necessary part of
any quality assurance methodology.
Several QA methodologies
are used, the most popular being Six Sigma, TQM (Total Quality
Management), and CMM (Capability Maturity Model). TQM appeared
first, and describes a methodology of quality control for software
development. It works with ongoing refinements of the software
product and continual feedback thus improving software in small
increments. It was developed by IBM in the mid-1970s, and is part of
ISO 9000 compliance. CMM was introduced by SEI (Software Engineering
Institute) in the mid-1980s and defines five levels of
effectiveness: initial (ad hoc and chaotic), repeatable, defined,
managed, and optimizing (piloting new development ideas and
technologies.) Six Sigma is a term used by statisticians and
engineers to describe a state of nearly zero defects. It's used in
IT to define a methodology for quality control during software
development and focuses on critical core processes to understand
customer requirements and align work processes. It uses analytical
tools to improve these processes and was introduced in
1987.
As writing and testing programs becomes easier and with
languages and tools that can automate much of the coding and
testing, analysis and design skills are more visible. These are the
development phases that actually create the program solutions, and
methodologies and techniques concentrate more and more on these
activities.
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top
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stop
your frustration! IT professionals seem to speak a different
language, and it’s uncomfortable when you don’t understand what
they’re saying. Your job becomes harder than it has to be, and it’s
no fun spending hours researching technical terms when everything
you find is written for someone with a technical background.
SemCo’s reference tools put plain English
explanations in your hands. Complementary products – Computers:
Systems, Terms and Acronyms (CSTA), a hard-copy bound book, and
TechRef, a 24/7 online database - are designed specifically
for people without a technical background and can be purchased
together or separately.
Which resource
do you need?
The CSTA book contains the broad
coverage of Information Technology and over 3,000 definitions of the
most common technical skills and products. This is the easiest and
quickest way to look up a new technical term or research overall
concepts and systems. If you’re new to working with technology,
prefer to hold a book in your hand, or work with a fairly stable
technical environment, the book will provide the information you
need. If, however, you need the latest and most thorough
information, and work with all kinds of diverse technologies,
TechRef provides additional material. The online database
contains 11,000 additional entries and uses the ability of an online
system to search for information, build lists of data, and provide
new information 24/7. In fact, because TechRef is updated
when products and technologies are announced, it covers not just
today’s technology, it even covers what’s going to happen.
Professionals such as technical recruiters, technical salespeople,
and account managers, who interface with IT every day use
TechRef to keep up with the incredibly dynamic IT
field.
Perhaps, like many people, you want to have the book
for quick and easy access, and the database for immediate updates
and uncommon terms and information. This combination offering is a
popular option.
COMPUTERS: SYSTEMS,
TERMS AND ACRONMYS
Part One consists of the narrative
descriptions of computer systems. This edition includes 17 chapters
that cover Information Technology:
Introduction:
IT Overview
IT Jobs and Professionals
Applications:
Corporate Applications
eApplications
Artificial Intelligence
Platforms:
Computers
Operating Systems
Security
Storage Management
Development:
Development Life Cycle
Languages and Tools
Software Engineering
Data:
Files and Databases
Data Management Systems
Online:
Communications
Middleware and Servers
Networking
New material in these
chapters includes the effect of the Internet, the emerging influence
of wireless and embedded technology, the growth of knowledge
management and business intelligence systems, and new storage
management technologies. There is extended coverage of security
systems, the use of artificial intelligence, and Web services and
portals. This is where you start for a broad understanding of any IT
system.
Part Two remains the glossary for definitions of
technical terms and acronyms. This glossary has been streamlined and
now contains over 3,000 generic definitions of standard terms and
technologies. These are the words IT professionals use to describe
the technologies they work with and the systems they create. In
addition, it contains definitions of the most common products and
tools used in IT. These definitions include the name and URL of the
vendor. Part Two is where non-technical people go to understand
specific IT buzz words.
TECHREF
TechRef, the only
online IT database designed specifically for the non-technical
professional, contains everything included in the book and much
more. All 17 chapters are available as PDF files and there are over
14,000 entries. TechRef is where you will find definitions
and information on leading-edge and uncommon products as well as
older technologies and products – information which will not be
found in the new book. Finally, TechRef contains information
on thousands of vendors with a brief description of the vendor, a
link to its corporate Website, and a list of its
products.
TechRef contains over 150 technical
categories so lists of products can be viewed according to function
making it easy to answer the question “What else is similar?” Search
functions allow users to find products even if they don’t know, or
perhaps can’t spell, a product name. Search options offer you the
ability to look for a specific product, or a list of products by
various criteria including vendor, type, keyword, and advanced
options such as product type and vendor. The distinct layers
of information within TechRef (papers, categories, terms and
vendors) allow the user to research and learn by "drilling down"
from concepts to details or "powering up" from specifics to
overviews.
TechRef is available 24/7, and is updated
daily – whenever new products are released, revised, renamed, and
whenever new technology appears. Access is provided through annual
subscriptions.
ORDERING
TechRef is available
now. The book will be available in March, but we’re accepting orders
now. Regular pricing is listed below. But, you can take advantage of
our pre-release special – the first 250 paid orders will
receive both TechRef and CSTA for $99* - that means
you get the book FREE!
TechRef $ 99
Computers: Systems, Terms and
Acronyms $ 69*
CSTA book and one-year TechRef
subscription combo $139*
Place your order for the
special offer now by calling 407.830.5400 for credit card orders or
mail your order and check to SemCo Enterprises, Inc., P. O. Box
181265, Casselberry, FL 32718-1265.
* Plus
shipping.
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top
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1. Do you blink more or less frequently when using a
computer?
2. What is the difference between reverse
and round-trip engineering?
3. What does ICE stand
for?
4. Which is the sillier word, churn or
stickiness?
5. Which of the following does not
belong?
a. Ant
b. Mouse
c.
Spider
d. Scorpion
e.
Wasp
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top
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|
Short Information
Appliance
Vocabulary |
An
information appliance is a specialized computer that is built with
embedded systems, which can be any of these: operating systems,
DBMSs, application systems, or Web browsers. An information
appliance can be anything. For example, the Screenfridge is an
information appliance that is a Web-connected refrigerator. It has a
PC screen in the door and a built-in modem and food can be ordered
over the Internet. It also includes speakers, a microphone and video
camera so family members can leave video messages. Information
appliances are also called Internet
appliances.
e-book reader Information appliance.
An ebook is a device that can download information in text/graphics
format from the Internet, or access text on CDs or DVDs and present
it on a display in a readable format. Typically, an eBook reader
weighs less than three or four pounds and can store from four
thousand to over half a million pages of text and graphics. The
device is called an ebook reader, and the electronic versions of the
text is the ebook. ebooks are usually in PDF
format.
kiosk A kiosk is really a Web tablet, usually
standing vertically, that is set up in public places for things such
as making restaurant reservations, getting directions, etc. They
have touch screens and are in constant use so they are more rugged
than most other computers or appliances.
photo-frame A
photo-frame is a device that looks like a photo frame and connects
to phone lines. Photos (or anything desired) can be transmitted to
the frame. Single photos can be displayed, or can be paged through.
Also called digital frames.
set-top box A
set-top box is an Internet appliance used to set up a multimedia
center using a TV as the monitor. Basic systems offer Web surfing,
email access, and a wireless keyboard. Other models include DVD
players, CD players, VOD (Voice on Demand) systems. Also called
Web TVs.
smart display A smart display is an
information appliance that uses Wi-Fi wireless technology to put the
system as much as 150 feet away from a main computer. Most smart
displays use a stylus and touch-sensitive screen, hand-writing
recognition, and an on-screen keyboard. Most run Windows CE for
Smart Displays.
smartphone Information, or Internet
appliance. Standard phone that, in addition to standard phone
functions, has Internet connections to send and receive email and
browse the Web. Some include embedded PIMs (Personal Information
Managers). Also called screenphones.
Web tablet
A Web tablet is referred to as an Internet appliance, and is a
flat tablet that resembles a small chalk board. It has a touch
screen and accepts pen input. Some tablets offer functionality
almost equivalent to laptop PCs, and others provide only Internet
access and basic functions such as calendaring and address books.
Some need to connect to phone lines and/or network cables while
others provide wireless access.
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top
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Computers: Systems, Terms And
Acronyms
March Chicago: 13,14 / NYC
area: 24,25
April Boston: 7,8 / Atlanta:
28,29
May DC: 29,30
June Chicago: 9,10 / NYC
area: 23,24
Webinars
All Webinars are 90
minutes and listed start times are ET (Eastern Time)
Understanding IT Jobs
February
18 (1:00 pm)
March 3 (11:00 am) / 20 (1:00
pm)
April 2 (11:30 am)
May 5 (11:00
am)
June 4 (1:00 pm)
Platforms
March 3 (3:00 pm)
April 2 (1:30
pm)
May 5 (3:00 pm)
June 4 (11:00
am)
Development
March 4 (11:00
am)
April 3 (1:00 pm)
May 6 (11:00
am)
June 5 (9:30 am)
Files and
Databases
March 4 (1:00 pm)
April 3
(11:00 am)
May 6 (1:00 pm)
June 5 (1:30
pm)
Communications
March 5 (9:30
am)
April 4 (11:00 am)
May 7 (9:30
am)
June 6 (11:00
am)
Networking
March 5 (11:30
am)
April 4 (1:00 pm)
May 7 (11:30
am)
June 6 (1:00
pm)
Applications
March 3 (1:00
pm)
April 2 (9:30 am)
May 5 (1:00
pm)
June 5 (11:30 am)
Weblets
All Weblets are 45
minutes and listed start times are ET (Eastern Time)
Knowledge Management
March 4
(2:45 pm)
April 4 (2:45 pm)
May 7 (1:30
pm)
June 4 (2:45 pm)
Wireless
Technology
March 5 (2:30 pm)
April
3 (2:45 pm)
May 7 (2:30 pm)
June 5 (3:15
pm)
Embedded Systems
March 5 (1:30
pm)
April 2 (3:15 pm)
May 6 (2:45
pm)
June 6 (2:45 pm)
eTR
Webinars
All Webinars are 90
minutes and listed start times are ET (Eastern Time)
Recruiting Overview
February 18
(11:00 am)
March 20 (11:00 am)
April 14 (11:00
am)
May 15 (11:00 am)
June 16 (11:00
am)
Understanding IT
Jobs
February 18 (1:00 pm)
March 20
(1:00 pm)
April 2 (11:30 am)
May 5 (11:00
am)
June 4 (1:00 pm)
Weblets
All Weblets are 45
minutes and listed start times are ET (Eastern Time)
Sourcing
February 18 (2:45
pm)
March 20 (2:45 pm)
April 14 (1:00
pm)
May 15 (1:00 pm)
June 16 (1:00
pm)
Screening
February 19 (11:00
am)
March 21 (11:00 am)
April 14 (2:00
pm)
May 15 (2:00 pm)
June 16 (2:00
pm)
Interviewing
February 19 (12:30
pm)
March 21 (12:30 pm)
April 15 (11:00
am)
May 16 (11:00 am)
June 17 (11:00
am)
Negotiating
February 19 (1:30
pm)
March 21 (1:30 pm)
April 15 (12:30
pm)
May 16 (12:30 pm)
June 17 (12:30 pm)
Enroll
Now!
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top
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Computer users blink an average of 7 times per
minute. The average person blinks 22 times per
minute.
2. Reverse engineering is going backwards in
the development life cycle, which follows the sequence: analysis,
design, programming, testing. Especially with legacy systems, often
the only documentation that has survived is the program source code.
This makes it difficult to incorporate changes that should be
initiated on the design level. Creating design documents from
program code reverses the sequence of the life cycle by going from
programming to design – thus reverse engineering.
Round-trip
engineering completes a circle. It works from program code to create
design documents (reverse engineering), changes the design documents
as required, and then generates new program code from the new
designs – ending up where the activity began, with program code –
thus round-trip engineering.
3. This one has several
answers!
a. ICE - Information Communication
Entertainment. This is when the acronym is part of iCEBox, an
information appliance (see Short Information Appliance
Vocabulary).
b. ICE - In-Circuit Emulator. A tool
used to debug embedded systems.
c. ICE - Information
and Content Exchange. This is a proposed standard to simplify the
transmission of data between businesses over the
Internet.
4. This one’s an opinion
question. I vote for churn (leaving a Website). I just can’t see
where the word came from. Stickiness (design qualities that keep a
visitor on a Website), however, actually makes
sense.
5. No matter how you look at it, it’s got to be
(b) Mouse. While a first thought might be that a mouse is an animal
while the others are insects, that’s not it. It’s also not that mice
are kind of cute while the others are not. And, it’s not that mice
aren’t venomous. Actually it’s just that a mouse is a piece of
hardware, and all the rest are software.
a. ANT is a development tool used for iterative
development. It’s often called a build tool, which is software
that assembles all the parts of an application. Ant is open source
software and frequently used to "build" Java applications.
c. A spider is a program that prowls the Internet,
attempting to locate new, publicly accessible resources such as
Web documents and files available in public archives. Also called
wanderers or robots (bots), spiders store the information they
find in a database, which Internet users can search by using an
Internet-accessible search engine. Used to, e.g., search the Web
for email addresses of doctors.
d. Scorpion is
systems software that works with NetWare systems and converts
Traditional volumes to NSS volumes and NSS volumes to Traditional
volumes.
e. WASP is application development software
used to build, deploy, and manage Web services. Based on Web
Services standards: XML, SOAP, WSDL and UDDI. It works with Java
and C++ and interfaces with .NET and J2EE.
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top
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
Forward to
a Friend!