Assignment 2 Terms
Kumi Hosaka, DMST 2100
BIOS
On desktop computers, it's Basic Input/Output System. Basically the thing that uploads the Operating System to the computer; the BIOS contains buffers that send out inormation from a program to the hardware that it needs to go to. (Newton's...).
Chinese Wall
The barriers to the flow of information that are designed to prevent the misuse of material nonpublic information, to prevent "insider trading" and other abuses. Though the term itself is not in the statues, brokers, by law, dealers and investment advisers are required to have these in place because they often have access to material nonpublic information in one part of the firm that can't be legally used by other parts of the firm. Without one, the firm's activities have to be limited. (Newton's...).
Copyright
Copyrights protect an author of an original work from direct copying by another. The copyright notice, including name of the owner, year of creation, and the copyright symbol, should be provided on copies of the work. Copyrights protect the expression of the idea, not necessarily the idea itself, though in certain cases, patents can be used to protect the idea. (Newton's...).
Megabyte
In the metric system, a megabyte is 1,000,000 bytes, while in the computer sense, a megabyte is two to the 20th power--1,048,576 bytes--due to counting in binary. 1,048,576 is closest power of two to one million (1024 x 1024). (Newton's...).
Proxy Server
Uses a proxy, an application that runs on a gateway that relays packets between a trusted client and an untrusted host. The proxy server is softeware that runs on the PC and is essentially a corporate phone system for the Internet. Also doubles as a firewall. (Newton's...).
Terabyte
Roughly equal to a trillion bytes (1,099,551,627,776 bytes); equal to two raised to the 40th power. In perspective, it can hold 100 bytes worth of files for each person on earth and an index of these files; a compressed JPEG pixel for every square meter of land on earth, ehough to create a high-resolution photo; one billion business letters, filling 150 miles of bookshelf space; or 10 million JPEG images, providing ten days and nights of continuous video. (Newton's...).
Virus
A program that, like a biological virus, can make copies of itself and capable of messing up a computer. A science fiction writer, David Gerrold, first used the term when he wrote a story titled "Virus" about malignant code spreading from one computer to the next. Some viruses can be used for wrecking data and be destructive, many others can just be annoying or not as threatening. (Newton's... and Wiki).