5:09 PM 8/24/2006computer- an electronic device that accepts data, performs computations, and makes logical decisions according to instructions and data that have been given to it and that produces meaningful information in a form useful to humansgeneral-purpose computers- term(s) used to identify computers in which their computation and input/output processing capabilities are such that they can be used for almost any type of applicationinformation- data that enters the computerinformation/data processing- the process of sharing information between humans and computersinformation utilities- businesses that use computers to store hugh amounts of information available for personal useapplication program- a program that instructs the computer to perform a specific, undefined taskcomputer system- a combination of related elements(hardware and software) working together to achieve a common goalhardware- tangible, physical equipment that can be seen and touchedinput- forms that become the source of the data entered into the computer's input deviceinput device- a hardware device that permits the storage of datamicrominiaturization- the technologic process that enables an entire microprocessor to occupy the space of a tiny chip no larger than the size of your fingertipoutput- useful information that leaves the computeroutput device- a hardware device that reports processed information in a form that humans can understandprocessing- activity that takes place in the computers what should be done to the data to produce the desired informationprocessor- a hardware device that processes data into meaningful informationprogram- a series of detailed, step-by-step instructions that tell the computer what actions to performraw data/original data- data from a source document that is fed into the computer for processingsoftware- the intangible instructions that tell the computer what to dosource document- a hardware device which enables the computer to accept datastorage device- a hardware device that permits the storage of datasystem program- a program that controls the computer's circuitry and hardware devicesinformation superhighway- digital, voice, and video communication access through computers controlled telephones and televisions to any information resource anywhere in the worldmegahertz- the internal clock speeds of a computer measured in millionths of a secondlocal area networks- a communications network that covers a limited geographic areainternet- a physically structured network of computers around the world5:37 PM 8/24/2006