An operating system, or OS, is software that communicates with the hardware and allows other programs to run. It is comprised of system software, or the fundamental files your computer needs to boot up and function. Every desktop computer, tablet, and smartphone includes an operating system that provides basic functionality for the device.
Common desktop operating systems include Windows, OS X, and Linux. While each OS is different, most provide a graphical user interface, or GUI, that includes a desktop and the ability to manage files and folders. They also allow you to install and run programs written for the operating system. Windows and Linux can be installed on standard PC hardware, while OS X is designed to run on Apple systems. Therefore, the hardware you choose affects what operating system(s) you can run.
Mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones also include operating systems that provide a GUI and can run applications. Common mobile OSes include Android, iOS, and Windows Phone. These OSes are developed specifically for portable devices and therefore are designed around touchscreen input. While early mobile operating systems lacked many features found in desktop OSes, they now include advanced capabilities, such as the ability to run third-party apps and run multiple apps at once.
Since the operating system serves as a computers fundamental user interface, it significantly affects how you interact with the device. Therefore, many users prefer to use a specific operating system. For example, one user may prefer to use a computer with OS X instead of a Windows-based PC. Another user may prefer an Android-based smartphone instead of an iPhone, which runs the iOS.
When software developers create applications, they must be write and compile them for a specific operating system. This is because each OS communicates with the hardware differently and has a specific application program interface, or API, that the programmer must use. While many popular programs are crossplatform, meaning they have been developed for multiple OSes, some are only available for a single operating system. Therefore, when choosing a computer, it is important to make sure the operating system supports the programs you want to run.
OS X 10.11 - El Capitan Operating System
Posts made by Sommer
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Operating System
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OLAP
Stands for Online Analytical Processing. OLAP allows users to analyze database information from multiple database systems at one time. While relational databases are considered to be two-dimensional, OLAP data is multidimensional, meaning the information can be compared in many different ways. For example, a company might compare their computer sales in June with sales in July, then compare those results with the sales from another location, which might be stored in a different database.
In order to process database information using OLAP, an OLAP server is required to organize and compare the information. Clients can analyze different sets of data using functions built into the OLAP server. Some popular OLAP server software programs include Oracle Express Server and Hyperion Solutions Essbase. Because of its powerful data analysis capabilities, OLAP processing is often used for data mining, which aims to discover new relationships between different sets of data. -
RE: Bushwa
Propaganda inflicted on the American Public by corrupt Press Sources such as Fox News and CBS. Misinformation. Lies corruption and Scandal.
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NAS
Stands for Network Attached Storage. A typical computer stores data using internal and external hard drives. If the computer is connected to a network, it can share data on its connected hard drives with other systems on the network. While this allows multiple computers to send data back and forth, it requires that each computer share its files individually. Therefore, if a computer is turned off or disconnected from the network, its files will not be available to the other systems.
By using NAS, computers can store and access data using a centralized storage location. Instead of each computer sharing its own files, the shared data is stored on a single NAS server. This provides a simpler and more reliable way of sharing files on a network. Once an NAS server connected to a network (typically via Ethernet), it can be configured to share files with multiple computers on the network. It may allow access to all systems or may provide access to a limited number of authenticated machines.
NAS servers typically contain multiple hard drives, providing a large amount of shared disk space for connected systems to save data. They are often used in business networks, but have become increasing more common in home networks as well. Since NAS uses a centralized storage device, it can be a simple way for family members to share and backup their data. -
Metadata
Metadata describes other data. It provides information about a certain items content. For example, an image may include metadata that describes how large the picture is, the color depth, the image resolution, when the image was created, and other data. A text documents metadata may contain information about how long the document is, who the author is, when the document was written, and a short summary of the document.
Web pages often include metadata in the form of meta tags. Description and keywords meta tags are commonly used to describe the Web pages content. Most search engines use this data when adding pages to their search index.
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RE: Mainframe
A mainframe is an ultra high-performance computer made for high-volume, processor-intensive computing. They are typically used by large businesses and for scientific purposes. You probably wont find a mainframe in any household. In the hierarchy of computers, mainframes are right below supercomputers, the most powerful computers in the world. (Which is why they are aptly named supercomputers.) Yet a mainframe can usually execute many programs simultaneously at a high speed, whereas supercomputers are designed for a single process. Currently, the largest manufacturers of mainframes are IBM and Unisys.
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Instagram
Instagram is an online photo sharing service. It allows you to apply different types of photo filters to your pictures with a single click, then share them with others. While is a rather basic service, Instagrams simplicity has helped it gain widespread popularity.
While nearly all smartphones have built-in cameras, they often do not produce quality photos. By using Instagram, you can liven up otherwise mediocre images and make them look more professional. For example, Instagrams Valencia filter brightens photos and enhances the contrast, improving the appearance of drab photos. The Earlybird filter adds a slight blur to the image, warms the colors, and vignettes the corners, giving photos a softer look. You can also make more drastic changes to photos using a filter like 1977, which makes images look like vintage photographs taken with an old camera.
The two primary ways to use Instagram are the Instagram website (Instagram.com) and the Instagram app. The website allows you to upload images, manage your photos, apply filters, and share them with your friends. The app allows you to take pictures with your iPhone or Android device and immediately apply the filter of your choice. You can share your photos directly on Instagram.com or on other social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.
NOTE: Instragram was acquired by Facebook in 2012 for approximately billion. -
RE: Bowed
Black Out WastED
An explanation of why you do not know where you are when you wake up after a wild night.
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Hot Swappable
In electronics terminology, the word hot is often used to mean active or powered on. Therefore, a hot swappable device is a peripheral or component that can be removed or added while a computer is running. Replacing a device while a computer is powered on is called hot swapping.
Most early I/O devices were not hot swappable. This is because early ports, such as parallel ports and SCSI ports did not support connecting or removing devices while the computer was powered on. In fact, removing devices from these older ports while the computer was running could cause damage to them or the computer. Since it was hassle for users to turn off their computers each time they needed to connect or reconnect a device, newer I/O ports were designed to be hot swappable. Modern ports that support hot swapping include USB, FireWire, and Thunderbolt.
Most modern PCs include only hot swappable ports. Therefore, the term is now used most often to describe internal components that can be replaced while the computer is running. A common example is a server hard drive. Since servers need to run constantly to avoid downtime, they typically support hot swappable hard drives. Rack-based servers often provide easy access to one or more hard drives on the front face of the rack unit. This allows server administrators to quickly add more storage or replace old hard drives without powering down the server.
NOTE: Except for rare exceptions, RAM is generally not hot swappable. -
Gamma Correction
Gamma refers to the brightness of a monitor or computer display. It is a setting that determines how bright the output of the display will be. Therefore, gamma correction is used to alter the output levels of a monitor.
While the gamma setting affects the brightness of a display, it is not identical to the brightness. This is because gamma adjustments are not linear, like brightness levels are. Instead, the gamma setting applies a function to the input levels, which produces the final output level. You can visualize this function as a curved line instead of a straight one. This means the extreme dark and light points are not as affected as the midtones, which are enhanced more because of the non-linear function. Therefore, the gamma setting affects both the brightness and the contrast of the display.
The reason gamma correction is used is because the input signal, or voltage, sent to a monitor is not high enough to create a bright image. Therefore, if the gamma is not altered, the images on your screen would be dark and difficult to see. By applying gamma correction, the brightness and contrast of the display are enhanced, making the images appear brighter and more natural looking.
NOTE: Common gamma settings are 2.2 for PC monitors and 1.8 for Macintosh monitors. These gamma settings apply an inverse luminance curve to the displays native gamma, which produces natural brightness and contrast levels. -
File Format
A file format defines the structure and type of data stored in a file. The structure of a typical file may include a header, metadata, saved content, and an end-of-file (EOF) marker. The data stored in the file depends on the purpose of the file format. Some files, such as XML files, are used to store lists of items, while others, such as JPEG image files simply contain a block of data.
A file format also defines whether the data is stored in a plain text or binary format. Plain text files can be opened and viewed in a standard text editor. While text-based files are easy to create, they often use up more space than comparable binary files. They also lack security, since the contents can be easily viewed by dragging the file to a text editor. Binary file formats can be compressed and are well-suited for storing graphics, audio, and video data. If you attempt to view a binary file in a text editor, most of the data will appear garbled and unintelligible, but you may see some header text that identifies the files contents.
Some file formats are proprietary, while others are universal, or open formats. Proprietary file formats can only be opened by one or more related programs. For example, a compressed StuffIt X (.SITX) archive can only be opened by StuffIt Deluxe or StuffIt Expander. If you try to open a StuffIt X archive with WinZip or another file decompression tool, the file will not be recognized. Conversely, open file formats are publicly available and are recognized by multiple programs. For example, StuffIt Deluxe can also save compressed archives in a standard zipped (.ZIP) format, which can be opened by nearly all decompression utilities.
When software developers create applications that save files, choosing an appropriate file format is important. For some programs, it might make sense to use an open format, which is compatible with other applications. In other cases, using a proprietary format may give the developer a competitive advantage, since the files created with the program can only be opened with the developers software. However, most people prefer to have multiple software options, so many developers have moved away from proprietary file formats and now use open formats instead. For example, Microsoft Word, which used to save word processing documents in the proprietary .DOC format now saves documents in the open .DOCX format, which is supported by multiple applications.
NOTE: While the term file format technically refers to the structure and content of a file, the term is also used interchangeably with file type, which defines a specific type of file, such as a rich text file or a Photoshop document. -
Expansion Card
An expansion card is a printed circuit board that can be installed in a computer to add functionality to it. For example, a user may add a new graphics card to his computer to give it more 3D graphics processing power. An audio engineer may add a professional sound card to his machine to increase the computers audio input and output connections. Users that need more Firewire or USB ports can add Firewire or USB expansion cards, which provide additional connections.
Most expansion cards are installed in PCI slots. This includes variations of PCI, such as PCI-X and PCI Express. Graphics cards may also be installed in an AGP slot, which is designed specifically for video cards. Since expansion cards require open slots, they can only be installed in computers that have available expansion slots. Therefore, computers like the Apple iMac and other all-in-one machines cannot accept expansion cards. Computer towers, however, often have two or three open expansion slots, and can accept multiple cards.
Laptops dont use traditional expansion cards because of their small form factor. However, some models can accept removable PCMCIA cards that add extra ports or other functionality to the computer. -
RE: Theater
noun
Originally an American spelling of theatre, the word has evolved to mean a building, room or space where films are shown. Sometimes called a cinema or movie theater. Not to be confused with a [theatre]. -
RE: Slow
Not fast (yeah I know thats a pathetic definition)
See also [AOL], [telstra], [Canadian] and [George Bush]
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RE: Debugger
Even the most experienced software programmers usually dont get it right on their first try. Certain errors, often called bugs, can occur in programs, causing them to not function as the programmer expected. Sometimes these errors are easy to fix, while some bugs are very difficult to trace. This is especially true for large programs that consist of several thousand lines of code.
Fortunately, there are programs called debuggers that help software developers find and eliminate bugs while they are writing programs. A debugger tells the programmer what types of errors it finds and often marks the exact lines of code where the bugs are found. Debuggers also allow programmers to run a program step by step so that they can determine exactly when and why a program crashes. Advanced debuggers provide detailed information about threads and memory being used by the program during each step of execution. You could say a powerful debugger program is like OFF! with 100% deet.
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CTP
Stands for Composite Theoretical Performance. CTP is used to measure the performance of computer processors. The values returned by CTP calculations are used for benchmarking purposes, which compare the performance of different processors. For example, Intel and AMD use CTP calculations to measure how many millions of theoretical operations per second (MTOPS) their processors can perform. An Intel Pentium M 770, which runs at 2.13 GHz, has a CTP of 7100 MTOPs, while an AMD Opteron 146, which runs at 2.0 GHz, has a CTP of 7168 MTOPS.
As seen in the example above, faster processor speeds do not always result in a higher CTP. Other considerations, such as the processors architecture and the speed of the frontside bus also affect the overall performance. CTP is useful for comparing different brands of processors, as well as comparing different models of processors made by the same company. With dual and quad processors becoming more prevalent, CTP is now also being used to measure the performance increase when multiple processors are used together.
CTP also stands for Computer to Plate. This is a process where printing plates are made without using costly film. Instead, the images are sent directly to the plate from the computer. -
RE: Component
Computers are made up of many different parts, such as a motherboard, CPU, RAM, and hard drive. Each of these parts are made up of smaller parts, called components.
For example, a motherboard includes electrical connectors, a printed circuit board (PCB), capacitors, resistors, and transformers. All these components work together to make the motherboard function with the other parts of the computer. The CPU includes components such as integrated circuits, switches, and extremely small transistors. These components process information and perform calculations.
Generally speaking, a component is a element of a larger group. Therefore, the larger parts of a computer, such as the CPU and hard drive, can also be referred to as computer components. Technically, however, the components are the smaller parts that make up these devices.
Component may also refer to component video, which is a type of high-quality video connection. A component connection sends the video signal through three separate cables — one for red, green, and blue. This provides better color accuracy than composite video (typically a yellow connector), which combines all the color signals into a single cable. -
Commercial Software
Computer software comes in three different flavors: freeware, shareware, and commercial software. Freeware is free to use and does not require any payment from the user. Shareware is also free to use, but typically limits the programs features or the amount of time the software can be used unless the user purchases the software. Commercial software requires payment before it can be used, but includes all the programs features, with no restrictions or time limits.
Commercial software programs typically come in a physical box, which is what you see displayed in retail stores. While its true that the software boxes are not as big as they used to be, they still contain the software CD or DVD and usually a getting started manual along with a registration key used for registering the product. Most commercial software programs ask that the user register the program so the company can keep track of its authorized users. Some commercial software programs, such as newer versions of Microsoft and Adobe programs, require the user to register the programs in order to continue using them after 30 days.
While most commercial software programs are sold in the physical box, many software titles are now available as downloads. These downloads are typically made available from the companys website. The user pays for the program directly on the website and instead of receiving the software in the mail, the user downloads it to his computer. Another popular way of purchasing commercial software online is simply paying for a registration key, which unlocks the features of a shareware program. This upgrades the shareware program to the commercial version, which removes any feature limitations from the shareware version. -
Cloud
The term cloud comes from early network diagrams, in which the image of a cloud was used to indicate a large network, such as a WAN. The cloud eventually became associated with the entire Internet, and the two terms are now used synonymously. The cloud may also be used to describe specific online services, which are collectively labeled cloud computing.
Examples of popular cloud-based services include web applications, SaaS, online backup, and other types of online storage. Traditional Internet services like web hosting, email, and online gaming may also be considered part of the cloud since they are hosted on Internet servers, rather than users local computers. Even social networking websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn are technically cloud-based services, since they store your information online.
While the cloud is simply a buzzword for most consumers, it plays an important role for businesses. By moving software services to the cloud, companies can share data more efficiently and centralize their network security. Additionally, cloud-based virtualization can help businesses reduce the number of computer systems and software licenses they need to buy. The end result and a more efficient and less costly way of running a business.