Tech lingo is a constant in today’s world. Having an IT Lingo for Dummies guide can be useful in helping you comprehend the terms and language used every day. From social media to data and security we are consistently exposed to language that is familiar but perhaps not fully understood. Our expert and professional IT support Brisbane team are here to help you with any IT issues and we have written this IT lingo for dummies blog to help you understand some of the most common and important terms used in the industry today.
Data
Big data
Describes the large scale collecting of data from sources like mobile devices, search terms, and applications that are used to identify consumer patterns that help an organization forecast and maximize its business.
Big data is used by Amazon and Google to customize users’ experiences.
Bring your own device (BYOD)
A policy that allows employees to bring in personal devices which may be used to access company data.
Many companies implement a BYOD policy to prevent piracy and security issues.
Database
A kind of electronic filing system that allows applications to select information easily. It may be traditionally organised around fields, records, and files or in Hypertext which allows any object, e.g. pictures or text, to be linked to any other object.
Oracle is one of the most widely used databases in the world.
Data backup
Saving files so they can be restored when needed.
Data backups should be performed frequently on your devices.
Data recovery
Recovering data from a damaged or error filed file.
Recovering data from a file infected with a virus is possible but it is better to prevent the infection when possible.
Metadata
Data that describes other data and is frequently used by search engines to produce the correct results.
Metadata can be found in image files and includes information on when it was created and the resolution of the image.
Web
301 redirect
A permanent redirect from one web address to another; that often pairs old web pages to new ones.
If you are in digital marketing, knowing how to implement and manage 301 redirects is important to your job.
404
This indicates that a website or webpage that does not exist.
If you mistype a web address you may get a 404 error page.
Application Programming Interface (API)
A set of instructions programmers use that allows web-based programs to communicate with each other.
Google Maps API lets people embed Google Maps on web pages.
Bandwidth
How much data may be carried from one point to another.
If you download files and try to watch videos on your computer, you may not have enough bandwidth to do both quickly.
Cache
The way a computer stores information so it can be quickly accessed.
Storing data for quick retrieval is called “caching”.
Cloud
A catchall word meaning to store data over the internet rather than on a computer.
If you store information on the cloud, your data can be easily accessed whenever you need it.
Cookie
A small piece of information left on your device by a website that helps identify you and can be reused each time the site is visited.
Accepting cookies is ubiquitous when using the internet.
Embedding
Process of putting social media content on a web page.
Blogs and websites often embed videos to enhance and clarify their content.
Hyper-text markup language (HTML)
The language used to operate the structure of things like your website and email; functions much like the skeleton of a body.
HTML is important in the creation of websites because it provides instructions regarding how the site looks.
Uniform resource locator (URL)
Commonly known as a web address, it functions to identify resources on the internet.
A URL has three parts: the protocol, server name and address, and the item’s path.
Systems and tools
Application
A type of software created to provide a function for a user or another application. Frequently referred to as “apps” and often used when referencing mobile devices this type of software is used to make a variety of useful tools.
Facebook and Instagram are two extremely popular apps.
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Machine or software technology that simulates human intelligence. Can include concepts such as natural language processing (making machines understand spoken language) and machine learning (using algorithms for understanding new information thus bypassing the need for programming).
Artificial intelligence is a complicated and important issue to our future.
Back end development
Back end describes the parts of a website, or web server, that are not visible to a user but make the service operate.
The back end development covers all that occurs before a web page is displayed.
Front end development
Front end describes the parts of a website seen and interacted with by users.
The front end development helps create icons and images.
Open-source
Software whose code is freely available to the public and which is free to purchase.
Open-source software is popular because it can be easily modified.
Stack
A programming term that describes the merging of programs and software to make a new program.
Stacking is often used on programs that operate behind the scenes so their impact is not seen.
Interested to learn more?
We hope this IT lingo for dummies article has been useful and informative. If you need IT assistance, the managed IT services Brisbane team at Connected Platforms can help you with any questions or issues you may have. Please reach out to us on07 3062 6932 or request a FREE IT Health Check.
