National Teaching and Learning Change ProgrammeInformation and Communication Technology:
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• applications software
  This is a software program which enables the user to perform specific tasks, such as word processing, accounting, etc.
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• architecture
  The structure of a computer, or more properly the central processing unit (CPU), and how the particular components are related to each other, is called machine architecture.
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• archive
  This is the storage of information for long periods of time. The data is likely to be compressed to take less space and may be stored on a cheaper storage medium such as magnetic tape or optical disks, freeing space on the main computer system. It can be accessed if needed, but is not so easily available as the original information.
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• argument
  When a function or procedure is used, the calling program must pass parameters to it. The formal parameter links the data in the calling program to its use in the function or procedure. The data item supplied, known as an actual parameter or argument, is passed to the local variable.
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• arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
  The part of the central processing unit where data is processed and manipulated. It is also called the arithmetic unit. The processing and manipulation of data normally consists of arithmetic operations or logical comparisons.
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• arithmetic operator
  Arithmetic operators (e.g. + and -) manipulate numbers by carrying out normal arithmetic tasks such as addition or subtraction.
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• array (1)
  A very common data structure which groups together a number of objects (or variables) usually of the same type. Each item in the array is accessed using an integer which gives its place in the array, for example, if there is an array called "phone" which holds data about different types of phones, then the second item in that array would be accessed by phone (2) - where the integer in brackets is the array subscript, giving the position in the list of phone objects. Subscript numbering in arrays usually start at zero, but may start at one, as in the example given here.
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• array (2)
  A very common data structure which groups together a number of objects (or variables) usually of the same type.
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• arrow key
  A key which looks like an arrow, and is normally used to move the cursor up, down or sideways. Also known as the cursor control key.
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• artificial intelligence (AI)
  This is software (possibly with associated hardware) which operates in such as way as to seem intelligent, such as, a program to play chess.
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• ASCII
  American Standard Code for Information Interchange. This is a character set, the set of symbols that may be represented by a computer. These symbols can be letters, digits, spaces, punctuation marks, and include non-printing, control characters. ASCII was devised for use with early telecommunication systems but proved to be ideal for computer systems and forms the basis for almost all other character sets.
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• assembler
  A program that translates a program written in assembly language into machine code.
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• assembly language
  A special type of programming language where the instructions are closely related to the computer being programmed (rather than a common language which is similar on any type of computer). In general, each assembly language instruction is changed into one machine-code instruction.
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• assign
  To assign a value to a variable is to give it a value, e.g. a=5 assigns the value of 5 to a.
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• asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL)
  A method of using ordinary telephone lines to transmit data to and from computers at a high speed. Commonly known as broadband, and increasingly common in homes and business. Upload speeds are usually less than download speeds, hence the word 'asymmetric'.
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• asynchronous
  Technologies where users do not have to be online at the same time in order to interact. Examples of such technologies are email and bulletin boards.
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• attach
  The process of attaching a file (or attachment) to an email message.
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• attachment
  A file that is attached to an email message.
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• attribute
  In a relational database, an attribute is an item of information held about an entity. For example, in an estate agent database, an entity might be a house; attributes of each house would include price, number of bedrooms, address, etc.
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• attribute (html tags)
  The property of an HTML tag, e.g. "align=center" where align is the attribute, in this example set to centre text, an image, or a table, depending on the tag with which it is used.