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DSST Introduction To Computing

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Parallel
ISPs are connected to the internet backbone via a ___.
A browser ________ is spyware that changes browser settings without your knowledge.
When a computer performs several tasks simultaneously - this is called ________ processing.
Microsoft Windows is the world's best selling ________ __________.

2. Direction
The JPEG graphics format has built-in _____________ that can be adjusted by the user.
In a ring network - all packets flow in only one __________; there are no data collisions.
In MS Windows - the toolbar is located at the ____ of the window below the menu bar.
An organization that provides internet access is called an ___.

3. Former
A file extension is an optional file identifier that is separated from the main file name by a ______.
To be an algorithm - a set of rules must be unambiguous and have a clear _________ point.
Built in 1951 - UNIVAC was considerably smaller and more powerful than ______.
One survey indicated that 75 to 80% of computer crimes are committed by current or _______ employees.

4. Ring
CSMA/CD manages collisions on the network by deleting colliding signals and __________ the network.
Examples of utility programs include _______ and data recovery software - antivirus software - disk cleanup - etc.
________ and assembly languages are low level languages.
A ____ network has no endpoints and all computers are connected in a continuous loop.

5. Records
Transistors were smaller - cheaper - and more _________ than vacuum tubes.
____ ________ software detects and corrects certain types of common problems on hard disks - floppies - and CDs.
A firewall is designed to protect a computer or network from _________.
In a relational database - information is organized in rows and columns. Rows are called _______.

6. Data
Virtual memory uses the hard disk to _____ primary storage (RAM).
SSL (Secure _______ Layer) and TLS are protocols used to create a secure connection between a computer and a website.
Early computers stored ____ for calculations and programs on punched cards.
To prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data - you encrypt data when you send it and this data is decrypted by its authorized recipient using an encryption ____.

7. Operating
The desktop is a feature of the ____ (graphic user interface) and is found in OS software like MAC OS and MS Windows.
____ is used by copyright holders to prevent piracy of their products but can be inconvenient to legitimate users.
The more _____ in a word - the faster the computer.
System software includes device drivers - utility programs - and the __________ system.

8. Guide
In everyday life - we generally use a base ___ system - meaning that we have 10 digits to choose from when we are expressing a number (i.e. 0 through 9).
Examples of an event include a key press or a mouse ______.
A wizard is an interactive computer utility that asks a user questions to _____ the user through a task.
Companies do this to keep _______ low.

9. Debugger
Web page design software allows users to create sophisticated web pages with ___________ features.
A programming language is a set of keywords and grammar rules used to create ____________ for a computer.
While the computer is running - it remains in main ______ and manages nonresident programs.
When troubleshooting a computer program - ________ software is used to help identify and solve problems.

10. Printed
Desktop publishing software has reduced the time needed to create professional looking _______ projects.
In MS PowerPoint - the slide sorter view displays __________ of each slide - allowing you to change the order of your presentation.
Groupware is software that allows several people to collaborate on projects over a _______.
A ________ is a unit of measurement equaling 1024 bytes of data.

11. Timeline
Servers can store files or provide services (i.e. printing) to ________ on the network.
Graphics software is designed to help users manipulate and ______ graphics.
A _____ takes digital signals from a computer and converts them to analog signals to transmit over a telephone line.
Usually - project management software allows the user to break a project down into a series of goals or events which are organized as a _________.

12. Disk scanner
Backups are used to ________ files lost by operator error - viruses - or hardware failures.
An algorithm is a _______ or set of steps for solving a particular problem.
____ ________ software detects and corrects certain types of common problems on hard disks - floppies - and CDs.
A unit of measure equaling one ______ digit is a bit.

13. Text
Multimedia technology presents information in a format which includes ____ - graphics - video and sound.
Public key encryption uses ___ keys.
In a relational database - the _______ key holds a unique value for each record.
The monitor - speakers - and printer are examples of computer ______ devices.

14. Companies
Examples of operating systems include ________ - Linux - Unix - and Macintosh OS.
Most computer manufacturers use components (hard drives - processors - memory - etc.) supplied by other __________; this is called outsourcing.
Values are the actual numbers or dates entered into ______.
Early computers stored ____ for calculations and programs on punched cards.

15. Web browser
A ___ ________ is software that enables a user to find and access the various parts of the Internet.
A keystroke logger can be used to steal __________.
One use of an intranet is to allow employees to access and exchange company _____ needed to do their jobs.
Overclocking is popular with computer gamers but can be dangerous as components may _________ and be damaged or catch fire.

16. Value
Micropayments are __________ payments for internet transactions as small as 25 cents.
A spreadsheet _____ is any number used in a calculation.
Current versions of Windows support ____ ______ up to 255 characters long.
The compiled program is saved as object code for later __________.

17. TCP/IP
The TCP/IP protocol breaks data up into packets - which are fixed-length blocks of data - for transmission over the network. This permits the message to be broken up into small parts which are then transmitted over separate _______ and yet all end up
Harvard Graphics and MS __________ are examples of presentation graphics software.
Freeware is software that is copyrighted but is available for ____.
FTP can be used on any _______ network such as a LAN or the Internet and is compatible with any operating system.

18. Off
ROM chips contain data that is nonvolatile - meaning that this data is not lost when the computer is turned ____.
_____ ____ is a special feature that automatically continues text on the next line when the user reaches the right margin.
Nowadays - cash registers have been replaced by ___ terminals.
A LAN (______ _____ Network) normally occupies a single building.

19. Voice
A _____ is a single keystroke or command used to automatically issue a longer - predefined series of keystrokes or commands.
Random access storage devices are able to go _____ to the requested data
Passwords are often encrypted using a hash function - which is a function that takes a string of characters of any length and converts it into a string of a ________ length.
VoIP stands for ______ over Internet Protocol.

20. Fil
Desktop publishing software has reduced the time needed to create professional looking _______ projects.
A service pack is a collection of Microsoft files for ________ improvements - bug fixes - and software updates.
HTML (__________ Markup Language) tags are used to structure and format web pages and links to other documents.
A named collection of data that exists on a storage medium such as a hard disk - floppy disk - or CD is called a ____.

21. Peripheral
______ - PROSPECTOR - CARES - CLUES and CLIPS are all examples of expert systems.
An advantage of a network is that it allows for the sharing of ___________ devices; users on a network can share devices such as printers and modems.
_____________ people is one important way to protect software and data.
Spelling and grammar checkers flag unrecognized words - misspelled words - and incorrect grammar with different color ________ lines.

22. GUI
Most Information Systems departments are managed by a ___.
Using components or labor from outside suppliers is called ___________.
Data consists of ___ facts and figures that is processed to produce information.
The ___ allows a user to operate the computer by using a mouse or keystrokes to select icons and commands from menus.

23. Checkbooks
Some computers have a ______ chip containing the circuits for two microprocessors; this is called a dual core processor.
Screening job applicants and limiting employee ______ to only information needed to do a specific job are examples of people controls.
Financial software allows users to track income and expenses - manage __________ - create reports - and record tax information.
Random access is much faster than ___________ access storage (tape).

24. Formula
Disposal of _______ is a major environmental problem caused by information technology.
They are for ______ use only and are ignored by the compiler when it processes the code.
Personal computers are also called ______________.
An algorithm is a _______ or set of steps for solving a particular problem.

25. Sort
In a star network - all computers are connected to a _______ computer.
Software obtained _________ is said to be pirated.
This can also be called a _____ key - index - or keyword. Most database applications allow for multiple keys so that users can sort records in different ways.
A _______ __________ plan is used to restore information technology functions after operations have been interrupted by an event such as a hurricane.

26. Intruders
Dreamweaver - Macromedia Flash and MS FrontPage are all examples of ___ _____ design software.
A single hard drive could be partitioned and labeled with multiple drive ________.
A firewall is designed to protect a computer or network from _________.
A ______ is a small unit of data transmitted over a network.

27. Key
Overclocking is popular with computer gamers but can be dangerous as components may _________ and be damaged or catch fire.
In a relational database - a ___ field is used to sort data.
A MAC address is a series of numbers assigned by the manufacturer to a _________ ________ card at the factory.
For a computer to be able to take advantage of dual core or quad core technology - the installed ________ __________ has to support it.

28. Flowchart
Common expansion cards include ________ cards - graphic cards - and memory cards.
System software helps the computer manage internal and external _________ and enables the computer to run applications.
A _________ is a graphical representation of a series of steps needed to solve a problem.
The most common user interface for UNIX systems is the ________ ____ interface.

29. Compression
All the physical equipment in a computer system is called ________.
A kilobyte is generally abbreviated as __.
The JPEG graphics format has built-in _____________ that can be adjusted by the user.
___________ programming rules are called syntax.

30. Storage
_______ errors can be found with a debugger.
In addition to displaying information in rows and columns - spreadsheet software can perform ______________ on inputted data.
A typical computer includes the system and a variety of input - output and ______ devices.
In recent years - antivirus software has been one of the most popular categories of _______ software.

31. Numbered
_______ are computer depictions of humans often found in computer games and training software.
An _________ slot is a slot on the motherboard where the user can plug in an expansion card.
________ row headings appear down the left frame of the spreadsheet.
With ______ processing - the CPU must complete all steps in the instruction cycle before it begins to execute the next instruction.

32. Service Provider
EarthLink - AT&T - and Road Runner are all examples of ISPs (Internet __________________).
____ is a popular graphics file format used in applications such as web pages where flexibility in file size is important.
__________ is widely supported by web browsers and adds interactive functions to HTML pages.
________ ________ plan and implement new or improved computer services.

33. Multiply
To convert seconds to milliseconds - _________ by 1000 (i.e. 5 seconds is equal to 5 -000 milliseconds).
A wizard is an interactive computer utility that asks a user questions to _____ the user through a task.
Backups are used to ________ files lost by operator error - viruses - or hardware failures.
Dreamweaver - Macromedia Flash and MS FrontPage are all examples of ___ _____ design software.

34. Two
To prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data - you encrypt data when you send it and this data is decrypted by its authorized recipient using an encryption ____.
The JPEG graphics format has built-in _____________ that can be adjusted by the user.
The process of converting cyphertext to plaintext is ___________
Public key encryption uses ___ keys.

35. Millisecond
One ___________ is one thousandth of a second.
Multiple files which have been consolidated into ___ file and compressed to reduce size and download time are said to be zipped.
_____________ is the process of recomputing values in a spreadsheet.
Examples of random access storage include computer hard disk drives - RAM - ____ _____ - floppy drives and CD-ROM drives.

36. MB
Second generation computers used ___________ instead of vacuum tubes.
A megabyte is often abbreviated as ___.
______ - PROSPECTOR - CARES - CLUES and CLIPS are all examples of expert systems.
The first microprocessor was developed in _____.

37. Processing
Cookies can save you time by not requiring you to _______ in the same information on subsequent visits to the same website.
_______ ________ was the first to define concepts that were to be later used in modern computers.
Second generation computers used ___________ instead of vacuum tubes.
Output is the result of ___________.

38. Benchmarks
Values are the actual numbers or dates entered into ______.
Tests run by laboratories to compare the overall speed of microprocessors are called __________.
A virus is a program that __________ itself - either by making copies of itself or by attaching to another program.
______ generation computers were microprocessor based.

39. Bit
A ___ is the smallest unit of data that a system can handle.
Freeware is software that is copyrighted but is available for ____.
A bus network has two endpoints and all computers are connected to a single wire or _____.
TCP/IP is an example of a network ________________ protocol.

40. CPU
_____ _____ languages are based on human languages and include C - C++ and FORTRAN.
Companies do this to keep _______ low.
Backups are used to ________ files lost by operator error - viruses - or hardware failures.
Computer resources include the ____ - RAM - storage space - and peripherals.

41. Stress
RSI (Repetitive _______ Injury) affects tendons - muscles and nerves in the hands - wrists - arms and shoulders.
A ________ - mouse - microphone - scanner - and camera are all examples of computer input devices.
Spoofing makes it appear that a message came from someone other than the sender. This is a tactic often used by _________.
Settings automatically used by a program unless changed by the user are called _______ settings.

42. POS
Nowadays - cash registers have been replaced by ___ terminals.
_________ systems were first used in second generation computers.
Such information includes information related to company finances - _________ - products and procedures.
On a hard disk - this waiting area is called a _______.

43. Spelling
The hub prevents packet collisions - but if the hub goes down the _____ stops.
A ____ network has no endpoints and all computers are connected in a continuous loop.
Relocating business _________ to lower cost locations in foreign countries is called offshoring.
Common syntax errors include incorrect or missing punctuation - _________ errors - and omitting keywords.

44. Data
A floppy disk - hard disk - and USB drive are all examples of _________ storage.
A firewall is designed to protect a computer or network from _________.
One use of an intranet is to allow employees to access and exchange company _____ needed to do their jobs.
The system's main interface screen is called the _______ and displays icons which provide fast access to information and programs.

45. HTTP
By using a _______________ utility - files on a disk are rearranged so that they are stored in contiguous clusters.
____ is the communications protocol used by your browser to connect with web servers and display web pages on your computer.
In recent years - antivirus software has been one of the most popular categories of _______ software.
One reason a tape drive takes longer to access data than a ____ drive is that tape drives use sequential access.

46. Resetting
When data is ________ in one cell - data in other cells is automatically recalculated.
When talking about personal computers - the CPU (________ Processing Unit) is synonymous with the silicon chip known as the microprocessor - which is programmed to perform various tasks on the data it receives.
A _____ _______ is a program that is disguised as an innocent program to gain control of your computer.
CSMA/CD manages collisions on the network by deleting colliding signals and __________ the network.

47. DRM
Fetch - ______ - execute and store are the four basic operations of the machine cycle.
Cache speeds up _________.
____ is used by copyright holders to prevent piracy of their products but can be inconvenient to legitimate users.
A ________ is a collection of interrelated files in a computer system.

48. Central
This is where the term __________ (a group edited encyclopedia) comes from.
______ generation computers were microprocessor based.
When talking about personal computers - the CPU (________ Processing Unit) is synonymous with the silicon chip known as the microprocessor - which is programmed to perform various tasks on the data it receives.
A computer uses a ____ system (base 2). That means that it only has 2 digits to choose from (i.e. 0 and 1).

49. Structured
Desktop publishing software has reduced the time needed to create professional looking _______ projects.
Integrated circuits were able to do the work of thousands of _____________ or vacuum tubes on a single miniature chip.
Mac OS X was rewritten for _____ architecture in 2006 and has a reputation for being an easy to use - reliable - and secure operating system.
A __________ file uses a uniform format to store data for each person or thing in the file.

50. Fields
Messages are divided into equal size packets and shipped over the network on a first come first _______ basis.
SSL (Secure _______ Layer) and TLS are protocols used to create a secure connection between a computer and a website.
The columns are called _______.
____ and RPG-I are examples of fourth generation languages.