# Computers glossary part 5 ## Q QLED - quantum light-emitting diode, the next evolution of LED screens that uses quantum dots Quantization - a digital signal processing that maps an analog signal into a less dynamic digital one Quantum dots - small dots only a few nanometers long that are overlaid on a screen on top of pixels QPU - quantum processing unit, a CPU that uses qubits instead of bits QR code - Quick Response code, a barcode with two dimensions of information involved Qubit - a quantum computing bit, can be in a superstate of 0/1 as well as 0 or 1 Query - a computer requesting information and possibly doing something with it, often used in databases and networks Queue - a specific type of stack data structure where information is placed onto one end of the sequence and removed from the other QoS - Quality of Service, a router/switch feature that prioritizes some protocols, IP addresses, or MAC addresses more than others, is either a tedious experience requiring networking knowledge to set up or is well-automated ## R Race condition - a bad situation where the various speeds of data traveling (usually via electricity) changes the information in a later clock cycle, a hardware issue but can be used as an exploit Racers - pirates who access FTP sites to download and redistribute a *lot* of media Radar - radio detection and ranging, determining a location and distance using radio signals Rage-quit - leaving software, usually a game, out of frustration RAID - redundant array of independent disks, a specialized array of disks that hold data, can be RAM - random access memory, a set of memory outside the CPU that's quickly accessible but disappears after power-off, often designed as a detachable and upgradeable circuit board that plugs into the motherboard RAM slots - memory slots on the circuit board, the RAM must match its form factor Range header - a header that only requests a specified range Ransomware - malware designed to scare the user into paying an extortionate fee Raster - using a grid matrix of dots to represent a screen (with pixels) or a printer RAT - remote access tool, software, or a feature that controls a computer over a network, often used by hackers Rate-limit - aka throttling, slowing the bandwidth speed of a network or data transfer Ray casting - aka ray tracing, following the pathway of a straight line in a 3D environment, often used to cut down on graphics rendering or create shadow effects RCE - remote code execution, a type of attack where code is remotely executed RDMS - relational database management system, a database system that uses SQL to create a relational database Readahead - a feature of a file system designed to read ahead in a memory block Read-only memory - media that's meant to only be read from, includes EEPROM and most CDs Rear ports - ports on the back of a device that allows you to plug other stuff into it Recommender system - an algorithm designed to recommend user data to other users Recursion - code that references itself (see: recursion), very useful for extremely tedious tasks Red Team - the attacking Pentester who tests the resilience of a cybersecurity implementation, in contrast with Blue Team Redundant - a broad computing concept meaning there's a backup system in place for the currently working one Refactor - to redesign existing code, often code from someone the programmer never met or a public repository Reference - aka "ref", a mapped location elsewhere that can be anything including a network/memory location, a variable, or function Register - a DFF attached to a multiplexer, the implementation of storing memory in a computer Regular expression - aka regex, the sequence of characters used in computer code to sort through text for specific conditions, syntax varies by programming language Relational database - a database that links its data together with a primary key, uses SQL to interact with it, contrast to NoSQL Relative motion - the distance between two points irrespective of where they're at, how a mouse and touchpad send information, opposite of absolute motion Rem - aka root em, a measurement of pixels based on the standard font size (em), typically defaults to 16 pixels Remote - broad concept for something that's not nearby, contrast to local Removable media - long-term storage that's designed for removing while the computer is still on, such as CDs or flash drives Render - produce an end-user graphics element Repeater - a device that simply magnifies and duplicates a signal, useful to send a long-distance signal such as Wi-Fi in a large house or a poor cell connection Repository - a place where computer code is stored and maintained Resource/asset - jargon that can apply contextually to memory (disk space or RAM), processing (CPUs or GPUs), network speed, computer code, database entries, and sometimes peripherals Resource record - a DNS record that indicates where something is Responsive web design - using media queries to manage the UX for various screen sizes a browser may use Reverse-engineer - to re-engineer something by observing what that thing does Right to repair - an individual's rights to fix the things they own, should be implicit but many FAANG companies try to subvert it, works directly against planned obsolescence Rip - copy physical media into a digital format, typically associated with piracy RISC - reduced instruction set computer, a computer architecture designed to simplify individual instructions, meaning more code and less processing per command, contrast to CISC RISC-V - pronounced "risk-five", an open-source implementation of the RISC standard RMF - risk management framework, a system created by NIST to implement risk management organizational programs Roll back - to restore a previous known-good version of software Roll out - when software is released to the public ROM - read-only memory, often doesn't depend on electricity, but you can't write anything to it Rootkit - malware that affects core operating system files Rotoscoping - a tedious animation technique of drawing over an existing thing, frame by frame Router - effectively, a switch that works with IP addresses instead of MAC addresses Routing table - a record of IP addresses that a router records for reference RPC - remote procedure call, a protocol for managing another computer's service Runtime - the period of time when a computer is running a program Runtime error - a situation where a computer does exactly what it's told, but won't finish a task because it's waiting on a condition that can never be met (e.g., add 1 to 5 over and over, stop when it reaches 4) ## S Sampling - the data speed that audio or video is being captured or played back Sampling depth - the amount of data for each sample from a sampling rate Sampling rate - the frequency that information is gathered in audio or video SATA - serial AT attachment, cables with an L-shaped socket that attach directly to a motherboard Scalable - either the ability for a computer task to be done many, many times without any major slowdown or something that can be made bigger indefinitely Schematic - something designed as a concept, the physical side of "alpha version" Screen - a visual output using an array of pixels, with each pixel representing gradations of 3 lights to form the visual spectrum Screen burn-in - a condition from a CRT display where an image is permanently burned into the glass of the screen after keeping a static image on the screen for a long time Screen memory map - the RAM locations where color values are stored for the screen Script - slang for a comparatively short amount of computer code for accomplishing a straightforward purpose Scrollbar - a GUI feature that allows a screen to be scrolled by the user for more information Search engine - powerful software designed that uses a web crawler to create a searching algorithm for users' convenience Searching algorithm - a very common algorithm that looks through a list to find information Secrets - sensitive data someone would want to keep private, often is a string of computer-generated letters and numbers Sector - a smaller section of a drive that combines to create blocks Seed - to send information over a P2P connection, often refers to seeding a torrent Seedbox - hosted content designed to start torrent streams Self join - a powerful SQL technique of using data with another table generated from that data Semantics - the meaning a programmer wishes to convey, expresses via syntax Semiconductor - a substance that can be altered to control how much electricity can run through it, it's the basis of all electricity-based computing via transistors SEO - search engine optimization, improving [marketability](marketing.md) with various tricks to rank higher on search engine results SEO poisoning - a social engineering exploit that involves using SEO tricks to get people to go to a fraudulent website Sequential logic - where computers perform logic in a sequence, compared to combinational logic Server - a synonym for a supercomputer or a host, context-depending Server rack - a large rack with thumb-screw holes that computers can slide into on drawers, 19 inches wide and usually 42U height (1U is 1.75 inches, U for unit), most smaller computers can fit in 1U, but computers can be as tall as 6U Service - a task or program a computer can run Session - a specified block of time that a computer is sending information Set - a data structure that holds multiple unique values in no particular order or structure Shadow profile - gathering information about a person/organization without their consent, popular with FAANG companies Shaping - curating behavior close to a desired outcome. Shared plan - a pricing plan that combines the resources for various customers' needs together to save money on hardware, opposite of shared plan Shareware - an old software licensing model of giving free-to-distribute software that removes features without a paid license key, largely obsolete now that freemium exists Shim - software that grabs API data and modifies it somehow before outputting as if it were the same data Shipping - management term for finishing a project Sideload - installing software that the operating system wasn't designed originally to accommodate (e.g., an app store in a cell phone) SIM card - subscriber identity module card, an interchangeable means of attributing identification to a cell phone Sim swapping - aka SIM splitting, simjacking or sim hijacking, a hack that involves transferring a phone number's association to another SIM card Simplex - data transmission that's only one way, contrast to duplex Single-board computer - a cheaply made computer made with only one printed circuit board such as the [Raspberry Pi](https://www.raspberrypi.org/) and [Arduino](https://www.arduino.cc/), perfect for simple projects and low-cost solutions SISO - single-input single-output, a relatively slow transceiver configuration compared to SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO Skeleton loader - a design placeholder element, typically with a scrolling indicator, to express the framework of a page *before* it loads completely Skinner box - aka operant conditioning chamber, a confined area with a lab subject who presses a button to get a reward, named after the psychologist B.F. Skinner and his operant conditioning experiments, a core component of many modern games Skybox - a massive textured digital box that represents the far-distant world in a game SLA - service-level agreement, a written document that clarifies what a tech service is doing and what happens when they don't follow through (such as paying the customer if they fail beyond a certain amount of time) SLO - service-level objective, documentation that clarifies what the purpose of a tech service is for, leads to an SLA Slave - aka subsidiary (now that [Leftism](politics-leftism.md) is offended by the term), a subordinate drive or record that has a lesser importance than others, in contrast with master Slot - a location in the case designated for a specific part, usually for long-term storage, not to be confused with ports Smart contract - an agreement between computers (or people) that they're both trustworthy regarding specific transactions, removes the need for a trusted intermediary Snapshot - a copy of a hard drive's memory at a specific timestamp Snapshotting - to take a snapshot of memory, usually for backup Social engineering - an exploit that uses information about someone to get them to trust the hacker Social media - internet-based content designed for generally public consumption Socket - when an IP address is linked to a port Soft skill - a broad [understanding](understanding.md) of something, not particularly useful in itself but widely applicable Software - computer code that programmers entered into a computer, completely written [intellectual property](legal-ip.md) compared to hardware Something-for-something - a social engineering exploit where the hacker gives something (usually for free) in exchange for personal information Source code - computer code that makes applications run, is often elaborate, is often a hybrid of closed-source (not public) or open-source (public for everyone) Snoop - scouring networked computers for potentially useful information, also a famous rapper Sorted list - a list that has been sorted, typically numerically or alphabetically Sound card - dedicated memory, CPU, and rear ports specifically for [sound processing](computers-speakersmic.md), is typically baked into the motherboard but can still be a PCI extension for audio professionals SPA - single page app, a simple website/app that's only 1 page of content Split cache - a hardware architecture where memory is split between programs and data Spoofing - feeding false information into a computer to imply something different from reality, often used for hacking, examples include GPS spoofing (to change perceived geolocation) and cell tower spoofing (to make a cell phone think a computer is a cell tower) Sprite - the foreground and moving elements of a game, contrasts to a static background Spyware - malware that tracks user information, the most malicious form being a keylogger SQL - Structured Query Language, a programming language that manages an RDBMS SSD - solid-state drive, flash memory engineered for more long-term use as a permanent hard drive Stablecoin - a cryptocurrency that attaches its value to a non-cryptocurrency denomination, such as the US dollar Stack - broad term for information placed in some sort of order or organization, can also apply to a stack data structure where most of the information is managing the values at the beginning and end with push and pop Stack memory allocation - memory allocated by the operating system for specific purposes defined by the program, contrasted with heap memory allocation Stack overflow - a risky memory situation where the memory was maxed out, so the computer draws from the bottom-most memory instead (e.g., if memory only goes to 4096, and it's at 4090, then 10 more will make it go to 0003 instead) Staging - setting computer code to be committed, but not yet reviewed for the commit Standard - an industry-defined set of rules and procedures on how to do something, often evolves from a convention State - a conditional situation that a computer-related thing is in Stateful - a broad concept for software that's aware of the state of something, such as whether a file has finished downloading or whether there's a network connection Statement of work - a legally binding document that specifies exactly what someone can do, is obligated to do, and can't do Static - not moving Station keeping - the effort of maintaining a satellite's trajectory Stereo lithography - a 3D printing method of hardening layers of plastic with light Stop - an additional increment of light that hits a camera sensor String - a data type of text information, a combination of characters strung together SU-MIMO - single-user multiple-input multiple-output, a transceiver configuration that allows more bandwidth for a single device to transfer, though doesn't allow multiple bands from multiple users like MU-MIMO Supercomputer - a large computer that's usually a distributed system, usually fits into a rack, and is often a web server, tends to be pricier and reliable than home computers Surge protector - a device meant to prevent against freakish spikes of electricity that would normally destroy a power supply Stepdown transformer - a box on many power cables for lowish-power devices that lowers the household power plug's voltage to something more manageable Stepper - an interface element with a + and - symbol that increments and decrements a value. STP - spanning tree protocol, a Layer 2 network protocol that specifies where data should get forwarded Stripboard - aka Veroboard a construction base for prototyping mid-speed circuits, requires soldering Striping - arranging information across multiple domains, most commonly used to refer to a type of RAID array Style guide - documentation about how the user interface should look, often with many examples Subnet - a subnetwork, necessary for working with large networks, uses a subnet mask, terminates at a gateway Subnet mask - designating an IP range for making a subnet (e.g., 255.255.255.0 in IPv4 would allocate 8 bits of data for a subnet) Supersample - antialiasing that gets a much larger sample of the image to then downgrade to the displayed image Superuser - aka super or root user or root, an account with the highest possible privileges in a computer Surrogate key - a key in a database that has no real-world equivalent, useful for setting a primary key Surround sound - a speaker configuration where the user can hear in front and behind them Swap space - hard drive space converted into temporary RAM Swarm - a situation where many BitTorrent clients are seeding/leeching all at once Switch - a network box that operates as a type of [demultiplexer](computers-alu.md) to direct signals to their destination, in contrast with a hub Sync interval - how frequently a synchronized computer checks for updated information Synchronous logic - a motherboard arrangement where each logic gate advances with each clock cycle, contrasts with asynchronous logic Syntax - the typed text that a computer language understands, conveys the semantics of the programmer Syntax error - an error in computer code syntax, usually caused by typographical errors System call - a call that refers to core system components, often higher-risk and more resource-intensive than most other function calls System usability scale - a questionnaire where people answer 10 1-to-5 questions about how much they like the interface