Alpha testing

First stages of testing, often in-house

BASIC

Beginners All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code: interpreted language

Batch

Processing mode, group of items processed without interruption

Beta testing

Second stage of testing, before publication, often by external testers

Binary search

Search where data set is split in two at each stage

Binary tree

Tree structure with two pointers in each node, left & right

Black box testing

Testing without regard to details of code

Boot

Start computer, loader reads operating system into RAM

Bubble sort

Sorting algorithm based on exchanging pairs of items

Bug

Error in code, possibly named after moth entering early computer

C

Programming language to create operating systems

C++

Extension of C, includes OOP features

CASE

Computer Aided Software Engineering: mathematical techniques

Check digit

Number calculated from other numbers, as in ISBN

Checksum

Number calculated from series of other numbers

COBOL

Common Business Oriented Language: support for records and files

Data integrity

Meaure of correctness of data

Database

Collection of related information, stored centrally, widely available

Debugging

Removing 'bugs' or errors from software

Direct access

aka random access, direct access to records in file, not sequential

Documentation

Written description of system or parts thereof

Emulation

Mimic something else, pretend to be something different; emulator

Feasibility

Can it be done? Technical, Economic, Legal, Operational, Schedule

Field

Smallest unit of data in a file; component part of record

FIFO

First In First Out: as in queue data structure

Foreign key

Field in a tabl;e which is a primary key in another table

FORTRAN

Formula Translation: early 3rd gen. programming language, scientific

Index

Means of locating records in a file

Insertion sort

Sort method using swaps with correct value from list

Key field

Field on which a sequential file is sorted, often the primary key

LIFO

Last In First Out: stack data structure

Linear search

Search from beginning and on until desired item found

LISP

List Processing: processes lists, not algorithmic-imperative

Maintenance

Making sure a system works effectively after installation

Master file

Permanent file kept up to date by merging wth transaction files

Merge files

Join two sequential files, record by record, comparing fields

NIC

Network Interface Card e.g. Ethernet card: connect to network

Pop

Action of pulling a data item off a stack or queue

Primary key

Field or fields that uniquely identify a record in a file

Prototype

Trial or mock-up of software, basis of real thing; use RAD tool?

Push

Put data item on stack or queue (opposite of pop)

Queue

FIFO data structure; like a bus queue

Random access

Like direct access, go straight to record using hash key

Real-time

Computer responds very quickly to input e.g. control systems

Relational database

Database in tables, relationships based on primary-foreign keys

Secondary key

One on which an index is formed; not primary or unique

Sequential file

File sorted on key field, records accessed in sequence

Serial file

Unsorted file, accessed sequentially

Shell sort

Extended version of bubble sort, compares non-adjacent items

Stack

LIFO data structure; plates in cafeteria

Systems Analysis

Detailed study to determine information requirements

Test data

Data designed to show that system works in way required

Trace

Debugging technique, displaying value of variable

Transaction file

Files created by input of data from transactions

Traversal

Move through tree data structure: pre-order, in-order, post-order

Tree

Data structure with links from each node to others

Validation

Check data is valid e.g. type, range, format, presence

Verification

Check data is correct, e.g. password typed in twice

White box testing

Test all paths through code (opposite: black box testing)

QBE

Query By Example: graphical view of database queries (coded in SQL)