PEDIATRICS Vol. 80 No. 5 November 1987, pp. 605-612
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On-Line With Medline: An Introduction for the Pediatrician

James A. Menke MD1 and Richard E. McClead MD1

1 From the Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, and the Ohio State University, Columbus

GLOSSARY OF COMPUTER TERMS

Baud: A term used to state how fast information is transmitted in and between computers. It literally means "bits per second." It takes 8 bits to make up a character in the alphabet. Therefore, a transmission rate of 1,200 Baud is equal to transmitting 150 characters per second.

Computer databus: The electronic circuit inside a computer that transmits information from one part of the computer to another (ie, from the microprocessor to the disk).

Database: A collection of information.

Database management system: A program that allows the user to add information to or retrieve information from a database.

Disk: A device on which information in the computer memory can be stored in a permanent fashion.

Disk file: A set of information stored on a disk. It can contain data or a program.

Hardware: The electronic devices or components of a computer.

Microprocessor: The "brain" of the computer.

On-line: This is a descriptive term that means the computer user is using the computer or terminal to communicate with another computer, usually through telephone lines.

Pascal: A computer programming language.

Remote terminal: A device that can communicate with a computer but is located away from the computer. A microcomputer and a modern can be used as a remote terminal for the computer at the National Library of Medicine.

Shareware: A concept in which an author of a computer program allows sharing of the program by friends or colleagues. If the user wants a complete manual and support from the author, then he or she must send the author a specified fee.

Submitted on August 7, 1986
Accepted on January 26, 1987