A Dictionary of Computing

The first edition of the Dictionary of Computing received worldwide acclaim when it was first published in 1983. This fourth edition, extensively revised by a team of computer specialists, should prove invaluable to students and teachers of computing as well as computer users in general. There are now some 6000 entries (1700 more than the third edition), with a comprehensive cross-reference system. The wide range of topics covered includes: computer applications in industry, the office, science, education, and the home; the means of achieving these applications - hardware, software, computer organization, telecommunications, and user interaction; security, safety, and legal aspects; underlying concepts and theories in computing and associated fields; and major computer manufacturers and organizations. The entries have been written by practitioners in all branches of computing and associated fields under the scrutiny of distinguished scholars from both sides of the Atlantic. Instructive diagrams and tables supplement the text where appropriate.