Learning Computer Programming Terminology

Computer programmers use a range of terminologies that make sense only to them and to their colleagues. For other people who are not very adept with computers and programming, those words either mean something else or don't mean anything at all. Here's an overview of the ten most commonly used and confused computer programming terminologies that everybody should know, explained in layman's terms:

1. 1GL
1GL means First Generation Programming Language. It is actually a machine level programming language that is written in one's and zero's. These are the programs that can be understood by the computer's central processing unit directly. There's no need to run it into a compiler or any other programming software. There are also second, third, up to fourth generation computer programming language.

2. Abandon ware
Abandon ware are software that are not being used, supported, or sold by its respective publisher any longer. These types of software cannot be resold or redistributed to end-users unless otherwise given away as a freeware.

3. ActiveX
ActiveX are programs using the Visual Basic programming language. It is basically created for active contents of the software that are commonly used by other applications that are already installed or existing on the computer. Sometimes, it even shares the ones used by the operating system itself. ActiveX is the one responsible for the interactive features of web-based programs.

4. Beta Version
When a software, a website, or any application is tagged as a beta release or beta version, it means that that version is its first ever launch. It is the program that incorporates the very basic features and requirements of the software. At that point, the software is not yet tested for bugs. The beta version of the software is normally its test run.

5. DirectX
DirectX is a program provided by Microsoft. It is a collection of different multimedia applications and programming interfaces. It is built into the Windows operating system. DirectX is mostly used in gaming applications.

6. Emulation
Emulation is the term given to the capacity of a certain program to imitate another device or program. There are different degrees of emulation. Emulators are usually created for arcade game devices so it can be played on a desktop computer.

7. Firmware
Firmware refers to the software that is implanted in a device or hardware. The firmware usually contains a set of protocols that the hardware has to run so it would work smoothly with the other devices that it is attached to.

8. HTML
HTML is hypertext markup language. It is the language used by web pages. It is a programming language that has a way to describe the different parts of the text created. It can denote text used as paragraphs, text, headings, and lists.

9. Java
Java is an object oriented programming language. Sun Microsystems developed the software and it can be said that it resembles the C++ program. However, it was structured to avoid the flaws of the latter. This is widely used in the world wide web as well.

10. Linux
Linux is an example of operating software in the likes of Windows and Mac Os. But unlike these two, Linux is a free open source program. Anybody can use the software for redistribution and modification.

These are just some of the computer programming terminologies you should know so that the next time you come across them, you won't be guessing what they means. Programming can be a complex task but if you learn the basic things like terminologies, you will surely find the subject interesting.

Where to Get Computer Programming Training

Computer programmers are professionals who are in demand these days. This is because of the fact that everything is on the stage of being converted into digital. Not too soon, there won't be analog systems anymore. All systems would be created according to the digital generation.

Right now, there are different schools and institutions providing training for computer programming. You can enroll to either offline or online schools, depending upon your time availability. For those who recently get off from high school and would like to pursue a career in computer programming, they can inquire from the different schools, colleges, and universities around them. These institutions are surely offering programming courses.

However, for those who are currently holding down a job and would just like to learn computer programming as a hobby, they can enroll in an online school that follows a distance education setup. They are free to catch up on their lessons during their free time, whenever they are, provided they have a laptop with an internet access.

Here are the different schools where you can take training courses on computer programming:

1. Collins College
Collins College is located in Arizona. It is previously known as the Al Collins Graphic Design School. Right now, the school follows emphasized programs for visual communications through graphic design, computer animation, and digital video. They also offer e-commerce programming.

2. Brown College
Brow College's main institution is in Minnesota. However, they are accepting enrollees from various locations. They are implementing quality programs in computer programming. The school employs competent faculty members that implement them.

3. International Academy of Design and Technology
This career-oriented institution is dedicated in providing academic excellence to their students. Computer programming is not a very easy course. But this school is one of the few that tries to find a way to make the learning process more fun and rewarding.

4. American Inter Continental University
The school offers different degrees related to business, industrial, and government career paths. And all of their graduates have adequate computer programming units to back them up. There are also Master's Degree and Associate's Degree programs being offered, on top of the school's Bachelor's Degrees.

5. ITT Technical Inst
If you want true-blue computer programming training, you have to go to the authority. The ITT Tech Inst is a special educational institution that focuses on information technology courses. The schools offers both Bachelor's and Associate's degree.

6. Tech Skills
If you want hands-on computer programming and information technology courses, you should go to Tech Skills. They are offering different programs related to computers and technology. Their programs include training and certification for Oracle, Microsoft, A+, Cisco, and a whole lot more.

7. Unitek
Unitek is the premier provider of certificate courses for both CISCO and Microsoft. They are also offering training courses for these two. They can provide assessment testing for anybody situated across the country. They have prepared a skills test online for aspiring students who would want to join their boot camp.

8. Kaplan University
Kaplan University is an online school that offers classes around the clock. This is one of the best schools offering programming courses for both teens and adults. Their curriculum is focused on the individualized career path of their students.

These are the eight different computer programming training centers you can check out. Look for the school that is equipped to improve your skills and abilities the most. This way, you can make your future look a lot brighter.

How To Implement Credit Card Computer Programming

There are different types and applications of computer programming. Computer programming is very essential anywhere there's a computer or a digital device. Programs are the primary requirement before a system or device could run. And in this digital age, they are required by almost all applications, including web-based ones.

Credit card computer programming is one of the most vital forms of programming these days. This is precisely what makes online banking and e-commerce possible. With these sets of programs, people can freely buy things over the internet. And merchants can also get their earning easily from the issuing banks of the credit cards used to pay them.

The main requirement of credit card computer programming is security. These programs should be created with multiple layers of security so as to protect the interests of both the online seller and the buyer. Credit card programming requires a series of intricate commands and test runs just to avoid the loopholes in the programming.

Adequate security is also necessary so that identity theft and other illegal acts are not committed over the internet. The main reason why identity theft is rampant over the internet is because there are not sufficient security measures that both online sellers and buyers follows. It is really the task of credit card computer programmers to make indestructible security programs for their clients.

Identity theft is the act of stealing one's sensitive financial information such as credit card number, social security number, name, address, and age. All of these are required before an online transaction could push through. But because of the improving abilities of hackers and fraudulent individuals, they somehow manage to find ways on how squeeze out the information from unsuspecting victims. They don't run out of creative ways of enticing people to freely give out the information they need.

A website that uses a faulty credit card computer programming protocol is exposed to the risks associated with refunds, fines, and even legal costs. But more than that, the website's customers will be very irritated with their experience arising from the transaction with the website. Worse, they could even suspect that the website is part of a big scam operating in the underworld of the internet. This is where things could get nasty with legal fees arising from suits filed by the affected consumers.

Therefore, it is very important for small and medium-scale internet business owners to avail of credit card computer programming services only from reputable sources. For all they know, the program that they are using are created with a backdoor that only the programmers know about. If you can request for a customized programming complete with documentation and a legal contract, it is highly recommended that they avail of that.

But if that seems a little too expensive, they can definitely try one of the many third party payment processors in operation today. This is a good alternative to buying or creating a special software for your e-commerce website. Examples of a third party payment processor are PayPal, Google Checkout, FirePay, and others. These companies are offering the processing of payments in cash, checks, and credit cards. However, these companies charge a certain amount or a percentage of the payment received.

This deal should be just fine, because they normally assume all responsibility when it comes to the proper handling or credit card charge requests. And for them to do it right, they ensure their clients that they have a very complex credit card computer programming system in place.

Looking Adeptly at Programming Function Examples

Before looking at the different examples of programming functions, it is best to understand the purpose and definition of function.  A function is the means by which someone who uses a program can execute a code block which has two purposes: to finish a certain task and to return values. Although functions are expected to return a certain value, it is not always that values are returned.

A function is also considered as a procedure in some programming languages.  On the other hand, functions are commonly known as any term that is being used in referring to names of code blocks.  Take note that it is the C programming language which solely uses the keyword function.  Functions accept restrictions, they also return values, and they are maintained on a separate location from the code of primary program.  The C language uses main function as the point of entry to certain programs.

Functions can show up in a single or two locations.  This is dependent on whether the function is single line or multi-line.  Having a single line function means a value is returned after the performances of work (in a single line) while the multi-line function is broadened over different lines.

Perhaps, the most common example of a programming function is a mathematical function.  Log and tan are examples of mathematical functions.  The other two known functions are string functions and the date functions.

Simply defined, a programming function allows you to assign certain values where results can be calculated in a matter of seconds while saving yourself from the task of doing the computations manually.

On the declaration or calling of a function which has two or more parameters, the use of comma is needed to separate the different parameters.  One function declaration could resemble this:

function print_two_strings($var1, $var2)
{
echo $var1;
echo "\n";
echo $var2;
return NULL;
}

For these functions to be called, a value must be assigned to the parameters, hence:

Function call:

Print two strings (“hi”, “guys”);

The output should appear as:

hi
guys

One other good way to have active parameters is the use of PHP’s integral functions such as func get args, func get arg, and func num args functions.  These functions are able to calculate arithmetic means of any values that are placed onto them and an output is derived.  An example:

mean(35, 43, 3);

The output is then:

Mean: 27

A programming function is usually best when it returns some value or information.  Functions do calculations, indeed, but it is also useful in indicating any errors that are encountered any function.  To return an information from functions, you can use return () statement on the specified function.  

An example of script for PHP is the following:

function add_numbers($var1 = 0, $var2 = 0, $var3 = 0)
{
  $var4 = $var1 + $var2 + $var3;
  return $var4;
}

$sum = add_numbers(2,4,6)
echo “The result of 2+4+6 is {$sum}
?>

The result is:

The result of 2+4+6 is 12.

Take note that {} statement ended the course of the function.  If multiple variables are to be returned, a group of variables should be returned, not a single variable:  An example:


function maths ($input1, $input2) {
  $total = ($input1 + $input2);
  $difference = ($input1 - $input2);
  $ret = array("tot"=>$total, "diff"=>$difference);
  return $ret;
}


There are also ways of accessing functions without having to type a function name or {} syntax.  This can be done in two ways: the call_user_func or the call_user_func_array.  One complex example is the following:


$one = "One";
$two = "Two";
$three = "Three";
$callback_func = "my_function";
$result = call_user_func_array($callback_func,array($one,$two,$three));
echo $result;


These equations may show as a bunch of gibberish letters and numbers but these symbols actually account to make a certain task easier.  And that, for us, is the most important thing.

Computer Programming Functions: Get to Know What They Are

When it comes to computer programming vocabulary, there are so many terminologies that people who do not have enough know-how tend to become lost and confused.  One term could be translated into so many different names in different languages.  For example, the following words are quite similar: Functions, Programs, Subroutines, Procedures, Subprograms, or Subqueries.  The only question now is which of these terms could stand on their own.

Theoretically speaking, computer programming avoids the duplication of any code in multiple spaces.  For example, one institution utilizing the programs could have some libraries of different thousands or even more programs with billions of basic code lines.  With such intricate case, duplication could still be avoided.  Let us say that an error message occurs because the collection now needs to have an additional ‘member’.

A good example is the addition of another global currency called the Euro.  If each and every program will be told to update itself because of this new addition, it could be complex.  But with sub-programs or functions specifically designed to handle diverse situations, then the only function that would take care of the change would be the one assigned to handle such a scenario.

In the same way that we write new programs, many of the components that it will need are already in existence (e.g. accessing a certain file to dig up a certain data, computing inventories on hand).  In cases such as this, a good alternative to writing different source code lines to work on the new function (and eventually replication of the code onto numerous other programs), the sub-program is accessed to work on the specified function.

In a handful of programming languages, there are certain parameters that are being passed from a specific program name to the program that is being called to do a task.  A secondary program usually makes the values altered and then the control is brought back to the main program.  These actions could be levels deeper.  The various programs that are being used to call each other are written in so many varying languages.  The reasons behind this are:   to have a reasonable controllable function pieces and having various languages means being better able to suit different function types.

To further define the uses of programming functions, a function may appear in two different locations or even a single location.  This depends on whether it is multi-line or single-line function.  A function that is single line is one that gives back a value after performing tasks (all of this in a single line).  The multi-line function, however, is stretched on many different lines.

A single line function could show in a code block all because it only responds when called by a certain name.  The multi-line function does otherwise.  If it is a multi-line function that is being defined in a block of code, then the statements that follow the definition are done in a non-sequential manner.

In its simplicity, functions are code blocks that can be reusable.  These code blocks often return single values (sometimes they don’t’).  Common examples of these code blocks are Mathematical functions (e.g. tan or log), date functions (figures between two dates), or string functions (looking for incidents of 1 string located within another string).  Functions are also kept separately from the primary program code.  A lot of programming language has specific functions which are delegated as entry points to a certain program.

Knowing what functions are in computer programming could take sometime to non-computer savvy individuals.  But the basics are all here.  Looking at the many complex things that functions do, you get to appreciate the things that the computer does for you each day, don’t you?

The Future of Computer Programming

When it comes to the world of computer programming, it would be safe to say that the future is bright.  And why is that so?  Gone are the days when only the rich and powerful have the tools to educate themselves.  Nowadays, a single household possesses at least one computer.  There are a lot of brilliant minds out there who are constantly on their toes to bring about the latest developments in computer programming.

To make their dream a reality, it is necessary to begin where all computer programmers begin—at grade school.  Computer programming is now being introduced to the youngest minds.  Educational materials that are targeting languages in programming and also development tools are now being introduced in most schools’ curriculums.

But this is still an ongoing vision.  Somewhere in the near future, computer programming (not just computer usage) will be just another ordinary subject such as writing, reading or arithmetic. A study shows that this vision is slowly unfolding as teenagers are responding positively to programming exercises and are even able to control several virtual worlds in just a few days.

Mass computer programming literacy is a work in progress.  When even the most simple citizen is able to explain the designs of software with ease, then creativity will abound and so with productivity.  But what is computer programming in the future?  Is it more on art or engineering?  Or both?

One renowned computer architect named Gordon Morrison states that computer programming is recently in a form of art.  When this is so, it means that the current knowledge in programming is disorganized and changeable.  He proposes further that in changing programming into engineering (which is a more precise form) then the future of programming will become more stable.

Perhaps, one good way to predict the future of programming is by looking at the available jobs for computer programmers these days.  Consider these career options:  a single system programmer is able to install and maintain mainframe ops systems, management software for databases, and also networks for communications.  They can also become compilers or utility programmers.  

Another good way to foretell what is in store for computer programming is to look at the television and some science fiction films that are being produced lately.  In the past, the TV series called The New Adventures of Wonder Woman showed talking computers and robots which were causes of awe.  Today, those are not impossibilities.

The use of hardware has progressed tremendously over the past years and software development is tailing behind.  Software processes are still on the if-and-then phase and users are wondering whether this will really change.  Although there are predictions that programming languages would soon be on its fifth generation (where the recent languages would become obsolete), still, this visualization still hasn’t pushed through.  Which leads others to ask, has software development reached its peak?  Will there be no more developments?  Is this as far as it could go?  

Sure, there are modernizations here and there when it comes to new languages but they remain at a certain phase. It doesn’t go a notch higher.  Perhaps, software would be the technological limit that would cap computer programming advancement.  But only perhaps.


There are always minds out there that constantly grind to provide the latest in programming innovation.  We can only watch and predict for now.  And yes, we could only wonder.

Computer Programming and Its Rich History

If it’s the history of programming that has to be retold, then it is safe to begin an account with the difference engine of Charles Babbage way back in 1822.  Even from the time when computers were so simple, they still needed to have instructions so that they will be able to perform tasks that are inputted to them.  This set of instructions is what is known today as computer programming.

During the difference engine’s era, the gears needed to be changed manually which would then result into the calculations being made.  All of that was changed when signals of electricity replaced physical motion with the US Government’s 1942 machine named ENIAC.  The concept of accepting programming was also followed by this machine.  

To make programming faster, two vital concepts which directly influenced programming languages were developed in 1945 by John Von Neumann, who was then with the Institute for Advanced Study.  The first concept was known as the shared-program method.  This concept dictated that the hardware had to be non-complex and need not be hand-wired for every program.  Intricate instructions were used to control this type of hardware which made reprogramming quicker.

The second concept called the ‘conditional control transfer’ gave birth to code blocks which can be used even in different orders or the so-called subroutines.  The next part of the concept was logical branching.  With this, the concept of having code blocks that can be used and reused was born.

By 1949, the Short Code language came out.  It became the mother of electronic device computer language.  With this language, the programmer was required to use 0’s and 1’s instead of the usual statements.  1951 marked the appearance of compiler named A-0 by Grace Hopper.  This program translated all the 0’s and 1’s for the computer.  This gave way to much quicker programming.

FORTRAN (FORmula TRANslating System) was introduced in 1957 which was also the first key language.  It was designed for IBM for scientific computation.  This language included the GOTO, DO and IF statements.  FORTRAN’s forte was not business computing, though.  It was a good program for number handling but not for business computations.

COBOL was then developed in 1959.  It was designed as a businessman’s language.  The COBOL’s program was comparable to an essay where there are 4-5 sections comprising a major whole.  This made it easier to study.

The LISP language (developed for artificial intelligence study) also known as the Cambridge Polish was developed in 1958 by John McCarthy.  This programming language is highly abstract and specific that is why it is still being used today.  The LISP can store lists and modify them on its own.

In that same year, the Algol language was produced.  This became the mother of the Pascal language, C and C++, and also Java.  Algol also had the first proper grammar called the Backus-Naar form or BNF.  Algol 68, which was the next version, was a harder version to use.  Due to this difficulty, Pascal came into existence.

Niklaus Wirth introduced the Pascal language in 1968.  It was a necessary means of teaching then. It was a combination of the following languages: ALGOL, FORTRAN and COBOL.  It was also Pascal that improved the pointer data form.  Its downfall was caused by its lack of variable groups.  Modula-2 then appeared but C was already popular among many users.

C by Dennis Ritchie (1972, used by Unix) was comparable to Pascal but its precursors were the B and BCPL.  It is also being used in Windows, Linux and MacOS.  OOP (Object Oriented Programming) was developed in 1970’s until the 80’s.  This developed into the C++ language in 1983.  This language can manipulate many tasks all at the same time.  This is also the chosen language courses in AP Computer Science.  In 1987, Perl (Practical Extraction and Reporting Language) was developed.

Java soon followed in 1994.  It has yet many goals to reach especially with its slow-running programs.  But there are high hopes that a lot is in store in the future for this language. Microsoft has also developed VB or Visual Basic which uses widgets and these are now widely used.

The future holds many more developments for computer programming.  It may have started on a crude method but looking at the languages in use today, there were so many developments that we can only wonder what ‘impossibilities’ could be made possible very soon.