|
|
|
|
What is Process? |
A process is a program that is running on your computer. This can be anything from a small background task, such as a spell-checker or system events handler to a full-blown application like Internet Explorer or Microsoft Word. All processes are composed of one or more threads.
Since most operating systems have many background tasks running, your computer is likely to have many more processes running than actual programs. For example, you may only have three programs running, but there may be twenty active processes. You can view active processes in Windows by opening the Task Manager (press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and click Task Manager). On a Mac, you can see active processes by opening Activity Monitor (in the Applications->Utilities folder).
The term "process" can also be used as a verb, which means to perform a series of operations on a set of data. For example, your computer's CPU processes information sent to it by various programs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return to Glossary |
|
|
| A special thanks to
Sharpened Glossary |
|
|
Popular terms beginning with 'P': |
What is PDA?
Stands for "Personal Digital Assistant." These are the little electronic devices you see people jotting stuff down on in public. Usually, when you see someone with a PDA, they will be holding it out f... continue
What is Protocol?
When computers communicate with each other, there needs to be a common set of rules and instructions that each computer follows. A specific set of communication rules is called a protocol. Because of ... continue
What is PCB?
Stands for "Printed Circuit Board." A PCB is a thin board made of fiberglass or a similar material. Electrical wires are "printed" onto the board, connecting the microprocessor to other components on ... continue
What is Proxy Server?
Most large businesses, organizations, and universities these days use a proxy server. This is a server that all computers on the local network have to go through before accessing information on the In... continue
What is Pipeline?
Computer processors can handle millions of instructions each second. Once one instruction is processed, the next one in line is processed, and so on. A pipeline allows multiple instructions to be proc... continue
What is Peripheral?
A computer peripheral is any external device that provides input and output for the computer. For example, a keyboard and mouse are input peripherals, while a monitor and printer are output peripheral... continue
What is Pixel?
The term "pixel" is actually short for "Picture Element." These small little dots are what make up the images on computer displays, whether they are flat-screen (LCD) or tube (CRT) monitors. The scree... continue
What is PPC?
Pay per click, or PPC, is an advertising technique used on websites, especially search engines. Pay per click advertisements are usually text ads placed near search results; when a site visitor clicks... continue
What is Port?
As if computer terms weren't hard enough to understand, there are three different meanings of the word "port."
1. An Internet port. This is a number that indicates what kind of protocol a server on... continue
What is PCMCIA?
Stands for "Personal Computer Memory Card International Association." It can also mean, perhaps more appropriately, "People Can't Memorize Computer Industry Acronyms." This way-to-long acronym stands ... continue
|
| |
|
|
