You will need to be familiar with the following acronyms associated with computer programming.  You will see references to these acronyms throughout this course. Simplistic descriptions are all that will be needed at this point. BTW, Java is not an acronym.

ALU - Arithmetic Logic Unit - the part of the processor which performs =, +, -, <, > etc. operations and comparisons.

CPU - Central Processing Unit - the heart ("brains") of the computer system.  It is comprised of the control unit, the arithmetic logic unit, and temporary storage (RAM).

DOS - Disk Operating System - was the first widely-installed operating system for personal computers developed for IBM by Microsoft.  It was software used in most computer systems to manage storage devices as well as data of any kind, including files.  It is referred to as a "disk" operating system because the storage devices are made of rotating platters.

IDE - Integrated Development Environment - a software suite that consolidates the basic tools needed to write and test computer programs. IDEs usually contain a code editor, a compiler/interpreter, and a debugger accessed through a single graphical user interface (GUI).

JDK - Java Development Kit - a software development environment used for developing Java applications. It includes the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), an interpreter/loader (Java), a compiler (javac), an archiver (jar), and a document generator (javadoc).

LAN - Local Area Network - a set of computers connected in order to share programs and storage space.  "Local" implies that the network is contained within a relatively small space, such as a classroom, an office, one section of the building, or one building.

OOP - Object Oriented Programming - the use of small, reusable components to construct large software systems. It is a programming model organized around "objects" rather than "actions", and "data" rather than "logic".

OS - Operating System - the program that manages all the other programs in a computer, as to execution, storage, input/output and communication.   Some popular operating systems include Windows, Linux, Macintosh, Ubuntu, and Android.

RAM - Random Access Memory - temporary memory lost when the computer is turned off. It is where the computer loads and keeps the operating system, application programs, and data currently in use, so they can be quickly obtained by the computer's processor, for as long as the computer is turned on..

ROM - Read Only Memory - hardwired memory which cannot be changed.  Contains the system directions. ROM is computer memory that is permanently stored generally on electronic chips during manufacture, and typically cannot be changed by the user. This memory contains operating procedures, program instructions and other permanently stored data.