Page 574 - Using MIS

542 Glossary

Expert systems shells A program in an expert system that Geotagging Automatic process by which a camera or smart-
processes a set of rules, typically many times, until the val- phone includes GPS coordinates in the metadata of a digital
ues of the variables no longer change, at which point the photograph. The coordinates identify where the photo was
system reports the results. 367 taken. 235
Fields Also called columns; groups of bytes in a database Gigabyte (GB) 1,024 MB. 132
table. A database table has multiple columns that repre- GNU A set of tools for creating and managing open source
sent the attributes of an entity. Examples are PartNumber, software. Originally created to develop an open source Unix-
EmployeeName, and SaleDate. 165 like operating system. 132
File A group of similar rows or records. In a database, some- GNU general public license (GPL) agreement One
times called a table. 165 of the standard license agreements for open source
File Transfer Protocol (ftp) An applications-layer protocol software. 132
used to transfer files over the Internet. 225 Google Docs A license-free set of products for creating and
File server A networked computer that stores files. 53 processing documents, spreadsheets, drawings, and other
Firewall Computing devices located between public and pri- file types. Used in conjunction with Google Drive. 53
vate networks that prevent unauthorized access to or from Google Drive Cloud-based hardware used for sharing docu-
the internal network. A firewall can be a special- purpose ments, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings, and other
computer, or it can be a program on a general-purpose types of data. Includes version tracking. Used in conjunc-
computer or on a router. 406 tion with Google Docs. 53
Firmware Computer software that is installed into devices Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLB) Act Passed by Congress in 1999,
such as printers, print servers, and various types of commu- this act protects consumer financial data stored by financial
nication devices. The software is coded just like other soft- institutions, which are defined as banks, securities firms, in-
ware, but it is installed into special, programmable memory surance companies, and organizations that provide financial
of the printer or other device. 132 advice, prepare tax returns, and provide similar financial
Five forces model Model, proposed by Michael Porter, services. 402
that assesses industry characteristics and profitability Granularity The level of detail in data. Customer name and
by means of five competitive forces—bargaining power account balance is large granularity data. Customer name,
of suppliers, threat of substitution, bargaining power balance, and details of all contacts with that customer, or-
of customers, rivalry among firms, and threat of new ders, and payments is smaller granularity. 351
entrants. 84
Graphical queries Queries in which criteria are created
Five-component framework The five fundamental com- when the user clicks on a graphic. 176
ponents of an information system—computer hardware, Green computing Environmentally conscious computing
software, data, procedures, and people—that are present consisting of three major components: power management,
in every information system, from the simplest to the most virtualization, and e-waste management. 451
complex. 11
Hacking A form of computer crime in which a person gains
Folksonomy A structure of content that emerges from the unauthorized access to a computer system. Although some
activity and processing of many users. 317
people hack for the sheer joy of doing it, other hackers in-
Foreign keys A column or group of columns used to repre- vade systems for the malicious purpose of stealing or modi-
sent relationships. Values of the foreign key match values of fying data. 393
the primary key in a different (foreign) table. 167
Hadoop An open source program supported by the Apache
Freemium A revenue model offering a basic service for Foundation that manages thousands of computers and that
free and charging a premium for upgrades or advanced implements MapReduce. 365
features. 309
Hardening A term used to describe server operating systems
Functional application Software that provides features and that have been modified to make it especially difficult for
functions necessary to support a particular business activity them to be infiltrated by malware. 412
(function). 253
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
Functional information systems Workgroup information (HIPAA) The privacy provisions of this 1996 act give indi-
systems that support a particular business function. 253 viduals the right to access health data created by doctors and
Gantt chart A timeline graphical chart that shows tasks, other healthcare providers. HIPAA also sets rules and limits on
dates, dependencies, and possibly resources. 479 who can read and receive a person’s health information. 402