Where we get computer terminologyDid you know that the first computers were people? That's right, for about 200 years a "computer" was a person who manually performed scientific calculations. When electronic calculating machines were invented, the computer was a natural choice for what to call them. Sometimes new names are created to describe new technologies. But more often than not, new technologies are named after old, familiar terms. Initially this is a new use of the term. But sometimes we forget the original meaning and the “new” one becomes the one we know best. In other cases, knowing the origin of a term can help you determine its meaning more easily. For example, HTML is a computer programming language or code used to create web applications. Like any programming language, it must be error-free for the application to function properly. We often say that a section of HTML code that has no errors, missing parts, or unnecessary additions is “clean.” A section of code that contains these things is called “messy” or “dirty”. The words clean and dirty, when applied to programming code, suggest specific feelings or attitudes. What feelings and associations do you have with the word messy? You probably recognize the term digital in the context of information technology. But do you know exactly what it means? It might be helpful to think about the word it comes from, cipher. Digit has several meanings, but the best known are “finger” and “number”. What do numbers have to do with fingers? Well, have you ever counted on your fingers? Now that you know the connection between numbers and fingers, you're ready to tackle the term digital. What do you think the term “digital archiving” means? Here's another example. What to do… in the middle of paper… in word processing, even if it is done electronically via keyboard commands. Another example of word processing is the operation called cut and paste. Documents were once created by printing text on paper and cutting it into strips each containing a single line of letters. The strips were then glued onto another piece of paper to form the pages. To move some text to a new location, you would literally have to cut the words from the strip or strips they were on and paste them into the new location. Word processing software now lets you do things like these electronically by simply highlighting the text and using the keyboard or on-screen commands to cut, copy, or paste it. While word processing doesn't involve actual cutting and pasting, familiar words like these can help us understand and remember the meaning of many technical terms.