ubiquitous
/juˈbɪkwɪtəs/Found absolutely everywhere, so common that people stop noticing it is there.
Example: Contactless payment has become ubiquitous in cafes and corner shops.
C225 words · Proficient
Devices & Software vocabulary — C2
Device and software vocabulary such as legacy, scalable and technical debt, plus sandbox, abstraction and bottleneck. Words for discussing computing systems in depth.
25 questions
Words in this set
25peripheral
/pərˈɪfərəl/An extra device plugged into a computer that is not part of the main unit.
Example:
You can connect any peripheral through this single port.
bottleneck
/ˈbɑtəlˌnɛk/The one slow part of a system that holds back everything else and limits overall speed.
Example:
Cheap memory is the bottleneck slowing this whole machine down.
legacy
/ˈlɛɡəsi/Describes old computer systems or technology that are still used, even though newer options exist.
Example:
The bank still runs part of its business on legacy software.
scalable
/ˈskeɪləbəl/Able to grow or handle a much larger amount of work without needing to be completely redesigned.
Example:
The cloud service is scalable, so it can handle sudden traffic spikes.
asynchronous
/ˈeɪˈsɪŋkrənəs/Not happening at exactly the same time, so one part of a system does not have to wait for another.
Example:
The system uses asynchronous messaging so nothing has to wait.
obsolete
/ˈɑbsəˌlit/No longer used because something newer and better has replaced it.
Example:
Floppy disks became obsolete once USB drives appeared.
proprietary
/prəˈpraɪəˌtɛri/Owned and controlled by a particular company, so that others cannot use or copy it freely.
Example:
The software uses a proprietary file format that only this company supports.
sandbox
/ˈsændˌbɑks/A safe, separate space where new software can be tested without affecting the main system.
Example:
Developers test risky code inside a sandbox first.
abstraction
/æbˈstrækʃən/A way of simplifying a complex system by hiding its detailed inner workings from the user.
Example:
The interface adds a layer of abstraction over the raw data.
immersive
So absorbing that you forget your real surroundings while it holds your attention.
Example:
The headset gives a genuinely immersive view of the reef.
intrusive
/ˌɪnˈtrusɪv/Pushing into your attention or your private life in a way you did not want.
Example:
I turned the alerts off because they felt far too intrusive.
ergonomic
/ˌɜrɡəˈnɑmɪk/Designed to be comfortable and efficient for the human body to use.
Example:
The phone's curved shape makes it more ergonomic to hold.
tactile
/ˈtæktɪl/Relating to the sense of touch.
Example:
The buttons give a satisfying tactile click when pressed.
haptic
Relating to technology that creates a sense of touch, often through vibration, to give feedback.
Example:
The phone uses haptic feedback to simulate a physical click.
bezel
The border or frame around a phone's screen.
Example:
The new model has an almost invisible bezel around the display.
minimalist
/ˈmɪnəməlɪst/Simple in design, with no unnecessary decoration or extra features.
Example:
The phone has a clean, minimalist design with no visible buttons.
augmented reality
Technology that adds computer-generated images or information onto a view of the real world, usually through a screen.
Example:
The app uses augmented reality to show furniture in your room before you buy it.
notification fatigue
The tired, overwhelmed feeling caused by receiving too many alerts and notifications.
Example:
Constant alerts from every app led to serious notification fatigue.
planned obsolescence
A business practice of designing products to become outdated or stop working after a certain time, so people buy new ones.
Example:
Critics accuse phone makers of planned obsolescence to boost sales.
intuitive
/ˌɪnˈtuətɪv/So easy to understand that you know what to do without anyone teaching you.
Example:
The app is so intuitive that my grandmother uses it.
seamless
/ˈsimləs/Happening so smoothly that you never notice where one part hands over to the next.
Example:
The handover between the two systems was completely seamless.
robust
/roʊˈbʌst/Strong and reliable, working well even under difficult conditions or heavy use.
Example:
The system needs to be robust enough to handle millions of users.
agile
/ˈædʒəl/Describes a flexible way of developing software in small, quick stages, adapting as needed.
Example:
The team uses an agile approach, releasing small updates every two weeks.
technical debt
The extra work created later because a quick, simple solution was chosen now instead of a better one.
Example:
Skipping proper testing added a lot of technical debt to the project.
