The Computer Folks Glossary

Object	In an object-oriented database or programming language, a discrete piece of code describing a person, place, thing, event, or type of information; objects are defined by attributes and manipulated by means of methods.
Object code	The low-level instructions that result from compiling source code.
Object ID number	A unique identifier associated with a specific object in an object-oriented database.
Object-oriented database management system (OODBMS)	Software used to construct an object-oriented database.
Object-oriented languages	Programming languages that focus on the manipulation of objects rather than on the generation of procedure-based code.
Odd parity	In a parity bit error-checking protocol, the requirement thaat there be an odd number of 1 bits in a data block.
Office automation system	A system that automates or computerizes routine office tasks, such as producing documents, tracking schedules, making calculations, and facilating interoffice communications.
Office suite	A number of application programs that are packaged together and sold as a unit.
One-to-many relationship	A relationship in which one record in particular type may be related to more than one record of another record type.
One-to-one relationship	A relationship in which one record in a particular record type is related to only one record of another record type.
Online analytical processing (OLAP)	Online manipulation of data.
Online banking	A means of using a computer and modem to conduct banking transactions, such as transferring funds among accounts and paying bills.
Op code (short for operation code)	A command word designating an operation, such as add, compare, or jump.
Open reel tapes	Large spools of computer tape that are sometimes used as a distribution medium for mainframe and minicomputer system.
Operand	The part of an instruction that specifies the data, or the address of the data, on which the operation is to be performed.
Operating system	The software that controls the computer's use of its hardware resources, such as memory and disk storage space.
Operational planning	The scheduling and monitoring of workers and processes.
Operations	The primary activities of an organization.
Operator error	A mistake made by a computer user.
Optical fiber	A single strand of glass tubing used in a fiber-optic cable.
Optical storage	A means of recording data in which the data is burned into the storage medium, using laser beams.
Order-entry/invoice system	A system that provides ways to input, view, modify, and delete customer orders.
Outliner	A feature of document production software that helps the user develop a document as a hierarchy of headings and subheading.
Output	The results produced by a computer.
Output device	A computer peripherasl that displays, prints, or transfers the results of processing from the computer memory.
Owner	In a network database model, a record type that has relationships with other record types at lower levels of the network.