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Computer science from A to Z

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© INRIA Sophie Auvin - A comme Algorithme

Computer science from A to Z

A is for Algorithm

Looking up a word in a dictionary, doing an addition, finding the shortest route on a map... To solve these problems, systematic methods exist that are sure to lead to the desired result: algorithms.

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - B comme Bogue

Computer science from A to Z

B is for Bug

A message flashes up on your screen: “The program must close due to an unknown error.” You have just lost your last ten minutes of work... Smile! You have fallen victim to a bug!

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - C comme Cryptographie

Computer science from A to Z

C is for Cryptography

You can make an online card payment in a single click. The communication is secured: a pirate intercepting the transaction would not see anything usable, just a series of seemingly meaningless figures.

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - D comme Données

Computer science from A to Z

D is for Data

You have four friends coming over for dinner and your fridge is half-empty. You scour the index of your cookery book and find a risotto that you can rustle up with your limited provisions. Your evening has been rescued... by a database!

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - E comme Equation

Computer science from A to Z

E is for Equation

“The great book of nature is written in the language of mathematics”, said Galileo. But, when faced with some particularly tricky equations, scientists have found a useful ally in the computer!

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - F comme Forme

Computer science from A to Z

F is for Form (Shape)

Recognising a face, understanding a word you hear, distinguishing "spam" from legitimate e-mails, spotting an abnormal ECG: for a computer, all these things more or less come down to the same thing... shape recognition.

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - G comme Grille

Computer science from A to Z

G is for Grid

A bicycle manufacturer may spread the manufacturing of its bicycles' constituent parts among several plants. Computer scientists do the same when faced with some complex calculations: they break them down into multiple tasks, which are then assigned ...

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - H comme Horloge

Computer science from A to Z

H is for Horology (Clocks)

Like a symphony orchestra, a computer system is composed of very varied elements: processors to process information, memories to record it, interfaces to communicate with the outside world, etc. And the "conductor" of a computer is its ...

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - I comme Internet

Computer science from A to Z

I is for Internet

You want to wish a happy birthday to your old friend who has retired to Bora Bora? You can contact him via instant messaging software and the Internet, the network of networks, which links computers all over the world.

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - J comme Jeu

Computer science from A to Z

J is for Jeu (Games)

From its hiding place behind a treasure chest, an enormous dragon jumps out in front of you. Its fiery breath lights up the dungeon as its glistening eyes are fixed upon you... There's no point in running, it's only a video game!

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - K comme Kilobit

Computer science from A to Z

K is for Kilobit

The quantity of information that a network can transmit increases by a factor of nearly 1000 every 10 years: from several thousand bits (kilobits) per second in 1980, to a few million (megabits) in 1990, to billions (gigabits) in the 21st century.

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - L comme Langage

Computer science from A to Z

L is for Language

If (x = = y) {n + + ;}/ But why don't we speak to computers in the same way we speak to people?

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - M comme Multimédia

Computer science from A to Z

M is for Multimedia

Texts, drawings, photos, music, films... culture takes many forms, all of which are now accessible via a computer: welcome to the multimedia age!

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - N comme Numérique

Computer science from A to Z

N is for Numerical (Digital)

Camcorders, personal music players, telephones, computers... digital devices do not easily digest the incredibly nuanced, constantly changing information from the world around us.

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - O comme Ordinateur

Computer science from A to Z

O is for Ordinateur (Computer)

Gears, electromechanical relays, mercury tubes, vacuum lamps... computers over the years have resorted to virtually everything.

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - P comme Protocole

Computer science from A to Z

P is for Protocol

“Hello? - Hi, it's Michael. Can I come over? - Yes, sure. - See you soon. - Bye.” This may be a banal conversation, but it follows well established practices: a protocol. In order to understand each other, computers too follow protocols.

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - Q comme Qualité

Computer science from A to Z

Q is for Quality

We know what makes a quality car: reliability, solidity, safety, elegance, comfort... But what makes high-quality software?

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - R comme Robot

Computer science from A to Z

R is for Robot

What do “Star Wars” and a car assembly line have in common? The answer is that robots rule in both!

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - S comme Simulation

Computer science from A to Z

S is for Simulation

What do a supersonic aircraft, a tropical cyclone, a plant and a nuclear reactor have in common? Answer: computer-aided simulation.

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - T comme Temps

Computer science from A to Z

T is for Time

“Please wait”: what an irritating sight this sentence makes on your computer screen. But in some situations, known as “real time” situations, such a wait could bring disaster!

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - U comme Utilisateur

Computer science from A to Z

U is for User

From electronic chips to specialised software, numerous elements contribute to the success of a computing tool. But all these technical exploits count for nothing if they are not in harmony with their users: you!

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - V comme Virtuel

Computer science from A to Z

V is for Virtual

Does the keyboard annoy you? Does the mouse get on your nerves? Why not interact with your computer in a more intuitive way? Discover the parallel worlds of “virtual reality”, where the tangible and the digital collide!

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - W comme Web

Computer science from A to Z

W is for Web

Are you looking for a quiet hotel for your next holidays in the Périgord? Why not search one of the largest “data banks” in the world: the web!

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - X comme XML

Computer science from A to Z

X is for XML

Have you ever experienced the nightmare of incompatible files? Moving from one software to another, or sometimes just installing a new version, can render some data irrecoverable. Fortunately, we have XML, the universal format.

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - Y comme Yeux

Computer science from A to Z

Y is for eYes

“Lions have great strength, but it would be of no use to them if nature had not given them eyes”. [Montesquieu] Machines do not have eyes, but why shouldn't they be capable of seeing?

© INRIA Sophie Auvin - Z comme Zéro

Computer science from A to Z

Z is for Zero

Computer scientist like to joke that there are 10 types of people: those who are not familiar with the binary numeral system and those who are. Which category do you fall into?
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