EngLish Ford4

Informatics Management
Dictionary
IM Dictionary Page i
A
A+ (A Plus)
A-Plus (A+) is the name of a process, developed by the Computing Technology Industry Association
(CompTIA), a large trade group, that certifies individuals for knowledge about and competency in
installing, maintaining, customizing, and operating personal computers
Airborne Internet (A.I.)
The Airborne Internet is a proposed network in which all nodes would be located in aircraft. The
network is intended for use in aviation communications, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) and
would also be useful to businesses, private Internet users, and government agencies, especially the
military. In time of war, for example, an airborne network might enable military planes to operate
without the need for a communications infrastructure on the ground. Such a network could also allow
civilian planes to continually monitor each other's positions and flight paths.
a2b
a2b was a Web site that let you download and play samples or complete songs from popular music
recordings, using a music player developed by AT & T. The site no longer provides this service.
modem lights (AA)
If you have an external modem, those flashing or steady lights tell you what's happening in the
ongoing "handshaking" or interaction between a computer (with its Universal Asynchronous
Receiver/Transmitter or UARTmicrochip) and the modem. Or, more formally, to use the RS-232C
serial standard terms, between the Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) interface and the Data
Communication Equipment (DCE) interface.
AAAA resource record
An AAAA resource record is a record that stores a single IPv6 address. It's called four "a"s because
IPv6 128-bit addresses are four times as large as IPv4's 32-bit addresses.
AAUI (Apple attachment unit interface)
An AAUI (Apple attachment unit interface) is the 14- or 15-pin port or connection interface on earlier
models of Macintosh computers that allowed it to be connected by a short interface cable (or
"transceiver") to an Ethernet cable. Later or more advanced models provide a standard registered
jack (10BaseT) connection from an Ethernet-capable Macintosh to the Ethernet cable.
AARP (AppleTalk Address Resolution Protocol)
AARP (AppleTalk Address Resolution Protocol) is a way to map between the physical hardware
addresses of computers, such as those known to an Ethernet or token ring local area network, and
their temporarily assignedAppleTalk network addresses
abacus
An abacus is a manual aid to calculating that consists of beads or disks that can be moved up and
down on a series of sticks or strings within a usually wooden frame. The abacus itself doesn't
calculate; it's simply a device for helping a human being to calculate by remembering what has been
counted
abampere
The abampere (symbolized abA) is the unit of current in the cgs (centimeter/gram/second) system of
electromagnetic units. It is the equivalent of one abcoulomb (1 abC) of charge carriers moving past a
specific point in one second.
abandoned call
An abandoned call is a call or other type of contact initiated to a call center that is ended before any
conversation occurs. When inbound calls are abandoned, it is often because the caller is frustrated
with the time on hold. When outbound calls are abandoned, it is usually because the call is
disconnected by the automated dialer or automatic call distributor (ACD) when a live contact has been
IM Dictionary Page 1
A
made but no agent was available to take the call. Apredictive dialer
abandonware
Abandonware is computer software (such as an operating system , word processor, interactive game,
or audio file) that is no longer marketed or distributed by the company that created it, but is obtainable
from some other source
BAP (Advanced Business Application Programming)
ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming) is a programming language for developing
applications for the SAP R/3 system, a widely-installed business application subsystem. The latest
version, ABAP Objects, is object-oriented programming.
ABAP Objects
In the R/3 product from the German software company, SAP, ABAP Objects is a programming
language and part of the ABAP Workbench that allows developers to create and run applications that
contain program objects. ABAP Objects includes a virtual machine that will run applications compiled
with ABAP Objects language. Like similar object-oriented programming languages, ABAP Objects
supports the concepts of class objects, class and subclassinheritance, and polymorphism
ABAP Workbench
ABAP Workbench is a set of programs for developing enterprise resource management (ERM)
applications that run in the R/3 subsystem fromSAP. The latest version includes ABAP Objects, an
object-oriented programming language. R/3 will also run programs written in the earlier ABAP/4
language.
average bouncing busy hour (ABBH)
In designing and assessing telephone networks, one approach is to measure the average bouncing
busy hour (ABBH) traffic in various networktrunks or trunk groups of the network. The ABBH is the
traffic load on a switching system during the peak (most busy) hour of each day, over a certain period,
typically one week, then averaged for the time period
ABCD data switch
An ABCD data switch is a small box that lets you hook up to four devices from one PC serial or parallel
port on your computer. For example, if you have both a black-and-white laser printer for regular
printing and a color inkjet printer for when you want color, you may want to attach them both to your
computer.
abcoulomb (abC)
The abcoulomb (abbreviated abC) is the unit of charge quantity in the cgs (centimeter/gram/second)
system of electromagnetic units. It is approximately equal to the charge contained in 6.24 x 1019
electrons
abend (abnormal end)
An abend (a combining of two words, abnormal end, when operator messages were as short as
possible) is an abnormal, rather than planned, end or termination of a computer program because of
some problem with how it is running. For example, the program may have attempted to address some
computer memory space that it was not given the right to address. This term is more common in older
mainframe systems than in PC systems.
abfarad
The abfarad (abbreviated abF) is the unit of electromagnetic capacitance in the cgs
(centimeter/gram/second) system of units. If a charge of one abcoulomb (1 abC) produces a potential
difference of one abvolt (1 abV) in a capacitance, then that capacitance is 1 abF.
abhenry (abH)
A
The abhenry (abbreviated abH) is the unit of electromagnetic inductance in the cgs
(centimeter/gram/second) system of units. It is equivalent to 10 -9 henry . In a 1-abH inductance, a
current that increases or decreases at one abampere per second (1 abA/s) will produce an
electromotive force (EMF) of one abvolt (1 abV).
abohm
The abohm (symbolized ab ? ) is the unit of electromagnetic resistance in the cgs
(centimeter/gram/second) system of units. It is equivalent to 10 -9 ohm s. When a current of one
abampere (1 abA) flows through a resistance of 1 ab ?, the resulting potential difference across the
component is one abvolt (1 abV).
absiemens (abS)
The absiemens (symbolized abS) is the unit of conductance in the cgs (centimeter/gram/second)
electromagnetic system of units. It is equivalent to 109 siemens (S).
absolute truth
In general, absolute truth is whatever is always valid, regardless of parameters or context. The
absolute in the term connotes one or more of: a quality of truth that cannot be exceeded; complete
truth; unvarying and permanent truth. It can be contrasted to relative truth or truth in a more ordinary
sense in which a degree of relativity is implied.
absolute value
Absolute value is a term used in mathematics to indicate the distance of a point or number from the
origin (zero point) of a number line or coordinate system. This can apply to scalar or vector quantities.
The symbol for absolute value is a pair of vertical lines, one on either side of the quantity whose
absolute value is to be determined.
Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT)
Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT) is a set of application program interfaces ( APIs) used by Java
programmers to create graphical user interface ( GUI ) objects, such as buttons, scroll bars, and
windows. AWT is part of the Java Foundation Classes ( JFC ) from Sun Microsystems, the company
that originated Java. The JFC are a comprehensive set of GUI class libraries that make it easier to
develop the user interface part of an application program.
abvolt
The abvolt (symbolized abV) is the unit of electromotive force (EMF) or potential difference in the cgs
(centimeter/gram/second) electromagnetic system of units. When an EMF of 1 abV exists between
two points, then one erg of energy is needed to move one abcoulomb (1 abC) of charge carriers
between those two points.
abwatt
The abwatt (symbolized abW) is the unit of power in the cgs(centimeter/gram/second)
electromagnetic system of units. In a direct-current (DC ) circuit, 1 abW is the power dissipated,
radiated, or expended when oneabvolt (1 abV) of potential difference drives a current of one
abampere (1 abA) through a component.
alternating current (AC)
Also see current, voltage, and direct current.
In electricity, alternating current (AC) occurs when charge carriers in a conductor or semiconductor
periodically reverse their direction of movement. Household utility current in most countries is AC with
a frequency of 60 hertz(60 complete cycles per second), although in some countries it is 50 Hz. The
radio-frequency (RF) current in antennas and transmission lines is another example of AC.
AC-3 (Dolby Digital)
A
AC-3, also known as Dolby Digital , is a perceptual digital audio coding technique that reduces the
amount of data needed to produce high-quality sound. Perceptual digital audio coding takes
advantage of the fact that the human ear screens out a certain amount of sound that is perceived as
noise. Reducing, eliminating, or masking this noise significantly reduces the amount of data that
needs to be provided. Dolby Laboratories developed two other perceptual coding systems, AC-1 and
AC-2. Building upon Dolby's two previous coding systems, AC-3 was the first coding system designed
specifically for multichannel digital audio. AC-3 is the sound format for digital television ( DTV ), digital
versatile discs ( DVD s), high definition television ( HDTV ), and digital cable and satellite
transmissions.
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) is an interface specification that enables 3-D graphics to display
quickly on ordinary personal computers. AGP is designed to convey 3-D images (for example, from
Web sites or CD-ROMs) much more quickly and smoothly than is possible today on any computer
other than an expensive graphics workstation. It is especially useful in conjuction with gaming, three-
dimensional (3D) video, and sophisticated scientific/engineering graphics programs.
Accelerated Hub Architecture (AHA) (or Intel Hub Architecture)
Accelerated Hub Architecture (AHA) (also called Intel Hub Architecture) is an Intel 800-series chipset
design that uses a dedicated bus to transfer data between the two main processor chips instead of
using the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, which was used in previous chipset
architectures. The Accelerated Hub Architecture provides twice thebandwidth of the traditional PCI
bus architecture at 266 MB per second. The Accelerated Hub Architecture consists of a memory
controller hub and an input/output (I/O) controller hub (a controller directs or manages access to
devices).
Accelerated Hub Architecture (AHA) (or Intel Hub Architecture)
Accelerated Hub Architecture (AHA) (also called Intel Hub Architecture) is an Intel 800-series chipset
design that uses a dedicated bus to transfer data between the two main processor chips instead of
using the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, which was used in previous chipset
architectures. The Accelerated Hub Architecture provides twice thebandwidth of the traditional PCI
bus architecture at 266 MB per second. The Accelerated Hub Architecture consists of a memory
controller hub and an input/output (I/O) controller hub (a controller directs or manages access to
devices)
Acceleration hardware
Acceleration hardware refers to devices that speed up data communications, storage and retrieval,
encryption and decryption, mathematical operations, graphics, and Web page viewing. Acceleration
hardware can consist of an individual integrated circuit (also called an IC or chip), a printed circuit
card, or a self-contained system.
acceptable use policy (AUP)
An acceptable use policy (AUP) is a policy that a user must agree to follow in order to be provided with
access to a network or to the Internet. It is common practice for many businesses and educational
facilities to require that employees or students sign an acceptable use policy before being granted a
network ID.
acceptance test
In agile development, an acceptance test confirms that an story is complete by matching a user action
scenario with a desired outcome.
Acceptance testing is also called beta testing, application testing and end user
access
Access is simply being able to get to what you need. Data access is being able to get to (usually having
A
permission to use) particular data on a computer. Web access means having a connection to the
World Wide Web through an access provider or an online service provider such as America Online
access control list (ACL)
An access control list (ACL) is a table that tells a computeroperating system which access rights each
user has to a particular system object, such as a file directory or individual file. Each object has a
security attribute that identifies its access control list. The list has an entry for each system user with
access privileges. The most common privileges include the ability to read a file (or all the files in a
directory), to write to the file or files, and to execute the file (if it is an executable file, or program).
Microsoft Windows NT/2000, Novell's NetWare, Digital's OpenVMS, and UNIX-based systems are
among the operating systems that use access control lists. The list is implemented differently by each
operating system.
access point base station
Access point base station is the original term for what is now known as a femtocell
access provider
An access provider is any organization that arranges for an individual or an organization to have
access to the Internet. Access providers are generally divided into two classes: Internet access
providers (ISPs) and online service providers (OSPs). ISPs can be local businesses that pay for a
high-speed connection to one of the companies (such as AT&T, Sprint, or MCI in the U.S.) that are part
of the Internetaccess time
access time
Access time is the time from the start of one storage device access to the time when the next access
can be started. Access time consists of latency (the overhead of getting to the right place on the device
and preparing to access it) and transfer time.
access time accounting error
Access time is the time from the start of one storage device access to the time when the next access
can be started. Access time consists of latency (the overhead of getting to the right place on the device
and preparing to access it) and transfer time.
What is an accounting error?
An accounting error is a non-fraudulent discrepancy in financial documentation. The term is used in
financial reporting.
Automatic Call Distributor (ACD)
An Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) is a telephone facility that manages incoming calls and handles
them based on the number called and an associated database of handling instructions. Many
companies offering sales and service support use ACDs to validate callers, make outgoing responses
or calls, forward calls to the right party, allow callers to record messages, gather usage statistics,
balance the use of phone lines, and provide other services.
ACF2 or CA-ACF2 (Access Control Facility)
ACF2 (more formally, CA-ACF2; the ACF stands for Access Control Facility) is a set of programs from
Computer Associates that enable security on mainframes. ACF2 prevents accidental or deliberate
modification, corruption, mutilation, deletion, or viral infection of files. With ACF2, access to a system
is denied to unauthorized personnel. Any authorized or unauthorized attempt to gain access is logged.
System status can be monitored on a continuous basis, and a permanent usage log can be created.
The logging feature, besides helping to identify potential intruders, makes it possible to identify and
analyze changes and trends in the use of the system. Settings can be changed on a moment's notice,
according to current or anticipated changes in the security or business requirements of the
organization using the system
A
ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)
ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) is an industry specification for the efficient
handling of power consumption in desktop and mobile computers. ACPI specifies how a computer's
basic input/output system,operating system, and peripheral devices communicate with each other
about power usage. ACPI is a key component of Intel's "Instantly Available" technology. Microsoft
refers to its support as "Always On."
Acrobat
Acrobat is a program from Adobe that lets you capture a document and then view it in its original
format and appearance. Acrobat is ideal for making documents or brochures that were designed for
the print medium viewable electronically and capable of being shared with others on the Internet. To
view an Acrobat document, which is called a Portable Document Format ( PDF ) file, you need Acrobat
Reader. The Reader is free and can be downloaded from Adobe. You can use it as a standalone
reader or as a plug-in in a Web browser
ACTA (America's Carriers Telecommunications Association)
ACTA (America's Carriers Telecommunications Association) is a lobbying organization for over 165
small long-distance telephone carrier companies. It was organized in 1985 to represent the interests
of the group before legislative and regulatory bodies. The organization is based in Casselberry,
Florida
ActionScript
ActionScript is an object-oriented programming (OOP) language that is designed specifically for Web
site animation. Originally released with Macromedia Flash 4 and enhanced for Flash 5, ActionScript is
a sophisticated version of the script language introduced in Flash 3. ActionScript makes it possible for
developers to create onscreen environments (such as games, tutorials, and e-commerce
applications) that can respond to user input through the keyboard or mouse. ActionScript is an event-
based language: just as is the case in real life, actions are triggered by events.
Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT)
Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) is a set of freely downloadable program utilities and related
documents from Microsoft for ensuring compatibility among application programs in Windows
operating systems, especially in a large network environment. The Toolkit can also be used to
diagnose and fix problems that may be related to compatibility. The Toolkit can be used for
applications running in Windows 2000 with Service Pack 3 or later, Windows XP, and Windows Server
2003. Microsoft says that the tools can be used to resolve over 200 symptoms of problems.
Active Directory
Active Directory is Microsoft's trademarked directory service, an integral part of the Windows 2000
architecture. Like other directory services, such as Novell Directory Services (NDS), Active Directory
is a centralized and standardized system that automates network management of user data, security,
and distributed resources, and enables interoperation with other directories. Active Directory is
designed especially for distributed networking environments.
active man-in-the-middle attack
Active man-in-the-middle (MitM) is an attack method that allows an intruder to access sensitive
information by intercepting and altering communications between the user of a public network and
any requested website.
active network
An active network is a network in which the nodes are programmed to perform custom operations on
the messages that pass through the node. For example, a node could be programmed or customized
to handle packets on an individual user basis or to handle multicast packets differently than other
packets. Active network approaches are expected to be especially important in networks of mobile
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users. "Smart packets" use a special self-describing language that allows new kinds of information to
be carried within a packet and operated on by a node.
Active Server Page (ASP)
ASP is also an abbreviation for application service provider.
An Active Server Page (ASP) is an HTML page that includes one or more scripts (small embedded
programs) that are processed on a Microsoft Web serverbefore the page is sent to the user. An ASP is
somewhat similar to a server-side include or a common gateway interface (CGI) application in that all
involve programs that run on the server, usually tailoring a page for the user. Typically, the script in the
Web page at the server uses input received as the result of the user's request for the page to access
data from a database and then builds or customizes the page on the fly before sending it to the
requestor.
active Template Library (ATL)
Active Template Library (ATL), formerly called ActiveX Template Library) is a Microsoft program library
(set of prepackaged program routines) for use when creating Active Server Page ( ASP ) code and
other ActiveX program components with C++ (including Visual C++).
ActiveX
Also see ActiveX control.
ActiveX is a set of object-oriented programming (OOP) technologies and tools that Microsoft
developed for Internet Explorer to facilitate rich media playback. Essentially, Internet Explorer uses
ActiveX to load other software applications in the browser
add-in
Add-in is a term used, especially by Microsoft, for a software utility or other program that can be added
to a primary program. The Microsoft Style Guide says that Microsoft Bookshelf is an add-in for Word
and that Analysis Toolpak is an add-in for Microsoft Excel. According to the Style Guide, add-in should
not be confused with add-on , a term for a hardware expansion unit. (However, some add-on
manufacturers do call them "add-ins.")
add-on
An add-on is either a hardware unit that can be added to a computer to increase its
capabilities or a program utility that enhances a primary program. Less frequently, some
manufacturers and software developers use the term add-in . Examples of add-ons for a
computer include card s for sound, graphics acceleration, modem capability, and memory.
Software add-ons are common for games, word processors, and accounting programs.
ASAP (AcceleratedSAP)
"ASAP" is also a common abbreviation for "as soon as possible".
ASAP (AcceleratedSAP) is a step-by-step methodology for speeding up the implementation of an
SAP R/3 system. The components of ASAP, which can be used together or individually, are called
accelerators. Accelerators are based on the best practices of SAP customers from around the world
and consist of a number of templates, questions, and scenarios that require user input to help the user
determine the best way to implement their R/3 system. According to SAP literature, ASAP can reduce
the time required to implement an R/3 system by as much as 50%.
B
Backbone
Backbone is a larger transmission line that carries data gathered from smaller lines that interconnect
with it.
Back door
A back door is a means of access to a computer program that bypasses security mechanisms.
Back-end
Front-end and back-end are terms used to characterize program interfaces and services relative to
the initial user of these interfaces and services.
Backhaul
Backhaul, a term probably derived from the trucking industry, has several usages in information
technology.
Backlinka
Backlink is a link back to the page or one of the pages that currently link to the page you're using.
Back Orifice
Back Orifice is a rootkit program designed to expose the security deficiencies of Microsoft's Windows
operating systems.
Backplane
A backplane is an electronic circuit board containing circuitry and sockets into which additional
electronic devices on other circuit boards or cards can be plugged; in a computer, generally
synonymous with or part of the motherboard.
Back-pressure sensor
A back-pressure sensor is a transducer that detects and measures the instantaneous torque that a
robot motor applies.
Backscatter body scanning
Backscatter body scanning is an X-ray-based technology that yields a high-resolution image of a
person's body beneath their clothing to reveal concealed objects.
Backscatter spam
Backscatter spam, also called misdirected bounce spam or NDR spam, is a strategy for sending
unsolicited email messages that takes advantage of the fact that certain types of mail transfer agent
(MTA) programs return the entire message to the sender if the recipient's email address is invalid.
Backside bus
In a personal computer with an Intel processor chipset that includes a Dual Independent Bus (DIB),
the frontside bus is the data path and physical interface between the processor and the main memory
(RAM).
C
cable head-end
A cable head-end (or headend) is the facility at a local cable TV office that originates and
communicates cable TV services and cable modem services to subscribers. In distributing cable
television services, the head-end includes a satellite dish antenna for receiving incoming
programming. This programming is then passed on to the subscriber. (Cable TV companies may also
play videotapes and originate live programming.) Normally, all signals are those that are sent
downstream to the subscriber, but some are received upstream such as when a customer requests a
pay-per-view program.
Cache
- A cache (pronounced CASH) is a place to store something temporarily. The files you automatically
request by looking at a Web page are stored on your hard disk in a cache subdirectory under the
directory for your browser (for example, Internet Explorer). When you return to a page you've recently
looked at, the browser can get it from the cache rather than the original server, saving you time and the
network the burden of some additional traffic. You can usually vary the size of your cache, depending
on your particular browser.
coaxial cable
Coaxial cable is the kind of copper cable used by cable TV companies between the community
antenna and user homes and businesses. Coaxial cable is sometimes used by telephone companies
from their central office to the telephone poles near users. It is also widely installed for use in business
and corporation Ethernet and other types of local area network.
CAD
CAD (computer-aided design) software is used by architects, engineers, drafters, artists, and others
to create precision drawings or technical illustrations. CAD software can be used to create two-
dimensional (2-D) drawings or three-dimensional (3-D) models.
caddy
A caddy is the plastic case that enclosed a CD-ROM disk in the period when players required them.
Early CD-ROM disks were always enclosed in a caddy and the caddy was inserted in the player. More
recent CD-ROM players, following the compact disc players, provide a tray on which you can directly
lay the CD-ROM disk. A caddy is not to be confused with the so-called plastic "jewel case" that some
CD-ROM disks come in. These are mainly provided for marketing and storage protection purposes.
CAE (computer-aided engineering)
- CAE (computer-aided engineering) is a broad term used by the electronic design automation (EDA)
industry for the use of computers to design, analyze, and manufacture products and processes. CAE
includes CAD (computer-aided design) - the use of a computer for drafting and modeling designs, and
cam (computer-aided manufacturing) - the use of computers for managing manufacturing processes.
calculator
1) A calculator is a device that performs arithmetic operations on numbers. The simplest calculators
can do only addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. More sophisticated calculators can
handle exponent ial operations, roots, logarithm s, trigonometric functions, and hyperbolic functions.
Internally, some calculators actually perform all of these functions by repeated processes of addition.
calibration
In information technology and other fields, calibration is the setting or correcting of a measuring device
or base level, usually by adjusting it to match or conform to a dependably known and unvarying
measure. For example, the brightness or black level of a video display can be calibrated using a
PLUGE pattern .
C
A capacitor is a passive electronic component that stores energy in the form of an electrostatic field. In
its simplest form, a capacitor consists of two conducting plates separated by an insulating material
called thedielectric. The capacitance is directly proportional to the surface areas of the plates, and is
inversely proportional to the separation between the plates. Capacitance also depends on the
dielectric constant of the substance separating the plates.
capitulation
In finance, capitulation is the process of selling equity and giving up or surrendering any promise of
monetary gain in an effort to get out of a particular market and into a less risky investment. DataMerge,
a financial information provider, says that venture capital investments in an enterprise are usually
between $500,000 and $5 million, and that the investor is likely to expect an annual return of 20% to
50%. If a venture capitalist capitulates, he may sell equity at cost or perhaps even take a loss.
captive portal
A captive portal is a Web page that the user of a public-access network is obliged to view and interact
with before access is granted. Captive portals are typically used by business centers, airports, hotel
lobbies, coffee shops, and other venues that offer free Wi-Fi hot spots for Internet users.
Capture
- Capture is the process or means of obtaining and storing external data, particularly images or
sounds, for use at a later time. There are various ways in which this can be done; the best method
depends on the application.
carbon copy
In e-mail, a carbon copy (abbreviated "cc," and sometimes "fcc" for "first carbon copy") is a copy of a
note sent to an addressee other than the main addressee. A blind carbon copy is a copy sent to an
addressee that is not visible to the main and carbon copy addressees. For example, you may have a
work colleague that acts as a back-up when you're on vacation or not at work. You don't necessarily
want the people you correspond with to know that you have a back-up. So, to keep your back-up
informed, you always send the back-up a blind carbon copy. The fact that a blind carbon copy was sent
is not apparent to the main and carbon copy recipients.
card
A card (or expansion card , board , or adapter ) is circuitry designed to provide expanded capability to a
computer. It is provided on the surface of a standard-size rigid material (fiberboard or something
similar) and then plugged into one of the computer's expansion slot s in its motherboard (or backplane
). Cards may come in one of two sizes designed to match standard slot dimensions. A card can
actually contain the capability within its circuitry (as a video card does) or it can control (through an
extended connection) a device (such as a hard disk drive).
cardinal
Cardinal refers to a basic or primary value. Examples of cardinal numbers are 1, 7, 9, and 123. A
cardinal rule is a rule that is basic or essential. Cardinal numbers can be contrasted with ordinal
numbers.
care-of address
In Internet routing, a care-of address is a temporary IP address for a mobile node (mobile device) that
enables message delivery when the device is connecting from somewhere other than its home
network. The care-of address identifies a mobile node's current point of attachment to the Internet and
makes it possible to connect from a different location without changing the device's home address
(permanent IP address). This works similarly to the way the postal system might forward letters
through a care-of address: messages sent to the known permanent address are rerouted to the care-
of address while the recipient can be reached there. Thus, the recipient avoids having to change their
official address to the temporary one when they change their location, and change it back again when
C
callback
Callback, also known as international callback , is a system for avoiding regular phone company long-
distance charges by having a call initiated from within the United States with the originating caller
joining in a conference call.
call control
Call control is a process that is used in telecommunications networks to monitor and maintain
connections once they have been established. In voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems, call
control is used to control connections between H.323 endpoints, or between an endpoint and a
gatekeeper. H.323 is an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) standard for digital
communication between terminals, network equipment and services.
call forwarding
Call forwarding is a telephone service that automatically routes the user's incoming calls to another
number. The process may involve use of a virtual phone number. In a find me / follow me service, call
forwarding may allow calls to be routed to the user at any location or to route calls through a number of
different phone numbers or other applications, such as voice e-mail or text messaging.
Cam
Definition: A cam, homecam, or Webcam is a video camera, usually attached directly to a computer,
whose current or latest image is requestable from a Web site. A live cam is one that is continually
providing new images that are transmitted in rapid succession or, in some cases, in streaming video.
Sites with live cams sometimes embed them as Java applets in Web pages. Cams have caught on;
there are now (we estimate) several thousand sites with cams. The first cams were positioned mainly
on fish tanks and coffee machines. Many of today's live cams are on sex-oriented sites. For travel
promotion, traffic information, and the remote visualization of any ongoing event that's interesting,
webcams seem like an exciting possibility that will become more common as users get access to more
bandwidth.
campus
In telecommunications, a campus is a physically contiguous association of locations such as several
adjacent office buildings. Typically, such areas require one or more local area networks and bridging,
routing, and aggregation equipment based on situational needs.
candela
The candela (abbreviation, cd) is the standard unit of luminous intensity in the International System of
Units ( SI ). It is formally defined as the magnitude of an electromagnetic field , in a specified direction,
that has a power level of 1/683 watt (1.46 x 10 -3 W) per steradian at a frequency of 540 terahertz (540
THz or 5.40 x 10 14 Hz ).
cannibalization
In marketing, cannibalization is the decreased demand for an existing product that occurs when its
vendor releases a new and similar product. For example, when Hewlett-Packard puts out a new
printer, they realize that older printers will suffer some erosion of sales or market share; that erosion is
referred to as cannibalization.
canonicalization
In information technology, canonicalization (pronounced KA-nahn-nihk-uhl-ih-ZAY-shun and
sometimes spelled canonicalisation) is the process of making something canonical -- that is, in
conformance with some specification. To canonicalize (as well as the slightly less tortured variant
canonify ) is to ensure that data conforms to canonical rules, and is in an approved format.
Canonicalization may sometimes mean generating canonical data from noncanonical data.
capacitor (capacitance)
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they return home.
Carnivore
- Carnivore was an Internet surveillance system developed for the U.S. Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) so that they could monitor the electronic transmissions of criminal suspects.
Critics, however, charged that Carnivore did not include appropriate safeguards to prevent misuse
and might violate the constitutional rights of the individual. The Electronic Privacy Information Center
(EPIC) reported in early 2005 that the FBI had replaced Carnivore with other, unspecified surveillance
software from commercial sources. Such software usually includes a packet sniffer.
carrier detect
Carrier detect (see modem lights) is a control signal between a modem and a computer that indicates
that the modem detects a "live" carrier that can be used for sending and receiving information.
CASE (computer-aided software engineering)
- CASE (computer-aided software engineering) is the use of a computer-assisted method to
organize and control the development of software, especially on large, complex projects involving
many software components and people. Using CASE allows designers, code writers, testers,
planners, and managers to share a common view of where a project stands at each stage of
development. CASE helps ensure a disciplined, check-pointed process. A CASE tool may portray
progress (or lack of it) graphically. It may also serve as a repository for or be linked to document and
program libraries containing the project's business plans, design requirements, design specifications,
detailed code specifications, the code units, test cases and results, and marketing and service plans.
catalog
In computing, a catalog is a directory of information about data sets, files, or a database. A catalog
usually describes where a data set, file or database entity is located and may also include other
information, such as the type of device on which each data set or file is stored.
catchment area
In the context of communication networks, a catchment area describes the geographical boundries of
a network's components, including its connecting lines. For instance, the geographical area serviced
by a wiring closet is the catchment area of that wiring closet.
category
In blogging, a category is a software feature that allows a blogger to group posts together by topic.
Categories can be labeled by short descriptions called tags or elements.
Citizen's Band Radio (CB)
Compare with amateur radio .
The Citizen's Band (CB) Radio Service, also known simply as CB, is a public, two-way personal radio
service. There are several classifications of CB operation. The best-known form of CB is voice
communications that became a fad in the 1970s. Mobile CB operation, especially in cars and trucks,
remains popular. To a lesser extent, "CB'ers" engage in fixed operation from homes, and in portable
communications using handheld transceivers.
charge-coupled device (CCD)
- A charge-coupled device (CCD) is a light-sensitive integrated circuit that stores and displays the
data for an image in such a way that each pixel (picture element) in the image is converted into an
electical charge the intensity of which is related to a color in the color spectrum. For a system
supporting 65,535 colors, there will be a separate value for each color that can be stored and
recovered. CCDs are now commonly included in digital still and video cameras. They are also used in
astronomical telescopes, scanners, and bar code readers. The devices have also found use in
machine vision for robots, in optical character recognition (OCR), in the processing of satellite
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photographs, and in the enhancement of radar images, especially in meteorology.
CCHIT - Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology
What is CCHIT (Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology)?
The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) is an independent, not-
for-profit group that certifies electronic health records (EHR) and networks for health information
exchange (HIE) in the United States. CCHIT's stated mission is to speed the adoption of health
information technology (HIT).
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) is what Cisco describes as its "premium networking
certification." The CCIE is widely regarded as having one of the toughest, most demanding exams. It
includes both a written exam and a day-long lab exam. This certification is aimed at senior level
networking professionals who design, build, implement, maintain, or troubleshoot complex enterprise
networking infrastructures. CCIE recipients can specialize in routing and switching, communications
and services, security, or voice systems and technologies.
Complementary Code Keying (CCK)
Complementary Code Keying (CCK) is a modulation scheme used with wireless networks (WLANs)
that employ the IEEE 802.11b specification. In 1999, CCK was adopted to replace the Barker code in
wireless digital networks.
CCTV
CCTV (closed circuit television) is a television system in which signals are not publicly distributed;
cameras are connected to television monitor s in a limited area such as a store, an office building, or
on a college campus. CCTV is commonly used in surveillance systems.
compact disc (CD)
- Also see our Fast Guide to CD/DVD and X (compact disc access time).
CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access)
What is Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA)?
CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) refers to any of several protocols used in so-called second-
generation (2G) and third-generation (3G) wireless communications. As the term implies, CDMA is a
form of multiplexing, which allows numerous signals to occupy a single transmission channel,
optimizing the use of available bandwidth. The technology is used in ultra-high-frequency (UHF)
cellular telephone systems in the 800-MHz and 1.9-GHz bands.
call detail record
A call detail record (CDR) in voice over IP (VoIP) is a file containing information about recent system
usage such as the identities of sources (points of origin), the identities of destinations (endpoints), the
duration of each call, the amount billed for each call, the total usage time in the billing period, the total
free time remaining in the billing period, and the running total charged during the billing period. The
format of the CDR varies among VoIP providers or programs. Some programs allow CDRs to be
configured by the user.
CD-ROM (Compact Disc, read-only-memory)
- CD-ROM (Compact Disc, read-only-memory) is an adaptation of the CD that is designed to store
computer data in the form of text and graphics, as well as hi-fi stereo sound. The original data format
standard was defined by Philips and Sony in the 1983 Yellow Book. Other standards are used in
conjunction with it to define directory and file structures, including ISO 9660, HFS (Hierarchal File
System, for Macintosh computers), and Hybrid HFS-ISO. Format of the CD-ROM is the same as for
audio CDs: a standard CD is 120 mm (4.75 inches) in diameter and 1.2 mm (0.05 inches) thick and is
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composed of a polycarbonate plastic substrate (underlayer - this is the main body of the disc), one or
more thin reflective metal (usually aluminum) layers, and a lacquer coating.
CD-RW (compact disc, rewriteable)
- CD-RW (for compact disc, rewriteable) is a compact disc (CD) format that allows repeated recording
on a disc. The CD-RW format was introduced by Hewlett-Packard, Mitsubishi, Philips, Ricoh, and
Sony, in a 1997 supplement to Philips and Sony's Orange Book. CD-RW is Orange Book III (CD-MO
was I, while CD-R was II). Prior to the release of the Orange Book, CDs had been read-only audio (CD-
Digital Audio, described fully in the Red Book), to be played in CD players, and multimedia (CD-ROM),
to be played in computers' CD-ROM drives. After the Orange Book, any user with a CD Recorder drive
could create their own CDs from their desktop computers. CD-RW drives can write both CD-R and
CD-RW discs and can read any type of CD.
Celeron
Celeron is the low-end (and low cost) member of the family of microprocessor s from Intel that is based
on its P6 architecture . Although it is based on the same architecture as the Pentium II, it lacks some
high- performance features of the Pentium II line. Celeron models later than the 300 A include an L1
and L2 cache on the microchip, meaning that the cache is accessed at the same clock speed that the
processor operates with. The Celeron L2 cache is smaller (128 kilobyte s) than the Pentium II's (512
KB). However, because the Celeron L2 cache is on the processor chip and the Pentium II's is not, their
effective L2 speeds are closely comparable. With clock speeds up to 466 MHz , Celeron processors
are attractive to power users at first glance, but they should be compared to the Pentium II's computing
power in order to get an idea of their useful application.
cellspace
According to writer David S. Bennahum, cellspace is the kind of cyberspace you experience when
equipped with a cellular telephone that can be connected to the Internet. Bennahum describes being
able to receive e-mail through an air shaft in a subway tunnel, reading the mail on the subway, and
sending the replies back after ascending to the street. Bennahum envisions new services that could
be provided for mobile users, especially one that combined all the map, restaurant, airline reservation
and timetable, rental car, and hotel information into a single site. Already, he notes, there are special
services for travellers providing remote access to corporate intranet. Apart from services, Bennahum
notes one characteristic common to many cellspace travellers: because packet delivery is relatively
slow with today's technology, services or users tend to dispense with the graphic images.
cellular telephone (mobile telephone)
Cellular telephone, sometimes called mobile telephone, is a type of short-wave analog or digital
telecommunication in which a subscriber has a wireless connection from a mobile telephone to a
relatively nearby transmitter. The transmitter's span of coverage is called a cell. Generally, cellular
telephone service is available in urban areas and along major highways. As the cellular telephone
user moves from one cell or area of coverage to another, the telephone is effectively passed on to the
local cell transmitter.
censorware
Censorware is a term used pejoratively to describe software that filters out undesirable Web sites or
content. Examples include Cybersitter, N2H2, Netnanny, Surfwatch, and Wisechoice. This kind of
software is designed to restrict an individual's ability to send or receive certain types of information,
and for that reason its use (in public libraries, for example) is a contentious issue. Organizations such
as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)
argue that the use of censorware conflicts with individual rights to freedom of expression and freedom
of association, as mandated by the United States constitution.
Centrino
Centrino is a technology package from Intel that provides built-in wireless support for laptop
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computers while making it possible to run a laptop all day (up to seven hours) without a battery
recharge. Through Centrino, Intel hopes to encourage corporations and users to replace their current
laptops with a newer, more mobile version. Analysts suggest that a more mobile laptop may in time
replace the desktop computer as well.
CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
CEO (Chief Executive Officer) is a top-ranking corporate position, responsible for overseeing
operations. Often the company's President, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board and board
members.
complex event processing
Complex event processing (CEP) is the use of technology to predict high-level events likely to result
from specific sets of low-level factors. CEP identifies and analyzes cause-and-effect relationships
among events in real time, allowing personnel to proactively take effective actions in response to
specific scenarios. CEP is an evolving paradigm originally conceived in the 1990s by Dr. David
Luckham at Stanford University.
CERN
CERN is a high-energy particle physics organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The
organization, founded in 1954, currently has about 20 member countries. In French, the acronym
CERN stands for "Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire" which translates to the English
"European Council for Nuclear Research."
certificate authority
A certificate authority (CA) is an authority in a network that issues and manages security credentials
and public keys for message encryption. As part of a public key infrastructure (PKI), a CA checks with
a registration authority (RA) to verify information provided by the requestor of a digital certificate. If the
RA verifies the requestor's information, the CA can then issue a certificate.
certification
In information technology as in other fields such as teaching, accounting, and acupuncture,
certification is a formal process of making certain that an individual is qualified in terms of particular
knowledge or skills. Certification programs are often fostered or supervised by some certifying
agency, such as a professional association. Some major computer software and hardware vendors
provide a certification program for installers of their product, such as Microsoft's Certified Systems
Engineer ( MCSE ) for its Windows operating systems, IBM's Certified Lotus Specialist (CLS), and
Cisco's Certified Internetwork Professional (CCIP). The A+ certification program is a certification that
attests to general computer installation and customization knowledge and capabilities.
ciphertext feedback
Ciphertext feedback (CFB) is a mode of operation for a block cipher. In contrast to the cipher block
chaining (CBC) mode, which encrypts a set number of bits of plaintext at a time, it is at times desirable
to encrypt and transfer some plaintext values instantly one at a time, for which ciphertext feedback is a
method. Like cipher block chaining, ciphertext feedback also makes use of an initialization vector (IV).
CFB uses a block cipher as a component of a random number generator. In CFB mode, the previous
ciphertext block is encrypted and the output is XORed (see XOR) with the current plaintext block to
create the current ciphertext block. The XOR operation conceals plaintext patterns. Plaintext cannot
be directly worked on unless there is retrieval of blocks from either the beginning or end of the
ciphertext.
custom factory integration (CFI)
- Custom factory integration (CFI) is an arrangement that a computer equipment vendor makes with
a customer in which programs and files are pre-installed and the equipment is configured and tested
at the factory prior to delivery. Dell Computer Corporation is one company that provides this
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arrangement for its customers.
CFO (Chief Financial Officer)
CFO (Chief Financial Officer) is a corporate title for the person responsible for managing the
company's financial operations. In many companies, the CFO is also the treasurer.
call failure rate (CFR)
The call failure rate (CFR) is the percentage of calls to an ISP or any network provider that fail to get
through. The CFR is commonly used as a statistical measure in assessing Internet service providers.
Companies can also measure the CFR for their own employees who dial in for access to the
company's network. Rating companies report on the CFRs for major ISPs like AOL, Ameritech and
Mindspring. Visual Networks, formerly Inverse Network Technology, is one the best known
benchmarking company of ISPs.
common gateway interface (CGI)
The common gateway interface (CGI) is a standard way for a Web server to pass a Web user's
request to an application program and to receive data back to forward to the user. When the user
requests a Web page (for example, by clicking on a highlighted word or entering a Web site address),
the server sends back the requested page. However, when a user fills out a form on a Web page and
sends it in, it usually needs to be processed by an application program. The Web server typically
passes the form information to a small application program that processes the data and may send
back a confirmation message. This method or convention for passing data back and forth between the
server and the application is called the common gateway interface (CGI). It is part of the Web's
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).
chaffing and winnowing
- Chaffing and winnowing are dual components of a privacy-enhancement scheme that does not
require encryption. The technique consists of adding false packets to a message at the source
(sender end of the circuit), and then removing the false packets at the destination (receiver end). The
false packets obscure the intended message and render the transmission unintelligible to anyone
except authorized recipients.
Chameleon Card
- The Chameleon Card is a programmable card in development at Chameleon Network that can
represent each of the owner's credit, debit, and customer cards as required, making it unnecessary to
carry all of the aforementioned. Working in conjunction with a small handheld device called the Pocket
Vault, the Chameleon Card has security features that guard against identity theft, physical theft of
cards, and theft of credit card information over the Internet. The device also has built in radio
frequency identification (RFID) technology and the capacity to display a user's phot
change control
Change control is a systematic approach to managing all changes made to a product or system. The
purpose is to ensure that no unnecessary changes are made, that all changes are documented, that
services are not unnecessarily disrupted and that resources are used efficiently. Within information
technology (IT), change control is a component of change management.
change management
- 1) Change management is a systematic approach to dealing with change, both from the perspective
of an organization and on the individual level. A somewhat ambiguous term, change management has
at least three different aspects, including: adapting to change, controlling change, and effecting
change. A proactive approach to dealing with change is at the core of all three aspects. For an
organization, change management means defining and implementing procedures and/or
technologies to deal with changes in the business environment and to profit from changing
opportunities.
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channel
In information technology, the term channel is used in a number of ways.
channel bank
A channel bank is a device at a telephone company central office (public exchange) that converts
analog signals from home and business users into digital signals to be carried over higher-speed lines
between the central office and other exchanges. The analog signal is converted into a digital signal
that transmits at a rate of 64 thousand bits per second ( Kbps ). This 64 Kbps signal is a standard
known as a DS0 signal. The signal is multiplexed with other DS0 signals on the same line using time-
division multiplexing ( TDM ) . Usually, the digital information is put on each DS0 signal using pulse
code modulation ( PCM ).
chaos theory
Chaos theory is the study of nonlinear dynamics, where seemingly random events are actually
predictable from simple deterministic equations.
CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol)
- CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol) is a more secure procedure for connecting
to a system than the Password Authentication Procedure (PAP)
Character
- 1) In information technology, a character is a printable symbol having phonetic or pictographic
meaning and usually forming part of a word of text, depicting a numeral, or expressing grammatical
punctuation. In information technology today, a character is generally one of a limited number of
symbols, including the letters of a particular language's alphabet, the numerals in the decimal number
system, and certain special symbols such as the ampersand (&) and "atsign" (@).
charge (electric charge)
- In physics, charge, also known as electric charge, electrical charge, or electrostatic charge and
symbolized q, is a characteristic of a unit of matter that expresses the extent to which it has more or
fewer electrons than protons. In atoms, the electron carries a negative elementary or unit charge; the
proton carries a positive charge. The two types of charge are equal and opposite.
Chassis
A chassis (pronounced TCHA-see or CHA-see ) is the physical frame or structure of an automobile, an
airplane, a desktop computer, or other multi-component device. Case is very similar in meaning, but
tends to connote the protective aspect of the frame rather than its structure. People tend to choose
one term or the other. The rest of this definition uses chassis but applies as well to the term case . Both
terms (and casing ) are derived from the Vulgate Latin for box . The plural form is also chassis .
chatting
For terms frequently used in online keyboard chatting, see chat acronyms/IRC/BBS.
cheat sheet
1) A cheat sheet is a piece of paper with information written down on it that an unethical person might
create if they weren't prepared for a test. The meaning of cheat sheet has broadened to include any
memory refreshing tool.
check digit
A check digit, also known as a checksum character, is the number located on the far right side of a bar
code. The purpose of a check digit is to verify that the information on the barcode has been entered
correctly. The barcode reader's decoder calculates the checksum by performing a series of
mathematical operations on the digits that precede the check digit, and comparing the result of the
calculation to the value of the check digit. Typically, if the check digit matches the result of the
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calculation, the reader emits a signal (such as a beep) to acknowledge that the results match, and the
scan has been successful.
chip
- 1) "Chip" is short for microchip, the incredibly complex yet tiny modules that store computer memory
or provide logic circuitry for microprocessors. Perhaps the best known chips are the Pentium
microprocessors from Intel. The PowerPC microprocessor, developed by Apple, Motorola, and IBM,
is used in Macintosh personal computers and some workstations. AMD and Cyrix also make popular
microprocessor chips.
chipset
- A chipset is a group of integrated circuits (microchips) that can be used together to serve a single
function and are therefore manufactured and sold as a unit. For example, one chipset might combine
all the microchips needed to serve as the communications controller between a processor and
memory and other devices in a computer.
chucking
In computer and telephone use, chucking is the process of discarding a small piece of hardware by
violent means, such as hurling it out a window, against a wall, or into a body of water. The term can also
apply to devices tossed into active fireplaces, camp fires, or brush fires. Any type of hardware can be
chucked, but this solution is employed most often in cases where a cell phone user, disgusted with
poor performance or inadequate coverage, comes for a brief moment to the conclusion that the device
is the bane of life. A person who chucks a piece of hardware is called a chucker.
cipher
- A cipher (pronounced SAI-fuhr) is any method of encrypting text (concealing its readability and
meaning). It is also sometimes used to refer to the encrypted text message itself although here the
term ciphertext is preferred. Its origin is the Arabic sifr, meaning empty or zero. In addition to the
cryptographic meaning, cipher also means (1) someone insignificant, and (2) a combination of
symbolic letters as in an entwined weaving of letters for a monogram.
circuit
- 1) In electronics, a circuit is a path between two or more points along which an electrical current can
be carried. (A circuit breaker is a device that interrupts the path when necessary to protect other
devices attached to the circuit - for example, in case of a power surge.)
class
In object-oriented programming , a class is a template definition of the method s and variable s in a
particular kind of object . Thus, an object is a specific instance of a class; it contains real values instead
of variables.
clean computing
Clean computing is when an organization's manufacture, use and disposal of IT equipment does not
produce any harmful waste at any stage. Non-hazardous materials are used in chip construction and
packaging.
cleartext
Cleartext is transmitted or stored text that has not been subjected to encryption and is not meant to be
encrypted. As such, cleartext does not require decryption in order to be displayed. In its simplest form,
cleartext is rendered as ASCII that can be read by any word processor or text editor. However,
cleartext can be subjected to encoding in a special format such as Word, WordPerfect or HTML . Any
text that can be read on a computer with the appropriate program but without the need for decryption is
considered cleartext.
click
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In Web advertising, a click is an instance of a user pressing down (clicking) on a mouse button in an ad
space. The term clickthrough is also sometimes used. The click rate is the number of clicks on an ad as
a percentage of the number of times that the ad was downloaded with a page.
client
A client is the requesting program or user in a client/server relationship. For example, the user of a
Web browser is effectively making client requests for pages from servers all over the Web. The
browser itself is a client in its relationship with the computer that is getting and returning the requested
HTML file. The computer handling the request and sending back the HTML file is a server.
clip art
Clip art, frequently used in desktop publishing before the arrival of the Web, is "canned" artwork
designed for use in publications or Web pages by artists or non-artists . The use of clip art can save
artists time and make art both possible and economical for non-artists. Clip art includes both subject-
related illustrations and visual elements such as horizontal lines, bullets, and text separators.
clipboard
A clipboard is a temporary storage area for data that the user wants to copy from one place to another.
cloaking
Cloaking is the masking of the sender's name and address in an e-mail note or distribution. An
individual or company that sends spam or, as they prefer to call it, "bulk e-mail" usually conceals their
own e-mail address for various reasons, including the possibility that someone will swamp the
originator's own e-mail server with retributional spam.
Clone
A clone is an identical copy of something and is a term that first became familiar to the public from the
biosciences. In the computer industry, the term became widely used in referring to imitations of the
IBM PC by Compaq, Dell, and others. Clones of the PC allowed users to purchase a comparable
personal computer at a much lower price than that offered by IBM and helped make PCs affordable for
more people.
Clonezilla
Clonezilla is a free open source disk cloning application based on Debian. Like other disk cloning
applications, Clonezilla copies the contents of a hard drive for transfer to another storage medium,
such as another computer's hard drive or a removable medium, such as a DVD or a USB drive.
Clonezilla is compatible with Windows, Macintosh and Linux operating systems.
cloud
In telecommunications, a cloud is the unpredictable part of any network through which data passes
between two end points. Possibly the term originated from the clouds used in blackboard drawings or
more formal illustrations to describe the nonspecifiable or uninteresting part of a network. Clouds exist
because between any two points in a packet-switched network, the physical path on which a packet
travels can vary from one packet to the next and, in a circuit-switched network, the specific circuit that
is set up can vary from one connection to the next.
Common Language Runtime
As part of Microsoft's .NET Framework, the Common Language Runtime (CLR) is programming that
manages the execution of programs written in any of several supported languages, allowing them to
share common object-oriented class es written in any of the languages. The Common Language
Runtime is somewhat comparable to the Java Virtual Machine that Sun Microsystems furnishes for
running programs compiled from the Java language. Microsoft refers to its Common Language
Runtime as a "managed execution environment." A program compiled for the CLR does not need a
language-specific execution environment and can easily be moved to and run on any system with
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Windows 2000 or Windows XP .
cluster
1) In a computer system, a cluster is a group of servers and other resources that act like a single
system and enable high availability and, in some cases, load balancing and parallel processing. See
clustering.
coaxial cable
Coaxial cable is the kind of copper cable used by cable TV companies between the community
antenna and user homes and businesses. Coaxial cable is sometimes used by telephone companies
from their central office to the telephone poles near users. It is also widely installed for use in business
and corporation Ethernet and other types of local area network.
COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language)
COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language) was the first widely-used high-level programming
language for business applications. Many payroll, accounting, and other business application
programs written in COBOL over the past 35 years are still in use and it is possible that there are more
existing lines of programming code in COBOL than in any other programming language. While the
language has been updated over the years, it is generally perceived as out-of-date and COBOL
programs are generally viewed as legacy applications.
collaborative robot
A cobot or "collaborative robot" is a robot designed to assist human beings as a guide or assistor in a
specific task. A regular robot is designed to be programmed to work more or less autonomously. In one
approach to cobot design, the cobot allows a human to perform certain operations successfully if they
fit within the scope of the task and to steer the human on a correct path when the human begins to
stray from or exceed the scope of the task.
capacity on demand (COD)
Capacity on demand (COD) is a purchasing option that allows companies to receive equipment with
more computer processing, storage, or other capacity than the company needs at the time of
purchase, and have that extra capacity remain unused and unpaid for until the company actually
requires it. Vendors are promoting capacity on demand as a cost-effective and time-saving alternative
to more traditional methods of upgrading. With COD, a vendor might provide a company with a fully-
configured 24-processor computer server but only charge the company for the number of processors
they actually use. The vendor provides the additional capacity hoping that when the company
expands and needs more capacity, they will not look around elsewhere but will simply take advantage
of the extra capacity the vendor had already provided. In this scenario, the company would contact the
vendor to have the extra processors activated, and the vendor would bill them accordingly.
code
1) In programming, code (noun) is a term used for both the statements written in a particular
programming language - the source code , and a term for the source code after it has been processed
by a compiler and made ready to run in the computer - the object code .
commit
A commit is the final step in the successful completion of a previously started database change as part
of handling a transaction in a computing system.
Cognos
Cognos is IBM's business intelligence (BI) and performance management software suite. The
software is designed to enable business users without technical knowledge to extract corporate data,
analyze it and assemble reports.
cold backup (offline backup)
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- A cold backup, also called an offline backup, is a database backup when the database is offline and
thus not accessible for updating. This is the safest way to back up because it avoids the risk of copying
data that may be in the process of being updated. However, a cold backup involves downtime
because users cannot use the database while it is being backed up.
cold/warm/hot server
In the backup and recovery of a computer server, a cold server is a backup server whose purpose is
solely to be there in case the main server is lost. The cold server is basically turned on once to have
software installed and configured, and then is turned off until needed.
coldset Web offset printing
Coldset Web offset printing (also known as non-heatset) is a Web offset printing process in which ink
is allowed to dry naturally through evaporation and absorption. In the alternative method, heatset Web
offset printing , ink is dried rapidly by forced-air heating. Web offset printing is a printing process in
which a continuous roll of paper is fed through a printing press.
collaboration
Collaboration is a joint effort of multiple individuals or work groups to accomplish a task or project. A
wide range of collaborative software (also known as groupware ) is available to enable collaborative
communication. Collaboration may be asynchronous , in which case those collaborating are not
necessarily working together (and in communication) at the same time; in contrast, collaboration may
be synchronous (this is known as real-time collaboration), in which collaborative partners are working
together simultaneously and in communication as they work.
collision
In a half duplex Ethernet network, a collision is the result of two devices on the same Ethernet network
attempting to transmit data at exactly the same time. The network detects the "collision" of the two
transmitted packets and discards them both. Collisions are a natural occurrence on Ethernets.
Ethernet uses Carrier Sense Multiple Access/ Collision Detect (CSMA/CD) as its method of allowing
devices to "take turns" using the signal carrier line. When a device wants to transmit, it checks the
signal level of the line to determine whether someone else is already using it. If it is already in use, the
device waits and retries, perhaps in a few seconds. If it isn't in use, the device transmits. However, two
devices can transmit at the same time in which case a collision occurs and both devices detect it. Each
device then waits a random amount of time and retries until successful in getting the transmission
sent.
collocation
In general, collocation is moving or placing things together, sometimes implying a proper order. On the
Internet, this term (often spelled "colocation" or "co-location") is used to mean the provision of space
for a customer's telecommunications equipment on the service provider's premises. For example, a
Web site owner could place the site's own computer servers on the premises of the Internet service
provider (ISP). Or an ISP could place its network routers on the premises of the company offering
switching services with other ISPs. The alternative to collocation is to have the equipment and the
demarcation point located at the customer's premises.
com
On the Internet, "com" is one of the top-level domain names that can be used when choosing a domain
name. It generally describes the entity owning the domain name as a commercial organization. Along
with the second-level domain name (for example: "whatis" in whatis.com), the top-level domain name
is required in Web and e-mail addresses.
command
In computers, a command is a specific order from a user to the computer's operating system or to an
application to perform a service, such as "Show me all my files" or "Run this program for me."
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Operating systems such as DOS that do not have a graphical user interface (GUI) offer a simple
command line interface in which you type the command on a designated line in a display panel. In a
system such as Windows, a graphical user interface lets you implicitly enter commands by selecting
objects or word selections and clicking your mouse button on them. (Windows does offer a command
line interface for certain facilities if you select the "MS-DOS Prompt" under "Programs.")
comment
Often cited as one of the most useful and least used programming conventions, a comment is a text
note added to source code to provide explanatory information, usually about the function of the code.
Comments are usually helpful to someone maintaining or enhancing your code when you are no
longer around to answer questions about it. Peer developers sometimes assess code for the
completeness and readability of its comments.
commit
A commit is the final step in the successful completion of a previously started database change as part
of handling a transaction in a computing system.
common access card (CAC)
1. A common access card (CAC) is a Unites States Department of Defense (DoD) smart card for
multifactor authentication. CACs are issued as standard identification for active-duty military
personnel, reserve personnel, civilian employees, non-DoD government employees, state
employees of the National Guard and eligible contractor personnel. In addition to its use as an ID card,
a CAC is required for access to government buildings and computer networks.
content
Many people agree that on the World Wide Web, "content is King." We see "good" content as: an
abundant amount of well-presented subject information organized for interesting and useful access in
a hypertext structure.
concatenation (concatenate, concatenating)
- Concatenation (from Latin concatenare, to link together) is taking two or more separately located
things and placing them side-by-side next to each other so that they can now be treated as one thing.
In computer programming and data processing, two or more character strings are sometimes
concatenated for the purpose of saving space or so that they can be addressed as a single item. (Of
course, some way may be needed to know how to unconcatenate them later.)
conductance
Conductance is an expression of the ease with which electric current flows through a substance. In
equations, conductance is symbolized by the uppercase letter G. The standard unit of conductance is
the siemens (abbreviated S), formerly known as the mho.
configuration
Generally, a configuration is the arrangement - or the process of making the arrangement - of the parts
that make up a whole.
1) In computers and computer networks, a configuration often refers to the specific hardware and
software details in terms of devices attached, capacity or capability, and exactly what the system is
made up of.
connection
1) In telecommunication and computing in general, a connection is the successful completion of
necessary arrangements so that two or more parties (for example, people or programs) can
communicate at a long distance. In this usage, the term has a strong physical (hardware) connotation
although logical (software) elements are usually involved as well.
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contiguous
Contiguous describes two or more objects that are adjacent to each other. In computing, contiguous
data is data that is moved or stored in a solid uninterrupted block. In general, contiguous data can be
accessed more quickly than data that is stored in fragments because fewer access operations will be
required. Files are sometimes stored in fragments so that storage space can be used more efficiently
(all the small spaces can be used).
convergence
In general, convergence is a coming together of two or more distinct entities or phenomena.
Convergence is increasingly prevalent in the IT world; in this context the term refers to the
combination of two or more different technologies in a single device. Taking pictures with a cell phone
and surfing the Web on a television are two of the most common examples of this trend.
cookie
A cookie is information that a Web site puts on your hard disk so that it can remember something about
you at a later time. (More technically, it is information for future use that is stored by the server on the
client side of a client/server communication.) Typically, a cookie records your preferences when using
a particular site. Using the Web's Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), each request for a Web page is
independent of all other requests. For this reason, the Web page server has no memory of what pages
it has sent to a user previously or anything about your previous visits. A cookie is a mechanism that
allows the server to store its own information about a user on the user's own computer. You can view
the cookies that have been stored on your hard disk (although the content stored in each cookie may
not make much sense to you). The location of the cookies depends on the browser. Internet Explorer
stores each cookie as a separate file under a Windows subdirectory. Netscape stores all cookies in a
single cookies.txt fle. Opera stores them in a single cookies.dat file.
copyleft
Copyleft is the idea and the specific stipulation when distributing software that the user will be able to
copy it freely, examine and modify the source code, and redistribute the software to others (free or
priced) as long as the redistributed software is also passed along with the copyleft stipulation. The
term was originated by Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation. Copyleft favors the
software user's rights and convenience over the commercial interests of the software makers. It also
reflects the belief that freer redistribution and modification of software would encourage users to make
improvements to it. ("Free software" is not the same as freeware, which is usually distributed with
copyright restrictions.)
corportal (Corporate Portal)
Corportal is short for "corporate portal." Many corporations are building and, in some cases, rebuilding
their Web sites along the model of the enterprise information portal, a model that emphasizes the
exploitation of a company's information resources. A corportal can be internal (an intranet), a public
site, or, with appropriate safeguards, both combined.
Cosmo
Cosmo was a set of products for developing presentations and applications that took advantage of the
Java programming language, 3-D environments using the Virtual Reality Modeling Language ( VRML
), and other multimedia elements. The Cosmo Player is still supported for use in Silicon Graphics' IRIX
operating system.
crimeware
- Crimeware is any computer program or set of programs designed expressly to facilitate illegal
activity online. Many spyware programs, browser hijackers, and keyloggers can be considered
crimeware, although only those used illicitly. One common type of crimeware is the phishing kit, a
collection of tools assembled to make it easier for people with little technical skill to launch a phishing
exploit. A phishing kit typically includes Web site development software, complete with graphics,
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coding, and content that can be used to create convincing imitations of legitimate sites, and spamming
software to automate the mass mailing process. Phishing kits and other types of crimeware are readily
available on the Internet.
current
Current is a flow of electrical charge carriers, usually electrons or electron-deficient atoms. The
common symbol for current is the uppercase letter I. The standard unit is the ampere, symbolized by
A. One ampere of current represents one coulomb of electrical charge (6.24 x 1018 charge carriers)
moving past a specific point in one second. Physicists consider current to flow from relatively positive
points to relatively negative points; this is called conventional current or Franklin current. Electrons,
the most common charge carriers, are negatively charged. They flow from relatively negative points to
relatively positive points.
cursor
- 1) A cursor is the position indicator on a computer display screen where a user can enter text. In an
operating system with a graphical user interface (GUI), the cursor is also a visible and moving pointer
that the user controls with a mouse, touch pad, or similar input device. The user uses the pointing
cursor and special input buttons to establish where the position indicator cursor will be or to select a
particular program to run or file to view. Typically, the pointing cursor is an arrow and the text entry
position cursor is a blinking underscore or vertical bar. Most operating systems allow the user to
choose another appearance for the cursor.
customer
In agile software development, a customer is a person with an understanding of both the business
needs and operational constraints for a project. The customer provides guidance during development
on what priorities should be emphasized.
cybercafe
A cybercafe is a cafe, coffee or espresso shop, or similar food and/or beverage-serving place that has
a number of personal computers connected to the Internet and available for use by customers. Some
cybercafes allow customers to use the computers at no charge; others charge by the hour or fraction
of an hour. In September, 1997, there were estimated to be more than 1,000 cybercafes
internationally. By 2001, there were perhaps tens of thousands, with at least one in almost every small
community in many countries. In cities such as Beijing, China; Kathmandu, Nepal; and Florence, Italy,
there are now chains of cybercafes.
Cyber Storm
- Cyber Storm is the name of a simulated attack exercise conducted by the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) between February 6-10, 2006 to evaluate the performance of various
public and private organizations. The simulation was conducted from computers in the basement of
the Secret Service in Washington DC.
cyborg
Cyborg, a compound word derived from cybernetics and organism, is a term coined by Manfred
Clynes in 1960 to describe the need for mankind to artificially enhance biological functions in order to
survive in the hostile environment of Space. Originally, a cyborg referred to a human being with bodily
functions aided or controlled by technological devices, such as an oxygen tank, artificial heart valve or
insulin pump. Over the years, the term has acquired a more general meaning, describing the
dependence of human beings on technology. In this sense, cyborg can be used to characterize
anyone who relies on a computer to complete their daily work.
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dark fiber
Dark fiber is optical fiber infrastructure (cabling and repeaters) that is currently in place but is not being
used. Optical fiber conveys information in the form of light pulses so the "dark" means no light pulses
are being sent. For example, some electric utilities have installed optical fiber cable where they
already have power lines installed in the expectation that they can lease the infrastructure to
telephone or cable TV companies or use it to interconnect their own offices. To the extent that these
installations are unused, they are described as dark.
Darwin
Darwin is the basic "core" of OS X , the operating system for Apple's Macintosh, and combines two
well-known programs, the Mach kernel and FreeBSD, in a strategic move by Apple to make its future
operating systems based on and available to others as open source code. Traditionally, major
computer makers have treated their operating systems (and most applications) as proprietary.
Making the source code available freely to outside developers is designed to encourage any
developer to create improvements or fix problems. In addition to Darwin, OS X includes its own
proprietary user interfaces and other special features that are not offered as open source.
daisy chain
A daisy chain is an interconnection of computer devices, peripherals, or network nodes in series, one
after another. It is the computer equivalent of a series electrical circuit. In personal computing,
examples of "daisy-chainable" interfaces include Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) and
FireWire, which allow computers to communicate with peripheral hardware such as disk drives, tape
drives, CD-ROM drives, printers, and scanners faster and more flexibly than previous interfaces.
DAO (Data Access Objects)
DAO (Data Access Objects) is an application program interface (API) available with Microsoft's Visual
Basic that lets a programmer request access to a Microsoft Accessdatabase. DAO was Microsoft's
first object-oriented interface with databases. DAO objects encapsulate Access's Jet functions.
Through Jet functions, it can also access other Structured Query Language (SQL) databases.
DISK-TO-DISK-TO-TAPE (D2D2T)
19 Jul 2004
Disk-to-disk-to-tape (D2D2T) is an approach to computer storage backup and archiving in which data
is initially copied to backup storage on a disk storage system and then periodically copied again to a
tape storage system. Disk-based backup systems and tape-based systems both have advantages
and drawbacks. For many computer applications, it's important to have backup data immediately
available when the primary disk becomes inaccessible
daemon
A daemon (pronounced DEE-muhn) is a program that runs continuously and exists for the purpose of
handling periodic service requests that a computer system expects to receive. The daemon program
forwards the requests to other programs (or processes) as appropriate. Each server of pages on the
Web has an HTTPD or Hypertext Transfer Protocol daemon that continually waits for requests to
come in from Web clients and their users.
data mining
Data mining is sorting through data to identify patterns and establish relationships.
A database is a collection of information that is organized so that it can easily be accessed, managed,
and updated. In one view, databases can be classified according to types of content: bibliographic,
full-text, numeric, and images.
database management system (DBMS)
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A database management system (DBMS), sometimes just called a database manager, is a program
that lets one or more computer users create and access data in a database. The DBMS manages user
requests (and requests from other programs) so that users and other programs are free from having to
understand where the data is physically located on storage media and, in a multi-user system, who
else may also be accessing the data.
database replication
Database replication is the frequent electronic copying data from a database in one computer or
server to a database in another so that all users share the same level of information. The result is a
distributed database in which users can access data relevant to their tasks without interfering with the
work of others. The implementation of database replication for the purpose of eliminating data
ambiguity or inconsistency among users is known as normalization .
data binding
Data binding is a process that allows an Internet user to manipulate Web page elements using a Web
browser. It employs dynamic HTML (hypertext markup language) and does not require complex
scripting or programming. Data binding first became available with Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE)
version 4. It can be used in conjunction with that and all subsequent versions of MSIE to create and
view interactive Web sites with a minimum demand on authoring time, subscriber effort, server drive
space, and server processing resources.
datacard
A datacard is any removable computer component, approximately the size of a credit card, that
contains data, or that contains nonvolatile memoryto which data can be written and from which data
can be recovered. The term is a synonym for smart card.
data center
A data center (sometimes spelled datacenter) is a centralized repository, either physical or virtual, for
the storage, management, and dissemination of data and information organized around a particular
body of knowledge or pertaining to a particular business.
DCML (Data Center Markup Language)
DCML (Data Center Markup Language), based on Extensible Markup Language (XML), is a data
format and model for exchanging information that describes a data center environment. DCML is
intended to provide a common description of a data center - including servers, workstations, computer
peripherals, storage systems, operating systems, and application programs - as well as other
information needed by the various management systems that an enterprise might choose to use.
data center services
Data center services is a collective term for the supporting components necessary for the proper
operation of a repository for storage, management and dissemination of data organized around a
body of knowledge or pertaining to an enterprise. As such, data center services can involvehardware,
software, processes and personnel.
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data deduplication
Data deduplication (often called "intelligent compression" or "single-instance storage") is a
method of reducing storage needs by eliminating redundant data. Only one unique instance of the
data is actually retained on storage media, such as disk or tape. Redundant data is replaced with
a pointer to the unique data copy. For example, a typical email system might contain 100
instances of the same one megabyte (MB) file attachment. If the email platform is backed up or
archived, all 100 instances are saved, requiring 100 MB storage space. With data deduplication,
only one instance of the attachment is actually stored; each subsequent instance is just
referenced back to the one saved copy. In this example, a 100 MB storage demand could be
reduced to only one MB.
data dredging (data fishing)
Data dredging, sometimes referred to as "data fishing" is a data mining practice in which large
volumes of data are analyzed seeking any possible relationships between data. The traditional
scientific method, in contrast, begins with a hypothesis and follows with an examination of the data.
Sometimes conducted for unethical purposes, data dredging often circumvents traditional data
mining techniques and may lead to premature conclusions. Data dredging is sometimes described as
"seeking more information from a data set than it actually contains."
data glove
A data glove is an interactive device, resembling a glove worn on the hand, which facilitates tactile
sensing and fine-motion control in robotics and virtual reality . Data gloves are one of several types of
electromechanical devices used in haptics applications.
data hiding
Data hiding is a characteristic of object-oriented programming. Because an object can only be
associated with data in predefined classes or templates, the object can only "know" about the data it
needs to know about. There is no possibility that someone maintaining the code may inadvertently
point to or otherwise access the wrong data unintentionally. Thus, all data not required by an object
can be said to be "hidden."
data key
- In cryptography, a data key is a key (a variable value that is applied to a string or block of text to
encrypt or decrypt it) that is used to encrypt or decrypt data only and is not used to encrypt or
decrypt other keys, as some encryption formulas call for.
data mart (datamart)
A data mart is a repository of data gathered from operational data and other sources that is designed
to serve a particular community of knowledge workers. In scope, the data may derive from an
enterprise-wide database or data warehouse or be more specialized. The emphasis of a data mart is
on meeting the specific demands of a particular group of knowledge users in terms of analysis,
content, presentation,
data quality
Data quality is the reliability and effectiveness of data, particularly in a data warehouse. Data quality
assurance (DQA) is the process of verifying the reliability and effectiveness of data. Maintaining data
quality requires going through the data periodically and scrubbing it. Typically this involves updating it,
standardizing it, and de-duplicating records to create a single view of the data, even even if it is stored
in multiple disparate systems. There are many vendor applications on the market to make this job
easier.
data transfer rate
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The data transfer rate (DTR) is the amount ofdigital data that is moved from one place to another
in a given time. The data transfer rate can be viewed as the speed of travel of a given amount of
data from one place to another. In general, the greater the bandwidth of a given path, the higher
the data transfer rate.
data reduction
Data reduction is the process of minimizing the amount of data that needs to be stored in a data
storage environment. Data reduction can increase storage efficiency and reduce costs.
data scrubbing (data cleansing)
Data scrubbing, also called data cleansing, is the process of amending or removing data in a database
that is incorrect, incomplete, improperly formatted, or duplicated. An organization in a data-intensive
field like banking, insurance, retailing, telecommunications, or transportation might use a data
scrubbing tool to systematically examine data for flaws by using rules, algorithms, and look-up tables.
Typically, a database scrubbing tool includes programs that are capable of correcting a number of
specific type of mistakes, such as adding missing zip codes or finding duplicate records. Using a data
scrubbing tool can save a database administrator a significant amount of time and can be less costly
than fixing errors manually.
data set
In an IBM mainframe operating system , a data set is a named collection of data that contains
individual data units organized (formatted) in a specific, IBM-prescribed way and accessed by a
specific access method that is based on the data set organization. Types of data set organization
include sequential, relative sequential, indexed sequential, and partitioned. Access methods include
the Virtual Sequential Access Method ( VSAM ) and the Indexed Sequential Access Method ( ISAM ).
deadlock
- A deadlock is a situation in which two computer programs sharing the same resource are effectively
preventing each other from accessing the resource, resulting in both programs ceasing to function.
dead media
In 1995, science-fiction writer Bruce Sterling challenged a conference of computer artists and the
world at large to help identify the extinct species in the new media taxonomy and face the fact that, for
each new medium or technology that survives, dozens fall by the wayside. Sterling insisted that it's
important to recognize, pay homage to, and ponder the "dead media" that seem, once fallen, to pass
so quickly from the scene. As a result of Sterling's challenge, fellow enthusiasts have begun to
chronicle artifacts of information technology going back to earliest times.
Debian
Debian is a popular and freely-available computer operating system that uses the Linux kernel and
other program components obtained from the GNU project. Debian can be downloaded over the
Internet or, for a small charge, obtained on CD. As Open Source software, Debian is developed by
over 500 contributing programmers who collectively form the Debian Project. New releases are
provided from time to time. Ongoing service is available through subscription to a mailing list.
debugging
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In computers, debugging is the process of locating and fixing or bypassing bugs (errors) in computer
program code or the engineering of a hardware device. To debug a program or hardware device is to
start with a problem, isolate the source of the problem, and then fix it. A user of a program that does not
know how to fix the problem may learn enough about the problem to be able to avoid it until it is
permanently fixed. When someone says they've debugged a program or "worked the bugs out" of a
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program, they imply that they fixed it so that the bugs no longer exist.
DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation)
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Now part of Compaq, DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) has long occupied a leading position in
the mid-range computer, traditionally known as the minicomputer, the business computer platform
that fits between the mainframe and the personal computer and serves small and medium-sized
businesses with its VMS operating system. In recent years, DEC has been addressing IBM's AS/400
platform, the advent of the workstation platforms of Sun Microsystems and others, and the
client/server concept of computing. Today, DEC is focusing strongly on Internet systems and
software.
decibel
- In electronics and communications, the decibel (abbreviated as dB, and also as db and DB) is a
logarithmic expression of the ratio between two signal power, voltage, or current levels. In acoustics,
the decibel is used as an absolute indicator of sound power per unit area. A decibel is one-tenth of a
Bel, a seldom-used unit named for Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone.
decimal
Decimal is a term that describes the base-10 number system, probably the most commonly used
number system. The decimal number system consists of ten single- digit numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, and 9. The number after 9 is 10. The number after 19 is 20 and so forth. Additional powers of 10
require the addition of another positional digit.
decipher
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- All three terms - decipher, decrypt, and decode - mean to convert ciphertext into the original,
unencrypted plaintext. Decrypt is actually a generic term, covering both the other terms, that simply
means to unscramble a message. The root prefix crypto is from the Greek kryptos, meaning hidden or
secret.
decompile
To decompile is to convert executable (ready-to-run) program code (sometimes called object code )
into some form of higher-level programming language so that it can be read by a human.
Decompilation is a type of reverse engineering that does the opposite of what a compiler does. The
tool that accomplishes this is called a decompiler. A similar tool, called a disassembler, translates
object code into assembler language. There are a number of different reasons for decompilation or
disassembly, such as understanding a program, recovering the source code for purposes of archiving
or updating, finding virus es, debugging programs, and translating obsolete code. Decompilation was
first used in the 1960s to facilitate the migration of a program from one platform to another.
DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications)
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Unlike the analog cordless phones you may have in your home, DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless
Telecommunications) is a digital wireless telephone technology that is expected to make cordless
phones much more common in both businesses and homes in the future. Formerly called the Digital
European Cordless Telecommunications standard because it was developed by European
companies, DECT's present name reflects its global acceptance. Like another important wireless
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standard, Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), DECT uses time division multiple access
(TDMA) to transmit radio signals to phones. Whereas GSM is optimized for mobile travel over large
areas, DECT is designed especially for a smaller area with a large number of users, such as in cities
and corporate complexes. A user can have a telephone equipped for both GSM and DECT (this is
known as a dual-mode phone) and they can operate seamlessly.
deep link
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A deep link is a hypertext link to a page on a Web site other than its home page. The "deep" refers to
the depth of the page in a site's hierarchical structure of pages. Any page below the top page in the
hierarchy (the home page) can thus be considered deep. The term has been given prominence in the
legal suit of the Ticketmaster Corporation against Microsoft. A Microsoft-owned site (one of its
Sidewalk sites) linked to a page of useful information within the Ticketmaster site, avoiding the
Ticketmaster home page. Ticketmaster sued Microsoft for linking without permission, claiming that
they were thus being deprived of advertising viewers for the ads on their home page. In fact, their
content was appearing within a Microsoft page containing their advertising.
deep Web
The deep Web is the part of the Internet that is inaccessible to conventional search engine s, and
consequently, to most users. According to researcher Marcus P. Zillman of DeepWebResearch.info,
as of January 2006, the deep Web contained somewhere in the vicinity of 900 billion pages of
information. In contrast, Google, the largest search engine, had indexed just 25 billion pages.
default
In computer technology, a default (noun, pronounced dee-FAWLT ) is a predesigned value or setting
that is used by a computer program when a value or setting is not specified by the program user. The
program user can be either an interactive user of a graphical user interface or command line interface,
or a programmer using an application program interface . When the program receives a request from
an interactive user or another program, it looks at the information that has been passed to it. If a
particular item of information is not specified in the information that is passed, the program uses the
default value that was defined for that item when the program was written. In designing a program,
each default is usually preestablished as the value or setting that most users would probably choose.
This keeps the interface simpler for the interface user and means that less information has to be
passed and examined during each program request.
Digital Signage (dynamic signage)
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Digital signage, also called dynamic signage, is a specialized form of slivercasting in which video or
multimedia content is displayed in public places for informational or advertising purposes. A digital
sign usually consists of a computer or playback device connected to a large, bright digital screen such
as an LCD or plasma display.
digital signature
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- A digital signature (not to be confused with a digital certificate) is an electronic signature that can be
used to authenticate the identity of the sender of a message or the signer of a document, and possibly
to ensure that the original content of the message or document that has been sent is unchanged.
Digital signatures are easily transportable, cannot be imitated by someone else, and can be
automatically time-stamped. The ability to ensure that the original signed message arrived means that
the sender cannot easily repudiate it later.
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digital switch
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A digital switch is a device that handles digital signals generated at or passed through a telephone
company central office and forwards them across the company's backbone network. It receives the
digital signals from the office's channel banks that have been converted from users' analog signals
and switches them with other incoming signals out to the wide area network.
digital television (DTV)
- Digital television (DTV) is the transmission of television signals using digital rather than conventional
analog methods.
digital video
Digital video is audio/visual in a binary format. Information is presented as a sequence of digital data,
rather than in a continuous signal as analog information is.
digitization
Digitization is the process of converting information into a digital format . In this format, information is
organized into discrete units of data (called bit s) that can be separately addressed (usually in
multiple-bit groups called byte s). This is the binary data that computers and many devices with
computing capacity (such as digital camera s and digital hearing aid s) can process.
digizine
A digizine is a magazine that is delivered in digital (electronic form) on an electronic medium, such as a
CD-ROM. A digizine can be stand-alone or used as a supplement to printed information or information
on a Web site.
dimension
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In data warehousing, a dimension is a collection of reference information about a measurable event.
In this context, events are known as "facts." Dimensions categorize and describe data warehouse
facts and measures in ways that support meaningful answers to business questions. They form the
very core of dimensional modeling.
direct access
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- In computer storage, direct access is the ability to obtain data from a storage device by going directly
to where it is physically located on the device rather than by having to sequentially look for the data at
one physical location after another. A direct access storage device (DASD) has the electrical or
electromechanical means to be immediately positioned for reading and writing at any addressable
location on the device.
directory
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A directory is, in general, an approach to organizing information, the most familiar example being a
telephone directory.
dotcom
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A dotcom is any Web site intended for business use and, in some usages, it's a term for any kind of
Web site. The term is based on the com that forms the last part of the address for most commercial
Web sites. The term is popular in news stories about how the business world is transforming itself to
meet the opportunities and competitive challenges posed by the Internet and the World Wide Web.
Beginning in mid-2000, as the stock market began to devalue many Internet stocks, the term became
associated with a number of Web businesses that failed or suffered cutbacks.
doubler
A doubler is an electronic device that doubles the frequency of an input signal . Doublers are
occasionally used in wireless communications to obtain transmission frequencies higher than those
normally possible for a given circuit design.
downlink and uplink
Show me everything on WiMAX, 3G and Wireless Broadband
These terms should not be confused with downstream and upstream.
In satellite telecommunication, a downlink is the link from a satellite down to one or more ground
stations or receivers, and an uplink is the link from a ground station up to a satellite. Some companies
sell uplink and downlink services to television stations, corporations, and to other telecommunication
carriers. A company can specialize in providing uplinks, downlinks, or both.
downloading
Downloading is the transmission of a file from one computer system to another, usually smaller
computer system. From the Internet user's point-of-view, to download a file is to request it from
another computer (or from a Web page on another computer) and to receive it.
Uploading is transmission in the other direction: from one, usually smaller computer to another
computer. From an Internet user's point-of-view, uploading is sending a file to a computer that is set up
to receive it. People who share images with others on bulletin board systems (BBS) upload files to the
BBS.
drilldown
As currently used in information technology, to drill down (verb) is to focus in on something. A drilldown
(noun) is the act of focusing in.
The term is sometimes used when referring to moving down through a hierarchy of folders and files in
a file system like that of Windows. It may also mean clicking through a series of dropdown menus in a
graphical user interface.
driver
- A driver is a program that interacts with a particular device or special (frequently optional) kind of
software. The driver contains the special knowledge of the device or special software interface that
programs using the driver do not. In personal computers, a driver is often packaged as a dynamic link
library (DLL) file.
dropout
- A dropout is a small loss of data in an audio or video file on tape or disk. A dropout can sometimes go
unnoticed by the user if the size of the dropout is small. Error correction schemes can compensate for
the dropout by filling in data where a dropout is detected. With a larger section of missing data, the
D
user will see or hear the error.
dumb network
Show me everything on Network Administration
A dumb network is one that provides the physical interconnection between nodes but not much
processing to support signaling. The Internet is often cited as a dumb network relative to the public
switched telephone network. The telephone system is considered an "intelligent network" because
the intelligence required for operation is carried within the network, while the end devices (telephones)
are simple devices. (Recent telephone control systems - Advanced Intelligent Network and Signaling
System 7 - provide even more intelligence in the network.) The Internet takes the opposite approach:
the network simply transports packets of data without needing to know anything about them and the
end devices (computers, for example) contain the intelligence. This approach is sometimes referred
to as "dumb network, smart devices."
duotone
In graphic design, a duotone is an image composed of two colors. A duotone image can be used on a
Web page to economize on file size as well as to give the image an artistic, retro look. A duotone is
created by overlaying a color (such as blue or red) on a grayscale image.
dynalink
1) Dynalink, a contraction for " dynamic link library " (DLL), is a term used in some Microsoft Windows
error messages.
dynamic and static
Show me everything on Topics Archive
In general, dynamic means energetic, capable of action and/or change, or forceful, while static means
stationary or fixed. In computer terminology, dynamic usually means capable of action and/or change,
while static means fixed. Both terms can be applied to a number of different types of things, such as
programming languages (or components of programming languages), Web pages, and application
programs.
dynamic URL
A dynamic URL is the address - or Uniform Resource Locator (URL) - of a Web page with content that
depends on variable parameters that are provided to the server that delivers it. The parameters may
be already present in the URL itself or they may be the result of user input. A dynamic URL can often be
recognized by the presence of certain characters or character strings that appear in the URL (visible in
the address bar of your browser)
E
EALR (Essential Academic Learning Requirement)
Washington State's definition of what all students should know and be able to do as a graduate of
public schools.
Early Childhood Education
The education of pre-school age children.
Electronic Media
The different electronic sources such as television, web pages, e-mail, CDs, etc. that may provide
information or be used to share information.
ELL (English Language Learner)
A person learning English whose primary language is other than English.
Emergency Expulsion
Immediate removal of a student from school or class for an indefinite period of time.
Emergent Literacy
The view that reading and writing learning begins at birth and is supported by adult interactions.
Emotional Development
The ways in which individuals learn to interact in socially acceptable ways, establish and maintain
relationships, and view themselves in positive ways.
Enrichment
Topics and activities that are not considered part of basic education.
Environmental Education
An educational practice that builds students' awareness of the natural world and how to protect it.
Equal Access
Case law based on religious non-discrimination. It requires schools that allow extra-curricular,
voluntary-participation student clubs to meet on school property to also allow extra-curricular school
use to religious groups.
ESL (English as a Second Language)
English language instruction for students whose primary language is not English.
Evaluate
To conduct a careful appraisal or study of something and determine its worth or value.
Expenditure
All amounts of money paid out by a school system.
Experiential Education
Education that emphasizes learning from experiences rather than from lectures, books, and other
secondhand sources and which may take the form of internships, service learning, school-to-work
programs, field studies, or similar experiences.
Expulsion
Removal of a student from school, class, or sometimes district property for an indefinite period of time.
Extra-curricular Activities
Activities that are not part of the required curriculum and that take place outside of the regular course
of study.
F
Fact Finding Hearing
A court procedure where a judge determines whether a legal case can be made against an individual.
Familiar Sounds
Sounds that students hear or speak in their primary language.
Family involvement in education
Another term for parent participation in the education of their children .
FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
A federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.
Financial Aid
Grants, loans, and funds provided by the government for college expenses, such as college tuition,
textbooks, and sometimes the living costs of students.
Fine Motor
Functions which require tiny muscle movements, for example, writing or typing.
Fluency
The ability to read a text accurately, quickly, and with proper expression and comprehension.
Formative Assessment
A test that determines what students have learned at a particular time in order to plan further
instruction. Also knows as Formative Test.
Free or Reduced-Price Meal
A federal program that provides breakfast, lunch, and/or after school snacks for students from low-
income families.
Functional Illiteracy
The inability to read or write well enough to perform many basic, necessary tasks in daily life.
G
Guardian
Person legally placed in charge of the welfare of a minor or of someone incapable of managing her or
his own affairs.
GEAR-UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate
Programs)
A federal grant program created to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to
enter and succeed in college.
Gender Bias
The idea that one gender or the other is short-changed by school practices and expectations.
General Educational Development (GED) Test
A high school equivalency test certifies that a person has the skills and knowledge equal to those of a
high school graduate.
General Vocabulary
Words that are critical to understanding the main idea, events, characters, themes of a lesson.
Generalize
To arrive at a broad conclusion based upon a small piece of evidence. May also be referred to as
Generalization.
Genres
A term used to classify literary and informational works into categories, such as biography, mystery,
historical fiction, etc.
Gifted and Talented Program
A program that offers advanced coursework to students identified as being academically gifted or
talented.
GLE (Grade Level Expectation)
The essential content or subject matter to be learned by students at a specific grade level.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
A system of scoring student achievement. Student's GPA is computed by multiplying the grade
received in each course by the number of credits offered for each course, then dividing by the total
number of credit hours studied.
Graduate
A student who has received a diploma for successfully completing a program or school's course
requirements.
Graduate School
University level school that provides instruction and degrees beyond the bachelor degree.
Graduation Requirements
The courses and number of credits required by a school district or the state to receive a high school
diploma. The state provides a minimum set of requirements, and school boards can set additional
graduation requirements for their school district.
Grant
Funds provided for students to attend college that do not have to be repaid.
Graphic Features
Maps, diagrams, graphs, charts, or pictures that help make the text meaningful and interesting to
readers.
G
Graphing Calculator
A calculator with a larger display that draws and displays math functions and data.
Gross motor
Functions which require large muscle movements, for example, walking or jumping.
Guidance Counselor
School staff member who provides academic advice to students and their families, helps them
address learning problems, and assists students in career and personal development.
Guided Practice
A teacher-led activity that the class completes together.
H
Head Start Program
A federally sponsored preschool program for children from low-income families.
Health Education
Curriculum that addresses physical, mental, emotional, and social health.
Hearing Examiner/Officer
The decision-maker in school discipline hearings.
Heterogeneous Grouping
The practice of grouping together students of varying abilities, interests, or ages for instruction.
Higher Education
Study beyond high school at a college or university that results in an associate, bachelor, or higher
degree. Also known as Post-secondary Education.
Higher-Order Questions
Questions that require thinking and reflection rather than single-solution responses.
Higher-Order Thinking Skills
The ability to understand complex concepts and apply sometimes conflicting information to solve a
problem that may have more than one correct answer.
High Frequency Words
High utility words which make up 50% of printed text, for example: A, the, this, that, etc.
Highly Qualified Teacher
Teachers are required by federal law (NCLB) to meet following three criteria to be considered highly
qualified:
1) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
2) Holds full state certification.
3) Demonstrates subject matter knowledge and teaching skill in each core academic subject assigned
to teach.
Health Education
Curriculum that addresses physical, mental, emotional, and social health.
Hearing Examiner/Officer
The decision-maker in school discipline hearings.
Heterogeneous Grouping
The practice of grouping together students of varying abilities, interests, or ages for instruction.
Higher Education
Study beyond high school at a college or university that results in an associate, bachelor, or higher
degree. Also known as Post-secondary Education.
Higher-Order Questions
Questions that require thinking and reflection rather than single-solution
responses.
Higher-Order Thinking Skills
The ability to understand complex concepts and apply sometimes conflicting
information to solve a problem that may have more than one correct answer.
H
High Frequency Words
High utility words which make up 50% of printed text, for example: A, the, this,
that, etc.
Highly Qualified Teacher
Teachers are required by federal law (NCLB) to meet following three criteria to
be considered highly qualified:
1) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
2) Holds full state certification.
3) Demonstrates subject matter knowledge and teaching skill in each core
academic subject assigned to teach.
I
Index
1. Symbol or number used to identify the value or a certain number in a sequence or set of similar
elements. For example P (7) means that P is seventh in the set which consists of a number of P.
2. Reference tables arranged in sequence and can diaksesuntuk find addresses of other data points.
Indicator
1. The device that indicates a condition in the computer.
2. Storage area covering 1. byte containing the character "1" which means the conditionTRUE, or the
character "0 " which means the conditions are wrong.
Informatics
The term is roughly synonymous with information technology.
Initialization
1. The process of formatting the disk, so be ready to use.
2. The process of setting up a computer or program to use.
Input
1. Entering data into the computer storage medium. 2. Data entered into the computerfor
processing
Insert
Inserting data among the data that already exists.
Installation
1. The program comes with apikasi program to install the program onto your hard-disk.
2. The general term for computer system
Item
1. A group of characters who each ebrhubungan and considered as a whole. A record is a group of
items that are related.
2. Options on a menu.
J
Journal
Chronological record of operations performed by the computer system.
Joystick
A lever or stick that can be moved in all directions and is used to control the movementkursosr on the
screen. Similar to a mouse, but usually only used in video games.
Jukebox
Robotic devices that are used to store and retrieve the disk in large quantities, can alsobe asked to
service the one or two discs.
Jump
Deviations from the normal sequence of execution of instructions by the computer.
Jumper
Small connector that can dippindah-move; used to connect the parts of an electricalcircuit. Also often
used to determine the choice of main or slave on the hard drives andprinters.
Junction
The data do not mean (garbage) received from the communicationchannel .
Justification
1.Actions to adjust, set or shift the unit numbers to the left or right to fit the patternspecified.
2. Text alignment on either side, either left or right.
Justified
Settings page of text on a flat left and right, this format is commonly used to give a moreformal
appearance.
Justify
Straighten or flatten the characters in a field, either the left or flush right.
K
Key
1. Fields that characterize a record.
2. Field that determines the position of a record in a sequence.
3. Lever or button of a machine or manually operated equipment, such as the keyboard keys.
4. Entering data into computers with the help of a keyboard.
Keyboard
Counterfeit money input in the form of a series of letter keys, numbers and special characters that are
used to enter data into the computer or perform certain instructions.
Kill
terminate a process before the proper time, 2. How to remove the information. 3. Stopor cancel
something. 4. Deleting a file.
Knowledge
1. Symbolic information used by the domain in artificial intelligence program espert tosolve a problem.
2. The facts, data, assumptions, beliefs, and procedures required for solving the problem.
L
Label
Marker or name used in a computer program to characterize or explain an instruction,statements,
messages, records, files, and others.
LAN
Acronym for Local Area Network network that consists of a number of jomputer andperipheral devices
are connected to each other to share data, information, and use ofequipment.
LCD
Stands for Liquid Crystal Display, a way to display the letters and numbers with crystalmaterial reflects
light in particular. This technology is widely used for calculators,handheld computer, watches, and
other devices.
Leader
1. The series of dots or lines and continued to guide the view, as is often used to list the contents of a
book.
2. Blanks at the end of magnetic tape.
LED
Stands for Light Erniting Diode, alphanumeric display devices that shine when electrified
Level
Levels within a hierarchy. The distance between an end point in the tree diagram with the base.
Line
1. The series of dots that make up a particular line in computer graphics
2. Line in a programming language consisting of one or more statements
3. Communication channels, particularly telephone line
4. Lines of text in a document.
Link
1. Physical connection between one location to another location for data transmission.
2. The terms in the hypertext system, which means the relationship between onedocument to another
document.
Linux
The name of an open-source operating system that has been used widely. The firstLinux was
launched by the inventor, Linux Torvalds, in 1991. Linux has a version foralmost all types of computer
hardware or existing.
Log
1. Record that contains the operations carried out data processing equipment, timerequired, the
actions of operators, and others. 2. Abbreviation for logarithm.
Logic
1. science related to the principles of logic and thinking.
2. The basic principles and application of truth tables and the relationships between the elements
required for calculation of arithmetic in automated processing systems.
Loop
A series of instructions in a program that could be repeated execution until a certaincondition.
M
MAC
Abbreviation of Macintosh, PC family of Apple introduced since 1984. MAC is the first computer to
popularize the use of Graphical User Interface (GUI), hardware architecture allowing ease and
consistency of use. MAC's first power using the Motorola 32-bit 680 x 0 CPU. In 1994 Apple introduced
the Power Macs that use the Power PC chip CPU. By Insignia Solutions softwindows, DOS and
windows can be applied on Power Macs.
Mailer
Program to receive, read, write and send e-mail. For example Outlook Express ..
Mailbomb
Kegiatan pengiriman sejumlah besar e-mail ke sebuah alamat e-mail yang bermaksud untuk
memenuhi kuota server mail tersebut.
Mailing list
A discussion forum on the Internet by using e-mail. One message from a member will be accepted by
all members.
Mail Notifier
A feature of the mailer that always tells us when there is an e-mail arrived.
Mainstream
To place students with disabilities into regular classrooms with the supports defined in their
Individualized Education Plan.
Magnet Schools
An alternative public school that often focuses on a particular area of study, such as performing arts or
science and technology, in addition to the core curriculum.
Man Command
Command in UNIX that allows to obtain information about the commands in the UNIX operating
system (man stands for manual), and the command is a command parameter that we want to know.
Mandrake
One of the Linux distribution, was born inspired by the Red Hat Linux, with many preconfigured
application development and making it easier for beginners, both from the initial installation process
based Xwindow, until its use and is supported by various languages. In Mandrake, all packages have
been compiled with optimization for Pentium class CPU (intel, amd, cyrixm winchip) and the
processor on it and produce more than 30% optimization.
Manipulatives
Any object, for example, blocks, toothpicks, or coins, that can be used to represent or model a
problem situation or develop a mathematical concept.
McKinney-Vento Act
Federal legislation that provides educational services to homeless students which are equal to all
other enrolled students, and ensures that homeless children and youth have equal opportunities to
enroll in, attend, and be successful in school.
Merchant
Traders or companies in the Internet which provides the commission, which is an online sales
strategy.
Measurement of Student Progress (MSP)
Beginning in the 2009-10 school year, the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) for
M
grades 3rd through 8th will be replaced by the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) to identify
students' abilities in math (grades 3rd through 8th), reading (grades 3rd through 8th), science (grades
5th and 8th), and writing (grades 4th and 7th). The testing window for the MSP will be in May beginning
spring 2010.
Mediation
A strategy for conflict resolution which relies upon a neutral third party work to help parties arrive at an
agreed upon compromise.
Mentor
To serve as a role model for another person.
MESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement)
The MESA program
Microbrowser
The modified browser that lets users connect with the data on the Internet through wireless handheld
devices.
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
Is a standard for connecting electronic instruments (electronic instruments), effects processors
(effects processors), and the computer.
Middle School
Schools for students in the early adolescent years, generally grade 6th through grade 8th .
MIME (Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Extension)
Used to indicate the types of data in Web servers, so that the auxiliary program and the right plug-ins
can be invoked.
Mirror Site
Is a duplicate of a site that is placed on the original server. The function of the mirror site is to reduce
traffic congestion data on a site.
MLC (Multi-level Cell)
Technology capable of storing more than 1 bit of information in a single cell.
Modeling
The practice of demonstrating to the learner how to do a task, so that the learner can copy the model.
It often includes thinking aloud or talking about how to work through a task.
Modem (Modulation / demodulation)
A device that translates digital information into analog signals and vice versa.
MOESI Cache (Modified Owner Exclusive Shared Invalid or MOESI Cache
coherency protocol)
Serves to keep the data on the processor cache. Identifying data from a processor and data which are
needed by other processors as well as when data is used jointly by the two processors. MOESI cache
is effectively able to reduce the memory traffic and increase bandwidth.
Movie
Collection of several scenes. Movie contains a scene, object, effect, and action because all these
elements that form the actual animation in the movie.
MP3
M
A file extension is associated to the MPEG Audio Layer 3. This file type allows storage of audio files /
music in a relatively small byte size without loss of quality that counts.
MPEG (Motion Picture Expert Group)
A standard file format for video and moving the computer.
MSP
Having two first stands for Management Service Providers and Manage Service Provider. MSP
terminology used by the editors and analysts as an Information Technology company providing
infrastructure management services via an ASP model. Offered by the Management Service Provider
is usually the network and monitoring services for e-Business applications. While the Managed
Service Provider is used for the operation of the service that handles networking and knowledge-
based network services, applications and equipment. Managed Service Provider can be a leading
provider of hosting services and Internet access providers who are moving to next generation
services such as VoIP, Messaging and Call Center, VPN, Managed Firewalls, Monitoring and
reporting servers and networks, and so forth.
MS-DOS
Microsoft Disk Operating System. The first OS from Microsoft.
MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure)
The average time required by a component to work with not making mistakes.
MTD (Memory Technology Driver)
A software subroutine that contains all the lookup tables and algorithms needed flash to be used by a
certain flash devices.
MPEG (Motion Picture Expert Group)
Standards of Video format files to move the computer.
Multimedia
A PC, system documents, etc. that combine text, graphics, sounds, movies or other media.
Multitasking
Running two or more courses in a computer at the same time. How many programs can be effective at
multitasking, depending on the type of multitasking performed (preemptive vs cooperative), CPU
speed and memory and hard drive capacity.
Multi-age Classroom
A classroom that includes children from different grades.
Multi-disciplinary Curriculum
Generally refers to learning a particular topic area through the viewpoint of more than one subject.
Multiple Intelligences
A theory of intelligence developed in the 1980s by Howard Gardner that broadly defines intelligence
beyond mathematical and linguistic, to include musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, and intrapersonal.
N
N+1 UPS
N+1, also called parallel redundancy, is a safeguard to ensure that anuninterruptible power supply
(UPS) system is always available. N+1 stands for the number of UPS modules that are required to
handle an adequate supply of power for essential connected systems, plus one more.
Newbie
A newbie ( pronounced NOO-bee ) is a novice or neophyte: anyone who is new to any particular type
of endeavor, such as a sport or a technology. The term is commonly applied to new users of personal
computers and to new users of the Internet. According to Eric Raymond's The New Hacker's
Dictionary , Newbie is a variant of the English public school term, new boy , someone in the first year or
period of school. The term predates the Web and has been used for some time in Usenet newsgroups.
Glenn Connery reports that he used the term in 1990 as a participant in Internet chatting group.
NI
N1 is Sun Microsystems' strategy for making a network environment as easy to manage as a single
machine. The N1 project will use avirtualization technology developed by Pirus Networks, a company
since acquired by Sun. By virtualizing all the server, storage, and network equipment required for a
service into a single system, N1 is expected to simplify administration and use resources more
efficiently.
NAC
Network access control (NAC), also called network admission control, is a method of bolstering the
security of a proprietary network by restricting the availability of network resources to endpoint
devices that comply with a defined security policy.
Nagios
Nagios is an open source application that monitors for computer network problems so that they can be
fixed more quickly. Nagios was designed for use with the Linux operating system, but it will also work
under Unix and most Unix-based systems
Nagle's algorithm
Named for its creator, John Nagle, the Nagle algorithm is used to automatically concatenate a number
of small buffer messages; this process (called nagling) increases the efficiency of a network
application system by decreasing the number of packets that must be sent. Nagle's algorithm, defined
in 1984 as Ford Aerospace and Communications Corporation Congestion Control in IP/TCP
Internetworks (IETF RFC 896) was originally designed to relieve congestion for a private TCP/IP
network operated by Ford, but has since been broadly deployed.
Nagware
On the Web, nagware (sometimes called "annoyware") is programming that presents the user with
one or more pop-up windows or alerts when an application is launched or closed (sometimes both),
reminding the user to register, purchase the application, or take some other action. Nagware is
commonly used with shareware programs that have been downloaded for trial use.
NAK
NAK is an abbreviation for negative acknowledgment or not acknowledged. It is a signal used in digital
communications to ensure that data is received with a minimum of errors. Sometimes the NAK signal
is called REJ (for rejection or rejected). An alternative signal is ARQ (automatic request for
retransmission).
N
Named entyti
In data mining, a named entity is a phrase that clearly identifies one item from a set of other items that
have similar attributes. Examples of named entities are first and last names, geographic locations,
ages, addresses, phone numbers, companies and addresses. Named entities are often mined for
marketing initiatives.
Named pipe
In computer programming, a named pipe is a method for passing information from one computer
process to other processes using a pipe or message holding place that is given a specific name.
Unlike a regular pipe, a named pipe can be used by processes that do not have to share a common
process origin and the message sent to the named pipe can be read by any authorized process that
knows the name of the named pipe.
Namespace
In general, a namespace uniquely identifies a set of names so that there is no ambiguity when objects
having different origins but the same names are mixed together. Using the Extensible Markup
Language (XML), an XML namespace is a collection of element type and attribute names. These
element types and attribute names are uniquely identified by the name of the unique XML namespace
of which they are a part. In an XML document, any element type or attribute name can thus have a two-
part name consisting of the name of its namespace and then its local (functional) name.
NAND
A logic gate is an elementary building block of a digital circuit . Most logic gates have two inputs and
one output. At any given moment, every terminal is in one of the two binary conditions low (0) or high
(1), represented by different voltage levels. The logic state of a terminal can, and generally does,
change often, as the circuit processes data. In most logic gates, the low state is approximately zero
volts (0 V), while the high state is approximately five volts positive (+5 V).
NAND flash memory
NAND flash memory is a type of non-volatile storage technology that does not require power to retain
data.
Nanomachine
A nanomachine, also called a nanite, is a mechanical or electromechanical device whose dimensions
are measured in nanometers (millionths of a millimeter, or units of 10 -9 meter).
Nano
Nano is a prefix meaning "extremely small." When quantifiable, it translates to one-billionth, as in the
nanosecond . Nano comes from the Greek word "nanos," meaning "dwarf."
Nanoanalysis
Nanoanalysis refers to techniques for determining the atomic structures of materials, especially
crystals. The technology is similar to that used for microanalysis, except it is done on a nanometer
scale. (One nanometer is 10 -9meter, or a millionth of a millimeter.)
Nanobiomechanics
Nanobiomechanics, also called nanoscale biomechanics, is a field of biomedical technology that
involves measurement of the mechanical characteristics of individual living cells. This is done using
instruments that can produce, detect, and measure forces on the order of a few piconewtons
(trillionths of a newton , where a trillionth is equal to 0.000000000001 or 10 -12 ). Nanobiomechanics is
part of the larger field of nanoscale biomedical research.
N
Nanocomputer
A nanocomputer is a computer whose physical dimensions are microscopic. The field of
nanocomputing is part of the emerging field of nanotechnology . Several types of nanocomputers
have been suggested or proposed by researchers and futurists.
Nanochip
A nanochip is an integrated circuit ( IC ) that is so small, in physical terms, that individual particles of
matter play major roles. Miniaturization of electronic and computer components has always been a
primary goal of engineers. The smaller an electronic system can be made, the more processing power
can fit into a given physical volume, the less energy is required to run it, and the faster it can work
(because distances among components are reduced, minimizing charge-carrier transit time).
Nano-Emissive Display
A nano-emissive display (NED) is a high-resolution, full-color, lightweight, physically thin display that
uses carbon nanotube technology. A nano-emissive display is under development by Motorola.
Nanocrystal
A nanocrystal is a crystalline particle with at least one dimension measuring less than 1000
nanometers (nm), where 1 nm is defined as 1 thousand-millionth of a meter (10-9 m).
Nanofabrication
Nanofabrication is the design and manufacture of devices with dimensions measured in nanometers.
One nanometer is 10 -9 meter, or a millionth of a millimeter.
Nanogenerator
A nanogenerator is a nanoscale (extremely small) device capable of generating electric current ,
electromagnetic field s or subatomic particle radiation. Severalprototype s have been developed that
hold promise for use in various fields ofnanotechnology
Nanomanipulator
The nanoManipulator is a specialized nanorobot and microscopic viewing system for working with
objects on an extremely small scale. The system was designed by the Center for Computer Integrated
Systems for Microscopy and Manipulation (CISMM) at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at
Chapel Hill. The term nanoManipulator is a trademark of the current manufacturer, 3rd Tech Inc of
Durham, North Carolina.
Nanopaint
Nanopaint is a coating that can modify the properties of a surface or substance according to user-
defined parameters. Like ordinary paint, nanopaint is applied as a liquid and then hardens. The liquid
contains a suspension of microscopic particles called nanotube s that alter their behavior as external
conditions change or when a specific command is given. Nanopaint is in the research-and-
development phase.
Nanoscale Technology
Nanoscale technology is a branch of nanotechnology in which standard size tools are used to
manufacture simple structures and devices with dimensions on the order of a few nanometer s or less,
where one nanometer (1 nm) is equal to a billionth of a meter (10 -9 m). Nanoscale technology
encompasses all of nanotechnology except molecular manufacturing , which involves the use of
nanoscale (extremely small) tools to build structures, devices, and systems at the molecular level.
O
Open Handset Alliance (OHA)
The Open Handset Alliance (OHA) is a consortium whose goal is to develop open standards for
mobile devices, promote innovation in mobile phones and provide a better experience for consumers
at a lower cost.
Ogo
Ogo is a handheld, battery powered, wireless communications device, released in 2004, that provides
instant messaging (IM), text messaging, and e-mail for subscribers to America Online (AOL), the
Microsoft Network (MSN), and Yahoo!. The unit is contained in a clamshell case measuring
approximately 4.5 x 3 bx 2 inches (11.5 by 7.5 by 2.5 centimeters) when closed. It weighs about 5
ounces (140 grams).
Obliquity
In systems engineering, obliquity is a theory that proposes the best way to achieve a goal when you
are working with a complex system is to take an indirect approach instead of a direct one. For
instance, if you are running a large IT department and your goal is to help your company be profitable,
the best way to achieve that goal is to think holistically and consider both the business and the
technical needs of your company's employees. By concentrating on a goal that involves providing
quality services -- and not just focusing attention on narrow financial metrics like unit costs and return
on investment (ROI) -- your IT department will help employees work more efficiently and be more
productive, which will in turn, make the company more profitable.
Occupations
This page identifies Web sites that list occupations and job titles. We indicate here how to get to those
occupations and titles related to information technology.
Obfuscation
Obfuscation, in general, describes a practice that is used to intentionally make something more
difficult to understand. In a programming context, it means to make code harder to understand or read,
generally for privacy or security purposes. A tool called an obfuscator is sometimes used to convert a
straight-forward program into one that works the same way but is much harder to understand.
Object
In object-oriented programming (OOP), objects are the things you think about first in designing a
program and they are also the units of code that are eventually derived from the process. In between,
each object is made into a generic class of object and even more generic classes are defined so that
objects can share models and reuse the class definitions in their code. Each object is an instance of a
particular class or subclass with the class's own methods or procedures and data variables. An object
is what actually runs in the computer.
Octal
Octal (pronounced AHK-tuhl , from Latin octo or "eight") is a term that describes a base-8 number
system. An octal number system consists of eight single-digit numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The
number after 7 is 10. The number after 17 is 20 and so forth.
In computer programming, the octal equivalent of a binary number is sometimes used to represent it
because it is shorter
Octet
In computers, an octet (from the Latin octo or "eight") is a sequence of eight bit s. An octet is thus an
eight-bit byte . Since a byte is not eight bits in all computer systems, octet provides a nonambiguous
term.
This term should not be confused with octal , a term that describes a base-8 number system.
O
Offshore Outsourcing
Offshore outsourcing, a type of business process outsourcing (BPO), is the exporting of IT-related
work from the United States and other developed countries to areas of the world where there is both
political stability and lower labor costs or tax savings. Outsourcing is an arrangement in which one
company provides services for another company that could also be or usually have been provided in-
house. Offshore simply means "any country other than your own." The Internet and high-speed
Internet connections make it possible for outsourcing to be carried out anywhere in the world, a
business trend economists call globalization. In general, domestic companies interested in offshore
outsourcing are not only trying to save money in order to be more price-competitive against each
other, but also to enable them to compete with businesses in other countries.
Online
Online is the condition of being connected to a network of computers or other devices. The term is
frequently used to describe someone who is currently connected to the Internet.
OK
OK (pronounced oh-KAY and occasionally spelled okay ) is a short way to say "I agree." It's
sometimes encountered in computer messages that seek the user's confirmation of a request.
Ohm
The ohm is the standard unit of electrical resistance in the International System of Units ( SI ). Ohms
are also used, when multiplied by imaginary numbers, to denote reactance in alternating-current ( AC
) and radio-frequency ( RF ) applications. Reduced to base SI units, one ohm is the equivalent of one
kilogram meter squared per second cubed per ampere squared (1 kg times m 2 s -3 A -2 . The ohm is
also the equivalent of a volt per ampere (V/A).
Ohnosecond
An ohnosecond is that very short moment in time during which you realize that you have pressed the
wrong key and deleted hours, days, or weeks of work.
Open Data-Link Interface
ODI (Open Data-Link Interface) is a software interface that allows different Data-Link Layer protocols
to share the same driver or adapter in a computer. ODI was introduced by Novell. For example, using
ODI, both TCP/IP and IPX/SPX can share the same device adapter.
Offline
Offline is the condition of being capable of but currently not connected to a network of computers or
other devices. The term is frequently used to describe someone who has the ability to be connected to
the Internet but who is not currently connected to it.
Office Cubicle
An idea that is now almost 40 years old, the office cubicle is a somewhat partitioned space for one or
several workers in what is otherwise an unpartitioned and open building space for offices. In many
companies, it has replaced the traditional individual office room or the large, unpartitioned space
shared by many workers. The cubicle is intended to be a compromise that allows a certain amount of
privacy, sound-proofing, and lack of distraction for the individual while at the same time encouraging a
sense of collectiv
OASIS
OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) is a nonprofit,
international consortium whose goal is to promote the adoption of product-independent standards for
information formats such as Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), Extensible Markup
Language (XML), and Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). Currently, OASIS (formerly known as
SGML Open) is working to bring together competitors and industry standards groups with conflicting
O
perspectives to discuss using XML as a common Web language that can be shared across
applications and platforms.
Sun ONE
Sun ONE (Sun Open Net Environment) is a marketing strategy and set of products from Sun
Microsystems aimed at enabling an enterprise to build Web services for its own internal use and for its
customers. Like Microsoft's .NET initiative and IBM's WebSphere, Sun ONE is aimed at enabling an
enterprise to make its applications and data available from a Web browser.
OneWebDay
OneWebDay (OWD) is a celebration of the Internet's ability to foster communication, collaboration
and participation. The first observance for this Internet holiday is today, September 22, 2006.
According to the official Web site: "The mission of OneWebDay is to create, maintain, advance, and
promote a global day to celebrate online life." The organizers encourage people to blog about what the
Internet means to them and to upload pictures tagged "onewebday" to Webshots.com for a "giant
global photo collage."
one-to-one-marketing (1:1 marketing)
One-to-one marketing (sometimes expressed as 1:1 marketing) is a customer relationship
management (CRM) strategy emphasizing personalized interactions with customers. The
personalization of interactions is thought to foster greater customer loyalty and better return on
marketing investment. The concept of one-to-one marketing as a CRM approach was advanced by
Don Peppers and Martha Rogers in their 1994 book, The One to One Future.
OLE
OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) is Microsoft's framework for a compound document technology.
Briefly, a compound document is something like a display desktop that can contain visual and
information objects of all kinds: text, calendars, animations, sound, motion video, 3-D, continually
updated news, controls, and so forth. Each desktop object is an independent program entity that can
interact with a user and also communicate with other objects on the desktop. Part of Microsoft's
ActiveX technologies, OLE takes advantage and is part of a larger, more general concept, the
Component Object Model (COM) and its distributed version, DCOM. An OLE object is necessarily
also a component (or COM object).
One-Armed Router
A one-armed router is a router that routes traffic between virtual local area networks (VLANs). A one-
armed router operates on the 80/20 rule, which states that 80% of traffic in a network remains within a
virtual local area network and doesn't need routing service. The other 20% of network traffic is
between VLANs and goes through the one-armed router. Because the one-armed router takes care of
the more intensive traffic between VLANs, it frees the primary data path in a network for inter-VLAN
traffic.
NC - Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, abbreviated ONC, is a
position within the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). The position was created by
Executive Order in 2004 and written into legislation by the HITECH Act. The ONC's purpose is to
promote a national health Information Technology infrastructure and oversee its development.
Ogg Theora
Ogg Theora is an open-source video codec being developed by the Xiph.org Foundation. (See also:
Ogg Vorbis)
O
Ogg Vorbis
O
Vorbis is an open source patent-free audio compression format, developed as a replacement for
proprietary digital audio encoding formats, such as MP3, VQF, and AAC. The Xiph.Org Foundation
maintains and oversees Vorbis and Ogg, the container format that Vorbis usually uses. The format is
commonly referred to as Ogg Vorbis.
OLED TV
OLED TV is a television display technology based on the characteristics of organic light-emitting
diodes (OLED). OLED TV is a different technology than LED TV.
OLTP (online transaction processing)
OLTP (online transaction processing) is a class of program that facilitates and manages transaction-
oriented applications, typically for data entry and retrieval transactions in a number of industries,
including banking, airlines, mailorder, supermarkets, and manufacturers. Probably the most widely
installed OLTP product is IBM's CICS (Customer Information Control System).
P
Packed decimal
A storage mode that places two decimal digits into one byte, each digit occupying four bits. The sign
occupies four bits in the least significant byte.
Packet cellular
The transmission of data over the cellular network. Data are divided into packets, or frames, for error
checking.
Packet classification
The identifying of packets for quality of service (QoS). Packets can be classified by source and
destination ports and address and protocol type.
Packet conversion
Converting a particular data stream into packets required for the network transport and vice versa. It
typically refers to converting to IP packets, as TCP/IP has become the standard data communications
protocol
Packet filter
A software routine that analyzes incoming data packets and forwards them or discards them based on
one or more criteria such as address, range of addresses and type (e-mail, file transfer, etc.). Packet
filtering is generally performed in a router, in which case the router is known as a "screening route
Packet-filtering firewall
A security firewall that examines all data packets, forwarding or dropping individual packets based on
predefined rules that specify where a packet is permitted to go, in consideration of both the
authenticated identification of the user and the originating address of the request.
Packet filter
A software routine that analyzes incoming data packets and forwards them or discards them based on
one or more criteria such as address, range of addresses and type (e-mail, file transfer, etc.). Packet
filtering is generally performed in a router, in which case the router is known as a "screening router
Packet logger
Software that makes a copy of the packets transmitted in a network. The difference between a packet
logger and a packet sniffer is that the logger only records the data, whereas the sniffer interprets it.
Packet loss
The discarding of data packets in a network when a device (switch, router, etc.) is overloaded and
cannot accept any incoming data at a given moment. High-level transport protocols such as TCP/IP
ensure that all the data sent in a transmission is received properly at the other end
Packet network
A network that transmits data that have been divided into small chunks (packets). Packet networks do
not use circuits dedicated to each application or transmission, as packets making up a single
message can travel different routes toward their destination
Packet overhead
Refers to the time it takes to transmit data on a packet-switched network. Each packet requires extra
bytes of format information that is stored in the packet header, which, combined with the assembly and
disassembly of packets, reduces the overall transmission speed of the raw data.
Packet radio
The wireless transmission of data, which is divided into packets, or frames, for error checking.
P
packet scheduler
A function at the network protocol level that allocates bandwidth to competing online connections.
Residing in the transmitting machine, it determines how many packets are handed to each connection
(each flow) at a given time. A packet scheduler makes its determinations by observing the packet
flows from the applications or by request from a quality of service (QoS) protocol such as RSVP or
Diffserv.
Packet storm
A nonprofit group of security professionals who provide information necessary for securing networks
by posting new security information on a global network of Websites. Information posted includes
current and earlier security tools, exploits, and advisories
Packet switch
A device that switches data organized into packets, discrete sets of data that may take the specific
form of packets, frames, or cells depending on the network technology specifics. For example, packet
switches switch packets in networks based on the Internet Protocol (IP), frames in networks based on
the Frame Relay or Ethernet protocol, and cells in those based on the Asynchronous Transfer Mode
(ATM) protocol. Packet switches were initially developed for interactive networking of host computers
and, therefore, in support of computer-to-computer data transfer. Packet switches can support other
forms of data, as well, although with varying degrees of success.
Packet-Switched
Computers connected to the Internet use a packet-Âswitching network to transmit data packets from
one attached device to another.
Packet switching
A network technology that breaks up a message into small packets for transmission. Unlike circuit
switching, which requires the establishment of a dedicated point-to-point connection, each packet in a
packet-switched network contains a destination address. Thus, all packets in a single message do not
have to travel the same path. As traffic conditions change, they can be dynamically routed via different
paths in the network, and they can even arrive out of order. The destination computer reassembles the
packets into their proper sequence. Network protocols such as IP and IPX were designed for packet-
based networks.
Packet telephony
Synonymous with IP telephony and voice over IP (VoIP), in which a digital voice stream is broken up
into small chunks (packets) and transmitted over a packet-switched netwo
Packet writing
One of three CD recording methods. The other two are track-at-once and disc-at-once, but packet
writing allows smaller blocks of data to be written. Fixed-length packets are commonly used with CD-
RWs to make them perform similar to a hard disk and allow small files to be deleted. Variable-length
packets are used to save space and are more suitable for recording CD-Rs.
Packet writing software
An application that writes to CD-RW disks
Packetized voice
The transmission of real time voice in a packet switching network
Packing density
The number of bits or tracks per inch of recording surface. Also refers to the number of memory bits or
other electronic components on a chip.
P
PACS (Personal Access Communications Services)
A digital cordless telephony total system standard that addresses both the air interface and network
infrastructure. A modification of the WACS (Wireless Access Communication System) specification,
PACS was developed in the U.S. for licensed Personal Communications Services (PCS) applications,
although several unlicensed versions exist as well. The licensed version of PACS employs frequency
division duplex (FDD) to support downstream transmission in the 1930
PAD (Packet Assembler/Disassembler)
A functional unit that organizes user data into packets according to the X.25 packet layer protocol
(PLP) and encapsulates each in an LAPB frame before presenting it to the network.A PAD also may
be responsible for password protection and performance reporting. In contemporary X.25 networks, a
PAD generally is in the form of software installed on a terminal or a communications server. ITU-T
Recommendation X.3 is the specification for a PAD
PC card
More correctly, PCMCIA card. An add-in integrated circuit card that conforms to specifications
developed and promoted by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association
(PCMCIA). PC cards are approximately the length (86.5 mm) and width (54 mm) of a credit card, but
Switch CPU Power Supply Central Office Switch Line InterfacesPBXMDF Host Interface AP demarc
Data Network PBX Tie Trunk CO Trunk much thicker, and fit into a slot built into a laptop or tablet
personal computer (PC) or peripheral.Type I cards are 3.3 mm thick and are used for add-in random
access memory (RAM).Type II cards are 5.0 mm thick and are commonly used for add-on modems,
fax modems, and Ethernet network interface cards (NICs).Type III cards are 10.5 mm thick and are
used for supplemental rotating hard disk drives
PCI
(Peripheral Component Interconnect) The most widely used I/O bus (peripheral bus). Used in
computers of all sizes, it provides a shared data path between the CPU and peripheral controllers,
such as network, display, SCSI and RAID cards. However, with so many controller circuits built into
the motherboard, the need for vacant PCI slots in a PC has diminished considerably.
Designed by Intel, Compaq and Digital, the PCI bus first appeared in PCs in 1993 and co-existed with
the ISA bus for many years. Today, most computers have only PCI slots along with one AGP or one
PCI Express slot for the display adapter
PCI Shares Interrupts; ISA Did Not
On a PC, there is a limited number of hardware interrupts (IRQs), and the PCI bus is designed to share
them. Thus, on a PCI-only PC, there is never an IRQ conflict as there was on earlier machines that
used the ISA bus. ISA cards required an assigned IRQ that was fixed to that peripheral device.
PCs with both ISA and PCI buses were made for several years. If there was only one IRQ remaining
after the rest were reserved for ISA cards, all PCI devices could share it. In such a dual bus PC, all
reserved IRQs are registered in the PC's BIOS setup. On startup, PCI reads the setup memory and
configures all PCI cards automatically. For a comparison of PCI technologies, see PCI-SIG.
P C I S l o t s
PCI runs at 33 MHz or 66 MHz and supports 32 and 64-bit data paths and bus mastering. There are
generally three or four slots on the motherboard, and the quantity is based on 10 electrical loads that
deal with inductance and capacitance. The PCI chipset uses three, leaving seven for peripheral
controllers. A controller on the motherboard uses one load; a plug-in card uses 1.5 loads. A "PCI
bridge" connects PCI buses together for more slots.
PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association)
P
An international standards body and trade association of manufacturers and vendors that sets
standards for interoperable add-in integrated circuit cards known as PCMCIA cards or, more
commonly, PC card
peer-to-peer network
A network of computers configured to allow certain files and folders to be shared with everyone or with
selected users. Peer-to-peer networks are quite common in small offices that do not use a dedicated
file server. All client versions of Windows, Mac and Linux can function as nodes in a peer-to-peer
network and allow their files to be shared.
Files and folders can be configured to allow network users to copy them, but not alter them in their
original location, which is a common safety precaution. However, files and folders can also be
assigned a "read/write" status that allows either selected users or all users on the network to change
them
(2) Using the Internet as the world's largest file sharing network. Originally for music files, and
subsequently for videos, this type of sharing was popularized by the famous Napster service as well
as Gnutella (www.gnutella.com), Grokster (www.grokster.com), KaZaA (www.kazaa.com) and
others. Users upload copyrighted songs to a central server, a group of servers or to selected user
computers, and people download the files that are available. Almost every song ever recorded has
been uploaded to some music sharing venue.
In 2003, Napster was resurrected into a legitimate service competing with other online music stores
such as iTunes (www.itunes.com) and Yahoo! Music Jukebox (formerly MusicMatch)
(www.musicmatch.com). Although Apple legally sold more than a billion songs from its iTunes music
service in 2006, it was estimated that more than 15 billion copyrighted songs were illegally shared or
downloaded from Web sites in that same year.
File sharing systems are architected in different ways as outlined in the following illustrations. See
Napster, KaZaA, BitTorrent and P2P TV.
Peripheral
Any input, output or storage device connected externally or internally to the computer's CPU, such as
a monitor, keyboard, printer, disk, tape, graphics tablet, scanner, joy stick, paddle or mous
Pga
1. (Professional Graphics Adapter) An early IBM PC display standard for 3D processing with
640x480x256 resolution. It was not widely used.
2. (Pin Grid Array) A square chip package with a high density of pins (200 pins can fit in 1.5"
square), enabling it to support a large amount of I/O. PGAs are typically ceramic (CPGA), but plastic
cases are also used (PPGA). The underside of a PGA package looks like a "bed of nails." In a
staggered PGA (SPGA), the pins do not line up in perfect rows and columns
Ping
(Packet INternet Groper) An Internet utility used to determine whether a particular IP address is
reachable online by sending out a packet and waiting for a response. Ping is used to test and debug a
network as well as see if a user or server is online.
Ping Me!
The term was coined when submarines first used sonar to detect enemy ships. A pinging sound was
heard in the headset when a signal reflected back from an object in the water.
Ping is geekspeak for "call" or "get in touch." "Ping me at home" means "call me at home." It is also
used to mean sending or transmitting a short burst of data; for example, "the GPS transmitter pings the
satellite every few seconds."
P
Ping of death
A ping request that crashes the target computer. It is caused by an invalid packet size value in the
packet header. There are patches for most operating systems to prevent it.
Pitch
The number of printed characters per inch. With proportionally spaced characters, the pitch is variable
and must be measured as an average
Pix·el
The smallest image-forming unit of a video display
Plat·form
a. A horizontal surface raised above the level of the adjacent area, as a stage for public speaking
or a landing alongside railroad tracks.
b. A vessel, such as a submarine or an aircraft carrier, from which weapons can be deployed.
c. An oil platform.
Plot·ter
A graphics printer that draws images with ink pens. It actually draws point-to-point lines directly from
vector graphics files. The plotter was the first computer output device that could print graphics as well
as accommodate full-size engineering and architectural drawings. Using different colored pens, it was
also able to print in color long before inkjet printers became an alternative.
Pen plotters are still the most affordable printing device for CAD use and offer resolution unlike any
other printer. The lines are not made up of dots. They are actually drawn, providing infinite resolution
1drum plotter
A type of pen plotter that wraps the paper around a drum with a pin feed attachment. The drum turns to
produce one direction of the plot, and the pens move to provide the other. The plotter was the first
output device to print graphics and large engineering drawings. Using different colored pens, it could
draw in color long before color inkjet printers became viable.
Plp
The X.25 protocol that forms packets and manages packet exchanges between physical data
terminal equipment (DTE) across a network of virtual circuits. PLP also can run on LANs and ISDN
interfaces running link access procedure on the D channel (LAPD). PLP is responsible for call setup,
synchronization, data transfer, and call clearing. In data transfer mode, PLP transfers data between
DTE across both permanent virtual circuits (PVCs) and switched virtual circuits (SVCs), segmenting
data blocks on the transmit side and reassembling them on the receive side of the communication.
PLP also handles bit padding, flow control, and error control. PLP maps into Layer 3, the Network
Layer, of the OSI Reference Model. Figure P-4 illustrates the PLP packet and its constituent fields
Pop
(Point of Presence) The point at which a line from a long distance carrier (IXC) connects to the line of
the local telephone company or to the user if the local company is not involved. For dial-up access to
the Internet via analog modem, the POP is the local telephone exchange that the modem dials into to
log in.
Pop3
(Post Office Protocol 3) A standard interface between an e-mail client program and the mail server,
defined by IETF RFC 1939. POP3 and IMAP4 are the two common mailbox access protocols used for
Internet e-mail. POP3 provides a message store that holds incoming e-mail until users log in and
download it.
POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service
P
Basic analog telephone service supporting full duplex (FDX) conversational voice communications
and operator services. See also basic service and PANS.
Pots
At the turn of the 20th century, the "plain old telephone system" was neither plain nor old. Instruments
such as this Blake wall phone were very high-tech contraptions. (Image courtesy of Nortel Networks.)
Prop·erty
the right to possess, use, and dispose of something; ownership: property in land
something, as a piece of writing, in which copyright or other rights are held, specif., one acquired for
production as a film
a thing or things owned; possessions collectively; esp., land or real estate owned
a specific piece of land or real estate
any trait or attribute proper to a thing or, formerly, to a person; characteristic quality; peculiarity;
specif., any of the principal characteristics of a substance, esp. as determined by the senses or by its
effect on another substance: the properties of a chemical compound
something regarded as being possessed by, or at the disposal of, a person or group of persons:
common property
Protocol
The format and procedure that governs the transmitting and receiving of data. The term comes from
the Greek "protokollon," which was the cover page to a manuscript that provided a description of the
content
1communications protocol
Hardware and software standards that govern data transmission between computers. The term
"protocol" is very generic and is used for hundreds of different communications methods. A protocol
may define the packet structure of the data transmitted or the control commands that manage the
session, or both. A protocol suite such as TCP/IP is made up of several levels of functionality. Learning
the 7-layer protocol hierarchy, known as the "OSI model," is essential for understanding protocol
Protocol stack
The set of protocols used in a communications network. A protocol stack is a prescribed hierarchy of
software layers, starting from the application layer at the top (the source of the data being sent) to the
data link layer at the bottom (transmitting the bits on the wire). The stack resides in each client and
server, and the layered approach lets different protocols be swapped in and out to accommodate
different network architectures. For more details about each layer, see OSI model.
Provider
An organization that leases network access to subscribers such as the regional, long distance and
cellular telephone companies and Internet service providers (see ISP). The term also refers to
organizations that license applications hosted on their own servers (see ASP).
Proxy server
Also called a "proxy," it is a computer system or router that breaks the connection between sender and
receiver. Functioning as a relay between client and server, proxy servers help prevent an attacker
from invading a private network and are one of several tools used to build a firewall.
The word proxy means "to act on behalf of another," and a proxy server acts on behalf of the user. All
requests from clients to the Internet go to the proxy server first. The proxy evaluates the request, and if
allowed, re-establishes it on the outbound side to the Internet. Likewise, responses from the Internet
P
go to the proxy server to be evaluated. The proxy then relays the message to the client. Both client and
server think they are communicating with one another, but, in fact, are dealing
only with the proxy.
1open proxy server
A proxy server that is configured so that anyone can use it. There are public access proxy servers on
the Internet that are intentionally open to the general public, and there are countless private proxy
servers that are unintentionally left open because they are not configured properly. Open proxy
servers are widely used by spammers to send spam because the proxy hides the spammer's IP
address from recipients. Spammers routinely scan the Internet for vulnerable proxy servers.
Public key cryptography
An encryption method that uses a two-part key: a public key and a private key. To send an encrypted
message to someone, you use the recipient's public key, which can be sent to you via regular e-mail or
made available on any public Web site or venue. To decrypt the message, the recipient uses the
private key, which he or she keeps secret. Contrast with "secret key cryptogra
PEP
(Packet Exchange Protocol) A Xerox protocol used internally by NetWare to transport internal
Netware NCP commands (NetWare Core Protocols). It uses PEP and IPX for this purpose.
Application programs use SPX and IPX.
A high-speed modem protocol suited for cellular phone use from the now-defunct Telebit Corporation,
Sunnyvale, CA.
Ping
A utility used to test a path from one host computer to another across an IP-based network in what is
essentially a command to echo the packet from the remote host back to the originating host. Ping is an
application of the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). Ping was invented by Mike Muuss of the
Army Research Laboratory in 1983 to diagnose an IP network problem. Muuss had done a
considerable amount of work in college on sonar and radar modeling and was inspired by the principle
of echo location. He named the utility after the sound that sonar makes when a signal returns.A lot of
people think that ping is an acronym for Packet INternet Groper. According to Muuss, "packet internet
groper" is a backronym reverse-engineered by Dr. David L. Mills. Note: Mills warns people that the
clock on his wall runs backwards. I guess that explains it.
Pos
Packet Over SONET. A MAN/WAN technology that supports packet data (e.g., IP) through either a
direct optical interface to a router, or through a SONET demarc in the form of a terminating multiplexer
(TM). POS uses SONET as the Physical Layer protocol, encapsulating packet traffic in Highlevel Data
Link Control (HDLC) frames and using Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) at the Data Link Layer, with the
IP packet traffic running at the Network Layer.The result is that the combined overhead factor (SONET
+ PPP + IP) is only approximately 5 percent for a 1,500-byte IP datagram. This level of efficiency
compares very favorably with asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), which involves an overhead factor
of approximately 11 percent for the same IP datagram.This level of performance can be achieved only
if packet data is to be transmitted, and only if the service is provided over the equivalent of a
SONETbased, point-to-point private line, provisioned in the form of a Virtual Tributary (VT). The use of
a VT enables POS traffic to bypass any ATM switches that might be in place in the carrier network
q
Qdos
QDOS was the forerunner of DOS (Disk Operating System), the first widely-used personal computer
operating system. In 1980, when IBM was making plans to enter the personal computer market, it
asked Bill Gates, the young owner of a small company called Microsoft, if they could locate an
operating system for the new PC that IBM was developing. Microsoft, which had previously furnished
IBM with a BASIC language product for the IBM PC, looked around and found an operating system
called 86-DOS at a small company called Seattle Computer Prod
Quadbit
A quadbit, sometimes called a nibble , is one of 16 possible four-bit combinations used in some
communication signals. A signal may be encoded in quadbit (nibble) units rather than one bit at a time.
According to Harry Newton, nibble interleaving or multiplexing takes a quadbit or nibble from a lower-
speed channel as input for a multiplexed signal on a higher-speed channel. In the IEEE 1284 Parallel
Port Interface standard, data can be sent in nibbles (a sequence of two four-bit units) across the lin
Quad FastEthernet
Quad FastEthernet (QFE) is a network interface card (NIC) manufactured by Sun Microsystems that
is designed to enhance the bandwidthof a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)-based server
using Sun Microsystem's Solaris 8 or later operating environment. Speeds of up to 100 megabits per
second (Mbps) are provided by converting PCI data streams intoFast Ethernet traffic. QFE cards are
hot-swappable, minimizing downtime, and comply with the IEEE 802/3U Ethernet standard. A single
card can work with up to four network interfaces at a time and provide support for multihoming.
Quality control
Quality control (QC) is a procedure or set of procedures intended to ensure that a manufactured
product or performed service adheres to a defined set of quality criteria or meets the requirements of
the client or customer. QC is similar to, but not identical with, quality assurance (QA). QA is defined as
a procedure or set of procedures intended to ensure that a product or service under development
(before work is complete, as opposed to afterwards) meets specified requirements. QA is sometimes
expressed together with QC as a single expression, quality assurance and control (QA/QC
Quad
A quad (pronounced KWAHD ) is a unit in a set of something that comes in four units. The term is
sometimes used to describe each of the four numbers that constitute an Internet Protocol ( IP )
address. Thus, an Internet address in its numeric form (which is also sometimes called a dot address )
consists of four quads separated by "dots" (periods). For example:
Quality
In an information technology product or service, quality is sometimes defined as "meeting the
requirements of the customer." The term quality assurancedescribes any systematic process for
ensuring quality during the successive steps in developing a product or service. ISO 9000 is a
standard for ensuring that a company's quality assurance system follows best industry practices.
Quick Fix Engineering
Quick Fix Engineering (QFE) is a Microsoft term for the delivery of individual service updates to its
operating systems and application programs such as Word. Formerly called a hotfix, "QFE" can be
used to describe both the method of delivering and applying a patch or fix, and also to refer to any
individual fix. Because of the complexity and sheer number of lines of code in most application
programs and operating systems, the delivery of temporary fixes to users has long been provided by
major software manufacturers. Typically, not all fixes are necessarily applied by an enterprise since
they can occasionally introduce new problems. All of the fixes in any given system are usually
incorporated (so they don't have to be reapplied) whenever a new version of a program or operating
system comes out
Q
Quality assurance
In developing products and services, quality assurance is any systematic process of checking to see
whether a product or service being developed is meeting specified requirements. Many companies
have a separate department devoted to quality assurance. A quality assurance system is said to
increase customer confidence and a company's credibility, to improve work processes and efficiency,
and to enable a company to better compete with others. Quality assurance was initially introduced in
World War II when munitions were inspected and tested for defects after they were made. Today's
quality assurance systems emphasize catching defects before they get into the final product
Quantum
Quantum is the Latin word for amount and, in modern understanding, means the smallest possible
discrete unit of any physical property, such as energy or matter . Quantum came into the latter usage
in 1900, when the physicist Max Planck used it in a presentation to the German Physical Society.
Planck had sought to discover the reason that radiation from a glowing body changes in color from
red, to orange, and, finally, to blue as its temperature rises. He found that by making the assumption
that radiation existed in discrete units in the same way that matter does, rather than just as a constant
electromagnetic wave, as had been formerly assumed, and was therefore quantifiable, he could find
the answer to his question
Quantum computer
A quantum computer is a machine, as-yet hypothetical, that performs calculations based on the
behavior of particles at the sub-atomic level. Such a computer will be, if it is ever developed, capable of
executing far more millions of instructions per second (MIPS) than any previous computer. Such an
exponential advance in processing capability would be due to the fact that the data units in a quantum
computer, unlike those in a binary computer, can exist in more than one state at a time. In a sense, the
machine "thinks" several "thoughts" simultaneously, each "thought" being independent of the others
even though they all arise from the same set of particle
Quantum dot
A quantum dot is a particle of matter so small that the addition or removal of anelectron changes its
properties in some useful way. All atom s are, of course, quantum dots, but multi-molecular
combinations can have this characteristic. In biochemistry, quantum dots are called redox groups. In
nanotechnology , they are called quantum bits or qubit s. Quantum dots typically have dimensions
measured in nanometers, where one nanometer is 10 -9 meter or a millionth of a millimeter.
Quantum interference
Quantum interference is one of the most challenging principles of quantum theory. Essentially, the
concept states that elementary particles can not only be in more than one place at any given time
(through superposition), but that an individual particle,
Quantum mirage
The term quantum mirage refers to a phenomenon that may make it possible to transfer data without
conventional electrical wiring. Instead of forcing charge carriers through solid conductors, a process
impractical on a microscopic scale, electron wave phenomena are made to produce effective
currents.
Quark
A quark is one of two currently recognized groups of fundamental particles, which are subatomic,
indivisible (at least as far as we know today) particles that represent the smallest known units of matter
. Twelve fundamental particles - six quarks and six leptons (the other type) - are the basic building
blocks for everything in the universe. Q signaling
Q signaling (abbreviated QSIG), a protocol for Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
communications based on the Q.931 standard, is used for signaling between digital private branch
Q
exchanges (PBXs). QSIG is employed in voice over IP (VoIP) networks, virtual private networks
(VPNs), and high-speed, multi-application networks for corporations, educational institutions, and
government agencies.
QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) is a method of combining two amplitude-modulated (AM)
signals into a single channel, thereby doubling the effective bandwidth. QAM is used with pulse
amplitude modulation (PAM) in digital systems, especially in wireless applications.
QXGA
QXGA (Quantum Extended Graphics Array) is a display mode in which theresolution is 2048 pixel s
horizontally by 1536 pixels vertically (2048 x 1536). This results in 3,145,728 pixels in the image
(sometimes referred to as 3.2 million pixels).
A QXGA display might be preferred by computer users who want or need extreme detail, or who want
to view multiple images on a single screen. An example of such an application is the reception of a
television (TV) program while browsing the Web, and at the same time working in a high-end image-
editing program. Advanced projection systems use QXGA to obtain images that appear crisp even
when enlarged to dimensions such as those used in presentations.
R
RAD
RAD (Rapid Application Development) is a programming system which allows programmers to
create programs quickly. In general, RAD systems provide a number of tools to help to create
graphical user interfaces (graphical user interfaces) that usually requires effort and a long time to
make it. Two of the most popular RAD systems for Windows are Visual Basic and Delphi.
Radio Button
Used in the form to choose only one of several exclusive options list of options.
RAM
RAM (random acces memory) needed to store programs that are currently run from a permanent
storage such as hard disks, floppy disks, or CD-ROM. As the name implies, the RAM can be accessed
randomly (random). More lots of RAM that belongs to your computer, the more efficient working
dilakukan.Terdapat two basic types of RAM, (a) dynamic RAM (DRAM), and (b) static RAM (SRAM).
Second RAM is distinguished based on the technology used to store data. DRAM need to refresh a
thousand times per second is SRAM does not need to refresh, so much faster, but also more
expensive. Both types of RAM are volatile, which means that its contents will be lost when
disconnected by the electricity or the computer is turned off.
RAMDAC (Random Access Memory Digital to Analog Converter)
VGA controller chip set color palette and convert data from memory to analog signal on the monitor.
RAMDAC (random acces memory digital-to-analog converter)
is a microchip on board VGA card or other graphic that translates digital representations of analog
information into signals that can display monitor. The faster the RAMDAC (measured in MHz), the
higher the screen refresh rate on the resolution supported by the card.
RD
RD (receive data) is the modem indicator light that flashes to indicate that the modem is receiving a
signal from another computer.
RDRAM
A dynamic chip technology from Rambus, Inc. This product has a special license
for semi-conductor technology that produces chips. In 1995 introduced a chip
base with a speed of 600 MBytes / sec. In 1997, Concurrent RDRAM experience
increased speed to 700 MBps, and in 1998, Direct RDRAM achieve
speed of 1.6 Gbps. Concurrent RDRAMs widely used in video games,
Direct RDRAM while commonly used in computers.
Real
Real is a data type that consists of fractions in the range tertentu.Rentang is different from one
programming language with which lainnya.Contoh real data type is 0.2, 35.6, and 1000.0.
Real mode
Real mode is the mode of operation which doubles the x86 chip memory management
used on the chip 8086 or 8088. Real mode limits the processor with 1MB
memory and does not provide memory management or protection features memori.Istilah
Real mode is also often used to refer to device drivers that run on
ini.MS-DOS mode runs in real mode.
R
Record
In database management systems, records, is a collection of information consists
from several fields that each be storing an information item. In the system
relational database management record is called a tuple.
Recovery CD
Recovery CD has the function to return the contents of hard drives like in the beginning
PC (Personal Computer) is sold, the alias back to the standard from the manufacturer.
Red Hat (http://www.redhat.com) One of the Linux distribution, a distribution (distro) most graphic
populer.Modus facilitate this installation. The biggest point of this distro is RPM (Redhat Package
Manager), with this software you can install or uninstall applications and components sisop. RPM is
currently regarded as the de-facto standard in terms of packaging and its use has been widespread in
many other distros except Debian.
Refresh rate
Refresh rate is the frequency of an image can be displayed again on the monitor. This is related to the
electron gun in cathode ray tubes in monitors. Hz refresh rate (which means the screen redrawn 60
times per second) will be seen still blinking. Refresh rate of 70 Hz or higher would be better. Because
the refresh rate is highly dependent berbedabeda screen resolution, the monitor and display adapter
that is used must be able to set the refresh rate of 70 Hz or better.
Software engineering Software engineering is a systematic approach in the analysis, design,
implementation and maintenance of software. To facilitate this process commonly used tool of the
CASE (computer aided software engineering). There are several models in which each attached
rekayuasa software has kalebihan and kekurangan.Karenanya election is the selection model used
strategically. In other words, there is no best model and suitable for all situations.
Recursive
An object is called recursive (recursive) if each be self contained or defined by itself. This relationship
can be found not only in mathematics, but also in daily life, hari.Pernah get a prize in a package that
repetitive? When opened the first time, found longer wrapping
smaller, and when opened again, found another smaller pembugkus
from the second, and seterusnya.Dalam television, often seen other television images in which the
pictures exactly with the image shown in televisi.Dua example above is a recursive phenomenon in
daily life, hari.Dalam programming, the concept of recursion is very useful because it allows states
definition that no-till with the statement that up to. For example, to determine the value of the factorial
of a number can be determined with the aid of factorial values other numbers with the formula n! = n *
(n-1)! where n is a positive integer and 0! = 1.
Remote Access
Remote Access, access from one system (computer) to other systems remotely
using a particular communications connection (analog telephone network, communication,
radio, digital telephone lines, VSAT, etc.).
Render
A final step transformation of three-dimensional image or scene for a new image is displayed on the
screen.
Renice - 1 PID
R
Renice - 1 PID (as root) Change the priority of the running to -1. Normal users can only modify the
value of their own process, and they can not raise the priority value is higher than that already exist (or
they can make the process run more slowly).
Repeater
Repeaters are devices that use a communication network or an electrical signal from
a cable to the other, strengthen da restored it to its original state
(Strong) in a process. Repeaters are used to calculate the attenuation
occurs when the signal has passed through a long distance (eg, through the ocean). A network is not
as intelligent repeater bridge, gateway or router as it works on the physical layer (OSI model).
Replication
Replication is the process of creating and managing duplicate versions of a database.
Replication does not just copy the database, but also synchronize the number of copies
thus reflect changes that have dibuat.Keunggulan this technique is
memugkunkan his ability that many users work on local copies
database which is updated if the are working on a single, centralized database.
Database application where users are spread geographically, replication is an efficient way to access
the database.
Resize
Change the resolution or the horizontal and vertical size of an image.
Resolution
The amount of detail shown in the picture, either on screen or printout. To monitor or webcam, is the
number of pixels that can display (usually 1,024 × 768 to monitor 17 inches).
RJ-11 Connector
Connector that plugs into a standard phone jack that is usually mounted on the wall to get this
telepon.Konektor connection can be used to link computers in a PCnet-Home network.
RJ-45 Connector
Standard connectors for Cat 5 Ethernet cable.
Richard Stallman
Richard Stallman is the person most responsible for the project GNU.Dia
withdraw artificial intelligence laboratory at MIT and wanted to produce software that is then
distributed by gratis.Kemudian he founded the Free Software Foundation in 1985 to support
production and ensure software distribution gratis.Ia received his BA in physics from
Harvard University in 1974. In the lecture, he also worked at MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab. and study
the development of operating systems. He writes Emacs text editor there in 1975. In January 1984 he
resigned from MIT and started the GNU project. Stallman received the Grace Hopper Award in 1991
from the Association for Computing Machinery, because the Emacs editor developing. In 1990 he
received an award from the MacArthur Foundation, and in 1996, he received an honorary doctorate
from The Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. In addition, there are many other awards received
from various institutions.
Ripper
Ripper is the software used for digital copying from CDs to your hard studio
R
drive of your computer into WAV files. The files in the WAV format can be compressed into
MP3 format with the encoder.
RISC
RISC (reduced instruction set computer) is a type of microprocessor that recognizes
instruksi.Salah one gains a certain amount of RISC technology is enabling
instruction execution with a very fast because the instructions are simple to use.
Another advantage is that the RISC technology requires fewer transistors,
which makes it cheaper. Most computers today are complex
instruction set computer (CISC). However, in its development RISC and CISC
become increasingly similar. RISC chips now support the same instruction on chip and chip CISC
CISC also widely used techniques previously used in RISC chip.
RM
RM command is used to delete the directory or file. This command is similar to the del command in
DOS. In using this command to be careful because in Linux there is no undelete or unerase command.
Examples of the use rm as follows: # rm contoh1.php To remove a directory use the command: # rm /
home / adje / temp.
Rm files
rm files, Delete files.
Rmmod module_name
rmmod module_name (as root, not essential). Remove the module module_name
from the kernel.
Roaming
In wireless networks, the term roaming refers to the ability to move
from one access point coverage area to another area without any interruption in service and loss of
relationships.
ROM
ROM (read-only memory) is a storage chip which usually consists of instructions
Hardwired is used when the computer is turned on. These instructions, which
conceived by a small program called the BIOS, called from ROM and
provide a hard disk for the next operating system to run. Several chips
New BIOS, such as the EEPROM and flash BIOS.
Root
The term was adapted from a UNIX system where a user can have rights limited control on a system.
Hackers use this term to describe their ability to launch attacks and control system victim.
Root directory
Base directory to start all the directories on the hard disk or floppy disk.
Root file
The main files that have a role to run a program. In the hierarchy file system, Root File is the first file
that becomes the starting point or base of the next file.
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Router
Interface between the LAN and the Internet that routes of transmission between the two.
Routing Information Protocol (RIP)
A protocol used to distribute routing information within a local network (Especially the broadcast of
media such as Ethernet).
RPM (Rotation Per Minute)
The number of revolutions per minute. Measure used to express the speed of rotation
of a disk drive. Floppy disks have a rotation speed of 300 rpm, whereas disk has a speed of 2400 to
3600 rpm or more.
RS 232
These standards regarding data communications between the host computer (Data Terminal
Equipment-DTE) with a computer auxiliary equipment (DCE Data Circuit-Terminating).
RTOS (Real Time Operating System)
Operating system software designed for use in real-time computer systems.
S
SaaS
SaaS stands for at least three different "as-a-service" offerings. The original use of the acronym was to
refer to Software as a Service. The term has since been used in reference to Storage as a Service and
Security as a Service.
Sable
Sable is a set of markup codes and symbols that describes spoken text in text-to-speech ( TTS )
applications for voice-enabled Web browsers and voice enabled e-mail . Sable is based on Extensible
Markup Language ( XML ) and Standard Generalized Markup Language ( SGML ). Sable combines
and replaces two earlier speech synthesis languages: Spoken Text Markup Language ( STML ) and
Java Synthesis Markup Language ( JSML ). Sable provides text description tags that describe the
structure of the document and speaker directive tags that control the emphasis, pitch, rate, and
pronunciation of text.
Super Audio CD (SACD)
- Super Audio Compact Disk (SACD) is a high-resolution audio CD format. Version 1.0 specifications
were described by Philips and Sony in March of 1999, in the Scarlet Book. SACD and DVD-Audio
(DVD-A) are the two formats competing to replace the standard audio CD. Most of the industry is
backing DVD-A, with Philips and Sony being the major exceptions.
Safari
Safari is Apple's default Web browser. Apple developed the browser for OS X and released it in 2003.
Sage Timberline Office
Sage Timberline Office is Sage Software Inc.'s integrated financial and operations software.
Designed to combine construction management with real estate management, Sage Timberline
Office performs functions relevant to accounting, estimating, procurement, production management,
property management, reporting and service management. Considering this, Timberline is one
central, single source of control useful for firms such as commercial and industrial contractors, real
estate managers and developers, residential builders, and electrical and mechanical contractors.
SAFE MODE
Safe mode is an alternate boot method for Windows operating systems that makes it easier to
diagnose problems. The only startup programs loaded are the operating system and drivers for the
mouse, keyboard, and display modes display. It is often possible to get a system to start in safe mode
when it won't start normally. To start in safe mode, press the F8 key while the system is booting and
select "safe mode" (or the safe mode option you want) from the menu that appears.
sales force automation (SFA)
Sales force automation (SFA) software is a type of program that automates business tasks such as
inventory control, sales processing, and tracking of customer interactions, as well as analyzing sales
forecasts and performance. Businesses may have a custom version developed specifically for their
needs, or choose from among the increasing number of sales automation software products, such as
Interact Commerce's ACT! and GoldMine Software's GoldMine. Sales automation software is
sometimes called sales automation software, and sometimes called customer relations management
( CRM ) software.
storage area management (SAM)
- Storage area management (SAM) is a still-evolving set of procedures, services, and standards for
comprehensively managing the infrastructure of a storage area network (SAN), including all
components within all servers, the disk arrays, the tape libraries, the switches, the routers, and the
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programs. This often involves coordinated management of devices and programs from different
vendors and locations.
salt
- In password protection, salt is a random string of data used to modify a password hash. Salt can be
added to the hash to prevent a collision by uniquely identifying a user's password, even if another user
in the system has selected the same password. Salt can also be added to make it more difficult for an
attacker to break into a system by using password hash-matching strategies because adding salt to a
password hash prevents an attacker from testing known dictionary words across the entire system.
Same Origin Policy (SOP)
- Same Origin Policy (SOP), also called Single Origin Policy, is a security measure used in Web
browser programming languages such as JavaScript and Ajax to protect the confidentiality and
integrity of information. Same Origin Policy prevents a web site's scripts from accessing and
interacting with scripts used on other sites.
sales cycle
Show me everything on Customer loyalty
The sales cycle is the sequence of phases that a typical customer goes through when deciding to buy
something. As a rule, the sales cycle is described from the customer's perspective. The first phase of
the sales cycle may be either the customer's perception of a product, or a perception of a need that the
product might satisfy. The following steps include research and evaluation; the last step is the
customer's decision to purchase the product.
SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language)
- SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) is an Extensible Markup Language (XML) standard
that allows a user to log on once for affiliated but separate Web sites. SAML is designed for business-
to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions.
Sametime
Sametime, formally called "IBM Lotus Instant Messaging & Web Conferencing," is software from
Lotus for group collaboration over the Internet. Essentially a synchronous groupware application,
Sametime was designed to facilitate communication among geographically dispersed coworkers
and others. The Sametime group of products includes the Sametime Server, the Sametime
Connect client, and application development tools. Sametime comes with its own directory system
for authentication, but it can also plug into other LDAP-compliant directory services to provide
users with single signon capability. Although Sametime is a standalone application that does not
require the use of Notes or any other Lotus products, it is often used in conjunction with
QuickPlace, another popular Lotus collaboration product.
SAP
SAP, started in 1972 by five former IBM employees in Mannheim, Germany, states that it is the world's
largest inter-enterprise software company and the world's fourth-largest independent software
supplier, overall.
serial-attached SCSI (SAS)
- Serial-attached SCSI (SAS) is a method used in accessing computer peripheral devices that
employs a serial (one bit at a time) means of digital data transfer over thin cables. The method is
specified in the American National Standard Institute standard called Serial-attached SCSI (Small
Computer System Interface), also known as ANSI/INCITS 376-2003. In the business enterprise,
serial-attached SCSI is especially of interest for access to mass storage devices, particularly
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external hard drives.
Serial ATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment or SATA)
- Serial ATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment or SATA) is a new standard for connecting hard
drives into computer systems. As its name implies, SATA is based on serial signaling technology,
unlike current IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) hard drives that use parallel signaling.
satellite
In general, a satellite is anything that orbits something else, as, for example, the moon orbits the earth.
In a communications context, a satellite is a specialized wireless receiver/transmitter that is launched
by a rocket and placed in orbit around the earth. There are hundreds of satellites currently in
operation. They are used for such diverse purposes as weather forecasting, television broadcast,
amateur radio communications, Internet communications, and the Global Positioning System, (GPS).
segmentation and reassembly (SAR)
In a packet-switched telecommunication network, segmentation and reassembly (SAR, sometimes
just referred to as segmentation) is the process of breaking a packet into smaller units before
transmission and reassembling them into the proper order at the receiving end of the communication.
Packets are made smaller to speed them through the network and specifically because of specified
packet size restrictions in a given path. In the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, SAR is
performed in the Transport layer at both ends. A transport protocol determines the size of the smallest
maximum protocol data unit (PDU) supported by any of the involved networks, and segments the
packets accordingly.
saturation
Saturation is the fully conducting state in a semiconductor junction. The term is used especially in
applications involving diodes and bipolar transistor s.
scalar
1) In mathematics, scalar (noun) and scalar (adjective) refer to a quantity consisting of a single real
number used to measured magnitude (size). Voltage, mass, and temperature measurements can be
described as scalar quantities.
SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition)
- SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) is a category of software application program for
process control, the gathering of data in real time from remote locations in order to control equipment
and conditions. SCADA is used in power plants as well as in oil and gas refining, telecommunications,
transportation, and water and waste control.
scalability
In information technology, scalability (frequently spelled scaleability)
scanner
A scanner is a device that captures images from photographic prints, posters, magazine pages, and
similar sources for computer editing and display. Scanners come in hand-held, feed-in, and flatbed
types and for scanning black-and-white only, or color. Very high resolution scanners are used for
scanning for high-resolution printing, but lower resolution scanners are adequate for capturing
images for computer display. Scanners usually come with software, such as Adobe's Photoshop
product, that lets you resize and otherwise modify a captured image.
scan set
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The scan set, also called the scan code set, is a function that converts keyboard key closures to digital
signals the computer interprets as alphanumeric characters and special symbols. There are three
scan sets in common use. They are called scan set 1, scan set 2, and scan set 3.
scareware
Scareware is a type of malware designed to trick victims into purchasing and downloading useless
and potentially dangerous software.
serial communications interface
A serial communications interface (SCI) is a device that enables the serial (one bit at a time) exchange
of data between a microprocessor and peripherals such as printers, external drives, scanners, or
mice. In this respect, it is similar to a serial peripheral interface ( SPI ). But in addition, the SCI enables
serial communications with another microprocessor or with an external network. The term SCI was
coined by Motorola in the 1970s. In some applications it is known as a universal asynchronous
receiver/transmitter ( UART ).
Scooba
Scooba is the name of a robot designed for vacuuming, scrubbing, and drying floors in households
and businesses. Built by the iRobot Corporation, Scooba is an enhanced version of the Roomba
robotic vacuum cleaner, which was developed by a team from the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Laboratory
at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Scooter
Scooter is the Web "crawler" for the AltaVista public search engine. AltaVista once claimed that it was
"the fastest known Web crawler in existence".
screaming cell phone
A screaming cell phone is a cellular telephone that is programmed to emit a noise like human
screaming in the event that the phone is lost or stolen. If a device goes missing, an administrator can
activate a kill switch that will render the device inoperable and wipe all stored data. Simultaneously,
the scream alarm will sound.
screen
In a computer display , the screen is the physical surface on which visual information is presented.
This surface is usually made of glass. The screen size is measured from one corner to the opposite
corner diagonally. Common screen sizes for desktop display screens are 12, 14, 17, 19, and 21
inches.
script
1) In computer programming, a script is a program or sequence of instructions that is interpreted or
carried out by another program rather than by the computer processor (as a compiled program is).
data scrubbing (data cleansing)
Data scrubbing, also called data cleansing, is the process of amending or removing data in a database
that is incorrect, incomplete, improperly formatted, or duplicated. An organization in a data-intensive
field like banking, insurance, retailing, telecommunications, or transportation might use a data
scrubbing tool to systematically examine data for flaws by using rules, algorithms, and look-up tables.
Typically, a database scrubbing tool includes programs that are capable of correcting a number of
specific type of mistakes, such as adding missing zip codes or finding duplicate records. Using a data
scrubbing tool can save a database administrator a significant amount of time and can be less costly
than fixing errors manually.
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Scrum
Scrum is an agile software development model based on multiple small teams working in an intensive
and interdependent manner. The term is named for the scrum (or scrummage) formation in rugby,
which is used to restart the game after an event that causes play to stop, such as an infringement.
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) -
SCSI (pronounced SKUH-zee and sometimes colloquially known as "scuzzy"), the Small Computer
System Interface, is a set of ANSI standard electronic interfaces that allow personal computers to
communicate with peripheral hardware such as disk drives, tape drives, CD-ROM drives, printers,
and scanners faster and more flexibly than previous interfaces. Developed at Apple Computer and still
used in the Macintosh, the present set of SCSIs are parallel interfaces. SCSI ports continue to be built
into many personal computers today and are supported by all major operating systems.
scumware
- Scumware is any programming that gets on your computer from Internet sites without your consent
and often without your knowledge. Scumware is a general term that encompasses spyware, adware,
annoyware, malware, parasiteware, unwelcome cookies, and various forms of viruses.
Small Computer System Interface
See our comparison table for SCSI-1, SCSI-2, Fast SCSI-2, Wide SCSI-2, Fast Wide SCSI-2, Ultra
SCSI-3 8-bit, Ultra SCSI-3 16-bit, Ultra-2 SCSI, Wide Ultra-2 SCSI, and Ultra160/m.
Security Descriptor Definition Language
Security Descriptor Definition Language (SDDL) is a formal way to specify Microsoft Windows
security descriptors or text strings that describe who owns various objects such as files in the system.
The security descriptor may also provide an access control list for an object or group of objects.
spatial division multiple access (SDMA)
Also see frequency division multiple access (FDMA) and time division multiple access (TDMA).
Spatial division multiple access (SDMA) is a satellite communications mode that optimizes the use of
radio spectrum and minimizes system cost by taking advantage of the directional properties of dish
antennas. In SDMA, also known as SDM (spatial-division multiplex), satellite dish antennas transmit
signals to numerous zones on the earth's surface. The antennas are highly directional, allowing
duplicate frequencies to be used for multiple surface zones.
SDRAM (synchronous DRAM)
- SDRAM (synchronous DRAM) is a generic name for various kinds of dynamic random access
memory (DRAM) that are synchronized with the clock speed that the microprocessor is optimized for.
This tends to increase the number of instructions that the processor can perform in a given time. The
speed of SDRAM is rated in MHz rather than in nanoseconds (ns). This makes it easier to compare the
bus speed and the RAM chip speed. You can convert the RAM clock speed to nanoseconds by
dividing the chip speed into 1 billion ns (which is one second). For example, an 83 MHz RAM would be
equivalent to 12 ns.
seamless interface
A seamless interface is the joining of two computer programs so that they appear to be one program
with a single user interface . In sewing and other crafts, a seam is the place where two pieces of
material are joined together. Often, the seam is visible; you often see the thread where two pieces of
cloth are sewn together. In computer program development as in sewing, concealing the seam is often
desirable so that the finished work looks like one object rather than two joined together. In
programming, a seamless user interface often involves developing a back-end program that presents
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a single user interface that conceals the fact that what is behind the interface are a number of different
programs written in different languages, at different times, and by different developers. With
programming distributed among different computers in a network, it becomes important to screen the
user from the location of the logic and the data behind the user interface. A common objective of any
methodology for application integration and systems integration is a seamless user interface. The
term is sometimes used loosely to mean that one program works with another one and the user can
use both of them.
search engine
On the Internet, a search engine is a coordinated set of programs that includes:
A spider (also called a "crawler" or a "bot") that goes to every page or representative pages on every
Web site that wants to be searchable and reads it, using hypertext links on each page to discover and
read a site's other pages
A program that creates a huge index (sometimes called a "catalog") from the pages that have been
read
A program that receives your search request, compares it to the entries in the index, and returns
results to you
seat
In a networked computer system, a seat is a workstation that can be operated by one user at a time.
Some software products are sold or rented for use to an enterprise on the basis of how many seats can
or do use the product. The installation, customization, and maintenance of a network of workstations
is known as seat management, a service that is sometimes offered by companies that specialize in it.
second
The second (abbreviation, s or sec) is the Standard International ( SI ) unit of time. One second is the
time that elapses during 9,192,631,770 (9.192631770 x 10 9 ) cycles of the radiation produced by the
transition between two levels of the cesium 133 atom.
private key
- In cryptography, a private or secret key is an encryption/decryption key known only to the party or
parties that exchange secret messages. In traditional secret key cryptography, a key would be shared
by the communicators so that each could encrypt and decrypt messages. The risk in this system is
that if either party loses the key or it is stolen, the system is broken. A more recent alternative is to use a
combination of public and private keys. In this system, a public key is used together with a private key.
See public key infrastructure (PKI) for more information.
sector
- On a computer diskette or hard disk, a sector is one of the "pie slices" the diskette or disk is divided
into. Dividing the circular medium into pie slices is a way to organize it so that data can be located by
the read/write heads of the drive. The diskette or disk is also divided into a number of concentric
circles. Data can be located by knowing the number of the sector and the concentric track that passes
through that sector. Each track is divided into a number of clusters that represent the smallest unit of
storage that is addressable (can be written to or read). Typically, a cluster is 256 or 512 bytes in length.
S-HTTP
S-HTTP (Secure HTTP) is an extension to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) that allows the
secure exchange of files on the World Wide Web. Each S-HTTP file is either encrypted, contains a
digital certificate, or both. For a given document, S-HTTP is an alternative to another well-known
security protocol, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). A major difference is that S-HTTP allows the client to
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send a certificate to authenticate the user whereas, using SSL, only the server can be authenticated.
S-HTTP is more likely to be used in situations where the server represents a bank and requires
authentication from the user that is more secure than a userid and password.
Secure Shell
- Secure Shell (SSH), sometimes known as Secure Socket Shell, is a Unix-based command
interface and protocol for securely getting access to a remote computer. It is widely used by
network administrators to control Web and other kinds of servers remotely. SSH is actually a suite
of three utilities - slogin, ssh, and scp - that are secure versions of the earlier UNIX utilities, rlogin,
rsh, and rcp. SSH commands are encrypted and secure in several ways. Both ends of the
client/server connection are authenticated using a digital certificate, and passwords are protected
by being encrypted.
security
- In information technology, security is the protection of information assets through the use of
technology, processes, and training.
security identifier
- In Windows NT and 2000 operating systems, the security identifier (SID) is a unique alphanumeric
character string that identifies each operating system and each user in a network of NT/2000 systems.
SED TV
SED (surface-conduction electron-emitter display) is a flat-panel, high-resolution display developed
by Canon and Toshiba that will compete with LCD and plasma displays. SED is said to provide the
picture quality of cathode-ray tube ( CRT ), in a flat-panel format, at about 50 percent of the power
consumption of CRT displays and 33 percent of the power of plasma display s of a comparable size.
SeeBeyond
SeeBeyond makes integration server software for enterprises and was a pioneer in marketing an
enterprise application integration (EAI) product. An integration server allows a company to mix
packaged applications, custom software, and legacy programs together at the same time on a
network. SeeBeyond bases their E-Business Integration Suite on the message-bus model, which
connects the different applications to a common backbone. Application adapters must be installed on
all integrated applications before they can connect to the backbone. SeeBeyond competes with Tibco,
Vitria, and webMethods among others.
segment
A segment is a defined portion or section of something larger such as a database, geometric object, or
network. The term is used in database management, graphics, and communications.
seize
To seize is to take or wrest control of something that you did not previously control. In programming, for
example, an operating system may seize or take control of some memory that is in use by an
application because they have used it too long and it is needed by other applications that are running
concurrently. A seizure may be permanent or temporary.
selenium
Selenium is a non-metallic element that is often used as a semiconductor material, as a rectifier or in
xerography. There are three forms. In a crystalline form, selenium is metallic gray; in vitreous form, it's
black; as a powder, it's red.
self-assembly
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Self-assembly
is a branch of nanotechnology in which objects, devices, and systems form structures without
external prodding. Nanotechnology is a field of engineering that deals with design, manufacture, and
control on a scale of a few nanometer s (nm) or less, where 1 nm = 10 -9 meters.
self-healing
In information technology, self-healing describes any device or system that has the ability to perceive
that it is not operating correctly and, without human intervention, make the necessary adjustments to
restore itself to normal operation. Because users of a product may find the cost of servicing it too
expensive (in some cases, far more than the cost of the product itself), some product developers are
trying to build products that fix themselves. IBM, for example, is working on an autonomic computing
initiative that the company defines as providing products that are self-configuring, self-optimizing, and
self-protecting - as well as self-healing. For all of these characteristics together, IBM uses the term
"self-managing."
self-scanning checkout (self-checkout)
Self-scanning checkout, also called "self-checkout" is an automated process that enables shoppers
to scan, bag, and pay for their purchases without human assistance. Typically, a self-scanning
checkout lane looks very much like a traditional checkout lane except that the shopper interacts with a
computer's user interface (UI) instead of with a store employee.
shareware
Shareware is software that is distributed free on a trial basis with the understanding that the user may
need or want to pay for it later. Some software developers offer a shareware version of their program
with a built-in expiration date (after 30 days, the user can no longer get access to the program). Other
shareware (sometimes called liteware) is offered with certain capabilities disabled as an enticement
to buy the complete version of the program.
shebang
Among UNIX shell (user interface) users, a shebang is a term for the "#!" characters that must begin
the first line of a script. In musical notation, a "#" is called a sharp and an exclamation point - "!" - is
sometimes referred to as a bang. Thus, shebang becomes a shortening of sharp-bang. The term is
mentioned in Elizabeth Castro's Perl and CGI for the World Wide Web.
shell
Shell is a UNIX term for the interactive user interface with an operating system. The shell is the layer of
programming that understands and executes the commands a user enters. In some systems, the
shell is called a command interpreter. A shell usually implies an interface with a command syntax
(think of the DOS operating system and its "C:>" prompts and user commands such as "dir" and
"edit").
Shockwave
Shockwave, developed by Macromedia, is a family of multimedia players. Web users with Windows
and Mac platforms can download the Shockwave players from the Macromedia site and use it to
display and hear Shockwave files. Shockwave is especially popular for interactive games. However,
Macromedia has identified over 2,000 sites that offer Shockwave files, including sites for General
Motors, Nissan, Kodak, Microsoft, Intel and Apple. To create Shockwave files, you use Macromedia
Director and several related programs.
shortcut
In general, a shortcut is a path that is shorter than the usual or formal path to something or a method of
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operation that saves time over the regular operation. In Windows 95 and later operating system s, a
shortcut is a computer desktop icon that enables a user to easily see and select a particular program
or data object. The operating system comes with some shortcuts already visible on the desktop. A
user can remove these or add new ones.
Shoshkele
A Shoshkele (pronounced Shosh-KEY-lee) is a proprietary type of floating ad developed by United
Virtualities. Named after the company founder's daughter, the Shoshkele has won several industry
awards and is sometimes used generically to mean a floating ad. Like other sophisticated versions of
the floating ad, a Shoshkele can come in any shape or size and include sound, animation, and
interactive components. According to United Virtualities, Shoshkeles display reliably in almost any
user's browser without requiring a plug-in or interfering with Web page downloads, and can be
implemented in a single line of JavaScript.
silicon
Silicon is a chemical element (its symbol in chemical formula expressions is "Si") that is present in
sand and glass and which is the best known semiconductor material in electronic components. Its
atomic number is 14. The most common isotope has atomic weight 28. In its pure state, silicon is a
metal-like substance with an appearance and heft somewhat resembling aluminum. In its natural
state, silicon appears bound up with other elements in the form of compounds. It is abundant in the
crust of the earth.
Siebel
Siebel is a prominent vendor of interoperable e-business software. They also call themselves Siebel
Systems. The company's customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource
management (ERM), and partner relationship management (PRM) applications are designed to
automate those aspects of business and allow an enterprise to perform and coordinate associated
tasks over the Internet and through other channels, such as retail or call center networks. Siebel's
customers include Chase Manhattan Bank, Deutsche Telecom, IBM, Lucent, Yahoo, and Microsoft.
siemens (mho)
- (Siemens AG is a German company engaged in electrical engineering and electronics.)
signal
1) In electronics, a signal is an electric current or electromagnetic field used to convey data from one
place to another. The simplest form of signal is a direct current (DC) that is switched on and off; this is
the principle by which the early telegraph worked. More complex signals consist of an alternating-
current (AC) or electromagnetic carrier that contains one or more data streams.
skin
On the Internet, a skin is a graphic or audio file used to change the appearance of the user interface to
a program or for a game character. Skins can usually be downloaded at no charge from sites that
provide them. The skin concept can be compared to the Xpress-On covers that snap to the front of the
Nokia 3210 cell phone. These come in various colors and graphic designs such as Cyber Fish and
Tribal Sign. The covers alter the appearance of the phone but not the phone itself. When using a skin,
the appearance of the user interface changes, but not the functions available with the program.
site
This definition is also listed under presence, Web site and Website.
Slackware
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Slackware is the earliest distribution of the Linux operating system that is still (as of September 2007)
being developed. Patrick Volkerding created Slackware from an even earlier distribution called
Softlanding Linux. According to the Slackware project Web site, the OS was designed, in particular, for
ease of use and stability.
slamming
Slamming is the practice by some U.S. long-distance phone carriers of switching users to their service
without the user's knowledge or authorization. Southwestern Bell, a local carrier, reports that they
received calls about slamming from 558,000 customers in 1997. Slamming methods include "free
trials" and offers for credit cards that offer prize or give-away points for each dollar of charges from a
given carrier. Phone solicitors often get "approval" from children, baby-sitters, and domestic
employees. Occasionally, your carrier may be switched if your current carrier has been sold to another
company. If your carrier is switched, there may be a $5-6 switching charge on your bill. Unless you
agreed to the switch, you do not have to pay the charge.
slave
In computer networking, master/slave is a model for a communication protocol in which one device or
process (known as the master) controls one or more other devices or processes (known as slaves).
Once the master/slave relationship is established, the direction of control is always from the master to
the slave(s). The County of Los Angeles, saying the term master/slave may be offensive to some of its
residents, has asked equipment manufacturers not to use the term. Some manufacturers prefer the
term primary/secondary.
Smalltalk
Smalltalk is a programming language that was designed expressly to support the concepts of object-
oriented programming . In the early 1970's, Alan Kay led a team of researchers at Xerox to invent a
language that let programmers envision the data objects they intended to manipulate. Unlike C++ ,
Smalltalk was not built on the syntax of a procedural language; it is a "pure" object-oriented language
with more rigorously enforced rules than C++, which permits some of the procedural constructs of the
C language.
smurfing
- A smurf attack is an exploitation of the Internet Protocol (IP) broadcast addressing to create a denial
of service. The attacker uses a program called Smurf to cause the attacked part of a network to
become inoperable. The exploit of smurfing, as it has come to be known, takes advantage of certain
known characteristics of the Internet Protocol (IP) and the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP).
The ICMP is used by network nodes and their administrators to exchange information about the state
of the network. ICMP can be used to ping other nodes to see if they are operational. An operational
node returns an echo message in response to a ping message.
Snort
- Snort is an open source network intrusion detection system (NIDS) created by Martin Roesch. Snort
is a packet sniffer that monitors network traffic in real time, scrutinizing each packet closely to detect a
dangerous payload or suspicious anomalies.
sniffer
1) In common industry usage, a sniffer (with lower case "s") is a program that monitors and analyzes
network traffic, detecting bottlenecks and problems. Using this information, a network manager can
keep traffic flowing efficiently.
softlifting
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Softlifting is a common type of software piracy in which a legally licensed software program is installed
or copied in violation of its licensing agreement. Unlike commercial piracy, the purpose of softlifting is
to provide the program to multiple users rather than to sell copies for profit. Softlifting is also known as
end user piracy or softloading.
software
Software is a general term for the various kinds of programs used to operate computers and related
devices. (The term hardware describes the physical aspects of computers and related devices.)
solid
A solid is a sample of matter that retains its shape and density when not confined. The adjective solid
describes the state, or condition, of matter having this property.
soliton
A soliton is a special form of light pulse that can be transmitted over a fiber optic channel. Potentially, a
soliton retains its shape or wavelength over a longer distance than ordinary light pulses, permitting a
higher rate of information bits to be transmitted.
space
Space is a term that can refer to various phenomena in science, mathematics, and communications.
spamhaus
1) A spamhaus ( haus is the German word for house ) is an Internet service provider ( ISP ) or other
business that allows the distribution of unsolicited commercial e-mail ( UCE ). One of the most
infamous spamhauses was Cyber Promotions, an organization run by Sanford Wallace in the mid-
1990s. In 1997, Cyber Promotions became one of the first such enterprises taken to court. Ordered to
desist from sending unsolicited e-mails, Wallace now reportedly runs an anti-spam discussion forum.
SHOOT
Verb (past tense,past participle): “He shot them an angry glance”
STATUS
Noun : “A person's social bank”
SUPPORT
Noun :“Her job is the family's only means of support”
SUPPLY
Noun :“The act or process of supplying”
Noun (often in plural) :“She left a supply of food for her children when she went away for a few days”
VERB : “The shop was unable to supply what she wanted”
SAMPLE
Noun : “A sample tube of ointment”
Verb :“She sampled my cake”
SCHEME
Noun : “His schemes to steal the money were discovered”
Verb : “They have all been scheming for my dismissal”
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SELECTIVE
Adjective : “she is very selective about clothes”
SET
Verb : Present participle setting :past tense,past pasrticiple set
SILENT
Adjective : “The house was empty and silent”
SHORT
Adjective :“You look nice with your hair short”
Adverb : “She stopped short when she saw me”
SHOW
Past tense :SHOWED: Past participles : SHOWED , SHOWN: VERB:
“He showed him no mercy”
Verb:“The new show at the theatre”
SPEAKER
Noun :“A person who is or was speaking”
The device in radio, record player etc which converts the electrical impulses into audible sounds:”Our
record – player needs a new speaker”
SPEED
Noun :“The car was travelling at high speed”
Verb : “the car speeded along the motorway”
START
Noun : “She gave a star of surprise”
Verb : “The clock stopped but I started it again”
SCREEN
Noun : “cinema/television/radar screen”
Verb: “The tall grass screened him from view”
STANDARD
Adjective: “ The post office likes the public to use a standard size of envelope”
Noun: “His performance did not reach the required standard”
SEARCH
Noun: “ her search did not take long”
Verb : “I've been searching for that book for weeks”
Adjective : “ she gave me a searching look”
Adverb : “searchingly”
SYSTEM
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Noun : “What is your system for washing the dishes?”
Adverb : “systematically”
Adjective: “Systematic”
SYMBOL
Noun: “The dove is the symbol of peace”
Adjective: “bread and wine are SYMBOLIC of christ's body and blood”
Verb : symbolize ,symbolise : “A ring symbolizes everlasting love”
SAINT
Noun : A very good, kind person:” You really are a saint to put up with her”
Adjective :“She led a saintly life”
SATELLITE
noun : A smaller body that revolves around a planet :”The moon is a satellite of the earth”
SAVE
Preposition,conjunction
vERB: “He saved his friend from drowning”
NOUN :”it's a great saving to be able to make one's own clothes”
Noun : “the telephone is a great time-saver “
SINCE
Adverb : “we have since become friends”
SWAP
Noun : “ a fair swop”
Verb (past tense , past participle) : “he swapped his ball with another boy for a pistol”
SUBJECT
Adjective : “subjet nations”
Noun
Verb : “he was subjected to cruel treatment”
SOCIAL
Adjective: “social problems”
SECRETARY
NOUN:”he dictated a letter to his secretary”
Secretaries : PLURAL
SECRET
Adjective : “a screet agreement”
Noun : “I wish I knew the secret of her success”
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SECOND
Next after, or following the first in time, place, etc
Adjective, adverb, noun, verb
SCENE
Noun :“ A murderer sometimes resivits the scene of his crime”
SCRIPT
Noun : “have the actors all got their scripts?”
SERVER
Usually in Plural
Noun : “a person who servers (a ball)”
SET-UP
Noun: “it's a funny set-up”
SERIAL
Adjective :“serial numbers on bank notes”
Noun : “a serial story”
SHADOW
Noun :“we are in the shadow of that building”
Verb : “ a broad that shadowed her face”
SHARE
Noun :“we each paid our share of the bill”
Verb : “we shared the money among us”(usually with among/between/with)
SHORTCUT
Noun : “I'll take a shortcut across the field”
SOURCE
Noun: “they have discovered the source of the trouble”
SIGN IN/ OUT
“he signed in at the hotel when ha arrived”
SIGNATURE
Noun: “that is his signature on the cheque”
SLOT
Noun : “ I put the correct money in the slot, but the machine didn't start”
Verb past tense, past participle :slotted: “ she slotted the last piece of the puzzle into place” (with in or
into)
SMART
Adjective : “you're looking very smart today”
S
Noun : “he could still feel the smart of her slap”
Verb : “ the thick smoke made her eyes smart”
SMOOTH
Adjective : “her skin is as smooth as satin”
Verb : “she tried to smooth the creases out”
SOUND
Adjective : “the foundations of the house are not very sound”
Noun : “ a barrage of sound”
Verb : “ the bell sounded”
SPAM
Verb : Past tense, past participle : “ I've been spammed”
SHEET
Noun: “he put clean sheets on all the beds”
STAGE
Noun : “ at this stage, we don't know how many survivors there are”
Verb : “this play was first staged in 1928”
SUBMIT (verb):
past tense, past participle : “ the rebels were ordered to submit”
tabbed browsing
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Tabbed browsing
Tabbed browsing, also called a tabbed document interface (TDI), is a feature recently implemented in
Web browsers to effectively contain multiple pages or documents in a single window. Each item
occupies the browser's entire viewing area when displayed. Tabs facilitate navigation among the
items. The term "tab" arises from the visual similarity to the physical tabs on manila folders used to
store and organize hard copy.
table
In computer programming, a table is a data structure used to organize information, just as it is on
paper. There are many different types of computer-related tables, which work in a number of different
ways. The following are examples of the more common types.
tablet PC
A tablet PC is a wireless, portable personal computer with a touch screen interface. The tablet form
factor is typically smaller than a notebook computer but larger than a smart phone.
tag
A tag is a generic term for a language element descriptor. The set of tags for a document or other unit
of information is sometimes referred to as markup, a term that dates to pre-computer days when
writers and copy editors marked up document elements with copy editing symbols or shorthand.
take off
Take off, sometimes spelled as "take-off" or "takeoff," is a part of the cost estimating process in the
construction industry. Estimators use construction blueprints, either manually or electronically, and
start "taking off" quantities of items they will need from those blueprints in order to prepare part of the
estimate. Examples of possible take offs include the number of light fixtures needed in the building
plan or the amount of wiring needed for the electrical work.
tap
On a handheld device, a tap is the equivalent of a mouse click on a personal computer, used to select
options and to interact with programs. On a PC, you select applications or manipulate interface
components such as windows and task bars by clicking on them with a mouse. Using the more
compressed and space-constricted user interface of a handheld device, you select applications and
manipulate the interface using the tap, often with a stylus .
tar
Tar (for "Tape ARchive") is a UNIX shell command that creates a single file called an "archive" from a
number of specified files or extracts the files from such an archive. A tar archive has the file suffix ".tar".
The files in a tar archive are not compressed, just gathered together in one file.
tarball
Tarball is a jargon term for a tar archive - a group of files collected together as one. The term suggests
a ball of tar, the sticky coal derivative used as an adherent and sealant in roofing and other
construction work. Tar (for Tape ARchive) is a UNIX command that creates a single file called an
archive from a number of specified files or extracts (separates) the files from such an archive. A tar
archive has the file suffix .tar. The files in a tar archive are not compressed, just gathered together in
one file. A popular archive handler for Windows systems, WinZip, can be used to extract the files from
a tar archive. Stuffit Expander, an archive handler used for Macintosh systems, also extracts files from
a tar archive.
task
In computer programming, a task is a basic unit of programming that an operating system controls.
Depending on how the operating system defines a task in its design, this unit of programming may be
an entire program or each successive invocation of a program. Since one program may make
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requests of other utility programs, the utility programs may also be considered tasks (or subtasks). All
of today's widely-used operating systems support multitasking , which allows multiple tasks to run
concurrently, taking turns using the resources of the computer.
taxonomy
- Taxonomy (from Greek taxis meaning arrangement or division and nomos meaning law) is the
science of classification according to a pre-determined system, with the resulting catalog used to
provide a conceptual framework for discussion, analysis, or information retrieval. In theory, the
development of a good taxonomy takes into account the importance of separating elements of a group
(taxon) into subgroups (taxa) that are mutually exclusive, unambiguous, and taken together, include
all possibilities. In practice, a good taxonomy should be simple, easy to remember, and easy to use.
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is the basic communication language or
protocol of the Internet. It can also be used as a communications protocol in a private network (either
an intranet or an extranet). When you are set up with direct access to the Internet, your computer is
provided with a copy of the TCP/IP program just as every other computer that you may send
messages to or get information from also has a copy of TCP/IP.
technobabble
In information technology and other specialized areas, technobabble is the use of technical or
"insider" terms that, to the uninitiated, have no meaning. Technobabble can be divided into (1)
technical terms with some formal standing in language such as new transmission or computer
communication protocols, especially in their abbreviated or acronym forms, (2) marketing terms in
which terms with prior meaning are give new missions (for example, industrial strength ), and (3)
informal, colloquial, or jargon terms (of which technobabble itself would seem to be an example).
teergrube
A teergrube (German for tar pit) is a computer server set up to be intentionally slow, as a trap for
spammers using address harvesting programs. The owner of the teergrube sets out fake e-mail
addresses in places where harvesting programs search, along with a human-readable warning not to
send messages to those addresses. The address harvester, unable to read the warning, collects the
addresses and the spammer duly sends spam. The spammer's messages are accepted by the
teergrube, albeit very, very slowly, thus tying up resources. A teergrube is configured to maintain a
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) session for exceptionally long periods -- sometimes more than
24 hours -- so that the session is not timed-out. The extended time period that a spammer is stuck in a
teergrube may also afford more opportunity to detect the source of messages.
telegraph
A telegraph is a communications system in which information is transmitted over a wire through a
series of electrical current pulses, usually in the form of Morse code. The basic components include a
source of direct current, a length of wire or cable, and a current-indicating device such as a relay,
buzzer, or light bulb. The term comes from the Greek words "tele," meaning "at a distance" and
"graphien," meaning "to write."
Telephony
Telephony is the technology associated with the electronic transmission of voice, fax, or other
information between distant parties using systems historically associated with the telephone, a
handheld device containing both a speaker or transmitter and a receiver. With the arrival of computers
and the transmittal of digital information over telephone systems and the use of radio to transmit
telephone signals, the distinction between telephony and telecommunication has become difficult to
make.
teleportation
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Teleportation is the duplication or re-creation of physical objects or their properties using light beams,
according to researchers at the California Institute of Technology. Also calling it quantum teleportation,
the researchers have successfully transmitted information about the properties of an object at the
speed of light so that the object could theoretically be duplicated or reconstructed at the destination.
The experiment takes advantage of the atomic particle property in which two particles at a great
distance are in some mysterious way intertwined. Thus, an effect on one particle is almost
simultaneously felt in the other particle as well. In physics, this characteristic is called entanglement.
The CalTech researchers believe the characteristic may one day have practical applications, one of
which would be a quantum computer in which information is moved with light using the entanglement
principle rather than wires.
telecommuting
Telecommuting and telework are synonyms for the use of telecommunication to work outside the
traditional office or workplace, usually at home (SOHO) or in a mobile situation. According to one
study, telecommuting has been growing at 15% a year since 1990 in North America. 80% of Fortune
1000 companies are likely to introduce it within the next two to three years. Although work at the
company premises is not likely to disappear, new forms of telecommunication such as voice and
picture communication and groupware are likely to make telecommuting more social in the future.
temperature
Temperature (symbolized T ) is an expression of heat energy. Temperature can mean different things
in different situations.
template
A template is a form, mold, or pattern used as a guide to making something
terminal
1) In data communications, a terminal is any device that terminates one end (sender or receiver) of a
communicated signal. In practice, it is usually applied only to the extended end points in a network, not
central or intermediate devices. In this usage, if you can send signals to it, it's a terminal.
tesla
The tesla (symbolized T) is the standard unit of magnetic flux density. It is equivalent to one weber per
meter squared (1 Wb m -2 ). Reduced to base units in the International System of Units ( SI ), 1 T
represents one kilogram per second squared per ampere (kg s -2 A -1 ). The tesla was named for
Nikola Tesla , the Serbian-American scientist who contributed greatly toward the development of
modern-day electrical power systems.
text
In information technology, text is a human-readable sequence of character s and the words they form
that can be encoded into computer-readable formats such as ASCII . Text is usually distinguished
from non-character encoded data, such as graphic images in the form of bitmap s and program code,
which is sometimes referred to as being in "binary" (but is actually in its own computer-readable
format).
thang
A thang, a jargon variant of thing based on regional U.S. pronunciation, is a concept or object that
either defies naming or is a something to be held at a respectful distance such as, for example, a
rattlesnake, an overargued subject, or a particularly troublesome computer problem.
Thinnet
Thicknet and Thinnet (sometimes called ThickWire and ThinWire) are commonly used terms for the
larger and smaller size of coaxial cable used in Ethernet local area networks. Thicknet, also known as
Thickwire, is 0.4 inches in diameter and has 50 ohms of electromagnetic impedance. Thinnet, also
T
known as Thinwire and Cheapernet, is 0.2 inches in diameter with the same impedance as Thickwire.
Thicknet
Thicknet was the original Ethernet wiring, but Thinnet, which is cheaper and can be installed more
easily, is the more commonly installed Ethernet wire. Thicknet continues to be used for backbone
wiring. An alternative to Thinnet on an Ethernet network is twisted pair.
Thing
A Thing is an interactive object for a Web page that is developed with an authoring tool called
ThingMaker that is sold by the Parable Corporation. A Thing can be a simple game ("Bill Gates'
European Vacation"...hit him with a pie), an image that emerges from the page as you pass the mouse
over a certain spot, a beetle that you can dress up as SuperBeetle, or anything you want to invent.
Typically, a Thing arrives on your page and changes as your mouse rollover it, and again when you
click on it. Things are intended to be easy to create, using ThingMaker, but you can also add ready-
made Things to your Web pages that you can copy from the Parable Web site or elsewhere. To
actually see a Thing or two, you must first download the ThingViewer from Parable.
Thinnet
Thicknet was the original Ethernet wiring, but Thinnet, which is cheaper and can be installed more
easily, is the more commonly installed Ethernet wire. Thicknet continues to be used for backbone
wiring. An alternative to Thinnet on an Ethernet network is twisted pair.
thrashing
Thrashing is computer activity that makes little or no progress, usually because memory or other
resources have become exhausted or too limited to perform needed operations. When this happens,
a pattern typically develops in which a request is made of the operating system by a process or
program, the operating system tries to find resources by taking them from some other process, which
in turn makes new requests that can't be satisfied. In a virtual storage system (an operating system
that manages its logical storage or memory in units called pages), thrashing is a condition in which
excessive paging operations are taking place.
thread
- 1) On the Internet in Usenet newsgroups and similar forums, a thread is a sequence of responses to
an initial message posting. This enables you to follow or join an individual discussion in a newsgroup
from among the many that may be there. A thread is usually shown graphically as an inital message
and successive messages "hung off" the original message. As a newsgroup user, you contribute to a
thread by specifying a "Reference" topic as part of your message.
throughput
- 1) In computer technology, throughput is the amount of work that a computer can do in a given time
period. Historically, throughput has been a measure of the comparative effectiveness of large
commercial computers that run many programs concurrently. An early throughput measure was the
number of batch jobs completed in a day. More recent measures assume a more complicated mixture
of work or focus on some particular aspect of computer operation. While "cost per million instructions
per second (MIPS)" provides a basis for comparing the cost of raw computing over time or by
manufacturer, throughput theoretically tells you how much useful work the MIPS are producing.
T
thumbing
Thumbing is a method of typing on a small keyboard using the thumbs. The method evolved because
keyboards on (or sometimes attached to) handheld devices are generally too small for users with full-
size hands to type using all the fingers. Thumbing is the typical method used to type messages on a
BlackBerry, personal digital assistant (PDA) or a mobile phone.
tier
In general, a tier (pronounced TEE-er ; from the medieval French tire meaning rank, as in a line of
soldiers) is a row or layer in a series of similarly arranged objects. In computer programming, the parts
of a program can be distributed among several tiers, each located in a different computer in a network.
Such a program is said to be tiered , multitier , or multitiered .
Tiger
Tiger is the the code name for version 10.4 of the Apple Macintosh OS X ( Operating System 10),
which was released to the marketplace April 29, 2005. The original Mac OS X release had the code
name Cheetah . Mac OS X 10.1 was called Puma , Mac OS X 10.2 was called Jaguar , and Mac OS X
10.3 was called Panther .
tilde
- A tilde (pronounced TILL-duh or TILL-day) looks like this: ~. It's a special typographic character
found on most keyboards that means various things, depending on the context. In some operating
systems, including UNIX, the tilde is used to represent the current user's home directory. On Web
server systems, the tilde is frequently used by convention as the first character for any user's home
directory in the file system. Since users often keep personal or business Web pages on a server under
their personal home directory, you will often see the tilde as part of Web addresses. As a mathematical
symbol, the tilde means "approximately" and in logic it means "not."
time
- Time is an observed phenomenon, by means of which human beings sense and record changes in
the environment and in the universe. A literal definition is elusive. Time has been called an illusion, a
dimension, a smooth-flowing continuum, and an expression of separation among events that occur in
the same physical location.
timestamp
A timestamp is the current time of an event that is recorded by a computer. Through mechanisms such
as the Network Time Protocol ( NTP ), a computer maintains accurate current time, calibrated to
minute fractions of a second. Such precision makes it possible for networked computers and
applications to communicate effectively. The timestamp mechanism is used for a wide variety of
synchronization purposes, such as assigning a sequence order for a multi-event transaction so that if
a failure occurs the transaction can be voided.
Titanium
1) Titanium is the name of a popular laptop computer from Apple that is encased in titanium, the strong
but light metal that is used in supersonic aircraft engines. The Titanium PowerBook laptop is also
sometimes known as the TiBook because it's a later version of the iBook , an earlier Apple laptop with
a G3 processor. The Titanium has an exceptionally wide 15.6 inch display, yet is light at 5.4 pounds.
With a 500 MHz and up G4 processor and a one megabyte L-3 cache , the Titanium is aimed
especially at users who use graphics applications such as PhotoShop .
token
In general, a token is an object that represents something else, such as another object (either physical
or virtual), or an abstract concept as, for example, a gift is sometimes referred to as a token of the
giver's esteem for the recipient. In computers, there are a number of types of tokens.
T
Tomcat
Tomcat is an application server from the Apache Software Foundation that executes Java servlets and
renders Web pages that include Java Server Page coding. Described as a "reference
implementation" of the Java Servlet and the Java Server Page specifications, Tomcat is the result of
an open collaboration of developers and is available from the Apache Web site in both binary and
source versions. Tomcat can be used as either a standalone product with its own internal Web server
or together with other Web servers, including Apache, Netscape Enterprise Server, Microsoft Internet
Information Server (IIS), and Microsoft Personal Web Server. Tomcat requires a Java Runtime
Enterprise Environment that conforms to JRE 1.1 or later.
toolbar
In the graphical user interface ( GUI ) for a computer, a toolbar is a horizontal row or vertical column of
selectable image "buttons" that give the user a constantly visible reminder of and an easy way to
select certain desktop or other application functions, such as saving or printing a document or moving
pages forwards or backwards within a Web browser . Most operating system s come with a toolbar. In
addition, many application programs, such as word processors and spreadsheet programs, come
with one or more toolbars as part of their user interface
topsite
- A topsite is a stringently protected underground FTP server at the top of the distribution chain for
pirated content, such as movies, music, games, and software. Here's how it works: Someone gains
access to content before mass release, perhaps by using high-end hardware to record a movie in a
cinema or by getting hold of a screener or discarded studio copy of a movie. A release group prepares
the content for digital transmission and uploads it to the topsite server, which is protected behind
several layers of security and impenetrable to unauthorized access. So-called couriers copy the
content from the topsites and upload them to second-tier distribution Web sites known as dump sites
and from those sites to mainstream peer-to-peer (P2P) networks such as Kazaa. According to an
article in Wired Magazine, about 30 topsites are responsible for almost all of the pirated content
distributed online.
toroid
A toroid is a coil of insulated or enameled wire wound on a donut-shaped form made of powdered iron.
A toroid is used as an inductor in electronic circuits, especially at low frequencies where comparatively
large inductances are necessary.
Toslink
Toslink is a connector format for fiber optic digital audio cables. A fiber optic digital audio cable carries
audio data in the form of light impulses instead of electrical signals. The Toslink connector is a square
plug and is used with newer Dolby Digital surround sound receivers, digital versatile discs (DVDs),
and compact disk (CD) players, satellite dish receivers, and other devices. Miniplug is another fiber
optic digital audio format, similar to Toslink, used for minidisk players and other smaller digital audio
devices. There are adapters available to convert a Toslink plug into a miniplug.
touch pad
A touch pad is a device for pointing (controlling input positioning) on a computer display screen. It is an
alternative to the mouse. Originally incorporated in laptop computers, touch pads are also being made
for use with desktop computers. A touch pad works by sensing the user's finger movement and
downward pressure.
traceroute
- Traceroute is a utility that records the route (the specific gateway computers at each hop) through
the Internet between your computer and a specified destination computer. It also calculates and
displays the amount of time each hop took. Traceroute is a handy tool both for understanding where
problems are in the Internet network and for getting a detailed sense of the Internet itself. Another
T
utility, ping, is often used prior to using traceroute to see whether a host is present on the network.
trackball
A trackball is a computer cursor control device used in many notebook and laptop computers. The
trackball is usually located in front of the keyboard toward the user. Essentially, the trackball is an
upside-down mouse that rotates in place within a socket. The user rolls the ball to direct the cursor to
the desired place on the screen and can click one of two buttons (identical to mouse buttons) near the
trackball to select desktop objects or position the cursor for text entry.
TrackPoint
A TrackPoint, also called a pointing stick, is a cursor control device found in IBM ThinkPad notebook
computer s. The device is sometimes called an eraser pointer because it is roughly the size and shape
of a pencil eraser. It has a replaceable red tip (called a nipple) and is located in the middle of the
keyboard between the G, H, and B keys. The control buttons are located in front of the keyboard
toward the user.
transaction
In computer programming, a transaction usually means a sequence of information exchange and
related work (such as database updating) that is treated as a unit for the purposes of satisfying a
request and for ensuring database integrity. For a transaction to be completed and database changes
to made permanent, a transaction has to be completed in its entirety. A typical transaction is a catalog
merchandise order phoned in by a customer and entered into a computer by a customer
representative. The order transaction involves checking an inventory database, confirming that the
item is available, placing the order, and confirming that the order has been placed and the expected
time of shipment. If we view this as a single transaction, then all of the steps must be completed before
the transaction is successful and the database is actually changed to reflect the new order. If
something happens before the transaction is successfully completed, any changes to the database
must be kept track of so that they can be undone.
transceiver
A transceiver is a combination transmitter/receiver in a single package. The term applies to wireless
communications devices such as cellular telephones, cordless telephone sets, handheld two-way
radios, and mobile two-way radios. Occasionally the term is used in reference to transmitter/receiver
devices in cable or optical fiber systems.
transcoding
Transcoding is the ability to adapt digital files so that content can be viewed on different playback
devices. Working like an interpreter, a transcoder translates files to a suitable format for the end user.
The translations are built upon complicated algorithmic computations and require significant
processing resources.
transducer
- A transducer is an electronic device that converts energy from one form to another. Common
examples include microphones, loudspeakers, thermometers, position and pressure sensors, and
antenna. Although not generally thought of as transducers, photocells, LEDs (light-emitting diodes),
and even common light bulbs are transducers
transistor
- The transistor, invented by three scientists at the Bell Laboratories in 1947, rapidly replaced the
vacuum tube as an electronic signal regulator. A transistor regulates current or voltage flow and acts
as a switch or gate for electronic signals. A transistor consists of three layers of a semiconductor
material, each capable of carrying a current. A semiconductor is a material such as germanium and
silicon that conducts electricity in a "semi-enthusiastic" way. It's somewhere between a real conductor
such as copper and an insulator (like the plastic wrapped around wires).
T
transparent
In computers, transparent means something a little different than its general meaning of having the
quality of being easily seen through , coming closer to meaning invisible or undetectable . Computer
programs and procedures that are said to be transparent are typically those that the user is - or could
be - unaware of. Transparency is considered to be especially desirable in situations where users that
are not particularly technically inclined would tend to be confused by seeing or having to interact
directly with programming components. The domain name system (DNS), for example, operates in a
transparent manner, resolving authorized domain names into Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, all
without the user's knowledge. Transparent is also used to refer to a change or upgrade of hardware or
software that is undetectable in subsequent uses of the system.
transponder
A transponder is a wireless communications, monitoring, or control device that picks up and
automatically responds to an incoming signal. The term is a contraction of the words transmitter and
responder. Transponders can be either passive or active.
trap
1) In a Web site, a trap is a page that does not allow the reader to back up a previous page (the Back
button on the toolbar is inoperable). A few Web site creators apparently use this technique to hold the
reader and force them to read the page or to encourage them to visit other pages on their site. To exit a
trap, the reader must either close the browser and open it again or enter a URL on the address line.
Traps are highly unpopular among Web users.
Travan
- Travan is a linear magnetic tape product developed by the 3M Company. The product primarily
competes against DDS (Digital Data Storage), AIT (advanced intelligent tape), and VXA tape formats.
The technology uses an 8mm wide tape that is 750' long. Travan first appeared in the 1990s and was
quickly standardized by the Quarter Inch Cartridge (QIC) Consortium for its easy adaptability, good
performance and relatively large storage potential.
trigger
A trigger (from the Dutch trekken, meaning to pull) is a lever which, when pulled by the finger, releases
the hammer on a firearm. In a database, a trigger is a set of Structured Query Language (SQL)
statements that automatically "fires off" an action when a specific operation, such as changing data in
a table, occurs. A trigger consists of an event (an INSERT, DELETE, or UPDATE statement issued
against an associated table) and an action (the related procedure). Triggers are used to preserve data
integrity by checking on or changing data in a consistent manner.
trigraph
- 1) A trigraph is a three-character replacement for a special or nonstandard character in a text file. A
trigraph can be used in place of a symbol that is not present on a keyboard or in a character set.
However, some programs cannot properly interpret them.
trinary
Trinary logic is three-level digital logic, with states represented by the numbers -1, 0, and 1.
Alternatively, the three states can be represented by the numbers 0, 1, and 2. The smallest number
corresponds to logical falsity, the highest number to logical truth, and the middle value to logical
neutrality (neither truth nor falsity). Trinary logic is not often used. Binary logic, in which there are only
two states represented by 0 and 1, is the most common in computer science and electronics.
Trojan horse
- In computers, a Trojan horse is a program in which malicious or harmful code is contained inside
apparently harmless programming or data in such a way that it can get control and do its chosen form
of damage, such as ruining the file allocation table on your hard disk. In one celebrated case, a Trojan
T
horse was a program that was supposed to find and destroy computer viruses. A Trojan horse may be
widely redistributed as part of a computer virus.
troll
As used on the Internet:
1) As a verb, the practice of trying to lure other Internet users into sending responses to carefully-
designed incorrect statements or similar "bait." In a real example, a Usenet newsgroup contributor
mentioned the discovery of an ancient African carving containing a list of prime numbers. The
contributor further listed some of the prime numbers found and included some numbers that, in fact,
are not prime numbers. Other contributors then sent serious replies, correcting the list of prime
numbers cited.
tropospheric propogation
Radio waves can propagate over the horizon when the lower atmosphere of the earth bends, scatters,
and/or reflects the electromagnetic fields.ï¿½ These effects are collectively known as tropospheric
propagation, or tropo for short.ï¿½ Tropospheric propagation can affect wireless communications,
sometimes enhancing the usable range, but also compounding interference problems.
trunk
A trunk is a line or link designed to handle many signals simultaneously, and that connects major
switching centers or nodes in a communications system. The transmitted data can be voice (as in the
conventional telephone system) data, computer programs, images, video or control signals.
tunneling or port forwarding
Tunneling, also known as "port forwarding," is the transmission of data intended for use only within a
private, usually corporate network through a public network in such a way that the routing nodes in the
public network are unaware that the transmission is part of a private network. Tunneling is generally
done by encapsulating the private network data and protocol information within the public network
transmission units so that the private network protocol information appears to the public network as
data. Tunneling allows the use of the Internet, which is a public network, to convey data on behalf of a
private network.
tuple
- 1) In programming languages, such as LISP, Python, Linda, and others, a tuple (pronounced TUH-
pul) is an ordered set of values. The separator for each value is often a comma (depending on the
rules of the particular language). Common uses for the tuple as a data type are (1) for passing a string
of parameters from one program to another, and (2) representing a set of value attributes in a
relational database. In some languages, tuples can be nested within other tuples within parentheses
or brackets or other delimiters. Tuples can contain a mixture of other data types.
Traversal Using Relay NAT (TURN)
Traversal Using Relay NAT (TURN) is a protocol, currently at the working draft stage, that is intended
to govern the reception of data over a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or User Datagram
Protocol (UDP) connection by a single communications device operating behind a Network Address
Translator (NAT) or firewall. A TURN server relays packets from an external Internet Protocol address
(IP address) towards an internal device only if that internal device has previously sent a packet
through the same TURN server to that particular external IP address.
Tuxedo
Tuxedo (which stands for Transactions for UNIX, Enhanced for Distributed Operation) is a middleware
product that uses a message-based communications system to distribute applications across various
operating system platforms and databases. Tuxedo operates as an extension of the operating
system: as a platform for execution as well as development, it is designed for the creation and
administration of e-commerce online transaction processing (OLTP) systems. Originally developed at
T
AT&T in the 1970s, Tuxedo was subsequently owned by Unix System Laboratories (USL), and then
Novell before it was taken over by BEA Systems, the current owners.
tweak freak
1) In quality assurance, tweaking is the process of making subtle variations in the environment in
which a program is tested in order to produce unanticipated behaviors. Such tweaking can involve
system configuration, hardware configuration, unusual system conditions (e.g. heavy traffic, memory
shortage/availability conditions, physical resource shortage/availability conditions, simulated and
actual virus attacks, unusual message input, unusual message input node, loss of signon status), and
other relevant but low-probability situations which may not have been anticipated by the designer or
developer.
wip (twentieth of a point)
- A twip (twentieth of a point) is a measure used in laying out space or defining objects on a page or
other area that is to be printed or displayed on a computer screen. A twip is 1/1440th of an inch or
1/567th of a centimeter. That is, there are 1440 twips to an inch or 567 twips to a centimeter. The twip is
1/20th of a point, a traditional measure in printing. A point is approximately 1/72nd of an inch.
tweet
A tweet is a post on Twitter. The act of writing a tweet is called tweeting or twittering. Tweets can be up
to 140 characters long, including spaces, and can include URLs and hashtags.
Twitter
Twitter is a free social networking microblogging service that allows registered members to broadcast
short posts called tweets. Twitter members can broadcast tweets and follow other users' tweets by
using multiple platforms and devices. Tweets and replies to tweets can be sent by cell phone text
message, desktop client or by posting at the Twitter.com website.
Twofish
- Twofish is an encryption algorithm based on an earlier algorithm, Blowfish, and was a finalist for a
NIST Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm to replace the DES algorithm. (NIST eventually
selected the Rijndael algorithm.)
typeface
A typeface is a design for a set of printer or display font s, each for a set of characters, in a number of
specific sizes. Since outline fonts such as TrueType and Type 1 are scalable, a computer typeface
designer must anticipate the possibility of the design being scaled through a range of sizes.
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AU
Show me everything on Mainframe operating systems and management
A U is a standard unit of measure for designating the height in computer enclosures and rack cabinets.
A U equals 1.75 inches. For example, a 4U chassis is 7 inches high. A 40U rack cabinet is 70 inches
high
U.S. Navy purchasing abbreviations and acronyms
Show me everything on IT Channel Resources
Common abbreviations and acronyms used in goverment purchasing. Reprinted with permission
from the Navy Electronic Commerce Online Web site.
Universal Business Language (UBL)
Universal Business Language (UBL) is a royalty-free set of documents based on the ebXML
(Electronic Business XML) Core Components Technical Specification, also known as ISO 15000-5.
UBL is overseen by OASIS(Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards),
a worldwide consortium devoted to the establishment of open IT (information technology) standard
UCE (unsolicited commercial email)
Show me everything on BPM
UCE (unsolicited commercial e-mail) is a legal term used to describe an electronic promotional
message sent to a consumer without the consumer's prior request or consent. In the vernacular, this
kind of e-mail message is called spam. Since 1998, the Federal Trade Commission, a United States
Federal agency whose purpose is to encourage free enterprise and prevent restraint of trade and
monopolies, has collected an enormous database of UCE by asking users to forward unsolicted
commercial e-mail touce@ftc.gov. The Federal Trade Commission monitors UCE for three specific
problems: (1) deception in UCE content; (2) economic and technological burdens on the Internet and
delivery networks caused by the large volume of UCE being sent; and (3) costs and frustrations
imposed on consumers by their receipt of large amounts of UCE.
Universal Data Access (UDA)
Universal Data Access (UDA) is Microsoft's model or framework for a single uniform application
program interface to different software makers' databases, both relational and nonrelational. UDA is
the database access part of Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM), an overall framework for
creating and distributing object-oriented programmingprograms in a network. UDA consists mainly of
the high-level interface, ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) and the lower-level services called OLE DB.
IBM, Oracle, and other companies have provided database bridges that interface with OLE DB.
UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration)
UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration) is an XML-based registry for businesses
worldwide to list themselves on the Internet. Its ultimate goal is to streamline online transactions by
enabling companies to find one another on the Web and make their systems interoperable for e-
commerce. UDDI is often compared to a telephone book's white, yellow, and green pages. The project
allows businesses to list themselves by name, product, location, or the Web services they offer.
UHF (ultrahigh frequency)
The UHF (ultrahigh frequency) range of the radio spectrum is theband extending from 300 MHz to 3
GHz. The wavelengths corresponding to these limit frequencies are 1 meter and 10 centimeters.
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user interface
Show me everything on SOA Resources, Also see human-computer interaction.
In information technology, the user interface (UI) is everything designed into an information device
with which a human being may interact -- including display screen, keyboard, mouse, light pen, the
appearance of a desktop, illuminated characters, help messages, and how an application program or
a Web site invites interaction and responds to it. In early computers, there was very little user interface
except for a few buttons at an operator's console. The user interface was largely in the form of
punched card input and report output.
U interface
In Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Basic Rate Interface service, a U interface is the
electrical interface for the single twisted pair wire connection from a local phone company (the central
office) to a home or business. Unlike a regular 64 Kbps analog phone connection, however, the
twisted-pair using ISDN carries two 64 Kbps channels (known as B, or bearer, channels) and an
additional 16 Kbps channel (the D, for data or delta, channel) for control signals.
ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC)
Show me everything on Tablet PCs
Ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) is a hand-held computing device capable of running a Windows operating
system. A UMPC is larger than a personal digital assistant (PDA) but smaller than a laptop. Microsoft
and Intel created a design specification for the UMPC in a project called Origami.
unified messaging (unified messaging system or UMS)
Show me everything on Unified Messaging
Unified messaging (sometimes referred to as the unified messaging system or UMS) is the handling of
voice, fax, and regular text messages as objects in a single mailbox that a user can access either with
a regular e-mail client or by telephone. The PC user can open and play back voice messages,
assuming their PC has multimedia capabilities. Fax images can be saved or printed.
UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service)
Show me everything on WiMAX, 3G and Wireless Broadband
UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service) is a third-generation (3G) broadband, packet-
based transmission of text, digitized voice, video, and multimedia at data rates up to 2 megabits per
second (Mbps). UMTS offers a consistent set of services to mobile computer and phone users, no
matter where they are located in the world. UMTS is based on the Global System for Mobile (GSM)
communication standard. It is also endorsed by major standards bodies and manufacturers as the
planned standard for mobile users around the world. Once UMTS is fully available, computer and
phone users can be constantly attached to the Internet wherever they travel and, as they roam, will
have the same set of capabilities. Users will have access through a combination of terrestrial wireless
and satellite transmissions. Until UMTS is fully implemented, users can use multi-mode devices that
switch to the currently available technology (such as GSM 900 and 1800) where UMTS is not yet
available.
Universal Naming Convention
In a network, the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) is a way to identify a shared file in a computer
without having to specify (or know) the storage device it is on. In Windows operating systems, Novell
NetWare, and possibly other operating systems, the UNC can be used instead of the local naming
system (such as the DOS naming system in Windows).
U
uncompressing
Uncompressing (or decompressing) is the act of expanding a compression file back into its original
form. Software that you download from the Internet often comes in a compressed package that can
uncompress itself when you click on it. You can also uncompress files using popular tools such as
PKZIP in the DOS operating system, WinZip in Windows, and MacZip in Macintosh.
unconference
An unconference is a conference organized, structured and led by the people attending it. Instead of
passive listening, all attendees and organizers are encouraged to become participants, with
discussion leaders providing moderation and structure for attendees.
undeleting
Undeleting is the process of recovering data that has been deleted from a storage medium, usually the
hard drive of a computer. The process can also be done with some e-mail programs.
Undernet
For terms frequently used in online keyboard chatting, see chat acronyms/IRC/BBS.
According to its home page, the Undernet is the largest network of Internet Relay Channels (IRC) on
the Internet. The Undernet interconnects users from over 35 countries for Internet chatting on about
45 servers located on three continents. At any one time, as many as 20,000 people may be chatting on
one of several hundred Undernet channels. Users must download free IRC clientsoftware from one of
a number of possible Web sites and then register as an Undernet organization member. They will also
furnish personal Web page space for members.
underwater ROV
An underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is a mobile robot designed for aquatic work
environments. Remote control is usually carried out through copper or fiber optic cables. A human
operator sits in a shore-based station, boat or submarine bubble while watching a display that shows
what the robot "sees." The operator can also maneuver the robot. Sophisticated underwater ROVs
incorporate telepresence to give the operator a sense of being in the place of the machine.
unicast
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Unicast is communication between a single sender and a single receiver over a network. The term
exists in contradistinction to multicast, communication between a single sender and multiple
receivers, and anycast, communication between any sender and the nearest of a group of receivers in
a network. An earlier term, point-to-point communication, is similar in meaning to unicast. The new
Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) supports unicast as well as anycast and multicast.
UUID
A UUID (Universal Unique Identifier) is a 128-bit number used to uniquely identify some object or
entity on the Internet. Depending on the specific mechanisms used, a UUID is either guaranteed to be
different or is, at least, extremely likely to be different from any other UUID generated until 3400 A.D.
The UUID relies upon a combination of components to ensure uniqueness. A guaranteed UUID
contains a reference to the network address of the host that generated the UUID, a timestamp (a
record of the precise time of a transaction), and a randomly generated component. Because the
network address identifies a unique computer, and the timestamp is unique for each UUID generated
from a particular host, those two components should sufficiently ensure uniqueness. However, the
randomly generated element of the UUID is added as a protection against any unforseeable problem.
Unix
U
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Unix (often spelled "UNIX," especially as an official trademark) is anoperating system that originated
at Bell Labs in 1969 as an interactive time-sharing system. Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie are
considered the inventors of Unix. The name (pronounced YEW-nihks) was a pun based on an earlier
system, Multics. In 1974, Unix became the first operating system written in the C language. Unix has
evolved as a kind of large freeware product, with many extensions and new ideas provided in a variety
of versions of Unix by different companies, universities, and individuals.
unified communications
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According to the International Engineering Consortium, unified communications is an industry term
used to describe all forms of call and multimedia/cross-media message-management functions
controlled by an individual user for both business and social purposes. This includes any enterprise
informational or transactional application process that emulates a human user and uses a single,
content-independent personal messaging channel (mailbox) for contact access.
Unified Modeling Language (Unified Modeling Language)
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UML (Unified Modeling Language) is a standard notation for the modeling of real-world objects as a
first step in developing an object-oriented design methodology.
Generic Access Network (GAN)
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The Generic Access Network (GAN) is an evolving wirelesscommunications system in which mobile
phone sets function seamlessly between local area networks (LANs) and wide-area networks
(WANs). Using GAN technology, a cell phone subscriber can communicate by voice, data and
multimedia through large-scale cellular and small-scale Wi-Fi systems. Ideally, all handoffs between
systems occur without interrupting the communications session.
Generic Access Network (GAN)
show me everything on Smartphones and Mobile Phones
The Generic Access Network (GAN) is an evolving wirelesscommunications system in which mobile
phone sets function seamlessly between local area networks (LANs) and wide-area networks
(WANs). Using GAN technology, a cell phone subscriber can communicate by voice, data and
multimedia through large-scale cellular and small-scale Wi-Fi systems
URI
To paraphrase the World Wide Web Consortium, Internet space is inhabited by many points of
content. A URI (Uniform Resource Identifier; pronounced YEW-AHR-EYE) is the way you identify any
of those points of content, whether it be a page of text, a video or sound clip, a still or animated image,
or a program. The most common form of URI is the Web page address, which is a particular form or
subset of URI called a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
A URL (Uniform Resource Locator, previously Universal Resource Locator) - usually pronounced by
sounding out each letter but, in some quarters, pronounced "Earl" - is the unique address for a file that
is accessible on the Internet. A common way to get to a Web site is to enter the URL of itshome page
file in your Web browser's address line. However, any file within that Web site can also be specified
U
with a URL. Such a file might be any Web (HTML) page other than the home page, an image file, or a
program such as acommon gateway interface application or Java applet. The URL contains the name
of the protocol to be used to access the file resource, a domain namethat identifies a specific computer
on the Internet, and a pathname, a hierarchical description that specifies the location of a file in that
computer.
union symbol
The union symbol ( ) denotes the union of two set s. It is commonly used in mathematics and
engineering. Given two sets A and B, the union of A and B, written A B, is the set C of all elements that
are in A or in B.
unipolar signaling
Unipolar signaling, also called unipolar transmission ,is a baseband method of sending binary data
over wire or cable. There are two logic states, low and high, represented by the digits 0 and 1
respectively.
W
Whole Language Approach – A teaching method that emphasizes
reading for meaning in context.
Work-based Learning – Supervised learning activities for students that
occur in paid or unpaid workplace assignments, and for which course Credit
is awarded. Also known as Work-site Learning.
Work-study Program – A Financial Aid program that provides jobs for
students to earn part of their college related costs.
Writers' Workshop – A classroom practice that teaches students how to
write through a short strategy lesson, an opportunity to write independently,
and a discussion of how the writing lesson was used to change or improve
their skills.
Arief Darma - Arief Furkani - Arif Zakki Nurfauzan - Arlyntio R
Endarto - Raudhoh Fitra Humamy - Nisa Sakinah - Lusi Juliani -
Lusiana K -Izet Syifaullah Bittaufiq - Dwi Angga - Devi Rohani
Pardosi - Hendrawan L Hidayat - Indra N - Kuntriana Kurnia -
Muhardanto Fadli - Mira - M Pramana Rivai Nasution -- Novriadi
Agniva - Oke Handayani - Rima Desyana - Tria Vende R K -
Sherry Andelis - Sunandar Djunanda - Wildan Awaludin - Tiyas
Makunti - Teddy G - Yulna Novia Krisna - Yuniar Mahesa -
Zakka Arief R


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