AMI BIOS-thru-Arithmetic Operation
A/B Switch box ~ America On-line AMI BIOS ~ Arithmetic Operation ARP ~ AVI Backbone ~ Bit Image Bit Map ~ Boot Disk Boot Drive ~ Bytes Per Inch C++ ~ Carrier Frequency carrier system ~ certification CGI ~ Chooser extension cipher ~ Clipper Chip clock ~ color color bits ~ communications satellite communications server ~ computer security CON ~ copy copy program ~ cycle time daemon ~ defragmentation demand paging ~ digitize DikuMUD ~ disk disk buffer ~ Document Style Semantics and Specification Language document window ~ dynamic Web page Easter egg ~ erase erase head ~ ezine F2F ~ finger2 firewall ~ font suitcase footer ~ FYI Game Control Adapter ~ GUI HAL ~ hot key1 hot key2 ~ Hz i486DX ~ internal modem internet ~ ISO 9660 ISO/OSI model ~ just-in-time K1 ~ knowledge base L1 cache ~ LU luggable computer ~ LZW compression MAC ~ MILNET mime ~ msec MTBF ~ MYOB named anchor ~ network drive Network File System ~ number crunching object ~ overwrite mode P5 ~ PC/XT keyboard PDA ~ pipeline processing piracy ~ preventive maintenance preview ~ pwd quasi-language ~ QWERTY keyboard R&D ~ registration marks Registry ~ RFI RF shielding ~ run-time library SAA ~ server error server push-pull ~ soft return software ~ style sheet stylus ~ System T1 ~ ToggleKeys token ~ typography UART ~ uupc V.120 ~ view2 viewer ~ VxD w3 ~ WinG WINS ~ WWW X.25 ~ X Windows Yahoo! ~ yotta- Z39.50 standard ~ Zulu time
AMI BIOS
n. A ROM BIOS developed and marketed by American Megatrends, Inc. (AMI), for use in IBM-compatible computers. A popular feature is that its configuration software is stored in the ROM chip along with the BIOS routines, so that the user does not need a separate configuration disk to modify system settings, such as amount of memory installed and number and types of disk drives. See also BIOS, Phoenix BIOS, ROM BIOS.
amplitude
n. A measure of the strength of a signal, such as sound or voltage, determined by the distance from the baseline to the peak of the waveform. See also waveform.
amplitude modulation
n. A method of encoding information in a transmission, such as radio, using a carrier wave of constant frequency but of varying amplitude. Acronym: AM.
AMPS
n. Acronym for Advanced Mobile Phone Service. One of the original cellular phone services, relying on frequency-division multiplexing.
analog
adj. Pertaining to or being a device or signal having the property of continuously varying in strength or quantity, such as voltage or audio. Compare digital (definition 2).
analog channel
n. A communications channel, such as a voice-grade telephone line, carrying signals that vary continuously and can assume any value within a specified range.
analog data
n. Data that is represented by continuous variations in some physical property, such as voltage, frequency, or pressure. Compare digital data transmission.
analog line
n. A communications line, such as a standard telephone line, that carries continuously varying signals.
analog-to-digital converter
n. A device that converts a continuously varying (analog) signal, such as sound or voltage, from a monitoring instrument to binary code for use by a computer. Also called A-D converter. See also modem. Compare digital-to-analog converter. Acronym: ADC.
anchor
n. 1. A format code in a desktop publishing or word processing document that keeps an element in the document, such as a figure or a caption or label associated with the figure, in a certain position in the document. The anchored object is generally attached to another element in the document such as a piece of text (often a paragraph), a graphic, or a particular place in the document. As text and other objects are added to the document, the anchored object moves relative to the object to which it is anchored or remains stationary. 2. A tag in an HTML document that defines a section of text, an icon, or other element as a link to another element in the document or to another document or file. See hyperlink.
angstrom
n. Abbreviated , a unit of measure equal to one 10-billionth (10-10) of a meter or one 250-millionth of an inch. Light wavelength, for example, is commonly measured in angstroms.
animated cursors
n. A Windows 95 and Windows NT feature that allows a series of frames, one after another, to appear at the mouse pointer location instead of a single image, thus producing a short loop of animation. The animated cursors feature is designated by the .ani suffix. animated GIF n. A series of graphic images in GIF format, displayed sequentially in a single location to give the appearance of a moving picture. See also GIF.
animation
n. The illusion of movement created by using a succession of static images. In computer graphics, the images can all be drawn separately, or starting and ending points can be drawn with the intervening images provided by software. See also 3-D graphic, surface modeling, tween, wire-frame model.
annotation
n. A note or comment attached to some part of a document to provide related information. Some applications support voice annotations or annotations accessible by icons. See also comment.
annoybot
n. A bot on an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel or multi-user dungeon (MUD) that interacts with the user in an obnoxious manner. See also bot, IRC, MUD.
anonymous
n. On the Internet, the standard login name used to obtain access to a public FTP file archive. See also anonymous FTP.
anonymous FTP
n. The ability to access a remote computer system on which one does not have an account, via the Internet's File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Users have restricted access rights with anonymous FTP and usually can only copy files to or from a public directory, often named /pub, on the remote system. Users can also typically use FTP commands, such as listing files and directories. When using anonymous FTP, the user accesses the remote computer system with an FTP program and generally uses anonymous or ftp as a logon name. The password is usually the user's e-mail address, although a user can often skip giving a password or give a false e-mail address. In other cases, the password can be the word anonymous. Many FTP sites do not permit anonymous FTP access in order to maintain security. Those that do permit anonymous FTP sometimes restrict users to only downloading files for the same reason. See also FTP1 (definition 1), logon, /pub.
anonymous post
n. A message in a newsgroup or mailing list that cannot be traced to its originator. Generally this is accomplished by using an anonymous server for newsgroup posts or an anonymous remailer for e-mail. See also anonymous remailer.
anonymous remailer
n. An e-mail server that receives incoming messages, replaces the headers that identify the original sources of the messages, and sends the messages to their ultimate destinations. The purpose of an anonymous remailer is to hide the identities of the senders of the e-mail messages.
anonymous server
n. 1. The software used by an anonymous remailer. See also anonymous remailer. 2. Software that provides anonymous FTP service. See also anonymous FTP. See anonymous remailer.
ANSI
n. Acronym for American National Standards Institute. A voluntary, nonprofit organization of U.S. business and industry groups formed in 1918 for the development of trade and communication standards. ANSI is the American representative of the International Standards Organization and has developed recommendations for the use of programming languages including FORTRAN, C, and COBOL. See also ANSI C, ANSI.SYS, SCSI.
ANSI.SYS
n. An installable device driver for MS-DOS computers that uses ANSI commands (escape sequences) to enhance the user's control of the console. See also ANSI, driver, escape sequence, install.
answer mode
n. A setting that allows a modem to answer an incoming call automatically. It is used in all fax machines. Also called auto answer.
answer-only modem
n. A modem that can receive but not originate calls.
anti-aliasing
n. A software technique for smoothing the jagged appearance of curved or diagonal lines caused by poor resolution on a display screen. Methods of anti-aliasing include surrounding pixels with intermediate shades, and manipulating the size and horizontal alignment of pixels. See also dithering. Compare aliasing.
anti-glare
adj. Pertaining to any measure taken to reduce reflections of external light on a monitor screen. The screen may be coated with a chemical (which may reduce its brightness), covered with a polarizing filter, or simply rotated so that external light is not reflected into the user's eye.
antistatic device
n. A device designed to minimize shocks caused by the buildup of static electricity, which can disrupt computer equipment or cause data loss. An antistatic device may take the form of a floor mat, a wristband with a wire attached to the workstation, a spray, a lotion, or other special-purpose device. See also static, static electricity.
antivirus program
n. A computer program that scans a computer's memory and mass storage to identify, isolate, and eliminate viruses, and that examines incoming files for viruses as the computer receives them.
any key
n. Any random key on a computer keyboard. Some programs prompt the user to "press any key" to continue. It does not matter which key the user presses. There is no key on the keyboard called Any.
append
vb. To place or insert as an attachment by adding data to the end of a file or database or extending a character string. See also file, string. Compare truncate.
Apple Desktop Bus
n. A serial communications pathway built into Apple Macintosh and Apple IIGS computers. Typically a flexible cord, it enables low-speed input devices, such as a keyboard or mouse, to communicate with the computer. The bus functions like a simple local area network that can connect up to 16 devices, including light pens, trackballs, and graphics tablets, to the computer. Although there are only two external ports, more than two devices can be linked in a series called a daisy chain. See also bus, daisy chain, device driver, input/output port, serial communication. Acronym: ADB.
Apple Events
n. A feature added to Mac OS System 7 that enables one application to send a command, such as save or open, to another application. See also Mac OS.
Apple key
n. A key on Apple keyboards labeled with an outline of the Apple logo. On the Apple Extended Keyboard, this key is the same as the Command key, which functions similarly to the Control key on IBM and compatible keyboards. It is generally used in conjunction with a character key as a shortcut to making menu selections or starting a macro.
AppleScript
n. A script language used with Macintosh computers running under the System 7 operating system to execute commands and automate functions. See also script.
AppleShare
n. File server software that works with the Mac OS and allows one Macintosh computer to share files with another on the same network. See also file server, Mac OS.
applet
n. A small piece of code that can be transported over the Internet and executed on the recipient's machine. The term is especially used to refer to such programs as they are embedded in line as objects in HTML documents on the World Wide Web.
AppleTalk
n. An inexpensive local area network developed by Apple that can be used by Apple and non-Apple computers to communicate and share resources such as printers and file servers. Non-Apple computers must be equipped with AppleTalk hardware and suitable software. The network uses a layered set of protocols similar to the ISO/OSI model and transfers information in the form of packets called frames. AppleTalk supports connections to other AppleTalk networks through devices known as bridges, and it supports connections to dissimilar networks through devices called gateways. See also bridge, frame (definition 2), gateway.
application
n. A program designed to assist in the performance of a specific task, such as word processing, accounting, or inventory management. Compare utility.
application-centric
adj. Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of an operating system in which a user invokes an application to open or create documents (such as word processing files or spreadsheets). Command-line interfaces and some graphical user interfaces such as the Windows 3.x Program Manager are application-centric. Compare document-centric.
application developer
n. An individual who designs and analyzes the appearance and operation of an application program.
application development environment
n. An integrated suite of programs for use by software developers. Typical components of application development environments include a compiler, file browsing system, debugger, and text editor for use in creating programs.
application gateway
n. Software running on a machine that is intended to maintain security on a secluded network yet allow certain traffic to go between the private network and the outside world. See also firewall.
application layer
n. The highest layer of standards in the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. The application layer contains signals that perform useful work for the user, such as file transfer or remote access to a computer, as opposed to lower levels, which control the exchange of data between transmitter and receiver. See also ISO/OSI model.
application programming interface
or application program interface n. A set of routines used by an application program to direct the performance of procedures by the computer's operating system. Acronym: API.
application shortcut key
n. A key or combination of keys that when pressed will quickly perform an action within an application that would normally require several user actions, such as menu selections. Also called keyboard shortcut.
Archie
n. An Internet utility for finding files in public archives obtainable by anonymous FTP. The master Archie server at McGill University in Montreal downloads FTP indexes from participating FTP servers and merges them into a master list and sends updated copies of the master list to other Archie servers each day. Archie is a shortened form of archive. See also anonymous FTP, FTP1 (definition 1). Compare Jughead, Veronica.
Archie server
n. On the Internet, a server that contains Archie indexes to the names and addresses of files in public FTP archives. See also Archie, FTP1 (definition 1), server (definition 2).
architecture
n. 1. The physical construction or design of a computer system and its components. See also cache, CISC, closed architecture, network architecture, open architecture, pipelining, RISC. 2. The data-handling capacity of a microprocessor. 3. The design of application software incorporating protocols and the means for expansion and interfacing with other programs.
archive1
n. 1. A tape or disk containing files copied from another storage device and used as backup storage. 2. A compressed file. 3. A file directory on the Internet that is available by File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or an Internet directory established for dissemination of stored files.
archive2
vb. 1. To copy files onto a tape or disk for long-term storage. 2. To compress a file.
archive bit
n. A bit that is associated with a file and is used to indicate whether or not the file has been backed up. See also back up, bit.
archive site
n. A site on the Internet that stores files. The files are usually accessed through one of the following ways: downloaded through anonymous FTP, retrieved through Gopher, or viewed on the World Wide Web. See also anonymous FTP, Gopher.
area chart
n. A graphical presentation, such as of quarterly sales figures, that uses shading or coloring to emphasize the difference between the line representing one set of data points and the line representing a separate but related set of data points.
arithmetic operation
n. Any of the standard calculations performed in arithmetic--addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. The term is also used in reference to negative numbers and absolute values.
A/B Switch box ~ America On-line AMI BIOS ~ Arithmetic Operation ARP ~ AVI Backbone ~ Bit Image Bit Map ~ Boot Disk Boot Drive ~ Bytes Per Inch C++ ~ Carrier Frequency carrier system ~ certification CGI ~ Chooser extension cipher ~ Clipper Chip clock ~ color color bits ~ communications satellite communications server ~ computer security CON ~ copy copy program ~ cycle time daemon ~ defragmentation demand paging ~ digitize DikuMUD ~ disk disk buffer ~ Document Style Semantics and Specification Language document window ~ dynamic Web page Easter egg ~ erase erase head ~ ezine F2F ~ finger2 firewall ~ font suitcase footer ~ FYI Game Control Adapter ~ GUI HAL ~ hot key1 hot key2 ~ Hz i486DX ~ internal modem internet ~ ISO 9660 ISO/OSI model ~ just-in-time K1 ~ knowledge base L1 cache ~ LU luggable computer ~ LZW compression MAC ~ MILNET mime ~ msec MTBF ~ MYOB named anchor ~ network drive Network File System ~ number crunching object ~ overwrite mode P5 ~ PC/XT keyboard PDA ~ pipeline processing piracy ~ preventive maintenance preview ~ pwd quasi-language ~ QWERTY keyboard R&D ~ registration marks Registry ~ RFI RF shielding ~ run-time library SAA ~ server error server push-pull ~ soft return software ~ style sheet stylus ~ System T1 ~ ToggleKeys token ~ typography UART ~ uupc V.120 ~ view2 viewer ~ VxD w3 ~ WinG WINS ~ WWW X.25 ~ X Windows Yahoo! ~ yotta- Z39.50 standard ~ Zulu time