stylus ~ System
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
stylus
n. A pointing device used with a graphics tablet, usually attached to the tablet with a cord. Also called pen. See also graphics tablet, puck.
subdirectory
n. A directory (logical grouping of related files) within another directory.
subject tree
n. A type of World Wide Web index that is organized by subject categories, many of which are broken down into subcategories, or "branches." The lowest level of the tree consists of links to specific Web pages. An example of a World Wide Web subject tree is Yahoo! See also Yahoo!.
submenu
n. A menu that appears as the result of the selection of an item on another, higher-level menu.
subnet
n. A network that is a component of a larger network.
subnet mask
n. See address mask.
subnotebook computer
n. A portable computer that is smaller and lighter than a conventional laptop computer.
subscribe
vb. 1. To add a newsgroup to the list of such groups from which a user receives all new articles. 2. To add a name to a LISTSERV distribution list. See also LISTSERV.
subscript
n. 1. One or more characters printed slightly below the baseline of surrounding text. See also baseline. Compare superscript. 2. In programming, one or more numbers or variables that identify the location of an element in an array. See also array, index (definition 2).
suite
n. A set of application programs sold as a package, usually at a lower price than that of the individual applications sold separately. A suite for office work, for example, might contain a word processing program, a spreadsheet, a database management program, and a communications program. See protocol stack.
summarize
vb. To post the results of a survey or vote in short form to a newsgroup or mailing list after collecting the results by e-mail.
SunOS
n. Short for Sun Operating System. A variety of the UNIX operating system used on workstations from Sun Microsystems.
supercomputer
n. A large, extremely fast, and expensive computer used for complex or sophisticated calculations. See also computer.
superscript
n. A character printed slightly above the surrounding text, usually in smaller type. Compare subscript (definition 1).
support1
n. Assistance, such as technical advice provided to customers.
surf
vb. To browse among collections of information on the Internet, in newsgroups, in Gopherspace, and especially on the World Wide Web. As in channel surfing while watching television, users ride the wave of what interests them, jumping from topic to topic or from one Internet site to another. Also called cruise.
surge
n. A sudden--and possibly damaging--increase in line voltage. See also surge protector, voltage regulator. Compare power failure.
surge protector
n. A device that prevents surges from reaching a computer or other kinds of electronic equipment. Also called surge suppressor. See also surge, transient suppressor.
SVGA
n. Acronym for Super Video Graphics Array. A video standard established by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) in 1989 to provide high-resolution color display on IBM-compatible computers. Although SVGA is a standard, compatibility problems can occur with the video BIOS. See also BIOS, video adapter.
S/WAN
n. See secure wide area network.
swap
vb. 1. To exchange one item for another, as in swapping floppy disks in and out of a single drive. 2. To move segments of programs or data between memory and disk storage. See also virtual memory.
swap file
n. A hidden file on the hard drive that Windows uses to hold parts of programs and data files that do not fit in memory. The operating system moves data from the swap file to memory as needed and moves data out of memory to the swap file to make room for new data. The swap file is a form of virtual memory. See also memory, virtual memory.
switch
n. 1. A circuit element that has two states: on and off. 2. A control device that allows the user to choose one of two or more possible states. 3. In communications, a computer or electromechanical device that controls routing and operation of a signal path. 4. In operating systems such as MS-DOS, an argument used to control the execution of a command or an application, typically starting with a slash character (/).
switched Ethernet
n. An Ethernet network run through a high-speed switch instead of an Ethernet hub. A switched Ethernet involves dedicated bandwidth of 10 Mbps between stations rather than a shared medium. See also Ethernet (definition 1), switch (definition 3).
switched line
n. A standard dial-up telephone connection; the type of line established when a call is routed through a switching station. Compare leased line.
switched network
n. A communications network that uses switching to establish a connection between parties, such as the dial-up telephone system. switched virtual circuit
n. See SVC.
switching
n. A communications method that uses temporary rather than permanent connections to establish a link or to route information between two parties. In the dial-up telephone network, for example, a caller's line goes to a switching center, where the actual connection is made to the called party. In computer networks, message switching and packet switching allow any two parties to exchange information. In both instances, messages are routed (switched) through intermediary stations that together serve to connect the sender and the receiver.
switching hub
n. A central device (switch) that connects separate communication lines in a network and routes messages and packets among the computers on the network. The switch functions as a hub, or PBX, for the network. See also hub, packet (definition 1), PBX, switch (definition 3), switched Ethernet, switched network.
switching speed
n. In a packet-switching telecommunications technology, such as ATM, the speed at which data packets are sent through the network. Switching speed is generally measured in kilobits or megabits per second. See also ATM (definition 1), packet switching.
SYLK file
n. Short for symbolic link file. A file constructed with a proprietary Microsoft format, used primarily for exchanging spreadsheet data in such a way that formatting information and intercellular data value relationships are preserved.
symbol
n. In programming, a name that represents a register, an absolute value, or a memory address (relative or absolute). See also identifier, operator (definition 1).
symbol font
n. A special font or typeface that replaces the characters normally accessible from the keyboard with alternative characters used as symbols, such as scientific, linguistic, or foreign-alphabet characters.
symmetric multiprocessing
n. See SMP.
synchronization
n. 1. In networking, a communications transmission in which multibyte packets of data are sent and received at a fixed rate. See also packet (definition 1). 2. In networking, the matching of timing between computers on the network. All of the computers are generally assigned identical times to facilitate and coordinate communications. 3. In a computer, the matching of timing between components of the computer so that all are coordinated. For instance, operations performed by the operating system are generally synchronized with the signals of the machine's internal clock. See also clock (definition 1), operating system. 4. In application or database files, version comparisons of copies of the files to ensure they contain the same data. 5. In multimedia, precise real-time processing. Audio and video are transmitted over a network in synchronization so that they can be played back together without delayed responses. See also real-time.
synchronous DRAM
n. A form of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) that can run at higher clock speeds than conventional DRAM by employing a bursting technique in which the DRAM predicts the address of the next memory location to be accessed. See also dynamic RAM. Acronym: SDRAM.
syntax
n. The grammar of a language; the rules governing the structure and content of statements. See also logic, programming language, syntax error. Compare semantics.
sysadmin
n. The usual logon name or e-mail address for the system administrator of a UNIX-based system. See also system administrator.
sysop
n. Short for system operator. The overseer of a BBS or a small multiuser computer system.
system
n. Any collection of component elements that work together to perform a task. Examples are a hardware system consisting of a microprocessor, its allied chips and circuitry, input and output devices, and peripheral devices; an operating system consisting of a set of programs and data files; or a database management system used to process specific kinds of information.
system administrator
n. The person responsible for administering use of a multiuser computer system, communications system, or both. A system administrator performs such duties as assigning user accounts and passwords, establishing security access levels, allocating storage space, and watching for unauthorized access to prevent virus or Trojan horse programs from entering the system. Also called sysadmin. See also Trojan horse, virus. Compare sysop.
system disk
n. A disk that contains an operating system and can be used to boot a computer. Also called startup disk. See also boot2, operating system.
system error
n. A software condition that renders the operating system incapable of continuing to function normally. This type of error usually requires rebooting the system.
system failure
n. The inability of a computer to continue functioning, usually caused by software rather than hardware.
System file
n. A resource file on the Macintosh that contains the resources needed by the operating system, such as fonts, icons, and default dialog boxes.
system support
n. The provision of services and material resources for the use, maintenance, and improvement of an implemented system.
System V
n. A version of the UNIX system provided by AT&T and others. It is both a standard (principally controlled by AT&T) and a set of commercial products. See also UNIX.
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