A Gathering Place: Microsoft Glossary of Terms 55

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token ~ typography

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

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token

n. 1. A unique structured data object or message that circulates continuously among the nodes of a token ring and describes the current state of the network. Before any node can send a message, it must first wait to control the token. See also token bus network, token passing, token ring network. 2. Any nonreducible textual element in data that is being parsed--for example, the use in a program of a variable name, a reserved word, or an operator. Storing tokens as short codes shortens program files and speeds execution. See also Basic, parse.

token bus network

n. A local area network formed in a bus topology (stations connected to a single, shared data highway) that uses token passing as a means of regulating traffic on the line. On a token bus network, a token governing the right to transmit is passed from one station to another, and each station holds the token for a brief time, during which it alone can transmit information. The token is transferred in order of priority from an "upstream" station to the next "downstream" station, which might or might not be the next station on the bus. In essence, the token "circles" through the network in a logical ring rather than a physical one. Token bus networks are defined in the IEEE 802.4 standards. See also bus network, IEEE 802 standards, token passing. Compare token ring network.

token passing

n. A method of controlling access on local area networks through the use of a special signal, called a token, that determines which station is allowed to transmit. The token, which is actually a short message, is passed from station to station around the network. Only the station with the token can transmit information. See also token bus network, token ring network. Compare collision detection, contention, CSMA/CD.

token ring network

n. A local area network formed in a ring (closed loop) topology that uses token passing as a means of regulating traffic on the line. On a token ring network, a token governing the right to transmit is passed from one station to the next in a physical circle. If a station has information to transmit, it "seizes" the token, marks it as being in use, and inserts the information. The "busy" token, plus message, is then passed around the circle, copied when it arrives at its destination, and eventually returned to the sender. The sender removes the attached message and then passes the freed token to the next station in line. Token ring networks are defined in the IEEE 802.5 standards. See also IEEE 802 standards, ring network, token passing. Compare token bus network.

Token Ring network

n. A token-passing, ring-shaped local area network developed by IBM that operates at 4 megabits (4 million bits) per second. With standard telephone wiring, the Token Ring network can connect up to 72 devices; with shielded twisted-pair (STP) wiring, the network supports up to 260 devices. Although it is based on a ring (closed loop) topology, the Token Ring network uses star-shaped clusters of up to eight workstations connected to a wiring concentrator (Multistation Access Unit, or MSAU), which, in turn, is connected to the main ring. The Token Ring network is designed to accommodate microcomputers, minicomputers, and mainframes; it follows the IEEE 802.5 standards for token ring networks. See also ring network, STP, token passing.

toner

n. Powdered pigment that is used in office copiers and in laser, LED, and LCD printers. See also electrophotographic printers.

toner cartridge

n. A disposable container that holds toner for a laser printer or other page printer. Some types of toner cartridge contain toner only; however, the most popular printer engines pack all expendables, including toner and the photosensitive drum, in a single cartridge. Toner cartridges are interchangeable among printers that use the same engine.

toolbar

n. In an application in a graphical user interface, a row, column, or block of on-screen buttons or icons. When these buttons or icons are clicked on with the mouse, macros or certain functions of the application are activated. For example, word processors often feature toolbars with buttons for changing text to italic, boldface, and other styles. Toolbars often can be customized by the user and usually can be moved around on the screen according to the user's preference. See also graphical user interface. Compare menu bar, palette (definition 1), taskbar, title bar.

toolbox

n. A set of predefined (and usually precompiled) routines a programmer can use in writing a program for a particular machine, environment, or application. Also called toolkit. See also library (definition 1).

Toolbox

n. A set of routines stored mostly in the read-only memory of a Macintosh that provide application programmers with the tools needed to support the graphical interface characteristic of the computer. Also called User Interface Toolbox.

topic drift

n. The tendency of an online discussion to move from its original subject to other related or unrelated directions. For example, someone in a conference devoted to television may ask about a news program; then somebody else may say something about a story on that program about food poisoning, which leads somebody else to start a general discussion on the advantages of organic fruits and vegetables.

topology

n. The configuration formed by the connections between devices on a local area network (LAN) or between two or more LANs. See also bus network, LAN, ring network, star network, token ring network, tree network.

touch screen

n. A computer screen designed or modified to recognize the location of a touch on its surface. By touching the screen, the user can make a selection or move a cursor. The simplest type of touch screen is made up of a grid of sensing lines, which determine the location of a touch by matching vertical and horizontal contacts. Another, more accurate type uses an electrically charged surface and sensors around the outer edges of the screen to detect the amount of electrical disruption and pinpoint exactly where contact has been made. A third type has infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and sensors around the outer edges of the screen. These LEDs and sensors create an invisible infrared grid, which the user's finger interrupts, in front of the screen. Compare light pen.

tower

n. A microcomputer system in which the cabinet for the central processing unit (CPU) is tall, narrow, and deep rather than short, wide, and deep. The motherboard is usually vertical, and the disk drives are often perpendicular to the motherboard. A tower cabinet is at least 24 inches tall. See also cabinet, microcomputer, motherboard. Compare minitower.

trace

vb. To execute a program in such a way that the sequence of statements being executed can be observed. See also debugger, single step.

track1

n. One of numerous circular data storage areas on a floppy disk or a hard drive, comparable to a groove on a record but not spiral. Tracks, composed of sectors, are recorded on a disk by an operating system during a disk format operation. On other storage media, such as tape, a track runs parallel to the edge of the medium.

trackball

n. A pointing device that consists of a ball resting on two rollers at right angles to each other, which translate the ball's motion into vertical and horizontal movement on the screen. A trackball also typically has one or more buttons to initiate other actions. A trackball's housing is stationary; its ball is rolled with the hand. Compare mechanical mouse.

trackpad

n. A pointing device consisting of a small, flat pad that is sensitive to touch. Users move the mouse cursor on screen by touching the trackpad and moving their fingers across the trackpad's surface. Such devices are most commonly installed on laptop computers. See also pointing device.

trademark

n. A word, phrase, symbol, or design (or some combination thereof) used to identify a proprietary product, often accompanied by the symbol or .

trade show

n. A multivendor sales event or exposition that showcases companies' products. traditional newsgroup hierarchy

n. The seven standard newsgroup categories in Usenet: comp., misc., news., rec., sci., soc., and talk. Newsgroups can be added within the traditional hierarchy only following a formal voting process. See also comp. newsgroups, misc. newsgroups, newsgroup, news. newsgroups, rec. newsgroups, Request for Discussion, sci. newsgroups, soc. newsgroups, talk. newsgroups, Usenet. Compare alt. newsgroup.

traffic

n. The load carried by a communications link or channel.

train2

vb. To teach an end user how to use a software or hardware product.

transaction

n. A discrete activity within a computer system, such as an entry of a customer order or an update of an inventory item. Transactions are usually associated with database management, order entry, and other online systems.

transaction file

n. A file that contains the details of transactions, such as items and prices on invoices. It is used to update a master database file. See also transaction. Compare master file.

transceiver

n. Short for transmitter/receiver. A device that can both transmit and receive signals. On local area networks, a transceiver is the device that connects a computer to the network.

transceiver cable

n. A cable used to connect a host adapter within a computer to a local area network (LAN). See also AUI cable, LAN.

transfer

n. 1. The movement of data from one location to another. 2. The passing of program control from one portion of code to another.

transfer rate

n. The rate at which a circuit or a communications channel transfers information from source to destination, as over a network or to and from a disk drive. Transfer rate is measured in units of information per unit of time--for example, bits per second or characters per second--and can be measured either as a raw rate, which is the maximum transfer speed, or as an average rate, which includes gaps between blocks of data as part of the transmission time.

transfer time

n. The time elapsed between the start of a data transfer operation and its completion.

transistor

n. Short for transfer resistor. A solid-state circuit component, usually with three leads, in which a voltage or a current controls the flow of another current. The transistor can serve many functions, including those of amplifier, switch, and oscillator, and is a fundamental component of almost all modern electronics. See also base (definition 3), FET, NPN transistor, PNP transistor.

translate

vb. 1. In programming, to convert a program from one language to another. Translation is performed by special programs such as compilers, assemblers, and interpreters. 2. In computer graphics, to move an image in the "space" represented on the display, without turning (rotating) the image.

translated file

n. A file containing data that has been changed from binary (8-bit) format to ASCII (7-bit) format. BinHex and uuencode both translate binary files into ASCII. Such translation is necessary to transmit data through systems (such as e-mail) that may not preserve the eighth bit of each byte. A translated file must be decoded to its binary form before being used. See also BinHex, uuencode.

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol

n. See TCP/IP.

transmit

vb. To send information over a communications line or a circuit. Computer transmissions can take place in the following ways: k:\compdict\database\4359.doc

Transmit Data

n. See TXD.

transparent

adj. 1. In computer use, of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a device, function, or part of a program that works so smoothly and easily that it is invisible to the user. For example, the ability of one application to use files created by another is transparent if the user encounters no difficulty in opening, reading, or using the second program's files or does not even know the use is occurring. 2. In communications, of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a mode of transmission in which data can include any characters, including device-control characters, without the possibility of misinterpretation by the receiving station. For example, the receiving station will not end a transparent transmission until it receives a character in the data that indicates end of transmission. Thus, there is no danger of the receiving station ending communications prematurely. 3. In computer graphics, of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the lack of color in a particular region of an image so that the background color of the display shows through.

transport layer

n. The fourth of seven layers in the International Organization for Standardization's Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model for standardizing computer-to-computer communications. The transport layer is one level above the network layer and is responsible for both quality of service and accurate delivery of information. Among the tasks performed on this layer are error detection and correction. See also ISO/OSI model.

transpose2

vb. 1. To reverse, as the order of the letters h and t in hte, in correcting the spelling of the; or reversing two wires in a circuit. 2. In mathematics and spreadsheets, to rotate a matrix (a rectangular array of numbers) about a diagonal axis.

tree

n. A data structure containing zero or more nodes that are linked together in a hierarchical fashion. If there are any nodes, one node is the root; each node except the root is the child of one and only one other node; and each node has zero or more nodes as children. See also child (definition 2), graph, leaf, node (definition 3), parent/child (definition 2), root.

tree search

n. A search procedure performed on a tree data structure. At each step of the search, a tree search is able to determine, by the value in a particular node, which branches of the tree to eliminate, without searching those branches themselves. See also branch (definition 1), tree structure.

trigger

n. In a database, an action that causes a procedure to be carried out automatically when a user attempts to modify data. A trigger can instruct the database system to take a specific action, depending on the particular change attempted. Incorrect, unwanted, or unauthorized changes can thereby be prevented, helping to maintain the integrity of the database.

Trojan horse

n. A destructive program disguised as a game, utility, or application. When run, a Trojan horse does something harmful to the computer system while appearing to do something useful. See also virus, worm.

troll

vb. To post a message in a newsgroup or other online conference in the hopes that somebody else will consider the original message so outrageous that it demands a heated reply. A classic example of trolling is an article in favor of torturing cats posted in a pet lovers' newsgroup. See also YHBT.

troubleshoot

vb. To isolate the source of a problem in a program, computer system, or network and remedy it.

true color

n. See 24-bit color.

TrueType

n. An outline font technology introduced by Apple Computer, Inc., in 1991 and by Microsoft Corporation in 1992 as a means of including high-grade fonts within the Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows operating systems. TrueType is a WYSIWYG font technology, which means that the printed output of TrueType fonts is identical to what appears on the screen. See also bitmapped font, outline font, PostScript.

truncate

vb. To cut off the beginning or end of a series of characters or numbers; specifically, to eliminate one or more of the least significant (typically rightmost) digits. In truncation, numbers are simply eliminated, unlike rounding, in which the rightmost digit might be incremented to preserve accuracy. Compare round.

TSR

n. Acronym for terminate-and-stay-resident. A program that remains loaded in memory even when it is not running, so that it can be quickly invoked for a specific task performed while another program is operating. Typically, these programs are used with operating systems that are not multitasking, such as MS-DOS. See also hot key.

TTFN

n. Acronym for "Ta ta for now." An expression sometimes used in Internet discussion groups, such as Internet Relay Chat (IRC), to signal a participant's temporary departure from the group. See also IRC.

TTL

n. See Time to Live, transistor-transistor logic.

TTY

n. Acronym for teletypewriter. A device for low-speed communications over a telephone line, consisting of a keyboard that sends a character code for each keystroke and a printer that prints characters as their codes are received. The simplest video display interface behaves like a TTY. See also KSR terminal, teletype mode.

tunnel

vb. To encapsulate or wrap a packet or a message from one protocol in the packet for another. The wrapped packet is then transmitted over a network via the protocol of the wrapper. This method of packet transmission is used to avoid protocol restrictions. See also communications protocol, packet (definition 2).

turnkey system

n. A finished system, complete with all necessary hardware and documentation and with software installed and ready to be used.

tutorial

n. A teaching aid designed to help people learn to use a product or procedure. In computer applications, a tutorial might be presented in either a book or a manual or as an interactive disk-based series of lessons provided with the program package.

TWAIN

n. Acronym for technology without an interesting name. The de facto standard interface between software applications and image-capturing devices such as a scanners. Nearly all scanners contain a TWAIN driver, but only TWAIN-compatible software can use the technology. See also scanner.

tweak

vb. To make final small changes to improve hardware or software performance; to fine-tune a nearly complete product.

twisted-pair cable

n. A cable made of two separately insulated strands of wire twisted together. It is used to reduce signal interference introduced by a strong radio source such as a nearby cable. One of the wires in the pair carries the sensitive signal, and the other wire is grounded.

two-dimensional

adj. Existing in reference to two measures, such as height and width--for example, a two-dimensional model drawn with reference to an x-axis and a y-axis, or a two-dimensional array of numbers placed in rows and columns. See also Cartesian coordinates.

two's complement

n. A number in the base-2 system (binary system) that is the true complement of another number. A two's complement is usually derived by reversing the digits in a binary number (changing 1s to 0s and 0s to 1s) and adding 1 to the result. When two's complements are used to represent negative numbers, the most significant (leftmost) digit is always 1. See also complement.

two-tier client/server

n. A client/server architecture in which software systems are structured into two tiers or layers: the user interface/business logic layer and the database layer. Fourth-generation languages (4GL) have helped to popularize the two-tier client/server architecture. Also called 4GL architecture. See also 4GL, client/server architecture. Compare three-tier client/server.

TXD

n. Short for Transmit (tx) Data. A line used to carry transmitted data from one device to another, as from computer to modem; in RS-232-C connections, pin 2. See also RS-232-C standard. Compare RXD.

type1

n. 1. In programming, the nature of a variable--for example, integer, real number, text character, or floating-point number. Data types in programs are declared by the programmer and determine the range of values a variable can take as well as the operations that can be performed on it. See also data type. 2. In printing, the characters that make up printed text, the design of a set of characters (typeface), or, more loosely, the complete set of characters in a given size and style (font). See also font, typeface.

type2

vb. To enter information by means of the keyboard.

typeface

n. A specific, named design of a set of printed characters, such as Helvetica Bold Oblique, that has a specified obliqueness (degree of slant) and stroke weight (thickness of line). A typeface is not the same as a font, which is a specific size of a specific typeface, such as 12-point Helvetica Bold Oblique. Nor is a typeface the same as a typeface family, which is a group of related typefaces, such as the Helvetica family including Helvetica, Helvetica Bold, Helvetica Oblique, and Helvetica Bold Oblique. See also font.

type size

n. The size of printed characters, usually measured in points (a point is approximately 1/72 inch). See also point1 (definition 1).

type style

n. 1. The obliqueness, or degree of slant, of a typeface. 2. Loosely, the overall design of a typeface or a typeface family. 3. One of the variant forms of a type character, including roman, bold, italic, and bold italic.

typography

n. 1. The art of font design and typesetting. See also computer typesetting, font. 2. The conversion of unformatted text into camera-ready type, suitable for printing. See also camera-ready.

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