A
ADSL
Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) is a type of digital subscriber line (DSL) broadband technology that is used to connect to the Internet. It uses standard telephone lines to deliver high-speed data communications (up to 24 megabytes per second).
ANALOGUE
Analogue is a conventional method of transmitting data. Standard landline telephones use analog technology. It is distinct from digital technology, which provides for greater quality and speed of data transmission.
ACCESS POINT
A device that allows wireless-equipped computers and other devices to communicate with a wired network.
ACTIVE-X
A technology from Microsoft that links desktop applications to the World Wide Web. Using ActiveX tools, interactive web content can be created. Example: In addition to viewing Word and Excel documents from within a browser, additional functionality such as animation, credit card transactions, or spreadsheet calculations.
ALIAS
A short, easy-to-remember name created for use in place of a longer, more complicated name; commonly used in e-mail applications. Also referred to as a "nickname".
ANTI-SPAM
To prevent e-mail spam, both end-users and administrators of e-mail systems use various anti-spam techniques. Some of these techniques have been embedded in products, services, and software to ease the burden on users and administrators. No one technique is a complete solution to the spam problem, and each has trade-offs between incorrectly rejecting legitimate e-mail vs. not rejecting all spam and the associated costs in time and effort. Dataprise Cloud-Based Anti-SPAM e-mail service eliminates the problem almost entirely. Our state-of-the-art solution lets users see only the e-mail they want — and filters out all of the viruses and e-solicitations they don’t want before they reach users’ computers and mobile devices.
APPLET
A program capable of running on any computer regardless of the operating system. Many applets can be downloaded from various sites on the Internet.
APP (APPLICATION)
A program is designed for a specific purpose, such as designed for mobile or tablet.
ASCII FILE
A file that can be opened and read by standard text editor programs (for example, Notepad or Simple Text) on almost any type of computer. Also referred to as "plain text files". Examples: documents saved in ASCII format within word processors like Microsoft Word or WordPerfect; e-mail messages created by a program like Outlook; or HTML files.
ATTACHMENT
In this context, a file is sent along with an e-mail message. ASCII (plain text) files may be appended to the message text, but other types of files are encoded and sent separately (common formats that can be selected include MIME, BinHex, and Uuencode).
AUTHENTICATION
The process of identifying yourself and the verification that you're who you say you are. Computers, where restricted information is stored, may require you to enter your username and password to gain access.
B
BACK-END
Back-end refers to the part of an application that performs an essential task not apparent to the user.
BANDWIDTH
Bandwidth refers to the maximum amount of data that can travel a communications path in a given time, usually measured in seconds.
BIT
A bit (short for binary digit) is the smallest unit of measurement in computing. 8 bits make up 1 byte.
BLUETOOTH
Bluetooth is a wireless communications technology intended to replace cables. It allows short-range connections between two or more Bluetooth-compatible devices such as mobile phones, tablets, headsets, or medical equipment, the user can send voice and data from one electronic device to another via radio waves.
BOOLEAN OPERATORS
Most search engines (e.g. Google) allow you to limit your search or make it more specific by using words such as "and", "or" and "not". These words are known as Boolean operators because of their origin as terms in logic.
BOOT (RE-BOOT)
To boot (or re-boot) is to load and initialize the operating system on a computer. Think of it as starting up your computer. In Windows, you can use the key combination CTRL and ALT and DEL as a "soft" boot. This means restarting the computer rather than turning it completely off and on again, which could cause damage to your computer's hard disk under some circumstances.
BROADBAND
Broadband is a type of communications technology whereby a single wire can carry more than one type of signal at once; for example, audio and video. Cable TV is one technology that uses broadband data transmission.
BROWSER
A software program that allows you to surf the web. Popular web browsers include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Internet Explorer.
BI
Business Intelligence - A recognized industry term for organizational analytics, including historical, current, and predictive views of business operations.
BIOS
This is the Basic Input Output System, which controls the computer, telling it what operations to perform. These instructions are on a chip that connects to the motherboard.
BUFFER
On a multitasking system, a certain amount of RAM is allocated as a temporary holding area so that the CPU can manipulate data before transferring it to a particular device.
BUFFERED
Data that is collected but not made immediately available. Compare to a language translator who listens to a whole statement before repeating what the speaker has said rather than providing a word-by-word translation. Example: Streaming media data viewable using a tool like RealMedia Player is buffered.
BYTE
A byte is a storage unit for data. KB is a kilobyte (1024 bytes); MB is a megabyte (1 million bytes), and GB is a gigabyte (1000 megabytes).
C
CACHE
When you download (read) a web page, the data is "cached," meaning it is temporarily stored on your computer. The next time you want that page, instead of requesting the file from the web server, your web browser just accesses it from the cache, so the page loads quickly. The downside to this is that if the cached web page is often updated, you may miss the latest version. If you suspect that the web page you're seeing is not the latest version, use the "refresh" button on your browser.
CAD
Computer-aided design (CAD) is a type of software that allows users to create 2D and 3D designs and modeling. CAD is used by architects, engineers, artists, and other professionals to create precise technical drawings.
CHIP
A chip is a microprocessor that performs many functions and calculations that make your computer run. Your computer's chip is also referred to as the CPU (Central Processing Unit) or the processor.
COMPRESSION
Compression is the reduction of the size of a file. Compressed files take up less memory and can be downloaded or sent over the Internet more quickly.
CONTENT
Content refers to a website's text and information, as opposed to its design and structure.
COOKIE
A PIECE OF CODE OR DATA CREATED BY A WEB SERVER AND STORED ON A USER'S COMPUTER. IT IS USED TO KEEP TRACK OF THE USER'S USAGE PATTERNS AND PREFERENCES.
CPU
The central processing unit (CPU) is the brain behind your computer. The CPU is responsible for performing calculations and tasks that make programs work. The higher the speed of a CPU, the faster the CPU undertakes the calculations and tasks.
CYBERCRIME
Cybercrime is any type of illegal activity that is undertaken (or relies heavily on) on a computer. There are thousands of types of cybercrime, including network intrusions, identity theft, and the spreading of computer viruses.
CYBERSECURITY
Cybersecurity refers to measures designed to protect your computer, device, or network from cybercrime. This involves preventing unintended and unauthorized access, change and damage.
CAPTCHA
A challenge-response test in the form of an image of distorted text the user must enter that to determine whether the user is human or an automated bot.
CD-R DRIVE
A type of disk drive that can create CD-ROMs and audio CDs. CD-R drives that feature multi-session recording allow you to continue adding data to a compact disk which is very important if you plan on using the drive for backup.
CD-ROM
Compact Disk, Read Only Memory; a high-capacity secondary storage medium. Information contained on a CD is read-only. Special CD-ROM mastering equipment available in the OIT Multimedia Lab can be reserved for creating new CDs.
CD-RW, CD-R DISK
A CD-RW disk allows you to write data onto it multiple times instead of just once (a CD-R disk). With a CD-R drive, you can use a CD-RW disk just like a floppy or zip disk for backing up files, as well as for creating CD-ROMs and audio CDs.
CLIENT
A program or computer that connects to and requests information from a server. Examples: Internet Explorer or Firefox. A client program also may be referred to as "client software" or "client-server software".
CMS
(Content Management System) is the collection of procedures used to manage workflow in a collaborative environment. In a CMS, data can be defined as nearly anything: documents, movies, pictures, phone numbers, scientific data, and so forth. CMSs are frequently used for storing, controlling, revising, semantically enriching, and publishing documentation. Serving as a central repository, the CMS increases the version level of new updates to an already existing file. Version control is one of the primary advantages of a CMS.
CSS
(Cascading Style Sheet) A set of rules that define how web pages are displayed using CSS, designers can create rules that define how the page.
D
DAAS
Desktop-as-a-Service - Also called virtual desktop or hosted desktop services, it is the outsourcing of a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) to a third-party service provider.
DATABASE
A collection of information is organized so that a computer application can quickly access selected information; can be thought of as an electronic filing system. Traditional databases are organized by fields, records (a complete set of fields), and files (a collection of records). Alternatively, in a Hypertext database, any object (e.g., text, a picture, or a film) can be linked to any other object.
DAEMON
A special small program that performs a specific task; it may run all the time watching a system, or it can take action only when a task needs to be performed. Example: If an e-mail message is returned to you as undeliverable, you may receive a message from the mailer daemon.
DECOMPRESS
Opposite of compressing a file; the process of restoring the file to its original size and format. The most common programs for decompressing files are Winrar for PC and compatible computers (.zip files) and Stuffit Expander (.sit files) for Macintosh computers.
DEVICE DRIVER
A device driver is a small program that allows a peripheral device such as a printer or scanner to connect to your PC.
DOMAIN
A domain is a set of computers on a network that is managed as a unit.
DOWNLOAD
Downloading is the method by which users access and save or "pull-down" software or other files to their own computers from a remote computer via the Internet.
DEFRAGMENTATION
The process of rewriting parts of a file to contiguous sectors on a hard drive to increase the speed of access and retrieval.
DHCP
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol; a protocol that lets a server on a local network assign temporary IP addresses to a computer or other network devices.
DIMM
Dual In-line Memory Module; a small circuit board that can hold a group of memory chips. A DIMM is capable of transferring 64 bits instead of the 32 bits each SIMM can handle. Pentium processors require a 64-bit path to memory so SIMMs must be installed two at a time as opposed to one DIMM at a time.
DNS
Domain Name System; a service for accessing a networked computer by name rather than by numerical, (IP) address.
DPI
Dots per inch; a measure of a printer's resolution. The higher the number, the better the print quality. A minimum of 300 dpi usually is required for professional-quality printing.
DRAAS
Disaster Recovery as a Service; a service that helps recover data in the event of a server failure or natural disaster.
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line; an always-on broadband connection over standard phone lines.
DVI
DV stands for (Digital Video).
DVD
Digital video disk; a type of compact disc that holds far more information than the CD-ROMs that are used for storing music files. A DVD can hold a minimum of 4.7 GB, enough for a full-length movie. MPEG-2 is used to compress video data for storage on a DVD. DVD drives are backward-compatible and can play CD-ROMs.
DVD-RW, DVD-R DISK
A DVD-RW disk allows you to write data onto it multiple times instead of just once like on a DVD-R disk. A DVD disk can hold a minimum of 4.7GB which is enough to store a full-length movie. Other uses for DVDs include storage for multimedia presentations that include both sound and graphics.
E
Email or electronic mail is a way of sending messages over the internet. Popular email programs include Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail.
ENCRYPTION
Encryption is the process of converting electronic data to an unrecognizable or encrypted form, one that cannot be easily understood by unauthorized parties.
ETHERNET
Ethernet is the most common way of connecting computers on a network with a wired connection. It is a type of local area network (LAN) technology, providing a simple interface for connecting multiple devices.
EXPANSION CARD
Also referred to as an expansion board; a circuit board you can insert into a slot inside your computer to give it added functionality. A card can replace an existing one or may be added in an empty slot. Some examples include sound, graphics, USB, Firewire, and internal modem cards.
EXTENSION
A suffix preceded by a period at the end of a filename; used to describe the file type. Example: On a Windows computer, the extension ".exe" represents an executable file.
EDP
(Electronic Data Processing), it uses simple, repetitive activities to process large no. of similar volumes.
EEPROM
(Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), this type of memory can be erased with the help of the electric field.
EFS
(Encrypting File System), it provides transparent encryption and decryption of files by using the standard cryptographic algorithm.
EJB
(Enterprise Java Beans), it is a server-side component written in java that contains the business logic of the application.
EPROM
(Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), it is an internal memory of the computer that can be erased and reused.
ERP
(Enterprise Resource Planning), this type of software helps companies to implement their resource planning.
EULA
(End-User License Agreement), it is a legal contract between the software developer and the user.
EXE
(Executable File), it is a file that can be executed by the computer directly.
EXFAT
exFAT (Extensible File Allocation Table) is a file system introduced by Microsoft in 2006 and optimized for flash memory such as USB flash drives and SD cards.
exFAT was proprietary until 28 August 2019, when Microsoft published its specification.
exFAT can be used where NTFS is not a feasible solution (due to data structure overhead), but a greater file-size limit than the standard FAT32 file system (i.e. 4 GB) is required.
exFAT has been adopted by the SD Association as the default file system for SDXC cards larger than 32 GB.
F
FAT
(File Allocation Table), it is an operating system developed for the hard drive.
FDD
(Floppy Disk Drive), It is an external storage device.
FEMALE CONNECTOR
A cable connector that has holes and plugs into a port or interface to connect one device to another.
FIELD
A single piece of information within a database (e.g., an entry for name or address). Also refers to a specific area within a dialog box or a window where information can be entered.
FIFO
(First In First Out)
FIREWALL
A method of preventing unauthorized access to or from a particular network; firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or both.
FIREWIRE
A way to connect different pieces of equipment so they can quickly and easily share information. FireWire (also referred to as IEEE1394 High-Performance Serial Bus) is very similar to USB. It preceded the development of USB when it was originally created in 1995 by Apple. FireWire devices are hot-pluggable, which means they can be connected and disconnected any time, even with the power on. When a new FireWire device is connected to a computer, the operating system automatically detects it and prompts for the driver disk (thus the reference "plug-and-play").
FLASH DRIVE
A small device that plugs into a computer's USB port and functions as a portable hard drive.
FLASH MEMORY
A type of memory that retains information even after power is turned off; commonly used in memory cards and USB flash drives for storage and transfer of data between computers and other digital products.
FLOPS
(Floating Point Operations Per Second), generally used to measure the performance of a computer’s processor.
FREEWARE
Copyrighted software is available for downloading without charge; unlimited personal usage is permitted, but you cannot do anything else without the express permission of the author. In contrast to shareware; copyrighted software requires you to register and pay a small fee to the author if you decide to continue using a program you download.
FO
(Fiber Optics), it is the medium of making communication wires.
FTP
File Transfer Protocol; a method of exchanging files between computers via the Internet. A program like WS_FTP for IBM PC or compatibles or Fetch for Macintosh is required. Files can contain documents or programs and can be ASCII text or binary data.
FPS
(Frames Per Second), it is used to measure the frame rate.
G
GATEWAY
A point within a network that interconnects with other networks.
GIF
Graphics interchange format (GIF) is a graphics file format. Because GIF files are compressed, they can be quickly and easily transmitted over a network. GIF is one of the main graphics formats on the Internet.
GPL - Software
(General Public License ), it is a free, genuine license used primarily for Software.
GUI
(Graphical User Interface), it’s a computer program that allows a person to communicate with the computer with the help of visuals, pictures, etc.
H
HDD
(HARD DISK DRIVE), the physical place where a computer stores information - applications and files - is known as its hard disk drive (HDD). The bigger the HDD, the more data it can store.
HTML
Hyper-text markup language (HTML) is a set of symbols inserted into files intended for display on the world wide web. The symbols tell web browsers how to display words and images - e.g. which color, font, and type size to use - and they direct it to link to other pages on the world wide web via hyperlinks.
HANDSHAKING
The initial negotiation period is immediately after a connection is established between two modems. This is when the modems agree about how the data will be transmitted (e.g., error correction, packet size, etc.). The set of rules they agree on is called the protocol.
HARDWARE
The physical components of a computer include the keyboard, monitor, disk drive, and internal chips and wiring. Hardware is the counterpart of software.
HOST
A computer accessed by a user working at a remote location. Also refers to a specific computer connected to a TCP/IP network like the Internet.
HTTP
HyperText Transfer Protocol; a set of instructions that defines how a web server and a browser should interact. Example: When you open a location (e.g., enter a URL) in your browser, what actually happens is an HTTP command is sent to the web server directing it to fetch and return the requested web page.
HTTPS
(Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), it is the protocol where encrypted HTTP data is transferred over a secure connection.
HYPERLINK
Connects one piece of information (anchor) to a related piece of information (anchor) in an electronic document. Clicking on a hyperlink takes you directly to the linked destination which can be within the same document or in an entirely different document. Hyperlinks are commonly found on web pages, word documents, and PDF files.
HYPERTEXT
Data that contains one or more links to other data; commonly seen in web pages and in online help files. Keywords usually are underlined or highlighted. Example: If you look for information about "Cats" in a reference book and see a note that says "Refer also to Mammals" the two topics are considered to be linked. In a hypertext file, you click on a link to go directly to the related information.
HYPERVISOR
A hypervisor, also called virtual machine manager (VMM), is one of many hardware virtualization techniques that allow multiple operating systems, termed guests, to run concurrently on a host computer. It is so named because it is conceptually one level higher than a supervisory program. The hypervisor presents to the guest operating systems a virtual operating platform and manages the execution of the guest operating systems. Multiple instances of a variety of operating systems may share the virtualized hardware resources. Hypervisors are installed on server hardware whose only task is to run guest operating systems. Non-hypervisor virtualization systems are used for similar tasks on dedicated server hardware, but also commonly on desktop, portable, and even handheld computers.
I
IAAS
Infrastructure as a Service; In the most basic cloud-service model, providers of IaaS offer computers - physical or (more often) virtual machines - and other resources.
ICMP
(Internet Control Message Protocol), it is an error reporting protocol.
ICS
Internet Connection Sharing; a feature in Windows that when enabled, allows you to connect a computer on your home network to the Internet via one computer.
ICP
(Internet Cache Protocol), it is a protocol that enables the cache to communicate with one another.
ISP
(Internet service provider), can be a company that provides internet access to the user level.
IEEE 1394 PORT
An interface for attaching high-speed serial devices to your computer; IEEE 1394 connectors support plug and play.
IMAP
Internet Message Access Protocol. A method of accessing e-mail messages on a server without downloading them to your local hard drive; it is the main difference between IMAP and POP3 which requires messages to be downloaded to a user's hard drive before the message can be read.
IP ADDRESS
(Internet Protocol address), every computer connected to the Internet has a unique identifying number. Example: 192.168.100.X
IRC
Internet Relay Chat; a system that enables two or more Internet users to conduct online discussions in real-time.
IRQ
Interrupt request; refers to a number associated with a serial port on a PC or compatible computer. It usually can be changed by flipping a dip switch. Occasionally, when you're using a modem connected to the Internet, you may need to adjust the IRQ number assigned to the serial port which connects the modem to avoid conflicts with another device like your mouse.
IIS
(Internet Information Services), it is a web server developed by Microsoft.
IPTV
(Internet Protocol Television), it is a process of transmission of television programs through the internet.
ISDN
(Integrated Service Digital Network), it is a set of standards for the communication of data and voice. It is a telecommunication technology.
ITPL
(International Tech Park Limited), software companies
J
JPEG
JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, which was the committee that created the file format known as JPEG. The format is commonly used for photos displayed on the world wide web.
JAVA
A general-purpose programming language commonly used in conjunction with web pages that feature animation. Small Java applications are called Java applets; many can be downloaded and run on your computer by a Java-compatible browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer.
JAVASCRIPT
A publicly available scripting language that shares many of the features of Java; it is used to add dynamic content (various types of interactivity) to web pages.
JUSTIFIED
A word processing format in which text is formatted flush with both the left and right margins. Other options include left-justified (text is lined up against the left margin) and right-justified (text is lined up against the right margin).
JDBC
(Java Database Connectivity), it is an application programming interface which allows the programmer to interact with the database
JHTML
(Java Within Hyper Text Language), t is standard HTML using java scripts
JPEG
(Joint Photographic Experts Group), t is a committee that creates image coding standards, specifically those images that are produced by digital photography.
JSP
(Java Server Pages), t is the programming technology, It is used for developing web application
K
KBPS
Kilobits per second; a measure of data transfer speed; one Kbps is 1,000 bits per second. Example: a 28.8 Kbps modem.
KERBEROS
An authentication system developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); enables the exchange of private information across an open network by assigning a unique key called a "ticket" to a user requesting access to secure information.
KERNING
The amount of space between characters in a word; in desktop publishing, is typically performed on pairs of letters or on a short range of text to fine-tune the character spacing.
KEYWORD
Most often refers to a feature of text editing and database management systems; a keyword is an index entry that correlates with a specific record or document.
KILOBYTE (K, KB, or Kb)
1,024 (2 to the 10th power) bytes; often used to represent one thousand bytes. For example a 720K diskette can hold approximately 720,000 bytes (or characters).
KNOWLEDGE BASE
A database where information common to a particular topic is stored online for easy reference; for example, a frequently asked questions (FAQ) list may provide links to a knowledge base.
L
LAN
Local Area Network), is a system that connects computers and other devices that share a common communications line and wireless link, generally within a limited geographical area such as a home or office building.
LINK
Another name for a hyperlink.
LINUX
An open-source operating system that runs on a number of hardware platforms including PCs and Macintoshes. Linux is freely available over the Internet.
LISTPROCESSOR
A program that manages electronic mailing lists; OIT is responsible for the ListProcessor software and also handles requests from the OSU community or new mailing lists.
LISTSERV, LISTSERVER
An electronic mailing list; it provides a simple way of communicating with a large number of people very quickly by automating the distribution of electronic mail. At OSU, mailing lists are used not only for scholarly communication and collaboration but also as a means of facilitating and enhancing classroom education.
LOG IN, LOG ON
The process of entering your username and password to gain access to a particular computer; e.g., a mainframe, a network or secure server, or another system capable of resource sharing.
LCD
(Liquid Crystal Display), t is a display technology used in flat TV and computer
LIFO
(Last In First Out), t is a method in which when the last valuable assets placed in an inventory are first sold during the accounting year.
LIPS
(Logical Interface Per Second)
LOC
(Line Of Code), it is a software metric used to measure the size of the program by counting line
LSP
(Logical Interface Per Second)
M
MALWARE
"Malware" is short for malicious software. It refers to a software program that has been developed to do harm to other computers. Types of malware include viruses, worms, and spyware.
MBR
(The Master Boot Record), is the information in the first sector of any hard disk or diskette that identifies how and where an operating system is located so that it can be boot (loaded) into the computer's main storage or random access memory. The Master Boot Record is also sometimes called the "partition sector" or the "master partition table" because it includes a table that locates each partition that the hard disk has been formatted into. In addition to this table, the MBR also includes a program that reads the boot sector record of the partition containing the operating system to be booted into RAM. In turn, that record contains a program that loads the rest of the operating system into RAM.
MEGABYTE
A measure of computer processor storage and real and virtual memory. A megabyte (Mb) is 2 to the 20th power bytes or 1,048,576 bytes in decimal notation.
MEGAHERTZ
Megahertz is the unit used to measure the speed of a computer's processor (e.g. 2.8Ghz)
MHZ OR MHZ
Megahertz; a measurement of a microprocessor's speed; one MHz represents one million cycles per second. The speed determines how many instructions per second a microprocessor can execute. The higher the megahertz, the faster the computer.
MODEM
A modem is a device that allows computers to transmit information to each other via ordinary telephone lines.
MAAS
Metal-as-a-Service; The dynamic provisioning and deployment of whole physical servers, as opposed to the provisioning of virtual machines.
MAC
Media Access Control; The hardware address of a device connected to a shared network.
MAN
(Metropolitan Area Network), is a class of network that serves a large geographical area between 5 to 50 kilometers in range. This geographical area can include several buildings, such as a college campus, sometimes referred to as a campus network, or an area as large as a city (metropolitan area).
MAIL SERVER
A networked computer dedicated to supporting electronic mail. You use a client program like Microsoft Outlook for retrieving new mail from the server and for composing and sending messages.
MAINFRAME
A very large computer capable of supporting hundreds of users running a variety of different programs simultaneously. Often the distinction between small mainframes and minicomputers is vague and may depend on how the machine is marketed.
MALE CONNECTOR
A cable connector that has pins and plugs into a port or interface to connect one device to another.
MALWARE
Software programs are designed to damage or do other unwanted actions on a computer; common examples of malware include viruses, worms, trojan horses, and spyware.
MAPI
Messaging Application Programming Interface; a system built into Microsoft Windows that enables different e-mail programs to interface to distribute e-mail. When both programs are MAPI-enabled, they can share messages.
MDM
Mobile Device Management; Any routine or tool intended to distribute applications, data, and configuration settings to mobile communications devices. The intent of MDM is to optimize the functionality and security of a mobile communications network. MDM must be part of a coherent BYOD strategy.
MIME
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions; a protocol that enables you to include various types of files (text, audio, video, images, etc.) as an attachment to an e-mail message.
MPEG
Motion Picture Experts Group; a high-quality video format commonly used for files found on the Internet. Usually, a special helper application is required to view MPEG files.
MRB
Managed Remote Back-Up; a service that provides users with a system for the backup, storage, and recovery of data using cloud computing.
MULTIMEDIA
The delivery of information, usually to a personal computer, in a combination of different formats including text, graphics, animation, audio, and video.
MIDI
(Musical Instrument Digital Interface), measuring the raw speed of computer processor
MP3
(Moving Pictures Experts Group Audio Layer-3), it is an audio device in computer system that uses layer III.
MSDN
(Microsoft Developer Network), managing the firm relationship with the developer.
MSN
MSN (Microsoft Network), is a web portal and related collection of Internet services and apps for Windows and mobile devices, provided by Microsoft and launched on August 24, 1995, the same release date as Windows 95.
MSRAP
(Microsoft Remote Administration Protocol), it is a method of controlling a computer from a remote location.
MTS
(Microsoft Transaction Server), it manages the application and database transection requests on the behalf of client's computer.
MTU
(Maximum Transmission Unit), it is the size of the largest data protocol that can be communicated through a single line.
N
NNTP
(Network News Transport Protocol). The Protocol used for posting, distributing, and retrieving network news messages.
NIC
(Network Interface Card). Is a card that typically goes into a computer or device and connects to the network medium
(Ethernet or wireless) which in turn is connected to other computers on the network.
NAS
(Network Access Server). Is a type of server that provides in-house or remotely connected users with a broader external network and/or the Internet. It centrally manages and gives connected users the ability to receive a suite of network-enabled services, while serving as the single point of access or gateway to network resources.
NAT
(Network Address Translation). A standard that enables a LAN to use a set of IP addresses for internal traffic and a single IP address for communications with the Internet.
O
OCR
(Optical Character Recognition) the act of using a visual scanning device to read text from hard copy and translate it into a format a computer can access (e.g., an ASCII file). OCR systems include an optical scanner for reading text and sophisticated software for analyzing images.
OPERATING SYSTEM
An operating system (OS) is the software that manages all a computer's processes and allows programs and applications to run. The most prominent operating system is Microsoft Windows. Others include Mac OS X and Linux.
P
PERIPHERAL
Any external device attached to a computer to enhance operation. Examples include external hard drive, scanner, printer, speakers, keyboard, mouse, trackball, stylus and tablet, and joystick.
PLUG-IN
A software plug-in is a component that adds to a software program's functionality.
PPM
Pages per minute (PPM) generally refers to the speed of a printer.
PDA
(Personal Digital Assistant) a small hand-held computer that in the most basic form, allows you to store names and addresses, prepare to-do lists, schedule appointments, keep track of projects, track expenditures, take notes, and do calculations. Depending on the model, you also may be able to send or receive e-mail; do word processing; play MP3 music files; get news, entertainment and stock quotes from the Internet; play video games; and have an integrated digital camera or GPS receiver.
(Portable Document Format) a type of formatting that enables files to be viewed on a variety computers regardless of the program originally used to create them. PDF files retain the "look and feel" of the original document with special formatting, graphics, and color intact. You use a special program or print driver (Adobe Distiller or PDF Writer) to convert a file into PDF format.
PERL
(Practical Extraction and Report Language) a programming language that is commonly used for writing CGI scripts used by most servers to process data received from a client browser.
PHISHING
A con that scammers use to electronically collect personal information from unsuspecting users. Phishers send e-mails that appear to come from legitimate websites such as eBay, PayPal, or other banking institutions asking you to click on a link included in the email and then update or validate your information by entering your username and password and often even more information, such as your full name, address, phone number, social security number, and credit card number.
PING
(Packet Internet Groper) a utility used to determine whether a particular computer is currently connected to the Internet. It works by sending a packet to the specified IP address and waiting for a reply.
POP
(Post Office Protocol) a method of handling incoming electronic mail. Example: E-mail programs may use this protocol for storing your incoming messages on a special cluster of servers called pop.service.ohio-state.edu and delivering them when requested.
POSTSCRIPT
A page description language primarily used for printing documents on laser printers; it is the standard for desktop publishing because it takes advantage of high resolution output devices. Example: A graphic design saved in PostScript format looks much better when printed on a 600 dpi printer than on a 300 dpi printer.
PPP
(Point-to-Point Protocol) a type of connection over telephone lines that gives you the functionality of a direct ethernet connection.
Q
QoS
(Quality of service) is the ability to provide different priority to different applications, users, or data flows, or to guarantee a certain level of performance to a data flow. For example, a required bit rate, delay, jitter, packet dropping probability and/or bit error rate may be guaranteed. Quality of service guarantees are important if the network capacity is insufficient, especially for real-time streaming multimedia applications such as voice over IP, online games and IP-TV, since these often require fixed bit rate and are delay sensitive, and in networks where the capacity is a limited resource, for example in cellular data communication.
R
RAM
Random access memory (RAM) is usually referred to as a computer's "memory" - it stores information used by programs. Generally, the larger your computer's RAM, the more programs it can run at once without slowing down.
RAID
Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks, a method of spreading information across several disks set up to act as a unit, using two different techniques:
• Disk striping - storing a bit of information across several discs (instead of storing it all on one disc and hoping that the disc doesn't crash).
• Disk mirroring - simultaneously storing a copy of information on another disc so that the information can be recovered if the main disc crashes.
ROM
ROM stands for read-only memory. It is the part of a computer's memory that cannot be changed by a user. The contents of ROM remain even when the computer is turned off.
RGB
(Red, Green, and Blue) the primary colors that are mixed to display the color of pixels on a computer monitor. Every color of emitted light can be created by combining these three colors in varying levels.
RJ-45 CONNECTOR
An eight-wire connector used for connecting a computer to a local-area network. May also be referred to as an Ethernet connector.
ROUTER
A device used for connecting two Local Area Networks (LANs); routers can filter packets and forward them according to a specified set of criteria.
RTF
(Rich Text Format) a type of document formatting that enables special characteristics like fonts and margins to be included within an ASCII file. May be used when a document must be shared among users with different kinds of computers (e.g., IBM PC or compatibles and Macintoshes).
S
SAAS
SAAS stands for software as a service. It is a software distribution model whereby software applications are centrally hosted and licensed on a subscription basis.
SSL
SSL, or secure sockets layer, is a protocol that allows Internet users to send encrypted messages across the Internet. It is generally used when transmitting confidential information (e.g. personal data or credit card details). A web address that begins with "https" indicates that an SSL connection is in use.
SEO
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the practice of making adjustments to certain aspects of a website in an effort to improve its ranking on search engines.
SERVER
A server is a computer that handles requests for data, email, file transfers, and other network services from other computers.
SPAM
Spam refers to unsolicited email messages sent for marketing purposes.
SAN
A storage area network (SAN) is a dedicated storage network that provides access to consolidated, block level storage. SANs primarily are used to make storage devices (such as disk arrays, tape libraries, and optical jukeboxes) accessible to servers so that the devices appear as locally attached to the operating system. A SAN typically has its own network of storage devices that are generally not accessible through the regular network by regular devices.
SCANNER
An electronic device that uses light-sensing equipment to scan paper images such as text, photos, and illustrations and translate the images into signals that the computer can then store, modify, or distribute.
SCREEN READER
A software program that translates text on a Web page into audio output; typically used by individuals with vision impairment.
SIMM
Single In-line Memory Module; a small circuit board that can hold a group of memory chips; used to increase your computer's RAM in increments of 1,2, 4, or 16 MB.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol; a method of handling outgoing electronic mail.
SSID
(Service Set Identifier) a name that identifies a wireless network.
SVGA
Super VGA (Video Graphics Array); a set of graphics standards for a computer monitor that offers greater resolution than VGA. There are several different levels including 800 x 600 pixels, 1024 by 768 pixels, 1280 by 1024 pixels; and 1600 by 1200 pixels. Although each supports a palette of 16 million colors, the number of simultaneous colors is dependent on the amount of video memory installed in the computer.
T
10BASE-T
An adaptation of the Ethernet standard for Local Area Networks that refers to running Ethernet over twisted pair wires. Students planning on using ResNet from a residence hall must be certain to use an Ethernet adapter that is 10Base-T compatible and not BNC (used with 10Base-2 Ethernet systems).
TCP/IP
(Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) an agreed upon set of rules that tells computers how to exchange information over the Internet. Other Internet protocols like FTP, Gopher, and HTTP sit on top of TCP/IP.
TELNET
A generic term that refers to the process of opening a remote interactive login session regardless of the type of computer you're connecting to.
TIFF
(Tag Image File Format) a popular file format for storing bit-mapped graphic images on desktop computers. The graphic can be any resolution and can be black and white, gray-scale, or color. Files of this type usually have the suffix ".tif" as part of their name.
U
UPS
Universal Power Supply or Uninterruptible Power Supply. An electrical power supply that includes a battery to provide enough power to a computer during an outage to back-up data and properly shut down.
V
VDI
(Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) or "VDI," is a desktop-centric service that hosts users' desktop environments on remote servers and/or blade PCs, which are accessed over a network using a remote display protocol.
Virtual reality (VR)
An artificial environment created with computer hardware and software to simulate the look and feel of a real environment. A user wears earphones, a special pair of gloves, and goggles that create a 3D display. Examples: manipulating imaginary 3D objects by "grabbing" them, taking a tour of a "virtual" building, or playing an interactive game.
VOIP
(Voice over Internet Protocol) a means of using the Internet as the transmission medium for phone calls. An advantage is you do not incur any additional surcharges beyond the cost of your Internet access.
VPN
(Virtual Private Networking) a means of securely accessing resources on a network by connecting to a remote access server through the Internet or other network.
VT100
A type of terminal emulation required when you open an interactive network connection (telnet) to a UNIX system from your desktop computer.
W
WAV
A sound format (pronounced wave) used to reproduce sounds on a computer.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is a technology that allows computers and other devices to communicate via a wireless signal. Essentially, it means you can browse the internet without tripping over phone cords.
WPA
Wi-Fi protected access (WPA) is a security protocol used in wi-fi networks. It is an improvement on WEP because it offers greater protection through more sophisticated data encryption.
WAIS
(Wide Area Information Server) a program for finding documents on the Internet. Usually found on gopher servers to enable searching text-based documents for a particular keyword.
WAN
(Wide Area Network) a group of networked computers covering a large geographical area (e.g., the Internet).
WAP
(Wireless Application Protocol) a set of communication protocols for enabling wireless access to the Internet.
WEP
(Wired Equivalent Privacy) a security protocol for wireless local area networks defined in the 802.11b standard. WEP provides the same level of security as that of a wired LAN.
WILD CARD
A special character provided by an operating system or a particular program that is used to identify a group of files or directories with a similar characteristic. Useful if you want to perform the same operation simultaneously on more than one file. Example: the asterisk (*) that can be used in DOS to specify a groups of files such as *.txt.
WWW
(World Wide Web), a hypertext-based system of servers on the Internet. Hypertext is data that contains one or more links to other data; a link can point to many different types of resources including text, graphics, sound, animated files, a network newsgroup, a telnet session, an FTP session, or another web server. You use a special program called a "browser" (e.g., Firefox or Internet Explorer) for viewing World Wide Web pages. Also referred to as "WWW" or "the web".
X2:
X
XML
(Extensible Markup Language) A markup language for coding web documents that allows designers to create their own customized tags for structuring a page.
XHTML
(Extensible Hypertext Markup Language). A spinoff of the hypertext markup language (HTML) used for creating Web pages. It is based on the HTML 4.0 syntax, but has been modified to follow the guidelines of XML and is sometimes referred to as HTML 5.0.
X3D
an XML file that is used to hold three-dimensional graphical data.
XAF
A modern and powerful application framework allowing simultaneous ASP.NET and WinForms development.
Y
YAST
an RPM-based operating system setup and configuration tool that is featured in the openSUSE Linux distribution, as well as Novell's derived commercial distributions.
Y2K
This term is more often used to refer to the "Millenium Bug." This bug is a little creature that lives inside older computers. When the year 2000 rolls around, the little bug will self-destruct, blowing up the computer it was residing in. The chain of explosions across the world will be catastrophic, causing global panamonia and LA riots.
YACC
Yacc is the standard parser generator for the Unix operating system. An open source program, yacc generates code for the parser in the C programming language. The acronym is usually rendered in lowercase but is occasionally seen as YACC or Yacc. The original version of yacc was written by Stephen Johnson at AT&T.
Z
ZIP
To zip files is to archive and compress them into one file of smaller size using a program such as WinZip. It's a handy way to make files smaller before sending them via email.
ZIP DRIVE
A high capacity floppy disk drive from Iomega Corporation; the disks it uses are a little bit larger than a conventional diskette and are capable of holding 100 MB or 250 MB of data.