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|
Term |
Definition |
|
Abandonware |
Also known as Abandon Warez, abandonware is a type
of software developed several years ago that is no
longer being produced, sold, or supported and is
considered to be abandoned. However, although many
of these programs appear to be abandoned or the
companies that developed them are out of business,
downloading and installing abandonware is illegal.
|
|
Access light |
Also known as the activity light, the access light
is a LED on the front of a computer and/or disk
drive that indicates when the computer or disk drive
is being used. |
|
Aggro |
In addition to in-game creatures aggro is also often
used in chat and games to describe real-life aggro.
For example, a player might say "parent aggro" or "gf
aggro" as a way to let others communicating with
that user that they need to log off or step away
because their parents or girlfriend is giving them
grief about being in the game or chatting. |
|
AIMBOT |
Program / Software tool used with first person
shooting games to help the player shoot more
efficiently, commonly automatically aiming their gun
to the enemy. Because this helps the user shoot more
accurately with less skill, this is considered
cheating when used. Various programs are available
to help detect or not allow players to use Aimbots.
One commonly used program is PunkBuster.
|
|
Alias |
Also known as a nick or handle, an alias is an
alternative name for a computer, object, person,
group, or user. Usually used to replace long names
or to keep your own name private. |
|
Anamorphic |
When referring to DVD movies, anamorphic is an
ability that enables a DVD to automatically increase
its size to match that of the TV the movie is being
displayed on. This allows for better resolution and
a better viewing experience. Most DVDs that support
this feature will be labeled as Anamorphic
Widescreen. |
|
Applet |
A
small Java application that is downloaded by an
ActiveX or Java-enabled web browser. Once it has
been downloaded, the applet will run on the users
computer. Common applets include financial
calculators and web drawing programs. |
|
Application |
Computer software that performs a task or set of
tasks, such as word processing or drawing.
Applications are also referred to as programs.
|
|
Archived |
A
file that contains one or more compressed files.
Most archive formats are also capable of storing
folders in order to reconstruct the file/folder
relationship when decompressed. |
|
ASCII |
American Standard Code for Information Interchange,
an encoding system for converting keyboard
characters and instructions into the binary number
code that the computer understands. |
|
ATA |
Advanced Technology Attachment. A computer disk
drive interface standard. |
|
ATAPI |
Short for AT Attachment Packet Interface, ATAPI is
an extension to ATA that allows support for devices
such as CD-ROM drives, Tape drives and other
computer peripherals and not just hard disk drives.
Before the release of ATA-4 or ATAPI-4, ATAPI was a
separate standard from ATA. Additional information
about ATA, ATAPI and other computer interfaces can
be found on our Interface Page. |
|
Audio CD |
Also commonly known as a music CD, an audio CD is
any compact disc that contains audio tracks that
enable the user to listen to music, speeches, books
on tape, or any type of audio. |
|
AutoPlay |
Also known as autorun, AutoPlay is a feature that
was first introduced in Microsoft Windows 95 and
above that enables CDs that have the proper files to
automatically run when inserted into the computer.
This feature enables for a much easier setup and/or
program execution because the program developer can
easily start the installation of a program or create
a menu that is automatically displayed when the CD
is inserted. |
|
Ban |
To prohibit or deny access. For example, a user may
be banned from a chat server because he or she has
disobeyed the rules or may be banned from a server
or game for cheating. |
|
Bandwidth |
The capacity of a networked connection. Bandwidth
determines how much data can be sent along the
networked wires. Bandwidth is particularly important
for Internet connections, since greater bandwidth
also means faster downloads. |
|
Bandwidth |
The amount of data you can send through a
connection. |
|
Battery |
A
hardware device that supplies power to a device or
appliance and enables that device or appliance to
work without a power cord. The standard battery will
power a small device or appliance for a length of
time dependent on how much the device or appliance
is used and how much power is required. Once fully
utilized, the standard battery is disposed of.
Today, many high-end devices such as computer
laptops and cell phones use rechargeable batteries
that allow a user to recharge the battery once it
has been depleted of power. |
|
Battery backup |
Hardware device used to keep a computer or related
peripherals on for short periods of time if the
power happens to be low or removed. The battery
backup allows the computer to shutdown safely or
continue to run if the power is off shortly. Large
battery backups are commonly used for large
corporate networks to safely shutdown servers if
power is out for a long period of time or keep the
servers running if the power happens to be out for a
short period of time. |
|
BD |
Short for Blu-ray Disc, BD or BD-ROM is an optical
disc jointly developed by thirteen consumer
electronics and pc companies such as Dell, Hitachi,
Hewlett Packard, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Sony,
TDK, and more. The blu-ray was first announced and
introduced at the 2006 CES on January 4, 2006 and is
capable of storing up to 25 GB on a single layer
disc and 50 GB on a dual layer disc. Today Blu-ray
is backed by Apple, Dell, Philips, Pioneer, Sony,
Sun, TDK and other companies mentioned above and won
HD DVD in the high definition disc format wars. On
February 19, 2008 HD DVD called it quits making the
Blu-ray players the primary HD players available.
|
|
BD-Rom |
Short for Blu-ray Disc, BD or BD-ROM is an optical
disc jointly developed by thirteen consumer
electronics and pc companies such as Dell, Hitachi,
Hewlett Packard, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Sony,
TDK, and more. The blu-ray was first announced and
introduced at the 2006 CES on January 4, 2006 and is
capable of storing up to 25 GB on a single layer
disc and 50 GB on a dual layer disc. Today Blu-ray
is backed by Apple, Dell, Philips, Pioneer, Sony,
Sun, TDK and other companies mentioned above and won
HD DVD in the high definition disc format wars. On
February 19, 2008 HD DVD called it quits making the
Blu-ray players the primary HD players available.
|
|
Benchmark |
Test used to measure or judge the performance of a
hardware peripheral, software or the overall
computer. These tests can be used to help compare
how well a product may do against other products.
Generally, the higher the benchmark the faster the
component, software or overall computer is. |
|
Beta |
A
program that has not yet been introduced to the
public but is being released to a select few to
test, examine and report problems they may
experience so that those errors can be fixed before
the final release. This type of product should never
be purchased. Often there are two types of beta
testing, open beta and closed beta. Open beta refers
to a type of beta testing that is open to any user.
Closed beta refers to a type of beta testing that is
only available to a select few individuals or to
company individuals. |
|
Binary Code |
The most basic language a computer understands, it
is composed of a series of 0s and 1s. The computer
interprets the code to form numbers, letters,
punctuation marks, and symbols. |
|
BIOS |
Basic Input/Output System | more |
|
Bit |
The smallest piece of computer information, either
the number 0 or 1. |
|
Bit Torrent |
A
file sharing service that breaks a file into pieces
and distributes them among several participating
users. When you download a torrent you are also
uploading it to another user. |
|
Blog |
A
web journal. Updating is blogging. |
|
Blue Book |
Book that defines the standards of the Enhanced
Music CD specification, also known as CD-Extra or
CD-Plus. These discs allow for data as well as audio
to be contained on one disc and not cause damage to
players not capable of reading data. |
|
Boosting |
In computer gamming boosting is the method that
allows a player to look over a high object or jump
onto a higher object by jumping on another players
back who is crouched down. Although this is part of
the game many players consider this type of playing
cheating. |
|
Boot |
To start up a computer. Cold boot—restarting
computer after having turned off the power. Warm
boot—restarting computer without having turned off
the power. |
|
Bots |
Short for robots, a bot is a fictitious character,
programmed character or a piece of software designed
to mimic a real character or player. A bot may also
be a software program designed to do a specific task
such as gather a listing of web sites with the
latest news. Shorthand for Back On Topic, BOT is
commonly used in chat rooms and other text message
communications. Below is an example of how this
could be used. |
|
Broadband |
Connection to internet via cable modem. |
|
Bronzing |
Also known as CD bronzing, bronzing is a type of
corrosion that is similar to CD rot that is caused
by a manufacturing defect. When bronzing occurs the
top and/or bottom of the disc changes colors often
changing from a silver color to a bronze, brown,
yellow, or gold tint and over time can cause the CD
to stop working. The company largely responsible for
this defect was Philips & DuPont Optical (PDO) in
Lancashire, United Kingdom with discs manufactured
between 1988 and 1993. Because this is an actual
manufacturing defect no matter how the disc is
handled if its defective it will eventually become
bad. However, as mentioned above this issue widely
only affected discs manufactured in the late 80s and
early 90s by PDO. |
|
Browser |
Software used to navigate the Internet. Netscape
Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer are todays
most popular browsers for accessing the World Wide
Web. |
|
Browser |
A
program you use to view web sites. |
|
Buff |
In computer games a buff often refers to a bonus
that is given to a game character that extends his
or her ability. Often a buff is gained from an
in-game item, from another players ability, and/or a
spell. For example, in the MMORPG game EverQuest a
popular buff is the SoW (Spirit of Wolf) buff that
increased the movement speed of your character. |
|
Bug |
A
malfunction due to an error in the program or a
defect in the equipment. |
|
Burn |
Term used to describe the action of creating a CD or
other recordable disc. |
|
Burner |
Slang used for CD-ROM Burner, more commonly known as
a CD-R. |
|
BYOC |
Short for Bring Your Own Computer, BYOC is a term
used to tell users who may be attending a computer
related party to bring their own computers if they
wish to participate. |
|
Byte |
Most computers use combinations of eight bits,
called bytes, to represent one character of data or
instructions. For example, the word “cat” has three
characters, and it would be represented by three
bytes. |
|
Cable select |
Often abbreviated as CS, cable select is a disk
drive setting that will allow a cable select
compatible cable to determine what drive is the
master and slave based off where the drives are
connected to the cable. For cable select to work the
both IDE / EIDE drives must have their jumpers set
to CS and be connected to a cable that supports
cable select. |
|
Cache |
A
small data-memory storage area that a computer can
use to instantly re-access data instead of
re-reading the data from the original source, such
as a hard drive. Browsers use a cache to store web
pages so that the user may view them again without
reconnecting to the Web. |
|
CAD-CAM |
Computer Aided Drawing-Computer Aided Manufacturing.
The instructions stored in a computer that will be
translated to very precise operating instructions to
a robot, such as for assembling cars or
laser-cutting signage. |
|
Caddy |
A
container that holds something. An external
container used on earlier CD-ROM drives that would
hold and protect the disc. A caddy would be inserted
into the drive with the CD instead of simply placing
the CD into a computer like most CD and DVD drives
today. |
|
Camper |
Term often used in computer gaming to describe an
individual who remains in one position for a good
majority of the game, picking off other players as
they come to them. Generally, this position gives
that individual an advantage over other players and
in many cases, helps defend an item or objective.
For example, in the computer game Quake, a player
may position himself or herself on a platform with
the rail gun, allowing him or her to shoot other
players without allowing them the ability to fight
back easily. Generally, a player who camps too much
is looked down upon by the other players. |
|
Carebear |
A
derogatory term given to other online game players
who only want to take the easy way and/or make the
game as non-challenging as possible. For example,
when referring to a MMORPG game players may refer to
servers that are non-PvP as carebear servers. |
|
CD player |
Program or hardware device used to play and listen
to standard audio CDs. |
|
CDDA |
Short for Compact Disk Digital Audio, CDDA is one of
the standards defined in the red book and is how a
compact disc drive reads audio tracks on a CD.
|
|
CDDB |
Short for Compact Disc Database, CDDB is a database
used to store audio CD track information. The CDDB
is what allows many computer software programs to
recognize a CD and list the CD artist, album, and
track information. The CDDB was initially created by
Ti Kan who later sold the project to Escient. In
March 2001 the CDDB was officially renamed to
Gracenote and although initially free to access this
database now requires a license to access, prompting
many programs to switch to freedb. |
|
CD-E |
Short for CD erasable, CD-E is a format introduced
to the public in 1995 and allows users to create,
erase and use a CD over-and-over (up to 10,000
times). Today, a CD-E is commonly known and referred
to as CD-RW. |
|
CDFS |
Short for CD File System, CDFS, in Linux systems, is
a file system that exports all tracks and boot
images on a CD as normal files. In Windows, CDFS is
the Windows driver for CD-ROM players. CDFS replaces
MSCDEX that was used for MS-DOS and is a 32-bit
program that runs in protected mode. In addition,
CDFS uses a VCACHE driver to control the CD-ROM disk
cache allowing for a smoother play back.
|
|
CD-i |
Short for Compact Disc-Interactive, CD-i is a type
of CD format and product specified in 1986. A CD-i
player contains all the necessary components (CPU,
Memory and operating system) to fully run the CD.
The CD-i is able to store 19 hours of audio, 7,500
still images and 72 minutes of full screen video.
Today, the CD-i technology is generally only found
in education and training locations. |
|
CD-PROM |
Short for Compact Disc-Programmable ROM, CD-PROM was
developed by Kodak as a picture CD format that
combines recordable and read-only formats on a
single disc. |
|
CD-R |
Also known as CD-WO (Write once) or WORM (Write Once
Read Many) drive. CD-R is short for CD-Recordable
and is a type of writable disc and drive that is
capable of having information written to the disc
once and then having that disc read many times after
that. If the data is not written to the disc
properly, has errors, or has the incorrect
information that disc or portions of that disc
cannot be erased. |
|
CDRFS |
Short for CD-R File System, CDRFS is a file system
developed specifically for CD-R discs by Sony
Corporation that makes a CD-R as easy to use as a
floppy drive. CDRFS uses a new recording technique
called packet recording, which can allow several
advantages to CD-Rs, such as allowing the CD-R to
look re-Writable. |
|
CD-Rom |
Short for Compact Disc-Read Only Memory, CD-ROM
drives are CD-Players inside computers that can have
speeds in the range from 1x and beyond, and have the
capability of playing audio CDs and computer data
CDs. |
|
CD-WO |
Compact Disc-Write Once, CD-WO is another name for a
CD-R disc. |
|
CGI |
Common Gateway Interface. A programming standard
that allows visitors to fill out form fields on a
Web page and have that information interact with a
database, possibly coming back to the user as
another Web page. CGI may also refer to
Computer-Generated Imaging, the process in which
sophisticated computer programs create still and
animated graphics, such as special effects for
movies. |
|
Chat |
Typing text into a message box on a screen to engage
in dialog with one or more people via the Internet
or other network. |
|
Client |
A
single user of a network application that is
operated from a server. A client/server architecture
allows many people to use the same data
simultaneously. The programs main component (the
data) resides on a centralized server, with smaller
components (user interface) on each client. |
|
Coaster |
Common slang used for either an AOL compact disc or
a compact disc that is no longer good, either
because of scratches or because of a failure during
its creations. The term coaster comes from the
coaster commonly used to keep watermarks from being
made on tables from drinks. This term is also used
to describe recordable discs that have become bad
after a burn has failed. |
|
Codec |
Software or hardware that compresses and
decompresses audio and video data streams. |
|
Coin cell battery |
Also known as a button cell or watch battery, a coin
cell battery is a battery contained on the computers
motherboard that allows it to retain important
system settings and remember what the time and date
is while the computer is off. Large battery backups
are commonly used for large corporate networks to
safely shutdown servers if power is out for a long
period of time or keep the servers running if the
power happens to be out for a short period of time.
|
|
Compact Disc |
Abbreviated as CD, a compact disc is a flat round
storage medium that is read by a laser in a CD-ROM
drive. The standard CD is capable of holding 72
minutes of music or 650 MB of data. 80 minute CDs
are also commonly used to store data and are capable
of containing 700 MB of data. |
|
Con |
A
MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows reserved word. When
referring to games con is short for consider and is
an ability or command used to find out additional
information about the targeted creature or player.
For example in the MMORPG game EverQuest a player
can type: /con to find out additional information
about the target. Another term used to describe a
type of deception or trick. For example, phishing is
a type of con that often deceives the user to give
away their log in information. Any type of negative
feedback or lack of features of a product.
|
|
Cookie |
A
text file sent by a Web server that is stored on the
hard drive of a computer and relays back to the Web
server things about the user, his or her computer,
and/or his or her computer activities. |
|
Cookie |
Info sent by web server to web browser. |
|
CPU |
Central Processing Unit. The brain of the computer. |
|
Cracker |
A
person who “breaks in” to a computer through a
network, without authorization and with mischievous
or destructive intent (a crime in some states).
|
|
Crash |
A
hardware or software problem that causes information
to be lost or the computer to malfunction. Sometimes
a crash can cause permanent damage to a computer.
|
|
Credits |
In general, refers to a listing of all the people
who helped develop and bring a product to the
public. For example, after a computer game has been
completed, it may list the credits of all the people
who helped develop, design, test and bring the game
to the public. |
|
CSS |
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a stylesheet
language used to describe the presentation of a
document written in a markup language. Its most
common application is to style web pages written in
HTML and XHTML, but the language can be applied to
any kind of XML document, including SVG and XUL. |
|
CTF |
Short for Capture The Flag, CTF is a type of game
played in first person shooter (FPS) games where a
user must get to an enemys base, grab their flag and
bring it back to their bases flag without dying. The
team with the most flag captures wins the game.
|
|
Cursor |
A
moving position-indicator displayed on a computer
monitor that shows a computer operator where the
next action or operation will take place.
|
|
CYA |
Shorthand for see ya, CYA is commonly used in chat
rooms to let users know you are leaving the room.
This term is also another way of saying "good bye"
to users who may be leaving. |
|
Cyberspace |
Slang for the Internet |
|
DAE |
Short for Digital Audio Extraction, DAE is the
process of taking audio tracks from an audio CD and
moving them to a hard disk drive or other recordable
media. |
| data |
organized information |
|
Database |
A
collection of similar information stored in a file,
such as a database of addresses. This information
may be created and stored in a database management
system (DBMS). |
|
DDR |
An advanced version of SDRAM. |
|
DDR2 |
Double data rate 2. Improved version of DDR that is
faster. |
|
Debug |
Slang. To find and correct equipment defects or
program malfunctions. |
|
Default |
The pre-defined configuration of a system or an
application. In most programs, the defaults can be
changed to reflect personal preferences.
|
|
Desktop |
The main directory of the user interface. Desktops
usually contain icons that represent links to the
hard drive, a network (if there is one), and a trash
or recycling can for files to be deleted. It can
also display icons of frequently used applications,
as requested by the user. |
|
Desktop Publishing |
The production of publication-quality documents
using a personal computer in combination with text,
graphics, and page layout programs. |
|
DFMC |
Short for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell, DFMC is a type
of battery from Toshiba that utilizes concentrated
methanol to power a device. |
|
DIMM |
Dual in line memory module. |
|
Directory |
A
list of files stored in the computer. |
|
DivX |
A
video codec from DivXNetworks, based on MPEG 4 |
|
DRAM |
Dynamic random access memory. Slower and cheaper
than SRAM. |
|
DRM |
Digital Rights Management. A system for authorizing
the viewing of playback of copyrighted material on a
user's computer of digital music player. |
|
DSL |
Digital Subscriber Line. |
|
E- mail |
A
message of some sort sent from one computer to
another computer. Could contain text, graphics or
video. |
|
EPROM |
Eraseable Programmable Read - Only Memory |
|
Fire Wall |
Separates a network into two or more parts for
security. |
|
FTP |
File Transfer Protocol. Method of moving files. |
| Gadget |
A
small machine or device which does something useful.
You sometimes refer to something as a gadget when
you are suggesting that it is complicated and
unnecessary. |
| GHz |
Short for gigahertz,
GHz is a unit of measurement for alternating current
(AC) or electromagnetic (EM) wave frequencies equal
to 1,000,000,000 Hz.
When referring to a computer processor or CPU,
GHz is a clock frequency, also known as a clock rate
or clock speed, representing a cycle of time. An
oscillator circuit supplies a small amount of
electricity to a crystal each second that is
measured in MHz or GHz, where "Hz" is the
abbreviation of Hertz, "M" representing Mega, or one
million, and "G" representing Giga, or one thousand
million. In addition to GHz and MHz, there is KHz,
or 1,000 Hz.
|
| Gigabyte |
Most standards is equal
to 1,073,741,824 bytes. However, the IEC defines a
gigabyte or GB equal to 1,000,000,000 bytes.
Therefore, a GB could be either of these values.
Many hard disk drive manufacturers and computer
manufacturers will define what they consider a
gigabyte to equal in the fine print. |
| Google |
Inspired from the term
googol, Google is a popular and widely used
search engine that was first developed by Sergey
Brin and Larry Page in 1996 for a research project
at Stanford University. and later incorporated on
September 7, 1998. Because of its large database of
indexed pages and its page rank technique to
properly sort search results Google quickly became
everyone's favorite search engine. |
|
Hard Drive |
Hard disk drive (HDD) is a non volatile storage
device which stores digitally encoded data on
rapidly rotating platters with magnetic surfaces. |
Formatting |
|
HTML |
Hypertext Markup Language. Language used to created
documents for the web. |
|
HTTP |
Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The protocol for moving
hypertext files across the web. |
|
IDE |
Integrated Device Electronics. |
|
Internet |
Networks that are connected using the TCP/IP
protocol. |
|
Intranet |
A
private network inside a company. |
|
IP Number |
Internet Protocol Number. Every machine has a unique
IP number. |
|
JAVA |
A
network friendly programming language invented by
Sun Microsystems. |
|
JPEG |
The most common format for image files. |
| Keyboard |
One of the main input
devices used on a computer, a PC's keyboard looks
very similar to the keyboards of electric
typewriters, with some additional keys. |
| Keyboard
Shortcut |
Also known as a
shortcut, accelerator key, hot key, or mnemonic, a
keyboard shortcut is one or more keys used to
perform a menu function or other common functions in
an application, usually also accessible through a
mouse-click. Keyboard shortcuts usually are not as
intuitive as point & click mouse actions; however,
they can be utilized by the novice users in
frequently used programs to get to locations much
faster than using the mouse. |
| Kilobyte |
Abbreviated as K, and
KB, a kilobyte is equal to 1,024 bytes, however is
also defined by the IEC as equal to 1,000 bytes.
Therefore, a KB could really equal either of these
values, however is widely accepted as being 1,024
bytes. |
|
LAN |
Local Area Network. A network limited to the
immediate area. |
|
Li-Ion |
Short for Lithium-Ion, Li-Ion is a fragile
technology requiring protector circuit, the Li-ion
is used where very high energy density is needed and
cost is secondary. Li-Ion batters are generally more
expensive. |
|
Maillist |
Allows you to send to one address and it copies and
sends to a list that you created. |
|
Munge |
To Munge (munj) is to create a strong password by
character substitution. The word "Munge" is an
acronym for Modify Until Not Guessed Easily. A
strong password contains characters from at least 3
of these 4 character sets lower case, upper case,
numbers or special characters !@#$%^* |
|
Network |
Any time you connect two or more computers. |
|
Ni-Cad |
Trademarked name for a Nickel-Cadmium battery owned
by SAFT America Inc. Ni-Cad is a type of
rechargeable battery, made mostly of of nickel and
cadmium. A primary problem with nickel-cadmium
batteries was that they needed to be completely
drained of power before they could be recharged.
Known as a memory loss or memory effect, if the
battery was not completely drained, once the battery
reaches its last low level, the battery would go
dead, assuming that no power was left. |
|
NiMH |
Short for Nickel-Metal Hydride and also abbreviated
as Ni-MH, NiMH is a type of rechargeable battery
used primarily in portable computers. |
| Off-line storage |
Term used to describe a
type of storage that cannot be accessed by the
computer. A good example of
off-line storage
is a floppy disk. Off-line storage allows a user to
store information that will not be affected by
computer viruses or hardware failure. |
|
PATA |
ATA technology was retroactively renamed Parallel
ATA to distinguish it from Serial ATA. Both are IDE
although IDE is often misused to indicate PATA. |
|
Peer to peer |
A
communications environment that allows all computers
in the network to act as servers and share their
files with other on the network. |
|
Portal |
A
site that the owner positions as an entrance to
other sites on the internet. It typically has search
engines and free email. |
|
POST |
Beep codes are part of the PC's Power On Self Test
(POST) routine. One beep means the system has passed
the test and the BIOS believes that the CPU and
memory and video are functioning properly. |
|
PowerNow |
A
feature available with AMDs K6-2+, K6-III+, mobile
Athlon, Turion 64, and later AMD mobile processors
that allows a user to control features of the
processor through software that lower its speed. By
reducing the overall speed of the processor it helps
conserve power and reduce the heat produced by the
processor, which saves on battery life. |
| Q-cable |
Type of cable that
contains 68-wires and is used in conjunction with a
P-cable on a 32-bit Wide SCSI cable. With the
release of the SCSI-3 specification the Q-cable has
become obsolete. |
| Query |
When referring to a
database or search, a query is a field or option
used to locate information within a database or
other location. |
|
R/W |
Short for Read/Write, R/W is a drive and/or media
that is capable of being written to or read from, as
well as being written to or read from many times.
This term is commonly used and found on CD-RW
drives, drives capable of of recording and reading
CD-RW discs. |
|
RAID |
Redundant Array of Independent Discs. |
|
RAM |
Random access memory. |
|
Read - only |
Allowing the file to be only viewed and not written
to. |
|
Router |
A
special purpose computer that handles the connection
between 2 or more Packet Switched networks. |
|
Safe Mode |
Safe Mode is a way for the Windows operating system
to run with the minimum system files necessary. It
uses a generic VGA display driver instead of the
vendor-specific driver, which means you will likely
be working with only 16 colors in a resolution of
640x480. Safe Mode also turns off all third-party
drivers for other peripherals such as mice,
keyboards, printers, and scanners. In basic Safe
Mode, networking files and settings are not loaded,
meaning you won't be able to connect to the Internet
or other computers on a network. So why would I ever
want to boot in Safe Mode? Well, that's a good
question. Sometimes, Windows may not fully load
after an unexpected crash and the only way to get
the computer to boot is to use Safe Mode. Once you
have successfully booted the computer in Safe Mode,
you can run a disk utility program to repair
corrupted files or directories on the hard drive.
You can also reboot into Safe Mode to see your
display when you get a "Sync Out of Range" message
on your screen. There may also be times when your
computer is performing sluggishly and becomes
annoyingly slow. Booting into Safe Mode will allow
you to diagnose the problem and determine which
files are slowing down the computer. When calling
technical support, the support person may ask you to
boot into Safe Mode to begin the troubleshooting. To
boot your Windows computer into Safe Mode, hold down
the F8 key while the computer is starting up. Then
select Safe Mode from the list of boot options. |
|
Samba |
Most people know of samba as a type of rhythmic
dance music from Brazil that uses a 2/4 time
signature. In the computer world, samba has a
different meaning but is no less exciting (if you
are a computer nerd). Samba is an open-source
software implementation of the SMB networking
protocol used by Windows computers. (If you look
closely, you can see the correlation between the two
names.) Samba allows other computer platforms, such
as Mac OS X, Unix, Linux, IBM System 390, and
OpenVMS to interact with Windows computers on the
same network. This includes sharing files and using
shared devices such as printers connected to other
computers within the local network. Because SMB was
developed only for Windows, without Samba, other
computer platforms would be isolated from Windows
machines, even if they were part of the same
network. Fortunately, Samba helps different types of
computers work together as if they were all based on
the same platform. This gives network administrators
the freedom to choose multiple types of computers
systems when setting up a network. Now that's a
reason to dance! |
|
Sample |
A
sample is a digital representation of an analog
signal. Both digital video and digital audio files
are created using samples. The quality of the sample
is determined by the sampling rate, or the bit rate
the signal is sampled at. What we see and hear in
the real world is in analog format (our bodies
process analog information). Computers, on the other
hand, can only understand digital information.
Therefore, audio and video signals must be converted
to a digital format in order to be stored on a
computer or saved to a CD or DVD. The converted data
is called a sample. The term "sample" is often used
to refer to short audio clips used for playing back
sounds. For example, a violin sound or a bird chirp
may be sampled and then played back from a digital
keyboard (or synthesizer). However, samples can
refer to entire songs or movies, since the
information is technically one long sample. To learn
more about how samples are created, view the
definition of sampling, which is the process of
recording and creating digital samples. |
|
Sampling |
Before digital recording took over the audio and
video industries, everything was recorded in analog.
Audio was recorded to devices like cassette tapes
and records. Video was recorded to Beta and VHS
tapes. The media was even edited in analog format,
using multichannel audio tapes (such as 8-tracks)
for music, and film reels for video recordings. This
method involved a lot of rewinding and
fast-forwarding, which resulted in a time-consuming
process. Fortunately, digital recording has now
almost completely replaced analog recording. Digital
editing can be done much more efficiently than
analog editing and the media does not lose any
quality in the process. However, since what humans
see and hear is in analog format (linear waves of
light and sound), saving audio and video in a
digital format requires converting the signal from
analog to digital. This process is called sampling.
Sampling involves taking snapshots of an audio or
video signal at very fast intervals ? usually tens
of thousands of times per second. The quality of the
digital signal is determined largely by the sampling
rate, or the bit rate the signal is sampled at. The
higher the bit rate, the more samples are created
per second, and the more realistic the resulting
audio or video file will be. For example, CD-quality
audio is sampled at 44.1 kHz, or 44,100 samples per
second. The difference between a 44.1 kHz digital
recording and the original audio signal is
imperceptible to most people. However, if the audio
was recorded at 22 kHz (half the CD-quality rate),
most people would notice the drop in quality right
away. Samples can be created by sampling live audio
and video or by sampling previously recorded analog
media. Since samples estimate the analog signal, the
digital representation is never as accurate as the
analog data. However, if a high enough sampling rate
is used, the difference is not noticeable to the
human senses. Because digital information can be
edited and saved using a computer and will not
deteriorate like analog media, the
quality/convenience tradeoff involved in sampling is
well worthwhile. |
|
SAN (Storage Area Network) |
Stands for "Storage Area Network." A SAN is a
network of storage devices that can be accessed by
multiple computers. Each computer on the network can
access hard drives in the SAN as if they were local
disks connected directly to the computer. This
allows individual hard drives to be used by multiple
computers, making it easy to share information
between different machines. While a single server
can provide a shared hard drive to multiple
machines, large networks may require more storage
than a single server can offer. For example, a large
business may have several terabytes of data that
needs to be accessible by multiple machines on a
local area network (LAN). In this situation, a SAN
could be setup instead of adding additional servers.
Since only hard drives need to be added instead of
complete computer systems, SANs are an efficient way
to increase network storage. |
|
SATA |
Serial ATA. |
|
SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) |
Stands for "Serial Advanced Technology Attachment,"
or "Serial ATA." It is an interface used to connect
ATA hard drives to a computer's motherboard. SATA
transfer rates start at 150MBps, which is
significantly faster than even the fastest 100MBps
ATA/100 drives. For this and other reasons, Serial
ATA is likely to replace the previous standard,
Parallel ATA (PATA), which has been around since the
1980s. Besides faster transfer rates, the SATA
interface has several advantages over the PATA
interface. For one, SATA drives each have their own
independent bus, so there is no competition for
bandwidth like there is with Parallel ATA. They also
use smaller, thinner cables, which allows for better
airflow inside the computer. SATA cables can be as
long as one meter, while PATA cables max out at
40cm. This gives manufacturers more liberty when
designing the internal layout of their computers.
Finally, Serial ATA uses only 7 conductors, while
Parallel ATA uses 40. This means there is less
likely to be electromagnetic interference with SATA
devices. In summary, Serial ATA is a better, more
efficient interface than the dated PATA standard. If
you are looking to buy a computer that will support
fast hard drives for years to come, make sure it
comes with a SATA interface. |
|
Screenshot |
A
screenshot, or screen capture, is a picture taken of
your computer's desktop. This may include the
desktop background, icons of files and folders, and
open windows. It may also include whatever is being
displayed by currently running programs. Screenshots
are and easy way to save something you see on the
screen, such as an open window, image, or text
article. However, because screenshots are saved in
an image format, the text saved in a screenshot will
not be editable. Both the Mac OS and Windows
operating systems make it easy to take screenshots.
Just use the following keyboard shortcuts to capture
the current screen displayed on your computer: Mac
OS X: Command-Shift-3: Saves a screenshot of the
entire desktop to an image file on the desktop.
Command-Shift-4: Saves a screenshot of a selection
selected with the cursor to an image file on the
desktop. Command-Control-Shift-3: Saves a screenshot
of the entire desktop to the clipboard.
Command-Control-Shift-4: Saves a screenshot or a
selection selected with the cursor to the clipboard.
Windows XP: Print Screen: Saves a screenshot of the
entire desktop to the clipboard. Alt+Print Screen:
Saves a screenshot of the active window to the
clipboard. |
|
Script |
A
computer script is a list of commands that are
executed by a certain program or scripting engine.
Scripts may be used to automate processes on a local
computer or to generate Web pages on the Web. For
example, DOS scripts and VB Scripts may be used to
run processes on Windows machines, while AppleScript
scripts can automate tasks on Macintosh computers.
ASP, JSP, and PHP scripts are often run on Web
servers to generate dynamic Web page content. Script
files are usually just text documents that contain
instructions written in a certain scripting
language. This means most scripts can be opened and
edited using a basic text editor. However, when
opened by the appropriate scripting engine, the
commands within the script are executed. VB (Visual
Basic) scripts, for example, will run when
double-clicked, using Windows' built-in VB scripting
support. Since VB scripts can access and modify
local files, you should never run a VB script that
you receive as an unknown e-mail attachment. |
|
Scroll Bar |
When the contents of a window are too large to be
displayed entirely within the window, a scroll bar
will appear. For example, if a Web page is too long
to fit within a window, a scroll bar will show up on
the right-hand side of the window, allowing you to
scroll up and down the page. If the page is too wide
for the window, another scroll bar will appear at
the bottom of the window, allowing you to scroll to
the left and right. If the window's contents fit
within the current window size, the scroll bars will
not appear. The scroll bar contains a slider that
the user can click and drag to scroll through the
window. As you may have noticed, the size of the
slider may change for different windows. This is
because the slider's size represents what percentage
of the window's content is currently being displayed
within the window. For example, a slider that takes
up 75% of the scroll bar means 75% of the content
fits within the current window size. A slider that
fills only 10% of the scroll bar means only 10% of
the window's contents are being displayed within the
current window size. Therefore, if two windows are
the same size, the one with the smaller slider has
more content than the one with the larger slider.
Most scroll bars also contain up and down or left
and right arrows that allow the user to scroll in
small increments by clicking the arrows. However,
clicking and dragging the slider is much faster, so
the arrow keys are typically not used as often.
Also, some mice have a scroll wheel that allows the
user to scroll by dragging the wheel instead of
clicking and dragging within the scroll bar.
|
|
Scroll Wheel |
Computer windows are often not large enough to
display the entire contents of the window at one
time. Therefore, you may need to scroll through the
window to view all the contents. Traditionally, this
has been done by clicking and dragging the slider
within the scroll bar. However, many mice now come
with scroll wheels that make the scrolling process
even easier. The scroll wheel typically sits between
the left and right buttons on the top of a mouse. It
is raised slightly, which allows the user to easily
drag the wheel up or down using the index finger.
Pulling the scroll wheel towards you scrolls down
the window, while pushing it away scrolls up. Most
modern mice include a scroll wheel, since it
eliminates the need to move the cursor to the scroll
bar in order to scroll through the window.
Therefore, once you get accustomed to using a scroll
wheel, it can be pretty difficult to live without.
Most scroll wheels only allow the user to scroll up
and down. However, some programs allow the user to
use a modifier key, such as Control or Shift, to
change the scrolling input to left and right. Some
mice even have a tilting scroll wheel that allows
the user to scroll left and right. The Apple Mighty
Mouse has a spherical scrolling mechanism (called a
scroll ball) that allows the user to also scroll
left and right and even diagonally. Whatever the
case, any type of scroll wheel is certainly better
than nothing. |
|
Scrolling |
Most computer programs display their content within
a window. However, windows are often not large
enough to display their entire content at once.
Therefore, you may have to scroll through the window
to view the rest of the contents. For example, on
some monitors, a page from a word processing
document may not fit within the main window when
viewed at 100%. Therefore, you may have to scroll
down the window to view the rest of the page.
Similarly, many Web pages do not fit completely
within a window and may require you to scroll both
vertically and horizontally to see all the content.
To scroll up or down within a window, simply click
the scroll bar on the right-hand side of the window
and drag the slider up or down. If the window
requires horizontal scrolling as well, click the
scroll bar at the bottom of the window and drag the
slider to the right or left. Some computer mice also
include a scroll wheel that allows you to scroll
through the window by rolling the wheel back and
forth. |
|
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) |
Stands for "Small Computer System Interface," and is
pronounced "scuzzy." SCSI is a computer interface
used primarily for high-speed hard drives. This is
because SCSI can support faster data transfer rates
than the commonly used IDE storage interface. SCSI
also supports daisy-chaining devices, which means
several SCSI hard drives can be connected to single
a SCSI interface, with little to no decrease in
performance. |
|
SD (Secure Digital) |
Stands for "Secure Digital." It is a type of memory
card used for storing data in devices such as
digital cameras, PDAs, mobile phones, portable music
players, and digital voice recorders. The card is
one of the smaller memory card formats, measuring
24mm wide by 32mm long and is just 2.1mm thick. To
give the cards some orientation, the top-rght corner
of each SD card is slanted. Even though the cards
are extremely small, as of late 2004, they can hold
up to 8GB of data. Part of the reason the cards are
called "Secure Digital" cards is because the cards
have a copyright protection feature built in. The
security feature, called "key revocation" means
protected data on the card can only be read by
specific devices. The cards can have both secured
and unsecured areas on them for copyrighted and
non-copyrighted data. For more information on SD
cards, visit the SD Card Association. |
|
SDRAM |
Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory. Is an
improvement to standard DRAM. |
|
SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) |
Stands for "Synchronous Dynamic Random Access
Memory." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but if you memorize
it, you can really impress your friends. SDRAM is an
improvement to standard DRAM because it retrieves
data alternately between two sets of memory. This
eliminates the delay caused when one bank of memory
addresses is shut down while another is prepared for
reading. It is called "Synchronous" DRAM because the
memory is synchronized with the clock speed that the
computer's CPU bus speed is optimized for. The
faster the bus speed, the faster the SDRAM can be.
SDRAM speed is measured in Megahertz, which makes it
easy to compare the processor's bus speed to the
speed of the memory. |
|
SDSL (Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line) |
Stands for "Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line." SDSL
is a type of of DSL, which is used for transferring
data over copper telephone lines. The "symmetric"
part of the term means that an SDSL connection has
the same maximum upload and download speeds. ADSL,
on the other hand, typically provides much faster
download speeds than upload speeds. Because most
Internet users download much more data than they
upload, ISPs usually offer ADSL connections rather
than SDSL. |
|
Search Engine |
Google, Excite, Lycos, AltaVista, Infoseek, and
Yahoo are all search engines. They index millions of
sites on the Web, so that Web surfers like you and
me can easily find Web sites with the information we
want. By creating indexes, or large databases of Web
sites (based on titles, keywords, and the text in
the pages), search engines can locate relevant Web
sites when users enter search terms or phrases. When
you are looking for something using a search engine,
it is a good idea to use words like AND, OR, and NOT
to specify your search. Using these boolean
operators, you can usually get a list of more
relevant sites. |
|
Sector |
A
sector is the smallest unit that can be accessed on
a hard disk. Each platter, or circular disk of a
hard disk is divided into tracks, which run around
the disk. These tracks get longer as they move from
the middle towards the outside of the disk, so there
are more sectors along the tracks near the outside
of the disk than the ones towards the center of
disk. This variance in sectors per track is referred
to as "zoned-bit recording." Large files can take up
thousands of sectors on a disk. Even if one of these
sectors becomes corrupted, the file will most likely
be unreadable. While a disk utility program may be
able to fix corrupted data, it cannot fix physical
damage. Physically damaged sectors are called "bad
sectors." While your computer may recognize and
bypass bad sectors on your hard disk, certain bad
sectors may prevent your disk from operating
properly. Yet another good reason to always back up
your data! |
|
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) |
Stands for "Search Engine Optimization." Just about
every Webmaster wants his or her site to appear in
the top listings of all the major search engines.
Say, for example, that Bob runs an online soccer
store. He wants his site to show up in the top few
listings when someone searches for "soccer shoes."
Then he gets more leads from search engines, which
means more traffic, more sales, and more revenue.
The problem is that there are thousands of other
soccer sites, whose Webmasters are hoping for the
same thing. That's where search engine optimization,
or SEO, comes in. SEO involves a number of
adjustments to the HTML of individual Web pages to
achieve a high search engine ranking. First, the
title of the page must include relevant information
about the page. In the previous example, Bob's home
page might have the title, "Bob's Soccer Store --
Soccer Shoes and Equipment." The title is the most
important part of SEO, since it tells the search
engine exactly what the page is about. Within Bob's
home page, it would be helpful to repeat the words
"soccer" and "soccer shoes" a few times, since
search engines also scan the text of the pages they
index. Finally, there are META tags. These HTML tags
can really distinguish your site from the rest of
the pile. The META tags that most search engines
read are the description and keywords tags. Within
the description tags, you should type a brief
description of the Web page. It should be similar
but more detailed than the title. Within the
keywords tags, you should list 5-20 words that
relate to the content of the page. Using META tags
can significantly boost your search engine ranking.
So what happens when a bunch of sites all have
similar titles, content, and META tags? Well, most
search engines choose to list the most popular sites
first. But then how do you get into the most popular
sites? The best way is to submit your site to Web
directories (not just search engines) and get other
sites to link to yours. It can be a long climb to
the top, but your perserverance will pay off. For
more tips on SEO, visit the Submit Corner Web site. |
|
Serial Port |
The serial port is a type of connection on PCs that
is used for peripherals such as mice, gaming
controllers, modems, and older printers. It is
sometimes called a COM port or an RS-232 port, which
is its technical name. If that's not enough to
confuse you, there are two types of serial ports --
DB9 and DB25. DB9 is a 9-pin connection, and DB25
is, you guessed it, a 25-pin connection. A serial
port can only transmit one bit of data at a time,
whereas a parallel port can transmit many bits at
once. The serial port is typically the slowest port
you'll find on a PC, if you find one at all. Most
newer computers have replaced serial ports with much
faster and more compatible USB ports. |
|
Server |
As the name implies, a server serves information to
computers that connect to it. When users connect to
a server, they can access programs, files, and other
information from the server. Common servers are Web
servers, mail servers, and LAN servers. A single
computer can have several different server programs
running on it. |
|
Server |
A
computer, or a software package, that provides a
specific kind of service to a client software
running on other computers. |
|
Service Pack |
A
service pack is a software package that contains
several updates for an application or operating
system. Individual updates are typically called
software updates or patches. When a software company
has developed several updates to a certain program
or operating system, the company may release all the
updates together in a service pack. Many Windows
users are familiar with service packs because of the
popular service pack released for Windows XP, called
SP2. Windows XP SP2 not only included typical
updates such as bug fixes and security updates, it
added new features. Some of the features included
new security tools, interface enhancements to
Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, and new
DirectX technologies. In fact the SP2 service pack
for Windows XP was so comprehensive, many newer
Windows programs require it in order to run. Service
packs are usually offered as free downloads from the
software developer's website. A software update
program on your computer may even prompt you to
download a service pack when it becomes available.
Typically, it is a good idea to download and install
new service packs. However, is may also be wise to
wait a week or two after the service pack is
released to make sure no new bugs or
incompatibilities are introduced with the service
pack. If you do not have a high-speed Internet
connection, you can often purchase a service pack
update CD for a small charge. While service packs
are commonly released for Microsoft products, not
all companies use them. Apple's Mac OS X, for
example, uses the Software Update program to install
incremental updates to the operating system. Each
Mac OS X update includes several small updates to
the operating system and bundled applications, much
like a service pack. |
|
Shareware |
There is commercial software and then there is
shareware. With commercial software, you have to pay
for the product before you use it. With shareware,
you can use the product for a trial period and then
decide if you want to keep it. If you want to keep
the software after the trial period is up, you're
supposed to (and should) register the product and
pay the shareware fee. As an extra incentive to pay
for the software, many shareware programs disable
certain features in the non-registered version and
some will keep bugging you to register the program
after the trial period has expired. Shareware
programs are usually less expensive than commercial
software programs, but they are usually less
expensive to develop as well. This is why shareware
programs are typically not as robust as commercial
software programs. However, there are numerous
shareware programs out there, such as system
utilities, that can be very useful. The most common
way to get shareware these days is off the Internet.
Check out C|net's Shareware.com for a huge selection
of these great little programs. |
|
Shell |
Most people know of shells as small protective
coverings for certain animals, such as clams, crabs,
and mollusks. You may also find a shell on the
outside of an egg, which I highly recommend you
remove before eating. In the computer science world,
however, a shell is a software program that
interprets commands from the user so that the
operating system can understand them and perform the
appropriate functions. The shell is a command-line
interface, which means it is soley text-based. The
user can type commands to perform functions such as
run programs, open and browse directories, and view
processes that are currently running. Since the
shell is only one layer above the operating system,
you can perform operations that are not always
possible using the graphical user interface (GUI).
Some examples include moving files within the system
folder and deleting files that are typically locked.
The catch is, you need to know the correct syntax
when typing the commands and you may still be
prompted for a password in order to perform
administrative functions. Shells are most commonly
associated with Unix, as many Unix users like to
interact with the operating system using the
text-based interface. Two common Unix shells are the
Bourne shell and the C Shell, which is used by BSD.
Most Unix systems have both of these shells
available to the user. Windows users may be more
familiar with DOS, the shell that has long been
included with the Windows operating system. Most
computer users have no need to use the shell
interface, but it can be a fun way to perform
functions on your computer, as well as impress your
friends. |
|
SIMM |
Single in line memory module. |
|
SIMM (Single In-Line Memory Module) |
Stands for "Single In-Line Memory Module." This is
an older type of computer memory. A SIMM is a small
circuit board with a bunch of memory chips on it.
SIMMs use a 32-bit bus, which is not as wide as the
64-bit bus dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs) use.
Newer processors require a 64-bit memory bus, so it
is best to use DIMMs. Sometimes you can get away
with installing SIMMS, but they have to be installed
in pairs. |
|
Site Map |
A
site map, sometimes written "sitemap," is an
overview of the pages within a website. Site maps of
smaller sites may include every page of the website,
while site maps of larger sites often only include
pages for major categories and subcategories of the
website. While site maps can be organized in a
variety of ways, most use an outline form, with
pages arranged by topic. This gives visitors a good
overall picture of how the site is organized and
clearly defines all the resources the website has to
offer. While a properly designed website should
allow visitors to navigate the entire site without
using the site map, incorporating a site map gives
users another means of locating pages. For this
reason, each page listed in a site map is typically
linked to the page it represents. This allows
visitors to quickly jump to any section of a website
listed in the site map. |
|
Skin |
This strange term refers to the appearance of a
program's interface. By changing the skin of a
program, you can make the interface look completely
different, but usually still have all the same
functions. It is similar to a "Theme" you may use to
customize the appearance of your computer's desktop.
Skins have become particularly popular for MP3
players. Because of the simple interface of most MP3
programs, it is easy to create different looks for
the interface. Other programs, such as Netscape 6,
ICQ, Yahoo Messenger, and Windows Media Player also
support skins. If you're one of those people who
can't stand seeing the same thing over and over
again, skins are for you. Some programs that support
skins even provide a skin development kit that your
can use to create your own. Though this allows for
an unlimited amount of interface customizing, it can
make it hard to recognize or use the same program on
different computers. |
|
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) |
Stands for "Stock Keeping Unit," and is conveniently
pronounced "skew." A SKU is a number or string of
alpha and numeric characters that uniquely identify
a product. For this reason, SKUs are often called
part numbers, product numbers, and product
identifiers. SKUs may be a universal number such as
a UPC code or supplier part number or may be a
unique identifier used by a specific a store or
online retailer. For example, one company may use
the 10 character identifier supplied by the
manufacturer as the SKU of an external hard drive.
Another company may use a proprietary 6-digit number
as the SKU to identify the part. Many retailers use
their own SKU numbers to label products so they can
track their inventory using their own custom
database system. When shopping online or at retail
stores, knowing a product's SKU can help you locate
the exact product at a later time. It will help you
identify a unique product when there are many
similar options, such as a TV model that comes in
different colors, sizes, etc. If you know a
product's SKU, you can typically locate the product
online by typing the SKU in the online retailer's
search box. If you visit a retail store and have
questions about product you saw in an ad, knowing
the SKU will help the salesperson find the exact
product you are asking about. SKUs are typically
listed in small print below the product name and are
often preceded by the words "SKU," "Part Number,"
"Product ID," or something similar. |
|
Skyscraper |
While not as common as the banner ad, the skyscraper
is another prevalent form of Web advertising.
Skyscraper ads, which are tall and narrow, get their
name from the tall buildings you often see in big
cities. They are typically placed to the left or
right of the main content on the page, which allows
all or part of the ad to be visible even as the user
scrolls down the window. Skyscraper ads come in two
standard sizes -- 120 pixels wide by 600 pixels high
(120x600) and 160 pixels wide by 600 pixels high
(160x600). They can contain text advertisements,
images, or animations. When users click on a
skyscraper ad, they are redirected to the
advertiser's website. |
|
Slashdot |
Press releases can often trigger increased interest
in a certain topic, and if a Web site link is
provided in the release, this can translate to
increased hits to the Web site. If the increase in
traffic is so dramatic that it causes the server to
be completely unreachable, the server is said to
have been "slashdotted." The name came into being
after October, 1998, when a press release was
published on the Slashdot.org Web site, resulting in
a major surge in traffic to another Web server,
causing it to go down. You can also use the term as
a verb, as in, "Dude, thanks to that stupid article,
our server got slashdotted today, man!" |
|
SLI (Scalable Link Interface) |
Stands for "Scalable Link Interface." SLI is a
technology developed by NVIDIA that allows multiple
graphics cards to work together in a single computer
system. This enables faster graphics performance
than what is possible with a single card. For
example, using SLI to link two cards together may
offer up to twice the performance of a single video
card. If each card has two GPUs, the result may be
up to four times the performance of a typical video
card! For video cards to be linked using NVIDIA's
SLI system, the computer must have multiple PCI
Express slots. PCI Express is the first video card
interface that allows the linking of multiple
graphics cards because the slots share the same bus.
Previous technologies, such as PCI and AGP, used
separate buses, which did not allow graphics cards
to be bridged together. The PCI Express slots must
also support enough bandwidth for the cards, which
typically means they must be x8 or x16 slots. Of
course, the cards themselves must also support SLI
bridging in order to work together. |
|
SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis And Reporting
Technology) |
Stands for "Self-Monitoring Analysis And Reporting
Technology." It is used to protect and prevent
errors in hard drives. The SMART technology
basically monitors and analyzes hard drives (hence
the name), then checks the health of your hard drive
and lets you know if there are any problems. The
main purpose of SMART is to keep your hard drive
running smoothly and prevent it from crashing. |
|
Smart battery |
Also known as an intelligent battery, a smart
battery is a portable computer battery that has the
ability of keeping the computer up-to-date with its
power status and other specific battery
characteristics. |
|
SMB (Server Message Block) |
Stands for "Server Message Block." SMB is a network
protocol used by Windows-based computers that allows
systems within the same network to share files. It
allows computers connected to the same network or
domain to access files from other local computers as
easily as if they were on the computer's local hard
drive. Not only does SMB allow computers to share
files, but it also enables computers to share
printers and even serial ports from other computers
within the network. For example, a computer
connected to a Windows network could print a
document on a printer connected to another computer
on the network, as long as both machines support the
SMB protocol. Though SMB was originally developed
for Windows, it can also be used by other platforms,
including Unix and Mac OS X, using a software
implementation called Samba. By using Samba
instructions, Mac, Windows, and Unix computers can
share the same files, folders, and printers. This is
great for those Windows-based office networks where
there is a graphic designer who refuses to use
anything but a Mac and a tech guy who does
everything on his Linux machine. |
|
SMS (Short Message Service) |
Stands for "Short Message Service." SMS is used to
send text messages to mobile phones. The messages
can typically be up to 160 characters in length,
though some services use 5-bit mode, which supports
224 characters. SMS was originally created for
phones that use GSM (Global System for Mobile)
communication, but now all the major cell phone
systems support it. While SMS is most commonly used
for text messaging between friends or co-workers, it
has several other uses as well. For example,
subscription SMS services can transmit weather,
news, sports updates, and stock quotes to users'
phones. SMS can also notify employees of sales
inquiries, service stops, and other information
pertinent to their business. Doctors can receive SMS
messages regarding patient emergencies. Fortunately,
text messages sent via SMS do not require the
recipient's phone to be on in order for the message
to be successfully transmitted. The SMS service will
hold the message until the recipient turns on his or
her phone, at which point the message will be be
sent to the recipient's phone. Most cell phone
companies allow you to send a certain number of text
messages every month for no charge. Though it would
be a good idea to find out what that number is
before you go text message crazy. |
|
SMTP |
Simple Network Management Protocol. A protocol for
client server communication that sends and receives
information on top of HTTP. |
|
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) |
Stands for "Simple Mail Transfer Protocol." This is
the protocol used for sending e-mail over the
Internet. Your e-mail client (such as Outlook,
Eudora, or Mac OS X Mail) uses SMTP to send a
message to the mail server, and the mail server uses
SMTP to relay that message to the correct receiving
mail server. Basically, SMTP is a set of commands
that authenticate and direct the transfer of
electronic mail. When configuring the settings for
your e-mail program, you usually need to set the
SMTP server to your local Internet Service
Provider's SMTP settings (i.e. "smtp.yourisp.com").
However, the incoming mail server (IMAP or POP3)
should be set to your mail account's server (i.e.
hotmail.com), which may be different than the SMTP
server. |
|
Snapshot |
While the term "snapshot" is often used in
photography, it is also a computing term that refers
to a copy made of a disk drive at a specific moment
in time. Snapshots are useful for backing up data at
different intervals, which allows information to be
recovered from different periods of time. A hard
drive snapshot includes the full directory structure
of a hard disk, including all folders and files on
the disk. This type of backup may also be referred
to as a "disk image." Disk images allow the full
disk to be restored in case the primary disk fails.
Many backup programs that create snapshots also
allow specific files to be recovered from the
snapshot, instead of having to restore the complete
backup. Since snapshots are mainly used for backup
purposes, it is wise to save the snapshot to a
secondary hard drive, removable drive, or optical
media, such as CDs or DVDs. |
|
SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) |
Stands for "Simple Network Management Protocol."
SNMP is used for exchanging management information
between network devices. For example, SNMP may be
used to configure a router or simply check its
status. There are four types of SNMP commands used
to control and monitor managed devices: 1) read, 2)
write, 3) trap, and 4) traversal operations. The
read command is used to monitor devices, while the
write command is used to configure devices and
change device settings. The trap command is used to
"trap" events from the device and report them back
to the monitoring system. Traversal operations are
used to determine what variables a certain device
supports. SNMP has no authentication capabilities,
which means it is not a very secure protocol. For
this reason, SNMP is often used for monitoring
networks rather than managing them. So, practically
speaking, SNMP could be considered as a "Simple
Network Monitoring Protocol" instead. |
|
SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) |
Stands for "Service Oriented Architecture." When
businesses grow, they often add new products and
services. While these additions may help make the
business larger, it is often difficult to implement
them in an efficient manner. The goal of SOA is to
make it easy for businesses to grow and add new
services. The Service Oriented Architecture is based
on components that work seamlessly with each other.
For example, a company sells clothing through an
online store. After a few months of successful
sales, the company decides to add a jewelry
department. An SOA component conveniently adds a new
section to the store, in this case, specifically for
jewelry. The company then wants to add new shipping
options. A SOA shipping component makes adding the
new shipping options as easy as checking a few boxes
in an administrative control panel. Initially, the
company only offered e-mail support, but later
decides that adding phone support would be
beneficial. A phone support component allows the
phone representatives to look up customer orders the
same way the e-mail support specialists could.
Basically, SOA makes it possible for a business to
add new features and services without having to
create them from scratch. Instead, they can be added
or modified as needed, making it simple and
efficient to expand the business. Because many
products and services are now offered via the Web,
most SOA solutions include Web-based
implementations. |
|
SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) |
Stands for "Simple Object Access Protocol," and can
do more than just get your hands clean. SOAP is a
method of transferring messages, or small amounts of
information, over the Internet. SOAP messages are
formatted in XML and are typically sent using HTTP
(hypertext transfer protocol). Both are widely
supported data transmission standards. HTTP, which
is the protocol that Web pages are sent over, has
the additional advantage of avoiding most network
firewalls. Since firewalls usually do not block port
80 (HTTP) traffic, most SOAP messages can pass
through without any problems. Each SOAP message is
contained in an "envelope" that includes a header
and a body. The header may include the message ID
and date the message was sent, while the body
contains the actual message. Because SOAP messages
all use the same format, they are compatible with
many different operating systems and protocols. For
example, a user can send a SOAP message from a
Windows XP machine to a Unix-based Web server
without worrying about the message being altered.
The Unix machine can then redirect the message to
the appropriate location or open the file using a
program on the system. While most SOAP messages are
sent over the Web via HTTP, they can also be sent
via e-mail, using SMTP. |
|
Social Networking |
When the Web became popular in the mid-1990s, it
enabled people to share information in ways that
were never possible before. But as limitless as the
possibilities seemed, there was a personal aspect
that was lacking. While users could create home
pages and post their own content on the Web, these
individual sites lacked a sense of community. In the
early 2000s, the Web became much more personal as
social networking websites were introduced and
embraced by the masses. Social networking websites
allow users to be part of a virtual community. The
two most popular sites are currently Facebook and
MySpace. These websites provide users with simple
tools to create a custom profile with text and
pictures. A typical profile includes basic
information about the user, at least one photo, and
possibly a blog or other comments published by the
user. Advanced profiles may include videos, photo
albums, online applications (in Facebook), or custom
layouts (in MySpace). After creating a profile,
users can add friends, send messages to other users,
and leave comments directly on friends' profiles.
These features provide the building blocks for
creating online communities. Thanks to social
networking websites, users can share their lives
with other people without needing to develop and
publish their own home pages. These websites also
provide an important linking element between users
that allows friends to communicate directly with
each other. Because people often have friends from
different places and different times in their lives,
social networking sites provide an opportunity to
keep in touch with old friends and to meet new
people as well. Of course, this means that people
you don't know may also be able to view your profile
page. Therefore, if you join a social networking
website, it is a good idea to review the privacy
settings for your account. And more importantly,
remember to always use discretion in what you
publish on your profile. |
|
Socket |
When a computer program needs to connect to a local
or wide area network such as the Internet, it uses a
software component called a socket. The socket opens
the network connection for the program, allowing
data to be read and written over the network. It is
important to note that these sockets are software,
not hardware, like a wall socket. So, yes, you have
a much greater chance of being shocked by a wall
socket than by a networking socket. Sockets are a
key part of Unix and Windows-based operating
systems. They make it easy for software developers
to create network-enabled programs. Instead of
constructing network connections from scratch for
each program they write, developers can just include
sockets in their programs. The sockets allow the
programs to use the operating system's built-in
commands to handle networking functions. Because
they are used for a number of different network
protocols (i.e. HTTP, FTP, telnet, and e-mail), many
sockets can be open at one time. |
|
SO-DIMM (Small Outline Dual In-Line Memory Module) |
Stands for "Small Outline Dual In-Line Memory
Module." Most desktop computers have plenty of space
for RAM chips, so the size of the memory modules is
not a concern. However, with laptops, the size of
the memory modules matters significantly. Because
laptops are designed to be as small and as light as
possible, the size of each component matters. In
fact, laptop parts are so crammed together, large
RAM chips often do not fit into the overall laptop
design. This is why SO-DIMMs were created. A SO-DIMM
is about half the length of a regular size DIMM.
This allows greater flexibility in designing the
memory slots for laptops. Many laptops have a
user-accessible section that houses the SO-DIMMs,
which make it easy to upgrade the computer's RAM. If
the RAM chips were full size DIMMs, this type of
design would be harder to incorporate and would
likely increase the size of the laptop. The first
SO-DIMMs used 72 pins (or connectors) and supported
32-bit data transfers. Modern SO-DIMMs, however,
typically use 144 pins, which allows for the same
64-bit transfers that a regular size DIMM does.
While SO-DIMMs are used primarily in laptops, some
desktop computers with small form factors also use
SO-DIMMs to reduce the overall size of the case.
However, when size is not an issue, regular DIMMs
are typically used because they are a more
cost-effective solution. |
|
Soft Copy |
A
soft copy is a document saved on a computer. It is
the electronic version of a document, which can be
opened and edited using a software program. The term
"soft copy" is most often used in contrast to hard
copy, which is the printed version of a document.
Soft copies can be sent via e-mail or over a network
connection, which makes them a more efficient and
cost effective option than using hard copies for
communications. The downside to using soft copies is
that they require a computer and software to open
and can be accidentally deleted. Of course, some
people have so many papers on their desks, a soft
copy may be less likely to disappear. |
|
Soft Token |
A
soft token is a software version of a hard token,
which is a security device used to give authorized
users access to secure locations or computer
systems. For this reason, soft tokens can be called
"virtual tokens," since they are a virtual version
of hardware keys and other physical security
devices. Soft tokens are typically generated by a
central server that runs security software. They are
sent to users' devices, such as cell phones, PDAs,
and laptops. Once the soft token has been received
by the device, the user can use the device within a
secure network or can gain access to the sever as an
authorized user. To add an extra measure of
security, most soft token authentication also
requires a username and password to make sure the
correct user is using the authorized device. |
|
Software |
Computer software is a general term that describes
computer programs. Related terms such as software
programs, applications, scripts, and instruction
sets all fall under the category of computer
software. Therefore, installing new programs or
applications on your computer is synonymous with
installing new software on your computer. Software
can be difficult to describe because it is
"virtual," or not physical like computer hardware.
Instead, software consists of lines of code written
by computer programmers that have been compiled into
a computer program. Software programs are stored as
binary data that is copied to a computer's hard
drive, when it is installed. Since software is
virtual and does not take up any physical space, it
is much easier (and often cheaper) to upgrade than
computer hardware. While at its most basic level,
software consists of binary data, CD-ROMs, DVDs, and
other types of media that are used to distribute
software can also be called software. Therefore,
when you buy a software program, it often comes on a
disc, which is a physical means of storing the
software. |
|
Solid State |
Solid state, at its most basic level, means "no
moving parts." Therefore, solid state electronic
devices are made up of solid components that do not
move. Some examples include computer motherboards
and integrated circuits. Devices that use only solid
state parts, such as television sets, speakers, and
digital watches, are often referred to as solid
state products. Flash memory devices are solid state
products, while hard drives are not. This is because
hard drives use a spinning disk and moving drive
head to read and write data, while flash memory uses
electric charges to perform the same functions. For
this reason, flash memory devices are seen as more
durable than hard drives. This is why flash memory
is often used in products such as portable MP3
players and digital cameras. Because solid state
devices have no moving parts, they are less likely
to break down than devices that have mobile
mechanisms. For this reason, it is often more
worthwhile to buy an extended warranty on
electronics that have moving parts than those that
do not. That is something you may want to think
about next time you are shopping. |
|
Sound Card |
The sound card is a component inside the computer
that provides audio input and output capabilities.
Most sound cards have at least one analog line input
and one stereo line output connection. The
connectors are typically 3.5 mm minijacks, which are
the size most headphones use. Some sound cards also
support digital audio input and output, either
through a standard TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) connection
or via an optical audio port, such as Toslink
connector. While there are many types of sound
cards, any type that produces an analog output must
include a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). This
converts the outgoing signal from digital to analog,
which can be played through most speaker systems.
Sounds cards that support analog input also require
an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). This digitizes
the incoming analog signal, so the computer can
process it. In some computers, the sound card is
part of the motherboard, while other machines may
have an actual card that reside in a PCI slot. If
you want to more audio capabilities to your
computer, such as additional input or output
channels, you can install a new sound card.
Professional sound cards often support higher
sampling rates (such as 192 kHz instead of 44.1 kHz)
and may have more inputs and outputs. Some cards may
also have 1/4 in. connectors instead of 3.5 mm,
which accommodates most instrument outputs. While
professional sound cards can add more audio
capabilities to your computer, another popular
option for multi-channel recording is a breakout
box. This is an external box that typically includes
a built-in sound card and multiple audio
connections. For example, a breakout box may support
16 channels of audio, which would be impossible to
fit on a single card. Most breakout boxes connect to
a Firewire or USB port, though some connect to a
sound card specifically designed to communicate with
the box. |
|
Source Code |
Every computer program is written in a programming
language, such as Java, (C/C++|cplusplus), or Perl.
These programs include anywhere from a few lines to
millions of lines of text, called source code.
Source code, often referred to as simply the
"source" of a program, contains variable
declarations, instructions, functions, loops, and
other statements that tell the program how to
function. Programmers may also add comments to their
source code that explain sections of the code. These
comments help other programmers gain at least some
idea of what the source code does without requiring
hours to decipher it. Comments can be helpful to the
original programmer as well if many months or years
have gone by since the code was written. Short
programs called scripts can be run directly from the
source code using a scripting engine, such as a
VBScript or PHP engine. Most large programs,
however, require that the source code first be
compiled, which translates the code into a language
the computer can understand. When changes are made
to the source code of these programs, they must be
recomplied in order for the changes to take effect
in the program. Small programs may use only one
source code file, while larger programs may
reference hundreds or even thousands of files.
Having multiple source files helps organize the
program into different sections. Having one file
that contains every variable and function can make
it difficult to locate specific sections of the
code. Regardless of how many source code files are
used to create a program, you will most likely not
see any of the original files on your computer. This
is because they are all combined into one program
file, or application, when they are compiled. |
|
Southbridge |
The southbridge is a chip that connects the
northbridge to other components inside the computer,
including hard drives, network connections, USB and
Firewire devices, the system clock, and standard PCI
cards. The southbridge sends and receives data from
the CPU through the northbridge chip, which is
connected directly to the computer's processor.
Since the southbridge is not connected directly to
the CPU, it does not have to run as fast as the
northbridge chip. However, it processes data from
more components, so it must be able to multitask
well. On Intel systems, the southbridge is also
referred to as the I/O Controller Hub, since it
controls the input and output devices. |
|
Spam |
Originating from the name of Hormel's canned meat,
"spam" now also refers to junk e-mail or irrelevant
postings to a newsgroup or bulletin board. The
unsolicited e-mail messages you receive about
refinancing your home, reversing aging, and losing
those extra pounds are all considered to be spam.
Spamming other people is definitely not cool and is
one of the most notorious violations of Internet
etiquette (or "netiquette"). So if you ever get the
urge to let thousands of people know about that hot
new guaranteed way to make money on the Internet,
please reconsider. |
|
SpeedStep |
A
feature available with Intel Pentium III, Pentium
III-Mobile, Pentium 4-Mobile, and later Intel mobile
processors that allows a user to control features of
the processor through software that lower its speed.
By reducing the overall speed of the processor it
helps conserve power and reduce the heat produced by
the processor, which saves on battery life. If your
looking for software and/or drivers relating to
SpeedStep for your computer running versions of
Microsoft Windows 2000 or earlier you must contact
the computer manufacturer. Intel does not provide
any software for this feature. |
|
Spider |
A
spider is a software program that travels the Web
(hence the name "spider"), locating and indexing
websites for search engines. All the major search
engines, such as Google and Yahoo!, use spiders to
build and update their indexes. These programs
constantly browse the Web, traveling from one
hyperlink to another. For example, when a spider
visits a website's home page, there may be 30 links
on the page. The spider will follow each of the
links, adding all the pages it finds to the search
engine's index. Of course, the new pages that the
spider finds may also have links, which the spider
continues to follow. Some of these links may point
to pages within the same website (internal links),
while others may lead to different sites (external
links). The external links will cause the spider to
jump to new sites, indexing even more pages. Because
of the interwoven nature of website links, spiders
often return to websites that have already been
indexed. This allows search engines to keep track of
how many external pages link to each page. Usually,
the more incoming links a page has, the higher it
will be ranked in search engine results. Spiders not
only find new pages and keep track of links, they
also track changes to each page, helping search
engine indexes stay up to date. Spiders are also
called robots and crawlers, which may be preferable
for those who are not fond of arachnids. The word
"spider" can also be used as verb, such as, "That
search engine finally spidered my website last
week." |
|
Spoofing |
The word "spoof" means to hoax, trick, or deceive.
Therefore, in the IT world, spoofing refers tricking
or deceiving computer systems or other computer
users. This is typically done by hiding one's
identity or faking the identity of another user on
the Internet. Spoofing can take place on the
Internet in several different ways. One common
method is through e-mail. E-mail spoofing involves
sending messages from a bogus e-mail address or
faking the e-mail address of another user.
Fortunately, most e-mail servers have security
features that prevent unauthorized users from
sending messages. However, spammers often send spam
messages from their own SMTP, which allows them to
use fake e-mail addresses. Therefore, it is possible
to receive e-mail from an address that is not the
actual address of the person sending the message.
Another way spoofing takes place on the Internet is
via IP spoofing. This involves masking the IP
address of a certain computer system. By hiding or
faking a computer's IP address, it is difficult for
other systems to determine where the computer is
transmitting data from. Because IP spoofing makes it
difficult to track the source of a transmission, it
is often used in denial-of-service attacks that
overload a server. This may cause the server to
either crash or become unresponsive to legitimate
requests. Fortunately, software security systems
have been developed that can identify
denial-of-service attacks and block their
transmissions. Finally, spoofing can be done by
simply faking an identity, such as an online
username. For example, when posting on an Web
discussion board, a user may pretend he is the
representative for a certain company, when he
actually has no association with the organization.
In online chat rooms, users may fake their age,
gender, and location. While the Internet is a great
place to communicate with others, it can also be an
easy place to fake an identity. Therefore, always
make sure you know who you are communicating with
before giving out private information. |
|
Spreadsheet |
A
spreadsheet is a document that stores data in a grid
of rows and columns. Rows are typically labeled
using numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.), while columns are
labeled with letters (A, B, C, etc). Individual
row/column locations, such as C3 or B12, are
referred to as cells. Each cell can each store a
unique instance of data. By entering data into a
spreadsheet, information can be stored in a more
structured way than using plain text The row/column
structure also allows the data to be analyzed using
formulas and calculations. For example, each row of
a spreadsheet may store information about a person
who has an account with a certain company. Each
column may store a different aspect of the person's
information, such as the first name, last name,
address, phone number, favorite food, etc. The
spreadsheet program can analyze this data by
counting the number of people who live in a certain
zip code, listing all the people who's favorite food
is fried veal, or performing other calcuations. In
this way, a spreadsheet is similar to a database.
However, spreadsheets are more streamlined than
databases and are especially useful for processing
numbers. This is why spreadsheets are commonly used
in scientific and financial applications. For
example, a spreadsheet may store bank account data,
including balance and interest information. A column
that stores the account balances of several clients
can easily be summed to produce the total value of
all the clients' balances. These amounts can be
multiplied by the interest rate from another cell to
see what the value of the accounts will be in a
year. Once the formula has been created, modifying
the value of just the interest rate cell will also
change the projected value of all the accounts. The
most commonly used spreadsheet application is
Microsoft Excel, but several other spreadsheet
programs are available including IBM Lotus 1-2-3 for
Windows and AppleWorks and Numbers for Mac OS X. |
|
Spyware |
As the name implies, this is software that "spies"
on your computer. Nobody likes to be spied on, and
your computer doesn't like it either. Spyware can
capture information like Web browsing habits, e-mail
messages, usernames and passwords, and credit card
information. If left unchecked, the software can
transmit this data to another person's computer over
the Internet. So how does spyware get on your
computer? Just like viruses, spyware can be
installed when you open an e-mail attachment
containing the malicious software. It can also be
installed when you install another program that has
a spyware installer attached to it. Because of the
insidious nature of spyware, most people don't even
know when spyware is on their computer. Fortunately,
you can purchase anti-spyware utilities that will
search for spyware on your computer and stomp the
unwanted software out of your system. A good way to
prevent spyware from infecting your computer is to
install a security program that lets you know when
any program is being installed, so that you can
choose to authorize or stop the installation. |
|
SQL (Structured Query Language) |
Stands for "Structured Query Language," and can be
pronounced as either "sequel" or "S-Q-L." It is a
query language used for accessing and modifying
information in a database. Some common SQL commands
include "insert," "update," and "delete." The
language was first created by IBM in 1975 and was
called SEQUEL for "Structured English Query
Language." Since then, it has undergone a number of
changes, many coming from Oracle products. Today,
SQL is commonly used for Web database development
and management. Though SQL is now considered to be a
standard language, there are still a number of
variations of it, such as mSQL and mySQL. By using a
scripting language like PHP, SQL commands can be
executed when a Web page loads. This makes it
possible to create dynamic Web pages that can
display different information each time they load. |
|
SRAM |
Static random access memory. Faster and more
expensive than DRAM. |
|
SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) |
Stands for "Static Random Access Memory." I know it
is tempting to pronounce this term as "Sram," but it
is correctly pronounced "S-ram." SRAM is a type of
RAM that stores data using a static method, in which
the data remains constant as long as electric power
is supplied to the memory chip. This is different
than DRAM (dynamic RAM), which stores data
dynamically and constantly needs to refresh the data
stored in the memory. Because SRAM stores data
statically, it is faster and requires less power
than DRAM. However, SRAM is more expensive to
manufacture than DRAM because it is built using a
more complex structure. This complexity also limits
the amount of data a single chip can store, meaning
SRAM chips cannot hold as much data as DRAM chips.
For this reason, DRAM is most often used as the main
memory for personal computers. However, SRAM is
commonly used in smaller applications, such as CPU
cache memory and hard drive buffers. It is also used
in other consumer electronics, from large appliances
to small children's toys. It is important to not
confuse SRAM with SDRAM, which is a type of DRAM. |
|
sRGB (Standard Red Green Blue) |
Stands for "Standard RGB" (and RGB stands for
Red-Green-Blue"). All the colors you see on your
computer display are made up various mixtures of
red, green, and blue light. While this works great
for individual displays, the same colors are often
displayed differently on different screens. For
example, dark red on one screen may look like
red-orange on another. When you add printers,
scanners, and digital cameras to the mix, the
problem is magnified even more. To help achieve a
greater color consistency between hardware devices,
the sRGB standard was created in 1999. It defines a
gamut of colors that represents each color well and
can be used by CRT monitors, LCD screens, scanners,
printers, and digital cameras. It also has been
incorporated into many Web browsers to make sure the
colors on Web pages match the color scheme of the
operating system. Because of the color consistency
sRGB creates, most hardware devices that work with
images now use it as the default setting. |
|
SSH (Secure Shell) |
Stands for "Secure Shell." SSH is a method of
securely communicating with another computer. The
"secure" part of the name means that all data sent
via an SSH connection is encrypted. This means if a
third party tries to intercept the information being
transferred, it would appear scrambled and
unreadable. The "shell" part of the name means SSH
is based on a Unix shell, which is a program that
interprets commands entered by a user. Because SSH
is based on a Unix shell, standard Unix commands can
be used to view, modify, and transfer files from a
remote machine once an SSH connection has been
established. These commands can either be entered
manually using a terminal emulator, or may be sent
from a program with a graphical user interface
(GUI). This type of program translates user actions,
such as opening a folder, to Unix commands (cd
[folder name]). To log into a server using SSH from
a terminal program, type: ssh [servername] -l
[username]. The "-l" indicates you are logging in
with a username, which is required by most SSH
connections (otherwise, it wouldn't be very secure).
If the login name is recognized, you will be
prompted to enter a password. If the password is
correct, your SSH connection will be established. To
end the SSH session, type "exit" followed by the
Enter key. |
|
SSID (Service Set Identifier) |
Stands for "Service Set Identifier." An SSID is a
unique ID that consists of 32 characters and is used
for naming wireless networks. When multiple wireless
networks overlap in a certain location, SSIDs make
sure that data gets sent to the correct destination.
The SSID is different than the name that is assigned
to a wireless router. For example, the administrator
of a wireless network may set the name of the
router, or base station, to "Office." This will be
the name that users see when browsing available
wireless networks, but the SSID is a different 32
character string that ensures the network name is
different from other nearby networks. Each packet
sent over a wireless network includes the SSID,
which ensures that the data being sent over the air
arrives at the correct location. Without service set
identifiers, sending and receiving data in a
location with multiple wireless networks would be
chaotic and unpredictable to say the least. |
|
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) |
Stands for "Secure Sockets Layer." SSL is a secure
protocol developed for sending information securely
over the Internet. Many websites use SSL for secure
areas of their sites, such as user account pages and
online checkout. Usually, when you are asked to "log
in" on a website, the resulting page is secured by
SSL. SSL encrypts the data being transmitted so that
a third party cannot "eavesdrop" on the transmission
and view the data being transmitted. Only the user's
computer and the secure server are able to recognize
the data. SSL keeps your name, address, and credit
card information between you and merchant to which
you are providing it. Without this kind of
encryption, online shopping would be far too
insecure to be practical. When you visit a Web
address starting with "https," the "s" after the
"http" indicates the website is secure. These
websites often use SSL certificates to verify their
authenticity. While SSL is most commonly seen on the
Web (HTTP), it is also used to secure other Internet
protocols, such as SMTP for sending e-mail and NNTP
for newsgroups. Early implementations of SSL were
limited to 40-bit encryption, but now most SSL
secured protocols use 128-bit encryption or higher. |
|
Stack |
A
stack is a type of data structure -- a means of
storing information in a computer. When a new object
is entered in a stack, it is placed on top of all
the previously entered objects. In other words, the
stack data structure is just like a stack of cards,
papers, credit card mailings, or any other
real-world objects you can think of. When removing
an object from a stack, the one on top gets removed
first. This method is referred to as LIFO (last in,
first out). The term "stack" can also be short for a
network protocol stack. In networking, connections
between computers are made through a series of
smaller connections. These connections, or layers,
act like the stack data structure, in that they are
built and disposed of in the same way. |
|
Standalone |
A
standalone device is able to function independently
of other hardware. This means it is not integrated
into another device. For example, a TiVo box that
can record television programs is a standalone
device, while a DVR that is integrated into a
digital cable box is not standalone. Integrated
devices are typically less expensive than multiple
standalone products that perform the same functions.
However, using standalone hardware typically allows
the user greater customization, whether it be a home
theater or computer system. Standalone can also
refer to a software program that does not require
any software other than the operating system to run.
This means that most software programs are
standalone programs. Software such as plug-ins and
expansion packs for video games are not standalone
programs since they will not run unless a certain
program is already installed. |
|
Standby |
When electronic devices are receiving power but are
not running, they are in standby mode. For example,
a television is in standby mode when it is plugged
in, but turned off. While the TV is not "on," it is
ready to receive a signal from the remote control.
An A/V receiver is also in standby mode when it is
plugged in and turned off. This is because the
receiver may be activated by receiving input from a
connected device or by being turned on directly with
the remote control. In other words, these devices
are "standing by," waiting to receive input from the
user or another device. When a computer is in
standby mode, it is not completely turned off.
Instead, it has already been turned on, but has gone
into "sleep" mode. Therefore, when referring to
computers, "Sleep" and "Standby" may be used
synonymously. A computer in standby mode requires a
small amount of current, called a "trickle charge,"
that keeps the current state of running software
saved in the computer's RAM. However, because the
computer is in sleep mode, the CPU, video card, and
hard drive are not running. Therefore, the computer
uses very little power in standby mode. Since
standby mode saves energy, it is a good idea to put
your computer to sleep if you are going to be away
from it for more than 15 or 20 minutes. You can also
use the Power Options control panel (in Windows) or
the Energy Saver System Preference (in Mac OS X) to
automatically put your computer to sleep after it
has been inactive for a specific amount of time.
Then, when you take a break from your computer, your
computer can take a break as well. |
|
Status Bar |
A
status bar is a small area at the bottom of a
window. It is used by some applications to display
helpful information for the user. For example, an
open folder window on the desktop may display the
number of items in the folder and how many items are
selected. Photoshop uses the status bar to display
the size of the current image, the zoom percentage,
and other information. Web browsers use the status
bar to display the Web address of a link when the
user moves the cursor over it. It also shows the
status of loading pages, and displays error
messages. If you don't see the status bar in your
Web browser or another program, you may be able to
enable it by selecting "Show Status Bar" from the
application's View menu. If this option is not
available in the View menu, the program may not use
a status bar. Some programs use a "status window"
instead to show the current activity in the
application. The option for displaying this window
is usually found in the "Window" menu. |
|
Storage Device |
A
computer storage device is any type of hardware that
stores data. The most common type of storage device,
which nearly all computers have, is a hard drive.
The computer's primary hard drive stores the
operating system, applications, and files and
folders for users of the computer. While the hard
drive is the most ubiquitous of all storage devices,
several other types are common as well. Flash memory
devices, such as USB keychain drives and iPod nanos
are popular ways to store data in a small, mobile
format. Other types of flash memory, such as compact
flash and SD cards are popular ways to store images
taken by digital cameras. External hard drives that
connect via Firewire and USB are also common. These
types of drives are often used for backing up
internal hard drives, storing video or photo
libraries, or for simply adding extra storage.
Finally, tape drives, which use reels of tape to
store data, are another type of storage device and
are typically used for backing up data. |
|
Streaming |
Data streaming, commonly seen in the forms of audio
and video streaming, is when a multimedia file can
be played back without being completely downloaded
first. Most files, like shareware and software
updates that you download off the Internet, are not
streaming data. However, certain audio and video
files like Real Audio and QuickTime documents can be
streaming files, meaning you can watch a video or
listen to a sound file while it's being downloaded
to your computer. With a fast Internet connection,
you can actually stream live audio or video to your
computer. |
|
String |
A
string is a data type used in programming, such as
an integer and floating point unit, but is used to
represent text rather than numbers. It is comprised
of a set of characters that can also contain spaces
and numbers. For example, the word "hamburger" and
the phrase "I ate 3 hamburgers" are both strings.
Even "12345" could be considered a string, if
specified correctly. Typically, programmers must
enclose strings in quotation marks for the data to
recognized as a string and not a number or variable
name. For example, in the comparison: if (Option1 ==
Option2) then ... Option1 and Option2 may be
variables containing integers, strings, or other
data. If the values are the same, the test returns a
value of true, otherwise the result is false. In the
comparison: if ("Option1" == "Option2") then ...
Option1 and Option2 are being treated as strings.
Therefore the test is comparing the words "Option1"
and "Option2," which would return false. The length
of a string is often determined by using a null
character. |
|
Subnet Mask |
A
subnet mask is a number that defines a range of IP
addresses that can be used in a network. (It is not
something you wear on your head to keep subnets
out.) Subnet masks are used to designate subnetworks,
or subnets, which are typically local networks LANs
that are connected to the Internet. Systems within
the same subnet can communicate directly with each
other, while systems on different subnets must
communicate through a router. Therefore, subnetworks
can be used to partition multiple networks and limit
the traffic between them. A subnet mask hides, or
"masks," the network part of a system's IP address
and leaves only the host part as the machine
identifier. A common subnet mask for a Class C IP
address is 255.255.255.0. Each section of the subnet
mask can contain a number from 0 to 256, just like
an IP address. Therefore, in the example above, the
first three sections are full, meaning the IP
addresses of computers within the subnet mask must
be identical in the first three sections. The last
section of each computer's IP address can be
anything from 0 to 255. For example, the IP
addresses 10.0.1.201 and 10.0.1.202 would be in the
same subnet, while 10.0.2.201 would not. Therefore,
a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 allows for close to
256 unique hosts within the network (since not all
256 IP addresses can be used). If your system is
connected to a network, you can typically view the
network's subnet mask number in the Network control
panel (Windows) or System Preference (Mac OS X).
Most home networks use the default subnet mask of
255.255.255.0. However, some office networks may use
a different subnet mask such as 255.255.255.128,
which can be used to split a network into two
subnets. Large networks with several thousand
machines may use a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. This
is the default subnet mask used by Class B networks.
The largest Class A networks use a default subnet
mask of 255.0.0.0. |
|
Superscalar |
A
superscalar CPU can execute more than one
instruction per clock cycle. Because processing
speeds are measured in clock cycles per second
(megahertz), a superscalar processor will be faster
than a scalar processor rated at the same megahertz.
A superscalar architecture includes parallel
execution units, which can execute instructions
simultaneously. This parallel architecture was first
implemented in RISC processors, which use short and
simple instructions to perform calculations. Because
of their superscalar capabilities, RISC processors
have typically performed better than CISC processors
running at the same megahertz. However, most CISC-based
processors (such as the Intel Pentium) now include
some RISC architecture as well, which enables them
to execute instructions in parallel. Nearly all
processors developed after 1998 are superscalar. |
|
Surge Protector |
The surge protector is an important, yet often
overlooked part of a computer setup. It allows
multiple devices to plugged in to it at one time and
protects each connected device from power surges.
For example, a home office may have a computer,
monitor, printer, cable modem, and powered speakers
all plugged into one surge protector, which is
plugged into a single outlet in the wall. The surge
protector allows many devices to use one outlet,
while protecting each of them from electrical
surges. Surge protectors, sometimes called power
strips, prevent surges in electrical current by
sending the excess current to the grounding wire
(which is the round part of the plug below the two
flat metal pieces on U.S. outlet plugs). If the
surge is extra high, such as from a lightning
strike, a fuse in the surge protector will blow and
the current will prevented from reaching any of the
devices plugged into the surge protector. This means
the noble surge protector will have given its life
for the rest of the equipment, since the fuse is
destroyed in the process. While surge protectors all
perform the same basic function, they come in many
shapes and sizes with different levels of
protection. Some may look like basic power strips,
while others may be rack mounted or fit directly
against the wall. Most surge protectors offer six to
ten different outlets. Cheaper surge protectors
offer limited protection for surges (under 1000
joules), while more expensive ones offer protection
for several thousand joules and include a monetary
guarantee on connected devices if a power surge
happens. Typically, you get what you pay for, so if
you have an expensive computer system, it is wise to
buy a quality surge protector that offers at least
1000 joules of protection. Some surge protectors
also include line conditioning, which uses an
electromagnet to maintain a consistent level of
electricity when there are slight variations in
current. For example, you might notice your computer
monitor or television fade for a moment when you
turn on a high-powered device, like a vacuum or air
conditioner. A surge protector with line
conditioning should prevent connected devices from
being affected by these slight variances in current.
While you may be able to hook up your computer
system without a surge protector, it is important to
protect your equipment by using one. You may not
need a large, expensive surge protector with line
conditioning, but using a quality surge protector
for all your electronic devices is a smart choice. |
|
Switch |
A
switch is used to network multiple computers
together. Switches made for the consumer market are
typically small, flat boxes with 4 to 8 Ethernet
ports. These ports can connect to computers, cable
or DSL modems, and other switches. High-end switches
can have more than 50 ports and often are rack
mounted. Switches are more advanced than hubs and
less capable than routers. Unlike hubs, switches can
limit the traffic to and from each port so that each
device connected to the switch has a sufficient
amount of bandwidth. For this reason, you can think
of a switch as a "smart hub." However, switches
don't provide the firewall and logging capabilities
that routers do. Routers can often be configured by
software (typically via a Web interface), while
switches only work the way the hardware was
designed. The term "switch" can also be used to
refer to a small lever or button on computer
hardware. And while it has nothing to do with
computers, "riding switch" means riding backwards in
skateboarding and snowboarding. |
|
Syntax |
Each spoken language has a general set of rules for
how words and sentences should be structured. These
rules are collectively known as the language syntax.
In computer programming languages, syntax serves the
same purpose, defining how declarations, functions,
commands, and other statements should be arranged.
Each computer programming language uses a different
syntax. Many languages share similar syntax rules,
while others have a very unique syntax design. For
example, C and Java use a highly similar syntax,
while Perl has many characteristics that are not
seen in either the C or Java languages. Regardless
of the rules, a program's source code must have the
correct syntax in order to compile correctly and be
made into a program. In fact, it must have the exact
right syntax, or the program will fail to compile
and produce a "syntax error." A syntax error can be
as simple as a missing parenthesis or a forgotten
semicolon at the end of a statement. Even these
small errors will keep the source code from
compiling. Fortunately, most software development
programs include a debugger, which helps find the
exact location of syntax errors within the source
code. Imagine a program that has over ten thousand
lines of code and a syntax error is caused by one
missing semicolon. Finding a needle in a haystack
would be preferred over manually locating the error.
Needless to say, the debugger makes the debugging
process much easier for the programmer. |
|
System Analyst |
A
system analyst is the person who selects and
configures computer systems for an organization or
business. His or her job typically begins with
determining the intended purpose of the computers.
This means the analyst must understand the general
objectives of the business, as well as what each
individual user's job requires. Once the system
analyst has determined the general and specific
needs of the business, he can choose appropriate
systems that will help accomplish the goals of the
business. When configuring computer systems for a
business, the analyst must select both hardware and
software. The hardware aspect includes customizing
each computer's configuration, such as the processor
speed, amount of RAM, hard drive space, video card,
and monitor size. It may also involve choosing
networking equipment that will link the computers
together. The software side includes the operating
system and applications that are installed on each
system. The software programs each person requires
may differ greatly between users, which is why it is
important that the system analyst knows the specific
needs of each user. To summarize, the system
analyst's job is to choose the most efficient
computer solutions for a business, while making sure
the systems meet all the company's needs. Therefore,
the system analyst must have a solid understanding
of computer hardware and software and should keep
up-to-date on all the latest technologies. He must
also be willing to listen to the constant needs and
complaints of the users he builds systems for. |
|
System Hardening |
Most computers offer network security features to
limit outside access to the system. Software such as
antivirus programs and spyware blockers prevent
malicious software from running on the machine. Yet,
even with these security measures in place,
computers are often still vulnerable to outside
access. System hardening, also called Operating
System hardening, helps minimize these security
vulnerabilities. The purpose of system hardening is
to eliminate as many security risks as possible.
This is typically done by removing all non-essential
software programs and utilities from the computer.
While these programs may offer useful features to
the user, if they provide "back-door" access to the
system, they must be removed during system
hardening. Advanced system hardening may involve
reformatting the hard disk and only installing the
bare necessities that the computer needs to
function. The CD drive is listed as the first boot
device, which enables the computer to start from a
CD or DVD if needed. File and print sharing are
turned off if not absolutely necessary and TCP/IP is
often the only protocol installed. The guest account
is disabled, the administrator account is renamed,
and secure passwords are created for all user
logins. Auditing is enabled to monitor unauthorized
access attempts. While these steps are often part of
operating system hardening, system administrators
may choose to perform other tasks that boost system
security. While both Macintosh and Windows operating
systems can be hardened, system hardening is more
often done on Windows machines, since they are more
likely to have their security compromised. |
|
System Requirements |
Whenever you purchase software or hardware for your
computer, you should first make sure your computer
supports the system requirements. These are the
necessary specifications your computer must have in
order to use the software or hardware. For example,
a computer game may require you computer to have
Windows XP or later, a 2.0 GHz processor, 512 MB or
RAM, a 64 MB graphics card, and 500 MB or hard drive
space. If your computer does not meet all of these
requirements, the game will not run very well or
might not run at all. It is just as important to
check system requirements for hardware devices. For
example, if you buy a printer, it may require either
Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.3 or later. It may also
require a USB port and 80 MB of available hard drive
space. If your computer does not have any USB ports,
you will not be able to physically connect the
printer. If your machine does not have Windows XP or
Mac OS X 10.3 or later, the printer drivers may be
incompatible with your operating system. This means
you computer will be unable to recognize the
printer. Most hardware and software products have
the system requirements printed on the side or
bottom of the product packaging. When you are
shopping for computer software or hardware, it is a
good idea to first find out exactly what your
system's specifications are and write them down on a
piece of paper. |
|
System Resources |
Your computer has many types of resources. They
include the CPU, video card, hard drive, and memory.
In most cases, the term "system resources" is used
to refer to how much memory, or RAM, your computer
has available. For example, if you have 1.0 GB (1024
MB) of RAM installed on your machine, then you have
a total of 1024 MB of system resources. However, as
soon as your computer boots up, it loads the
operating system into the RAM. This means some of
your computer's resources are always being used by
the operating system. Other programs and utilities
that are running on your machine also use your
computer's memory. If your operating system uses 300
MB of RAM and your active programs are using 200 MB,
then you would have 524 MB of "available system
resources." To increase your available system
resources, you can close active programs or increase
your total system resources by adding more RAM.
System resources can also refer to what software is
installed on your machine. This includes the
programs, utilities, fonts, updates, and other
software that is installed on your hard drive. For
example, if a file installed with a certain program
is accidentally removed, the program may fail to
open. The error message may read, "The program could
not be opened because the necessary resources were
not found." As you can see, the term "system
resources" can be a bit ambiguous. Just remember
that while it usually refers to your computer's
memory, it can be used to describe other hardware or
software as well. |
|
System Unit |
This is the technical term that refers to the box
that houses your computer. The system unit refers to
the computer itself but does not include the
monitor, the keyboard, the mouse, or any other
peripherals. I suppose most people will probably
know what you mean when you refer to "the box," but
saying "system unit" will definitely make you sound
more sophisticated. |
|
Systray |
The systray, short for "system tray," is located on
the right side of the Windows toolbar. It is the
collection of small icons on the opposite side of
the Start Menu. The volume control and the date &
time are default items in the systray and many more
can be added. Some common icons that get placed in
the systray are virus-scan, mouse, and instant
messenger icons. They usually get put in the systray
(whether you like it or not) when their respective
programs are installed. The nice thing about the
systray is that it allows quick and easy access to
programs and control settings. Most systray icons
will open a control panel or program when
double-clicked. However, if you install too many of
them, the area can get so cluttered, you may find it
easier to just browse your hard drive and open the
program. |
|
Trojan Horse |
A
computer program that is hidden inside another. Can
be harmful. |
| U |
U
is the standard unit of measurement for rack-mounted
equipment. Racks can be used to house servers, hard
drives, switches, routers, and other computer
hardware. They are also used for mounting audio and
video equipment. Standard racks are 24 inches wide,
but vary in height. For this reason, the U unit
measures how tall a rack-mountable hardware device
is. 1U is equal to 1.75 inches. Therefore, a 1U
piece of equipment is 1.75 inches tall and takes up
one unit of rack space. A 2U device is 3.5 inches
tall and takes up 2 units of rack space. Racks
themselves are also measured in U. For example, a
10U rack could store 10 1U devices or 5 2U devices.
It could also store 3 3U devices, with just enough
space left over for your miniature Star Wars action
figure. |
|
UDDI (Universal Description Discovery and
Integration) |
Stands for "Universal Description Discovery and
Integration." UDDI is a protocol that allows
businesses to promote, use, and share services over
the Internet. It is an OASIS Standard, which is
supported by several major technology companies.
Members include Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Avaya, Sun
Microsystems, and others. The UDDI protocol serves
as a foundational tool that allows businesses to
find each other and complete transactions quickly
and easily. Companies that use the UDDI protocol can
extend their market reach and find new customers
while also finding other businesses that offer
useful services to them. Because UDDI uses a
standard format for describing business services, it
is easy to search and find useful services offered
from other businesses. |
|
UDP (User Datagram Protocol) |
Stands for "User Datagram Protocol." It is part of
the TCP/IP suite of protocols used for data
transferring. UDP is a known as a "stateless"
protocol, meaning it doesn't acknowledge that the
packets being sent have been received. For this
reason, the UDP protocol is typically used for
streaming media. While you might see skips in video
or hear some fuzz in audio clips, UDP transmission
prevents the playback from stopping completely. |
|
Ultra DMA |
This technology for transferring data between a
computer's hard disk and memory was developed by
Quantum and Intel. The maximum burst rate of an
Ultra DMA hard drive is 33.3 MBps. The original DMA
(Direct Memory Access) protocol could only transfer
data at half that speed. Thanks to Ultra DMA,
programs can open faster and run more smoothly. This
is because Utlra DMA can send more data to the
memory in less time than the original DMA. Ultra DMA
also has a built-in utility called Cyclical
Redundancy Checking (CRC) that helps protect data
integrity. So if you want a nice, fast hard drive,
look for one that supports Ultra DMA. |
|
UML (Unified Modeling Language) |
Stands for "Unified Modeling Language." This is a
programming language that is used for
object-oriented software development. To organize
program code more efficiently, programmers often
create "objects" that are sets of structured data
within programs. UML, which has been standardized by
the Object Management Group (OMG), was designed for
this purpose. The language has gained enough support
that it has become a standard language for
visualizing and constructing software programs. |
|
UNC (Universal Naming Convention) |
Stands for "Universal Naming Convention," not just
the home of the North Carolina Tar Heels. UNC is a
filename format that is used to specify the location
of files, folders, and resources on a local-area
network (LAN). The UNC address of a file may look
something like this:
\\server-name\directory\filename UNC can also be
used to identify peripheral devices shared on the
network, including scanners and printers. It
provides each shared resource with a unique address.
This allows operating systems that support UNC (such
as Windows) to access specific resources quickly and
efficiently. |
|
Unix |
A
computer operating system |
|
Unix |
Also known as UNIX, though the letters do not stand
for anything. The Unix operating system was first
created in Bell Labs way back in the 1960s. It
became popular in the 1970s for high-level
computing, but not on the consumer level. Since a
lot of Internet services were originally hosted on
Unix machines, the platform gained tremendous
popularity in the 1990s. It still leads the industry
as the most common operating system for Web servers.
Still, Unix remains somewhat of an ambiguous
operating system, as there are many different
versions of it. Some examples include Ultrix, Xenix,
Linux, and GNU, which, making things even more
confusing, all run on a number of different hardware
platforms. Most people do not ever need to use Unix,
but computer geeks seem to have the need to use it
as much as possible. |
|
Unmount |
Unmounting a disk makes it inaccessible by the
computer. Of course, in order for a disk to be
unmounted, it must first be mounted. When a disk is
mounted, it is active and the computer can access
its contents. Since unmounting a disk prevents the
computer from accessing it, there is no risk of the
disk being disconnected in the middle of a data
transfer. Therefore, before removing an external
data storage device, such as a USB flash drive, the
disk should be unmounted to avoid possible data
corruption. Several types of disks can be unmounted,
including external hard drives, USB flash drives,
iPods, flash memory cards, and disk images. In order
to unmount a disk in Windows, open "My Computer,"
select the disk, and click the "Eject this disk"
option in the left sidebar. In Mac OS X, select the
disk on the desktop and either drag the disk to the
trash (which changes to an Eject icon), or select
"File->Eject" from the Finder's menu bar. Once a
removable disk has been unmounted, it can safely be
disconnected from the computer. |
|
Upload |
While downloading is receiving a file from another
computer, uploading is the exact opposite. It is
sending a file from your computer to another system.
Pretty straight forward. It is possible to upload
and download at the same time, but it may cause
slower transfer speeds, especially if you have a low
bandwidth connection. Because most files are located
on Internet servers, people generally do a lot more
downloading than uploading. |
|
UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) |
Stands for "Universal Plug and Play." Plug and Play
describes devices that work with a computer system
as soon as they are connected. UPnP is an extension
of this idea that expands the range of Plug and Play
devices to networking equipment. Universal Plug and
Play uses network protocols to allow a wide range of
devices to be interconnected and work seamlessly
with each other. UPnP devices can be connected via
wired (i.e. Ethernet and Firewire) or wireless (i.e.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) connections. As long as a
product supports UPnP, it can communicate with other
UPnP devices within a network. The connections are
typically created using the DHCP networking
protocol, which assigns each connected device a
unique IP address. While UPnP is helpful for setting
up networks, it also can be used to set up
compatible audio and video (AV) devices. UPnP AV is
a group of standards based on UPnP that allows audio
and video components to be connected via network
connections. This enables media files and streaming
data to be sent between devices. For example, a
movie stored on a hard drive in a bedroom could be
played back on the TV screen in the living room. The
central controller of a UPnP AV network is called a
MediaServer and can be run from a Macintosh,
Windows, or Linux computer or from a hardware device
specifically designed to manage the network. Since
most UPnP devices support zero-configuration setup
(like ordinary Plug and Play devices), it is simple
to add devices to a network and use them
immediately. While the networking terms associated
with UPnP can be a bit intimidating, setting up a
UPnP network is meant to be hassle-free ? and that
is a term we can all appreciate. |
|
UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) |
Stands for "Uninterruptible Power Supply." In the
technology world, UPS is more than just a brown
shipping company. It is also a type of power supply
that uses battery backup to maintain power during
unexpected power outages. A typical consumer UPS is
a surge protector that contains a high-capacity
rechargeable battery. Smaller UPS devices look like
bulky power strips, while larger ones may stand
upright and look almost like small computers. Many
businesses use uninterruptible power supplies to
keep their equipment running in case of a power
failure. While a UPS may only keep a computer
running for 15 minutes after the power is lost, it
is usually sufficient time to save all necessary
documents and properly shut down the computer. That
extra time can be invaluable to someone who is
working on an important document or project that has
not been recently saved. Because UPS devices run the
power through a battery, they have a limit on the
wattage load they can support. The maximum power
load limit is often included in the name of the UPS,
followed by the letters "VA." For example, the APC
(American Power Conversion) Battery Backup 750VA has
a load limit of 750VA. However, the maximum wattage
a UPS supports is typically 60% of the VA number. So
the 750VA UPS supports a maximum of 450 watts for
connected devices. It is important to check how many
total watts your computer setup uses before buying a
UPS to make sure you get one with enough wattage so
you don't overload it. |
|
URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) |
Stands for "Uniform Resource Identifier." A URI
identifies the name and location of a file or
resource in a uniform format. It includes a string
of characters for the filename and may also contain
the path to the directory of the file. URIs provide
a standard way for resources to be accessed by other
computers across a network or over the World Wide
Web. They are used by software programs such as Web
browsers and P2P file-sharing programs to locate and
download files. URIs are similar to URLs in that
they specify the location of a file. However, a URI
may refer to all or part a URL. For example, Apple's
iMac Design URL is http://www.apple.com/imac/design.html.
The URI of this resource may be defined as just "design.html"
or "/imac/design.html." These are called relative
URIs since they identify the resource relative to a
specific location. The complete URL would be
referred to as an absolute URI. Because URLs and
URIs are similar, they are often used
interchangeably. In most cases, this is acceptable
since the two terms often refer to the same thing.
The difference is that a URI can be used to describe
a file's name or location, or both, while a URL
specifically defines a resource's location. |
|
URL |
Uniform Resource Locator. |
|
URL (Uniform Resource Locator) |
Stands for "Uniform Resource Locator." A URL is the
address of a specific Web site or file on the
Internet. It cannot have spaces or certain other
characters and uses forward slashes to denote
different directories. Some examples of URLs are
http://www.cnet.com/, http://web.mit.edu/, and
ftp://info.apple.com/. As you can see, not all URLs
begin with "http". The first part of a URL indicates
what kind of resource it is addressing. |
|
USB (Universal Serial Bus) |
Stands for "Universal Serial Bus." USB is the most
common type of computer port used in today's
computers. It can be used to connect keyboards,
mice, game controllers, printers, scanners, digital
cameras, and removable media drives, just to name a
few. With the help of a few USB hubs, you can
connect up to 127 peripherals to a single USB port
and use them all at once (though that would require
quite a bit of dexterity). USB is also faster than
older ports, such as serial and parallel ports. The
USB 1.1 specification supports data transfer rates
of up to 12Mb/sec and USB 2.0 has a maximum transfer
rate of 480 Mbps. Though USB was introduced in 1997,
the technology didn't really take off until the
introduction of the Apple iMac (in late 1998) which
used USB ports exclusively. It is somewhat ironic,
considering USB was created and designed by Intel,
Compaq, Digital, and IBM. Over the past few years,
USB has become a widely-used cross-platform
interface for both Macs and PCs. |
|
Username |
A
username is a name that uniquely identifies someone
on a computer system. For example, a computer may be
setup with multiple accounts, with different
usernames for each account. Many websites allow
users to choose a username so that they can
customize their settings or set up an online
account. For example, your bank may allow you to
choose a username for accessing your banking
information. You may need to choose a username in
order to post messages to a certain message board on
the Web. E-mail services, such as Hotmail require
users to choose a username in order to use the
service. A username is almost always paired with a
password. This username/password combination is
referred to as a login, and is often required for
users to log in to websites. For example, to access
your e-mail via the Web, you are required to enter
your username and password. Once you have logged in,
your username may appear on the screen, but your
password is kept secret. By keeping their password
private, people can create secure accounts for
various websites. Most usernames can contain letters
and numbers, but no spaces. When you choose a
username for an e-mail account, the part before the
"@" is your username. |
|
Utility |
Utility programs, commonly referred to as just
"utilities," are software programs that add
functionality to your computer or help your computer
perform better. These include antivirus, backup,
disk repair, file management, security, and
networking programs. Utilities can also be
applications such as screensavers, font and icon
tools, and desktop enhancements. Some utility
programs help keep your computer free from unwanted
software such as viruses or spyware, while others
add functionality that allows you to customize your
desktop and user interface. In general, programs
that help make your computer better are considered
utilities. And unlike water and electric bills,
computer utilities don't send you a bill every
month! |
|
VOIP |
Voice Over IP (talking via telephone over the
internet) |
|
VPN |
Virtual Private Network |
|
Wi Fi |
A
popular term for a form of wireless data
communications |
|
Worm |
Is a virus that spreads typically through network
connections. It makes copies of itself and infects
additional computers. It might make alter, install
or destroy files and programs |
| XP |
Often used for
describing Microsoft Windows XP. |
| XP2 |
Term used to describe
Microsoft Windows XP SP2, XP2 is not a completely
new version of Microsoft Windows XP, just another
name for the service pack. |
|
Y2K (Year 2000) |
Stands for "Year 2000." However, 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. Also associated with
Y2K is the end of the world, which is without doubt,
foreshadowed by the dredded Millenium Bug. So, on
January 1, 2000, you'll want to make sure you have
at least a 5 year's supply of food and water,
roughly half a million dollars in cash, and at least
200 acres of land somewhere in Montana. Of course,
it doesn't really matter, considering the world will
have ended anyway. Update: We're past the year 2000
and the world is still going! No Armageddon, no
major computer explosions, no nuclear holocaust,
even no L.A. Riots... Wow, I guess Y2K wasn't really
that bad after all (surprise, surprise). Sorry about
those of you who bought 200 acres of land in
Montana. =) |
|
Yahoo! |
Yahoo! is one of the Internet's leading search
engines. It is also the largest Web portal,
providing links to thousands of other websites.
These links include sites from the Yahoo! Directory
as well as news stories that are updated several
times a day. |
|
Yobibyte |
A
yobibyte is a unit of data storage that equals 2 to
the 80th power, or 1,208,925,819,614,629,174,706,176
bytes. While a yottabyte can be estimated as 10^24
or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes, a
yobibyte is exactly
1,208,925,819,614,629,174,706,176 bytes. This is to
avoid the ambiguity associated with the size of
yottabytes. A yobibyte is 1,024 zebibytes and is the
largest unit of measurement. For a list of other
units of measurements, view this Help Center
article. Abbreviation: YiB |
|
Yottabyte |
A
yottabyte is 2 to the 80th power, or
1,208,925,819,614,629,174,706,176 bytes. It can be
estimated as 10 to the 24th power, or
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes. The
yottabyte is the largest unit of measurement for
computer data, consisting of 1,024 zettabytes.
Fortunately for those of us finite beings,
yottabytes are not used very often. The prefix "yotta"
was chosen since it is the second to last letter of
the Greek alphabet. Though it seems more fitting
that "yotta" refers to a "lotta" bytes. For a list
of all the different units of measurements, view
this Help Center article. Abbreviation: YB |
|
Zebibyte |
zebibyte is a unit of data storage that equals 2 to
the 70th power, or 1,180,591,620,717,411,303,424
bytes. While a zettabyte can be estimated as 10^21
or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes, a zebibyte
is exactly 1,180,591,620,717,411,303,424 bytes. This
is to avoid the ambiguity associated with the size
of zettabytes. A zebibyte is 1,024 exbibytes and
precedes the yobibyte unit of measurement. For a
list of other units of measurements, view this Help
Center article. Abbreviation: ZiB |
|
Zero Day Exploit |
A
zero day exploit is a malicious computer attack that
takes advantage of a security hole before the
vulnerability is known. This means the security
issue is made known the same day as the computer
attack is released. In other words, the software
developer has zero days to prepare for the security
breach and must work as quickly as possible to
develop a patch or update that fixes the problem.
Zero day exploits may involve viruses, trojan
horses, worms or other malicious code that can be
run within a software program. While most programs
do not allow unauthorized code to be executed,
hackers can sometimes create files that will cause a
program to perform functions unintended by the
developer. Programs like Web browsers and media
players are often targeted by hackers because they
can receive files from the Internet and have access
to system functions. While most zero day exploits
may not cause serious damage to your system, some
may be able to corrupt or delete files. Because the
security hole is made known the same day the attack
is released, zero day exploits are difficult to
prevent, even if you have antivirus software
installed on your computer. Therefore, it is always
good to keep a backup of your data in a safe place
so that no hacker attack can cause you to lose your
data. |
|
Zettabyte |
A
zettabyte is 2 to the 70th power, or
1,180,591,620,717,411,303,424 bytes. It can be
estimated as 10 to the 21st power, or
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes. A zettabyte is
1,024 exabytes and precedes the yottabyte unit of
measurement. Because of the enormous size of a
zettabyte, this unit is almost never used. The
prefix zetta comes from "Zeta," which is the sixth
letter of the Greek alphabet. For a list of all the
different units of measurements, view this Help
Center article. Abbreviation: ZB |
|
ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) |
Stands for "Zero Insertion Force." ZIF is a type of
CPU socket on a computer motherboard that allows for
the simple replacement or upgrade of the processor.
Processors that use a ZIF socket can easily be
removed by pulling a small release lever next to the
processor and lifting it out. The replacement
processor is then placed in the socket and secured
by pushing the lever in the opposite direction --
hence the phrase, "zero insertion force." I suppose
there is some force required to push the lever, but
it is significantly less than non-ZIF sockets, which
require special tools to force the processor out. |
|
Zip |
Windows users will see this term a lot when looking
for files on the Internet. A zip file (.zip) is a
"zipped" or compressed file. For example, when you
download a file, if the filename looks like this: "filename.zip,"
you are downloading a zipped file. "Zipping" a file
involves compressing one or more items into a
smaller archive. A zipped file takes up less hard
drive space and takes less time to transfer to
another computer. This is why most Windows files
that you find on the Internet are compressed. To use
a zipped file, you'll need to unzip it first. PKZIP
for DOS, or WinZip for Windows, are some popular
programs that can unzip files for you. Fortunately,
these programs can be downloaded for free from Web
sites like Download.com. Macintosh files are most
often "stuffed" into Stuffit files (.sit), which can
be "unstuffed" using Aladdin's Stuffit Expander. The
term "Zip" also refers to a product by Iomega. The
company makes a removable storage device called a
Zip Drive. Depending on the model, these drives can
hold 100, 250 or 750 MB Zip disks. They are usually
used for backup and for transferring large files to
different locations. However, Zip drives are not as
fast as hard drives, so it is usually not a good
idea to run programs off them. File extension: .ZIP |
|
Zone File |
A
zone file is stored on a name server and provides
information about one or more domain names. Each
zone file contains a list of DNS records with
mappings between domain names and IP addresses.
These records define the IP address of a domain
name, the reverse lookup of an IP to other domains,
and contain DNS and mail server information. Because
zone files are plain text files, they can be edited
quickly and easily. However, this also means that if
unauthorized users gain access to zone files, the
files can be easily modified. This could cause
websites to not respond, or worse yet, redirect to
the wrong Web server. For this reason, it is
important to keep the zone files on a highly secured
server and always have a recent backup of zone files
on another machine. |
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