Dictionary of Computing - 5th Edition
.pdfemulation |
124 |
printers are able to emulate the more popular office printers. (NOTE: emulates – emulating – emulated)
‘…some application programs do not have the right drivers for a laser printer, so look out for laser printers which are able to emulate the more popular office printers’ [Publish]
emulation / emjυ le ʃ(ə)n/ noun behaviour by one computer or printer which is exactly the same as another and which allows the same programs to be run and the same data to be processed emulation facility / emju le ʃ(ə)n fəs l ti/ noun a feature of hardware or software which emulates another system
‘…full communications error checking built into the software ensures reliable file transfers and a terminal emulation facility enables a user’s terminal to be used as if it were a terminal to the remote computer’ [Byte]
emulator / emjυle tə/ noun a piece of software or hardware that allows a machine to behave like another
‘…for an authentic retro coding experience, download an emulator and turn your computer into a virtual BBC Micro.’ [The Guardian]
emulsion laser storage / m lʃ(ə)nle zə stɔ r d'/ noun a digital storage
technique using a laser to expose lightsensitive material
en /en/ noun a unit of measure equal to half the width of an em
enable / n e b(ə)l/ verb to use an electronic signal to start a process or access a function on a chip or circuit (NOTE: enables – enabling – enabled)
enabled / n e b(ə)ld/ adjective referring to a function or menu item that is available to the user If an option on a menu appears in grey text rather than black, this indicates that these are not enabled and that you cannot use the option.
enabling signal / n e bl ŋ s n(ə)l/ noun a signal that starts a process or allows one to take place
encapsulated / n k psjυle t d/ adjective referring to something contained within another thing
encapsulated PostScript / nk psjυle t d pəυstskr pt/ noun a
PostScript facility providing commands that describe an image or page contained within a file that can be placed within a graphics or DTP program. Abbr EPS
encapsulated PostScript file / nk psjυle t d pəυstskr pt fa l/ noun a
file that contains encapsulated PostScript instructions. Abbr EPSF
encapsulation / n k psjυle ʃ(ə)n/ noun (in a network) a system of sending a frame of data in one format within a frame of another format
encipher / n sa fə/ verb to convert plaintext into a secure coded form by means of a cipher system Our competitors cannot understand our files – they have all been enciphered. Opposite decipher
enclosed object / n kləυzd əb d'ekt/ noun a graphic object that is closed on all sides and so can be filled with a colour or pattern
encode / n kəυd/ verb to apply the rules of a code to a program or data (NOTE: encodes – encoding – encoded) encoder / n kəυdə/ noun a device that can translate data from one format to another
encoding / n kəυd ŋ/ noun the translation of a message or text according to a coding system
encoding format / n kəυd ŋ fɔ m t/ noun a method of coding data stored on a magnetic disk to avoid a series of similar bits
encrypt / n kr pt/ verb to convert plaintext to a secure coded form, using a cipher system The encrypted text can be sent along ordinary telephone lines, and no one will be able to understand it. encryption / n kr pʃən/ noun the conversion of plaintext to a secure coded form by means of a cipher system
end /end/ noun a statement or character to indicate the last word of a source file end about carry / end ə baυt k ri/ noun (in BCD arithmetic) the most significant digit added into the least significant place. Also called end around carry end about shift / end ə baυt ʃ ft/ noun data movement to the left or right in a word, in which the bits falling outside the word boundary are discarded and replaced with zeros
end around carry / end ə raυndk ri/ noun same as end about carry end key / end ki / noun ( a key on an IBM PC keyboard that moves the cursor to the end of the current line
endless loop / endləs lu p/ noun a continuous piece of recording tape or number of computer instructions that are continuously repeated
125 |
enquiry character |
end of address / end əv ə dres/ noun a transmitted code which indicates that address data has been sent. Abbr EOA
end of block / end əv blɒk/ noun a code which shows that the last byte of a block of data has been sent through a communications link. Abbr EOB
end of data / end əv de tə/ noun a code which shows that the end of a stored data file has been reached. Abbr EOD
document / end əvdɒkjυmənt/ noun same as end of file
end of file / end əv fa l/ noun a marker after the last record in a file. Also called end of document. Abbr EOF
end of job / end əv d'ɒb/ noun a code used in batch processing to show that a job has been finished. Abbr EOJ
end of line / end əv la n/ noun a code to indicate the end of a line, usually either a CR or LF character. Abbr EOL
end of medium / end əv mi diəm/ noun a code that indicates the end of usable physical medium. Abbr EM
end of message / end əv mes d'/ noun a code used to separate the last character of one message from the first of another message. Abbr EOM
end of record / end əv rekɔ d/ noun a code used to show the end of a record. Abbr EOR
end of run routines / end əv r n ruti nz/ plural noun routines carried out before a program run finishes to perform certain system housekeeping functions
end of tape / end əv te p/ noun a code used to indicate the end of a magnetic tape end of text / end əv tekst/ noun a code sent after last character of text. Abbr EOT,
ETX
end of transmission / end əv tr nzm ʃ(ə)n/ noun a sequence of characters indicating that all the data from a terminal or peripheral has been transmitted. Abbr
EOT
end product /end prɒd kt/ noun a product made at the end of a production process
end system /end s stəm/ noun a server or host computer connected to the Internet
end system to intermediate system / end s stəm tə ntə mi diət
s stəm/ noun an OSI protocol standard that allows host computers to locate a router. Abbr ES-IS (NOTE: The host comput-
ers constitute the end system and the router is the intermediate system.)
end user /end ju zə/ noun a person who will use the device, program or product The company is creating a computer with a specific end user in mind.
Energy Star / enəd'i stɑ / noun a standard and logo on a monitor, computer or other electrical device indicating that the product has been specially designed to save electricity
engine / end' n/ noun a part of a software package that carries out a particular function A search engine is the part of a multimedia title that lets a user search for text in a multimedia book.
enhanced communication port / nhɑ nst kə mju n ke ʃ(ə)n pɔ t/ noun
full form of ECP
enhanced-definition television / nhɑ nst def n ʃ(ə)n tel v '(ə)n/ noun
full form of EDTV
enhanced dot matrix / n hɑ nst dɒtme tr ks/ noun a clearer character or graphics printout using smaller dots and more dots per inch than standard dot matrix
enhanced expanded memory specification / n hɑ nst k sp nd dmem(ə)ri spes f ke ʃ(ə)n/ noun full
form of EEMS
enhanced keyboard / n hɑ nstki bɔ d/ noun an IBM PC keyboard with 101 or 102 keys and a row of 12 function keys arranged along the top of the keyboard, with a separate numeric keypad on the right
enhanced parallel port / n hɑ nstp rəlel pɔ t/ noun full form of EPP
enhanced small device interface
/ n hɑ nst smɔ l d va s ntəfe s/ noun full form of ESDI
enhancement / n hɑ nsmənt/ noun an add-on facility which improves the output or performance of equipment enhancer / n hɑ nsə/ noun a device or software which enhances a process or product
ENQ abbr enquiry
enquiry / n kwa ri/ noun a request for data or information from a device or database
enquiry character / n kwa rik r ktə/ noun a special control code that is a request for identification or status or data from a device
enter |
126 |
enter / entə/ verb to type in information on a terminal or keyboard
entering / entər ŋ/ noun the act of typing in data or writing items in a record enter key / entə ki / noun a key pressed to indicate the end of an input or line of text
enterprise network / entəpra znetw k/ noun a network which connects all the workstations or terminals or computers in a company (NOTE: It can be within one building or link several buildings in different countries.)
enterprise software / entəpra zsɒftweə/ noun computer software that is
designed to integrate and automate all of a company’s functions
entity / ent ti/ noun a subject to which the data stored in a file or database refers
(NOTE: The plural is entities.)
entry / entri/ noun a single record or data about one action or object in a database or library (NOTE: The plural is entries.) entry condition / entri kən d ʃ(ə)n/ noun a condition that must be satisfied before a routine can be entered
entry instruction / entri n str kʃən/ noun the first instruction executed in a called subroutine
entry point / entri pɔ nt/ noun the address from which a program or subroutine is to be executed
entry time / entri ta m/ noun a point in time when a program or job or batch will be executed by the operating system scheduler
enumerated type / nju məre td ta p/ noun data storage or classification using numbers to represent chosen convenient labels
COMMENT: If ‘man’, ‘horse’, ‘dog’, ‘cat’ are the items of data, stored by the machine simply as 0, 1, 2, 3, they can still be referred to in the program as man, horse etc. to make it easier
for the user to recognise them.
enumeration / nju mə re ʃ(ə)n/ noun a method of identifying resources or objects using a unique number
envelope / envələυp/ noun 1. a transmitted packet of data containing error-de- tection and control information 2. (in multimedia) the shape of the decay curve of a sound 3. (in email) the data which contains a mail message with the destination address information
envelope feeder / envələυp fi də/ noun a special add-on to a printer used to
print on an envelope instead of a sheet of paper
envelope printer / envələυp pr ntə/ noun a special printer used to print the address on an envelope
environment / n va rənmənt/ noun 1. the condition in a computer system of all the registers and memory locations 2. the imaginary space in which a user works when using a computer. This can be changed to suit the user’s needs – by defining its characteristics such as colour or wallpaper and by setting up a printer, keyboard and fonts.
environment space / n va rənmənt spe s/ noun the amount of memory free to be used by a program
environment variable / nva rənmənt veəriəb(ə)l/ noun a varia-
ble set by the system or by a user at the system command line which can be used by any program
EOA abbr end of address EOB abbr end of block EOD abbr end of data EOF abbr end of file EOJ abbr end of job EOL abbr end of line EOM abbr end of message EOR abbr end of record EOT abbr end of text
EPOS / i pɒs/ noun a system that uses a computer terminal at a point-of-sale site for electronic funds transfer or stock control as well as matters such as product identification. Full form electronic point-of-sale
EPP / i pi pi / noun a standard that defines the way data can be transferred at high speed through a parallel port connector. Full form enhanced parallel port
EPROM / i pi rɒm/ abbr erasable programmable read-only memory
EPS abbr encapsulated PostScript EPSF abbr encapsulated PostScript file equality / kwɒl ti/ noun a logical function whose output is true if either of two inputs is true, and false if both inputs are the same (NOTE: The plural is equalities.) equipment failure / kw pməntfe ljə/ noun a hardware fault, rather than a software fault
equivalence / kw vələns/ noun a logical operation that is true if all the inputs are the same
127 |
error handling |
COMMENT: Output is 1 if both inputs are 1 or if both are 0; if the two inputs are different, the output is 0.
equivalence function / kw vələnsf ŋkʃən/ noun 1. an AND function 2. a
logical function whose output is true if both inputs are the same also called equivalence operation
equivalence gate / kw vələns e t/ noun a gate which performs an equivalence function
erasable memory / re zəb(ə)lmem(ə)ri/ noun same as erasable storage
erasable programmable read-only memory / re zəb(ə)lprəυ r məb(ə)l ri d əυnli mem(ə)ri/
noun a read-only memory chip which can be programmed by a voltage applied to a write pin and data applied to its output pins, usually erasable with ultraviolet light. Abbr EPROM
erasable read-only memory /
re zəb(ə)l ri d əυnli mem(ə)ri/ noun full form of EROM
erasable storage / re zəb(ə)lstɔ r d'/ noun 1. a storage medium
which can be reused 2. temporary storage
also called erasable memory
erase / re z/ verb 1. to set all the digits in a storage area to zero 2. to remove any signal from a magnetic medium (NOTE: erases – erasing – erased) noun same as eraser tool
erase character / re z k r ktə/ noun a character which means ‘do nothing’
erase head / re z hed/ noun a small magnet that clears a magnetic tape or disk of recorded signals
eraser / re zə/ noun a device that erases the contents of something, e.g. a device using UV light to erase an EPROM eraser tool / re zə tu l/ noun (in a graphics program) function that allows areas of an image to be erased, or set to the background colour. Also called erase
EROM / i rɒm/ noun full form erasable read-only memory. same as EAROM
error / erə/ noun a mistake due to a human operator He made an error in calculating the total. in error, by error by mistake
‘…syntax errors, like omitting a bracket, will produce an error message from the compiler’ [Personal Computer World]
error ambiguity / erə mb ju ti/ noun an error due to an incorrect selection
from ambiguous data
error box / erə bɒks/ noun a dialog box displayed with a message alerting the user
that an error has occurred
error burst / erə b st/ noun a group of several consecutive errors in a transmission
error checking code / erə tʃek ŋ
kəυd/ noun a code that detects or corrects errors
error code / erə kəυd/ noun a code that indicates that a particular type of error has
occurred
error condition / erə kən d ʃ(ə)n/ noun a state that is entered if an attempt is
made to operate on data containing errors error control / erə kən trəυl/ noun the
use of routines which ensure that errors are minimised and any errors that occur are detected and dealt with rapidly
error correcting code / erə kərekt ŋ kəυd/ noun a coding system that
allows bit errors occurring during transmission to be rapidly corrected by logical deduction methods rather than retransmis-
sion
error correction / erə kə rekʃ(ə)n/ noun hardware or software that can detect and correct an error in a transmission error detecting code / erə d tekt ŋ
kəυd/ noun a coding system that allows bit errors occurring during transmission to be detected, but is not complex enough to
correct them
error detection / erə d tekʃ(ə)n/ noun the process of using special hardware or software to detect errors in a data entry or transmission, then usually to ask for retransmission
error detection and correction
/ erə d tekʃən ən kə rekʃən/ noun full
form of EDAC
error diagnosis / erə da ə nəυs s/ noun the process of finding the cause of an error
error |
diagnostics |
/ erə |
da ə nɒst ks/ noun information and system messages displayed when an error is detected to help a user debug and correct
it
error handler / erə h ndlə/ noun a software routine that controls and reports on an error when it occurs
error handling / erə h ndl ŋ/ noun same as exception handling
error interrupt |
128 |
error interrupt / erə ntər pt/ plural noun an interrupt signal sent because of an error in hardware or software
error logging / erə lɒ ŋ/ noun the process of recording errors that have occurred Features of the program include error logging.
error management / erəm n d'mənt/ noun same as exception
handling
error message / erə mes d'/ noun a report displayed to the user saying that an error has occurred
error propagation / erəprɒpə e ʃ(ə)n/ noun a situation in which
one error causes another
error rate / erə re t/ noun 1. the number of errors that occur within a certain time 2. the number of corrupt bits of data in relation to the total transmission length error recovery / erə r k v(ə)ri/ noun software or hardware which can continue to run after an error has occurred
error routine / erə ru ti n/ noun a short routine within a main program that handles any errors when they occur error trapping / erə tr p ŋ/ noun the process of detecting and correcting errors before they cause any problems
ESC / ske p/ noun same as escape character
escape character / ske p k r ktə/ noun a character used to represent an escape code. Also called ESC
escape code / ske p kəυd/ noun a transmitted code sequence which informs the receiver that all following characters represent control actions. Also called ESC escape key / ske p ki / noun a key on a keyboard which allows the user to enter escape codes to control the computer’s basic modes or actions. Also called ESC,
Esc key
escapement / ske pmənt/ noun a preset vertical movement of a sheet of paper in a printer
escape sequence / ske p si kwəns/ noun a method of switching a Hayes-com- patible modem into command mode by sending the three characters ‘+++’ allowing a user to enter new commands while still online
Esc key / ske p ki / noun same as escape key
ESDI / i es di a / noun an interface standard between a CPU and peripherals
such as disk drives. Full form enhanced small device interface. SCSI
ES-IS abbr end system to intermediate system
Ethernet / i θənet/ noun a standard, IEEE 802.3, defining the protocol and signalling method of a local area network
COMMENT: Ethernet has several implementations: 10Base5 (the most common) is a busbased topology running over coaxial cable; 10BaseT uses unshielded-twisted-pair cable in a star-based topology; Ethernet normally has a data transmission rate of 10Mbps.
EtherTalk / i θətɑ k/ (in Apple Mac systems) a trade name for a variation of the standard Ethernet network developed to connect Macs together as an alternative to the slower AppleTalk
ETX abbr end of text
Eudora /ju dɔ rə/ a common commercial software program used to send, receive and manage email messages sent via the Internet
evaluation copy / v lju e ʃ(ə)nkɒpi/ noun a demonstration version of a software product that allows a user to try the main functions of a software product before buying it
even parity / i v(ə)n p r ti/, even parity check / i v(ə)n p r ti tʃek/ noun
an error checking system in which any series of bits transmitted must have an even number of binary ones
event / vent/ noun an action or activity event-driven / vent dr v(ə)n/ adjective referring to a computer program or process in which each step of the execution relies on external actions
‘Forthcoming language extensions will include ob- ject-oriented features, including classes with full inheritance, as well as event-driven programming.’ [Computing]
event focus / vent fəυkəs/ noun an object that is currently receiving messages from an action or event
event handler / vent h ndlə/ noun a routine that responds to an event or message within an object-oriented programming environment If a user clicks the mouse button this generates a message which can be acted upon by the event handler.
ewallet / i wɒlət/, e-wallet noun a feature of web browsers that allows a user to store personal details about his or her credit card, bank account or other ways of paying for goods on the Internet
129 |
executive instruction |
except gate / k sept e t/ noun a logical function whose output is true if either of two inputs is true, and false if both in-
puts are the same
exception / k sepʃən/ noun something which is different from all others in the
same category
exception dictionary / k sepʃ(ə)nd kʃən(ə)ri/ noun a store of words and
their special word-break requirements, for
word-processing and photocomposition exception handling / k sepʃ(ə)n
h ndl ŋ/ noun routines and procedures that diagnose and correct errors or minimise the effects of errors, so that a system will run when an error is detected. Also called error handling, error manage-
ment
excess-3 code / ekses θri kəυd/ noun a code in which decimal digits are represented by the binary equivalent of three greater than the number The ex-
cess-3 code representation of 6 is 1001. exchange / ks tʃe nd'/ verb 1. to ex-
change one article for another to give one thing in place of something else 2. to swap data between two locations (NOTE:
exchanges – exchanging – exchanged)
Exchange / ks tʃe nd'/ an application supplied with Windows 95 that provides features that allow you to manage your
communications including email and fax exchangeable / ks tʃe nd'əb(ə)l/ ad-
jective which can be exchanged
exchangeable disk storage / kstʃe nd'əb(ə)l d sk stɔ r d'/ noun full
form of EDS
exchange selection / ks tʃe nd' slekʃən/ noun a sorting method which re-
peatedly exchanges various pairs of data items until they are in order
exclusion / k sklu '(ə)n/ noun restric-
tion of access to a system
exclusive NOR / k sklu s v nɔ / noun
full form of EXNOR
exclusive OR / k sklu s v ɔ / noun full form of EXOR
exe / eksi/ noun an extension to a filename which indicates that the file is a program and can be executed directly by the operating system In DOS, to start a pro-
gram type in its EXE file name. executable file / eks kju təb(ə)l fa l/
noun a file that contains a program rather
than data
executable form / eks kju təb(ə)l fɔ m/ noun a program translated or com-
piled into a machine code form that a processor can execute
execute / eks kju t/ verb to run or carry out a computer program or process
(NOTE: executes – executing – executed) execute cycle / eks kju t sa k(ə)l/ noun events required to fetch, decode and carry out an instruction stored in memory. Also called execution cycle
execute mode / eks kju t məυd/ noun the process of entering a command in direct mode to start a program run execute phase / eks kju t fe z/ noun a section of the execute cycle when the instruction is carried out. Also called execution phase
execute signal / eks kju t s n(ə)l/ noun a signal that steps the CPU through the execute cycle
execute statement / eks kju tste tmənt/ noun a basic operating sys-
tem command to start a program run execute time / eks kju t ta m/ noun same as execution time
execution / eks kju ʃ(ə)n/ noun the process of carrying out a computer program or process
execution address / eks kju ʃ(ə)n ədres/ noun a location in memory at which the first instruction in a program is stored execution cycle / eks kju ʃ(ə)nsa k(ə)l/ noun same as execute cycle execution error / eks kju ʃ(ə)n erə/ noun an error occurring during program execution, due to bad inputs or a faulty program
execution phase / eks kju ʃ(ə)nfe z/ noun same as execute phase execution time / eks kju ʃ(ə)nta m/ noun 1. the time taken to run or carry out a program or series of instructions 2. the time taken for one execution cycle executive / zekjυt v/ adjective normally refers to the operating system of a computer
executive control program /zekjυt v kən trəυl prəυ r m/ noun
same as OS
executive information system /zekjυt v nfə me ʃ(ə)n s stəm/ noun
full form of EIS
executive instruction / zekjυt v
n str kʃən/ noun an instruction used to control and execute programs under the control of an operating system
executive program |
130 |
executive program / zekjυt vprəυ r m/ noun same as supervisory
program
exerciser / eksəsa zə/ noun a tester for
a device
exhaustive search / zɔ st v s tʃ/ noun a search through every record in a database
exit / e z t/ verb to stop program execution or to leave a program and return control to the operating system or interpreter
You have to exit to another editing sys-
tem to add headlines.
EXIT / eks t/ noun an MS-DOS system command to stop and leave a child process
and return to the parent process
exit point / eks t pɔ nt/ noun a point in a subroutine at which control is returned to
the main program
exjunction / εks d' ŋkʃən/ noun a logical function whose output is true if either of two inputs is true, and false if both inputs are the same
EXNOR / eks nɔ / noun a logical function whose output is true if all inputs are the same level, false if any are different.
Full form exclusive nor
EXNOR gate / eks nɔ e t/ noun an electronic implementation of the EXNOR function
EXOR / eks ɔ / noun a logical function whose output is true if any input is true, and false if all the inputs are the same. Full
form exclusive or
EXOR gate / eks ɔ e t/ noun an electronic implementation of the EXOR
function
expandable system / k sp ndəb(ə)ls stəm/ noun a computer system that is designed to be able to grow in power or memory by hardware or software addi-
tions
expanded memory / k sp nd dmem(ə)ri/ noun an extra RAM memory fitted to a computer that is located at an address above 1 Mb
expanded memory board / ksp nd d mem(ə)ri bɔ d/ noun an ex-
pansion board used to add extra memory to an IBM PC (NOTE: The memory follows the EMS standard.)
expanded memory manager / ksp nd d mem(ə)ri m n d'ə/ noun
full form of EMM
expanded memory system / ksp nd d mem(ə)ri s stəm/ noun full
form of EMS
expansion / k sp nʃən/ noun an in-
crease in computing power or storage size expansion board / k sp nʃən bɔ d/
noun a printed circuit board connected to a system to increase its functions or per-
formance. Also called expansion card expansion box / k sp nʃ(ə)n bɒks/
noun a device that plugs into an expansion bus and provides several more free expansion slots
‘…it can be attached to most kinds of printer, and, if that is not enough, an expansion box can be fitted to
the bus connector’ [Personal Computer World]
expansion bus / k sp nʃ(ə)n b s/ noun data and address lines leading to a connector and allowing expansion cards to control and access the data in main memo-
ry
expansion card / k sp nʃ(ə)n kɑ d/
noun same as expansion board expansion slot / k sp nʃ(ə)n slɒt/
noun a connector inside a computer into which an expansion board can be plugged
Insert the board in the expansion slot. expert system / eksp t s stəm/
noun IKBS
explicit address / k spl s t ə dres/ noun an address provided in two parts, a reference point and a displacement or in-
dex value
explicit reference / k spl s tref(ə)rəns/ noun (within a program or
script) a way of identifying a particular object, e.g. a field or button, by a unique
name
Explorer / k splɔ rə/ a program supplied with Windows 95 that lets you man-
age all the files stored on a disk exponentiation / ekspə nenʃi
e ʃ(ə)n/ noun the raising of a base
number to a certain power
export / k spɔ t/ verb to save data in a
different file format from the default expression / k spreʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a
mathematical formula or relationship 2. the definition of a value or variable in a program
extended arithmetic element / kstend d r θmet k el mənt/ noun a
section of a CPU that provides hardware implementations of various mathematical functions
extended Backus-Naur-Form, extended BNF noun full form of EBNF
extended binary coded decimal interchange code / k stend dba nəri kəυd d des m(ə)l
131 |
extract |
ntətʃe nd' kəυd/ noun full form of
EBCDIC
extended character set / k stend dk r ktə set/ noun a set of 128 special
characters that includes accents, graphics and symbols
extended data output memory / kstend d de tə aυtpυt mem(ə)ri/ noun
full form of EDO memory
extended-definition television / kstend d def n ʃ(ə)n tel v '(ə)n/ noun
full form of EDTV
extended graphics array / kstend d r f ks ə re / noun a high res-
olution graphics standard developed by IBM that is capable of displaying resolutions of up to 1024x768 pixels. Abbr XGA
extended integrated drive electronics / k stend d nt re t d dra velektrɒn ks/ noun full form of EIDE
extended memory / k stend dmem(ə)ri/ noun (in an IBM PC) the most
popular standard method of adding extra memory above 1 Mb which can be used directly by many operating systems or programs
extended memory manager / kstend d mem(ə)ri m n d'ə/ noun a
software utility that configures extra memory fitted in a PC to conform to the EMS standard
extended memory specification
/ k stend d mem(ə)ri spes f ke ʃ(ə)n/ noun full form of XMS
extending serial file / k stend ŋ
s əriəl fa l/ noun a file which can be added to or which has no maximum size
extensible hypertext markup language / k stens b(ə)l ha pətekstmɑ k p l ŋ w d'/ noun full form of
XHTML
extensible language / k stens b(ə)ll ŋ w d'/ noun a computer programming language that allows the user to add his or her own data types and commands
extensible markup language / kstens b(ə)l mɑ k p l ŋ w d'/ noun
full form of XML
extension memory / k stenʃənmem(ə)ri/ noun storage which is located outside the main computer system but which can be accessed by the CPU external arithmetic / k st n(ə)l ər θmət k/ noun arithmetic performed by a coprocessor
external clock / k st n(ə)l klɒk/ noun a clock or synchronising signal sup-
plied from outside a device
external data file / k st n(ə)l de təfa l/ noun a file containing data for a pro-
gram but stored separately from it external device / k st n(ə)l d va s/
noun 1. an item of hardware, e.g. a terminal or printer, which is attached to a main computer 2. any device that allows communications between the computer and itself but which is not directly operated by
the main computer
external disk drive / k st n(ə)l d skdra v/ noun a device not built into the computer but added to increase its storage
capabilities
external interrupt / k st n(ə)lntər pt/ plural noun an interrupt signal from a peripheral device indicating that at-
tention is required
external label / k st n(ə)l le b(ə)l/ noun an identifying piece of paper stuck to
the outside of a device or disk
external memory / k st n(ə)lmem(ə)ri/ noun memory which is locat-
ed outside the main computer system confines but which can be accessed by the
CPU
external modem / k st n(ə)lməυdem/ noun a modem which is self-
contained with its own power supply unit
that connects to a serial port of a computer
external register / k st n(ə)lred' stə/ plural noun any one of a user’s
registers located in main memory rather
than within the CPU
external schema / k st n(ə)lski mə/ noun a user’s view of the struc-
ture of data or a program
external sort / k st n(ə)l sɔ t/ noun a method of sorting which uses a file stored in secondary memory, e.g. a disk, as its data source and uses the disk as tempo-
rary memory during sorting
external storage / k st n(ə)lstɔ r d'/, external store / k st n(ə)l
stɔ / noun a storage device which is located outside the main computer system
but which can be accessed by the CPU extracode / ekstrəkəυd/ noun a set of
short routines within the operating system
that emulate a hardware function extract / k str kt/ verb to remove re-
quired data or information from a database
We can extract the files required for typesetting.
extract instruction |
132 |
extract instruction /ek str kt nstr kʃən/ noun an instruction to select and read required data from a database or file
extractor / k str ktə/ noun same as
mask
extranet / ekstrənet/ noun an intranet that has a connection to the public Internet and allows users to gain access via the Internet (NOTE: It is often used to provide access to people in the company who are working away from the office. Most intranets do not allow access via the public Internet and include security measures that protect against hackers and unauthorised users.)
eyeball / a bɔ l/ noun a user of the Internet who visits a particular website or uses a particular product (slang)
eye candy / a k ndi/ noun the decorative elements on a computer screen or a web page that are intended to make it attractive to look at (informal) eye-dropper /a drɒpə/ noun a tool in a graphics software application that allows a user to click on a pixel in an image and select the colour of the pixel
e-zine / i zi n/ noun a website that models its contents and layout a printed magazine
F
f symbol femto-
F symbol the hexadecimal number equivalent to decimal number 15
face /fe s/ noun same as typeface faceted code / f s td kəυd/ noun a
code which indicates various details of an item by assigning each one a value. Also called significant digit code
facility /fə s l ti/ noun a mechanism or means allowing something to being done, especially easily We offer facilities for processing a customer’s own disks. (NOTE: The plural is facilities.)
facsimile character generator /f ks m li k r ktə d'enəre tə/ noun a
means of displaying characters on a computer screen by copying preprogrammed
images from memory
facsimile copy /f k s m li kɒpi/ noun an exact copy of a document
facsimile transmission /f k s m l tr nz m ʃ(ə)n/ noun full form of fax
factor / f ktə/ noun any number in a multiplication that is the operand factorial /f k tɔ riəl/ noun the product of all the numbers below a number ex-
ample: 4 factorial (written 4!) = 1x2x3x4 = 24
factorise / f ktəra z/, factorize verb to break down a number into two whole numbers which when multiplied will give the original number When factorised, 15 gives the factors 1, 15 or 3, 5. (NOTE: factorises – factorising – factorised)
fade /fe d/ verb to become less strong (of radio or electrical signal) (NOTE: fades – fading – faded)
fade in / fe d n/ noun 1. an image that starts with a blank screen that gradually shows the image 2. a sound that starts inaudibly and gradually increases in volume fade out / fe d aυt/ noun 1. an image that gradually changes to a blank screen 2. a sound that gradually decreases in volume until it is inaudible
fail /fe l*/ verb not to do something which should be done The company failed to carry out routine maintenance of its equipment.
fail safe system /f e l se f s stəm/ noun a system which has a predetermined state it will go to if a main program or de-
133 |
FAT |
vice fails, so avoiding the total catastrophe that a complete system shutdown would produce
‘The DTI is publishing a new code of best practice which covers hardware reliability and fail-safe soft-
ware systems.’ [Computing]
fail soft system / fe l sɒft s stəm/ noun a system that will still be partly operational even after a part of the system has
failed
failure logging / fe ljə lɒ ŋ/ noun a section of an operating system that automatically saves the present system states and relevant data when an error or fault is detected
failure rate / fe ljə re t/ noun the number of occurrences of a particular type
of failure within a specified period of time failure recovery / fe ljə r k v(ə)ri/
noun the process of resuming a process or program after a failure has occurred and has been corrected
fall back / fɔ l b k/ noun a special or temporary set of instructions, procedures or data used in the event of a fault or failure
fall back recovery / fɔ l b k rk v(ə)ri/ noun the process of resuming a program after a fault has been fixed, from the point at which fall back routines were
called
fall back routines / fɔ l b k ru ti nz/ plural noun routines that are called or procedures which are executed by a user when a machine or system has failed
false /fɔ ls/ adjective referring to a logical term equal to binary 0, the opposite of
true
false code / fɔ ls kəυd/ noun a code that contains values not within specified
limits
false drop / fɔ ls drɒp/ noun a batch of unwanted files retrieved from a database through the use of incorrect search codes.
Also called false retrieval
false error /fɔ ls erə/ noun an error
warning given when no error has occurred false retrieval / fɔ ls r tri v(ə)l/ noun
same as false drop
FAM abbr fast access memory
family / f m(ə)li/ noun 1. a range of different designs of a particular typeface 2. a range of machines from one manufacturer that are compatible with other products in
the same line from the same manufacturer fanfold / f nfəυld/ noun same as ac-
cordion fold
fan-in /f n n/ noun the maximum number of inputs that a circuit or chip can deal with
fanning strip / f n ŋ str p/ noun a cable supporting insulated strip
fan-out / f n aυt/ noun the maximum number of outputs that a circuit or chip can drive without exceeding its power dissipation limit
FAQ /f k, ef e kju / noun a webpage or help file that contains common questions and their answers related to a particular subject
Faraday cage / f rəde ke d'/ noun a wire or metal screen, connected to ground, that completely encloses sensitive equipment to prevent any interference from stray electromagnetic radiation
fast access memory / fɑ st ksesmem(ə)ri/ noun abbr FAM. same as rap-
id access memory
fast core / fɑ st kɔ / noun a high speed, low access time working memory for a CPU The fast core is used as a scratchpad for all calculations in this system.
fast line / fɑ st la n/ noun a special telecommunications line which allows data to be transmitted at 48 K or 96 K baud rates
fast packet /fɑ st p k t/ noun an asynchronous method of transferring data over a network
fast page RAM / fɑ st pe d' r m/ noun an older type of memory component that seeks and reads data from a memory location in two separate operations. Abbr
FPM RAM (NOTE: This component has now been replaced by EDO memory.) fast peripheral /fɑ st pə r f(ə)rəl/ noun a peripheral that communicates with the computer at very high speeds, limited only by the speed of the electronic circuits
Fast-SCSI /fɑ st sk zi/ noun a development that allows data to be transferred at a higher rate than with the original SCSI specification
fast time-scale / fɑ st ta m/ noun an operation in which the time-scale factor is less than one
FAT / ef e ti / noun (in a PC operating system) a data file stored on disk that contains the names of each file stored on the disk, together with its starting sector position, date and size. Full form file allocation table