Dictionary of Computing - 5th Edition
.pdf
access level |
4 |
shows in which order each record was en-
tered
access level / kses lev(ə)l/ noun a predefined access category (NOTE: The lowest access level might allow the user to only view data, the highest access lev-
el allows a user to do anything.) access line / kses la n/ noun a per-
manently connected communications line
between a terminal and a computer access log / kses lɒ / noun a file on
a website server computer that contains a record of every visitor to the website, showing when a person visited and which pages he or she viewed The access log is invaluable – we produce graphs of the pages that are most popular using an access log analyser program.
access mechanism / ksesmekən z(ə)m/ noun a mechanical device
that moves an access arm over the surface
of a disk
access method / kses meθəd/ noun 1. a means used for the internal transfer of data between memory and display or peripheral devices. Differences in the methods used are often the cause of compatibility problems. 2. a set of rules that allows a device to send data onto a network. Token passing and CSMA/CD are two methods commonly used in a local area network.
access method routines / ksesmeθəd ru ti nz/ plural noun software
routines that move data between main
storage and an output device
access name / kses ne m/ noun a unique name that identifies an object in a
database
access number / kses n mbə/ noun the telephone number that a computer dials up in order to be connected to an Internet service provider or other network
provider
accessor / ksesə/ noun a person who
accesses data
accessory /ək sesəri/ noun an extra, add-on device, e.g. a mouse or printer, that is attached to or used with a computer
The printer comes with several accessories including a soundproof hood. (NOTE:
The plural is accessories.)
access path / kses pɑ θ/ noun a description of the location of a stored file within the directory structure of a disk
access path journalling / ksespɑ θ d' nəl ŋ/ noun the process of re-
cording changes to an access path in case
of malfunction
access period / kses p əriəd/ noun a period of time during which a user can access data
access permission / kses pəm ʃ(ə)n/ noun a description of all the ac-
cess rights for a particular user
access point / kses pɔ nt/ noun a test point on a circuit board or in software, allowing an engineer to check signals or
data
access privilege / kses pr v l d'/ noun the status granted to a user that al-
lows him or her to see, read or alter files access provider / kses prə va də/
noun same as ISP
access rights / kses ra ts/ plural noun the rights of a particular user to ac-
cess a particular file or data object access time / kses ta m/ noun 1. the
total time that a storage device takes between the moment the data is requested and the return of the data The access time of this dynamic RAM chip is around 200nS – we have faster versions if your system clock is running faster. 2. the length of time required to find a file or program, either in main memory or a secondary
memory source
access unit / kses ju n t/ noun (in a Token-Ring network) a wiring concentra-
tor
accidental / ks dent(ə)l/ adjective which happens by accident Always keep backup copies in case of accidental dam-
age to the master file.
accordion fold /ə kɔ diən fəυld/, accordion fanfold noun method of folding continuous paper, one sheet in one direction, the next sheet in the opposite direction, allowing the paper to be fed into a printer continuously with no action on the
part of the user. Also called fanfold account /ə kaυnt/ noun (in a network
or online system) a record of a user’s name, password and rights to access a network or online system If you are a new user, you will have to ask the supervisor to create an account for you. verb to keep track of how much time and resources each user of a network or online system uses
accounting package noun a piece of software that automates a business’s accounting functions We now type in each transaction into the new accounting pack-
5 |
acoustic delay line |
age rather than write it into a ledger. Also
called accounts package
account name /ə kaυnt ne m/ noun the unique name of a user on a network or online system John Smith’s account
name is JSMITH.
accounts package /ə kaυntsp k d'/ noun same as accounting
package
accumulate /ə kju mjυle t/ verb to gather several things together over a period of time We have gradually accumulated a large databank of names and addresses. (NOTE: accumulates – accumu-
lating – accumulated)
accumulator /ə kju mjυle tə/, accumulator register noun full form of ACC
accumulator address /ə
kju mjυle tə ə dres/ noun an address accessed by an instruction held in the ACC
accumulator shift instruction /ə
kju mjυle tə ʃ ft n str kʃən/ noun a command to shift the contents of an ACC
left or right by one bit
accuracy / kjυrəsi/ noun 1. the extent to which something is correct or true 2. the extent to which a person avoids errors 3. the total number of bits used to define a number in a computer (NOTE: The more bits allocated the greater the accuracy of the definition.)
accuracy control character
/ kjυrəsi kən trəυl k r ktə/ noun a code that indicates whether data is accurate or whether the data should be disregarded by a particular device
ACD / e si di / noun a specialised telephone system that can handle lots of incoming calls and direct them to a particular operator according to programmed instructions in a database. Full form automatic call distribution
ACDI abbr asynchronous communications device interface
ACF abbr advanced communications function
ACH / e si e tʃ/ noun an automated network that links banks together and enables them to handle payments made from one bank to another through electronic points of sale and withdrawals from cashpoints. Full form automated clearing house
achromatic colour / e krəυm t kk lə/ noun a grey colour within the range between black and white displayed by a graphics adapter
ACIA / e si a e / noun a circuit that allows a computer to transmit and receive serial data using asynchronous access. Full form asynchronous communications interface adapter
ACK / e si ke / noun a signal that is sent from a receiver to indicate that a transmitted message has been received and that it is ready for the next one The printer generates an ACK signal when it has received data. Full form acknowledge
Ackerman’s function / kəmənzf ŋkʃən/ noun a recursive function used
to test the ability of a compiler to cope with recursion
acknowledge /ək nɒl d'/ noun full form of ACK verb 1. to tell a sender that a message or letter has been received 2. to send a signal from a receiver to show that a transmitted message has been received
(NOTE: acknowledges – acknowledging – acknowledged)
acknowledge character /ək nɒl d'k r ktə/ noun a special code sent by a re-
ceiver to indicate to the transmitter that the message has been correctly received
acknowledged mail /ək nɒl d'dme l/ noun a function that signals to the sender when an electronic mail message has been read by the recipient
ACL / e si el/ noun a security system that has a list of user names and passwords that is checked by the operating system to find out if a particular user is allowed to access or use a resource or feature of the shared computer or network. Full form access control list
acoustic /ə ku st k/ adjective referring to sound
acoustic coupler /ə ku st k k plə/ noun a device that connects to a telephone handset, converting binary computer data into sound signals to allow it to be transmitted down a telephone line
COMMENT: The acoustic coupler also converts back from sound signals to digital signals when receiving messages. It is basically the same as a modem but uses a handset on which a loudspeaker is placed to send the signals rather than direct connection to the phone line. It is portable and clips over both ends of a normal telephone handset. It can be used even in a public phone booth. The acoustic coupler has generally been replaced by a direct cable link from the computer’s modem to the standard telephone socket.
acoustic delay line /ə ku st k d le la n/ noun an outdated data storage meth-
acoustic feedback |
6 |
od that delays data in the form of sound pulses as they travel across a medium acoustic feedback /ə ku st kfi db k/ noun feedback
acoustic hood /ə ku st k hυd/ noun a soundproof cover put over a line printer to cut down its noise
acoustic memory /ə ku st kmem(ə)ri/ noun same as acoustic store acoustic panel /ə ku st k p n(ə)l/ noun a soundproof panel placed behind a device to reduce noise
acoustic store /ə ku st k stɔ / noun an outdated form of regenerative memory that uses an acoustic delay line. Also called acoustic memory
ACPI / e si pi a / noun a software system that allows the operating system to configure compatible hardware automatically. Full form advanced configuration and power interface
acquisition / kw z ʃ(ə)n/ noun the accepting, capturing or collecting of information
Acrobat Adobe Acrobat
ACS / e si es/ noun a computer linked to a network that controls several dial-up modems and allows remote users to connect to the server using a modem link and gain access to the network. Full form asynchronous communication server action / kʃən/ noun (in a SAA CUA front end) a user event, e.g. pressing a special key, that moves the cursor to the action bar at the top of the screen
action bar / kʃən bɑ / noun a top line of the screen that displays the menu names action bar pull-down / kʃən bɑ pυl/ noun (in a SAA CUA front end) a feature whereby the full menu is displayed below the menu name when a user moves the cursor to a particular menu name on the action bar
action code / kʃən kəυd/ noun (in a SAA CUA front end) a single letter associated with a particular menu option to speed up selection. When the letter action code is pressed, the menu option is selected.
action cycle / kʃən sa k(ə)l/ noun the series of steps required to carry out a process or operation on data, e.g. reading, processing, output and storage
action list / kʃən l st/ noun (in a SAA CUA front end) a list of choices
ActionMedia / kʃən mi diə/ a trade name for a digital video system developed by Intel that uses its i750 video processor chip to allow a computer to record, play back and manipulate digital video action message / kʃən mes d'/ noun a message displayed to inform the user that an action or input is required action-object / kʃən əb d'ekt/ noun
(in a SAA CUA front end) an object to which a user specifies an action should be applied
activate / kt ve t/ verb 1. to start a process or to make a device start working
Pressing CR activates the printer. 2. (in an authoring tool or programming language) to make a button or menu option or field on a screen layout available to a user
If the button or field is not activated, it is normally displayed greyed out and does not respond if a user selects it. (NOTE: activates – activating – activated)
active / kt v/ adjective busy, working or being used
active application / kt v plke ʃ(ə)n/ noun (in a multitasking operating system) an application currently being used by a user
active area / kt v eəriə/ noun 1. (in a spreadsheet program) the area that contains data bounded by the top left hand corner and the bottom right hand cell 2. (in a graphical window) an area that will start or select a function if the user moves the pointer into it with a mouse
active cell / kt v sel/ noun the spreadsheet cell that is currently selected with a cursor or pointer
active code page / kt v kəυdpe d'/ noun a code page currently in use by the system
active database / kt v de təbe s/ noun a database file currently being accessed by a database management program
active device / kt v d va s/ noun an electronic component that requires electrical power to operate and provides gain or a logical function
Active Document / kt vdɒkjυmənt/ noun a standard Windows
application that is accessed from within a web browser and controlled by special commands in the webpage
active file / kt v fa l/ noun a file that is currently being worked on
7 |
actual data transfer rate |
active gateway / kt v e twe / noun (in a network) a gateway that exchanges routing information
active high / kt v ha / noun an electronic signal that is valid when it is high or logical one or at five volts
active hub / kt v h b/ noun a hub that selectively directs packets of data according to their address or content active line / kt v la n/ noun a line in a communications link or port that is being used to transfer data or carry control signals
active link / kt v l ŋk/ noun a link currently being used to transfer information
active low / kt v ləυ/ noun an electronic signal that is valid when it is low or logical zero or at zero volts
active menu / kt v menju / noun a menu selection currently displayed below a menu bar
active node / kt v nəυd/ noun a node on a network connected to or available to connect to another node
active pixel region / kt v p ks(ə)lri d'ən/ noun an area of a computer
screen that can display graphic image information
active printer / kt v pr ntə/ noun a printer that is currently connected to the computer’s printer port
active program / kt v prəυ r m/ noun (in a multitasking system) a program that is currently in control of the processor
active record / kt v rekɔ d/ noun a record that is being updated or accessed active region / kt v ri d'(ə)n/ noun an area on a screen that will start an action or has been defined as a hotspot
Active Server Page / kt v s və pe d'/ noun a webpage that is created only when accessed by a visitor, allowing the website to display up-to-date information or information from a database The database search results page is implemented as an Active Server Page. Abbr
ASP
active star / kt v stɑ / noun a network consisting of a central point with nodes branching out, in which a central processor controls and routes all messages between devices
active state / kt v ste t/ noun an electronic state in which an action occurs
active storage / kt v stɔ r d'/ noun a main storage, fast access RAM whose locations can be directly and immediately addressed by the CPU
active streaming format / kt vstri m ŋ fɔ m t/ noun full form of ASF
active video / kt v v diəυ s n(ə)l/, active video signal noun a part of a video signal that contains picture information
ActiveVRML / kt v vi ɑ em el/ noun VRML
active window / kt v w ndəυ/ noun
1. an area of the display screen where the operator is currently working 2. (in a GUI or SAA CUA front end) the window that is currently the focus of cursor movements and screen displays. window
ActiveX / kt v eks/ a trade name for a programming language and program definition used to create small applications designed to enhance the functionality of a webpage. Java, VBScript
COMMENT: ActiveX applications, called applets, are often used to add database or multimedia effects to a website that cannot be supported with basic HTML commands. When a user visits the web page that uses the ActiveX applet, the program is automatically downloaded by the user’s browser and run on the user’s computer.
activities / k t v tiz/ plural noun jobs or tasks which are being performed on a computer
activity level / k t vəti lev(ə)l/ noun the maximum number of jobs that can run in a multitasking system
activity light / k t v ti la t/ noun small light or LED on the front of a disk drive or computer that indicates when the disk drive is reading or writing data to disk activity loading / k t v ti ləυd ŋ/ noun a method of organising disk contents so that the most often accessed files or programs can be loaded quickly
activity ratio / k t v ti re ʃiəυ/ noun the number of files currently in use compared to the total stored
activity trail / k t v ti tre l/ noun a record of activities carried out
actual address / ktʃuəl ə dres/ noun same as absolute address actual code / ktʃuəl kəυd/ noun same as absolute code
actual data transfer rate / ktʃuəlde tə tr nsf re t/ noun the average
number of data bits transferred in a period of time
actual instruction |
8 |
actual instruction / ktʃuəl nstr kʃən/ noun the resulting instruction executed after the modification of an original instruction
actuator / ktʃυe tə/ noun a mechanical device that can be controlled by an external signal, e.g. the read/write head in a disk drive
ACU / e si ju / noun a device that allows a computer to call stations or dial telephone numbers automatically. Full form automatic calling unit
ad abbr Andorra (NOTE: used in email and website addresses)
A/D abbr analog to digital
ADA / e di e / noun a high-level programming language that is used mainly in military, industrial and scientific fields of computing
adapt /ə d pt/ verb to change, adjust or modify something so that it fits Can this computer be adapted to take 5.25 inch disks?
adaptation / d p te ʃ(ə)n/ noun the ability of a device to adjust its sensitivity range according to various situations adapter /ə d ptə/, adaptornoun a device that allows two or more incompatible devices to be connected together adapter card /ə d ptə kɑ d/ noun a card that plugs into an expansion bus in a PC and adds a new function to the computer or allows it to communicate with another device (NOTE: A sound card is a type of adapter card that plugs into an expansion connector and allows sound to be played back or recorded.)
adapter plug /ə d ptə pl / noun a plug that allows plugs with different numbers or shapes of pins to be fitted into the same socket
adaptive channel allocation /ə
d pt v tʃ n(ə)l lə ke ʃ(ə)n/ noun provision of communications channels according to demand rather than a fixed allocation
adaptive compression /ə d pt v kəm preʃ(ə)n/ noun a data compression system that continuously monitors the data it is compressing and adjusts its own algorithm to provide the most efficient compression
adaptive differential pulse code modulation /ə d pt v d fə renʃ(ə)lp ls kəυd mɒdju le ʃ(ə)n/ noun full
form of ADPCM
adaptive packet assembly /ə
d pt v p k t ə sembli/ noun a method used by the MNP error correcting protocol to adjust the size of data packets according to the quality of the telephone line. The better the line, the bigger the packet size. adaptive routing /ə d pt v ru t ŋ/ noun the ability of a system to change its communications routes in response to various events or situations such as line failure (NOTE: The messages are normally sent along the most cost-effective path unless there is a problem with that route, in which case they are automatically rerouted.)
adaptive system /ə d pt v s stəm/ noun a system that is able to alter its responses and processes according to inputs or situations
adaptor /ə d ptə/ noun another spelling of adapter
ADB abbr Apple Desktop Bus
ADC / e di si / noun an electronic device that converts an analog input signal to a digital form, which can be processed by a computer. Full form analog to digital converter
add / d/ verb 1. to put figures together to make a total 2. to put things together to form a larger group The software house has added a new management package to its range of products.
addend / dend/ noun the number added to the augend in an addition
adder / də/ noun a device or routine that provides the sum of two or more inputs, either digital or analog
COMMENT: A parallel adder takes one clock cycle to add two words, a serial adder takes a time equal to the number of bits in a word to add.
adder-subtractor / də səb tr ktə/ noun a device that can either add or subtract
add file / d fa l/ noun a file in which new records are stored prior to updating the main database
add-in / d n/ noun, adjective something that is added to something else adjective that is added to something else addition /ə d ʃ(ə)n/ noun an arithmetic operation that produces the sum of an addend and augend
additional /ə d ʃ(ə)nəl/ adjective which is added or extra Can we link three additional workstations to the network?
9 |
addressing method |
addition record /ə d ʃ(ə)n rekɔ d/ noun a record with changes used to update
a master record or file
addition time /ə d ʃ(ə)n ta m/ noun the time an adder takes to carry out an addition operation
addition without carry /ə d ʃ(ə)n w ð aυt k ri/ noun an addition opera-
tion without any carry bits or words additive colour / dət v k lə/ noun a
colour produced by mixing two or three colours from red, green and blue add-on / d ɒn/ adjective added to a computer system to improve its performance The add-on hard disk will boost the computer’s storage capabilities. Opposite built-in noun a piece of software or hardware that is added to a computer system to improve its performance
add on board / d ɒn bɔ d/ noun same
as expansion board
add register / d red' stə/ noun a reg-
ister that is an adder
address /ə dres/ noun 1. a number allowing a central processing unit to reference a physical location in a storage medium in a computer system Each separate memory word has its own unique address.
2. a unique number that identifies a device on a network This is the address at which the data starts. verb to put the location data onto an address bus to identify which word in memory or storage device is to be accessed A larger address word increases the amount of memory a compu-
ter can address.
addressability /ə dresə b l ti/ noun
the control available over pixels on screen addressable /ə dresəb(ə)l/ adjective
which can be addressed With the new operating system, all of the 5MB of installed RAM is addressable. addressable cursor /ə dresəb(ə)lk sə/ noun a cursor which can be pro-
grammed to be placed in a certain position addressable point /ə dresəb(ə)l
pɔ nt/ noun a point or pixel in a graphics system that can be directly addressed addressable terminal /ə dresəb(ə)lt m n(ə)l/ noun a terminal that will only accept data if it has the correct address and identification number in the message
header
address access time /ə dres kses ta m/ noun the total time which a storage device takes between the moment the data is requested and the return of the data
address base /ə dres be s/ noun the part of an address that defines the origin to which the logical address is added address book /ə dres bυk/ noun 1. (in a network) a list of node addresses 2. (in electronic mail) a list of the network addresses of other users to which electronic mail can be sent
address bus /ə dres b s/ noun a physical connection that carries the address data in parallel form from the central processing unit to external devices address code /ə dres kəυd/ noun a special code that identifies the part of a document that is an address
address computation
kɒmpjυ te ʃ(ə)n/ noun an operation on address data in an instruction
address decoder /ə dres di kəυdə/ noun a logical circuit that will produce a signal when a certain address or range is placed on the address bus
address field /ə dres fi ld/ noun 1. (in a network) the part of a packet that contains the address of the destination node 2. (in programming) the part of a computer instruction that contains the location of the operand
address format /ə dres fɔ m t/ noun the set of rules defining the way the operands, data and addresses are arranged in an instruction
address harvester /ə dres hɑ v stə/ noun a computer program that collects email addresses from the Internet address highway /ə dres ha we / noun the set of physical connections that carry the address data in a parallel form between the central processing unit and memory or external devices addressing /ə dres ŋ/ noun the process of accessing a location in memory addressing capacity /ə dres ŋ kəp s ti/ noun the largest location that a certain program or CPU can directly address, without special features, e.g. virtual memory or memory banks
addressing level /ə dres ŋ lev(ə)l/ noun zero-level: operand is the address part of the instruction; first-level: operand stored at the address of the instruction; second-level: operand stored at the address given in the instruction
addressing method /ə dres ŋ
meθəd/ noun the manner in which a section of memory is located
addressing mode |
10 |
addressing mode /ə dres ŋ məυd/ noun a way in which a location is addressed, e.g. sequential, indexed or direct address mapping /ə dres m p ŋ/ noun the translation of a virtual address to an absolute real address
address mark /ə dres mɑ k/ noun a special code on a disk that indicates the start of sector location data
address mask /ə dres mɑ sk/ noun a pattern of binary data bits that is used to block out parts of an address data word. It is normally used to separate the network and subnet parts of an address within a long Internet or IP address. The address mask ‘111000’ will block off the last three bits of any address data.
address modification /ə dresmɒd f ke ʃ(ə)n/ noun the changing of
the address field, so that it can refer to a different location
address register /ə dres red' stə/ noun register in a computer that is able to store all the bits that make up an address ,which can then be processed as a single unit
address resolution /ə dresrezəlu ʃ(ə)n/ noun the converting pf an
Internet address into the correct physical network address that corresponds to the distant computer or resource
address resolution protocol /ə
dres rezə lu ʃ(ə)n prəυtəkɒl/ noun full form of ARP
address space /ə dres spe s/ noun the total number of possible locations that can be directly addressed by the program or CPU
address strobe /ə dres strəυb/ noun a signal in the form of a pulse that indicates that a valid address is on the address bus
address track /ə dres tr k/ noun track on a magnetic disk containing the addresses of files or other data stored on other tracks
address translation /ə dres tr nsle ʃ(ə)n/ noun an address produced by calculating an expression
address word /ə dres w d/ noun a computer word that contains the address data. In a small micro it is usually made up of two data words.
add time / d ta m/ noun a period of time taken either by a CPU or adder to perform one addition operation
adjacent domains /ə d'e s(ə)nt dəυme nz/ plural noun two domains linked
by two adjacent nodes
adjacent nodes /ə d'e s(ə)nt nəυdz/ plural noun two nodes connected by a path
that does not connect any other node adjunct register / d' ŋkt red' stə/
noun a 32-bit register in which the top 16 bits are used for control information and only the bottom 16 bits are available for
use by a program
adjustment /ə d' stmənt/ noun the making of a slight change made to something so that it works better, or a change made The brightness needs adjustment.
AdLib / d l b/ noun a type of sound card for a PC with basic sound playback and MIDI functions
administrator /əd m n stre tə/ noun a person who is responsible for looking after a network, including installing, configur-
ing and maintaining it
Adobe Acrobat /ə dəυbi krəb t/ a trade name for a piece of software that converts documents and formatted pages into a file format that can be viewed on almost any computer platform or using a web browser on the Internet (NOTE: For example, if you publish a newsletter, you could lay out the pages using a desktop publish system, print the pages for a paper version and convert the files to Acrobat format allowing you to distribute the same formatted pages on CD-ROM or
over the Internet.)
Adobe Systems /ə dəυbi s stəmz/ a software company that developed products
including Acrobat, ATM, and PostScript
Adobe Type Manager /ə dəυbi ta pm n d'ə/ a trade name for a standard for describing scalable fonts, used with Apple System 7 and Microsoft Windows to provide fonts that can be scaled to almost any point size, and printed on almost any printer. Abbr ATM
ADP / e di pi / noun data processing done by a computer. Full form automatic
data processing
ADPCM / e di pi si em/ noun a CCITT standard that defines a method of converting a voice or analog signal into a compressed digital signal. Full form adaptive differential pulse code mod-
ulation
ADSL / e di es el/ noun high-speed transmission standard that uses the same copper telephone wires as a normal tele-
11 |
aggregate bandwidth |
phone service, but is much faster than a standard modem or a digital system such as ISDN. Full form Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (NOTE: As well as the speed, ADSL provides a user with an ‘always on’ connection to the Internet – there is no need to dial an access number and no delay. Typically, companies provide ADSL for a fixed monthly rental; data is usually transferred from the Internet to the user’s computer at 2Mbps but transferred from the user’s computer to the Internet at a slower rate of 256Kbps.)
advanced configuration and power interface /əd vɑ nst kən f jəre ʃ(ə)n ən paυə ntəfe s/ noun full
form of ACPI
Advanced Micro Devices /ədvɑ nst ma krəυ d va s z/ full form of
AMD
advanced peer-to-peer networking /əd vɑ nst p ə tə p ə netw k ŋ/
noun full form of APPN
advanced power management /ədvɑ nst paυə m n d'mənt/ noun full
form of APM
advanced program to program communications /əd vɑ nstprəυ r m tə prəυ r m kə mju n
ke ʃ(ə)nz/ noun full form of APPC
Advanced Research Projects Agency Network /əd vɑ nst ri s tʃprɒd'ekts e d'(ə)nsi netw k/ noun
full form of ARPANET
advanced run-length limited /ədvɑ nst r n leŋθ l m t d/ noun a meth-
od of storing data onto a hard disk that is faster and more efficient than RLL. Abbr
ARLL
advanced technology attachment
/əd vɑ nst tek nɒləd'i ə t tʃmənt/ noun full form of ATA
advanced technology attachment packet interface /əd vɑ nst teknɒləd'i ə t tʃmənt p k t ntəfe s/
noun a type of standard interface that is used for CD-ROMs. Abbr ATAPI. Also called ATA packet interface
Advanced Television Systems Committee /əd vɑ nst tel v '(ə)ns stəmz kə m ti/ noun full form of
ATSC
advanced version /əd vɑ nstv ʃ(ə)n/ noun a program with more complex features for use by an experienced user
advanced wave modulation /ədvɑ nst we v mɒdjυle ʃ(ə)n/ noun full
form of AWM
advisory lock /əd va z(ə)ri lɒk/ noun
(in a multitasking system) a lock placed on a region of a file by one process to prevent any other process accessing the same
data
advisory system /əd va z(ə)ris stəm/ noun an expert system that pro-
vides advice to a user
aerial perspective / eəriəl pəspekt v/ noun a view of a three-dimen-
sional landscape as if the viewer is above the scene
AFAIK abbr as far as I know (NOTE: used
in emails and text messages)
affiliate marketing /ə f liətmɑ k t ŋ/ noun a type of marketing that uses a central website to advertise and sell products and services from other sites affirmative /ə f mət v/ adjective meaning ‘yes’ the answer was in the affirmative the answer was ‘yes’
affirmative acknowledgement /ə
f mət v ək nɒl d'mənt/ noun an ACK from the receiver that it has accepted the message and is ready for the next one AFIPS abbr American Federation of Information Processing Societies
AFP / e ef pi / noun a protocol used to communicate between workstations and servers in a network of Apple Macintosh computers. Full form Appletalk Filing
Protocol
afterglow / ɑ ftə ləυ/ noun persist-
ence
after-image / ɑ ftə m d'/ noun a copy of a block of data that has been modified
AGC / e d'i si / noun an electronic circuit that adjusts the level of an incoming signal so that it is suitable for the next part of the circuit. Full form automatic gain
control
agent / e d'ənt/ noun 1. a program or piece of software that runs on a workstation in a network and sends performance and statistical information about the workstation to a central network management console 2. a series of commands or actions that are carried out automatically on a particular file or data
aggregate / r ət/ noun a collection
of data objects
aggregate bandwidth / r ətb ndw dθ/ noun the total bandwidth of a
aggregate function |
12 |
channel carrying a multiplexed data stream
aggregate function / r ətf ŋkʃən/ noun a mathematical database function performed on a selected field in every record in a selected database aggregate line speed / r ət la nspi d/ noun the maximum speed at which data can be transmitted through a particular channel
aggregate operator / r ətɒpəre tə/ noun a command in a database
management program that starts an aggregate function
AGP / e d'i pi / noun a dedicated bus between a graphics controller and main memory that allows data to be transferred very quickly without using the main processor. Full form accelerated graphics port (NOTE: It is used with the Intel Pentium II processor to provide very highspeed three-dimensional graphics and video processing. This port does not replace a PCI bus but works with it.)
AI / e a / noun the design and development of computer programs that attempt to imitate human intelligence and decisionmaking functions, providing basic reasoning and other human characteristics. Full form artificial intelligence. IKBS aiming symbol / e m ŋ s mb(ə)l/, aiming field noun a symbol displayed on screen which defines the area in which a light-pen can be detected
airbrush / eə br ʃ/ noun (in graphics software) a painting tool that creates a diffuse pattern of dots, like an mechanical airbrush We used the airbrush to create the cloud effects in this image.
air gap / eə p/ noun a narrow gap between a recording or playback head and the magnetic medium
AIX / e a eks/ a trade name for a version of UNIX produced by IBM to run on its range of PCs, minicomputers and mainframes. Full form advanced interactive executive
A law / ə lɔ / noun a method of encoding digital audio data so that an 8-bit data word can contain a 13-bit audio sample alert /ə l t/ noun a warning message sent from software to warn a person or application that an error or problem has occurred
alert box /ə l t bɒks/ noun a warning panel displayed on screen to warn a user
about something The alert box warned
me that I was about to delete all my files. alert condition /ə l t kən d ʃ(ə)n/
noun a status of a particular object or device that triggers an alarm
algebra / ld' brə/ noun the use of letters in certain mathematical operations to represent unknown numbers or a range of
possible numbers
algebraic language / ld' bre kl ŋ w d'/ noun a context-free language ALGOL / l ɒl/ noun a high-level programming language using algorithmic methods for mathematical and technical applications. Full form algorithmic language
algorithm / l ər ð(ə)m/ noun a set of rules used to define or perform a specific task or to solve a specific problem
‘…image processing algorithms are step by step procedures for performing image processing operations’ [Byte]
‘…the steps are: acquiring a digitized image, developing an algorithm to process it, processing the image, modifying the algorithm until you are satisfied
with the result’ [Byte]
algorithmic / l ə r ðm k/ adjective expressed using algorithms algorithmic language / l ər ðm kl ŋ w d'/ noun full form of ALGOL alias / e liəs/ noun a representative name given to a file, port, device or spreadsheet cell or range of cells The operating system uses the alias COM1 to represent the serial port address 3FCh.
aliasing / e liəs ŋ/ noun jagged edges that appear along diagonal or curved lines displayed on a computer screen caused by the size of each pixel
alias name / e liəs ne m/ noun another name that is used on a network instead of the user name
alien / e liən/ adjective not fitting the
usual system
alien disk / e liən d sk/ noun a disk formatted on another system or containing data in a format that cannot be read or understood When you have an alien disk select the multi-disk option to allow you to turn the disk drive into an alien disk read-
er.
alien disk reader / e liən d sk ri də/ noun an add-on device that allows a computer to access data on disks from other computers or systems
align /ə la n/ verb 1. to make sure that the characters to be printed are spaced and levelled correctly, either vertically or hori-
13 |
alphanumeric operand |
zontally 2. to arrange numbers into a column with all figured lines up against the right hand side (right-aligned) or the lefthand side (left-aligned) 3. to ensure that a read/write head is correctly positioned over the recording medium
aligner /ə la nə/ noun a device used to make sure that the paper is straight in a
printer
aligning edge /ə la n ŋ ed'/ noun an edge of an optical character recognition
system used to position a document alignment /ə la nmənt/ noun the cor-
rect spacing and levelling of printed char-
acters in alignment correctly aligned alignment pin /ə la nmənt p n/ noun a
peg that fits in a hole to ensure that two devices are correctly aligned
allocate / lə ke t/ verb to divide a period of time or a piece of work in various ways and share it out between users The operating system allocated most of main memory to the spreadsheet program.
(NOTE: allocates – allocating – allocated) allocation / lə ke ʃ(ə)n/ noun the dividing of something such as memory, disk space, printer use, operating system time,
or a program or device in various ways allocation routine / lə ke ʃ(ə)n ru
ti n/ noun a short program that divides the memory resources of a system between
the software and peripherals that use it allocation unit / lə ke ʃ(ə)n ju n t/
noun a sector or set of sectors on a hard disk that is used to store a file or part of a file
all points addressable mode / ɔ lpɔ nts ə dresəb(ə)l məυd/ noun a
graphics mode in which each pixel can be individually addressed and its colour and attributes defined. Also called APA mode alpha / lfə/ noun 1. same as alpha test
The new software is still in an alpha product stage. 2. an item of data that defines the properties of a pixel or part of an image
ALPHA / lfə/ noun a 64-bit RISC processor chip developed by Digital Equipment Corporation
alpha beta technique / lfə bi tə tek ni k/ noun a free structure technique used in artificial intelligence for solving game and strategy problems
alphabetic character set
/ lfəbet k k r ktə set/ noun the set of characters, both capitals and small letters, that make up the alphabet
alphabetic string / lfəbet k str ŋ/ noun a string that only contains alphabetic characters
alphabetise / lfəbeta z/, alphabetize verb to put items into alphabetical order Enter the bibliographical information and alphabetise it. (NOTE: alphabetises – alphabetising – alphabetised) alpha blending / lfə blend ŋ/ noun control over the transparency of a graphical object, normally used to display complex graphical objects such as glass and water
alpha channel / lfə tʃ n(ə)l/ noun
(in 32-bit graphics systems) the top eight bits that define the properties of a pixel
(NOTE: The lower 24 bits define the pixel’s colour.)
alphageometric / lfəd'i əυ metr k/ adjective referring to a set of codes that instruct a teletext terminal to display various graphics patterns or characters alphameric / lfə mer k/ adjective US same as alphanumeric
alphamosaic / lfəməυ ze k/ adjective (character set) used in teletext to provide alphanumeric and graphics characters alphanumeric / lfənjυ mer k/ adjective using the letters of the alphabet, the Arabic numerals and punctuation marks
(NOTE: The US term is alphameric.) alphanumeric array / lfənjυmer k ə re / noun an array whose elements are letters and numbers
alphanumeric characters
/ lfənjυmer k k r ktəz/ plural noun
Roman letters and Arabic numerals and other signs such as punctuation marks. Also called alphanumerics alphanumeric data / lfənjυmer kde tə/ noun data that represents the letters of the alphabet and the Arabic numerals
alphanumeric display
/ lfənjυmer k d sple / noun a display device able to show characters as well as numbers
alphanumeric key / lfənjυmer kki / noun a keyboard key which produces a letter, symbol or figure
alphanumeric keyboard
/ lfənjυmer k ki bɔ d/ noun a keyboard containing character keys as well as numerical keys
alphanumeric operand
/ lfənjυmer k ɒpər nd/ noun an oper-