0001
`
`IBG 1027
`CBM of U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,056
`
`

`
`PUBLISHED BY
`Microsoft Press
`
`A Division of Microsoft Corporation
`One Microsoft Way
`Redmond, Washington 98052-6399
`
`Copyright © 2002 by Microsoft Corporation
`
`All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
`or by any means without the written permission of the publisher.
`
`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`Microsoft Computer Dictionary.--5th ed.
`p. cm.
`ISBN 0-7356-1495-4
`
`1. Computers--Dictionaries.
`
`2. Microcomputers--Dictionaries.
`
`AQ76.5. M52267
`004'.03--dC2l
`
`2002
`
`200219714
`
`Printed and bound in the United States of America.
`
`23456789 QWT 765432
`
`Distributed in Canada by H.B. Fenn and Company Ltd.
`
`A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
`
`Microsoft Press books are available through booksellers and distributors worldwide. For further informa-
`tion about international editions, contact your local Microsoft Corporation office or contact Microsoft
`Press International directly at fax (425) 936-7329. Visit our Web site at www.microsoft.comlmspress.
`Send comments to mspinpm‘@microsofI.com.
`
`Active Desktop, Active Directory, ActiveMovie, ActiveStore, ActiveSync, ActiveX, Authenticode,
`BackOffice, BizTalk, ClearType, Direct3D, DirectAnimation, DirectDraw, Directlnput, DirectMusic,
`DirectPlay, DirectShow, DirectSound, DirectX, Entourage, FoxPro, FrontPage, Hotmail, IntelliEye,
`IntelliMouse, IntelliSense, JScript, MapPoint, Microsoft, Microsoft Press, Mobile Explorer, MS-DOS,
`MSN, Music Central, NetMeeting, Outlook, PhotoDraw, PowerPoint, SharePoint, UltimateTV, Visio,
`Visual Basic, Visual C++, Visual FoxPro, Visual InterDev, Visual J++, Visual SourceSafe, Visual Studio,
`Win32, Win32s, Windows, Windows Media, Windows NT, Xbox are either registered trademarks or
`trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Other product and
`company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
`
`The example companies, organizations, products, domain names, e-n1ail addresses, logos, people, places,
`and events depicted herein are fictitious. No association with any real company, organization, product,
`domain name, e-n1ail address, logo, person, place, or event is intended or should be inferred.
`
`Acquisitions Editor: Alex Blanton
`Project Editor: Sandra Haynes
`
`Body Part No. X08-41929
`
`0002
`
`

`
`Contributors
`
`Peter Aiken
`
`Bart Arenson
`
`Janice Borzendowski
`
`Jerome Colburn
`
`Duane Hanson
`
`Andrew Himes
`
`Robert Howecton
`
`Annette B. Jackson
`
`Larry S. Jackson
`
`Thomas A. Jackson
`
`Chris Kinata
`
`llana Kingsley
`
`Robin Lombard
`
`Thomas A. Long
`
`William G. Madison
`
`Illustrators
`
`Travis Beaven
`
`David Holter
`
`Alton Lawson
`
`Thomas P. Magliery
`
`David Mason
`
`Terrence M. McLaren
`
`Wallace Parker
`
`Charles Petzold
`
`Phil Rose
`
`John Ross
`
`David Rygmyr
`
`Aimee Truchard
`
`Michael Vose
`
`Bruce Webster
`
`Judson D. Weeks
`
`Tom Winn
`
`JoAnne Woodcock
`
`Rob Nance
`
`Joel Panchot
`
`0003
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`

`
`0004
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`Introduction .
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`Future Printings dnd Editions .
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`Dictionary of computer Terms. . . . .
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`Appendix A:
`Common Character Sets .
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`ANSI Character Set .
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`Apple Macintosh Extended Character Set
`IBM Extended Character Set
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`EBCDIC Character Set .
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`. 605
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`Appendix B:
`Common File Extensions .
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`Appendix 6:
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`Instant Messaging Emoticons and Acronyms .
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`. 623
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`Appendix D:
`Internet Domains .
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`Appendix E:
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`. 631
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`0005
`
`

`
`click
`
`client-side image maps
`
`cllck vb. To press and release a mouse button once witl1out
`moving the mouse. Clicking is usually performed to select
`or deselect an item or to activate a program or program fea-
`ture. See also right click. Compare double-click, drag.
`
`cllckable maps rt. See image map.
`
`cllck rate 21. See clickthrough rate.
`cllcks and mortar n. A business that combines an online
`
`presence with traditional “bricks and mortar” outlets.
`
`cllck speed H. The maximum interval between the first
`and second time a user presses a button on a mouse or
`other pointing device that will still identify these actions
`as a double-click to the computer as opposed to two
`single-clicks. See also double-click, mouse, pointing
`device.
`
`cllckstream )1. The path a user takes while browsing a
`Web site. Each distinct selection made on a Web page
`adds one click to the stream. The further down the click-
`
`stream the user goes without finding the sought item, the
`more likely he or she is to depart to another Web site.
`Analysis of usage patterns helps Web site designers create
`user-friendly site structures, links, and search facilities.
`See also Web site.
`
`cllckthrough rt. The number of times that visitors to a
`Web site click on an advertising banner within a specified
`period of time. Clickthrough is one of the elements that
`Web site producers use to decide how much to charge
`advertisers. See also clickthrough rate.
`
`cllckthrough rate rt. The proportion of visitors to a Web
`site who click on a banner advertisement there, expressed
`as a percentage of total visitors to the Web site. Also
`called.’ click rate. See also clickthrough.
`
`cllckwrap agreement rt. A contract or license in soft-
`ware or on a Web site that sets forth conditions for use of
`
`the software or for goods and services distributed through
`the Web site. Users must agree to the terms in a clickwrap
`agreement—typically by clicking on a button that states “I
`Agree” or “Agree”—before they can install the software
`or utilize goods or services. A clickwrap agreement is an
`electronic version of an End-User License Agreement.
`Also called.‘ clickwrap license. See also End-User License
`Agreement. Compare shrinkwrap agreement.
`
`cllckwrap llcense 21. See clickwrap agreement.
`
`cllent It. 1. In object-oriented programming, a member of
`a class (group) that uses the services of another class to
`which it is not related. See also inheritance (definition 1).
`2. A process, such as a program or task, that requests a
`
`service provided by another program—for example, a
`word processor that calls on a sort routine built into
`another program. The client process uses the requested
`service without having to “know” any working details
`about the other program or the service itself. Compare
`child (definition 1), descendant (definition 2). 3. On a
`local area network or the lntemet, a computer that
`accesses shared network resources provided by another
`computer (called a server). See also client/server architec-
`ture, server.
`
`cllent error rt. A problem reported by the Hypertext
`Transfer Protocol (HTTP) client module as the result of
`difficulty in interpreting a command or the inability to
`connect properly to a remote host.
`
`cllent/server architecture rt. An arrangement used on
`LANs (local area networks) that makes use of distributed
`intelligence to treat botl1 the server and the individual
`workstations as intelligent, programmable devices, thus
`exploiting the full computing power of each. This is done
`by splitting the processing of an application between two
`distinct components: a “front-end” client and a “back-
`end” server. The client component is a complete, stand-
`alone personal computer (not a “dumb” terminal), and it
`offers the user its full range of power and features for run-
`ning applications. The server component can be a personal
`computer, a minicomputer, or a mainframe that provides
`the traditional strengths offered by minicomputers and
`mainframes in a time-sharing environment: data manage-
`ment, information sharing between clients, and sophisti-
`cated network administration and security features. The
`client and server machines work together to accomplish
`the processing of the application being used. Not only
`does this increase the processing power available over
`older architectures but it also uses that power more effi-
`ciently. The client portion of the application is typically
`optimized for user interaction, whereas the server portion
`provides the centralized, multiuser functionality. See also
`distributed intelligence. Compare peer-to-peer network.
`
`cllent/server network )1. See client/server architecture.
`
`cllent-slde Image maps rt. An image map that perfomts
`the processing completely within the client program (i.e.,
`Web browser) itself. Early Web implementations of image
`maps (circa 1993) transmitted user mouse click coordi-
`nates to the Web server for processing. Generally client-
`side image maps improve the speed of response to the
`user. See also image map.
`
`0006
`
`

`
`decollate
`
`deferral time
`
`decollate vb. To separate copies in a multipart continu-
`ous paper form.
`
`one purpose only, such as to receive or send faxes or to
`serve as a modem line.
`
`decom pller 71. A program tl1at attempts to generate high-
`level source code from assembly language code or machine
`code. This can be a difficult task, as some assembly lan-
`guage code has no corresponding high-level source code.
`See also disassembler. Compare compiler (definition 2).
`
`decompress vb. See uncompress.
`
`decrementi n. The amount by which a number is
`decreased. Compare incrementl.
`
`decrement2 vb. To decrease a number by a given amount.
`Compare increment?
`
`decryptlon n. The process of restoring encrypted data to
`its original form. See also data encryption key. Compare
`encryption.
`
`deCSS 21. Decrypt CSS. A utility capable of cracking the
`CSS encryption system used on DVD discs. By decrypting
`the CSS code, DVD movies and other copyrighted mate-
`rial can be used with any DVD playback device without
`regard to license or region coding. The origin of deCSS
`can be traced to a number of individuals interested in cre-
`
`ating a DVD player for the Linux OS. The term deCSS is
`sometimes used generically for any software capable of
`defeating CSS technology. See also CSS, region code.
`
`DECstat|on rt. 1. A small computer system used prima-
`rily for word processing, introduced by Digital Equipment
`Corporation in 1978. 2. A personal computer, part of a
`series, introduced by Digital Equipment Corporation in
`1989. 3. A single-user UNIX workstation introduced by
`Digital Equipment Corporation in 1989 and based on
`RISC processors. See also RISC.
`
`dedlcated adj’. Of, pertaining to, or being a device, pro-
`gram, or procedure devoted to a single task or function.
`dedlcated channel rt. A communications link reserved
`
`for a particular use or a particular user.
`dedlcated clrcult rt. See dedicated line.
`
`dedlcated connectlon rt. See dedicated line.
`
`dedlcated llne 11. 1. A communications channel that per-
`manently connects two or more locations. Dedicated lines
`are private or leased lines, rather than public ones. T1
`lines, which are used by many organizations for Internet
`connectivity, are examples of dedicated lines. Also
`called.‘ dedicated connection, leased line, private line.
`Compare switched line. 2. A telephone line that is used for
`
`dedlcated server rt. A computer—usually quite power-
`ful—that is used solely as a network server. See also
`server. Compare nondedicated server.
`
`deep copy 21. A copy of the contents of a data structure,
`including all its substructures.
`
`deep hack n. A state of total concentration on and preoc-
`cupation with a programming effort. Also called.‘ deep
`hack mode.
`
`de facto standard rt. A design, program, or language
`that has become so widely used and imitated that it has lit-
`tle competition, but whose status has not been officially
`recognized as standard by an organization such as the
`American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or the
`International Organization for Standardization (ISO). See
`also standard. Compare de jure standard.
`
`default1 rt. A choice made by a program when the user
`does not specify an alternative. Defaults are built into a
`program when a value or option must be assumed for the
`program to function.
`
`defaultz vb. In reference to programs, to make a choice
`when the user does not specify an alternative.
`
`default button a. The control that is automatically
`selected when a window is introduced by an application
`or operating system, typically activated by pressing the
`Enter key.
`
`default drlve 11. The disk drive that an operating system
`reads to and writes from when no alternative is specified.
`
`default home page :1. On a Web server, the file that is
`returned when a directory is referenced without a specific
`filename. This is specified by the Web server software and
`is typically the file called index.ht1nl or indeX.htm.
`
`default prlnter rt. The printer to which a computer sends
`documents for printing unless an alternative is specified.
`
`Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency rt The
`U.S. government agency that provided the original support
`for the development of the interconnected networks that
`later grew into the Internet. Acronym.‘ DARPA. See also
`ARPAN ET.
`
`deferral tlme 11. The lengtl1 of time that nodes on a
`CSMAICD network waitbefore trying to retransmit after a
`collision. See also CSMAJCD.
`
`0007
`
`

`
`dot address
`
`double-density disk
`
`the entity nan1e from the domain. See also domain (defini-
`tion 3), domain name.
`
`in the print head—typically 9, 18, or 24. Compare daisy-
`wheel printer, laser printer.
`
`dot address n. An IP address in dotted quad form. See
`also IP address.
`
`dot-addressable mode :1. A mode of operation in which
`a computer program can address (“point to”) individual
`dots on the screen or in a printed character. See also all
`points addressable.
`
`dot-bomb n. An Intemet-based company or organization
`that has failed or downsized significantly. See also dot-
`commed.
`
`dot-cum n. A company doing business primarily or
`entirely on the Internet. The term is derived from the top-
`level domain, .com, at the end of the Web addresses of
`commercial Web sites.
`
`dot command :1. A formatting command typed into a
`document and preceded by a period (dot) to distinguish it
`from printable text. Text formatting programs such as the
`XENIX nroff editor and word processing programs such
`as WordStar use dot commands for formatting.
`
`dot-commed aaj. Losing a job because of the downsizing
`or failure of an Intemet-based company or organization.
`See also dot-bomb.
`
`dot flle 71. A file under UNIX whose name begins with a
`period. Dot files do not appear in ordinary listings of the
`files in a directory. Dot files are often used to store pro-
`gram setup information for the particular user; for exa1n-
`ple, .newsrc in a user’s account indicates to a newsreader
`which newsgroups the user subscribes to.
`
`dot-matr|x1 aaj. Referring to video and print hardware
`that forms character and graphic images as patterns of dots.
`
`dot matrlxz n. The rectangular grid, or matrix, of tiny
`“cells” in which dots are displayed or printed in the pat-
`terns required to form text characters, circles, squares, and
`other graphical images. Depending on the frame of refer-
`ence, the size of a dot matrix varies from a few rows and
`columns to an invisible grid covering an entire display
`screen or printed page. See also dot-matrix printer, raster.
`
`dot-matrlx prlnter 21. Any printer that produces charac-
`ters made up of dots using a wire-pin print head. The qual-
`ity of output from a dot-matrix printer depends largely on
`the number of dots in the matrix, which might be low
`enough to show individual dots or might be high enough
`to approach the look of fully formed characters. Dot-
`matrix printers are often categorized by the number of pins
`
`dot pltch n. 1. In printers, the distance between dots in a
`dot-matrix. See also dot matrix? 2. In video displays or
`CRTs, a measure of image clarity. A video display’s dot
`pitch is the vertical distance, expressedin millimeters,
`between like-colored pixels. A smaller dotpitch generally
`means a crisper image, although the difference between
`two displays can vary because some manufacturers use
`different methods to determine the dot pitch of their prod-
`ucts. A display’s dot pitch is an integral part of the product
`and so cannot be altered. See also CRT, display.
`
`dots per Inch 71. A measure of screen and printer resolu-
`tion that is expressed as the number of dots that a device
`can print or display per linear inch. Acronym: dpi.
`
`dotted declmal notatlon 11. The process of formatting
`an IP address as a 32-bit identifier made up of four groups
`of numbers, with each group separated by a period. For
`example, 123.432.154.12.
`
`double buffering 11. The use of two temporary storage
`areas (buffers) rather than one to hold information coming
`from and going to a particular input/output device.
`Because one buffer can be filled while the other is being
`emptied, double buffering increases transfer speed. Also
`called.‘ ping-pong buffer.
`
`double-byte characters 11. A set of characters in which
`each character is represented by two bytes. Some lan-
`guages, such as Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, require
`double-byte character sets.
`
`double-cllck vb. To press and release a mouse button
`twice without moving the mouse. Double-clicking is a
`means of rapidly selecting and activating a program or
`program feature. Compare click, drag.
`
`double dabble 11. A method of converting binary num-
`bers to decimals by a process of doubling sums and adding
`successive bits: doubling the bit farthest to the left, adding
`the next bit and doubling the sum, adding the next bit and
`doubling the sum, and so on until the rightmost bit has
`been included in the total.
`
`Double Data Rate SDRAM rt. See DDR SDRAM.
`
`Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamlc RAM 21. See
`DDR SDRAM.
`
`double-denslty dlsk 11. A disk created to hold data at
`twice the density (bits per inch) of a previous generation
`of disks. Early IBM PC floppy disks held 180 KB of
`
`0008
`
`

`
`downstream
`
`drawing program
`
`(Web) server, is passed from one server to the next. See
`also news feed, newsgroup, server.
`
`downstream? adv. 1. The location of a client computer in
`relation to a server. 2. The direction in which data moves
`from the server to the client.
`
`downstream3 aaj. Refers to data that moves from a
`remote network to an individual computer. In some Inter-
`net—related communications technologies, data flows more
`quickly downstream than upstream; cable modems, for
`example, can transfer data as fast as 30 Mbps downstream
`but support much slower rates, from 128 Kbps to around 2
`Mbps, upstream. Compare upstream.
`
`downtlme n. The amount or percentage of time a com-
`pu ter system or associated hardware remains nonfunctional.
`Although downtime can occur because hardware fails unex-
`pectedly, it can also be a scheduled event, as when a net-
`work is shut down to allow time for maintenance.
`
`downward compatlblllty rt. The capability of source
`code or programs developed on a more advanced system
`or compiler version to be executed or compiled by a less
`advanced (older) version. Compare upward—compatible.
`
`DP 11. See data processing.
`
`dpl rt. See dots per inch.
`
`DPMA rt. Acronym for Data Prooessin g Management
`Association. A trade organization of information systems
`(IS) professionals. DPMA was founded in 1951 as the
`National Machine Accountants Association.
`
`DPMI rt. See DOS Protected Mode Interfaoe.
`
`DPMS n. Acronym for VESA Display Power Manage-
`ment Signaling. A VESA standard for signals that put a
`video monitor into “standby” or suspend mode to reduce
`power consumption. See also green PC, VESA3.
`
`DPOF rt. Short for Digital Print Order Format. A printing
`specification developed by Canon Computer Systems,
`Inc., Eastman Kodak Company, Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.,
`and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. DPOF is
`
`intended to ease the process of printing images stored on
`digital camera memory cards by enabling users to select
`the images to print, as well as specify the number of cop-
`ies desired, on the card. The images ordered can then be
`printed by a professional photofinishing service or on a
`home printer.
`
`DPSK rt. Acronym for differential phase—shift keying. See
`phase—shift keying.
`
`draft mode rt. A high—speed, relatively low—qua]ity print
`mode offered by most dot-matrix printers. See also dot-
`matrix printer, draft quality, print quality.
`
`draft quallty rt. A low grade of printing generated by the
`draft mode on dot—matrix printers. Draft quality varies
`among printers, ranging from suitable for most purposes
`to nearly useless. See also draft mode, print quality.
`
`drag vb. In graphical user interface environments, to
`move an image or a window from one place on the screen
`to another by “grabbing” it and pulling it to its new loca-
`tion using the mouse. The mouse pointer is positioned
`over the object, and the mouse button is pressed and held
`while the mouse is moved to the new location.
`
`drag-and-drop vb. 1. In general, to delve into something
`in increasing detail. 2. More specifically, to perform oper-
`ations in a graphical user interface by dragging objects on
`the screen with the mouse. For example, to delete a docu-
`ment, a user can drag the document icon across the screen
`and drop it on the trashcan icon (Macintosh OS) or in the
`Recycle Bin (Windows). See also drag, graphical user
`interface.
`
`draln rt. 1. In an PET, the electrode toward which charge
`carriers (electrons or holes) move from the source under
`
`control of the gate. See also PET, gate (definition 2),
`MOSFET, source (definition 2). 2. See current drain.
`
`DRAM rt. See dynamic RAM.
`
`DRAW rt. Acronym for direct read after Write. A tech-
`nique used with optical discs to verify the accuracy of
`information immediately after it has been recorded (writ-
`ten) on the disc. Compare DRDW.
`
`drawer rt. In the Mac OS X Aqua interface, small child
`windows containing extra information that slide out of the
`side of main parent windows. Drawers are intended to
`reduce clutter on the computer desktop by enabling more
`information to be displayed without opening additional
`full—sized windows. Also called.‘ Drop Drawer.
`
`drawlng Interchange format rt. See DXF.
`
`drawlng program rt. A program for manipulating object-
`oriented graphics, as opposed to manipulating pixel
`images. In a drawing program, for example, the user can
`manipulate an element, such as a line, a circle, or a block
`of text, as an independent object simply by selecting the
`object and moving it. See also object-oriented graphics,
`pixel image, vector graphics.
`
`176
`
`0009
`0009
`
`

`
`mo st significant bit
`
`mouse pointer
`
`mount rt. In NFS, a folder or file retrieved from elsewhere
`on the network and accessed locally. See also NFS.
`
`MOUS rt. Acronym for Microsoft Office User Specialist.
`A certification from Microsoft that verifies an individual’s
`
`skills with the Microsoft Office desktop programs. See
`also MCP.
`
`mouse a. A common pointing device. The basic features
`of a mouse are a flat-bottomed casing designed to be
`gripped by one hand, one or more buttons on the top, a
`multidirectional detection device (usually a ball) on the
`bottom, and a cable connecting the mouse to the computer.
`By moving the mouse on a surface (such as a desk top),
`the user typically controls an on-screen cursor. A mouse is
`a relative pointing device because there are no defined
`limits to the mouse’s movement and because its placement
`on a surface does not map directly to a specific screen
`location. To select items or choose commands on the
`
`screen, the user presses one of the mouse’s buttons, pro-
`ducing a “mouse click.” See the illustration. See also bus
`mouse, mechanical mouse, optical mouse, optomechanical
`mouse, relative pointing device, serial mouse. Compare
`trackball.
`
`Mouse. Two types of mouse: for the Macintosh (left) andfor
`the PC (right).
`
`MouseKeys 71. A feature in Windows that allows a user to
`use the numeric keyboard to move the mouse pointer.
`MouseKeys is primarily intended for people who may
`have physical limitations that make it difficult to move a
`conventional mouse. See also mouse.
`
`mouse pad 21. A surface on which amouse can be moved,
`typically a rectangular rubber pad covered with fabric,
`providing more traction than a wooden or glass desktop or
`tabletop. See also mouse.
`
`mouse polnter 11. An on-screen element whose location
`changes as the user moves the mouse. Depending on the
`location of the mouse pointer and the operation of the pro-
`
`metal gate from me semiconductor current channel. MOS-
`FETs have extremely high input impedance and therefore
`require almost no driving power. They are used in many
`audio applications, including high-gain amplifier circuits.
`Like all metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices,
`MOSFETs are easily damaged by static electricity. See the
`illustration. See also FET, MOS.
`
`Metal-oxide Gate
`
`Source
`
`‘War
`
`= I
`
`I
`Substrate material
`
`MOSFET.
`
`most slgnlflcant blt It. In a sequence of one or more
`bytes, the highest-order bit of a binary number, not includ-
`ing the sign bit. Acronym.‘ MSB. See also high-order.
`Compare least significant bit.
`
`most slgnlflcant character 11. The high-order, or left-
`most, character in a string. Acronym: MSC. See also high-
`order. Compare least significant character.
`
`most slgnlflcant dlglt n. In a sequence of one or more
`digits, the highest-order digit, which is the leftmost digit.
`In 456.78, 4 is the most significant digit. Acronym.‘ MSD.
`Compare least significant digit.
`
`MOTD :1. See message of the day.
`
`motherboard n. The main circuit board containing the
`primary components of a computer system. This board
`contains the processor, main memory, support circuitry,
`and bus controller and connector. Other boards, including
`expansion memory and inpu t/output boards, may attach to
`the motherboard via the bus connector. See also expansion
`slot. Compare daughterboard.
`
`Motion JPEG n. A standard for storing motion video,
`proposed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group
`(JPEG), that uses JPEG image compression for each
`frame. See also JPEG (definition 1). Compare MPEG
`(definition 1).
`
`motlon path a. The path that a specified object or text
`will follow as part of an animation sequence for a slide.
`
`mount vb. To make a physical disk or tape accessible to a
`computer’s file system. The term is most commonly used
`to describe accessing disks in Macintosh and UNIX-based
`computers.
`
`0010