`
`Microsoft“
`
`Cpm puter
`ICtI0 ,
`
`‘
`
`° Ftu updated with the latest?
`technologies, terms, andaejr’
`- Easy to read, expertly illustrated}
`
`0 Definitive coverage of hardware,-
`software, the Internet, and more!
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`Ex. 2009
`Page 1 of 5
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`

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`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--dc21
`
`2002
`
`200219714
`
`Printed and bound in the United States of America.
`
`2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 QWT
`
`7 6 5 4 3 2
`
`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.com/mspress.
`Send comments to mspinput@microsoft.com.
`
`Active Desktop, Active Directory, ActiveMovie, ActiveStore, ActiveSync, ActiveX, Authenticode,
`BackOffice, BizTalk, ClearType, Direct3D, DirectAnimation, DirectDraw, DirectInput, 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-mail addresses, logos, people, places,
`and events depicted herein are fictitious. No association with any real company, organization, product,
`domain name, e-mail 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
`
`Ex. 2009
`Page 2 of 5
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`

`

`fetch
`
`field
`
`Because light has a higher frequency on the electromag-
`netic spectrum than other types of radiation, such as radio
`waves, a single fiber-optic channel can carry significantly
`more information than most other means of information
`transmission. Optical fibers are thin strands of glass or
`other transparent material, with dozens or hundreds of
`strands housed in a single cable. Optical fibers are essen-
`tially immune to electromagnetic interference. See also
`optical fiber.
`fiber to the curb n. See FTTC.
`fiber to the home n. See FTTH.
`Fibonacci numbers n. In mathematics, an infinite series
`in which each successive integer is the sum of the two
`integers that precede it—for example, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13,
`21, 34, . . . . Fibonacci numbers are named for the thir-
`teenth-century mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci of Pisa.
`In computing, Fibonacci numbers are used to speed binary
`searches by repeatedly dividing a set of data into groups in
`accordance with successively smaller pairs of numbers in
`the Fibonacci sequence. For example, a data set of 34
`items would be divided into one group of 21 and another
`of 13. If the item being sought is in the group of 13, the
`group of 21 is discarded, and the group of 13 is divided
`into groups of 5 and 8; the search would continue until the
`item was located. The ratio of two successive terms in the
`Fibonacci sequence converges on the Golden Ratio, a
`“magic number” that seems to represent the proportions of
`an ideal rectangle. The number describes many things,
`from the curve of a nautilus shell to the proportions of
`playing cards or, intentionally, the Parthenon, in Athens,
`Greece. See also binary search.
`fiche n. See microfiche.
`Fidonet n. 1. A protocol for sending e-mail, newsgroup
`postings, and files over telephone lines. The protocol orig-
`inated on the Fido BBS, initiated in 1984 by Tom Jen-
`nings, and maintaining low costs has been a factor in its
`subsequent development. Fidonet can exchange e-mail
`with the Internet. 2. The network of BBSs, private compa-
`nies, NGOs (nongovernment organizations), and individu-
`als that use the Fidonet protocol.
`field n. 1. A location in a record in which a particular type
`of data is stored. For example, EMPLOYEE-RECORD
`might contain fields to store Last-Name, First-Name,
`Address, City, State, Zip-Code, Hire-Date, Current-Salary,
`Title, Department, and so on. Individual fields are charac-
`terized by their maximum length and the type of data (for
`
`N-type
`material
`
`P-type
`material
`
`Drain (+)
`
`Source
`
`Channel
`
`Depletion
`region
`
`F
`
`Gate (-)
`
`F0Fxx03.epsFET. An N-channel junction field-effect transistor.
`
`fetch vb. To retrieve an instruction or an item of data from
`memory and store it in a register. Fetching is part of the
`execution cycle of a microprocessor; first an instruction or
`item of data must be fetched from memory and loaded into
`a register, after which it can be executed (if it is an instruc-
`tion) or acted upon (if it is data).
`fetch time n. See instruction time.
`FF n. See form feed.
`FFT n. See fast Fourier transform.
`FFTDCA n. See Final-Form-Text DCA.
`Fiber Distributed Data Interface n. See FDDI.
`fiberoptic cable or fiber-optic cable n. A form of cable
`used in networks that transmits signals optically, rather
`than electrically as do coaxial and twisted-pair cable. The
`light-conducting heart of a fiberoptic cable is a fine glass
`or plastic fiber called the core. This core is surrounded by
`a refractive layer called the cladding that effectively traps
`the light and keeps it bouncing along the central fiber.
`Outside both the core and the cladding is a final layer of
`plastic or plastic-like material called the coat, or jacket.
`Fiberoptic cable can transmit clean signals at speeds as
`high as 2 Gbps. Because it transmits light, not electricity,
`it is also immune to eavesdropping.
`fiber optics n. A technology for the transmission of light
`beams along optical fibers. A light beam, such as that pro-
`duced in a laser, can be modulated to carry information.
`
`210
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`Ex. 2009
`Page 3 of 5
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`

`

`LLC
`
`locale identifier
`
`LLC n. Acronym for Logical Link Control. In the IEEE
`802.x specifications, the higher of two sublayers that make
`up the ISO/OSI data link layer. The LLC is responsible for
`managing communications links and handling frame traf-
`fic. See also IEEE 802.x, MAC.
`Lmhosts file n. A local text file that lists the names of
`network hosts (sometimes called NetBIOS names) to IP
`addresses for hosts that are not located on the local subnet.
`See also IP address, systemroot.
`load1 n. 1. The total computing burden a system carries
`at one time. 2. In electronics, the amount of current
`drawn by a device. 3. In communications, the amount of
`traffic on a line.
`load2 vb. To place information from storage into memory
`for processing, if it is data, or for execution, if it is pro-
`gram code.
`load-and-go adj. In reference to a routine, able to begin
`execution immediately, once loaded. The term is com-
`monly used in reference to compilers and the machine
`code they generate.
`load balancing n. 1. In distributed processing, the distri-
`bution of activity across two or more servers in order to
`avoid overloading any one with too many requests from
`users. Load balancing can be either static or dynamic. In
`the former, the load is balanced ahead of time by assigning
`different groups of users to different servers. In the latter,
`software refers incoming requests at runtime to whichever
`server is most capable of handling them. 2. In client/server
`network administration, the process of reducing heavy
`traffic flows either by dividing a busy network segment
`into multiple smaller segments or by using software to dis-
`tribute traffic among multiple network interface cards
`working simultaneously to transfer information to a
`server. 3. In communications, the process of routing traffic
`over two or more routes rather than one. Such load balanc-
`ing results in faster, more reliable transmissions.
`loaded line n. A transmission cable fitted with loading
`coils, usually spaced about a mile apart, that reduce ampli-
`tude distortion in a signal by adding inductance (resistance
`to changes in current flow) to the line. Loaded lines mini-
`mize distortion within the range of frequencies affected by
`the loading coils, but the coils also reduce the bandwidth
`available for transmission.
`loader n. A utility that loads the executable code of a pro-
`gram into memory for execution. On most microcomput-
`ers, the loader is an invisible part of the operating system
`
`and is automatically invoked when a program is run. See
`also loader routine, load module.
`loader routine n. A routine that loads executable code
`into memory and executes it. A loader routine can be part
`of an operating system or it can be part of the program
`itself. See also loader, overlay1 (definition 1).
`load module n. An executable unit of code loaded into
`memory by the loader. A program consists of one or more
`load modules, each of which can be loaded and executed
`independently. See also loader.
`load point n. The beginning of the valid data area on a
`magnetic tape.
`load sharing n. A method of managing one or more
`tasks, jobs, or processes by scheduling and simulta-
`neously executing portions of them on two or more
`microprocessors.
`load shedding n. In electrical systems, the process of
`turning off power to some electronic equipment in order to
`maintain the integrity of the power supply to other con-
`nected devices. See also UPS.
`lobby page n. A page of information about the broadcast
`that is displayed in the viewer’s browser before the broad-
`cast begins. It can contain a title, subject, host’s name,
`information about the broadcast, and a countdown to the
`time of the broadcast.
`local adj. 1. In general, close at hand or restricted to a
`particular area. 2. In communications, a device that can be
`accessed directly rather than by means of a communica-
`tions line. 3. In information processing, an operation per-
`formed by the computer at hand rather than by a remote
`computer. 4. In programming, a variable that is restricted
`in scope, that is, used in only one part (subprogram, proce-
`dure, or function) of a program. Compare remote.
`local area network n. See LAN.
`local bus n. A PC architecture designed to speed up sys-
`tem performance by allowing some expansion boards to
`communicate directly with the microprocessor, bypass-
`ing the normal system bus entirely. See also PCI local
`bus, VL bus.
`local bypass n. A telephone connection used by some
`businesses that links separate buildings but bypasses the
`telephone company.
`locale identifier n. A 32-bit value that consists of a lan-
`guage identifier and a sort identifier. In code, a locale
`
`L
`
`315
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`Ex. 2009
`Page 4 of 5
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`

`storage device
`
`streaming buffer
`
`devices. A storage area network, or SAN, includes compo-
`nents such as hubs and routers that are also used in local
`area networks (LANs), but it differs in being something of a
`“subnetwork” dedicated to providing a high-speed connec-
`tion between storage elements and servers. Most SANs rely
`on fiber-channel connections that deliver speeds up to 1000
`Mbps and can support up to 128 devices. SANs are imple-
`mented to provide the scalability, speed, and manageability
`required in environments that demand high data availability.
`Acronym: SAN. Also called: system area network.
`storage device n. An apparatus for recording computer
`data in permanent or semipermanent form. When a dis-
`tinction is made between primary (main) storage devices
`and secondary (auxiliary) storage devices, the former
`refers to random access memory (RAM) and the latter
`refers to disk drives and other external devices.
`storage location n. The position at which a particular
`item can be found—either an addressed location or a
`uniquely identified location on a disk, tape, or similar
`medium.
`storage media n. The various types of physical material
`on which data bits are written and stored, such as floppy
`disks, hard disks, tape, and optical discs.
`storage tube n. See direct view storage tube.
`store-and-forward n. A method of delivering transmis-
`sions in which messages are held temporarily by an inter-
`mediary before being sent on to their destination. Store
`and forward is used by some switches in delivering pack-
`ets to their destinations. Compare cut-through switch.
`stored procedure n. A precompiled collection of SQL
`statements and optional control-of-flow statements stored
`under a name and processed as a unit. They are stored in
`an SQL database and can be run with one call from an
`application.
`stored program concept n. A system architecture
`scheme, credited largely to the mathematician John von
`Neumann, in which both programs and data are in direct-
`access storage (random access memory, or RAM), thereby
`allowing code and data to be treated interchangeably. See
`also von Neumann architecture.
`storefront n. See virtual storefront.
`storm n. On a network, a sudden, excessive burst of traf-
`fic. Storms are often responsible for network outages.
`STP n. Acronym for shielded twisted pair. A cable con-
`sisting of one or more twisted pairs of wires and a sheath
`
`of foil and copper braid. The twists protect the pairs from
`interference by each other, and the shielding protects the
`pairs from interference from outside. Therefore, STP
`cable can be used for high-speed transmission over long
`distances. See also twisted-pair cable. Compare UTP.
`straight-line code n. Program code that follows a direct
`sequence of statements rather than skipping ahead or
`jumping back via transfer statements such as GOTO and
`JUMP. See also GOTO statement, jump instruction. Com-
`pare spaghetti code.
`stream1 n. Any data transmission, such as the movement
`of a file between disk and memory, that occurs in a contin-
`uous flow. Manipulating a data stream is a programming
`task. Consumers, however, are likely to encounter refer-
`ences to streams and streaming in connection to the Inter-
`net, which has increased reliance on stream techniques to
`enable users (even those with slower equipment) to access
`large multimedia files—especially those containing audio
`and video components—and to display or play them
`before all the data has been transferred.
`stream2 vb. To transfer data continuously, beginning to
`end, in a steady flow. Many aspects of computing rely on
`the ability to stream data: file input and output, for exam-
`ple, and communications. If necessary, an application
`receiving a stream must be able to save the information to
`a buffer in order to prevent loss of data. On the Internet,
`streaming enables users to begin accessing and using a file
`before it has been transmitted in its entirety.
`stream cipher n. A method for encrypting a data
`sequence of unlimited length using a key of fixed length.
`See also key (definition 3). Compare block cipher.
`streaming n. 1. On the Internet, the process of delivering
`information, especially multimedia sound or video, in a
`steady flow that the recipient can access as the file is being
`transmitted. 2. In magnetic tape storage devices, a low-
`cost technique to control the motion of the tape by remov-
`ing tape buffers. Although streaming tape compromises
`start/stop performance, it achieves highly reliable storage
`and retrieval of data, and is useful when a steady supply of
`data is required by a particular application or computer.
`streaming buffer n. A small sound buffer that can play
`lengthy sounds because the application dynamically loads
`audio data into the buffer as it plays. For example, an
`application could use a buffer that can hold 3 seconds of
`audio data to play a 2-minute sound. A streaming buffer
`requires much less memory than a static buffer. See also
`static buffer.
`
`499
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`S
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`Ex. 2009
`Page 5 of 5
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