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`Acquisitions Editor: Alex Blanton
`Project Editor: Sandra Haynes
`
`'
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`Body Part No. KGB-41929
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`PUBLISHED BY
`Microsoft Press
`
`,A Division of Microsoft Corporation
`One Microsoft Way
`Redmond, Washington 980526399
`
`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—ianublication Data
`Microsoft Computer DictionaIy.-—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.
`
`23456789 QWT 765432
`
`Distributed in Canada by HB. Penn and Company Ltd.
`
`A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
`Microsoft Press books are available through becksellers 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.comfmspress.
`Send comments to mspinput©microsofi.c0m.
`
`Active Desktop, Active Directory, ActiveMovie, ActiveStore, ActiveSync, ActiveX, Authenticode,
`BackOffice, BizTalic, ClearType, Direct3D, DirectAnimation, DirectDraw, Directlnput, DirectMusic,
`DirectPlay, DirectSiiow, DirectSound, DirectX, Entourage, FoxPro, FrontPage, Hotmail, IntelliEye,
`IntelliMouse, IntelliSense, 1Script, 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, prdducts, domain names, e~mai1 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.
`
`

`

`
`
`:aticn notification:
`
`'_”ap_plicatien_‘procesSor's'
`
`
`
`
`
` i-"I.
`
`' archive--
`
`
`
`the private network
`11.
`'
`
`)r generating source
`:ation based on a
`
`r. Limited in scope,
`.th some database
`sets to generate pro—
`
`1 used by an‘applica—
`is, document data,
`:definition 1), RAM,
`:r of standards in the
`reference model.
`
`that perform useful
`or remote access to
`
`s, which control the
`and receiver. See the
`:e model.
`
`
`
`naintaining, and
`ammunication
`
`
`ry, service quaiity
`as, message
`ranstei‘
`
`sslng, and
`formation
`
`and display, code
`
`
`
`
`iections
`
`the ISO/OSI reference
`
`ication notification
`1e or when a system
`arts as the result of a
`
`immanddine parame— _
`:curred. See also
`ss, Class C IP
`
`application processor n. A processor dedicated to a sin-
`gle application.
`.
`application program it. See application.
`application program interface. n. See application pro)
`gramming interface.
`application programming interface n. A set of routines
`used by an application program to direct the performance
`of procedures by the computer’s operating system.
`- Acronym: APIAlso called: application program interface.
`application server a. 1. A server program on a computer
`in a distributed network that handles the business logic
`between users and backend business applications or data—
`bases. Application servers also can provide transaction
`management, failover, and load balancing. An application
`server is often viewed as part of a three—tier application
`consisting of a front-end GUI server such as an HTTP
`server (first tier), an application server (middle tier), and a
`backend database and transaction server {third tier). Also
`called: appserver. Compare HTTP server (definition 1).
`2. Any machine on which an applicationserver program
`is running'ALro called: appserver.
`‘
`application service provider n. A third-party company
`or organization that hosts applications or services for indi-
`_ viduals or business customers. The customer connects to a
`data center maintained by the application service provider
`(ASP) through Internet or private lines to access applica~
`tions that 'would otherwise need to be housed on the cus—
`_ tomer’s local servers or individual PCs. This arrangement
`allows the customer to free up disk space that Would ‘otheru
`wise be taken by applications, as well as to access the
`most recent software updates. ASPs deliver solutions
`ranging from highsend applications to services for small
`and medium—sized businesses. Acronym: ASP.
`. application shortcut key n. A key or combination or"
`keys that when pressed will quickly perform an action
`within an application that would normally require several
`user actions, such as menu selections. Also called: keyboard
`shortcut.
`
`application software it. See application.
`application-specificintegrated circuit it. See gate array.
`application suite ri. See suite (definition 1).
`appserver n. See application server.
`
`Aqua n. The graphical user interface (GUI) of Macintosh
`OS X. Aqua was designed to maintain familiarity and a
`comfort level for users of the earlier Macintosh system
`while allowing access to newer Macintosh OS X capabili—
`ties. The Aqua GUI features updated versions of Macin-
`tosh staples such as the Finder alongside new features like
`the Dock, a new type of organizational tool. See also
`Dock, Macintosh OS X.
`arbitration n. A set of rules for resolving competing
`demands for a machine resource by multiple users or pro
`cesses. See also contention.
`‘
`.arc n. The file extension that identifies compressed
`archive files encoded using the Advanced RISC Comput-
`ing Specification (ARC) format. See also compressed file.
`arcade game a. 1. A coin—operated computer game for
`one or more players that features higlkquality screen
`graphics, sound, and rapid action. 2. Any computer game
`designed to mimic the style of a coin-operated arcade
`game, such as games marketed for the home computer.
`See also computer game.
`
`Archie ri. An Internet utility for finding files in public
`archives obtainable by anonymous FTP. The master
`Archie server at McGill University in Montreal downlbads
`FI‘P indexes. from participating FTP servers, merges them
`into a master list, and sends updated copies of the master
`list to other Archie servers each day. Archie is a shortened
`form of archive. See also anonymous FTP, FTP1 (defini—
`tion 1). Compare Iughead, Veronica.
`Archie client a. See Archie.
`Archie server n. On the Internet, a server that contains
`Archie indexes to the names and addresses of files in pub—
`lic FTP archives. See also Archie, FTP1 (definition 1),
`server (definition 2).
`'
`architecture :1. 1. The physical construction or design of
`a computer system and its components. See also cache,’
`CISC, closed architecture, network architecture, open
`architecture, pipelining, RISC. 2.. The data—handling
`capacity of a microprocessor. 3. The design of application
`software incorporating protocols and the means for expan-
`sion and interfacing with other programs.
`archive1 n. 1. A tape or disk containing files copied from
`another storage device and used as backup storage. 2. A
`compressed file. 3. A file directory on the Internet that is
`
`
`
`33
`
`
`
`

`

`ii
`
`iiii
`
`
`
`rastructu re
`
`teristic of a
`3 or more
`
`:5 circuitry to
`rid of the
`laracteristics
`called: smart
`
`ology owned
`res to retrieve
`
`gent Concept
`n being able
`me or more
`
`rietary search
`:nts conceptu—
`he document
`
`3 specified by
`y Intelligent
`:nts contain-
`
`ing alternative
`CE.
`
`nipulates
`logical, natu—
`:onducts
`
`finding rou-
`ing associa—
`rding the
`
`lition to trans
`1er network
`:twork status.
`
`:‘networks,
`as also hub.
`
`)wn memory,
`tairt functions
`an the rerout-
`'een.
`
`n. A system
`and mass
`
`Jposed in
`ederico Pefia.
`
`
`
`flglhiteliri'fiehsel
`
`‘- i'
`
`
`
`
`
`.
`
`lntelliSense n. A Microsoft technology used in various
`Microsoft products, including Internet Explorer, Visual
`Basic, Visual Basic C++, and Office that is designed to
`help users perform routine tasks. In Visual Basic, for
`example, information such as the properties and methods
`of an Object is displayed as the developer types the name
`of the object in the Visual Basic code window.
`
`Intensity Red Green Blue :1. See IRGB.
`
`interactive adj. Characterized by conversational
`exchange of input and output, as when a user enters a
`question or command and the system immediately
`responds. The interactivity of microcomputers is one of the
`features that makes them approachable and easy to use.
`
`interactive fiction n. A type of computer game in which
`the riser participates in a story by giving commands to the
`system. The commands given by the user determine, to
`some extent, the events that occur during the story. Typi—
`cally the story involves a goal that must be achieved, and
`the puzzle is to determine the correct sequence of actions
`that will lead to the accomplishment of that goal. See also
`adventure game.
`
`'
`
`-
`
`interactive graphics :1. A form of user interface in
`which the user can change and control graphic displays,
`often with the help of a pointing device such as a mouse or I
`a joystick. Interactive graphics interfaces occur in a range
`of computer products, from games to computer-aided
`design (CAD) systems.
`
`interactive processing it. Processing that involves the
`, more or less continuous participation of the user. Such a
`command/response mode is characteristic of microcom-
`puters. Compare batch processing (definition 2).
`interactive program it. Aprogram that exchanges output
`and input with the user, who typically views a display of
`some sort and uses an input device, such as a keyboard,
`mouse, or joystick, to provide responses to the program. A
`computer game is an interactive program. Compare batch
`program. '
`
`interactive services n. See BISDN.
`
`interactive session it. A processing session in which the
`user can more or less continuOusly intervene and control
`the activities of the computer. Compare-batch processing
`(definition 2).
`‘
`interactive television :1. A video technology in which a
`viewer interacts with the television programming; Typical
`uses of interactive television include Internet access, video
`
`on demand, and video conferencing. See also video con«
`ferencing.
`‘
`'
`interactive TV 11. See iTV.
`
`interactive video 71. The use of computer—controlled
`video, in the form of a CD-ROM or videodisc, for interacw
`tive education or entertainment. See also CD—ROM, inter-
`active, interactive television, videodisc.
`
`interactive voice response a. A computer that operates
`through the telephone system, in which input commands
`and data are-transmitted to the computer as spoken words
`and numbers or tones and dial pulses generated by a tele—
`phone instrument; and output instructions and data are
`received from the computer as prerecorded or synthesized
`speech. For example, a dial—in service that provides airline
`flight schedules when you press certain key Codes on your
`telephone is an interactive voice response system, Also
`called: IVR.
`
`Interactive voice system n..See interactive voice
`response,
`-
`
`interapplication communication n. The process of one
`program sending messages to another program. For
`example, some e—mail programs allow users to click on a
`URL within the message. After the user clicks on the
`URL, browser software will automatically launch and
`access the URL.
`
`interblock gap n. See inter-record gap.
`
`Interchange File Format it. See .iff.
`
`Interchange Format It. See Rich Tent Format.
`
`.
`
`interconnect n. 1. See System Area Network. 2. An
`electrical or mechanical connection. Interconnect is the
`physical connection and communication between two
`components in a computer system.
`interfacen. 1. The point at which a connection is made
`between two elements so that they can work with each
`other or exchange information. 2. Software that enables a
`program to work with the user (the user interface, which
`can be a command-line interface, menu-driven interface,
`or a graphical user interface), with another program such
`as the operating system, or with the computer’s hardware.
`See also application programming interface, graphical
`user interface. 3. A card, plug, or other device that con—
`nects pieces of hardware with the computer so that infor-
`mation can be moved from place to place. For example,
`standardized interfaces such as RS—232—C standard and
`
`279
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`
` '"‘.'..'s'f:'rijr¢ra'al':
`
`
`
`
`
`SCSI enable communications between computers and
`printers or disks. See also RS-ZSZ—C standard, SCSI.
`interface adapter :1. See network adapter.
`
`interface card it. See adapter.
`
`Interface Definition Language n. see IDL.
`
`interference n. 1. Noise or odier external signals that
`affect the performance of a communications channel. 2.
`Electromagnetic signals that can disturb radio or television
`reception. The signals can be generated naturally, as in
`lightning, or by electronic devices, such as computers.
`
`Interior Gateway Protocol n. A protocol used for dis-
`tributing routing information among routers (gateways)
`in an autonomous networkethat is, a network under the
`control of one administrative body. The two most often
`used interior gateway protocols are RTP (Routing Infor—
`mation Protocol) and'OSPF (Open Shortest Path First).
`Acronym: 1GP. See also autonomous system, OSPF, RIP.
`Compare exterior gateway protocol.
`
`interior Gateway Routing Protocol in. See IGRP.
`
`lnterlx n. A software application from Microsoft that
`allows businesses to run existing UNIX—based legacy
`applications while adding applications based on the .
`Microsoft Windows operating system. Interix serves as a
`single enterprise platform from which to run UNlXebased,
`Internet—based, and Windows-based applications.
`
`interlaced adj. Pertaining to a display method on rastera
`scan monitors in which the electron beam refreshes or
`
`updates all odd—numbered scan lines in one vertical sweep
`of the screen and all even-numbered scan lines in the next
`
`sweep. Compare noninteriaced,
`interlaced GIF n. A picture in GIF format that is gradually
`displayed in a Web browser, showing increasingly detailed
`versions of the picture until the entire file has finished
`downloading. Users of slower modems have a perceived
`shorter wait time for the image to appear, and diey can
`sometimes get enough information about the image to
`decide whether to proceed with the download or move on.
`Users with faster connections will notice little difference in
`effect between an interlaced GIF and a noninterlaced GIF.
`
`interlace scanning n. A display technique designed to
`reduce flicker and distortions in television transmissions;
`also used with some raster—scan monitors. In interlace
`
`scanning the electron beam in the television or monitor
`refreshes alternate sets of scan lines in successive top-tow
`bottom sweeps, refreshing all even lines on one pass, and
`
`all odd lines on the other. Because of the screen phos—
`
`phor’s ability to maintain an image for a short time before
`fading and the tendency of the human eye to average or
`blend subtle differences in light intensity, the human
`viewer sees a complete display, but the amount of infor-
`mation carried by the display signal and the number of
`lines that must be displayed per sweep are halved. Inter-
`laced images are not as clear as those produced by. the pro-
`gressive scanning typical of newer computer monitors.
`lnterlace scanning is, however, the standard method of dis-
`playing analog broadcasttelevision images. Also
`called: interlacing. Compare progressive scanning.
`
`interlacing n.- See interlace Scanning.
`
`interleave vb. To arrange the sectors on a hard disk in such
`a way that after one sector is read, the next sector in
`I
`numeric sequence will arrive at the head when the computer
`is ready to accept it rather than before, which would make
`the computer wait a whole revolution of the platter for the .
`sector to come back. Interleaving is set by the format utility
`that initializes a disk for use with a given computer.
`
`interleaved memory a. A method of organizing the
`addresses in'RAM memory in order to reduce wait states.
`In interleaved memory, adjacent locations are stored in
`different IOWS of chips so that after accessing a byte, the
`processor does not have to wait an entire memory cycle
`before accessing the next byte. See also access time (defi—
`nition 1), wait state.
`
`interlock vb. To prevent a device from acting while the
`current operation is in progress.
`
`intermediate language a. 1. A computer language used
`as an intermediate step between the original source lan—
`guage, usually a high-level language, and the target lane
`guage, usually machine code. Some high—level compilers
`use assembly language as an intermediate language. See
`also compiler (definition 2), object code. 2. See Microsoft
`intermediate language.
`
`intermittent adj. Pertaining to something, such as a sig-
`nal or connection, that is not unbroken but occurs at peri—I
`odic or occasional intervals.
`
`intermittent error a. An error that recurs at unpredictable
`u'mes.
`
`internal clock n. See clock/calendar.
`internal command it. A routine thatis loaded into mem~
`
`ory along with the operating system and resides there for as
`long as the computer is on. Compare external command.
`
`280
`
`internal font
`memory (ROI
`downloadable
`
`internal intel
`cessor itself it
`such as an attc
`
`exceeding the
`rupt. Compan
`internal men
`
`internal moc
`sion card to b:
`
`a computer. C
`internal schi
`
`physical files
`file locations,
`tial data deriv
`described by
`schema archi‘
`the schema ir
`distributed d2
`schema at eat
`schema.
`
`internal sort
`files complet
`disk during t1
`duces sorted
`
`quently merg
`lnternationz
`ICSA.
`
`lnternation:
`Processing
`
`lnternation:
`
`Internation:
`Year 2000 l
`Telecommun
`ation wireles
`
`The specific:
`and improve
`lnternation:
`‘ ISO.
`
`"
`
`internation.
`
`Internation-
`nication St.
`
`Internation
`Committee f
`
`

`

`
`
`parrallaxing n. A 3—D animation technique, often used by
`computer game developers, where backgrounds are dis-
`played using different levels of speed to achieve realism.
`For example, distant levels move at a slower speed than
`closer levels, thereby giving the illusion of depth. See also
`animation.
`‘
`
`parse‘vb. To break input into smaller chunks so that a
`program can act upon the information.
`
`parser n. An application or device that breaks data into
`smaller chunks so that an application can act on the infor—
`mation. See also parse.
`
`partition :2. 1. A logically distinct portion of memory or a
`storage device that functions as though it were a physi-
`cally separate unit. 2.. In database programming, a subset
`of a database table or file.
`"
`
`Partition Boot Sector n. The first sector in the system
`
`(startup) partition of a computer’s bootable hard disk, or
`the first sector of a bootable floppy disk. On an x867based
`computer, the Partition Boot Sector is read into memory at
`startup by the Master Boot Record. It is the Partition Boot ‘
`Sector that contains the instructions required to begin the
`process of loading and starting the computer’s operating
`system. See also Master Boot Record, partition table.
`
`partition table It. A table of information in the first see—
`tor of a computer’s hard disk that tells where each parti~
`tion (discrete portion of storage) on the disk begins and
`ends. The physical locations are given as the beginning
`and ending head, sector, and cylinder numbers. In adchtion
`to these “addresses,” the partition table identifies the type
`of file system used for each partition and identifies
`whether the partition is bootable—wwhether it can be used
`to start the computer. Although it is a small data structure,
`the partition table is a critical element on the hard disk.
`partnership to. The settings on a desktop computer and
`Windows CE device that allow information to be synchro~
`nized, as well as copied'or moved between the computer
`and device. The mobile device can have partnerships with
`up to two desktop computers. See also synchronization
`(definition 6).
`
`Pascal n.‘ A concise procedural language designed
`between 1967 and 1971 by Niklaus Wirth. Pascal, a com—
`piled, structured language built upon ALGOL, simplifies
`syntax while adding data types and structures such as
`
`subranges, enumerated data types, files, records, and sets.
`See also ALGOL, compiled language. Compare C.
`
`pASP a. See pocket Active Server Pages.
`pass1 an. In programming, the carrying out of one com—
`plete sequence of events.
`
`pass2 vb. To forward a piece of data from one part of a
`program to another. See also pass by address, pass by value.
`
`pass by address a. A means or" passing an argument or
`parameter to a subroutine. The calling routine passes the
`address (memory location) of the parameter to the called
`routine, which can then use the address to retrieve or modr
`ify the value of the parameter. Also called: pass by refer—
`ence. See also argument, 03111. Compare pass by value.
`
`pass by reference is. See pass by address.
`
`pass by value a. A means of passing an argument or a
`parameter to a subroutine. A copy of the value of the argu—
`ment is created and passed to the called routine. When this
`method is used, the called routine can modify the copy or"
`the argument, but it cannot modify the original argument.
`See also argument calll. Compare pass by address.
`
`passivation n. In Sun Microsystcms’s JZEE network plat—
`form, the processof “turning off” an enterprise java bean
`(EJB) by caching it from memory to secondary storage.
`See also Enterprise lavaBeans, REE. Compare activation.
`
`passive hub n. A type of hub used on ARCnet networks
`that passes signals along but has no additional capability.
`See also ARCnet. Compare active hub, Intelligent hub.
`
`passive-matrix display it. An inexpensive, low—resolu—
`tion liquid crystal display (LCD) made from a large array
`of liquid crystal cells that are controlled by transistors out—
`side of the display screen. One transistor controls an entire
`row or column of pixels. Passiveematrix displays are coma
`'monly used in portable computers, such as laptops and
`notebooks, because of their thin width. While these dis—
`plays have good contrast for monochrome screens, the res»
`olution is weaker for color screennghese displays are also
`difficult to view from any angle other than straight on,
`I
`unlike active~matrix displays. However, computers With
`passiVe—matrix displays are considerably cheaper than
`those with active—matrix screens. See the illustration. Also
`
`called: duai~scan display. See also liquid crystal display,
`supertwist display, transistor, twisted nematic display.
`-
`Compare active—matrix display.
`
`
`
`‘ 392
`
`LCD panel ——
`matrix
`
`Pixel ____———-
`element
`
`Indium Tin —
`Opiide (ITO)
`electrodes in
`rows Ofi one
`side of the
`
`LCD panel
`
`Passive-matrl)
`
`passive node
`missions but is
`the network; t:
`bus network, r
`
`Passport n. E
`from Microsoi
`
`and other info:
`service, a user
`port site on th:
`site, a user car
`information. F
`service that st:
`
`Kids Passport
`port is one of
`.NET initiativ:
`
`. sign~on, walls
`
`pass-throng?
`that acts as an
`
`example, a pa
`access to an it
`
`from the retro
`direct access.
`
`
`
`
`
`