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`Merrill Communications LLC
`d/b/a Merrill Corporation
`Exhibit 1009
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`Over
`8,000
`Entries
`
`with online updates
`available quarterly
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`Microsoft
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`• Three new appendixes, file extensions,
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`• Detailed illustrations and diagrams for easy reference
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`Microsoft®
`
`M·crosoft
`
`

`

`PUBLISHE D BY
`Microsoft Press
`A Division of Microsoft Corporation
`One Mi crosoft Way
`Redm ond, Washington 98052-6399
`
`Copyright© 1999 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 permi ssion of the publisher.
`
`Library of Congress Catalogin g-in-Pu blication Data
`Microsoft Computer Dictionary . -- 4th ed.
`p. cm.
`Previous eds. published under title: Microsoft Press computer
`dictionary
`ISBN 0-7356-0615-3
`1. Computers Dictionaries. 2. Microcomputers Dictionaries.
`I. Microsoft Press- computer dictionary.
`QA76.15.M538 1999
`004'.03--dc21
`
`99-20168
`CIP
`
`Printed and bound in the United States of America.
`3 4 5 6 7 8 9 MLML 4 3 2 1 0
`Distributed in Canada by Penguin Books Canada Limited.
`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 information
`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 mspress.microsoft.com.
`
`Macintosh, Power Macintosh, QnickTime, and TrueType fonts are registered trademarks of Apple Computer,
`Inc. Kodak is a registered trademark of the Eastman Kodak Company. Intel is a registered trademark and Indeo
`is a trademark of Intel Corporation. Active Desktop, Active Directory, ActiveMovie, Active Platform, ActiveX,
`Authenticode, BackOffice, Directlnput, DirectX, Microsoft, Microsoft Press, MS-DOS, MSN, NetMeeting,
`NetShow, Visual Basic, Visual C++, Visual J++, WebTV, WebTV Network, Win32, Win32s; Windows,
`Windows NT, and XENIX are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
`United States and/or other countries. PANTONE is a registered trademark of Pantone, Inc. Other product and
`company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
`
`The example companies, organizations, products, people, and events depicted herein are fictitious. No associa(cid:173)
`tion with any real company, organization, product, person, or event is intended or should be inferred.
`
`Acquisitions Editor: Christey Bahn
`Project Editor: Kim Fryer
`
`

`

`bers often include an M (male) or P (plug). For
`ample, a male DB-25 connector might be labeled
`B-25M or DB-25P. See the illustration. Compare
`
`n. Acronym for metropolitan area network. A
`'g)l-speed network that can carry voice, data, and
`ges at up to 200 Mbps or faster over distances of
`to 75 km. Based on the network architecture, the
`mission speed can be higher for shorter dis-
`ces, A MAN, which can include one or more
`·s as well as telecommunications equipment such
`'microwave and satellite relay stations, is smaller
`a wide area network but generally operates at a
`· gher speed. Compare LAN, wide area network.
`ged service provider n. A business that supplies
`mote access services to individuals and enterprises.
`anaged service providers offer remote connections,
`twork management, user support, security, and
`plications hosting. Acronym: MSP. Compare ISP.
`agement Information Services n. See Informa-
`. n Services.
`· gement information system n. A computer-
`115ed system for processing and organizing informa(cid:173)
`on so as to provide various levels of management
`'thin an organization with accurate and timely in-
`ation needed for supervising activities, tracking
`gress, making decisions, and isolating and solving
`oblems. Acronym: MIS.
`gement Information Systems n. See Informa(cid:173)
`n Services.
`· ·ger n. Any program that is designed to perform
`1.1~ set of housekeeping tasks related to com-
`;_ r- operation, such as the maintenance of files. On
`Macintosh, Manager (with a capital M) is used in
`names of various separate portions of the com(cid:173)
`_r'.s operating system that handle input, output,
`d internal functions (e.g., File Manager and
`emery Manager).
`chester coding n. A method of encoding data
`din communications, such as on some LANs, that
`
`m~pp~ t1rives ' .
`
`combines both data and timing signals in a stream of
`transmitted bits. See also phase encoding.
`Mandelbrot set n. See fractal.
`man-machine interface n. The set of commands, dis(cid:173)
`plays, controls, and hardware devices enabling the
`human user and the computer system to exchange
`information. See also user interface.
`man pages n. Online documentation for UNIX com(cid:173)
`mands and programs and the UNIX library routines
`available for use in C programs. These documents,
`also found in the UNIX Programmer's Manual, can
`be displayed on a user's terminal or printed using the
`command man.
`mantissa n. 1. In calculations that have logarithms,
`the positive decimal fraction of a common (base-10)
`logarithm. For example, the common logarithm of 16
`is 1.2041; the characteristic, or whole-number por(cid:173)
`tion, of the logarithm is 1 (the logarithm of 10), and
`the mantissa, or fractional portion, is .2041 (the loga(cid:173)
`rithm of 1.6). See also characteristic, logarithm.
`2. In floating-point notation, the portion expressing
`the significant digits of a number. For example, the
`floating-point representation of 640,000 is 6.4E+05.
`The mantissa is 6.4; the exponent (E+05) shows the
`power of 10 to which 6.4 is raised. See also floating(cid:173)
`point notation.
`map1 n. Any representation of the structure of an ob(cid:173)
`ject. For example, a memory map describes the lay(cid:173)
`out of objects in an area of memory, and a symbol
`map lists the associations between symbol names and
`memory addresses in a program. See also image map.
`map2 vb. To translate one value into another. For ex(cid:173)
`ample, in computer graphics one might map a three(cid:173)
`dimensional image onto a sphere. In reference to
`virtual memory systems, a computer might translate
`(map) a virtual address into a physical address. See
`also virtual memory.
`MAPI \ma'pe\ n. Acronym for Messaging Application
`Programming Interface. The Microsoft interface
`specification that allows different messaging and
`workgroup applications (including e-mail, voice
`mail, and fax) to work through a single client, such
`as the Exchange client included with Windows 95
`and Windows NT. See also application programming
`interface.
`mapped drives n. 1. In the Windows environment,
`network drives that have been assigned local drive
`letters and are locally accessible. 2. Under UNIX,
`
`281
`
`IDII
`
`

`

`El
`
`own message. See also ActiveX controls, control
`(definition 2), OCX, VBX.
`Message Security Protocol n. A protocol for Internet
`messages that is based on the use of encryption and
`verification to ensure security. It also allows for per(cid:173)
`missions at the server level for delivery or rejection
`of e-mail. Acronym: MSP.
`message switching n. A technique used on some com(cid:173)
`munications networks in which a message, with ap(cid:173)
`propriate address information, is routed through one
`or more intermediate switching stations before being
`sent to its destination. On a typical message-switching
`network, a central computer receives messages,
`stores them (usually briefly), determines their desti(cid:173)
`nation addresses, and then delivers them. Message
`switching enables a network both to regulate traffic
`and to use communications lines efficiently. Com(cid:173)
`pare circuit switching, packet switching.
`messaging n. The use of computers and data commu(cid:173)
`nication equipment to convey messages from one
`person to another, as by e-mail, voice mail, or fax.
`messaging application n. An application that enables
`users to send messages (such as e-mail or fax) to
`each other.
`Messaging Application Programming Interface n.
`See MAPI.
`messaging client n. An application program that en(cid:173)
`ables its user to send or receive messages (such as
`e-mail or fax) to and from other users with the help
`of a remote server.
`messaging-oriented middleware n. See MOM.
`meta- prefix Literally, a prefix that describes a process
`or characteristic beyond the normal meaning of the
`word without the prefix. For example, metaphysics is
`"beyond physics." In computing, meta- is usually
`attached to a word to indicate that the "metaterm" de(cid:173)
`scribes, defines, or acts upon objects or concepts of
`the same type as itself. So, for example, metadata is
`data about data and a metatool is a tool for working
`on tools.
`metacharacter n. A character embedded in a program
`source or a data stream that conveys information
`about other characters, rather than itself representing
`a character. A simple example is the backslash (\)
`character, which, when used in strings in the C pro(cid:173)
`gramming language, indicates that the letter follow(cid:173)
`ing the backslash is part of an escape sequence that
`
`enables C to display a nongraphic character. See also
`escape character.
`metacompiler n. A compiler that produces compilers.
`The UNIX utility yacc (Yet Another Compiler-Com(cid:173)
`piler) is a metacompiler. If it is given a language
`specification, yacc produces a compiler for that lan(cid:173)
`guage. See also compiler (definition 2).
`Meta-Content Format n. An open format for describ(cid:173)
`ing information about content of a structured body of
`data such as a Web page, a set of files on a Windows
`desktop, or a relational database. Meta-Content For(cid:173)
`mat might be used for indexes, data dictionaries, or
`price lists. Acronym: MCF.
`metadata n. Data about data. For example, the title,
`subject, author, and size of a file constitute metadata
`about the file. See also data dictionary, repository.
`Metadata Interchange Specification n. A set of
`specifications dealing with the exchanging, sharing,
`and managing of metadata. Acronym: MDIS. See
`also metadata.
`metaflle n. A file that contains or defines other files.
`Many operating systems use metafiles to contain di(cid:173)
`rectory information about other files on a given stor(cid:173)
`age device.
`metaflow n. One of the four stages of the data ware(cid:173)
`housing process, during which metadata (data about
`data) is tracked and managed; the business modeling
`stage. During metaflow, the operational environment
`is mapped to the data warehouse environment. See
`also data warehouse (definition 2), inflow, downflow,
`upflow, metadata.
`metalanguage n. A language used to describe other
`languages. Backus-Naur form (BNF) is a meta(cid:173)
`language commonly used to define programming
`languages. Also called language-description lan(cid:173)
`guage. See also Backus-Naur form.
`metal-oxide semiconductor n. See MOS.
`metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor n.
`SeeMOSFET.
`metaoperating system n. An operating system under
`which several other operating systems are active.
`Also called supervisor.
`metatag or meta tag n. A tag in an HTML or XML
`document that allows a Web-page creator to include
`such information as the author's name, keywords
`identifying content, and descriptive details (for ex(cid:173)
`ample, nontext objects on the page). The information
`
`288
`
`

`

`sequentlale
`
`send vb. To transmit a message or file through a C\iltD,,
`munications channel.
`send statement n. In SLIP and PPP scripting lan(cid:173)
`guages, a statement that tells the program that diat,
`an Internet service provider's number (a dialer pro(cid:173)
`gram) to send certain characters. See also ISP, PPP,
`scripting language, SLIP.
`sensor n. A device that detects or measures some~
`by converting nonelectrical energy to electrical en(cid:173)
`ergy. A photocell, for example, detects or measut\jll
`light by converting it to electrical energy. See also
`transducer.
`sensor glove n. A hand-worn computer input device
`for virtual-reality environments. The glove translateJ
`finger movements by the user to commands for ma(cid:173)
`nipulating objects in the environment. Also called
`data glove. See also virtual reality.
`SEPP n. Acronym for Software Engineering for Pllr•
`allel Processing. A project of nine European univet•
`sities and research institutions to develop tools for
`the development of parallel application programs for
`distributed memory multiprocessors.
`sequence n. An ordered arrangement, as in a set of
`numbers, such as the Fibonacci sequence. See also
`Fibonacci numbers.
`sequence check n. A process that verifies that data or
`
`records conform to a particular order. Compare c•
`
`pleteness check, consistency check, duplication
`check.
`Sequenced Packet Exchange n. See SPX (defini·
`tion 1).
`sequential access n. A method of storing or retri~
`information that requires the program to start readilll
`at the beginning and continue until it finds the cw-_
`sired data. Sequential access is best used for files_t4
`which each piece of information is related to the_l!ll•
`"li list
`formation that comes before it, such as mat ng
`files and word processing documents. Also called
`serial access. See also indexed sequential access
`method. Compare random access.
`· which each
`·
`sequential algorithm n. An algonthm 1Il
`l algo,,
`.
`.
`step must occur m a particular order. See a so ·
`rithm. Compare parallel algorithm.
`.
`routtae&
`·
`sequential execution n. The act of executing neut·
`or programs in a linear sequence. Compare co
`rent execution.
`
`Self-extracting archive.
`self-test n. A set of one or more diagnostic tests that a
`computer or peripheral device (such as a printer) per(cid:173)
`forms on itself. See also power-on self test.
`self-validating code n. Program code that can test itself
`to verify that it behaves correctly, usually by feeding
`itself a set of standard input values and testing the re(cid:173)
`sults against a set of expected output values.
`semantic error n. An error in meaning; a statement in
`a program that is syntactically correct (legal) but
`functionally incorrect. See also logic, semantics
`(definition 1), syntax.
`semantics n. 1. In programming, the relationship be(cid:173)
`tween words or symbols and their intended mean(cid:173)
`ings. Programming languages are subject to certain
`semantic rules; thus, a program statement can be syn(cid:173)
`tactically correct but semantically incorrect; that is, a
`statement can be written in an acceptable form and
`still convey the wrong meaning. See the illustration.
`See also syntax. 2. In artificial-intelligence research,
`the capacity of a network to represent relationships
`among objects, ideas, or situations in a humanlike
`way. Compare syntax.
`CANARY - is a - BIRD
`I
`has
`I
`FEATHERS
`
`Semantics.
`semaphore n. In programming, a signal-a flag vari(cid:173)
`able-used to govern access to shared system re(cid:173)
`sources. A semaphore indicates to other potential
`users that a file or other resource is in use and pre(cid:173)
`vents access by more than one user. See also flag
`(definition 1).
`semiconductor n. A substance, commonly silicon or
`germanium, whose ability to conduct electricity falls
`between that of a conductor and that of a nonconduc(cid:173)
`tor (insulator). The term is used loosely to refer to
`electronic components made from semiconductor
`materials.
`
`IE
`
`402
`
`

`

`V.120 n. The ITU-T (formerly CCITT) standard that
`governs serial communications over ISDN lines.
`Data is encapsulated using a protocol similar to the
`Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), and
`more than one connection may be multiplexed on a
`communications channel. See also communications
`channel, communications protocol, International
`Telecommunications Union, ISDN, Lightweight Di(cid:173)
`rectory Access Protocol, multiplexing, standard (defi(cid:173)
`nition 1), V series.
`V20, V30 n. NEC microprocessors that were slight
`improvements on Intel's 8088 and 8086, using the
`same command sets but different microcode.
`V.2x, V.3x, V.4x, V.5x series n. See V series.
`V.32terbo n. A modem protocol developed by AT&T
`for 19,200-bps modems, with fallback to the speeds
`supported by the ITU-T (formerly CCITT) V.32 stan(cid:173)
`dard. This protocol is proprietary to AT&T and was
`not adopted by CCITT or ITU-T. In the V series,
`V.34 takes the place of V.32terbo. See also Interna(cid:173)
`tional Telecommunications Union, V series.
`V.42 n. The ITU-T (formerly CCITT) recommenda(cid:173)
`tion specifying procedures for error correction in
`data communications equipment (DCEs) designed
`for asynchronous-to-synchronous conversion. See
`also V series.
`V.42bis n. The ITU-T (formerly CCITT) recommen(cid:173)
`dation specifying procedures for data compression in
`data-circuit terminating equipment utilizing error(cid:173)
`correction operations. See also V series.
`V86 mode n. See virtual real mode.
`VAB n. See voice answer back.
`VAC n. See volts alternating current.
`vacuum tube n. A set of metal electrodes and inter(cid:173)
`vening metal grids, contained in a glass or metal tube
`from which all gas has been removed. Voltages on
`the grids control electrical currents between the elec(cid:173)
`trodes. Formerly used for amplification and switch(cid:173)
`ing in electronic circuits, vacuum tubes are now used
`in applications such as cathode-ray tubes and those
`
`requiring very high power levels. A vacuum tube is
`known as a valve in Great Britain.
`validation suite n. A set of tests that measures com(cid:173)
`pliance with a standard, especially a standard defini(cid:173)
`tion of a programming language. See also standard
`(definition 1).
`validity check n. The process of analyzing data to
`determine whether it conforms to predetermined
`completeness and consistency parameters.
`value n. A quantity assigned to an element such as a
`variable, symbol, or label. See tone (definition 1).
`value-added network n. A communications network
`that offers additional services, such as message rout(cid:173)
`ing, resource management, and conversion facilities,
`for computers communicating at different speeds or
`using different protocols. Acronym: VAN.
`value-added reseller n. A company that buys hard(cid:173)
`ware and software and resells it to the public with
`added services, such as user support. Acronym: VAR.
`value list n. A list of values used by some applica(cid:173)
`tions, such as a database, as a search string or as val(cid:173)
`ues for a filtered query. See also filter (definition 1),
`query ( definition 1 ), search string.
`valve n. See electron tube.
`vampire tap n. A type of transceiver used on Ethernet
`networks that is equipped with sharp metal prongs that
`pierce the insulation on thicknet cable to make contact
`with the copper core over which signals travel.
`VAN n. See value-added network.
`vanilla adj. See plain vanilla.
`vaporware n. Software that has been announced but
`not released to customers. The term implies sarcasti(cid:173)
`cally that the product exists only in the minds of the
`marketing department. Compare freeware, shareware.
`VAR \var\ n. See value-added reseller.
`variable n. In programming, a named storage location
`capable of containing data that can be modified during
`program execution. See also data structure, data type,
`global variable, local variable. Compare constant.
`
`464
`
`