`
`Microsoft
`
`Fifth Ed iti»:
`
`IL
`
`cpmputer
`
`I IctIon s
`_
`
`
`,
`“I Ftu updated with the latest
`technologies, terms, and acronym "i
`4! Easy in read, expertly mustrated
`
`. Definitive coverage of hardware,
`software, the Internet, and more!
`
`
`
`

`

`PUBLISHED BY
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`Library of Congress Cataloging-in—Publication Data
`Microsoft Computer Dictionary-{ills ed.
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`ISBN D—T3jfi-l495-4
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`l. Compiters-—Dictionaries_
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`2. huliuommputersnDictionaries.
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`trademarks ofbdicrosoft Corporation in the United States andfor otter months. Otter product and
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`The exempt: companies, organizations, products, domain names, e—mail addresses, logos, people, places,
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`Body Part No. JULIE—41929
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`.3 ..... .......
`
`mdlo response a. Any sound produced by a computer;
`specifically, spoken output produced by a computer in
`
`response to some specific type of input. Such output may
`be generated using a combination of words from a digitised
`vocabulary orthrough the synthesis of words from tab]: of
`
`phonemes. See also frequency response, phoneme.
`
`atdloterr a. An application allowing users to send and
`
`receive information by telephone. Users typically call an
`audiotcx system and are presented witlt a series of choices
`ora series of questions through a voice mail system. When
`
`users select choices by pressing the buttons on the phone
`[rotary dial phones cannot be used for audiotex) or by
`
`speaking aloud, a database host responds by sending infor—
`mation to the voice mail systerrr, which then converts the
`data to a spoken message for the user, or it responds by
`
`receiving and storing the information entered by the user.
`Also called' audiotext. See also voice mail.
`
`wdlotettt a. See audiolex.
`
`Aurlu tlldeo Interleaved a. See AVI.
`
`ardlovlsual adj. Relatingto or being any material that uses
`a combination of sight and sound to present information.
`
`aldlt n. In reference to computing, an examination of
`equipment, programs, activities, and procedures to deter—
`
`mine how efficiently the overall system is performing,
`especially in terms of ensuring the integrity and security
`of data.
`
`:ltdltlrfi n. The process an operating system uses to
`
`detect and record security—related events, such a an
`attempt to create, to access, or to delete objects such as
`files and directories. The records of such events are stored
`
`in a file known as a security log, whose contents are avail—
`able only to those with the proper clearance. See also
`security log.
`
`mdlt pulley n. A. policy that determines the security
`events to be reported to the network administrator.
`
`mdlt Irall n. In reference to computing, a means of trac—
`ing all activities affecting a piece ofinformatiorr, srrch as a
`
`data record, from the time it is entered into a system to the
`time it is removed. An audit trail
`' res it possible to doc—
`ument, for example, who rrtade ch
`s to a particular
`record and when.
`
`AUI a. I. Acronym for attachment unit interface. A 15—
`
`pin [DB— [5] cormector oommordy used to connect a net—
`
`author
`
`work interface card to an Ethernet cable. 2. Sea aural user
`interface.
`
`AUI cable a. Short for Attachment llnit Interface cable.
`
`A transceiver cable used to connect a host adapter within a
`
`computer to an Ethemet [lUbaseS or lflBz-reF} network.
`See also lflBasei lflBase—F, Ethemet [definition I),
`transceiver cable.
`
`AUP a. Sea acceptable use policy.
`
`aural user Interface n. 1|trustee-activated interface that
`
`allows users to issue spoken commands to electronic
`devices. The aural user interface is used with features such
`
`as voice recognition for computers and voice—activated
`dialing for wireless phflflll. Acronym: AUI.
`
`
`
`pared against an authorised list, and ifthe system detects a
`match, access is granted to the extent specified in the per-
`
`mission list for that user. See also logorr, password, per-
`nrissiorr, user account, user name.
`
`authentlcatlon center a. Secure database used to iden—
`
`tify and prevent wireless phone fraud. Authentication cen—
`ters verify whether a wirellls phone is registered with a
`wireless carrier's network.
`
`Autltenllcatlnn Header a; See AI-I.
`
`Autltentlcede n. A security feature of Microsoft Internet
`Explorer. Authenticodc allows vendors of downloadable
`
`executable code [plug-ins or Activex controls, for exam—
`ple} to attach digital certificates to their products to assure
`end users that the code is from the original developer and
`has not been altered. Authenticode lets end users decide
`
`for themselves whether to accept or reject software com—
`
`ponents posted on the Inlemet before dowrdoading begins.
`See also Activex control, Internet Explorer, security.
`
`author1 vh. I. To create a product for implementation via
`computer technology. 2. To write a computer program.
`3. To assemble multimedia components, such as graphics,
`
`text, audio, and animation, in a publication or product, for
`delivery on a CD-ROM or DVD or on line, to be viewed
`on a computer. 4. To create Web pages. Traditionally, to
`
`arrthor meant to write a literary work orjournalistic piece;
`in the cyberworld, to write is “to provide content“; thus, to
`author in the traditional sense is to be a “content provider.“
`
`author2 rt. See Web author.
`
`42
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`(PM
`
`for microcomputers based on Intel microprocessors. The
`first system, CPlM—Efl, was the most popular operating
`system for 3050— and EBB—based microcomputers. Digital
`
`Research also developed {TM—36 for BflflfilflflEE—based
`computers, CHM—2300f] for Zilog Zflflflfl-based comput—
`ers, and CPlM-EEK for Motorola fiflmfl-based computers.
`When the IBM PC and his-DDS were introduced, com—
`
`mon use of CPlhI'I by end users dwindled. DRI continues to
`
`enhance the {PM line, supporting multitasking with the
`Concunent CHM and MPIM products. See also lilelle.
`
`GPIII a. See critical path method.
`
`CPR!“ a. Acronym for Content Protection for Record-
`
`able Media. Technology developed to control the use of
`copyrighted digital music and video material by blocking
`the transfer of protected files to portable media such as zip
`
`disks and smart cards. CPRM would be added to storage
`devices and provide data scrambling and identification
`codes to block the copying of copyrighted files
`
`cps a. See characters persecond.
`
`GPEH tr. Acronym for Computer Professionals for Social
`Responsibility. A. public advocacy organization of crem-
`puter professionals. CP’SR was originally fonned out of
`
`concern over the use of computer technology for military
`purposes but has extended its interest to such issues in
`
`civil liberties and the effect of computers on workers.
`cana._.
`_flwCPUisthe
`device that interprets and executes instructions. leain—
`frames and early minicomputers contained circuit boards
`
`full ofintegrated circuits that imilemented theCPU.
`
`made possible personal computers and workstations.
`
`Examples of single-chip CPUs are the Motorola fiflflflfl,
`63020, and 63031:] chips and the brtel 30311], 3086, 30236,
`30336, and i436 drips The CPU—or microprocessor, in
`
`the case of a microcomputer—has the ability to fetch,
`decode, and execute instructions and to transfer inforrna—
`
`tion to and from other resources over the computer‘s main
`data-transfer path, the bus. By definition, the CPU is the
`chip that functions as the “brain" of a computer. In some
`
`instances, however, the term encompasses both the proces—
`sor and the computer‘s memory or, even more broadly, the
`main computer console {as opposed to peripheral equip-
`
`ment]. See the ilhlstration. See also microprocessor.
`
`
`
`CPU.
`
`GPU-bctlld adj. See computation-bound.
`
`l|.':Pl..l cache 1:. A section of fast memory linking the CPU
`{central processing unit] and main memory that tempo-
`rarily stores data and instructions the CPU needs to exe-
`cute upcoming cmrunands and programs. Considerably
`faster than main memory, the CPU cache contains data
`that is transfened in blocks, thereby speeding execution.
`The system anticipates the data it will need through algo—
`rithms. Also called: cache memory, memory cache. See
`also cache, CPU, VCAfl-lE.
`
`l|.':Pl..l cycle a. l. The smallest unit of time recognized by
`
`the CPU {central processing unitJ—typically a few hun—
`dred—milliontlrs of a second. 2. The time required for the
`CPU to perform the simplest instruction, such as fe1ching
`
`the contents of a register or performing a no—operation
`instmction {HOP}. Also called: clock tick.
`
`l|.':Pl..l fan a. An electric fan usually placed directly on a
`CPU [central processing unit] or on the CPU ‘s heat sink to
`help dissipate heat from the chip by circulating air around
`it. See also CPU, heat sink.
`
`l|.':Pl..l speed a. A. relative measure of the data-processing
`capacity of a particularCPU {central processing unit],
`usually measured in megaherts. See also CPU.
`
`l|.'}PI..I tlme n. In multipmcessing, the aniorurt of time dur—
`ing which a particular process has active control ofthe CPU
`
`(central processing unit]. See also CPU, muhiprolessing.
`
`GR a. See carriage return.
`
`crack vb. I. To gain unauthorized arxress to a network by
`breaching its security. 2. To decipher enraypted informrlion.
`
`cracker a. A person who overcomes the security mea—
`sures of a computer system and gains unauthorized access.
`
`The goal of some crackers is to obtain information ille-
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`DIMIBBM ITIDIIE
`
`Pmllg'
`
`prlvlleged mode a. A mode oferreeution, supported by
`the protected mode of the Intel 39236 and higher micro—
`processors, in which software can carry out restricted
`
`pmcerlrre a. In a program, a named sequence of state-
`ments, often with associated constants, data types, and
`variables, that usually perlonns a single task. A procedure
`
`operations that manipulate critical components of the sys-
`tem, such as memory and inputloutput ports [charmels].
`Application programs cannot be executed in privileged
`
`can usually be called {executed} by other procedures, as
`well as by the rrrain body ofthe program. Some languages
`distinguish between a procedure and a function, with the
`
`mode; the heart [kernel] of the DSlLl operating system can
`be, as can the programs {device drivers} that control
`
`latter [the function) returning a value. See also function,
`parameter, procedural language, routine, subroutine.
`
`devil-s attached to the system.
`
`prlvlleges a. Sea access privileges.
`
`PH" 1:. The logical device name for printer. A name
`reserved by the his-DOS operating system for the stan—
`
`procerllre cell a. In programming, an instruction that
`causes a procedure to be executed. A. procedure call can be
`
`located in another procedure or in the main body of the
`program. See also procedure.
`
`dard print device. PRN usually refers to a system's first
`parallel port, also known as LP'TI.
`
`processi a. A. program or part of a program; a coherent
`sequence of steps undertaken by a program.
`
`.pro 11. One ofseven new top-level domain names approved
`in soon by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names
`and Numbers [ICANN], .pro is meant for use in Web sites
`
`relating to professions such as physicians, accountants, and
`lawyers. Sir. of the new domains became available for use
`
`in the spring of 203] ; negotiations are still underway for the
`final registry agreement for the .pro domain.
`
`prohablllty a. The likelihood that an event will happen,
`
`which can often be estimated mathematically. In mathe—
`matics, statistics and probability theory are related fields.
`
`In computing, probability is used to determine the likeli—
`hood of failure or error in a system or device.
`
`problem solvlrfi a. I. The process of devising and imple-
`menting a strategy for finding a solution or for transform—
`ing a less desirable condition into a more desirable one.
`
`2. An aspect of artificial intelligence wherein the task of
`problem solving is performed solely by a program. See
`also artificial intelligence.
`
`procedural lmguoge a. A. programming language in
`which the basic programming element is the procedure [a
`
`named sequence of statements, such as a routine, subrou—
`tine, or function}. The most widely used high-level Ian-
`
`guages (C, Pascal, Basic, FORTRAN, COBOL Ada) are
`all procedural languages. See also procedure. (“corpora
`nonprocedural language.
`
`procedural rerllerlng a. The rendering of a two-dimen—
`sional image from three—dimensional coordinates with tex-
`
`turing according to user-specified conditions, such as
`direction and degree of lighting.
`
`process! vb. To manipulate data with a program.
`
`pmcessbomd adj. Limited in performance by process—
`
`ing requirements. See also computation—bound.
`
`process color a. A method of handling color in a docu-
`
`ment in which each block of color is separated into its sub—
`tractive primary color components for printing; cyan,
`magenta, and yellow {as well as black]. All other colors
`
`are created by blending layers of various sizes of halftone
`spots printed in cyan, magenta, and yellow to create the
`
`image. See also color model, color separation (definition
`I]. Canmara spot color.
`
`processlru a. The manipulation of data within a corn—
`puter system. Processing is the vital step between receiv—
`ing data [input] and producing results [outputh—the task
`
`for which computers are designed.
`
`Processor Direct Slot a. See PDS {definition I].
`
`Processor lnwtfflutput a. Sea PIG.
`
`Procmall a. An open—source e—mail—processing utility for
`
`Linux. and other UNIX—based computers and networks.
`Proemail can be used to create mail servers and mailing
`lists, filter mail, sort incoming mail, preprocess mail, and
`
`perform other mail—related functions.
`
`Protlgy n. An Internet service provider [ISP] that offers
`
`Internet access and a wide range of related services Prod-
`igy was founded by IBM and Sears as a proprietary online
`service, was acquired by International Wireless in I996,
`
`and in [999 entered into a partnership with SEC Commu—
`
`
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`423
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