OVER
`10,000
`ENTRIES
`
`Microsoft"
`
`cpmputer
`chtlony
`
`
`
`,
`,.
`_
`Fully updated with the latest
`technologies, terms, and acronymv -
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`.
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`Easy to read, expertly illustrated
`
`Definitive coverage of hardware,
`software, the Internet, and more!
`
`CSCO-1026
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`Page 1 of 7
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`CSCO-1026
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`

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`Microsoft·
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`Microsoft®
`
`om u er
`•
`•
`1c 1onar
`Fifth Edition
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`Page 2 of 7
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`

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`I I
`
`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 2002
`004'.03--dc21
`
`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(cid:173)
`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, 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-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. XOS-41929
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`Page 3 of 7
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`... - ................................................................. __ ..._..__..__..__ ... _ ... _-_ ....... __ .._..__ .. __ _.. _____________ .......... _____________ _
`
`homogeneous network n. A network on which all the
`hosts are similar and only one protocol is used.
`
`Honeynet Project n. A nonprofit security research group
`created to collect and analyze data on hacking tools and
`methods by maintaining a decoy network of computers
`that is potentially attractive to hackers. The Honeynet
`Project sets up entire networks of computers in different
`combinations of operating systems and security to realisti(cid:173)
`cally simulate those used in businesses and organizations.
`Hackers are lured to the network where all inbound and
`outbound data is captured and contained to help research(cid:173)
`ers learn about hacker tactics and motives.
`
`honeypot n. A security program designed to lure and dis(cid:173)
`tract a network attacker with decoy data. The honeypot
`appears to be a system that the intruder would like to crack
`but which, in reality, is safely separated from the actual
`network. This allows network administrators to observe
`attackers and study their activities without the intruders
`knowing they are being monitored. Honeypot programs
`get their name from the "like a bear to honey" metaphor.
`
`honker n. A slang term for a hacker, the term originated
`in China. The Honker Union of China is an active group of
`Chinese hackers with nationalistic or hacktivist aims. The
`Honker Union of China has claimed patriotic motivation
`for defacing Japanese and U.S. Web sites, hacking U.S.
`networks, and releasing the Lion worm and other mali(cid:173)
`cious programs. See also hacktivist, Lion worm.
`
`hook n. A location in a routine or program in which the
`programmer can connect or insert other routines for the
`purpose of debugging or enhancing functionality.
`
`hop n. In data communications, one segment of the path
`between routers on a geographically dispersed network. A
`hop is comparable to one "leg" of a journey that includes
`intervening stops between the starting point and the desti(cid:173)
`nation. The distance between each of those stops (routers)
`would be a communications hop.
`
`horizontal blanking interval n. See blanking, horizontal
`retrace.
`
`horizontal flyback n. See horizontal retrace.
`
`horizontal market n. A broad category of business activ(cid:173)
`ity, such as accounting or inventory control, that carries
`across many types of business. Compare vertical market.
`
`horizontal market software n. Application programs,
`such as word processors, that can be used in all types of
`business, as opposed to those geared for a certain industry.
`
`horizontal retrace n. The movement of the electron
`beam in a raster-scan video display from the right end of
`one scan line to the left end (the beginning) of the next.
`During horizontal retrace, the electron beam is turned off,
`so the time required for the beam to move is called the
`horizontal blanking interval. See also blanking. Compare
`vertical retrace.
`
`horizontal scrolling n. A feature of programs such as
`word processors and spreadsheets that enables the user to
`scroll left and right to display information beyond the
`horizontal limits of the screen (or window, in a graphical
`user interface).
`
`horizontal synchronization n. On raster displays, the
`timing produced by a signal that controls the sweep of the
`display's electron beam as it moves from left to right and
`back again to form an image line by line. The horizontal
`synchronization signal is usually controlled by a circuit
`known as a phase-locked loop, which maintains a constant
`precise frequency so that a clear image is formed.
`host1 n. 1. The main computer in a mainframe or mini(cid:173)
`computer environment-that is, the computer to which
`terminals are connected. 2. In PC-based networks, a com(cid:173)
`puter that provides access to other computers. 3. On the
`Internet or other large networks, a server computer that
`has access to other computers on the network. A host com(cid:173)
`puter provides services, such as news, mail, or data, to
`computers that connect to it.
`host2 vb. To provide services to client computers that con(cid:173)
`nect from remote locations-for example, to offer Internet
`access or to be the source for a news or mail service.
`
`host adapter n. A device for connecting a peripheral to
`the main computer, typically in the form of an expansion
`card. Also called: controller, host bus adapter.
`
`hosting n. The practice of providing computer and.com(cid:173)
`munication facilities to businesses or individuals, especially
`for use in creating Web and electronic commerce sites. A
`hosting service can provide high-speed access to the Inter(cid:173)
`net, redundant power and data storage, and 24-hour mainte(cid:173)
`nance at lower cost than implementing the same services
`independently. See also host2, virtual hosting.
`
`Host Integration Server n. A software application from
`Microsoft Corporation to allow businesses to integrate
`existing application, data, and network assets with new
`business applications and technologies. Host Integration
`Server preserves a company's existing legacy infrastruc(cid:173)
`ture and investments, while providing out-of-the-box
`
`256
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`NIC handle n. See handle.
`
`nickel cadmium battery n. A rechargeable battery that
`uses an alkaline electrolyte. Nickel cadmium batteries typ(cid:173)
`ically have a longer operating life and storage life than
`similar lead-acid batteries. Also called: NiCad battery.
`Compare lead ion battery, lithium ion battery, nickel metal
`hydride battery.
`
`nickel metal hydride battery n. A rechargeable battery
`that offers longer life and superior performance compared
`with similar nickel cadmium or other alkaline batteries.
`Also called: NiMH battery. Compare lead ion battery,
`lithium ion battery, nickel cadmium battery.
`
`nickname n. A name used in the destination field of an
`e-mail editor in place of one or more complete network
`addresses. For example "Fred" might be a nickname for
`fred@history.washington.edu. If the nickname has been
`established within the program, a user need only type
`"Fred" instead of the entire address, or perhaps "history
`faculty" instead of all the individual faculty addresses. See
`also alias (definition 2).
`'
`
`NIDS n. Acronym for network-based intrusion-detection
`System. A type of intrusion detection system (IDS) that
`analyzes the individual packets moving across a network.
`NIDS can detect packets that a firewall might not catch.
`See also IDS.
`NII n. See National Information Infrastructure.
`nil pointer n. See null pointer.
`
`Nimda worm n. A persistent worm that can slow or freeze
`mail servers, take control of Web pages, and infect sys(cid:173)
`tems through several different means. The Nimda worm
`spreads as an attached file through e-mail, through an
`Internet scan for vulnerable Web servers, through a Java(cid:173)
`Script on an infected Web page, or through network shar(cid:173)
`ing. The Nimda worm first appeared in 2001, with several
`variants following the original version.
`
`NiMH battery n. See nickel metal hydride battery.
`
`nine's complement n. A number in the base-10 (deci(cid:173)
`mal) system that is the complement of another number. It
`is derived by subtracting each digit of the number to be
`complemented from 1 less than the base. For example, the
`nine's complement of 64 is 35-the number derived by
`subtracting 6 from 9 and 4 from 9. See also complement.
`
`NIS n. Acronym for Network Information Service. See
`Yellow Pages (definition 1).
`
`NIST n. See National Institute of Standards and Technology.
`*NIX n. Slang for any UNIX-related operating system, or
`all UNIX-related operating systems. *NIX typically refers
`to UNIX and Linux, and may also include Mac OS X.
`nixpub n. A list of ISPs (Internet service providers) avail(cid:173)
`able in the newsgroups comp.bbs.misc and alt.bbs. See
`also ISP.
`
`NKE n. Acronym for Network Kernel Extension. A modi(cid:173)
`fication or extension of the Mac OS X networking infra(cid:173)
`structure. NKEs may be loaded or unloaded dynamically,
`without recompiling the kernel or without the need to
`reboot the system. NKEs allow the creation and configura(cid:173)
`tion of protocol stacks and modules that may monitor or
`modify network traffic or add other networking feaJures to
`the kernel.
`NL n. See newline character.
`NLQ n. See near-letter-quality.
`NLS n. See natural language support.
`
`NMI n. See nonmaskable interrupt.
`
`NMOS or N-MOS n. Acronym for N-channel metal-oxide
`semiconductor. A semiconductor technology in which the
`conduction channel in MOSFETs is formed by the move(cid:173)
`ment of electrons rather than holes (electron "vacancies"
`created as electrons move from atom to atom). Because
`electrons move faster than holes, NMOS is faster than
`PMOS, although it is more difficult and more expensive to
`fabricate. See also MOS, MOSFET, N-type semiconduc(cid:173)
`tor. Compare CMOS, PMOS.
`
`NNTP n. Acronym for Network News Transfer Protocol.
`A de facto protocol standard on the Internet used to dis(cid:173)
`tribute news articles and query news servers.
`NOC n. See network operation center.
`node n. 1. A junction of some type. 2. In networking, a
`device, such as a client computer, a server, or a shared
`printer, that is connected to the network and is capable of
`communicating with other network devices. 3. In tree
`structures, a location on the tree that can have links to
`one or more nodes below it. Some authors make a dis(cid:173)
`tinction between node and element, with an element
`being a given data type and a node comprising one or
`more elements as well as any supporting data structures.
`See also element (definition 1), graph, pointer (definition
`1), queue, stack, tree.
`
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`noise n. 1. Any interference that affects the operation of a
`device. 2. Unwanted electrical signals, produced either
`naturally or by the circuitry, that distort or degrade the
`quality or performance of a communications channel. See
`also distortion.
`nonbreaking space n. A character that replaces the
`standard space character in order to keep two words
`together on one line rather than allowing a line to break
`between them.
`noncompetes n. An agreement between employer and
`employee that states that the employee will not accept
`work with a competing company for a specified length of
`time after leaving the employer's company. Noncompete
`agreements are common in high-tech companies and are
`typically requested to help maintain company secrets and
`retain valuable employees.
`
`nonconductor n. See insulator.
`
`noncontiguous data structure n. In programming, a
`data structure whose elements are not stored contiguously
`in memory. Data structures such as graphs and trees, whose
`elements are connected by pointers, are noncontiguous data
`structures. Compare contiguous data structure.
`
`nondedicated server n. A computer on a network that
`can function as both a client and a server; typically, a
`desktop machine on a peer-to-peer network. Compare
`dedicated server.
`
`nondestructive readout n. A reading operation .that
`does not destroy the data read, either because the storage
`technology is capable of retaining the data or because the
`reading operation is accompanied by a data refresh
`(update) function. Acronym: NDR, NDRO. Compare
`destructive read.
`
`nonexecutable statement n. 1. A program statement
`that cannot be executed because it lies outside the flow of
`execution through the program. For example, a statement
`immediately following a return() statement but before the
`end of the block in C is nonexecutable. 2. A type defini(cid:173)
`tion, variable declaration, preprocessor command, com(cid:173)
`ment, or other statement in a program that is not translated
`into executable machine code.
`
`nonimpact printer n. Any printer that makes marks on
`the paper without striking it mechanically. The most com(cid:173)
`mon types are ink-jet, thermal, and laser printers. See also
`ink-jet printer, laser printer, thermal printer. Compare
`impact printer.
`
`noninterlaced adj. Pertaining to a display method on ras(cid:173)
`ter-scan monitors in which the electron beam scans each
`line of the screen once during each refresh cycle. Compare
`interlaced.
`nonmaskable interrupt n. A hardware interrupt that
`bypasses and takes priority over interrupt requests gener(cid:173)
`ated by software and by the keyboard and other such
`devices. A nonmaskable interrupt cannot be overruled
`(masked) by another service request and is issued to the
`microprocessor only in disastrous circumstances, such as
`severe memory errors or impending power failures. Acro(cid:173)
`nym: NMI. Compare maskable interrupt.
`
`nonprocedural language n. A programming language
`that does not follow the procedural paradigm of executing
`statements, subroutine calls, and control structures
`sequentially but instead describes a set of facts and rela(cid:173)
`tionships and then is queried for specific results. Compare
`procedural language.
`
`nonreturn to zero n. 1. In data transmission, a method of
`encoding data in which the signal representing binary dig(cid:173)
`its alternates between positive and negative voltage when
`there is a change in digits from 1 to 0 or vice versa. In
`other words, the signal does not return to a zero, or neu(cid:173)
`tral, level after transmission of each bit. Timing is used to
`distinguish one bit from the next. 2. In the recording of
`data on a magnetic surface, a method in which one mag(cid:173)
`netic state represents a 1 and, usually, the opposite state
`represents a 0. Acronym: NRZ.
`
`nontrivial adj. Being either difficult or particularly mean(cid:173)
`ingful. For example, a complicated programmed proce(cid:173)
`dure to handle a difficult problem would represent a
`nontrivial solution.
`
`Non-Uniform Memory Access n. See NUMA.
`
`nonuniform memory architecture n. A system archi(cid:173)
`tecture designed for Sequent's Non-Uniform Access
`Memory, a type of distributed shared memory using a
`number of shared memory segments instead of a single
`centralized physical memory. Acronym: NUMA.
`
`nonvolatile memory n. A storage system that does not
`lose data when power is removed from it. Intended to refer
`to core memory, ROM, EPROM, flash memory, bubble
`memory, or battery-backed CMOS RAM, the term is occa(cid:173)
`sionally used in reference to disk subsystems as well. See
`also bubble memory, CMOS RAM, core, EPROM, flash
`memory, ROM.
`NO-OP n. See no-operation instruction.
`
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`per-pixel lighting n. A lighting scheme used in 3D com(cid:173)
`puter game rendering and other digital animation appli(cid:173)
`cations that calculates proper lighting for every pixel
`displayed. Per-pixel lighting allows highly realistic
`lighting effects but requires significant video card capa(cid:173)
`bilities to display properly. Also called: Phong shading.
`
`Per Seat Licensing n. A licensing mode that requires a
`separate Client Access License for each client computer,
`regardless of whether all the clients access the server at the
`same time. See also client. Compare Per Server Licensing.
`
`Per Server Licensing n. A licensing mode that requires a
`separate Client Access License for each concurrent con(cid:173)
`nection to the server, regardless of whether there are other
`client computers on the network that do not happen to
`connect concurrently. Compare Per Seat Licensing.
`
`persistence n. A characteristic of some light-emitting
`materials, such as the phosphors used in CRTs, that causes
`an image to be retained for a short while after being irradi(cid:173)
`ated, as by an electron beam in a CRT. The decay in per(cid:173)
`sistence is sometimes called luminance decay.
`
`persistent client connection n. See persistent connection.
`
`persistent connection n. A connection to a client that
`remains open after a server sends a response. Included in
`HTTP 1.1 and similar to the Netscape HTTP 1.0 Keep(cid:173)
`Alive extension, persistent connections are used to
`improve Internet efficiency and performance by eliminat(cid:173)
`ing the overhead associated with multiple connections.
`Also called: persistent client connection. See also pipelin(cid:173)
`ing (definition 1).
`
`persistent data n. Data that is stored in a database or on
`tape so that it is retained by the computer between sessions.
`
`persistent link n. See hot link (definition 1).
`
`persistent storage n. Memory that remains intact when
`the power to a device is turned off, such as ROM. See also
`memory.
`
`Personal Communications Services n. Term used by
`the United States Federal Communications Commission
`(FCC) to cover a range of wireless, all-digital communica(cid:173)
`tions technologies and services, including cordless phones,
`voice mail, paging, faxing, and personal digital assistants
`(PDAs). Personal Communications Services, or PCS, is
`
`divided into narrowband and broadband categories. Nar(cid:173)
`rowband, which operates in the 900 MHz band of frequen(cid:173)
`cies, provides paging, data messaging, faxing, and one- and
`two-way electronic messaging capabilities. Broadband,
`which operates in the 1850MHz to 1990 MHz range and is
`considered the next-generation PCS, enables two-way
`voice, data, and video communications. The cellular phone
`technologies known as GSM (Global System for Mobile
`Communications), CDMA (Code Division Multiple
`Access), and TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) are
`included in the PCS category. Acronym: PCS. Compare
`Code Division Multiple Access, Global Systems for
`Mobile Communications, Time Division Multiple Access.
`
`personal computer n. A computer designed for use by
`one person at a time. Personal computers do not need to
`share the processing, disk, and printer resources of another
`computer. IBM PC-compatible computers and Apple
`Macintoshes are both examples of personal computers.
`Acronym: PC.
`
`Personal Computer n. See IBM PC.
`
`Personal Computer Memory Card International
`Association n. See PCMCIA.
`
`personal digital assistant n. See PDA.
`
`personal finance manager n. A software application
`designed to assist the user in performing simple financial
`accounting tasks, such as balancing checkbooks and pay(cid:173)
`ing bills.
`
`Personal Handyphone System n. A device developed in
`Japan to act as a cellular phone that can handle phone,
`FAX, and voice. Acronym: PHS.
`
`personal identification number n. See PIN.
`
`personal information manager n. See PIM.
`
`personalization technology n. An e-commerce market(cid:173)
`ing technique in which Web sites and services analyze the
`interests of individual customers. Thee-business then uses
`this information to deliver services, product offerings, and
`advertising that match each customer's personal interests.
`
`Personal Web Server n. Microsoft applications that
`allow a computer running the Windows family of operat(cid:173)
`ing systems to function as a Web server for publishing
`personal Web pages and intranet sites. Personal Web
`
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