Over
`8,000
`Entries
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`ANCORA EX2009
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`SESEgeoeereercrersenrepercrottuspattirepOTat
`
`
`
`[
`
`PUBLISHED BY
`Microsoft Press
`A Division of Microsoft Corporation
`One Microsoft Way
`Redmond, Washington 98052-6399
`
`Copyright © 1999 by Microsoft Corporation
`
`All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this book may be reproduced ortransmitted in any form
`or by any means without the written permission of the publisher.
`
`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`Microsoft Computer Dictionary. -- 4th ed.
`p. cm.
`Previous eds. published under title: Microsoft Press computer
`dictionary
`ISBN 0-7356-0615-3
`2. Microcomputers Dictionaries.
`1. Computers Dictionaries.
`I. Microsoft Press computer dictionary.
`QA76.15.M538
`1999
`004'.03--dc21
`.
`
`99-20168
`CIP
`
`Printed and boundin the United States of America.
`123456789 MLML 432109
`Distributed in Canada by ITP Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited.
`A CIP catalogue record for this book isavailable from the British Library.
`Microsoft Press books are available throughbooksellers and distributors worldwide. For further information
`about international editions, contact your local Microsoft Corporation office or contact Microsoft Press
`International directiy at fax (425) 936-7329, Visit our Web site at mspress.microsoft.com.
`
`.
`
`Macintosh, Power Macintosh, QuickTime, and TrueTypefonts 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, DirectInput, 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 isa registered trademark of Pantone,Inc. Other product and
`company names mentioned herein may be the trademarksof their respective owners.
`
`The example companies, organizations, products, people, and events depicted herein are fictitious. No associa-
`tion with any real company, organization, product, person, or event is intended or should be inferred.
`
`Acquisitions Editor: Christey Bahn
`Project Editor: Kim Fryer
`
`\
`
`

`

`Advanced
`Digital
`Network
`
`agent
`
`AGP
`
`MPEG-4) used to compose
`the data stream
`in the
`Advanced
`Digital
`Network n. A dedicated
`line ser­
`posi tories
`of inf
`file. An ASP file consists
`of three objects:
`a Header
`vice capable
`of transmitting
`data, video, and other
`user.
`Agents
`of 1
`object
`containing information
`about the file itself;
`a
`digital
`signals
`with exceptional
`reliability,
`offered
`as
`Internet
`and are
`IIJ
`Data object
`containing the media streams;
`and an
`a premier
`service
`by communications
`companies.
`single
`type of ir
`optional
`Index object
`that can help support
`random
`Usually
`Advanced Digital
`Network
`refers
`to speeds
`postings
`on Use
`access
`to data within
`the file. The ASP specification
`at or above 56
`kilobits
`per second
`{Kbps).
`agent used on tl
`See also
`has been submitted to the ISO (lntemalional
`Stan­
`dedicated
`line.
`agent. See also :
`dards Organization)
`for consideration.
`lions,
`a process
`Acronym:
`Advanced
`Interactive
`Executive
`n. See AD(.
`ASP. See also streaming.
`the server.
`4. In
`Advanced
`Mobile Phone Service
`n. See AMPS.
`col (SNMP),
`a r
`adventure game
`n. A role-playing
`computer
`game in
`Advanced
`Power Management
`n. An application
`which the player
`becomes
`a character
`in a narrative.
`See also SNMP.
`interface
`developed
`by Microsoft
`and
`programming
`In order to complete
`the game, the player
`must solve
`AGP n. Acronyu:
`Intel to monitor
`and conserve
`power on a PC-based
`problems
`and avoid or overcome
`attacks
`and other
`high-performan,
`system,
`particularly
`a battery-powered
`laptop
`com­
`environment
`forms of interference
`from the game's
`high-quality
`dis
`puter,
`by enabling
`programs
`to communicate
`their
`and other chara.cters.
`The first adventure
`gam.e was
`oped by Intel
`C,
`power requirements
`so that the system
`can route
`called "Adventure."
`It was developed
`in 1976 by Will
`point-to-point
`c,
`power away from unused
`hardware
`components.
`Crowther of Bolt, Baran.ck
`& Newman. See also role­
`troller
`and main
`APM. See also application programming
`Acronym:
`playing
`game.
`enables
`AGP-ca
`interface.
`ible chip sets to
`AE n. Acronym
`for application
`entity.
`In the ISO/OSI
`Advanced
`Program-to-Program
`Communication
`n.
`system
`memory
`reference
`model,
`one of the two software
`parties
`in­
`ages more quicl
`SeeAPPC.
`volved
`in a communications
`session.
`See also ISO/
`displayed
`when
`Advanced
`Research
`Projects
`Agency Network 11.
`OSI reference
`model.
`over the system
`See ARPANET.
`AFC n. See Application
`Foundation Classes.
`lows for storing
`Advanced
`RISC n. Short for Advanced
`Reduced
`AFDW n. See Active
`Framework
`for Data Warehous­
`texture
`maps in
`Instruction
`Set Computing.
`A specification for
`a
`ing.
`need for large a:
`RISC microchip architecture
`and system
`environ­
`it.self.
`AGP runs
`AFIPS \a'fips\
`n. Acronym
`for American Federation
`ment designed by
`MIPS Computer
`Systems
`to pro­
`bus-and
`can s1
`of Information
`Processing
`Societies.
`An organization
`vide binary
`compatibility
`among software
`533 Mb per secc
`formed in 1961 for the advancement
`of computing
`applications.
`See also RISC.
`and information-related
`concerns.
`The U.S. represen­
`AI n. See
`artifici:
`Advanced
`RISC Computing
`Specification
`n. The
`tative of the International
`Federation
`of Information
`.airr
`Tl. The file
`e
`minimum
`hardware
`requirements
`enabling
`a RISC­
`Processing,
`AFIPS was replaced
`by the Federation
`the sound forms
`based system
`to comply with the Advanced Comput­
`Computing
`in the United
`States (FOCUS)
`in 1990.
`con Graphics
`(S
`ing Environment
`standard.
`See also Advanced RISC.
`AFK adv. Acronym
`for away from keyboard.
`A
`AIFF n. The sou
`Advanced
`SCSI Programming
`Interface
`n. An inter­
`phrase occasionally
`seen in
`live chat services
`OD the
`and Silicon
`face specification
`developed
`by Adaptec,
`Inc.,
`for
`Internet
`and online
`information
`services
`as an indica­
`waveform files i
`sending
`commands to SCSI host adapters.
`The inter­
`tion that one is momentarily
`unable
`to answer.
`waveform.
`See
`face provides
`an abstraction
`layer that insulates
`the
`a.lso chat1 (definition
`1).
`programmer
`from considerations
`of the particular
`A.IX n. Acronym
`AFS n. Acronym
`for Andrew File System.
`A distrib­
`host adapter
`used. Acronym: ASPL Set also adapter,
`A version of the
`uted file system
`for facilitating
`accessibility
`to re­
`SCSI.
`and maintained
`mote files in large networks. Owned
`and maintained
`and PCs.
`Advanced
`Streaming
`Format n. An open file format
`by Transarc
`Corporation,
`AFS was originally
`devel­
`alann n. A visua
`specification
`for streaming
`multimedia
`files contain­
`oped as part of the Andrew project
`at the Information
`alerting the user
`ing text,
`graphics,
`sound,
`video,
`and animation.
`ASP
`Technology
`Center
`at Carnegie-Mellon
`University.
`does not define the format for any media streams
`alert n. 1. In IJllU
`agent n. 1. A program that perfoons
`a background
`within
`the file. Rather,
`it defines a standardized, ex­
`(graphical user i
`iask for a user and reports
`to the user when the task
`tensible
`file "container"
`that is not dependent
`on a
`that signals an e
`2. A
`is done or some expected
`event has taken place.
`particular
`operating
`system
`or communication
`proto­
`sort. See also al,
`program
`that searches
`through archives
`or other re-
`col, or on a particular
`method (such as HTML or
`chronous notific
`
`Gra·
`
`OD
`
`18
`
`
`
`IPR2021-01338
`ANCORA EX2009
`
`

`

`agent
`
`AGP
`
`bug
`aliasing
`
`-earn in the
`cts: a Header
`
`,e file itself; a
`llllS; and an
`?port random
`• specification
`
`ational Stan-
`.Acronym:
`
`nputer game in
`
`· in a narrative.
`ayer must solve
`�ks and other
`s environment
`;urc game was
`in 1976 by Will
`m.See also role-
`
`. In the ISO/OSI
`
`ware parties in­
`See also ISO/
`
`:lasses.
`Data Warehous-
`
`positories of information on a topic specified by the
`
`
`
`The alert interrupts the recipient thread al defined
`
`
`
`
`user. Agents of this sort are used most often on th.e
`and causes it to execute points in its execution an
`
`
`
`
`
`a Internet and are generally dedicated to searching
`
`
`
`
`
`asynchronous procedure call. See also asynchronous
`
`
`
`single type of i.nfonnation repository, such as
`
`
`
`
`procedure call, thread (definition 1).
`
`
`
`
`postings on Usenet groups. Spiders are a type of
`
`alert box n. An on-screen box, in a GUI (graphical
`
`agent used on the Internet. intelligent
`Also called
`
`
`
`user interface}, that is used to deliver a message or
`applica­agent See also spider. 3. In client/server
`
`
`
`
`warning. Compare dialog box.
`
`
`
`
`
`tions, a process that mediates between the client and
`
`
`
`for Algorithmic ALGOL \al'gal, al'gol\ n. Acronym
`
`
`Proto­the server. 4. In Simple Network Management
`
`
`
`Language. The first structured procedural program­
`
`
`
`col (SNMP), a program that monitors network traffic.
`
`
`ming language, developed in the late 1950s and once
`See also SNMP.
`
`widely used in Europe.
`Graphics Port. A AGP n. Acronym for Accelerated
`
`
`
`algorithm 11. A finite sequence of steps for solving a
`
`
`
`
`
`high-performance bus specification designed for fast,
`
`
`
`logical or mathematical problem or performing a
`
`
`
`high-quality display of 3-D and video images. Devel­
`task.
`
`
`oped by Intel Corporation, AGP uses a dedicated
`languagealgorithmic language n. A programming .,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`point-to-point connection between the graphics con-
`
`
`such as Ada, Basic, C, or Pascal, that uses algorithms
`
`
`
`1r0Uer and main system memory. This connection
`
`for problem solving.
`
`
`
`enables AGP-capable display adapters and compat­
`
`
`between ible chip sets to transfer video data directly
`
`
`Algorithmic Language n. See ALGOL .
`
`
`
`
`system memory and adapter memory, to display im­
`alias n. 1. An alternative
`label for some object, such
`
`
`
`ages more quickly and smoothly than they can be
`
`as a file or data collection. 2. A name used to direct
`
`displayed when the infonnation must be transferred
`
`
`
`e-mail messages to a person or group of people on a
`over the system's primary (PCI) bus. AGP also al­
`
`
`
`
`network. 3. A false signal that results from the digiti­
`
`
`
`lows for storing complex image elements such as
`zation of an analog audio sample.
`
`
`maps in system memory and thus reduces the
`texture
`appear­graphics, the jagged aliasing n. In computer
`
`
`
`
`
`need for large amounts of memory on the adapter
`
`
`
`ance of curves or diagonal lines on a display screen,
`ican Federation
`
`
`itself. AGP runs at 66 MHz-twice as fast as the PCI
`
`
`
`which is caused by low screen resolution. See the
`
`
`bus-and can support data transfer speeds of up to
`;. An organization
`illustration.
`
`533 Mb per second. See also PCI local bus.
`t of computing
`be U.S. represen­
`
`Al n. See artificial intelligence.
`n of Information
`
`
`
`.aiff n. The file extension that identifies audio files in
`the Federation
`on
`
`the sound fonnat originally used on Apple and Sili­
`)CUS) in 1990.
`
`con Graphics (SGI) computers.
`Aliasing. The lower resolution of the image on the right
`
`
`Al.FF n. The sound fonnat originally used on Apple
`
`
`reveals the aliasing effect.
`
`
`
`and Silicon Graphics (SGI) computers. AIFF stores
`programming errors aliasing A class of subtle bug n.
`
`
`
`
`
`format. See also waveform files in an 8-bit monaural
`
`that can arise in code that perfonns dynamic alloca­
`waveform.
`
`
`
`
`tion. If several pointers address the same chunk of
`
`
`
`Executive. AIX n. Acronym for Advanced Interactive
`A distrib­
`
`
`
`storage, the program may free the storage using one
`,ystem.
`
`
`
`A version of the UNIX operating system developed
`:essibility
`
`
`of the pointers, but then attempt to use another one
`to re­
`
`and maintained by IBM for its UNIX workstations
`
`
`
`(an alias), which would no longer be pointing to the
`�d and maintained
`and PCs.
`; originally
`devel-
`
`
`desired data. This bug is avoidable by the use of allo­
`alarm 11. A visual or auditory signal from a computer
`
`
`
`t at the Information
`
`
`cation strateg,ies that never use more than one copy
`
`alerting the user to an eaor or hazardous situation.
`ellon University.
`
`
`of a pointer to allocated core memory, or by the use
`
`
`of higher-level languages, such as LISP, which em­
`
`
`alert n. 1. In many operating systems with GUis
`1s a background
`
`
`
`stale ploy a garbage collection feature.
`
`
`
`
`(graphical user interfaces), an audible or visual alaan
`Also called
`1ser when the task
`
`
`
`
`gar­dynamic allocation, pointer bug. See also alias,
`
`
`that signals an error or represents a warning of some
`ts taken place.
`2. A
`bage coUection.
`son. Su also alert box. 2. In programming, an asyn­
`
`or other re-
`:hives
`
`
`chronous notification sent by one thread to another.
`
`leyboard. A
`
`it services
`on the
`vices as an indica­
`� to answer.
`See
`
`rr
`
`19
`
`IPR2021-01338
`ANCORA EX2009
`
`

`

` ‘cial graph
`
`‘the scree)
`the scree
`shapes, b
`-pare and
`‘shape. Al
`pitblt \bit
`bit bucket
`can be di
`device fr
`can be w
`
`nized by
`for exam
`
`Sync
`
`“binomial distribution
`
`
`
`bit:
`
`
`
`
`
`
`bipolar adj. 1. Having two opposite states, such as
`
`positive and negative. 2. In information transfer and
`processing, pertaining to or characteristic of a sig-
`
`nal in which opposite voltage polarities represent on
`and off, true and false, or some other pair of values,
`See also nonreturn to zero. Compare unipolar. 3. In
`
`electronics, pertaining to or characteristic of a tran- '
`sistor having two types of charge carriers. See also
`transistor.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`|
`i
`ren
`RUN
`
`:
`'
`
`BIS n. See business information system.
`BISDN n. See broadband ISDN.
`‘bistable adj. Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a
`system or device that has two possiblestates, suchas
`on andoff. See also flip-flop.
`bistable circuit n. Any circuit that has only twostable
`states. The transition between them must be initiated
`from outside the circuit. A bistable circuit is capable
`of storing 1 bit of information.
`bistable multivibrator n. See flip-flop.
`BISYNC \bi’sénk\ n. Short for binary synchronous
`communications protocol. A communications stan-
`dard developed by IBM. BISYNCtransmissionsare
`encoded in either ASCII or EBCDIC. Messages can
`be of any length andare sent in units called frames,
`optionally preceded by a message header. BISYNC
`uses synchronoustransmission, in which message
`elements are separated by a specific timeinterval, so
`each frame is preceded and followed by special char-
`acters that enable the sending and receiving machines ,
`to synchronize their clocks. STX and ETX are con-
`trol characters that mark the beginning and end of the
`messagetext; BCC is a set of characters used to
`verify the accuracy of transmission. See the illustra-
`tion. Also called BSC.
`bit n. Short for binary digit. The smallest unit of in-
`formation handled by a computer. One bit expresses
`a 1 or a0 ina binary numeral,or a true orfalse logi-
`cal condition, and is represented physically by an
`element such as a high or low voltage at one point in
`a circuit or a small spot on a disk magnetized one
`wayor the other. A single bit conveyslittle informa-
`tion a human wouldconsider meaningful. A group of
`8 bits, however, makes up a byte, which can be used
`to represent many types of information, such as a
`letter of the alphabet, a decimal digit, or other char-
`acter. See also ASCII,binary’, byte.
`
`
`
`t i
`
`:
`i
`
`:
`
`”
`
`50
`
`binomialdistribution n. In statistics, a list or a func-
`tion that describes the probabilities of the possible
`values of a random variable chosen by meansof a —
`Bernoulli sampling process. A Bernoulli process has
`three characteristics: each trial has only two possible
`outcomes—successorfailure; each trial is indepen-
`dentofall othertrials; and the probability of success
`for eachtrial is constant. A binomial distribution can
`be used to calculate the probability of getting a speci-
`fied number of successes in a Bernoulli process. For
`example, the binomial ‘distribution can be used to
`calculate the probability of getting a 7 three times in
`20 rolls of a pair of dice. Also called Bernoulli distri-
`bution.
`biometrics 7. Traditionally, the science of measuring
`and analyzing human biological characteristics. In
`computer technology, biometrics relates to authenti-
`cation and security techniques that rely on measur-
`able, individual biological stamps to recognize or
`verify an individual’s identity. For example, finger-
`prints, handprints, or voice-recognition might be
`used to enable access to a computer, to a room,or to
`an electronic commerce account. Security schemes
`are generally categorized into threelevels: level 1
`relies on something the person carries, such as an ID
`badgewith a photo or a computer cardkey; level 2
`relies on something the person knows,such as a
`password or a code number; level 3, the highestlevel,
`relies on something that is a part of the person’s bio-
`logical makeup or behavior, such as a fingerprint, the.
`pattern of blood vessels in a retina, or a signature.
`See also fingerprint reader, handwriting recognition
`(definition 1), voice recognition.
`bionics \bi-on‘iks’\ n. The study ofliving organisms,
`their characteristics, and the ways they function, with
`a view toward creating hardware that can simulate or
`duplicate tle activities of a biological system. See
`also cybernetics.
`BIOS \bi‘és\ n. Acronym for basic input/output sys-
`tem. On PC-compatible computers, the set of essential
`software routines that tests hardware at startup, starts
`the operating system, and supports the transfer of data
`among hardware devices. The BIOSis stored in read-
`only memory (ROM)so that it can be executed when
`the computeris turned on. Althoughcritical to perfor-
`mance, the BIOSis usually invisible to computer
`users. See also AMI BIOS, CMOSsetup, Phoenix
`BIOS, ROM BIOS. Compare Toolbox.
`
`n
`
`