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`BHM OaireKasGlciecite
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`The Comprehensive Standard for _
`Business, School,asia and Home
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`exsxe)at Press
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`TESLA, INC.
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`Featured in Microsoft’ Bookshelf *
`Covers software, hardware, concepts,
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`Terms
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`Ex.1019/ Page 1 of 24
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`Third Edition
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`Ex.1019/ Page 2 of 24
`TESLA,INC.
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`

`PUBLISHED BY
`Microsoft Press
`A Division of Microsoft Corporation
`One Microsoft Way
`Redmond, Washington 98052-6399
`Copyright © 1997 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 Press Computer Dictionary. -- 3rd ed.
`p.
`em.
`ISBN 1-57231-446-X
`1. Computers--Dictionaries. 2. Microcomputers--Dictionaries.
`I. Microsoft Press.
`QA76.15.M54 1997
`004'.03--dc21
`
`97-15489
`CIP
`
`Printed and bound in the United States of America.
`3 4 5 6 7 8 9 QMQM 2 1 0 9 8
`Distributed to the book trade in Canada by Macmillan of Canada, a division of Canada Publishing
`Corporation.
`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
`Press International directly at fax ( 425) 936-7329.
`Macintosh, Power Macintosh, QuickTime, and TrueType are registered trademarks of Apple Computer,
`Inc. Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. Directinput, DirectX, Microsoft, Microsoft
`Press, MS-DOS, Visual Basic, Visual C++, Win32, Win32s, Windows, Windows NT, and XENIX are
`registered trademarks and ActiveMovie, ActiveX, and Visual J++ are trademarks of Microsoft
`Corporation. Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Otherproduct and company names
`mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
`Acquisitions Editor: Kim Fryer
`Project Editor: Maureen Williams Zimmerman, Anne Taussig
`Technical Editors: Dail Magee Jr., Gary Nelson, Jean Ross, Jim Fuchs, John Conrow, Kurt Meyer,
`Robert Lyon, Roslyn Lutsch
`
`

`

`clean install
`
`-
`
`client/ server architecture
`
`flicts that lower the performance of the system,
`make some programs inoperable, or crash the
`computer. See also boot1, crash2 (definition 1),
`operating systen1.
`clean install \ klen' in-stal/\ n. Reinstallation of
`software in a manner that ensures that no applica-
`tion or system files from a previous installation will
`remain. The procedure prevents "smart" installer
`programs from skipping file installations where a
`file already exists, which could potentially keep a
`problem from being removed.
`clean interface \klen' in/tdr-fas\ n. A user inter-
`face with simple features and intuitive commands.
`See also user interface.
`clean room \ klen / rcmm \ n. A room in which dust
`and other small particles are filtered frorn the air
`and in which protective clothing is worn to avoid
`contaminating electronic components and other
`delicate, sensitive equipment.
`Clear key \kler/ ke\ n. A key in the upper left cor-
`ner of the numeric keypad on some keyboards. In
`many applications, it clears the currently selected
`menu choice or deletes the current selection.
`Clear To Send \kler' td send/\ n. See CTS.
`click \klik\ vb. To press and release a mouse but-
`ton once without moving the mouse. Clicking is
`usually perforn1ed to select or deselect an itern or
`to activate a program or program feature. See also
`right click. Cornpare double-click, drag.
`clickable maps \klik'd-bl maps/\ n. See image
`map.
`click speed \klik/ sped\ n. The maximum interval
`between the first and second time a user presses a
`button on a mouse or other pointing device that
`will still identify these actions as a double-click to
`the con1puter as opposed to two single-clicks. See
`also double-click, mouse, pointing device.
`clickstream \ klik / strem \ n. The path a user takes
`while browsing a Web site. Each distinct selection
`made on a Web page adds one click to the strearn.
`The further down the clickstrearn the user goes
`without finding the sought item, the more likely he
`or she is to depart to another Web site. Analysis of
`usage patterns helps Web site designers create
`user-friendly site structures, links, and search facili-
`ties. See also Web site.
`client \kll/dnt\ n. 1. In object-oriented program-
`ming, a member of a class (group) that uses the
`
`services of another class to which it is not related.
`See also inheritance (definition 1). 2. A process,
`such as a program or task, that requests a service
`provided by another program-for example, a
`word processor that calls on a sort routine built
`into another program. The client process uses the
`requested service without having to "know" any
`working details about the other program or the
`service itself. Compare child (definition 1), descen-
`dant (definition 2). 3. On a local area network or
`the Internet, a computer that accesses shared net-
`work resources provided by another computer
`(called a seroe1). See also client/server architecture,
`server.
`client error \kli/dnt ar'dr\ n. A problern reported
`by the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) client
`module as the result of difficulty in interpreting a
`command or the inability to connect properly to a
`remote host.
`client/server architecture \kli'dnt-sdr-vdr
`tek-chur\ n. An arrangement used on local area
`networks that n1akes use of distributed intelli-
`gence to treat both the server and the individual
`workstations as
`intelligent, programn1able de-
`vices, thus exploiting the full computing power of
`each. This is done by splitting the processing of
`an application between two distinct components:
`a "front-end" client and a "back-end" server. The
`client component is a con1plete, stand-alone per-
`sonal computer (not a "dumb" tern1inal), and it
`offers the user its full range of power and features
`for running applications. The server component
`can be a personal computer, a minicomputer, or a
`mainframe that provides the traditional strengths
`offered by minicornputers and n1ainframes in a
`time-sharing environment: data management,
`inforn1ation sharing between clients, and sophisti-
`cated network administration and security fea-
`tures. The client and server machines work
`together to accomplish the processing of the
`application being used. Not only does
`this
`increase the processing power available over
`older architectures but it also uses that power
`more efficiently. The client portion of the applica-
`tion is typically optimized for user interaction,
`whereas the server portion provides the central-
`ized, multiuser functionality. See also distributed
`intelligence .
`
`• •
`
`

`

`display board
`
`Distributed Computing Environment
`
`n. See video
`
`or a palette of shapes or patterns in a drawing pro-
`gram.
`display board \ di-spla / bord' \
`adapter.
`display card \di-spla/ kird'\ n. Seevideo adapter.
`display cycle \di-spla/ s1'kl\ n. The complete set
`of events that must occur in order for a computer
`image to be displayed on the screen, including
`both the software creation of an image in a com-
`puter's video memory and the hardware opera-
`tions required for accurate on-screen display. See
`also refresh cycle.
`Display Data Channel \dis-pla/ da'td chan'dl,
`dafd\ n. See DDC.
`display device \di-spla/ dd-v1s'\ n. See display.
`display element \di-spla/
`el'd-mdnt\
`n.
`See
`graphics primitive.
`display entity \di-spla/ en'td-te\ n. See entity,
`graphics primitive.
`display face \di-spla/ fas'\ n. A typeface suitable
`for headings and titles in documents, distinguished
`by its ability to stand out from other text on the
`page. Sans serif faces such as Helvetica and Avant
`Garde often work well as display faces. See also
`sans serif. Compare body face.
`display frame \di-spla/ fram'\ n. One image in an
`animation sequence. See also frame (definition 3).
`display image \di-spla/ im'dj\ n. The collection
`of elements displayed together at a single time on
`a computer screen.
`display page \di-spla/ paj'\ n. One screenful of
`display information stored in a computer's video
`n1emory. Computers can have enough video mem-
`ory to hold more than one display page at a time.
`In such instances, programmers, especially those
`concerned with creating animation sequences, can
`update the screen rapidly by creating or modifying
`one display page while another is being viewed by
`the user. See also animation.
`display port \dis-pla/ port'\ n. An output port on
`a cotnputer that provides a signal for a display
`device such as a video monitor.
`Display PostScript \di-spla/ posfskript\ n. An
`extended version of the PostScript
`language,
`intended for device-independent imaging (includ-
`ing monitors and printers) in a tnultitasking envi-
`ronment. Display PostScript has been adopted by
`some hardware manufacturers as the standard
`
`imaging approach for both screens and printers.
`See also PostScript.
`Display Power Management Signaling
`\ dis-pla'
`pou-dr man/dj-mdnt sig'nd-leng\ n. See DPMS.
`display screen \di-spla/ skren'\ n. The part of a
`video unit on which images are shown. See also
`CRT.
`display terminal \di-spla/ tdr'md-ndl\ n. See ter-
`minal (definition 1).
`Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol
`\di'stdns vek'tdr n1ul'te-kast rou/teng pro'td-kol,
`mul't!-kast, roo/teng\ n. An Internet routing pro-
`tocol that provides an efficient n1echanism for
`connectionless datagram delivery to a group of
`hosts across an Internet network. It is a distributed
`protocol that dynamically generates IP multicast
`delivery trees using a technique called Reverse
`Path Multicasting (RPM). Acronym: DVMRP (D'V-
`M-R-P/).
`distortion \di-stor/shdn'\
`n. An undesirable
`change in the waveform of a signal. Distortion can
`occur during signal transmission, as when a radio
`broadcast becomes garbled, or when a signal
`passes through a circuit, as when a stereo system
`is turned up too loud. Distortion often results in
`loss of information. It is mainly a problem in ana-
`log signals; digital signals are not affected by mod-
`erate distortion.
`distribute \di-stri/byoof\ vb. To allocate among
`locations or facilities, as in a data-processing func-
`tion that is performed by a collection of computers
`and other devices linked together by a network.
`distributed bulletin board \ dis-tri' bye5b-tdd bul /-
`d-tin bord\ n. A collection of newsgroups distrib-
`uted to all computers in a wide area network. See
`also newsgroup, Usenet.
`Distributed COM \dis-tri'bye5b-tdd kom \ n. See
`DCOM.
`Distributed Component Object Model
`\ dis-tri'-
`byoo-tdd kdm-po'ndnt ob/jekt mod'dl\ n. See
`DCOM.
`distributed computing \dis-tri'bye5b-tdd
`pye5b/teng\ n. See distributed processing.
`Distributed Computing Environment
`\ dis-tri'-
`byOb-tdd kdm-pye5b/teng en-v1r'dn-mdnt, en-
`v!'drn-mdnt\ n. A set of standards from the Open
`Group (formerly the Open Software Foundation)
`for development of distributed applications that
`
`kdm-
`
`

`

`distributed database
`
`, divergence
`
`can operate on more than one platform. Acronym:
`DCE (D'C-E/). See also distributed processing.
`distributed database \dis-tri'byoo-tdd da/td-bas\
`n. A database implemented on a network. The
`component partitions are distributed over various
`nodes (stations) of the network. Depending on the
`specific update and retrieval traffic, distributing
`the database can significantly enhance overall per-
`formance. See also partition (definition 2).
`distributed database management system \dis-
`tri'byoo-tdd da/td-bas man'dj-mdnt si'stdm\ n. A
`database management system capable of manag-
`ing a distributed database. Acronym: DDBMS
`(D'D-B'M-S/). See also distributed database.
`distributed rtle system \ dis-tri /byoo-tdd
`fil
`si' stdm \ n. A file management system in which
`files may be located on multiple computers con-
`nected over a local or wide area network.
`distributed intelligence \dis-tri'byoo-tdd
`in-
`tel / d-jdns \ n. A system in which processing ability
`(intelligence) is distributed among multiple com-
`puters and other devices, each of which can work
`independently to some degree but can also com-
`municate with the other devices to function as part
`of the larger system. See also distributed process-
`ing.
`distributed network \ dis-tri /byoo-tdd net' wdrk \
`n. A network in which processing, storage, and
`other functions are handled by separate units
`(nodes) rather than by a single main computer.
`distributed processing \ dis-tri' byoo-tdd pros/ es-
`eng \ n. A form of information processing in which
`work is performed by separate computers linked
`through a communications network. Distributed
`processing is usually categorized as either plain
`distributed processing or true distributed process-
`ing. Plain distributed processing shares the work-
`load among computers that can communicate with
`one another. True distributed processing has sep-
`arate computers perform different tasks in such a
`way that their cotnbined work can contribute to a
`larger goal. The latter type of processing requires
`a highly structured environment that allows hard-
`ware and software
`to communicate,
`share
`resources, and exchange information freely.
`Distributed System Object Model \dis-tri'bycm-
`tdd si'stdm ob/jekt mod'dl\ n. IBM's System
`Object Model (SOM) in a shared environment,
`
`where binary class libraries can be shared be-
`tween applications on networked computers or
`between applications on a given system. The Dis-
`tributed System Object Model complements exist-
`ing object-oriented languages by allowing SOM
`class libraries to be shared among applications
`written in different languages. Acronym: DSOM
`(D'S-O-M/). See also SOM (definition 1).
`distributed transaction processing
`\ dis-tri'byOb-
`tdd tranz-ak/shdn pros'es-eng\ n. Transaction
`processing that is shared by one or more comput-
`ers communicating over a network. Acronym:
`DTP (D'T-P/). See also distributed processing,
`transaction processing.
`distribution list \ dis-trd-byoo / shdn list'\ n. A list
`of recipients on an e-mail mailing list. This can be
`in the form of either a mailing list progran1, such
`as LISTSERV, or an alias in an e-mail program for
`all recipients of an e-mail message. See also alias
`(definition 2), LISTSERV, mailing list.
`distributive sort \di-stri/byd-tiv
`sort'\
`n. An
`ordering process in which a list is separated into
`parts and then reassembled in a particular order.
`See also sort algorithm. Compare bubble sort,
`insertion sort, merge sort, quicksort.
`dithering \didh/dr-eng\ n. A technique used in
`computer graphics to create the illusion of vatying
`shades of gray on a monochrome display or
`printer, or additional colors on a color display
`or printer. Dithering relies on treating areas of an
`image as groups of dots that are colored in differ-
`ent patterns. Akin to the print images called half-
`tones, dithering takes advantage of the eye's
`tendency to blur spots of different colors by aver-
`aging their effects and merging them into a single
`perceived shade or color. Depending on the ratio
`of black dots to white dots within a given area, the
`overall effect is of a particular shade of gray. Dith-
`ering is used to add realism to computer graphics
`and to soften jagged edges in curves and diagonal
`lines at low resolutions. See the illustration. See
`also aliasing, halftone.
`divergence \ di-vdr/jdns \ n. A moving apart or
`separation. On computer displays, divergence
`occurs when the red, green, and blue electron
`beatns in a color monitor do not collectively light
`the same spot on the screen. Within a program,
`such as a spreadsheet, divergence can occur when
`
`•
`IS.I •
`
`

`

`distributed database
`
`, divergence
`
`can operate on more than one platform. Acronym:
`DCE (D'C-E/). See also distributed processing.
`distributed database \dis-tri'byoo-tdd da/td-bas\
`n. A database implemented on a network. The
`component partitions are distributed over various
`nodes (stations) of the network. Depending on the
`specific update and retrieval traffic, distributing
`the database can significantly enhance overall per-
`formance. See also partition (definition 2).
`distributed database management system \dis-
`tri'byoo-tdd da/td-bas man'dj-mdnt si'stdm\ n. A
`database management system capable of manag-
`ing a distributed database. Acronym: DDBMS
`(D'D-B'M-S/). See also distributed database.
`distributed rtle system \ dis-tri /byoo-tdd
`fil
`si' stdm \ n. A file management system in which
`files may be located on multiple computers con-
`nected over a local or wide area network.
`distributed intelligence \dis-tri'byoo-tdd
`in-
`tel / d-jdns \ n. A system in which processing ability
`(intelligence) is distributed among multiple com-
`puters and other devices, each of which can work
`independently to some degree but can also com-
`municate with the other devices to function as part
`of the larger system. See also distributed process-
`ing.
`distributed network \ dis-tri /byoo-tdd net' wdrk \
`n. A network in which processing, storage, and
`other functions are handled by separate units
`(nodes) rather than by a single main computer.
`distributed processing \ dis-tri' byoo-tdd pros/ es-
`eng \ n. A form of information processing in which
`work is performed by separate computers linked
`through a communications network. Distributed
`processing is usually categorized as either plain
`distributed processing or true distributed process-
`ing. Plain distributed processing shares the work-
`load among computers that can communicate with
`one another. True distributed processing has sep-
`arate computers perform different tasks in such a
`way that their cotnbined work can contribute to a
`larger goal. The latter type of processing requires
`a highly structured environment that allows hard-
`ware and software
`to communicate,
`share
`resources, and exchange information freely.
`Distributed System Object Model \dis-tri'bycm-
`tdd si'stdm ob/jekt mod'dl\ n. IBM's System
`Object Model (SOM) in a shared environment,
`
`where binary class libraries can be shared be-
`tween applications on networked computers or
`between applications on a given system. The Dis-
`tributed System Object Model complements exist-
`ing object-oriented languages by allowing SOM
`class libraries to be shared among applications
`written in different languages. Acronym: DSOM
`(D'S-O-M/). See also SOM (definition 1).
`distributed transaction processing
`\ dis-tri'byOb-
`tdd tranz-ak/shdn pros'es-eng\ n. Transaction
`processing that is shared by one or more comput-
`ers communicating over a network. Acronym:
`DTP (D'T-P/). See also distributed processing,
`transaction processing.
`distribution list \ dis-trd-byoo / shdn list'\ n. A list
`of recipients on an e-mail mailing list. This can be
`in the form of either a mailing list progran1, such
`as LISTSERV, or an alias in an e-mail program for
`all recipients of an e-mail message. See also alias
`(definition 2), LISTSERV, mailing list.
`distributive sort \di-stri/byd-tiv
`sort'\
`n. An
`ordering process in which a list is separated into
`parts and then reassembled in a particular order.
`See also sort algorithm. Compare bubble sort,
`insertion sort, merge sort, quicksort.
`dithering \didh/dr-eng\ n. A technique used in
`computer graphics to create the illusion of vatying
`shades of gray on a monochrome display or
`printer, or additional colors on a color display
`or printer. Dithering relies on treating areas of an
`image as groups of dots that are colored in differ-
`ent patterns. Akin to the print images called half-
`tones, dithering takes advantage of the eye's
`tendency to blur spots of different colors by aver-
`aging their effects and merging them into a single
`perceived shade or color. Depending on the ratio
`of black dots to white dots within a given area, the
`overall effect is of a particular shade of gray. Dith-
`ering is used to add realism to computer graphics
`and to soften jagged edges in curves and diagonal
`lines at low resolutions. See the illustration. See
`also aliasing, halftone.
`divergence \ di-vdr/jdns \ n. A moving apart or
`separation. On computer displays, divergence
`occurs when the red, green, and blue electron
`beatns in a color monitor do not collectively light
`the same spot on the screen. Within a program,
`such as a spreadsheet, divergence can occur when
`
`•
`IS.I •
`
`

`

`father
`
`fax modem
`
`Favorites folder \fa/v;;)r-its fol'd;;)r, fa/vr;;)ts\ n. In
`Microsoft Internet Explorer, a collection of short-
`cuts to Web sites that a user has selected for future
`reference. Other Web browsers refer to this collec-
`tion by other names, such as bookmarks or hot-
`lists. See also bookn1ark file (definition 1), Internet
`Explorer, URL. Compare bookmark (definition 2),
`hotlist.
`fax \faks\ n. Short for facsimile. The transmission
`of text or graphics over telephone lines in digitized
`form. Conventional fax machines scan an original
`document, transmit an image of the document as
`a bit map, and reproduce the received image on a
`printer. Resolution and encoding are standardized
`in the CCITT Groups 1-4 recon1mendations. Fax
`images can also be sent and received by micro-
`computers equipped with fax hardware and soft-
`ware. See also CCITT Groups 1-4.
`fax machine \ faks / m;;)-shen' \ n. Short for facsim-
`ile machine. A device that scans pages, converts
`the images of those pages to a digital format con-
`sistent with the international facsimile standard,
`and transn1its the image through a telephone line.
`A fax machine also receives such images· and
`prints them on paper. See the illustration. See also
`scan (definition 2).
`
`The FAT is the only file systen1 MS-DOS can use;
`OS/2, Windows NT, and Windows 95 operating
`systems can use the FAT file systen1 in addition to
`their own file systems (HPFS, NTFS, and VFAT,
`respectively). See also file allocation table, HPFS,
`NTFS, OS/2, VFAT, Windows 95, \Vindows NT.
`father \fa/dh;;)r\ n. See generation (definition 1).
`father f1le \fa/ dhdr fiT\ n. A file that is the last
`previously valid set of a changing set of data. The
`father file is immediately preceded by a grandfa-
`ther file and immediately succeeded by its son.
`The pairs father and son, parent and child (or
`descendant), and independent and dependent are
`synonymous. See also generation (definition 1).
`fat server \faf S;;)r/v;;)r\ n.
`In a client/server
`architecture, a server machine that performs most
`of the processing, with little or none performed
`by the client. Applications logic and data reside
`on the server, and presentation services are han-
`dled by the client. See also client (definition 3),
`client/server architecture, server (definition 2),
`thin client. Compare fat client, thin server.
`fatware \fat/war\ n. Software that monopolizes
`hard disk space and power due to an overabun-
`dance of features or inefficient design. Also called
`bloatware.
`fault \fait, folt\ n. A physical defect, such as a
`loose connection, that prevents a system or device
`from operating as it should.
`fault tolerance \fait/ tol';;)r-ens, folt/\ n. The abil-
`ity of a computer or an operating system to
`respond to a catastrophic event or fault, such as
`a power outage or a hardware failure, in a way
`that ensures that no data is lost and any work in
`progress is not corrupted. This can be accom-
`plished with a battety-backed power supply,
`backup hardware, provisions in the operating
`system, or any combination of these. In a fault-
`tolerant network, the systetn has the ability either
`to continue the system's operation without loss
`of data or to shut the system down and restart it,
`recovering all processing that was in progress
`when the fault occurred.
`favorite \fa/v;;)r-if, fa/vr;;)t\ n. In Microsoft Internet
`Explorer, a user-defined shortcut to a page on the
`World Wide Web, analogous to a bookmark in
`Netscape Navigator. See also Favorites folder, bot-
`list. Compare bookmark (definition 2).
`
`Fax machine.
`fax modem \faks/ m6'd;;)m\ n. A modem that
`sends (and possibly receives) data encoded in a
`fax forn1at (typically CCITT fax format), which
`a fax machine or another modem decodes and
`converts to an image. The image must already
`have been encoded on the host computer. Text
`
`II •
`
`

`

`f1ltering program
`
`FIR port
`
`designated output destination. A database filter, for
`example, tnight flag information of a certain age.
`2. In communications and electronics, hardware or
`software that selectively passes certain eletnents of
`a signal and eliminates or minimizes others. A filter
`on a communications network, for exatnple, must
`be designed to transmit a certain frequency but
`attenuate (dampen) frequencies above it (a low-
`pass filter), those below it (a highpass filter), or
`those above and below it (a bandpass filter). 3. A
`pattern or mask through which data is passed to
`weed out specified items. For instance, a filter used
`in e-mail or in retrieving newsgroup messages can
`allow users to filter out messages from other users.
`See also e-mail filter, mask. 4. In computer graph-
`ics, a special effect or production effect that is
`applied to bitmapped images; for example, shifting
`pixels within an image, making elements of the
`itnage transparent, or distorting the image. Sotne
`filters are built into a graphics program, such as a
`paint program or an image editor. Others are sep-
`arate software packages that plug into the graphics
`program. See also bitmapped graphics, itnage edi-
`tor, paint program.
`filtering program \fil/tdr-eng pnYgram \ n. A
`program that filters information and presents only
`results that match the qualifications defined in the
`program.
`FilterKeys \fil/tdr-kez'\ n. A Windows 95 accessi-
`bility control panel feature that enables users with
`physical disabilities to use the keyboard. With Fil-
`terKeys, the system ignores brief and repeated
`keystrokes that result from slow or inaccurate fin-
`ger movements. See also accessibility. Compare
`MouseKeys, ShowSounds, SoundSentry, Sticky-
`Keys, ToggleKeys.
`Final-Form-Text DCA \fi'ndl-fonn-teksf D-C-A/\
`n. A standard in Doo .. nnent Content Architecture
`(DCA) for storing documents in ready-to-print
`form for interchange between dissimilar programs.
`A related standard is Revisable-Form-Text DCA
`(RFTDCA). Acronym: FFTDCA (F'F-T'D-C-A/). See
`also DCA (definition 1). Compare Revisable-Form-
`Text DCA.
`find \find\ vb. See search2.
`Finder \fin/ddr\ n. The standard interface to the
`Macintosh operating system, allowing the user to
`view the contents of directories (folders); to move,
`
`copy, and delete files; and to launch applications.
`Items in the system are often represented as icons,
`and a mouse or similar pointing device is used to
`manipulate these items. The Finder was the first
`commercially successful graphical user interface,
`and it helped launch a wave of interest in icon-
`based systems. See also MultiFinder.
`finger1
`\feng/dr\ n. An Internet utility, originally
`limited to UNIX but now available on many other
`platforms, that enables a user to obtain informa-
`tion on other users who may be at other sites (if
`those sites permit access by finger). Given an e-
`mail address, finger returns the user's full name, an
`indication of whether or not the user is currently
`logged on, and any other information the user has
`chosen to supply as a profile. Given a first or last
`name, finger returns the logon names of users
`whose first or last names match.
`finger2
`\feng/dr\ vb. To obtain information on a
`user by means of the finger program.
`fingerprint reader \feng/-dr-print re'ddr\ n. A
`scanner that reads human fingerprints for compar-
`ison to a database of stored fingerprint images.
`FIPS \fips, F'I-P-S/\ n. See Federal Information
`Processing Standards.
`11rewall \fir/wal\ n. A security system intended to
`protect an organization's network against external
`threats, such as hackers, coming from another net-
`work, such as the Internet. A firewall prevents
`cotnputers in the organization's network from
`comn1unicating directly with computers external
`to the network and vice versa. Instead, all commu-
`nication is routed through a proxy server outside
`of the organization's network, and the proxy
`server decides whether it is safe to let a particular
`message or file pass through to the organization's
`network.
`firmware \fdrm/war\ n. Software routines stored
`in read-only memory (ROM). Unlike random
`access men1ory (RAM), read-only memory stays
`intact even in the absence of electrical power.
`Startup
`routines and
`low-level
`input/output
`instructions are stored in firmware. It falls between
`software and hardware in terms of ease of modifi-
`cation. See also RAM, ROM.
`FIR port \F'I-R/ port\ n. Short for fast infrared
`port. A wireless I/0 port, most common on a
`portable computer, that exchanges data with an
`
`• l!)t# •
`
`

`

`LAN \Ian\ n. Acronym for local area network. A
`group of computers and other devices dispersed
`over a relatively limited area and connected by a
`communications link that enables any device to
`interact with any other on the network. LANs
`commonly include microcomputers and shared
`resources such as laser printers and large hard
`disks. The devices on a LAN are known as
`nodes, and the nodes are connected by cables
`through which messages are transmitted. See also
`baseband network, broadband network, bus net-
`work, collision detection, communications proto-
`col, contention, CSMA/CD, network, ring net-
`work, star network, token bus network, token
`passing, token ring network. Compare wide area
`network.
`landscape mode \land/skap mod'\ n. A horizon-
`tal print orientation in which text or images are
`printed "sideways"-that is, the width of the image
`on the page is greater than the height. See the
`illustration. Con1pare portrait mode.
`
`Lorem ipsum solebat somnus complexus est.
`Africanus se ostendit es forma quae mihi
`imagine elus quam ex isso erat notior. Quem ubi
`agnovi, quidem cohorrui. Quaesivi tamen
`vivertne ipse et Paulus pater et ali quos nos
`extintos.
`
`Ll cache \L-w;;}n/ kash'\ n. A memory cache built
`into i486 and higher-level processors. The L1
`cache, typically containing 8 KB, can be read in a
`single clock cycle, so it is tried first. The i486 con-
`tains one L1 cache; the Pentium contains two, one
`for code and one for data. Also called level 1
`cache, on-chip cache. See also cache, i486DX, Pen-
`tium. Co1npare L2 cache.
`L2 cache \L-te5b/ kash'\ n. A memory cache con-
`sisting of static RAM on a motherboard that uses
`an i486 or higher-level processor. The L2 cache,
`which typically contains 128 KB to 1 MB, is faster
`than the system DRAM but slower than the L1
`cache built into the CPU chip. Also called level 2
`i486DX,
`cache. See also cache, dynamic RAM,
`static RAM. Compare L1 cache.
`LSR \Ei/t;;}r\ adv. Abbreviation for "later." As in
`"See you later," an expression often used in e-mail
`or Usenet groups as a closing remark.
`.Ia \dofL-A/\ n. On the Internet, the major geo-
`graphic domain specifying that an address is
`located in Laos.
`label \ la /bdl \ n. An identifier. A label can be a
`physical item, such as a stick-on tag used to iden-
`tify disks and other computer equipment, or an
`electronic label added to floppy disks or hard
`disks. It can also be a word, symbol, or other
`group of characters used to identify a file, a stor-
`age mediu1n, an element defined in a computer
`program, or a specific item in a document such as
`a spreadsheet or a chart. See also identifier.
`label preitx \la/bdl pn§'fiks\ n. In a spreadsheet,
`a character at the beginning of a cell entry that
`identifies the entry to the program as a label.
`lag \lag\ n. The time difference between two
`events. In electronics, a lag is a delay between a
`change in input and a change in output. On com-
`puter displays, a lag is a fading brightness left on
`the phosphor coating of the screen after an image
`changes. See also persistence.
`
`Landscape mode.
`landscape monitor \land/skap mon';;}-t;;}r\ n. A
`monitor that is wider than it is high. Landscape
`monitors are usually about 33 percent wider than
`they are high-roughly the same proportion as a
`
`•
`
`

`

`·
`
`localization
`
`LLC \L 'L-C/\ n. See IEEE 802 standards.
`load 1 \lad\ n. l. The total con1puting burden a
`system carries at one time. 2. In electronics, the
`amount of current drawn by a device. 3. In com-
`munications, the amount of traffic on a line.
`load2 \lad\ vb. To place information from storage
`into memory for processing, if it is data, or for exe-
`cution, if it is program co