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"When Accuracy Really Matters"
SERVICE Resources & Links
Glossary
Print and Web
Glossary
Print and Web
A B
C D E
F G H
I J K
L M N
O P Q
R S T
U V W
X Y Z
| Acrobat |
Acrobat is the
essential program in Adobe's electronic document distribution model. Using
Acrobat, the creator of a document can export content created in a page
layout or graphic generation program in the PDF (Portable Document
Format). This document can then be viewed and printed by anyone who has a
copy of the Acrobat Reader software, which is available free of charge
from Adobe. This process demonstrates clearly that free software does
indeed make the world a far better place.
|
| ActiveX |
ActiveX is a
set of standard controls that can be used by web developers to infuse
websites with functionality that more closely resembles application-level
software than traditional static web content. It is not a program or a
programming language, but an arsenal of tools that can be used to enhance
Internet delivery of information and functionality. While ActiveX is a
means to deliver very rich content to remote Internet users, it is not
supported by all browser/client environments. A website that relies solely
on ActiveX content may be endlessly cool to users whose computers are
equipped to handle it, but completely bereft of coolness to those users
who are not set up to take advantage of the technology.
|
| Alias
|
"Aliasing"
is the undesirable "stairstep" effect that is often created when
graphics are stored digitally. Aliasing is also referred to as "jaggies".
In the Macintosh world, the term "alias" also refers to a
pointer file that actually represents another file.
|
| Anti-alias |
Image processing
designed to prevent the stairstep effect often encountered in digital
imaging. Anti-aliasing achieves crisper image quality by
adding an artificial blur to an image.
|
| Applet |
Refers to
a module created as a Java program that is designed to run in an
environment that supports the Java architecture (such as a web browser).
While applets are technically not considered stand-alone programs, they
can contain the full functionality of application level software (e.g.,
word processing, drawing, flashing one's company logo off and on).
|
| Application |
A program that
runs on a computer to provide the user with specific functionality.
Applications are usually used to create, view, and modify electronic
documents. Word processors, image editors, and web browsers are all
examples of applications. Even games are considered applications, but it's
usually pretty hard to convince your boss that they are essential for
productivity.
|
| ASP |
"Active
Server Page" A technology for creating web pages that are to contain
dynamically-generated elements. Using ASP, a developer can infuse pages
with specific programming commands that are executed by the web server and
converted into regular old HTML before being sent down to the browser. In
contrast to HTML, which is essentially nothing more than a markup language
for web page layout, ASP is capable of executing a wide variety of
genuinely cool functions, like customizing page content based on the
user's profile, retrieving information from a database, and flashing the
current date and time at the top of every page (okay, maybe that last one
isn't all that cool). One of the biggest advantages of the ASP delivery
model is that it makes no additional demands of the end user in order to
work properly. Since all the processing is done on the server and the
resulting content is delivered in the form of ordinary web pages, all the
browser has to interpret is good old friendly HTML.
|
| AVI |
"Audio
Video Interleave" AVI is the file extension and therefore the common
nickname for a "Video for Windows" file. This characteristically
confusing acronym represents the digital video file format offered by
Microsoft for use in its operating systems. If it stands for "Video
for Windows" then why didn't they select ".VFW"? Perhaps
this extension was already in use by the "Veterans of Foreign
Wars" but only Microsoft knows the answer for sure.
|
| Banding |
The undesirable
effect of waves or bands of the same color on a digital graphic. Banding
often occurs in images that include finely graduated transitions from one
color to another. The effect can be created by sending an image to an
output device that can't support the number of shades necessary to
preserve the integrity of the image. Banding also occurs when an image is
saved without enough color depth in the file. At its worst, banding ends
up making images look like they were drawn with cheap magic markers, which
is interesting, but rarely the desired effect.
|
| Bandwidth |
Contrary to
popular belief, this does not refer to the aggregate girth of a group of
musicians. Bandwidth is the capacity of a data connection expressed by the
amount of data that can be conducted by it per second. The closest analogy
is that bandwidth is the thickness of the pipeline through which data
travels. Generally speaking, more bandwidth at both ends of a pipeline
will result in faster data transfer. Bandwidth and transfer speed are
closely related, but are not the same thing.
|
| Baud |
A measurement
of the speed with which a modem is capable of communicating. It refers to
the number of times per second that a modem can switch channels. It is
worth noting that the baud rate of a modem is not the same thing as the
connection speed, which is expressed in bits per second. A modem with a
higher baud rate is designed to connect at a higher speed, but it does not
ensure a faster connection. A really fast modem is kind of like a really
fast car; it doesn't travel at 180 mph all the time.
|
| BBS |
BBS stands for
"Bulletin Board System," which is a pretty fair illustration of
what it does. A BBS is an electronic repository for uploading and
downloading files over a network, usually a WAN. Users who wish to take
files from or leave files on a BBS can simply connect to the BBS server
via a modem or LAN and make their deposits or withdrawals.
|
| Beta SP |
A
production-quality tape format with significantly better fidelity than the
consumer-grade VHS format. Beta SP is a popular format for use in
professional video production, where VHS just doesn't cut the mustard.
|
| Bit | A bit is the base unit of data storage. All information that is stored digitally is made up of collections of bits. By itself, a bit doesn't do much of anything, but when they get together, bits are capable of some pretty cool stuff. |
| Bloatware |
Application
software that attempts to do too much and becomes unwieldy for the the
user. An example of bloatware would be a word processing application that
also tries to be your page layout program, drawing tool, and web browser;
absorbing half your hard drive and all your RAM in the process.
|
| Bot |
A program that
acts as an agent to perform activities that would otherwise require a
human. "Bot" is a abbreviation for the word "Robot,"
although the actions carried out by these "bots" are rarely the
stufff of science fiction. A typical example of a bot would be the indexer
or "crawler" employed by an Internet search engine. These bots
actively follow links to web pages and record the information they find in
a database.
|
| Buick |
Slang for a
really large server. Large in physical size, that is, not in storage
capacity or functionality.
|
| Byte |
A byte is a unit
of data storage equivalent to eight bits or one charactor or space. In
order to be of use for storing information, bits are organized into bytes,
which are in turn grouped into larger chunks.
|
| CD-I |
"Compact
Disc - Interactive". A proprietary format for creating CD-ROMs that
was introduced by Philips many years ago. Its purpose was to provide a
file structure that would lend itself to use with interactive games and
entertainment-based CD titles. Use of a CD-I disc requires a playback
device that is specifically designed to interpret these discs, such a
device is roughly as easy to find as a working 8-track tape deck. Suffice
to say, this disc format did not really catch on.
|
| CGI |
"Common
Gateway Interface" CGI is a means to providing additional
functionality on an Internet server by performing program processing on
the server side, and then delivering the results to the client side. A CGI
solution typically employs a program, such as a PERL script as a
"middle man" to process information that the web browser itself
is not equipped to handle. It's kind of like the mother bird chewing the
food before giving it to her young, although it's a lot less gross.
|
| Chevrolet |
Slang for a
computer that is just enough to get the job done. The term would typically
be applied to a machine that lacks processing power, memory, or the most
current features but is capable of performing its assigned tasks.
|
| Client | The client, in computer terminology, is the computer that receives information from a server. For example, when one is browsing the web, the computer used to view the pages is acting as an Internet "client," receiving all of the page and graphic information from the server that contains it. The term client is sometimes also used to describe a piece of software that is doing the job of communicating with a remote server, such as an FTP application or an e-mail program. |
| CMYK |
"Cyan
Magenta Yellow Black" One of the two prevailing color models in
use for electronic publishing. CMYK imaging is the central concept in
four-color printing. This system is based on the principle that all colors
can be created by combining the proper amounts of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow,
and Black. The CMYK color model is an "additive" scheme, in
which white (or blank) is defined as the abscence of all four source
colors and all tones are created by adding the appropriate amounts of the
necessary colors.
|
| Codec |
"Coder-Decoder"
A software or hardware solution that is responsible for translating stored
data between compressed and uncompressed formats.
|
| Color Depth | The amount of color that a computer display is capable of processing. The color depth of a system will range from Black and White (1-bit) to Millions of Colors (32-bit). Color depth is expressed in the number of colors or color bits available per pixel (e.g., 8-bit color refers to a display that is capable of showing 256 colors, 2-bit color refers to the amount of color that you can buy for a quarter). It may help to think of color depth as the size of the box of crayons that a computer has; the bigger the box, the more shades available of each color. If possible, try for the big box with the built-in sharpener.
|
| Color Model |
The color model
is the means through which a computer system defines how individual colors
within a file will be stored and delivered. The standard color models in
use in electronic publishing today are RGB (Red, Green, Blue) and CMYK
(Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). Generally speaking, RGB is used most often
for the display screen and CMYK is typically used for print applications.
These two color models take the opposite approach to drawing the page or
screen from one another, and when selecting which one will best suit a
particular purpose, this should be taken into account.
|
| Compression | A means of encoding a digital file so that it occupies a smaller amount of disk space than the data contained within the file. In order to make use of a compressed file, one must employ a codec (coder-decoder). |
| Consumable |
Material that
gets used up in the process of creating printed materials. In desktop
publishing for instance; the paper, toner, ink, and film would be examples
of the consumables. In purely digital communication, like website
publishing, there are few, if any, consumables, unless you include the
fourteen pizzas that the average webmaster goes through in a week.
|
| Crash |
A computer's
failure to continue functioning after encountering an error. When a
computer crashes, it generally needs to be restarted to clear the error
and resume ordinary function. Sometimes only a single application will
crash, leaving the other operations of the computer unaffected. To a
pessimist, a crash is a grinding halt in productivity, whereas optimists
tend to look at it as a glorious opportunity to run and grab a cup of
coffee.
|
| De-bug |
The act of
eradicating all programming errors within a piece of software before it is
ready for use. The term has its origin in the early days of computing,
when computers were the size of moving vans and lapses in functionality
could often be traced to actual insects getting stuck inside of their
internal workings. I'm not kidding.
|
| Distributed Printing |
An information
delivery model in which the file to be printed is completely prepared for
output at one location and is then sent electronically to one or more
separate locations for final printing. This allows for nearly immediate
distribution of printed documents over a far-reaching geographical area.
Thanks to distributed printing, a national or even international audience
can appreciate that nifty fresh ink smell.
|
| DNS |
"Domain
Name Server" A DNS is a computer whose job it is to tell other
computers where to look on the Internet for a particular website or group
of websites, which are assembled into designations called
"domains." Computers communicate with each other by exchanging
sets of numbers and not by forming sentences out of words as humans do.
For this reason, Internet addresses are actually defined by strings of
numbers called IP addresses. In order to express these names and locations
in a language that humans can remember and communicate effectively, a
translation must take place. This translation is performed by Domain Name
Servers, which then make the results available to other computers on the
Internet, as well as those within the LANs to which they are connected.
|
| Domain |
A domain is a
division of the Internet. Each domain is owned by a particular
organization, although some organizations own many different domains.
Technically, each domain is defined by a specific IP address, which is
very often translated from a numerical designation to a verbal one (e.g.,
"206.65.104.xxx" is also known as "www.asap.net"). For
practical purposes, companies use unique domain names to make their
websites easier to remember. The last three letters in a domain name are
used to designate what type of organization will be using a given domain
(e.g. ".com" refers to a commercial interest ".gov" is
the domain type for government organizations). A domain name remains the
property of the owning entity until they stop paying the annual fee for
its use or sell it to another organization for a ridiculously inflated
price...aah, capitalism.
|
| DreamWeaver | DreamWeaver is the name of the application that is available from Macromedia to provide users with a graphical interface for the creation of web pages. This type of program is commonly referred to as an "HTML editor" because its job is to generate HTML files based on the commands executed in the page layout interface available to the user. Other HTML editing packages include Microsoft FrontPage and Adobe PageMill. The alternative to using a program like this to create web pages is to either use a text editor and enter the HTML codes directly, or get someone else to make your web pages for you (a very popular choice). As I'm sure you already know, Dreamweaver is also the name of the soulful rock anthem performed by the legendary Gary Wright. |
| EPS |
"Encapsulated
PostScript" EPS is a highly popular format for storing digital
graphics for use in preparing documents for print. An EPS file contains
the complete definition of a given image in the PostScript language that
is used by the output device, in addition to a screen-based preview image
built right in. It's even better than a shampoo with a built-in
conditioner.
|
| Ethernet |
|
| Extranet |
Another
variation on the theme of the Internet is represented by the term
"extranet." Extranet does not represent a separate concept from
Internet (or even intranet), but rather a specialized application of the
technology that comprises the Internet. An extranet is really just a
collaborative extension of an intranet. While an intranet is typically
used for communication strictly within an organization, an extranet may
expand access to individuals outside that company, such as vendors or
clients. A pretty decent analogy would be to view the idea of extranet as
the "closed circuit TV" of the Internet (notwithstanding the
fact that there probably actually is somebody out there who really is
doing closed circuit TV over the Internet).
|
| FAQ
|
"Frequently
Asked Questions"
|
| Flame |
Mean-spirited
and often highly voluminous e-mail transmissions. In the world of
electronic communication, flaming is considered the ultimate in
retribution. Imagine the wrath of vengeful nerds blasting forth from your
computer screen, replete with misspellings and unnecessary capitalizations.
It's really very ominous stuff; absolutely terrifying.
|
| Flash | Flash is an application made by Macromedia that allows web developers to create animations for websites. These animations can be very complex (even highly interactive) and still occupy a remarkably small file size. The only catch is that in order to view Flash animations and interfaces one's web browser must be equipped with a little added power-pack called a plug-in. This is mitigated by the fact that the Flash plug-in is free, painless, and is already installed on pretty much any computer made in recent history. |
| FrontPage |
FrontPage is
the name of the application that is available from Microsoft Corporation
to provide users with a graphical interface for the creation of web pages.
This type of program is commonly referred to as an "HTML editor"
because its job is to generate HTML files based on the commands executed
in the page layout interface available to the user. Other HTML editing
packages include Adobe PageMill and Macromedia DreamWeaver. The
alternative to using a program like this to create web pages is to either
use a text editor and enter the HTML codes directly, or get someone else
to make your web pages for you (which seems to be preferred by most).
|
| FTP |
"File
Transfer Protocol" FTP is the communication protocol dedicated to
uploading and downloading files over the Internet. Using a software
program called an "FTP client" a user can connect to a
designated FTP server over the Internet and send or receive files in real
time.
|
| GIF |
"Graphic
Interchange Format" GIF is the most common image file format for
displaying pictures on web pages. A GIF file is capable of storing image
data in a highly efficient way and is universally recognized by web
browser software. Incidentally, the "G" in this acronym is to be
pronounced with a hard sound, like "gag." Many confused netizens
have taken to pronouncing the word with a soft "G" sound, which
makes it sound like they're talking about a popular brand of peanut
butter.
|
| Geek |
An acute
computer addiction
|
| Gigabyte |
A unit of data
storage equal to approximately one thousand megabytes, or one billion
bytes. As with other units of mass data storage, the precise size of a
gigabyte is expressed by a number that doesn't exactly roll off the tongue
(1,073,741,824 bytes to be exact).
|
| GUI |
"Graphical
User Interface" Though the use of a GUI, one may operate a computer
by interacting with pictures and menus on the screen, as opposed to
entering commands directly through the keyboard. The use of a GUI requires
an input device in addition to the keyboard (such as a mouse, trackball,
touchscreen, or stylus pad). The term GUI is usually pronounced
"gooey", which makes it particularly fun to slip into
conversation.
|
| HFS |
"Heirarchical
File System" HFS is the file structure used when formatting a volume
for use in the Macintosh operating system. When one formats any disk
(including a CD-ROM) for use on a computer running the Macintosh operating
system, the formatting is done in accordance with the file system standard
called "HFS."
|
| Hosting |
The act of
storing files on a common server and making them available to their owner
or others. "Hosting" in this context does not refer to one's
ability to throw really great parties, despite the fact that nerds and
geeks alike love to party down.
|
| HTML |
"HyperText
Markup Language" HTML is the language that is used to construct pages
on the world wide web. Web pages themselves are individual text documents
that use specialized "tags" or instructions to define how text
and images are to appear on the screen. In order to be readable by a web
browser, these text documents are formatted with the HyperText Markup
Language or "HTML." It is though the miracle of HTML that nerds
all over the world can each have their own websites to tell all the other
nerds about their favorite books, movies, and other websites.
|
| HTTP |
"HyperText
Transfer Protocol" HTTP is the standard that makes the world wide web
possible. Users of the Internet will be most familiar with this acronym as
the first characters of any complete web address. The URL for every web
page starts with the characters "http://" which are followed by
the specific address of the site in question. By entering this string of
letters and punctuation, a user is telling the browser software that
protocol to be used is the HyperText Transfer Protocol, and therefore the
materials being accessed are part of the world wide web.
|
| Hyperlink |
Hyperlinks are
the references to specific locations on the Internet that are embedded in
HTML documents (or web pages) on the world wide web. Authors of web pages
typically use hyperlinks to other pages within a site to guide users
through their content. Hyperlinks are also used to provide users with an
instant connection to a totally different site.
|
| IMAP |
"Internet
Message Access Protocol" One of the standard means by which an e-mail
client can access incoming messages from a mail server. Using this
protocol, an e-mail program reviews the messages being held for it by the
remote mail server. By reading the "header " portion of an
incoming file, the e-mail client can determine general facts about the
message like its source, date, and subject. The user can then decide to
download the incoming mail, thereby transferring its entire contents from
the remote server to the local machine. IMAP allows the mail server to
perform as a true file server to the mail client and therefore allows for
a relatively robust set of file management features. Comparatively, POP3
(Post Office Protocol 3) offers a more modest set of operations while
filling basically the same role in the e-mail operation. It should be
noted that niether IMAP nor POP3 is directly involved in the action of
transferring mail from server to server on the Internet, their function is
limited to providing the user with the messages that have already made
that ethereal journey through cyberspace. It should also be noted that
anybody interested enough in this topic to read this far probably already
knows more about it than I do.
|
| Interface |
The means
through which one communicates instructions to and receives responses from
a computer. This does not include shouting obscenities at the screen when
your machine crashes.
|
| Internet |
The Internet is
the international network of computers that are linked to each other by a
physical data connection and a common communication protocol (TCP/IP). The
Internet is not itself a Wide Area Network, but rather a product of
connecting the individual WANs that are contained within it.
|
| Intranet |
Although it may
seem to some like a confusing twist (or a typo), the concept of an
intranet is really just a variation on the theme of the now-familiar
Internet. In a nutshell, an intranet solution is the application of
Internet technology to an operation within an organization. Whereas a
company may use the Internet to advertise a product line to its customers,
it could apply an intranet within the organization to track its inventory
of those products. Other typical intranet applications involve
streamlining internal communication and workflow management. Because of
the universal connectivity that underlies the Internet, all of these
things can be done from anywhere that an Internet connection can be had
(which is really just about anywhere). The basic concept of an intranet
can be summed up by the principle "Our organization thinks the
Internet is really cool, and we use it all the time. We just don't want
all those slobs out there on the Internet to get their grubby hands on all
of our cool data." ...or something like that.
|
| IP Address |
"Internet
Protocol Address" This refers to the specific numerical designation
that identifies a particular computer on the Internet. IP addresses are
expressed in groups of numbers with the following format: XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX.
By themselves, the numbers contained within an IP address are no more
comprehensible than telephone numbers to an average user, so they need to
be tracked and managed by a system administrator.
|
| IS |
"Information
Services" IS refers to any issue or objective related to the use of
computer technology within an organization. For example, a company whose
computers are all out of disk space has an IS issue to deal with (unless
the drives are all filled up with games and porn, in which case a
personnel issue is a more likely cause).
|
| ISDN |
"Integrated
Services Digital Network" ISDN was conceived as a means for bringing
the additional bandwidth and stability of a direct data connection into
homes and businesses through a specialized copper-wire network. By
connecting to remote computer networks (including the Internet) through an
ISDN line, a user can take advantage of several times more bandwidth than
would be available over a traditional modem line. The expenses of using
ISDN include hookup charges, a monthly fee, and a hardware receiver/router
to allow local devices to communicate over the data line. Although the
increase in transfer speed is not as fast as would be attainable with a
direct LAN connection, ISDN users do have the advantage of surfing the web
much faster than their modem-bound counterparts.
|
| ISO 9660 |
"International
Standards Organization - 9660" Your best bet is to just memorize this
one, because the name has no real connection to what it refers to. ISO
9660 is the name for the file structure used in DOS and Windows computers.
When one formats any disk (including a CD-ROM) for use on a computer
running the DOS or Windows operating system, the formatting is done in
accordance with the file system standard called "ISO 9660."
Believe it or not, that's really all it means.
|
| ISP |
"Internet
Service Provider" An ISP is an organization that provides another
organization or individual with access to the Internet. For instance, when
a person dials in to America Online to surf the web, the ISP in this case
is AOL (assuming that the user eventually gets past the busy signal on the
first nine attempts).
|
| IT |
"Information
Technology" This broad designation refers to the field of computers
and their use in furthering the pursuits of business objectives. The term
is most frequently applied within large corporations looking to designate
which people will be allowed to get away with surfing the web during
company time.
|
| Java |
Java is an
object-oriented programming language created by Sun Microsystems. Java has
been adopted for widespread use on the Internet, and playback support for
programs created in Java is currently included in the most popular web
browsers. What this means is that if a developer creates a program in Java
and embeds it in an Internet site, we regular old web users actually get
to run that program in real time when we connect to the site.
|
| JavaScript |
Contrary to
popular belief, JavaScript and Java are not at all the same thing.
JavaScript could be viewed as a cousin to the Java programming language,
but with a different role in the content delivery process. JavaScript was
introduced by Netscape to allow web developers to embed Java-like
functionality directly into HTML documents. Unlike Java, which is compiled
prior to delivery, JavaScript is interpreted on the fly by the web browser
as it reads the page. If nuances like this don't seem important to you,
then I'd be willing to bet you don't wear a pocket protector.
|
| Jaz |
Jaz is a
removable disk technology, introduced by Iomega, capable of storing
approximately one gigabyte of information on a single disk. The disks
themselves are a little over four inches square and about half an inch
tall. If the idea of putting the entire contents of your hard drive into
your pocket sounds like a good time, then Jaz is the medium for you.
|
| JPEG |
"Joint
Photographic Experts Group" JPEG is a common image file format,
particularly useful in efficient storage of pictures for delivery on web
pages. Built into the JPEG file format is a compression scheme that
maintains an inverse relationship between image quality and file size.
What this means is that the content creator has the option of delivering
high quality images that will take a virtual eternity to download,
delivering compact files that contain little or no intelligible content,
or anything in between.
|
| Kilobyte
|
A
kiloybyte is a unit of data storage that is equal to about a thousand
bytes. A kilobyte actually equals exactly 1024 bytes.
|
| LAN
|
"Local
Area Network" A LAN is a group of computers within the same physical
location that are capable of communicating data to one another.
|
| Megabyte
|
A unit of data
storage equal to approximately one thousand kilobytes, or one million
bytes. As with other units of mass data storage, the precise size of a
megabyte is expressed by a number that most of us wouldn't find it
worthwhile to remember (1,048,576 bytes to be exact).
|
| MIS |
"Management
of Information Services" MIS is the designation for the field of
computer solutions internal to an organization. An MIS department is
typically responsible for administering the computer hardware, software,
and networking within a company or group.
|
| MMX | MMX technology is an enhancement to the Intel microprocessor that was introduced to make computers more capable of performing processor-intensive operations such as those common in the latest multimedia programs. The additions offered within MMX come in the form of a new set of instructions that are built directly into the processor hardware to allow for much faster computations of complex actions. If you thought "Space Invaders" was fun on your old computer, wait until you try it on a machine equipped with MMX. |
| MTA |
"Mail
Transfer Agent" Any server that is employed to delivery electronic
mail.
|
| MUD | "Multi-User Dungeon" In computerized role-playing games, a MUD is a game environment that allows multiple users to play at the same time without having to originate from the same place at the same time. Through the wonders of a MUD, college students from the west coast can be killed with swords by nerds from MIT without even leaving the dorms. |
| Multiplex |
The
process of taking a single communication channel and dividing it among
several different signals.
|
| NC |
"Network
Computer" The NC is a relatively new concept that was designed to
make computers more affordable and easier to administer. An NC is a
stripped-down computer with a very limited capacity as far as memory and
disk space (virtually no capacity, compared to standard desktop units).
The theory is that all the hard work can be done by the server to which
the NC (or "thin client") is connected.
|
| Netscape |
Netscape is a
software corporation that specializes in Internet packages. In addition to
pioneering the industry standard in web browser software (Navigator,
Communicator), Netscape markets a complete suite of web server software
that is used by a very large share of the industry.
|
| NTSC |
"National
Television Standards Commitee" NTSC is the standard video broadcast
format used in America. It is not the only format in use in the rest of
the world, however. Keep this in mind if you are ever ordering home videos
from the backs of European magazines.
|
| Navigator |
Netscape's
Navigator is one of the two main web browsers in use today. The second is
Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Both programs have essentially the same
functionality, but it is worth noting that Navigator was around long
before Microsoft introduced its own version in Internet Explorer.
|
| OS |
"Operating
System" The OS is the base layer of a computing environment, upon
which the application level software (or programs) can be run. Examples of
popular operating systems are Macintosh, Windows, and Unix. Without an
operating system, a computer would be unable to work at all, and without
application programs, a computer would work but be unable to perform any
useful tasks.
|
| PageMaker |
A page layout
program produced by Adobe Systems for both Windows and Macintosh users.
PageMaker has been around since the early days of desktop publishing and
still has a broad and very loyal following. So loyal are its users that
the mere mention of its competitor, QuarkXPress, in some circles is enough
to get you some perfectly-kerned hate mail from PageMaker fans.
|
| PageMill |
Pagemill is the
name of the application that is available from Adobe to provide users with
a graphical interface for the creation of web pages. This type of program
is commonly referred to as an "HTML editor" because its job is
to generate HTML files based on the commands executed in the page layout
interface available to the user. Other HTML editing packages include
Microsoft FrontPage and Macromedia DreamWeaver. The alternative to using a
program like this to create web pages is to either use a text editor and
enter the HTML codes directly,
|
"Portable
Document Format" PDF is the file format used in Adobe's electronic
document distribution model. The program that is responsible for saving
and reading files in the PDF is Adobe Acrobat. Using Acrobat, the creator
of a document can export content created in a page layout or graphic
generation program in the PDF. This document can then be viewed and
printed by anyone who has a copy of the Acrobat Reader software, which is
available free of charge from Adobe. You just have to love free stuff.
|
|
| PICT |
PICT is an image
file format that is used primarily for screen-oriented graphics (most
commonly in a Macintosh environment). Despite the fact that the file
architecture is capable of supporting the full content of very detailed
graphic files, it is not used as a standard for laying out print
documents.
|
| Pixel |
"Picture
Element" Any image that is displayed from a digital file is made up
of individual dots or "pixels." The pixel is the smallest unit
of measurement in digital images, and the smaller the pixels, the finer
the potential for detail. When it comes to pixels, bigger is definitely
not better. The number of pixels contained in a given space (such as each
inch or each centimeter) is defined by the resolution of an image.
|
| PKZIP |
A PKZIP (or zip)
file is a common means of compressing and distributing data on the Windows
platform. Through the use of a small software CODEC (usually a shareware
or freeware program), the ZIP format can make files a whole lot more
compact. The Macintosh counterpart of the zip process would be to create
and distribute Stuffit files, although there are programs that can read
and write zip files on the Macintosh.
|
| Plug-in |
An add-on to a
software application that gives it additional functionality. Plug-ins are
typically very small files that sit innocently on the user's hard drive
and do all sorts of neat things.
|
| POP3 | "Post Office Protocol 3" A communication protocol that is used to retrieve electronic mail from a Mail Server. Unless you are a mail administrator, the only time you are likely to run into this term is when you are setting up your e-mail client software. If you play your cards right, you may even be able to avoid it altogether by conning somebody else into configuring your e-mail program. |
| Port |
Port has a
number of different meanings in the world of computing. A hardware port is
the exact spot on a computer that is used to connect individual devices to
it. The modem port is for the modem; the mouse port handles the mouse; the
RS-232 port is where you plug in your RS-232 thingy, etc. The act of
"porting" a piece of software means engineering it to run on a
platform other the one for which it was created. A server port is the
specific designation of a communication channel used by the server to
ensure a secure data transfer to or from a client. Port also happens to be
the type of red wine that system administrators often swig while
configuring data ports.
|
| PostScript |
A page
definition language introduced by Adobe Systems to standardize the means
through which documents are created and delivered to the printer or other
output device. While PostScript may be the language that the printer is
capable of understanding, it is a PostScript-oriented program like Adobe
Illustrator or QuarkXpress that does the job of translating user-specified
layout instructions to the PostScript language. This is fortunate, because
anyone who's ever tried to edit a page in raw PostScript would agree that
it makes Finnegan's Wake look like a Beetle Bailey cartoon.
|
| Quark
|
Makers of the
immensely popular "QuarkXpress" page layout program, arguably
the king of professional layout and design software (with apologies to
Adobe Corporation).
|
| QuickTime |
QuickTime is the
name of the digital video file format created as a cross-platform standard
Apple Computing. Macintosh or Windows users who have installed the
QuickTime playback software (available free of charge from Apple) can view
any digitized video and animations that are saved as QuickTime files.
QuickTime is also a popular method of embedding motion graphics into
websites, claiming responsibility for most of those delightful vacation
video clips on so many people's home pages.
|
| RAID | "Redundant Array of Independent Disks" Why settle for a single disk drive when you can have an entire team of them working together? A RAID is an organized collection of disk drives operating as a single storage unit. A device called a "RAID controller" combines the power and capacity of the individual drives to create a larger volume (or group of volumes) that can be used to store and protect important information. Depending on the specific configuration or "level" of a RAID, the disks can be used to back each other up in real time by writing data simultaneously to different areas of the array. Benefits include: increased storage space, improved performance, built-in redundancy, and a really cool acronym. |
| RAM |
"Random
Access Memory" RAM is the part of the computer that holds elements of
data that are currently in use. The more RAM a computer has, the more
information it can process at the same time. RAM plays very much the same
role for a computer that short-term memory plays for a person, and
everybody knows how important short-term memory is, especially if they're
counting cards at the blackjack table.
|
| Rasterize |
The act of
converting a document from a page definition language (e.g., PostScript)
to an arrangement of pixels on the page or screen. Stated simply,
rasterizing is the interpretation of an image from a set of digital codes
into an actual visual representation. When one prints out a page from a
layout or design application, the image is rasterized into an array of
dots, which are then impressed upon the page. Fortunately for users, the
computers do all the work when it comes to rasterization.
|
| Real Audio / Real Video | An Internet delivery model for playback of audio, video, and animations offered by an organization called Real Networks. By equipping their web browsers with the Real Audio plug-in, users can listen to and watch these media types encoded in the Real Audio format from within the window of their web browsers. The Real Audio technology caught on right away, due in no small part to its lofty ambition of giving a state of the art computer system all the functionality of a crappy AM radio. Since its introduction, Real Audio has gained wide acceptance in the industry and is a part of many cutting edge audio/video-oriented websites. |
| RGB |
"Red Green
Blue" RGB is one of the two prevailing color models for use in
electronic publishing. It is the means through which an image is displayed
on a computer screen. RGB is based on a "subtractive" color
scheme, which means that it defines white as a state in which all three of
the available colors are present in the maximum amounts, and black as a
state in which all three colors are completely absent. In RGB mode, colors
in between black and white are achieved by witholding or
"subtracting" varying amounts of the three available colors.
|
| Resolution | The pixel density of an image expressed in such terms as "dots per inch" or "dots per centimeter." Basically speaking, the higher the resolution, the greater the potential for image detail. It is also true that a higher resolution will make a given file take up a larger amount of disk space. It is far more important to match the resolution to the occasion than to simply strive for high resolutions in all your image files. Carrying a high resolution in a file is simply a waste of disk space if the image is going to be used only on a low resolution output device such as the computer display screen. It should also be noted that while it is possible to lower the resolution of a file, it is not possible to raise the resolution of a file without making the image size smaller. |
| RIP |
"Raster
Image Process" or "Raster Image Processor" This refers to
the conversion of an image from its digital definition into the
visually-oriented image that is intended. The verb "to RIP"
means to send a page through the process. The noun "RIP" is used
to describe the machine that does the rasterization.
|
| Router |
A device that
directs the flow of data among different computer devices. A router is
basically the "traffic cop" of a network, but without the
whistle or the funny hat.
|
| Screen Res |
Screen Res
(screen resolution) refers to the amount of image density that a computer
or video screen is capable of displaying. Screen res nearly always equates
to 72 DPI. When preparing an image for use only on the display screen (as
would be the case with multimedia presentations and websites), anything
more than screen res is overkill. In other words, you can go ahead and res
down that 600 DPI picture of your dog on your home page.
|
| SCSI |
"Small
Computer System Interface" SCSI, pronounced "scuzzy," is a
very common means of connecting disk drives and other peripheral devices
to a computer. The SCSI architecture makes it easy for users to attach and
remove devices from the "SCSI Chain" without having to open the
computer case. SCSI also affords a very high data transfer rate between
connected devices.
|
| Shockwave |
Shockwave is a
technology that allows multimedia documents created in Macromedia's
Director or Flash to be viewed and interacted with over the web within the
web browser program. In order to retrieve Shockwave content, one must
outfit one's web browser with the specialized decoding software called a
"plug-in," which can be downloaded over the Internet for free.
|
| SMTP |
"Send Mail
Transfer Protocol" This is effectively the "Language" that
e-mail servers use to communicate with each other. An SMTP server is the
"post office" of the e-mail communication model. Unlike
real-world Post Offices, SMTP servers are usually open at night and on
national holidays.
|
| Sneakernet | While it sounds as though this term refers to a network protocol, it is actually a cute way of describing a situation in which no true network is used. Sneakernet means getting files from one computer to another by copying them to a floppy disk or removable drive, then walking over to another computer and copying them to it. For the record, it's still called sneakernet when the user is wearing another type of shoe. For instance, when executives do it, it isn't called "Wingtip-Net." |
| Spam |
A deliberate
barrage of unrequested and often inappropriate information in an
electronic forum. It is used both as a noun and as a verb. The term is
applied quite broadly and can refer to anything from e-mail solicitation
to misrepresenting the contents of one's website in order to generate
traffic. For example, if you have listed your website as the world's
leading connection for "PORN" when in fact your site is all
about "Pete's Oboe Recital Network," you may be guilty of
spamming.
|
| Stripping |
Assembling the
elements of an offset print job by hand. Strippers take individual pieces
of film and construct the pages to be printed by physically laying them
into position.
|
| SQL |
"Symbolic
Query Language" SQL (usually pronounced "sequel") is a
standard that defines how information is stored and retrieved within a
database. SQL is very powerful and very efficient, and a whole lot of fun
at parties.
|
| Streaming Audio/Video |
This technology
allows a web browser to begin playing an audio or video clip while that
clip is still being downloaded from the server. This minimizes the amount
of time that the user spends waiting for the data to come over the
Internet. Examples of software that facilitates this technology are
Shockwave and Real Audio.
|
| Stuffit | A Stuffit file is a common means of compressing and distributing data on the Macintosh platform. Through the use of a program created by Aladdin Systems, one can make a given file or folder much smaller for backup or distribution. The Windows counterpart of the Stuffit process would be to create and distribute "zip" files. |
| Surf |
The act of
exploring (often aimlessly) on the Internet, or more specifically, the
world wide web. Since websites are profusely stocked with links to other
websites, a person can spend a colossal amount of time linking from page
to page with no particular course of action in mind. When one is surfing
at work, it is usually referred to as "critical research" or
something like that.
|
| SyQuest | SyQuest is a removable disk technology that allows users to store files on relatively inexpensive modular volumes that are independent from the SCSI device that reads from and writes to them. SyQuest disks were first introduced as five-and-a-quarter-inch volumes that were each capable of holding 44 megabytes of data (which seemed like an awful lot at the time). Since their initial introduction, the product line has grown to include removable disks of many different sizes (both physical and virtual), most of which are not compatible with one another. |
| T1 |
A high-bandwidth
cable connection, used for telecommunications or wide area networking. A
T1 connection is the equivalent of 24 voice channels. This means that it
can be used for a whole lot of telephone lines or a computer connection
that's a whole lot of fast.
|
| T3 |
A high-bandwidth
cable connection (really, really high), used for telecommunications or
wide area networking. A T3 connection is the equivalent of 672 voice
channels. Whether it's used for telephones or networking, this equates to
a monstrous amount of bandwidth.
|
| TCP/IP |
"Transfer
Control Protocol / Internet Protocol" TCP/IP is the common data
communication mode that makes the Internet work. TCP/IP is not a program
or a language, but a protocol that defines how data packets are to be
transferred from one computer or network to another computer or network.
|
| TIFF |
"Tagged
Image File Format" TIFF is a very common format for saving print
graphics. It was originally created by the now defunct Aldus Corporation.
Through the use of a file structure called "run-length encoding"
the data in a TIFF graphic can be stored very efficiently. The resolution,
file size, and color depth available in TIFF are basically limitless. The
functional advantages are complemented by nearly universal support by
electronic publishing applications, make TIFF a natural choice for a wide
range of layout and design tasks. The standard file extension for TIFFs is
".TIF" (perhaps the extra F is for "flexibility").
|
| Unix |
"Universal
Interactive Executive" Unix is a computer operating system that was
introduced by Bell Laboratories back in the dark ages of computing, but is
still in widespread use today. It's not for the faint of heart, though.
Despite its undeniable values in high-end computing, it is far from
intuitive. Fortunately for the rest of us, the Unix operating system is
typically employed only by hardcore computer users who know what they're
getting into.
|
| Upload |
The act of
copying a file to a network or large data repository (such as a web page
or FTP site) from an individual computer's disk drive. Simply stated,
uploading is the process of "giving" a file to a server.
|
| URL |
"Uniform
Resource Locator" URLs are the textual or numerical addresses of
specific pieces of information on the Internet. In order to access a web
page, for instance, one must know the URL that corresponds with that
particular page. Entering a URL to view a website is very much like
dialing a telephone number to reach a company or individual.
|
| Vaporware | A term used to describe a piece of software that doesn't exist, is suspected not to exist, or is incapable of performing as promised. It is not uncommon for a software corporation to make fantastic promises as to the functionality of an upcoming software release that ultimately prove to be undeliverable. In the software industry, there is often something of a yin/yang relationship between marketing efforts and technical capabilities. They can't exist without each other, but that doesn't stop them from trying from time to time. |
| Virus | A program that was created for the sole purpose of reproducing itself by replicating its own string of code onto additional files or computers. Contrary to popular belief, not all viruses are dedicated to performing overt harm on computers that they inhabit. The vast majority of viruses would never perform such fabled destructive behavior as re-formatting the hard drive or spiking the water cooler. There are some nasty ones, though. A virus is a clear example of an area in which it is better to give than to receive. |
| VRML | "Virtual Reality Modeling Language" A data specification designed to display three dimensional objects and environments on the world wide web. The standard was introduced to allow a specially equipped web browser to process the code that defines the 3D objects and their behavior instead of downloading pre-rendered graphics as image files. So far, VRML has yet to really catch on, but there are a fair number of websites dedicated to delivering rich three-dimensional versions of really exciting objects, like pencils and office chairs. If that's what you're into, then VRML is the stuff for you. |
| WAN | "Wide Area Network" A WAN is a connection of two or more computers that are not at the same physical location. Using a modem or a T1 line to connect multiple computers is a common application of a WAN. Without the presence of WAN technology, there could be no such thing as the Internet, which would indeed be quite sad. |
| WMF |
"Windows
Metafile" An image file format that was to facilitate the exchange of
graphic information between applications in the Microsoft Windows
operating system. The WMF format is capable of storing a decent looking
screen image and the complete vector data (precise mathematical
definition) of a file. So far WMF has not yet gained the universal support
among Windows applications that Microsoft was originally aiming for, but
never bet against Microsoft.
|
| WYSIWYG |
"What You
See Is What You Get" This is an old phrase that has received new life
in the industry of electronic publishing. It refers to the attempt on the
part of a computer program to effectively simulate the desired appearance
of a document within the environment that is used to create it. When using
a WYSIWYG layout program, the document on the computer screen very closely
resembles the page that will ultimately come out on the printer or web
browser. An example of this would be an HTML editing program that allows a
user to construct a web page visually right on the screen, as opposed to
simply typing the commands as text. Most people who use this term
pronounce it "wizzywig".
|
| XML |
"Extensible
Markup Language" XML is a system of rules for identifying the
individual parts of a document and then applying specific definitions and
instructions to each of these parts. While this alone may not seem all
that useful, the ability to mark up a document in this way offers
inifinite possibilities as far as what can be done with the content.
Unlike a traditional markup language like HTML, in which the tags and
instructions are standardized, XML allows a developer to make up the tags
to suit the occasion. Since XML documents contain both the tags and their
definitions, the content and the formatting instructions are completely
independent of one another. For example, an XML document may contain a
section that is marked as the "subject." Elsewhere in that same
document will be the very definition of the term "subject,"
which can include anything from specific assignments for its typeface to
instructions on how to index it in a database. This capablility by itelf
is not exactly a recipe for fun, but it does afford a level of flexibility
unavailable in other document formats. Okay, if the "X" stands
for "Extensible" then why is it called XML instead of EML? I
believe that the reason for this is that the founders of XML did not want
to be confused with the philosophical proponents of the new
"Existential Markup Language," which states that a web page must
exist unto itself without adhering to an overlying metaphysical scheme.
|
| XPress |
A popular page
layout program offered by the Quark Corporation. It is the tool of choice
for many design professionals, despite its goofy name.
|
| X-Windows | A graphical user interface that can be run on UNIX systems. It roughly mimics the operating environment that one finds in a Macintosh or Windows OS. Thanks to the mouse oriented interface of X-Windows, a whole lot of UNIX guys can do that spooky mile-a-minute typing thing with only one hand. |
| Zip (disk) |
Zip is a
removable disk technology that was introduced by Iomega to allow users to
store 100 megabytes of data on a disk that's only a little bigger than a
three-and-a-half-inch floppy. The standard has gained wide acceptance in
the industry and has come to be regarded as a sort of "giant
floppy" drive. In fact, it has been said that Zip disks often
ridicule floppies and kick sand on them at the beach.
|
| Zip (file) |
A zip (or PKZIP)
file is a common means of compressing and distributing data on the Windows
platform. Through the use of a small software CODEC (usually a shareware
or freeware program), the ZIP format can make files a whole lot more
compact. The Macintosh counterpart of the zip process would be to create
and distribute Stuffit files, although there are programs that can read
and write zip files on the Macintosh.
|
| Zone | A zone is a subdivision within a local area network (LAN). The use of zones within a LAN can be instrumental in organizing local data communication, which can perform such wonders as keeping the R&D nerds from fighting with the accounting geeks over the use of precious network bandwidth. |
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