Latest

• Microsoft Edge

  Microsoft Edge is the official name for a new and improved Web browser introduced in Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system that was developed to replace the venerable Internet Explorer Web browser. Microsoft Edge combines recent web technology advancements with a streamlined and faster browsing experience, while also delivering compatibility and a consistent user experience across […]

• Clutter

  Clutter is a technology developed by Microsoft for its Outlook email client that helps users automatically organize their Outlook inboxes and prioritize important e-mails by moving lower priority messages to a new Clutter folder. The Microsoft Clutter technology debuted in late 2014 for Office 365 users, and is now available on Outlook PC and mobile […]

• Micro-Virtualization

  Micro-virtualization is a technology developed by desktop security firm Bromium to help ensure secure computing environments. Micro-virtualization utilizes a Xen-based security-focused hypervisor called a microvisor that creates hardware-isolated micro virtual machines (micro-VMs) for each computing task that utilizes data originating from an unknown source. Tasks in this sense are the computation that takes place within […]

• Mobile Application Management (MAM)

  Mobile Application Management (MAM) is a term that refers to software and services used to secure, manage and distribute mobile applications used in enterprise settings on mobile devices like smartphones and tablet computers. Mobile Application Management can apply to company-owned mobile devices as well as BYOD (“Bring Your Own Devices”). MAM solutions typically offer a […]

• a Microvisor

  The term microvisor refers to a Xen-based security-focused hypervisor developed by security firm Bromium that provides micro-virtualization technology to ensure secure computing environments. Short for micro-hypervisor, a microvisor works with the VT (Virtualization Technology) features built into Intel, AMD and other CPUs to create hardware-isolated micro virtual machines (micro-VMs) for each task performed by a […]

• iOS 9

  iOS 9 is the ninth major update for Apple’s iOS mobile operating system that runs on portable Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Apple iOS 9 was introduced at the company’s 2015 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in early June 2015 along with OS X El Capitan, with official availability expected in the […]

• OS X El Capitan

  OS X El Capitan is version 10.11 of Apple Computer’s Mac OS X operating system for Macintosh desktop, laptop and server computers, and serves as the successor to OS X Yosemite. OS X El Capitan was introduced at Apple’s 2014 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in early June 2015 along with iOS 9, with official availability […]

• Android M

  Android M is the Android codename for the upcoming 6.0 update of the open source Android mobile operating system. The Android M release was first announced at Google I/O in May 2015 and is expected to make its official debut in October or November 2015 as the successor to the “Lollipop” Android 5.0 and 5.1 […]

• Windows Bridge for iOS

  Windows Bridge for iOS is a tool developed by Microsoft for bringing Apple iOS apps to the Windows platform. Microsoft first announced the open-source Windows Bridge for iOS technology at its Build 2015 conference in April 2015, and the company debuted an early “Developer Preview” version of the technology later in August of the same […]

• a Micro-VM

  The operating system is the most important program that runs on a computer. Every general-purpose computer must have an operating system to run other programs and applications. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and […]

• Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

  Personally Identifiable Information, or PII, refers to information or data that can be used to discover or distinguish an individual’s identity and specific details about the individual. While definitions for PII vary slightly, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) specifically defines personally identifiable information as: “any information about an individual maintained by an […]

• Android Marshmallow

  Marshmallow is the official Android codename for the upcoming 6.0 update of the open source Android mobile operating system. Marshmallow was first announced at Google I/O in May 2015 as the Android M release, and the mobile OS is expected to make its official debut in October or November 2015 as the successor to the […]

• the iPad Pro

  The Apple iPad Pro is a larger version of the original Apple iPad that the company announced on September 9th, 2015, with retail availability expected later in November of the same year. While the original iPad’s screen measured 9.7 inches, the iPad Pro is a 12.9-inch tablet with 2,732 x 2,048 pixel resolution that is […]

• Bring Your Own Apps (BYOA)

  Short for Bring Your Own Applications as well as Build Your Own Apps, BYOA is an evolution of the term BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) in the consumerization of IT that refers to the growing use of personal apps by employees for increased productivity in their work environments. Examples of Bring Your Own Apps span […]

• Workspace-as-a-Service (WaaS)

  Workspace-as-a-Service, or WaaS, is a form of desktop virtualization that companies utilize to provide their employees with access to business applications and data from anywhere at any time using the employee’s device of a choice. With workspace-as-a-service solutions, employees can log in to the WaaS provider’s service and be provided with a virtual workspace desktop […]

• Identity Management

  Enterprise identity management (IdM), or ID management, is the part of identity and access management systems (IAM) responsible for identifying, authenticating and authorizing employees and their use of corporate information technology (IT) resources. The second part of IAM, access management, works in conjunction with identity management to ensure employees have access to the specific hardware […]

• Apple WatchOS

  Apple WatchOS is the company’s operating system developed to power Apple Watch smartwatch devices. WatchOS is based on Apple’s iOS mobile operating system that powers iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices. The WatchOS made its debut on April 24, 2015, when the Apple Watch was officially released to the public. An API called WatchKit was […]

• iPhone 6S

  An improved version of Apple’s iPhone 6 that made its debut in October 2015. The iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6S Plus add a variety of new features while retaining the same display and overall size as the iPhone 6 (4.7-inch display with 1334×750 resolution) and the iPhone 6 Plus (5.5-inch screen with 1920×1080 resolution). […]

• Taptic Engine

  A combination of “tap” and “haptic feedback,” taptic engine is a name Apple created for its technology that provides tactile sensations in the form of vibrations to users of Apple devices like the Apple Watch, iPhones, iPads, and MacBook laptops. Apple debuted its taptic engine technology along with the Force Touch feature in the 2015 […]

• 3D XPoint Memory

  3D XPoint is the technology behind a new type of nonvolatile memory developed jointly by Intel and Micron Technology. As described by Micron Technology, 3D XPoint uses a transistor-less cross point architecture to create a three-dimensional checkerboard where memory cells sit at the intersection of words lines and bit lines, allowing the cells to be […]

• OpenStack Liberty

  The successor to the Kilo release of the OpenStack open source cloud computing platform, OpenStack Liberty made its debut on October 15, 2015 as the twelfth major release of OpenStack. Liberty arrived as the second major update in 2015 for OpenStack, following Kilo’s release on April 30. As with previous OpenStack releases, Liberty takes its […]

• Communications Satellite

  Often abbreviated as comsat, a communications satellite is a satellite that has been stationed in space for the purpose of providing telecommunications. Communications satellites are commonly used for mobile phone signals, weather tracking, or broadcasting television programs. Communications satellites are artificial satellites that relay receive signals from an earth station and then retransmits the signal […]

• a MAC Address

  Tips on how to find a MAC address, Identifying Unknown Devices, DHCP and more. When you think about networking, IP addresses are probably the first things that come to mind. But there’s another type of network address called a MAC address that actually forms the foundation upon which IP address communication is built, at least […]

• an OEM Company

  OEM is somewhat of a misleading term for a company that has a special relationship with computer and IT producers. This article explains the role of an OEM company and the OEM business model. OEM (pronounced as separate letters) is short for original equipment manufacturer. OEM is somewhat of a misleading term for a company […]

• A Proxy Server

  Proxy servers can dramatically improve performance for groups of users. They can also be used to filter requests. A proxy server, in a general sense of the term proxy, is a stand-in server. In a network, a proxy server is the entity that sits between corporate client machines and the Internet. For example, it may […]

• an Enterprise Application

  Enterprise application, enterprise app, enterprise software, and finally, enterprise application software (EAS) are all commonly used phrases to describe applications — or software — that a that a business would use to assist the organization in solving enterprise problems. What is an Enterprise Application? Enterprise application, enterprise app, enterprise software, and finally, enterprise application software […]

• XMCL

  Short for Extensible Media Commerce Language, an XML-based REL proposed by RealNetworks and then abandoned.

• @ sign

  Pronounced at sign or simply as at, this symbol is used in e-mail addressing to separate the user��s name from the user��s domain name, both of which are necessary in order to transmit e-mails. For example, the e-mail address [email protected] indicates that the user named webmaster receives e-mail “at,” or “@,” the definithing.com domain.

• @reply

  On the Twitter Web site, the @reply means a Twitter update (tweet) that is directed to another user in reply to one of their updates. A @reply will be saved in the user’s replies tab. Replies are sent either by clicking the ‘reply’ icon next to an update or typing @ username message (e.g., @user […]

• @mm

  In computer viruses @mm is part of the McAfee naming convention for viruses and Trojans. McAfee attaches the @mm suffix to the end of a virus name to indicate that this virus can transmit itself via e-mail. The double m indicates a high-volume transmission, usually hundreds of e-mails per infected machine.

• @m

  In computer viruses, @m is part of the McAfee naming convention for viruses and Trojans. McAfee attaches the @m suffix to the end of a virus name to indicate that this virus can transmit itself via e-mail. The single m indicates that this is a low-volume transmission, usually one e-mail transmitted per e-mail that a […]

• .dr

  In computer viruses .dr is part of the McAfee naming convention for viruses and Trojans. McAfee attaches the .dr suffix to the end of a virus names to indicate that it detected a dropper; a file that installs or drops other malware.

• .dam

  In computer viruses .dam is part of the McAfee naming convention for viruses and Trojans. McAfee attaches the .dam suffix to the end of a virus name to indicate that the sample is damaged and will not actually run.

• .INI File

  Pronounced dot -in-ee file, a file that has a.INI extension and contains configuration information for MS-Windows. Two.INI files, WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI, are required by MS-Windows. In addition, many applications have their own.INI files. In Windows 95 and Windows NT,.INI files have been replaced by the Registry, though many applications still include.INI files for backward compatibility.

• zoom ring

  A zoom adjustment ring found on many digital video recorders and digital cameras. Zoom rings enable motorized zoom that allows you to change the focal length in real-time as you shoot. A 4X zoom lens, for example, will enlarge or reduce the subject in an image by four times depending on which way it’s zoomed. […]

• zoom lens

  In digital cameras and digital video recording devices, a zoom lens let you to select any focal length within the len’s range. The lens changes the angle of view and its magnifying power based on the zooming range selected. Zooming out gives the photographer a wide-angle view that captures a wide expanse of a scene. […]

• zoom

  In graphical user interfaces, to make a window larger. Typically, there is a zoom box in one corner of the window. When you select the zoom box the first time, the system expands the window to fill the entire screen. (This is sometimes called maximizing.) When you select it again, the window shrinks to its […]

• zoning

  (zōn´ing) (n.) The process of allocating resources in a SAN to load balance the devices connected to the network. Zoning allows the network administrator to separate the SAN into units and allocate storage to those units based on need. Zoning protects the SAN system from such threats as viruses, data corruption and malicious hackers as […]

• zoned-bit recording

  )A method of recording data on a hard disk drive whereby the sectors per track on the drive are not consistent across the platter. In general, tracks closest to the center have fewer sectors than tracks toward the outside of the platter where the tracks are larger and can fit more sectors. Though the platter […]

• zoned CLV

  Short for zoned constant linear velocity, a type of CLV data read/write method that separates a CD or DVD compact disk into different fixed-speed zones and changes the speed of rotation for each zone instead of across the entire disk.

• zone file

  A file on a root server that contains domain name registration information. Zone files contain information necessary to resolve domain names to IP addresses and contains all information related to one domain. Zone files are also called master files.

• zone

  The word zone is used to mean any area that is separated from another, or is distinguished from another based on distinctive circumstances. In computers, networking and the Internet, the meaning of the word zone changes depending on the specific environment. Some common meanings of the word zone include the following: Domain Name System (DNS): […]

• zombie

  (1) A computer that has been implanted with a daemon that puts it under the control of a malicious hacker without the knowledge of the computer owner. Zombies are used by malicious hackers to launch DoS attacks. The hacker sends commands to the zombie through an open port. On command, the zombie computer sends an […]

• ZeuS

  The most widespread botnet in history, ZeuS is a Trojan horse that infiltrates computers in order to steal data by logging keystrokes and spread copies of itself to other devices via instant messaging and e-mail messages. Computers infected by a ZeuS variant can be controlled by the attacker and monitored for keystrokes in order to […]

• zip code targeting

  In online advertising zip code targeting is the geographical targeting of advertisements based on the visitors zip code. An example of zip code targeting is when an online publication requires visitors to register to read the site’s content. Once logged in, the visitor will see local advertisements that are served based on the zip code […]

• zettabyte

  2 to the 70th power bytes, which is approximately 10 to the 21st power (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) bytes. A zettabyte is equal to 1,024 exabytes. The name zetta was chosen because it’s the last letter of the Latin alphabet and also sounds like the Greek letter Zeta.

• zero wait state

  Refers to systems that have no wait states; that is, they allow the microprocessor to run at its maximum speed without waiting for slower memory chips.

• z/OS

  Often abbreviated as ZOS, z/OS is IBM’s mainframe operating system. It is a 64-bit operating system that supports Java, UNIX, API’s, and TCP/IP to name a few features. z/OS.e is a specially priced, slimmed-down offering of z/OS. It provides select functions but uses the same code base as z/OS and invokes an operating environment that […]

• Zmodem

  An asynchronous communications protocol that provides faster data transfer rates and better error detection than Xmodem. In particular, Zmodem supports larger block sizes and enables the transfer to resume where it left off following a communications failure.

• Zip drive

  A high-capacity floppy disk drive developed by Iomega Corporation. Zip disks are slightly larger than conventional floppy disks, and about twice as thick. They can hold 100 or 250 MB of data. Because they’re relatively inexpensive and durable, they have become a popular media for backing up hard disks and for transporting large files.

• ZigBee

  Pioneered by Philips Semiconductors, ZigBee is a low data rate, two-way standard for home automation and data networks. The standard originates from the Firefly Working Group and provides a specification for up to 254 nodes including one master, managed from a single remote control. Real usage examples of ZigBee includes home automation tasks such as […]

• Zeta

  Zeta is an operating system (OS) based on BeOS. Zeta is an attempt to update BeOS with support being added for new hardware, USB 2.0, VoIP, and other new support features. Zeta Version 1.0 was released in summer 2005. It has a large world-wide following, mainly based in Germany.

• Zeroconf

  Short for zero configuration IP networking, a method of networking devices via an Ethernet cable without requiring configuration and administration. Zeroconf is able to allocate addresses without a DHCP server, translate between domain names and IP addresses without a DNS server, and find services, such as a printer, without a directory service. The technology is […]

• Zero Administration Kit

  Abbreviated as ZAK, the Zero Administration Kit is a Microsoft software kit designed for for Windows NT that allows network administrators to easily prevent some user actions, such as changes to desktop configurations, software installation, and other settings.

• Zero-Day exploit

  Called either Day Zero or Zero-Day, it is an exploit that takes advantage of a security vulnerability on the same day that the vulnerability becomes publicly or generally known. Zero-Day exploits are usually posted by well-known hacker groups. Software companies may issue a security bulletin or advisory when the exploit becomes known, but companies may […]

• Zend Framework

  Abbreviated as ZF, the Zend Framework is an open source object-oriented Web application framework implemented in PHP 5. The goal of ZF is to simplify Web development while maintaining object-oriented best practices for building Web 2.0 applications and Web services. The Zend Framework was developed by a large open-source community lead by Zend and its […]

• Z-buffering

  An algorithm used in 3-D graphics to determine which objects, or parts of objects, are visible and which are hidden behind other objects. With Z-buffering, the graphics processor stores the Z-axis value of each pixel in a special area of memory called the Z-buffer . Different objects can have the same x- and y-coordinate values, […]

• Z-buffer

  An area in graphics memory reserved for storing the Z-axis value of each pixel.

• ZV Port

  Short for zoomed video port, a port that enables data to be transferred directly from a PC Card to a VGA controller. The port is actually a connection to a zoomed video bus. This new bus was designed by the PCMCIA to enable notebook computers to connect to real-time multimedia devices such as video cameras. […]

• ZOUT

  An abbreviation commonly found on GPS and other small handheld devices that represents the zoom out function on the device. The button for this function may also be marked with a minus sign similar to ZOUT(-).

• ZSL

  Short for zero-slot LAN, a local-area network (LAN) that uses existing serial and/or parallel communication ports on the computers in the network instead of requiring network interface cards (NICs) that would occupy an expansion slot. Zero-slot LANs are typically slower than LANS that use NICs and are limited to two or three network nodes.

• ZIP

  (1) A popular data compression format. Files that have been compressed with the ZIP format are called ZIP files and usually end with a.ZIP extension. (2)

• ZIN

  An abbreviation commonly found on GPS and other small handheld devices that represents the zoom in function on the device. The button for this function may also be marked with a plus sign similar to ZIN(+).

• ZIF socket

  Short for zero insertion force socket, a chip socket that allows one to insert and remove a chip without special tools.

• ZFS

  A Solaris file system that uses storage pools to manage physical storage. The ZFS pooled storage model eliminates the concept of volumes and the associated problems of partitions, provisioning and stranded storage by enabling thousands of file systems to draw from a common storage pool, using only as much space as it actually needs. ZFS […]

• Zero Administration for Windows (ZAW)

  Short for Zero Administration for Windows, a collection of utilities developed by Microsoft that should enable administrators to centrally manage and update software on PCs connected to a LAN. ZAW was developed partly as a response to the emergence of Net PCs. One of the main selling points of Net PCs is that they enable […]

• yottabyte

  2 to the 80th power bytes, which is approximately 10 to the 24th power (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) bytes. A yottabyte is equal to 1,024 zettabytes. The name yotta was chosen because it’s the second-to-last last letter of the Latin alphabet and also sounds like the Greek letter iota.

• yagi antenna

  An antenna that radiates in only one direction. Yagi antennas are most commonly used in point-to-point communications. Also called panel or patch antennas.

• YouTube

  A popular free video-sharing Web site that lets registered users upload and share video clips online at the YouTube.com Web site. To view the videos you are not required to register. Launched in 2005 by former PayPal employees, the video-sharing site was acquired by Google Inc. in October 2006 for US $1.65 billion in Google […]

• Yorick

  An interpreted programming language used for scientific applications such as simulations, calculations, post-processing, interactive scientific graphics, or translating large files of numbers. Yorick is written in ANSI C and runs on most operating systems. It has a compact syntax, similar to C, but with array operators. It’s easily expandable through dynamic linking of C libraries.

• Ymodem

  An asynchronous communications protocol designed by Chuck Forsberg that extends Xmodem by increasing the transfer block size and by supporting batch file transfers. This enables you to specify a list of files and send them all at one time. With Xmodem, you can send only one file at a time.

• Yellow_Book

  The specification for CD-ROMs and CD-ROM/XA.

• Year 2000 problem

  The pervasive problem that many applications are designed to handle only 20th-century dates — dates that begin with “19”. For example, most programs represent dates in the form MM-DD-YY, so the date 10-5-96 is October 5, 1996. But what about the date 10-5-05. Is that 1905 or 2005? There is no way to distinguish between […]

• Yahoo Messenger

  In 1998 Yahoo launched its own IM service under the name of Pager, later top be called Yahoo Messenger. With its 22 million users Yahoo Messenger is an advertisement-supported IM service. Users are required to have a Yahoo ID, which also enables you to use other Yahoo services. Features of Yahoo Messenger include PC-to-Phone calling, […]

• Yahoo!

  Short for Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle, Yahoo! is a World Wide Web directory started by David Filo and Jerry Yang at Stanford University. The two began compiling and categorizing Web pages in 1994. By 1996, they had one of the most popular Web sites and a very valuable commodity.

• Y-Cable

  A “Y” shaped power cable (one IDE to two IDE) splits an existing power cable into two connections, allowing for additional connections of internal devices such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, hard drive, or other IDE devices. A Y-Cable can also be used as an extension of the existing power cable. A Y-Cable is also called […]

• YUV color space

  The YUV color space refers to the complete range of colors that can be displayed and recorded on digital video. The YUV color encoding system is used for analog television, such as NTSC and PAL.

• x-height

  In typography, the height of a lowercase x in a specific font. This is also called the body height, as it represents the height of the lowercase character’s body, excluding ascenders and descenders.

• YUV

  A color encoding system used for analog television, such as NTSC and PAL. The YUV color model represents the human perception of color more closely than the standard RGB model used in computer graphics hardware. In YUV, Y is the luminance (brightness) component while U and V are the chrominance (color) components.

• xVM

  The name used by Sun Microsystems for its virtualization and management software. Also called Sun xVM, it is a Solaris-based hypervisor that enables servers to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single computer, addressing both desktop and server virtualization. The name itself, according to Sun, represents the intersection (x) of virtualization and management (VM). […]

• xD-Picture Card

  Abbreviated as xD (Extreme Digital), the xD-Picture Card is a type of removable flash memory designed for use in digital cameras. The xD is ultra-compact with its size of 20mm x 25mm x 1.7mm. The xD-Picture Card was developed by Fuji film and Olympus and are used in many models of digital cameras made by […]

• xDSL

  Refers collectively to all types of digital subscriber lines, the two main categories being ADSL and SDSL. Two other types of xDSL technologies are High-data-rate DSL (HDSL) and Very high DSL (VDSL). DSL technologies use sophisticated modulation schemes to pack data onto copper wires. They are sometimes referred to as last-mile technologies because they are […]

• XviD

  An open source MPEG-4 video codec. XviD was created to offer a free alternative to other commercial video codecs. The XviD codec makes it possible to compress a full-length DVD-quality movie enough to fit on one or two CDs, depending on the length of the movie. To play XviD videos you first need to install […]

• XrML

  Short for Extensible Rights Markup Language, an XML-based REL for expressing rights and conditions associated with digital content, Web services, or any digital resource.

• Xmodem

  Originally developed in 1977 by Ward Christensen, Xmodem is one of the most popular file-transfer protocols. Although Xmodem is a relatively simple protocol, it is fairly effective at detecting errors. It works by sending blocks of data together with a checksum and then waiting for acknowledgment of the block’s receipt. The waiting slows down the […]

• Xlet

  An application that is written in Java using the MHP (Multimedia Home Platform) API.

• Xirrus Wi-Fi Array

  An architecture designed to replace switched Ethernet on the desktop as the primary network connection. The Xirrus Wi-Fi Array architecture displaces both overlay Wi-Fi offerings and wired Ethernet to the desktop. It integrates 4, 8, 12, 16 or 24 802.11abg+n radios coupled to a high-gain directional antenna system into a single device along with an […]

• Xirrus Management System

  Abbreviated as XMS, the Xirrus Management System is a platform used to provide central management and monitoring of a Xirrus Wi-Fi Array network. XMS uses utilizes a client/server architecture to automatically discover, configure, and monitor an array network. It can also scale from single site to large scale, multi-site deployments. [Source: Adapted from Xirrus.com]

• Xerox

  Best known for its copier machines, Xerox Corporation has also had a profound influence on the computer industry. During the 70s and 80s, its Palo Alto Research Center conducted pioneering work on user interfaces. Many of their inventions, such as the mouse and the graphical user interface (GUI), have since become commonplace. Xerox continues to […]

• Xeon

  A line of Pentium II chipsets from Intel introduced in 1998. Unlike previous Pentium II chips, which used a Slot 1 form factor, Xeon chips use Slot 2. This allows for faster data transfers between the CPU and L2 cache. Xeon chip speeds start at 400 MHz.

• Xenix

  A version of UNIX that runs on PCs. Xenix was developed by Microsoft Corporation and is compatible with AT&T’s System V definition.

• Xen

  Xen is a virtual machine monitor (VMM) for x86-compatible computers. Xen can securely execute multiple virtual machines, each running its own OS, on a single physical system with close-to-native performance. Xen is open source, and is released under terms of the GNU General Public License.

• Xcerpt

  A deductive rule-based query language currently under development by the I4 working group. Xcerpt is for querying XML, RDF and similar data formats. Xcerpt is well-suited for Semantic Web applications and is designed largely for software developers and researchers.

• Xanga

  Xanga (ZANG-uh) is an Internet Web host that provides its users (community) with access to their own online diaries and journals (often called blogs). A person who belongs to the Xanga community is called a “Xangan”. If someone has a Web blog on Xanga, they are being referred to as “having a Xanga.” Xanga services […]

• X-Window

  A windowing and graphics system developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT has placed the X-Window source code in the public domain, making it a particularly attractive system for UNIX vendors. Almost all UNIX graphical interfaces, including Motif and OpenLook, are based on X-Window.

• X.509

  (n.) A widely used standard for defining digital certificates. X.509 (Version 1) was first issued in 1988 as a part of the ITU X.500 Directory Services standard. When X.509 was revised in 1993, two more fields were added resulting in the Version 2 format. These two additional fields support directory access control. X.509 Version 3 […]

• X.500

  An ISO and ITU standard that defines how global directories should be structured. X.500 directories are hierarchical with different levels for each category of information, such as country, state, and city. X.500 supports X.400 systems.

• X.400

  An ISO and ITU standard for addressing and transporting e-mail messages. It conforms to layer 7 of the OSI model and supports several types of transport mechanisms, including Ethernet, X.25, TCP/IP, and dial-up lines.

• XVCD

  Short for eXtendedVCD it is a non-standardized recording format that offers features similar to VCD, however it can use a higher resolution to produce higher video quality. XVCD uses MPEG1 video. It can be played on some standalone VCD-compatible players, and on computers with a CD or DVD-ROMs with the use of compatible software.

• X.25

  A popular standard for packet-switching networks. The X.25 standard was approved by the CCITT (now the ITU) in 1976. It defines layers 1, 2, and 3 in the OSI Reference Model.

• XUL

  Pronounced “zool.” Short for Extensible User-Interface Language, a series of XML tags that allow different operating platforms to exchange data that describe a program��s user interface. XUL is designed to ease cross-platform (e.g., Windows, Mac and Linux) interface of applications, which traditionally would have been difficult to customize from one to another. XUL supports cascading […]

• XSVCD

  Short for eXtendedSVCD, XSVCD is a nonstandardized recording format that offers features similar to SVCD. However, it can produce a higher video quality. XSVCD uses MPEG2 video. It can be played on computers with a computers with a CD or DVD-ROMs with the use of compatible software. See SVCD.

• XSS

  An abbreviation of cross-site scripting. XSS is a security breach that takes advantage of dynamically generated Web pages. In an XSS attack, a Web application is sent with a script that activates when it is read by an unsuspecting user��s browser or by an application that has not protected itself against cross-site scripting. Because dynamic […]

• XSP

  (1) When spelled xSP, a generic term for a service provider on the Internet, such as an application service provider (ASP), network service provider (NSP) or an Internet service provider (ISP). (2) When spelled XSP, short for eXtensible Server Pages. The XSP language is a core technology of Cocoon, XML-based Web publishing in Java and […]

• XSLT

  Short for Extensible Style Language Transformation, the language used in XSL style sheets to transform XML documents into other XML documents. An XSL processor reads the XML document and follows the instructions in the XSL style sheet, then it outputs a new XML document or XML-document fragment. This is extremely useful in e-commerce, where the […]

• XSL

  Short for Extensible Style Language, a specification for separating style from content when creating HTML or XML pages. The specifications work much like templates, allowing designers to apply single style documents to multiple pages. XSL is the second style specification to be offered by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C )(www.w3c.org). The first, called Cascading […]

• XML Schema Definition (XSD)

  Short for XML Schema Definition, a way to describe and validate data in an XML environment. (A schema is a model for describing the structure of information.) XSD is a recommendation of the W3C. XSD has advantages over earlier XML schema languages, such as DTD. Because XSD is written in XML, there is no need […]

• XQuery

  XQuery or XML Query Language is a W3C specification that provides flexible query facilities to extract data from real and virtual documents and collections both locally and on the World Wide Web, providing interaction between the Web world and the database world. It is a standardized way of searching through semi-structured data that is either […]

• XP

  (1) See Extreme Programming. (2) See Windows XP.

• XOTcl

  (Pronounced exo-tickle) An open source object-oriented scripting language that is based on OTcl but adds several new concepts. XOTcl was intended to develop language support for the implementation of design patterns, where design patterns can be added or removed at runtime.

• XOR operator

  Known as the exclusive OR operator, a Boolean operator that returns a value of TRUE only if just one of its operands is TRUE. In contrast, an inclusive OR operator returns a value of TRUE if either or both of its operands are TRUE.

• XM Satellite Radio

  A U.S.-based satellite radio provider that offers North American-based services. XM and and competing satellite radio provider, Sirius, merged in 2007 to create a single satellite radio network in the United States and Canada. Since the merger, XM Satellite Radio has been operated by Sirius XM Radio.

• XMS

  Stands for Extended Memory Specification, a procedure developed jointly by AST Research, Intel Corporation, Lotus Development, and Microsoft Corporation for using extended memory and DOS’s high memory area, a 64K block just above 1MB.

• XMPP

  Short for Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol, an open, XML-based protocol for server-to-server near-real-time extensible instant messaging and presence. XMPP is a rival protocol to SIMPLE. XMPP also is known as the Jabber protocol because Jabber is based on XMPP. Jabber is not, however, the only instant messaging application that relies on XMPP.

• XML data island

  Blocks (called islands) of Extensible Markup Language (XML) embedded in an HTML document. Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 and newer versions support embedding the XML data inside HTML pages. XML data islands can be accessed from client-side scripts or directly to bound to HTML elements.

• XMLHttpRequest

  Abbreviated as XHR, XMLHttpRequest is a set of APIs that can be used by Web browser scripting languages, such as JavaScript to transfer XML and other text data to and from a Web server using HTTP. XMLHttpRequest works by establishing a communication channel between a Web page’s client-side and server-side. XMLHttpRequest can be used to […]

• XMLHTTP

  Short for Extensible Markup Language Hypertext Transfer Protocol, a set of APIs that enables XML, HTML or binary data to be transmitted to and from Web servers over the Internet using HTTP. An advantage of XMLHTTP is that when files that are ASPs or CGI programs are queried from the server, the XMLHTTP object continuously […]

• XML

  Short for Extensible Markup Language, a specification developed by the W3C. XML is a pared-down version of SGML, designed especially for Web documents. It allows designers to create their own customized tags, enabling the definition, transmission, validation, and interpretation of data between applications and between organizations.

• Windows ReadyBoost

  A Microsoft Windows Vista feature for adding memory to a system using flash memory, such as a USB flash drive, to improve performance without having to add additional system memory. The flash memory device will work as an additional memory cache that the computer can access much more quickly than it can access data on […]

• XLink

  Short for XML Linking Language, a computer language that allows both unidirectional and bidirectional links to other resources (e.g., files, images, documents, programs, query results) to be embedded in XML documents, similar to the hyperlinks found in HTML Web pages. XLink gives XML documents the ability to: assert linking relationships among two or more resources […]

• XHTML MP

  Short for XHTML Mobile Profile XHTML MP is a WAP 2.0 markup language as defined by the WAP Forum. XHTML MP is based on the XHTML Basic specification with some inclusions from the full version of XHTML. XHTML Mobile Profile supports the WCSS (WAP Cascading Style Sheet).

• XLR

  XLR refers to a three-pin locking connector that is used in audio applications. In analog applications, particularly in some high-end consumer audio equipment, XLR connectors are used with balanced lines for optimal interference rejection. An XLR connector’s pins usually point in the direction of signal flow.

• XHTML

  Short for Extensible Hypertext Markup Language, a hybrid between HTML and XMLspecifically designed for Net device displays. XHTML is a markup language written in XML; therefore, it is an XML application. XHTML uses three XML namespaces (used to qualify element and attributes names by associating them with namespaces identified by URI references. Namespaces prevent identically […]

• XGA

  Short for extended graphics array, a high-resolution graphics standard introduced by IBM in 1990. XGA was designed to replace the older 8514/A video standard. It provides the same resolutions (640 by 480 or 1024 by 768 pixels), but supports more simultaneous colors (65 thousand compared to 8514/A’s 256 colors). In addition, XGA allows monitors to […]

• XBRL

  Short for Extensible Business Reporting Language, an XML-based specification for publishing the financial information of an enterprise. The standardization of the specification makes it easier for public and private companies to share information with each other and with industry analysts across all software formats and technologies, including the Internet. XBRL uses XML data tags based […]

• Transaction Authority Markup Language

  Shortened as XAML. XAML is a vendor-neutral standard developed jointly by Bowstreet, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Oracle and Sun that is used to coordinate and process online business transactions. Based on XML, XAML uses a set of XML message formats and interaction models that Web services can use to provide business-level transactions that span multiple parties across […]

• X2

  A technology developed by U.S. Robotics (now 3COM) for delivering data rates up to 56 Kbps over plain old telephone service (POTS). It was long believed that the maximum data transmission rate over copper telephone wires was 33.6 Kbps, but X2 achieves higher rates by taking advantage of the fact that most phone switching stations […]

• wugging

  Slang term that means Web use giving. The term wugging means to raise charity money through the Internet and Web sites. No cost is incurred by the user as the money is earned through affiliate programs as well as search engine advertisers. One of the most common forms of wugging are using a charity sponsored […]

• write-protect

  )To mark a file or disk so that its contents cannot be modified or deleted. When you want to make sure that neither you nor another user can destroy data, you can write-protect it. Many operating systems include a command to write-protect files. You can also write-protect 5¼-inch floppy disks by covering the write-protect notch […]

• write endurance

  In flash-based solid state disks the write endurance is the number of write cycles to a block of flash memory. Once you have met the write endurance limit the disk may become unreliable.

• Write-Back Cache

  A caching method in which modifications to data in the cache aren’t copied to the cache source until absolutely necessary. Write-back caching is available on many microprocessors, including all Intel processors since the 80486. With these microprocessors, data modifications (e.g., write operations) to data stored in the L1 cache aren’t copied to main memory until […]

• wrapper

  Software that accompanies resources or other software for the purposes of improving convenience, compatibility, or security. For example, a wrapper is used to compress and encrypt software that is being sold over the Internet. It is also used to make EDI – a decades-old electronic commerce standard – compatible with the Internet. The term can […]

• write

  To copy data from main memory to a storage device, such as a disk.

• wrap plug

  Another name for a loopback plug.

• WPA Enterprise

  A router (or Wi-Fi router) feature that is designed to authenticate individual users to an external server via username and password. WPA Enterprise also gives each PC a unique encryption key, which the user never sees, so they can’t share it. To use WPA/WPA2 Enterprise you need a RADIUS server. See Common Router IP and […]

• Worm

  (1) A program or algorithm that replicates itself over a computer network and usually performs malicious actions, such as using up the computer’s resources and possibly shutting the system down.

• world roaming

  A GSM technology that allows some digital mobile phones to be used in different parts of the world.

• Workstation

  (1) A type of computer used for engineering applications (CAD/CAM), desktop publishing, software development, and other types of applications that require a moderate amount of computing power and relatively high quality graphicscapabilities. Workstations generally come with a large, high-resolution graphics screen, at least 64 MB (megabytes) of RAM, built-in network support, and a graphical user […]

• working directory

  The directory in which you are currently working. Pathnames that do not start with the root directory are assumed by the operating system to start from the working directory.

• workgroup productivity package

  Software software packages that include e-mail, calendar programs, scheduling programs, and other utilities that promote communication between users on a local-area network.

• workgroup computing

  A workgroup is a collection of individuals working together on a task. Workgroup computing occurs when all the individuals have computers connected to a network that allows them to send e-mail to one another, share data files, and schedule meetings. Sophisticated workgroup systems allow users to define workflows so that data is automatically forwarded to […]

• Word Wrap

  In word processing, a feature that causes the word processor to force all text to fit within the defined margins. When you fill one line with text, the word processor automatically jumps to the next line so that you are not required to keep track of line lengths and to press the Return key after […]

• workflow

  The defined series of tasks within an organization to produce a final outcome. Sophisticated workgroup computing applications allow you to define different workflows for different types of jobs. So, for example, in a publishing setting, a document might be automatically routed from writer to editor to proofreader to production. At each stage in the workflow, […]

• Word Processing (word processor)

  Using a computer to create, edit, and print documents. Of all computer applications, word processing is the most common. To perform word processing, you need a computer, a special program called a word processor, and a printer. A word processor enables you to create a document, store it electronically on a disk, display it on […]

• word processor

  A program or computer that enables you to perform word processing functions.

• word

  (1) In word processing, any group of characters separated by spaces or punctuation on both sides. Whether it is a real word or not is unimportant to the word processor. (2) In programming, the natural data size of a computer. The size of a word varies from one computer to another, depending on the CPU. […]

• woot

  Slang term used mainly by computer enthusiasts to express excitement or joy. Also spelled w00t.

• wizard

  (1) A utility within an application that helps you use the application to perform a particular task. For example, a “letter wizard” within a word processing application would lead you through the steps of producing different types of correspondence. (2) An outstanding programmer. Also called a super- programmer. Common wisdom holds that one wizard is […]

• wireless repeater

  Also called an expander, a wireless repeater is a device used to increase the effective coverage of your wireless network. Differing from traditional access points, the newer generation of Wireless-G wireless repeaters do not need to be directly connected to your network via cables. Instead the device simply needs to be within range of your […]

• wireless personal area network

  A wireless personal area network (WPAN) is a personal, short distance area wireless network for interconnecting devices centered around an individual person’s workspace. WPANs address wireless networking and mobile computing devices such as PCs, PDAs, peripherals, cell phones, pagers and consumer electronics. WPANs are also called short wireless distance networks.

• wireless number portability

  In mobile phones, number portability is the capability to change a mobile phone carrier without changing a mobile directory number (MDN) in a communication environment where the phone service providers use different intelligent network protocols.

• wireless network interface controller

  Abbreviated as WNIC, a wireless network interface card is a network card which is used to connect radio-based computer networks. WNICs uses an antenna to communicate through microwaves and is typically connected using the computer’s PCI bus or USB port. Similar to a Network Interface Card (NIC), the WNIC also works on Layer 1 and […]

• Wireless Network Engineer

  Organizations are becoming more and more dependent on wireless technology to connect remote and mobile workers to the company network. Wireless network engineers design, implement, and optimize a company’s wireless LAN and other wireless technologies. Wireless network engineering is on the cutting edge of data communications technology. According to a 2009 Cisco survey, 65 percent […]

• wireless monitor

  A monitor that does not require a wired connection to the computer system. The first wireless monitors are expected to be released in mid-2008 using wireless USB. To work, a wireless monitor must first packetize the graphics information so that it can be sent over a standard USB connection; then, a wireless USB transmitter picks […]

• wireless modem

  A modem that accesses a private wireless data network or a wireless telephone system, such as the CDPD system.

• Wireless Internet

  Wireless Internet enables wireless connectivity to the Internet via radio waves rather than wires on a person’s home computer, laptop, smartphone or similar mobile device. Wireless Internet can be accessed directly through providers like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Boingo and Clearwire. While most wireless Internet options lack the high speed of landline broadband Internet connections such […]

• wireless mesh network

  A wireless mesh network (WMN) is a mesh network implemented over a Wireless LAN (WLAN). In WMNs, communications between nodes and those between nodes and clients are over a radio link.

• wireless imaging

  A term used to define the transfer of images from one device to another, without the use of cords (wirelessly). This may be as complex as capturing and recording video through wireless security camera systems or even sending images from one smartphone to another, or sending images from a digital camera to a printer. Wireless […]

• Wireless USB LAN Adapter

  A high-speed wireless network card that is used to access a network through a USB port on a computer or laptop. Most wireless USB LAN adapters look like small USB flash drives and usually are based on the 802.11g standard which provides a data rate up to 54-Mbps in a wireless LAN environment. Some wireless […]

• wireless bridge

  In wireless networking it is the hardware component which is used to connect two or more network segments which are physically separated. See bridge.

• wireless ASP

  Abbreviated WASP a wireless ASP provides the same service of a regular ASP but to wireless clients. WASPs are typically used in enterprises to connect a mobile workforce to company data, including e-mail, Internet access, CRM, ERP and company financials.

• Wireless

  The word wireless is dictionary defined as “having no wires”. In networking terminology, wireless is the term used to describe any computer network where there is no physical wired connection between sender and receiver, but rather the network is connected by radio waves and/or microwaves to maintain communications. Wireless networking utilizes specific equipment such as […]

• wirehead

  A slang term used to describe an individual who enjoys troubleshooting and solving hardware or network problems. It may also refer to an individual who likes to tinker with hardware components to create new things.

• wireframe

  Wireframes are an important design tool used in Web development. It is a visualization tool for presenting proposed functions, structure and content of a Web page or Web site. A wireframe separates the graphic elements of a Web site from the functional elements in such a way that Web teams can easily explain how users […]

• Microsoft Office

  Microsoft Office is Microsoft’s ubiquitous office suite for Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS X operating systems. Microsoft Office made its debut in 1990, with successive releases adding to the suite’s primary word processor (Microsoft Word), spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel), and presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint) applications with an e-mail / personal information manager application (Microsoft Outlook), database […]

• Windows Phone

  A mobile operating system for smartphones and mobile devices that serves as the successor to Microsoft’s initial mobile OS platform system, Windows Mobile. Unlike Windows Mobile, Windows Phone 8 (also referred to as WinPho8) and later versions are targeted more to the consumer market than the enterprise market, and it replaces the more traditional Microsoft […]

• Windows Mobile

  A mobile operating system for smartphones and mobile devices from Microsoft based on the Windows CE kernel and designed to look and operate similar to desktop versions of Microsoft Windows. Windows Mobile competes in the mobile OS market with Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android, BlackBerry OS, Symbian and others. Windows Mobile first debuted as the operating […]

• Windows 8

  The next major release of the Microsoft Windows operating system, Windows 8 officially debuted on October 26th, 2012 following a release to manufacturing on August 1st. According to Microsoft, Windows 8 is a completely redesigned operating system developed from the ground up with touchscreen use in mind as well as near-instant-on capabilities that enable a […]

• Window

  (1) An enclosed, rectangular area on a display screen. Most modern operating systems and applications have graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that let you divide your display into several windows. Within each window, you can run a different program or display different data. Windows are particularly valuable in multitasking environments , which allow you to execute […]

• win.com

  Win.com is the executable file responsible for Windows start-up. It runs after the autoexec.bat file is processed, and it accesses the VMM32.vxd file. In a Windows 3.x environment, the win.com file is executed by typing “win” in the DOS prompt. In version 9x OSs, win.com runs automatically.

• wildcard character

  A special symbol that stands for one or more characters. Many operating systems and applications support wildcards for identifying files and directories. This enables you to select multiple files with a single specification. For example, in DOS and Windows, the asterisk (*) is a wild card that stands for any combination of letters. The file […]

• Wiki

  (n.) A collaborative Web site comprises the perpetual collective work of many authors. Similar to a blog in structure and logic, a wiki allows anyone to edit, delete or modify content that has been placed on the Web site using a browser interface, including the work of previous authors. In contrast, a blog, typically authored […]

• wiimote

  ) (pronounced wee-moat) The wireless, remote-control-style controller for Nintendo’s next generation games console, the Nintendo Wii.

• Wi-Fi phone

  A cellular telephone that’s capable of connecting to the Internet through a Wi-Fi network or hotspot is frequently referred to as a Wi-Fi phone. Wi-Fi mobile phones enable a person to make calls, send and receive text messages, receive voicemail and access the Internet when connected to a Wi-Fi network. A second category of Wi-Fi […]

• widow

  (1) In word processing, the last line of a paragraph that appears as the first line of a page. Widows are considered bad form in page layout, so many word processors allow you to avoid them. When the word processor detects a widow, it can end the page one or more lines early so that […]

• Widget

  Pronounced wih-jit. (1) Widget is a generic term for the part of a GUI that allows the user to interface with the application and operating system. Widgets display information and invite the user to act in a number of ways. Typical widgets include buttons, dialog boxes, pop-up windows, pull-down menus, icons, scroll bars, resizable window […]

• wideband voice

  See under HD voice.

• wideband

  In telecommunications terminology, wideband is used to describe a “wide band” of frequencies within a spectrum. Wideband means that the transmission channel itself has a wider bandwidth than one voice channel. The term wideband itself is variously defined, however the ITU-T G.722 standard defines wideband as a bandwidth of up to 7 kHz.

• Wide-Area Network (WAN)

  A computer network that spans a relatively large geographical area. Typically, a WAN consists of two or more local-area networks (LANs). Computers connected to a wide-area network are often connected through public networks, such as the telephone system. They can also be connected through leased lines or satellites. The largest WAN in existence is the […]

• wide area file services

  Wide area file services, or WAFS, is a storage technology that allows businesses and enterprises to access remote data centers as if they were local. WAFS allow multiple agencies to manage data, data archiving and wide area file services products and provide a combination of distributed file systems and caching technology to allow real-time, read-write […]

• wide area data services

  Abbreviated as WADS, wide area data services (or WDS) is a superset of smaller market segments that include WAN optimization, WAFS (wide-area file services), and application acceleration. Wide area data services enable the consolidation of file servers from remote sites to the data center without compromising end user performance and also enable the acceleration of […]

• whois

  An Internet utility that returns information about a domain name or IP address. For example, if you enter a domain name such as microsoft.com, whois will return the name and address of the domain’s owner (in this case, Microsoft Corporation).

• whitespace

  Refers to all characters that appear as blanks on a display screen or printer. This includes the space character, the tab character, and sometimes other special characters that do not have a visual form (for example, the bell character and null character).

• Whitelist

  (n.) In Internet terminology, a generic name for a list of e-mail addresses or IP addresses that are considered to be spam free. Whitelists are used frequently with e-mail applications to allow users to compile lists of senders they wish to receive e-mail from. This list overrides any blacklists and spam filters, and allows the […]

• whiteboarding

  In videoconferencing whiteboarding is the term used to describe the placement of shared documents on a participant’s on-screen whiteboard. This is a feature included with many videoconferencing software packages. Other features of whiteboarding are built-in tools for editing and marking up the electronic document, much as you would when using a traditional, physical whiteboard.

• whiteboard

  An area on a display screen that multiple users can write or draw on. Whiteboards are a principal component of teleconferencing applications because they enable visual as well as audio communication.

• White Screen of Death (WSoD)

  Abbreviated WSoD, the White Screen of Death or simply “White Death” refers to an error or issue with an operating system that causes the computer or device to stop working and display only a white screen. The White Screen of Death most often refers to an Apple iPod or iPhone that has locked up due […]

• white paper

  A report on a topic given by an individual or group with authority on the topic, typically to explain the results of a development effort. Technology companies often publish white papers to explain newly developed technologies and can include an explanation of how the technology was developed, how it is used, benchmark and other testing […]

• White Label

  A product or service, especially common in the in the financial sector, where the provider of the service purchases a fully supported product from another source, then applies its own brand and identity to it, and sells it as its own product. The purchaser assumes the seller is selling its own product.

• white balance

  Abbreviated as WB, white balance is a function of a digital camera used to compensate for different colors of light being emitted by different light sources. In digital photography the term is generally used to describe a function of a digital camera that allows you to calibrate the device to correctly display the color white. […]

• backslash

  The backslash character is \; a simple slash or forward slash is /. In DOS and Windows systems, the backslash represents the root directory and is also used to separate directory names and filenames in a pathname.

• Website Optimization

  1) Also called search engine optimization (SEO), website optimization is a phrase that describes the procedures used to optimize – or to design from scratch – a website to rank well in search engines. Website optimization includes processes such as adding relevant keyword and phrases on the website, editing meta tags, image tags, and optimizing […]

• webOS

  A mobile operating system originally developed by Palm and later acquired by HP in 2010. webOS was initially used as a replacement for Palm’s earlier Palm OS mobile operating system as well as Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, which the company used on some of its smartphones. webOS powered a number of Palm and HP smartphones before […]

• Webian Shell

  Webian Shell is an open source prototype full-screen Web browser you can use on any device that doesn’t need to run a desktop. It is basically a graphical shell for the Web as it provides a full screen environment that works like a Web browser but with a minimal interface. It is best suited to […]

• webafied

  A term used to refer to any application that has been enabled for Web access. The application may contain only some Web components to be considered webafied.

• Web Site

  A site (location) on the World Wide Web. Each Web site contains a home page, which is the first document users see when they enter the site. The site might also contain additional documents and files. Each site is owned and managed by an individual, company or organization.

• Web Page

  A document on the World Wide Web. Every Web page is identified by a unique URL(Uniform Resource Locator).

• web as a platform

  Traditionally, software was developed for specific platforms, such as Windows, Linux, or Mac OS. Today, developers build Web-based applications that run on the Web, that are completely independent of the user’s actual computer operating system. One of the goals of Web 2.0 is to facilitate the use of the Web as a development platform.

• wavelet compression

  The lossy compression of an image by converting it into a set of mathematical expressions.

• wavelet

  A mathematical function used in compressing images. Images compressed using wavelets are smaller than JPEG images and can be transferred and downloaded at quicker speeds. Wavelet technology can compress color images from 20:1 to 300:1, grayscale images from 10:1 to 50:1.

• waveguide

  A circular, elliptical or rectangular metal tube or pipe through which electromagnetic waves are propagated in microwave and RF communications. The wave passing through the medium is forced to follow the path determined by the physical structure of the guide.

• wave table synthesis

  A technique for generating sounds from digital signals. Wave table synthesis stores digital samples of sound from various instruments, which can then be combined, edited, and enhanced to reproduce sound defined by a digital input signal. Wave table synthesis reproduces the sound of musical instruments better than Frequency Modulation (FM) synthesis. The MIDI standard supports […]

• waveform

  A commonly used term in the telecommunications industry. Waveform is a graphical representation of a signal as a plot of amplitude versus time, i.e., the shape of a wave.

• digital watermark

  Also referred to as simply watermarking, a pattern of bits inserted into a digital image, audio or video file that identifies the file’s copyright information (author, rights, etc.). The name comes from the faintly visible watermarks imprinted on stationery that identify the manufacturer of the stationery. The purpose of digital watermarks is to provide copyright […]

• watchdog

  A watchdog is a device used to protect a system from specific software or hardware failures that may cause the system to stop responding. The application is first registered with the watchdog device. Once the watchdog is running on your system the application must periodically send information to the watchdog device. If the device doesn’t […]

• warm-up time

  In computers, systems and electronics the warm-up time is the amount of time that a device or system requires to go from a cold start to operating temperature. Warm-up time is usually measured in seconds or minutes.

• warm standby

  (w��rm stand´bī) (n.) A method of redundancy in which the secondary (i.e., backup) system runs in the background of the primary system. Data is mirrored to the secondary server at regular intervals, which means that there are times when both servers do not contain the exact same data.

• Warm Boot

  Refers to restarting a computer that is already turned on via the operating system. Restarting it returns the computer to its initial state. A warm boot is sometimes necessary when a program encounters an error from which it cannot recover. On PCs, you can perform a warm boot by pressing the Control, Alt, and Delete […]

• warm colors

  The phrase used to describe any color that is vivid or bold in nature. Warm colors are those that tend to advance in space and can be overwhelming. Examples of warm colors include red and orange (think exciting fire and volcanoes). Contrast with cool colors. See “The Science of Color” in the Did You Know… […]

• wardriving

  The act of driving around in a vehicle with a laptop computer, an antenna, and an 802.11 wireless LAN adapter to exploit existing wireless networks. Set on promiscuous mode, the wireless adapter, typically a NIC, will receive packets within its range. Wardriving exploits wireless networks that have ranges that extend outside the perimeter of buildings […]

• warez

  Pronounced wayrz or wayrss. Commercial software that has been pirated and made available to the public via a BBS or the Internet. Typically, the pirate has figured out a way to de-activate the copy-protection or registration scheme used by the software. Note that the use and distribution of warez software is illegal. In contrast, shareware […]

• warchalking

  The act of making chalk marks on outdoor surfaces (walls, sidewalks, buildings, sign posts, trees) to indicate the existence of an open wireless network connection, usually offering an Internet connection so that others can benefit from the free wireless access. The open connections typically come from the access points of wireless networks located within buildings […]

• wallpaper

  On computers that use a desktop GUI, wallpaper is the monitor pattern or picture or other graphic representation that forms the background onto which all the icons, menus and other elements of the operating system are displayed and moved around. An operating system will typically come with pre-installed images to set as the wallpaper and […]

• walled garden

  On the Internet, a walled garden refers to a browsing environment that controls the information and Web sites the user is able to access. This is a popular method used by ISPs in order to keep the user navigating only specific areas of the Web, whether for the purpose of shielding users from information — […]

• wait state

  A time-out period during which a CPU or bus lies idle. Wait states are sometimes required because different components function at different clock speeds. For example, if the CPU is much faster than the memory chips, it may need to sit idle during some clock cycles so that the memory chips can catch up. Likewise, […]

• World Wide Web

  The World Wide Web is a system of Internet servers that support specially formatted documents. The documents are formatted in a markup language called HTML (HyperText Markup Language) that supports links to other documents, as well as graphics, audio, and video files. This means you can jump from one document to another simply by clicking […]

• wafer

  A thin, round slice of semiconductor material, typically silicon, from which microchips are made. Silicon is processed into large cylindrical ingots, sliced into ultra-thin wafers and then implanted with transistors before being cut into smaller semiconductor chips.

• Wolfpack

  The codename for Microsoft’s clustering solution. Wolfpack was released in September, 1997 as part of Windows NT 4.0, enterprise Edition. Its official name is Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS).

• WordPerfect

  One of the most popular word processors for PCs and Apple Macintoshes.

• Wireless Zero Configuration

  Available in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, Wireless Zero Configuration is a feature used to dynamically select the wireless network to which to attempt connection, based either on your preferences or on default settings. This includes automatically selecting and connecting to a more preferred wireless network when it becomes available. If none of the […]

• Wireless-G

  A 54 Mbps wireless networking standard that has become popular due to its speed advantage over the widely used 802.11b (Wireless-B) standard. Wireless-G uses the same 2.4 GHz radio band that 802.11b uses and Wireless-G (802.11g) devices can also work with existing 11Mbps 802.11b equipment.

• Wireless Distribution System

  Abbreviated as WDS, in wireless networking, a Wireless Distribution System is used to extend your wireless network coverage. The Wireless Distribution System basically enables wireless interconnection of access points in an 802.11 network expand by using multiple access points without a wired backbone. See distribution system. See “DD-WRT Tutorial 2: Extend Range with WDS” on […]

• WirelessHD

  Abbreviated as WiHD, WirelessHD is an industry-defined specification for a wireless digital network interface specification for consumer electronics. A wireless digital interface combines uncompressed high-definition video, multi-channel audio, intelligent format and control data, and Hollywood approved content protection. The WirelessHD specification has been architected in its first generation implementation high-speed rates from 2 Gbps to […]

• Winwebsec

  Win32/Winwebsec is a Trojan horse that is delivered via a fake YouTube link that entices users to download and install a rogue security Trojan. The Winwebsec page may contain a message like “I can’t upload this to YouTube as it will get deleted. Click the link on the right to watch.” The malicious page will […]

• Wintel

  Refers to the combination of the Windows operating system running on Intel microprocessors. The term is often used sarcastically to indicate the close alliance between Intel and Microsoft. Because Windows 3.x and Windows 95 run only on x86 microprocessor architectures, Intel and Microsoft support each other in ways that many feel is unhealthy for the […]

• Winsock

  Short for Windows Socket, an API for developing Windows programs that can communicate with other machines via the TCP/IP protocol. Windows 95 and Windows NT comes with Dynamic Link Library (DLL) called winsock.dll that implements the API and acts as the glue between Windows programs and TCP/IP connections. In addition to the Microsoft version of […]

• Winlogon

  A component of the Windows operating system that provides interactive logon support. Winlogon is designed around an interactive logon model that consists of three components: the Winlogon executable, a Graphical Identification and Authentication dynamic-link library (DLL) referred to as the GINA, and any number of network providers. Winlogon is not supported in Windows Me/98/95. [Source: […]

• Windows terminal

  A dumb terminal especially designed to run Windows applications. Windows terminals are connected to a Windows NT server through a network. All processing and data storage is handled by the server; the terminal does nothing more than send the user’s input (keystrokes and mouse movements) to the server and display the results on the display […]

• Windows XP Network Bridge

  In Windows XP, a Network Bridge is a feature that is used to combine two or more local area networks (such as wired and wireless) into one logical network. Computers on each network can communicate with computers on all of the other networks, sharing files, printers and even an Internet connection. To create a bridge […]

• Windows XP Mode

  An add-on capability available from Microsoft for the Windows 7 operating system. Windows XP Mode is designed to provide Windows XP application compatibility for Windows 7. It provides a virtualized environment to run Windows XP applications that won’t run directly on Windows 7 itself. See “XP Mode Ready by Windows 7 Consumer Rollout” on InternetNews.com

• Windows XP ICS Internet Gateway

  When using Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing (ICS, an ICS client computer can be used to remotely monitor and control the ICS server computer’s Internet connection. This Internet Gateway feature is available on computers running Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition or Windows XP that have been configured as an ICS client […]

• Windows XP Operating System

  Windows XP is an operating system introduced in 2001 from Microsoft’s Windows family of operating systems, the previous version of Windows being Windows Me. The “XP” in Windows XP stands for eXPerience. Microsoft called the XP release its most important product since Windows 95. Along with a redesigned look and feel to the user interface, […]

• Windows Vista

  Windows Vista (formerly code named Longhorn) is the next evolution of Microsoft’s operating system. Vista offers an advancement in reliability, security, ease of deployment, performance and manageability over Windows XP. As of July 30, 2005 Windows Vista is in the beta 1 phase and is expected to be released late in 2006. Some of the […]

• Windows Sidebar

  Windows Sidebar is a pane on the side of the Windows Vista desktop that organizes gadgets (mini-applications with a wide variety of possible uses) and makes them easy to access.

• Windows Touch

  A feature in Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system that enables users with a touchscreen to simply point at what they want and move things around with their fingers. For example, you can move your hand to scroll through a Web page or use custom commands, such as moving your fingers apart to zoom in on […]

• Windows SideShow

  A Microsoft Windows Vista feature that enables developers to create new and extend existing applications, called gadgets, specifically for devices with small displays and limited interaction models. Examples of devices supported by Windows SideShow include displays attached to a laptop, front panel computer displays, cellphones, digital picture frames, and other display devices.

• Windows Server

  A series of server operating systems developed by Microsoft Corporation. Windows servers are more powerful versions of their desktop operating system counterparts and are designed to more efficiently handle corporate networking, Internet/intranet hosting, databases, enterprise-scale messaging and similar functions. The Windows Server name made its debut with the release of Windows Server 2003 and continues […]

• Windows Photo Gallery

  A Windows Vista tool that allows you to organize, find, and view photos and videos. Additionally, Windows Photo Gallery also offers quick access to printing, editing, and sharing photos and also transfers photos from your camera to your computer with a simple import process and allows users to create multimedia slide shows.

• Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)

  Short for Wired Equivalent Privacy, a security protocol for wireless local area networks (WLANs) defined in the 802.11b standard. WEP is designed to provide the same level of security as that of a wired LAN. LANs are inherently more secure than WLANs because LANs are somewhat protected by the physicalities of their structure, having some […]

• Windows Network Setup Wizard

  Windows XP has a built-in Network Setup Wizard that makes it easy to configure networking on computers running Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, and Windows XP. The Wizard does not work on computers running Windows 95, Windows NT, or Windows 2000. The Wizard can perform these tasks on a Windows XP […]

• Windows NT

  A version of the Windows operating system. Windows NT (New Technology) is a 32-bit operating system that supports preemptive multitasking. There are actually two versions of Windows NT: Windows NT Server, designed to act as a server in networks, and Windows NT Workstation for stand-alone or client workstations.

• Windows Meeting Space

  A Microsoft Windows Vista feature for collaboration that enables face-to-face collaboration with up to nine Windows Vista users that allows them to share work over a wired network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), or an ad-hoc wireless network. When a user initiates a Windows Meeting Space session they can then invite others and send […]

• Windows Mail

  A Microsoft Windows Vista feature, formally called Outlook Express in previous Microsoft operating systems. Windows Mail better addresses concerns regarding junk e-mail and phishing attacks, and it also adds new features not found in Outlook Express for searching and managing your e-mail.

• Windows Live Messenger

  Previously called MSN Messenger, Microsoft’s Windows Live Messenger (WLM) is an advertisement-supported instant messaging service. It currently has more than 27 million active registered users worldwide. WLM offers file sharing, PC-to-PC calling, time-stamped messages, offline notifications and other features. In 2006, Microsoft and Yahoo announced an interoperability agreement which would allow users on either system […]

• Windows Live ID

  A free service that enables users to create one set of sign-in credentials consisting of an e-mail address and password to sign in to MSN Messenger, MSN Hotmail, MSN Music, and other sites and services. Windows Live ID (the newest name of the service) also works with works with Passport Network sites.

• Windows Image Acquisition

  Abbreviated as WIA, Windows Image Acquisition is a device driver interface (DDI) and an API that is used for acquiring digital images from devices that are used primarily in still image capture, such as scanners and digital cameras, and transferring those images to the user computer.

• Windows Home Server

  Announced by Microsoft in January 2007, Windows Home Server (WHS) is a consumer server option designed for use with multiple computers connected in the home. Home Server allows you to share files such as digital photos and media files, and also allows you to automatically backup your home networked computers. Through Windows Media Connect, Windows […]

• Windows Genuine Advantage

  The Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) program is part of what Microsoft describes as its on-going effort to protect its customers and partners from counterfeit software, and increase customer awareness of the value of genuine Windows XP. Microsoft will ask users to validate their Windows when requesting a genuine Windows download from the Microsoft Download Center […]

• WDM

  (1) Short for wavelength division multiplexing, a type of multiplexing developed for use on optical fiber. WDM modulates each of several data streams onto a different part of the light spectrum. WDM is the optical equivalent of FDM. See DWDM (2) Short for Windows Driver Model, a driver technology developed by Microsoft to create drivers […]

• Windows DNA

  Short for Windows Distributed interNet Applications Architecture, a marketing name for a collection of Microsoft technologies that enable the Windows platform and the Internet to work together. Some of the principle technologies comprising DNA include ActiveX, Dynamic HTML (DHTML) and COM.

• Windows CardSpace

  Windows CardSpace is a Microsoft .NET Framework version 3.0 software client that’s designed to let users provide their digital identity to online services in a simple, secure and trusted way. It’s an identity selector that pops up when a user needs to authenticate to a Web site or a Web service. CardSpace was previously called […]

• Windows CE

  A version of the Windows operating system designed for small devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) (or Handheld PCs in the Microsoft vernacular). The Windows CE graphical user interface (GUI) is very similar to Windows 95 so devices running Windows CE should be easy to operate for anyone familiar with Windows 95.

• Windows Azure

  A Microsoft services-based operating environment (also called a cloud computing platform) that will let developers build and host services on Microsoft’s infrastructure. Windows Azure is an open platform that support both Microsoft and non-Microsoft languages and environments. According to the official Microsoft Windows Azure Web site, developers can build their applications and services, developers using […]

• Windows 98

  Originally it was called Memphis, and then Windows 97, but Microsoft changed the name when it realized that it was going to miss its target 1997 release date. Windows 98 offers support for a number of new technologies, including FAT32, AGP, MMX, USB, DVD, and ACPI. Its most visible feature, though, is the Active Desktop, […]

• Windows 95

  A major release of the Microsoft Windows operating system released in 1995. Windows 95 represents a significant advance over its precursor, Windows 3.1. In addition to sporting a new user interface, Windows 95 also includes a number of important internal improvements. Perhaps most important, it supports 32-bit applications, which means that applications written specifically for […]

• Windows 7

  Windows 7 made its official debut to the public on October 22, 2009 as the latest in the 25-year-old line of Microsoft Windows operating systems and as the successor to Windows Vista (which itself had followed Windows XP). Windows 7 was released in conjunction with Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7’s server counterpart. Enhancements and […]

• Windows

  When spelled with a capital W, Windows is short for Microsoft Windows.

• Windows 2000

  A product in Microsoft’s Windows line of operating systems. There are four versions of Windows 2000: Professional — an operating system for business desktop and laptop systems. It is used to run software applications, connect to Internet and intranet sites, and access files, printers, and network resources. Server — both a Web server and an […]

• Winchester disk drive

  Another term for hard disk drive. The term Winchester comes from an early type of disk drive developed by IBM that had 30MB of fixed storage and 30MB of removable storage; so its inventors called it a Winchester in honor of its 30/30 rifle. Although modern disk drives are faster and hold more data, the […]

• WinFrame

  A technology developed by Citrix Systems that turns Windows NT into a multi-user operating system. Together with another Citrix technology called ICA, WinFrame enables a Windows NT server to function like a minicomputer. The result is that network users on non-Windows machines (e.g., Macintoshes, DOS systems, and UNIX machines) can run Windows applications. The actual […]

• Win32s

  Short for WIN32 subset, a software package that can be added to Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups systems to give them the ability to run some 32-bit applications. As the name implies, Win32s is only a subset of the Win32 API used by Windows 95 and Windows NT. The main function performed by Win32s […]

• Win32

  The Windows API for developing 32-bit applications. Win32 is built into Windows 95 and Windows NT so applications that rely on the API (Win32 applications) should run equally well in both environments. It is also possible to run some Win32 applications under older 16-bit versions of windows by installing the Win32s runtime system.

• Wii LAN Adapter

  An adapter that is required to connect the Wii console to a wired access point (AP), such as a broadband modem or wired router. One end of the Wii LAN Adapter is plugged into a USB port on the back of the Wii console the other end receives the Ethernet cord from your wired modem […]

• Wii

  A small handheld video game console device produced by Nintendo. The Wii is the successor to the Nintendo GameCube, and features a wireless controller, a wiimote that can be used as a pointing device, and WiiConnect24, which is primarily used for Internet messaging and product updates. The Wii is also called Nintendo Wii by consumers. […]

• Wide Area Augmentation System

  Abbreviated as WAAS, Wide Area Augmentation System is a system of satellites and ground stations that provide GPS signal corrections for errors caused by ionosphere disturbances, timing, and satellite orbit errors. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) are developing the WAAS program for use in precision flight approaches. The WAAS […]

• Wide Area Application Services

  Cisco Wide Area Application Services (WAAS) consists of a GUI and a set of system devices called wide-area application engines (WAE) that work together to optimize TCP traffic over your network. When client and server applications attempt to communicate with each other, the network intercepts and redirects this traffic to the WAEs so that they […]

• Wicd

  A popular open source wired and wireless network manager for Linux. Wicd offers users a simple interface to connect to networks with a wide variety of settings.

• Wi-Fi enabled

  The term used to describe any device that has build-in support for Wi-Fi, a popular wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet and network connections.

• Wi-Fi detector

  A device used to detect and analyze the presence of Wi-Fi networks (hotspots). A WiFi detector can be a standalone handheld device that requires batteries to operate or a USB device that can be connected to your computer or laptop. A typical WiFi detector will show both the presence of a signal, detect WEP or […]

• Wi-Fi Protected Setup

  Abbreviated as WPS, Wi-Fi Protected Setup is an optional Wi-Fi Alliance certification program that is designed to enable users with little knowledge of Wi-Fi configuration and security settings to configure new wireless networks, and also add new devices and enable security. Wi-Fi Protected Setup supports Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11 products including consumer electronics and phones, as […]

• Wi-Fi Alliance

  An organization made up of leading wireless equipment and software providers with the missions of certifying all 802.11-based products for interoperability and promoting the term Wi-Fi as the global brand name across all markets for any 802.11-based wireless LAN products. While all 802.11a/b/g products are called Wi-Fi, only products that have passed the Wi-Fi Alliance […]

• Wi-Fi5

  This term was created by the Wi-Fi Alliance to refer to wireless LAN products based on the IEEE 802.11a specification that operates in the 5GHz radio frequency band. However, the use of the term has been officially discontinued to avoid confusion. All 802.11-based products, whether 802.11a, 802.11b or otherwise, are now supposed to be generically […]

• Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11x)

  Wi-Fi is the name of a popular wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet and network connections. A common misconception is that the term Wi-Fi is short for “wireless fidelity,” however this is not the case. Wi-Fi is simply a trademarked phrase that means IEEE 802.11x. The Wi-Fi Alliance The […]

• WiMAX USB dongle

  A 3G or WiMAX USB dongle is a portable device that attaches to a USB port to enable a PC to connect to WiMAX and (or) 3G networks. These connectivity dongles are popular with mobile users who require broadband Internet connectivity while on-the-go. Add-in cards for WiMAX or 3G are also available for laptops.

• WiMAX

  The name commonly given to the IEEE 802.16 standard.

• Wireless Local-Area Network (WLAN)

  Acronym for wireless local-area network. Also referred to as LAWN. A type of local-area network that uses high-frequency radio waves rather than wires to communicate between nodes.

• White Hat SEO

  In search engine optimization (SEO) terminology, white hat SEO refers to the usage of optimization strategies, techniques and tactics that focus on a human audience opposed to search engines and completely follows search engine rules and policies. For example, a website that is optimized for search engines, yet focuses on relevancy and organic ranking is […]

• White Box Testing

  Also known as glass box, structural, clear box and open box testing. A software testing technique whereby explicit knowledge of the internal workings of the item being tested are used to select the test data. Unlike black box testing, white box testing uses specific knowledge of programming code to examine outputs. The test is accurate […]

• White Book

  The specification covering the video CD format.

• WfM

  Short for Wired for Management, an open-industry specification developed by Intel that lets IT professionals automate client-PC management over a network. WfM technology is used in client-side hardware (such as circuitry, memory, power supply and NIC ) and management software applications (such as LDCM ). IT managers will use the software to interact with PCs […]

• Webware

  (1) Software that is remotely accessed online usually with a Web browser. Also called Web applications or online software. (2) Refers to a set of components used to develop Web sites or online applications.

• Websphere

  WebSphere is an IBM brand of products that implement and extend Sun’s JavaTwoEnterpriseEdition (J2EE) platform. The Java-based application and transaction infrastructure delivers high-volume transaction processing for e-business and provides enhanced capabilities for transaction management, as well as security, performance, availability, connectivity, and scalability. [Adapted from IBM’s WebSphere Web page].

• Webmaster

  An individual who manages a Web site. Depending on the size of the site, the Webmaster might be responsible for any of the following: Making sure that the Web server hardware and software is running properly Designing the Web site Creating and updating Web pages Replying to user feedback Creating CGI scripts Monitoring traffic through […]

• Webmail

  Software run by an ISP or online service that provides access to send, receive, and review e-mail using only your Web browser. Users can simply enter the Webmail Web site URL in their browser’s address or location field, and use their Webmail account by typing in a username and password. Webmail provides an easy access […]

• Webinar (Web-Based Seminar)

  Also written as “webinar.” Short for Web-based seminar, it is a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted over the Web using video conferencing software. A key feature of a Webinar is its interactive elements — the ability to give, receive and discuss information. Contrast with Webcast, in which the data transmission is one […]

• Webcast

  Also written as “webcast.” (v.) (1) To use the Internet to broadcast live or delayed audio and/or video transmissions, much like traditional television and radio broadcasts. For example, a university may offer on-line courses in which the instructor Webcasts a pre-recorded or live lecture, or an enterprise may Webcast a press conference in lieu of […]

• Web stack

  The term used to refer to software stacks in Web development environments. The stack of software, mainly comprised of open source software, will contain an operating system, Web server, database server, and programming language. One of the most most well-known web stacks is LAMP. See LAMP.

• Web site Filter

  A setting commonly found on broadband router firmware. The Web Filter option allows you to set up a list of allowed Web sites that can be used by multiple users, and any Web site not listed here will be blocked. See “Common Router Settings” in the Quick Reference section of

• Web ring

  Also spelled “Webring,” a series of Web sites linked together in a “ring” that by clicking through all of the sites in the ring the visitor will eventually come back to the originating site. All of the sites within the ring share a similar topic or purpose. There are Web rings on topics such as […]

• a Web Server

  Web servers are computers that deliver (serves up) Web pages. Every Web server has an IP address and possibly a domain name. For example, if you enter the URL http://www.definithing.com/index.html in your browser, this sends a request to the Web server whose domain name is definithing.com. The server then fetches the page named index.html and […]

• presence

  (1) The ability to detect the electronic presence of other users who are connected to the Internet, through a PC or mobile device, and whether they are available in real time. Presence services are commonly provided through applications like Finger, SMS, instant messaging clients, and discussion forums, although a number of companies are developing products […]

• Web office

  A Web office is a hosted application, with bundled tools that allow users to share and collaborate on a broad set of information and ideas such as documents, tasks, and calendars. At its most basic incarnation, a Web office is used for sharing information online and Web-based collaboration. Depending on the needs and size of […]

• Web novel

  A novel that is published on the Web. What starts as a Web novel may also become a blook.

• Web host

  A Web host is in the business of providing server space, Web services and file maintenance for Web sites controlled by individuals or companies that do not have their own Web servers. Many ISPs, such as America Online, will allow subscribers a small amount of server space to host a personal Web page. Other commercial […]

• Web mail

  Web mail is a Web page interface used to access e-mail through a Web browser. In order to use Web mail your ISP needs to provide this service or you can get a subscription to an Internet Web mail service (some free, some paid subscriptions). Web mail is a secure Web page that you load […]

• server farm

  Also referred to as server cluster, computer farm or ranch. A server farm is a group of networked servers that are housed in one location. A server farm streamlines internal processes by distributing the workload between the individual components of the farm and expedites computing processes by harnessing the power of multiple servers. The farms […]

• Web content management

  Web content management (WCM) is a bundled or stand-alone application used to create, manage, store and deploy content on Web pages. Web content types can include text, graphics and photos, video or audio, and application code that renders other content or interacts with the visitor. WCM may also catalog or index content, select or assemble […]

• Web collaboration

  Web collaboration provides an organization with the capability to collaborate with customers or internally via the Internet in real time. Web collaboration packages generally consist of Web-based tools within Web sites to assist an organization in the area of sales, new revenue-generation opportunities, and to enhance customer satisfaction. Web collaboration is essentially the back-end software […]

• Web clipping

  (v.) Extracting static information from a Web site in order to display the data on a Web-enabled PDA. The idea behind Web clipping is to conserve the PDA’s resources by extracting once any static data, such as graphics, logos, photos or even unnecessary text and storing that data on the PDA. The PDA will then […]

• Web Beacon

  Also called a Web bug or a pixel tag or a clear GIF. Used in combination with cookies, a Web beacon is an often-transparent graphic image, usually no larger than 1 pixel x 1 pixel, that is placed on a Web site or in an e-mail that is used to monitor the behavior of the […]

• Web Authoring

  (web â´th&r-ing) (1) (adj.) A category of software that enables the user to develop a Web site in a desktop publishing format. The software will generate the required HTML coding for the layout of the Web pages based on what the user designs. Typically, the user can toggle back and forth between the graphical design […]

• Web analytics

  Web analytics is a generic term meaning the study of the impact of a website on its users. Ecommerce companies and other website publishers often use Web analytics software to measure such concrete details as how many people visited their site, how many of those visitors were unique visitors, how they came to the site […]

• Web Services

  The term Web services describes a standardized way of integrating Web-based applications using the XML, SOAP, WSDL and UDDI open standards over an Internet protocol backbone. XML is used to tag the data, SOAP is used to transfer the data, WSDL is used for describing the services available and UDDI is used for listing what […]

• WSP

  (1) WSP is an abreviation for Wireless Session Protocol The Session layer protocol family in the WAP architecture is called the Wireless Session Protocol, WSP. WSP provides the upper-level application layer of WAP with a consistent interface for two session services. The first is a connection-mode service that operates above a transaction layer protocol WTP, […]

• Web Scraping

  Web Scraping refers to an application that processes the HTML of a Web page to extract data for manipulation such as converting the Web page to another format (i.e. HTML to WML). Web Scraping scripts and applications will simulate a person viewing a Web site with a browser. With these scripts you can connect to […]

• Web 3.0

  The term used to describe the evolution of the Web as an extension of Web 2.0. This definition of Web 3.0 is the popular view held by Tim O’Reilly. In contrast, Nova Spivack defines Web 3.0 as connective intelligence; connecting data, concepts, applications and ultimately people. While some call the The Semantic Web ‘Web 3.0’, […]

• Web 2.0

  Web 2.0 is the term given to describe a second generation of the World Wide Web that is focused on the ability for people to collaborate and share information online. Web 2.0 basically refers to the transition from static HTML Web pages to a more dynamic Web that is more organized and is based on […]

• WebTV

  Originally, a general term for a whole category of products and technologies that enable you to surf the Web on your TV. Most WebTV products today consist of a small box that connects to your telephone line and television. It makes a connection to the Internet via your telephone service and then converts the downloaded […]

• WebSEAL

  WebSEAL is a high-performance, multi-threaded Web server that applies fine-grained security policy to the Tivoli Access Manager protected Web object space. WebSEAL can provide single sign-on solutions and incorporate back-end Web application server resources into its security policy. WebSEAL normally acts as a reverse Web proxy by receiving HTTP/HTTPS requests from a Web browser and […]

• WebDAV

  Short for Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning, an IETF standard set of platform-independent extensions to HTTP that allows users to collaboratively edit and manage files on remote Web servers. WebDAV features XML properties on metadata, locking – which prevents authors from overwriting each other’s changes – namespace manipulation and remote file management. WebDav is sometimes […]

• Wavelet Scalar Quantization

  Abbreviated as WSQ, the Wavelet Scalar Quantization is a compression algorithm used for grayscale fingerprint images. It is the standard for the exchange of fingerprint images within the criminal justice community and is used by many organizations, including the FBI.

• Water

  A language optimized for prototyping XML Web services. Water is a Web services Object Oriented platform that uses the ConciseXML syntax. The Water runtime can be deployed in any or all tiers of a standard Java environment; running as an applet, servlet, or stand-alone application. The Water language specification is openly documented and a free […]

• War FTP Daemon

  A free FTP server, written by Jarle (jgaa) Aase of Norway, that was first released in 1996. War FTP Daemon is designed to transfer files to and from the server, according to the users requirements. War FTP Daemon is available for Windows 98, ME, NT 4, 2000, XP, 2003 server and Terminal Server.

• Waptunnel

  Waptunnel provides a free public WAP gateway service that works with all compatible WAP browsers. Waptunnel allows WAP-enabled wireless devices to communicate to Internet Web sites and applications. [Source: Waptunnel]

• Walkman phone

  The name given to a new set of Sony Ericsson GSM mobile phones that integrates a music player into the cellphone. Sony was the company that also introduced the first walkman that used cassette tapes. There are also walkman camera phones that combine a cellphone with a music player and also integrates a digital camera.

• Wake-on-LAN (WOL)

  WOL is short for Wake-on-LAN. Often, IT personnel prefer to maintain client systems after employees have gone home. Even if these tasks are automated, client machines must be left on. In the past, if they weren’t left on, personnel had to manually turn them on. Using wake-on-LAN, however, enables client systems to be remotely and […]

• WYSIWYP

  Short for what you see is what you print, and pronounced wizzy-whip, refers to the ability of a computer system to print colors exactly as they appear on a monitor. WYSIWYP printing requires a special program, called a color management system (CMS) to calibrate the monitor and printer.

• WYSIWYG

  Pronounced WIZ-zee-wig. Short for what you see is what you get. A WYSIWYG application is one that enables you to see on the display screen exactly what will appear when the document is printed. This differs, for example, from word processors that are incapable of displaying different fonts and graphics on the display screen even […]

• WXGA

  Wide XGA (WXGA) is a display class (or standard) that supports a resolution of 1366 to 1280 pixels horizontally and 768 to 720 pixels vertically. WXGA is a standard commonly associated with LCD computer monitors and televisions used for widescreen display and projection.

• WWW1

  The WWW prefix (short for World Wide Web) that precedes URL addresses is an indication that the Web address exists on the vast network of the World Wide Web. Sometimes in a URL the “WWW” is followed by a number, such as “WWW1” or “WWW2.” The number that follows the “WWW” indicates that the data […]

• Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)

  Short for Wireless WAN (wide-area network), a wireless computer networkthat spans a relatively large geographical area.

• WTLS

  Short for Wireless Transport Layer Security. WTLS is the security layer of the WAP, providing privacy, data integrity and authentication for WAP services. WTLS, designed specifically for the wireless environment, is needed because the client and the server must be authenticated in order for wireless transactions to remain secure and because the connection needs to […]

• WTB

  On eBay, eBay alternatives, and classified ad Web sites, WTB is an abbreviation used to mean wanted to buy. This abbreviation would be used by a person who is looking to buy a particular item. Most classified and eBay alternatives offer a forum discussion thread where members can post items they are looking to buy.

• WS-ReliableMessaging

  The WS-ReliableMessaging specification is a SOAP-based RPC protocol that defines a set of mechanisms that allow developers of Web services to ensure that messages, usually SOAP or XML documents conforming to the SOAP specification, are delivered reliably between two endpoints.

• WSGI

  Short for Web Server Gateway Interface, WSGI is a standard interface for Python Web applications to communicate with Web servers. WSGI separates the Web application from the Web server, similar to a Java servlet enabling Web framework developers to easily interface with Web servers. WSGI is also used to build Web applications.

• WSDL

  Short for Web Services Description Language, an XML-formatted language used to describe a Web service’s capabilities as collections of communication endpoints capable of exchanging messages. WSDL is an integral part of UDDI, an XML-based worldwide business registry. WSDL is the language that UDDI uses. WSDL was developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM.

• WRAM

  Short for Windows RAM, a type of RAM developed by Samsung Electronics that supports two ports. This enables a video adapter to fetch the contents of memory for display at the same time that new bytes are being pumped into memory. This results in much faster display than is possible with conventional single-port RAM. WRAM […]

• WPAD

  Short for Web Proxy AutoDiscovery, an Internet protocol that enables a Web browser to automatically connect to a cache server (or proxy server) location in a network in order to retrieve stored Web pages at a quicker rate than having to leave the network in order to request the Web page from the originating site��s […]

• WOW

  Short for Win16 on Win32, a collection of programs in Windows NT and later operating systems that allows 16-bit applications to run in a 32-bit Windows environment through a process called thunking. Without WOW, Win32 programs cannot communicate with Win16 programs, though the ability to do so is often necessary with legacy systems or when […]

• WOPC II

  Short for Walking Optimal Power Control II, WOPC II is an algorithm that dynamically adjusts laser power to optimize quality across different types of media. Unlike other drives which preset the writing power before the actual writing of data, the Walking Optimal Power Control algorithm evaluates the writing quality constantly and adjusts the writing power […]

• WMV

  Windows Media file format. See Data Formats and Their File Extensions in the Quick Reference section of

• WMS

  Short for Web Map Service, WMS is the production of spatially referenced data dynamically from geographic information. The map itself is an actual portrayal of geographic information presented as a digital image file for display on a computer. WMS maps are in picture formats such as PNG, GIF or JPEG, or as Scalable Vector Graphics […]

• WMM

  WMM stands for Wi-Fi Multimedia. It is a standard created to define quality of service (QoS) in Wi-Fi networks. It is a precursor to the upcoming IEEE 802.11e WLAN QoS draft standard, which is meant to improve audio, video and voice applications transmitted over Wi-Fi. WMM adds prioritized capabilities to Wi-Fi networks and optimizes their […]

• WMP

  Windows Media Player file format. See Data Formats and Their File Extensions in the Quick Reference section of

• WML

  Short for Wireless Markup Language, an XML language used to specify content and user interface for WAP devices; the WAP forum provides a DTD for WML. WML is supported by almost every mobile phone browser around the world. WML pages are requested and served in the same way as HDML pages. For Web servers to […]

• WMI

  Short for Windows Management Instrumentation, an API in the Windows operating system that enables devices and systems in a network, typically enterprise networks, to be managed and controlled. Utilizing CIM, WMI allows network administrators to query and set information on workstations, applications and networks.

• WMF

  Short for Windows Metafile Format, graphics file format used to exchange graphics information between Microsoft Windows applications. WMF files can hold both vector and bit-mapped images.

• WMA

  Short for Windows Media Audio, a Microsoft file format for encoding digital audio files similar to MP3 though can compress files at a higher rate than MP3. WMA files, which use the “.wma” file extension, can be of any size compressed to match many different connection speeds, or bandwidths.

• Fixed Wireless (Wireless Local Loop)

  Fixed wireless refers to wireless devices or systems that are situated in fixed locations, such as an office or home, as opposed to devices that are mobile, such as smartphones and tablets. Fixed wireless devices normally derive their electrical power from utility mains, as opposed to portable wireless devices that normally derive their power from […]

• WISP

  Short for wireless ISP, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that offers services Internet connection services to subscribers using a wireless connection.

• WIPO treaties

  International treaties, signed in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1996, designed to bring uniformity to international copyright law. The purpose of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world through cooperation among states and, where appropriate, in collaboration with any other international organization, and to ensure administrative cooperation […]

• WIMP

  Short for Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointing device, the type of user interface made famous by the Macintosh computer and later imitated by the Windows operating systems. Most people now use the term GUI (graphical user interface) to refer to this type of interface, but it’s important to note that when the first GUIs were […]

• WINS

  Short for Windows Internet Naming Service, a system that determines the IP address associated with a particular network computer. This is called name resolution. WINS supports network client and server computers running Windows and can provide name resolution for other computers with special arrangements. Determining the IP address for a computer is a complex process […]

• WIM

  (1) Short for Windows Imaging Format, WIM is a file-based disk image format used by Microsoft for deployment of the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 operating systems. Note that the M in the abbreviation does not appear in the official name and vice versa with the F for Format. (2) Short for Windows Image […]

• WHS add-in

  Short for Windows Home Server (WHS) add-in. See under add-in.

• WHS Console

  Short for Windows Home Server (WHS) Console. See under console.

• WHQL

  Short for Windows Hardware Quality Labs, a Microsoft facility that tests and certifies third-party hardware and driver products for compatibility with Windows operating systems. Products that meet the compatibility requirements are then allowed to display Windows logos on product packaging, advertising and collateral and other marketing materials, indicating that the product has met the standards […]

• Vsync

  Short for Vertical Sync, Vsync is a display option found in some 3-D computer games that allow the gamer to synchronize the frame rate of the game with the monitor refresh rate for better stability. If the Vsync is turned off, gamers might obtain a higher frame rate but this action may introduce artifacts in […]

• WECA

  Short for Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance, the former name of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

• WDP

  Short for WAP Datagram Protocol, a network-layer protocol for delivering datagrams over a wireless IP network. Modeled after UDP, WDP provides a common interface to the upper layers of the protocol stack so that they can function independently of the wireless bearer networks (such as SMS, CDPD, and GPRS) being used by the sender and […]

• WDDX

  Created by Allaire, Web Distributed Data Exchange is an XML -based technology that facilitates complex-data exchange between Web programming languages (ColdFusion, Perl, ASP, Java, JavaScript, PHP, etc.). For example, a Web site based in ColdFusion can share data with a Web site based in ASP. Data in ColdFusion would be translated into XML, sent to […]

• WCSS

  Short for WAP Cascading Style Sheet or Wireless Cascading Style Sheet, WCSS is the cascading style sheet (CSS) language defined in the WAP 2.0 specification. WCSS is a subset of CSS2 (CSS level 2) that includes WAP specific extensions. WCSS was developed by the WAP Forum and standardized by the OMA (Open Mobile Alliance).

• WCA

  Short for Web clipping application, an application that allows users to extract static information from a Web server and load the data onto a Web-enabled PDA. The display screens of PDAs are too small to adequately display Web pages the same way they are seen on PC screens, and wireless modems are slower than wired […]

• WCDMA

  Short for wide-band CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access), a 3G technology that increases data transmission rates in GSM systems by using the CDMA air interface instead of TDMA. WCDMA is based on CDMA and is the technology used in UMTS. WCDMA was adopted as a standard by the ITU under the name “IMT-2000 direct spread”.

• WBT

  Short for Web-based training, a generic term for training and/or instruction delivered over the Internet or an intranet using a Web browser. Web-based training includes static methods — such as streaming audio and video, hyperlinked Web pages, live Web broadcasts, and portals of information — and interactive methods — such as bulletin boards, chat rooms, […]

• WBMP

  Short for Wireless BitMap, a graphic format optimized for mobile computing devices. A WBMP image is identified using a TypeField value, which describes encoding information (such as pixel and palette organization, compression, and animation) and determines image characteristics according to WAP documentation. TypeField values are represented by an Image Type Identifier. Currently, there is only […]

• WBEM

  Short for Web-Based Enterprise Management, WBEM is a set of management and Internet standard technologies developed to unify the management of distributed computing environments. WBEM provides a well integrated set of standard-based management tools, facilitating the exchange of data across different technologies and platforms. The Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) has developed a core set […]

• WAV

  The format for storing sound in files developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM. Support for WAV files was built into Windows 95 making it the de facto standard for sound on PCs. WAV sound files end with a.wav extension and can be played by nearly all Windows applications that support sound.

• WATS

  Acronym for Wide Area Telecommunication Service WATS is a telecommunication service that allows subscribed customers to make outgoing (OUTWATS) or incoming (INWATS) voice or data calls and be billed on a bulk rate as opposed to a fee for each incoming or outgoing long distance voice or data transmission. INWATS is a toll-free dialing service […]

• WASP

  (1) Short for wireless application service provider. (2) Short for Web Standards Project.

• WAP gateway

  WAP gateway is a software system that helps WAP-enabled wireless devices to communicate to Internet Web sites and applications. Web sites deliver pages in special format called Wireless Markup Language (WML) that is compiled and forwarded by the WAP gateway. In order to access Internet resources from a WAP-enabled wireless device you need a WAP […]

• a Function

  (1) In programming, a named section of a program that performs a specific task. In this sense, a function is a type of procedure or routine. Some programming languages make a distinction between a function, which returns a value, and a procedure, which performs some operation but does not return a value. Most programming languages […]

• Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)

  Short for the Wireless Application Protocol, a secure specification that allows users to access information instantly via handheld wireless devicessuch as mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios, smartphones and communicators. WAP supports most wireless networks. These include CDPD, CDMA, GSM, PDC, PHS, TDMA, FLEX, ReFLEX, iDEN, TETRA, DECT, DataTAC, and Mobitex. WAP is supported by all […]

• WAN optimization

  A phrase used to describe applications and products used to manage and accelerate the flow of data across a wide-area network (WAN). Some of the specific technologies used in WAN optimization include deduplication, data compression techniques, caching, VPN tunnelingand other technologies. An ideal WAN optimization solution will allow you to prioritize traffic, and guarantee a […]

• WAN

  Short for wide-area network.

• WAMP

  Acronym for Windows/Apache/MySQL/PHP, Python, (and/or) PERL The acronym WAMP refers to a set of free (open source) applications, combined with Microsoft Windows, which are commonly used in Web server environments. The WAMP stack provides developers with the four key elements of a Web server: an operating system, database, Web server and Web scripting software. The […]

• WAMBAM

  Acronym for Web Application Meets Brick And Mortar. The acronym WAMBAM is used to describe the online endeavors of traditional brick-and-mortar stores.

• WAIS

  Short for Wide Area Information Server, and pronounced ways, a program for finding documents on the Internet. WAIS is rather primitive in its search capabilities.

• WAI

  Pronounced way. Short for the Web Accessibility Initiative, an initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium launched in 1997 to ensure that as the Internet grows in usage Web sites are designed to accommodate people with disabilities. Web design can present barriers to people with disabilities, especially people with sensory or neurological disabilities. The WAI […]

• W3C

  Short for World Wide Web Consortium, an international consortium of companies involved with the Internet and the Web. The W3C was founded in 1994 by Tim Berners-Lee, the original architect of the World Wide Web. The organization’s purpose is to develop open standards so that the Web evolves in a single direction rather than being […]

• W3

  Acronym for World Wide Web.

• Vulnerability Scanning

  The automated process of proactively identifying security vulnerabilities of computing systems in a network in order to determine if and where a system can be exploited and/or threatened. While public servers are important for communication and data transfer over the Internet, they open the door to potential security breaches by threat agents, such as malicious […]

• vt100

  Introduced by DEC in August 1978, Video Terminal 100 was the first terminal to use a general-purpose processor for interpreting the newly published (1977) ANSI control codes (ANSI X3.64). Quickly, the vt100 become popular, and the ANSI control codes embodied in the vt100 became a de facto standard. Eventually, IBM adopted them for its line […]

• voxel

  Short for volume pixel, the smallest distinguishable box-shaped part of a three-dimensional image. Voxelization is the process of adding depth to an image using a set of cross-sectional images known as a volumetric dataset. These cross-sectional images (or slices) are made up of pixels. The space between any two pixels in one slice is referred […]

• vox

  (1) Capitalized, VOX is short for voice operated switch it is a term commonly used in telecommunications. It refers to a switch that works when a sound is detected by a device (transmitter or recording device) which is activated by the sound in place of a user a pushing a button to transmit. (2) In […]

• volume label

  In DOS systems, the name of a volume (that is, the name of a disk or tape). Specifying a volume label makes it easier to keep track of what data is stored on each medium.

• volume

  A fixed amount of storage on a disk or tape. The term volume is often used as a synonym for the storage medium itself, but it is possible for a single disk to contain more than one volume or for a volume to span more than one disk.

• voltage regulator

  (n.) A small device or circuit that regulates the voltage fed to the microprocessor. The power supply of most PCs generates power at 5 volts but most microprocessors require a voltage below 3.5 volts. The voltage regulator’s job is to reduce the 5 volt signal to the lower voltage required by the microprocessor. Typically, voltage […]

• volser

  The tape volume serial number or VOLSER is the method used to uniquely identify a tape volume. The VOLSER is specified in the tape label, which is the first set of information contained on the tape. [Source: Audit Serve]

• volatile memory

  Memory that loses its contents when the power is turned off. All RAM except the CMOS RAM used for the BIOS is volatile. ROM, on the other hand, is nonvolatile.

• VoIP telephone

  Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, telephone products connect to VoIP, or Internet telephony, systems, which use packet-switched telephony to transmit calls over the Internet as opposed to the circuit-switched telephony used by the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). VoIP telephones look and largely function like standard phones, but they have built-in IP technology […]

• VoIP Phone

  VoIP phones utilize packet-switched Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), or Internet telephony, to transmit telephone calls over the Internet as opposed to the circuit-switched telephony used by the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The advantage to VoIP phone calls is that unlike regular long-distance calls, phone calls made through a VoIP phone service are […]

• VoIP service provider

  A voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider offers VoIP Internet telephony solutions to residential and commercial customers. Also known as an Internet phone service provider, a VoIP service provider generally provides the VoIP hardware and services to subscribers at a monthly rate, although hosted VoIP services are also quite common. As with all VoIP […]

• VoIP PBX

  A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) private box exchange (PBX) is a business telephone system that provides services similar to a standard PBX, but does so over a company’s LAN or WAN data network rather than through the circuit-switched networks used by the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Also referred to as an IP […]

• VoIP call

  A Voice over IP call, or VoIP call, utilizes packet-switched Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or Internet telephony as opposed to the circuit-switched telephony used by the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The advantage to VoIP phone calls is that unlike regular long-distance calls, calls made through a VoIP phone service are free – […]

• voicemail

  Voicemail is a computerized system that enables support for answering, storing and relaying telephone call messages. Also spelled as voice mail, voicemail records and stores incoming messages, enabling playback of the messages from the same phone number or from another telephone. Voicemail is a basic feature of most modern cellular telephones, digital phones and corporate […]

• voice response system

  A form of speech synthesis in which sentences are formed by concatenating pre-recorded words from a database. Unlike a TTS system, which uses speech synthesis to form spontaneous sentences and/or phrases based on human phonetics, a voice response system operates with a limited vocabulary in situations where the sentences and/or phrases that are formed follow […]

• Voice Recognition

  The field of computer science that deals with designing computer systems that can recognize spoken words. Note that voice recognition implies only that the computer can take dictation, not that it understands what is being said. Comprehending human languages falls under a different field of computer science called natural language processing. A number of voice […]

• voice mail

  Refers to e-mail systems that support audio. Users can leave spoken messages for one another and listen to the messages by executing the appropriate command in the e-mail system.

• vlog

  (n.) Short for video blog, it is the term used to describe a blog that includes or consists of video clips. Typically updated daily (or with regular frequency) vlogs often reflect the personality or cause of the author. Also called vog. (v.) To author a video blog. Other forms: vlogger (a person who video blogs).

• vlogosphere

  Meaning all vlogs, vlogosphere is an expression used to describe the “world of video blogs.”

• visual voicemail

  Visual voicemail is a feature typically provided by cellular telephone service providers that adds a visual interface to standard voicemail capabilities. With visual voicemail users can quickly view and access a list of their voicemail messages for playback as well as manage their personal greetings and upload messages to a voicemail server using a graphical […]

• visitor location register

  Abbreviated as VLR, the visitor location register is a database maintained by a cellular service provider used to track users who are roaming in that mobile service provider’s area.

• vishing

  The telephone equivalent of phishing. Vishing is the act of using the telephone in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. The scammer usually pretends to be a legitimate business, and fools the victim into thinking he or she will profit. See “Defend Yourself Against […]

• virus signature

  A unique string of bits, or the binary pattern, of a virus. The virus signature is like a fingerprint in that it can be used to detect and identify specific viruses. Anti-virus software uses the virus signature to scan for the presence of malicious code.

• Virus Scanner

  (n.) A type of antivirus program that searches a system for virus signatures that have attached to executable programs and applications such as e-mail clients. A virus scanner can either search all executables when a system is booted or scan a file only when a change is made to the file as viruses will change […]

• virus protection

  Virus protection software is designed to prevent viruses, worms and Trojan horses from getting onto a computer as well as remove any malicious software code that has already infected a computer. Most virus protection utilities now bundle anti-spyware and anti-malware capabilities to go along with anti-virus protection. Internet security suites go a step further by […]

• virus disinfection

  A function of an antivirus program which attempts to remove and disinfect infections on the computer system including viruses, worms and Trojan horses. Disinfection in antivirus programs may also detect and remove unwanted applications as well.

• Virus (Computer Virus)

  A computer virus is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Viruses can also replicate themselves. All computer viruses are man-made. A simple virus that can make a copy of itself over and over again is relatively easy to produce. Even such […]

• Virtualization

  In computing, virtualization means to create a virtual version of a device or resource, such as a server, storage device, network or even an operating system where the framework divides the resource into one or more execution environments. Even something as simple as partitioning a hard drive is considered virtualization because you take one drive […]

• virtual tour

  A panoramic view or video simulation of an existing place that can be viewed online, often for travel or vacation-related research. A virtual tour is usually a collection of panoramic images that are played in sequence to view like a moving video with added sound and text effects, or a virtual tour may use models […]

• virtual teletype

  Abbreviated as VTY, virtual teletype is a command line interface that enables users to connect to the daemon using the Telnet protocol. To connect to a VTY users must setup and use a VTY password. VTY offers three user modes including the following; VTY View Mode for read-only interaction. VTY Enable Mode for read-write interaction. […]

• virtual tape library

  A VTL, or virtual tape library, is an archival backup solution that combines traditional tape backup methodology with low-cost disk technology to create an optimized backup and recovery solution. It is an intelligent disk-based library that emulates traditional tape devices and tape formats. Acting like a tape library with the performance of modern disk drives, […]

• Virtual Server

  A server, usually a Web server, that shares computer resources with other virtual servers. In this context, the virtual part simply means that it is not a dedicated server– that is, the entire computer is not dedicated to running the server software. Virtual Web servers are a very popular way of providing low-cost web hosting […]

• virtual router

  (n.) An abstract object managed by VRRP that acts as a default router for hosts on a shared LAN. It consists of a Virtual Router Identifier and a set of associated IP addresses across a common LAN.

• virtual reality

  An artificial environment created with computer hardware and software and presented to the user in such a way that it appears and feels like a real environment. To “enter” a virtual reality, a user dons special gloves, earphones, and goggles, all of which receive their input from the computer system. In this way, at least […]

• virtual private server

  Abbreviated as VPS, the term virtual private server is used interchangeably with virtual dedicated server (VDS). See virtual dedicated server (VDS).

• virtual printer

  A file containing a set of attribute values that describe the data stream for a printer. Before a print job can be placed in a queue, a virtual printer definition must exist for both the print queue and the queue device.

• virtual network computing

  Through the use of software VNC, acronym for virtual network computing, makes it possible to interact with a computer from any computer or mobile device on the Internet. VNC software provides cross-platform support allowing remote control between different types of computers. To use VNC you must have a network TCP/IP connection, a VNC server and […]

• Virtual Memory

  )(n.) An imaginary memory area supported by some operating systems (for example, Windows but not DOS) in conjunction with the hardware. You can think of virtual memory as an alternate set of memory addresses. Programs use these virtual addresses rather than real addresses to store instructions and data. When the program is actually executed, the […]

• virtual machine server

  A virtual machine (VM) server hosts virtual machines running operating systems in one of two following modes: fully virtual: completely emulates all hardware devices paravirtual mode: does not require complete emulation of hardware devices.

• Virtual Machine

  A self-contained operating environment that behaves as if it is a separate computer. For example, Java applets run in a Java virtual machine (VM) that has no access to the host operating system. This design has two advantages: System Independence: A Java application will run the same in any Java VM, regardless of the hardware […]

• virtual keyboard

  )A virtual keyboard is where a full-size image of a QWERTY keyboard is projected onto any surface. Touching the image of a key generates a unique electronic signal corresponding to a key’s image. Using a virtual keyboard eliminates the chance of breakage and infection transfer. Additionally virtual keyboards require no cleaning and they have no […]

• virtual identity

  In online virtual communities, such as online chat rooms or in online games, a virtual identity is one created by the human user that acts as an interface between the physical person and virtual person other users see on their computer screen.

• virtual host

  Often abbreviated vhost, a virtual host is a provider of Web services that include server functions and Internet connection services. A virtual host is often used by companies or individuals that do not want to purchase and maintain their own Web servers and Internet connections. A virtual host will provide its customers with domain name […]

• virtual honeypot

  A software program that is designed to appear to be a real functioning network but is actually a decoy built specifically to be probed and attacked by malicious users. In contrast to a honeypot, which is typically a hardware device that lures users into its trap, a virtual honeypot uses software to emulate a network.

• virtual group

  Slang term used to describe a group of people who socialize and interact online — in multiplayer games, forums, chat rooms or on social networking sites, but who have not necessarily met offline, in real life.

• virtual device driver

  In Windows systems, a special type of device driver that has direct access to the operating system kernel. This allows them to interact with system and hardware resources at a very low level. In Windows 95, virtual device drivers are often called VxDs because the filenames end with the .vxd extension .

• virtual desktop

  A feature supported by some notebook computers that enables them to display images on an external monitor at a higher resolution than is supported by the built-in flat-panel display. For example, most flat-panel displays are limited to a maximum resolution of 800×600. With the virtual desktop feature, you could connect the computer to an external […]

• virtual dedicated server

  Abbreviated as VDS, a virtual dedicated server is a type of virtualization that enables a virtual server, which is a shared resource and not a dedicated server, to to work and act as if it were a dedicated server. Each VDS has its own disk space, bandwidth, CPU allocation, memory and operating system. Also called […]

• virtual circuit

  A connection between two devices that acts as though it’s a direct connection even though it may physically be circuitous. The term is used most frequently to describe connections between two hosts in a packet-switching network. In this case, the two hosts can communicate as though they have a dedicated connection even though the packets […]

• virtual camera

  In 3D animation, a virtual camera is a function of the animation software that works and behaves in the same way a camera or digital camera would in real-world situations. In the software, the virtual camera is made up from mathematical calculations that determine how the object will be rendered based on the location and […]

• virtual Web site

  A Web site hosted on a server that shares resources with other Web sites, as opposed to a single machine dedicated to processing HTTP requests for a single Web site. Web sites on the same server will share common resources. Also called shared Web hosting. See virtual host.

• virtual IP address

  Abbreviated as VIPA, a virtual IP address is an IP address that is shared among multiple domain names or multiple servers. A virtual IP address eliminates a host’s dependency upon individual network interfaces. Incoming packets are sent to the system’s VIPA address, but all packets travel through the real network interfaces.

• virtual ISP

  (n.) An ISP that piggybacks its services off of a third-party provider in order to offer ISP services without the expenses and duties required in providing those services. The virtual ISP does not invest in any network, equipment or backroom/technical support needed to offer ISP services. The third-party provider handles all of the needs of […]

• virtual Ethernet

  A VLAN (virtual LAN) facilitates high-speed virtual Ethernet communications using memory and the system’s processor rather than actual Ethernet cards. Used in Virtual I/O Servers, administrators can dynamically create virtual Ethernet segments or restrict access to VLAN segments. Virtual Ethernets are similar to physical Ethernets in that they support multiple networking protocols. Virtual Ethernet can […]

• Virtual

  Not real. The term virtual is popular among computer scientists and is used in a wide variety of situations. In general, it distinguishes something that is merely conceptual from something that has physical reality. For example, virtual memory refers to an imaginary set of locations, or addresses, where you can store data. It is imaginary […]

• viewer

  A utility program that enables you to read a file in its native format . A Lotus 1-2-3 viewer, for example, enables you to read Lotus 1-2-3 files. Many shell utilities and file managers include viewers so that you can display different types of files.

• viewable area

  In computer monitor terminology, the viewable area is the diagonal measurement of a CRT screen, starting from where the glass becomes visible from behind the bezel.

• view

  In database management systems, a view is a particular way of looking at a database. A single database can support numerous different views. Typically, a view arranges the records in some order and makes only certain fields visible. Note that different views do not affect the physical organization of the database.

• videophile

  Slang term used to describe a video enthusiast – that is, a person who has an extremely high interest in watching or making videos. A videophile may be overly concerned with near perfect audio quality and picture quality.

• Videoconferencing

  Videoconferencing (or video conference) means to conduct a conference between two or more participants at different sites by using computer networks to transmit audio and video data. For example, a point-to-point (two-person) video conferencing system works much like a video telephone. Each participant has a video camera, microphone, and speakers mounted on his or her […]

• video transition

  In video editing a transition is what the author shows between two shots or clips. The joining of those clips is the transition from one to the other. Transitions can be an instant scene or image change, a fade, fade to black, dissolve, pan from one person to another, or any digital effect.

• video switcher

  Also called a vision mixer, a video switcher is a hardware device used in video and film production to switch between different video or audio sources. This allows the producer to mix video and also add in special effects or footage captured on a secondary source.

• video standards

  There are a variety of video standards that define the resolution and colors for displays. Support for a graphics standard is determined both by the monitor and by the video adapter. The monitor must be able to show the resolution and colors defined by the standard, and the video adapter must be capable of transmitting […]

• video overlay

  The placement of a full-motion video window on the display screen. There are various techniques used to display video on a computer’s screen, depending on whether the video source has been digitized or is still in analog NTSC format. Since computer monitors are generally analog, NTSC video can be merged with signals coming from the […]

• video mode

  The setting of a video adapter. Most video adapters can run in either text mode or graphics mode. In text mode, a monitor can display only ASCII characters. In graphics mode, a monitor can display any bit-mapped image. In addition to the text and graphics modes, video adapters offer different modes of resolution and color […]

• video memory

  RAM installed on a video adapter. Before an image can be sent to a display monitor, it is first represented as a bit map in an area of video memory called the frame buffer. The amount of video memory, therefore, dictates the maximum resolution and color depth available. With a conventional video adapter, the bit […]

• video encoding

  In video editing and production video encoding is the process of preparing the video for output, where the digital video is encoded to meet proper formats and specifications for recording and playback through the use of video encoder software. Also called video conversion.

• video conferencing software

  Video conferencing software facilitates initiating and conducting live conferences between two or more participants at different sites by using computernetworks to transmit audio, video and text data. Today, video conferencing software is used by companies of all sizes to stay connected with global partners and employees, to increase productivity and to cut costs. Most video […]

• video editing

  The process of manipulating video images. Once the province of expensive machines called video editors, video editing software is now available for personal computers and workstations. Video editing includes cutting segments (trimming), re-sequencing clips, and adding transitions and other special effects.

• video bridge

  In videoconferencing, a video bridge is a computerized switching system that allows for multipoint videoconferencing.

• video capture

  Converting analog video signals, such as those generated by a video camera, into a digital format and then storing the digital video on a computer’s mass storage device. Video capture from analog devices requires a special video capture card that converts the analog signals into digital form and compresses the data. There are also digital […]

• Video Adapter

  A board that plugs into a personal computer to give it display capabilities. The display capabilities of a computer, however, depend on both the logical circuitry (provided in the video adapter) and the display monitor. A monochrome monitor, for example, cannot display colors no matter how powerful the video adapter. Many different types of video […]

• video SEO

  The term video SEO is used to describe optimizing video content for search engine traffic. The goal when working with video SEO is to have your video content appear in video search engines as well as in the organic search results for major search engines-with traffic being directed to yoursite and not to your video […]

• vertical justification

  A feature supported by some word processors and desktop publishing systems in which the system automatically adjusts the vertical space between lines (the leading) so that columns and pages have an even top and bottom margin. This is also called feathering.

• video

  (adj.) (1) Refers to recording, manipulating, and displaying moving images, especially in a format that can be presented on a television. (2) Refers to displaying images and text on a computer monitor. The video adapter, for example, is responsible for sending signals to the display device. (n.) A recording produced with a video recorder (camcorder) […]

• Vertical Cloud Computing

  A vertical cloud, or vertical cloud computing, is the phrase used to describe the optimization of cloud computing and cloud services for a particular vertical (e.g., a specific industry) or specific application use. The cloud provider will offer specialized functions and options that best meet industry-use and specifications. Today, the health care cloud is one […]

• verti-port

  A Web site that focuses on a particular industry, subject matter, or target group. The online retailer Amazon.com is a verti-port pioneer that until recently concentrated solely on books. Internet.com and Industry.net are verti-ports in Internet and engineering. Also referred to as miniportals.

• versioning file system

  A type of file system used for revision control that enables users to to access their file system as it appeared at any point in time. A set number of older copies of files are kept as the file is a new copy every time it is changed. Unlike a backup system, the different versions […]

• version control system

  Another name for CVS.

• vendor

  Another name for a seller, merchant or supplier.

• verification

  (n.) In a biometric security system, the process of comparing a biometric sample against a single reference template of a specific user in order to confirm the identity of the person trying to gain access to a system. Contrast with identification.

• Vector Graphics

  Same as object-oriented graphics, refers to software and hardware that use geometrical formulas to represent images. The other method for representing graphical images is through bit maps, in which the image is composed of a pattern of dots. This is sometimes called raster graphics. Programs that enable you to create and manipulate vector graphics are […]

• vector

  (1) In computer programming, a one-dimensional array. A vector can also mean a pointer. (2) In computer graphics, a line that is defined by its start and end point.

• variant

  In virus and malware terms, a variant refers to new strains and slightly modified version of malware. Malware is often modified with new variants released to get as much mileage as possible from the original code.

• variable length subnet mask

  Variable Length Subnet Mask, abbreviated as VLSM, is a means to specify a different subnet mask for the same network number on different subnets. With VLSM, a network administrator can use a long mask on networks with few hosts and a short mask on subnets with many hosts. To use VLSM, the routing protocol must […]

• variable-length record

  A record that has at least one variable-length field. The length of the entire record, therefore, varies according to what data is placed in the variable-length field.

• variable length

  Refers to anything whose length can vary. For example, in databases, a variable-length field is a field that does not have a fixed length. Instead, the field length varies depending on what data is stored in it. Variable-length fields are useful because they save space. Suppose, for example, that you want to define a NAME […]

• Variable

  A symbol or name that stands for a value. For example, in the expression x+y x and y are variables. Variables can represent numeric values, characters, character strings, or memory addresses. Variables play an important role in computer programming because they enable programmers to write flexible programs. Rather than entering data directly into a program, […]

• vaporware

  A sarcastic term used to designate software and hardware products that have been announced and advertised but are not yet available.

• vanilla

  (adj.) Without added features. A “vanilla PC,” for example, would be a PC with all standard components.

• vampire tap

  A cable connection used to connect transceivers to a Thicknet coaxial cable in an Ethernet network in a bus topology. Instead of cutting the cable and attaching connectors to both ends of the severed coaxial cable, a vampire tap pierces through (hence the name vampire) the insulating layer of the cable and makes direct contact […]

• Validation

  (n.) Verification that something is correct or conforms to a certain standard. In data collection or data entry, it is the process of ensuring that the data that are entered fall within the accepted boundaries of the application collecting the data. For example, if a program is collecting last names to be entered in a […]

• vSERV

  A 1Vision Software Inc., product that provides server and network-attached storage (NAS) aggregation. Using vSERV, all user data from server storage systems and any attached NAS devices merged into a single directory structure to work as if it were one virtual device.

• vNAS

  A 1Vision Software Inc., product that manages network-attached storage (NAS) to bring all storage volumes together into a single environment that looks and behaves like a single storage device.

• vCard

  Short for virtual Card (also called electronic card), vCard is a specification that defines the format of an “Electronic Business Card.” vCards are often attached in e-mail messages, but can also be exchanged through other ways on the World Wide Web. Usually a vCard will contain a business name, address, phone number, URL, logo and […]

• vBNS

  Short for very high-speed Backbone Network Service, an experimental wide-area network backbone sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and implemented by MCI. vNBS has replaced NSFnet and is designed to serve as a platform for testing new, high-speed Internet technologies and protocols. It currently links several Supercomputer Centers (SCCs) and Network Access Points (NAPs) […]

• upgrade

  A new version of a software or hardware product designed to replace an older version of the same product. Typically, software companies sell upgrades at a discount to prevent users from switching to other products. In most cases, you must prove you own an older version of the product to qualify for the upgrade price. […]

• uplink

  In satellite communications, uplink is the establishment of a communications link from a ground station up to the orbiting satellite. Contrast with downlink.

• uplink port

  Another name for MDI port.

• upload

  To transmit data from a computer to a bulletin board service, mainframe, or network. For example, if you use a personal computer to log on to a network and you want to send files across the network, you must upload the files from your PC to the network.

• Uppercase

  Uppercase characters are capital letters; lowercase characters are small letters. For example, box is in lowercase while BOX is in uppercase. The term is a vestige of the days when typesetters kept capital letters in a box above the lowercase letters. A program that distinguishes between uppercase and lowercase is said to be case sensitive.

• upstream

  (adj.) A transmission from an end user to a server. An upstream transmission can be in the form of a signal being transmitted from a workstation to a server across a network, such as a LAN, or a signal being sent from a customer to a cable service provider. A transmission from a server to […]

• upward compatible

  Refers to software that runs not only on the computer for which it was designed, but also on newer and more powerful models. For example, a program designed to run on an Intel 386 microprocessor, which also runs on a Pentium, is upward compatible. Upward compatibility is important because it means you can move to […]

• usability

  Usability is a Web site design phrase that describes how well visitors can use a Web site. Good usability requires that the site be easy to navigate, have a decent layout, be consistent across all pages, and also be informative and useful to the visitor.

• user

  An individual who uses a computer. This includes expert programmers as well as novices. An end user is any individual who runs an application program.

• user agent

  In Google Analytics, user agent is a term used to mean any program used for accessing a Web site. This includes browsers, robots, spiders and any other program that was used to retrieve information from the site.

• user-agent client

  Abbreviated as UAC, in VoIP, a client application in an SIP system that initiates the SIP request that is sent to the UAS. The combination of the UAC and the UAS is called the SIP user agent. The SIP user agent allows peer-to-peer calls to be made using a client-server protocol.

• user-centered design (UCD)

  User-centered design (UCD) is a design philosophy where the end-user’s needs, wants and limitations are a focus at all stages within the design process and development lifecycle. Products developed using the UCD methodology are optimized for end-users and emphasis is placed on how the end-users need or want to use a product instead of forcing […]

• user defined function

  (ū´z&r di-fīnd´ funk´sh&n) (n.) A programmed routine that has its parameters set by the user of the system. User defined functions often are seen as programming shortcuts as they define functions that perform specific tasks within a larger system, such as a database or spreadsheet program.

• user-friendly

  Refers to anything that makes it easier for novices to use a computer. Menu-driven programs, for example, are considered more user-friendly than command-driven systems. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are also considered user-friendly. Online help systems are another feature of user-friendly programs. Although the term user-friendly represents an important concept, it has been so overused that […]

• user group

  A group of individuals with common interests in some aspect of computers. Some user groups cover nearly everything with subgroups (called SIGs) for more specialized interests, while others concentrate on a particular area, such as computer graphics, or a particular application. Nearly every major city in the U.S. has many user groups that meet to […]

• User Interface (UI)

  Abbreviated UI, the junction between a user and a computer program. An interface is a set of commands or menus through which a user communicates with a program. A command-driven interface is one in which you enter commands. A menu-driven interface is one in which you select command choices from various menus displayed on the […]

• user license

  Another name for an EULA.

• user session

  (1) The session of activity that a user with a unique IP address spends on a Web site during a specified period of time. The number of user sessions on a site is used in measuring the amount of traffic a Web site gets. The site administrator determines what the time frame of a user […]

• Username

  A name used to gain access to a computer system. Usernames, and often passwords, are required in multi-user systems. In most such systems, users can choose their own usernames and passwords. Usernames are also required to access some bulletin board and online services.

• ODC

  Short for on-demand computing, a typically enterprise-level computing model in which the technology and computing resources are allocated to the organization and its individual users on an as-needed basis. For example, computing resources such as CPU cycles, bandwidth availability, storage and applications can be channeled to users based on the tasks they are performing at […]

• Utility (Utility Program)

  A program that performs a very specific task, usually related to managing system resources. Operating systems contain a number of utilities for managing disk drives, printers, and other devices. Utilities differ from applications mostly in terms of size, complexity and function. For example, word processors, spreadsheet programs, and database applications are considered applications because they […]

• utility right

  The right to perform necessary tasks on content, such as make a backup copy on disk or create a temporary copy in RAM. It should be noted that a utility right grants the rightsholder the right to make a copy of content but not distribute that copy to another individual.

• VAN

  Acronym for Value Added Network A VAN, or Value Added Network refers to a private network provider that leases communication lines to its subscribers. VANs provides specialized services such as assisting with EDI (electronic data interchange), extra security, message delivery, or access to a particular database.

• VAN mailbox

  Users of a VAN (Value Added Network) can send messages to and retrieve messages from a mailbox. This is a specialized subscriber service that will hold messages until the subscriber requests them.

• VAN access point

  A VAN (Value Added Network) access point is the subscriber’s connection to the VAN and represents the networking endpoint of a VAN.

• VAR

  (pronounced as one word) Short for value-added reseller, VARs typically load applications or proprietary software onto computers and may also incorporate third-party options to design a complete solution for a client. This “value-added” system is often customized for a specific application, but is sold to the VAR’s customer base under the original design manufacturer brand; […]

• VAPI

  Virus Application Programming Interface, or Virus API (VAPI) is also referred to as Antivirus API (AVAPI), or Virus Scanning API (VSAPI). Virus Scanning API 1.0 was introduced in Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 3 (SP3) and was standard until the release of Exchange 2000. Many improvements have been made to Virus Scanning API 1.0 […]

• VAX

  Short for Virtual Address eXtension, Digital Equipment Corporation’s successor to its PDP-11 line of minicomputers. As its name implies, VAX systems feature an operating system — VMS — that supports virtual memory. The VAX was introduced in 1977 and reached its pinnacle of success in the mid-1980s. It has been eclipsed by RISC -based workstations, […]

• VBI

  Short for vertical blanking interval, the part of a television transmission signal that is blanked, or left clear, of viewable content, to allow time for the television’s electron gun to move from the bottom to the top of the screen as it scans images. This blank area is now being used to broadcast closed caption […]

• VBR

  Short for variable bit rate, or Class B quality of service, an ATM bandwidth-allocation service that allows users to specify a throughput capacity (i.e., a peak rate) and a sustained rate but data is not sent evenly. VBR is often used when transmitting compressed packetized voice and video data, such as videoconferencing. Compare with ABR, […]

• VBScript

  Short for Visual Basic Scripting Edition, a scripting language developed by Microsoft and supported by Microsoft’s Internet Explorer Web browser. VBScript is based on the Visual Basic programming language, but is much simpler. In many ways, it is similar to JavaScript. It enables Web authors to include interactive controls, such as buttons and scrollbars, on […]

• VBX

  Short for Visual Basic Extension, a reusable software component designed for use in many different applications. While VBXs can be used in other environments, they were initially created for developing Windows applications with Visual Basic. An application developer can use a number of selected VBXs to quickly develop an application. While similar to objects, VBXs […]