A AccessA Microsoft program which includes: a database engine (to handle data), a form editor (to produce the screens where the user makes his input), a query to select data, and report generator. ACPIAdvanced Configuration and Power Interface. Standard for "PC wake-up" with functions such as instant-on, which works like a TV in standby mode. Wake-on-lan means that PC on a network can be turned on from another PC on the net. ACPI is automatically supported by Windows 98. Uses VESA DPMS to turn off the monitor. Works together with the APM standard. AcrobatA program from Adobe which can produce electronic documents. You load a print file (PostScript) Acrobat Reader. The output is a PDF file, which is just one tenth the size of the original print file. The PDF file contains the complete document including fonts, illustrations, and layout. You can see the file on the screen or print it on any printer as long as the user has an Acrobat Viewer installed. You can get that for free from the net . ActiveMovieA multimedia standard in Windows 98 which improves the presentation of MPEG audio and video, WAV and AVI files, and also QuickTime video. AGPAccelerated Graphics Port. A new high speed bus which is used only for the graphics card. AGP can relieve the load on the PCI bus. Both mother board and graphics card must have AGP to make it it work. See module 5b. AliasAn assumed name to be used in different parts on the Internet. ANSIAmerican National Standards Institute which among other things works with character tables. See module 1a. APIApplication Program Interface. A specific program layer in Windows which all other programs "writes to." A library of commands which allows the programmer to control the PC hardware in Windows. The API hides the hardware from the programmer, who just needs to write a standard Windows program. Microsoft guarantees that the program will work on any PC, as long as it conforms to the API user interface. See module 6c APMAdvanced Power Management. A standard for PC power conservation by turning off hard disk, etc., when the PC is idle. APM version 1.2 is supported by Windows 98. ApplicationA user program such as: Word 97, Access, Netscape, Navigator, etc. ArchieA search engine for FTP on the Internet. ASCIIAmerican Standard Code for Information Interchange. An industry standard for character sets on computers. See module 1a and 1b. ASCII fileA pure text file, which has no codes of any kind - only letters, symbols and numbers. See module 1a. ASPIAdvanced SCSI Programming Interface. An interface specification from Adaptec Inc. It describes how the operating system can send commands to a SCSI host adapter. Windows 95 has a built-in ASPI, but if you want a SCSI controller to work in DOS you need to load ASPI drivers first. ATAPISee EIDE AT busThe old PC I/O bus. Uses internet at various ports and externally to ISA cards. See module 2c. ATXA specific type of mother board. See module 2a. AVIAudio Video Interleaved. File type for multimedia sequences to be played in Windows. B BackboneNetwork of wide band connections. The backbone of the Internet is made by connections between large American universities, etc. BaudMeasurement of a modems transmission speed. One baud equals a transfer of one bit per second. Band WidthMeasuring unit for the communications capacity or the transmission speed between two units. It is typically measured in bits or bytes per second. BBSBulletin Board System. An electronic bulletin board. It is a computer which the users can contact to gain access to downloads, etc. It was widespread before the advent of the Internet. BIOSBasic Input Output System. Small program routines which are found in ROM circuits in the PC. BIOS allows components like keyboard, hard disk, etc. to communicate with the CPU, RAM, and other components. See module 2a and 6c. BitFrom the term : BInary digiT (a digit in the two digit binary number system). A bit is either 0 or 1. 8 bits form a byte, which are the cornerstones of electronic data. They can the value 0 (off) or 1 (on). In a typical PC a byte consists of 8 bits (called an 8 bit system). See module 1a. Black boxAn expression for an electronic component, whose function is not understood. A "black" box which is connected with cables and plugs. BNCThe old type plug for Ethernet, which is used with a coaxial cable. The PC’s are connected in a long string, which must be terminated with a special plug in both ends. Max.10 Mbit/sec. BpsBits per second. A 33.600 bits per second (bps) modem can transmit a maximum of about 3000 bytes per second. See bits. BinHexAn old Macintosh standard for translation of binary files to text to be transmitted by e-mail. BrowserA graphical web program like Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer. ByteA byte consists normally of 8 bits. A bit is the basic unit for electronic data. 1024 bytes = 1 kilobyte (KB). 1024 KB = 1 megabyte (MB). 1024 MB = 1 gigabyte (GB). 1024 GB = 1 terabyte (TB). See module 1a. C C&TChips & Technology. Company which manufactures graphics chips. See module 7b. CacheCaches are small, fast memory storages, which are placed between two units in the PC. The cache is used for data transfer between two units operating at different speeds, such as between CPU and RAM (L2-cache) and between RAM and hard disk (disk cache). See module 3b. CCDCharge-Coupled Device. Light sensitive unit, which is used in such instruments as scanners and digital cameras. CeleronAn inexpensive Pentium-II module without L2 cache. Especially useful for games. See module 3e. CD ROMCompact Disk Read Only Memory. See module 4c. CentronicsCentronics is actually a printer brand name. The expression is used as the parallel interface standard developed by IBM in the PC architecture. CERNThe European Council for nuclear physics . Held the first World Wide Web conference and is thus regarded as the developer of HTML technology. CGI Common Gateway Interface. An user interface, which enables access to run scripts or programs from a Web server. Guest books and other forms on web sites are usually CGI scripts. ChatChat or discussion between two or more people across a network. The communication is conducted from the PC keyboard. See also ICQ and IRC. ChipsetController chips on the motherboard. Chips which aid and relieve the workload on the CPU. See module 2d. CISCompact Image Sensor. A light sensitive unit which is used in small inexpensive scanners. CIS are considered inferior to CCD. Client/serverAn ADP program consisting of two parts: a server and a client. The server program is located in a central computer. Typically it handles a central database. The client program is run on the user's PC which is connected in a network to the server . Example: A browser is a client relative to a web site which is located on a server. ComboNetwork card with different kinds of plugs, typically both BNC and RJ45. CookieA small file which an Internet server can place on your hard disk, and which can be read by the same or other servers. CRTCathode Ray Tube. Traditional monitor type consisting of a large glass tube. See module 7a. CSRAMRAM type developed by Intel. It will be used for L2 cache in the future Slot-2 editions of Pentium-II. See module 3e. CSSCascading Style Sheets. An element in DHTML. Formatting codes which makes it much, much simpler to control web page formatting. CyberspaceExpression about the Internet. Originates from cybernetics and space and was introduced by the science fiction author William Gibson. D DaisychainSerial connection of unit where a wire leads from one unit to the other, etc. Examples: FireWire, SCSI, and USB. See module 5c. DATDigital Audio Tape. A tape type with 4 GB capacity. Database engineA program which can handle databases. The Input is provided from other programs. DataminingThe task of finding and printing patterns and information from large databases. For example, if you collected and worked with receipts from all supermarkets in a country, you could search and analyze purchase patterns. DDCDisplay Data Channel. A screen technology which allows the monitor to send information back to the PC. Could be called Plug and play for monitors. See module 8a. DechutesCode name for the second of Intel's Pentium-II, introduced in January 1998. See module 3e. DefaultA standard or start value , which is used in many programs. The default remains until it is changed by the user. DHCPDynamic Host Configuration Protocol. Protocol which allows dynamic assignment of IP addresses. DHTMLDynamic Hyper Text Markup Language. An expansion of HTML which enables more "life" in web pages. Microsoft and Netscape do so far not agree on the standard. CSS is a part of DHTML. Dial-inConnection to the Internet through a telephone call to a provider. DIMMDual Inline Memory Module. 64-bit RAM module. See module 2e. DirectX A new multimedia API for Windows, a hardware abstraction layer. It is a collection of programs, which enables much better control (low level control) of the hardware in games and other multimedia programs. DirectX includes: DirectDraw, DirectSound, DirectSound3D, DirectPlay, DirectInput, and DirectSetup. All of these programs are designed to run games and other multimedia programs with various sound and light effects. The advantage of DirectX is that the programs can be written directly to Windows and also achieve maximum control of the hardware. Disk cacheA disk cache is a portion of RAM (such as 2 or 4 MB), which are reserved as a cache relative to the hard disk. The cache works like a buffer, enabling great improvements in the disk read and write operations . Disk cache is built-in in Windows 95. See the comments in module 6b. DLLA Dynamic Link Library is a file containing a collection of small programs. These "modules" can be called when needed by other programs that are running under Windows . The advantage of DLL files is that they only get loaded when needed. The DLLs may cause problems upgrading to betas or new versions of Microsoft Office, for instance. Then one program expects one version of the DLL which has been overwritten by another program. DMIDesktop Management Interface. Standard for how individual components can inform the PC about themselves through an MIF file. DMI is the basis for Intel's LANDesk Client Manager (LDCM). DNSDomain Name System. A coupling between IP addresses and domain names. Docking stationA connector box which connects portable devices to the PC, etc. DOSDisk Operating System. The oldest PC operating system. The latest version is 6.22. DOS is included in Windows 95, if you look for it. Dot pitchDot Pitch is a measuring unit for the distance between individual pixels on the screen. The smaller the number, the sharper the picture. See module 7a. DownloadTo download means to copy data (like programs) from an Internet computer to your own PC. Download is done through FTP. DPIDots per inch. Indicates the detail available in an image. Is used such as to indicate the resolution of a monitor (72 dpi) or a laser printer (300 or 600 dpi). See module 7b. DPMSDisplay Power Management System. A standard for screen energy saving. The screen "shuts off" after a specified period of time. See module 7a. DRAMDynamic RAM. The most common and cheapest type of RAM. See module 2e. DSLDigital Subscriber Line. A new modem technology which provides much faster transmission speeds on regular phone lines. DSTNA low cost LCD screen which provides an acceptable image. Is used in many notebook computers. See module 7a. DVDDigital Versatile Disk. Replacement for CD ROM. See module 4c. E ECCError Correcting Code. System for error correcting in spontaneous bit errors in RAM. Requires special RAM and logics on the motherboard to make it work. Is used in servers. See module 2e. EDOExtended Data Output. An improved type DRAM which became a standard in 1996. See module 2e. EdutainmentA mix of the words education and entertainment. Indicates programs which will help opening files in an entertaining way. EIDEEnhanced Integrated Drive Electronics. The most modern interface to hard disks, CD ROM drives, etc. It is connected directly to the motherboard. Ultra DMA is the latest and fastest protocol in EIDE. See module 5b. E-mailElectronic mail. One of the popular Internet services. Small text messages are sent and received from e-mail servers. All users need an e-mail address. Energy StarLogo for low power consuming PC’s and monitors (below 30 watt each). EPAEnvironmental Protection Agency. Establishes regulations regarding energy conservation in office equipment, and much more. Equipment which operates within the prescribed limits can be assigned the Energy Star logo. ECPEnhanced Capability Port is a standard for two-way communications between the PC and printers/scanners. EPPEnhanced Parallel Port is a standard for two-way communication between the PC and units like a ZIP drive, etc. EPROMA ROM chip which can be programmed repeatedly. The data are erased with ultraviolet light. The total chip contents has to be changed, contrary to EEPROM. EPROM is used in many adapters where they store addresses, numbers, and other user data, which can the be written to the card. ESCDIntel Plug-and-Play Extended System Configuration Data. A table which describes every ISA and PCI unit in the PC. During start-up BIOS will compare the information in ECSD with the adapters found. EthernetThe most wide spread standard for local networks (LAN). Developed by the Xerox Corporation. F FAQFrequently Asked Questions. The term is used for documents which answers the most frequently asked questions about a specific subject/file. FATFile Allocation Table. An area on the hard disk which has a "map" over the contents of the remainder of the hard disk. FAT originates from the earliest DOS versions (written for use on diskettes), but it is still the file system in Windows 95. See module 6a. FidoNetA non commercial network for e-mail and file exchanges. FidoNet has data exchanges worldwide trough BBS’s. It has lost its importance since the advent of Internet. FirewallA "firewall" is typically some software which separates the local net from the Internet. If you couple a LAN to the Internet, the common network protocol must be TCP/IP. This means that every single server and work station on the net is assigned an IP address. So when a PC is on the Internet with its own IP address it is visible to other net users. In this mode the confidential data from the local net become available to others, unless you set up protection against this. A firewall will among other things make the local net IP addresses invisible from the outside. FPM RAMFast Page Mode. The oldest type DRAM. See module 2e. FramesA technique which enables the break up of the screen image in different fields (frames), to let you see more web pages independently. This is used in Click & Learn. FreewarePC programs which everyone can copy and use for free. FTPFile Transfer Protocol. One of the TCP/IP sub protocols which are used to move and copy files from one computer to another across the Internet. FTP is better suited to file transfer than HTTP is. But since Web servers have a much wider user interface than the FTP servers, the use of FTP is decreasing. Front endTypically a program or program layer which refers directly to the user. A user interface. G GatewayA connection between two networks, where two different protocols can be translated (converted) so they can exchange data packages. GIFGraphics Interchange Format. A file format which results in loss free compression of graphics files. Is used (as well as JPEG) very much on the Internet. GopherAn older text based information service on the Internet. Is widely replaced by WWW. GUI Graphical User Interface. Graphical user interface such as . Windows and WWW. H H.320A standard for video conference systems. Home pageHome page is typically the first page of a web site. It is a HTML document which is publicly available through a web server. Hot SwapMeans that a component can be exchanged while the system is operating. Is used in other places in RAID disks and power supplies. HTMLHyper Text Markup Language. The ”word processing language” (and file format) which is used to write web pages, and which is understood by all browsers regardless of computer type (Windows, Macintosh, or Unix). HTTPHyper Text Transport Protocol. A sub protocol for TCP/IP which is used for web pages, but also allows transfer of other file types. Hypertext. A screen based text format which enables jumping from one place in the text to another by clicking the links, like the green underlined module xxx you see in this text. I IA-32Common name for Intel's 32-bit processors (all Pentium editions). See module 3c. IA-64Name for the coming Intel 64-bit processors (with the code name Merced). See module 3e. ICOMPMeasuring unit for CPU performance. Developed by Intel. ICPInformation Content Provider. Identifies a provider of Internet information such as newspapers . ICQPronounced "I Seek You." A program which is used for personal contact s on the Internet. Millions of people around the world communicate with this genial program. IDEIntegrated Drive Electronics. Drive (hard disk, CD ROM, etc.), where the operating electronics are mounted on the unit. EIDE is the latest standard. See module 4b and module 5b. IEEE 1394FireWire. A new digital technique (a serial high speed bus) which among other things can connect scanners, digital cameras and entertainment electronics. See module 5c. IntelThe leading company producing CPU’s for PC’s ”invented” the PC together with IBM and Microsoft. Intel develops CPUs and a lot of other PC standards (such as PCI, AGP, 100 Mbit, networks, etc.) which help increase the need for fast CPUs. In October 1998 Intel bought two companies: Shiva has among other products VPN knowledge. The other one, Micron, produces RAM and especially Rambus RAM. InterfaceA user interface connects two independent data circuits. As an example in the PC the hard disk is connected to the motherboard through an interface. InterlacingTechnology where images are created in two stages, for example line 1, 3, 5, etc. first. Then lines 2, 4, 6, etc. are created. In this manner the total image is developed faster. This is used in GIF and JPG files on the Internet, which allows faster retrieval of the complete image. Graphics cards can also update the screen image interlaced, a technology which was used in the early 90-ties. A refresh rate of 87 Hz interlaced corresponds to 43.5 Hz non-interlaced. See module 7a. InterleavingTechnology which allows read/write to more RAM modules simultaneously, to attain better speeds. Two RAM modules can in this way work faster than one. InternetThe worlds greatest computer network. Through the Internet you can exchange e-mail, retrieve data (images, programs, and texts) from other computers, participate in electronic conferences and much more. The Internet includes many different services: Usenet, World Wide Web, e-mail, etc. Internet SocietyAmerican interest organization which promotes the use of the Internet. IP Internet Protocol. Network protocol which handles package transfer on the Internet. IP addressInternet address. A 32 bit number which refers to a distinct server on the net and which us understood by TCP/IP. IPXNetwork protocol to local nets. Is especially used for Novell-net. IRCInternet Relay Chat. A chat system for chatting with other people on the net. IrDAInfrared Data Association. Standard for infrared data transfer (that is without cable) between units such as a laptop and a stationary PC. The remote control to the TV uses infrared transmission. Supported by Windows 98. ISAIndustry Standard Architecture. The “old” I/O bus which is still used for sound cards etc. See module 2c. ISDNIntegrated Services Digital Network. A special digital phone line which is especially well suited for Internet connection. It requires special telephones and a ISDN adapter. ISPInternet Service Provider. Such as AOL or Prodigy Internet. IX86Intel series of ”compatible” processors with the common 8086 instruction set. The latest in this CPU series is Pentium-II. See module 3a. J JPEG (JPG)File format from Joint Photographic Experts Group. Photographs are compressed in various degrees (resulting in some quality loss). Used extensively on the Internet. Pronounced ”jay-peg.” K KatmaiNew multimedia instructions for an upcoming Pentium-II processor. See module 3e. KlamathEarly code name for the first generation of the Intel processor Pentium-II. See module 3e EncryptingCoding of data so they only can be read using a code word. Such data can only be understood and be usable by applying the correct code word for decoding. Encrypting is done with keys of a specified bit length. Currently a 64 bit key is considered unbreakable. Encrypting has been prohibited in the USA. L L1 cacheSmall fast RAM storage built into the CPU, and which connects it to the system bus. See module 3b. L2 cacheSmall fast RAM storage located in the motherboard, the CPU, or in the SEC module. It connects the system bus with RAM. See module 3b. LANLocal Area Network. A local net is made up of two or more PC’s within the same building complex. The PC’s are typically connected with net cards and cables. Thus they can all utilize all resources (hard disks, printers, etc.) on the net. LCDLiquid Crystal Display. A technology which is used in flat, ”soft” screens. There are different qualities, of which TFT is the best. See module 7a. List serverA server which works as a center for e-mail within defined subjects. See mailing list. LPXStandardized motherboard form where the various cards are mounted on a riser-card. LS-120A diskette drive which can read and write from/to both traditional 3.5" diskettes and special 120 MB disks. See module 4d. LVD Ultra2The latest version of SCSI is called LVD (Low Voltage Differentiale). See module 5c. M Mailing listA system for mass mailing of e-mail. You subscribe to a list where the participants discuss a specific subject. MainframeMainframes are very big computers, not very much like PCs. The mainframes typically comes from vendors like IBM, and you find them inside the big corporations, where they handle large amounts of data with thousands of users connected. Today the mainframe function as large servers. They may serve "dumb" terminals (monitors practically without any computer power) or they may serve other several LANs. See module 2a. MatroxSupplier of video cards. See module 7b. MAU (1)A singular address which is found in all net cards. The serial numbers are assigned to all net card producers from Xerox Corp. MAU (2)Multiple Access Unit. Network component for a Token Ring network. Corresponds to a hub in Ethernet. MendocinoOne of Intel's low cost Pentium-II models. A Celeron with built-in 128 KB L2 cache. See module 3e. MercedCode name for Intel's upcoming 64-bit processor. See module 3e. MicrosoftSoftware producer. Founded by Bill Gates. MIDIMusical Instrument Digital Interface. A standard which enables the PC to handle music. MIMEMulti purpose Internet Mail Extensions. An expansion of the TCP/IP protocol which enables the reception of other than plain text files from the Internet. Includes translation from the PC’s 8 bit system to older computers 7 bit system. Transmits the necessary information about the file type in a MIME header. MMXMultiMedia eXtension. Certain instruction sets which can improve the running of games and other multimedia programs. Their use requires both that the CPU understands them and that the programs use them. See module 3c. ModemMOdulator/DEModulator. A unit which can translate between digital and analog data (such as sound waves) which can be sent through a phone line. MosaicThe first World Wide Web browser, which was eventually developed into Netscape Navigator. MP3Standard for compression of music in HIFI quality. One megabyte equals roughly one minute of music. There is a lot of both legal and illegal MP3 music on the Internet. A program like WinAmp is needed to play the music. MPEG standardMoving Picture Experts Group. A consortium which defines compression technologies for digital image manipulation. MPR IIMät och Prov Rĺdet II. A Swedish organization which developed radiation standards for monitors. MPR II became internationally recognized and has since been developed into TCO. MSNMicroSoft Network. Microsoft's attempt to create a commercial network for Windows users. It became outdistanced by the Internet. MTUMaximum Transmission Unit. The size of the data packages which are sent (with the TCP protocol) over the Internet. MultimediaIntegration of sound, video, and data in computer programs. MultitaskingMultitasking means that the PC or one of its components handles more than one task at a time. As an example, in Windows 95 you can print and receive data from your modem simultaneously. That is a form of multitasking. While Windows 95 does not perform genuine multitasking Windows NT does. N Narrow SCSI8 bit SCSI. Uses 50 pin cables and plug. See module 5c. NCSAThe National Center for Supercomputing Applications. An American research institution. NetBEUINetwork protocol for small LANs in Windows 95 and NT. NetiquetteThe special etiquette which you are expected to subscribe to on the Internet. Written or unwritten rules for communications in e-mail and especially Usenet. NewsgroupSee UseNet. NicknameFictitious name which you can use in participation in chat on the Internet (such as Lazy Larry calling..) NOSNetworks Operative System. Program as Netware, OS/2 Lan Server, and Windows NT. NovellProvider of Netware (et NOS). O OCROptical Character Recognition. Program for text recognition. Is used in connection with scanning. ODBCOpen Data Base Connection. A standard for communications between user programs and databases in Windows 95. This allows the database program to be divided in: an engine (from Sybase, Oracle, SQL server, or others), which contains the data and can be on a server. One or more front-end applications (developed in Access, Crystal Report, or other similar programs) which can be run on the user's PC, and which produce screen images for data entry and printing. Open GLA standard for 3D software (CAD, animation, etc.). Kind of a programming language. OS/2Operating System 2. An IBM operating system which in the early nineties competed with Windows. Today OS/2 is found especially in certain usages (especially banks). OS/2 can multitask just like Windows NT can (but Windows 95 can not trulymultitask). P PackingFile compression so they occupy less space. Either the entire hard disk can be compressed (which is not used much anymore) or individual files or groups of files can be compressed. GIF, JPG, and ZIP are all in compression format. ParityMethod to detect errors in data received. Bit errors can occur spontaneously in RAM. If they are not detected they can cause defective data and program execution. ECC RAM can detect and correct such errors by checking with sender the number of zeros and ones sent in one byte. If they match the data are most likely correct. PC100 RAMAn Intel standard for SD RAM which is guaranteed to work at 100 MHz. Read module 2e. PCIPeripheral Component Interconnect. Modern 32 bit high speed bus which connects Pentium processors to I/O units. See module 2c. PDAPersonal Digital Assistant. A small handheld computer which is used especially for address lists, notes, etc. PentiumCPU series from Intel. Successor to the 486 series. See module 3c. PnPPlug and Play. Hardware components which can tell the computer how they are executed. See module 5a. POPPoint Of Presence. An Internet provider's dial-in for modem users. Is used especially to describe local modem connections which the user can reach at local phone rates. An Internet provider could be located in San Francisco, USA or in Hamburg, Germany and yet have a POP in Los Angeles, USA. PostScriptPostscript (PS) is a page definition language. It is a programming language which defines precisely how a printed page will appear. Postscript was invented by the Adobe company in 1985. Apple has also contributed to spread this standard, which today dominates the graphics field. Postscript is a common denominator for a number of printers and image producing equipment. If your equipment is PS compatible you can print a page 100% identical with the product comming out of the photosetter . PS uses a number of standardized fonts (like Palatino and Helvetica, which I use in my booklets). One of the advantages is that PS works independently from the resolution. A print job from a 600 dpi HP4M laser printer can thus be sent to any other printer and possibly be printed with 2400 dpi. Many laser printers are available today with built-in Postscript at a reasonable price. If you do not have a PS printer you can install a PS driver in Windows 95 and then print in PS format (I did that with my first booklet with the expected result). Steve Jobs attempted in his NeXT computers to make Postscript into a screen language. See also Acrobat. PPPPoint to Point Protocol. An Internet connector, typically via modem. Somewhat faster than SLIP. ProtocolsProgram layers which are necessary to transmit data between two systems. As an example a PC needs to read the right protocol before it can communicate with a network. R RAIDRedundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. A SCSI based technology which links many hard disks together. It can improve speed and security. RAMRandom Access Memory. The working memory in the computer. See module 2e. Report generatorA program which can produce print outs based on existing data in a database such as Crystal Report. Access also includes a report generator. Real Time Transmission and manipulation of data as they are generated. Online chat video conference is an example. Refresh rateThe number of screen updates per second. The higher the number the less flicker you see on your screen. 75 Hz refresh rate is acceptable . LCD screens do not have refresh rate – they are illuminated constantly. RIMM (Rambus)Rambus Inline Memory Module. RAM module with Intel's new RAMBUS. See module 2e. RJ45Plug type which uses twisted pair cables. Is used in 10 and 100 Mbit Ethernet. RouterAn ”intelligent” unit which can direct data packages from one network to another. S SCSISmall Computer System Interface. A controller principle where up to 7 or 15 units are connected to a common adapter, which is an intelligent way to control and regulate the data transport. See module 5c. SEC moduleA printed circuit board which fits in certain motherboards. This module includes a Pentium-II CPU, L2 cache, operating logics, and a blower. See module 3e. SDRAMSynchronous Dynamic RAM. Modern RAM type for the working memory in the PC. See module 2e. ServerComputer or program which can supply data or other resources to other computers or programs. SETSecure Electronic Transactions. A new standard that will enable secure credit card transactions on the Internet. SET has been endorsed by virtually all the major players in the electronic commerce arena, including Microsoft, Netscape, Visa, and Mastercard. However it does not seem to be accepted by the users. SET requires special software to use. SGML Standard Generalized Markup Language. A language to describe code based documents. As an example HTML is defined through SGML. SharewarePrograms which the producer sells for a minimal charge . The user is expected to pay for the program after a free trial period. Shareware programs are downloaded from the Internet. SignatureStandardized sender address in e-mail. SIMMSingle Inline Memory Module. 8 or 32 bit RAM modules. See module 2e. Screen DirectiveAn EEC directive which establishes demands in the workplace. One of the demands is that the the screen must be without flicker (Refresh rate of 75 Hz or better). SLIP Serial Line Internet Protocol. Internet dial-up connection. Slower than PPP. SMARTSelf Monitoring and Analysis Reporting Technology. A technique to monitor the EIDE disks (built-in in the disk operating electronics). Smileys Symbols displaying faces with different expressions like the smiling face :-). Snail mail Sarcastic name for regular mail compared to e-mail. SNMPSimple Network Management Protocol. A protocol for network surveillance within TCP/IP. SPD Serial Presence Detect is a component in SD RAM modules which enables BIOS to check the module speed. Read module 2e. SSL Secure Socket Layer is a protocol which Netscape uses for secure Internet data transmissions. STN LCD Super Twisted Nuonic. A type of flat screen. See module 7a. SVGA Super VGA. A screen resolution of 800X600 pixels. See module 7a. T TCO (1)Swedish environmental standard for monitor radiation. Developed by the Swedish civil servants central union. TCO (2)Total Cost of Ownership. A concept which covers the total expenses from having a PC throughout its lifetime: purchase, software, installation, maintenance, repairs, user training, hotline, support, lost work time, etc. TCP/IPTransmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Network protocols for larger networks. Is used especially on the Internet. Includes two primary protocols and multiple sub protocols each designed for a specific type of service (such as http). TelnetService from the Internet that allows the use of ones own PC as a ”dummy” terminal. You log on to a larger (UNIX) computer and run its programs using your keyboard and monitor. The host computer provides the computing power. The programs are old fashioned and text based, typically administrative type programs. TFTThin Film Transistor. So far the best technology for flat screens. Each pixel is formed from three transistors which light up in red/green/blue with suitable intensities. The TFT technology is also called an active matrix. See module 7a. Token RingNetwork technology developed by IBM. Exists in 4 Mbit/second and 16 Mbit/second. The protocol is based on a token which spins around in a ring. The one who has this token can transmit. TWAINTool Without An Interesting Name. A program which allows you to retrieve images from a scanner or a digital camera directly into an image processing program like PaintShopPro. U Ultra DMA Or ATA-33. An EIDE protocol from 1997, which is used for hard disks. See module 5b. UNIX An operating system (OS) which was designed in 1969 by the Bell laboratories in the USA. In 1974 UNIX became the first OS written in the C programming language. UNIX has developed into a kind of freeware. It is a very open system in many variations, and no one owns the rights to it. Most Web servers are UNIX based. Upload Transmission of files from your computer to another computer on the Internet. You upload your web pages so they can be seen by others. Uploading is done with FTP. UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply. Emergency power supply to enable servers to keep working in case of power failures. URLUniform Resource Locator. An Internet address which points to some specific file or some other resource such as: http://www.mkdata.dk/english/. USBUniversal Serial Bus. A new connection method which will appear in future PC’s. It is a kind of “bus” which will replace separate ports for keyboard, mouse, and printers, etc. All these different plugs which are used for low speed units will be replaced with a new plug type. Up to 127 different units can be connected one after each other – serially – on the USB bus. See module 5c. Usenet USEer NETwork. Electronic conference system with more than 30,000 different discussion clubs each about their specific subject. Communication is based on e-mail. UTP Unshielded Twisted Pair. A cable type which is used in modern network connections. Category 5 cables can be used for 10 as well as 100 Mbit. UU-encode Unix to Unix coding means recoding of binary files to letters so they can be attached e-mail. This standard is older than MIME. V Veronica Very Easy Rodent Oriented Netwide Index to Computerized Archives. Search tool for the Internet service Gopher. VESAVideo Electronics Standards Association. An organization that deals with standardizing video equipment including plugs and signals to monitors, power consumption, etc. See module 7a. VGAVideo Graphics Adapter. Screen resolution of 640X480 pixels (with a refresh rate of 60 Hz). See module 7a. VL bus VESA Local bus. A local bus from the begging of the 1990ies which was soon replaced by the PCI bus. See module 2c. VPNVirtual Private Network. A connection of different LANs using the Internet. Only possible using special software, which protects against hacking. VRMLVirtual Reality Modeling Language. A language for 3D formatting of ”three dimensional” Web pages. W WAIS Wide Area Information Server. Advanced systems for fast search in large databases on the Internet. Wake on LanA system to make a computer to "wake up" when a signal (a magic package) is sent to it. Requires ACPI. WAV Uncompressed sound format in Windows. WDMWindows Driver Model. A type of hardware drivers which are common for both Windows 98 and NT. The driver specification works with four classes: Stream (Video, audio, DVD, etc.), HID (keyboard, mouse, joystick, etc), USB, and IEE1394). WDM does not include hardware such as the video card. Webmaster The system responsible person (the editor/publisher) for a web site. WebserverA computer which contains and delivers data and information on the World Wide Web. WYSIWYGWhat You See Is What You Get. Concept which is used about a type of programs which display a screen image like the finished product. Windows word processing program Word is an example where the screen image matches the finished printed document. WWWWorld Wide Web. The best known service on the Internet where you can surf from one HTML document (web site) to another with a click on the mouse in a browser. X-Z XGAeXtended Graphics Adapter. Originally an IBM standard for screen modes. Is used in an area such as the 1024 X 768 pixel screen resolution. See module 7a. ZIFZero Insertion Force. Socket for CPU’s which can be installed manually. ZIPFile format which provides loss free compression. Is used in all types of files which need to be unpacked (un zipped) before they become usable. To the main page www.mkdata.dk (C) Michael B. Karbo 1996-98. Click & Learn visits since 10. Dec. 1996. English translation by Mr. Erik Karoll