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Jargon Watch: A glossary of IT words and phrases
These gigabit points of presence, or gigapops, are regional aggregation points that will allow universities to coordinate their connectivity to the Internet2 network.
Jargon Watch:A glossary of IT words and phrases Once a week TechRepublic brings you a list of words and phrases to keep you informed of new—and old—jargon in information technology and telecommunications. This table represents a compilation of words in our glossary. Click on any one of them to go to a full week’s list. And if you have any suggested new words or phrases, please send them to us in an e-mail. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z NumbersA Accredited Coach Training Agency (ACTA) Acronyms Advanced Micro Devices Advanced mobile phone service (AMPS) AMPS Analog Application service providers (ASP) Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) Audio conferencing B Bandwidth on demand Bit/byte Bribery Broadband Business coach Business process outsourcers (BPOs) Business Software Alliance (BSA) C CDMA CDPD Cellular Cellular Digital Packet Data Certified coach Chernobyl Chief Web Officer Chip Chomping CIF CIH Cisco certifications Client Clustering Code Division Multiple Access Codec Commerce network providers Communities of practice (CoPs) Computer security incident response teams Computer telephony Compression algorithm Cookies CPU Crushing Cryptography CU-SeeMe Cutting Cyberforensics Cybersquatting Cyrix microprocessor D D-AMPS Data conferencing Data encryption standard Data shredding Database appliance Denial of service attack DES Desktop video conferencing Digital Digital Advanced Mobile Phone Service Digital envelope Digital money Digital subscriber line (DSL) DragStrip Dual HTML Output format Dynamic HTML (DHTML) Dynamic link library (DLL) E E-book Echo cancellation E-gold Electronic Financial Officer(EFO) Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) E-metal payment Emoticons Emotional intelligence Enterprise ASPs F Fat client FDMA Feeware Firmware Flame Freeware Frequency Division Multiple Access Full duplex audio Full-motion video G Gateway Gigapops Global System for Mobile Communications Group collusion Groupware GSM H H.320, H.323, H.324, H.261 Hand-held Device Markup Language HDML Hewlett-Packard certifications HTML Writers Guild (HWG) I IBM certifications IDT microprocessor Information Technology Association of America Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Intel microprocessor Interface Definition Language (IDL) International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Internet Writers' Guild Internet2 J Java Telephony API (JTAPI) K Kerberos Kernel Killer app Kludge Knowledge management L Last mile Local loop Lotus certifications M Mail bomb Master Certified Coach (MCC) MCDBA MCP MCP+Internet MCP+Site Building MCSD MCSE MCSE+Internet MCT MDBS Microprocessor Microsoft certifications Middleware MIME Mobile Data Base Station Monetize Multipoint Control Unit (MCU) Multipoint line N National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) Nested subwebs Netcheque Netiquette Nortel & Bay Networks certifications Novell certifications NT 1 O Office Server Extensions Open source Oracle certifications P P3P Payware PICS Ping Plain old telephone service (POTS) Platform for Internet Content Selection Processor Professional Certified Coach (PCC) Proprietary algorithm Public room R Rapid application development (RAD) Rate-adaptive DSL (RADSL) RDF Real-time Registry Resource Description Framework Robotics Invention System (RIS) Room-based video conferencing RSA S Sales force automation (SFA) Script files Script kiddies Script language Scripting host Secure electronic transactions (SET) Secure http (SHTTP) Secure socket layer (SSL) Set-top box Shareware SIM International Year 2000 Working Group Smurf attack Social engineering Society of Information Management (SIM) Software Contractors' Guild Software management Spam Specialist ASPs Standard compression algorithm Steganography Storage area network (SAN) Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) Strategic Management Society (SMS) StrongARM Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Sun Microsystems chips Symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) System Administrators Guild (SAGE) T T.120 Tacit knowledge TDMA Telephony application programming interface (TAPI) TechProGuild (TPG) Telefelony Telematics Telephony API Terminator Thin client Thin server Time Division Multiple Access Trade secret Troll Telephony server application programming interface (TSAPI) Technology without an interesting name (TWAIN) U University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development (UCAID) Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA) V Vaporware Very high-rate DSL (VDSL) Vertical market ASPs Video conferencing Videophoning Voice-over Internet protocol (VOIP) Volume business ASPs W W3C Warez Web queries Whiteboarding Windows registry Wireless Markup Language WML Women in Technology International (WITI) WYSIWYG X XML Z Zoomed Video port (ZV port) Numbers 32-bit processing 64-bit processing Accredited Coach Training Agency (ACTA): This International Coach Federation credential includes training plus 750 hours or a year and a half as a professional coach plus successfully passing an ICF-administered exam. Acronyms: Abbreviations for common phrases that help get your feelings across quickly to others in an e-mail or chat room. Here are some examples: AFK—away from keyboard, BAK—back at keyboard, BRB—be right back, BTW—by the way, FWIW—for what it's worth, GMTA—great minds think alike, IAC—in any case, IMHO—in my humble opinion, IMNSHO—in my not so humble opinion, LOL—laughing out loud, ROFL—rolling on floor laughing, TTFN--ta ta for now, TTYL--talk to you later, YMMV—your mileage may vary, WB—welcome back, WTG—way to go Advanced Micro Devices: A manufacturer of flash memories, programmable logic devices, embedded processors, and x86-compatible microprocessors. AMD chips are used by many computer manufacturers instead of Intel chips, making AMD Intel's biggest competitor. All of the AMD-K6 family of processors include MMX technology. Advanced mobile phone service (AMPS): An analog network protocol for air interface used by cellular operators in North America. The spectrum allocated to AMPS is shared by two cellular phone companies in each geographic region. (Other parts of the world embraced cellular service later than North America and are, therefore, digital.) AMPS: See Advanced mobile phone service Analog: In telephone transmission, spoken words are transmitted as analog sound waves or frequencies (as opposed to digital signals). Until the late 1960s, all telephone calls were analog. Now, while most phone companies are digital, there are still many sections of telephone networks that use analog service, including the majority of home telephones that plug into jacks and the telephone lines from homes to the nearest phone company equipment. Modems broaden analog capabilities, allowing these lines to carry data from digital computers. Application service providers (ASPs): A new breed of packaged application vendors that offer online services and applications to companies on an outsourcing basis on the Internet. This emerging market is becoming popular for fast-growing companies that need enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications but don't have the financial resources, personnel, or time to install and manage an ERP application. The solution: rent the application from an ASP. Applications that an ASP might provide include accounting and payroll, supply chain, collaboration, and e-commerce. Local/regional ASPs deliver application services to meet the computing needs of small businesses in a local geographic area. Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL): A type of DSL service, an evolving high-speed transmission technology that uses the existing UTP copper wires from the telephone company's central office to the subscriber's premises. It requires ADSL modems at both locations. Asymmetric means the line has different speeds away from and toward the user. Audio conferencing: A conference with only voice connections is an audio conference. Bandwidth on demand: You use and pay for bandwidth only when you need it. This flexibility, offered by more and more ISPs, is usually related to a T-1 line and works well for growing companies that have high-volume connectivity needs that require the use of a full T-1 only during certain busy times. High-demand needs might include Web and e-mail servers, active networks, large data and file transfers (including CAD/CAM files), multimedia applications (including video or image file transfers and online videoconferencing) and more. Bit/byte: A bit is the smallest unit of data in a computer. However, computers usually store data and execute instructions in multiples of bits, called bytes. In most computer systems, there are eight bits in a byte (which generally represents a single letter or character, or four bytes to a word). A byte is abbreviated with a capital "B" and a bit is abbreviated with a small "b". Computer storage is measured in multiples of bytes, such as an 820 megabyte (MB) hard drive. Bribery: One class of internal security threat that occurs when an outside party corrupts or influences a staff member by offering money or gifts in exchange for sensitive information. Broadband: Any transmission facility providing bandwidth greater than a T3 (45 Mbps). Broadband is generally fiber optic. Business coach: Professional advisors who partner with professionals to help them achieve results in their professional lives. A coach concentrates on where the client is today and where he or she wants to be tomorrow. He or she listens, makes suggestions, points out connections, and shares some tools they've learned. Corporate Coach U International offers a business coaching certification program (BCCP) for internal and external coaches in corporations, including coach training in the technology of human interaction in the work place. Business process outsourcers (BPOs): Companies that provide complete business services such as maintenance or distribution services, or HR employee benefits administration. Business Software Alliance (BSA): Represents leading software developers before governments and with consumers in the international marketplace. BSA educates business and consumer users on software copyrights, advocates public policy that fosters innovation, expands trade opportunities, and fights software piracy. BSA members include Adobe, Attachmate, Autodesk, Bentley Systems, Corel, Lotus, Microsoft, and Network Associates. CDMA: CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)—also known as spread spectrum—is a cellular phone technology that transmits voice and data signals over a shared portion of the spectrum. Invented by Qualcomm and supported by MCI Communications, CDMA is marketed as less costly to implement than the GSM and TDMA cellular phone systems. It operates in both the 800 MHz (cellular) and 1.9 GHz (PCS, or Personal Communications Services) bands. CDMA networks are upgrades to currently existing analog systems and are used by a large number of the North American telecom carriers, including AT&T, Bell Atlantic, GTE Corp., Ameritech, and Northern Telecom. CDMA's main rival is GSM, Europe's cellular technology. CDPD: CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data) is a digital wireless transmission system that supports packet-switching over a cellular phone without a persistent connection. For example, e-mail is forwarded without a link being established. CDPD transmits data at 19.2 Kbps (actual throughput is approximately 9.6 Kbps). This service is available from AT&T, GTE Wireless, and other cellular services. Cellular: A wireless personal telecommunications system that utilizes base station controllers, each having multidirectional antennas that create spatial cells for the purpose of frequency reuse through space division multiplexing. Cellular Digital Packet Data: See CDPD. Certified coach: Coach University, a virtual training and certification organization, offers a two-year formal training program for Coach U certification. A certified coach needs: 1,000 hours of documented coaching, graduation from CU, 15 letters of recommendation from clients, and a written thesis defended in an oral review. Chief Web Officer: An example of a title that one day would represent an executive who oversees the enterprise's intranets, extranets, and Web sites. CIO Magazine surveyed six executives about whether it's time to create this new executive position. Three executives were against the new position, two were in favor, and one was noncommittal. Guess we're only halfway there! Chernobyl and CIH: Chernobyl is the original version of the well-known CIH virus, which has four known varieties set to trigger on the 26th of each month. CIH infects computers running Windows 95 and 98 when a previously infected program, one with the .exe extension, is run. CIH reformats the hard drive and, in some cases, ruins the motherboard by destroying a key chip. On April 26, the virus disabled hundreds of thousands of computers. The virus was written in Taiwan, where its developer, a former student with the initials of CIH, was identified in April 1999. The most common, year-old variant is known as Chernobyl, because the date on which it activates is April 26, the anniversary of the nuclear disaster in the former Soviet Union. CIF: Common Intermediate Format (CIF) is an international standard video format for defining the resolution in terms of pixels. A variation of the full CIF (FCIF) is called QCIF, which is one quarter of the FCIF resolution. QCIF is used in desktop video conferencing and uses the H.261 format to send head to shoulder pictures from desktop to desktop. Cisco certifications: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA); Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP); Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE); CCIE-Routing and Switching; and, CCIE-ISP Dial. There are more than 3,500 CCIEs. Additional details are available on Cisco's Web site. Client: A computer or software program that requests services from another computer, called a server. Eudora and Microsoft Outlook are examples of e-mail clients. Clustering: Linking together two or more systems to handle variable workloads or to provide continued operation in the event one fails. Each computer may be a multiprocessor system itself. For example, a cluster of four computers, each with two CPUs, would provide a total of eight CPUs processing simultaneously. When clustered, these computers behave like a single computer and are used for load balancing, fault tolerance, and parallel processing. Code Division Multiple Access: See CDMA Codec: COder-DECoder or COmpressor/DECompressor is video conferencing hardware that, before the transmission begins, converts analog video and audio signals to digital code. It also converts digital back to analog code for incoming audio and video. It does this by using a compression technique such as MPEG, Indeo, or Cinepak. Hardware codecs or chips are built into video conferencing stations. Commerce network providers: Traditionally proprietary value-added networks (VANs) used for electronic data interchange (EDI) between companies. Today the category includes the new generation of electronic purchasing and trading networks. Communities of practice (CoP): Some might call it teamwork. But communities of practice (CoP) include groups of employees who share knowledge, enthusiasm, and a vision. Some consider this concept to be critical to building a business for the next century. A community within a company has power—to innovate and to follow through with a vision. Compression algorithm: In video conferencing, compression is used to encode video and data to take up less space. Video files can be compressed from 20 to 90 percent. Compression of a video signal requires an algorithm (a formula or set of ordered steps for solving a problem) to adhere to a standard of communication that works with many video conferencing systems. In most cases, the standard compression algorithm is H.320 for video conferencing. However, when a company wants to communicate to its own remote sites that have the same algorithm, it may use a vendor-specific algorithm (proprietary algorithm) for compression of the video signal. When a compression algorithm is used for a specific platform and file format, it is called a codec. Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs): Specially trained computer security experts that respond to cybercrimes. Computer Telephony (TAPI; TSAPI; JTAPI): Integrating voice and data traffic on one network either over a LAN or WAN. Long-term telephony strategies for the enterprise include Internet telephony, also called Voice-over Internet protocol (VOIP), or computer telephony via frame-relay or Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). One technology that makes computer telephony possible is Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI), a programming interface that allows a PC running Windows to connect to telephone services through a server. TAPI was developed by Microsoft and Intel in 1993 and allows Windows client applications to access voice services on LAN or WAN connections. TAPI provides interoperability between PCs and telephone equipment such as PBXs. There is a similar capability for NetWare Servers called Telephony Server Application Programming Interface (TSAPI) and another called Java Telephony API (JTAPI) for computer-telephone applications under Java (developed by Sun, Lucent, Nortel, Novell, Intel, and IBM). Cookies, crushing, chomping, and cutting: Cookies give a Web site a way to track a user's patterns and preferences. With the help of a browser, cookies are stored on the user's own hard disk. However, you can have your browser disable cookies or warn you before accepting a cookie. This is done in the cookie options in your browser in the Options or Preferences menu. Also there are a number of utilities that help you to crush (automatically refuse), manage, get rid of, and monitor cookie activity. These utilities have various names, such as "crusher," "cruncher," "wipe," and "terminator." The Software Library at ZDNet is the place to be when you are looking to chomp, cut, crush, or otherwise terminate cookies. Cryptography: When sending a secret code over a public network, the original text is converted into code with an encryption algorithm, which uses a binary number key to "lock" the data. When the message is received, the encrypted code is decoded or "unlocked" and turned back into the original text. Cryptography can be done in one of two ways: secret key or public key. The secret key uses the DES standard. Because both the sender and recipient use the same key to lock and unlock the message, it’s faster but less secure. The second way is public key cryptography, such as RSA, which combines the use of a private and public key. The recipient has both a private and public key, and senders use the public key to send a message. The recipient, however, uses the tightly held private key to decode the message. Since the recipient is the only one with the private key, and since the key is never sent over the Internet, this message is more secure. CU-SeeMe: A product called CU-SeeMe offers a simple, primitive way for two people to video conference over the Internet. With a small camera attached to the top of the computer, and the CU-SeeMe software installed, the users can view moving (albeit relatively awkward) pictures of each other as they talk. Cyberforensics: A new discipline that identifies, analyzes, seizes, reports, and safeguards computer-related information so that it can be presented in court as evidence of a crime. Also known as computer forensics. Cybersquatting: The hoarding of domain names, usually with the intent of selling them. Occasionally the sales come through online brokers. For example, a cybersquatter bought calripken.com and offered to sell the name to baseball player Cal Ripken for $10,000. Ripken refused. The domain name Candyland.com was not available to Hasbro Inc., the maker of the children's board game Candy Land. Instead, it was a sexually explicit site. The courts, however, upheld Hasbro's rights to the name. Recent rulings suggest that the courts will uphold the rights of trademark owners so they will no longer be at the mercy of cybersquatters. Cybersquatters and other critics maintain, however, that this promotes the rights of the enterprise over the small business owner or small domain holder. Cyrix microprocessor: Cyrix Corporation is a manufacturer of both x86-compatible and Pentium-class chips. Cyrix chips are used in low-priced PCs and soon will be in interactive set-top boxes, thin clients, thin servers and portable Web devices. Cyrix's next-generation processor will feature twice the cache of Intel's Celeron processor. Since 1988 Cyrix has developed nearly a dozen original x86 processor designs. The Cyrix M II with MMX technology offers Pentium II processor-level performance at competitive prices. D-AMPS: Like AMPS, D-AMPS (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone Service) also uses FDMA. However, it adds TDMA to divide each FDMA channel into three channels, tripling the amount of voice and data traffic that can be carried over a channel. Data conferencing: When collaboration tools—such as whiteboards for interactive data sharing—are used with video conferencing or audio conferencing, the process is referred to as data conferencing. All participants can draw or paste images or data onto a whiteboard from an onscreen notepad. This data, which can include documents, graphics, crude drawings, and screen shots, is available for viewing and annotating by all participants. In addition to data sharing, application sharing is a possibility. Participants can all see an application that is running on one participant's computer. With application sharing, however, only one person can edit the document. Data encryption standard: See DES. Data shredding: The '90s version of paper shredding. There is software available, including BCWipe and Shredder, that allows you to completely eradicate sensitive files so they are never recoverable. Data-shredding software actually overwrites the disk space with random bits, making the previous data irretrievable. Database appliance: A robust database running on a lean operating system. The phrase was coined by Oracle Corporation. The appliance, which is sold preconfigured and preinstalled by hardware vendors, eliminates the cost of the OS and the initial setup costs. Currently, the phrase database appliance is synonymous with the Oracle8i Appliance.The Oracle8i Appliance, which runs on Intel processors, is an integrated database platform based on the new Oracle8i Internet database that combines software components, including a slim-line operating system kernel. Denial of service attack: A security attack on a network that floods it with so many requests that regular traffic is either slowed or completely interrupted. It is a deliberate attempt to disable a network. It starts with an innocent ping utility to determine whether a specific IP address is accessible. (See also Ping and Smurf attack.) DES: DES (data encryption standard) is another encryption and authentication standard that uses a mathematical algorithm developed by IBM and the National Security Agency. DES breaks the message into 64-bit blocks, codes it quickly, and then sends it over a network to the recipient. A new key—or identifying number—can be generated each time, or a key can be reused. New keys are sent to the recipient through public key or RSA method. DES can be standard (which uses one key) or triple (where three keys and three decodings are used), thus providing additional security. Desktop video conferencing: PCs equipped with a fast Internet connection, a microphone, and a video camera will be able to support two-way or multi-way audio and video, along with document sharing, directly from an employee's desktop. Digital: The first digital telephone system switch for routing calls came in the late 1970s from Northern Telecom, but it did not become widely available until the 1980s. Compared to analog frequencies, digital signals travel longer distances, at faster speeds, and with clearer voice quality and less static. Digital signals also require less complex peripheral equipment. Instead of transmitting in sound waves, digital signals are transmitted in binary bits. Digital Advanced Mobile Phone Service: See D-AMPS. Digital envelope: When both DES and RSA are used at the same time—because DES is fast, and RSA is convenient—the message is coded using DES (the public key), and the secret key is sent via RSA. This so-called "digital envelope" transmits across the network both the DES-encoded message and the secret key needed to decode it. Digital money: Electronic money used on the Internet to buy goods and services. A business establishes an account (called an electronic purse or wallet) with a bank. Then, when authorized users want to make purchases online, they send their ID information to the vendor who confirms that information with the bank. Next, the bank transfers the money to the vendor. This may become a new online industry in the next few years that allows customers to pay for what they buy or use (such as access to information) on the Internet in very small amounts, even fractions of cents. However, the technology and processes of conducting financial transactions on the Internet still need to be defined. Digital cash technology currently includes the electronic purse or wallet application or smart cards. Digital subscriber line (DSL): First introduced in 1989, the biggest obstacle to a digital subscriber line (DSL) is availability, which is still quite limited in many areas. There is a growing family of DSL services, an evolving high-speed transmission technology that uses the existing UTP copper wires from the telephone company's central office to the subscriber's premises. Its main applications are Internet and video file access. DSL technology increases the speed of the copper cabling in the local loop without adding new copper cabling or fiber to the curb or customer's location. DSL services allow voice and data to share the same copper cable. This service will help combat the often-analog last mile of the public network, which is the main bottleneck to providing consumers and businesses with high-speed telco lines for options such as Internet access and work-at-home applications. DSL availability will also make possible more home shopping, home banking, multiparty video gaming, interactive travelogues, remote medical diagnosis, quality music services, and interactive education. DSL is—and will continue to be—competitive with cable modems. Forms of DSL include ADSL, RADSL, IDSL , SDSL , HDSL, and VDSL. DragStrip: A desktop launcher application for both PCs (Win 95/98/NT) and Macs. With this software tool, you can launch, find, and organize applications and documents, including images, text, and multimedia. DragStrip organizes all your favorite programs on your desktop. You can drag your files onto the icons to open programs or switch between documents. DragStrip is shareware and only costs $20 to register. You can download it here. Dual HTML Output format: PowerPoint format that lets the presenter optimize for Internet Explorer 4.0 while maintaining compatibility with Version 3.x browsers. Internal scripts check the browser version and load the appropriate information. Version 4.0 users will have a full-fidelity experience, including any animation, voice narration, and other multimedia components. Version 3.0 users will see a more limited presentation. Dynamic HTML (DHTML): Lets you create more animated Web pages that are more responsive to user interaction than previous versions of HTML. Office 2000 enhancements to HTML tags that allow Web pages to be dynamically changed via JavaScript or some other scripting language. Designated staff will be able to publish dynamic Web pages that others can manipulate from within Internet Explorer. In Access 2000, users can create a dynamic graphic representation of information as it is entered in a spreadsheet. Also in Access, users can incorporate Office Web components into documents they publish on the Web, which then provide dynamically updated analysis and interaction (such as editing, filtering, and drilling down) to users browsing an Excel spreadsheet on the Web. In Excel 2000, the newly introduced PivotChart Dynamic views allow users to create dynamically updated charts that graphically reflect the PivotTable data. FrontPage 2000 has improved dynamic HTML animation effects. Users can easily add DHTML effects that work in Netscape Navigator 4.0 and Internet Explorer 4.0, which use different methods to implement DHTML. Dynamic link library (DLL): A small, executable program that, when needed, is called on by a running application and loaded to perform a specific function, such as talk to a printer or scanner. DLL files have a .dll filename extension and are dynamically linked with the program that uses them. Windows uses DLLs routinely, and applications also include their own DLLs. E-book: A handheld reading device about the size of a paperback book. It can also be book-type content read on a Windows CE or Palm Pilot. Regardless of the device used, e-books are a new way of looking at the kind of information that paper books now provide. Predictions are that, while paper books will still be used, e-books will become a more vital component of information gathering. They will be convenient for both schoolchildren and executives and can hold a total of about 4,000 pages of text, downloadable from the Web. E-books' uses include reading popular novels, looking up information in a technical reference or college texts, keeping up with continually updated subjects, and keeping all school textbooks online. A self-contained e-book is operated with rechargeable batteries that have 20 to 25 hours of battery life. It comes with a "cradle" connected to a power supply and, through a serial connection, to a PC. Advantages are that e-books can be downloaded on demand, and readers can interact with each other and even the author. Priced around $500 but expected to drop closer to $200, e-books have several manufacturers: NuvoMedia, Librius, Xlibris, and Books On Line. Echo cancellation: Any two-way transmission has the potential for an echo, or the repetition of a signal. Therefore, telephone carriers have an echo canceller on their switch ports and in their long distance lines to eliminate echo. In video conferencing, echo cancellation is built into the speakerphones to eliminate any acoustic echo in the room. E-gold: E-gold is a monetary payments system which enables the use of gold (and silver, platinum and palladium) as money. Electronic Financial Officer (EFO): An Electronic Financial Officer is an online service to manage your cash, payables, payroll, credit card processing, and other accounting functions. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT): A method of incrementing or decrementing an account through electronic means, eliminating the need for paper, such as a check or withdrawal slip. E-metal payment: Payments with e-gold, usually to other e-gold holders. Emoticons: A variety of smiley faces that can help get your point across in an e-mail or a chat room. It's a sort of cyberspace body language, since your expression or posture can't be seen. Here are some examples: • ;)—I'm winking • :D—See my big grin? • :X—My lips are sealed • :P—I'm sticking out my tongue • 0:)—angel • >:)—devil • :)—Happy person • :(—Sad person • :-)—Happy person with a nose • :-(—Sad person with a nose Emotional intelligence: Considered one of the hallmarks of great leadership. It includes self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Rutgers University professor Daniel Goleman, in his book Emotional Intelligence, defined this concept. Goleman's book reports on new scientific research into our "two minds," the rational and the emotional, and how they shape us and determine our success in relationships and work, and even contribute to our health. Enterprise ASPs: Delive select high-end business applications, supported by custom configuration and service. Fat client: The typical network-ready desktop PC, which does the majority of the application processing as well as stores software and data on its own hard disk. FDMA: FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access) is the technology used in the analog cellular telephone network. It divides the spectrum into 30KHz channels, each of which carries voice or digital information. Each channel has one user at a time. Feeware/payware: Standard commercial software (such as Microsoft Office, Lotus, Corel, and the like) available for sale. Sometimes software developers can update their freeware and begin charging for it, making it feeware. Firmware: Programming written onto read-only memory (ROM), making it a permanent part of a computing device. It is a combination of software and hardware, and it holds its content without electrical power. Boot routines and other low-level instructions are stored in firmware. Firmware is used with printers, modems, and other computer devices. Flame: A rude response to an e-mail message or newsgroup article. Flames are usually directed at someone who violates the informal rules of the Internet and are out of proportion to the severity of the "offense." Freeware: Copyrighted software that is distributed free over the Internet but can't be incorporated into additional program development because it is still owned by the developer/author. Some Unix programs are freeware. The developer, who controls distribution and future releases, may charge for the second release of the software. Generally speaking you can use—but not resell—freeware. Frequency division multiple access: See FDMA. Full duplex audio: Full duplex audio is a two-way audio (which is the range of frequencies that humans can hear) simultaneously transmitted and received without interference. This is customary in room-based video conferencing. Full-motion video: Full-motion video is the continuous movement of video (rather than still frame) in a video conference. The video moves at about 10-15 frames per second (fps) at 112 kbps, as opposed to a higher-quality video reproduction that often occurs at 25-30 fps. Gateway: Electronic repeater devices that intercept and steer electrical signals from one network to another. A gateway may be small or large, but it is an entrance into, and exit out of, a communications network. Gigapops: Internet2's architecture is one of rapid connectivity through high-speed switching points being developed across the U.S. These gigabit points of presence, or gigapops, are regional aggregation points that will allow universities to coordinate their connectivity to the Internet2 network. Gigapops offer sufficient routing and switching capacity for multimedia applications like streaming audio and video and for collaborative tools that top university labs need to conduct sophisticated research work. The hope is that the use of gigapops for the next-generation Internet will isolate significant amounts of traffic to a local or dedicated infrastructure, offloading the commercial Internet networks, thus relieving some of the Internet's congestion. Global System for Mobile Communications: See GSM. Group collusion: The combined efforts of several people to breach security by taking advantage of and abusing their rights to particular information. Groupware: Technology associated with project management. It supports multiple users who work on related tasks. The heart of groupware is an e-mail system that allows team members to be notified of certain actions, give responses, send alerts, and access databases and the intranets, among other things. It also includes group calendaring and scheduling, task management, and chats and discussions. Examples are Lotus Notes, GroupWise, and Microsoft Exchange. GSM: GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is widely used in Europe and increasingly in the United States. Most PCS phones use GSM or PCS 1900, a GSM derivative. GSM operates in the PCS spectrum. H.320, H.323, H.324, H.261: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approved a series of "H" protocols to define the technologies used in video conferencing. H.320 is the umbrella video compression standard for video conferencing that defines how digital video is reduced into a smaller bandwidth. It includes ways to code, frame, signal, and establish connections using the H.261 compression method, which supports CIF and QCIF resolutions. H.320 runs over ISDN, T1, and switched 56 kilobit lines; H.323-based products use IP protocol to run over a LAN; and H.324 runs over analog telephone lines. Hand-held Device Markup Language: See HDML HDML: HDML (Handheld Device Markup Language) is also called Wireless Markup Language (WML). It's a scaled-down version of HTML that allows text-only Web pages to be displayed on cellular phones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) via wireless access. For more information, visit Phone.com's Web site; or AT&T's Web site for its service that uses HDML (WML); or Sprint PCS, which launched a wireless Web service in September 1999 with more than 40 HDML (WML) sites available. The numbers and quality of HDML (WML) sites are increasing daily. Hewlett-Packard certifications: HP has redesigned and expanded its certification offerings to: HP Certified IT Professional and HP Certified Advanced IT Professional. More details are available on HP's Web site. The HTML Writers Guild (HWG): The world's largest international organization of Web authors with 98,000 members in more than 130 nations. HWG exists to help members develop and enhance their capabilities as Web authors; promote standards, practices, techniques, competency, and ethics for Web authoring, and contribute to the development of the Web and Web technical standards and guidelines. IBM certifications: IBM Certified Specialist (IBM CS); IBM Certified Solutions/Systems Expert (IBM CSE); IBM Certified Developer Associate (IBM CDA); IBM Certified Developer (IBM CD); IBM Certified Advanced Technical Expert (IBM CATE); and IBM Certified Instructor (IBM CI). More details are available on IBM's site. IDT microprocessor: IDT is a manufacturer of a microprocessor family of variable speeds for network switch and router devices and for data-intensive 3-D multimedia and graphics applications. Information Technology Association of America (ITAA): A trade association of 11,000 direct and affiliate members in the U.S. who produce products and services for the IT industry. The association has developed a multifaceted Y2K program, including the formation of a Year 2000 Task Group, which consists of both computer software and services vendors. ITAA plays a leading role in public policy issues of concern to the IT industry, including taxes and finance policy, intellectual property, telecommunications law, encryption, critical infrastructure protection, securities litigation reform, and human resources policy. Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN): A digital network standard that lets users send voice, data, and video over one telephone line from a common network interface. ISDN is often used by telecommuters and small businesses because analog service is too slow for downloading files from the Internet. ISDN cannot transmit video or data to analog lines. ISDN's future is threatened by both cable modems and DSL services. Intel microprocessor: Intel Corporation is the predominant manufacturer of the microprocessors for PCs. It developed the world's first microprocessor in 1971. In the 1980s it sold an x86 series of processors and in the 1990s a line of Pentium processors. Its current processor is the Pentium III. In 2000 Intel will introduce Merced, its first 64-bit chip. You've seen Intel "bunny people" on television commercials and in toy stores: stuffed dolls of Intel workers dressed in colorful "bunny suit" protective clothing to keep themselves from contaminating the clean room where chips are fabricated. Interface definition language (IDL): The interface to a routine or function. It lets a program or object written in one language talk to another program written in an unknown language. An object request broker (ORB) is a program that uses an IDL to "broker" communication between two object programs. International Telecommunications Union (ITU): A United Nations-sponsored group that sets frequency allocations for the world, coordinates telco practices, and promotes telecommunications development in developing countries. It is based in Geneva, Switzerland. Its scope includes telegraphy, telephony, telematics, data, and other new services. Internet Writers' Guild: A support group and noncommercial association of writers and artists who publish original work. The guild is intended to be a focus for the online arts community and a starting point for the Internet public, so that they can find the best free art (both visual and literary) on the Web. The guild has an automated mailing list and message board, and there are a number of activities and awards for members, including: a rating for each member's site, a monthly award for the best guild site, and awards to recognize the contributions of active members. Membership is free and is open to any writer or artist. Internet2: It is not a single separate network, but rather joins Internet2 members' networks together with advanced technologies. Its aim is to develop new points of presence (POPs) that will connect university campuses with a high-speed network operating at 2.4 gigabits per second by the year 2000. It is an effort to push the advancement of Internet technology and applications far beyond their current capabilities—including IPv6, multicasting, and quality of service (QoS)— that will enable a new generation of Internet applications. This advancement is vital to the research and education missions of higher education, but will eventually have major implications for the enterprise as well. It will make possible applications such as virtual laboratories, digital libraries, online education, desktop videoconferencing, distributed computation, and data mining. It will be especially valuable in the areas of science, art, humanities, and health care. Kerberos: Kerberos is a complex authentication system, developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, that is used in networks to determine that you are who you say you are. Essentially, you log in to a network, and an authentication server opens a session based on your password. Kernel: The core of an operating system. It provides basic services for all its parts. Kernel is a term used more often in the UNIX/Linux environment than with other operating systems. Because the code that makes up the kernel is needed continuously, the kernel resides in memory at all times and is protected so that it will not be overlaid with other, less frequently used parts of the operating system. Killer app: A popular and useful application that is so exciting it entices you to buy a new piece of hardware or a new operating system. Killer apps for handheld computers are being developed—hopefully. Going back a few years, Lotus 1-2-3 was a killer app that popularized spreadsheet programs. Kludge: Even though it sounds like it might be a sled race in the Olympics, a kludge (pronounced "klooj") is actually a crude, clumsy, temporary, makeshift solution to a programming, hardware design, or implementation problem. It is generally effective for the time being but often outlives its usefulness. Knowledge management: A computerized way to organize, find, and reuse corporate information about customers, prospects, competitors, partners, industries, trends, and more. It searches through data in the company databases, groupware files, and intranet to take full advantage of the company's collective knowledge. It involves document management, workflow, information retrieval, and collaborative authoring. Many vendors are positioning themselves as knowledge management vendors by simply putting a spin on their already existing product line. One market analysis group predicts the knowledge-management market will be $1.5 billion by 2000, up from $100 million in 1997. Approximately 500 vendors and customers are part of Knowledge Management Consortium International helping to define this new market. Last mile: The last leg of a telco network (not literally a "mile") that connects the telephone company's equipment together. The last mile refers to the section from the telephone pole to the user's home or office. This section is generally connected via analog signals, despite the fact that the cabling from the telephone pole to the central office is sometimes digital. The problem that is delaying widespread residential and small business access to high-speed Internet connections is the need to upgrade last mile equipment to digital. However, when the last mile is to an office building, it's likely to be via fiber cables capable of transmitting digital signals, thus allowing high-speed Internet access. Local loop: The return leg back from the subscriber's premises to the telephone company's central office. Lotus certifications: There are more than 25,000 Certified Lotus Professionals (CLPs). These include: Certified Lotus Professional (CLP Notes Application Developer, CLP Notes System Administrator, CLP cc:Mail System Administrator, and CLP Domino Messaging Administrator) and Principal Level (Principal CLP Notes Application Developer and Principal CLP Notes System Administrator. Additional information about upgrading to R5 certification is available from the Lotus Web site. Mail bomb: To spam, or send, massive amounts of e-mail to a single person with the intention of crashing his or her computer. A successful mail bomb may cause the victim's disk quota to be exhausted, the disk holding his/her mailbox to fill up, or his/her computer to spend a large portion of its time processing mail. Master Certified Coach (MCC): International Coach Federation (ICF) offers this advanced credential for a professional coach who must have a PCC, a minimum of 200 coaching-specific classroom hours, and 2,500 direct client-coaching hours or four years in the business of coaching, plus demonstrated industry leadership. MCDBA: The Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA) certification documents proficiency in implementing and administering Microsoft SQL Server databases. MCP: The Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) credential is for professionals who have expertise in at least one Microsoft product, such as BackOffice products, development tools, or desktop applications. This is often a stepping stone to other MS training. MCP+Internet: The MCP+Internet certification takes the MCP training forward through Internet technologies. The credential acknowledges the professional's knowledge of security, installation, and configuration issues. In addition, the technician has the ability to run CGI or ISAPI scripts, monitor and analyze performance, and troubleshoot problems. MCP+Site Building: The holder of a MCP+Site Building certification can plan, build, maintain, and manage Web sites using Microsoft technologies and products. MCSD: A developer with the Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) credential is well versed in using Microsoft products (such as SQL Server and Visual Studio) to build Web-based, distributed, and e-commerce applications. This new track recognizes that developers face new demands for increasingly sophisticated Web sites using databases, graphics, and new technologies. MCSE: The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) credential is one of the top measurements of technical proficiency and expertise for network professionals who are in charge of NT systems. An MCSE designates expertise in planning, implementing, maintaining, and supporting NT desktop, server, and networking components. MCSE+Internet: The IT professional with a MCSE+Internet can perform networking skills (basic MCSE) and can work on intranets, the Internet, and Web sites. MCT: A Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) qualifies trainers to teach Microsoft Official Curriculum (MOC) instructor-led courses. MDBS: MDBS is a Mobile Data Base Station that sits at each cellular site and uses a scanning receiver to review all the AMPS channels. When it detects the lack of voice traffic on two channels (one each is needed for transmitting and receiving), it will set up an air link for either voice or data traffic. Microsoft certifications: There are now more than 500,000 MCPs, 142,500 MCSEs, and 20,500 MCSDs. Middleware: Any software that translates between the operating system (OS) and the user's application. It mediates between different computer platforms, networking protocols, database languages, and OS systems, letting them communicate and work together. In a three-tier architecture, middleware is the middle tier. Common middleware categories include: Transaction Processing (TP) monitors, Distributed Computing Environments (DCE), Remote Procedure Call (RPC) systems, Object Request Brokers (ORBs), Database access systems, and Messaging MIME: An acronym for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. This is a protocol for sending audio, graphics, and other binary data as attachments to e-mail messages. Mobile Data Base Station: See MDBS. Monetize: To convert into money or to adopt as current money, as in, to monetize silver. Internet executives talk about their efforts to ‘monetize’ their Web traffic. Multipoint Control Unit (MCU): A multipoint video conference is coordinated by a multipoint control unit—a device that connects the sites by joining the lines and switching the video to whomever is speaking. This can be done either automatically or manually by the moderator. Multipoint line: Video conferencing among three or more people requires a network path that interconnects all the devices (computers or cell phones) and provides a path from one to the others. This type of communications network is called a multipoint line. National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL): An organization of more than 300 lawyers, judges, and law professors appointed to draft proposals for uniform and model laws and work toward their enactment in legislatures. Since 1892, the NCCUSL has promoted more than 200 acts, among them the Uniform Commercial Code, the Uniform Probate Code, and the Uniform Partnership Act. This group recently proposed legislation designed to unify commercial laws governing the licensing of software and digitally transferred information. Nested subwebs: This feature breaks a FrontPage Web site into multiple subunits, each of which can have different owners with different access privileges. Coworkers can contribute to the site as a whole without stepping on someone else's work. Netcheque: If you're registered to use netcheques, you can pay other registered users through e-mail or the Internet, thus authorizing the funds to be transferred from your account to theirs. This type of transaction will allow the smooth payment of bills online. Netcheque uses Kerberos and conventional cryptography. Netiquette: The use of common sense and good manners on the Internet, especially in e-mail, chat rooms, and on message boards. Be polite. Discuss, but don't verbally attack (flame) the other person. Don't raise your voice (by typing in all caps). Use simple formatting. Nortel & Bay Networks certifications: The Bay Networks certification program has become part of Nortel's certification framework. The original Bay Networks certifications will be grandfathered into Nortel's program, which includes: Nortel Networks Certified Account Specialist (NNCAS); Nortel Networks Certified Support Specialist (NNCSS) (replaces Bay Networks' BNCS); Nortel Networks Certified Support Expert (NNCSE) (replaces Bay Networks' BNCE); Nortel Networks Certified Design Specialist (NNCDS); Nortel Networks Certified Design Expert (NNCDE); Nortel Networks Certified Network Architect (NNCNA). Details are available on Nortel's Web site. Novell certifications: Certified Novell Engineer (CNE); Certified Novell Administrator (CNA); Master CNE; Certified Novell Instructor (CNI); Certified Internet Professional; Certified Novell Salesperson(CNS). There are now more than 140,000 CNEs, which is the starting place for Novell certification. NT 1: Network Terminator 1 (NT 1) is a device that is physically connected between the ISDN board in a video conferencing system and the ISDN phone line, which ends at the customer's site. Office Server Extensions: Add client-side functionality to Office, Windows Explorer, and Web browsers. Installing these extensions on a Web server in your organization opens the door to integrated Web publishing, document-based discussions, and subscriptions to shared files—features that employ familiar Office editing and file management techniques and require little IT involvement or support overhead. Open source: The source code of a program freely available to the entire software development community via the Internet. The rationale behind the "freely shared" concept is that a broader group of programmers will ultimately produce a better product, with developers from around the world distributing their results to others. UNIX and Linux are the most celebrated open-source codes. Retailers are taking the open-source code for Linux, making improvements, adding some support features, and selling their versions of Linux. When Netscape suffered from competition with Microsoft's Internet Explorer in 1998, the company revealed the code for its browser, Netscape Communicator, making it open source. Oracle certifications: Oracle 7.3 DBA; Application Developer, Oracle Developer Release 1; Oracle DBO; Oracle8 DBA; Application Developer, Oracle Developer Release 2; and Oracle Financial Apps. Consultant. P3P: One of the standards sponsored by the W3C is P3P (Platform for Privacy Preferences Project). P3P is a protocol based on XML that is used for sharing personal information over the Web. Its goal is to protect the privacy of Internet users. It is also an effort by W3C to bolster online privacy through voluntary measures before government gets tempted to legislate guidelines. P3P is widely accepted in the industry, and accomplishes several things: • The user enters sensitive personal and financial data only once and allows it to be automatically reused on different sites that are P3P-enabled. • The user retains control over what personal information a specific site can be given (or not given) based on pre-selected choices. These choices include the ability to stay anonymous, to offer only demographic information, and to transfer information about select personal preferences. • Browsers automatically provide the surfer's pre-selected information—and only that information—to the site. This may include shipping, financial, or demographic information. • P3P gives the user information about how a certain Web site uses their customers' private information. P3P is based on W3C specifications of HTTP, XML, and RDF (See Resource Description Framework). It is supported by both Microsoft and Netscape browsers. PICS: PICS (Platform for Internet Content Selection) is a rating system that helps identify a Web site’s content based on the labels or metadata on that site. Although PICS was originally designed to help filter the sites children could access on the Internet, this platform is used today for many other purposes, including medical collaboration, indexing, searching, identifying authors and owners of a site, and labeling the literary quality of a site. PICS may eventually be replaced by RDFs. Ping: A ping request is generally used to troubleshoot Internet connections, but when a network is overwhelmed with replies to a ping, it becomes a security breach called a "smurf." (See also: Denial of service attack and Smurf attack.) Plain old telephone service (POTS): A basic, no-frills-added telephone line connected to a residential or small business location. POTS lines are analog from the end user to the nearest local telephone company equipment. People using POTS service for data communications with modems are limited in the speed at which they can transmit data. Platform for Internet Content Selection: See PICS. Processor, CPU, microprocessor, chip: A processor is the integrated circuitry on a tiny piece of silicon that processes the instructions to make a computer work. A processor was formerly called a central processing unit (CPU). If the processor is in a personal computer or a handheld device, it's called a microprocessor. Since it is the size of a dime, a microprocessor is often called a chip. Chips contain thousands, or even millions, of interconnected transistors, which work together to store and manipulate data. The functions a microprocessor, or chip, performs are determined by software. Professional Certified Coach (PCC): International Coach Federation (ICF) offers this credential for its first level of training. It includes ICF training, plus 750 direct client-coaching hours or a year and a half in the business of coaching. Proprietary algorithm: See compression algorithm. Public room: See room-based video conferencing. Rapid application development (RAD): Quality software products can be developed faster. RAD uses a variety of automated design and development tools, such as visual programming and GUI builders, and reuses software components to get prototypes up and running quickly. This is helpful when a large project takes a long time to program. With RAD, work is delivered incrementally throughout the project. Joint application development (JAD) is another RAD concept. Rate-adaptive digital subscriber line (RADSL): A variation of ADSL that will use ADSL modems to sense the performance of the copper loop and adjust the transmission accordingly. RDF: The Resource Description Framework (RDF) is a protocol from W3C that provides a framework for describing Web sites and their content. It allows for the encoding of certain metadata or labels on the site and then enables the exchange and reuse of that metadata. RDF publishes metadata words that are recognized by both humans and machines. An RDF description includes site information such as the author of the resource, a description of the content, the intended audience, key search terms, and subjects. This will help users assess the validity of the site's information. It will also improve the effectiveness of search engines, reducing the thousands of unrelated hits one gets when doing a search. In addition, RDF will improve e-commerce (through the use of RDF with digital signatures), and it will allow developers at different sites to share their metadata in order to link to each other's databases. RDF is an application of XML, and an extension of the concept of HTML tags. Real-time: Real-time refers to the immediacy of video conferencing (and telephoning). Because the interaction occurs so quickly, participants are not distracted by slow-moving video or audio. Registry (Windows registry): A Windows 95, 98, and NT database of configuration settings, where information is stored concerning attached hardware, selected system options, memory setup, and available applications. It consists of the System.dat and User.dat files. When application programs are installed or uninstalled, Windows updates the registry automatically. Registry information can be kept on a server so that system policies can be managed centrally. You can access the registry through Control Panel in My Computer or by using the Properties menu option on the File menu. Remember, editing the registry is extremely dangerous, so take care when doing so. Resource Description Framework: See RDF. Robotics Invention System (RIS): Q. When are Lego toys for kids and adults? A. When they enable kids and adults to build and program a robot. The LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention System is easy enough for kids to understand but powerful enough for adults to enjoy. It lets the user design and program real, moving robots, using more than 700 Lego parts. The robots, toys, and gizmos can take a variety of shapes, from a light-sensitive alarm system to a robotic rover to a card-dealing robot or a Lego copy machine. The heart of the RIS is a LEGO microcomputer that can be programmed with a PC. Room-based video conferencing: The equipment used for large groups requires a more sophisticated system than desktop video conferencing. When the video conferencing service is offered to the public for a fee, it's held in a public room. RSA: RSA (named for its inventors, Ronald Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman) is an Internet encryption and authentication standard that uses a complex mathematical algorithm to determine two numbers, or "keys.” One will be private and the other made public. The private key decodes text that has been coded with the public key. The RSA algorithm is included as part of the Netscape and Microsoft Web browsers. Sales force automation (SFA): Takes routine sales activities within an organization—such as contact management, notes, proposals, presentations, product information, pricing, calendars, and to-do lists—and integrates them into a comprehensive software package. When SFA is included in an overall corporate Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, it combines sales functions with planning, marketing, manufacturing, and customer service activities. Script file: A file in a communications program that automates logging on to communication services such as e-mail. The files are saved on your disk and read by your communications software when connecting to a remote service. Newer programs will write their own scripts by recording what you do in response to questions from the remote service. Script kiddies: Aspiring hackers who use ready-made scripts, languages, and techniques that were written by more experienced hackers to break into online distant computer sites, usually via dial-up phone lines. Script language: A high-level software language that contains English statements for commands. It is interpreted rather than compiled ahead of time. It is usually limited to specific functions used to augment the running of an application or system program. For example, spreadsheet macros and communications scripts are script languages, as is Microsoft's Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Scripting host: The facility within a program that runs another program. For example, a Web browser is a scripting host that can execute instructions in languages such as Java and JavaScript. Secure electronic transactions (SET): A protocol standard that ensures the security of financial transactions on the Internet. Developed by credit card companies and various technology companies, SET provides secure transmission of payment information over the Internet and other electronic networks through the use of digital certificates. With SET, a transaction is conducted and verified using a combination of digital certificates and digital signatures among the purchaser, a merchant, and the purchaser's bank. SET uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), Secure Transaction Technology (STT), and Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (SHTTP). Secure HTTP (SHTTP): A system proposed by a coalition of businesses interested in developing the Internet for commercial uses. As a higher level protocol that only works with the HTTP protocol, SHTTP is potentially more extensible than SSL. Secure socket layer (SSL): A low-level encryption standard (devised and used by Netscape) that encrypts transactions in protocols such as HTTP, NNTP, and FTP. The SSL protocol includes provisions for server authentication (verifying the server's identity to the client), encryption of data in transit, and optional client authentication (verifying the client's identity to the server). Set-top box: An Internet appliance for the home. It is a kind of thin client that contains a Web browser and the TCP/IP protocol, and it connects to the Internet through a phone line ("WebTV") or cable TV. Several kinds of new set-top boxes are being developed for Internet TV and other interactive services. Shareware: "Try-before-you-buy" software that is distributed free on an honor system, trial basis through the Internet, mail-order vendors, and user groups. If the user likes it, he or she pays for it later. The software may have a built-in expiration date after which access is denied or enhancements disabled (called liteware) to prod the user to purchase it. SIM International Year 2000 Working Group: The SIM Year 2000 Working Group has created an online conference to facilitate the sharing of the year 2000's best practices. Members are either actively engaged in the assessment or implementation of Y2K activities or have a significant interest in Y2K issues. (See also: Society for Information Management) Society for Information Management (SIM): SIM membership includes senior IT managers, academics, consultants, and others who strive to share information among Y2K project managers. (See also: SIM International Year 2000 Working Group.) Standard compression algorithm: See compression algorithm. Steganography: When cryptography goes one step further—and you can't detect there's an encoded message in a seemingly innocent document—it's called steganography (for "covered writing" in Greek). The encrypted data is first inserted into an unneeded piece of data that is part of a file format (such as a JPEG file)—for example, color pixels repeated in a row inconspicuously, where the encrypted data is added and appears to be a parrot of the pattern. When files are hidden this way, scanners looking for encrypted data will not discover it. Watermarks and other symbols are often hidden in software code. Programs that allow you to hide and then decode messages in JPEG files include JPHIDE, JPSEEK and OutGuess. Subscriber identity module (SIM): Also known as a "smart card," a SIM card is the physical item in a mobile telephone that contains all necessary information for uniquely identifying a subscriber. Symmetric multiprocessing (SMP): One cabinet holds multiple CPUs that share a common OS and memory for processing. It is used to dynamically balance the workload among computers. A single copy of the OS—Linux or Windows, for instance—is in charge of all the processors. SMP provides scalability and speed. SMP was pioneered on UNIX platforms but is also available on Linux, Windows NT, OS/2, and NetWare. Smurf attack: A maliciously sent ping request to an Internet broadcast address, where it can be replicated up to 255 times. Since the attacker's address appears to be the address of the victim, all ping request replies come to the victim's address instead of the real sender's address. A single attacker sending thousands of these ping messages per second can bring an entire ISP network down by filling its T-1 or T-3 with ping replies. .The Computer Emergency Response Team at Carnegie Mellon University said Smurf attacks went up from 3 percent of reported incidents in January 1998 to 10 percent by December 1998. Social engineering: The manipulation of network administrators or support personnel to obtain information that can be used to steal sensitive data. Software Contractors' Guild: An organization of software contractors and consultants worldwide who want wider access to the clients who use their services. Contractors and consultants may take advantage of the guild's online resume database. The guild is not a contracting agency, so each contractor who places a resume or home page on this site pays a small fee to the guild. There is no finder's fee or charge to the client. Software management: Unlicensed software in the workplace is becoming an increasingly important financial and legal issue, leading to "software management" programs in as many as 75 percent of companies. These programs include software usage policies, enforcement, education, and communication. These programs are designed to protect against the legal consequences of software piracy, the introduction of viruses to the network, and the cost of replacing company software. Spam: Any unsolicited message sent via e-mail to numerous people. Previously used to describe inappropriate messages sent to many people (such as advertising, political messages, network marketing solicitations, pornography, etc.). Specialist ASPs: Provide applications that serve a specific professional or business activity, such as customer relationship management, human resources functions, or Web site services. Storage area network (SAN): A high-speed, specialized subnetwork of servers, disks, and other devices that don't use the network. A SAN allows fast access among servers and storage devices. SANs support many functions such as backup and restore, data retrieval, disk mirroring, data migration from one storage device to another, and data sharing among different servers in a network. SANs also provide flexibility for e-commerce, online ordering, and ERP. Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA): An international association of developers, integrators, and IT professionals who evolve and promote storage networking technology. The SNIA conducts technical conferences and other initiatives to speed the acceptance of storage networking. The initiatives are backed and funded by more than 100 member companies. Strategic Management Society (SMS): Society that brings together the worlds of reflective practice and thoughtful scholarship, combining academics with businesspeople and consultants. SMS has members in more than 50 countries. SMS focuses its attention on the development and dissemination of insights on the strategic management process, as well as on fostering contacts and interchange around the world. It holds an annual international conference and regional mini-conferences each year, and it supports publications in the field. StrongARM: A new Intel processor for small, handheld devices. It compresses additional power and more functions on a single chip for use in handheld computing devices and in smart phones. It will expand the amount of memory and processor speed that is available on handhelds and will allow for an internal modem. Sun Microsystems chips: Sun Microsystems develops, designs and distributes SPARC and Java processor technologies and products, including microprocessors for UNIX operating systems that accommodates 2D and 3D imaging and graphics, pictorial databases, audio, and video networking. The UltraSPARC microprocessor line includes a 64-bit microprocessor. The microSPARC family includes 32-bit microprocessors for low-cost applications. The Java processor family includes low-cost, low-power processors for networked devices. The System Administrators Guild (SAGE): Formed "to advance the status of computer system administration as a profession, establish standards of professional excellence and recognize those who attain them, develop guidelines for improving the technical and managerial capabilities of members of the profession, and promote activities that advance the state of the art or the community." Its site has a solid resources page as well as a section outlining job descriptions and skills profiles for admins. It also includes a thorough listing of local chapters and links to their Web sites. SAGE is a special technical group of the USENIX Association. T.120: A counterpart to H.320 for real-time video conferencing, T-120 is an ITU standard for real-time data conferencing. It is an umbrella term (encompassing T-12 through T-33, which are protocols that define interfaces for whiteboards, application sharing, and more). Tacit knowledge: Understanding something without having an explanation. In individuals, tacit knowledge includes common sense, good judgment, and intuition—all important ingredients in communication. Management guru Peter Drucker said that in the enterprise, "communication remains as elusive as the unicorn." However, communication is a key ingredient to both the social network and business practices among groups that have tacit knowledge. These groups benefit from relationships built over time and are often referred to as "working well together." TDMA: TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) uses multiple digital signals on a single high-speed channel. TDMA, a cellular phone technology, divides each channel into three sub-channels to provide data to three users at a time instead of one. TDMA is a narrowband technology that operates in the cellular (800 MHz) and PCS (1.9 GHz) bands. TechProGuild: A new premium online service for network administrators, systems analysts, and IT support professionals that augments the IT-career-focused information provided on the advertising-supported TechRepublic.com. TechProGuild members pay a fee to receive expanded, in-depth technical content, access to third-party reference information, career insight, exclusive online community events, and electronic and print newsletters. TechProGuild launched in August 1999 and is available for a free 30-day trial. (Excuse the shameless self-promotion.) TPG includes: daily content updates , weekly e-mail updates, job directory, expert guests, resource library, peer directory, professional forums, member outreach services, hands-on technical information. Telefelony/telefelon: Telco fraud, a huge issue facing the telco industry. Telefelons are hackers who break into company phone systems to make expensive phone calls worldwide. Telematics: Also called mobile telematics, it involves integrating wireless communications and (usually) location tracking devices into automobiles to do remote engine diagnostics, track stolen vehicles, provide roadside assistance, and more. Thin client: A client in a client/server environment that processes only keyboard input and screen output, leaving application processing to the server. In such an environment, all applications reside on the server. Thin server: A single-purpose machine with just enough hardware and software to support a particular function. It may give network users access to e-mail, printing, files on a storage device, CD-ROM drives, or the Internet. The advantages of a thin server are that it is less expensive than a full-purpose server and can be quickly added to a network. It will generally have an abbreviated operating system (such as Windows or UNIX), limited storage capacity, and necessary network protocols, such as TCP/IP and HTTP. According to a 1998 Dataquest study, the thin server market is expected to grow to $16 billion in 2000. Time Division Multiple Access: See TDMA. Trade secret: According to the Economic Espionage Act of 1996, "all forms and types of financial, business, scientific, technical, engineering, or economic information... if the owner thereof has taken reasonable measures to keep such information secret; and the information derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to... the public." Troll: An e-mail message, newsgroup posting, or other (electronic) communication that is intentionally incorrect but not overtly controversial. Trolling aims to elicit an emotional reaction from those with a "hair trigger" on the reply key. A really subtle troll makes some people lose their minds. Technology without an interesting name (TWAIN): A programming interface standard for scanner, fax, graphics and text-reading (OCR) software that allows images to be scanned directly into software, such as PhotoShop, for editing. A TWAIN driver usually comes with a scanner. University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development (UCAID): Internet2 is a project of the University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development (UCAID), a consortium of 140 U.S. groups, including: research universities and nonprofit research centers that have committed over $70 million per year in new investment on their own campuses; corporate members that have committed more than $30 million over the life of the project; and government agencies, including grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other federal agencies. (See also Internet2.) Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA): Approved by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) as a proposed uniform state law. The draft of the law has been sent to all 50 states (plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) for possible enactment by their state legislatures. The idea behind UCITA is to clarify which laws may apply in disputes between software publishers and software users. It applies only if the agreement is to create, modify, transfer, or license computer information. Vaporware: Products that have been announced and advertised but are not available for purchase. The delay can be intentional—a company will make an early announcement of its product to encourage people to hold off on buying a competitor's product. Most likely, however, the wait is unintentional. It's often because the programmers underestimated how long development would take. One way companies get around delays is to offer beta versions of their products, which become unusable after a certain period of time. Visit the Vaporware Hall of Shame for game software that was slow in hitting the marketplace. Very high-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL): A new version of DSL for television, telephone, and Internet access, which was first available in 1999 in limited release. Because of its high -speed, it requires a combination of fiber and copper cabling. Vertical market ASPs: Provide applications designed to meet the needs of a specific industry, such as the automotive industry. Video conferencing: Video conferencing is a way of communicating from separate geographic locations in which the participants are able to see and hear each other in real time. Its technology enables the transfer of audio and video to multiple locations, and—with the use of a whiteboard—the transfer of graphics and data, as well. While it holds great promise for business applications, video conferencing is most often used today by teachers, librarians, physicians, and students for distance learning and telemedicine. Videophoning: When video conferencing occurs between two people, with a direct (point-to-point) connection, it's called videophoning. Voice-over Internet protocol (VOIP): Also called IP telephony. VOIP is the two-way transmission of phone conversations over an IP network, allowing audio to travel over the Internet, intranets, or private LANs and WANs. Currently, voice quality is poor. However, most telecom companies are working on this future growth aspect of their business, so quality is expected to improve soon. Users at both locations must have identical or compatible software. Calls may be made from PC-to-PC, PC-to-phone, or phone-to-phone, using an Internet telephony service provider (ITSP). VOIP is popular for international calls, since the calls are essentially free over the Internet. Many Internet telephony applications are available, including CoolTalk and NetMeeting, both of which come bundled with popular Web browsers. Volume business ASPs: Provide prepackaged application services in volume to the general business market, usually targeting smaller enterprises. W3C: The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) is an international group of several hundred Internet industry executives, founded in 1994 by Internet pioneer Tim Berners-Lee. W3C establishes open standards for the Internet to keep it from developing in different directions. Examples of this are the http, html, XML, and PICS standards already in use. Additional protocols are P3P and RDF (see above for their definitions). W3C is jointly hosted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Laboratory for Computer Science in the United States, by INRIA (Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique) in France, and by Keio University in Japan. Warez: (pronounced either "wares" or "Juarez") Pirated software that is available over the Internet. This software is stripped of its copy-protection and made available for downloading from thousands of warez Web sites. Warez sites also include tips on hacking into networks. Often they provide viruses and Trojan horses for inflicting damage on others' systems. People who create warez sites sometimes call them "warez sitez." Web queries: Greatly simplify the job of importing data from the Web into Excel. The Web Query Wizard walks users through the process of creating query files with the content and formatting they choose. To maximize a Web query page's effectiveness, the user can schedule automatic updates. For instance, if the CEO wants to see a daily highlight of sales activity, an administrative assistant could create a frequently refreshed Web Query page to pull the selected information on schedule from the sales database on the intranet. Whiteboarding: (See data conferencing.) Wireless Markup Language: See WML WML: Wireless Markup Language (See HDML-Handheld Device Markup Language.) Women in Technology International (WITI): Dedicated to advancing women in technology, both in executive roles and in entrepreneurism. It also works to encourage young women to choose careers in science and technology WYSIWYG (pronounced "wizzy-wig"): Office 2000 provides improved support for editing HTML. WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editing, which displays text and graphics on the screen in the same way as they will print, and hand-coding coexist peacefully with multiple features to support HTML editing. XML: XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a Web format that is a subset of SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language). XML is an improvement over HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)—and might one day replace it—because it enables the Web page author to customize the tags used to describe elements on the page. HTML tags are predefined. XML was created by a W3C work group in 1997. Zoomed Video port (ZV port): Eventually your laptop will bring you multimedia full screen or interactive MPEG-based games, and you'll be able to thank the Zoomed Video (ZV) port. This port allows special software and a PC card (ZV Port Card) to stream audio and video directly to the display controller so they don't need to be handled by the main bus or the CPU. These ports are already available in several notebook computers. The ZV Port Card decompresses MPEG files and sends the data directly to the video frame buffer managed by the display controller. 32-bit processing: Currently, most computers are based on a 32-bit, or four-byte, design, and can handle that number of bits of data simultaneously. These include OS/2, UNIX, Windows 95/98 and Windows NT. 64-bit processing: Computers using 64-bit processing essentially handle 64 bits of data, or eight bytes, simultaneously. The 64-bit computing evolved because of the growth and intensity of new initiatives for e-commerce, intranets, and other computing and Internet environments that tax the performance of 32-bit systems. New applications--such as e-commerce, data warehousing and videoconferencing--require larger systems and databases that support 64-bit computing.
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