Glossary of Terminology

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S

safe mode:

A way of starting your Windows computer that can help you diagnose problems; access is provided only to basic files and drivers.

satellite transmission:

A method of data transmission; the sender beams data up to an orbiting satellite and the satellite beams the data back down to the receiver.

SCORM:

Sharable Courseware Object Reference Model; a set of technical standards that enable Web-based learning systems to find, import, share, reuse, and export learning content in a standardized way. Elements which are compliant can easily be merged with other compliant elements to generate a modular collection of training materials.

screen reader:

A software program that translates text on a Web page into audio output; typically used by individuals with vision impairment.

scroll bar:

In a graphical user interface system, the narrow rectangular bar at the far right of windows or dialog boxes. Clicking on the up or down arrow enables you to move up and down through a document; a movable square indicates your location in the document. Certain applications also feature a scroll bar along the bottom of a window that can be used to move from side-to-side.

search engine:

A tool that searches documents by keyword and returns a list of possible matches; most often used in reference to programs such as Google that are used by your web browser to search the Internet for a particular topic.

secure server:

A special type of file server that requires authentication (e.g., entry a valid username and password) before access is granted. Example: At OSU, most Software To Go files are stored on a secure server.

security token:

A small device used to provide an additional level of authorization to access a particular network service; the token itself may be embedded in some type of object like a key fob or on a smart card. Also referred to as an authentication token.

Section 508:

A 1998 amendment to the Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973; it states after June 25, 2001, all electronic and information technology developed, purchased, or used by the federal government must be accessible to those with disabilities. Refer to the Section 508 website for more information.

self-extracting file:

A type of compressed file that you can execute (e.g., double-click on the filename) to begin the decompression process; no other decompression utility is required. Example: on IBM PC or compatibles, certain files with an ".exe" extension and on Macintoshes, all files with a ".sea" extension.

serial port:

An interface on a computer that supports transmission of a single bit at a time; can be used for connecting almost any type of external device including a mouse, a modem, or a printer (although most printers are connected to a parallel port). On personal computers, most serial ports use an RS-232C or RS-422 type connector.

server:

A computer that is responsible for responding to requests made by a client program (e.g., a web browser or an e-mail program) or computer. Also referred to as a "file server". Example: the "osu.edu" web server that provides OSU-related information or the "pop.service" mail server that handles incoming e-mail messages.

shareware:

Copyrighted software available for downloading on a free, limited trial basis; if you decide to use the software, you're expected to register and pay a small fee. By doing this, you become eligible for assistance and updates from the author. Contrast to public domain software which is not copyrighted or to freeware which is copyrighted but requires no usage fee.

Shockwave:

A technology that enables web pages to include multimedia objects such as audio, animation, and video; you use an authoring tool by Macromedia called "Director" to create a shockwave object and a program called "Afterburner" to compress the object. A plug-in available from Macromedia's web site is required to see a Shockwave object included on a web page.

signature:

A file containing a bit of personal information that you can set to be automatically appended to your outgoing e-mail messages; many network newsreaders also have this capability. Large signatures over five lines generally are frowned upon.

SIMM:

Single In-line Memory Module; a small circuit board that can hold a group of memory chips; used to increase your computer's RAM in increments of 1,2, 4, or 16 MB.

site licensed software:

A collection of inexpensive software packages available to the OSU community from OIT; programs included are a result of site license agreements, bulk purchases, and educational discounts by vendors as well as public domain software. For more information, call 688-HELP.

SMTP:

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol; a method of handling outgoing electronic mail. Example: E-mail programs uses this protocol for sending your outgoing messages from a special OSU server called smtp.service.ohio-state.edu.

snail mail:

A colloquial term for paper mail handled by the U.S. Post Office.

software:

Any program that performs a specific function. Examples: word processing, spreadsheet calculations, or electronic mail.

spam:

In the context of the Internet, electronic junk mail that promotes a commercial product or web site.

SSID:

Service Set Identifier; a name that identifies a wireless network.

streaming (streaming media):

A technique for transferring data over the Internet so that a client browser or plug-in can start displaying it before the entire file has been received; used in conjunction with sound and pictures. Example: The Shockwave plug-in from Macromedia gives your computer the capability for streaming audio; RealPlayer is used for viewing sound and video.

spyware:

Any software that covertly gathers user information, usually for advertising purposes, through the user's Internet connection.

subdirectory:

An area on a hard disk that contains a related set of files; on IBM PC or compatibles, a level below another directory. On Macintoshes, subdirectories are referred to as folders.

subscribe:

Commonly refers to the act of selecting a network newsgroup as one you want to read on a regular basis or of sending a request to join a mailing list (discussion group) that interest you. The opposite action is called "unsubscribing".

SVGA:

Super VGA (Video Graphics Array); a set of graphics standards for a computer monitor that offers greater resolution than VGA. There are several different levels including 800 x 600 pixels, 1024 by 768 pixels, 1280 by 1024 pixels; and 1600 by 1200 pixels. Although each supports a palette of 16 million colors, the number of simultaneous colors is dependent on the amount of video memory installed in the computer.

synthesizer:

An electronic musical instrument capable of generating sound using real-time control over the key parameters of sound: frequency, timbre, amplitude, and duration. Today most synthesizers include a MIDI interface. Also may refer to an internal sound card or external box for use with multimedia sequencing software.

T

T-1 carrier:

A dedicated phone connection supporting data rates of 1.544Mbits per second; T-1 lines are a popular leased line option for businesses connecting to the Internet and for Internet Service Providers connecting to the Internet backbone. Sometimes referred to as a DS1 line.

T-3 carrier:

A dedicated phone connection supporting data rates of about 43 Mbps; T-3 lines are used mainly by Internet Service Providers connecting to the Internet backbone and for the backbone itself. Sometimes referred to as a DS3 line.

10Base-T:

An adaptation of the Ethernet standard for Local Area Networks that refers to running Ethernet over twisted pair wires. Students planning on using ResNet from a residence hall must be certain to use an Ethernet adapter that is 10Base-T compatible and not BNC (used with 10Base-2 Ethernet systems).

table:

With reference to web design, a method for formatting information on a page. Use of tables and the cells within also provide a way to create columns of text. Use of tables vs frames is recommended for helping to make your web site ADA-compliant.

TCP/IP:

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol; an agreed upon set of rules that tells computers how to exchange information over the Internet. Other Internet protocols like FTP, Gopher, and HTTP sit on top of TCP/IP.

telnet:

A generic term that refers to the process of opening a remote interactive login session regardless of the type of computer you're connecting to.

terminal emulation:

The act of using your desktop computer to communicate with another computer like a UNIX or IBM mainframe exactly as if you were sitting in front of a terminal directly connected to the system. Also refers to the software used for terminal emulation. Examples: the Telnet program for VT100 emulation and QWS3270 (Windows) and TN3270 (Macintosh) for IBM3270 fullscreen emulation.

thread:

Commonly refers to a series of messages that have been posted as replies to each other in a network newsgroup. Client programs like the Free Agent (for Windows) and NewsWatcher (for Macintosh) newsreaders group these messages together so that you can choose particular threads to read.

TIFF:

Tag Image File Format; a popular file format for storing bit-mapped graphic images on desktop computers. The graphic can be any resolution and can be black and white, gray-scale, or color. Files of this type usually have the suffix ".tif" as part of their name.

tool bar:

On a graphical user interface system, a bar near the top of an application window that provides easy access to frequently used options.

Trojan horse:

A harmless-looking program designed to trick you into thinking it is something you want, but which performs harmful acts when it runs.

trolling:

The act of deliberately posting false or inflammatory information in a network newsgroup to elicit responses from other serious readers.

TrueType:

A technology for outline fonts that is built into all Windows and Macintosh operating systems. Outline fonts are scalable enabling a display device to generate a character at any size based on a geometrical description.

TSO:

An interface on the MVS system maintained by OIT for numerical and statistical processing and programming. For information about accounts, call 688-HELP or send e-mail to 8help@osu.edu.

twisted pair cable:

A type of cable that is typically found in telephone jacks; two wires are independently insulated and are twisted around each other. The cable is thinner and more flexible than the coaxial cable used in conjunction with 10Base-2 or 10Base-5 standards. Most Ohio State UNITS telephone jacks have three pairs of wires; one is used for the telephone and the other two can be used for 10Base-T Ethernet connections.

two-factor authentication:

An extra level of security achieved using a security token device; users have a personal identification number (PIN) that identifies them as the owner of a particular token. The token displays a number which is entered following the PIN number to uniquely identify the owner to a particular network service. The identification number for each user is changed frequently, usually every few minutes.

U

UNIX:

A popular multitasking computer system often used as a server for electronic mail or for a web site. UNIX also is the leading operating system for workstations, although increasingly there is competition from Windows NT which offers many of the same features while running on an IBM PC or compatible computer.

upload:

The process of transferring one or more files from your local computer to a remote computer. The opposite action is download.

USB:

Universal Serial Bus; a connector on the back of almost any new computer that allows you to quickly and easily attach external devices such as mice, joysticks or flight yokes, printers, scanners, modems, speakers, digital cameras or webcams, or external storage devices. Current operating systems for Windows and Macintosh computers support USB, so it's simple to install the device drivers. When a new device is connected, the operating system automatically activates it and begins communicating. USB devices can be connected or disconnected at any time.

Usenet news:

A method of exchanging information on the Internet. Similar topics are arranged into a wide variety of newsgroups. Also referred to as "network news" or "electronic bulletin boards".

username:

A name used in conjunction with a password to gain access to a computer system or a network service. Example: At OSU, your main username is referred to as your "OSU Internet username" and it usually consists of your last name, a period, and a unique number (e.g., doe.999). This username is required for accessing a variety of secure servers across campus.

URL:

Uniform Resource Locator; a means of identifying resources on the Internet. A full URL consists of three parts: the protocol (e.g., ftp, gopher, http, nntp, telnet); the server name and address; and the item's path. The protocol describes the type of item and is always followed by a colon (:). The server name and address identifies the computer where the information is stored and is preceded by two slashes (//). The path shows where an item is stored on the server and what the file is called; each segment of the location s preceded by a single slash (/). Examples: The URL for the OSU home page is http://www.osu.edu.

USB port:

An interface used for connecting a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device to computer; these ports support plug and play.

utility:

Commonly refers to a program used for managing system resources such as disk drives, printers, and other devices; utilities sometimes are installed as memory-resident programs. Example: the suite of programs called Norton Utilities for disk copying, backups, etc.

uuencode:

A method of converting files into an ASCII format that can be transmitted over the Internet; it is a universal protocol for transferring files between different platforms like UNIX, Windows, and Macintosh and is especially popular for sending e-mail attachments.

V

virtual classroom:

An online environment where students can have access to learning tools any time. Interaction between the instructor and the class participants can be via e-mail, chat, discussion group, etc.

virtual memory:

A technique that enables a certain portion of hard disk space to be used as auxiliary memory so that your computer can access larger amounts of data than its main memory can hold at one time.

virtual reality:

An artificial environment created with computer hardware and software to simulate the look and feel of a real environment. A user wears earphones, a special pair of gloves, and goggles that create a 3D display. Examples: manipulating imaginary 3D objects by "grabbing" them, taking a tour of a "virtual" building, or playing an interactive game.

virus:

A program intended to alter data on a computer in an invisible fashion, usually for mischievous or destructive purposes. Viruses are often transferred across the Internet as well as by infected diskettes and can affect almost every type of computer. Special antivirus programs are used to detect and eliminate them.

VoIP:

Voice over Internet Protocol; a means of using the Internet as the transmission medium for phone calls. An advantage is you do not incur any additional surcharges beyond the cost of your Internet access.

VPN:

Virtual Private Networking; a means of securely accessing resources on a network by connecting to a remote access server through the Internet or other network.

VT100:

A type of terminal emulation required when you open an interactive network connection (telnet) to a UNIX system from your desktop computer.

W

WAIS:

Wide Area Information Server; a program for finding documents on the Internet. Usually found on gopher servers to enable searching text-based documents for a particular keyword.

WAN:

Wide Arera Network; A group of networked computers covering a large geographical area (e.g., the Internet).

WAP:

Wireless Application Protocol; a set of communication protocols for enabling wireless access to the Internet.

Wavetable synthesis:

A method of translating digital data into analog sounds; it relies on recordings of real instruments to produce sounds.

WEP:

Wired Equivalent Privacy; a security protocol for wireless local area networks defined in the 802.11b standard. WEP provides the same level of security as that of a wired LAN.

Wi-Fi:

Wireless Fidelity; A generic term from the Wi-Fi Alliance that refers to of any type of 802.11 network (e.g., 802.11b, 802.11a, dual-band, etc.). Products approved as "Wi-Fi Certified" (a registered trademark) are certified as interoperable with each other for wireless communications.

wild card:

A special character provided by an operating system or a particular program that is used to identify a group of files or directories with a similar characteristic. Useful if you want to perform the same operation simultaneously on more than one file. Example: the asterisk (*) that can be used in DOS to specify a groups of files such as *.txt.

window:

On a graphical user interface system, a rectangular area on a display screen. Windows are particularly useful on multitasking systems which allow you to perform a number of different tasks simultaneously. Each task has its own window which you can click on to make it the current process. Contrast to a "dialog box" which is used to respond to prompts for input from an application.

Windows:

A casual way of referring to the Microsoft Windows operating systems.

wireless (netwoking):

The ability to access the Internet without a physical network connection. Devices such as cell phones and PDAs that allow you to send and receive e-mail use a wireless Internet connection based on a protocol called WAP (Wireless Application Protocol). At this point, web sites that contain wireless Internet content are limited, but will multiply as the use of devices relying on WAP increases.

wizard:

A special utility within some applications that is designed to help you perform a particular task. Example: the wizard in Microsoft Word that can guide you through creating a new document.

WLAN:

Wireless Local Area Network; the computers and devices that make up a wireless network.

workstation:

A graphical user interface (GUI) computer with computing power somewhere between a personal computer and a minicomputer (although sometimes the distinction is rather fuzzy). Workstations are useful for development and for applications that require a moderate amount of computing power and relatively high quality graphics capabilities. Leading manufacturers are Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, Silicon Graphics Inc., and Digital Electronics Corporation.

World Wide Web:

A hypertext-based system of servers on the Internet. Hypertext is data that contains one or more links to other data; a link can point to many different types of resources including text, graphics, sound, animated files, a network newsgroup, a telnet session, an FTP session, or another web server. You use a special program called a "browser" (e.g., Netscape or Internet Explorer) for viewing World Wide Web pages. Also referred to as "WWW" or "the web".

worm:

A program that makes copies of itself and can spread outside your operating system worms can damage computer data and security in much the same way as viruses.

WPA:

Wi-Fi Protected Access; a standard designed to improve on the security features of WEP.

WWW:

An abbreviation for World Wide Web.

WYSIWYG:

What You See Is What You Get; a kind of word processor that does formatting so that printed output looks identical to what appears on your screen.

X

X2:

A technology that enables data transmission speeds up to 56 Kbps using regular telephone service that is connected to switching stations by high-speed digital lines. This technology affects only transmissions coming into your computer, not to data you send out. In addition, your ISP must have a modem at the other end that supports X2.

XML:

Extensible Markup Language; A markup language for coding web documents that allows designers to create their own customized tags for structuring a page.

Y

Z

zip:

A common file compression format for IBM PC or compatibles; the utility WinZip is used for compressing and decompressing files. Zipped files usually end with a ".zip" file extension. A special kind of zipped file is self-extracting and ends with a ".exe" extension.

Zip drive:

A high capacity floppy disk drive from Iomega Corporation; the disks it uses a little bit larger than a conventional diskette and are capable of holding 100 MB or 250 MB of data.

zoom:

The act of enlarging a portion of an onscreen image for fine detail work; most graphics programs have this capability.

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