AppleBytes * Tech Terms

This short list of computer-related terminology is NOT meant to be encyclopedic, rather it briefly defines some of the most frequently seen terms. I would like to keep it down to a manageable total of 50, so if anyone can suggest an addition or two, or perhaps even a deletion / replacement, feel free to contact me.

AIO
All In One - a multiple use device

AirPort
Apple's wireless devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standard

ATA
Advanced Technology Attachment - used for IDE drives

Cat 5
a standard ethernet cable, allowing computers to interconnect in a network

CRT
Cathode Ray Tube - a bulky TV-like monitor = screen, A CRT display of a nominal 19", has about the same viewable area as a 17" LCD

Domain
a propriatory personal, organization, state / national or business address on the Internet. EXAMPLE - Apple.com, LaAtlantida.net

DSL
Digital Subscriber Line - a very fast way to access the WWW, as opposed to the slower modem connection. (Plug DSL modem's Ethernet cable into the WAN port on a router.)

Ethernet
a method of connecting computers and peripherals in a network, usually via ethernet cables

FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions

FireWire
a high speed serial bus invented by Apple, IEEE 1394, connecting peripheral devices at up to 400 Mbps - may have a 4 or 6-pin connector

FPU
Floating-Point Unit = a coprocessor used to accelerate complex operations such as animation, 3-D modeling, and the use of scientific formulae. There may be more than a single secondary processor on a particular computer

FTP
File Transfer Protocol - method by which files are transferred from a computer to an Internet server, and visa versa

GUI
Graphic User Interface - the process of communicating with the parts of a computer, which uses pictures as well as words on the screen. Invented by Xerox, the concept was expanded and popularized by Apple Computers. With windows, icons, pull-down menus, and the mouse, the graphical user interface is a breeze to learn and work with.

HD
Hard Disk / Drive - the computer's main data source

HTTP
Hyper Transport Protocol - an Internet address indicator

HTML
Hyper Text Markup Language - the basic language of computers

IDE
Integrated Drive Electronics - an interface for HDs, also EIDE, extended

IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. A worldwide professional association for electrical and electronics engineers, which sets standards for telecommunications and computing

IPP
Internet Presence Provider - virtual host for a domain

ISDN
Integrated Services Digital Network - fast Internet connection

ISP
Internet Service Provider - AOL, Earthlink, etc.

IT
Information Technology - the means of managing information / data processing

LAN
Local Area Network

LCD
Liquid Crystal Display - thinner and lighter than the alternative CRT monitor. A 15" LCD has a viewable area almost identical to the stated size

Mbps
periferal connecting speed in Mega bytes per second

MMF
Multimode Fiber glass cable - capable of transmitting high-speed data transfer over long distances

NAT
Network Address Translation - identifies user addresses on a network

NC
Network Computer

OS
Operating System - the underlying program operation code allowing a computer to function

PC
Personal Computer - basically of 2 kinds, MAC and Wintel

PDA
Personal Digital Assistant = handheld organizer, address book, etc.

PDF
Portable Document Format - created by Adobe Systems for making and viewing electronic documents

Peripherals
extra-computer devices such as printers, web cams, ZIP drives, etc.

POF
Plastic Optic Fiber cable - lighter and less expensive than other cables

POP
Post Office Protocol - used for email accounts on servers

PRAM
parameter RAM - used to store basic computer settings, clock, startup disk, etc.

RAM
Random Access Memory - for temporary storage / processing of data

ROM
Read Only Memory - for permanent storage of data on a chip

SCSI
Small Computer System Interface - an older standard used by storage devices such as HDs (scuzzy)

SDSL
Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line - fast Internet connection

sea.
Self Extracting Archive - automatically uncompresses files - using Zip on DOS, Windows and Unix computers, and Stuffit (which is cross-platform) on a Macintosh

TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol

URL
Universal Resource Locator - web site address

USB
Universal Serial Bus, a low bandwidth bus invented by Intel, having a transfer rate of 12 Mbps - USB 2.0 connects at 480 Mbps and has backward cable compatibility - meaning that the same style cable is used in the old and new versions

WAN
Wide Area Network

802.xx
The set of IEEE standards for defining LAN protocols

1394a
current FireWire alpha standard, capable of connecting peripheral devices at up to 400 Mbps

1394b
new FireWire beta, connecting peripherals at from 800 Mbps - does NOT have backward cable compatibility

x
x

x
x

Questions and comments may be emailed to the editor of Apple Bytes at

Contributors :

Editor/Webmaster - Sonny

Daily Trivia

Contests

My Closeout Deals & Real Estate -->> Personal Sales

-->> Adopt a Sphynx Kitten

Mis cosas en -- -- Canary Islands, Spain

My Cigars & Goodies on -->> YardSaleNet.net

My Offerings on -- -- Yahoo Singapore

My treasures on -- -- eBay

Free counters provided by Andale.

AIO	All In One - a multiple use device
AirPort	Apple's wireless devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standard
ATA	Advanced Technology Attachment - used for IDE drives
Cat 5	a standard ethernet cable, allowing computers to interconnect in a network
CRT	Cathode Ray Tube - a bulky TV-like monitor = screen, A CRT display of a nominal 19", has about the same viewable area as a 17" LCD
Domain	a propriatory personal, organization, state / national or business address on the Internet. EXAMPLE - Apple.com, LaAtlantida.net
DSL	Digital Subscriber Line - a very fast way to access the WWW, as opposed to the slower modem connection. (Plug DSL modem's Ethernet cable into the WAN port on a router.)
Ethernet	a method of connecting computers and peripherals in a network, usually via ethernet cables
FAQ	Frequently Asked Questions
FireWire	a high speed serial bus invented by Apple, IEEE 1394, connecting peripheral devices at up to 400 Mbps - may have a 4 or 6-pin connector
FPU	Floating-Point Unit = a coprocessor used to accelerate complex operations such as animation, 3-D modeling, and the use of scientific formulae. There may be more than a single secondary processor on a particular computer
FTP	File Transfer Protocol - method by which files are transferred from a computer to an Internet server, and visa versa
GUI	Graphic User Interface - the process of communicating with the parts of a computer, which uses pictures as well as words on the screen. Invented by Xerox, the concept was expanded and popularized by Apple Computers. With windows, icons, pull-down menus, and the mouse, the graphical user interface is a breeze to learn and work with.
HD	Hard Disk / Drive - the computer's main data source
HTTP	Hyper Transport Protocol - an Internet address indicator
HTML	Hyper Text Markup Language - the basic language of computers
IDE	Integrated Drive Electronics - an interface for HDs, also EIDE, extended
IEEE	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. A worldwide professional association for electrical and electronics engineers, which sets standards for telecommunications and computing
IPP	Internet Presence Provider - virtual host for a domain
ISDN	Integrated Services Digital Network - fast Internet connection
ISP	Internet Service Provider - AOL, Earthlink, etc.
IT	Information Technology - the means of managing information / data processing
LAN	Local Area Network
LCD	Liquid Crystal Display - thinner and lighter than the alternative CRT monitor. A 15" LCD has a viewable area almost identical to the stated size
Mbps	periferal connecting speed in Mega bytes per second
MMF	Multimode Fiber glass cable - capable of transmitting high-speed data transfer over long distances
NAT	Network Address Translation - identifies user addresses on a network
NC	Network Computer
OS	Operating System - the underlying program operation code allowing a computer to function
PC	Personal Computer - basically of 2 kinds, MAC and Wintel
PDA	Personal Digital Assistant = handheld organizer, address book, etc.
PDF	Portable Document Format - created by Adobe Systems for making and viewing electronic documents
Peripherals	extra-computer devices such as printers, web cams, ZIP drives, etc.
POF	Plastic Optic Fiber cable - lighter and less expensive than other cables
POP	Post Office Protocol - used for email accounts on servers
PRAM	parameter RAM - used to store basic computer settings, clock, startup disk, etc.
RAM	Random Access Memory - for temporary storage / processing of data
ROM	Read Only Memory - for permanent storage of data on a chip
SCSI	Small Computer System Interface - an older standard used by storage devices such as HDs (scuzzy)
SDSL	Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line - fast Internet connection
sea.	Self Extracting Archive - automatically uncompresses files - using Zip on DOS, Windows and Unix computers, and Stuffit (which is cross-platform) on a Macintosh
TCP/IP	Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol
URL	Universal Resource Locator - web site address
USB	Universal Serial Bus, a low bandwidth bus invented by Intel, having a transfer rate of 12 Mbps - USB 2.0 connects at 480 Mbps and has backward cable compatibility - meaning that the same style cable is used in the old and new versions
WAN	Wide Area Network
802.xx	The set of IEEE standards for defining LAN protocols
1394a	current FireWire alpha standard, capable of connecting peripheral devices at up to 400 Mbps
1394b	new FireWire beta, connecting peripherals at from 800 Mbps - does NOT have backward cable compatibility
x	x
x	x