Technical Glossary -- (Kurt Smith)

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.JPG

JPEG (usually pronounced JAY-pehg) is a term for any graphic image file produced by using a JPEG standard.

1

1G

Also known as: First Generation 1G (First Generation) is the name given to the first generation of mobile telephone networks. These systems used analogue circuit-switched technology, with FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access), and worked mainly in the 800-900 MHz frequency bands. The networks had a low traffic capacity, unreliable handover, poor voice quality, and poor security. As the 1G networks became obsolete, their frequencies were auctioned off for use in 2G and 3G networks. Examples of these first generation mobile phone networks are AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service), TACS/ETACS (Total Access Communications System / Extended Total Access Communications System), NMT 450 (Nordic Mobile Telephone System) and NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone System).

Keyword(s):

2

2.5G

Also known as: Second Generation 2G (Second Generation) is the generic term used to refer to the second generation of wireless mobile telephone networks, which were the first to feature purely digital technology. As demands for the quality and quantity of mobile communication services increased, 2G systems were the logical next stage in the evolution from the 1G (first generation) analogue systems. Typical characteristics of 2G include roaming, better high-bit-rate voice quality, improved security with different levels of encryption, the ability to convey some data (e.g. SMS) as well as speech, and a wider selection of subscriber services. Examples of the major second generation digital mobile telephony systems are: GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) in Europe, IS-95 (CDMAone) and IS-136 (D-AMPS / TDMA) in the USA, and PDC (Personal Digital Cellular) in Japan

Keyword(s):

2G

Keyword(s):

3

3-Way Calling

Also known as: Conference Call 3-Way Calling (Conference Call) is a network facility that enables three or more parties to be connected together in a conference call, so that they may all speak and listen simultaneously. This is often used as a convenient substitute for a physical meeting, as the participants can be located in different towns, or even in different countries. This feature is very useful when two friends are having a conversation and they need to ask questions of a third person instead of hanging up and calling back, the third party can be dialled during the course of the conversation to set up a conference call

Keyword(s):

3G

Also known as: Third Generation 3G (Third Generation) is a generic term used to refer to the latest standard of wireless mobile telephone networks. Third Generation phones are capable of the high data rates, wide bandwidth and increased capacity needed to support the new range of digital services available for mobile devices, such as Internet access, multimedia applications, and support for global roaming. The major multiple access transmission technique used in 3G is CDMA, a packet-switching technology, which provides a more efficient use of the available spectrum than did the earlier methods of FDMA and TDMA. The two main 3G technologies used are UMTS with wideband CDMA (W-CDMA) in Europe, and cdma2000™ with multi-carrier CDMA (MC-CDMA) in the USA. Many 3G systems will operate in the 2 GHz frequency band, and are designed to provide a range of data rates from 144 kbps to 2 Mbps, depending on the user's location and circumstances. The 3G mobile communications standard was a programme led originally by the ITU under the IMT-2000 project, and handsets and networks are now generally defined as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service). However, despite the intention that the IMT-2000 specification would result in a single, unified 3G system, several different versions of 3G have developed due to the leading telecommunications companies choosing to take a more evolutionary approach to upgrading their networks

Keyword(s):

A

A5

A5 is the encryption algorithm commonly used by GSM networks in Europe. It has a 64-bit key, although in practice at least ten of these bits are unused. A weaker version of A5 called A5/2 is exported to some countries, including Australia. It was originally a secret algorithm but was eventually leaked, which helped the case for using the open Kasumi algorithm as a replacement for A5. Comp128 is the more common GSM alternative to A5

Keyword(s):

AAC

advanced analogue coding

Keyword(s):

Abandoned Call

Abandoned call is one in which a connection is made with the recipient, but the caller then decides to terminate the call before any proper communication is established. Organisations usually wish to keep abandoned calls to a minimum, as they may indicate a slow response to incoming calls

Keyword(s):

AC Wall Charger

AC Wall Charger is an essential accessory for use with mobile�phones and other electronic devices. The charger enables the mobile device to be powered, and for its battery to be recharged, by connecting it to a mains electricity supply socket. AC wall chargers are often the only means of recharging the battery, and are usually supplied with a phone as they are designed to work with a particular product or type of battery. Wall chargers should not be interchanged without first taking advice, or expensive damage could result. Also note that it is normal for chargers to get warm while in use

Keyword(s):

Access Grant Channel

Also known as: AGCH Access Grant Channel (AGCH) is a downlink channel (base to mobile) used by a BS (Base Station) to tell the MS (Mobile Station) which DCCH (Dedicated Control Channel) to use, after the MS has previously requested access to the network by sending a message over the RACH (Random Access Channel). The AGCH is used to assign resources to the user who has requested access to the network, and the BS allocates a TCH (Traffic Channel) or SDCCH (Stand-Alone Dedicated Control Channel) to the MS, allowing it access to the network

Keyword(s):

ACELP

Also known as: Algebraic Code Excited Linear Prediction Algebraic Code Excited Linear Prediction, or ACELP, is a speech compression system, used to provide a good standard of speech quality when the network is operating at low data rates (i.e. narrow bandwidth). The analogue voice signal is converted to a digital data signal, so that it can be compressed for transmission over the network, and the process is then reversed at the other end when the digital data is converted back to an analogue voice signal. The quality of the reproduced speech will appear to be much better at the receiving phone than would have been the case if an ACELP system had not been used. The technology associated with ACELP is defined by the ITU-T (International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector) and this has been used for a long time as a standard on the Internet for voice applications, being integrated into software such as Microsofts MediaPlayer?.

Keyword(s):

Action Script

ActionScript is an ECMAScript-based programming language used for scripting Adobe Flash movies and applications.

ActionScript

an ActionScript is the the language used in the Macromedia Flash program.

Look in the help menu in Macromedia Flash for more detailed information.

Keyword(s):

Active Matrix

Also known as: Thin Film Transistor, TFT TFT (Thin Film Transistor or Active Matrix) LCD is a mass produced display technology that offers improved refresh rates and good contrast over passive matrix displays. It achieves this by adding an individual switch at every single pixel, which means that voltage can be actively supplied to individual pixels instead of one row and one column receiving current at a time. A thin film transistor at each pixel allows much greater contrast and vastly improved refresh rates compared with older displays. This makes full motion video feasible with an active matrix. The two disadvantages to TFT displays are that they have higher power consumption as each individual pixel drains current, and they are more expensive; it is not cheap to manufacture perfect large sheets of transistors, as current processes are low-yield

Keyword(s):

Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation

Also known as: ADPCM Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation (ADPCM) is a compression/decompression technique, used for converting analogue sound or data into a string of digital binary code. Frequent samples are taken of the analogue signal, and the difference between the actual value of each sample and its predicted value (derived from the previous samples) is quantized and converted to a digital signal. This technique is called 'adaptive', because the encoding predictions are adjusted in accordance with the changing characteristics of the input signal, and the coding scale is modified to accommodate any large or small differences. The ADPCM method of encoding takes up less storage space, and produces a lower bit rate, than standard PCM (Pulse Code Modulation). This greater efficiency is achieved because only the differences between samples are recorded. At the decoder the quantized difference signal is added to the predicted signal to produce the reconstructed speech signal. ADPCM can typically give a compression ratio of 4:1, and one version of ADPCM is used to encode audio and compress more data onto Sony's Mini Discs

Keyword(s):

ADC

analogue to digital converter

Keyword(s):

ADSL

Also known as: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is a technology allowing high rates of digital data to be sent over conventional twisted-pair copper telephone lines. It is referred to as asymmetric because it provides a significantly greater bandwidth in one direction than the other, with faster data transfer from the network to the subscriber than it is in the opposite direction. Consequently, ADSL suits the Internet user who downloads large amounts of data from the Net, but tends to send comparatively little data back in return. Theoretically, data speeds of up to 9 Mbps (megabits per second) are possible downstream to the customer, and up to 800 kbps (kilobits per second) upstream. This high-speed, high bandwidth digital communication makes live MPEG2 video signals possible, as well as a range of other multimedia broadband services. However, in practice capacity is lower than the theoretical maximum, because line length reduces data speed and limits the exchange to subscriber distance at about 2 miles. ADSL requires the installation of a special modem, but ADSL then provides an 'always on' connection to subscribers. Simultaneous voice and data transmission is also possible over the same line, because the data transfer uses a section of the phone line bandwidth not utilised by voice. Therefore, subscribers can leave their computers logged onto the Net without interrupting their normal phone connections. A form of ADSL, called Universal ADSL (G.lite), has been approved as a standard by the ITU-TS for services to homes and businesses. Universal ADSL can provide speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps over conventional phone lines. However, although a provider might typically offer a downstream rate of 512 kbps, this is still about 10 times faster than the fastest analogue-to-digital modems, and several times faster than an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) connection. Upstream speeds can reach 128 kbps

Keyword(s):

Advanced Mobile Phone Service

Also known as: AMPS Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) is a first generation analogue cellular telephone system that originated in the USA in the 1980s. AMPS is still the most widely deployed cellular system in the United States, and has been used in other countries of North and South America, as well as the Asia/Pacific region, although it is not compatible with European mobile phone standards. AMPS can be found in countries such as Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Israel. AMPS operates in the 800 and 900 MHz frequency bands. Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) is used to divide each band of operating frequencies into 30 kHz channels. Adjacent cells will then employ different channels for their transmitted and received signals, so that one cell does not interfere with another, and as a user moves between cells the channels change without any noticeable transition. AMPS was updated with digital cellular service, i.e. digital AMPS (DAMPS), by adding Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) to each channel

Keyword(s):

Adventure Game,

A form of fictional simulation. These are often set in fantasy worlds and involve decision making and exploration.

n. item of publicity for a product or service, in magazine, on TV etc

advertising agency

n. company specializing in producing and placing advertisements for clients

AGCH

Also known as: Access Grant Channel Access Grant Channel (AGCH) is a downlink channel (base to mobile) used by a BS (Base Station) to tell the MS (Mobile Station) which DCCH (Dedicated Control Channel) to use, after the MS has previously requested access to the network by sending a message over the RACH (Random Access Channel). The AGCH is used to assign resources to the user who has requested access to the network, and the BS allocates a TCH (Traffic Channel) or SDCCH (Stand-Alone Dedicated Control Channel) to the MS, allowing it access to the network

AI

artificial intelligence

Keyword(s):

AIDA

abbr. Attention, Interest, Desire, Action the objective of all advertisements

Algebraic Code Excited Linear Prediction

Also known as: ACELP Algebraic Code Excited Linear Prediction, or ACELP, is a speech compression system, used to provide a good standard of speech quality when the network is operating at low data rates (i.e. narrow bandwidth). The analogue voice signal is converted to a digital data signal, so that it can be compressed for transmission over the network, and the process is then reversed at the other end when the digital data is converted back to an analogue voice signal. The quality of the reproduced speech will appear to be much better at the receiving phone than would have been the case if an ACELP system had not been used. The technology associated with ACELP is defined by the ITU-T (International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector) and this has been used for a long time as a standard on the Internet for voice applications, being integrated into software such as Microsofts MediaPlayer?.

Alphanumeric

Alphanumeric is a term referring to information that contains a combination of alphabetic letters or words ("alphas") and numbers ("numerics"). Punctuation and other symbols are also usually interpreted to be included in the term alphanumeric. Alphanumeric displays are those that can show at least all of the letters of the alphabet and the numbers 0 to 9. Alphanumeric Directory Alphanumeric Directory refers to the part of a phone that stores the user's list of names and phone numbers, so that they may be easily retrieved. Alphanumeric DisplayAlphanumeric Display is the display output device on a phone, typically an LCD screen, which has the ability to display both text and numbers. Alphanumeric Memory DialAlphanumeric Memory Dial is a special type of dial-from-memory option on mobile phone handsets, which enables the name of an individual and their phone number to both be displayed for dialling purposes. This feature is now an accepted standard on modern mobile phones. Alternatively, the name can also be recalled by typing the letters on the phone keypad. By contrast, the standard memory dial feature will recall just the numbers from a number-only location. Alphanumeric MessagingAlphanumeric Messaging is the capability of a phone to send and receive messages (e.g. SMS messages) that contain both text and numbers

American Standard Code for Information Interchange

Also known as: ASCII The American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) is a standard coding system developed by the USA Standards Institute. ASCII is universally used to represent letters, numbers, punctuation marks, symbols and control codes, which makes it possible to pass data between computers and within communication systems (e.g. to mobile phones). Digital equipment can only understand numbers, and ASCII code gives every symbol or character a unique number in order to identify it. The coding system is efficient, with each character being represented by a single byte. There is a basic character set of 128 codes numbered 0 to 127 (which uses 7 bits per character), or an extended character set of 256 codes numbered 0 to 255 (which uses 8 bits per character). ASCII files appear as unformatted plain text, i.e. without any tabs, bold, italics, or other codes that word processors introduce when formatting text. ASCII files are the standard text format for SMS messages

AMPS

Also known as: Advanced Mobile Phone Service Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) is a first generation analogue cellular telephone system that originated in the USA in the 1980s. AMPS is still the most widely deployed cellular system in the United States, and has been used in other countries of North and South America, as well as the Asia/Pacific region, although it is not compatible with European mobile phone standards. AMPS can be found in countries such as Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Israel. AMPS operates in the 800 and 900 MHz frequency bands. Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) is used to divide each band of operating frequencies into 30 kHz channels. Adjacent cells will then employ different channels for their transmitted and received signals, so that one cell does not interfere with another, and as a user moves between cells the channels change without any noticeable transition. AMPS was updated with digital cellular service, i.e. digital AMPS (DAMPS), by adding Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) to each channel

AMS

automated manufacturing system

Keyword(s):

Animated Screensaver

Animated screensaver is a changing pattern or animation, which replaces the original screen image when a mobile phone has been idle for a predetermined period of time. The use of a screensaver is designed to prevent damage that might result when fixed bright images remain on the screen for long periods. Only the more recent mobile phone models currently include animated screensavers

Animation

Animation is a moving image produced by sequentially displayed image frames, which creates the illusion of movement. Mobile phone animations usually consist of short, animated greetings and messages in a variety of sizes, colours, and levels of complexity

ANN

artificial neural network

Keyword(s):

Answering Machine

Answering machine is a device that automatically answers a telephone call when the recipient is for some reason unable to answer it personally. Typically, a user stores an outgoing message to tell callers that the phone cannot be answered personally, and the caller is then requested to leave a recorded message stating the purpose of their call, which the user can playback at a convenient time. Conventional landline answering machines often use magnetic tape or a microchip memory to record messages. Some mobile handsets are capable of storing messages in their internal memory, and most mobile operators provide an answering service whereby subscribers can dial a special number and listen to their stored messages

Ariel

Also known as: antenna The antenna (or aerial) is the physical part of a mobile phone that is designed to receive or transmit the radio frequency signals, which the�handset uses to communicate with the telephone network. A mobile may contain an internal antenna that is concealed within its case, or there may be a short or stubby external antenna that protrudes about 3 cm or more outside the case. Some mobile phones include an FM radio, and in this case the headset lead usually acts as the radio's antenna. The headset must then be connected to the phone to ensure good reception

Array

An Array is just a computer term for a: List or Vector. is one of the simplest date sturctures, and are useful in Flash, and there are numerous uses for Arrays in other programs.

ASCII

American standard code for information interchange

Keyword(s):

ATM

automatic teller machine

Keyword(s):

Audible Keypad Tone

Audible Keypad Tone is a facility that can be set on some handsets, which causes them to play a tone when the keys are pressed, so confirming that they have operated correctly. This was introduced to reduce airtime charges to incorrect numbers, although it also provides a better interface and positive feedback for the user. The sound played is usually the DTMF tone relevant to that particular number, and for consistency, another non-DTMF tone can be played when control keys are pressed

Authoring Software

A category of software [which] lets you make a web page without having any knowledge of HTML.

Keyword(s):

Automatic Answer

Automatic answer is a phone feature that allows a recipient to answer a call without the need to press any keys. Once the phone has started to ring the conversation can be started immediately, because the sound of the recipient's voice speaking into the phone's microphone will trigger the answering of the call

Automatic Backlight

Automatic backlighting means that touching any key will illuminate the display and keypad for ease of viewing. The backlight will turn itself off automatically after a preset period, so avoiding excessive drain on the battery. This feature will only be available on mobile phones that have a backlight

Automatic Redial

Automatic redial is a feature designed to make it easier to dial numbers that are engaged. After the dialled number is found to be engaged, the phone will either repeatedly redial the number automatically, or it can be set to redial by pressing the appropriate key. This feature saves the user from dialling the number many times until a ringing tone can be obtained. Automatic redial will usually operate for a set number of redials before giving up, to avoid the negative consequences of battery drain, blocking the phone, and causing unnecessary network traffic

AVI

audio video interleave

Keyword(s):

B

Band

content Band Go back to BackboneSkip content Also known as: Frequency Band Band (Frequency Band) is a term used in telecommunications to refer to a range of frequencies authorised for specific purposes. Each band will be a continuous spectrum of frequencies, with upper and lower limits, and international use of these bands is regulated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to prevent interference. For example, the medium wave band is approved for several purposes, the most well-known being its use for public service AM (Amplitude Modulation) radio broadcasts

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is a measure of the information carrying capacity of a communications channel, whether it be of the wired or wireless type. In analogue systems bandwidth is measured as a frequency in Hertz (Hz), and it is calculated as the difference between the highest and lowest frequencies of a band. The term bandwidth can apply to various types of equipment, e.g. audio, radio, video, etc., and in each case the bandwidth is calculated by subtracting the lower frequency limit of the band from its upper frequency limit. The range of frequencies that a particular signal will occupy can also be referred to as its bandwidth (as all signals inherently occupy a certain amount of bandwidth), or alternatively it may mean the range of frequencies that a piece of equipment will respond to. Furthermore, because the rate at which digital data flows through a system will depend on the bandwidth, this data rate can also be shown to be a measure of the system's bandwidth. In digital systems the bandwidth is usually described as the maximum transmission speed that a channel will support, and is measured as a data rate in bits per second (bps). If the bandwidth of a system is too narrow for a particular signal to pass through it, then there will be some distortion to that signal, or loss of its information content. Because bandwidth is closely related to the signal frequencies being transmitted, it gives an indication of the capacity of the system to cope with different signals. This means that a wide bandwidth will allow higher data rates, and conversely a narrow bandwidth will restrict the data rate. A voice signal requires only about a 3 kHz bandwidth, whereas a TV video signal needs about 6 MHz of bandwidth, because it contains much more information. Signals outside the band of interest are usually suppressed, in order to prevent interference to or from other equipment. Bandwidth has a general meaning of how much information can be carried in a given time period (usually a second). For example, a broadband link (i.e. one with a wide bandwidth) may be able to carry enough information to present moving video images. If one link or piece of equipment in a communication network has a much smaller bandwidth than the rest, then this will determine the data rate for the whole system

Base Station

Also known as: BS Base Station (BS) is a fixed radio station in the cellular network, which communicates with mobile telephones using radio waves. The Base Station will include transmitters, receivers, tower and antenna, and control equipment to interconnect with other base stations and the public switched network via landline or microwave links. A mobile telephone service consists of a network of many Base Stations, each of which covers one cell or geographical area within a total cellular service area. The Base Station communicates with the mobile phones within its given cell, and then transfers calls to other base stations and the fixed telephone network

Base Station Colour Code

Also known as: BCC Base Station Colour Code (BCC) is the code transmitted in the SB (Synchronisation Burst) of GSM systems. The BCC is used by the MS (Mobile Station) to distinguish between cells using the same frequencies, when the MS is deciding on which cell to select and to lock-on to. The BCC is also important during the receiving of the BCCH (Broadcast Control Channel), to identify the TSC (Training Sequence Code) to be used

Base Station Identity Code

Also known as: BSIC Base Station Identity Code (BSIC) is a 6 bit 'colour code' broadcast on the SCH (Synchronisation Channel) in GSM systems, which uniquely identifies the beacon frequency. The BSIC is broadcasted in order to identify the NCC (Network Colour Code) and the BCC (Base Station Colour Code) to the Mobile Stations in the area. Adjacent cells in the cellular system will have different 'colours' or BSICs

Base Station Subsystem

Also known as: BSS Base Station Subsystem / System (BSS) refers to a segment of a GSM system, comprising a Base Station Controller (BSC) and the one or more Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) that are associated with it. The Base Station Controller manages the Base Transceiver Stations, and at a higher level a Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) controls one or more of these Base Station Subsystems. The BSS is the interface between the Mobile Station (MS) and the Mobile Switching Centre (MSC).

Base Tranceiver Station

Also known as: BTS Base Transceiver Station (BTS) is a fixed radio station in the cellular network, which communicates with mobile telephones using radio waves. The Base Transceiver Station will include transmitters, receivers, tower and antenna, and control equipment to interconnect with other base transceiver stations and the public switched network via landline or microwave links. A mobile telephone service consists of a network of many Base Transceiver Stations, each of which covers one cell or geographical area within a total cellular service area. The Base Transceiver Station communicates with the mobile phones within its given cell, and then transfers calls to other base transceiver stations and the fixed telephone network. A BTS may also be called a Base Station (BS).

Battery

Also known as: Power Cell Battery is the normal power source used to operate a mobile phone. The battery capacity is usually measured in units of mAh (milliamps x hours), which is the electric current output that the battery can produce over a specified time. The higher the mAh rating of the battery the longer it will be able to power the phone. Mobile phone batteries are often available in "standard" or "extended" versions, the latter having a larger capacity to power the phone for a longer period of time. Several types of battery have been used in mobile phones, the main types being: Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) and Lithium Polymer (Li-Po). NiCd and NiMH (to a lesser degree) suffer from memory effect. All batteries slowly lose their charge with time, even when unused. The rate at which batteries self-discharge will depend on their type, and it is found that an unused Li-Ion battery is the best at holding its charge, a NiMH battery the worst, and NiCd is somewhere in between

Battery Indicator

Battery indicator is either a visual or audible warning message that alert the user to the state of the battery. The phone may give out an audible "beeping" tone, or a "LoBat" message might appear on the display to indicate that the battery is running low. The warnings usually give the user sufficient time to recharge the battery before the phone stops working

Battery Meter

Battery meter is a visual indicator of the estimated amount of life remaining in the battery. Mobile phones usually combine a meter with an audible warning signal, to help the user to avoid dropping calls due to the battery running low before they have the chance to recharge

Baud

Also known as: Bd Baud (Bd) was the traditional unit used to measure signalling speed or modulation rate on a communications channel, and it was first used to measure the speed of telegraph transmissions. The Baud was named after a French engineer, Jean-Maurice-Emile Baudot, and one Baud is equal to one signal change per second. Baud is often confused with the bit rate or Bits per Second (bps), and the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, Bauds and bits are not always the same thing, as more than one bit may be transferred in one Baud. Nowadays Bits Per Second (bps) is used instead of Baud, because it is a more accurate measurement of the actual data transfer rate, and the Baud is best avoided

Baud Rate

Baud Rate is a measure of the information carrying capacity or signalling rate on a communications channel, and is the maximum number of discrete signal events that can be transmitted per second. Baud Rate has often been used as a measure of the speed at which computers can transfer data through a modem. However, it is a term that has caused a lot of confusion, and some people have mistakenly used the term interchangeably with Bits per Second (bps). Bauds and bits are not always the same thing, as more than one bit may be transferred in one Baud. Nowadays Bits Per Second (bps) is used instead of Baud, because it is a more accurate measurement of the actual data transfer rate, and the Baud is best avoided

BCCH

Also known as: Broadcast Control Channel Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) is a downlink GSM Broadcast Channel (BCH). The BCCH is transmitted by a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) to provide the signalling information required by the MS (Mobile Station) to access and identify the network. The BCCH will include information such as the LAC (Location Area Code).

BCH

Also known as: Broadcast Channel Broadcast Channels (BCH) are downlink channels in a GSM system and are transmitted by the Base Transceiver Station (BTS). BCH provide signalling information, so that the Mobile Stations (MS) in the cell can locate, synchronise and access the network. Three types of BCH are used: Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH), Synchronisation Channel (SCH), and Frequency Correction Channel

Behavior

"A behavior" is a reusable block of computer code or script that, when applied to an object (computer science,) especially a graphical one, causes it to respond to user input in meaningful patterns or to operate independently, as if alive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behaviour

benefit

n. advantage of a product or service, usually derived from its features

BER

Also known as: Bit Error Ratio, Bit Error Rate Bit Error Rate or Bit Error Ratio (BER) is a measure of the accuracy of transmission for digital information in a telecommunications system. The BER is calculated as the number of bits that were in error, as a proportion of the total number of bits transmitted, or received, or processed over a given period of time. This figure can be used to indicate the Quality of Service for a service provider, and is typically of the order of one error bit in a billion (or 1 in 10 to the power minus 9).

BERT

Also known as: Bit Error Rate Test Bit Error Rate Test (BERT) is a device or test used to determine the Bit Error Rate for a particular transmission. The test is used to discover how many received bits of data were in error, as a ratio of the total number of bits received. The result is usually a very small number, typically one in a billion (or 10 to the power minus 9).

billboard

n. signboard, usually outdoors, for advertising posters

Binary Digit

Also known as: Bit Bit (binary digit) is the smallest unit of data used in digital information systems, being allocated only a single value of either 0 or 1, i.e. an "off" or an "on" state. In the data communication field bits are counted using the decimal number system, and so other units of bits are kilobit (1,000 bits), Megabit (1,000,000 bits) and Gigabit (1,000,000,000 bits). The term "Bit" is derived from a combination of b(inary) and (dig)it

BIOS

basic input output system

Keyword(s):

Bit

Also known as: binary digit Bit (binary digit) is the smallest unit of data used in digital information systems, being allocated only a single value of either 0 or 1, i.e. an "off" or an "on" state. In the data communication field bits are counted using the decimal number system, and so other units of bits are kilobit (1,000 bits), Megabit (1,000,000 bits) and Gigabit (1,000,000,000 bits). The term "Bit" is derived from a combination of b(inary) and (dig)it

Bitmap Graphic

A bitmap graphic, is a data file or structure representing a generally rectangular grid of pixels, or points of color, on a computer monitor, paper, or other display device. The color of each pixel is individually defined; images in the RGB color space, for instance, often consist of colored pixels defined by three bytesone byte each for red, green and blue. Less colorful images require less information per pixel; an image with only black and white pixels requires only a single bit for each pixel. Raster graphics are distinguished from vector graphics in that vector graphics represent an image through the use of geometric objects such as curves and polygons.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitmap_graphics

Keyword(s):

Bitmap Graphics

A bit map (often spelled "bitmap") defines a display space and the color for each pixel or "bit" in the display space. A Graphics Interchange Format and a JPEG are examples of graphic image file types that contain bit maps.

url

Keyword(s):

Bits Per Second

Also known as: bps Bits per Second (bps) is a commonly used unit of measurement in telecommunications for the rate or speed at which data is transferred. The bps indicates how many binary digits (the number of 0's and 1's) are transmitted or received in a serial form (one bit after another) each second. In practice larger units are more convenient: one kilobit per second (kbps) is equal to 1,000 bps, one Megabit per second (Mbps) is equal to 1,000,000 bps or 1,000 kbps, one Gigabit per second (Gbps) is equal to 1,000,000,000 bps or 1,000 Mbps. The bps is also an indication of a signal's bandwidth, and usually the higher the bps the greater is the signal bandwidth (a frequency measured in kHz or MHz). The old measure of data speed was the Baud or "baud rate", which is the number of times a digital signal changes state each second. For a given digital signal Baud rate is almost always a lower figure than bps, but Baud Rate and bps are often wrongly interchanged

BLOG

web log

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BPS

bits per second

Keyword(s):

Broadband

Sometimes referred to as a high-speed internet, broadband is an ‘always on’ fast connection to the internet. Today there are a wide variety of broadband technologies available in most areas; two of the more commonly found and used technologies are cable and DSL broadband.

Browsers

Browsers are software programs that allow you to navigate the World Wide Web.

Keyword(s):

Busy Transfer

Busy transfer is a phone feature similar to call divert, except that the call is only re-directed if the receiving phone is engaged

Byte

Also known as: B Byte (B) is the name given to a group of 8 bits of digital data that are read as a single unit or word. Each byte can represent information that is used in a system, such as a single character from the ASCII code. The number of bytes is also commonly used as a measure to indicate information capacity, and the storage of data in digital systems is normally quoted in megabytes or gigabytes. In computer systems bytes are always used to refer to the memory and disk space, as computers deal easily with binary numbers (i.e. powers of 2). The size of text and image files is also normally given in bytes (e.g. in kilobytes or megabytes). In contrast, communication systems tend to use bits when referring to data transmission speeds. Although there are usually eight bits in a byte, longer sequences such as 16 and 32 bits are also possible

C

CAD

computer aided design

Keyword(s):

Call Barring

Many companies that provide for business use now employ call barring as a security measure, to control their use and restrict calls to pre-approved numbers. The user's personal code must be used to activate this feature

Keyword(s):

Call deflection

Call deflection is a selective call divert that allows a call to be forwarded without accepting it. Call deflection can either be invoked automatically by the mobile station, or by a network interaction. It is only supported within an ISDN call environment, and will only work as long as no call forwarding or divert limits have been met. Calls can be deflected to different numbers depending on the caller’s number, discovered by CLIP.

Keyword(s):

Call divert

Call divert is a�handset feature that allows the user to forward or redirect all incoming calls to an alternate�number (fixed or mobile), or to voicemail. This is a facility with many advantages, enabling the user to be called on another phone or at a particular location, to have calls answered by somebody else, or to use a voicemail answering service. When this feature is activated the�number from which calls are forwarded will not ring or receive calls. Various options may be available to the user, allowing them to choose different phone numbers to divert to, depending on the circumstances. For example, calls may be diverted to one number when engaged (busy transfer), but another number or voicemail when the phone is switched off or the network unavailable.

Keyword(s):

Call Holding

Call holding is a phone feature that allows the user to put an ongoing call on hold, while at the same time making or receiving a second call on the same phone.

The person 'on hold' will not be aware of what the other party is doing during the call holding period, and they may be presented with silence or hear pre-recorded music and reassuring messages. This feature is convenient when a user needs to talk with two parties who should not talk directly (i.e. a conference call is not possible), which might arise when a mortgage broker is setting up a deal between a bank and a mortgager.

Call holding can also be used in conjunction with call waiting to allow two calls to be handled at once, so ensuring that important incoming calls are not missed.

Keyword(s):

Call restriction

Call barring is a mobile phone feature that allows the user to set certain prohibitions on incoming or outgoing calls. This is an effective means to prevent the phone being used to make expensive international or premium rate calls, particularly when the phone is to be used by people other than the subscriber.

Many companies that provide handsets for business use now employ call barring as a security measure, to control their use and restrict calls to pre-approved numbers. The user's personal code must be used to activate this feature.

Keyword(s):

Call return

Call return is a network service that allows a user to discover the number of the last person who called their phone. The service is activated by dialling a code, e.g. 1471 in the UK or *69 in the USA, and the number then provided will enable the user to return the call.

Call return is part of a general phone feature referred to as Calling Line Identity.

Keyword(s):

Call transfer

Call transfer is a mobile phone feature that allows the user to transfer a caller to another phone number. Either party in a phone call can dial a number and then exit from the connection, so leaving the other party ringing the new number.

Keyword(s):

Call waiting

Also known as: CW
Call waiting is a phone feature that allows the user to be alerted, while they are engaged in an active call, that another incoming caller is trying to contact them.

Depending on the type of mobile phone, the user might be given an audible 'beeping' warning, or a message on their phone's display screen. This facility gives the user the option of finishing the first call before answering the second one, or alternatively the user could take advantage of call holding to keep the first call 'on hold' while the second caller is dealt with. Other options might be to reject the waiting call, or to send it to the voice mail service.

Keyword(s):

Caller group logo

Caller group logo is used as a means of identifying either individual callers, or members of specific caller groups.

Caller group logos usually come preloaded with a mobile phone, and are saved by the user under caller groups, or individual callers; they are then displayed whenever that individual user (or a member of the selected group) calls.

Keyword(s):

Calling Line Identification Presentation

CLIP (Calling Line Identification Presentation) is a supplementary GSM service used to show the number of a caller. When a call is initiated, the caller’s MSC provides the destination MSC with the caller’s identity. The destination MSC then checks to see if the phone being called has subscribed to CLIP. If it has, then the caller’s identity is presented. CLIP couples with CLIR to provide an advanced version of caller line identification in GSM networks.

The presence of CLIP - and CLI generally - can be very useful for choosing to forward or even discard calls from certain people or organisations, as it allows identification of the caller without answering.

Keyword(s):

Calling Line Identification Restriction

Also known as: CLIR

CLIR (Calling Line Identification Restriction) controls the presentation of caller identity (via CLIP) in GSM networks. If CLIR is enabled, the caller’s MSC indicates this restriction to the destination MSC. The identity is then not forwarded to the destination mobile station.

There is a GSM override function for the CLIR that is available to organisations such as the police, and allows the caller ID to be seen even if they have elected to restrict their identity.

Keyword(s):

CAM

computer aided manufacturing

Keyword(s):

Camera Phone

Cameraphone (or Camphone) is the name used to describe a device that combines the features of a mobile phone and a digital camera. This means that a cameraphone not only functions as a normal mobile phone, but it is also capable of taking photographs that can then be transferred over-the-air to other phones. Some cameraphones are even able to record live video clips, and most 3G phones are equipped with a camera enabling them to be used for 2-way video calls.

The usual arrangement is that the camera is completely integrated within the phone body, although there are several models where the camera comes as a plug in accessory. As with other digital cameras, a cameraphone is likely to use either a CCD or CMOS sensor (the two main types), which converts the light entering the lens into an electrical signal, and this signal is processed to produce the photograph. The image may then be viewed on the phone’s screen, or it can be stored in the phone’s internal memory for later use.

Cameraphones typically use small lenses with a fixed focus and aperture, and although these lenses give sharp pictures at a distance of between a few feet and infinity, they are not suitable close-ups (with the exception of a couple of phones that have macro settings). In most cases the lens will be located in a fixed position on the phone, but some have a moveable lens that can be rotated by the user.

Most cameraphones provide limited control over the exposure and other normal camera adjustments, but they do usually offer some means for the user to edit the photographs taken. Many models are fitted with a rather weak LED “flash” light, but a few cameraphones are designed to use a more effective plug in flashgun, which is often available only as an accessory. A digital zoom control is provided to magnify parts of the photograph, although this can worsen the picture quality if over magnified, and due to the way digital zoom operates it is usually unavailable at the higher camera resolutions. Cameraphones are now starting to appear with optical zoom and adjustable lenses, which can only enhance their functionality.

Taking lots of pictures will put a strain on the phone’s internal memory, which is of fixed capacity and shared with other phone features. This problem has been overcome in those phones that have a memory card slot, since a full card can be easily replaced with an empty one, and so an unlimited number of pictures can be stored. As memory cards can be read by other devices, this may prove a convenient way to transfer picture files, or for printing. Phones fitted with Bluetooth™, an infrared port or a data cable connector also offer the user the capability to download their pictures onto other devices, such as their home PC.

Apart from taking photographs of other people or scenes, cameraphones also allow a user to take self-portraits. It is sometimes possible for users to view themselves on the phone’s display screen, if not, most cameraphones have a small mirror fitted near their lens, to help aim the shot. A timer is another universally available feature on cameraphones, which allows a delay to be set for a shot.

The growth of MMS messaging means that many users now exchange photographs between compatible MMS phones, although the size of the MMS file is usually restricted to 100 kB. Some network operators also allow the user to transfer pictures to a Web-based album, so that they can be stored online in a virtual photo album, for sharing with friends and other contacts. Alternatively, the pictures may be sent as attachments to an e-mail address, if the phone has an e-mail facility.

The key feature usually quoted for the quality of a cameraphone is its maximum resolution, a figure given as either a number in pixels (e.g. 1.3 megapixels) or a standard format (e.g. VGA, or 640 x 480 pixels). The resolution determines the best picture quality that the camera can capture, and typically a megapixel camera will be needed to produce acceptable results for standard 6 x 4 inch photographic prints.

The Sharp Corporation launched the J-SH04 - the world’s first camera phone - in Japan in November 2000, and this model included a CMOS image sensor offering a resolution of 110,000 pixels. Today, all the major mobile phone manufacturers produce cameraphones, and the latest models are capable of taking photographs of a similar quality to the average standard digital camera.

Keyword(s):

Carrier Signal

Carrier Signal (Carrier Frequency) is a continuous signal of a single frequency, which is suitable of being modulated with (or carrying) a second information signal.

This is the normal method of transferring information by wireless systems, and in telecommunications the carrier frequency is usually a radio signal of much higher frequency than that contained in the information signal. Optical fibre communication networks use light as a communications medium, and the carrier will then be a laser-generated light beam.

Keyword(s):

CD

compact disk

Keyword(s):

CD-ROM,

"(Compact Disc Read-Only Memory). Like music CDs, but may contain information in the form of text, graphics, sound and moving video that can be accessed through a computer. A CD-ROM can store as much information as around 450 floppy discs.",

CDR

compact disk recordable

Keyword(s):

CDRW

compact disk re-writeable

Keyword(s):

Chatting

Real time conversations on the Internet, can occur on the world wide web, Internet relay chat (IRC), through instant messaging, on-line commercial servers (eg AOL or CompuServe). Can be accessed through websites. A chat room is an on-line forum where two or more people can engage in chat (Careaga).

Keyword(s):

Checksum

Checksum is a code used to verify data. It is created by performing a mathematical operation on all the data together, and will change according to the value of the data.

Checksums are used to make transmitted data is correct. When sending data, the transmitter calculates the checksum of the data that is sent, and sends it with the data. The receiver also calculates the checksum of the data it receives. If the checksums don't match then the data�must be�different - i.e. it has not been�correctly transmitted�- and needs to be re-sent.

Keyword(s):

cHTML

cHTML (Compact HTML) is effectively a cut down version of the regular HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) used over the Internet, which has been adapted for use with small computing devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, and smartphones. cHTML enables small handheld devices to connect to the World Wide Web, and to present Internet text content on the mobile device's display screen.

Because handheld devices have limitations in their display, power supply, and memory resources, cHTML does not support JPEG images, tables, image maps, multiple fonts, background colours and images, frames, style sheets and more than two colours. As pages are designed to fit the screen, scrolling is also not featured, but four buttons are used to do all the basic operations. However, cHTML does support GIF images.

WML (Wireless Markup Language) is a similar markup language used with the WAP (Wireless Application Protocol). cHTML was originally developed for use with i-Mode devices by Access Company Ltd., a Japanese company, and was accepted by the W3C in 1998.

Keyword(s):

Churn

Churn is a term referring to customer turnover. The word churn is used to describe those customers abandoning a service or product, and it is particularly applied to Internet and cell-phone subscribers, who tend to often switch providers as a result of intense competition. Churn rate is calculated as the number of customers lost over a time period, divided by the average total number of customers during that period.

For commercial reasons providers will be anxious to understand why the churn rate is high, and whether it is due to customer dissatisfaction with the price or type of services offered. Some providers even offer special deals of free equipment or an initial charge-free period to attract new customers. Also, to discourage churn, the customer may be asked to sign a service agreement containing penalty clauses, to ensure that they stay with the provider for a minimum period

CIF

CIF (Common Intermediate Format) describes a video resolution that is a quarter of the television drawing area. Whilst this should strictly mean 352 x 288 pixels for PAL (used primarily in Europe) and 352 x 240 pixels for NTSC (American) resolutions, the convention of 352 x 288 pixels tends to be globally adhered to by mobile phone manufacturers when describing their screens or cameras.

The acronym CIF was originally brought in to use in the late eighties to early nineties by video conferencing applications but is rarely heard these days as the resolution it describes is relatively small and uncommon, only being used in the context of VideoCD, and more recently mobile phones and low end digital cameras. Common Interchange Format is sometimes also known as D1.

Keyword(s):

Circuit Switching

Circuit switching (Line Switching) is a method of transmitting information (voice, video or other streamed data) between endpoints within telecommunications systems. Each individual subscriber is allocated a dedicated channel of constant bandwidth, which must be maintained open for the duration of their call, even if no actual conversation is taking place and no data being transferred.

Circuit switched systems were used in the old fixed landline telephone networks, for point-to-point connections routed directly between terminals. However, circuit switching may still be the best option when uninterrupted large file transfers need to be sent, or for long voice calls and videoconferencing, but it seems to be mainly suitable for voice traffic. Circuit switching can be considered as the opposite approach to packet switching, which does not require a dedicated channel, and makes more efficient use of the network's resources.

circulation

n. average number of copies of a magazine sold in a particular period

clamshell

Clamshell is a popular style of design for a mobile phone handset. The case is made in two halves that are joined together by a hinge at the centre, such that when the phone is brought into use it is opened like the shell of a clam.

Keyword(s):

classified ads

n. small advertisements in magazine or newspaper categorized by subject

CMYK

cyan magenta yellow black

Keyword(s):

CODEC

compressor decompressor OR compress decompress

Keyword(s):

Colour models

Colour models are ,for example, RGB or CMYK

Keyword(s):

Colour Modes

RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is the colour model for light and the colour model for computer and TV screens.

url

commercial

n. paid advertisement on radio or TV

Component

Components are movie clips with parameters that allow you to modify their appearance and behavior. Examples are radio buttons, check boxes, media controller or a scroll pane.

Components

Components are drag-and-drop elements that you use to create a user interface almost instantly. Components are movie clips with parameters that allow you to modify their appearance and behaviour.

(Flash Help)

Keyword(s):

Computer Aided Design (CAD),

The use of computers to design on screen.,

Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM),

The use of computers to control manufacturing processes. Industrial examples of this range from an electronic knitting machine which produces a garment from a pre-stored program to a fully automated car assembly plant. Often linked directly to CAD to enable designs to be directly manufactured.,

Concordancing software,

Software which indexes terms from a publication such as the Bible and allows quick searching and reference.,

Conditional

Conditional statements are a vital part of a programming language; these statements are requests to the computer to make an execution choice based on a given set of conditions.

Conferencing

Real-time, two-way communications. Audio-video telecommunication support of simultaneous interactions among participants (eg, involving conference calls or videoconferencing).

Keyword(s):

Connecting

A computer connects to other computers (the internet) via a modem (examples: telephone, cable, DSL).

Keyword(s):

Control technology,

Computer programs or equipment used to control mechanical and electronic devices. Sometimes linked with sensing equipment to enable a computer to react to changes e.g. using a temperature sensor attached to an automatic window opener in a greenhouse.,

Cookies

Contains the information that tell you the times and dates that you have visited web sites. Information can be saved to hard disks in these text files, for example, online purchases, validation information about you for members-only web sites, and more.

Keyword(s):

Copyright

Copyright is the ownership of an intellectual property within the limits prescribed by a particular nation's or international law. For example, the copyright law provides that the owner of a property has the exclusive right to print, distribute, and copy the work, and permission must be obtained by anyone else to reuse the work in these ways.

Keyword(s):

coupon

n. part of a printed advertisement used for ordering goods, samples etc

CPU

central processing unit

Keyword(s):

CRC

cyclic redundancy check

Keyword(s):

CRT

cathode ray tube

Keyword(s):

CSMA/CD

carrier sense multiple access collision detection

Keyword(s):

CSS

In computing, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a stylesheet language used to describe the presentation of a document written in a markup language. Its most common application is to style web pages written in HTML and XHTML, but the language can be applied to any kind of XML document, including SVG and XUL. The CSS specifications are maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Keyword(s):

D

DAC

digital to analogue converter

Keyword(s):

Data handling, databases, datafiles

"Data handling is working with, and drawing conclusions from, collections of related information (datafiles) stored in a database. Databases and datafiles are electronic means of storing information so that it can be searched or manipulated. For example, a census return may be stored as a datafile so that it is possible to search for particular types of employment and produce graphs of the results.",

Data Integrity

Data Integrity refers to the validity of data. It can be compromised in a number of ways.

(taken from webopedia)

Keyword(s):

Data logging,

"Using sensing technology to record and store variable data over a period of time, e.g. temperature changes during the night.",

DBMS

database management system

Keyword(s):

Desktop publishing (DTP),

"The combining of text, graphics and layout to produce a finished document.",

DFD

data flow diagram

Keyword(s):

DHTML

Dynamic HTML or DHTML is a method of creating interactive web sites by using a combination of static markup language HTML, a client-side scripting language (such as JavaScript), the presentation definition language (e.g. Cascading Style Sheets), and the Document Object Model.

Keyword(s):

Digital camera,

"Records photographs in an electronic form that enables the user to transfer them to a computer to store, change or incorporate them into other files.",

Digital Certificate

A digital certificate is an electronic "credit card" that establishes your credentials when doing business or other transactions on the Web. It is issued by a certification authority ( CA ). It contains your name, a serial number, expiration dates, a copy of the certificate holder's public key, and the digital signature of the certificate-issuing authority so that a recipient can verify that the certificate is real.

Keyword(s):

Digital sound or images,

"Computers store information in a digital form which allows accurate repeated reproduction, unlike audio tape or photocopies which become distorted after being copied several times. Sounds and images stored in this way can be easily edited and manipulated. These files can sometimes be compressed, using specialist software, to reduce the amount of storage space they require.",

DNS

domain name server

Keyword(s):

DOS

disk operating system

Keyword(s):

doublepage spread

n. advertisement printed across 2 pages in a magazine or newspaper

Dreamweaver

Dreamweaver is the industry-leading web development tool, enabling users to efficiently design, develop and maintain standards-based websites and applications

Dreamweaver creates and maintaining basic websites to advanced applications that support best practices and the latest technologies.

http://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/

DSL

digital subscriber line

Keyword(s):

DSS

decision support system

Keyword(s):

DVD

digital versatile disk

Keyword(s):

Dynamic geometry (Software),

Allows the user to draw and manipulate geometric shapes on the screen.,

Dynamic HTML

Dynamic HTML or DHTML is a method of creating interactive web sites by using a combination of static markup language HTML, a client-side scripting language (such as JavaScript), the presentation definition language (e.g. Cascading Style Sheets), and the Document Object Model.

INFO FROM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_HTML

Keyword(s):

E

E-mail (electronic mail),

Allows the user to send and receive messages from one computer to another over any distance.,

eCommerce

Electric commerce: the conducting of business communication and transactions over networks and through computers. Specifically, ecommerce is the buying and selling of goods and services, and the transfer of funds, through digital communications.

Keyword(s):

EFTPOS

electronic funds transfer at point of sale

Keyword(s):

eMail

Electronic mail. Mail composed and transmitted on a computer system or network.

Encryption

Encryption is the conversion of data into a form, called a ciphertext , that cannot be easily understood by unauthorized people. Decryption is the process of converting encrypted data back into its original form, so it can be understood.

Equation editor,

"Software which contains symbols and templates to build a variety of equations within, say, a word processor.",

Equity of Access

Equity of access means that all people have the information they need-regardless of age, education, ethnicity, language, income, physical limitations or geographic barriers.

(taken from ALA)

ER

entity relationship

Keyword(s):

Expression

An expression in a programming language is a combination of values, variables, operators, and functions that are interpreted (evaluated) according to the particular rules of precedence and of association for a particular programming language, which computes and then produces (returns, in a stateful environment) another value.

eyecatcher

n. something that especially attracts oneos attention eyecatching

F

features

n. special characteristics of a product, usually leading to certain benefits

File Formats

A file format is a particular way to encode information for storage in a computer file.

url

Keyword(s):

Fill

A shape created in Flash can be made using fill. Fill is used to colour-in the shape. Colours are chosen in the Colours section of the toolbox.

Keyword(s):

Firewall

A dedicated gateway machine with special security precautions on it typically used to protect a network when it is connected to an outside network, especially the Internet.

Keyword(s):

Firewalls

A system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or a combination of both. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet, especially intranets. All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria.

Fireworks

Macromedia Fireworks (also known as FW for short) is a bitmap and vector graphics editor, developed by Macromedia and aimed at web designers (with features such as: slices, the ability to add hotspots etc.). It is designed to integrate easily with other Macromedia products, such as Dreamweaver and Flash, and is part of the Macromedia Studio 8 suite.

Keyword(s):

Flash

Flash is an authoring tool that allows you to create anything from a simple animation to a complex interactive web application, such as an online store.

Floor turtle/robot,

"A device that can be programmed to move forwards and backwards and to turn, or to perform a task or sequence of tasks. Some are independent; others can be connected to a computer.",

Frame

Frame (Frame-by-frame animation): Is an animation created by moving an object little-by-little over several consecutive frames and is used by working with the Timeline feature in Flash.

Source: http://wps.aw.com/aw_webwizard/0,6065,184735-,00.html

Keyword(s):

Frontpage

Microsoft FrontPage is a powerful Web design software tool that is available at retail locations everywhere.

FTP

file transfer protocol

Keyword(s):

Function

A function object is a computer programming construct allowing an object to be invoked or called as if it were an ordinary function. The exact meaning may vary among programming languages

G

GB

giga byte OR gigabyte

Keyword(s):

GDSS

group decision support system

Keyword(s):

Generic software,

The most common forms of computer software such as word processors and spreadsheets.,

Geographic Information System (GIS),

"A computer-based mapping system. Maps, including Ordnance Survey, linked to associated databases, e.g. census surveys.",

GIF

graphic interchange format

Keyword(s):

Gradient

Gradients allow you to create the illusiuon of depth and allows you to blend colors.

Keyword(s):

Graph plotter,

Software which will draw on screen the graph of a mathematical function.,

Graphical calculator,

A calculator that can be programmed to draw graphs of mathematical functions.,

Grid

When the grid is displayed in a document, it appears as a set of lines behind the artwork in all scenes. You can snap objects to the grid, and you can modify the grid size and grid line colour.

GUI

graphical user interface

Keyword(s):

Guide

Guides are a feature in Flash to help you lay out the Stage more precisely. Guides are horizontal and vertical lines you can use as drawing aids while you work.

Keyword(s):

H

HTML

Hyper Text Markup Language

This is the language web pages are usually written in, if a phone is said to html internet access this means it is not restricted to the mobile internet.

Keyword(s):

HTTP

hypertext transfer protocol

Keyword(s):

Hyperlink

A hyperlink, or simply a link, is a reference in a hypertext document to another document or other resource.

Keyword(s):

Hyperlinks

A hyperlink, or simply a link, is a reference in a hypertext document to another document or other resource. As such it is similar to a citation in literature. Combined with a data network and suitable access protocol, a computer can be instructed to fetch the resource referenced. Hyperlinks are part of the foundation of the World Wide Web.

Keyword(s):

Hypertext/hot links/hyperlink

Text and images which, when clicked on, display other related information. These are widely used on the Internet and CD-ROMs to simplify the selection of further information.

I

Icon

A small picture which represents an action or object. Icons are used on computers to represent commands. A small picture of a printer may be used to represent the print command. Selecting the icon with a mouse and clicking on it will command the computer to print.

IMAP

(Internet Message Access Protocol) IMAP is gradually replacing POP as the main protocol used by email clients in communicating with email servers. Using IMAP an email client program can not only retrieve email but can also manipulate message stored on the server, without having to actually retrieve the messages. So messages can be deleted, have their status changed and multiple mail boxes can be managed.

Integrated Learning System (ILS)

Software package which combines curriculum content in tutorial format with a management system to monitor and record the progress of the learner.

Internet

A global telecommunications network enabling computers around the world to share information.

Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer (IE) -- sometimes referred to as Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) -- is the most widely used World Wide Web browser. It comes with the Microsoft Windows operating system and can also be downloaded from Microsoft's Web site. The IE browser competes with an earlier browser, Netscape, now owned by AOL.

www.webasyst.net/glossary.htm

Keyword(s):

internet history

connecting poeple while they are on the computer and the earliest versions appeared in the late 1950s.

Intranet

Similar to the Internet, but restricted within an organisation, e.g. a school or local authority. Most Intranets contain gateways to the wider Internet.

IP

internet protocol

Keyword(s):

IS

information system

Keyword(s):

ISDN

integrated services digital network

Keyword(s):

ISO

international organization for standardisation

Keyword(s):

ISP

internet service provider

Keyword(s):

IT

information technology

Keyword(s):

J

J2ME

Also known as: Java 2 Platform, Java Micro Edition, K Java J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition or K Java) is a software and technology environment that has been specifically designed to enable the development of applications optimised for use on mobile and portable consumer devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). J2ME is able to run on devices with RAM of only 128 kB, and this allows programmers to use the Java programming language (and related tools) to develop software for devices with limited memory. A wide range of applications and games are now available for use on mobile devices. J2ME was developed by Sun Microsystems

Java

Java is an object oriented language created by Sun Microsystems in the mid-nineties to provide an open and machine independant platform to develop applications on. The original driving force behind Java was the need to write application code for web applications that could be downloaded via a browser and then executed on a client, regardless of its operating system, be it Windows, Mac, Unix, Symbian or anything else. Java has since grown extensively as more uses have been found for such a versatile language and more platforms have been brought into existence. Thousands of different constructs (for example "collections" and "frameworks") have been created and built into the Java language itself, making the language extremely adaptable. Java has even been used to write entire operating systems. The key part of Java that allows it to be run on on such a diverse range of hardware and operating systems is the JVM, or Java Virtual Machine. This is in effect a program that acts as a virtual computer which can understand Java; Java programs are then run on this virtual machine. Java tends to occur in the mobile telecommunications industry in two common forms - J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition), which is the set of Java objects and interfaces available on mobile platforms such as phones; and downloadable Java applications (most commonly Java games) which are developed by software houses and then installable over the air by any handset user. The definitive resource on Java is at java.sun.com

Java 2 Platform

Also known as: J2ME, Java Micro Edition, K Java J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition or K Java) is a software and technology environment that has been specifically designed to enable the development of applications optimised for use on mobile and portable consumer devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). J2ME is able to run on devices with RAM of only 128 kB, and this allows programmers to use the Java programming language (and related tools) to develop software for devices with limited memory. A wide range of applications and games are now available for use on mobile devices. J2ME was developed by Sun Microsystems

Java Game

Java Games are simple arcade style games, written in the Java language, that are designed to run on a mobile phone. A phone that supports Java applications will be able to run Java games, and these may be downloaded easily and quickly from a number of web sites, usually for a fee, although some sites provide Free Online Games. The games are stored in the internal memory of the phone

Java Micro Edition

J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition or K Java) is a software and technology environment that has been specifically designed to enable the development of applications optimised for use on mobile and portable consumer devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). J2ME is able to run on devices with RAM of only 128 kB, and this allows programmers to use the Java programming language (and related tools) to develop software for devices with limited memory. A wide range of applications and games are now available for use on mobile devices. J2ME was developed by Sun Microsystems

Joint Photographic Experts Group

Also known as: JPEG JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is an independant organisation formed in the mid eighties with the aim of creating true colour computer image standards. The initiative to develop a photographic image format was initially taken on by the ISO but other groups were merged (including the ITU-T) in order to take advantage of their experience. The standard most commonly referred to by the term JPEG is ISO/IEC IS 10918-1, which defines techniques for digitally coding photographic images. There is an extension of this standard called JFIF (JPEG File Interchange Format) which is the standard commonly used for almost all JPEG image files. JPEG can be used to store either truecolour (24-bit) or greyscale images. It uses a lossy compression algorithm called DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) which is a lot more complex than normal bitmap encodings and so requires more computing power to encode or decode; the benefit is that good image quality can be acheived with a small file. DCT in JPEGs works best on photographic images; graphics that contain sharp contrasts such as straight edges don�??t compress so well. Being a lossy compression method, it is possible to have manual control over the balanace between the quality and file size of JPEG-coded images. There has been demand for JPEG images that employ lossless compression as the basic standard does not define it very clearly or thoroughly. The JPEG-LS standard (ISO/IEC IS 14495-1) has been developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group to help increase the quality and integration of lossless compression. The JPEG standard is heavily supported by the open source movement, and the good accessibility of JPEG coding and decoding packages has helped its rapid adoption into the mainstream in the mid nineties.

Joystick

A device connected to a computer to control actions on a screen, e.g. in computer games. Can have a similar function to a mouse.

JPEG

Also known as: Joint Photographic Experts Group JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is an independant organisation formed in the mid eighties with the aim of creating true colour computer image standards. The initiative to develop a photographic image format was initially taken on by the ISO but other groups were merged (including the ITU-T) in order to take advantage of their experience. The standard most commonly referred to by the term JPEG is ISO/IEC IS 10918-1, which defines techniques for digitally coding photographic images. There is an extension of this standard called JFIF (JPEG File Interchange Format) which is the standard commonly used for almost all JPEG image files. JPEG can be used to store either truecolour (24-bit) or greyscale images. It uses a lossy compression algorithm called DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) which is a lot more complex than normal bitmap encodings and so requires more computing power to encode or decode; the benefit is that good image quality can be acheived with a small file. DCT in JPEGs works best on photographic images; graphics that contain sharp contrasts such as straight edges don�??t compress so well. Being a lossy compression method, it is possible to have manual control over the balanace between the quality and file size of JPEG-coded images. There has been demand for JPEG images that employ lossless compression as the basic standard does not define it very clearly or thoroughly. The JPEG-LS standard (ISO/IEC IS 14495-1) has been developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group to help increase the quality and integration of lossless compression. The JPEG standard is heavily supported by the open source movement, and the good accessibility of JPEG coding and decoding packages has helped its rapid adoption into the mainstream in the mid nineties.

K

KB

kilo byte OR kilobyte

Keyword(s):

Keyframe

A keyframe is a frame in which you define a change in an animation or include frame actions to modify a document. Flash can tween, or fill in, the frames between keyframes to produce fluid animations.

Keyword(s):

Keywords

A list of words which are used to describe a document or other information so that it is easy to find with a search engine. For example, a report of the Trooping of the Colour may have the keywords royal, tradition, England, military and many others, associated with it.

L

LAN

local area network

Keyword(s):

Large display screen

A large (usually 28 or above) monitor or TV which allows many people to view a computer screen simultaneously. Alternatively, an ordinary projection screen can be used in conjunction with a video projector or computer display panel.

Layer

Layers are like transparent sheets of acetate stacked on top of each other. Layers help you organize the artwork in your document. You can draw and edit objects on one layer without affecting objects on another layer. Where there is nothing on a layer, you can see through it to the layers below.

Layers

Layering is the organization of programming into separate functional components that interact in some sequential and hierarchical way. (whatis.com)

LCD

liquid crystal display

Keyword(s):

Library

The library is used to store and organize symbols that are created in flash.

Logical operator

When searching for information on a CD-ROM or the Internet it is possible to use keywords and to link those with logical operators such as and and or. They allow the search to be narrowed or widened. For example, "horse and plough" would only find information which contained both the words, whilst "horse or plough" would find any reference which contained either one or other word, including information on modern farm equipment and show-jumping.

Logo

A computer programming language that can be used, for example, to create and manipulate shapes and patterns on screen or to control a screen or floor turtle.

Loop

A loop is a sequence of statements which is specified once but which may be carried out several times in succession. The code "inside" the loop is obeyed a specified number of times, or once for each of a collection of items, or until some condition is met.

M

Maintenance

Once a website has been completed, constant maintenance is needed to keep things running - especially if the website has dynamic content or if users are able to interact with the website. Depending ont the size and scale of the website, maintenance can be a full time job.

Manipulation

Manipulation happens when you change the colour , erase or cut out sections of any picture.

MB

mega byte OR megabyte

Keyword(s):

Messaging

A form of network communication that appears instantly on the monitor of the receiving system. Also called instant messaging.

Keyword(s):

MIDI

musical instrument digital interface

Keyword(s):

MIME

multipurpose internet mail extension

Keyword(s):

MIS

management information system

Keyword(s):

Modelling

Using a spreadsheet or other software to explore the effect of changing variables in a given scenario.

MODEM

modulate demodulate OR modulator demodulator OR modulated demodulated

Keyword(s):

Motion Guide

Motion Guide is nothing but moving your symbol in a predefined path such as curves or circles. Learn how to move Flash objects in circular, zig zag or curved paths using Flash motion guide.

(accessed: />)http://www.flzone.net/ShowDetail?.asp?NewsId?=10415

Keyword(s):

Motion Tween

In motion tweening, you define properties such as position, size, and rotation for an instance, group, or text block at one point in time, and then you change those properties at another point in time. You can also apply a motion tween along a path.

Keyword(s):

Movie

A Flash Movie is an animated film created using Macromedia Flash animation software, usually as a form of limited animation.

MP3

moving pictures layer 3

Keyword(s):

MPEG

moving pictures expert group OR moving pictures experts group

Keyword(s):

Multi-media

Information consisting of text, graphics, sound and moving video.

Multi-media software (authoring tools)

A computer programme which allows the user to create documents which contain text, pictures, sounds and video. Some word processors and presentation software can be used for this purpose.

N

National Grid for Learning (NGfL)

A developing collection of resources brought together on the Internet to help raise standards in education and to support lifelong learning.

Netcsape

A widely used browser or client used to search and view information files on the World Wide Web. Another popular browser is Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

Netscape

A graphical browser of the World Wide Web that provides search/retrieval programming, multimedia applications and e-mail functionality to users of the Internet.

Keyword(s):

Network

Computers that are connected together and can communicate with each other or share resources such as computer programs or printers.

News Groups

Discussion forums organized around a particular interest, issue or activity. Can be used to share expertise, views and information, and debate issues.

Newsgroups

A global Internet bulletin board - a collection of messages and articles organised into topics.

Notation (software/sequencer)

Some computer programs, written for music teaching, allow the production and editing of music scores, in much the same way that word processors are used to produce texts. In some cases the notation can be directly played on an instrument through a midi interface, in other cases the playing of the instrument through a midi interface will produce the musical notation.

Notepad

Notepad is a Windows program normally used as a text editor. It is a text editor supplied with Windows. It is sometimes used to type in HTML code.
Notepad (if it's installed) can be opened by clicking on Start> Programs> Accessories> Notepad.

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&lr=&defl=en&q=define:Notepad&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

O

OAS

office automation system

Keyword(s):

Object

Object: An item consisting of data that a user can manipulate as a single unit to perform a task. An object can appear as text, an icon, or both.

www.sabc.co.za/manual/ibm/9agloss.htm

On-line (discussion or conference)

A facility to allow a number of people to exchange ideas and comments on a subject, generally in a written form and using either a local network, Intranet or the Internet.

Online Gaming

Internet games (also known as online games) are games that are played online via the Internet. They are distinct from video and computer games in that they are normally platform independent, relying solely on client-side technologies (normally called 'plugins'). Normally all that is required to play Internet games are a web browser and the appropriate plugin (normally available for free via the plugin maker's website). A game played in a browser is often called a browser-based game.

Keyword(s):

Opera

Opera is a Web browser that provides some differences with the two most popular browsers from Netscape and Microsoft. Much smaller in size, Opera is known for being fast and stable.

OS

operating system

Keyword(s):

Overhead projector tablet or panel

A computer display panel that sits on an overhead projector, allowing the image from the computer to be projected onto a large screen.

Overlay keyboard

A rectangular, touch-sensitive device connected to the computer. It is divided into a grid, onto which a sheet of paper containing pictures and words can be placed. Pressing areas of the sheet causes pre-programmed text or pictures to appear on the screen or sounds to be played.

P

Palette

Is the available colors supported by a computer graphics system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palette

Keyword(s):

Palm top computer or Personal organiser

Like a very small laptop, small enough to fit into a pocket. Some are referred to as personal organisers.

Panels

The Training Layout panel set arranges your workspace in a way that facilitates taking lessons. You'll use this layout for all lessons that you take in Flash. (Flash Help Menu)

PDF

portable document format

Keyword(s):

Photoshop

Adobe graphics program.

Keyword(s):

Pixel

The pixel (a word invented from "picture element") is the basic unit of programmable color on a computer display or in a computer image. Think of it as a logical - rather than a physical - unit. The physical size of a pixel depends on how you've set the resolution for the display screen. If you've set the display to its maximum resolution, the physical size of a pixel will equal the physical size of the dot pitch (let's just call it the dot size) of the display. If, however, you've set the resolution to something less than the maximum resolution, a pixel will be larger than the physical size of the screen's dot (that is, a pixel will use more than one dot). url

Keyword(s):

Plotter

An alternative to the printer for producing drawings. Can be used with very large paper (e.g. A0).

PNG

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a losslessly compressed bitmap image format.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PNG

Keyword(s):

POP

post office protocol

Keyword(s):

Portable/laptop computer

A computer which is as powerful as a desktop but has a smaller, slimmer Liquid Crystal Display screen. Most are around A4 size.

poster

n. large sheet of paper, usually illustrated, used as advertisement

Presentation software

The use of computer software to create slides similar to those used on an overhead projector, except that the display can include text, sound, still and moving images. Slides are prepared in advance, can be edited and are stored in the correct sequence.

prime time

Array

Privacy

Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to keep their lives and personal affairs out of public view, or to stop information about themselves from becoming known to people other than those whom they choose to give the information.

Examples of Privacy: Political privacy, Medical privacy, Genetic privacy, Privacy during an online job search, Internet Privacy, Privacy from corporations and Privacy from government interference.

(taken from wikipedia.com)

Programmable Toy

Often in the form of a floor turtle or robot. Any toy which can be programmed with a set of instructions.

Projector/video

A powerful projection unit, similar to a slide projector, which connects to a computer, video recorder or video camera. Useful for teaching a whole class or large group.

Proxy Server

A proxy server is a computer network service which allows clients to make indirect network connections to other network services.

Keyword(s):

Proxy Servers

A server that sits between a client application , such as a Web browser , and a real server . It intercepts all requests to the real server to see if it can fulfill the requests itself. If not, it forwards the request to the real server.

Q

QBE

query by example

Keyword(s):

R

RAM

random access memory

Keyword(s):

Resolution

the level of detail of an image

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resolution

Keyword(s):

RGB

red green blue

Keyword(s):

ROM

read only memory

Keyword(s):

RSS

really simple syndication

Keyword(s):

RTF

rich text format

Keyword(s):

Ruler

To help you get your bearings, you can choose to display Rulers. [View --> Rulers] Rulers appear along the top and the left side of the Stage.The ruler is measured in pixels. cool

Keyword(s):

S

Safari

A type of web browser associated with the Mac OS platform.

Keyword(s):

Satellite imaging

Many satellites transmit photographic images which can be used in a variety of ways, e.g. tracking the progress of a hurricane. Images can be received, stored and viewed on a computer.

Scanner

Works like a small photocopier, but the image can be displayed on a computer screen, saved to disc or printed out. Most scanners will take up to A4 size.

Scene

To organize a document thematically, you can use scenes. For example, you might use separate scenes for an introduction, a loading message, and credits.

Note: You cannot use scenes in a screen-based document.

When you publish a Flash document that contains more than one scene, the scenes in the document play back in the order they are listed in the Scene panel in the Flash document. Frames in the document are numbered consecutively through scenes. For example, if a document contains two scenes with ten frames each, the frames in Scene 2 are numbered 11-20.

You can add, delete, duplicate, rename, and change the order of scenes.

To stop or pause a document after each scene, or to let users navigate the document in a nonlinear fashion, you use actions.

SDC

system development cycle

Keyword(s):

Search Engine

A search engine is a program designed to help find information stored on a computer system such as the World Wide Web, inside a corporate or proprietary network or a personal computer.

Keyword(s):

Search engine/facility

Most CD-ROMs and the Internet have search engines. These are facilities which allow the user to search for information without having to look through a whole index or catalogue and are generally based on keywords and logical operators.

Search Engines

Permits searching of documents and databases accessible on the Internet. Search engines can be set up to search only content within one Web site or to search the entire Internet. Many search engine developers have their own web sites such as Lycos and Alta Vista. In addition to search engines there are index sites such as Yahoo, where links to Web sites are organized into categories so that you can browse categories rather than guessing at search terms.

Keyword(s):

Security

The protection of information assets through the use of technology, processes, and training.

Keyword(s):

Sensing technology (including remote sensing)

Equipment which can be connected to a computer, and which will record and display information from sensors, e.g. light, sound, movement or temperature. Some sensing equipment can be used to collect data away from the computer, but be linked to the computer later to display the recordings made.

Server

A powerful computer which is central to many networks. The server will control access to the network, and will store most files centrally. Internet web pages are held on the service providers web server.

Shape

Shape is a 2D or implied 2D area defined by line or changes in value and/or colour.

www.ackland.org/tours/classes/glossary.html

Shape Tween

By tweening shapes, you can create an effect similar to morphing, making one shape appear to change into another shape over time. Flash can also tween the location, size, and color of shapes.

Simulations

Computer programs which simulate real or imaginary scenarios. Often used to simulate events that would normally be impossible, difficult or dangerous.

Slicing

In object-oriented programming, slicing is an operation to slice off a target value by size of the base type, thus extra parts will be gone. This is not the same as array slicing, however it does have similar characteristics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slicing

Keyword(s):

SMTP

simple mail transfer protocol

Keyword(s):

Snap to Grid

The Snap to Grid tool allows user to precisely position their elements on the Flash page.

Sound

There are two types of sounds in Flash: event sounds and stream sounds. An event sound must download completely before it begins playing, and it continues playing until explicitly stopped. Stream sounds begin playing as soon as enough data for the first few frames has been downloaded.

Speech input/output

Many computer programs, especially word processors, can read text audibly and can convert spoken words into text.

Spell-/grammar-checker

Most word processors contain the automatic facility to check texts for unknown words. These are spell-checkers. Some word processors also contain the automatic facility to check the grammar of the text against pre-programmed criteria. Both facilities are generally able to offer alternative suggestions where they detect a possible mistake.

Spreadsheet

An application in which textual and numerical data can be entered, stored and displayed. It can perform sophisticated calculations and be used to draw graphs of the data. Spreadsheets are especially useful for exploring models in which the rules are governed by mathematical relationships, e.g. the budget for a design and technology project.

SQL

structured query language

Keyword(s):

Stage

When the Stage is magnified, you may not be able to see all of it. The Hand tool lets you move the Stage to change the view without having to change the magnification.

Stroke

The ability to make shapes in adobe flash can me created through using strokes. Strokes can be accessed in the colours section in the tool box, where the colour of the stroke can be changed.

Keyword(s):

Symbol

Symbols can have all the functionality that you can create with Flash, including animation

Syntax

The rules for the construction of a command or statement when using actionscripting.

T

Talking (books, word processors, dictionaries)

Multi-media computers can be used, with suitable software, to read aloud the words that appear on the screen. With some word processors this facility can be set to read each word as it is written or to read only when prompted by the user.

TCP

transmission control protocol

Keyword(s):

TCP/IP

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is the basic communication language or protocol of the Internet. It can also be used as a communications protocol in a private network (either an intranet or an extranet). When you are set up with direct access to the Internet, your computer is provided with a copy of the TCP/IP program just as every other computer that you may send messages to or get information from also has a copy of TCP/IP.

Keyword(s):

Terminal (computer)

A computer attached to a network, often known as a network station. Data is usually stored centrally on the server.

Test 1

Testing

In general, testing is finding out how well something works. In terms of human beings, testing tells what level of knowledge or skill has been acquired. In computer hardware and software development, testing is used at key checkpoints in the overall process to determine whether objectives are being met.

http://searchvb.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,290660,sid8_gci534970,00.html

Text

Text refers to character data, or to one of the segments of a program in memory. In Flash, text is written letters which are objects that themselves can be animated.

Keyword(s):

Text art

Processing a small amount of text in a graphical way to produce special effects, as in logos etc.

Text conferencing

Enables people in a conference group or chat room to exchange text messages, usually via the Internet, which will display simultaneously for each member of the group.

Text manipulation software

Specialist computer programs, often used to teach languages, which allow words or letters to be hidden, revealed or replaced.

Tim Berners-Lee

Sir Timothy "Tim" John Berners-Lee, (born June 8, 1955 in London) is the inventor of the World Wide Web and director of the World Wide Web Consortium, which oversees its continued development.

Keyword(s):

Timeline

Just above the Stage, you see the Timeline and layers. This is used to create and name layers, and add content to frames on layers to organize how your Flash content plays as the playhead moves across the frames.

Timelines

The Timeline organizes and controls a document's content over time in layers and frames. Like films, Flash documents divide lengths of time into frames. Layers are like multiple film strips stacked on top of one another, each containing a different image that appears on the Stage. The major components of the Timeline are layers, frames, and the playhead.

(FLASH HELP)

Keyword(s):

Touch screen

A touch sensitive computer display screen. The user selects, moves and draws by pointing to, and touching, the relevant part of the screen.

TPS

transaction processing system

Keyword(s):

Trackball

Alternative to a mouse. It has the advantage of remaining in one place and requires less table space.

Turtle (Turtle graphics)

Generally associated with Logo. The turtle generally takes the form of a mechanical floor turtle or a symbol on a computer screen which can be programmed to produce images or mathematical patterns.

U

URL

uniform resource locator

Keyword(s):

USB

universal serial bus

Keyword(s):

UTP

unshielded twisted pair

Keyword(s):

V

Variable

In a case-sensitive programming language, variable names that differ only in case (book and Book) are considered different from each other. Therefore the variable needs to remain consistent throughout the programming in Flash.

VDU

visual display unit

Keyword(s):

Vector Graphic

A graphic image drawn in shapes and lines, called paths.

Vector Graphics

Vector graphics is the creation of digital images through a sequence of commands or mathematical statements that place lines and shapes in a given two-dimensional or three-dimensional space.

url

Vector Paths

A vector path is made of a number of segments, each of which is a connected sequence of points.

Information from
http://www.levien.com/libart/vpath.html

Video

Computer Science Of or relating to the production of images on video displays.

Video capture

Equipment which allows a video camera to be connected to a computer. Video sequences or still images can then be stored on disk and edited.

Video conferencing

By means of a camera and microphone attached to each computer, several people can communicate at a distance with sound and images, either via the Internet or high speed telephone lines.

Vinyl cutter

A robotic cutting device that can be programmed to cut vinyl to a pre-determined pattern.

Virtual Teacher Centre

Part of the National Grid for Learning, this is a source of resource materials for the classroom, the library, school management, career development, etc.

Virus Protection

A virus is a code which can either lie dormant in a computer and be not particualry harmful, but it can can also cause computers to shut down, lose of data, and even make the computer need to be reformatted. To prevent this Virus Protection has been created. There are many different programs for Virus protection or Anti-virus software, some working better than others, but the aim of all the programs is to protect your computer from harmful and useless virus's.

Keyword(s):

Voice conferencing

Several people can communicate audibly at a distance, either via the Internet, by means of a microphone attached to each computer, or via ordinary telephone lines.

VR

virtual reality

Keyword(s):

W

W

Also known as: Watt Watt (W) is the standard unit for measuring power, and it indicates the rate at which energy - for example electrical or electromagnetic energy - is radiated, absorbed, or dissipated. One Watt is equivalent to using one Joule of energy per second. The RF and audio power available from a mobile phone will determine its capacity to provide good signal strength, which is necessary in order to maintain satisfactory communications with users on the phone network. There has to be a compromise however, as the higher the power used by the phone, then the greater will be the drain on its battery. The power can be determined by calculating the product of the voltage and the current (i.e. Watts = Volts x Amps).

Wallpaper

Wallpaper is a picture or graphical image that fully covers the display screen of a computer, mobile phone or other equipment with a visual monitor. This 'wallpaper' is used to customise the background environment on the user's screen, and to give the equipment a personalised or corporate appearance. Wallpaper is available for free download from many websites, although there are also specialist companies that sell designer wallpaper

WAN

wide area network

Keyword(s):

WAP

Also known as: Wireless Application Protocol WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) is a common global standard, which defines the way in which Internet communications and advanced non-voice services are provided on wireless mobile devices, such as digital mobile phones and Personal Digital Assistants. The current version of this protocol is WAP 2.0, and it is fast becoming the standard way for mobile devices to access Internet services, by communicating with a server installed in the mobile phone network. A mobile device can therefore combine telephony services with the limited capacity of mobile terminal displays, and so provide the user with a microbrowser. A WAP enabled phone provides interactive access to the Internet, and to services such as online news and information, e-commerce transactions, online banking, e-mail messaging, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), and a host of new services still in development. Subscribers use WAP to access websites and pages that have been converted for WML (Wireless Markup Language), which are stripped down to their basic text format, and this is more suitable for the limited display capabilities of mobile devices. WAP works with multiple standards and is supported by most modern mobile networks, such as GSM, GPRS, and UMTS, and in the future equipment and networks that use WAP will be more compatible, regardless of the manufacturer. WAP is the mobile equivalent of HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), and has been developed through the cooperation of the world's major telecommunications and software companies, their activities being co-ordinated through the WAP Forum. The WAP Forum has a website at www.wapforum.org. Some manufacturers claim that their handsets have WAP 2.0 browsers; this is often a re-branding of an XHTML-MP browser, the version number representing XHTML replacing WML for mobile content markup. An alternative system standard to WAP is i-Mode

WAP Identity Module

Also known as: WIM WIM (WAP identity module) is a security module that provides a more secure environment when using WAP related applications and services on a mobile device via a WAP gateway. A WIM allows the user to store certificates and digital signatures

Watt

Watt (W) is the standard unit for measuring power, and it indicates the rate at which energy - for example electrical or electromagnetic energy - is radiated, absorbed, or dissipated. One Watt is equivalent to using one Joule of energy per second. The RF and audio power available from a mobile phone will determine its capacity to provide good signal strength, which is necessary in order to maintain satisfactory communications with users on the phone network. There has to be a compromise however, as the higher the power used by the phone, then the greater will be the drain on its battery. The power can be determined by calculating the product of the voltage and the current (i.e. Watts = Volts x Amps).

Wavelength

Wavelength is the physical distance spanned by one complete cycle or wave of an alternating signal as it travels through space. The term wavelength can be applied to many types of wave, e.g. audio, radio, light, etc, but is generally only applicable to a wave of a single frequency, such as the RF carrier transmitted by a mobile phone. Wavelength (l), usually measured in metres between the adjacent peaks or troughs of consecutive waves, is related to frequency (f) and propagation velocity (v) by the equation l = v / f. Note that the propagation velocity depends on the type of wave and the material through which it passes: radio waves travel at the speed of light, but audio waves at the speed of sound

Web authoring software

A computer programme designed to produce web pages for a web site.

Web Page

A web page or webpage is a resource on the World Wide Web

Keyword(s):

Web site Web pages

A collection of related pages (web pages) of information, owned and maintained by the same organisation or individual, and published on the Internet. It is relatively straightforward for schools and individuals to create a web site.

Whiteboard/interactive, electronic

Like a conventional whiteboard, except that the images from the computer are projected onto the board and can be controlled and adjusted on screen using a stylus. Can be used in whole class teaching.

WIM

Also known as: WAP identity module WIM (WAP identity module) is a security module that provides a more secure environment when using WAP related applications and services on a mobile device via a WAP gateway. A WIM allows the user to store certificates and digital signatures

Wireless Application Protocol

Also known as: WAP WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) is a common global standard, which defines the way in which Internet communications and advanced non-voice services are provided on wireless mobile devices, such as digital mobile phones and Personal Digital Assistants. The current version of this protocol is WAP 2.0, and it is fast becoming the standard way for mobile devices to access Internet services, by communicating with a server installed in the mobile phone network. A mobile device can therefore combine telephony services with the limited capacity of mobile terminal displays, and so provide the user with a microbrowser. A WAP enabled phone provides interactive access to the Internet, and to services such as online news and information, e-commerce transactions, online banking, e-mail messaging, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), and a host of new services still in development. Subscribers use WAP to access websites and pages that have been converted for WML (Wireless Markup Language), which are stripped down to their basic text format, and this is more suitable for the limited display capabilities of mobile devices. WAP works with multiple standards and is supported by most modern mobile networks, such as GSM, GPRS, and UMTS, and in the future equipment and networks that use WAP will be more compatible, regardless of the manufacturer. WAP is the mobile equivalent of HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), and has been developed through the cooperation of the world's major telecommunications and software companies, their activities being co-ordinated through the WAP Forum. The WAP Forum has a website at www.wapforum.org. Some manufacturers claim that their handsets have WAP 2.0 browsers; this is often a re-branding of an XHTML-MP browser, the version number representing XHTML replacing WML for mobile content markup. An alternative system standard to WAP is i-Mode

Wireless Phone

Wireless Phone is another name for a mobile phone. The word 'wireless' refers to the fact that the phone is actually a small radio transceiver, which communicates with the mobile telephone network by transmitting and receiving radio signals through the air without using wires. Although the various types of mobile phone, cell (cellular) phones, and car phones are all wireless devices, the cordless phones used at home are not considered wireless, as their base units are connected by wires to the network

Word processing

The ability to enter, edit, manipulate, store and print pages of text using a computer. Modern word processors have desktop publishing capability.

World Wide Web

The vast collection of information which has been published on the Internet in the form of web pages.

Wristwatch monitor

This consists of a strap fitting around your chest that contains a radio that transmits your heartbeat to a wristwatch monitor. Heart monitors can be programmed to beep if your pulse rate moves outside your target zone.

WWW

world wide web

Keyword(s):

WYSIWYG

what you see is what you get

Keyword(s):

X

X-Modem

Also known as: Ymodem Y-Modem is an error-correction protocol used in the transfer of serial data files between modems. Y-Modem is based on the earlier X-Modem protocol, but has the additional feature of being able to cope with a batch transmission mode, in which a number of files can be sent with one command. For greater efficiency Y-Modem can also handle data with a variable block size of up to a maximum 1024 bytes (1 kB). During transmission, the size of text and binary files is included in the Y-Modem header, so that the exact file length will be retained after transfer. The error detection method in Y-Modem is cyclic redundancy check (CRC). A later version of Y-Modem, Y-Modem-G, transmits data in a continuous stream and does not acknowledge the blocks successfully received; it is only the blocks with detected errors that cause a negative acknowledgement (NAK), thus prompting the resending of data

XHTML

XHTML (a merger of XML and HTML) is an updated HTML standard introduced to help tidy up all the developments and additions to original HTML. Over the years, different browsers added features and offered increased functionality, which all had their own proprietary manifestation in HTML. This led to a mish mash of tags and markup that often led to web authors putting in duplicate attributes and code in order to make sure that a page looked the same in different browsers browsers. XHTML is a unifying standard from the W3C that brings the XML benefits of easy validation and troubleshooting to HTML, which not only helps developers but also makes the pages easier to read for programs such as mobile browsers. There are three variations of XHTML, the most common of which is Transitional. XHTML Transitional is a stepping stone from the deprecated HTML standardsL, and as such is fairly permissive, allowing many old and proprietary attributes, although Transitional stipulates that all tags must have both opening and a closing markup and be correctly nested. XHTML Strict is a more rigourous standard that removes all the ’chaff’ gathered by HTML not ruled out in Transitional, and is what web authors should strive toward. Finally, XHTML Frameset is similar to XHTML Transitional, but allows for the use of frames.

XML

Also known as: Extensible Markup Language Extensible Markup Language, or XML, is a language used to describe and structure data. Its predecessor, SGML, is much more diverse, but is too complex for general usage; as a result, a thinned down version was created, which became eXtensible Markup Language. It is used in creating other web-markup methods such as Wireless Markup Language (WML), Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), or Synchronised Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL). XML is particularly suitable for web applications because it: is compatible with web and internet protocolscan represent most character setssupports data structures such as records, lists and treescopes with hierarchical document structures; andis independent of any particular equipment or technology. Unlike HTML (which is a fixed-format language), XML is "extensible" - which means that its markup symbols are unlimited. Although there are certain similarities between the HTML and XML - both contain markup symbols that describe the contents of a document - HTML is a much laxer language with more room for error and a lot of leniency; as a result, the HTML specification is not always adhered to very strongly, and has different interpretations in each piece of software. A version of HTML exists that also abides by the stricter rules set by XML, called XHTML. Eventually, HTML should be superceded by this cleaner, standardised and more well defined language

Y

Y-Modem

Z

Z-Modem

Also known as: Zmodem Z-Modem is an error-correction protocol used in the transfer of serial data files between modems. Z-Modem is a faster successor to Y-Modem and has better error checking capability. Modems using the Z-Modem protocol send data in 512-byte blocks or packets, and the error detection method is cyclic redundancy check (CRC). Like Y-Modem, Z-Modem has the capability of handling batch transmission (sending a number of files with one command) and variable block sizes of data. Z-Modem is also similar to Y-Modem-G, because it sends data in a continuous stream, and does not require a positive acknowledgement (ACK) for successfully transferred blocks of data. However, if an error is detected in a received block, a negative acknowledgement (NAK) is returned to the sender and the block resent. Z-Modem differs from the earlier protocols in that it is able to recover after a "crash", i.e. when a transmission is cancelled or for some other reason interrupted, the transmission may be restarted without resending the previously transferred blocks of data

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