0-A
2GL Second Generation Languages (Basic, Fortran, Cobol, C, etc.)
3D Three Dimensional (usually refers to graphics, movies, wallpaper etc. created to look as if they are 3 dimensional)
3GL Third Generation Languages (Pascal, C++, QBasic, etc.)
.386 A virtual device driver file extension
.3d2 A 3D graphic file extension
.3ds A 3D graphic file extension
4GL Fourth Generation Language (Java, HotMetal, Page Mill, etc. - visual languages)
AAB All to All Broadcast
AAL Asynchronous transfer mode Adaptation Layer
AAT Average Access Time
ABEND ABnormal END of program (mainframe and programming terminology)
ABI Application Binary Interface
ABIST Automatic Built In Self Test
AC 1. Alternating Current
AC 2. Automatic Computer
ACAP Application Configuration Access Protocol
.ace An archived (raw zipped) file extension
ACE Access Control Entry
ACL Access Control List
ACM Association of Computer Machinery
ACM Audio Compression Manager (Microsoft)
ACS Access Control System
ACS Asynchronous Communication Server (similar to file server for modems)
.act or ACT 1. Information manager program by Symantec
ACT 2. All Computer Technology (notebook/computer Co.)
ACT 3. Asynchronous Communication Terminal
ADC 1.Analog to Digital Converter
ADC 2.Advanced Data Connector (database caching w/IIS server)
.acw or ACW Microsoft's Accessibility Wizard
ADI American Documentation Institute
ADIS Automatic Data Interchange System
ADO Active Data Objects
ADP 1. Application Development Programming
ADP 2. Automatic Data Processing
AED Automated Engineered Design system
AFP Appletalk File Protocol
AFTP Anonymous File Transfer Protocol
AGA Advanced Graphic Adapter
AGC Automatic Gain Control
AGP Accelerated Graphics Port
AI Artificial Intelligence
.aif An audio file extension (also AIFF or AIFC)
AIFF Audio Interface File Format
AIX Advanced Interactive eXecutive (IBM's version of UNIX)
.ajp a popular java extension used by Anfy applets.
ALU Arithmetic Logic Unit
AM Amplitude Modulation
AMD Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (competitor to Intel and Cyrex process chip co.)
AMD Auto-Mounter Daemon
AMD Active Matrix Display
AMI American Mega-trends Inc. (BIOS manufactures ref: Pheonix, Award)
.ani or ANI ANImated cursors - (file extension used with Windows 95 instead of multiple .cur files) Can also be used by other animation tools or programs.
ANI Automatic Numbering Identification
ANSI American National Standards Institute
AOL America On Line (Internet Service Provider)
AP Attached Processor
APA All Points Addressable (mode in which user has control over all aspects of display)
API Application Programming Interface
APIC Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (Intel)
.apj Macromedia Project File
APL Automatic Programming Language
APPC Advanced Program to Program Communications
AQL Acceptable Quality Level
ARA Appletalk Remote Access
ARAMP Application RAM Performance
.arc or ARC ARChived file: Older compression file used by PKZIP
.arj Compressed file extension
ARCnet Attached Resource Computer network (uses star, or bus token passing technology - slow)
ARPA Advanced Research Projects Agency
ARPANET Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (the beginning of the internet)
ARU Automatic Response Unit
ASAP Application Assessment And Planning package (Lotus migration application)
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange (usually referring to generic text)
.asf or ASF Multi - Media file extension
ASK Amplitude Shif Keying
.asp or ASP Active Server Page
.asm Assembly Source Language source file extension
ASMP Asymmetric Multi-Processing
.asp Active Server Page. (or Application Server Program) Scripting language that dynamically calls information to create a web page depending upon the information being requested. Used by Microsoft's Server Software IIS.
ASP Application Service Provider
ASPI Advanced SCSI Programming Interface (communication port technology)
.asx Multi - Media file extension
AT 1. Asynchronous Transmission
AT 2. Advanced Technology
ATA AT Attachment interface
ATM 1. Adobe Type Manager (see True Type Font)
ATM 2. Asynchronous Transfer Mode
.au Audio File extension (often used by Real Media)
AUI Adapter Unit Interface
AUP Acceptable Use Policy
AV Authentication Verification
.avi Movie file extension
AVI Audio Visual Interleave
AWE Advanced Wave Effects
B
b2b Business To Business
b2c Business To Consumer
BAD Broken As Designed (Refers to inferior products that will require constant upgrades)
bash Borne Again SHell (2nd Generation Linux command shell)
BASIC Beginner All purpose Symbolic Instruction Code (programming language)
BASM Built in ASseMbler
BAT Batch (file extension)
BAUD Rate which information is exchanged (modems: Binary Assembly Un-assembly of Data)
BBS Bulletin Board System
BCD Binary Coded Decimal
BCL Batch Command Language
BCP Bulk Copy Program
BDC Back up Domain Controller (Type of server on an NT Microsoft Network)
BDE Borland Database Engine
BER Bit Error Rate
BERT Bit Error Rate Testing
BFI Bytes From Index (how HD heads find FAT entries)
BFT Binary File Transfer
BGI Borland Graphical Interface (Programming environment used by Borland languages)
BGP Borland Graphic Protocol
BHO Browser Helper Objects
BIM Business Information Managers (software)
BIND Berkley Internet Name Domain (early version of DNS servers)
BIOS Basic Input Output System
BIT BInary digiT
BITNET Because It's Time Network
BLOB Binary Large OBject (a field definition for databases such a paradox)
BMIC Bus Master Interface Controller
.bmp BitMaP file. A type of graphic, ... file extension
BN Backbone Network
BNC British National Connector (terminator for cabling)
BNS Backbone Network Service
BOF Beginning Of File
BOOP Bill and the Office Of the President (Microsoft slang for management brain-storming)
BOS Basic Operating System
BOSS Business Organizer Scheduling System (one of the original hand-held organizers)
BOWEP Best Of Windows Entertainment Pack
BPI Library files used by exe files and device drivers in Windows 95 (dll format)
BPB BIOS Parameter Block (Disk technology)
bps Bits Per Second
BSD Berkley Software Distribution (released version and add-on's of/for UNIX)
BSOD Blue Screen Of Death (a Windows or NT crash)
BTP Batch Transfer Program
BUD Bring Up Diagnostics (NIC PC's use for setups)
BYOA Bring Your Own Access (access the Internet via telnet & your own ISP)
C
.cab Compressed file extension. Started as Microsoft installation file type.
CAD Computer Aided Design
CAL Computer Aided Learning
CAM Common Access Method (SCSI type drivers for accessing devices)
CAD/CAM Computer Aided Design / Computer Aided Manufacturing
.cat Catalog File extension.
CAT Continuous Asynchronous Transmission
CAT5 Category 5 (refers to thickness and quality of wiring)
CATV Community Antenna Television
CAU Control Access Unit
CAV Constant Angular Velocity
CBT Computer Based Training
CCD Charge Coupled Device (integrated internal circuit inside computer)
CCS Common Command Set (instructions for SCSI interface)
CD 1. Compact Disk (Holds approx.630 Mb of info)
CD 2. Change Directory (DOS command)
CD 3. Carrier Dis-connect (modem talk)
CD 4. Carrier Detect (modem talk)
CD - DA Compact Disk - Digital Audio
CDDA Audio File in AIFF format
CD-R Compact Disk Recordable (drives that write (or burn) information to a CD)
CD-ROM Compact Disk - Read Only Memory
CD-RW Compact Disk - Re -Writeable (can be used or written to more than once)
CDB Common Dialog Box
CDE Common Desktop Environment (a UNIX windowed environment)
CDFS Compact Disk File System (similar to the FAT on a hard disk)
CDFS Compact Disk File System
CDRAM Cached Dynamic RAM
CDS 1. Comprehensive Display System
CDS 2. Compatible Duplex System
.cdr or CDR A Graphics File extension, often used by Corel Draw
CE The operating system used by the new palm size computers.
.cfm or CFML Cold Fusion Mark-up Language
CGA 1. Color Graphics Adapter
CGA 2. Computer Graphics Architecture
CGE Common Graphics Environment
CGI Common Gateway Interface
CGM Computer Graphics Metafile (file extension)
CHAT Conversational Hypertext Access Technology ("talking" in real time over the internet)
CHS Cylinder / Head / Sector
.chm or CHM Compiled Help Markup ... file extension
CIAC Computer Incident Advisory Capability (US govt. computer investigation agency)
CICA Center for Innovative Computing Applications
CICS Customer Information Control System
CIDR Classless Inter Domain Routing. Routers that, instead of maintaining large list of IP addresses, contain list of other backbone providers and services that do have the addresses, URL's, etc.)
CIFS Common Internet File System
CIM Computer Integrated Manufacturing
CIM Common Information Model
CIO Computer Information Officer
CIS Computer Information Systems (course: Computer Information Science)
CISC Complex Instruction Set Computer (refers to a processor, pentium)
CLASS Compiled java program, often used as .class extension
CLI Command Line Interface
CLP 1. CLiP art
CLP 2. windows clipboard file extension
CLS CLear the Screen (DOS command)
CMIP Common Management Information Protocol
CMOS Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor
CMY Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
CMYK Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, blacK
CNA Certified Network (NetWare) Administrator
CNE Certified Network (NetWare) Engineer
CNT Certified Network (NetWare) Technician
COAST Card On A STick
.cob 3D graphic source file extension.
COBOL COmmon Business Oriented Language (programming language)
COBRA Common Object Request Broker Architecture
CODASYL Conference On DAta SYstem Logic
COM 1. COMmand (file extension) 3. COMmon
COM 2. Component Object Module
COM 3. COMmon object.
COMM1-4 COMMunication port
CON CONsole
COO Cost Of Ownership (the expense of attaining and maintaining particular computer needs)
.cpl File used by Windows Control PaneL (file extension)
CP/M Control Program for Microcomputers (first OS for PC's before DOS)
CPR Central Processor Recovery
CPS Clusters Per Sector (depends on the OS, AND the size of the disk partition)
cps Characters Per Second
CPU Central Processing Unit
CR 1. Carriage Return
CR 2. Carrier Response
CRC Cyclic Redundancy Check (similar to but not identical to check-sum)
CREN Corporation for Research and Educational Network (merge of BITNET and CSNET)
CRS Special display effects (wipe, slide fade, ex. screen savers, and/or presentation programs)
CRT Cathode Ray Tube (antiquated terminology for monitors - mainframe talk)
CSMA/CD Carrier Sense Multiple Access / Collision Detection (Ethernet communication)
CSNET Computer + Science NETwork
.css Cascading Style Sheet file extension. (external file called by html web pages for design layout specifications)
CSS1 Cascading Style Sheets level 1 (specifications for layouts and design of WWW pages)
CSI Command Sequence Introducer
CSI CompuServe Inc.
CST Certified Systems Technician
CSU Channel Service Unit (also DSU: Digital Service Unit, and a router. A CSU/DSU is the modem that connects to the phone line)
.csv Comma Separated Value (usually a text file in this format, can be read by various databases and spreadsheets)
CTI Computer Telephone Integrated
CUA Common User Access
CUE Custom Updates and Extras (Egghead discount plan)
CUR CURsor (file extension)
CVRAM Cached Video RAM
CVS Concurrent Versions System
CWP Communicating Word Processor
D
DA Destination Address (network terminology)
DAC Digital to Analog Converters
DAD Desktop Application Director (Word Perfect / Corel Perfect Office button bar)
DAO Data Access Objects (Visual Basic & Access terminology)
DASD Direct Access Storage Device (mainframe terminology - pronounced "daz-dee")
DAT 1. DATa (file extension)
DAT 2. Digital to Analog Converter
dB 1. DataBase
Db or dB 2. decibel
DBF DataBase File (file extension)
DBMS DataBase Management System
DBR DOS Boot Record (Information at track 0 sector 0 of a disk which allows PC to disk communication. Other items include the MBR, the Partition Table, and the FAT)
DC 1. Direct Couple (hook 2 computers or pieces together directly)
DC 2. Data Conversion
DC 3. Direct Cycle
DC 4. Direct Current (battery vs. 110 house electricity)
DC 5. Display Console (monitor)
DC 6. Design Change
DCC Direct Cable Connection
DCE Distributed Computing Environment
DCE Data Communications Equipment (hardware that does the communication, usually modems, routers, network cards, etc.)
DCI Display Control Interface (video display technology)
DCOM Distributed Component Object Model
DCS Data Control Systems
DCS Data Collection Systems
DCS Distributed Control Systems
DD Double Density (type of disk format - more than single density, less than High Density)
DDE Dynamic Data Exchange (predecessor to OLE in earlier versions of Windows)
DDK Device Driver Kit (Microsoft)
DDN Defense Data Network
DDS Direct Digital Sound
DEC Digital Equipment (Electronics) Corporation
DECnet Digital Equipment Corporation (proprietary networking protocols)
DEK Data Encryption Key (digital key to unlock encrypted files)
DEN Directory Enabled Network
DES Data Encryption Standard (security methods used for transmitting data)
DFS Distributable File System (Delphi, VB, BDE, etc.)
DFT Diagnostic Function Test
DGIS Direct Graphics Interface Standard
DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
DHTML Dynamic HyperText Markup Language
.dic Dictionary file format
.dib Graphic File Format extension (in bitmap format)
DIF Data Interchange Format
DIM 1. DIMention
DIM 2. Dynamic Information Manager (shared contact information database)
DIM 3. Desktop Information Manager (Microsoft's information exchange)
DIM 4. "declares variables in Visual Basic programming language"
DIN Translated from German it stands for German National Connector
DIMM Dual In-line Memory Module (new processors or RAM slots hooked together)
D I/O Data Input / Output
DIP Dual In-line Package (the little on/off switches inside of computers, modems, etc.)
DIX DEC, Intel, and Xerox
DLC Data Link Control (a low-level protocol)
DLCI Data Link Connection Identifier
DLL Dynamic Link Library (file extension) (sometimes called a "dumb little library")
DMA Dynamic Memory Access (software equivalent to a hardware interrupt)
DMAK DMa request AKnowledgement
DMF Distributable Media Format (a Microsoft disk formatting that allows 1.77 Meg of info to be placed on a 3.5 disk that normally holds only 1.44 Meg
DMI Desktop Management Interface (keeping personal PC settings stored in a central location, (eg. server) Then where ever you login looks and acts like your PC (near future Technology) Networks running NT and 95 from server location are now doing this.
DMTF Desktop Management Task Force (joint effort Microsoft, Compaq, IBM, Cisco, etc. to standardize object management on LAN)
DNS Domain Name Server (changes addresses: www.myname.com to 116.225.25.3)
.doc DOCument (file format extension used by word processors such as MS Word)
DO - IT Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology
.doc A word processing DOCument file extension. Often used by MS Word.
DOF Data Over Fiber
DOIP Data Over Internet Protocol
DOS Disk Operating System
.dot DOcument Template file extension.
DPI Dots Per Inch (printing resolution or screen resolution)
DPI Distributed Protocol Interface
DPMI DOS Protected Mode Interface
DRAM Dynamic Random Access Memory
DREQ DMA REQuest lines
DRI Digital Research Incorporated
DRV DRiVe (file extension)
DS# Drive Select (DS0, DS1, etc.) numbering starts at 0
DSDD Double Sided Double Density (type of disk format) 3.5 disks = 720 Kb
DSHD Double Sided High Density (type of disk format) most common 3.5 = 1.44 Mb
DSI Drive Select Interface
DSL Digital Subscriber Line (private sector connection for direct connect to internet)
DSLD Double Sided Low Density (old style of disk format - not used anymore)
DSP Digital Signal Processing
DTC DeskTop Conferencing
DTE Data Terminal (2. Transfer) Equipment
DTMF Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency
DTP Desk-Top Publishing
DUN Dial Up Networking
DUNCE Dial Up Networking Connection Enhancement
DVD Digital Video (or Versatile, Virtual) Disk (New CD technology that holds 4.3 - 17 Gb depending upon format)
DVE Digital Video Effects
DVI Digital Video Interactive
DX A type of processor that also does numeric processing (better than an SX or SLC)
E
EBCDIC Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (8-bit code to represent 256 chars.)
EDB Embedded Data Base
EBR Enterprise Backup / Restore (UNIX tape backup utility)
ECC Error Correction Code
ECNE Enterprise Certified NetWare Engineer
ECP Extended Capabilities Port (setup in BIOS for LPT1 - faster than EPP, or SPP)
ECS Enhanced Chip Set
ECTP Ethernet Configuration Test Protocol
ED 1. External Device
ED 2. End Delimiter (network protocol terminology)
EDI Electronic Data Interchange
EDLIN EDitor for LINe text
EDO Extended Data Out (new RAM and DRAM data access technology)
EDOS Enhanced DOS for windows
EDRAM Enhanced DRAM (also EDORAM, EDOSRAM, EDOVRAM)
EEMS Enhanced Expanded Memory Specification
EFF Electronic Frontier Foundation (studies impact of computers on society)
EFI Extensible Firmware Interface
EFT Electronic Funds Transfer
EGA Enhanced Graphics Adapter (Accelerator)
EIDE Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics
EISA Extended Industry Standard Architecture
ELS Entry Level Systems (early terminology for scaled down PC - no frills)
EMACS Editing MACroS (Linux / Unix text editor)
EMF Enhanced MetaFile (graphic file format, often used as extension)
EMI Electro-Magnetic Interference
.eml and Email file extension
EMP Electro-Magnetic Pulse
EMS Expanded Memory Specification (LIM Lotus / Intel / Microsoft)
ENIAC Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator
EOF or eof End Of File
EOJ End Of Job (file transfer marker)
EOL End Of Line (control characters used with first generation languages)
EOM End Of Message (file transfer marker)
EOT End Of Transmission (file transfer marker)
EPBR Extended Partition Boot Record
EPP Enhanced Parallel Port (can use longer printer cable than SPP)
EPROM Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (re-programmable ROM chips)
EEPROM Electronic Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
EPS 1. Encapsulated PostScript (file extension)
EPS 2. Email Postal Software
EPTS Enhanced Print Trouble Shooter
ERD Emergency Recovery Disk
EROM Erasable Read Only Memory
ERU Emergency Recovery Utility (configuration backup utility with Windows 95)
ESD EletroStatic Discharge (transfer of electrical current from carrier to object)
ESDI Enhanced Small Device Interface (Hard disk interface, older than SCSI, ISA, PCI newer than the ST506)
ESP Enhanced Serial Port
ESS Electronic Switching System
EULA End User License Agreement
EXE Executable (file extension)
EXE2BIN PKWare program (exe2bin.exe) that converts a compression (zip. arc, lhz, etc.) file to a binary or executable file. This allows a user to decompress the file without having a copy of PK Zip
Ext2 Sometime noted as Ext2fs; this is the file system used by Linux OS's
e-Zine Electronic magaZINE
F
FAP File Access Protocol
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions (files often found on BBS and Internets)
FAT File Allocation Table (the map a computer stores on a disk to where everything is)
FAV Microsoft Favorites (bookmarks of web sites)
FC-AL Fiber Channel Arbitrated Loop (bus technology - better/faster than SCSI)
FCBS File Control BlockS
FCI Flux Changes per Inch (drive tech. terminology)
FCL Fiber Channel Loop
FCS Frame Check Sequence (Token Ring)
FCS Fiber Channel Standard
FDOS Floppy Disk Operating System
FED Field Emission Display (type of monitor)
FFDB Flat File DataBase
FFS Fast File System
FEP Front End Processor
FFS Fast File System (Microsoft and OS/2 first incarnation of HPFS)
FIFO First In First Out (Processing method of information on first come - first serve basis)
FILO First In Last Out (Processing Method)
Fkey Function Key
.fla Macromedia Flash source file extension.
.fli Animation source file extension.
FM Frequency Modulation
FNC Federal Networking Council (governments attempt to control the internet: DoD, DARPA, NASA, etc.)
.fon FONt file (extension)
FORTRAN FORmula TRANslation language (programming language)
FPI Flux changes Per Inch
FPM Fast Page Mode (older RAM - being replaced by EDO RAM)
FRAM Ferro-electric RAM
FRM FoRM file (often a visual basic or database file)
FRPI Flux Reversals Per Inch
FSD File System Driver (OS/2 Warp)
FTP File Transfer Protocol (refers to the standard method a file is transfered from an internet to a local computer, often called downloading)
FUP Frequently Used Programs
G
G3 Macintosh processor
Gb (Gig) 1,000,000,000 bytes (Gigabyte)
GCC GNU C Compiler
GCR Group Code Encoding (method of encoding and securing data)
GDI Graphical Device Interface
GDT Global Descriptor Table (a database, or register, for Windows to address memory)
GEIS General Electric Information Service (Web based catalog service)
GEM Global Enterprise Manager
GENIE General Electric Network Information Exchange
.gho Ghost file extension (.ghs when image is spanned across multiple media). Ghost is a tool used to create an image of a disk or drive.
.gid Windows configuration file extension.
GIGO Garbage In Garbage Out (computer slang)
GML Generalized Markup Language
GNN Global Network Navigator
GNU recursive acronym for GNU's Not UNIX - Linux style build of the UNIX kernel
GP General Purpose
GPC General Purpose Computer
GPF General Protection Fault (A window error message that occurs when a program crashes)
GPL GNU Public License
GPT GUID partition table
GUI Graphical User Interface (slang - "gooey")
GUID Globally Unique IDentifier
.gz a raw compressed image file extension used across multiple files.
H
HAL Hardware Abstraction / Access Layer (NT layer of protocols to define hardware)
HCL Hardware Compatibility List (what hardware works with Windows 95, a text file)
HCU Home Computer User
HD 1. Hard Disk 2. High Density (type of disk format)
HDA Head Disk Assembly (terminology for drive construction)
HDD Hard Disk Drive
HDML Handheld Device Markup Language (code for PDA's)
HDR Host Data Replicator (computer that stores multiple databases from various systems.)
HFS Hierarchical File System (Macintosh)
HGA Hercules Graphics Adapter
HHD Hand Held Device (pocket organizer, scanner, pager, etc.)
.hlp or HLP HeLP file (file extension)
HMA High Memory Area (Architecture)
HP Hewlett Packard
HPC Hand held Personal Computer
HPFS High Performance File System (OS/2 terminology for FAT)
HPG Hewlett-Packard Graphics
HPGL Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language
HPPCL Hewlett-Packard Printer Control Language
HS High Speed
HSTRA High Speed Token Ring Alliance (HSTR for High Speed Token Ring)
.ht or HT Hyper Terminal (file extension)
.htm HyperText Markup language file extension. File extension name used for web pages.
HTML Hyper Text Markup Language (programming for Internet web pages) actually a text formatting tool
.htt Hyper Text Template
HTTP HyperText Transfer Protocol (1 way information is sent over and internet. This is the primary way information travels over the phone lines from a server to a local computer, protocols are agreed upon standards or configurations that computers use)
I
I/G bit Individual / Group bit (for addressing network information)
IAHC International Ad Hoc Committee (computer group that studies and suggests standard for new and existing computer technology)
IBM International Business Machines
IC Integrated Circuit
ICA Independent Computing Architecture
ICAP Internet Calendar Access Protocol (Lotus Notes 4.x / Domino)
ICL ICon Library file (contains multiple icon bitmaps)
ICM Image Color Mapping (so printed colors match screen colors)
ICMP Internet Control Message Protocol
ICO ICOn bitmap file
ICPA Internet Consumer Protection Agency
ID Internal Device
IDA Intelligent Drive / Disk Array
IDAPI Internal Database Application Programming Interface
IDC International Data Corporation
IDE 1. Integrated Development Environment
IDE 2. Integrated Drive Electronics interface (drive/device controller technology)
IDL Interface Definition Language
IDN Internet Domain Name
IDP Integrated Data Processing
IE or IE4 Internet Explorer (version 4.x) - Microsoft's Web Browser.
IEAK Internet Explorer Administration Kit (profmgr.exe)
IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IFS Installable File System (Delphi, VB, BDE, etc.)
IIS Internet Information Server (Microsoft Internet Server software)
ILS Internet Locator Service (component of NT 4.0 +)
IM Instant Messaging (real time chat)
.img or IMG Image File (file extension)
IMAU Intelligent Multi-Access Unit
INF INformation File (file extension)
INI Initialization (file extension)
INS InterNet communication Settings
IO Input / Output
IOE Input Output Errors (95 terminology for GPF's and Application Errors)
IOP Input Output Processors
IOS Inter-network Operating System
IP Internet Protocol
IPC Inter-Processes Communications
IPL Initial Program Loading
IPS Internet Personalization Service (component of NT 4.0+)
IPSec Internet Protocol Security
IPX Internet Package eXchange (how computers with different OS's transfer data)
IPX / SPX Inter network Packet eXchange / Sequential Packet eXchange
IRC Internet Relay Chat
IRL Information Retrieval Language
IRP I/O Request Packet (NT Server terminology)
IRQ Interrupt ReQuest
IrDA Infrared Data Association
IS Information Services
ISA Industry Standard Architecture
ISAM Indexed Sequential Access Method (database access protocols, Btrieve and Paradox)
ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network (Internet connection: faster than a modem, but slower than a dedicated T-1 or T-10 connection.- Allows digital and voice data to share the same line)
ISM Information Services Manager
ISO International Organization for Standardization
ISP Internet Service Provider
IT Information Technology (replacing the term IS for Information Systems)
J
J++ Microsoft's Java programming language
.jar Java Archive files, used to save web page download time.
JCL Job Control Language (mainframe programming language)
JIT Just In Time (compiler / translator that only runs code when needed)
JNI Java Native Interface
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group (file extension JPG)
.jpe Joint Photographic Experts Group (file extension JPG)
.jpg Joint Photographic Experts Group (file extension JPG)
JPL Java Programming Language
JRE Java Runtime Environment
.js JavaScript. Used when javascript is written in an external file, then called by html document.
JSE JavaScript Encoding.
.jsp or JSP Java Server Page
JUG Joint Users Group (group of dedicated, perhaps proprietary computers)
JVM Java Virtual Machine
K
Kb Kilobyte (1024 bytes)
Kbps Kilobytes per second
L
L2TP Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol
L-zone Landing zone for the read/write heads on a disk
LADDR LAyered Device Driver Architecture (SCSI type drivers for accessing devices)
LAN Local Area Network
LBA Local Bus Addressing (how BIOS can read HD larger than 504 Mb)
LBA Sometimes considered Logical Block Addressing
.lbi Library file. Used to hold extraneous information from program to improve performance.
LCC Leadless Chip Carrier
LCD Liquid Crystal Display (often found on laptops)
LDAP Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (one way server(s) manipulate multiple disks / users / and access levels)
LDF Logical Disk Format (the formatting done from a users level)
LDP Linux Documentation Projection (on going effort to document Linux OS)
LDT Local Descriptor Table (Table of contents Windows uses to address memory)
LED Light Emitting Diode
LF Line Feed
LFN Long File Names
LH Load High (a command in MS-DOS)
.lha Compressed file format (extension)
LILO LInux boot LOader
LIM Lotus / Intel / Microsoft
LIMA Lotus / Intell / Microsoft / AST standards (extended memory management software)
LIMS Library Information Management System
LISP LISt Processing (John McCarthy - 1961)
LLC Logical Link Control
LLDF Low Level Drive Format (done at factory)
LLF Low Level Format
.lnk Link File Extension. Used to create shortcuts in Microsoft Windows.
.log or LOG Log files maintain information about who is visiting a web site, and what they look at.
LPC Local Procedure Call (NT Server terminology)
LPM Lines Per Minute (How fast a printer prints)
LPT Local Parallel Transmission (the printer ports)
LPT1 Line Printer porT
LQ Letter Quality
LRU Least Recently Used (How Windows decides which information to flush from cache)
LSB Least Significant Byte
LUG Linux Users Group
LUN Logical Unit Number
.lwo or .lwz Lightwave (high end 3D generation program) file extension.
.lzh Compressed file format extension (raw data compression)
LZ Landing Zone (where the read/write heads go on a disk to read information)
M
.m1v Multimedia file format extension (mpeg format)
MAC Media Access Control
MAD Master Account Domain (NT Server terminology)
MAN Metropolitan Area Network (several LAN's connected together in a similar geographical region. Hospitals and Colleges use these often to share resources)
MAN MANual pages (Unix help files)
MANIAC Mathematical Analyzer Numerical Integrator and Computer (early mainframe)
MAPI Mail messaging Application Programming Interface
MASM Microsoft ASseMbler language
MAU Multi- Access Unit (patch panel for IBM to tie to server)
.max or MAX 3D Studio (a high end 3D graphics program) file extension for source files.
Mb (Meg) 1,000,000 bytes (Megabyte)
Mbps Megabytes per second (or Mega-bits Pers Second)
MBR Master Boot Record (Part of the information starting at track 0 sector 0 of a disk which allows a computer to 'communicate' with that disk. Other items include the DOS Boot Record, the Partition Table, and the FAT)
MCI Media Control Interface
MCIS Microsoft Commercial Internet System
MCL Microsoft Compatibility List
MCSE Microsoft Certified System Engineer
MCSD Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer
MCP Microsoft Certified Professional
MCPS Microsoft Certified Product Specialist
MCST Microsoft Certified Systems Technician
MCT Microsoft Certified Trainer
MD Make Directory (DOS command)
MDA Monochrome Display Adapter
MDB Microsoft DataBase (file extension)
MDI Multiple Document Interface (ie. Word can open 2 files at once vs. notepad)
MEt Memory Enhancement technology (HP Lazerjet memory technology)
MFC Microsoft Foundation Class (backbone of database architecture for Access)
MFM Modified Frequency Modulation encoding (old disk drive technology)
MFT Master File Table (sort of a master FAT that NT uses to recover from errors)
MFTP Multicast File Transfer Protocol (used for data streaming)
MHS Message Handling System (how email handles electronic information addressing)
.mid A sound file (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) extension.
MIDI Musical Instrument Digital Interface
MIME Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions (address conventions for internet e-mail)
MIO Modular Input Output
MIPS Million of Instructions Per Second
MIS Management Information Systems
MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MLP Microsoft License Pack (referred to for multi-user applications)
MMC Multi - Media Cloaking (frees memory for other applications)
MMCD Multi - Media Compact Disk
MMS Microsoft Merchant Server
MMS Microsoft Membership System
MMU Memory Management Unit
MMX Multi-Media eXchange: (New Pentium micro-processor by Intell that improves 3D rendering, although Intel and Microsoft claim the letters don't stand for anything in particular)
MODEM MODulate / DEModulate
MOF Managed Object Format
MOL Machine Oriented Language
MOM Microsoft Office Manager (The MS Office button bar)
.mp# .mp1, mp2, mp3, mp4 are various versions of the mpeg file format (Multimedia files)
MPC Multi-media Personal Computers
.mpg or MPEG Motion Picture Experts Group (file extension MPG)
MPR Multi-Protocol Routing
MPS MicroProcessor System
MPU MicroProcessor Unit
MR Modem Ready
MRUP Most Recently Used Program
MS MicroSoft (That little company up in Redmond, Washington)
MSAU Multi-Station Access Unit
MSB Most Significant Byte
MSCDEX MicroSoft Compact Disk EXecutable (file driver for CD-ROM, often referred to as the messy ducks)
MSD MicroSoft Diagnostics (program that comes with DOS)
MS-DMF MicroSoft Distributable Media Format (see DMF)
MSDN MicroSoft Developers Network (Microsoft software developers forum)
.msg or MSG Microsoft Outlook email file format.
MSN MicroSoft Network
MSNBC MicroSoft National Broadcasting Company
MSO Multiple Systems Operator
MTA Mail Transport Agents
MUD Multi-User Domain (Dungeon) - multiple persons play games in real time via Internet)
MVS Multiple Virtual Systems
.mxp Macromedia file type used for Flash Files
N
NAI Network Associates Incorporated (combined company including McAfee Inc.)
NAS Network Attached Storage.
NBT NetBIOS over TCP/IP (method of transporting Microsoft's NetBIOS protocols over multiple networks using TCP/IP protocol suites.
NC Network Computer
NC Network Card
NCC Network Control Center
NCR National Cash Register (pre IBM)
NCSA National Computer Security Association
NDIS Network Device Interface Specification
NDS Network Direct Services
NEC Nippon Electric Company (Company that makes computer equipment)
NET Network
Net BEUI Network BIOS Extended User Interface
NetBIOS Network Basic Input Output System
.nfo or NFO Information file format used by Microsoft for advanced Windows systems. Also used by hackers to store hacked serial number and installation information.
NFS Network File System (Sun Microsystem's Network Operating System)
NIC Network Interface Card
NIP Network Interface Protocol
NIS Network Information Services.
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology
NLQ Near Letter Quality (printer terminology - usually old 24-pin dot matrix)
NMM Network Management Module
NMS Network Management System
NNTP Network News Transfer Protocol
NOS Network Operating System
NPTN National Public Telecomputing Network (public network based in Cleveland, OH.)
NPU Numeric Processing Unit
NRZ Non Return to Zero (programming code return terminology)
NSTL National Software Testing Laboratories
NT New Technology (Microsoft's networking software - version 3.1 was first release)
NT Sun coined the phrase "Not There" for the new Microsoft technology
NT IBM coined the phrase "Nice Try" for the new Microsoft technology
NTFS New Technology File System (WFW 3.11 and Windows 95)
O
OAA Open Agent Architecture (new interface architecture for human/PC interaction including hand written, typed , and spoken commands - being developed by SRI International)
OADB Open Architechture Data Base (like supporting standards like SQL)
ObjectPAL Object oriented Program Application Language (Bundled with Borland/Paradox/Corel)
.obj or OBJ Object file, often used with 3D file generation programs. (extension)
OCR Optical Character Recognition (scanner terminology for software)
.ocx Active X file extension.
ODAPI Open DataBase Application Programming Interface
ODBC Open DataBase Connectivity (2. Components) (Microsofts shared data connections)
ODI Open Datalink Interface
OEM Original Equipment Manufacture
OLAP OnLine Analytical Processing (32 bit applications with links to ActiveX and Java Beans)
OLE Object Linking and Embedding
OLE DB Database that supports objects, linking, and embedding.
OM Original Manufacture
OOP Object Oriented Programming
OOPS Object Oriented Programming System
OOP/ED Object Oriented Programming / Event Driven
OpenDOC Open Document file system (MAC/Apple- and NT-4.0 terminology for FAT that will allow the 2 to share files)
ORACLE On-line Inquiry and Report Generator (Unix db)
ORB Object Request Broker
OS Operating System
OS/2 IBM graphical operating system
OSI Open Systems Interconnection (Suite of standard protocols for internet communication)
OSR Original Service Release
OSR microsoft Office Service Release (patch and upgrade to Office 97)
OTM Object Transaction Monitor
P
P2P Peer To Peer ... computers connecting over the internet (Kazaa, Napster etc are examples)
P7? P7A, P7B etc are used in email encryption and certification files.
PAL Phase Alteration Line
PAP Password Authentication Protocol
PARC Palo Alto Research Center (where a lot of todays technology was developed)
PBX Private Branch Network
PC Personal Computer
PCB Printed Circuit Board
PCI 1. Personal Computer Interface
PCI 2. Peripheral Component Interconnect
PCL 1. Printer Control Language
PCL 2. Print Code Language
PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association
PCMCIA People Can't Memorize Computer Industry Acronyms (coined take off of original)
PCS Personal Computer System
.pct Graphics file extension (PiCTure)
PCT Personal Computer Tools (commonly known as PC Tools, a utility package)
PCT Private Communication Technology
PDA Personal Desktop Assistant (hand held computer)
PDC Primary Domain Controller
.pdf or PDF Portable Document File. Used by Adobe for highly compressed document files. Can contain link, pictures, bookmarks, etc.
PDN Public Data Network (fore-father to the Internet)
PDP Plasma Display Panel (laptops)
PDS Premises Distribution System (AT&T cabling standards for networks)
PERL Practical Extraction and Report Language (found with flavors of UNIX / Linux) programming language - more precisely text reader and generator
PERT Program Evaluation and Review Techniques
.pfm a Font file extension. (Used by Adobe font extensions)
PGA Pin Grid Array (AMD mother board terminology)
PGA Professional Graphics Adapter
PGP Pretty Good Privacy (refers to network and email security)
.php Personal Home Page. Scripting that uses database resources in its' scripting to supply web pages depending upon the content being requested. (similar to Microsoft's .asp scripting)
.pic or .pict Picture file format
PIC Prioritized Interrupt Controller
PID Process IDentification (number assigned by OS kernal to a process)
PIF Program Information File (file extension for Windows 3.x)
PILOT Programmed Inquiry for Learning or Teaching (rumor
Also a popular 3-com PDAPIM Personal Information Manager
PIN Personal Identification Number
PING Packet INternet Gopher (request sent to another computer; waits for answers)
PIO Programmed Input / Output
PJL Print Job Language (HP printer language)
PKI Public Key Infrastructure (topology for coding data)
PLCC Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier (Pentium socket on Mother Board)
PLLC Plastic LeadLess Chip (The Pentium Chip)
.png Portable Network Graphic. Newer graphic format that uses smaller files to display pictures.
PnP Plug aNd Play (new technology that allows a computer to "read" your hardware)
PNRP Palm Name Recognitiion Protocol (Palmpilot communication with desktop protocol)
POC Point Of Contact
PODC Pentium OverDrive Chip
POP Power On Password
POP 1. Post Office Protocol (how PC's get email from internet)
POP 2. Point Of Presence (internet and WWW terminology for location of server)
POS Point Of Sale (the scanners you see in supermarkets)
POST Power On Self Test
POSIX Portable Operating System Interface based on uniX
POTS Plain Old Telephone System
PPI Pay Per Incident: Tech service term, pay for each call to help desk
PPM Pages Per Minute (printer terminology)
PPN Peer to Peer Networking (2 computers hooked together)
PPP Point to Point Protocol
PPTP Point to Point Tunneling Protocol
PQFP Plastic Quad Flat Pack (AMD motherboard terminology)
.prj Project File.
PROM Programmable Read Only Memory
.psd Password File
.psp Paint Shop Pro file extension. A popular graphic paint program.
PSP Personal Software Products (division of IBM)
PST Power on Self Test
.psw Password File
PT Partition Table (Part of the information starting at track 0 sector 0 of a disk which allows a computer to 'communicate' with the disk. Other items include the MBR, DBR, & FAT)
PTPC Palm-Top Personal Computer (new hand held computers)
PUD Power Up Diagnostics
PUP Power Up Password
PUN Physical Unit Number (method of defining equipment of a computer)
PVC Permanent Virtual Circuits
PVN Private Virtual Network
PWL PassWord List (can refer to network profiles or Windows profiles)
PWS 1. Personal Web Server
PWS 2. Peer Web Server
Q
QBE Query By Example
QDOS Quick and Dirty Operating System (often used by bootable floppy diagnostic software due to low overhead, and small files size.)
QEMM Quarterdeck Extended Memory Manager
QIC Quarter Inch Cartridge (refers to tape drives used for backups)
QoS Quality of Service (first used with ethernet measurement of data transfer)
R
R&D Research and Development
RAD Rapid Application Development
RADIUS Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service
RAID Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks
RAM Random Access Memory
RAMA Relational Access Management Association
.rar Raw compression data used for programs like winraw. (file extension)
RAS Remote Access Server / Service
.raw Raw compression data used for programs like winraw. (file extension)
RD Resource Domain (NT Server terminology)
RDB Relational Data Base
RDBMS Relational Data Base Management System
RDO Remote Data Objects
RDRAM Rambus DRAM
REM REMark (command in DOS to ignore a statement as a command)
REPO Remote Emergency Power Off
REt Resolution Enhancement technology (HP lazerjet technology)
REXX REstructured eXtended eXecutor (high level language for OS/2)
RFC Request For Comments (Similar to FAQ's in content)
RFI Radio Frequency Interference
RFP Request For Proposal
RGB Red Green Blue (type of color display and printing)
.rib Graphics file extension
RIFF Resource Interchange File Format
RIP Routed Internetworking Protocol (Routing Information Protocol)
RISC Reduced Instruction Set Computer (minimal "self-processing" power to reduces cost)
RLE Run Length Encoding
RLL Run Length Limited code (method of recording digital data)
RLN Remote Lan Node
RMON Remote MONitoring
RNA Remote Network Access (by use of Dial Up Connection)
.rnk Dial Up Networking shortcut file extension
ROM Read Only Memory
RPC Remote Procedure Calls
RPG Report Program Generator
RPG Role Playing Games (often networked)
RPM Redhat Package Manager (Bundled manager for Redhat distributed Linux)
RS Recommended Standard (ie RS-232)
RSVP Resource ReserVation Protocol
RTA Real Time Audio (music over the internet)
RTF Rich Text Format (extension for files that most windows word processors can read)
RUPL Recently Used Program List
R/W Read / Write (usually refers to the heads inside a disk drive)
S
SA Source Address
SAA System Application Architecture
SAM Security Administration / Account Module / Manager (NT profile terminology)
SAP Sybase Application Programming language
SAP Service Access Point
SAP Statistical Analysis Programming language
SAP Service Advertising Protocol (NT uses to announce available resources to Novell equip)
SAP System Applications and Products
SAP Secure Application Protocol
SCAM SCSI Configured Auto-Magically (plug-and-play SCSI cards)
SCSI Small Computer System Interface
.sct Microsoft Script Component.
SD Super Density (a type of format for new DVD disks that allows up to 17 Gb of data to be stored on one CD)
SDLC Synchronous Data Link Control
SDRAM Synchronous Dynamic RAM
.sdk or SDK Software Development Kit (Java or Microsoft usually)
SEC Single Edge Card
SEM Search Engine Management
SEO Search Engine Optimization
SERP Search Engine Results Page
SET Secure Electronic Transaction (software to allow monetary transactions from PC - secure)
.set Drivers file extension found with some older Windows programs such as Lotus 123
SFC System File Checker (command line program found with Windows XP)
SFD Start Frame Delimiter
SFN Short File Name
SGML Standard Generalized Markup Language
SID Security IDentification (NT terminology) or System ID, or Serial Input Data
SIM SIMmulators - software games and programs that simulate things like flying, driving, etc.
SIMM Single In-line Memory Module
SIP Single In-line Package
.sit Stuff-It (compressed file extension for Macintosh computers)
SLA Service Level Agreement (vendor agreement on what's under warranty for how long)
SLC Single Line Controller (A type of processor that does not process math function separately - and can not be upgraded) often found in older laptop computers.
SLC an IBM CPU (386 SLC) that is an Sx, Low power chip with Caching
SLIP Serial Line Internet Protocol
SMB Server Message Blocks
SMD Surface Mounted Device (individual chip mounted on a PCB without leads)
SMP Symmetric Multi-Processing
SMS System Management Server
SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
SNA Systems Network Architecture
.snd Sound File extension in AU format
SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol
SOHO Small Office Home Office (computer or program with enough speed or functionality for business use. May not have sound or a lot of bells and whistles)
SOM System Object Modle
SPA Software Publisher's Association
SPE System Policy Editor
SPOOL (?) Simultaneous Peripheral Operations On Line
SPP Standard Parallel Port
SPS Stand-by Power Supply (see UPS)
SPT Sectors Per Track
SPX Sequenced Packet eXchange
SQL Structured Query Language (database standards)
SRAM Static RAM
SRC Sample Rate Conversion
SSA Serial Storage Architecture (another communications port setup (like SCSI) that has fast data transfer but requires high demands of DMA channels)
SSDD Single Sided Double Density (type of computer disk formatting)
SSHD Single Sided High Density (type of computer disk formatting)
SSI Server Side Includes. (web technology that allows for dynamic data exchange in web pages)
SSL Secure Sockets Layer (usually NT terminology)
SSLD Single Sided Low Density (type of computer disk formatting)
ST506 Shugart Technology (old disk technology manufacture)
STP Shielded Twisted Pair
STX Start of TeXt
SUL Single User License
SVGA Super video Graphics Adapter
SVRAM Synchronous VRAM
.swd Macromedia flash debugging file.
.swf Flash File Extension. Usually an external flash file called by the html document.
SX A type of processor that does NOT do numeric processing separately - but a Math coprocessor chip can be added to upgrade the unit. (Better than an SLC but not as good as a DX or Pentium)
SYS System
SYSIN SYStem INput
SYSOP SYstems OPerator
T
TAPI Telephony Application Programming Interface
.tar Archive file. Compressed raw data file.
TAR TApe Archive
TASK Task Automation Scripting Kit
TASM Turbo ASseMbler programming language (Borland / Delphi)
TCO Total Cost of Ownership
TCP/IP Transfer Control Protocol / Internet Protocol
TCPA Trusted Computer Platform Alliance - collaboration among Intel, Microsoft, and others to standardize the computer industry, and drive innovative solutions outside the 'mainstream' corporations into an unsupported environment.
.tex Texture files in various formats used by graphics, and 3D rendering programs.
TI Texas Instruments
.tif graphic file extension (see TIFF)
TIFF Tagged Information File Format
TLA Three Letter Acronyms (I actually saw this one in publication)
TM Test Mode (modem diagnostics)
TMP TeMPorary File (file extension)
TOD Time Of Day (refers to a computers internal clock)
TOS Tape Operating System
TPI Tracks Per Inch (disk drive terminology)
TR 1. Terminal Ready (modem talk) 2. Token Ring (type of networking)
TRB Terminating Resistor Block (a DIP or SIP on end of Drive cable to terminate signal)
TRIM Training Records Information Management (software package)
TRM Terminal (file extension)
TSR Terminate and Stay Resident (programs that load into memory and stay there)
TTF True Type Font file (file extension)
TTL Transistor to Transistor Logic
TWAIN Technology Without Any Interesting Name (humorous)
.txt or TXT TeXT (file extension)
TZI Track Zero Interrupter (how a disk drive knows where to start)
U
U/L bit Universally / locally administered bit (for addressing network info)
UAE Unrecoverable Application Error (error message when a program crashes)
UART Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (new chip technology that controls serial port transmission)
UCM Universal Cable Module
UDC User Defined Command (setting up macros for function keys and other keys)
UDF Universal Disk Format
UDP User Datagram Protocol (Network protocol for transferring data packets)
UI User Interface
UID User IDentification (internet, intranet, and server login accesses)
ULS Uniform Location Service (used to identify nodes on the net)
UMB Upper Memory Blocks
UML Unified Modeling Format
UNC Universal Naming Conventions
UPS Un-interruptable Power Supply
URI Uniform Resource Identification (192.55.123.22)
URL Uniform Resource Locator (The address a computer looks for to find w3 pages)
URN Uniform Resource Name (www.whoever.com)
URT Universal Receiver Transmitter
USB Universal Serial Bus (another bus architecture-reference SCSI - allows hot swaps of devices, and runs on low power (bus voltage) but slow data transfer compared to the SSA and FC-AL ports)
USART Universal Synchronous / Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter
USR United States Robotics (merged with 3 Com)
USRT Universal Synchronous Receiver Transmitter
UTP Unshielded Twisted Pair
UUCP UNIX to UNIX CoPy
V
VAN Value Added Network
VAR Value Added Reseller
VB Visual Basic
VBA Visual Basic for Applications (programming language bundled with MS Office, can include ActiveX- , not a full VB compiler, but can edit macros and commands)
VBP Visual Basic Project (file extension)
VBR Variable Bit Rate
VBRUN Visual Basic RUNtime library files (100, 200, 300, 400, 32) *.dll extensions
.vbs Visual Basic Scripting language. Used by Microsoft in the same way that Netscape developed the javascript language.
VCB Video Capture Board
VCD Video Compact Disk - use a CD in your DVD player for movies.
VCM Virtual Channel Memory (new bus technology between RAM and CPU - late 1998)
VDD Virtual Device Driver
VDM Virtual DOS Machine
VDT Visual Display Terminal
VEGA Video-7 Enhanced Graphics Adaptor
VESA Video Electronics Standards Association
VFAT Virtual File Allocation Table
VGA Video Graphics Adapter
VINES VIrtual NEtworking Software (Banyan NOS)
VIP Vines Internet Protocol
VLAN Virtual Local Area Network (term growing in popularity due to NT's domain structure)
VLB Video Local Bus (mother board bus architecture - becoming outdated for the PCI)
VM 1. Virtual Memory
VM 2. Virtual Machine
VMM Virtual Memory Manager
VMS Virtual Machine System
VMS Virtual Memory System (DEC OS)
VMS Voice Messaging System
VOD Voice Over Data
VOF Voice Over Fiber
VOIP Voice Over Internet Protocol
VPN Virtual Private Network
VR 1. Virtual Reality
VR 2. Voice Recognition
VRAM Video Random Access Memory
VRML Virtual Reality Modeling Language
VSN Volume Serial Number (S/N assigned when disk/partition is formatted)
VSQL Visual Structured Query Language
VTAM Virtual Transmission Automated Messaging
.vue Vue d'Esprit file extension. (Popular 3D rendering program)
VXB Visual Basic Library file extension
VxD Virtual eXtended Device Driver (common with the 32-bit Win 95 system) These are 32 bit protected mode drivers that allow mult-threading of applications.
W
W3 Sometimes shorted from the WWW or World Wide Web
W3C World Wide Web Consortium
WABI Windows Application Binary Interface
WAIS Wide Area Information System
WAN Wide Area Network
WARM Write And Read Many times (CD-ROM technology)
WAITS Wide Area Information Transportation System
.wav or WAV WAVe file (file extension for sound files)
.wax Sound file extension.
WBC Write Back Caching (newer 486 CPU, and Pentium - faster cache)
WBEM Web-Based Enterprise Management.
.wbk Workbook file extension used by several software packages.
.wbk Microsoft Word backup file extension.
WCL Windows Compatibility List
WDL Windows Driver Library
WDM Windows Device Manager
WEP Windows Entertainment Package
WFM Wired For Management (Intel hard-wire technology)
WFW Windows For Workgroups (often used for peer-to-peer networking)
WINE WINdows Emulator (program used by Unix/Linux to run Windows programs)
WINS Windows Internet Naming System (NT protocols - also used with other 32-bit MS)
.wiz Microsoft Wizard used in various software packages and the MS Windows OS.
.wma or WMA Microsoft Windows Media Audio file format and file extension.
.wmf Window Media and Fax viewer file extension.
WMF Windows MetaFile (file extension)
WORM 1. A type of virus (usually internet or networking)
WORM 2. Write Once Read Many (a type of disk drive ex: cd burners)
WP 1. Word Processor
WP 2. Word Perfect Corporation
WP 3. Write Pre compensation (older disk reading technology)
WP 4. Write Protected
WRAM Windows RAM
WTC Write Through Caching (chip set caching for older PC's)
WWW World Wide Web ( sometimes call W3)
WWW World Wide Wait - slang
WWWC World Wide Web Consortium (governing body that proposes standards for the Web)
WYSIWYG What You See Is What You Get (computer slang wizzy wig)
X
XCOPY eXtended COPY (DOS file copy program)
.xls Microsoft Excel file extension.
.xlt Microsoft Excel Template file extension
XML eXtensible Markup Language
XMS eXtended Memory Specification
XNS Xerox Network System
XP eXPerience (Microsofts new version of Windows and software)
XSMD eXtended Storage Module Drive interface
XT eXtended Technology
Z
Z Compression files that save disk space (PKZip is most popular)
ZAC Zero Administration Client
ZAK Zero Administration Kit
ZAW Zero Administration for Windows
ZBR Zone Bit Recording
ZD Ziff Davis publication company (publish large percent of computer literature)
ZDN Ziff Davis Network: formally ZDNET, computer dedicated publisher, and internet site
ZDNET Ziff Davis Network (Largest computer publication company network: www.zdnet.com)
ZDTV Ziff Davis TeleVision channel
ZIF Zero Insertion Force (CPU chips that can be removed to upgrade a PC)
.zip or ZIP Compression files that save disk space (PKZip is most popular)
ZNA Zero Network Administration (where all registration, profiles, policy kept in 1 place)
ZP Compression files that save disk space (PKZip is most popular)
Source: http://www.web-friend.com/help/lingo/pcacnm.html
