Latest computer dictionary terms added to Computer Hope

Content delivery network or content distribution network - CDN

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

Short for content delivery network or content distribution network, a CDN is a global network that works by caching static content such as images, CSS, and videos for a website all around the world. This helps improve the load time of a website by loading the static content from the closest CDN server. For example, if a website visitor was in India and the webserver was in the United states, each request made by the visitor must travel from India to the United States. Although each request may only be a few hundred milliseconds, a site that requests dozen or different requests can increase a sites overall load time.

PassMark

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

PassMark is a software company (officially called PassMark Software) that provides various software utilities for performing benchmark tests on a computer system. Users can run CPU BurnIn tests, 2D and 3D graphics tests, hard drive tests, memory tests, and CD and DVD drive tests. Test results can be submitted to PassMark Software for further analysis as well.

Socket 8

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

Motherboards featuring the Socket 8 CPU socket were available for use with the Pentium Pro and Pentium II Overdrive processors developed and manufactured by Intel. Socket 8 featured a unique design, with a PGA pin grid for a part of the socket and a SPGA pin grid for the other part. Socket 8 was used up until the Pentium II processor was introduced, which used the Slot 1 socket. In the picture to the right, is an example of what this socket looks like on a motherboard.

Percent

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

The percent (%) symbol is most often used in mathematics and in programs like Microsoft Excel as a different way to represent a fraction of a whole number (i.e. 60% is 6/10 or 3/5 or .60). In some computer software applications, however, the percent symbol is used as a wild card, meaning it can represent any character, whether that be a letter, number, a hyphen or other special character. In can be used in search strings, allowing the user to enter a partial value followed by a percent symbol, effectively performing a search for anything containing the partial value entered.

AIM

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

Short for AGP In-line Memory Module, AIMM is also known as the Graphics Performance Accelerator and is an expansion card, designed to be inserted into the AGP slot on a motherboard to allow for additional dedicated memory for graphics processing. Those motherboards that included onboard memory use a shared graphics memory design versus the dedicated graphics memory found on a removable AGP video card. The graphics acceleration and processing capability on an onboard video card and shared memory is not as powerful. By using the AIMM expansion card, users can gain some improved graphics acceleration and processing capability for less than the cost of an AGP video card.

ARM processor

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

The ARM processor is a 32-bit RISC processor, meaning it is built using the reduced instruction set computer (RISC) instruction set architecture (ISA). ARM processors are microprocessors and are widely used in many of the mobile phones sold each year, as many as 98% of mobile phones. They are also used in personal digital assistants (PDA), digital media and music layers, hand-held gaming systems, calculators, and even computer hard drives.

Facebook or frame buffer - FB

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

Common abbreviation for Facebook.

FD

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

Short for Floppy diskette or Floppy drive.

Drain

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

When referring to a transistor, drain is where electrical current flows out when it is closed.

Electronic Data Interchange - EDI

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

Short for electronic discovery, e-discovery is a term used in civil litigation that describes the discovery of information in electronic format, typically recovered through digital forensics analysis. Forensic investigators, lawyers, and IT managers all conduct e-discovery, sometimes each with their own terminology, which can cause confusion when trying to communicate between professions.

Data line

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

With computer microchips, a data line is an electrical line or circuit that carries data and determines whether a bit represents a 0 or a 1.

Domain controller

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

A domain controller (DC) is a server that handles all the security requests from other computers and servers within the Windows Server domain. Security requests include requests to log in to another server and checking permissions for various functions that need to be performed (e.g., accessing a file folder on a server or modifying a file within a folder). The domain controller originated in Windows NT and managed the access to various resources granted to users and other servers through the use of a username and password.

Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol - SSTP

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

Short for Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol, SSTP is a type of VPN tunnel that utilizes an SSL 3.0 channel to send PPP or L2TP traffic. SSL allows for transmission and data encryption, as well as traffic integrity checking. Due to this, SSTP can pass through most firewalls and proxy servers by using the SSL channel over TCP port 443.

Light gun

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

A light gun is a pointing input device that detects light using a photodiode in the gun barrel. When the player of the game pulls the trigger on the gun, the screen is blanked out for a fraction of a second, which allows the photodiode to determine where the gun is pointed. Light guns were most widely used with early console gaming systems such as the NES Zapper light gun, as shown in the picture to the right. Using this gun the player could play games where they were required to point the gun at the screen and shoot targets, such as ducks in the popular Duck Hunt game.

Name Box

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

In Microsoft Excel, the Name Box is the box to the left of the formula bar that displays the cell that is currently selected in the spreadsheet. If a name is defined for a cell that is selected, the Name Box will display the name of the cell. You can use the Name Box to define a name for a selected cell as well. In the picture to the right, is an example of the Name box in Microsoft Excel.

Data type

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

A data type is a classification of the type of data that a variable or object can hold in computer programming. Data type is an important factor in virtually all computer programming languages, including visual basic, C#, C++ and JavaScript. When programmers create computer applications, both desktop and web-based, data types must be referenced and used correctly, to ensure the result of the application's functions is correct and error-free.

exFAT

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

Short for Extended File Allocation Table, exFAT is a file system designed and used by flash drives. It was developed by Microsoft and originally released in November 2006. Windows XP And Server 2003 are capable of supporting it with a Windows update (KB955704), while Windows Vista SP1, Server 2008, Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 can support it out of the box. Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.5 and higher and Max OS X Lion can also support the exFat file system. At this time, no support is available for other operating systems.

Data path

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

A data path (also written as datapath) is a set of functional units that function to process data. The central processing unit (CPU) in a computer contains data paths that route data between these functional units. A larger data path can also be created by joining data paths together using multiplexers.

Digital camcorder

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

A digital camcorder is one that record video on one of the following types of media: Digital8, MiniDV, DVD, hard disk drive or solid-state flash memory. Some digital camcorders also have the capability of taking still pictures and storing on separate media, typically the same type as used in digital cameras. While the image quality may not be quite as good as a standard digital camera, this allowed users to carry just one device to record both video and still images. In the picture to the right, is an example of what a digital camcorder may look like.

Cybercafe

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:36:33 MST

Alternatively referred to as an Internet cafe, PC bangs, or Net cafe, a cybercafe is a place where computer users can use a computer, either their own or one provided by the cybercafe, to access the Internet, play games, create documents and spreadsheets, chat with friends and family using voice and video, as well as a number of other computer-related tasks. Typically, the computer and Internet access is provided for an hourly or daily fee.