U

UCAID

n. Short for University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development. An organization created to provide guidance in advanced networking development within the university community. UCAID is responsible for the development of the Abilene fiber-optic backbone network that will interconnect over 150 universities into the Internet2 project.

UCE

n. Short for unsolicited commercial e-mail. See spam¹ (definition 2).

UCITA

n. Short for Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act. Legislation proposed or enacted in several states that will set legal standards and control systems for dealing with computer information. UCITA is a model law intended as an amendment to the Uniform Commercial Code to cover new technology-related issues. One of UCITA's main provisions is a standard for mass market software shrinkwrap and clickwrap agreements. See also clickwrap agreement, shrinkwrap agreement.

ultraportable

n. A class of laptop computer that is smaller and lighter than traditional laptop models. Ultraportables typically weight three to four pounds and are about an inch thick. Many feature slightly smaller screens and keyboards than traditional laptops. The primary users of ultraportable laptops are mobile executives who need a computer they can carry anywhere easily and on which they can run basic business programs and access e-mail. See also laptop.

unified messaging

n. The integration of various communications technologies such as voicemail, fax, and e-mail into a single service. Unified messaging is designed to be a time-saving tool to provide users with a single package with which they can receive, organize, and respond to messages in a variety of media.

Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act

n. See UCITA.

University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development

n. See UCAID.

unsolicited commercial e-mail

n. See spam¹ (definition 2).

V

V.90

n. See V series.

viral marketing

n. A marketing concept that relies on computer users to distribute marketing materials, possibly without even being aware of their participation. Viral marketing is often tied in with free e-mail accounts or other free online services, from which users pass along advertisements with every message they send.

virtual hosting

n. A form of hosting that provides a Web server, communication, and other services to customers for their own Web sites. In addition to hardware, software, and communication, virtual hosting can include assistance with domain name registration, e-mail addresses, and other Web-related issues. See also host (definition 2), hosting.

Visual Café

n. The Java-based suite of software development tools from Symantec Corporation. Visual Café is available in several product packages. The Standard Edition, intended for beginning Java programmers, includes an integrated editor, debugger, and compiler, as well as a JavaBean library and wizards and utilities. The Professional Edition provides a larger library of JavaBeans and more sophisticated tools for development and debugging. The Database Edition, as the name indicates, adds support for database functionality. The Enterprise Suite provides a high-end environment for development of enterprise applications. See also Java.

Visual InterDev

n. Microsoft's integrated development environment for Web applications. Visual InterDev includes tools for end-to-end (design through deployment) development, as well as integrated tools for database programming and design. The first version of Microsoft Visual InterDev was released in 1997.

Visual Studio

n. Microsoft's suite of software development tools for rapid development of business applications and components. Visual Studio is provided in two editions. The Professional Edition, for professional programmers, includes the Visual Basic and Visual C++ languages, Visual FoxPro for database development, Visual InterDev for Web development, and Visual J++ for Java development. The Enterprise Edition, for enterprise-level development, also includes Visual SourceSafe (a team-based source code control system) and the Developer Edition of Microsoft BackOffice Server.

VoATM

n. Short for Voice over Asynchronous Transfer Mode. The transmission of voice and other telephony over an ATM network. See also ATM (definition 1), VoFR, VoIP.

VoFR

n. Short for Voice over Frame Relay. Voice transmission over a frame relay network. See also frame relay, VoATM, VoIP.

voice chat

n. A feature offered by Internet service providers (ISPs) that allows users to converse with each other directly through an Internet connection. See also Internet telephone.

Voice Extensible Markup Language

n. See VoiceXML.

Voice over Asynchronous Transfer Mode

n. See VoATM.

Voice over Frame Relay

n. See VoFR.

voice portal

n. A voice-activated Internet or information portal built on voice recognition and text-to-speech technologies. Users call up interactive voice menus and forms through a telephone or a properly equipped computer. Content accessed in this manner can be traditional Web pages converted to sound files or customized information created by the voice portal vendor.

VoiceXML

n. Short for VoiceExtensible Markup Language. An extension to XML that enables Internet content and information to be accessed using voice input. With VoiceXML-enabled content and the proper equipment, users can use speech to request information and interact with the system. See also XML.

V series

n. The series of International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) recommendations related to data communication over the public phone system, including signaling, coding, and circuit characteristics. See the table.

Table V.1 Recommendations in the V Series for Data Communication over the Telephone Network

Recommendation Number	What It Covers
V.17	14,000-bps, two-wire modems used for facsimile applications
V.21	300-bps modems used with dial-up lines; full-duplex transmission
V.22	1200-bps duplex modems standardized for use in the general switched telephone network and on point-to-point two-wire leased telephone-type circuits; not the same as Bell 212A (in North America)
V.22 bis	2400-bps modems used with dial-up and leased lines; full-duplex transmission
V.23	600/1200-bps synchronous or asynchronous modems used with dial-up and leased lines; half-duplex transmission
V.26	2400-bps modems used with four-wire leased lines; full-duplex transmission
V.26 bis	1200/2400-bps modems used with dial-up lines; full-duplex transmission
V.26 ter	2400-bps modems used with dial-up and two-wire leased lines; DPSK modulation; fallback to 1200 bps; echo canceling to remove phone-line echo; full-duplex transmission
V.27	4800-bps modems used with leased lines; manual equalizer; full-duplex transmission
V.27 bis	2400/4800-bps modems used with leased lines; automatic equalizer; full-duplex transmission
V.27 ter	2400/4800-bps modems used with dial-up lines; full-duplex transmission
V.29	9600-bps modems used with point-to-point leased circuits; half-duplex transmission or full-duplex transmission
V.32	9600-bps modems used with dial-up lines; echo canceling to remove phone-line echo; full-duplex transmission
V.32 bis	4800/7200/9600/12,000/14,400-bps modems used with dial-up lines; echo canceling; full-duplex transmission
V.33	12,000/14,400-bps modems used with four-wire leased lines; synchronous; QAM modulation; time-division multiplexing; full-duplex transmission
V.34	33,600-bps modems; full-duplex transmission
V.34 Corr.	33,600-bps modems for use on the general switched telephone network and on leased point-to-point two-wire telephone-type circuits
V.36	Modems for synchronous data transmission using 60–108-kHz group band circuits
V.42	Error-correcting procedures for data circuit terminating equipment (DCE) using asynchronous-to-synchronous conversion
V.42 bis	Data compression procedures for DCEs using error correction procedures
V.43	Data flow control
V.56	Comparative tests of modems for use over telephone-type circuits
V.56 bis	Network transmission model for evaluating modem performance over two-wire voice grade connections
V.56 ter	Test patterns for evaluation of two-wire 4-kHz voiceband duplex modems
V.61	4800-bps modems operating at voice plus data rate or 14,000-bps modems operating at data-only rate over standard switched telephone circuits or on point-to-point, two-wire phone circuits
V.90	56,000/33,600-bps modems used with dial-up lines that have analog connections at the user's end and digital connections at the service provider's end
V.91	64,000-bps modems used on a four-wire circuit-switched connections and on leased point-to-point four-wire digital circuits
V.100	Interconnection between public data networks (PDNs) and the public switched telephone networks (PSTNs)

VXML

n. See VoiceXML.

W

WAI

n. Short for Web Accessibility Initiative. A set of guidelines released by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in May 1999. The WAI is intended to promote Web accessibility for users with disabilities by setting Web design and compatibility guidelines that help assure Web access and usability for all users. See also accessibility.

wallet

n. In electronic commerce, a software program that contains a user's address and credit card information and that is used in paying for online purchases. When the wallet is opened at the electronic checkout, it identifies the user to the merchant's server and allows the user to authorize the appropriate debit to a credit card.

WAP

n. See Wireless Application Protocol.

Web Accessibility Initiative

n. See WAI.

Web cam or webcam

n. A video camera whose output appears on a Web page, usually updated on a regular and frequent schedule. Web cams are used to display weather and traffic conditions, to allow customers and other users to observe current activities at the site owner's business or home (for example, at a daycare center), for promotional purposes, and as a form of "gee whiz, look at this!" entertainment.

Web hosting

n. See hosting.

Weblog or weblog or web log

n. A Web site that has regularly updated content reflecting the interests of the site's host. Often, but not always, the content is in journal form, has highlights of news and information from other Web sites, and is presented from a personal point of view. On some sites, the Weblog is a collaboration between visitors to the site. The high-tech-oriented Slashdot.org is frequently cited as being among the best-known Weblogs.

Web switch

n. A network device—a switch—designed to optimize Web traffic routing by using the information embedded in HTTP requests to route the requests to the most appropriate servers, no matter where they are located. Web switches are intended to address issues of speed, scalability, and performance for high-volume Web sites. See also switch.

Web-to-host

n. A service that allows remote users to access programs and data on legacy or mainframe systems through a Web browser. Web-to-host packages typically include a combination of services such as emulation support, legacy access, centralized management, host services, and security options, with some degree of customization possible. See also legacy system, mainframe computer.

white box

n. A nonbranded PC assembled by a reseller, potentially including components from a number of manufacturers. The name refers to the typical color of the shipping carton, a box unadorned by brand name or logo.

white hat

n. A hacker who operates without malicious intent. A white hat hacker will not break into a system with the intention of doing damage. White hat hackers may be employed to provide security against other hackers. See also hacker. Compare black hat.

Windows 2000

n. A Microsoft operating system, the successor to Windows NT, designed for business rather than consumer use. Like its predecessor, Windows 2000 is a multithreaded, multitasking 32-bit operating system. Implemented in desktop and several server versions, Windows 2000 focuses overall on improved ease of use, networking, management, reliability, scalability, and security. See the table.

Table: Windows 2000 Versions

Windows 98

n. An operating system with a graphical user interface for i486 and higher processors, released by Microsoft Corporation in 1998. Building upon Windows 95, Windows 98 features an improved interface and more robust functionality. With the Active Desktop, Windows 98 integrates Internet connectivity even more closely, allowing users to access remote files in the same way they would access files on their hard drives. Hardware support includes USB, IEEE 1394, AGP ports, television tuner cards, DVD drives, multiple modems, and multiple monitors. Windows 98, Second Edition, released in 1999, builds on the features in the initial release and offers home networking and improved maintenance features. See also Windows, Windows 95.

Windows Media Audio

n. A digital audio coding scheme developed by Microsoft that is used in distributing recorded music, usually over the Internet. Windows Media Audio shrinks the size of the audio file by a factor of 20 to 24 without seriously degrading the quality (CD-recording level) of the sound. Windows Media Audio files are given the file extension .wma and can be created with Windows Media Tools and played with the Windows Media Player. Acronym: WMA. See also Windows Media Technologies. Compare MP3, RealAudio, Secure Digital Music Initiative.

Windows Media Player

n. See Windows Media Technologies.

Windows Media Services

n. See Windows Media Technologies.

Windows Media Technologies

n. Microsoft technologies for the creation, delivery, and playing of streaming audio and video over a network, including both intranets and the Internet. Windows Media Technologies, downloadable from the Microsoft Web site, support both live and on-demand (delivered from storage) content and are based on files delivered in Advanced Streaming Format (ASF). Three major components—Windows Media Tools, Windows Media Services, and Windows Media Player—comprise Windows Media technologies. See the table. See also Advanced Streaming Format, Windows Media Audio. Compare RealSystem G2.

Table: Windows Media Technologies

Windows Media Tools

n. See Windows Media Technologies.

Windows NT Embedded

n. A version of the Microsoft Windows NT operating system designed for devices and other products that have embedded systems. Windows NT Embedded, released in 1999, targets devices in the mid-to-high end of the embedded device industry, including high-speed copiers, patient monitors, PBXs, and point-of-sale terminals. Windows NT Embedded features include headless operation (with no keyboard, mouse, or display devices needed), diskless operation, and remote management infrastructure. See also embedded system, Windows NT.

Windows Script Host

n. The language-independent scripting host for Microsoft Windows platforms. Windows Script Host is a tool that allows users to run VBScript, JScript, or any other scripting language to automate common tasks and to create macros and logon scripts.

Wireless Application Protocol

n. A specification for a global standard for enabling digital cellular phones and other wireless devices to access Internet and other information services. The Wireless Application Protocol, or WAP, is supported by an organization known as WAP Forum, which includes such members as Motorola, Nokia, Ericsson, and Unwired Planet. The goal of the Forum is to create an open standard that works with different wireless technologies. Acronym: WAP.

Wireless Markup Language

n. See WML.

WMA

n. Short for Windows Media Audio. See Windows Media Technologies.

WML

n. Short for Wireless Markup Language. A markup language developed for Web sites that are accessed with microbrowsers on Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled devices. A Web site written with WML would be viewable on hand-held devices with small screens, such as cell phones. See also markup language, microbrowser, Wireless Application Protocol.

Word

n. Microsoft's word processing software, available for the Windows and Macintosh platforms. In addition to extensive editing, formatting, and customization features, Word provides such tools as automatic text completion and correction. The most recent version, Word 2000 (for Windows) adds Web functionality-for example, the ability to save documents in HTML format. The first version, Microsoft Word for MS-DOS 1.00, was introduced in 1983.

WordPerfect Office

n. A suite of business application programs from Corel Corporation. The basic (Standard Edition) WordPerfect Office suite includes the WordPerfect word processor,Quattro Pro spreadsheet, Corel Presentations presentation software, CorelCENTRAL personal information manager, Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications scripting tools, and Trellix Web publisher. A home and small-business package, the Voice-Powered Edition, adds speech recognition and publishing products; a business and corporate package, the Professional Edition, adds database and Internet tools to all of the preceding.

X

x2

n. A technology developed by 3Com Corporation/U.S. Robotics that allows modems to download information at speeds of up to 56 Kbps and upload information at speeds of up to 33.6 Kbps over standard analog phone lines. Before there was an accepted standard, the modem market was divided between x2 and a competing technology, K56flex, from then Rockwell Semiconductor Systems (currently Conexant Systems, Inc.) and Lucent Technologies. The two technologies were incompatible, and users accessing modems using the competing technology experienced slower communication speeds. In September of 1998, a 56-K standard named V.90 was ratified by the International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T.) Both x2 and K56flex modems can be modified to support the V.90 standard with a software upgrade. See also K56flex, V series.

XHTML

n. Short for Extensible Hypertext Markup Language. A markup language incorporating elements of HTML and XML. Web sites designed using XHTML can be more readily displayed on handheld computers and digital phones equipped with microbrowsers. XHTML was released for comments by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in September 1999. See also html, microbrowser, XML.

XSLT

n. 1. Short for Extensible Stylesheets Language-Transformations. A language used in transforming an existing XML document into a restructured XML document. Formalized as a W3C Recommendation in 1999, XSLT is primarily intended for use as part of XSL. XSL describes the styling of a document in terms of XSLT transformations into an XML document. Also called XSL Transformations. See also XML, XSL.

XSL Transformations

n. See XSLT.

Y

YB

n. See yottabyte.

Year 2000 problem

n. Prior to January 1, 2000, a potential software problem stemming from the use of two digits (99), rather than four (1999) as year indicators in computer programs. Such programs assumed that 19 preceded every year value and could potentially fail or produce incorrect calculations by interpreting the year 2000 (00) as an earlier date than 19xx when the year rolled over into a new century. The use of two-digit year indicators was prevalent in, though not limited to, older programs that had been written when a saving of two bytes (digits) per year value was significant in terms of computer memory. Because the use of two-digit year indicators was widespread, companies, governments, and other organizations took measures on a large scale to prevent the Year 2000 problem from affecting their computing systems. In the end, however, the problem—luckily—proved largely uneventful.

yottabyte

n. A unit of measure equal to 2⁸⁰ bytes, or approximately one septillion (10²⁴) bytes. When calculated as a multiple of 1000 zettabytes (the next highest unit of measure), a yottabyte is 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes; when calculated as 1024 zettabytes, a yottabyte is 1,208,925,819,614,629,174,706,176 bytes. The prefix (yotta-) is meant to sound like the Greek letter iota. Abbreviation: YB.

Z

ZB

n. See zettabyte.

zettabyte

n. A unit of measure equal to 2⁷⁰ bytes, or one sextillion (10²¹) bytes. When calculated as a multiple of 1000 exabytes (the next highest unit of measure), a zettabyte is 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes; when calculated as 1024 exabytes, a zettabyte is 1,180,591,620,717,411,303,424 bytes. The prefix (zetta-) is meant to sound like the Greek letter zeta. Abbreviation: ZB.

zombie

n. A computer that has become the unwilling host of a DDoS (distributed denial of services) attack program and that is controlled by remote signals from the attacker. To create a zombie, a hacker utilizes security vulnerabilities to crack a Web, mail, news, or application server and plant hidden DDoS tools such as Trinoo and Tribal Flood Network. Later, at a signal from the attacker, the server becomes a zombie that will participate in a coordinated attack on other servers. See also DDoS, hacker (definition 2).