Questions tagged [terminology]

Questions regarding computer-specific terms and jargon. Make sure you show research effort and that your question can be objectively answered.

Use this tag for questions regarding computer-specific terms and jargon, including those about differences between similar or easily confused terms.

To prevent your question from being closed, please make sure that you show research effort and that your question can be objectively answered, because these types of questions are prone to being closed as not constructive if poorly written.

177 questions
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What are the origins of "Download", "upload", "downstream", "upstream", and why are they respectively down or up?

I assume that the term download was coined first and then similar terms as upload, downstream, upstream followed. But why are servers up, while clients are down? Who coined (one of) these terms and when?
MarianD
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43
votes
5 answers

What is the difference between a directory and a folder?

Possible Duplicate: Directory vs. Folder Most people use the terms "folder" and "directory" interchangeably. Is there a difference, and if so, what is it?
mafu
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27
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5 answers

What does it mean for software to run natively?

I've been wondering what it means for software to run natively. What exactly is such software and how is it different from software that does not run natively? How can I tell if a given peice of software will run natively on my computer? Is there…
Throsby
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19
votes
8 answers

What's the meaning of "foo"?

I've been here around 4 months and several times I saw that people use foo but I don't know what it means. I would like others to explain me about this variable... Why is it important? How do I use it? When do I use it? How could I use it? I read on…
poz2k4444
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9
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1 answer

ShellExView vs ShellMenuView

I'm unskilled with computers. Can someone please explain, like I'm 5 years old, the: differences between ShellExView and ShellMenuView? meanings of 'shell extensions' and 'static menu items'? This comment counsels: ShellExView lists shell…
user269574
6
votes
1 answer

What is the difference between "load" and "fetch"?

I often encounter the words load and fetch in contexts where data are being read from some source, and they seem to have slightly different meanings. What's the difference? I've done some research and couldn't find any specific technical difference…
bwDraco
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5
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4 answers

What is a "Mainframe"? What is a "Workstation"?

Recently I'm encountering these two terms frequently Mainframe & Workstation. How are they different from the computers we use? I tried wiki articles but couldn't understand. Also Terminal means just the command prompt (it's not hardware), right? I…
pecker
4
votes
2 answers

What is ecosystem in IT world?

I am an IT engineer and I've been asked a few days ago a question on which I was unable to answer. I've started looking on the Internet for it, and unfortunately I didn't find anything. The friend of mine (also IT guy) asked me what an ecosystem is…
sebap123
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4
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2 answers

What does PS stand for in PS/2?

PS/2 Anyone knows?
wamp
2
votes
2 answers

Is there a difference between a program "crashing" and a program that has stopped responding?

I find myself getting confused with these two terms. I had originally thought that when a program "crashes", it automatically quits and the process is killed. But when the program stops responding, it gives that error that says "Program not…
yuritsuki
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5 answers

Terminology: Looking for one word meaning client and server

I am currently writing a paper about client and server authentication. I am looking for a word that means client AND server. Anyone have any suggestions?
2
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3 answers

What does "third-party in the context of "third-party application" mean?

I would like to know what does "third-party software" mean? Some people usually talk about "third-party apps" too. What does "third-party" mean in those contexts?
ChristopherEmoracket
1
vote
2 answers

Why do we say 'PC and MAC'

The Macintosh marketed as Mac, is a line of personal computers (PCs) What's more, MACs are personal computers. Then why distinguish between PC and MAC?
Vorac
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1
vote
2 answers

Name for time period between boot and shutdown (login/logout is to "session" like boot/shutdown is to ???)

The time between login and logout is called a "user session", "login session" or simply "session". Is there a similar specific name for an OS "session", i.e. the period of time between boot and shutdown? "One uptime" is the only thing that comes to…
Jan Schejbal
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What is a CFM-based application?

When reading up about Mac OS X Kerberos Extras while trying to get Kerberos working, I came across the phrase 'CFM-based application'. What does this mean?
fredley
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