Customer Support -- What is

This page contains answers to common questions handled by our support staff, along with some tips and tricks that we have found useful and presented here as questions. All of the following are suggestions and the user makes the final decision whether to implement them or not. Always make a backup of your computer before attempting any changes. If you have any doubts about making changes, wait and talk to someone experienced with your type of changes.

Note: In these answers we will follow a few shorthand conventions for describing user-interface procedures. Key combinations will be presented like this: Ctrl+Alt+Delete, which means that you should press and hold down the Control key, the Alt key, and the Delete key at the same time. Menu selections will be presented like this: File->Open, which means that you should open the File menu, and then make the Open selection.

What is ... ?

EBCDIC	Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange
ECC	Error Checking and Correction, Error Correction Code
ECMA	European Computer Manufacturers Association
EDI	Electronic Data Interchange
Editor	A program for creating and changing text files. DOS 5 and later versions come with a basic editor called *EDIT. Other editors are available but EDIT* is good enough for most network needs.
EEPROM	Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
EGA	The color monitor that was standard with IBM AT computers. It was based on 80286 processors. It is now obsolete but you will still find some in use.
EIA	Electronic Industries Association. An organization that provides standards for the data communications industry, including the cabling used for networking and telecommunications. See also TIA.
EIDE	Enhanced IDE Interface (ATAPI)
EISA	Extended Industry Standard Architecture
EISA Bus	Extended Industry Standard Architecture Bus. An improved I/O bus that is compatible with the standard ISA bus but provides advanced features. Computers with an EISA bus were often used as file servers until the PCI bus became more popular.
Elevation	The angle between the horizon and a satellite, always measured in degrees. One of three factors needed to aim a DirecPC/DirecDuo or any satellite dish.
Email	Electronic mail sent between network computers via the Internet. Also referred to as messages and files sent to and received from an electronic mailbox residing on an email server.
Email Address	A general term that refers to the address or name by which recipients are known to Microsoft Exchange and to foreign systems.
Emoticon	A shorthand way of expressing emotions in email and chats by combining symbols to create smiles, frowns, etc.
EMP	Emergency Management Port
EMR	Event Message Revision
Encryption	Encoding a file for the purpose of preventing others from gaining access to its contents. An advanced security feature of Microsoft Exchange that provides confidentiality by allowing users to scramble data using complex algorithms. The data can only be decrypted by someone with a key. Encrypting a message is also known as "sealing" a message. Data is encrypted as it resides on disk and as it travels over a network. Microsoft Exchange uses CAST-40 and CAST-64 encryption. Also see Sealing, Signing, Digital Signature, Key.
Enterprise Computing	This refers to a view of an organization's complete computing needs, rather than just a single department's or group's needs.
EOD	End of Data. Electronic or magnetic sign, a part of the low-level format on tape. EOD signals the end of data.
EOM	End of Media. Electronic or magnetic sign, a part of the low-level format on tape. EOM signals the physical end of the tape.
EPS	Encapsulated PostScript. Standard format for importing or exporting PostScript files. EPS files are typically used in page layout programs, such as Adobe PageMaker and Quark Express. EPS files can contain any combination of graphics and text, ranging from a single image to an entire page of information. Information stored in an EPS file is in its final form and cannot usually be edited by the importing application, other than to rotate, scale, and place it. EPS files aren't always viewable on screen when imported but some EPS files contain an embedded preview image (usually in TIFF), for viewing on systems that don't have PostScript interpreters available.
ESD	Electrostatic Discharge. As the name implies, this is the sudden discharge of static electricity and can be a threat to a computer's internal components. A PC's internal components are very sensitive to static electricity and if they are exposed to an unexpected ESD, the components could be damaged.
Ethernet	A widely used local-area network (LAN) protocol developed by Xerox in 1976. Later it was written by Xerox with Digital Equipment Corp. and Intel. Ethernet was the original carrier sense multiple access / collision avoidance (CSMA / CD) LAN that lets PCs listen for pauses before they "speak". The most popular current implementation of Ethernet, 10BaseT, supports up to 10Mbps data transfer rate. Newer versions are Fast Ethernet, with a transfer rate of 100 Mbps, and Gigabit Ethernet, with a rate of 1Gbps.
Ethernet Address	The unique hardware address that identifies any Ethernet device, including Network Interface Cards (NICs), network printers, DSL routers and bridges.
EtherTalk	What you call Ethernet when you use it on a Macintosh.
ETLA	Extended Three Letter Acronym. An acronym with four letters.
Exchange	Also called the Central Switch, CO and Telephone Exchange. The location where telephone calls are switched to the rest of the telephone network. It's also where DSL and ISDN equipment must be installed to permit these services.
Exchange Server	The software that handles email services on a Windows NT/2000 and 2003 server.
EXE	A Windows program file. Some archive files are stored as .EXE files, allowing them to self extract without requiring an unzip program.
Expansion Card	A flat rectangular circuit board that is inserted into an expansion slot on the computers main bus. It expands on the existing functions of the PC by adding networking capability, for example, or by updating features included on the motherboard, such as graphics adapters.
Fair Access Plan	DirecPC's policy of severely slowing down the download speed of subscribers deemed to be hogging bandwidth by downloading too much per hour. DirecPC has published FAP guidelines but these are regarded as misleading by many subscribers.
FAP	Fair Access Plan. DirecPC's policy of severely slowing down the download speed of subscribers deemed to be hogging bandwidth by downloading too much per hour. DirecPC has published FAP guidelines but these are regarded as misleading by many subscribers.
FAQ	Frequently Asked Questions. A list of questions and their answers, found most often on the Internet, that address a particular topic. Computer users new to a particular newsgroup, for example, are usually advised to read a FAQ before contributing. Some FAQs are good sources of information, but not all are reliable.
Fast Ethernet	This is 100Mbps Ethernet. Also known as 100baseT or 100baseTX.
FAT	File Allocation Table. The method Microsoft DOS (MS-DOS) uses to keep track of the contents of a disk. The table is a chart of numbers that correspond to cluster addresses on the disk. When users or programs request a file, the operating system searches from address to address in the FAT to find where a file's clusters are stored on the disk. It then goes to the disk to collect each cluster of information. FAT32, which is used by Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP is Microsoft's newest version of the file allocation table.
FAT16	Older version of the FAT file system, based on 16-bit integers. It has a limitation with respect to the size of partitions it can handle.
FAT32	An upgraded version of FAT present in later versions of Microsoft Windows that supports larger drives. Based on 32-bit integers, the file system is able to handle partitions of 2 TB size and uses the storage capacity more efficiently than FAT16.
Fault Tolerance	A general term that refers to the capability of a system, whether it is hardware or software, to respond to an event, such as power failure or component failure, so that information is not lost and so that operations continue without interruption.
FC	Fiber Channel
FC-AL	Fiber Channel-Arbitrated Loop
FCC	Federal Communications Commission. The United States Government agency for regulating the telecommunications industry.
FCC ID#	An identification number assigned to all computer equipment by the FCC. It can be used to determine the make and model of so-called Brand X modems and other products.
FDD	Floppy Disc Drive
FDDI	Fiber Distributed Data Interface. This is a 100Mbps network standard used with fiber-optic backbone. When FDDI is used, FDDI FDDI/Ethernet bridges connect Ethernet segments to the backbone.
Fdisk	(Pronounced eff-disk) A DOS command that starts the fixed disk configuration program. The program configures a hard drive for DOS use. It can be used to partition a hard drive into what the computer reads as multiple hard drives.
FEC	Fast Ether Channel
Ferrule	The outer metal tube that you crimp on, to attach a BNC connector to a cable.
FF	Form Factor
Fiber-Optic Cable	Three sections comprise fiber-optic cable: the core (inner most layer consisting of at least one glass or plastic fiber), the cladding (glass or plastic coating with a different composition than that of the core), and the jacket (outer layer made of plastic and other materials to protect the cable from damage). It uses light to transfer voice, data and video at high speeds. Commonly used for WANs (wide area networks) because it can send data across longer distances, it isn't affected by "cross-talk," or disturbances caused by radio waves. Still fairly new, fiber-optic cable is still too expensive to be a feasible solution for home and small office networking needs.
Fiber-Optics	A technology in which light is used to transport large amounts of data using thin filaments of glass. Fiber, is the common shorthand term for fiber-optics.
FIFO	First In First Out
File	Data stored as a named unit on a data storage medium. Examples: a program, a document, a database.
File Fragmentation	A situation in which parts of a file are scattered among many sectors on a storage medium, such as a hard drive. A computer can keep track of where all the segments are located, but tracking them down can slow read-write operations. Operating systems such as DOS and Windows come with utilities to defragment drives when they become overly fragmented.
File Rights	The ability of a particular network user to access specific files on a network server.
File Sever	A network computer containing disk drives that are available to network users.
File System	Used to organize and retrieve files from a storage medium such as a hard drive. File systems consist of files separated into groups called directories. Directories can contain subdirectories, which in turn can contain still more subdirectories.
File Transfer Protocol	A standard way to transfer files between computers. The method has built-in error checking. It is frequently used as a way of transferring many types of files over the Internet.
Fire Wall	A special type of router that connects a LAN to the Internet while preventing unauthorized Internet users from accessing the LAN. This can also be a software application, which protects your network and your computer from unauthorized access.
FireWire	FireWire is the most common name for the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 1394 bus standard, which Apple conceived and the IEEE developed in the mid-1990s. FireWire cables connect devices equipped with FireWire ports, such as desktop systems, notebook computers, digital cameras, portable CD-RW (CD-rewriteable) drives, scanners, and printers. FireWire data transfers are isochronous (time-dependent). This means that FireWire delivers data at a guaranteed, consistent rate. This is especially important for digital multimedia editing. A FireWire port can support a maximum of 63 attached FireWire devices and FireWire cables can be as long as 14 feet. Speed is the key to FireWire's success. FireWire accommodates data transfers from one device to another at speeds as fast as 400Mbps (megabits per second). By comparison, serial cables transfer data at speeds as fast as 115Kbps (kilobits per second), parallel cables as fast as 150KBps (kilobytes per second) and EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) cables as fast as 3MBps. As a comparison, like FireWire USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a bus standard that has been gaining popularity during the past few years because of its speed. The initial USB standard, USB 1.1, transferred data at a relatively slow 12Mbps (megabits per second); however, the current USB 2.0 standard transfers data at speeds as fast as 480Mbps. Among all the popular bus standards, USB 2.0 is closest to FireWire in terms of speed. However, USB is most often found in lower speed peripherals, such as mice and keyboards. USB and FireWire are similar in that they both use PnP (Plug and Play) technology, Which means that a device using one of these standards, with few exceptions, will communicate and work with your computer as soon as you plug it in. FireWire and USB products are also Hot Swappable, which means you don't have to turn off anything before installation and like PnP, you don't have to restart your computer after installation.
Fixed Broadband Wireless	A technology that uses microwaves to deliver Internet content. The setup strongly resembles a cable modem inside your home.
Flame	A vicious email message or newsgroup posting in which the author attacks another online participant.

Floppy Disk	Low capacity storage media with soft kernel/base, hence the name floppy.
Floppy Interface	Interface where the floppy drive is connected to the computer. Some tape drives also connect to this interface.
Fly Height	Distance between read/write head and the media surface whilst the motor is rotating (hard drive).
Font	Font refers to a specific typeface in a specific point size and style. Therefore, Times New Roman Bold 12 points is a single font while Times New Roman 10 points is another separate font. Today, in common usage font refers to any digital typeface that can normally be rendered in a variety of sizes.
Foreign System	A messaging system other than Microsoft Exchange Server.
Form	In Microsoft Exchange, a structure for posting and viewing information. An example is a send form such as a purchase order.
Form Factor	The size of a device, in physical terms rather than capacity. It can be used to describe media sizes (such as 3.5-inch and 5.25-inch diskette drives) but is more often used to describe the size and layout of devices' cases. A form factor for a computer case or motherboard describes its dimensions, as well as its layout, such as the location of hard drives, optical and diskette drives, slots and ports. Form factors for computer cases and motherboards can have descriptive names, such as the Baby AT form factor for motherboards.
Format	Structure or composition of a file (file format) or the logical layout of a data storage unit.
Formatted Capacity	The actual capacity available to store data in a mass storage device. The formatted capacity is the gross capacity minus the capacity taken up by the overhead data required for formatting the media.
Forms Designer	The Microsoft Exchange Client component that enables you to create custom forms and applications for use with Exchange.
Forward	The act of sending an e-mail received from one sender to a third person.
FPC	Front Panel Controller
FPNW	File and Print Service for NetWare
fps	Frames Per Second. A measurement of the speed at which a video switches from one frame to the next sequential frame to create the appearance of a moving image.
FPX	FlashPix. Kodak developed FPX in cooperation with Hewlett Packard and the now defunct Live Picture. FPX can store multiple resolution versions of an image within the same file. This lets a computer create clear images, regardless of how much a user zooms into or out of the image. To offset the larger file size, FPX uses 20% less RAM when images are viewed. FPX supports uncompressed format, as well as single color compression (lossless) and JPEG compression (lossy).
FQDN	Fully Qualified Domain Name. The full name of a host, including all subdomain and domain names, separated by dots. For example, support.justice.court.gov is an FQDN.
Fractional T1	Any data transmission rate between 56 Kbps and 1.54 Mbps (which is the full T1 rate). Fractional T1 is simply a digital dedicated line that is not as fast and not as expensive as a T1 line.
Fragmented	(1) In parts. (2) A fragmented file does not have its content stored sequentially on the media. The files content may be stored in small segments scattered over an area of the disk. The file system keeps track of where one the media the data is stored and the user will normally not notice that a file is fragmented. Fragmentation is common on hard drives, but usually data is stored sequentially on tape.
Frame Relay	A dedicated public data networking service offered by telecommunications companies for LAN to LAN connections. Frame relay uses variable length frames for packet-switching networks that efficiently handle burst communications by quickly adjusting bandwidth to meet demands.
FRB	Fault Resilient Booting
Free Space	Free space in a storage device. The space that in any given time does not belong to any file or the file system itself (system information). New files will be stored in the free space area.
Freeware	Software available on the Internet or via email that can be downloaded and used free of charge. Despite being free to use, freeware is still copyrighted to the author.
Freeze	Lock Up, Hang. When an OS (operating system) or program has ceased functioning, you may notice that everything on a monitor's display has frozen. Your keyboard and mouse often fail to respond to input, too. You can often remedy a freeze or lockup by rebooting (restarting) your PC, but you will likely lose any information in unsaved and open applications.
FRU	Field Replaceable Unit
FTAM	File Transfer Access and Management
FTP	File Transfer Protocol. A standard way to transfer files between computers. The method has built-in error checking. It is frequently used as a way of transferring many types of files over the Internet.
FUBAR	Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition [slang]
Full Backup	The backup of all the files on a disk, whether or not the files have been modified since the last backup. Also see Differential Backup.
F/W	Fast and Wide (SCSI)
Gateway	A device that connects dissimilar networks. Gateways often connect Ethernet networks to mainframe computers or to the Internet. The gateway device can be embodied in a router or computer. A second definition of gateways is that they deliver messages from Microsoft Exchange Servers to foreign systems. For example, the Internet Mail connector is a type of gateway.
Gb	Gigabit
Gb/s	Gigabits ( billions of bits ) Per Second
Gbps	Gigabits ( billions of bits ) Per Second
GB	Gigabyte. Expression used to describe storage capacity or amount of data. One gigabyte is about 1000 millions of bytes/characters (1024^3).
GB/s	Gigabytes ( billions of bytes ) Per Second
GBps	Gigabytes ( billions of bytes ) Per Second
G.dmt	A standards based, form of ADSL that supports up to 8 Mbps downstream and 1.54 Mbps upstream.
GEC	Gigabit Ether Channel
Generation Backup	A backup strategy in which several sets of backup disks or tapes are retained. Sometimes referred to as grandfather-father-son.
Geosynchronous	A satellite orbit over the equator at a distance (a little over 22,000 miles) that keeps the satellite in the same apparent position in the sky. The type of orbit used by DirecPC and other satillite-based Internet services.
GIF	Graphics Interchange Format (Pronounced jif). A data compression format used to compress and transfer graphic images into digital information so the computer can reproduce the image on-screen. developed by CompuServe to compress image files for fast transfer and display on its online service. GIF format is now used extensively on the Internet and is one of the three dominant formats for images on Web pages. GIF format supports 8 bits of data per pixel, limiting color depth to 256 colors. GIF files are always compressed, using the LZW (Lempel Zev Welch) encoding scheme.
GIF89a	GIF89a supports embedding multiple images within a single file. The images are displayed in slideshow fashion, creating the illusion of animation. GIF89a also supports one color transparency, which lets you select a single color to represent an invisible area. Wherever this color occurs in the GIF image, the background image, if any, will show thru.
GigaProcessor Ultralite	Apple and IBM's entry into 64 bit processing. 2003/4
G-List	Growing Defect List. List of blocks/sector of a disk that has become defective during the lifetime of the disk. The list is updated by the drive itself and stored internally on the disk. The information in this list may indicate the current state of the drive. Many entries in the G-List may indicate an early stat of a head crash.
Glass House	The room where the mainframe computer is kept. Symbolic of the mainframe mentality, which refers to inflexibility and bureaucracy.
Glitch	Unexpected problem or malfunction. A small problem in computer hardware or software.
G. lite	The new ITU standard that forms the basis of Universal ADSL, which supports 1.5 Mbps downstream and 384 Kbps upstream.
Global Address List	In Microsoft Exchange, it contains the names of all mailboxes, custom recipients, distribution lists and public folders in an organization. Also see Address Book.
Graphics Card	A card or board located inside a computer, which interprets graphical commands and allows images to be displayed on a monitor.
Grounding Block	A device that attaches between a satellite dish or microwave antenna and your computer. The ground wire is attached to it and runs to ground to protect your equipment.
Grounding Strap	A conductive wire used to shunt unwanted electricity safely away from the computer. In computing, anyone physically touching components inside the computer's case, such as memory modules or the CPU, should wear a grounding strap on his or her wrist that is connected to a safe "ground". This will keep electrostatic energy in the person's body from damaging the delicate electronics.
Group Account	A grouping of user accounts that share common access rights.
Groupware	A relatively new category of application programs that are designed with networks in mind to enable and even promote collaborative work.
GSNW	Gateway Services for NetWare
GUI	Graphical User Interface (Pronounced gooey). A GUI uses menus and graphical symbols called icons to carry out commands, open files, and select options. The GUI can be operated with a mouse or a keyboard. Popular GUIs include Microsoft Windows and the Macintosh OS (operating Systems).
Guru	A nickname for someone that is very knowledgeable about computers and computer software.
Hacker	A person that deliberately breaks into another person's computer or network to steal, delete or change data.
Hard Disk	Medium for permanent storage of data. Magnetic platters, electronics and mechanics make up a hard disk. The platters are fixed to a spindle. On each side of a platter there is a read/write head. Each platter is divided in to tracks, which again is divided into sectors. A characteristic with hard disks is that the platters and the mechanics are in an airtight enclosure, and that the read/write heads do not touch the platters as long as the platters are rotating. See Fly Height, Hard Drive.
Hard Drive	A computer's primary storage device. Applications loaded on the computer and saved data are stored on the hard drive. See Hard Disk.
Hard Error	An error that is repeatable every time the same area on a disk is accessed.
Hardware	The physical components that computer system is comprised of, like had disk, screen, expansion cards etc..
Hardware Address	The physical address for the NIC, which is used by low level hardware layers of the network, including DSL bridges. Also known as the MAC address.
HDA	Head Disk Assembly. For today's drives this corresponds to the hard disk without the PCB.
HDD	Hard Disc Drive
HDLC	High Level Data Link Control
HDSL	High bit rate Digital Subscriber Line. The DSL service widely used for T1 lines. HDSL uses four wires (two pairs) instead of the standard two wires used for other DSL services. HDSL supports symmetrical service at 1.54 Mbps but doesn't support POTS.
HDSL-2	High bit rate Digital Subscriber Line-2. The ITU has approved a new generation of HDSL that offers several enhancements over its predecessor. One of the most important is that HDSL-2 requires only a single twisted pair local loop instead of the two pairs required by HDSL.
Head	Often referred to as the read/write head.
Head Crash	A head crash is the damage caused by the heads coming in contact with the magnetic surface of the media (platters). The crash causes damage to the read heads and scratches in the magnetic coating. Data that was stored in the scratched area cannot be recovered. Shavings and dust from one head crash may cause crashes on the other surfaces.
Header	Introductory, preliminary information. Example: system information (file name, type of file, file length etc.), may be stored just before or at the start of a file. The use of headers is typical for tape file systems, and the format of larger files like databases.
Heat Sink	A block of metal (usually aluminum or copper) that sits on top of a CPU to carry the excess heat away from it, to prevent damage.
Heuristics	A method of problem solving that relies on trial and error, as opposed to algorithmic problem solving, which relies on static formulas and equations. Heuristic programs can learn; they develop common sense rules for solving similar problems and then use them to solve the same type of problems in the future. Antivirus programs use algorithms to check for viruses but if the virus doesn't match known bug, the program won't detect it. Heuristic scanning, on the other hand, looks for suspicious code that the heuristic scanner has come to "know" resembles viral activity. Heuristic scanning methods are used primarily by those who are on the hunt for new viruses. They can set off too many alarms to be of use to regular users.
Hoaxbusters	A service of the U.S. Department of Energy, Hoaxbusters provides information about current hoaxes and how to recognize them. You can also learn about the history of hoaxes or check out the interesting databases of hoaxes, chain letters and urban myths. See hoaxbusters.ciac.org
Home Page	The main page on a Web site. This is usually the first page that appears when you log onto the Internet or click on a Web address. It typically functions as a site's introduction and guide.
Home Server	From a Microsoft Exchange user perspective, the home server is the specific Microsoft Exchange server that contains a user's mailbox.
HomePNA	Home Phoneline Networking Alliance. The group that created the specification for Phoneline networking, which uses telephone wiring as networking cable. Network data traffic runs over the same telephone used by telephones, analog modems, fax machines, and ADSL/G.lite modems without interrupting these services.
HomeRF	Home Radio Frequency. A wireless networking specification that uses the 2.4GHz band.
Host	A computer or any device connected to a TCP/IP network.
Hosts	A text file you can use in Windows for instant lookup of popular websites' IP addresses.
HSC	Hot Swap Controller
HTML	Hypertext Markup Language. A language used to create electronic documents, especially pages on the World Wide Web, that contain connections called hyperlinks.
HTTP	Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The protocol used by the World Wide Web for sending HTML pages from a server computer to a client computer.
HTTPS	Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. A secure form of HTTP that is used to transmit sensitive data such as credit card numbers.
Hub	An ethernet device that is used with 10BaseT and 100BaseT cabling to connect computers to the network. Most hubs have from 5 to 24 ports.
Hybrid	A leading supplier of the fixed broadband wireless technology. It is used for many of the fixed broadband wireless installations in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Hybrid Fiber-Optic/Coax	The type of cable TV network needed to support two-way cable. Fiber-optic is used from the cable company's head end into the neighborhood, where individual homes connect using coaxial cable.
Hyperlink	The underlined words or phrases you click on in a Web page that brings you to another screen or page.
Hypertext	An ancestor of hyperlinks, may help systems use hypertext.
Hz	Hertz ( cycles per second )


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Last modified: Wednesday June 30, 2010 .

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