“cabinet-mounted” to “cut buffer”

cabinet-mounted

(adj.) Characteristic of a device that can be mounted in a cabinet, generally appropriate for a data center or machine room. These systems can support more terminals than deskside systems. Cabinet-mounted systems usually have mass storage capacity, which is suitable for an operations environment.

cache

(n.) A buffer of high-speed memory that is filled at medium speed from main memory, often with instructions or the most frequently accessed information. A cache increases the transfer rates of effective memory and raises processor speed.

cache controller

(n.) See Module Xbus Cache Controller.

caching-only server

(n.) A domain name server that is not authoritative for any domain. This server queries servers that have authority for the required information. The server then caches that data. See also communications server.

canonical

(adj.) Characteristic of adhering to standard, accepted, or authoritative procedures or principles.

capture

(1) (v.) To save an image or data on a screen to a file, or to send an image directly to a printer.

(2) (v.) To record a series of keystrokes or save a special state of a program.

captured image

(n.) An image that was acquired originally with a camera and subsequently digitized and stored digitally. Often, a distinction is made between captured images and synthetic images, which are generated with computer-graphics techniques.

CARB

See central arbiter.

card cage

(n.) In Sun^TM server systems, the boards are installed in a card cage enclosure (not a board cage). The card cage provides card guides to direct the board into the backplane.

card slot

(n.) In Sun^TM server systems, one of three slots per system board for an SBus interface card.

caret

(n.) In desktop publishing systems, a blinking triangle, gray diamond, static solid, or “shadow” rectangle shape that indicates the insertion point in a text subwindow.

Cartesian coordinates

(n.) The coordinates that form a coordinate system by which points, lines, and other primitives can be located. In 2-D, the coordinate system forms a single flat plane, the x-y plane. In 3-D, the coordinate system is defined by three mutually perpendicular planes, usually called x, y, and z.

cascaded list

(n.) In a window environment, additional elements that are displayed by a menu item or list box from which you can choose to interact with other screen elements. Also called cascaded menu.

casting

(n.) The explicit conversion from one data type to another.

catenet

(n.) A network in which hosts are connected to networks with varying characteristics, and the networks are interconnected by gateways (routers). The Internet is an example of a catenet.

CDE

See Common Desktop Environment.

cell

(n.) In image processing, a four-by-four block of pixels. See cell encoding.

cell encoding

(n.) A video compression algorithm, developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. In cell encoding, a 4-by-4 region of pixels is represented by two colors and a 16-bit mask that indicates which of the two colors to place at each of the 16 pixel positions. The colors and mask are chosen to preserve the mean and variance luminance and the average chrominance for the 4-by-4 block.

central arbiter

(CARB) (n.) On Sun^TM servers, a system that includes central arbiters (one CARB on the control board) and a single board arbiter (BARB) on every system board. The central arbiter determines which processor on which system board controls the system bus at any particular time.

central structure store

(CSS) (n.) The Programmer's Hierarchical Interactive Graphics System (PHIGS) display list structure. An editable hierarchy of structures that is composed of elements, attributes, and transformations. CSS elements are drawing primitives such as lines and polygons. CSS attributes are qualities such as color and style.

CGA

(n.) color graphics adapter.

CGI

(1) (n.) Common Gateway Interface.

(2) (n.) Computer Graphics Interface.

Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol

(CHAP) (n.) An authentication protocol that can be used to verify the identity of a caller on a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) link. CHAP authentication uses the notion of the challenge and response, where the machine that receives a call challenges the caller to prove its identity.

character

(n.) A letter, numeral, punctuation mark, control character, blank, or other such symbol. See also byte.

character device

(n.) A device that transfers characters, either bit-by-bit or byte-by-byte, but does not move characters in blocks.

character set

(n.) A set of numbers, letters, and special characters with some commonality.

character-special device

(n.) See character device.

character string

(n.) A series of characters.

chat script

(n.) Instructions that tell a modem how to establish a communications link between itself and a remote peer. Both the Point-to-Point Protocol and UUCP protocols use chat scripts for establishing dial-up links and dial-back calling.

checkbox

(n.) A control, consisting of a graphic and associated text, that the user clicks to select or deselect an option. A check mark in the checkbox graphic indicates that the option is selected. In the Java^TMlook and feel, checkboxes are created by using the JCheckBox component. See also radio button.

checkbox menu item

(n.) A menu item that is displayed with a checkbox next to it to represent an on or off setting. A check mark in the checkbox graphic indicates that the menu item is selected. In the Java^TM look and feel, checkbox menu items are created by using the JCheckBoxMenuItem component. See also menu item.

checkpoint

(1) (n.) A place in a computer program at which a check is made, or at which a recording of data is made for restart purposes.

(2) (n.) In a Sun Cluster configuration, the notification sent by a primary node to a secondary node to keep the software state synchronized between the two nodes. See also primary, secondary.

checksum

(n.) The result of adding a group of data items that are used for checking the group. The data items can be either numerals or other character strings that are treated as numerals during the checksum calculation. The checksum value verifies that communication between two devices is successful.

CHI

(1) (n.) Communication Hardware Interface.

(2) (n.) Computer-Human Interaction.

(3) (n.) computer-human interface.

(4) (n.) Concentration Highway Interface.

child directory

(n.) The directory directly below the working directory in the tree-structured file system. See also subdirectory.

child process

(n.) A process that is created by another (parent) process. See also parent process.

child status

(n.) A child process status.

child structure

(n.) A data record in a hierarchical data structure. The child structure is said to be invoked by its parent's attributes. Programmer's Hierarchical Interactive Graphics System (PHIGS) uses this hierarchy.

child widget

(1) (n.) In the OLIT class hierarchy, a subclass of a widget.

(2) (n.) In an application, a child widget that is owned and managed by a parent widget. Parent widgets manage the size and location of their children. Parent widgets also control input to their children by controlling the input area.

child window

(n.) In the X protocol, a first-level subwindow of a particular window. All child windows are created from the same parent window. See also ancestor window.

choose

(v.) In a window system, to use the mouse or keyboard to pick a menu command, button, or icon that begins a command or action. Contrast with select.

chroma

(1) (n.) A signal that conveys color independent of luminance.

(2) (n.) An aspect of color that indicates hue and saturation.

chroma key

(n.) A process of controlling the overlay of one video image over another video image. The areas of overlay are defined by a specific color or chrominance in one of the images.

chrominance

(1) (n.) The color of a scene that is independent of its luminance.

(2) (n.) The portion of a composite signal that carries color information.

CIS

See compressed image sequence.

class

(1) (n.) A grouping of data having similar characteristics. See widget class.

(2) (n.) In the Java^TM programming language, a type that defines the implementation of a particular kind of object. A class definition defines instance and class variables and methods, as well as specifying the interfaces that the class implements and the immediate superclass of the class. If the superclass is not explicitly specified, the superclass is implicitly Object.

classpath

(n.) An environmental variable that indicates to the Java^TM virtual machine and Java technology-based applications (for example, the tools that are located in the JDK1.1.X\bin directory) where to find the class libraries, including user-defined class libraries.

class variable

(n.) A data item that is associated with a particular class as a whole, not with particular instances of the class. Class variables are defined in class definitions. Also called static field. See also instance variable.

CLI

See command-line interface.

click

(v.) In a window system, to select an object by pressing a mouse button and releasing it immediately.

client

(1) (n.) In the client-server model for communications, the client is a process that remotely accesses resources of a compute server, such as compute power and large memory capacity. See also dataless client, diskfull client, diskless client.

(2) (n.) Narrowly, a process that uses a network service on behalf of a user. An example is an application that uses the rlogin command. At times, a server itself can be a client of some other server or service. Informally, a client is a principal that uses a service.

client-server model

(n.) A network architecture that consists of a database server which uses a relational database management system (DBMS) to quickly respond to user queries (directed from the client).

clip list

(n.) A list of subrectangles for a window that are not overlapped by another window and are, therefore, visible to the user.

clip mask

(n.) In computer graphics, the image that is defined by a bitmap or list of rectangles. A clip mask is used to restrict output to a particular region of a window.

clipping

(1) (n.) A 2-D or 3-D operation that reduces the number of drawing calculations that the CPU makes by eliminating any objects, or portions of objects, outside the viewing area.

(2) (n.) The process of setting graphics display boundaries. Primitives that lie outside the boundary and are not required for display are clipped.

clipping plane

(n.) In 3-D graphics, a plane inside the view volume (parallel to the x-y plane), beyond which the view volume is not calculated or rendered. The clipping plane constrains the amount of memory that is required by a drawing. Any object, or portion of an object, that occurs beyond the clipping plane is discarded. Often both a front clipping plane and a back clipping plane exist.

clone device

(n.) A STREAMS device that returns an unused major/minor device when initially opened, rather than requiring the minor device to be specified by name in the open(2) call.

closed surface

(n.) A surface with no holes. A closed surface ensures that none of the interior is visible. See also back-facing polygon.

close routine

(n.) A STREAMS procedure that is called when a module is popped from a Stream or when a driver is closed.

cluster

(1) (n.) A group of computers that is connected by a high-speed network. A cluster work together with the computers as if they were one machine with multiple CPUs.

(2) (n.) A logical collection of packages (software modules).

(3) (n.) A group of software packages. Clusters can contain other clusters. Clusters and their components form a hierarchical tree.

cluster

(n.) One or more nodes or domains in which each node benefits from automatic restart capability under the control of the cluster framework. Two or more interconnected cluster nodes can share a cluster file system and can be configured together to run failover, parallel, or scalable resources.

Cluster Configuration Repository

(CCR) (n.) A highly available, replicated data store that is used by Sun^TM Cluster software to persistently store cluster configuration information.

cluster file system

(n.) A cluster service that provides cluster-wide, highly available access to existing local file systems.

cluster interconnect

(n.) The hardware networking infrastructure that includes transport cables, transport junctions, and transport adapters. The Sun^TM Cluster and data service software use this infrastructure for intracluster communication.

cluster member

(n.) An active member of the current cluster incarnation. This member is capable of sharing resources with other cluster members and providing services both to other cluster members and to clients of the cluster. See also cluster node.

Cluster Membership Monitor

(CMM) (n.) The software that maintains a consistent cluster membership roster. This membership information is used by the rest of the clustering software to decide where to locate highly available services. The CMM ensures that noncluster members cannot corrupt data and transmit corrupt or inconsistent data to clients.

cluster node

(n.) A node that is configured to be a cluster member. A cluster node might or might not be a current member. See also cluster member.

cluster-transport adapter

See transport adapter.

cluster-transport cable

See transport cable.

cluster-transport junction

See transport junction.

codebase

(n.) In Java^TM programming, a designation that works with the code attribute in the <APPLET> tag to give a complete specification of where to find the main applet class file. Code specifies the name of the file. Codebase specifies the URL of the directory that contains the file.

colocation

(n.) In a Sun Cluster configuration, the property of being on the same node. This concept is used during cluster configuration to improve performance.

color chooser

(n.) A component that enables the user to select a color. In the Java^TM look and feel, color choosers are created by using the JColorChooser component.

color map

(n.) The color options in a graphics system, arranged by index number.

combo box

(n.) A component with a drop-down arrow that the user clicks to display a list of options. Noneditable combo boxes (sometimes called “list boxes”) have a list from which the user can select one item. Editable combo boxes offer a text field as well as a list of options. The user can make a selection by typing a value in the text field or by selecting an item from the list. In the Java^TM look and feel, combo boxes are created using the JComboBox component.

command

(n.) An instruction to the computer. A command typically is a character string that is typed at a keyboard and is interpreted by the computer as a demand for a particular action.

command aliasing

(n.) In the UNIX® shell, the process of renaming or customizing the behavior of commands. For example, you can use the alias h for the UNIX history command. To execute history, you merely type h.

command button

(n.) A button with a rectangular border that contains text, a graphic, or both. The user clicks a command button to specify a command to initiate an action. In the Java^TM look and feel, command buttons are created by using the JButton component. See also toggle button, toolbar button.

command interpreter

(n.) A program that accepts commands from the keyboard and causes the commands to be executed. The C shell is an example of a UNIX® command interpreter.

command line

(n.) A string of characters that begins with a command. The command is often followed by arguments, such as options, file names, and other expressions. The string is terminated by the end-of-line character.

command-line interface

(CLI) (n.) An interface that enables you to type executable instructions at a user prompt.

command prompt

(n.) The string of characters the system displays to tell you it is ready to accept and interpret the next command line. Often the command prompt includes the name of the system.

command substitution

(n.) See command aliasing.

comment

(n.) In a program, explanatory text that is ignored by the compiler. In programs that are written in the Java^TM programming language, comments are delimited by using // or /*...*/.

Common Desktop Environment

(CDE) (n.) A graphical user interface that runs on UNIX®.

Communication Hardware Interface

(CHI) (n.) The hardware that TCP/IP supports.

communications server

(n.) A gateway in a local area network (LAN) that provides address translation, name translation, protocol conversion, and interception of unsuccessful user attempts at functions not available. See also caching-only server.

component

(1) (n.) A piece of code or, by extension, the interface element that is implemented by that code. See also Swing classes.

(2) (n.) In the context of JPEG, a rectangular array of image samples. Also called color, spectral bands, or channels.

composite drive

(n.) A single logical drive that is composed of more than one physical drive. See also logical disk, disk array, redundant array of independent disks (RAID).

composite widget

(n.) A widget that is composed of other subwidgets. For example, the MenuButton widget consists of a MenuButton plus MenuShell.

compressed image sequence

(CIS) (n.) The XIL^TM library's compressors store (generally related) compressed video frames in structures that are called CIS buffers. The images might represent frames in a movie, pages in a document, and similar objects. The data in the image sequence might have undergone compression. If the data is compressed, it might be in cell or JPEG formats. See also cell encoding.

compression/decompression

(codec) (n.) An algorithm or computer program for reducing byte consumption in large files and programs.

Computer-Human Interaction

(CHI ) (n.) An organization that focuses on communication and interaction between people and computers.

compute server

(n.) See server.

Concentration Highway Interface

(CHI) (n.) A high-speed time-division-multiplexed digital bus that is between a SPARCstation^TM system and the SpeakerBox. CHI is capable of simultaneous input and output of 16-bit stereo audio at a maximum rate of 48 KHz, the rate that is used by digital audio tape (DAT).

concurrent

(adj.) Characteristic of the sharing of computer resources whereby two or more processes (or programs) can access the computer's processor simultaneously. The sharing results in parallel calculations or data manipulation.

console

(1) (n.) A system device or physical device that is used for the display of system messages and for interactive purposes. For example, a console might be a local alphanumeric (ASCII) terminal or local graphics monitor where system messages are displayed or interactive behavior occurs.

(2.) (n.) A logical device that gives privileged access to the operating system to administer hardware, services, operating systems, storage, and more. A logical console is also known as a system console.

console-access device

(n.) A device that is used to communicate between the administrative console and the cluster-node consoles. Examples are a terminal concentrator, a System Service Processor (SSP), and a system controller.

constructor

(n.) A pseudo-method that creates an object. In the Java^TM programming language, constructors are instance methods with the same name as their class. Constructors are invoked by using the new keyword.

container

(n.) A component, such as an applet, window, pane, or internal frame, that holds other components.

contention

(n.) A situation that occurs when two or more devices compete to use a single resource simultaneously.

context

(n.) A “state of trust” between two applications. When a context has successfully been established between two peers, the context acceptor is aware that the context initiator is who it claims to be. The initiator also can verify and decrypt messages that are sent to it. If the context includes mutual authentication, the initiator knows the acceptor's identity is valid. The initiator also can verify and decrypt messages from the acceptor.

context object

(n.) An XGL^TM library object that is an abstraction of a renderer. A context object contains graphics that render state information, graphics primitives, and nonprimitive operators that are used for several utility operations. Examples are copying pixels and clearing a device.

context operator

(n.) One or more functions that affect the state of a context object.

context-sensitive help

(n.) The online help that is connected to a particular part of an application.

context switching

(n.) A form of multitasking in which you switch among several applications, resulting in task switching by the operating system.

contextual menu

(n.) A menu that is displayed when the user presses mouse button 2 while the pointer is over an object or area which is associated with that menu. A contextual menu offers only menu items that are applicable to the object or region at the location of the pointer. In the Java^TM look and feel, contextual menus are created by using the JPopupMenu component. Also called pop-up menu. See also menu.

control point

(n.) One of the points (in model coordinates) that controls the shape of a curve or curved surface.

cooperative multitasking

(n.) See multitasking.

copy

(v.) In a window system, to duplicate selected text, graphics, or other data onto the clipboard.

core class

(n.) A public class (or interface) that is a standard member of the Java^TM platform. The intent is that the core classes for the Java platform, at minimum, are available on all operating systems where the Java platform runs. A program that is written entirely in the Java programming language relies only on core classes, meaning it can run anywhere.

core file

(n.) A file that is created when a program malfunctions and terminates. The core file holds a snapshot of memory, taken at the time the fault occurred. This file can be used to determine the cause of the malfunction.

core gateway

(n.) One of a set of gateways (routers) that is operated by the Internet network operations center. The core gateway system forms a central part of Internet routing. All groups must advertise paths to their networks from a core gateway, using the Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP).

CPU master

(n.) An SBus master that includes a central processing unit with a private means to perform virtual address translation. In contrast, a DVMA master uses the SBus controller to perform virtual address translation. A bus cycle that is initiated by a CPU master consists only of a slave cycle. Typical SBus systems have one CPU master.

crash

(n.) The sudden failure of a disk drive or program. A disk crash usually renders the drive unusable and destroys all data on the disk. A program crash usually destroys all unsaved data. This type of crash might require a reboot of the computer.

crash dump

(n.) See core file.

credential

(n.) An information package that identifies a principal. A principal's “identification badge,” specifying who the principal is and, often, what privileges it has. Credentials are produced by security mechanisms.

credential cache

(n.) A storage space (usually a file) that contains credentials which are stored by a particular mechanism.

critical section

(n.) A segment of code in which a thread uses resources (such as certain instance variables) that can be used by other threads, but that must not be used by them at the same time.

cron

(n.) The UNIX® clock daemon that executes commands at specified dates and times. See also crontab file.

crontab file

(n.) A file that lists commands which are to be executed at specified times on specified dates. See also cron.

cross-device link

(n.) An attempt to create a hard link to a file on a different disk or file system.

cross-platform

(adj.) Characteristic of heterogeneous computing environments. For example, a cross-platform application is one that has a single code base for multiple operating systems.

C shell

(n.) The standard shell that is provided with Berkeley standard versions of UNIX®.

C shell remote control file

(n.) The .cshrc file that runs every time a new C shell is started or invoked. Commands and settings within the .cshrc file configure the user environment, invoke programs, and set universal shell variables and aliases. The commands and settings also set the search path for commands and applications.

CSS

See central structure store.

current directory

(n.) The directory that is searched when a file name is typed without the path specified. Also called the current working directory.

current session

(n.) The session that is saved by the operating environment's session manager when the user logs off. At the next login, unless the user specifies otherwise, this session automatically opens, enabling work to continue where the user stopped.

current working directory

(n.) See current directory.

curses

(n.) A library of routines that enable the developer to write screen management programs on the SunOS^TM system. The routines are C functions and macros. Many curses resemble routines in the standard C library. The name “curses” comes from the cursor optimization that this library of routines provides. Cursor optimization minimizes the amount a cursor has to move around the screen to update it.

cursor

(n.) See pointer.

cursor plane

(n.) The memory space which is associated with each pixel (typically 2 bits) that is used to store the data for a superimposed cursor. The cursor plane enables large or complex cursor patterns to be drawn without interfering with the memory that holds the underlying image.

cut

(v.) In a window system, to remove a selected object and place it into the temporary memory of the clipboard.

cut buffer

(n.) A simple but limited method of client communication in the X protocol, sometimes used instead of the selection mechanism. The data that is placed in a single cut buffer is limited to the maximum size of a single property.