“KDC” to “kill”

KDC

Key Distribution Center.

kernel

(n.) The core of the operating system software. The kernel manages the hardware (for example, processor and memory resources) and supplies fundamental services such as interrupt handling, process scheduling, and memory management.

kernel architecture

(n.) The type of kernel on a system, such as sun4c for the SPARCstation^TM system.

key

(1) (n.) A button on a keyboard that represents a character.

(2) (n.) A character or characters that identify a record in a data file. A key field, a field that is located in the same place in every record of a file or data set, has content that is the key for the record.

(3) (n.) The code for encrypting or decrypting data.

key binding

(n.) The association of a keystroke with a particular behavior.

keyboard accelerator

(n.) A key or sequence of keys on the keyboard, or multiple clicks of mouse buttons, through which users can quickly perform specific menu or application functions without using a menu.

keyboard equivalent

(n.) A specific default key sequence that provides functionality without requiring the display of a menu.

keyboard focus

(n.) The active window or component where the user's next keystrokes will take effect. Also called input area.

keyboard operations

(n.) A collective term for keyboard shortcuts, mnemonics, and other forms of navigation and activation that utilize the keyboard instead of the mouse. See also keyboard shortcut, mnemonic.

keyboard shortcut

(n.) A keystroke combination (usually a modifier key and a character key, like Control-C) that activates a menu item from the keyboard even if the relevant menu is not currently displayed. See also keyboard operations, mnemonic.

key-encrypting key

(n.) A key that is used to encipher and decipher other keys, as part of a key management and distribution system.

kill

(v.) To terminate a process before it reaches its natural conclusion.