“IA” to “ioctl”

IA

(Intel architecture) (n.) Any personal computer based on the Intel 80x86 architecture.

icon

(n.) An on-screen graphic representing an interface element that the user can select or manipulate—for example, an application, a base window, document, or disk.

iconic interface

(n.) An icon-based interface, wherein you click an icon to initiate a task. Contrast with selecting activities from a menu-driven interface or running a command on the command line.

identifier

(1) (n.) The text string that is used as a label for indicating program variables or procedures.

(2) (n.) The name that identifies a device, such as a disk drive.

(3) (n.) The name of an item in a program written in the Java^TM programming language.

ID PROM

(n.) In Sun^TM workstations, a programmable read-only memory (PROM) that contains machine-specification information, such as serial number, Ethernet address, and system configuration information.

ILP

(n.) instruction-level parallelism.

image

(n.) A picture or graphic representation of an object.

incremental dump

(n.) A duplicate copy of the files that have changed since a certain date. An incremental dump is used for archival purposes..

independent compilation

(n.) The compilation of a multi-file program in which the compiler does not check for the consistent use of global names and types across different units.

index

(1) (n.) A symbol, number, or word that checks for an item in an array or database.

(2) (n.) In computer graphics, a single value that is interpreted as an absolute value rather than as a normalized value in a specified range. A color index is the name of a color, which is dereferenced by the frame buffer hardware using a color map. See also normalize.

inheritance

(n.) The process of a widget being subclassed by another widget. The subclassed widget inherits operating characteristics and the resource set of its superclass.

(2) (n.) The concept of classes automatically containing the variables and methods defined in their supertypes. See also subclass, superclass.

initial installation

(n.) An installation that overwrites the currently running software or initializes a blank disk. An initial installation of the Solaris Operating System overwrites the system's disk or disks with the new version of the Solaris operating system. If your system is not running the Solaris operating Ssystem, you must perform an initial installation.

initialization file

(n.) In the UNIX® operating system, one of several “dot” files (files prefixed with “.”) in a user's home directory that set the path, environment variables, windowing environment, and other characteristics that make UNIX function.

init state

(n.) In UNIX® System V, Version 4-based environments, one of seven initialization states or run levels that a system can run. A system can run only in one init state at a time.

inline template

(n.) In the illuminating pass of the SPARCompiler^TM family, a fragment of assembly language code that is substituted for the function call it defines. Used, for example, by the math library in inline template files to access hardware implementations of trigonometric functions and other elementary functions from C programs.

inode

(n.) In environments based on UNIX®, an entry in a designated area of a disk that describes where a file is located on that disk, the file's size, when it was last used, and other identification information.

input method

(IM) (n.) The algorithm by which users enter the text of a language. Input methods differ for each language, depending on that language's structure and conventions.

input side

(n.) A direction of data flow moving from a driver toward the Stream head. Also called read-side and upstream.

insertion point

(n.) The place, usually indicated by a blinking bar, where typed text or a dragged or pasted selection will be displayed. See also pointer.

insert mode

(n.) A mode in which text is added to a document or command line at the current cursor position, pushing all characters to the right, rather than overwriting them. For example, the i command switches the vi program to insert mode.

instance

(n.) An object of a particular class. In programs written in the Java^TM programming language, an instance of a class is created using the new operator followed by the class name.

instance method

(n.) Any method that is invoked with respect to an instance of a class. Also called method..

instance variable

(n.) Any item of data that is associated with a particular object. Each instance of a class has its own copy of the instance variables defined in the class. Also called field. See also class variable.

instantiation

(1) (n.) In the XGL^TM library, the allocation of resources that occurs when a variable of an object type is declared.

(2) (n.) The process of creating a particular widget from a particular widget class. See also widget instance.

instruction stream

(n.) A set of instructions that must be executed serially, although these instructions can be executed on different processors.

integrity

A security service that, in addition to user authentication, provides proof of the validity of transmitted data through cryptographic tagging. See also authentication, Message Integrity Code.

interface

(1) (n.) A program that functions as the point of communication between a user and a computer.

(2) (n.) The part of a program that defines constants, variables, and data structures, rather than procedures.

(3) (n.) In the Java^TM programming environment, a group of methods that can be implemented by several classes regardless of where the classes are in the class hierarchy.

(4) (n.) The point at which independent systems or diverse groups interact.

(5) (n.) The equipment that accepts electrical signals from one part of a computer system and renders them into a form that can be used by another part.

(6) (n.) Hardware or software that links the computer to a device.

internal frame

(n.) A container used in multiple document interface (MDI) applications to create windows that the user cannot drag outside of the desktop pane. In an MDI application that uses the Java^TM look and feel, internal frames have a window border, title bar, and standard window controls with the Java look and feel. Internal frames are created using the JInternalFrame component.

internationalization

(n.) The development of source code or a source document so that it is locale neutral and customizable for any language environment. Also called I18N. See also 8-bit clean, localization.

interpolation

(1) (n.) In computer graphics, a method of determining intermediate values between those provided, such as shades of pink along a line (or across a polygon) between vertex colors of white and red.

(2) (n.) In mathematics, an approximation method for finding the intermediate value between two values.

interpreter

(n.) A module that alternately decodes and executes every statement in some body of code. The Java^TM interpreter decodes and executes bytecode for the Java virtual machine (JVM). See also compiler, runtime system.

interrupt

(1) (n.) The signal that breaks off a command or process.

(2) (v.) To break off a command or other process, thus terminating it.

ioctl

(I/O control) (n.) A UNIX® system call that is used for device control.