“named pipe” to “null string”

named pipe

(n.) A first-in-first-out (FIFO) file. A UNIX® System V process can open the FIFO file, using it for communication just like a pipe but between possibly unrelated processes.

named Stream

(n.) A Stream, typically a pipe, with a name associated with it through a call to fattach3C() (a mount operation). A named Stream, unlike a named pipe (FIFO), is bidirectional. Also, a named Stream need not refer to a pipe but can be another type of Stream.

NAMEFS

(n.) A pseudo-file system used mostly by STREAMS for dynamic mounts of file descriptors on top of files.

namespace

(n.) The space from which an object name is derived and understood. Files are named within the file namespace, printers are named within the printer namespace.

native code

(n.) The code that refers to the methods of a specific operating system or is compiled for a specific processor.

navigation keys

(n.) The keyboard keys used to move the current location of the cursor. These include the arrow keys (with or without the Control key); the Tab key (with or without the Control or Shift keys); the Home and End keys (with or without the Control key); and the PgUp and PgDn keys.

nearest-neighbor interpolation

(n.) A method that the XIL^TM library uses to check that the value of an input image at noninteger coordinates is the value of the pixel closest to a targeted point. This type of interpolation is fastest, but can introduce artifacts in the output image; for example, smooth lines in the input image might display as jagged lines in the output. Also called zero-order interpolation.

netgroup

(n.) A network-wide group of machines granted identical access to certain network resources for security and organizational reasons.

network

(n.) Technically, the hardware connecting various systems, enabling them to communicate. Informally, the systems so connected.

network-address resource

See network resource.

networked session

(n.) A session managed across multiple systems. Using a networked session enables the same session to be seen regardless of which system was used to log in. It also provides a single home directory across multiple systems.

network interface card

(NIC) (n.) An internal circuit board or card that connects a computer to a network. See also PCI bus.

network mask

(n.) A number used by software to separate the local subnet address from the rest of a given Internet protocol (IP) address.

newline character

(n.) An unseen character that marks the end of a line of text in a document. It signals to a printer or screen to break a line and start a new one.

NeWSprint^TM package

(n.) The software for printing from Sun^TM workstations.

NeWS^TM system

(network extensible window system) (n.) A window system based on PostScript^TM that Sun developed and licenses.

NFS

(n.) A distributed file system that provides transparent access to remote file systems on heterogeneous networks.

NIC

(1) (n.) network information center.

(2) (n.) network interface card.

(3) (n.) network interface controller.

niceness value

(n.) The priority level of a UNIX® process. The niceness value ranges between 0 and 20, with 0 the system default priority and 20 the lowest priority. The higher the number, the slower the process runs. You set the niceness value with the UNIX nice command. You also can check the niceness values of processes with the ps -l command (the value displays under the NI heading).

NIS

(n.) The SunOS^TM 4.0 (minimum) Network Information Service. A distributed network database containing key information about the systems and the users on the network. The NIS database is stored on the master server and all the slave servers. See also NIS+.

NIS+

(n.) The SunOS^TM 5.0 (minimum) Network Information Service. NIS+ replaces NIS, the SunOS 4.0 (minimum) Network Information Service.

NIS domain

(n.) A master set of network information service (NIS) maps maintained on the NIS master server and distributed to that server's NIS slave servers.

NIS maps

(n.) The database-like entities that maintain information about machines on a local area network. Programs that are part of the NIS service query these maps. See also NIS.

node

(1) (n.) An addressable point on a network. Each node in a Sun^TM network has a different name. A node can connect a computing system, a terminal, or various other peripheral devices to the network.

A physical machine or domain that can be part of a SunPlex^TM system. Also called host.

noncluster mode

(n.) The resulting state achieved by booting a cluster member with the x boot option. In this state the node is no longer a cluster member, but is still a cluster node. See also cluster member, cluster node.

nonvolatile memory

(1) (n.) The memory that does not lose its contents when the power is off; for example, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash PROM, nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM), and read-only memory (ROM).

(2) (n.) Volatile memory that is always connected to a battery.

normalize

(v.) To adjust the fixed-point and exponent parts of a floating-point representation so that the fixed-point parts are in a specific range. Also called standardize.

normal vector

(n.) A vector perpendicular (or orthogonal) to a surface or plane at a specific point.

NUL

(null character) (n.) An invisible character with an internal code of 0 that occupies no space if printed. Not to be confused with a blank, which is invisible but occupies a space.

null pointer

(n.) A pointer that indicates the end; the pointer goes to zero (0).

null string

(n.) An empty string, one that contains no characters.