Technology [T-Z]
UNIX
A popular multi-user, multitasking operating system developed at Bell Labs in the early 1970s. Created by just a handful of programmers, UNIX was designed to be a small, flexible system used exclusively by programmers. UNIX was one of the first operating systems to be written in a high-level programming language, namely C. This meant that it could be installed on virtually any computer for which a C compiler existed. This natural portability combined with its low price made it a popular choice among universities.
Upload
To copy data from your computer to another computer over a computer network, the opposite of download.
URI (uniform resource identifier)
Name and address of information — text, graphics, audio, video, and so forth — on the Internet. A URI usually identifies the application used to access the resource, the machine the resource is located on, and the file name of the resource. A web page address or URL is the most commonly used type of URI.
URL (uniform resource locator)
The global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web.
Usability
The measure of how effectively, efficiently, and easily a person can navigate an interface, find information on it, and achieve his or her goals.
Value-added services
In the context of the e-learning industry, value-added services include custom training needs assessment and skill-gap analysis, curriculum design and development, pre- and post-training mentoring and support, training effectiveness analysis, reporting and tracking tools, advisor services and implementation consulting, hosting and management of internet- or intranet-based learning systems, integration of enterprise training delivery systems, and other services.
Vector graphic
An image created based on mathematical formulas rather than by an array of dots. Vector images look cleaner when they’re enlarged or shrunk because the mathematical formulas on which they’re based redraw the images to scale. See also Raster graphic.
Videoconferencing
Conducting a conference between two or more participants at different sites by using to transmit audio and . For example, a point-to-point (two-person) video conferencing works much like a video telephone. Using video and audio signals to link participants at different and remote locations.
Virtual
In the context of computing, not concrete or physical. For instance, a completely virtual university does not have actual buildings but instead holds classes over the Internet.
Virtual classroom
The online learning space where students and instructors interact.
Virtual reality (VR)
An artificial computer-generated environment that is experienced through sensory stimuli and in which special equipment allows the user to interact with the simulation.
Virus
A destructive type of computer program that attempts to disrupt the normal operation of a computer, rewrite or delete information from storage devices, and in some cases, cause physical damage to the computer.
Virus detection program
A software program to detect, diagnose, and destroy computer viruses.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
A private network configured inside a public network. Offers the security of private networks with the economies of scale and built-in management capabilities of public networks.
VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language)
Pronounced ver-mal, VRML is a specification for displaying 3-dimensional objects on the World Wide Web. You can think of it as the 3-D equivalent of HTML. Files written in VRML have a.wrl extension (short for world). To view these files, you need a VRML browser or a VRML plug-in to a Web browser.
W3C (World Wide Web Consortium)
An organization developing interoperable specifications, software, and tools for the WWW. See the W3C Website at http://www.w3.org/.
WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)
Specification that allows internet content to be read by wireless devices.
WCS Web Communications Services)
MIT Information Services and Technology's Web Communications Services group.
World Wide Web (WWW)
A graphical hypertext-based internet tool that provides access to homepages created by individuals, businesses, and other organizations.
XHTML (eXtensible Hypertext Markup Language
Is a reformulation of HTML as an application of XML. It provides the bridge for web designers to enter the web of the future, while still being able to maintain compatibility with today's HTML 4 browsers.
XML (eXtensible Markup Language)
A specification developed by the W3C. XML is a pared-down version of SGML, designed especially for web documents. It allows designers to create their own customized tags, enabling the definition, transmission, validation, and interpretation of data between applications and between organizations.
XSL (eXtensible Stylesheet Language or eXtensible Style Language)
A specification for separating style from content when creating HTML or XML pages. The specifications work much like templates, allowing designers to apply single style documents to multiple pages. XSL is the second style specification to be offered by the World Wide Web Consortium. The first, called Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), is similar to XSL but does not include two major XSL's innovations -- allowing developers to dictate the way web pages are printed, and specifications allowing one to transfer XML documents across different applications.
XSLT
A language for transforming XML documents.
Zip
A popular data compression format. Files that have been compressed with the Zip format are called Zip files and usually end with a.ZIP extension.
Zip disk
Portable storage disk that can hold 100 or 250 MB of information, manufactured by the Iomega corporation. Used in a Zip drive, Zip disks can archive or back up large amounts of data.
Zip drive
A high-capacity floppy disk drive developed by Iomega Corporation. Zip disks are slightly larger than conventional floppy disks, and about twice as thick. They can hold 100 or 250 MB of data. Because they're relatively inexpensive and durable, they have become a popular medium for backing up hard disks and for transporting large files.
Zip file
1) A file that has been compressed, often with the .ZIP format originated by PKWARE.
2) A file on a Zip disk, not necessarily compressed.
3) A compressed file with the .EXE extension that is self-extracting (can be unzipped simply by opening it).
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