IT Resource

A B C D | E F G H | I J K L | M N O P | Q R S T | U V W X | Y Z 0-9

E

ECC Error Correcting Code
A method of generating redundant information which can be used to detect and correct errors in stored or transmitted data.

EDO Extended Data Output
A type of random access memory (RAM) chip designed to improve the time to read from memory on faster microprocessors such as the Intel Pentium.

EEPROM Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
Like ROM it cannot be erased unless it recieves proper erasing signals from the mother deivce. Commonly used for BIOS’s of motherboards.

EMI Electromagnetic Interference
A form of electronic radiation which can potentially corrupt data transfer.

F

FSAA Full Screen Anti Aliasing
A technique used by graphics cards that over samples each pixel in an image to produce a more realistic-looking image. This technique is an internal render by the GPU (graphics processing unit) that renders a higher resolution version of the screen  then scales it down for display to reduce the jagged effect of diagonal lines.

FSB Front Side Bus
which denotes the speed at which your processor interacts with the components on the motherboard.

G

GIS Geographic Information Systems, tools used to gather, transform, manipulate, analyze, and produce information related to the surface of the Earth. This data may exist as maps, 3D virtual models, tables, and/or lists.

GISs can be as complex as whole systems that use dedicated databases and workstations hooked up to a network, or as simple as “off-the-shelf” desktop software.

GISs play an important role in many organisations. For instance, police and fire departments may use GISs to locate landmarks and hazards, plot destinations, and design emergency routes. GISs may also be used by governments, research institutes or any other body that can’t possibly handle the task of manually processing large amounts of geographical data.

GPU Graphics Processing Unit
Asingle-chip processor that creates lighting effects and transforms objects every time a 3D scene is redrawn. These are mathematically-intensive tasks, which otherwise, would put quite a strain on the CPU. Lifting this burden from the CPU frees up cycles that can be used for other jobs.

H

HDTV High Definition Television
A high-quality video standard developed to replace older video formats often referred to as SDTV (standard definition television). While HDTV’s video quality is one of the most noticeable improvements over SDTV, HDTV includes a number of other important improvements as well.

True to its name, high definition television offers a much higher resolution than standard definition video. While a typical analog broadcast in the U.S. contains a maximum of 525 horizontal lines of resolution, an HDTV signal supports up to 1080. The three formats used by HDTV are 1080i (interlaced), and 720p and 1080p (progressive). HDTV’s higher resolution produces images that are much finer and contain more detail and more color than previous formats. HDTV also provides a higher-quality digital audio signal than SDTV and supports up to six audio channels compared to the two channels allowed previously.

To watch HDTV, you need an HDTV-compatible television and a means of receiving an HDTV signal. HDTVs come in both 16:9 and 4:3 formats (for backwards compatibility). Some HDTVs include HDTV tuners for receiving over-the-air broadcasts, but others require the receiver to be bought separately.

HTTP HyperText Transfer Protocol
This is the protocol used to transfer data over the World Wide Web. That’s why all Web site addresses begin with “http://”. Whenever you type a URL into your browser and hit Enter, your computer sends an HTTP request to the appropriate Web server. The Web server, which is designed to handle HTTP requests, then sends to you the requested HTML page.