Questions tagged [terminology]
Questions regarding computer-specific terms and jargon. Make sure you show research effort and that your question can be objectively answered.
179
questions
321
votes
5
answers
213k
views
What does the "Fi" in "Wi-Fi" mean?
I just got into a heated discussion about Wi-Fi. What does the Fi in Wi-Fi mean? I would have thought potentially "frequency interface" since all network adapters are classified as interfaces. However ...
140
votes
2
answers
302k
views
What is the difference between 4K, UHD and QHD? Do we agree on one official resolution?
Nowadays it seems that Full HD isn’t enough anymore and the terms “4K,” “QHD” and “UHD” are thrown around interchangeably.
At the same time, there is not just one “4K” resolution in the catalogs. I ...
87
votes
5
answers
9k
views
What is the name of the 8 white squares surrounding resizable views?
I came across this annoying moment while writing a how-to article and realized I didn't know the name of those white squares that surround views.
Here some images for clarification.
Windows ...
77
votes
7
answers
81k
views
What is the correct term for the mouse pointer/nipple/joystick thingy in the middle of a laptop's keyboard?
I want to call it a "mouse nipple" or maybe a "joystick", although I know these are not correct.
It's different from the touchpad, which is below the keyboard and has dedicated click buttons. Instead,...
67
votes
14
answers
49k
views
What exactly is microcode and how does it differ from firmware?
Insofar as terminology, what exactly is "microcode" and if it can be updated, how does it differ from firmware?
This question is not a duplicate of this question (as far as I can tell) which I've ...
66
votes
2
answers
150k
views
What does "LFF SATA" mean?
I've heard of SATA, but "LFF SATA" as listed on HP's specs page (archive) is a new one for me.
What does the "LFF" bit mean?
65
votes
3
answers
24k
views
What is the email address format "Name <email>" called?
Given an email address in the format
John Doe <[email protected]>
I wonder where this format is explicitly defined and what the whole thing is called. It doesn't seem to be specified in rfc5322 (...
54
votes
2
answers
7k
views
Where did the term "superuser" originate?
Where did the term "superuser" originate? Is it a shortening of "supervisory user", or is it just an indicator of the level of power one such user holds in a system?
45
votes
4
answers
9k
views
What are the origins of "Download", "upload", "downstream", "upstream", and why are they respectively down or up?
I assume that the term download was coined first and then similar terms as upload, downstream, upstream followed.
But why are servers up, while clients are down? Who coined (one of) these terms and ...
43
votes
5
answers
47k
views
What is the difference between a directory and a folder? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Directory vs. Folder
Most people use the terms "folder" and "directory" interchangeably. Is there a difference, and if so, what is it?
41
votes
4
answers
88k
views
What is meant by the terms CPU, Core, Die and Package?
Now this might sound like too many previous questions, but I am really confused about these terms. I was trying to understand how "dual core" is different from "Core 2 Duo", and I came across some ...
39
votes
1
answer
12k
views
What does XDG stand for?
The XDG Base Directory Specification standardizes best practices for which folders a user-scoped programs may write to.
What does XDG stand for, what's the story behind the name?
29
votes
4
answers
37k
views
What exactly is VGA, and what is the difference between it and a video card?
Operating system development tutorials pinpoint reaching screen data by writing directly to VGA or EGA or Super VGA, but what I do not get is what is the real difference between writing to a fixed ...
29
votes
3
answers
108k
views
SSD, SD, eMMC, Raw NAND what are the differences?
so the underlying technology with SSD, eMMC, SD, USB Flash etc... is NAND flash correct? So is the difference between all of them just the way controllers are implemented? Or are the technologies ...
28
votes
8
answers
427k
views
What's the difference between intranet, extranet and internet?
What's the difference between intranet, extranet and internet?