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READ THIS PAGE FIRST! First compiled when I became frustrated while reading magazine articles, help wanted ads and equipment for sale brochures....all pertaining to computers....where the following Abbreviations and Acronyms were used and their meanings were either not known to me or were not immediately available. I have actually seen (or have been told about) these combinations of letters used at one time or another in magazines, newspapers, handbooks, etc. They apply to personal computers, multimedia, communications, programming, networking, etc......you name it. This glossary can never be considered complete and that is why I now request your help. Look over the definitions and let me have your feedback. If you have ever seen letter combinations that you also did not understand, please drop me a note at the address below. Also, if you find any errors, obsolete information or can suggest any additions or deletions, they will be most welcome. If you can help, you have my thanks in advance. Keep BABEL on your computer or print it out and keep it on your desk. Either way, you will have an outstanding reference. BABEL is revised three times a year, in January, May and September so as to keep you up-to-date. You may download the latest version of BABEL from your favorite BBS or from the Internet. See APPENDIX A for description of methods that may be used to obtain BABEL via the Internet. Letter groups followed with " * " were used before 1965. At some of these, I have noted historical information. For a brief interpretation of "smiley faces" and other informal expressions used in electronic mail messages, see APPENDIX B. For a partial list of Country Domain Names, see APPENDIX C. BABEL is not public domain. Permission is hereby granted to any individual or institution to redistribute BABEL; only in its entirety and provided it is distributed without ANY modification to include this opening page, copyright notices, version information and format. It may not be incorporated into any other document, or published, or sold (for profit or otherwise), without my written permission. Any question concerning these restrictions should be made in writing and mailed to address shown below. And please remember to ECAL. Irving Kind Internet: ikind@mcimail.com c/o K & D One Church Lane Baltimore, MD 21208 Jan 1996 version = BABEL96A Jan 1997 version = BABEL97A May 1996 version = BABEL96B May 1997 version = BABEL97B Sep 1996 version = BABEL96C Sep 1997 version = BABEL97C
AA Auto Answer
AAB All-to-All Broadcast
AAL Asynchronous Transfer Mode Adaption Layer
AAP Applications Access Point [DEC]
AAS All-to-All Scatter
AASP ASCII Asynchronous Support Package
AAT Average Access Time
ABC * Atanasoff-Berry Computer (First digital calculating
machine that used vacuum tubes)
ABEND Abnormal End
ABI Application Binary Interface
ABIOS Advanced BIOS
ABIST Automatic Built-In Self-Test [IBM]
ABLE Adaptive Battery Life Extender
ABR Available Bit Rate
ABRS Automated Book Request System [British Library]
ABS Absolute
ABT Abort
ABTS ASCII Block Terminal Services
AC Automatic Computer + Alternating Current
ACC Accumulator
ACD Automated Call Distribution +
Automatic Call Distributor
ACDI Asynchronous Communications Device Interface
ACE Advanced Computing Environment [SCO] +
Adverse Channel Enhancements [Microcom] +
* Automatic Computing Engine
ACF Access Control Field + Advanced Communications Function
ACH Automated Clearing House
ACIAS Automated Calibration Interval Analysis System
ACIS American Committee for Interoperable Systems
ACK Acknowledgment
ACL Access Control List
ACM Association for Computing Machinery
Audio Compression Manager [Microsoft]
ACMS Application Control Management System
ACP Ancillary Control Program + Auxillary Control Process
ACROSS Automated Cargo Release and Operations Service System
ACS Access + Access Control Set + Access Control System +
Asynchronous Communication Server
ACTS Automated Computer Time Service
ACTT Advanced Communication and Timekeeping Technology [Seiko]
ACU Automatic Calling Unit
A/D Analog to Digital
ADA Automatic Data Acquisitions +
(Programming Language named after Augusta Ada Lovelace)
ADB Apple Desktop Bus
ADC Adaptive Data Compression (protocol) [Hayes] +
Add with Carry + Analog to Digital Converter
ADCCP Advanced Data Communication Control Procedures
ADD Automatic Document Detection [WordPerfect]
ADF Automatic Document Feeder
.ADF Adapter Description File (file name extension) [IBM]
ADI AutoCad Device Interface (driver)
ADL Address Data Latch
ADLAT Adaptive Lattice Filter
ADLC Adaptive Lossless Data Compression [IBM] +
Asynchronous Data Link Control
ADMACS Apple Document Mangagement And Conrol System
ADMD Administrative Management Domain [X.400]
.ADN Add In Utility (file name extension) [Lotus 1-2-3] [LDC]
ADP Automatic Data Processing
ADPCM Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation
ADR Address
ADS Application Development Solutions [AT&T] +
Application Development System +
Automatic Distribution System
ADSC Address Status Changed
ADSL Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line
ADSR Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release
ADT Application Data Types
ADU Automatic Dialing Unit
AE Above or Equal
AEB Analog Expansion Bus [Dialogic]
AF Auxiliary carry Flag
AFA Accelerated File Access
AFC Automatic Font Change
AFD Automatic File Distribution
AFII Association for Font Information Interchange
AFIRM Automated Fingerprint Image Reporting and Match
AFIS Automated Fingerprint Identification System
.AFM Adobe Font Metrics (file name extension) [Adobe Systems]
AFP Appletalk Filing Protocol [Macintosh]
AFS Andrew File System (protocols)
AFTP Anonymous File Transfer Protocol
AGC Automatic Gain Control
AGRAS Antiglare-Antireflective-Antistatic
AI Analog Input + Artificial Intelligence
AIA Applications Integration Architecture [DEC]
AIC AIXwindows Interface Composer [IBM]
AIF Audio Interchange Format
AIIM Association for Information and Image Management
AIN Advanced Intelligent Network [Bell Atlantic]
AISB Association of Imaging Service Bureaus
AISP Association of Information Systems Professionals
AIX Advanced Interactive Executive [IBM]
ALC Arithmetic and Logic Circuits + Automatic Level Control
ALE Address Latch Enable
ALGOL Algorithmic Oriented Language (see IAL)
ALIBI Adaptive Location of Internetworked Bases of Information
ALIWEB Archie Like Indexing in the Web [Internet]
ALN Asynchronous Learning Network
ALR Advanced Logic Research, Inc.
ALT Alternate (mode)
ALT. Alternate lifestyle [USENET Newsgroup Category]
ALU Arithmetic Logic Unit
AMANDDA Automated Messaging and Directory Assistance
AMD Active Matrix Display + Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
AMI American Megatrends, Inc.
AMMA Advanced Memory Management Architecture [Everex Systems]
AMPS Advanced Mobile Phone Service
ANCOVA Analysis of Covariance
ANI Automatic Number Identification
.ANI Animated Cursor (file name extension) [Microsoft]
ANN Artificial Neural Network
.ANN Annotations (file name extension) [IBM]
ANOVA Analysis Of Variance
ANSI American National Standards Institute
AO Analog Output
AOCE Apple Open Collaboration Environment
AOE Application Operating Environment [AT&T]
AOL America Online
AOS Add Or Subtract
AP Adjunct Processor + Application Processor
A/P Accounts Payable
APA Adaptive Packet Assembly +
All Points Addressable +
Arithmetic Processing Accelerator
APAR Authorized Program Analysis Report [IBM]
APAREN Address Parity Enable [IBM]
APCUG Association of PC User Groups
API Application Program Interface
APIC Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller [Intel]
APIS Advanced Passenger Information System
APL A Programming Language (Mathematics)
APM Advanced Power Management [IBM OS2]
.APP Application (file name extension) [R:Base]
APPC Advanced Program-to-Program Communications [IBM]
APPI Advanced Peer-to-Peer Internetworking
APPN Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking [IBM]
APRP Adaptive Pattern Recognition Processing
APS Asynchronous Protocol Specification
APSE ADA Programming Support Environment
APT Address Pass Through + Advanced Parallel Technology
Automatically Programmed Tools
A/R Accounts Receivable
ARA AppleTalk Remote Access
ARAG Antireflective-Antiglare
ARAS Antireflective-Antistatic
.ARC Archive (file name extension)
ARCA Advanced RISC Computing Architecture
ARCnet Attached Resource Computer Network
.ARJ Compressed File (file name extension) [Jung]
ARL Adjusted Ring Length
ARLL Advanced Run Length Limited
ARM Advanced RISC Machine (processor) +
Annotated Reference Manual +
Asynchronous Response Mode
ARMA Association of Records Managers and Administrators
ARP Address Resolution Protocol [Novell]
ARPANET Advanced Research Projects Agency Network
ARPL Adjust Requested Privilege Level
ARTA Apple Real Time Architecture
ARTIC A Real-Time Interface Copressor [IBM]
ARTS Asynchronous Remote Takeover Server
ARTT Asynchronous Remote Takeover Terminal
ARQ Automatic Repeat Request
ARU Audio Response Unit
AS Autonomous System [Internet]
ASAP As Soon As Possible +
Automatic Switching And Processing
AS3AP ANSI SQL Standard Scalable and Portable
.ASC ASCII text (file name extension)
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange
ASIC Application-Specific Integrated Circuit
ASIT Advanced Security and Identification Technology
ASL Adaptive Speed Levelling
.ASM Assembler Source Language (file name extension)
ASMP Asymmetric Multprocessing
ASN Autonomous System Number
ASP Association of Shareware Professionals
ASPI Advanced SCSI Programming Interface [Adaptec]
ASPS Advanced Signal Processing System
ASR Address Space Register + Automatic Send-Receive +
Automatic Speech Recognition
AST AST Research, Inc. (named from first initials of the
founders: Albert Wong, Safi Qureshey, Thomas Yuen)
ASYNC Asynchronous
AT Advanced Technology + Attention
ATA Advanced Technology Attachment
ATDP Attention Dial Pulse
ATDT Attention Dial Tone
ATE Automated Test Equipment
ATG Advanced Technology Group
ATH Attention Hang-Up (Modem command)
ATM Adobe Typeface Manager + Asynchronous Transfer Mode +
Automated Teller Machine
ATPS AppleTalk Printing Services [Macintosh]
ATR Automatic Terminal Recognition
ATS Administrative Terminal System +
Apple Terminal Services
AT&T American Telephone and Telegraph
ATTN Attention
ATTRIB Attribute (also ATR)
ATZ Attention Restore configuration profile from
nonvolatile RAM (Modem command)
.AU Audio (file name extension)
AUDIT Automated Data Input Terminal
AUI Attachment Unit Interface
AUP Acceptable Use Policy [Internet]
AUTO Automatic
AUTOEXEC Automatic Execution
AUX Auxiliary + (First Serial Port)
AV Audio/Video + Audiovisual
AVA Audio Visual Authoring [IBM]
AVC Audio Visual Connection [IBM]
AVG Average
AVI Audio Visual Interleave [Microsoft]
AVR Automatic Voice Recognition
AWG American Wire Gage
AWK (Unix language named after its authors...
Al Aho, Peter Weinberger and Brian Kernighan)
AWS Advanced Workstations and Systems (group) [IBM]
AX Architecture Extended + Automatic Transmission
BAK Binary Adaptation Kit [Microsoft] .BAK Backup (file name extension) BAL Basic Assembly Language BALUN Balanced Unbalanced (device) BAM Boyan Action Module BARTS Bell Atlantic Regional Timesharing .BAS Basic Language (file name extension) BASIC Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code BASM Built-In Assembler BAT Block Address Translation .BAT Batch Processing (file name extension) BBS Bulletin Board System BCC Block Check Character BCC: Blind Carbon Copy BCD Binary Coded Decimal BCL Batch Command Language BCN Beacon BCP Bulk Copy Program BCPL Basic Computer Programming Language BCR Byte Count Register BCS Bar Code Sorter BDA Bios Data Area BDOS Basic Disk Operating System BDR Bus Device Request BE Below or Equal BEL Bell BELLCORE Bell Communications Research BERT Bit Error Rate Test/Tester BF Bad Flag B/F Background/Foreground BFF Binary File Format [IBM] BFT Binary File Transfer BGA Ball Grid Array BGE Branch if Greater or Equal .BGI Borland Graphic Interface (file name extension) BGP Border Gateway Protocol BGT Branch if Greater Than BHI Branch if Higher BHIS Branch if Higher or Same BI Binary Input .BIB Bibliography (file name extension) BiDi Bi-Directional BIM Beginning of Information Marker .BIN Binary (file name extension) BINAC * Binary Automatic Computer BIOS Basic Input/Output System BIS Business Information System BISDN Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network BIST Built-In Self-Test BiSYNC (See BSYNC) BIT Binary Digit BITNET Because It's Time Network BITNIC Bitnet Network Information Center BIU Bus Interface Unit BIX Byte Information Exchange (BBS) BIZ. Business [USENET Newsgroup Category] .BK! Backup (file name extension) [WordPerfect] BKSP Backspace BL Backlit BLAST Blocked Asynchronous Transmission (protocol) [Communications Research Group] .BLD BASIC Bload Graphics (file name extension) BLE Branch if Less or Equal BLER Block Error BLK Block BLMC Buried Logic Macrocell BLOB Binary Large Object BLOS Branch if Lower Or Same BMI Branch if Minus BMIC BusMaster Interface Controller [Intel] BMP Basic Mapping Support + Batch Message Processing Program .BMP Bitmap Picture (file name extension) BNC Bayonet Neill-Concelman (connector used with coaxial cable invented by Mr. Neill-Concelman) BNE Branch if Not Equal BNS Backbone Network Service BO Binary Output BoB Break-out Box BOC Basic Operator Console BOM Beginning Of Message BOOTP Bootstrap Protocol [Internet] BOPS Billion Operations Per Second BORPQU Borland Pro Quattro BORQU Borland Quattro BOS Basic Operating System BOT Beginning Of Table + Beginning of Tape BP Base Pointer BPB BIOS Parameter Block BPI Bits Per Inch BPL Branch if Plus BPS Bits Per Second + Bytes Per Second BR Bad Register BRGC Binary Reflected Gray Code BRI Basic Rate Interface + Brain Response Interface BS Backspace BSAM Basic Sequential Access Method BSC Binary Synchronous Communication .BSC Boyan Script (file name extension) [Boyan Communications] BSCS Bachelor of Science (Degree) in Computer Science BSD Berkely Software/Standard Distribution BSF Bit Scan Forward BSI British Standards Institute BSR Bit Scan Reverse BSS Block Started by Symbol BSV BASIC Bsave Graphics (file name extension) BSY Busy BSYNC Binary Synchronous Communications (protocol) BT Bit Test BTAM Basic Telecommunications Access Method [IBM] BTB Branch Target Buffer BTC Bit Test and Complement BTOA Binary To ASCII BTP Batch Transfer Program BTR Bit Test and Reset BTS Bit Test and Set BU Branch Unit BUBL Bulletin Board for Libraries [Janet] BUF Buffer BWM Block-Write Mode B2X Binary To Hexadecimal [REXX] BYTE Binary Element String
C C Programming Language
.C C source code (file name extension) [C]
CA Collision Avoidance
CAD Computer Aided Design
CADD Computer Aided Design and Drafting
CADE Client/server Application Development Environment
CAE Client Application Enabler +
Common Applications Environment + Computer Aided Engineering
CAG Column Address Generator
CAI Computer Aided Instruction
CAL Calendar + Computer Aided Learning
CAM Common Access Method + Computer Aided Manufacturing +
Contents Addressable Memory
CAN Cancel
CAP Carrierless Amplitude and Phase-Modulation +
Central Arbitration Point +
Communication Application Platform +
Computer Aided Publishing
.CAP Capture (file name extension)
CAPD Computing To Assist Persons With Disabilities [Johns
Hopkins University]
CAPS Capitals (Upper Case Letters) +
Cassette Programming System
CARL Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries [Internet]
CAS Column Address Select +
Communications Application Specification +
Computer Aided Styling
CASE Computer Aided Software Engineering
CASL Crosstalk Application Scripting Language [DCA]
CASS Computer Assisted Search Service
CASSIS Classified and Search Support Information System
CAT Computer Aided Testing + Computer Aided Tomography +
Computer Aided Transcription + Concatenate
.CAT Catalog (file name extension)
CATS Computer Assisted Training System
CAT SCAN Computerized Axial Tomography Scan
CATV Community Antenna Television (this was the original
name for what is now known as Cable TV)
CAU Controlled Access Unit
CAV Constant Angular Velocity
CBC Cipher Block Chaining
CBCR Channel Byte Count Register
CBEMA Computer and Business Equipment
Manufacturers Association
CBGA Ceramic Ball Grid Array
CBI Computer Based Instruction
CBL Computer Based Learning
.CBL COBOL source code (file name extension)
CBMS Computer-Based Mail System
CBR Constant Bit Rate
CBT Computer Based Training
CBW Convert Byte to Word
CBX Computer-Controlled Branch Exchange
CC Cluster Controller
CC: Carbon Copy
CCD Charged-Coupled Device
CCFT Cold Cathode Fluorescent Tube
CCI Common Client Interface
CCITT Comite Consultatif International Telegraphique et Telephonique/
Consultative Committee for International Telegraph and Telephone
CCL Connection Control Language
CCP Console Command Processor
CCS Common Command Set + Common Communications Services +
Common Communications Support +
Continuous Composite Servo
.CCS Color Calibration System (file name extension)
CD Carrier Detect + Change Directory +
Collision Detection + Color Display + Compact Disk
C/D Control Data
C2D Character To Decimal [REXX]
CDA Compound Document Architecture [DEC]
CDC Control Data Corporation
CD_CHRDY Card Channel Ready [IBM]
CD-DA Compact Disk -Digital Audio
CDDI Copper Distributed Data Interface
CDE Common Desktop Environment + Complex Data Entry
.CDF Comma Delimited Format (file name extension)
CDFS Compact Disc File System [Microsoft]
CD+G Compact Disk plus Graphics
CD-I Compact Disk - Interactive
CDIA Certified Document Imaging Architect
CDL Computer Design Language
CDMA Code Division Multiple Access
CDMF Commercial Data Masking Facility [IBM]
CD-MO Compact Disk - Magneto Optical
CDOS Concurrent Disk Operating System
CDPD Cellular Digital Packet Data
CDR Call Detail Record + Call Detail Recording
CD-R Compact Disk - Recordable
CD-RDx Compact Disk - Read Only Memory Data Exchange Standard
CDRL Contract Data Requirements List
CD-ROM Compact Disk - Read Only Memory
CD-RTOS Compact Disk - Real Time Operating System
CDS Current Directory Structure
.CDT Corel Draw Template (file name extension)
CD-V Compact Disk - Video
CD-WO Compact Disk - Write Once
.CDX Compound Index (file name extension) [Fox Pro]
CD-XA Compact Disk - Extended Architecture
CE Cache Enable + Chip Enable + Collision Elimination +
Convert Enable
CEG Continuous Edge Graphics
CEI Conducted Electromagnetic Interference
CEMS Constituent Electronic Mail System
CEOP Conditional End Of Page
CERN The European Particle Physics Laboratory (initials
originally from Conseil European pour la Recherche Nucleaire)
CERT Computer Emergency Response Team
CFB Cipher Feedback + Configurable Function Block
.CFG Configuration (file name extension)
CFR Computerized Facial Recognition
CFS Common File System
CFV Call For Votes [Bitnet]
CGA Color Graphics Adapter
CGE Common Graphics Environment
CGI Common Gateway Interface + Computer Generated Images +
Computer Graphics Interface
.CGM Computer Graphics Metafile (file name extension) +
Graph (file name extension) [Lotus 1-2-3] [LDC]
CHAP Challenge Authentication Protocol (protocol)
CHAR Character
CHAT Conversational Hypertext Access Technology [Internet]
CHCK Channel Check
CHCP Change Code Page
CHDIR Change Directory
CHFN Change Finger [Unix]
CHGRP Change Group
.CHK CHKDSK (file name extension)
CHKDSK Check Disk
CHMOD Change Mode
CHOWN Change Owner
CHP Chapter
CHR Character
CHRP Common Hardware Reference Platform
CHS Cylinder Head Sector
CIA Current Instruction Address
CICS/VS Customer Information Control System/
Virtual Storage [IBM]
CID Configuration/Installation/Distribution
CIDR Classless Interdomain Routing
CIF Common Interchange/Intermediate Format +
Customer Information Feed
CIM CompuServe Information Manager +
Computer Integrated Manufacturing
CIO Chief Information Offier
CIOCS Communication Input/Output Control System
CIP Command Interface Port
CIR Committed Information Rate
CIRC Circular Reference
CIS Card Information Structure + Client Information System +
CompuServe Information Service +
Computer Information Systems + Contact Image Sensor +
Customer Information System
CISC Complex Instruction Set Computing
CIT Computer-Integrated Telephony
CIX Commercial Internet Exchange +
Compulink Information Exchange
CJLI Command Job Language Interpreter
CKD Count Key Data (device)
CLAR Channel Local Address Register
CLASS Client Access to Systems and Services +
Cooperative Library Agency for Systems and Services
CLC Clear Carry Flag
CLD Clear Direction Flag
CLI Call-Level Interface + Clear Interrupt Flag +
Command Line Interface
CLIST Command List
CLK Clock
CLNP Connectionless Network Protocol
CLP Cell Loss Priority + Constraint Logic Programming
.CLP Clipboard (file name extension) [Windows]
CLS Clear Screen
CLTP Connectionless Transport Protocol
CLTS Clear Task Switch Flag
CLUI Command Line User Interface
CLUT Color Look-Up Table [Macintosh]
CLV Constant Linear Velocity
CM Centimeter + Control Mark + Corrective Maintenance
CMA Concert Multi-thread Architecture
CMC Common Mail Calls + Common Messaging Calls +
Communication Mangement Configuration +
Complement Carry Flag +
Computer-Mediated Communication [Internet]
.CMD Command (file name extension)
CMF Creative Music Format
CNIDR Clearinghouse for Network Information and
Discovery and Retrieval [Internet]
CMIP Common Management Information Protocol
CMIS Common Management Information Services/System
CML Conceptual Modelling Language +
Computer Managed Learning + Current Mode Logic
CMMS Computerized Maintenance Management Software
CMMU Cache/Memory Management Unit [Motorola]
CMOS Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor
CMOV Conditional Move
CMP Compare + Computer
CMPS Compare word String
CMS Code Management System + Compiler Monitor System +
Conversation Monitor System
CMVC Configuration Management Version Control [IBM]
CMW Compartmented Mode Workstation
CMY Cyan-Magenta-Yellow (color model)
CMYK Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black (color model)
CNA Certified NetWare Administrator [Novell]
CNAPS Co-Processing Node Architecture for Parallel Systems
CNC Computerized Numerical Control
CNE Certified NetWare Engineer
.CNF Configuration (file name extension)
CNG Calling (tone)
CNI Certified Novell Instructor [Novell]
CNIDR Clearinghouse for Networked Information and Retrieval
CNN Composite Network Node
CNSS Core Nodal Switching Subsystem [Internet]
.CNT Contents (file name extension)
CNV Conventional (pertaining to Memory)
CNVT Convert
CNX Certified Network Expert
CO Central Office + Command Output + Convert Out
COB Chip-On-Board
.COB COBAL source code (file name extension)
COBOL Common Business-oriented Language (See HLL)
.COD Code List (file name extension)
CODASYL * Conference on Data System Languages (Group that
designed COBOL)
CODE Client-Server Open Development Environment
CODEC Coder/Decoder + Compression/Decompression
COEM Commercial Original Equipment Manufacturer
COFF Common Object File Format [Unix]
COGO Coordinate Geometry (Programming Language)
COL Collision + Computer Oriented Language
COLD Computer Output to Laser Disk
COLL Collision
COM Commercial (organization Domain name) [Internet] +
Common Object Model [Microsoft]
.COM Command (file name extension)
COM1 First serial Port (asynchronous port)
COM2 Second serial Port
COM3 Third serial Port
COM4 Fourth serial Port
COMDEX Computer Dealers Exposition
COMET Cornell Macintosh Terminal Emulator
COMP Compare + Communications
COMP. Computers [USENET Newsgroup Category]
COMSAT Communications Satellite Corporation
CON Console (includes Keyboard and Screen)
COND Condition
CONFIG Configuration
CONS Connection-Oriented Network Service
CONTONE Continuous Tone
CORBA Common Object Request Broker Architecture
CoREN Corporation for Research and Enterprise Network
COS Compatible Operating System
COSE Combined Office Standard Environment +
Common Open Software/Systems Environment
COSMIC Computer Software Management and Information
Center [NASA]
COSMOS Computer System for Mainframe Operations
COTS Commercial Off-The-Shelf
CP Copy Protected
CPA Certified Public Accountant
CPC Constant Point Calculation
CPCS Check Processing Control System [IBM]
CPE Central Processing Element +
Customer Premise Equipment +
Customer Provided Equipment
.CPE Cover Page (file name extension)
CPG Clock Pulse Generator
CPI Characters Per Inch + Clock Per Instruction +
Common Programming Interface [IBM]
.CPI Code Page Information (file name extension) [MS-DOS]
CPI-C Common Programming Interface for Communications [IBM]
CPL Current Privilege Level
.CPL Control Panel (file name extension)
CP/M Control Program for Microcomputers
CPS Characters Per Second + Cycles Per Second
CPT Command Pass Through
CPU Central Processing Unit
CR Carriage Return
CRAM Cyberspatial Reality Advancement Movement
CRC Cyclic Redundancy Check
.CRD Cardfile (file name extension)
CREN Computer Research Education Network +
Corporation for Research and Education Networking
CRF Cable Retransmission Facility + Cross Reference File
CRI Color Reproduction Indices
CR/LF Carriage Return/Line Feed
CROM Control Read Only Memory
CRT Cathode Ray Tube
CRTC CRT Controller
CS Chip Select + Clear to Send + Code Segment
C/S Client/Server
CSA Calendaring and Scheduling API [IBM]
CSAR Channel System Address Register
CSD Corrective Service Diskette [IBM]
CSDS Packet Switched Data Service
CSE Certified System Engineer
CSFI Communication Subsystem For Interconnection
CSG Constructive Solid Geometry +
Consulting Services Group [Lotus]
CSI Command Sequence Introducer + CompuServe Incorporated
CSL Computer Sensitive Language
CSLIP Compressed Serial Line Interface Protocol [Internet]
CSM Communications Services Manager
CSMA/CA Carrier Sense Multiple Access/with Collision Avoidance
CSMA/CD Carrier Sense Multiple Access/with Collision Detection
CSMS Customer Support Management System
CSN Card-Select Number
CSNET Computer Science Network
CSO Central Services Organization
CSP Certified Systems Professional +
Commercial Subroutine Package +
CompuCom Speed Protocol [CompuCom]
CSPDN Circuit Switched Public Data Network
CSS * Continuous System Simulator (Language)
CSS Contact Start-Stop
CSSM Client-Server Systems Management [IBM]
CSTA Computer-Supported Telephony Applications
CSU Channel Service Unit
CSV Comma-Separated Value/Variable +
Common Services Verbs (interface) [Microsoft]
C&T Chips and Technologies
CTB Cipher Type Byte
CTC Channel To Channel
CTCP Client-To-Client Protocol
CTI Computer-Telephone Integration
CTOS Computerized Tomography Operating System +
Convergent Technologies Operating System
CTPA Coax-to-Twisted-Pair Adapter
CTRL Control
CTS Clear To Send
CTSS * Compatible Time Sharing System
CUA Common User Access [IBM]
CUB Cursor Backward
CUD Cursor Down
CUE Custom Updates and Extras (card) [Egghead Software]
CUF Cursor Forward
CUI Character-Oriented User Interface +
Common User Interface [IBM]
CUP Cursor Position
CUPID Completely Universal Processor I/O Design [AST]
.CUR Cursor (file name extension)
CUT Control Unit Terminal
CUTE Clarkston University Terminal Emulator
CUU Cursor Up
CVF Compressed Volume File
CVGA Color Video Graphics Array
CVIA Computer Virus Industry Association
CVT Convert
CVW CodeView for Windows
CWD Convert Word to Double Word +
Change Working Directory [Internet]
CWIS Campus Wide Information Service/System [Internet] +
Community Wide Information Service/System [Internet]
C2X Character To Hexadecimal [REXX]
CYL Cylinder
CYMK Cyan-Yellow-Magenta-Black (color model)
D/A Digital to Analog
DAA Data Access Arrangement +
Decimal Adjust for Addition
DAC Data Acquisition and Control +
Digital to Analog Converter
DAD Desktop Application Director [Borland]
DAI Distributed Artificial Intelligence
DAL Data Access Language [Apple Computer] +
Disk Access Lockout
DAM Data Acquisition and Monitoring
DAO Data Access Object [Microsoft]
DAP Data Access Protocol [DEC] +
Developer Assistance Program
DARI Database Application Remote Interface [IBM]
DART Digital Audio Reconstruction Technology
DAS Decimal Adjust for Subtraction +
Dual-Attached Station
DASD Direct Access Storage Device
DAT Digital Audio Tape + Disk Array Technology
.DAT Data (file name extension)
DATACOM Data Communications
DAV Digital Audio-Video
dB Decibel
DB Data Base + Data Buffer
dBA Adjusted Decibel
DBCS Delivery Bar Code Sorter + Double-Byte Character Set
.DBF Database (file name extension)
DBIS Dun & Bradstreet Information Services
DBM Data Base Manager
DBMS Data Base Management System
DBS Data Base Server
DB2 Database 2
DC Data Collection + Data Communication + Data Control +
Device Control + Direct Current
D2C Decimal To Character [REXX]
DCA Digital Communications Associates +
Document Content Architecture [IBM]
DCAF Distributed Console Access Facility [IBM]
DCAM Direct Chip Attach Module
DCB Device Control Block + Disk Coprocessor Board [Novell]
DCC Digital Command Control + Digital Compact Cassette +
Direct Client Connection + Display Combination Code
DCD Data Carrier Detect
DCE Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment +
Data Communications Equipment +
Distributed Computing Environment [OSF] +
Distributed Computing Equipment
DCF Data Communication Facility [IBM] +
Data Compression Facility +
Data Count Field [IBM] +
Driver Configuration File [Lotus]
DCI Display Control Interface
DCL Data Control Language + Declaration +
DEC Command Language [DEC] +
Device Clear + Digital Control Logic +
Digital Command Language [Digital]
DCS Data Collection System + Data Control System +
Desktop Color Separation
DCT Discrete Cosine Transform
.DCT Dictionary (file name extension)
DD Day + Digital Display + Double Density
DDA Distributed Data Access + Domain-Defined Attribute
DDB Device Dependent Bitmap
DDC Digital Data Channel [VESA] + Display Data Channel
DDCMP Digital Data Communications Message Protocol [DEC]
DDC1 Display Data Channel One
DDCS Distributed Database Connection Services [IBM]
DDD Direct Distance Dialing
DDE Direct Data Entry + Dynamic Data Exchange [Microsoft]
DDEML Dynamic Data Exchange Manager Library [Microsoft]
DDF Display Data Channel + Dynamic Data Formatting [IBM]
DDI Device Driver Interface
DDK Device Driver Kit [Microsoft Windows]
DDL Data Definition Language + Data Description Language
DDM Distributed Data Management
DDN Defense Data Network
DDS Digital Dataphone Service [AT&T] + Design Data Sheet +
Digital Data Storage + Distributed Database Services
DE Device End
DEC Decrement + Device Clear + Digital Equipment Corporation
DECNET Digital Equipment Corporation Networking (protocol)
DEF Desktop Functional Equivalent [Compaq]
.DEF Definitions + Defaults (file name extensions)
DEFRAG Defragment
DEK Data Encryption Key
DEL Delete
DELSTR Delete String [REXX]
.DEM Demonstration (file name extension)
DEN Document Enabled Networking [Novell-Xerox]
DES Data Encryption Standard + Data Entry Sheet
.DES Description (file name extension)
DET Device Execute Trigger
DEV Device
DF Data Field + Destination Field + Device Flag +
Double Flag
DFC Data Flow Control
DFM Design For Manufacturability [IBM]
DFS Distributed File System
DFSMS Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem [IBM]
DFT Design For Testability + Diagnostic Funtion Test +
Discrete Fourier Transform +
Distributed Function Terminal
DFU Data File Utility
DGIS Direct Graphics Interface Standard
DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
DHL Dynamic Head Loading
.DHP Dr. Halo PIC (file name extension)
DI Data In + Destination Index
DIA Document Interchange Architecture [IBM]
DIB Device Independent Bitmap +
Directory Information Base
DIBOL DEC Business Oriented Language
.DIC Dictionary (file name extension)
DID Direct Inward Dialing
DIF Data Interchange Format
DIFFSENS Differential Sense
DIIP Direct Interrupt Identification Port
DIMM Dual-Inline Memory Module
DIN Deutsche Industrie Norm (German equivalent of EIA)
DIO Data Input-Output
DIP Dialup Internet Protocol [Internet] +
Digital Imaging Processing +
Dual In-line Package + Dual In-line Pin
DIR Directory (file)
DIS Dynamic Impedance Stabilization [CompuCom]
DISA Data Interchange Standards Association
DISP Displacement (offset)
DIT Directory Information Tree
DIV Divide
DIVE Direct Interface Video Extension [OS/2 Warp]
DIW D-Inside Wire [AT&T]
.DIZ Description In Zip (file name extension)
DL Download (also D/L)
DL/1 Data Manipulation Language 1 [IBM]
DLC Data Link Control (protocol) [IBM]
DLD Display List Driver
DLE Data Link Escape
DLL Dynamic Link Library
DLM Dynamic Link Module
DLP Digital Light Processing
DLR DOS LAN Requester
DLT Digital Linear Tape
DM Distributed Memory
DMA Direct Memory Access/Addressing
DMAC DMA Controller
DMD Digital Micromirror Device [Texas Instruments]
DME Distributed Management Environment
DMF Distribution Media Format [Microsoft]
DMI Desktop Mangement Interface
DML Data Manipulation Language
DMM Digital Multimeter
DMMS Dynamic Memory Management System
DMOS Double-diffused Metal-Oxide Semiconductor
DMP Dot Matrix Printer
DMPC Distributed Memory Parallel Computer
DMQS Display Mode Query and Set [IBM]
DMS Data Management Software + Data Management System
DMSD Digital Multistandard Decoding
DMT Digital Multi-Tone
DMTF Desktop Management Task Force
DMY Day Month Year
DN Down
DNC Direct Numerical Control
DNIC Data Network Identification Code
DNIS Dialed Number Identification Service
DNS Domain Naming System
DO Data Out + Distributed Objects
.DOC Document + Documentation (file name extensions)
DOE Distributed Objects Everywhere
DO-IT Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and
Technology
DOMF Distributed Object Management Facility
DOS Disk Operating System
DOSEM DOS Emulation
DOW Day Of Week
DP Data Processing
DPA Demand Protocol Architecture [3Com]
DPAM Demand Priority Access Method
DPAREN Data Parity Enable [IBM]
DPB Drive Parameter Block
DPC Direct Program Control
DPI Dots Per Inch
DPL Descriptor Privilege Level
DPM Digital Panel Meter
DPMA Data Processing Management Association
DPMI DOS Protected Mode Interface [Microsoft]
DPMS Display Power Management Support
DPO Data Phase Optimization
DPS Document Processing System
DPSK Differential Phase Shift Keying
DPtoTP Display Coordinates to Tablet Coordinates
(converting)
DQL DataEase Query Language [DataEase International]
DR Data Received
D/R Direct or Reverse
DRAM Dynamic Random Access Memory
DRAW Direct Read After Write
DR.BOND Dial-up Router Bandwith On Demand [NEC]
DRDA Distributed Relational Database Architecture [IBM]
DR-DOS Digital Research-Disk Operating System
DRDW Direct Read During Write
DRI Digital Research Incorporated
DRO Data Request Output + Destructive Read-Out
DRS Document Registration System
.DRS Driver Resource (file name extension) [WordPerfect]
DRV Drive
.DRV Device Driver (file name extension) (Also see .DVR)
.DRW Draw + Drawing (file name extensions)
DS Data Segment + Data Send + Data Server + Double Sided
D/S Dhrystone Per Second
DSA Directory System Agent
DSAP Destination Service Access Point
DSDD Double Sided, Double Density (diskette)
DSE Data Storage Equipment
DSEA Display Station Emulation Adapter
DSECT Dummy Control Section
DSHD Double Sided, High Density (diskette)
DSIS Distributed Support Information Standard
DSL Dynamic Simulation Language
DSMA Digital Sense Multiple Access
DSOM Distributed System Object Model
DSP Digital Signal Processing +
Digital Signal Processor
DSQD Double Sided, Quad Density (diskette)
DSR Data Set Ready + Device Status Register +
Device Status Report
DSS Decision Support System + Digital Signature Standard
DSSS Direct-Sequence Spread Spectrum
DSTN Double Supertwisted Nematic
DSU Data Service Unit + Digital Service Unit
DSVD Digital Simultaneous Voice and Data
DSW Data Status Word + Device Status Word
D2T2 Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer (printing)
DTA Disk Transfer Area
.DTA Data (file name extension)
DTD Document Type Definition
DTE Data Terminal Equipment + Dumb Terminal Emulator
DTF Distributed Test Facility
DTL Dialog Tag Language [IBM] + Diode-Transistor Logic
DTMF Data Tone Multiple Frequency + Dual Tone Multifrequency
DTP Desktop Publishing + Distributed Transaction Process
DTR Data Terminal Ready + Data Transfer Rate
DTV Desktop Video
DTVC Desktop Video Conferencing
DU Disk Usage
DUA Directory User Agent
DUAT Direct User Access Terminal
.DV DESQview Script (file name extension)
DVC Desktop Video Conferencing
DVE Digital Video Effect
DVI Digital Video Interactive
.DVI Device Independent (file name extension)
DVMRP Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol [Internet]
.DVR Device Driver (file name extension) (Also see .DRV)
DWG Drawing
D2X Decimal To Hexadecimal [REXX]
.DXB Drawing Interchange Binary (file name extension)
[AutoCAD]
DXC Data Exchange Control
DXF Drawing Exchange Format
EA Effective Address + Extended Attribute [OS/2]
EAR External Access Register
EARN European Academic Research Network
EAROM Electrically Alterable Read Only Memory
EARS Electronic Access to Reference Services
EATA Enhanced AT Bus Attachment
EBC EISA Bus Controller
EBCDIC Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code [IBM]
EBI Equivalent Background Input +
Extended Background Investigation
EBT Electronic Benefits Transfer
EC Electronic Commerce + Error Control
ECAL Enjoy Computing And Learn
ECAT Electronic Card Assembly and Test [IBM]
ECB Electronic Codebook + Event Control Block
ECC Error Check Code + Error Checking and Correction +
Error Correction Code
ECD Enhanced Color Display
ECHO European Commission Host Organization [Internet]
ECI External Call Interface
ECL Emitter Coupled Logic
ECM Electronic Control Module
ECMA European Computer Manufacturers Association
ECNE Enterprise Certified NetWare Engineer [Novell]
ECP Enhanced Capabilities Port [Microsoft]
ECTL Electronic Communal Temporal Lobe
ECU EISA Configuration Utility
ED Erase Display
EDA Embedded Document Architecture [Go Corporation]
EDC Enhanced Data Correction +
Error Detection and Correction
EDDC Extended Distance Data Cable
EDGAR Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval
EDI Electronic Data Interchange +
Electronic Document Interchange [DEC]
EDIFACT EDI for Administration Commerce and Transport
EDL Edit Decision List
EDLC Ethernet Data Link Control
EDLIN Editor (Line Text)
EDM Electronic Document Management
EDO Extended Data Out
EDOS Enhanced DOS for Windows
EDP Electronic Data Processing
EDPM Electronic Data Processing Machine
EDRAM Extended Dynamic Random Access Memory
EDSAC * Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer
EDSI Enhanced Small Device Interface
EDU Education (organization Domain name) [Internet]
EDVAC * Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer
(First stored-program digital computer)
EE Extended Edition [IBM]
EEC Extended Error Correction
EEG Electroencephalogram
EEL Epsilon Extension Language
EEM Extended Memory Management
EEMS Enhanced Expanded Memory Specification
EEPROM Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
EES Escrow Encryption Standard
EFA Extended File Attribute
EFF Electronic Frontier Foundation
EFI Electromechanical Frequency Interference +
Electronics For Imaging
EFL Emitter Follower Logic
EFTS Electronic Funds Transfer System
EGA Enhanced Graphics Adapter
EGP Exterior/External Gateway Protocol
EHLLAPI Emulator High Level Language Application
Programming Interface [IBM]
EIA Electronic Industries Association
EIDE Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics
EIS Executive Information System
EISA Extended Industry Standard Architecture
EL Electroluminescent (display) + Erase Line
ELC Embedded Linking and Control
ELF Extremely Low Frequency
ELS Entry Level System
EM Electronic Mail + Emphasized + End of Medium +
Expanded Memory
EMA Electronic Mail Association +
Enterprise Management Architecture
EMACS Editing Macros [Unix]
E-MAIL Electronic Mail
EMB Extended Memory Block [LIM/AST]
EMBARC Electronic Mail Broadcast to a Roaming Computer
[Motorola]
EMC Electromagnetic Compatibility + E-Mail Connection +
Extended Math Coprocessor
EMI Electromagnetic Interference
.EML Electronic Mail (file name extension)
EMM Expanded Memory Manager
EMR Electro-Magnetic Radiation +
Enhanced Metafile Record
EMS Electronic Mail System + Electronic Message Service +
Expanded Memory Specification [LIM]
EMWAC European Microsoft Windows NT Academic Centre
.ENC Encoded (file name extension)
ENDEC Encoder/Decoder
ENDS Ends Segment
ENIAC * Electronic Numerical Integrator Analyzer and
Computer (First fully electronic digital computer)
ENQ Enquiry
ENSS Exterior Nodal Switching Subsystem [Internet]
EOA End of Address
EOB End of Block
EOC End of Conversion
EOF End of File + Enterprise Objects Framework [Next Computer]
EOI End or Identify
EOJ End of Job
EOL End of Line + End of List
EOM End of Message
EOR Exclusive OR (Also XOR)
EOS Earth Observing System [NASA] + End Of String
EOSDIS Earth Observing System Data and Information System [NASA]
EOT End Of Table + End of Tape (marker) + End of Text +
End of Transmission
EP Electrophotographic Engine
EPL Effective Privilege Level
EPLD Electrically Programmable Logic Device
EPM Enhanced Editor for Presentation Manager [IBM] +
Enterprise Process Management [IBM]
EPP Enhanced Parallel Port
EPROM Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory +
Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
.EPS Encapsulated PostScript (file name extension)
EPSF Encapsulated PostScript Files
ERAS Electronic Routing and Approval System [Hughes Aircraft]
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center [Internet]
ERLL Enhanced Run Length Limited
EROM Erasable Read Only Memory
EROS Earth Resources Observation System [U.S. Geological Survey]
ERR Error
ER/RC Extended Result/Response Code
ES Extra Segment
ESA Enterprise Systems Architecture [IBM] +
European Space Agency
ESC EISA System Component + Escape
ESCM Extended Services Communications Manager [IBM]
ESCON Enterprise System Connection (Architecture) [IBM]
ESC/P Epson Standard Code for Printers
ESD Electronic Software Distribution +
Electrostatic Discharge
ESDI Enhanced Small Device Interface
ESI Enhanced Serial Interface (specification) [Hayes]
ESN Electronic Security Number
ESP Emulation Sensing Processor +
Enhanced Serial Port [Hayes] +
Estimated Selling Price
ESR Event Service Routine
ESS Electronic Switching System
ESU Electro-Static Unit