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Dialog box --- Direct Memory Access (DMA)
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Dialog box --- An on-screen message box that conveys or requests
information from the user.
Dial Up Networking --- Dialing into a network from a remote sight using a
modem.
Diaferential
backup --- A differential backup backs up
only those files that have changed since the time a backup was made. Normally, a backup philosophy will involve
making a full system backup (which includes all files on the hard drive), and then making periodic differential
backups. Windows 95 can determine which files have changed (or been created) since the last backup by the condition
of the archive bit (see archive bit). To restore a system that has been backed up using this philosophy,
first restore using the full system backup, and then successively apply the differential backups in the same
order they were made.
Disk Defragmenter --- As you use your hard drive, blocks of information
for a file spread across the hard drive, wherever there is room. This "fragmentation" of the information
in a file can lead to a significant slow-down in file access times because the disk's read/write head must move
all over the disk, looking for the various portions of a file. Disk Defragmenter arranges the blocks of information
for a file into adjacent blocks on your hard drive, which may significantly improve file access times.
Dither pattern --- A pattern of dots used to simulate an unavailable
color or gray scale in a printout or graphic. Most frequently used when specifying a printout of a color graphic
on a monochrome printer or simulating more colors in a graphic than are available in the current graphics mode.
Direct
Memory Access (DMA) --- A PC has eight DMA
channels that are used for rapidly transferring data between memory and peripherals such as a hard disks, sound
cards, tape backups, scanners, and SCSI controllers. DMA is very fast because it doesn't need the computer's microprocessor
to access memory.
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DigiCash --- Digital audio
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DigiCash --- Founded in 1990, DigiCash has pioneered
development of electronic payment mechanisms for open, closed and network systems that provide security and privacy.
DigiCash's technology is based on patented advances in public key cryptography developed by the Company's founder
and Chairman, Dr. David Chaum. Throughout its history DigiCash has developed leading edge products and partnered
with companies to provide advanced payment systems technology to the market.
Electronic cash (Ecash) by DigiCash is a new concept in payment systems. It combines computerized convenience with
security and privacy that improve on paper cash. It adds value to any service involving payment. And its versatility
opens up a host of new markets and applications.
Digital --- A form of representation in which
distinct objects, or digits, are used to stand for something in the real world, so that counting and other operations
can be performed precisely. Data represented digitally can be manipulated to produce a calculation, a sort, or
some other computation. In digital electronic computers, two electrical states correspond to the 1's and the 0's
of binary numbers, which are manipulated by computer programs.
Digital
audio --- sound represented
by a binary system (0's and 1's) that are read by audio software. On the Internet, digital audio takes on many
formats. Technologies such as RealAudio, MediaCast, as well as file formats such as .au and .wav which can be downloaded
are all forms of digital audio. For a listing of digital audio links click on the more button below.
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Digital cash --- Discussion
group
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Digital
cash --- Founded in
1990, DigiCash has pioneered development of electronic payment mechanisms for open, closed and network systems
that provide security and privacy. DigiCash's technology is based on patented advances in public key cryptography
developed by the Company's founder and Chairman, Dr. David Chaum. Throughout its history DigiCash has developed
leading edge products and partnered with companies to provide advanced payment systems technology to the market.
Electronic cash (Ecash) by DigiCash is a new concept in payment systems. It combines computerized convenience with
security and privacy that improve on paper cash. It adds value to any service involving payment. And its versatility
opens up a host of new markets and applications.
Digiterati
--- The digital version of literati, it is a reference to a vague cloud
of people seen to be knowlegeable, hip, or otherwise in-the-know in regards to the digital revolution.
Direct connection ---
A permanent connection between your computer system and the Internet. This is sometimes referred to
as a leased-line connection because the line is leased from the telephone company.
Directory --- Best thought of as the table of
contents of all files contained on or in a specific section of a computer disk. A directory often shows file name,
file size, date and time created, file type, and author. Sometimes called a folder.
Discussion
group --- A group of
people who exchange messages about particular topics. Often associated with newsgroups, they can also take the
form of interactive message boards, thread message forums, and e-mailing lists. Dubbed as "online encounters
with your own kind" discussion groups vary widely in their variety and format.
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Distribution --- DNS
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Distribution --- A way to limit where Usenet postings
go. Handy for such things as "for sale" messages or discussions of regional politics.
Dial-in --- An Internet account that can connect any stand-alone PC directly to the Internet.
The account is used by having a PC-based (most often, Windows-based) software application dial-in to an Internet
service provider (ISP). The software connects with the ISP and establishes a TCP/IP link to the Internet that enables
your software to access Internet information. The PC that accesses a dial-in
connection needs either a modem to connect via a regular phone line or a terminal adapter (TA) to connect via an
ISDN phone line.
Dial-up --- Modem link to an internet access provider,
where you use their computer system/network to access the internet (an indirect
internet link). If you are accessing this via gnofn, the odds are you're using their dial-up services.
Digerati --- The digital version of literati, it is
a reference to a vague cloud of people seen to be knowledgeable, hip, or otherwise in-the-know in regards to the
digital revolution.
DNS --- Domain Name System - A database system that translates an IP address into a domain
name. For example, a numeric IP address like 207.219.116.4 is converted into high-density.com.
The DNS is a static, hierarchical name service and it uses TCP/IP hosts, and is housed on a number of servers
on the Internet. Basically, it maintains this database for figuring out and finding (or resolving) host names and
IP addresses. This allows users to specify remote computers by host names rather than numerical IP addresses.
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Document --- Document source
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Document --- 1.)When used in reference to the World
Wide Web, a document is any file containing text, media or hyperlinks that can be transferred from an HTTP server
to a client program.
2.) A file created using an application. For example, you might create a text document using a word processing
application (such as WordPad) or a picture document using a graphic application (such as Paint).
Document
formatting --- In word processing, this refers to formatting that
is applied to a whole document. Document formatting includes margins, headers and footers, and paper size.
Document
info --- A feature
of Netscape Navigator which gives you mounds of information about the Web page you are currently looking at. Choosing
this menu item, produces a page with a document's structure, composition, and security status. Structure information
contains the URLs of images within the document. Composition information includes location, file MIME type, source,
local cache file, modification and expiration dates, content length and charset. Security information informs you
about encryption and certification.
You can select this menu item by pulling down the VIEW menu and highlighting Document Info.
Document source ---
In Netscape Navigator you can view what is called the document source. This feature will open a window
which displays the source code (HTML, Javascript etc.) of whatever Web page you're currently looking at. To copy
the contents of this file with Windows, press CTRL-A to select the contents, followed by CTRL-C to copy, and CTRL-V
to paste into another document. On the Mac the source code is automatically saved into a text file on the desktop
each time you view a document source.
You can select this menu item by pulling down the VIEW menu and highlighting Document Source.
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Doom ---
Document Menu
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Doom --- A fast-moving virtual reality game
in which you are plunged into a brutal 3-D world. To escape alive, you must outfight legions of grisly fiends and
solve lethal puzzles. You play a marine equipped with a variety of weapons and technological artifacts, but in
the end it comes down to who's tougher Doom's popularity on the Internet is in part due to it's abilty to allow
two players to compete via a modem. So you could in essence play with a friend anywhere in the world. There are
countless archives and World Wide Web sites devoted to Doom. They offer everything from hints on game levels, cheat
codes to almost entirely new games and scenery. Doom is available as shareware and add on levels are available
for both the original Doom and Doom II.
Dot
address --- Also "dotted
decimal notation" this is the common notation for IP addresses (160.230.54.10). In the form A.B.C.D, each
letter represents, in decimal, one byte of a four byte IP address.
Dot
file --- A file on
a Unix public-access system that alters the way you or your messages interact with that system. For example, your
.login file contains various parameters for such things as the text editor you get when you send a message. When
you do an ls command, these files do not appear in the directory listing; do `ls -a' to list them.
Domain Name
--- The unique name that identifies an Internet site. Domain Names always
have 2 or more parts, separated by dots. The part on the left is the most specific, and the part on the right is
the most general. A given machine may have more than one Domain Name but a given Domain Name points to only one
machine. For example, the domain names:
matisse.net
mail.matisse.net
workshop.matisse.net
can all refer to the same machine, but each domain name can refer to no more than one machine.
Usually, all of the machines on a given Network will have the same thing as the right-hand portion of their
Domain Names ( matisse.net in the examples above). It is also possible for a Domain Name to exist but not be connected
to an actual machine. This is often done so that a group or business can have an Internet e-mail address without
having to establish a real Internet site. In these cases, some real Internet machine must handle the mail on behalf
of the listed Domain Name.
See Also: IP Number
Domain
Name Lookup --- The process of converting a numeric IP address into
a text name (for example, 204.245.240.194 is converted to www.high-density.com).
Document Menu --- Functions that can
be preformed on a given document or file, usually in Windows 95 or 98. In windows 95 or 98, one can right click
on the actual icon of the document and choose "properties" The list that comes up is the document menu.
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