DA Destination Address
Information sent in the forward direction indicating the address of the called station or customer.

DA Destination MAC Address
A six octet value uniquely identifying an endpoint and which is sent in IEEE LAN frame headers to indicate frame destination.

DAA Distributed Application Architecture
under design by Hewlett-Packard and Sun. A distributed object management environment that will allow applications to be developed independent of operating system, network or windowing system.

DACNOS
A prototype network operating system for multivendor environments, from IBM European Networking Centre Heidelberg and University of Karlsruhe.

DAD
Distributed Adamo Database. An extension to ADAMO ADAMO - .

daemon (pronounced "daemon")
A process that runs around on its own to see some housekeeping task. Your computer, or some computer on your network, has a printer daemon whose job is to print things waiting in the print queue.

daemon
A process running in the background performing some service (such as handling print queues) in UNIX UNIXor other operating systems.

Daemon Program
A utility program that runs on a TCP/IP server. Daemon programs run in the background, performing services such a file transfers, printing, calculations, searching for information, and many other tasks. This is similar to a TSR program in DOS. Daemons are fully supported by UNIX, however.

DANTE
A company established by the national research networks in Europe to provide international network services - . /RIPE

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency)
The U.S. government agency that funded the ARPANET.

DARPA
Defense Advanced Research Project Agency of the US Department of Defense,.responsible for the development of new technology, including ARPANET ARPANET.

DARPA
See Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) /.

DASE
Distributed Application Support Environment .

Data base
See DBMS DBMS

Data Connections
Data VCCs connect the LECs to each other and to the Broadcast and Unknown Server. These carry Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 or IEEE 802.5 data frames as well as flush messages.

Data Definition Language
A language enabling the structure and instances of a database to be defined in a human- and machine-readable form.

Data dictionary
A set of data descriptions that can be shared by several applications.

Data Encryption Standard (DES)
A non-trivial algorithm for encrypting data, classified as a munition by the United States Department of Commerce and Department of State.

Data Flow Diagram
A graphical notation used to describe how data flows between processes in a system. An important tool of most structured analysis techniques.

Data Frames
Logical, structured packets in which data can be placed. The Data Link layer Packages raw bits from the physical layer into data frames. The exact format of frame used by network depends on the topology.

data
Information in computer-speak.

Data Link Layer
The OSI layer that is responsible for data transfer across a single physical connection, or series of bridged connections, between two network entities.

data marshaling, data unmarshaling
The conversion of data back and forth between some local format and a common interchange format. Marshaled data is in the canonical eXtended Data Representation (XDR) /e format Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1) /a.

Data Mode
l A set of data structures with manipulation and validation operators for general purpose usage. Examples are the Entity-Relationship Entity-Relationship model and NIAM NIAM

Data Packet
A unit of data being set over a network. A packet includes a header, addressing information, and the data itself. A packet is treated as a single unit as it is sent from device to device.

Data Transfer Rate
The data transfer rate determines how fast a drive or other peripheral can transfer data with its controller. The data transfer rate is a key measurement in drive performance.

Data Warehouse
A database of information intended for use as part of a decision support system. The data is typically extracted from an organisation's operational databases.

database
A collection of data organized for rapid search and retrieval by a computer.

database administrator (DBA)
An administrator of a database. This person is responsible for system tuning as well as the structure of the tables within the database, the number of instances to run, and other parameters. See also system administrator /s.

Database
See DBMS DBMS.

Datacom
A DBMS DBMS from Computer Associates International..

Datagram
A packet of information medium and associated delivery information, such as the destination address, that is routed through a packet-switching network.

DATATRIEVE
A query and report system for use with DEC's VMS VMS system (RMS, VAX Rdb/VMS or VAX DBMS).

DataViews
Graphical user interface development software from V.I.Corporation, aimed at constructing platform-independent interactive views of dynamic data.

DAZIX
Daisy/Cadnetix Corporation: a supplier of digital electronic CAE CAE systems.

DB
Database.

DB2
A DBMS DBMS from IBM.

DBA
DataBase Administrator.

DBA
See database administrator (DBA) /.

dBASE III
A DBMS DBMS from Ashton-Tate Corporation.

DBMS
Database management system: such systems typically manage large structured sets of persistent data, offering ad hoc query facilities to many users. They are widely used in business applications: commercial examples include Ingres Ingres, Oracle Oracle, Sybase Sybase etc.

DCA
Document Content Architecture.from IBM

DCC
Data Country Code: This specifies the country in which an address is registered. The codes are given in ISO 3166. The length of this field is two octets. The digits of the data country code are encoded in Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) syntax. The codes will be left justified and padded on the right with the hexadecimal value "F" to fill the two octets.

DCE
Data Communication Equipment: A generic definition of computing equipment that attaches to a network via a DTE.

DCE
Distributed Computing Environment from OSF OSF - . /DCE

DCE
See Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) /.

DCF
Document Composition Facility.

D-channel
A dedicated data channel for Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) /i configuration and set-up.

DCOM
Distributed Component Object Model Protocol - . /DCOM

DCS
See Digital Cross-connect System (DCS) /

DCSA
Distributed Component Software Architecture - . /CIL

DD
Data Dictionary Data-Dictionary.

DDE
Manager An Oracle Oracle product that lets Windows Windows applications that support the DDE protocol act as front end tools for Oracle. It allows applications like Excel, Word, Ami Professional, WingZ, and ToolBook to query, update, graph, and report information stored in Oracle.

DDE protocol
Dynamic Data Exchange: a Microsoft Microsoft protocol that allows Windows Windows applications to communicate using a client/server model.

DDIF
Digital Document Interchange Format. A CDA CDA specification for representing compound documents in revisable format; a DEC standard for document encoding.

DDL
Data definition language Data-definition-language.

DDL
Document Description Language Document-Description-Language.

DDTS
Distributed Defect Tracking System.

debug
The act of finding errors, or bugs, in a program or script. DECT: digital European Cordless Telecommunication.

DEC
Digital Equipment Corporation: a computer manufacturer and software vendor.

DECdesign
A software analysis and design tool from DEC supporting several methodologies.

dns
Distributed Naming Service: adopted by OSF OSF as the naming service for DCE DCE.

DECnet
The network marketed by DEC to connect its computers together.

decrement
To decrease the value of a variable by one. In java Script, this can be done with the decrement operator,++.

DECstation
A range of RISC RISC based workstations manufactured by DEC.

DECwindows
DEC's windowing environment based on the X Window System X-Window-System.

DECwrite
DEC's CDA CDA-based, WYSIWYG WYSIWYG document processing application. It can generate and import SGML SGML marked-up documents.

Dedicated Line
A transmission medium that is used exclusively between two locations. Dedicated lines are also known as leased lines or private lines.

Default Gateway
IP uses the default gateway address when it cannot find the destination host on the local subnet. This is usually the router interface.

Default Node Representation
A single value for each nodal state parameter giving the presumed value between any entry or exit to the logical node and the nucleus.

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
The central research and development organization for the United States Department of Defense. It manages and directs selected basic and applied research and development projects for the Department, and pursues research and technology where risk and payoff are both very high and where success may provide dramatic advances for traditional military roles and missions and dual-use applications.

DEL
See Dialog Editing Library (DEL) /.

Delphi
An object-oriented object-oriented development system from Borland

Delta
The information which differentiates a version version from members of its immediate family. See change management change-management

Delta-4
Definition and Design of an open Dependable Distributed system architecture. An Esprit Esprit project investigating the achievement of dependability in open distributed systems, including real-time real-time systems.

DELTASE
A distributed processing environment concerned with fault-tolerant and process-control applications from the Esprit Esprit Delta-4 Delta-4 project.

DEM
Digital Elevation Model. A format for map files - . /Graphics

DeMarco Tom
DeMarco proposed a form of Structured Analysis.

Demeter
A CASE CASE tool developed mainly by Karl Lieberherr (see Aug/Sep 1988 issue of JOOP, OOPSLA '89 Proceedings "Contributions to Teaching Object-Oriented Design and Programming")

demilitarized zone (DMZ)
An area of a network, typically between the internal corporate network and either the external Internet or a partner, vendor, or client, usually between firewalls, providing some service or services. Part of a security system. See also firewall /f.

Demultiplexing
A function performed by a layer entity that identifies and separates SDUs from a single connection to more than one connection.

demux See multiplex /m.

DES
Data Encryption Standard. A NIST NIST encryption standard.

DES Destination End Station
An ATM termination point which is the destination for ATM messages of a connection and is used as a reference point for ABR services. See SES.

DES
See Data Encryption Standard (DES) /.

Design
Design is usually considered to be the phase of software development following analysis, and concerned with how the problem is to be solved.

Design recovery
A subset of reverse engineering reverse-engineering in which domain knowledge, external information, and deduction of fuzzy reasoning are added to the observations of the subject system to identify meaningful higher level abstraction beyond those obtained directly by examining the system itself.

Desktop
A display of one or more icons representing system resources.

Desktop Commands
(DTC) Commands used in the Advanced Development Environment (ADE) /a to manipulate a dialog / instance.

Desktop manager
A user interface to system services, usually icon and menu based like the Macintosh Finder, enabling the user to run applications and use a filing system without directly using the command language of the operating system.

Desktop Publishing
A fancy type of word processing. A desktop publishing program lets you do typesetting and is useful for preparing books, newsletters, and the like. The most common Unix desktop publishing programs are Interleaf and FrameMaker.

DESQview
A system from Quarterdeck Office Systems implementing multitasking under MS-DOS.

Destructor
A function provided by a class in C++ C++ to delete an object.

DESY
Deutsches Electronen Synchrotron Laboratory, Hamburg, Germany

Development
The process of analysis, design, coding and testing software.

Device Driver
A piece of software that allows a workstation or server to communicate with a hardware device. For example, disk drivers are used to control disk drivers and network drivers are used to communicate with network boards.

DFD
Data Flow Diagram Data-Flow-Diagram.

DFS
See distributed file system (DFS) /.

DGL
Data Generation Language: a tool for generating test data for hardware or software systems.

DGL
The distributed version of GL GL .

DHC
See Dynamic Host Configuration (DHC) /.

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
A method of automatically assigning IP addresses to client computers on a network.

Dhrystone
A benchmark Benchmarkprogram in C and Ada.

DHTML
Dynamic HTML

Diagonal Linear Measurement
"Official" screen size is the diagonal measurement of the CRT before its mounted in the monitor cabinet. Some monitor CRT category sizes are 14", 15", 17", 19", and 21".

DIALOG
a commercial bibliographic database and retrieval service from DIALOG Information Services.

dialog
A two-way communication link between an administrator and one or more TME resources.

Dialog Editing Library (DEL)
A library of C functions that permits dynamic, persistent creation and editing of dialog descriptors at run-time. See also Advanced Development Environment (ADE) /a.

Dialog Specification Language (DSL)
Provides the dialog layout and interaction for handling application output and input. See gadget /g.

DIB
Device Independent Bitmap, a format for portable images.

Dienst
A protocol for a distributed digital document library built on http

Digital Cross-connect System (DCS)
Pronounced "dax;" a digital version of or replacement for the analog data center patch panels.

Digital Private Network Signalling System (DPNSS)
A Common Channel Signalling (CCS) /c protocol used in telecommunications networks.

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
A high-speed digital network connection, usually between a home or small business and a telecommunications vendor, providing an always-up direct connection to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) /i. It can be either asymmetric, /a where the upstream and downstream speeds are dissimilar, or symmetric, /s where the upstream and downstream speeds are the same.

DII
Dynamic Invocation Interface. An OMG OMG specification.

DIIG
Digital Information Infrastructure Guide. A resource to facilitate the development of the NII NII - . /DIIG

Dijkstra's Algorithm
An algorithm that is sometimes used to calculate routes given a link and nodal state topology database.

DIN
Deutsche Institut fuer Normung: the German standardisation body, a member of ISO ISO.

DIP
Document Image Processing: storage, management and retrieval of images.

DIR
This is a field in an RM-cell which indicates the direction of the RM- cell with respect to the data flow with which it is associated. The source sets DIR=0 and the destination sets DIR=1.

Direct Set
A set of host interfaces which can establish direct layer two communications for unicast (not needed in MPOA).

directive (Security.)
Specific actions to be taken and directions to be followed in implementing a policy /p. Adherence to directives is mandatory for users.

directory
A collection of files with a name. A dirctory can be compared to a file folder that contains one or more files. Directories can also contain other directories. You can think of a directory as a work area because one directory is always the current working directory. Directories, particularly directories contained in your home directory.

Dirt Design In Real Time:
a user interface builder for the X Window System X-Window-System by R.Hesketh

dirty
Not clean. A filesystem is dirty if it is in use or if there is no guarantee that the file system structure is static.

DISA
Data Interchange Standards Association (USA)

DISA
Defense Information Systems Agency (USA)

disk
Also known as DASD(only to IBM types, who also pronounce this "daz-dee"), it is a round flat thing on which information is recorded in much the same way as you record stuff on a cassette tape.

Disk Operating System (DOS)
The term DOS can refer to any operating system, but it is most often used as a shorthand for Microsoft's MS-DOS. Originally developed by Microsoft for IBM /i, MS-DOS was the standard operating system for IBM-compatible personal computers.

Disk Suite
A product from Sun Microsystems that allows the kernel to treat multiple distinct disk partitions as larger logical partitions (up to one terabyte per logical partition). It also allows for mirroring data, or storing data on multiple partitions simultaneously.

diskette
A removable disk, also called a floppy disk.

DISOSS
See Distribution Office Support Systems (DISOSS) /.

Display Adapter
The thing inside your computer that lets it talk to the screen.

Display PostScript
An extended form of PostScript PostScript permitting its interactive use with bitmap displays.

Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol (DVMRP)
A non-hierarchical, non-scaling multicast routing protocol, defined in RFC 1075 ftp://ftp.isi.edu/in-notes/rfc1075.txt.

Distributed Computing Environment (DCE)
An OSF /o product. A windowing environment similar to Motif.

distributed file system (DFS)
A file system /f that is distribtued across multiple geographic sites yet which appears to be a single local file system /f to the user. See also Andrew File System (AFS) /a, Institutional File System (IFS) /i.

Distribution Office Support Systems (DISOSS)
The IBM /i SNA /s electronic mail routing architecture for their mainframes. A distributed electronic mail system.

diversely routed
A network is diversely routed if there are multiple routes from point A to point B.

DL/I
The data manipulation language of IMS IMS.

DLG
Digital Line Graph. A format for map files - . /Graphics

DLM
Distributed Lock Manager on distributed VMS VMS systems.

DLPI UNIX
International, Data Link Provider Interface (DLPI) Specification: Revision 2.0.0, OSI Work Group, August 1991.

DME
Distributed Management Environment: an OSF OSF standard presently at the RFT RFT stage.

DMS
Document Management System.

DMZ
See demilitarized zone (DMZ) /.

DNS - Domain Name Server.
This is a program running on a server which automatically translates domain names into their correct TCP/IP addresses. A busy DNS server is the most common reason for Navigator's frequent "Unable to find Domain Name or invalid entry in the DNS" error.

DNS (Domain Name System)
The distributed name/address mechanism used in the Internet.

DNS Distributed Name Service
see DECdns DECdns.

DNS record types The domain name record types are:
A
Address, specifying the IP address

CNAME
Canonical name, an alias pointing to the true name of the host. Requires its right hand side to have an A record.

HINFO
Host information, detailed information about the specific host, such as location or operating system version.

LOC
Location, specifies the geographical location of the host.

MX
Mail exchange, specifies that the host on the left side will accept mail for the host on the right hand side at the priority shown (lower is preferred).

NS
Name server, specifies a host that will act as a domain name server for the specified domain.

PTR
Pointer, used to provide reverse lookups.

RP
Responsible person, the contact information for the specified domain.

SOA
Start of authority, the meta information for the specified zone. Contains email information, a serial number, and the time to live values. The specific format is defined in RFC 2181.

TXT
Text, a comment on the record. Otherwise ignored.

WKS
Well-known services, lists those services for a host. Allows for mnemonics (http, smtp, telnet) instead of specifying port numbers (80, 25, 21).

DOC
Distributed Object Computing.

Document Examiner
A high-performance hypertext hypertext system by Symbolics that provides on-line access to their user documentation.

Document Style Semantics and Specification Language
An ISO standard under preparation, addressing the semantics of high-quality composition in a manner independent of particular formatting systems or processes. DSSSL is intended as a complementary standard to SGML SGML for the specification of semantics.

DoD
Networking Model A four-layer conceptual model describing how communication should take place between computer systems. The four layers are Process/Application, Host-to-Host, Internet, and Networking Access. DOD is the acronym for Department of Defense, the government agency that provided the original funding for the development of the TCP/IP protocol suite.

DoD
The US Department of Defense, responsible for sponsoring many standards in the software engineering field - . /DoD

DoD-STD-2167A DoD
DoD standard specifying the overall process of development and documentation for mission-critical software

DoD-STD-2168 A DoD
DoD standard for software quality assurance procedures.

DOE
Distributed Object Environment: a distributed object-oriented object-oriented application framework from SunSoft.

DoE
The US Department of Energy

DOI
Digital Object Identifier. A system of unique and persistent identifiers devised by the Association of American Publishers. The DOI is intended to mark digital objects in electronic commerce so that a user of the object can contact the current provider to get additional information or complete a transaction

domain
Domain A logical grouping for file servers within a network, managed as an integrated whole.

Domain Controller
Primary server within a domain and primary storage point for domain-wide security information.

Domain Distributed Operating Multi Access Interactive Network:
the proprietary network protocol used by Apollo Apollo workstations.

domain level
A level in a NetInfo domain hierarchy. See NetInfo /n.

DOMAIN NAME
An english language equivalent of a computer systems TCP/IP address.

DOMAIN NAME
A Domain Name is much like a trademark or a license. It allows people to find your website by name instead of by number. It also allows customers to have a much more professional look because their website can be http://www.THEIRBUSINESSNAME.com instead of http://www.PROVIDERNAME.com/businessname. There can only be one of any Domain name in the world. If http://www.myweb.com is already registered by another company, then you must find a name that is not yet registered. Domain names can be only 63 charecters long in total. This includes the .com at the end but does not include the http://www at the beginning. It is the 'unique name' that identifies an Internet site. Domain Names always have two 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:
Domain Name Service (DNS) A UDP /u protocol (defined in RFC 2181 ftp://ftp.isi.edu/in-notes/rfc2181.txt) for resolving names to IP addresses and vice versa. This leads to a hierarchical host naming structure which gives each computer on a network a unique name. See also fully qualified domain name (FQDN) /f, resolver /r.

Domain Names The name by which a domain is known to the network.

The errors (if you do the math) are due to clocking information and overhead in managing the multiplexing of the channels on the fiber.

? pugmarks.com

? pugmarks.net

? aiims.edu

? apcf.org

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 extension as the right-hand portion of their Domain Names (pugmarks.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.

DECODING
Decoding is the process by which attachments are returned to their original form after having been subjected to encoding for transmission over the Internet. If the sender of the file has used a form of decoding appropriate to your computer and e-mail program, the decoding will occur automatically. If this is not the case, you may be able to set up a helper application for this purpose. If you receive a file that needs special decoding, you can sometimes identify the required form of decoding by the three letter extension at the end of the file's name :

If the extension is:
The file needs this type of decoding:

.hqx
Binhex

.uue
UUencode

Domain
Refer to Administrative Domain.

DOMF Distributed Object Management Facility:
an OMG OMG-compliant object management system; part of DOE DOE. from SunSoft.

DOORS Dynamic Object Oriented Requirements System - . /DOORS

DORIS 3-10 GeV center of mass electron-positron storage ring/collider at DESY DESY.

DOS
An operating system patterned in some ways after UNIX. DOS runs on PCs.

Dot Pitch
The distance between the one phosphor dot and the nearest dot of the same color in the fine above or below.

Dot-Matrix
printers Printers that work by hitting a ribbon against the paper using a grid (or a matrix) of little pins, each of which makes a tiny dot on the page.

Double-Clicking
"Double-clicking with a mouse" means moving the mouse until the cursor is on the thing you want to use and then quickly pressing and releasing mouse button twice. It takes some practice to get the two clicks fast enough but not too fast.If your mouse has several buttons, use the leftmost button unless you are instructed otherwise.

DOWNLOADING
The process of transferring a file or program from some source computer to your computer. Downloading is a controlled process using a protocol to move the file in such a way as to insure it remains intact and undamaged. (see protocols)

DPNSS
See Digital Private Network Signalling System (DPNSS) /.

DPS
Display PostScript Display-PostScript.

DQO
Data Quality Objectives

DRAFTS
Drafts are unfinished messages. Your e-mail program allows you to store a not-yet-ready-post message as a draft, and provides a folder for this purpose. This is a handy feature, since it's often a good idea to make sure that a message really says what you want it to say before you send it, especially when the letter is important.

drag-and-drop
The action of dragging an item with the mouse from one location to another, and releasing the mouse button at the destination.

Dragging
"Dragging the mouse" means moving the mouse until the cursor is on the thing you want to drag, pressing and holding the mouse button, moving the mouse until the thing is where you want to drag it to (with the button still down), and then releasing the mouse button. If your mouse has several buttons, use the leftmost button unless you are instructed otherwise.

DRAGON
An Esprit project aimed at providing effective support to reuse in real-time real-time distributed Ada Ada applications..

DRAGOON
A distributed concurrent object-oriented Ada Ada-based language from the Esprit Esprit DRAGON DRAGON project.

DS
Dansk Standard. The Danish standards association.

DS Distributed Single Layer Test Method:
An abstract test method in which the upper tester is located within the system under test and the point of control and observation (PCO) is located at the upper service boundary of the Implementation Under Test (IUT) - for testing one protocol layer. Test events are specified in terms of the abstract service primitives (ASP) at the upper tester above the IUT and ASPs and/or protocol data units (PDU) at the lower tester PCO.

DS-0 Digital Signal, Level 0:
The 64 kbps rate that is the basic building block for both the North American and European digital hierarchies.

DS0, DS1, DS3 Indicators of speed of data transfer over telecommunications lines, where:
1. The trailing portion of a fully qualified host address, typically in an e-mail context. See fully qualified domain name (FQDN) /f.
2. A level in a NetInfo hierarchy. See NetInfo /n.
3. An organization of machines (clients, master servers, and slave servers) and maps in NIS. See Network Information Service (NIS) /n.
4. A section of the Internet name space. See Domain Name Service (DNS) /.

DS0
A single 64 Kb/s channel.

DS1
A T1 line (1.544 Mb/s), or 24 DS0s.

DS3
A T3 line (45 Mb/s), or 28 DS1s.

DS-1
Digital Signal, Level 1: The North American Digital Hierarchy signaling standard for transmission at 1.544 Mbps. This standard supports 24 simultaneous DS-0 signals. The term is often used interchangeably with T1 carrier although DS-1 signals may be exchanged over other transmission systems.

DS-2
Digital Signal, Level 2: The North American Digital Hierarchy signaling standard for transmission of 6.312 Mbps that is used by T2 carrier which supports 96 calls.

DS-3
Digital Signal, Level 3: The North American Digital Hierarchy signaling standard for transmission at 44.736 Mbps that is used by T3 carrier. DS-3 supports 28 DS-1s plus overhead.

DS3
PLCP Physical Layer Convergence Protocol: An alternate method used by older T carrier equipment to locate ATM cell boundaries. This method has recently been moved to an informative appendix of the ATM DS3 specification and has been replaced by the HEC method.

DSDM
Dynamic Systems Development Method. A non-proprietary Rapid Application Development method - . /DSDM.txt

DSE
Data Structure Editor.

DSE
Distributed Single-Layer Embedded (Test Method): An abstract test method in which the upper tester is located within the system under test and there is a point of control and observation at the upper service boundary of the Implementation Under Test (IUT) for testing a protocol layer, or sublayer, which is part of a multi-protocol IUT.

DSEE
Domain Software Engineering Environment: a proprietary CASE CASE framework and configuration management system from Apollo Apollo.

DSL
See Dialog Specification Language (DSL) /. See Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) /.

DSOM
Distributed SOM SOM

DSP
Digital Signal Processing.

DSS
Decision Support Systems. Software tools to help with management tasks.

DSS1
Digital Subscriber Signalling System #1: N-ISDN UNI Signalling

DSS2
Setup DSS2 Digital Subscriber Signalling System #2: B-ISDN UNI Signalling

DSSSL
Document Style Semantics and Specification Language. An ISO standard under preparation, addressing the semantics of high-quality composition in a manner independent of particular formatting systems or processes. DSSSL is intended as a complementary standard to SGML SGML for the specification of semantics - . /DSSSL

DSU
Data Service Unit: Equipment used to attach users' computing equipment to a public network.

DTC
See Desktop Commands (DTC) /.

DTD
Document Type Definition: the definition of a document type in SGML SGML, consisting of a set of markup tags and their interpretation.

DTE
Data Terminal Equipment: A generic definition of external networking interface equipment such as a modem.

DTI UK
Department of Trade and Industry.

DTIC
Defense Technical Information Center of the US Dept. of Defense - . /DTIC

DTL
Designated Transit List: A list of nodes and optional link IDs that completely specify a path across a single PNNI peer group.

DTL DVI
DVI Text Language. An ASCII ASCII DVI format.

DTL Originator
The first switching system within the entire PNNI routing domain to build the initial DTL stack for a given connection.

DTL Terminator
The last switching system within the entire PNNI routing domain to process the connection and thus the connection's DTL.

DTLS
Descriptive Top-Level Specification language: used in POSIX POSIX and TRUSIX TRUSIX.

DTP
Desktop publishing.

DTS
Distributed Time Service .

Dual-Band:
Characterizes a handset that is able to operate on two different frequencies.

dumb terminal
A terminal that has no processing power of its own. It usually does'nt have any nice options either, like mice or screens that can do graphics.

Dumb Terminal
A workstation consisting of keyboard and monitor, used to put data into the computer or receive information from the computer. Dumb terminals were originally developed to be connected to computers running a multi-user operating systems so that users could communicate directly with them. All processing is done at and by the computer, not the dumb terminal. IN contrast, a smart terminal contains processing circuits which can receive data from the host computer and later carry out independent processing operations.

DVI
Device independent file format. A dvi file containing a description of the formatted document is the usual output of TeX TeX.

DVMRP
See Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol (DVMRP) /.

DWARF
A debugging information format for UNIX UNIX System V System-V

DXI Data Exchange Interface:
A variable length frame-based ATM interface between a DTE and a special ATM CSU/DSU. The ATM CSU/DSU converts between the variable-length DXI frames and the fixed-length ATM cells.

Dylan
An object-oriented object-oriented dynamic language

Dynamic Host Configuration (DHC)
A task force or group within the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) /i which developed the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to supercede the aging Boot Protocol (BOOTP) /b.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
A superset of the Boot Protocol (BOOTP) /b which offers greater flexibility for IP address allocation. It provides the standard BOOTP-like method as well as automatic (long-term) or dynamic (short-term) allocation of IP addresses from a pool of available addresses.

Dynamic Invocation Interface (DII)
Used by a client to dynamically build a request to be sent to a server.