Computer/Technical Jargon
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Dead-drop: A compromised computer used to store all stolen information. Criminals use this method to help avoid detection and to make it harder to prosecute.
DDoS: Distrubuted Denial of Service. An attack on a website where zombie machines make a coordinated and simultaneous attack against a website. A website is shut down because it cannot respond to all requests. DDoS attack are usually carried out as a vendetta or extortion.
Deep Packet Inspection (DPI): A system that monitors your all browsing activities and does not reside on your computer. Deep packet inspection companies are contracted by your internet service provider. The deep packet inspection company then analyzes everything your browse, analyzes your browsing habits based on a certain period of time, and sells that information to advertisers. Right now, the browsing history stored is 14 days. In essence, this is like spyware endorsed by your internet provider and you are unable to remove it. In the United States, such techniques may be illegal and Congress has debated the legality of them. The American internet providers who were considering doing this have decided against it. In the United Kingdom, however, the internet provider BT has already installed and started this system. Deep packet companies include NebuAd, Front Porch, Phorm, Adzilla, and Project Rialto. Some of these companies have a history with known spyware companies.
Deprecated: Something that is no longer being supported or is obsolote and is being phased out. The deprecated item is kept around to make a transition easier.
Dialer: One of the worst forms of malware, a dialer is a program that dials a toll number, usually outside of the United States to avoid prosecution. Unfortunately, there is very little you can do if this happens. What can you do? Well, a dialer can't work if you don't have a modem and you use high-speed internet with a router. You can also be very careful of your on-line activities and regularly run antivirus and anti-spyware programs. These programs should be run often, at least twice a month.
Digital: Something that is discrete, finate, or countable. Digital is always used for electrical-related applications. But, it is finite. In the real world, there are infinately (opposite of finate) many possibilities between sounds, sights, anything. Your thermostat may say 72, but it may really be 72.3 or 72.35 or 72.351 or so on. In the real world you can always get more precise and never get it exactly right. In the electrical world, everything boils down to 1 or 0. Those 1's and 0's are combined to represent something, but behind every letter, every color, every sound in the digital world is a 1 or 0. When the voltage is above a certain voltage, it is a 1, otherwise it is a 0. Since electricity is real world, you'll never get exactly the voltage for a 1, so have to decide upon a minimum voltage to trigger a 1. Well, since the real world is analog, infinate, uncountable why is digital audio clearer, digital TV sharper, digital cell-phones better? Because there is no reliable way to transmit analog things. They are subject to degradation over time and distance. Not so with digital. You either have it or you don't. See also analog.
Display Port: A new interface designed to replace DVI, HDMI, and the standard analog inputs of the VGA monitor cable and component input on HDTV's. As with DVI and HDMI, there is no advantage in using Display Port for your computer monitor, and in reality there will be no advantage to your HDTV either. The main reason for the creation of Display Port is reduce licensing costs associated with HDMI. DisplayPort costs nothing to license.
Directory: A way of organizing files. Keep in mind that files are physically stored all over the hard drive. Also, keep in mind that you can have over 10,000 files on your hard drive. A directory can help you organize them. A directory itself is a file, but a file marked as a directory. The top level directory is called the root directory. Nested directories are called subdirectories.
Distrubuted Intelligence: A simple concept where a bunch of really simple devices working together are more powerful than one bigger and better device so long as each device is capable of doing the job. Multi-core CPU's work off this principle. Distrubuted intelligence takes advantage of the fact that is probably costs less to make several simplier devices than one complex device. And the fact is, several simplier devices are much more efficient than one really powerful device.
DLL: Dynamic Link Library. In the computer world, a library is a collection of commonly used pieces of code stored for easy look-up. For instance, suppose your program needs to print something. A programmer could re-invent the wheel, so to speak, by starting from scratch and making instructions for printing, then testing them, and fixing them. Or this programmer could just use the library and get a time-tested print instruction. The last method is easier and quicker. Each programming language has its own library. A DLL is collection of these pieces of code that all programs can use, regardless of what language it is written in. Furthermore, a DLL has an efficiency bonus, so oftentimes one is created just for a certain program.
Domain Names: An easy to remember name for an Internet address. Internet addresses are actually 4 or 16 bytes, represented as a decimal number 0 to 255 for each byte. However, 123.456.789.123 isn't easy to remember, so a domain name is used. A computer, called a domain name server or DNS, translates the domain name into the internet address.
Domain Name Server: A special server computer that finds theIP addresses from a domain name. If a main DNS goes down, access to several websites may be denied.
Drive-by Download: Software, usually malware, that installs secretely itself in your browser or computer just by visiting a website. Most, if not all, of these problems occur only in Internet Explorer.
Driver: The software that controls (or drives) the hardware. Drivers make it possible for the Operating System to use the hardware, which thus allows other software to access the hardware. Drivers have to be written specifically for each Operating System (Operating Systems that have a similar kernel may share drivers).
DRM: Digital Rights Management. A set of instructions embedded into data, usually media like music and movies, to limit or prevent actions with the data. DRM protects copyright holder's data from pirating and, unfortunately, fair-use. It is important to note that disabling any DRM for any reason, including fair-use and research, is illegal under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, or DMCA. This is the reason why you cannot copy a DVD even to make a backup. A file with DRM protection can only be played on a device compatible with the DRM used. This is the reason why music purchased at iTunes is not compatible with music purchased at other downloadable stores. Because of consumer complaints and confusion, DRM is being phased on downloaded music so that purchased music is not limited to any one device. The point behind DRM is to prevent piracy, but unfortunately it never succeeds.
DMA: Direct Memory Access. This the ability for a device to put data directly in memory and by-pass the CPU altogether. Older devices use a DMA channel. This is just a set of wires that allowed a device to by-pass the CPU and go straight to memory. For instance, sound cards often required a DMA channel. Today, DMA can be achieved without setting DMA for each device. DMA drives replaced PIO drives. The term DMA is used on a lot of device. Just remember, DMA means a device has access to your memory; everything else is just implementation.
Dual-Core: See Core
Duron: For several years, Duron was the name of AMD's low-end CPU's. The Duron name has been replaced by Sempron.
DV: Digital Video. A IEEE-1394 or (FireWire) compatible interface. This is the 4 pin IEEE-1394 interface. A popular option on digital camcoders, along with the more common USB connector. In order to connect to a computer, you'll need a 4-pin to 6-pin or 9-pin FireWire adapter or cable. Keep in mind, it may be called DV, but it is still FireWire. Therefore, you can sometimes but a cheaper 4-pin FireWire cable than a DV cable.
DVD: Originally, it meant Digital Video Disc, but now means Digital Versetial Disc. DVD's can use the front and back of the disc, unlike CD's. Also, DVD's support two layers. Each layer is read by changing the angle of the laser. DVD's with two layers are called dual-layer or DL and ones with just one are called single-layer. A single-layer DVD holds 4.7 GB (7 CD's) and a dual-layer DVD holds 8.5 GB (13 CD's) per side for a maximum of 17 GB total per disc. DVD's original use was video, but, like audio CD's, made the transition to a storage medium. DVD discs do not contain enough space to support full-length HDTV-quality movies, and especially so since DVD makes force upon extras and coming attractions that take up space. DVD's have copy-protection. Copying a DVD for any reason (including for backups or fair-use) is illegal in the United States. The Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) makes it illegal to break any copy protection for any reason. That means you'll have to put with the annoyances (mandatory coming attractions) or possibly go to jail.
DVI: Digital Video Interface. DVI is used to connect to monitors or HDTV. Modern HDTV's use a HDMI cable instead; however, DVI to HDMI cables and adapters are easily available. Just about every video card support DVI cables. Many, but not a majority of, monitors support DVI. It is important to note that DVI interfaces offer no real world advantage over the old VGA cables to your monitor's picture quality. DVI and HDMI do offer real advantages to HDTV quality, along with some significant disadvantages. Digital connections are subject to DRM restrictions, which prevent what you can do with a program that comes on TV (usually, to prevent any kind of record so you have to buy a copy). However, some movies made for Blu-Ray may require DVI or HDMI to work.
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