• Computer glossary - D

    by
    computerguru
    Published on 01-26-2010 09:40 AM

    Damagelevel—thevalueindicatingthelevelofharmfulvirusimpactonaninfectedPC. Oneofthefactorsusedforthethreatlevelestimation.

    Database—setoffilesandprogramsutilizedfortheirmanagingandarrangement. Examplesofdatabases: Access, Oracle, SQL, Paradox, dBase, etc..

    DDoS / Distributed Denial of Service — attack (Denial of Service or DoS) emerging with one or more computers simultaneously attacking one single server. The computers-participants may become vulnerable, enabling the attacker to make them carry-out the process.

    Debugger—aprograminitialcodereader.

    DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module) — type of RW-memory modules applied in modern computers. Unlike SIMM each DIMM module contains a full memory bank enabling there separate installation, not in couples.

    Directory/Folder — sections used for disc information structuring and arrangement. Terms ‘Directory’ and ‘Folder’ havesimilarmeanings. Maycontainfilesandothersubdirectories.

    DirectX — a set of API features designed for solving the problems related to game and video programming in Microsoft Windows. Widelyusedingamewriting.

    Distribution level — a value indicating how fast and far the virus spreading is. One of the factors used for the threat level estimation.

    DLL (DynamicLinkLibrary) — aspecificprogrammoduletypewhichcanbeused (combinedaswell) bythemajorityofprograms.

    DMA (Direct Memory Access) — a direct memory access channel. Utilized by many devices, particularly, by the hard disc, the sound and the video cards.

    DNS (Domain Name System) — a system enabling interaction between computers n the Internet or network. This means the computers may be located and numbered subject to their IP-addresses.

    DNS-servers — computers whose names are allowed and correlated to existing IP-addresses.

    Domain — an Internet subject connected to the computer-server network and having its own net address and domain name. The Internet area the computer is related to, the net name or its part.

    DoS / DenialofService—typeofattackssometimescausedbyviruses’ actionspreventingusers’ accesstocertainweb-sites.

    Download—processofInternetdatareceiving (fromweb-pagesorFTP-sitesdesignedforthesepurposes).

    DPI — a value characterizing the devices’ resolution. It means the number of dots per an inch (horizontally and vertically) the device can display.

    DPMS (Display Power Management System) — PC power control system. Enables the screen to shut down automatically, going to the ‘sleeping’ mode at a long computer down-time.

    Drag & Drop — ideology of working with objects and files in Windows. Copying, replacing and other operations with objects are carried out not by commands but by the mouse, when a user drags files from a folder to a folder or one document component to another one.

    Driver / Controller — program known as controller, used to control plugged devices (typically, peripheral ones, e.g. printers, CD-ROM drives, etc.).

    Dropper — an executed file containing different types of viruses.

    DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) — high-speed digital linking technology. Is utilized for the Internet connections.

    DSP (DigitalSignalProcessor) — aspecialmicrocircuitresponsibleforsignalprocessing. Is particularly used for analog-to-digital conversion of signals and vice versa.

    DTP (DesktopPublishing) — aPCwherethesoftwarenecessaryforpublisher’sactivityisinstalled: imageandtexteditors, paginationprograms, etc.

    DVD (Digital Video Disk)— a multifunctional high-volume CD – up to 4.7 Gb (one-side one layered) or up to 17 GB (two-side, two-layered).

    DVI (Digital Video Interactive) — data compression standard designed by RCA Laboratories and then sold to Intel in 1988. Converts digital data sets, normal video, audio, graphic and special effects into a compressed format.