• Computer glossary - F

    by
    computerguru
    Published on 02-03-2010 06:45 PM

    FAT (File Allocation Table) — a disk sector, that determines the structure and organization of the very disk. It contains the addresses of everything saved into disk files.

    File / Document — a disk or other device information storage unit (text, document, picture, table, etc.). A file has a name indicated by its extension (a file type pointer).

    File system — structures of files sequences and storage on the hard disk. In many popular file systems (e.g. FAT32 used in Windows) the information is recorded not as the entire file but as the separate clusters, so, a file turns to be scattered over the entire hard disk. If necessary a computer collects the file again from the separate clusters, using the so-called file allocation tables (FAT).

    Firewall — a barrier, that can protect the information kept in the system or network information, when connecting to another network, e.g. the Internet.

    Firewire — a high-speed communication channel used to connect the computer and peripheral applications to other computers.

    Flash — a special type of memory micro schemes able to save information even after blackouts. The information is “packaged” into the “flash memory” with the help of a special electrical discharge, and it can be changed only by another similar discharge. The flash memory is actively used in the great number of devices – modems, digital cameras, etc. In the Internet it is a special interactive animation standard based on the vector graphics, created by the Macromedia corporation.

    Flooding — programs that repeatedly send a huge message or a text through the mail systems, e.g. MSN Messenger, in order to cause system cluttering and breakdown.

    FM (Frequency Modulation) — varying of frequency. In the sound cards it is an old-fashioned method of synthesized MIDI sound reproduction.

    Freeware — all free of charge and legally distributed software.

    FTP (File Transfer Protocol) — a protocol that allows to exchange files over a TCP/IP based network.