Acronyms

1. AKA::=Also Known As.
2. ASCII::=American Standard Code for Information Interchange. The only form of data that is guaranteed to be transferable from one type of computer to another type.
3. CPP::=Put at the end of C++ program source files in DOS, change to cpp in UNIX.
4. CTRL::=hold down the key marked Control when you tap the next key.
5. DISPLAY::=`A variable identifying where the windows are opened on the network'.
6. DOS::=Disk Operating System, a term dating back to the 1960's but now used to refer to a OS bundled with IBM compatible computers.
7. FAQ::=Frequently Asked Question.
8. Gnu::acronym= Gnu's Not UNIX.
9. HOME::=the directory that you are in when you first log in and where you do most of your work.
10. HTML::=HyperText Markup Language. An ASCII text based language for describing pages on the WWW.
11. IMHO::=In my humble opinion.
12. KISS::=A slogan used by computer people when somebody comes up with a complicated way of doing something when a clever solution would be simpler.
13. Mail::=also known as mailx.
14. NIS::=Networked Information System.
15. README::= the traditional name for a file documenting the contents of a directory. Please read Alice in Wonderland.
16. TBA::=To Be Announced.
17. TLA::=Three Letter Acronym.
18. TXT::=Put at the end of IBM/MS DOS files that contain ASCII code.
19. URL::=Universal Resource Locator.
20. WWW::=World Wide Web. A set of files on the internet that are all linked together.

    A

21. abstract::=Describes something that is kept simple by omitting distracting details.
22. analysis::=documenting what the problem is in terms of what is given and what is desired plus the operations and formulae that can be used.
23. bin::=short for binary. Name of a UNIX directory that has executable files(commands) in it.

    B

24. block::C++=A statement that starts with a left-brace, ends with a right-brace and contains any number of declarations and statements.
25. body::C++=The part of a function definition that describes in detail what the function does when it is called. It must be a C++ block.

    C

26. cal::=A UNIX command that prints out calendars
27. cat::=a UNIX command that conCATenates several files and outputs them.
28. char::data_type=used to store a single 7, 8 or 9 bit character.
29. class::=A description of a set of similar objects that perform similar operations and encapsulate more or less similar data.
30. code::verb=Translating a program design into a computer programming language and testing to remove any errors.
31. comment_out::=to change a part of a program into a comment by placing symbols in front of it or arround it.
32. cp::= the UNIX command that copies files.

    D

33. data_object::=An abstract view of an object as a container of information rather than as an active participant on the piece of software.
34. data_type::=a collection of objects that are stored in similar formats and have the same operations and operators.
35. defects::=things that are less than perfect in a program, analysis or design..
36. definition::C++=A complete description of a function with both a header and a body.
37. design::=Producing a step-by-step or piece-by-piece description of how an analyzed problem is to be solved.
38. directory::=`A named collection of files and other directories, listed by ls, created by mkdir, and removed by rmdir'.
39. dos2unix::=A common UNIX utility for converting DOS files into UNIX files.
40. double::=data_type=used for real numbers when precision is important, use for all measurements.
41. driver::=A main program that calls a set of functions that you need to test..

    E

42. echo::=the UNIX command that takes its arguments and outputs them.
43. emoticon::=One of a number of ASCII characters that encode emotional states of the writer. :-) indicates a joke and :-( unhappiness.
44. encapsulated::=Something that is protected from accidental tampering. Something that someone else is responsible for. None of our business at this time.

    F

45. file::=a named part of secondary memory and also a UNIX command that will guess what kind of data is in a file.
46. float::data_type=used for real numbers when precision is not important, good for old or small computers.
47. ftp::=File transfer Protocol/File Transfer Program. Moves files from
48. function_header::=the part of the function that comes first and describes how to call it.
49. function_body::=the part of a function between braces that is after the header.

    G

50. g++::= The Gnu C++ and C compiler.
51. gcc::= g++.
52. group::Set(Users). Unix users a gathered into groups for administrative reasons.

    H

53. header::C++=the part of a C++ function definition that gives the returned type(or void), the name of the function, and a list of argument specifications in parentheses.

    I

54. int::data_type=used to store integers -- whole numbers, use for counting things.
55. interface::=A abstract description of how an object is used: created, operated on, and deleted.
56. ispell::=An interactive spell checker from FreeSoft Foundation Gnu project.

    K

57. kludge::=A design, thing, or plan that works but is an inelegant because of time or other problems. Example: wearing glasses that have been repaired with duct tape.

    L

58. Linux::= a free UNIX created by Linus Thorvalsen(sp?) and a horde of helpers.
59. long::C++="An integer data type which can hold larger integers than int`.
60. ls::=UNIX command that lists the contents of directories.

    M

61. mail::= a very old program for handling EMail.
62. mailx::=a simple internet EMail program found on nearly all UNIXes.
63. major::defects. Major defects effect the user of the program in a bad way.
64. man::=A UNIX command that displays simulated pages from the Famous Manuals.
65. method::=analysis;design; code.
66. minor::=A defect that doesn't stop the program from functioning correctly and efficiently..
67. mkdir::=UNIX command to create a new empty directory.
68. module::=A separate piece of a program. Ideally available as two files one holding prototypes and the other definitions.
69. modules::=plural of module

    N

    O

70. object::=Something that is manipulated by operations and contains encapsulated information and processing.
71. operations::=Actions that an object will perform when requested.
72. option::=A part of a UNIX command that may or may not be present. In a manual an option is put in between square brackets. Most options have a plus or minus sign in front of them.

    P

73. pine::=A free and friendly EMail and news program.
74. postscript::=a language invent by John Warnock to describe what a page looks like when it is printed. Actually a programming language.
75. prototype::C++=A description of the arguments and returned value of a function. A prototype is made up of a header and a single semicolon.
76. publish::=A local UNIX command that copies files from you private directory to your public one. It will also copy whole directories. It assumes that the public directory has the same structure as your private directory but may omit some directories and files.
77. pwd::=Print working directory - a UNIX command.

    R

78. rlogin::=the internet remote login command used to get access on another machine
79. rm::=The UNIX command to permanently remove a file. Unlike DOS del the storage is immediately recycled and can not be recovered by anything short of an electron microscope.
80. rmdir::=UNIX command that will remove an empty directory.

    S

81. spell::= A simple UNIX spell checker that reads a file and outputs words that are not in its directory.
82. string::data_type=used to store a sequence of numbered char.
83. switch::C++.statement=A c++ statement that selects one of a number of cases by using the value of an expression. Syntax: switch(expr){ cases }.

    U

84. user_id::=a short identifier given to people who use UNIX computers that identifies them.
85. user_name::=a slipshod way to refer to a user_id

    V

86. vi::=UNIX's visual editor.
87. vi::UNIX_command=visual editor. Once, before there were mice, Bill Joy design a better editor for UNIX and he called it 'vi'.

    X

88. xhost::UNIX_command=Lest another computer use your display!.
89. xterm::UNIX_Command=opens up a standard X-Windows terminal and lets you type in commands.

    Y

90. yp::=short name for a well known brand of telephone directory that refused to let UNIX people use its name for the NIS.
91. yppasswd::=an old UNIX command to change networked passwords, nowadays use passwd.

. . . . . . . . . ( end of section A Glossary of terms used in CS201 and C++) <<Contents | End>>

Abreviations