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Numerals

.plan
A file containing text which is displayed when a user of a computer system is fingered. It typically describes what kind of work the user is up to, but they can enter whatever information they wish. (Famous id Software programmer John Carmack updates his .plan with what he's been working on. View his .plan file

1080i
A designation used to denote an HDTV output displayed made up of 1080 horizontal scanning lines (rows of pixels), in two interlaced halves.

100BASE-T
An Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers shorthand identifier for Ethernet capable of 100Mbps. Also known as "Fast Ethernet."

10BASE-T
An Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers shorthand identifier for Ethernet capable of 10Mbps

1st Party
Software developed "in-house"- ie, software developed by the producers of the system. For example, games by Nintendo for the N64 are considered "1st party" titles. This contrasts with 3rd Party

3D
See Three Dimensional

3DO
A company which originally created a video game console in the early 1990s. They now create video games for current consoles and PCs. (Visit their website.)

3rd Party
Software developed by a company other than the producers of the system. For example, games by Electronic Arts for the Sony PlayStation are considered "3rd party" titles. This contrasts with 1st Party


A

Advanced Micro Devices
A chipmaker who creates popular CPUs compatible with Intel's x86 line. Visit their website.) It is still unclear whether the Indrema will use an AMD or an Intel CPU.

AMD
See Advanced Micro Devices

Analog
A device in which data are represented by variable measurable physical quantities. In terms of input devices like joysticks, this is opposite of digital. The difference is in the amount of detail the system can read from the controller. Games like flight simulators are better played with analog input. Puzzle games are fine with digital input.

API
See Application Programming Interface

Application Programming Interface
(API) The specific method by which a programmer writing a program must make requests of the operating systemor another application. An example is the OpenGL API.

Authentication
The verification that information really came from their stated source.


B

Bandwidth
How much data that can be transferred through a communications channel in a given period of time. Higher bandwidth services (like DSL) can transfer data more quickly, and are more suited for content such as streaming audio and video.

Binary
A numbering scheme in which there are only two possible values for each digit: 0 and 1. As opposed to decimal, octal, hexadecimal, etc.

Bit
(Binary Digit) A bit is the smallest unit of data in a computer. A bit has a single binary value, either 0 (off) or 1 (on).

Broadband
A communications network in which the bandwidth can be divided and shared by multiple simultaneous signals (as for voice or data or video). Common broadband services include DSL and cablemodem

Browser
A program which allows a person to read and navigate hypertext documents. They act as clients to remove web servers.

Byte
A byte is the unit most computers use to represent a character (such as a letter, number, or typographic symbol) in memory or on disk. It is composed of 8 bits


C

Cablemodem
A modem designed to operate over cable TV lines. Coaxial cable provides much greater bandwidth than telephone lines.

CD
See Compact Disc

CD-R
See Compact Disc

Certification
Certified software is guaranteed as meeting a standard. All software applications and hardware accessories for the Indrema must meet technical certification requirement that ensure the end user is guaranteed a first rate, zero-configuration experience.

In terms of software applications Indrema offers two separate certification programs: For Profit Certification and Free-ware Certification.

Both Certification Processes carry a one-time charge for review of each software submission.

Central Processing Unit
...(CPU)

Client
The requesting program or user in a client/server relationship. Examples include e-mail programs, web browsers and multi-player games.

CodeWarrior
An Integrated Development Environment produced by MetroWerks as a unified graphical front end to some command-line tools such as compilers and linkers, as well as a container for visual tools such as editors, file differentiators and graphical debuggers.

CollabNet
CollabNet is focused on helping companies that create software improve their bottom line by automating their complex software development processes with Web-based collaborative development solutions.

Indrema's Indrema Developer Network was launched jointly by Indrema Corporation and CollabNet. (Visit their website.)

Compact Disc
(CD) A small optical disk on which matter such as data or music is encoded. CD-ROMs (Read-Only Memory) are the kind used by computers and video game consoles in place of game cartridges or floppy discs.

A CD-R (Compact Disc-Recordable) drive is a device which can not only read audio CDs and CD-ROMs, but also create ("burn", or "master") them.

Console
A term used in the context of games to refer to home video game computer entertainment systems such as the Indrema L600

Controller
The input devices of video game consoles are referred to as "controllers." They may feature a wide range of capabilities such as force feedback or analog inputs. Traditionally, most controllers consist of a directional input such as a stick, and one or more "fire" buttons. Other types of controllers include analog rotary knobs ("paddles"), keypads, and light-guns.

Copy Protection
Techniques used to prevent the unauthorized copying of software.

CPU
See Central Processing Unit


D

DC
See DreamCast

DDR-SDRAM
See Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM

Decode
Deciphering information that has been written in a coded format for purposes of efficiency or obscurity. Opposite of Encode

Digital
Information as measured in a series of discrite or finite steps; absolute, fixed variation. The opposite of Analog

Digital Rights Management
(DRM) The DRM will have two main services: authentication and copy protection. Authentication will ensure that a program is unchanged prior to execution by the Indrema.

The only mandatory use of DRM is to have the game program IES certified or self-certified. Other use of the DRM by any application is optional.

Digital Subscriber Line
(DSL) A technology for bringing high-bandwidth information to homes and small businesses over ordinary copper telephone lines.

Digital Video Disc
(DVD) A new type of CD-ROM that holds a minimum of 4.7GB (gigabytes), enough for a full-length movie. DVD uses MPEG-2 to compress video data.

Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM
...(DDR, DDR-SDRAM)

DreamCast
...

DRM
See Digital Rights Management

DSL
See Digital Subscriber Line

DVD
See Digital Video Disc

DVD-9
...

DVLinux
...


E

E-mail
See Electronic Mail

E3
See Electronic Entertainment Expo

Electronic Entertainment Expo
...(E3)

Electronic Mail
...(E-mail)

Embeded
...

Encode
The transcription of information from one form to another for purposes of obscuring, more efficient transfer, or comprehension by another entity. Opposite of Decode

Eric Raymond
...(ESR)

ESR
See Eric Raymond

Ethernet
The most widely-installed LAN technology. Ethernet typically uses coaxial cable or twisted pair wires, and can acheive transmission speeds of up to 10Mbps (10BASE-T) or 100Mbps (100BASE-T).


F

Finger
A program that tells you the name associated with an e-mail address. It may also tell you whether they are currently logon at their system or their most recent logon session and often other information (including the contents of their .plan file, depending on the data that is maintained about users on that computer.

First Person Shooter
(FPS) A genre of games in which events are viewed in 3D, from the eyes of the character and the objective and gameplay consist mainly of weapons-based combat.

Force Feedback
A mechanism in input devices (like joysticks and steering wheel controllers) which allows a game to provide feedback to the player in the form of motion. For example, in a racing game, a steering wheel may shake when the player crashes.

For Profit Certification
For Profit Games (commercial) that will be distributed for profit will also be charged a royalty for each title sold, along with the initial certification request.

FPS
See First Person Shooter

Free-ware Certification
Games that are distributed for free, even if they ask for donations, will not be charged a royalty on a per game sold basis. The only charge that applies is the initial certification request.


G

Game
See Video Game

Gamer
An enthusiast of video games

Gamepad
A kind of video game controller, similar to a joystick, but which has a flat, often plus-shaped directional pad rather than a protruding stick.

GameXchange
A section of the Indrema Developer Network website which facilitates collaborative development of software for the Indrema game system. Visit GameXchange.

GB
See GigaByte

Gecko
...

GeForce2
...

GigaByte
(GB) A measure of computer memory commonly held to be equivalent to one million (1,000,000 bytes. The precise figure is 1,073,741,824. It is equal to 1024MB

GNU
See GNU's Not Unix

GNU's Not Unix
...(GNU)

GPU
See Graphics Processing Unit

Graphics Processing Unit
...(GPU)

Graphical User Interface
...(GUI)

GUI
See Graphical User Interface


H

HardDrive
...(HD)

Hardware
...(HW)

HD
See HardDrive

HDTV
See High Definition Television

High Definition Television
...(HDTV)

HTTP
See Hypertext Transfer Protocol

HW
See Hardware

Hypertext Transfer Protocol
(HTTP) A protocol, used by web browsers and web servers for exchanging files (text, graphic images, sound, video, and other multimedia files) on theWorld Wide Web. Essential concepts that are part of HTTP include the idea that files can contain references to other files whose selection will elicit additional transfer requests.

Hypertext
...


I

IDE
See Integrated Development Environment

IDN
See Indrema Developer Network

IES
See Indrema Entertainment System

IESDK
...

Indrema
...

Indrema Entertainment System
...(IES)

Indrema Developer Network
...(IDN)

Integrated Development Environment
...(IDE)

InfraRed
...(IR)

Intel
...

Interlace
...

Internet
...

Internet Relay Chat
...(IRC)

IR
See InfraRed

IRC
See Internet Relay Chat

ISP
...


J

Java
...

Java Virtual Machine
...(JVM)

John Gildred
CEO of Indrema

Joystick
...

JVM
See Java Virtual Machine


K

Kernel
...


L

L600
...

LAN
See Local Area Network

Linus Torvalds
...

Linux
A freely-distributable Open Source implementation of Unix that runs on a number of hardware platforms. The DVLinux variation of Linux is the Operating System which runs on the Indrema Entertainment System.

LinuxCare
...

Local Area Network
(LAN) A group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications network within a small geographic area (for example, an office building or home).


M

Massively Multi-player Online RPG
...(MMORPG)

MB
See MegaByte

Mbps
See Megabits Per Second

Megabits Per Second
...(Mbps)

MegaByte
...(MB)

Memory
...

Mesa
...

MetroLink
...

MetroWerks
...

MHz
...

MicroSoft
...(MS)

Modem
See Modulator/Demodulator

MMORPG
See Massively Multi-player Online RPG

Modulator/Demodulator
(MODEM) A device for transmitting digital data over telephone wires by modulating the data into an audio signal to send it and demodulating an audio signal into data to receive it.

Motion Picture Experts Group
...(MPEG)

Mouse
...

Mozilla
...

MP3
See MPEG Layer 3

MPEG
See Motion Picture Experts Group

MPEG-2
See Motion Picture Experts Group

MPEG Layer 3
...(MP3)

MS
See MicroSoft

Multimedia
...

Multi-player
...


N

N64
See Nintendo 64

Netscape
...

Network
...

Nintendo
...

Nintendo 64
...(N64)

Non-Recurring Engineering Fee
...(NRE)

NRE
See Non-Recurring Engineering Fee

nVidia
...


O

OpenAL
...

OpenGL
A computer industry standard API for defining 2D and 3D graphic images. (Visit the OpenGL website.)

Open Source
...

OpenStream
...

Operating System
...


P

PC
See Personal Computer

Peripheral
An auxiliary device, such as a printer, modem or storage system, that works in conjunction with a computer.

Personal Computer
...(PC)

Personal TV
A system which allows the automated recording of television broadcasts, pausing, rewind, instant replay and slow motion of live television. Done using a digital video recorder (which can encode video and store it onto a harddrive. A subscription-service is typically required for automated recording, as channel listings must be downloaded. Popular Personal TV services include TiVo and RePlay. The Indrema will also offer this service.

Picture Element
(Pixel) The basic unit of programmable color on a computer display or in a computer image.

Pixel
See Picture Element

Plan
See .plan

Platform
...

PlayStation
...(PSX)

POP3
See Post Office Protocol 3

Popcorn
Codename of the project creating the user interface for the Indrema Entertainment System

Post Office Protocol
(POP3) a standard protocol for receiving e-mail.

PS2
See PlayStation

PSX
See PlayStation


Q


R

RAM
...

RedHat
...

RePlay
A Personal TV service that runs on digital video recorders. Similar to TiVo. The Indrema will also have a similar feature. (Visit their website.)

Richard Stallman
...(RMS)

RMS
See Richard Stallman

Role Playing Game
...(RPG)

Royalty
...

RPG
See Role Playing Game


S

SDK
...

SDRAM
...

Sega
...

Server
...

Set-Top
A computing device that connects to, and typically sits on top of, a television set.

Slide Bay
...

Software
...

Sony
...

Streaming
...


T

Three Dimensional
...(3D)

TiVo
A Personal TV service that runs on digital video recorders. Similar to RePlay. The Indrema will also have a similar feature. (Visit their website.)


U

Universal Serial Bus
(USB) An external peripheral interface standard for communication between a computer and external peripherals.

Unix
A popular multi-user, multitasking Operating Systemdeveloped at Bell Labs in the early 1970s. It was originally designed to be a small, flexible system used exclusively by programmers. Linux is a popular free Unix clone.

USB
See Universal Serial Bus

User Interface
...(UI)

UI
See User Interface


V

Video game
...


W

Web
See World Wide Web

Web Server
A server which, using HTTP responds to requests being made by web browsers.

WebTV
...

Wireless
Having no wires. In computing, wireless keyboards and mice often use infrared or radio signals.

World Wide Web
...(WWW, Web)

WWW
See World Wide Web


X

x86
...

Xbox
...

Xtrema
...


Y


Z

 


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Page last updated: 2001.Mar.11 23:01:21
Copyright Bill Kendrick, 2000-2024.
"Indrema," "L600," etc. are trademarks of Indrema. Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds.