The Ultimate Computer Acronyms Archive www.acronyms.ch Last updated: May 29, 2000 «I'm sitting in a coffee shop in Milford, NH. In the booth next to me are two men, a father and a son. Over coffee, the father is asking his son about modems, and the son is holding forth pretty well on the subject of fax compatibility, UART requirements, and so on. But he's little out of date: The father asks, "So should I get one with a DSP?" "A what?" says the son. You just can't get far if you're not up on the lingo. You might squeak by in your company of technological nonexperts, but even some of them will surprise you. These days, technical acronyms quickly insinuate themselves into the vernacular.» Raphael Needleman THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. The information contained in this document represents the current view of the authors on this subject as of the date of publication. Because this kind of information changes very quickly, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of the authors and the authors cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented herein. INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM INFRINGEMENT. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document. This document may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1. This document must not be altered. 2. This document may not be distributed for profit. 0-9 0-9 µ (mu): Micro Prefix for 10 power -6 1GL: First Generation Language Machine language (Software) 2D: 2Dimensional 2D: Double Density (Hardware) 2GL: Second Generation Language Assembler and other low-level languages (Software) 2S: 2 Sides (Hardware) 3D: 3Dimensional 3GL: 3rd Generation Language High level programming languages (Software) 4GL: 4th Generation Language Database access languages (Software) 4GT: 4 Gigabyte memory Tuning 5GL: Fifth Generation Language Artificial intelligence languages (Software) 6DOF: Six Degrees Of Freedom Page 3 of 161 This page was intentionally left blank Page 4 of 161 A A: Ampere ABRS: Automated Book Request System A Current measurement unit ABS: Address Book Synchronization A/D: Analog/Digital (IBM) (Hardware) ABS: ABSolute A/P: Accounts Payable ABS: Automatic Backup System A/PC: Auto Personal Computer (Hardware) ABT: ABorT A/R: Accounts Receivable ABTS: Ascii Block Terminal Services A/UX: Apple UniX AC: Audio Codec (Operating systems) (Apple) (Hardware) AA: Auto Answer AC: Alternate Current AAB: All-to-All Broadcast AC: AutoCheck AAC: Advanced Audio Coding AC: Automatic Computer AAF: Advancced Authoring Format ACAP: Application Configuration Access Protocol AAL: Atm Adaption Layer ACC: ACCumulator AAP: Applications Access Point (DEC) ACD: Automatic Call Distribution AARP: Appletalk Address Resolution ACDI: Asynchronous Communications Protocol Device Interface (Network) (Apple) ACE: Access Control Encryption AAS: Auto Area Segmentation Scanner technology which detects and optimizes text and ACE: Access Control Entry graphics on the same page (Hardware) (Epson) (Operating systems) AAS: All-to-All Scatter ACE: Advanced Computing Environment AASP: Ascii Asynchronous Support Package ACE: Automatic Computing Engine AAT: Average Access Time ACE: Adverse Channel Enhancements AATP: Authorized Academic Training ACE: Adobe Certified Expert Program (Adobe) (Microsoft) ACF: Access Control Field ABA: Address Book Archive Filename extension ACF: Advanced Communications Function ABC: Atanasoff-Berry Computer ACH: Automated Clearing House First digital calculating machine that used vacuum tubes ACIA: Asynchronous Communication ABEL: Advanced Boolean Expression Interface Adapter Language ACIAS: Automated Calibration Interval ABEND: ABnormal END Analysis System (Software) ACID: Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation and ABI: Application Binary Interface Durability Defines the binary system interface between compiled applications and the operating system on which they run. ACIS: American Committee for Interoperable Systems ABIOS: Advanced Basic Input Output System ACK: ACKnowledge A transmission control character transmitted by a station as an ABIST: Automatic Built-In Self-Test affirmative response to the station with which the connection (IBM) has been set up. (Communication) ABLE: Adaptive Battery Life Extender ACL: Advanced Cmos Logic ABR: Available Bit Rate ACL: Access Control List For granting or denying access to computer resources (security) (Operating systems) Page 5 of 161 ACM: Association for Computing Machinery ADC: Application Delete Certificate (Organizations) ADC: Advanced Data Connector ACM: Audio Compression Manager (Databases) (Microsoft) (Microsoft) ADC: Analog to Digital Converter A ACMS: Application Control Management A device that translates analog signals to digital signals. System Contrast with digital-to-analog converter (DAC). (Hardware) ACP: Auxiliary Control Process ADC: ADd with Carry ACP: Ancillary Control Program ADCCP: Advanced Data Communication Control Procedures ACPI: Advanced Configuration and Power (Communication) Interface (Hardware) ADD: Adapter Device Driver ACR: Allowed Cell Rate ADD: Automatic Document Detection ACROSS: Automated Cargo Release and ADF: Automatically Defined Function Operations Service System ADF: Automatic Document Feeder ACS: Automatic Contrast Selection Scanner device (Hardware) ACS: Advanced Computer System ADF: Adapter Description File (IBM) File name extension ACS: Asynchronous Communication Server ADI: AutoCad Device Interface Driver ACS: Anti Curl System ADK: Appliance Development Kit ACS: Access Control System (Software) ACS: Access Control Set ADL: Address Data Latch ACS: Automatic Class Selection ADLAT: ADaptive LATtice filter ACSE: Association Control Service Element ADLC: Asynchronous Data Link Control The method used in International Organization for Standardization's open systems interconnection (OSI) for ADMACS: Apple Document Management establishing a call between two applications. And Control System ACSS: Audio Cascading Style Sheet ADMD: ADministrative Management Domain ACTS: Advanced Communication ADML: Application Description Markup Technology Satellite Language (Communication) (NASA) (Software) ACTS: Automated Computer Time Server ADMS: Adstar Distributed Management System ACTT: Advanced Communication and Timekeeping Technology ADO: Activex Data Object (Databases) (Microsoft) ACU: Automatic Calling Unit ADODB: Activex Data Object DataBase ACVC: Ada Compiler Validation Capacity (Databases) (Microsoft) AD: Active Directory ADP: Automatic Data Processing (Operating systems) ADP: Access Database Project ADA: ADA Filename extension (Software) (Microsoft) Programming language named after Augusta Ada Lovelace ADPCM: Adaptive Differential Pulse Code ADA: Automatic Data Acquisitions Modulation Communication protocol (Communication) ADA: Adobe Developers Association ADR: Advanced Digital Recording (Organizations) (Hardware) ADAPT: Architecture, Design, Analysis and Planning Tool ADR: ADdRess ADB: Apple Desktop Bus ADS: Advanced Digital System Bus architecture (Hardware) (Apple) ADS: Application Development Solutions ADBS: Advanced Data Broadcast System (AT&T) (Communication) ADS: Automatic Distribution System ADC: Adaptive Data Compression (Hayes) ADS: Application Development System Page 6 of 161 ADS/O: Application Development System / AFDW: Active Framework for Data Online Warehousing ADSC: Adobe Document Structuring (Microsoft) Conventions AFFS: Amiga Fast File System ADSI: Active Directory Service Interface (Operating systems) A (Network) AFI: Authority and Format Identifier ADSI: Analog Display Services Interface AFII: Association for Font Information ADSL: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Interchange Communication infrastructure (Communication) AFIRM: Automated Fingerprint Image Reporting and Match ADSM: Advanced Data Storage Management (IBM) AFIS: Automated Fingerprint Identification System ADSM: Adstar Distributed Storage Manager (Databases) (IBM) AFLCD: AntiFerroelectric Liquid Cristal Display ADSP: Appletalk DataStream Protocol (Hardware) (Apple) AFM: Adobe Font Metrics ADSR: Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release File name extension (Adobe) ADT: Application Data Type AFM: Atomic Force Microscope (Hardware) ADT: Abstract Data Type (Microsoft) AFM: Atomic Force Microscope (Hardware) ADT: Access Developer Toolkit (Software) (Microsoft) AFP: Advanced Function Presentation ADT: Atlantic Daylight Time (IBM) Timezone: GMT -4:00 AFP: Appletalk Filing Protocol (Communication) (Apple) ADU: Automatic Dialing Unit AFP: Advanced Function Printing AE: Above or Equal AFR: Annualized Failure Rate AEB: Analog Expansion Bus (Hardware) (Dialogic) AFR: Alternate Frame Rendering AEC: Architecture, Engineering, (Hardware) Construction A computer graphics market requiring specialized applications AFS: Andrew File System that facilitate efficient planning, design, drafting, and analysis. AFT: Adapter Fault Tolerance AEGIS: Advanced Electronic Guidance and (Intel) Instrumentation System AFTP: Anonymous File Transfer Protocol AEI: Application Enabling Interface AGA: Advanced Graphics Adapter AES: Advanced Encryption Standard AGARAS: AntiGlare AntiReflective AntiStatic AESA: Atm End System Address (Communication) AGC: Automatic Gain Control AF: Assured Forwarding AGE: Amorphium Graphics Engine Using AF, a provider may offer different levels of service for IP packets