Barrons Publishing Dictionary of Computer and Internet Terms 10th

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) a relatively weak encryption system built into WI-FI and related 802.11b wireless networking systems. The original version of WEP used a 40-bit key (sometimes described as a 64bit key) and is not considered highly secure. Newer versions use a 128bit key and are considerably better.

Despite possible limitations, even 40-bit WEP is definitely better than nothing, since without it, all data sent through the network would easily be readable by an eavesdropper outside the building. See COMPUTER SECURITY; WIRELESS NETWORK.

whaling a fraud similar to PHISHING, but involving carefully crafted messages sent to important or powerful people (“whales, not fish”), such as corporate executives, to try to get them to give confidential information to an impostor, or to go to a web site that will download MALWARE.

wheel (from “big wheel”) a user who has some system administration privileges; on a UNIX system, a user who is a member of the group named wheels, reserved for system administrators.

Whetstone a standard benchmark program for testing computer speed. See

MIPS.

Whidbey code name used for the 2005 version of Microsoft Visual Studio before its release. See VISUAL STUDIO.

while the keyword, in Pascal, C, and related languages, that causes a LOOP to execute over and over until a condition becomes false. Here is an example in Java:

/* This is Java; C, C++, C# are very similar */ int i=5;

while(i>0)

{

System.out.print(i + ”...”); i--;

}

System.out.println(”Finished”);

The computer tests whether the condition i>0 is true, and if so, executes the statements within the loop. Then it tests the condition again and does the same thing. When the condition becomes false, execution continues after the loop. Thus, these lines cause the computer to print:

5...4...3...2...1...Finished!

The Java statement i-- (which means subtract 1 from i) and its Pascal equivalent i:=i-1 are vital here. Without it, i would always remain greater than 0 and the program would run forever.

If the condition of a while loop is false at the beginning, the statements in the loop are never executed. See also DO. Contrast REPEAT.

Whistler internal code name that denoted Windows XP and Windows

.NET Server before their release. Compare BLACKCOMB; CAIRO;

CHICAGO; LONGHORN; MEMPHIS.

white balance in a digital camera, compensation for the color of the light source. For instance, pictures taken by incandescent light will require a different white balance than those taken by sunlight because incandescent light is redder. See also COLOR TEMPERATURE.

white hat someone who is in favor of COMPUTER SECURITY and has some expertise in the field; one of the “good guys,” like the characters in old Western movies who wore white hats. Contrast BLACK HAT. The term white hat is also used by CRACKERs who claim to have beneficent motives (see ETHICAL HACKING).

white noise sound consisting of random oscillations with equal amounts of energy at all frequencies. The effect is a hissing sound, often used in computer sound effects. This is analogous to white light, which is a mixture of all visible wavelengths.

white paper a brief technical report, often introducing a new technology.

white space

1.characters that, when printed, do not put ink on the paper: spaces, tabs, new-line marks, and form feeds.

2.unused frequencies in the television broadcast portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Several companies have proposed using these frequencies for wireless Internet transmission.

whiteboard a common feature of VIDEOCONFERENCING software that, like a real whiteboard, provides a surface on which all users may write comments or draw diagrams that are then visible to all members of the group.

whitelist list of e-mail senders whose messages are accepted. Contrast

BLACKLIST and GRAYLIST.

Wi-Fi a set of widely used product compatibility standards for wireless 802.11 networking. See 802.11. Contrast WIMAX.

wide LANDSCAPE or horizontal orientation. Contrast PORTRAIT or TALL.

wide-area network a set of widely separated computers connected together. For example, the worldwide airline reservation system is a wide-area network. The Internet is a set of interconnected wide-area networks. Contrast LOCAL-AREA NETWORK.

widow the first line of a paragraph when it appears by itself as the last line of a page. Some word processors automatically adjust page breaks so that there are no widows. See also ORPHAN.

Wii a video game console released by Nintendo that distinguishes itself with a wireless handheld controller. The wireless controller captures movement in a way that can be used in games; for example, swinging the controller may mean the character in the video game swings his sword.

wiki (pronounced “weekee” or “wicky”) a multi-user BLOG or set of web pages where all users can add content and edit the content of others. The term comes from Hawaiian wiki “quick.”

Wikipedia a multilingual, free encyclopedia in WIKI format that is written collaboratively by thousands of volunteers from around the world. Web address: www.wikipedia.org.

wild card a symbol that matches any other symbol. For instance, the Windows command

dir ab*.exe

means “show me the files whose names begin with ab and end with exe.” The symbol * is a wild card and stands for the middle part of the filename, whatever it may be.

WiMax an emerging set of wireless networking standards for long-distance (50-km, 31-mile) wireless networking, based on IEEE standard 802.16. The purpose of WiMax is to solve the LAST MILE problem by eliminating the need for cables to individual buildings. Contrast WI-FI, which usually has a range the size of a building or less. See also OPA.

wimp (slang) cowardly or lazy person.

WIMP interface (slang) a user interface using windows, icons, a mouse, and pull-down menus. See GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE.

Win key, Winkey (pronounced “win key”) the Windows key; A key marked with the Microsoft Windows logo and found on some PC keyboards (Figure 297). It provides a shortcut to some Windows menus but is not strictly necessary because all functions of Windows are accessible without it. See WINDOWS.

FIGURE 297. Win key

Win2K unofficial abbreviation for Windows 2000.

Win32 the 32-bit core of Windows 95 and its successors. Programs written for Win32 will run under all of these operating systems.

Win32s a subset of Win32 that could be installed as an extension to Windows 3.1, making it possible to run many Windows 95 programs.

Winchester disk any hard disk designed for use in microcomputers. “Winchester” is an early industry code name, not a brand name.

See HARD DISK.

window an area of the screen set aside for a special purpose. On the Macintosh, in Microsoft Windows, and in other similar operating systems, the screen is divided into windows for different pieces of software. The user can control the size, shape, and positioning of the windows. The active window is the one in which you are currently typing.

Figure 298 shows the main parts of a window in Microsoft Windows. To move the window, place the mouse pointer on the title bar, hold down the left button, and move the mouse. To change the size of the window, do the same thing but with the pointer on the left, right, or bottom border of the window. To close the window, click once on the close box (the box with the × symbol) or double-click on the control menu button. See also DIALOG BOX; ICON; MAXIMIZE; MENU BAR; MESSAGE BOX; MINIMIZE; PULL-DOWN MENU; SCROLL BAR; TITLE BAR.

FIGURE 298. Window (in Microsoft Windows)

Windows (Microsoft) a family of operating systems whose lineage is shown in Figure 301, produced by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington.

Windows originated in 1983 as a GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE that ran under DOS to provide windowing and mouse support for graphics software. In 1990, Windows 3.0 introduced the ability to multitask DOS programs, thereby giving Windows an advantage over DOS even for non-graphical uses.

Separately, Microsoft and IBM collaborated on a 32-bit multitasking operating system for the 80386, 486, and Pentium, but the collaboration broke up and produced two separate products, IBM OS/2 and Microsoft Windows NT, the direct ancestor of present-day Windows versions.

Windows 2K unofficial abbreviation for “Windows 2000.” See WINDOWS (MICROSOFT).

Windows 98 SE abbreviation for Windows 98 Second Edition, a minor revision of Windows 98 released along with Internet Explorer 5 in 1999.

Windows 9x abbreviation for “Windows 95 and 98.”

Windows accelerator a graphics card that can move or overlay windows on its own without having the CPU completely redraw each window.

See SVGA.

Windows Messenger see LIVE MESSENGER.

Winmodem a modem that relies on a CPU running Microsoft Windows to do part of the signal processing traditionally done by the modem itself.

See MODEM.

Wintel (slang) Windows–Intel (i.e., PC-compatible).

wireframe a drawing displayed in outline form. Displaying a wireframe is much faster than displaying the full image, and details are visible in it that may be obscured in the finished product. Many 3-D and draw programs give you a choice of editing a wireframe image or an image displayed in finished form.

See illustration at VECTOR GRAPHICS. See also

GRAPHICS.

Wireless-A a 54-Mbps, 5-GHz wireless protocol now largely superseded by Wireless-G. See 802.11.

wireless access point the hub of a wireless network; the central transmitter and receiver, with antennas, attached to a wired network.

Wireless-B the first widely popular WI-FI wireless communication standard, giving 11 Mpbs at 2.4 GHz. See 802.11.

wireless cloud the irregularly shaped area in which a WIRELESS NETWORK is usable. Because radio waves fade out gradually with increasing distance and penetrate some kinds of obstacles better than others, the size and shape of the wireless cloud depends both on the environment and on the equipment at both ends of the link. Better antennas give greater range. A would-be intruder with a special antenna can access a wireless network from ten times the normal distance.

wireless communication the transfer of electromagnetic signals from place to place without cables, usually using infrared light or radio waves.

Communication by infrared light is practical only over short distances in unobstructed places with a clear line of sight. For example, infrared light is used by TV remote controls and occasionally to link a keyboard or mouse to a computer. It does not pass through walls.

Radio waves travel freely in all directions and penetrate obstacles. As Figure 302 shows, every transmitter fills a large area with its signal.

Since only a finite range of frequencies is available, transmitters often interfere with each other. Unlicensed transmitters are limited to very low power and short range (see PART 15 DEVICE); more powerful transmitters require regulation and licensing. Spread-spectrum technology provides an especially efficient way to share frequencies (see SPREAD SPECTRUM).

Radio signals are inherently non-private. There is no physical way to keep them from being received, voluntarily or involuntarily, by receivers other than the intended one. Private information should not be transmitted by radio unless it is encrypted to keep it secret. See ENCRYPTION; WEP;

WIRELESS NETWORK.

FIGURE 302. Wireless communication

Wireless-G a widely used WI-FI wireless communication standard, giving 54 Mpbs at 2.4 GHz and compatible with Wireless-B equipment. See

802.11.

Wireless-N a widely used WI-FI wireless communication standard, giving 100 Mpbs at 2.4 GHz and compatible with Wireless-B and Wireless-G equipment. See 802.11.

wireless network, wireless LAN a LOCAL-AREA NETWORK (LAN) in which computers communicate via radio waves rather than through cables. See

802.11; BLUETOOTH; WI-FI; WIRELESS COMMUNICATION.

Radio waves do not stop at property lines, and many wireless networks have severely inadequate security. Many home networks do not have WEP or any other kind of ENCRYPTION because the owner has never turned encryption on; neighbors have been known to enjoy the free Internet access.

Four types of attack are possible: freeloading to use the network or Internet connection without permission; eavesdropping to pick up the owner’s data, including passwords sent to systems elsewhere; intrusion to tamper with the owner’s system; and jamming to prevent the use of the network, or degrade its performance, by deliberately transmitting radio waves that interfere with it. See COMPUTER SECURITY; WAR DRIVING;

WEP; WIRELESS CLOUD.

In some places, access to wireless networks is provided to the public free of charge. This is presently the case in many Starbucks coffee shops and in the whole downtown area of Athens, Georgia; anyone with an 802.11b-equipped computer can access the Internet through the wireless network. See also WIMAX.

Wireless Pre-N a marketing term used to describe equipment that attempted to follow the WIRELESS-N standard before that standard was officially released.

wizard

1.a utility that automates certain common tasks in application software. Wizards are useful for setting up frequently used documents or performing tedious tasks. For example, after collecting information from the user about the company name and address, a word processor wizard can construct a letterhead for that company.

Wizards differ from template documents in that they collect specific information from the user and create a unique document that can be used as a template. See also SCRIPT.

2.any of various utilities for creating or distributing windowed software. The term wizard does not mean anything specific here.

3.an expert computer user; one who is gifted in solving problems or has acquired a vast store of useful knowledge about computers and software.

WLAN (wireless local-area network) see WIRELESS NETWORK.

WMA (Windows Media Audio) a format for compressing music stored as computer files; an alternative to the MP3 format.

WML (wireless markup language) an extension of XML aimed at wireless devices. See www.wapforum.org.

w/o online abbreviation for “without.”

WOO a MOO (interactive environment or game) on the World Wide Web.

See MUD; MOO.

woot in LEETSPEAK, a victory exclamation that has achieved widespread usage. Also spelled w00t.

word a group of bits equal in size to one CPU register. The number of bits in a word depends on the type of computer being used. A word on the original IBM PC is 16 bits long.

Word Microsoft’s word processing program, which is available for both Windows and Macintosh platforms. See MICROSOFT.

word processing the process of using a computer to prepare written documents (letters, reports, books, etc.). The boundary between word processing and desktop publishing is not sharp, but in general, word processing is the preparation of clearly worded, readable text, and does not include elaborate design or typography.

Word processing makes it easy to change or correct a document and then print it out without introducing new errors. More importantly, word processing lets you turn a rough draft into a finished report with no retyping and no wasted effort. You can start with a rough, fragmentary outline of what you want to say, then fill in the pieces in any convenient

order. You don’t have to finish page 1 before writing page 2. Many writers find this very convenient; you can get a document almost finished while waiting for information that you will fill in at the last minute, and if you have to produce many similar documents (letters, for instance), each one can be a slightly altered copy of the previous one.

Many word processors include spelling and grammar checkers. Take their advice with a grain of salt; they don’t understand English perfectly, and they don’t know what you are trying to say. A spelling checker simply looks up each word in a dictionary and complains if it can’t find it; it does not catch substitutions of one correctly spelled word for another, such as to for too. Grammar checkers catch some common errors, but they also complain about some combinations of words that are not ungrammatical. There is no substitute for careful reading by a human being.

Almost all current word processors have all the features needed for office work and student term papers. Not all of them handle mathematical formulae, chemical symbols, foreign languages, or long footnotes; if you will be typing academic or technical material, choose software that meets your specific needs. The most versatile academic word processor (but definitely not the easiest to use) is TEX, from Stanford University.

See

word wrap the process of breaking lines of text automatically so that the typist does not have to press Enter at the end of each line. Word wrap is one of the great conveniences of word processing. In general, in a word processor, you should only press Enter where you want to begin a new paragraph; otherwise, just keep typing, and the computer will automatically break the text into lines that fit the margins. See REFLOW. Contrast

WRAP.

WordPerfect a popular word processing program available for both PCs and Macintosh computers. It is noted for its ability to handle a wide variety of document formats, including footnotes, legal citations, and foreign language characters.

WordPress popular OPEN SOURCE software for creating a BLOG, available from www.wordpress.org. WordPress is highly customizable. The software can be used to set up a blog on your own web server; WordPress also provides web log service at www.wordpress.com similar to BLOGGER, LIVEJOURNAL, or XANGA.

wordspacing the spacing between words, sometimes called INTERWORD SPACING. Contrast LETTERSPACING.

WordStar a word processing program marketed by MicroPro in the 1980s; the first popular word processor for microcomputers.

workaround an improvised method of avoiding a problem, typically by avoiding the use of a defective part of a system. For example, if the Tab key on a keyboard does not work, one possible workaround is to use Ctrl-I instead—on many but not all systems, it transmits the same code.