JAOMAD Glossary W:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Intro
W—Means "Weight" or "Force" when used in first alpha character position of ISA instrument function tag, means "Well” in succeeding position [see ANSI/ISA S5.1-1984 (R1992)].
W/in2—Watt Density; the Watts emanating from each square inch of heated surface area of a device.
W3, WWW—World Wide Web.
W3C—World Wide Web Consortium; see definition.
WABI—Windows™ Application Binary Interface.
WAE—Wireless Application Environment; that part of the
WAH—Web Application Hosting.
WAIS—[pronounced: wayz] Wide Area Information Servers; the more sophisticated search indexes that can find information based on subjects or descriptions rather than just keywords, helpful in accessing whole groups of documents that relate to topic which is being researched.
WAMM—Wide Area Mail Management; used to collect messages, statistics, and reports over a network.
Wands—Portable or tethered digital computer input device that reads bar codes
Wannagirls—Vendor named category of control system specifications written by users & system consultants which are immediately recognizable by the O/E (or equal) symbol ending every statement, like the song, Mom epitomizes everything I want in a girl; see also Dowatchados, Druthers, Expectifications, Gotchas, Ropushers, Smokescreens, Stickits, Stonecutters. J
WAN—Wide Area Network; network linking data processing and telecommunications equipment over a larger geographic area than a single worksite or a metropolitan area; typically links cities and usually based on X.25 packet switching; may be implemented by private or by public telecommunications operator.
WAO—Wet Air Oxidation.
WAP—Wireless Application Protocol; standard for providing cellular phones, pagers and other handheld devices with secure access to e-mail and text-based Web pages; introduced in 1997 by Phone.com (formerly Unwired Planet), Ericsson, Motorola and Nokia, WAP provides complete environment for wireless applications that includes wireless counterpart of TCP/IP and framework for telephony integration such as call control and phone book access; features Wireless Markup Language (WML), which was derived from Phone.com's HDML and is a streamlined version of HTML for small screen displays; also uses WMLScript, a compact JavaScript-like language that runs in limited memory; supports handheld input methods such as a keypad and voice recognition; is independent of the air interface, WAP runs over all major wireless networks in place now and in the future; is device independent, requiring only minimum functionality in the unit so that it can be used with myriad of phones and handheld devices; protocol for communication of m-business; called by some as “Wrong Approach to Portability” because of its slow speed J; also: Wired Access Point; base station that connects wireless system to wired land-based system.
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)—Initially system to control movement and storage of materials within a warehouse, but role of WMS is expanding to including light manufacturing, transportation management, order management, and complete accounting systems.
Warm Backup—Backing up database that is not in active use but poised as in controller which is already turned on until needed, but is not tracking the redundant controller; compare Hot Backup, Cold Backup.
Waveform—In video development, same as Vectorscope.
Wavelength—Distance between successive peaks of a sine wave (or two equivalent points on any adjacent waves); the time required for a wave to complete a cycle.
Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM)—Technology that uses multiple lasers and transmits several wavelengths of light (lambdas) simultaneously over a single optical fiber; each signal travels within its unique color band, which is modulated by the data (text, voice, video, etc.); this technology has dramatically increased the carrying capacity of the fiber infrastructure of the telephone companies and other carriers; sometimes known as "dense WDM" (DWDM), vendors have introduced systems that can support hundreds of wavelengths, each carrying 10 Gbps. (that means terabits of data per second can travel over one optical strand, thinner than a human hair). Contrast with Time Division Multiplexor, Course Wavelength Multiplexing, & Frequency Division Multiplexor.
Wavelet—In video development, proprietary data compression developed by ImMIX® that uses variable compression for individual frames to achieve desired data rates.
WBPSS—Web-Based Performance Support System; see definition.
WBT—Wet Bulb Temperature; also: Web-based Training; see definition.
WC—Windows™ Connection; developed by Microsoft® to allow non-Windows DOS to access files, data, and E-mail from WFW machines; also: Web Crawler; automated program that accesses a web site and traverses through the site by following the links present on the pages.
WCDMA—Wideband CDMA; 3G (third-generation) high-speed digital data service provided by cellular carriers that use the TDMA or GSM technology worldwide.
WCS—World Coordinate System.
WCT—Wireless Cooperation Team; formed in 2007, by Fieldbus Foundation (FF), HART Communication Foundation (HCF) and Profibus Nutzer Organisation (PNO) to collaborate on wireless technology in the manufacturing and process industries, based on WirelessHART™ technology of the HART Communication Foundation and the emerging ISA SP 100.11a standard.WD—Means "Weight Deviation" or "Force Deviation" when used in first two alpha character positions of ISA instrument function tag [see ANSI/ISA S5.1-1984 (R1992)].
WDM—Wavelength Division Multiplexing, see definition; also: Win32 Driver Model, see definition.
WDT—WatchDog Timer; time-out device built into equipment to prevent continued operation if equipment operates too long for intended function (indicating a problem or malfunction).
Web 2.0—Umbrella term for the second wave of the World Wide Web, which was coined in a conference on the subject in 2004 by O'Reilly Media and CMP Media (later taking its parent name of United Business Media); sometimes called the "New Internet," Web 2.0 is not a specific technology; rather, it refers to two major paradigm shifts; the one most often touted is "user-generated content," which relates more to individuals; the second, which is equally significant, but more related to business, is "cloud computing."
Web-Based Performance Support System (WBPSS)—Web-based computer system that provides on-demand access to information, job aids, and context-sensitive training through computer; supports users in accomplishing specific tasks, and is extension of Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS) intended to deliver support in an enterprise environment; see Electronic Performance Support System.
Web-Based Training (WBT)—Individualized instruction delivered over public or private computer networks and displayed by a Web browser; is not downloaded Computer-Based Training, but rather on-demand training stored in a server and accessed across a network; can be updated very rapidly, and access to the training controlled by the training provider; see Distance Learning.
Web Browser—computer software application that displays hypermedia-rich documents delivered from network server(s); many different browsers are available for text-based and graphics-based operating systems and hardware.
Web Client—When client portion of a client/server computer software solution offers access to server via an Internet browser.
Web Enabled—Computer software solution that is designed to operate via the Web in one or more functional areas.
Web Enabled Processes—Processes will be optimized regarding time, cost and quality using electronic techniques (e.g. internal / external communication processes, purchase- and sales-processes, etc.)
Web Page—HTML document on Internet Web, usually one of many that together make up a Web site.
Web Server—System capable of continuous access to Internet, or an internal network, through retrieving and displaying documents via hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP); files can be audio clips, video, graphics, or text.
WEEE—Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive (European Union).
Weight—In typographical composition of screen displays and printing, the thickness of stroke in a typeface.
Welding Gloves—Heavy duty leather gloves used to prolong the conduction of intense welding heat to the palm of your hand. J
Well-behaved—In computing, refers to programs that do not deviate from a standard; see Ill-behaved.
WEP—Wireless Encryption Protocol; sometimes Wireless Encryption Privacy; sometimes Wired Equivalency Protocol; IEEE standard security encryption protocol for wireless 802.11 networks, introduced in 1997; was found to be very inadequate and was superseded by WPA, WPA2 and 802.11i; its authentication method was extremely weak and even helped an attacker decipher the secret encryption key; also: Water Entry Point; also: Well-known Entry Point.
Wetware—Term used by some to refer to the human brain as a computer; some feel there will actually be organic computing in the future; as compared with Software, Firmware, Hardware, and Vaporware.
WFI—Water For Injection.
WfMC—Workflow Management Coalition; developing interoperability tools for digital communication applications over Internet.
WFW—Windows™ For Workgroups; developed by Microsoft® to directly support networking.
Wheatstone Bridge—Network of four resistors set up with source of EMF and galvonometer in a way that when they are balanced, the meter reads null; used adjust a known value to determine one of those resistances when it is unknown, such as when it is from a sensor.
Whitworth Sockets—Once used for working on older British cars & motorcycles; they are now used mainly for impersonating that 9/16"socket you've been searching for the last 45 minutes. J
Wideband—System in which multiple channels access a medium (usually coaxial cable) that has a large bandwidth, greater that of voice grade channel; typically offers higher speed data transmission capability (10,000 to 500,000 bps).
Widow—In typographical composition of screen displays and printing, a single word in a line by itself, ending a paragraph, or starting a page, usually frowned upon in good typography.
Wi-Fi—WIreless Fidelity; radio-frequency technology that allows laptop or handheld computer users near a ‘hotspot’ to access the Web or corporate networks; refers to any type of 802.11 network, whether 802.11b, 802.11a, dual-band, etc.; formerly used only in place of 2.4GHz 802.11b standard, much like "Ethernet" is used in place of IEEE 802.3;Wi-Fi Alliance, founded in 1999 to promote the direct sequence (DS) version of the 802.11 wireless Ethernet technology (IEEE 802.11b High Rate), expanded generic use of the term in attempt to stop confusion about wireless LAN interoperability. For shorter distances, see Bluetooth.
Wiki—Web site that can be quickly edited by its visitors with simple formatting rules; developed by Ward Cunningham in the mid 1990s to provide collaborative discussions. "Wiki wiki" means "quick" in Hawaiian.
WIKI—What I Know, Is.
WIMP—Windows, Icons, Menus, & Pointers; interface based on Microsoft Windows.
WINA—(Wireless Industrial Networking Alliance); coalition of industrial end-user companies, technology suppliers, industry organizations, software developers, system integrators, and others interested in the advancement of wireless solutions for industry;working with ISA’s SP100 effort to determine issues, user needs & technologies for instrument & control environments.
Win32—Windows™NT/95 32-bit application programming interface (API) which allows programs to operate on both platforms.
Win32 Driver Model (WDM)—Device driver architecture from Microsoft that consolidates drivers for Windows 95/98 and Windows NT/2000/XP allowing hardware vendor to write one driver for its peripheral device that works with all 32-bit versions of Windows.
Winchester Disk—Hard disk drive; early disk drive developed by IBM that had 30MB of fixed storage and 30MB of removable storage; so its inventors called it a Winchester in honor of its 30/30 rifle; current disk drives are faster and hold more data, the basic technology is the same, so name has become synonymous with hard drive.
Window—In computer graphics, area defined in system not bounded by any limits; structured viewing area that can appear on monitor and provide functional application workspace.
Windows CE™—Windows™ Compact Edition; developed by Microsoft® as less expensive version of Windows™ for broad range of portable business and consumer devices (OEMs) including industrial handheld devices; allows mobile interconnectivity, as well as roving, monitoring and controlling; entirely new operating system to enable business and consumer non-PC devices to communicate with each other, share information with Windows-based PCs, and connect to Internet; term now being dropped by Microsoft® and such devices will be simply called "Windows Powered."
Windows ME™—Windows™ Millennium Edition; based on Windows 95/98 core; improvements include new protection for system files, method for restoring an old configuration, faster start-up, and better hibernate/resume features.
Windows NT™—Windows™ New (Next) Technology; developed by Microsoft® as significant upgrade to Windows™.
Windows XP™—Windows™ eXPerience; emerging consumer (professional & home) version of operating system that was formerly code named Whistler; built on enhanced Windows 2000 engine, features cleaner look and unites PCs, devices and services; represents step toward delivering on Microsoft .NET vision by extending and connecting computers and other devices.
Windows Powered—New term adopted by Microsoft® when they dropped the name Windows CE™.
Windows™—GUI environment developed by Microsoft® permitting users to run more than one application on a desktop computer simultaneously.
WinInet - WINdows INternET API; Microsoft computer programming interface for Windows that provides access to HTTP, FTP and Gopher protocols enabling Windows programs to be written as clients to web servers over Internet or on an intranet; see ISAPI server counterpart, specific to Microsoft's IIS Web server.
WINS—Windows™ Internet Name Service; maps computer names to IP addresses.
Wipe—In video development, a transition between two fully opaque sources that is defined by a shape.
WIP—Work In Process.
Wire Wheel—Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the work bench with the speed of light; also removes fingerprints and hard-earned guitar calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say "****". J
Wired Access Point—Base station that connects a wireless system to a wired land-based system; the acronym "WAP" is used, but WAP is also popular because of the Wireless Application Protocol.
Wireframe—In CAD system, representation of an object with line segments.
Wireless Application Environment (WAE)—That part of the WAP protocols that application developers use; includes WML and WMLScript, a scripting language similar to JavaScript.
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)—Specification that lets users access data via mobile phones and other handheld wireless devices.
Wireless Markup Language (WML)—Used to specify content and user interface for WAP devices.
Wireless modem—Modem that accesses a private wireless data network or a wireless telephone system.
Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN)—Wireless network that serves a single person or small workgroup; has limited range and is used to transfer data between a laptop or PDA and a desktop machine or server as well as to a printer.
Wire Stop—Protrusion in conjunction with terminal block designed to prevent conductor from intruding beyond terminal, usually to avoid a short circuit.
Wiring Closet—Central location for terminating and routing onsite-wiring systems, see Marshaling Cabinet.
Wizard—Software tool that permits user, without programming, to set up some application through a guided interrogation using selections and following prompts by the computer; term made popular by Microsoft® OfficeSuite™ products for set-up of slide shows, spreadsheets, and word processing applications, but the concept has been used for decades by various vendors of microprocessor control systems in one form or another.
WMF—Windows™ MetaFile; format for saving graphics in electronic memory, used for exchanging data between computers.
WML—Wireless Markup Language; is what HTML is to a web browser; an XML application that is read and interpreted by a browser built into the WAP device; for WAP devices, the browser is commonly called a micro browser, indicating that its capabilities are somewhat limited; capabilities are of course also limited to capabilities of the WAP device in which it lives.
WMS—Warehouse Management Systems; see definition.
WOM—Write Only Memory (think about this). J
Word—Number of bits treated as single unit by CPU; can be as small as two bits; in 16-bit machine, word length is usually 16 bits, etc.
Workgroup—Group of people working on same project, especially when connected to each other with some dedicated network.
Working Standard—Standard of unit measurement calibrated from either a primary or secondary standard which is used to calibrate other devices or make comparison measurements.
Workspace—That part of video screen display which can be used in a given application, sometimes called Viewing Area.
Workstation—Human-machine interface to computer based system like that used for distributed process control; once referred, but not limited, to high end machines using RISC processors and running on UNIX®, since about 2000 term used interchangeably with PC and laptop; also: computer or terminal slavishly linked to a network that does not offer game programs. J
WorldFIP—Global organization dedicated to developing an open, universal fieldbus specification built upon robust, field-proven technology, embracing basic FIP protocol structure; formed six months following formation of ISP leading to opinions of some that this was a commercial response by companies competing with those in ISP; Fieldbus Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing single, worldwide, interoperable fieldbus... formed from merger of WorldFIP North America and ISP Foundation in 1994.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)—Main international standards organization for the World Wide Web (abbreviated WWW or W3); arranged as a consortium where member organizations maintain full-time staff for the purpose of working together in the development of standards for the W3.
WORM—Write Once Read Many; common type of optical disk drive to which data can be written only once for permanent storage, but can always be read: also (in lower case letters): self-replicating program which consumes processor time but cannot destroy data, software, or other system resources; see “Computer Viruses, Worms, & Trojan Horses.”
WOSA—Windows™ Open Services Architecture.
WPA— Wireless (Wi-Fi) Protected Access; security protocol for wireless 802.11i (subset) networks from Wi-Fi Alliance that was developed as far stronger protocol that fixes weaknesses in WEP using TKIP for sophisticated key management and effective message integrity checking; also: Windows Product Activation (Microsoft); also: Wizards Per Acre (Utopia game) J
WPAN—Wireless Personal Area Network; see definition.
WPA2—Full 802.11i WPA which additionally supports the AES-CCMP encryption protocol, a very secure AES national standard cipher combined with sophisticated cryptographic techniques, specifically designed for wireless networks.
Write—To record data into storage device or on data medium.
WSCC—(Western Systems Coordinating Council); of power utilities.
WSDL—Web Services Description Language; protocol for a Web service to describe its capabilities which was co-developed by Microsoft and IBM; describes protocols and formats used and descriptions can be housed in a UDDI directory; the combination is expected to promote use of Web services worldwide; WSFL (Web Services Flow Language) is a counterpart protocol from IBM for describing workflow between services.
WSI—Wafer-Scale Integration.
WSP—Working Set Point; of process control loop where several set points may be selected.
WS—Work Station; also: Water Supply.
WT—Weight of Material.
WV—Wild Variable in ratio control.
WWV—Radio call letters for a time synchronization broadcast signal in U.S.
WWW—World Wide Web, also called W3, or merely Web; Internet feature which allows even the uninitiated to access diverse resources (E-mail, newsgroups, FTP, etc.) in a user-friendly environment which can be browsed using a special front-end program; mechanism developed by Tim Berners-Lee for CERN physicists to be able to share documents via Internet, sharing computer access in different locations in the world using URLs to identify files, systems, and using hypertext links to move between files on same or different systems; the concept originated when one member of the team became pregnant and the team worked together for a way for her to stay involved in their work; also: World Wide WaitJ.
WYGIWYG—[pronounced: wiggywig] What You Get Is What You Get or What You Got Is What You Get. A take-off on WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get. J
WYSITB—[pronounced: wissytib] What you see is totally Bizarre; a wag’s interpretation of the results of using certain software combinations which produce very random and erratic product. J
WYSIWYG—[pronounced: wissywig] What You See Is What You Get; what shows on the video screen when creating views, is what will show in the end product, usually print-outs, but not limited to that media.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Intro