Technical support

Terms related to computer fundamentals, including computer hardware definitions and words and phrases about software, operating systems, peripherals and troubleshooting.

Turing Test - A Turing Test is a method of inquiry in artificial intelligence (AI) for determining whether or not a computer is capable of thinking like a human being.
unique identifier (UID) - A unique identifier (UID) is a numeric or alphanumeric string that is associated with a single entity within a given system.
unzipping - Unzipping is the act of extracting the files from a zipped single file or similar file archive.
uptime and downtime - In computing, uptime is a measure of how long a computer or service is on and available.
user group - In personal or business computing, a user group is a set of people who have similar interests, goals or concerns.
utility computing - Utility computing is a service provisioning model where a provider makes computing resources, infrastructure management and technical services available to customers as they need them.
value chain - A value chain is a concept describing the full chain of a business's activities in creating a product or service -- from initial receipt of materials through its delivery to market.
value-added reseller (VAR) - A value-added reseller (VAR) is a company that resells software, hardware, and other products and services that provide value beyond the original order fulfillment.
vendor - A vendor is an individual or company that sells goods or services to somone else in the economic production chain.
virtual - In computing, the term virtual refers to a digitally replicated version of something real, whether it's a machine, a switch, memory or even reality.
virtual reality - Virtual reality, or VR, is a simulated three-dimensional (3D) environment that lets users explore and interact with a virtual surrounding in a way that approximates reality, as it's perceived through the users' senses.
virtual reality sickness (VR motion sickness) - Virtual reality sickness (VR motion sickness) is the physical discomfort that occurs when an end user's brain receives conflicting signals about self-movement in a digital environment.
volatile - In general, volatile (from the Latin "volatilis" meaning "to fly")is an adjective used to describe something unstable or changeable.
volatile memory - Volatile memory is a type of memory that maintains its data only while the device is powered.
von Neumann bottleneck - The von Neumann bottleneck is a limitation on throughput caused by the standard personal computer architecture.
wall time - Wall time, also called real-world time, clock time, wall-clock time or -- more accurately -- elapsed real time, is the amount of time that a program or process takes to run from start to finish as measured by a person.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive - The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is a legislative act that the European Union adopted to address the growing amounts of e-waste that come from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) at the end of its life.
web application (web app) - A web application (web app) is an application program that is stored on a remote server and delivered over the internet through a browser interface.
webmaster - A webmaster is someone who creates and manages the content and organization of a website, manages the computer server and technical programming aspects of a website, or does both.
What is a Server? - A server is a computer program or device that provides a service to another computer program and its user, also known as the client.
What is patch management? Lifecycle, benefits and best practices - Patch management is the subset of systems management that involves identifying, acquiring, testing and installing patches, or code changes, that are intended to fix bugs, close security holes or add features.
What is server virtualization? The ultimate guide - Server virtualization is a process that creates and abstracts multiple virtual instances on a single server.
white paper - A white paper is an authoritative, research-based document that presents information, expert analysis and an organization or author's insight into a topic or solution to a problem.
Wi-Fi range extender (range expander) - A Wi-Fi range extender is a network device used to increase the effective range of a wireless network.
Windows Imaging Format (WIM) - Windows Imaging Format (WIM) is used for the creation and distribution of disk image files.
wipe - Wipe, in a computing context, means to erase all data on a hard drive to render it unreadable.
word (in computing) - In computer architecture, a word is a unit of data of a defined bit length that can be addressed and moved between storage and the computer processor.
workload - In computing, a workload is typically any program or application that runs on a computer.
x86-64 - x86-64 (also called x86_64, x64, or amd64) is the 64-bit CPU architecture that is used in Intel and AMD processors.
yottabyte (YB) - A yottabyte (YB) is a measure of theoretical storage capacity and data volumes equal to 2 to the 80th power bytes, or approximately a million trillion megabytes (MB).
zettabyte - A zettabyte is a unit of measurement used by technology professionals and the general public to describe a computer or other device's storage capacity.
Zulu (Zulu time) - Zulu (Zulu time) is used in the military and navigation for timekeeping purposes to avert confusion when coordinating with countries using other time standards.