To press the button on ones ambulance pager to signal a response to the nightly tone tests.
Posts made by Dianne
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RE: Zilch
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Yosemite
Yosemite is the name of Apples eleventh version of OS X, released on October 16, 2014. It follows Mavericks (OS X 10.9) and is also called OS X 10.10.
While it is normal for each new version of OS X to include slight modifications to the user interface, Yosemite presented the most drastic change in several years. The interface includes many translucent elements, in which objects are semi-transparent. It includes a more flat design than earlier versions of OS X with new icons and window styles that do not have a glossy finish. While the design is not as flat is iOS 8, Yosemites updated style makes OS X and iOS more similar in appearance.
Besides altering the OS X interface to be more like iOS, Apple designed Yosemite to be more integrated with iOS as well. For example, the updated AirDrop feature allows you to share files directly with nearby iOS devices. Handoff allows you to work on something on your Mac and then resume work on your iOS device, and vice versa. The improved Messages app allows you to send and receive both iMessages and SMS messages using your Mac instead of your smartphone. You can even send an receive calls with your Mac by relaying them through your iPhone.
Yosemite also includes significant updates to OS Xs traditional bundled apps, such as Safari and Mail. For example, Safari includes a built-in Share menu for sharing links on social media and provides its own search suggestions when typing keywords in the address bar. Mail allows you to mark up attachments before sending them, and includes Mail Drop, a service that allows you to send attachments email attachments up to 5 GB in size. In Yosemite, iCloud Drive is built into the Finder, which allows you to manage your iCloud documents the same way as your local files.
Like Mavericks, OS X Yosemite is available as a free upgrade from the Mac App Store. It supports most Mac models released in mid-2007 or later. -
Web Development
Web development refers to building, creating, and an maintaining websites. It includes aspects such as web design, web publishing, web programming, and database management.
While the terms web developer and web designer are often used synonymously, they do not mean the same thing. Technically, a web designer only designs website interfaces using HTML and CSS. A web developer may be involved in designing a website, but may also write web scripts in languages such as PHP and ASP. Additionally, a web developer may help maintain and update a database used by a dynamic website.
Web development includes many types of web content creation. Some examples include hand coding web pages in a text editor, building a website in a program like Dreamweaver, and updating a blog via a blogging website. In recent years, content management systems like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla have also become popular means of web development. These tools make it easy for anyone to create and edit their own website using a web-based interface.
While there are several methods of creating websites, there is often a trade-off between simplicity and customization. Therefore, most large businesses do not use content management systems, but instead have a dedicated Web development team that designs and maintains the companys website(s). Small organizations and individuals are more likely to choose a solution like WordPress that provides a basic website template and simplified editing tools.
NOTE: JavaScript programming is a type of web development that is generally not considered part of web design. However, a web designer may reference JavaScript libraries like jQuery to incorporate dynamic elements into a sites design. -
Touchpad
A touchpad or trackpad is a flat control surface used to move the cursor and perform other functions on a computer. Touchpads are commonly found on laptops and replace the functionality of a mouse.
A touchpad is designed to be controlled with your finger. By sliding your fingertip along the surface, you can move the cursor on the screen. Similar to a mouse, touchpads can detect acceleration as well as linear motion. This allows you to have refined control with slow movements and quickly move the cursor across the screen using a fast motion.
Some touchpads have two buttons below them, which correspond to the left-click and right-click mouse buttons respectively. In modern laptops, the buttons may be hidden in the bottom portion of the touchpad. This allows for a larger touchpad surface, but you can press the lower left or lower right section of the touchpad to click the buttons.
Touchpads may also include multi-touch technology, which is common on touchscreen devices. This means you can use multiple fingers to perform different actions on your computer. For example, some programs allow you to use two fingers to pinch and zoom in or out on a document or image. You may also be able to twist two fingers on a touchpad to rotate an image left or right. Some programs allow you to swipe left or right to go back in a web browser or jump to another page in a document.
NOTE: There is no difference between touchpad and trackpad, so the two terms can be used simultaneously. However, touchpad is commonly associated with Windows computers while trackpad typically describes the touch controls built into Macs and Apple-branded peripheral devices.
Lenovo Laptop Touchpad
Apple Magic Trackpad -
Subnet Mask
A subnet mask is a number that defines a range of IP addresses that can be used in a network. (It is not something you wear on your head to keep subnets out.) Subnet masks are used to designate subnetworks, or subnets, which are typically local networks LANs that are connected to the Internet. Systems within the same subnet can communicate directly with each other, while systems on different subnets must communicate through a router. Therefore, subnetworks can be used to partition multiple networks and limit the traffic between them.
A subnet mask hides, or masks, the network part of a systems IP address and leaves only the host part as the machine identifier. A common subnet mask for a Class C IP address is 255.255.255.0. Each section of the subnet mask can contain a number from 0 to 256, just like an IP address. Therefore, in the example above, the first three sections are full, meaning the IP addresses of computers within the subnet mask must be identical in the first three sections. The last section of each computers IP address can be anything from 0 to 255. For example, the IP addresses 10.0.1.201 and 10.0.1.202 would be in the same subnet, while 10.0.2.201 would not. Therefore, a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 allows for close to 256 unique hosts within the network (since not all 256 IP addresses can be used).
If your system is connected to a network, you can typically view the networks subnet mask number in the Network control panel (Windows) or System Preference (Mac OS X). Most home networks use the default subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. However, some office networks may use a different subnet mask such as 255.255.255.128, which can be used to split a network into two subnets. Large networks with several thousand machines may use a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. This is the default subnet mask used by Class B networks. The largest Class A networks use a default subnet mask of 255.0.0.0. -
RE: Streaming
Data streaming, commonly seen in the forms of audio and video streaming, is when a multimedia file can be played back without being completely downloaded first. Most files, like shareware and software updates that you download off the Internet, are not streaming data. However, certain audio and video files like Real Audio and QuickTime documents can be streaming files, meaning you can watch a video or listen to a sound file while its being downloaded to your computer. With a fast Internet connection, you can actually stream live audio or video to your computer.
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SMART
Stands for Self-Monitoring Analysis And Reporting Technology. It is used to protect and prevent errors in hard drives. The SMART technology basically monitors and analyzes hard drives (hence the name), then checks the health of your hard drive and lets you know if there are any problems. The main purpose of SMART is to keep your hard drive running smoothly and prevent it from crashing.
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Regular Expression
A regular expression (or regex) is a search pattern used for matching one or more characters within a string. It can match specific characters, wildcards, and ranges of characters. Regular expressions were originally used by Unix utilities, such as vi and grep. However, they are now supported by many code editing applications and word processors on multiple platforms. Regular expressions can also be used in most major programming languages.
A regular expression can be as simple as a basic string, such as app. The regex app would match strings containing the words apps, applications, and inapplicable. A regular expression may also contain anchor characters (^ and $) which are used to specify the beginning and end of a line, respectively. Therefore, the regex ^apps would match the string, apps are great, but would not match the string, I like apps.
Regular expressions can include dashes, which are used to match a range of characters, such as all lowercase letters. For example, the regex [a-z] would match apps, but would not match the strings Apps or 123. The regex [A-Za-z] would match Apps and [0-9] would match 123. A period, which is the standard wildcard character in regular expressions, can be used to match any character (except an end-of-line character). A period followed by an asterisk (.*) matches zero or more instances, while a period followed by a plus (. ) matches one or more instances.
So what happens if you need to match a string containing a dash, asterisk, plus, or an anchor character? These characters can be included in a regular expression pattern by escaping them with a backslash (). For example, to search for sh.99, the regex would look like sh.99. Backslashes are also used to search for non-printable characters. For example, \r matches a carriage return, \n matches a new line, and \t matches a tab character.
While it does not take much effort to create a basic regular expression, writing an advanced regex is not an easy task. Even the best programmers rarely get complex regular expressions right the first time. When used correctly, however, regular expressions are a powerful tool for searching, finding, and replacing specific text. -
Refresh Rate
Computer monitors often have a maximum refresh rate listed in their technical specifications. This number, measured in hertz (Hz), determines how many times the screen is redrawn each second. Typical refresh rates for CRT monitors include 60, 75, and 85 Hz. Some monitors support refresh rates of over 100 Hz.
The higher the refresh rate, the less image flicker you will notice on the screen. Typically a refresh rate of less than 60 Hz will produce noticeable flicker, meaning you can tell the screen is being redrawn instead of seeing a constant image. If the refresh rate is too slow, this flicker can be hard on your eyes and may cause them to tire quickly. As if sitting at a computer for several hours wasnt hard enough!
To avoid flicker, you should set your monitor to use the maximum refresh rate possible. This setting is found in the Monitors control panel in Windows and the Displays system preference in Mac OS X. While 60 Hz is considered a good refresh rate, some people will find that 85 Hz is significantly better.
The maximum refresh rate is determined by three factors: 1) The rate your video card supports, 2) the rate your monitor supports, and 3) the resolution your monitor is set at. Lower resolutions (i.e. 800x600) typically support higher refresh rates than higher resolutions (i.e. 1600x1200).
If you have an LCD monitor, you may not be able to adjust the refresh rate. This is because most LCD monitors come with a standard refresh rate that is well above the flicker point. LCD monitors produce less flicker than CRT monitors because the pixels on an LCD screen stay lit longer than CRT monitors before they noticeably fade. -
Public Domain
Public domain is a legal term that describes a work or product that is not protected by copyright. The copyright protection an item in the public domain may have 1) expired, 2) been released by the author, or 3) never existed in the first place. Public domain items are publicly available and can be freely accessed and redistributed.
Many different items can be labeled as public domain. For example, books, speeches, poems, artwork, songs, and videos can all be made freely available to the public. In the computing world, public domain is often used to refer to software programs that are offered to the public without copyright restrictions.
Public domain software is similar to open source software, in which the source code of a program is made publicly available. However, open source software, while freely distributed, still retains the original developers copyright. This means the developer can change the redistribution policy at any time. Public domain software is also similar to freeware, which refers to software offered at no charge. However, like open source software, freeware programs are still protected by copyright. Therefore, users may not redistribute the software unless they receive permission from the original developer.
Since there are many similarities between freeware, open source, and public domain software, the terms are often used interchangeably. However, there are important legal differences between the licenses, so it is important for developers to choose the correct license when releasing software programs. Public domain software, which offers the least legal protection, is most often published by individuals or educational institutions, rather than companies. When software is offered as public domain, it is often labeled PD or may include a Public Domain Mark (PDM). -
Petaflops
Petaflops is a unit of measurement used for measuring the performance of a processors floating point unit, or FPU. It may also be written petaFLOPS or PFLOPS. Since FLOPS stands for Floating Point Operations Per Second, the term petaflops may be either singular (one petaflops) or plural (two or more petaflops). One petaflops is equal to 1,000 teraflops, or 1,000,000,000,000,000 FLOPS.
Petaflops are rarely used to measure a single computers performance, since only the fastest supercomputers run at more than one petaflops. Therefore, petaflops are more often used when calculating the processing power of multiple computers. Also, since FLOPS only measures floating point calculations, petaflops is not necessarily a good indicator of a computers overall performance. Other factors, such as the processors clock speed, the system bus speed, and the amount of RAM may also affect how quickly a computer can perform calculations. -
PCI Express
First came PCI, then PCI-X, then PCI Express. PCI Express can be abbreviated as PCIe or, less commonly and more confusingly, PCX. Unlike earlier PCI standards, PCI Express does not use a parallel bus structure, but instead is a network of serial connections controlled by a hub on the computers motherboard. This enables PCI Express cards to run significantly faster than previous PCI cards.
Because the PCI Express interface is a serial connection, it does not have a speed measured in Megahertz, like PCI or PCI-X. Instead, its performance is measured in data throughput speeds, which are several times faster than PCI-X. Furthermore, PCI Express is available in x1, x4, x8, and x16 implementations, which increases the bandwidth by the corresponding amount. However, larger implementations require longer PCI Express slots. For example, a x4 slot is larger than a x1 slot and a x16 slot is larger than a x8 slot. A PCI Express card can be inserted in any slot that is large enough for it. For example, a x8 card could be inserted into a x16 slot, but a not a x1 or x4 slot.
Since PCI Express connections can support such fast data transfer rates, they can be used to connect high-speed devices such as Gigabit Ethernet cards and high-end video cards. For this reason, PCI Express is expected to replace both PCI and AGP connections. Fortunately, PCI Express was designed to be backwards compatible with both PCI hardware and software. However, to use a PCI Express card, your computer must have at least one available PCI Express slot. -
Passcode
A passcode is a numeric sequence used to authenticate a user on computer or electronic device. The term is sometimes used synonymously with password, but technically a passcode only contains numbers.
The security of a numeric passcode is proportional to how many digits it contains. Since there are ten possible values for each digit (0-9), the number of possible codes is equal to ten times the number of digits. For example, a four-digit passcode can have 104 or 10,000 different combinations. A six-digit passcode can have 1,000,000 different combinations.
Passcodes provide quick and easy authentication and are commonly used on devices that have a numeric keypad interface, such as ATMs, electronic safes, and security system control panels. In the case of ATMs and other systems that require a personal identification number (PIN), your PIN may double as your passcode.
Since passcodes only contain integers, they are naturally less secure than passwords or passphrases. Therefore, devices that provide passcode authentication often disallow access after a certain number of failed login attempts. For example, if you passcode-protect your smartphone and enter the wrong passcode multiple times, you may be required to wait several minutes before you can attempt to log in again.
Passcode Entry Screen on an iPhone 6 -
Page Fault
A page fault occurs when a program attempts to access a block of memory that is not stored in the physical memory, or RAM. The fault notifies the operating system that it must locate the data in virtual memory, then transfer it from the storage device, such as an HDD or SSD, to the system RAM.
Though the term page fault sounds like an error, page faults are common and are part of the normal way computers handle virtual memory. In programming terms, a page fault generates an exception, which notifies the operating system that it must retrieve the memory blocks or pages from virtual memory in order for the program to continue. Once the data is moved into physical memory, the program continues as normal. This process takes place in the background and usually goes unnoticed by the user.
Most page faults are handled without any problems. However, an invalid page fault may cause a program to hang or crash. This type of page fault may occur when a program tries to access a memory address that does not exist. Some programs can handle these types of errors by finding a new memory address or relocating the data. However, if the program cannot handle the invalid page fault, it will get passed to the operating system, which may terminate the process. This can cause the program to unexpectedly quit.
While page faults are common when working with virtual memory, each page fault requires transferring data from secondary memory to primary memory. This process may only take a few milliseconds, but that can still be several thousand times slower than accessing data directly from memory. Therefore, installing more system memory can increase your computers performance, since it will need to access virtual memory less often. -
RE: Datch
The illest or most fresh. Also having complete swag or hip when they hop. In other words, The Swift Pajamas.
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Multi-Core
Multi-core technology refers to CPUs that contain two or more processing cores. These cores operate as separate processors within a single chip. By using multiple cores, processor manufacturers can increase the performance of a CPU without raising the processor clock speed. Since the upper threshold of clock speeds has leveled out during recent years, multi-core processors have become a common means to improve computing performance.
Most modern computers have at least two cores, or a dual-core processor. Some high-end machines have four core (quad-core), six core (hexa-core), or eight core (octo-core) processors. While adding more cores does not increase the overall computing performance by a proportional amount (two cores do not equal twice the speed), multi-core processors do provide a substantial performance boost over a single-core CPUs. Additionally, a multi-core processor can run more efficiently than a single processor, since not all cores need to be active unless needed. For example, Intels Turbo Boost Technology can turn off power to entire cores when they are not being used.
It is important to understand that multiple cores are different than multiple CPUs. While a multi-core computer may contain two processing cores on a single chip, a multiprocessor computer may have two CPUs, each with a single processing core. Since multi-core computing is more energy and cost efficient, multi-core computers have become more popular than multiprocessor computers. However, some high-end machines combine the two technologies and include multiple CPUs, each with multiple cores. -
MP3
Stands for MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3. MP3 is a popular compressed audio file format that helped popularize digital music downloads beginning in the late 1990s. MP3 files are typically about one tenth the size of uncompressed WAVE or AIFF files, but maintain nearly the same CD-quality sound. Because of their small size and good fidelity, MP3 files have become a popular way to store music files on both computers and portable devices like the iPod.
To listen to MP3s on your computer, youll need an MP3 player like Nullsoft Winamp (for Windows) or Apple iTunes (for Mac and Windows). Most MP3 players also allow you to create MP3 files from CD audio tracks or other from other audio file types. Once you have converted your favorite songs to MP3 files, you can transfer them to a portable music player, like the Apple iPod, Microsoft Zune, or a music-enabled cell phone. You can also burn the MP3 files to a CD, which can be played in MP3-compatible CD players.
File extension: .MP3 -
RE: Method
A method is a subroutine attached to a specific class defined in the source code of a program. It is similar to a function, but can only be called by an object created from a class.
In the Java example below, the method getArea is defined within the class rectangle. In order for the getArea method to be used by a program, an object must first be created from the rectangle class.
class Rectangle { int getArea(int width, int height) { int area = width * height; return area; } }
Methods are an important part of object-oriented programming since they isolate functions to individual objects. The methods within a class can only be called by objects created from the class. Additionally, methods can only reference data known to the corresponding object. This helps isolate objects from each other and prevents methods within one object from affecting other objects.
While methods are designed to isolate data, they can still be used to return values to other classes if necessary. If a value needs to be shared with another class, the return statement (as seen in the example above) can be used.