Jan 29 2009 6:57PM GMT
Posted by: Ivy Wigmore
Tech Trivia,
Audio,
Ogg Vorbis,
CIO,
quiz,
open source,
compression,
codecs
Our WhatIs.com Tech Term is Ogg Vorbis
Vorbis is an open source patent-free audio compression format, developed as a replacement for proprietary digital audio encoding formats, such as MP3, VQF, and AAC. Vorbis files compress to a smaller size than MP3 files, which reduces bandwidth and storage requirements. According to many reports, a Vorbis file provides better sound quality than an MP3 file of the same size.
Are you a Know-IT-All? Test your knowledge of tech vocabulary!
Secret Word of the Day
This word describes sound in the range that’s audible to humans. What’s the secret word?
Answer
Tech Trivia
Does sound move more quickly through air or a solid?
Answer (Scroll to the second paragraph.)
Word Scramble
Unscramble the letters to see the name of the pattern created by audible energy:
undos avwe
Answer
Acronym Challenge
Vorbis is an audio codec. What does “codec” stand for?
Answer
Learn Something New Every Day
USB audio glitches
Serdar Yegualp explains how to deal with USB audio problems, such as stuttering and glitching.
Jan 28 2009 7:19PM GMT
Posted by: Ivy Wigmore
Tech Trivia,
social networking,
flash mob,
wireless,
CIO,
quiz
Our WhatIs.com Tech Term is flash mob
A flash mob is a group of people who organize themselves, using electronic media such as cell phones or the Internet, to gather together in a public place, behave in a predetermined manner for a predetermined period of time, and then quickly disperse. The first flash mobs were considered either pranks or performance art. More recently, flash mobs have gathered for other purposes, including protests and charity. Last week, T-Mobile used the flash mob concept for an ad.
Are you a Know-IT-All? Test your knowledge of tech vocabulary!
Secret Word of the Day
In this model of human interaction, people expand their connections by accessing the connections of acquaintances. What’s the secret word?
Answer
Tech Trivia
Who first proposed the “six degrees of separation” theory?
Answer
Acronym Challenge
GPS messaging is a little like a digital sticky note that mobile users access when they enter a specific location. What does GPS stand for?
Answer
Word Scramble
Unscramble the letters for the name of a device that became prominent because of its wireless email capabilities:
rabbyclerk
Answer
Learn Something New Every Day
Twitter tries to shore up security in wake of hack attack
As many as 33 high profile Twitter accounts were breached just days after a widespread phishing scam targeted users of the social network.
Sales 2.0
This white paper explores how sales and marketing professionals are using online collaboration and social networking to spark sales.
Jan 27 2009 11:54AM GMT
Posted by: Ivy Wigmore
Ubuntu,
Linux,
Tech Trivia,
CIO,
open source,
operating systems
Our WhatIs.com Tech Term is Ubuntu
Ubuntu is an open source Debian-based Linux distribution that is considered suitable for users without extensive technical knowledge. Ubuntu distributions include Edubuntu (for educational users), Xubuntu (for users with limited processing power) and JeOS (for “just enough operating system,” a lightweight version for virtual appliances).
Are you a Know-IT-All? Test your knowledge of tech vocabulary!
Secret Word of the Day
Ubuntu is often run from this type of distribution — an operating system on some bootable medium. What’s the secret word?
Answer
Acronym Challenge
GIMP is a freely available open source application for creating and manipulating graphic images. What does GIMP stand for?
Answer
Tech Trivia
Fill in the missing Ubuntu codename: _____ _____; Intrepid Ibex; Jaunty Jackalope
Answer
Acronym Challenge
GIMP is a freely available open source application for creating and manipulating graphic images. What does GIMP stand for?
Answer
Word Scramble
Unscramble these letters to see a software distribution model that allows code to be copied, modified and distributed along with the same stipulation:
pycflote
Answer
Learn Something New Every Day
Pam Derringer reports on the release of Ubuntu 8.10.
The Enterprise Linux Log blog covers Ubuntu.
Jan 25 2009 7:57PM GMT
Posted by: Ivy Wigmore
Apple,
Macintosh,
computer history,
CIO,
Tech Trivia
Our WhatIs.com Tech Term is Macintosh
The Macintosh was the first widely-sold personal computer with a graphical user interface (GUI) and a mouse. Apple introduced the Macintosh (popularly known as the Mac) on January 24th, 1984.
Are you a Know-IT-All? Test your knowledge of tech vocabulary!
Secret Word of the Day
Twenty years ago, computers were usually referred to as either Apples or ____ -compatible. What’s the secret word?
Answer
Acronym Challenge
What does the X in OS X stand for?
Answer
Tech Trivia
How did people interact with computers before the introduction of the GUI?
Answer
Word Scramble
Unscramble the letters to see a word for something simulated on a computer screen:
spokedt
Answer
Learn Something New Every Day
See specs for the original Mac and the commercial that introduced it.
Wikipedia has an entry about the Macintosh.
Apple offers a Macintosh product guide.
CNET News looks at the future of the Mac.
Jan 15 2009 7:20PM GMT
Posted by: Ivy Wigmore
cryptography,
CIO,
Tech Trivia,
Security
Our WhatIs.com Tech Term is cryptography.
Cryptography, the science of information security, is most often associated with scrambling plaintext into ciphertext then back again. The four main objectives of cryptography are confidentiality, integrity, non-repudiation and authentication.
Are you a Know-IT-All?
Secret Word of the Day
This type of encryption makes it possible for text to be decrypted into two different messages, depending on the key used. What’s the secret word?
Answer
Acronym Challenge
FDE automatically converts data on a hard drive into a form that cannot be understood by anyone who doesn’t have the key to undo the conversion. What does FDE stand for?
Answer
Tech Trivia
What’s the difference between cleartext and plaintext?
Answer (Scroll to the second paragraph.)
Learn Something New Every Day
Learn how cryptography, its components, methods and uses are employed in the enterprise to store and transmit messages safely.
IT Knowledge Exchange: Questions and answers about encryption
Jan 14 2009 1:17PM GMT
Posted by: Ivy Wigmore
Tech Trivia,
IPv6,
CIO,
IP addressing
Our WhatIs.com Tech Term is IPv6.
IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) is the latest level of the Internet Protocol. IP addresses are lengthened from 32 bits to 128 bits to deal with an anticipated shortage. IPv4 address space allowed for four billion IP addresses, not quite enough for everyone on the planet to have one. IPv6 address space enables enormous future growth.
Are you a Know-IT-All?
Secret Word of the Day
You might hear this term used to describe the movement of birds or herds of caribou. In IT, it’s the process of moving from one operating environment to another. What’s the secret word?
Answer
Acronym Challenge
ARIN administers IP addresses in the United States. What does ARIN stand for?
Answer
Tech Trivia
How can you find the dot address for a given domain name?
Answer
Learn Something New Every Day
Podcast: IPv6 in 10 minutes
IT Knowledge Exchange: IPv6 questions and answers
Dec 29 2008 9:43PM GMT
Posted by: Ivy Wigmore
Tech Trivia
Our WhatIs.com Tech Term is spintronics
Spintronics is an emerging field of nanoscale electronics involving the detection and manipulation of electron spin. Electron spin can be detected as a magnetic field having either of two orientations, known as down and up. Exploiting spin states provides an additional two binary states so that a bit can have four possible states.
Are you a Know-IT-All?
Secret Word of the Day
This is the standard unit of electric current. What’s the secret word?
Answer
Acronym Challenge
The LHC is expected to help physicists, astronomers and cosmologists answer questions about the nature and origins of matter, energy and the universe. What does LHC stand for?
Answer
Tech Trivia
Electrons are one of two charge carriers responsible for current in semiconductor materials. What’s the other one?
Answer
Learn Something New Every Day
FAQ Guide: When to expect solid state drives in the enterprise
In this FAQ guide, Mark Peters, an analyst with consulting firm Enterprise Strategy Group, provides answers to the questions he is hearing most frequently from storage administrators related to solid state drives.
Salary and careers special report for enterprise CIOs
Enterprise CIOs are still feeling secure in their jobs despite the faltering economy. But that doesn’t mean CIOs are shying away from seeking new career opportunities or considering telecommuting if it would make their working lives better. SearchCIO.com’s 2008 Salaries and Careers Special Report provides feedback from enterprise IT executives.
Dec 27 2008 11:21PM GMT
Posted by: Ivy Wigmore
VoIP,
telecommunications,
CIO,
collaboration,
videoconferencing,
communications,
Telepresence,
Tech Trivia,
connections
Our WhatIs.com Tech Term is Skype
Skype is an IP telephony service provider that offers free calling between subscribers and low-cost calling to people who don’t use the service. In addition to standard telephone calls, Skype enables file transfers, texting, video chat and videoconferencing.
Are you a Know-IT-All?
Secret Word of the Day
You could use this service to make a friend think it was the White House on the line when you called. What’s the secret word?
Answer
Acronym Challenge
A CNG program inserts noise into the silent parts of conversations so you won’t think you’ve lost your connection. What does CNG stand for?
Answer
Tech Trivia
Are communications over a cable modem Internet connection symmetric or asymmetric?
Answer
Learn Something New Every Day
IT Knowledge Exchange: VoIP Q&A
Browse the collection of questions and answers about VoIP or join ITKE to ask your own questions.
Telepresence and video conferencing: Reaping the benefits
The benefits of video communications technology have yet to be realized in many enterprises, but the right deployment and the right corporate culture can help these companies reap tremendous benefits.
Dec 22 2008 4:38PM GMT
Posted by: Margaret Rouse
virtual reality,
Tech Trivia
Our WhatIs.com Tech Term is virtual reality
Virtual reality is an artificial environment that is created with software and presented to the user in such a way that the user suspends belief and accepts it as a real environment. On a computer, virtual reality is primarily experienced through two of the five senses: sight and sound.
Are you a Know-IT-All?
Secret Word of the Day
This is a virtualized event that showcases goods and services for a specific industry. What’s the secret word?
Answer
Acronym Challenge
SL is a virtual world developed by Linden Lab. What does SL stand for?
Answer
Tech Trivia
Bruce Artwick is credited with producing the first successful virtual reality software application. What virtual environment did his software create?
Answer
Learn Something New Every Day
Telepresence industry to pass $1 billion in 2013
Telepresence combines high quality audio and videoconferencing technology with a special physical environment to create the feeling of an in-person meeting.
Telepresence, unified communications and collaboration: A network operator’s role
While voice was the original medium of telecom, the expanded availability of computers and data-capable appliances like cell phones created a broader definition of the term.
Learn Something New Every Day
