Anti-Virus Software
Definition: Anti-virus software protects email, instant messages, and other files by removing viruses and worms. What this means: Anti-virus software downloads virus protection updates to protect against new threats. It also quarantines infected files to keep a virus from spreading on your computer, ...
API (Application Programming Interface)
Definition: An application programming interface is a language and message format used by an application to call another part of the system into action. What This Means: Every application does not have to do everything when APIs are used to call upon ...
Application
Definition: An application refers to a software program. What This Means: An application automates one or more functions. Examples of an application include a student information system (creating and maintaining for enrollment, attendance, grade reporting, etc.), a human resources system (hiring, certifying, ...
Application Layer
In the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communications model that guides software developers and hardware vendors in the design of network communications products, the application layer (the top layer) defines standards for interaction at the user or application program level. What ...
ASCII
Definition: American Standard Code for Information Exchange. What this means: ASCII files are often referred to as "text" files or "plain text" files. They contain no formatting information. Need another definition?
ASP (Application Service Provider)
Definition: An application service provider hosts software applications on its servers at its location. An organization registers to use the application and accesses it over the Internet or a private connection. What This Means: Instead of paying the expense to buy hardware ...
Assessment
Definition: Any systematic method of obtaining evidence from tests, and other sources, used to draw inferences about characteristics of people, objects, or programs for a specific purpose. An assessment is a standardized measure of proficiency, academic success; a test. What This Means: ...
Associated Link
Definition: Associated Link is the user-defined name of the Associated Link related to the Link URL. What This Means: A term that is functional for users of ESP's metadata dictionary tool, called DataSpecs. DataSpecs is used when developing an education agency's data ...
Asynchronous
Definition: Asynchronous describes events that are not coordinated in time. What This Means: To the user of an information system, this is almost irrelevant. Whether a piece of information travels by its own schedule or in sync with others is for the ...
ATM
Definition: Asynchronous Transfer Model. Need another definition?
