Glossary

Application Binary Interface.

A window manager which both emulates and builds upon NEXTSTEP(tm). Features include configurable desktops and the option to use a range of utilities via a series of modules. AfterStep is GNOME-compliant and works with KDE.

A version of the GNU/Linux operating system targeted at ARM processors.

SA-1110 development platform which is suited to the production of handheld and palm devices.

A Linux distribution which is made up of a kernel, basic tools and applications software. Debian is distinctive because it is produced entirely by volunteers who share a commitment to the development and dissemination of free software. The name derives from the people who founded the Debian Project: Debra and Ian Murdock.

An extensible editor with modes for programming, writing and the creation of simple drawings. Emacs has many of the characteristics of a self-contained working environment.

The normal Linux filesystem

A window manager which is popular amongst memory-conscious users. Features included extensibility via a series of modules, support for virtual desktops and a 3D-look.

An image creation and photo retouching package - extremely powerful. Application currently confined to Linux although ports to Windows and OS/2 are ongoing.

GNOME or the GNU Object Model Environment is best regarded as a desktop rather than as a window manager. GNOME will work with any window manager which is GNOME-compliant but the Enlightenment w.m. seems to be the default choice.

A synonym for the Linux system. In fact, GNU/Linux is the more accurate term because it makes a distinction between the kernel - Linux - and much of the software which was developed by the GNU Project in association with The Free Software Foundation.

Graphical user interface. The typical 'desktop' as used by RISC OS, Windows, the Mac and so on. Approximately synonymous with the older term WIMP.

When working with an embedded system, this is the desktop machine that contains the development environment. Files are uploaded from this machine to the target device.

A type of hard drive interface. Provided as standard on Risc PC motherboards. It can have up to two physical drives, configured as 'master' and 'slave'.

A form of hypertext help page which can be read from within Emacs or by using the info command. These pages can also be printed. Info pages are created with TeXinfo.

KDE or the K Desktop Environment allows for easy navigation with the aid of the K File Manager, Virtual Desktops and use of KDE-based applications like K-Edit. Currently, installed by default on many Linux distributions with notable exceptions of RedHat (GNOME) and Debian (Window Maker).

Any server running on a LAN (Local Area Network). Normally used for file or printer sharing. RISC OS uses Acorn Access. Linux has many, including SAMBA, which is equivalent to an NT or Windows 9x server, NFS (Network File System), and LPD (Printer sharing).

The Linux Advanced Radio Terminal (LART) is a compact energy efficient, embedded computer with a standard configuration of 32MB DRAM and 4MB Flash ROM. Originally developed at the University of Delft.

A command which is used to view the contents of a file one screen at a time. Similar commands include cat, more and tail.

A collaborative project which aims to produce free high quality documentation about GNU/Linux.

A Database Management System which is available for both Linux and Windows.

Network Filing System. The standard UNIX system for sharing disks over the network.

An office-productivity suite which is approximately comparable to MS Office. It was previously known as StarOffice before it became an open-source project. OpenOffice comes with OpenWriter - a word processor, OpenCalc - a spreadsheet and OpenImpress - a presentational package. OpenOffice requires the X-Windows System although a version exists for Windows.

This is a less-confusing name for what is also called 'Free Software'. It describes the development method used for many pieces of software, including the Linux kernel, where the source is freely available for anyone to work on, or modify, or learn from, or use in other projects.

A powerful interpreted language, which is particularly good for text-processing. Also often used for Web CGI scripts. Famous for being 'powerful but cryptic'. Python is very similar but less cryptic.

A way of connecting two programs together so that the output of one program becomes the input of another.

An umbrella term for a number of hardware and software initiatives which include the development of a credit-card sized StrongARM prototype for embedded systems and Catapult - a replacement bootloader for Blob.

A type of peripheral interface, allowing up to 7 (or even 15) devices. Usually used for scanners, external drives, expansion drives and CDs.

The UNIX shell processes user commands. It has extensive scripting functions which let you write small programs to automate tasks. These are called scripts. A shell script is equivalent to a RISC OS Obey file or a DOS Batch file, but much more flexible.

RISC OS normally runs in the familiar desktop. Some utilities (eg hard drive formatters) run 'outside' the desktop, disabling the normal multi-tasking that goes on. Thus this is referred to as 'single-tasking' mode. All other RISC OS tasks are suspended until the utility quits.

A file or partition used by the kernel to allow the machine to appear to have much more memory than it has.

When working with an embedded device and a separate development system, this is the name for the embedded device. Normally the work is done on the development system or host' machine.

A typesetting system which is used to create highly structured documents which may contain alot of mathematics. A number of popular TeX macro packages exist but the most notable is LaTeX.

A documentation system which can produce both on-line and printed documentation from one source file. The source file may be processed by TeX or Groff to create printed output and by makeinfo and Emacs to create an info file.

A standard text-editor which is available for nearly every type of UNIX system.

A modified version of Vi with additional features. Easy to use for Vi veterans.

Software that sends web site pages back to browsers. Also referred to as an HTTP daemon (HTTP being the protocol used for web pages). If you run this software then you have set up your own web site.

A window manager which offers mutiple workspaces, graphical configuration tools, pinnable menus and drag-and-drop support. The default window manager for Debian ARMLinux.

An X-Windows System program that determines how 'X' deals with your desktop and client windows.

Linux's graphical interface which is commonly know as X11 or more simply as 'X'.