Monday, April 2, 2001		Bits & Bytes

Groupware: A class of software that helps workgroups attached to a local-area network organise their activities. Typically, groupware supports scheduling meetings and allocating resources, e-mail, password protection for documents, telephone utilities, electronic newsletters and file distribution.

Hang: To crash in such a way that the computer does not respond to input from the keyboard or mouse. If your computer is hung, you usually need to reboot it, although sometimes hitting the correct sequence of control characters will free it up.

Information hiding: The process of hiding details of an object or function. Information hiding is a powerful programming technique because it reduces complexity. One of the chief mechanisms for hiding information is encapsulation — combining elements to create a larger entity. The programmer can then focus on the new object without worrying about the hidden details. In a sense, the entire hierarchy of programming languages — from machine languages to high-level languages — can be seen as a form of information hiding. Information hiding is also used to prevent programmers from changing — intentionally or unintentionally — parts of a program.

Usenet: A worldwide bulletin board system that can be accessed through the Internet or through many online services. The Usenet contains thousands of forums or newsgroups that cover every imaginable interest group. Used daily by millions of people around the world. Moderated by VSNL in India.