To see the range and variety of topics for which FAQs have been written, go to Yahoo or any major search engine, and enter "faq" or "faqs" in the search entry box. To find a FAQ on a subject of interest (for example, hedgehogs), enter "faq and hedgehogs"(without the quotes). Also note that the number of subjects on which you will NOT find is FAQ is also large. The most useful FAQs are often found at a Web site you've discovered through other search approaches.

   Until Windows 95 OSR2 (OEM Release 2), DOS and Windows file allocation table entries were 16 bits in length, limiting hard disk size to 128 megabytes, assuming a 2,048 size cluster. Up to 512 megabyte support is possible assuming a cluster size of 8,192 but at the cost of using clusters inefficiently. DOS 5.0 and later versions provide for support of hard disks up to two gigabytes with the 16-bit FAT entry limit by supporting separate FATs for up to four partitions.

   With 32-bit FAT entry (FAT32) support in Windows 95 OSR2, the largest size hard disk that can be supported is two terabytes! However, personal computer users are more likely to take advantage of FAT32 with 5 or 10 gigabyte drives.

   Basically, a firewall, working closely with a router program, filters all network packets to determine whether to forward them toward their destination. A firewall also includes or works with a proxy server that makes network requests on behalf of workstation users. A firewall is often installed in a specially designated computer separate from the rest of the network so that no incoming request can get directly at private network resources.

   There are a number of firewall screening methods. A simple one is to screen requests to make sure they come from acceptable (previously identified) domain names and IP addresses. For mobile users, firewalls allow remote access in to the private network by the use of secure logon procedures and authentication certificates.

   A number of companies make firewall products. Features include logging and reporting, automatic alarms at given thresholds of attack, and a graphical user interface for controlling the firewall.

   Flash memory gets its name because the microchip is organized so that a section of memory cells are erased in a single action or "flash." The erasure is caused by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling in which electrons pierce through a thin dielectric material to remove an electronic charge from a floating gate associated with each memory cell. Intel offers a form of flash memory that holds two bits (rather than one) in each memory cell, thus doubling the capacity of memory without a corresponding increase in price.

   Flash memory is used in digital cellular phones, digital cameras, LAN switches, PC Cards for notebook computers, digital set-up boxes, embedded controllers, and other devices.

   Traditional program flowcharting involves the use of simple geometric symbols to represent a process (a rectangle), a decision (a diamond), or an I/O process (a symbol looking something like the home plate in baseball). These symbols are defined in ANSI x 3.5 and ISO 1028.

   Floating point numbers are numbers that are carried out to a certain decimal position (such as 2.17986). They are stored in three parts: the sign (plus or minus), the significant or mantissa which is the digits that are meaningful, and the exponent or order of magnititude of the significant, which determines the place to which the decimal point floats. Floating point numbers are binary (expressed in powers of 2).

   Some software you might download from the World Wide Web, such as Macromedia's Shockwave, may require that your computer have a floating point unit. If it doesn't, you may be able to download an FPU emulator that will fool the software into thinking you have one.

   In computer video streams, the frame rate describes playback rates for AVI and QuickTime movies. The video playback rate for an AVI or QuickTime movie directly relates to the perceived smoothness of its playback. The higher the number of frames playing per second, the smoother the video playback appears to the user. Lower rates result in a choppy playback. (As a reference point, film uses 24 frames per second to allow the viewer to perceive smooth playback.) Several factors affect the actual frame rate you get on your computer. For example, your PC processor or graphics hardware may only be capable of playing 10-15 frames per second without acceleration.

   In developing motion pictures, television, and video, frame rate information is used as a reference for audio signals. The recorded signal includes information about location in time using a 24-hour clock, and individual frame numbers. This signal is used to synchronize multiple audio and video machines during the recording and editing process. Using a master synchronizing device, the operator can issue location commands from a central machine and have all slaved machine follow the master.

______________________________________________________________

Designed By Wessam Sherif, All Rights Reserved.