media glossary - D

D&B
A popular reference for the Dun & Bradstreet credit reporting firm. (See Dun & Bradstreet)

dark fiber
A needlessly daunting phrase for unused, but available fiber optic cable. When fiber is laid, there is considerable excess capacity in the form of dark fiber. Right now, only 0.1% of fiber is in use. This is significant because there needs to be excess capactiy in the fiber that is being laid now. A law of computers states that need rises to meet excess capacity. Simply put, we will find a way to use up any dark fiber left lying around.

data
The information stored in a computer system.

data compression
That's where we take the ones and zeros and make them into smaller ones and zeros! Actually, data compression takes data, sound, images or other digital information, finds the redundancies and applies some sort of shorthand to eliminate the wasted space. Compressed data takes less disk space and less time to transmit. The downside is that the data has to be efficiently "expanded" at the receiving end.

data definition
A definition for viruses that attack data files (more accurately, the data fork of a file), such as HyperCard stacks.

data fork
The part of a Macintosh file that contains data. For example, text entered using a word processor is stored in the data fork of the document file. (See resource fork)

data processing
The systematic handling of data by the execution of a sequence of computer instructions to produce information or achieve a specific result.

data switch
Piece of hardware that allows a PC or terminal to access one of any available main frames.
database A collection of computerized information, such as a single profit center or a group of profit centers.

DAVIC
Digital Audio and Visual Council, spun off of MPEG, to develop end-to-end standard platform for broadband interactive multimedia networks.

DBA
A reference term for "doing business as" before the trade name under which a business operates.

DBS
Direct Broadcasting via Satellite – the recent innovation allowing consumers to receive programs via a pizza-sized dish that is locked onto one satellite source. The signal is NTSC, digitized and compressed via a proprietary format, and decompressed by a set-top box.

debug
To detect, locate, and eliminate mistakes in a program or a malfunction in a computer's electronic circuits.

deck
Copy which supports the main headline. Used to draw readers into the main text.

decoy
A unique name especially inserted in a mailing list for verification of list usage.

dedicated or leased lines
Direct communications connections between two sites.

deduction
Either a discount subtracted from the value of an invoice by the company or the amount withheld from a payment by the customer.

default button
A button with a heavy border that activates when you click it or press Enter.

deferred payment
Invoicing at the agreed upon time with actual payment delayed or postponed until a future date.

demographic ad
Advertisements which only run in certain copies of a particular issue. Demographics are based on a portion of the circulation other then geographic, such as all doctors, all engineers, men, women, etc.

demo software
A demonstration version of a companies software product. These demo versions usually are full versions of the software except the can only be used for a certain amount of time.
descender Portions of letters that extend below the body of the type. The letters "p", "q", and "y" have descenders while "r" and "s" do not.

design
Graphic and pictorial representation of an idea.

desk accessory
A "mini-application" that is available from the Apple menu regardless of which application you are currently using.

desktop
Your working environment on the computer.

desktop file
An invisible file used by the Finder to store information such as the location of file and folder icons on a disk (Macintosh).

dial-up access
Computer connection made over standard telephone lines via a modem.

dial-up IP account
An account that allows a user to dial-in to a service provider and connect to the Internet.

dialog box
A box that appears on the computer screen fror the user to answer questions to define the next steps or process.

dickstrip
The list of labels that are sent to a printer to be put on the magazines that are mailed out.

diecut
Technique of using a specially made die to punch out a portion of a page or cover, to create oddly shaped perforations, or any number of special effects.

digital or digitized
The representation of analog information as ones and zeros. Since analog information (sound, video, etc) and computers don't get along, we digitize, or sample, the analog information. When our vocal cords vibrate they do so in a continuous manner (and we all know people whose vocal cords vibrate continuously). Digital sampling takes the waves that something in nature creates, like sound from our mouths, records only part of the information and throws away the rest. Fortunately, the sampling is done ofte n enough that when it is played back, our perception tells us that it is the real thing.

digital switching
Phone companies have traditionally had electomechanical switching, which just means that there is a physical switch that is thrown by an electrical charge. Digital switching has no moving parts. A digital switch is like a small computer that decides which way the flow of electrons should go.

direct mail advertising
Any promotional effort using the postal service or other direct delivery service for distribution of the advertising message.

direct response advertising
1. Advertising designed to generate a measurable response. Both the advertising and the response can be by any medium such as mail, telephone, television, cable TV, radio.
2. The school of advertising that says, "The Internet is an interactive medium. If the consumer interacts with our marketing efforts, we've done our job." Unfortunately for agencies, there's nowhere to hide with interactive campaigns, as they produce precise success or failure measurements.

directory (computer)
A file that catalogs a group of files and allows qualified users to access them.

disk
A magnetic recording medium, (for example: disk pack, disk cartridge, diskette, fixed-head disk).

disk drive
A machine that physically reads from and writes to disk.

distributed computing
Another name for the type of computing that networks allow. With combinations of PCs and servers, an organization's data and applications software may be scattered among different machines. In the old world, central mainframes hoarded all the goodies.

division
A separately functioning business activity with the parent company responsible for payment of debts; a part of an organization, but larger than a department, usually not separately incorporated as in a subsidiary.

DMA mail preference service
A service provided by the Direct Marketing Association that enables individuals to have their names and addresses removed from mailing lists. These names are made available to both members and non-members of the association. (See MPS)

DNS

Domain Name System; The Internet system that translates words like make.money.com into numerical addresses only a computer could love.

document file
A file that is created by or associated with an application and contains no executable code. Examples include word processing documents, databases, and spreadsheets.

domain
The highest subdivision of the Internet, that comes after the 'dot' in the internet URL.  The domain is either a country (uk for United Kingdom) or type of entity (org for organization).

domain name
The part of an Internet address that comes after the "@" sign in an email address, or before the 'domain' in a URL.

domestic only
Ads running in the U.S. version of a publication. Such ads are not included in any of the copies shipped overseas.

donors
Those who order magazine subscriptions as gifts for friends, relatives, associates, etc. There are non-receiving donors and receiving donors - those who also get the magazine themselves.

DOS

Disk Operating System; The fundamental housekeeping software of a computer system equipped with disk storage. Also known as PC-DOS or MS-DOS, the operating system of older IBM and IBM-compatible personal computers.

downsizing
Moving a computing function – accounting or inventory management, for example, from a large computer to a smaller machine or network. More bad news for mainframes.

down time
The period of time when a computer has been shut down. Reasons vary from systems' crash, to preventive maintenance, to upgrading, etc.

downloading
Basically copying a file from one computer to another. i.e Downloading the upgrade to a program from the manufactures website.

downsizing
Moving a computing function - accounting or inventory management, for example - from a large computer to a smaller machine or network. More bad news for mainframes.

DPI (Dots Per Inch)
Refers to the number of pixels or dots of ink in one square inch. It is a measurement of the resolution or sharpness of text and graphics for printers or monitors.

DSMCC
Digital Storage Media Command Control, an MPEG subgroup working on control commands between set-tops and servers.

dual-scan display
A type of a passive matrix display used in notebook computers. The top and bottom halves of the screen are refreshed simultaneously, improving the display quality.

dummy
A preliminary layout showing the positions of illustrations and text as they are to appear in the final product.

Dun & Bradstreet
Corporate credit reporting firm. (See D&B)

duotone
Printing a photograph in two colors, such as black and orange. When the inks mix, the printed piece takes on the appearance of a third color (in this case, brown).

DVD
Originally an acronym for Digital Video Disc now stands for Digital Versatile Disc. A disc, similar to a CD, that can hold a two-hour movie. Requires a DVD player or can be used in a computer's DVD-ROM drive.