media glossary - F

facing text
Term used to describe the placement of an advertising page opposite a page of editorial copy.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions;  A list of questions and answers, the most common format for reducing the number of requests in online discussions.

fax-on-demand
A service allowing fax documents to be retrieved at any time from a "fax server" computer.

FCC
The Federal Communications Commission, which advises Congress on technical issues and regulates all forms of telecommunications.

FDDI
One of several technologies vying to supercharge today's networks. FDDI, which stands for Fiber Distributed Data Interface, is 10 times faster than Ethernet. Because it's also much more expensive, it's now used mostly for connecting big server computers rather than for linking PCs.

fiber optics
Fiber-optic cable, made of glass fibers instead of copper strands. Data, expressed as pulses of light rather than electrons, is transmitted by lasers or other devices. Optical fiber can carry billions of bits a second, many times more than coaxial or copper wire, and is less sensitive to electronic interference.

file
A collection of data; that is, a computer program, document, or software application.

file server
A central disk storage device (or devices) connected to a network that provides network users access to shared applications and data files.

file system
An operating system mechanism that governs the definition of a file and how files are created, stored, updated, and deleted.

file type
A four-character code, stored along with a creator code in each file, that identifies its type. Applications use this code to determine if a file is in a format that can be read by the application.

filename
A computerized alphanumeric file identifier. All filenames in a single directory must be unique.

filler ad
Usually used to fill "hole" created when an ad or editorial copy drops out of an issue at the last minute. House ads are commonly used as fillers.

financial notice ads
Advertisements related to tombstones and other financially oriented notices.

finger
If an account is fingerable, fingering that account will tell you various information about that account. What information is returned varies from account to account. Usually there is information such as the real name of the person whose account it is, the last time they logged into that account, and perhaps a "plan" file.

fire wall
One way to keep hackers out. Some networking devices can limit access to sensitive parts of a network. For example, a company might authorize access to its salary records only to a computer in a particular location that gives a secret password. But any PC user might to be able to send e-mail to the personnel department requesting information.

fiscal year
The chosen accounting year used as the basis for annual financial reporting. The chosen year may be different from the calendar year.

five color
Combination on press of four "process" color inks plus a match color (PMS) or a standard color.

fixed assets
Property used in carrying on a business but which cannot be consumed or converted into cash in the normal course of its operation; (fixtures, furniture, computers, etc)

flame
Usually a violent ad attack against another person in a newsgroup or other area for public messages.

floppy disk
A computer magnetic storage medium that looks like a flexible 45-rpm record, permanently sealed in a paper jacket that has a small window.

FOB
Short for Free on Board. The shipping point or destination at which responsibility for freight charges begins and title passes. (See Free On Board)

folder
A grouping of files and/or folders that is represented by a folder-shaped icon on the desktop. Folders can contain documents, applications, and other folders. A folder is sometimes referred to as a directory or subdirectory.

folio
A single page in a particular issue. (See Total Folio)

font
A complete alphabet of characters in a specific type face.

foot
1) The bottom of a page.
2) To add a column of numbers and write the total at the bottom.

foreign exchange
Conversion of the money of one country into its equivalent in the currency of another country.

forklift upgrade
A new network that requires companies to junk their old ones. Derogatory slang for how vendors have inconvenienced customers.

Form
A folded section of a printed product. For example: a 16 page form is 16 of the total number of pages, folded and ready for binding. Each form is slit to become actual pages. (See Signature)

fortnightly
A publication issued once within a two week period.

FORTRAN
Formula Translating System. A computer programming language used primarily in scientific and technical applications for solving mathematical or statistical problems.

four color
The use of the four process colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, and black) to simulate full-color photos.

FPO "For Position Only."
Written on stats to position artwork. Not for reproduction purposes.

frame relay
A "fast packet" service that moves chunks of data through public networks at relatively fast speeds.

free on board
The shipping point or destination at which responsibility for freight charges begins and title passes. (See FOB)

freelancer
Non-staff writer, programmer, artist, or graphics designer hired on a project-to-project basis.

freeware
Free software. Not to be confused with shareware.

frequency
The number of times per second that a signal fluctuates. The international unit for frequency is the hertz, abbreviated Hz. One thousand hertz equals 1 KHz (kilohertz). One million hertz equals 1 MHz (megahertz). One billion hertz equals 1 GHz (gigahertz). Television is broadcast in frequencies ranging from 54 MHz to 216 MHz (VHF) and 470 MHz to 806 MHz (UHF).

frequency discount
An inducement to an advertiser to make more frequent purchases of ad space by reducing the price based on volume.

frequency rates
Rate structure of a magazine or other advertising medium. Rates vary based on the number of ads placed in a 12 month contract period.

front-end
A program that improves the appeal and ease of use of communications programs. The front end is often run locally on a user's machine.

FSN

Full Service Network; A term that has come to mean a broadband system which will greatly expand the entertainment, information, transaction and communications available through a variety of delivery appliances. Such early attributes as VOD, polling and messaging will grow to video conferencing and self-produced programming over the next decade.

FTP

File Transfer Protocol; Method for providing access to file archives and transferring files over the Internet.

full-motion video
This is what we are used to seeing, not that jerky, jumpy stuff that you see on multi-media PC's. Full-motion video runs at 30 frames-per-second (fps), versus 15 fps on some teleconferencing, on older PCs and on CDs.

future starts
Request by the subscriber to start his subscription at a future rather than a current date.