Glossary

I

I/O Input and output.

I/O address Hexadecimal number that the CPU uses to identify a device.

icon Little picture on your screen that responds with an action when you point to it with the mouse, single-click it, or double-click it.

ICS See Internet Connection Sharing.

ICS client Computer on a LAN that uses an ICS server to share a connection to the Internet.

ICS server Computer running the Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) proxy server software and serving as a gateway from a LAN to the Internet.

IDE Integrated Drive Electronics, a standard type of disk connection, used for hard disks and CD-ROM drives. EIDE (or ATA 2) is an enhanced version of IDE.

identity In Address Book, user name that enables each user of the computer to maintain a separate list of address.

IE See Internet Explorer.

IEEE 1394 See FireWire.

IEEE 802.11b Standard for wireless LAN communications. Wi-Fi and HomeRF are both based on the IEEE 802.11b standard.

i.Link See FireWire.

Image mode See Binary mode.

IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol, used for storing and delivering Internet e-mail.

IMAP server See incoming mail server.

incoming connection Network connection that allows another computer to connect to your computer by phone (dial-up), over a cable between the two computers (direct), or over the Internet (VPN).

incoming mail server Internet host computer running a server program that stores your mail messages until you download them into your e-mail program or read them using a e-mail Web site. The two common types of incoming mail servers use the POP and IMAP protocols.

incremental backup Backup of only those files that are new or have changed since the last backup.

indexed attribute Determines whether or not a file will be included in the Windows Indexing Service index, which is used when searching for files.

Indexing Service Windows service that creates and maintains catalogs of the contents and properties of files, so that searches for files with particular words, phrases, or properties can be performed more quickly.

INI or initialization file File that contains configuration information used when a program loads, with the extension .ini.

installation file File that contains all the files required for a program to run, along with an installation program.

internal modem Modem on an adapter board inside your computer.

Internet account Account with an Internet service provider (ISP) that allows you to connect your computer to the Internet, including dial-up, DSL, ISDN, and cable Internet accounts.

Internet address See URL.

Internet Connection Firewall Firewall program built into Windows XP.

Internet Connection Sharing Windows feature that allows all the computers on a LAN to share the Internet connection of one computer (the ICS server).

Internet Connection Wizard Wizard run by Outlook Express to set up an e-mail account. In previous versions of Windows, this Wizard set up dial-up connections as well.

Internet Explorer (IE) Microsoft's browser, which comes with Windows.

Internet Message Access Protocol See IMAP.

Internet Options dialog box The Internet Properties dialog box is the same thing, but displayed using a different command.

Internet Protocol address See IP address.

Internet service provider See ISP.

Internet shortcut File that acts as a placeholder for a Web page, stored with the extension .url.

Internet zone Security zone that includes the computers that don't fall into any other zone.

interrupt Channel that a device can use to alert the CPU that the device needs attention. Also called IRQ.

intranet Network installed within an organization, with a Web server that allows only people within the organization to view Web pages from that server.

IP address Internet protocol address, the numerical address of a computer connected to the Internet.

IPX/SPX Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange, a protocol used primarily in the Novell NetWare operating system.

IRQ See interrupt.

ISA Industry Standard Architecture, an older standard type of expansion slot or card.

ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network, a phone line that enables your computer to connect to another computer digitally.

ISDN terminal adapter, ISDN TA, or ISDN modem Device that connects your computer to an ISDN line (instead of a modem).

ISP Internet service provider, an organization that provides dial-in Internet accounts, usually PPP, CSLIP, or SLIP accounts, but sometimes UNIX shell accounts.