S
s: SI abbreviation for second (for example when part of a compound 30 s, 30 ns); see sec.
S.: “south” in addresses
SaaS: software as a service
SAE: Society of Automotive Engineers
safety: in some computing contexts, a technical term meaning the quality of making sure that nothing bad happens. Safety, for example, ensures that a calculation is performed, but not that the results of the calculation are actually returned to a user or program module. Do not use this term without an explanation; compare with liveness.
SAGE: Semi-Automatic Ground Environment
SAML: Security Assertion Markup Language; an OASIS standard
SAN: storage area network; system area network
SATAN: Security Administrator Tool for Analyzing Networks; do not lowercase the acronym
SAX: Simple API for XML
scalable: Microsoft Word’s spell-check dictionary suggests scaleable, but we spell it without the internal e.
ScaLapack: a benchmarking package; see also Lapack
scan-in; scan-out (n)
scan line (n): one of the lines that make up a graphics display
scatterplot
Scene: Scientific Computation Environment for Numerical Experimentation, a scientific visualization environment developed at Rutgers
schema: term used in artificial intelligence and in modeling to represent an approach, scheme, or relation precisely and usually diagrammatically. Ensure that the generic scheme is inappropriate before using schema. Plural is schemas, not the Greek schemata.
Scheme: an artificial intelligence language
SchrÃ?¶dinger equation: spell with umlaut, not oe
SCI: scalable coherent interface
SCO Group: formerly the Santa Cruz Operation (company)
scratch pad (n), scratch-pad (adj): a fast auxiliary computer memory, usually used for temporary data storage
screen dump (n), screenshot (n), screensaver (n)
scroll bar (n)
SCS: Society for Computer Simulation International
SCSI: Small Computer System Interface; pronounced “skuzzy” and takes a as its article
SDI: serial digital interface
SDK: software developer’s kit
SDRAM: synchronous DRAM (dynamic random access memory)
SE: “southeast” in addresses
sec: nontechnical abbreviation for second when it stands alone (or spell it out, especially in feature articles)
second sourcing (n): in manufacturing, the practice of using an alternate company to produce something that the original manufacturer designed and produces itself—for example, when the original manufacturer cannot make enough to meet demand
SEI: Software Engineering Institute, a US Defense Dept. research arm (managed by the US Navy) based at Carnegie Mellon University
Semantic Web: an extension of the current Web using standards such as RDF along with ontologies and other mechanisms to define meaning for abstract data to facilitate machine-machine communication
semi-: prefix; do not hyphenate
September 11, 2001 (9/11)
Serial ATA
Series 1000: but the 1000 series
servocontroller: servo by itself is not sufficient
servomechanism: an automatic feedback system that monitors an operation and makes necessary adjustments; servo is not sufficient
set-top box: an interactive television device that sits on top of the television
setup (n), set up (v)
SGI: formerly Silicon Graphics Inc.
SGML: Standard Generalized Markup Language
SGMP: Simple Gateway-Monitoring Protocol
shar: shell archive; a file combination protocol
shrink-wrapped
SI: acronym for the French version of International System of Units, a scientific method of expressing the magnitude or quantity of seven specific natural phenomena
SIA: Semiconductor Industry Association
SIAM: Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
SID: Society for Information Display
SIG: special-interest group; see ACM
Siggraph; Sigmod
Sigma: a project to develop a software-development workstation environment, staffed by a consortium of companies working under the direction of Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) through the Information-Processing Technology Agency (IPA)
signs: see the Numbers and Symbols section
SIIA: Software Information Industry Assoc.
Sim: benchmark
SIMD: single instruction, multiple data—the simplest form of parallel architecture; pronounced “sim-dee” and takes a as its article. Spell out on first use if necessary for contextual clarity. Use hyphens when written out and used as a modifier/adjective.
*SIMM: single, in-line memory module
Simox: separation by implanted oxygen
single-sign-on
single-stuck-at fault model: see stuck-at
SIP: Session Initiation Protocol
SITA: SociÃ?©tÃ?© Internationale de TÃ?©lÃ?©communications AÃ?©ronautiques
sizeable: Webster’s also uses sizable
SkinnyDIP: trademark name for thin-packaged DIP chips (DIP stands for dual in-line package)
Slim: Software Life-Cycle Management, a project-estimation system developed by Lawrence Putnam
SLP: Service Location Protocol
small-scale (adj)
smart card (n)
smartphone (n)
SMD: surface-mount device
SME: Society of Manufacturing Engineers
SMIL: Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language; use a before acronym—pronounced “smile”
S/MIME: secure MIME
SMS: short message service
SMT: surface-mount technology
SMTP: Simple Mail-Transfer Protocol
SNAP: scalable networks and platforms; phrase coined by Gordon Bell and Jim Gray at University of California, Berkeley
SNMP: Simple Network-Management Protocol
SNR: signal-to-noise ratio
SOA: service-oriented architecture
*SOAP: a Web services messaging protocol; originally the acronym for Simple Object Access Protocol, the term is no longer defined in common use
SOC: service-oriented computing; service-oriented collaboration
SoC: system-on-chip (adj); system on chip (n); systems on chip (n pl); abbreviated plural noun form is SoCs.
soft copy (n), soft-copy (adj)
software-hardware development (n)
softwire
soho: small office/home office
SOJ: small-outline, J-lead
solid modeling (n), solid-modeling (adj): okay to omit hyphen in graphics or visualization publications
son: one of several family words used to describe relationships among nodes in databases; the term is legitimate—don’t edit it out
Sonet: Synchronous Optical Network; a Bellcore standard
Sony PlayStation
source code: no hyphen for n or adj
SPA: Software Publishers Association, now part of SIIA (see entry above); also scratchpad area (from IEEE)
spam: junk e-mail
Sparc: Sun Microsystems’ scalable processor architecture; a RISC-based CPU used primarily in engineering workstations
Sparcstation: examples are Sparcstation IPX and Sparcstation 2
SPC: Software Productivity Consortium, a research group
SPEC: System Performance Evaluation Corporation (formerly System Performance Evaluation Cooperative); a vendor-sponsored source of the SPEC benchmarks; examples are the SPECint92 and SPECfp92
speedup (n)
Spice: simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis
*SPIE: Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers; the organization now styles itself “the international society for optical engineering”
spreadsheet (n)
Springer: book publisher; use in all references
*SQL: Structured Query Language
squash-and-stretch (n): function that enlarges and reduces, not necessarily in proportion to all dimensions; also called rubberbanding
SRAM: static RAM
SRI: Stanford Research Institute
SSH: Secure Shell or Secure Socket Shell; a security protocol
SSI: small-scale integration, typically from one to four circuits
SSL: Secure Sockets Layer; a security protocol
stand-alone (adj)
Staran
Stars: Software Technology for Adaptable, Reliable Systems; a US Defense Dept. project
Star Tap
StartTLS
start-up (n, adj)
state of the art (n), state-of-the-art (adj): represents the highest level of available technology (as compared with “state of the practice,” which is the highest level in general use). It is an overworked phrase; consider substituting “current technology.”
state-transition (adj)
stereo pair (n): two pictures that produce a 3D image
stuck-at (adj), stuck-at fault (n): a type of circuit defect in which a gate can be stuck at either 1 or 0: stuck-at-1 fault, stuck-at-0 fault; can also be abbreviated as SA1 and SA0
stuck-open fault (n): not synonymous with stuck-at fault
stylesheet (n, adj)
Styrofoam: use foam or plastic foam when referring to generic consumer or packaging products; capitalize when used as a trademark
subsystem (n)
Sun OS: Sun Microsystems’ version of the Unix operating system
SunSoft: division of Sun Microsystems that provides system software
Sun workstation: initial capital on “Sun”; from Sun Microsystems
Sunmos: Sandia/University of New Mexico operating system; an OS for the Intel Paragon parallel supercomputer
super-: no hyphen when used to form a compound word (supercomputer)
supercomputer (n): no fixed processing speed definition; changes with advances in technology
supermini: short for superminicomputer, which is the preferred usage
surface: Do not use as a transitive verb in the sense of “bringing to the top.” A whale surfaces, but a speaker does not surface an idea. If you must give buoyancy to ideas, float them. However, surface can be used as a transitive verb in the sense of “refining or smoothing a physical surface,” as in surfacing lumber.
surface-mount device, surface-mount technology: board manufacturing method in which chips are “glued” to boards
SW: “southwest” in addresses
SWEBOK Guide: Preferred abbreviated format to use when referring to the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge
SWIG: amplified wrapper and interface generator
systemwide
T
*2D: two-dimensional, no hyphen
*3D: three-dimensional, no hyphen
3DES: (say: “triple DES”)
T1: digital transmission at 1.544 Mbits per second; T3 is a faster line
tape out
tar: tape archive; file combination protocol
task ID: use the one-word form, taskid, only in program statements
task type: use the one-word form, tasktype, only in program statements
Tbyte: terabyte; one billion bytes
TC: technical committee; spell out on first use
Tcl/Tk: a computer language developed by John Ousterhout of UC Berkeley; can also be separate—Tcl and Tk
*TCP: Transmission Control Protocol
TCPA: Microsoft’s Trusted Computing Platform Architecture, formerly known as Palladium
TDM: time-division multiplexing
TDMA: time-division multiple access
telephone numbers: see the Numbers and Symbols section; also CMS 6.82
teletext: a noninteractive (broadcast) text/graphics communications system
Teletype: use only when describing Teletype Corp. equipment; generic word is teletypewriter
teletypewriter: see above; abbreviated TTY
television: okay to abbreviate as TV
telex: acronym for teletype exchange, a service that permits the transmission of data using commercial telecommunication facilities comprised of a network of teletypewriters
Tell-A-Graf: graphics software by Computer Associates International
Telenet (n): Terminal Emulation Protocol; US Sprint’s switching network originally developed for Arpanet
testbed (n): an environment containing all the components necessary for testing a system
tests (statistical): F-test; t-test, chi-square test; P value; Wilcoxon rank sum test
TeX: see LaTeX; pronounced “tech”
Tflops: teraflops; one billion flops
TFT: thin-film transistor
the: When referring to an academic institution’s name that starts with the (such as the University of Texas), lowercase “the” or delete it. Always delete “the” in a byline. This rule stands regardless of the format on university stationery, seals, and so forth. When referring to a corporate entity whose name begins with “the” (such as the Irvine Company), lowercase or delete “the.”
ThinDIP: trademark name for thin-packaged DIP chips; “DIP” stands for dual in-line package
Thomas J. Watson Research Center, T.J. Watson Research Center: an IBM facility; refer to as IBM T.J. Watson Research Center on first use
Thomas J. Watson: when referring to the persons, distinguish between Jr. and Sr.
three-space, three-dimensional space: a mathematical term; also 3-space; can be written as S3 or R3
throughput
tif: an electronic file format
*TIFF: tagged image-file format; graphics-file format; even though the filename extension is .tif, the acronym is TIFF
tiling: a nonoverlapping approach to window management
time frame
time line: description of events during a particular historical period; timeline: a schedule of events or procedures
time-multiplexed (adj)
time-out (n), time out (v)
time-shared (adj)
time-sharing (n): simultaneous use of a central computer by many users at remote locations
time sheet (n)
time stamp (n)
time step (n), time-step (adj)
time to market
TIP: terminal interface processor
TLB: translation look-aside buffer
TLS: Transport Layer Security
TMS32010, TMS34010: no space between letters and numbers; processors from Texas Instruments
toolbox (n), toolkit (n), toolset (n): one word when used in computer contexts
TOP: Technical Office Protocol; see MAP/TOP
top-down design
touch pad (n): a touch-sensitive user interface
touchscreen (n): a touch-sensitive user interface
TP0-TP4: Transport Protocol Class 0 to 4; a set of transmission protocols in the ISO protocol suite
traceable; traceback; traceroute
trackball (n)
trademark: The registered trademark (®) symbol indicates that the trademark is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office; (™) indicates the trademark is pending. Avoid using trademark symbols in text. However, oblige an author who owns a trademark and insists upon its use. In this case, use the company’s name before the product on first reference to establish ownership, for example, Sun’s Sbus; thereafter, use the product name by itself.
tradeoff (n); trade off (v)
transition: Do not use as a verb.
transputer (n) (transister computer): a microprocessor with local memory and communication links. It’s both an Inmos product and a generic term.
troff: text run-off; pronounce “tee-roff”; a Unix text-format front-end (coding) and output (printing) processor; variations include nroff and ditroff (device-independent troff)
Trojan horse
TRON: The Real-Time Operating-System Nucleus, a Japanese computer project to develop hardware and software technology to run household systems that are independent but communicate with each other for smart homes and the like; modules include MTRON, BTRON, ITRON, CTRON, and ITRON
TSR: terminate-and-stay-resident
TTL: transistor-transistor logic
TTS (adj): text-to-speech
t-test: a statistical test that deals with the problems associated with inference based on small samples
-tuple: suffix for a set <> elements
turnaround
turnkey (adj): describes a system delivered ready to run without adding any hardware or software; synonym for off the shelf
*TV: abbreviation for television
TWAIN: technology without an interesting name—programming interface that lets a graphics application activate a scanner or other image-capturing device
U
UBE: unsolicited bulk e-mail
UCE: unsolicited commercial e-mail
UCS: universal character set
*UDDI: universal description, discovery, and integration
UDP: User Datagram Protocol
UI: unit interval; a measure of time
UIMS: user-interface management system; UIMSs (plural)
UIP: user-interface presentation
UIST: user-interface software and technology
UK: United Kingdom (no periods), comprising England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales; not synonymous with Britain. Do not use UK if the country name is sufficient.
ULSI: ultralarge-scale integration; can be used as a stand-alone noun when referring to the concept but not to physical objects, for example: ULSI circuit, ULSI chip
Ultracomputer: IBM and New York University’s supercomputer
Ultranet
ultrawideband (adj.): See also UWB.
UML: Unified Modeling Language
UMTS: Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
UN: United Nations (no periods)
uni-: not hyphenated as a prefix (uniprocessor)
unicode
UniForum
Univac: Universal Automatic Computer
University X at Y, or University X, Y, or University X-Y: Follow the specific institution’s usage. Although some universities capitalize the and consider it part of the university’s name, Computer Society style either deletes or lowercases the word. Thus, it is the Ohio State University (not The Ohio State University) and the University of Kansas (not The University of Kansas). See also the. It’s University of California at Santa Barbara, but all other UC campuses use this format: University of California, Berkeley. A resource for the correct format of university names is www.mit.edu:8001/people/cdemello/univ.html.
Unix: a multilanguage operating system developed at AT&T Bell Laboratories; various versions are in existence
upgradable
UPnP: universal plug and play
*URI: uniform resource identifier
uppercase
*URL: uniform resource locator
URN: uniform resource name
*US (n, adj): United States; no periods
*USB: Universal Serial Bus
Usenix: now the Advanced Computing Systems Association
user-friendly (adj): frequently overused; avoid unless appropriate to the context
username
USRA: Universities Space Research Association
UTF-8: Unicode Transformation Format-8
UUCPnet: Unix-to-Unix copy network
UWB: ultrawideband, a wireless communications technology
* OK to use acronym or abbreviation on first reference.
