Vendor Lock-In
This is a term that describes a technique that some unscrupulous vendors use to make it difficult for the customer to change vendors once they have made a purchase. For example by buying a particular type of MP3 player, you are forced to buy the music from that same vendor.
Virtual Reality
A digital simulation of the real world. The most realistic form is immersed virtual reality where the user moves from being an observer to being a participant. This is a natural direction for the computer games industry to take.
Virtualisation
A term used to make many physical resources appear as one logical resource to the user. An example being data spread across several database servers presented to the users as a single screen form. It is also used to describe the partitioning of physical resources into multiple virtual resources. For example enabling more than one operating system to run on a given computer. A hot term.
Virus
Software that performs a function that is usually not in the interests of the unaware user. Viruses rely on user communication and so are often transmitted via email.
Vista
Microsoft's most recent desktop operating system.
VoIP
Voice over Internet Protocol. A standard / technology for sending voice traffic over the Internet. A way of making long-distance calls for free.
VPN
Virtual Private Network. A network that makes use of the Internet but does so in a very secure manner. It offers better security than the Internet and is cheaper than leased lines.
Wan
Wide Area Network. A network typically linking cities within and between countries, enabling connected devices (e.g. PCs) to communicate with each other. It is best to think of a WAN as a network that links two or more LANs together over a large distance.
Waterfall
This us a reference to the traditional approach to building IT systems. See RAD and Agile for alternative approaches.
Web 2.0
A somewhat vague term used to convey that the web has become exciting again. Possibly it is suggesting the web moving from being just a big library of information to an applications superstore. See Web Services.
Web farm
A reference to a site that houses many servers. Often associated with large storage users such as Google. End user companies can own web farms. However a web farm can be a reference to a company that provides storage and processing services to clients.
Web Services
A concept that describes the delivery of applications to users via the web. Rather than buying the applications, the users rent the service so to speak. This is a hot area of IT.
Wi-fi
See WLAN.
Wiki
An approach to sharing information and knowledge via the web. Wikis allow visitors to update the content, which gives it a community feel. However there is also the risk that knowledgeable contributors may not underpin the content.
WiMAX
A wireless standard associated with metropolitan area networks. Ie LANs that stretch around a city. Also known as 802.16.
Windows
A style of presentation associated with IT. Both applications and operating systems can have a Windows interface. These days this is seen as standard. They are graphical in nature and very much associated with the GUI concept. Whilst Microsoft did not create the concept Windows is often a reference to the MS Windows family of operating systems.
Wintel
This is a reference to computing devices that run Microsoft Windows and are powered by an Intel processor. It is usually a reference to a computer based on IBM's original PC specification.
WLAN
Wireless Local Area Network. This is a short range wireless networking technology. In essence it is a wireless version of Ethernet. Also known as 802.11(a-z). See Wi-Fi.
Workstation
A general term referring to computers normally found on the user's desk.
World Wide Web
A library of interconnected information (not necessarily accurate) stored on pages on servers sprinkled across the Internet. See also Web 2.0.
Worm
A self-replicating virus that eventually leads to the infected computer crashing.
XML
eXxtensible Markup Language. This is an approach to developing data dictionaries. This is important in respect of systems integration where different systems are more likely to integrate together if they have the same data definitions for each data item involved.
XP
See Windows XP.
XP
See Extreme Programming.
Zettabyte
A rather large number of bytes. 10 to the power of 21 to be precise. People who use this term in conversation are likely to be quite insecure.