FACED MAIL
Mail arranged so that addresses face the same way.
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FACING IDENTIFICATION MARK
Used for automated facing and presorting business reply, courtesy reply and certain OCR mail pieces. A specific series of parallel bars printed near the top of return envelopes or cards.
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FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION
Process by which a document is scanned, converted into electrical signals, transmitted, and recorded or displayed as a copy of the original.
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FAQ
See Frequently Asked Questions.
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FAT (FILE ALLOCATION TABLE)
The FAT (file allocation table) is where DOS keeps its information about all the files on a partition and about the disk location of all the blocks that make up each file. Because losing a FAT can be fatal in the PC world, DOS maintains a second copy of the FAT.
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FATAL ERROR
An error condition that halts further processing by the program.
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FAULT-TOLERANT
A program or system capable of correct operation even during the failure of components.
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FAX
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FCM
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FDDI
Fiber Distributed Data Interface.
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FDDI (FIBER DISTRIBUTED DATA INTERFACE)
FDDI is a proposed ANSI standard specification for a network architecture that is for use with fiber-optic lines at very high speeds. An FDDl network has the following characteristics: Is capable on multimode or single-mode fiber-optic cable. Will support transmission speeds of up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps). Uses a ring topology and token-passing for medial access. FDDl uses light, rather than electricity, to encode signals. And FDDl will support a network span of up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) and nodes up to 1.25 miles apart in multi-mode cabling and up to 25 miles apart in single cable mode. It will support up to 1000 users on the network.
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FDIC
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. A federally sponsored corporation that insures deposits up to a stated amount in national banks and certain other qualifying financial institutions.
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FEDERAL RESERVE BANK
Any one of 12 regional banks that make up the Federal Reserve System. The Federal Reserve System helps clear and settle inter-bank payments, among other responsibilities.
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FEDI
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FEEDER
A device that automatically loads documents, one at a time, into the track of the transport.
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FI
See Financial Institution.
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FIBER DISTRIBUTED DATA INTERFACE (FDDI)
A standard for transmitting data on optical fiber cables at a rate of around 100,000,000 bits-per-second (10 times as fast as Ethernet, about twice as fast as T-3).
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FIBER OPTIC
This type of cable is unique because it uses light pulses instead of electrical signals to carry data. This makes it an excellent networking cabling. It is capable of very high bandwidths, is not effected by interference and can carry signals a very long distance. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are used to send the signal down the optical fiber.
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FIBER OPTICS
An optical system that uses glass or transparent plastic fibers as light transmitting media. A high-speed channel for transmitting data. Made of high-purity glass sealed within an opaque tube. Much faster than conventional copper wire such as coaxial cable.
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FIELD
Usually the smallest data element in a record; a specified area used for a particular category of data; for example, columns used to represent a particular item of data, such as an employees wage (fixed field). The particular field is always used to record the same kind of information. In free field records, each field has an identifier that is present in the record and linked to the contents of the field.
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FIELD OF VIEW
The width of a document that can be read in one scan.
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FILE
A collection of information, such as text, data, or images saved on a disk or hard drive. An organized collection of related records (see record). Each file is assigned a name in order to locate it in memory.
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FILE CACHING
File caching (or image) is a scheme in which an portion of RAM is reserved for use as fast-access of images or cache memory. Frequently used images or files are kept in this cache area for faster access. When there is a request for an image, the operating system first checks whether the image is in the cache.
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FILE FORMAT
A type of program or data file. Some common image file formats include TIFF, PICT, and EPS. The type of file, such as picture or text, represented as a suffix at the end of the filename (.TXT or .DOC).
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FILE HEADER RECORD
The first record in a file containing information necessary to route, validate and track the entries contained therein.
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FILE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
A collection of programs that are designed to format and manage files in a transparent way.
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FILE MENU
Similar to other program's File menus. The Composite Editor File menu contains commands that affect the entire composite (for example: Open and Save). The PIE File menu contains the commands for controlling the PIE operations (for example: Suspend and Attended).
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FILE SERVER
A file sever exerts considerable control over a network since all transactions go through this component. A file server has one or more network interface cards (NICs), through which it runs the network. Multiple NICs are needed if the server is working with more than one network architecture. In addition to controlling access to file and disk resources on a network, a file server is responsible for security and synchronization on the network. Security measures taken are designed to ensure that only authorized users can access a particular file. Synchronization measures, such as file or record locking, help ensure that two users cannot do incompatible things to the same time. A computer that serves as the storage component of a local area network and permits users to share its hard disks, storage space, files, etc. A computer designated to store software, courseware, administrative tools and other data on a local or wide-area network. It "serves" this information to other computers via the network when users enter their personal access codes.
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FILE TRAILER RECORD
The last record in a transaction file.
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FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL (FTP)
The Internet protocol used to transfer files between computer systems. FTP is a special way to login to another Internet site for the purposes of retrieving and/or sending files. There are many Internet sites that have established publicly accessible repositories of material that can be obtained using FTP, by logging in using the account name anonymous, thus these sites are called anonymous FTP servers.
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FILL FEATURE
Composite Editor feature that lets you automatically import as many images as you want from a folder into a composite.
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FILM RECORDER
A device that is used to record a digital image onto photosensitive film.
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FILTERS (OPTICAL)
A glass or acetate sheet usually placed over a camera lens for changing characteristics of an image or to create a special effect.
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FILTERS (SOFTWARE)
A program that accepts data as input, transforms it in some manner, and then outputs the transformed data. For example, a software program such as Photoshop can take blurry pictures and filter them to produce a clearer picture.
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FIM
Facing Identification Mark.
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FINAL IMAGE RESOLUTION
Generally speaking, the higher the resolution, the larger print you can make. Although print quality is affected by other factors as well, like exposure, color quality, output quality, etc. It's not just how many pixels, but what you do with them!
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FINANCIAL EDI
The electronic transmission of payments and payment-related data in standard formats between company trading partners and/or their banks. Includes electronic format for invoices, initiation of payments, lockbox deposit remittance information sent either directly to a trading partner or processed through a financial or communications third party.
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FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
A federally insured bank, thrift or credit union.
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FINGER
An Internet software tool for locating people on other Internet sites. Finger is also sometimes used to give access to non-personal information, but the most common use is to see if a person has an account at a particular Internet site. Many sites do not allow incoming Finger requests, but many do.
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FIREWALL
A barrier established by a router through which broadcast messages (on a network) cannot pass. A set of components, typically hardware, software and security policy that protects and isolates an organization's data and systems from unauthorized outsiders.
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FIREWIRE
A very fast external bus that supports data transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps. Firewire was developed by Apple and falls under the IEEE 1394 standard. Other companies follow the IEEE 1394 but have names such as Lynx and I-link.
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FIRMWARE
Instructions that are permanently programmed into the computer, typically in read only memory (ROM) and cannot be changed by the user. Also called systems programs. Most microcomputers have a bootstrap loader programmed into a ROM chip, so the computer automatically becomes operational when the power is turned on (see boot).
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FIRST CLASS MAIL
A class of mail that includes all matter wholly or partly in writing or typewriting, all actual and personal correspondence, all bills and statements of account and all matter sealed or otherwise closed against inspection. Any mailable matter may be sent as First Class Mail.
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FIRST-CLASS PRESORT
First-class mail sorted by the mailer, prior to entry into the USPS system into qualifying groups in order to receive a per piece postage discount.
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FITS (FUNCTIONAL INTERPOLATING TRANSFORMATION SYSTEM)
A format that contains that contains all data used to design and assemble extremely large files in a small, efficient mathematical structure.
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FIX
Federal Internet eXchange. A connection point between the North American governmental internets and the Internet. The FKs are named after their geographic region, as in "FIX West" (Mountain View, California) and "FIX East" (College Park, Maryland).
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FIXED FOCUS LENS
Worry free camera operation. Fixed-focus lenses have their focus distance set to obtain good results within a wide range of distances without the need for a focus mechanism.
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FLASH
A built-in flash supplies auxiliary light to supplement natural or available lighting conditions often resulting in better color, better exposure, and improved picture sharpness.
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FLASH MEMORY
A type of memory chip that can retain data after the system has been turned off. Its advantage is that digital cameras with flash memory can have batteries go "dead" and yet retain image data.
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FLAT
A piece of first or third class mail too large to be distributed in a regular letter case. An oversize piece of mail (e.g., a retail advertising circular). A flat exceeds one or more of the dimensions for letter-size mail (11.5" x 6.125" x .25") but does not exceed 15" x 12" x .75."
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FLATBED SCANNER
An image capture device much like a photocopier. The object to be scanned is placed face-down on a glass plate. The CCD array passes beneath the glass.
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FLAT-BED SCANNER
Device for scanning that has a flat surface for input material. NOTE: Generally used for scanning bound materials. See also scanner.
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FLIP-FLOP
Digital switch used to process and store information. Once it is flipped to a particular setting, it will stay that way until it receives another command.
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FLOAT
The status of funds in the process of collection at a bank or financial institution. Float results from the time a sale is made until the account receives collected funds on the customer's check. Float has the characteristics of both time and money. It is often computed as the product of the funds being collected and the time involved collecting them. This product is expressed in Dollar Days ($D).
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FLOPPY DISK
Typically, a removable computer storage medium consisting of a thin flexible plastic disk, coated with a magnetic material on both sides. The most common type, a 3.5-inch, is protected by a hard plastic case.
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FLUSH
PIE command you use to stop assembling the current composite and to remove it from the job queue.
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FLYING SPOT SCANNER
An OCR reader employing a moving spot of light over a document, a microimage or along the contour of a character to read and convert the item being read to ASCII code.
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FOLDER
A place where a user's e-mail messages may be stored. Every user has a folder for new messages and on most systems may create other folders for specific purposes.
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FONT
A collection of letters, numbers, and symbols whose design is based on similar characteristics. A set of characters of specific style and size of graphic type. Some of the more common fonts are OCR A, OCR B, and IBM PIOs. All the characters and digits in the same style and size of type.
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FOREGROUND
High-priority processing, usually for real-time activities, automatically given precedence, by means of interrupts, over lower-priority processing.
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FORM
A formatted document containing data in fields that are identified on the document.
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FORM FEED
The feature that automatically advances a roll of paper to the top of the next page or the next form when the printer has finished printing a document or form of one or more pages.
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FORM IDENTIFIER
An identifier in the form of a numeric, alpha, alphanumeric, or graphic character that is unique to a particular document/form. The correct location and identification of the identifier results in the correct identification of the form being processed.
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FORMAT
The defined structure of information that is recorded on magnetic media displayed on a visual display device or printed on a page.
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FORTRAN
FORmula TRANslation. A commonly used high-level scientific programming language.
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FOUNDATION
Information that does not change from layer to layer. For example, background color, logos, institutional names.
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FPX
Trade name for a new multi-resolution image file format jointly developed and introduced in June 1996 by Kodak, HP, Microsoft and Live Picture.
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FRAGMENTATION
The process in which a packet is broken into smaller pieces to fit the requirements of a given physical network. The reverse process is termed reassembly.
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FRAME
One of the still pictures that make up a video. A scanned image or a special image designed using an image-manipulation application (ADOBE PHOTOSHOP, for example) that looks like a picture frame. A datalink layer "packet" which contains the header and trailer information required by the physical medium. That is, network layer packets are encapsulated to become frames. A packet sent over a serial link.
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FRAME BUFFER
A section of memory used to store an image to be displayed on the screen as well as parts of the image that may lay outside the limits of the display.
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FRAME RATE
The number of frames that are shown or sent each second.
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FRAME RELAY
A switching interface which operates in packet mode. Generally regarded as the future replacement for X.25.
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FRB
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FREE ITEM
An item that is enclosed but not listed on the detail.
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FREEWARE
Software that is distributed for free, with no license fee.
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FREQUENCY
A measurement of the number of electromagnetic waves that pass over a given point in a given period of time.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ'S)
A collection of information on the basics of any given subject. Often put together and archived on a server so that people don't waste bandwidth asking simple questions.
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FTP
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FTP (FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL)
An abbreviation for File Transfer Protocol and is a universal format for transferring files on the Internet.
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FTP (FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL/PROCESS)
is the process of copying a file from one machine or location to another. It is actually a set of TCP/IP protocol commands that is used on the network. File transfer is a common networking task. When a file is transferred over a network, the file must first be divided into smaller packets for transmission. The details of this "packetization" depend on the transfer protocol (communications and packaging rules) being used. This protocol also determines how the transfer instructions are given. In networking contexts, FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and FTAM (File Transfer, Access, and Management) are two popular protocols.
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FULL TEXT SEARCH
The ability to search text files for key words. Documents are OCR'd and all of the words are stored as the index.
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FULL-TEXT RETRIEVAL
A capability that enables you to search for documents stored in a database based on the text contained in the documents. It can be used in conjunction with index-based searching which relies on a description of the document entered by a scan operator.
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FUZZY LOGIC
A computer logic that is used to get close to the image by being able to search for parts of the word. Used in OCR.
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