F A| B| C| D| E| F| G| H| I| J| K| L| M| N| O| P| Q| R| S| T| U| V| W| X| Y| Z| Numerical Listing| FAPs (Formats and Protocols) Rules that specify format, timing, and error checking, etc., between clients and servers. FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board) A self-regulated organization of the accounting profession. FASB 13 (Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 13) This statement specifies the classification, accounting and reporting of leases by lessees and lessors. Fault Detection and Isolation On-line diagnostics that detect and isolate faults in real time, prevent contamination into other areas, and attempt to retry operations. Fault Tolerance The ability to produce correct results, even in the presence of faults or errors by the use of redundancy in hardware or checking techniques. Fax Abbreviation for facsimile. FCC (Federal Communications Commission) The U.S. federal agency responsible for regulating interstate telecommunications, as well as international telecommunications, aspects of cellular communications and broadcasting. The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934. TOP OF PAGE FCIF (Full Common Intermediate Format) Part of the H.261 worldwide video codec standard, which is designed to accommodate both the North American NTSC and European PAL protocols. That is, the accommodation is accomplished by using the NTSC frame rate and the PAL resolution in a compromise called the Common Intermediate Format (CIF), of which there are two versions: Full CIF (FCIF) and Quarter CIF (QCIF). Full CIF pictures will be sharper in the future, but at the cost of additional processing power requirements. FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface) An American National Standards Institute standard for 100-Mbps fiber-optic local-area networks. Incorporates token processing and supports circuit-switched voice and packetized data. FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access) A user access technique based on the division of the available bandwidth into smaller frequency slots. FD:OCA (Formatted Data:Object Content Architecture) An architecture, central to Distributed Relational Database Architecture, that can exchange field formatted information (i.e., primarily SQL data). It associates tags with data so that heterogeneous database management systems (initially within IBM, but potentially beyond) can converse. Feature-Based Modeling A modeling technique that allows the creation of manufacturing form features, e.g., through holes, ribs or slots, when defining mechanical component models. Feature-Driven Manufacturing The ability to automatically create optimized process instructions and machine tool paths by utilizing mechanical component form features. TOP OF PAGE FEP (Front-End Processor) A communications processor that relieves a host computer of certain processing tasks, such as line control, message handling, code conversion, error control and application functions. FFT:DCA (Final Form Text: Document Content Architecture) The data stream for passing documents in final form (i.e., unrevisable) under IBM’s second-generation Document Control Architecture. Fiber Optics A high-bandwidth transmission technology that uses light to carry digital information. One fiber telephone cable carries hundreds of thousands of voice circuits. These cables, or light guides, replace conventional coaxial cables and wire pairs. Fiber transmission facilities occupy far less physical volume for an equivalent transmission capacity, which is a major advantage in crowded ducts. Optical fiber is also immune to electrical interference. File Server A computer containing files available to all users connected to a local-area network (LAN). In some LANs, a microcomputer is designated as the file server, while in others it is a computer with a large disk drive and specialized software. Some file servers also offer other resources such as gateways and protocol conversion. Financial Footprint The amount of money paid, monthly or yearly, to a vendor to support a particular system or application. Because most hardware and software is easily upgradable, financial footprint management involves the managing of a stream of recurring payments instead of physical assets. TOP OF PAGE Finite Loading Conceptually the term means putting no more work into a factory than the factory can be expected to execute. The term usually refers to a computer technique that involves automatic shop priority revision to level load operation by operation. FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) A set of standards produced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology setting forth protocols, encryption, interoperability, hardware, etc., specifications for the federal government. Firm Planned Order A planned order that can be frozen in quantity and time. The computer is not allowed to automatically change it; this is the responsibility of the planner in charge of the item that is being planned. This technique can aid planners working with material requirements planning MRP systems to respond to material and capacity problems by firming up selected planned orders. Additionally, firm planned orders are the normal method of stating the master production schedule. First Generation The class of office information systems products dominated by dedicated word processors, such as Digital Equipment Corp.’s DECmate, IBM’s DisplayWriter and Wang’s OIS. The period began with the first word processors (late 1970s) and lasted until the introduction of the first integrated office systems (1983). Firmware A category of memory chips that hold their content without electrical power and include ROM, PROM, EPROM and EEPROM technologies. Firmware becomes "hard software" when holding program code. FMV (Fair Market Value) The price for which the equipment could be sold in an arm’s-length transaction between unrelated parties. FOCUS FOCUS is a fourth-generation language from Information Builders Inc. (IBI) of New York City. It belongs to a class of software called information generators. FOCUS boasts easy-to-use, English-language commands with on-line help and error correction. FOCUS features "talk" windows, which improve end-user productivity. It also provides integrated reporting, ad hoc queries, graphs, statistics, financial modeling and a spreadsheet for building decision support systems. TOP OF PAGE Form Factor The size and shape of a product. For example, most 5.25-inch Winchester drives have the same dimension so that they can fit interchangeably into computer cabinets. For the same reason, 5.25-inch optical drives are expected to have the same form factor as their predecessor Winchesters. Formal Standards Specifications or styles that are approved by vendor-independent standards bodies, such as the American National Standards Institute, the International Standards Organization, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the National Institute for Standards and Technology. Formatted Data OCA (Formatted Data Object Content Architecture) A description of data from databases and traditional application programs to be interchanged within or across environments addressing structure, meaning and representation. Formatting The preparation of a storage medium with guidance information, synchronization information, and a structure for keeping or collecting information for a directory; this collection of material placed on the disk before user data is written is called a "format," and frequently also includes room for error-correction check sums and rewriting of bad or updated sectors. FP (Function Point) Function points measure the size of an application system based on the functional view of the system. The size is determined by counting the number of inputs, outputs, queries, internal files and external files in the system and adjusting that total for the functional complexity of the system. Function Point analysis, originally developed at IBM, has as an advantage its focus on measuring software produced in terms of functionality delivered to the end user, rather than in terms of development deliverables, which have no direct bearing on the end user. TOP OF PAGE FRAD (Frame Relay Assembler/Disassembler) A communications device that formats outgoing data into the format required by a frame relay network. It is the frame relay counterpart to the X.25 packet assembler/disassembler. Frame Relay An ANSI standard (T1S1) for an Integrated Services Digital Network packet-mode bearer service that defines a user-to-network interface. The two main benefits are bandwidth on demand and integrated access. The standard currently addresses data communications speeds up to 2 Mbps over permanent virtual circuits. By reducing the network functions performed, frame relay takes advantage of more error-free physical facilities to improve throughput. Framework A style guide that defines the look, feel and interoperability of software applications. TOP OF PAGE Frontware Software that runs on a programmable workstation to provide better end-user interfaces for application programs running elsewhere. FS (Future System) FS was thought by some factions within IBM to be the successor architecture to S/370. It featured one-level addressing, an object orientation, interactive interfaces for operations and programmers, and a high-level input/output. FT (Fault Tolerant) A computer or network system resistant to software errors and hardware breakdowns. FTAM (File Transfer, Access and Management) The Open Systems Interconnection standard for file transfer (i.e., the communication of an entire file between systems), file access (i.e., the ability to remotely access one or more records in a file) and management (e.g., the ability to create/delete, name/rename a file). FTP (File Transfer Protocol) A Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol standard used to log onto a network, list directories and copy files. That is, it provides authentication of the user and lets users transfer files, list directories, delete and rename files on the foreign host, and perform wild card transfers. FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) A marketing tactic used by major computer system vendors. TOP OF PAGE Full Duplex Pertaining to the capability to transmit in two directions simultaneously. Comments? Questions? Entire contents Copyright © 1997, 1998 by Gartner Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. Please read the guidelines for customer use of GartnerGroup intellecual property.