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- GA:
- genetic algorithm.
- GAN:
- global area network.
- gap width:
- The distance between the poles in a magnetic head.
- gas panel:
- Synonym for plasma panel.
- gate:
- A combinational circuit that performs an elementary logic operation. The concept of a "gate" involves a combinational circuit that produces an output value of 1 (or True) whenever the input variables satisfy specified logical conditions, and outputs a 0 (or False) otherwise. Synonymous with logic gate.
- gate array:
- A set of gates, identical or distributed in groups of identical gates, that is produced on a chip together with auxiliary circuits, and whose interconnection is customized.
- gateway:
- A functional unit that connects two computer networks based on common network protocols and that supports routing; for examples: LAN gateway, mail gateway. The computer networks may be local area networks, wide area networks, or other types of networks. (Figure 6 - Interconnecting networks).
- gender bender:
- Synonym for gender changer.
- gender changer:
- A device for joining two connectors that are either both male or female. Synonymous with gender bender, sex changer.
- general-purpose language:
- A high-level language suitable for use in a wide variety of applications.
- general-purpose register:
- A register, usually explicitly addressable within a set of registers, that can be used for different purposes, such as an accumulator, as an index register, or for intermediate storage.
- generate-and-test:
- In artificial intelligence, a problem solving technique based on generation of possible solutions, and elimination by pruning of those solutions that fail to meet given criteria.
- generated address:
- An address that has been calculated during the execution of a program.
- generic:
- Pertaining to a language construct that serves as a template for creating an actual language construct for applicable data types in compliance with the rules of strong typing.
- generic body:
- The body of a generic language construct that serves as a template for the bodies of corresponding actual language constructs during a generic instantiation.
- generic declaration:
- The declaration of a generic language construct that introduces the generic parameters which are to be replaced by actual parameters during a generic instantiation.
- generic instantiation:
- The process of resolving generic parameters from a generic module in order to create a concrete module.
- generic module:
- A parameterized template for creating modules by generic instantiation. The parameters of the template are of a generic nature and should not be confused with formal parameters of the resulting modules. Contrast with abstract class.
- generic operation:
- An operation that is overloaded and does not designate one specific operation but rather provides formal parameters for actual parameters of specific data types; for example: the lexical token "+" can mean integer addition, real addition, set union, concatenation, etc.
- generic package:
- A package designed to provide templates for related algorithms or operations; for example: generic packages for trigonometric functions, stack operations, financial functions, etc.
- generic unit:
- A possibly parameterized model of a language construct from which, at translation time, a language construct proper is derived.
- genetic algorithm (GA):
- A procedure that selects pairs of descriptions from a population of descriptions, applies genetic operations (such as crossover and mutation) to these pairs to produce offspring, evaluates the members of the resulting population by some criteria to select the surviving population, and then repeats the procedure. Genetic algorithms are used in genetic learning; for example, in forms of machine learning to evolve rules of behavior. The term 'genetic' comes from the field of natural genetics, where it is linked to heredity, variation of the species, and the survival of the fittest.
- geographic information system (GIS):
- A system that manages and displays data relating to geographically located entities.
- geometric configuration:
- In computer graphics, a set of features that describes the spatial characteristics of an image or part of an image. The spatial characteristics may include qualitative features, such as squared, circular, etc., or quantitative features such as area, perimeter, dimensions.
- geometric modeling:
- The creation on a data processing system of a model which represents three-dimensional shapes in a form that can be manipulated.
- gestural input:
- The detection and recognition of body posture or movement (e.g., the orientation of hands and fingers, eye motion) as a means of providing input to an artificial-reality engine.
- gestural recognition:
- Synonym for gesture recognition.
- gestural transducer:
- A device that recognizes human gestures and translates them into data.
- gesture recognition:
- An interpretation by the computer of hand or body movements as commands for action. Synonymous with gestural recognition.
- ghost:
- A spurious image resulting from effects such as an echo.
- GIS:
- geographic information system.
- GKS:
- Graphical Kernel System.
- glare-free screen:
- Deprecated synonym for antiglare screen.
- global:
- Pertaining to a language construct that is within the scope of all modules of the program.
- global area network (GAN):
- A network that comprises computer networks on an international scale.
- global find and replace:
- Synonym for global search and replace.
- global search and replace:
- In text processing, a function or mode that enables a user to locate all occurrences of particular character strings in a document and to replace them automatically with a given text. Synonymous with global find and replace.
- global transformation:
- In computer graphics, image transformation assigning a new value to each pixel as a function of the values of all pixels of the image. Global properties include gray level distribution and spatial frequency distribution as in the pixel histogram and Fourier transform and correlation.
- glove-based input:
- Synonym for glove input.
- glove input:
- In virtual reality, the gestural input of the hand that is monitored through a glove fitted with sensors along the fingers and translated into computer commands that are reflected in a virtual world. Synonymous with glove-based input.
- glove input device:
- A data glove that detects and returns the parameters of position and orientation of a human hand and each of its fingers. Synonymous with sensor glove.
- glove output device:
- A data glove that causes tactile illusions in the wearer.
- glue operation:
- The creation of more complex objects from simple, primitive ones in a bottom-up fashion. A glue operation can be thought of as a restricted form of a union in which the objects must not intersect.
- glyph:
- The shape of a graphic character, such as the shape of a letter or of an icon.
- glyph font:
- A set of glyphs, an indexing scheme, and a description of characteristics of the set, such as height, boldness, and slope.
- Gopher:
- A menu-based information searching tool that allows users to access various kinds of databases, such as FTP archives. Gopher is an early form of an Internet browser. Gopher software uses the client-server model.
- gopherspace:
- That part of the cyberspace to which the user has access by means of Gopher software.
- goto statement:
- In programming, a simple statement that specifies an explicit transfer of program control from its place in the execution sequence to a target statement that usually is identified by a label.
- Gouraud shading:
- The smooth shading of a polygon model by linear interpolation of vertex intensities along each edge. Contrast with Phong shading. (Figure 32 - Gouraud and Phong shading).
- grammar checker:
- Software that compares the syntactic characteristics of text with a built-in grammar and then indicates ways for possible improvement.
- granularity:
- In computer security, an expression of the relative size of a data object; for example, protection at the file level is considered to be coarse granularity, whereas protection at the field level is considered to be of finer granularity.
- graphical browser:
- In hypermedia, a browser that supports the display of the graphical data.
- Graphical Kernel System (GKS):
- An standardized graphical system that provides a set of functions for computer graphics programming, and a functional interface between an application software and the graphical input/output_units. ISO 7942 is the International Standard for Graphical Kernel System.
- graphical user interface:
- GUI.
- graphic character:
- A character, other than a control character, that has a visual representation and is normally produced by writing, printing, or displaying on a screen. Graphic characters may be used to represent control characters in text. (Figure 12 - Character taxonomy).
- graphic display:
- Synonym for graphic display device.
- graphic display device:
- A display device that provides a representation of data in graphic form. Synonymous with graphic display.
- graphic primitive:
- Synonym for display element.
- graphics tablet:
- In computer graphics, a special flat surface with a mechanism for indicating positions thereon, normally used as a locator device.
- graphics workstation:
- A workstation that can display and process graphic and alphanumeric data, and may include one or more input units.
- gray code:
- A binary code in which sequential numbers are represented by binary expressions, each of which differs from the preceding expression in one place only. Synonymous with reflected binary code.
- gray level:
- A value associated with a pixel in a digital image representing the luminance of the original scene in the vicinity of the point represented by the pixel. Synonymous with gray shade.
- gray scale:
- A range of intensities between black and white. Shades of gray may be produced by combining primary colors of equal intensity.
- gray scale morphology:
- The application of gray scale structuring elements to filter a gray scale image.
- gray-scale vision:
- The analysis of an image based on shade-of-gray content.
- gray shade:
- Synonym for gray level.
- grid:
- A two-dimensional system of visible or invisible lines used to designate positions on a display surface.
- grid network:
- A two-dimensional expansion of a linear network. There are three classes of nodes: nodes at the corners, at the edges, and in the interior, connected to 2, 3, or 4 branches respectively.
- grouping isolation:
- Electrical separation between groups of electrical circuits. Within a group, there is an electrical connection, such as with a power supply.
- group separator character (GS):
- The information separator intended to identify a logical boundary between items called groups.
- group technology:
- In computer-integrated manufacturing, coding and classification techniques used in computer-aided process planning to combine similar, often-used parts into families. These techniques make it easier to locate an existing part with specified characteristics and help to standardize the manufacturing of similar parts.
- groupware:
- Software that permits multiple users on a network to work together; for example, software for electronic mail, for scheduling and planning, and for file sharing.
- GS:
- The group separator character.
- guard:
- (1) A conditional expression used to determine the open or closed nature of an alternative in a selective wait statement. (2) In computer security, a functional unit that provides a security filter between two data processing systems operating at different security levels or between a user terminal and a database to filter out data that the user is not authorized to access.
- GUI:
- A type of computer interface consisting of a visual metaphor of a real-world scene, often of a desktop. Within that scene are icons, representing actual objects that the user can access and manipulate with a pointing device. GUI is pronounced "goo'-ee" and is the abbreviation for graphical user interface.
- guide edge:
- Synonym for reference edge.