Gnomon: Abbreviations in the Computer World
Created | Updated Feb 8, 2018
The following is a list of abbreviations from the early 1990s. I don't know the exact date, but I e-mailed a copy of it to myself on 24-Jan-1992. I'd like to keep it unchanged for historical reasons. Many newer abbreviations will be missing from it.
| 3GL | Third Generation Language |
| 4GL | Fourth Generation Language |
| ACE | Advanced Computing Environment |
| ANSI | American National Standards Institute |
| APA | All Points Addressable |
| APL | A Programming Language |
| ASCII | American Standard Code for Information Interchange |
| AT | Advanced Technology (PC) |
| BBR | Bad Block Replacement |
| BIOS | Basic Input / Output System (PC) |
| BSD | Berkeley Software Distribution |
| CAD | Computer Aided Design |
| CAE | Computer Aided Engineering |
| CAI | Computer Aided Instruction |
| CCITT | Consultative Committee for International Telephone and Telegraph (French) |
| CDA | Compound Document Architecture (DEC) |
| CGA | Colour Graphics Adapter (PC) |
| CIC | Communication Intelligence Corporation |
| CISC | Complex Instruction Set Computer |
| CMOS | Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor |
| CPS | Characters Per Second |
| CPU | Central Processing Unit |
| CRC | Cyclic Redundancy Checking |
| CRT | Cathode Ray Tube |
| DASD | Direct Access Storage Device |
| DCE | Data Communications Equipment |
| DCE | Distributed Computing Environment |
| DDE | Dynamic Data Exchange |
| DIP | Dual In-line Package |
| DMA | Direct Memory Access |
| DOS | Disk Operating System |
| DSA | Digital Storage Architecture (DEC) |
| DSSI | Digital Storage Systems Interconnect (DEC) |
| DTE | Data Terminal Equipment |
| DVI | Digital Video Interactive |
| ECC | Error Correction Code |
| EDI | Electronic Data Interchange |
| EGA | Enhanced Graphics Adapter (PC) |
| EISA | Extended? Industry Standard Architecture (PC) |
| EMA | Enterprise Management Architecture (DEC) |
| EPROM | Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory |
| FDC | Floppy Disk Controller (PC) |
| FDDI | Fibre Distributed Data Interface |
| GUI | Graphic User Interface |
| GW-BASIC | Gee Whiz BASIC |
| I/O | Input / Output |
| IBM | International Business Machines |
| IDE | Integrated Drive Electronics |
| IDE | Integrated Development Environment |
| IEEE | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
| ISA | Industry Standard Architecture (PC) |
| ISO | International Standardisation Organisation (French) |
| ISV | Independent Software Vendor |
| LAN | Local Area Network |
| LAT | Local Area Transport (DEC) |
| LBN | Logical Block Number |
| LCD | Liquid Crystal Display |
| LED | Light Emitting Diode |
| MCA | Micro Channel Architecture (PC) |
| MDA | Monochrome Display Adapter (PC) |
| MDF | Multi-Datacenter Facility (DEC) |
| MS-DOS | Microsoft Disk Operating System (PC) |
| MFM | M??? Frequency Modulation (PC) |
| NAS | Network Application Support (DEC) |
| OLTP | On Line Transaction Processing |
| OSF | Open Software Foundation |
| PC | Personal Computer (PC) |
| PS/2 | Personal System 2 (PC) |
| R/W | Read / Write |
| RAID | Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks |
| RAM | Random Access Memory |
| RISC | Reduced Instruction Set Computer |
| ROM | Read Only Memory |
| RSI | Repetitive Strain Injury |
| SCO | Santa Cruz Operation |
| SCSI | Small Computer System Interface |
| SDLC | Synchronous Data Link Control |
| SIG | Special Interest Group |
| SMP | Symmetric Multiprocessing |
| SPM | Software Performance Monitor |
| SQL | Standard Query Language |
| TSR | Terminate and Stay Resident program (PC) |
| TTL | Transistor Transistor Logic |
| VAX | Virtual Address Extended (DEC) |
| VMS | Virtual Memory? System (DEC) |
| VGA | Virtual Graphics Array (PC) |
| VPA | VAX Performance Advisor |
| VUP | VAX Unit of Processing |
| WAN | Wide Area Network |
| XGA | Extended Graphics Array (PC) |
| XPG3 | X/Open Portability Guide 3 |
