foreground
(Unix) On a time-sharing system, a task executing in foreground is one able to accept input from and return output to the user in contrast to one running in the background. Nowadays this term is primarily associated with Unix, but it appears first to have been used in this sense on OS/360. Normally, there is only one foreground task per terminal (or terminal window). Having multiple processes simultaneously reading the keyboard is confusing. [Jargon File]Last updated: 1994-10-24
Foreign eXchange Office
(FXO) An analog telephone plug on a handset that receives POTS service from the telephone exchange ("central office") via a Foreign eXchange Subscriber socket and provides on-hook/off-hook indication to the exchange.
Last updated: 2008-01-17
Foreign eXchange Subscriber
(FXS) A socket that provides analog telephone service (POTS) from the telephone exchange ("central office") to a handset with an Foreign eXchange Office plug. The socket provides dial tone, power and a ring signal.
Last updated: 2008-01-17
foreign key
<database>
A column in a database table containing values that are also found in some primary key column (of a different table). By extension, any reference to entities of a different type.
Some RDBMSs allow a column to be explicitly labelled as a foreign key and only allow values to be inserted if they already exist in the relevant primary key column. [Is it still a foreign key if the primary key is in a different column in the same table?]Last updated: 2005-01-14
Foresight
A software product from Nu Thena providing graphical modelling tools for high level system design and simulation.
Last updated: 1994-10-24
Nearby terms:
ForceTwo ♦ foreground ♦ Foreign eXchange Office ♦ Foreign eXchange Subscriber
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