1. <unit, text> (Sometimes abbreviated "pt") The unit of length used in typography to specify text character height, rule width, and other small measurements.
There are six slightly different definitions: Truchet point, Didot point, ATA point, TeX point, Postscript point, and IN point.
In Europe, the most commonly used is Didot and in the US, the formerly standard ATA point has essentially been replaced by the PostScript point due to the demise of traditional typesetting systems and rise of desktop computer based systems running software such as QuarkXPress, Adobe InDesign and Adobe Pagemaker.
There are 20 twips in a point and 12 points in a pica (known as a "Cicero" in the Didot system).
(2004-12-23)
2. <hardware> To move a pointing device so that the on-screen pointer is positioned over a certain object on the screen such as a button in a graphical user interface. In most window systems it is then necessary to click a (physical) button on the pointing device to activate or select the object. In some systems, just pointing to an object is known as "mouse-over" event which may cause some help text (called a "tool tip" in Windows) to be displayed.
(2001-05-21)
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<abuse> (Or "point-and-grunt interface") A parody of "point-and-shoot interface", describing a windows, icons, and mouse-based (WIMP) graphical user interface. The implication, of course, is that such an interface is only suitable for idiots.
See for the rest of us, WIMP, drool-proof paper.
(2000-08-08)
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<theory> In most formulations of domain theory, a domain is defined to have a bottom element and algebraic CPOs without bottoms are called "predomains". David Schmidt's domains do not have this requirement and he calls a domain with a bottom "pointed".
(1999-07-07)
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1. <programming> An address, from the point of view of a programming language. A pointer may be typed, with its type indicating the type of data to which it points.
The terms "pointer" and "reference" are generally interchangeable although particular programming languages often differentiate these two in subtle ways. For example, Perl always calls them references, never pointers. Conversely, in C, "pointer" is used, although "a reference" is often used to denote the concept that a pointer implements.
Anthony Hoare once said:
Pointers are like jumps, leading wildly from one part of the data structure to another. Their introduction into high-level languages has been a step backward from which we may never recover.
[C.A.R.Hoare "Hints on Programming Language Design", 1973, Prentice-Hall collection of essays and papers by Tony Hoare].
2. <operating system> (Or "mouse pointer") An icon, usually a small arrow, that moves on the screen in response to movement of a pointing device, typically a mouse. The pointer shows the user which object on the screen will be selected etc. when a mouse button is clicked.
(1999-07-07)
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<hardware> Any hardware component that allows a user to input spatial data to a computer. CAD systems and Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) allow the user to control and provide data to the computer using physical "gestures" - point, click, and drag - typically by moving a hand-held mouse across the surface of the physical desktop and activating switches on the mouse. Movements of the pointing device are echoed on a graphical representation of a desktop on the screen by movements of the mouse pointer and other visual changes.
While the most common pointing device by far is a mouse, other kinds include tracker ball, trackpad, lightpen, various kinds of digitising tablets which use a stylus, and even a special "data glove" that translates the user's movements to computer gestures.
(1997-02-03)
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<networking> (POC) An individual associated with a particular Internet entity (IP network, domain, ASN).
(1998-09-07)
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(PoP) A site where there exists a collection of telecommunications equipment, usually modems, digital leased lines and multi-protocol routers. An Internet access provider may operate several PoPs distributed throughout their area of operation to increase the chance that their subscribers will be able to reach one with a local telephone call. The alternative is for them to use virtual PoPs (virtual points of presence) via some third party.
(1994-12-13)
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<hardware> (Or "POS") A computer, probably with a bar code reader, serving as a glorified cash register.
(1997-11-23)
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<communications, protocol> (PPP) The protocol defined in RFC 1661, the Internet standard for transmitting network layer datagrams (e.g. IP packets) over serial point-to-point links.
PPP has a number of advantages over SLIP; it is designed to operate both over asynchronous connections and bit-oriented synchronous systems, it can configure connections to a remote network dynamically, and test that the link is usable. PPP can be configured to encapsulate different network layer protocols (such as IP, IPX, or AppleTalk) by using the appropriate Network Control Protocol (NCP).
RFC 1220 describes how PPP can be used with remote bridging.
Usenet newsgroup: comp.protocols.ppp.
(1994-12-13)
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<networking> (PPPoA) A network protocol for encapsulating PPP frames in ATM AAL5. It is used mainly with cable modem, DSL and ADSL services.
PPPoA offers standard PPP features such as authentication, encryption, and compression. It is very slightly more efficient than PPPoE and, like PPPoE, supports VC-MUX and LLC encapsulation.
PPPoA is specified in RFC 2364.
(2007-06-15)
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<communications, protocol> (PPPoE) The protocol defined in RFC 2516 that allows one or more computers to connect to the Internet via a shared modem. The computers connect to the modem via a local area network such as Ethernet and the modem connects to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) via a serial connection such as PPP over ADSL.
PPPoE provides each user with a connection that looks and behaves like a point-to-point dial-up connection even though they are actually sharing an Ethernet or wireless network. At the same time, the ISP only needs to provide a single Internet connection, with the same kind of accounting as for PPP. Also, the IP address is only assigned when the PPPoE connection is open, allowing the dynamic reuse of IP addresses via DHCP.
PPPoE works by encapsulating PPP frames in Ethernet frames.
(2006-09-20)
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<communications, protocol> (PPTP) A tunneling protocol for connecting Windows NT clients and servers over Remote Access Services (RAS). PPTP can be used to create a Virtual Private Network between computers running NT. It is an extension of PPP sponsored by Microsoft.
Microsoft Point to Point Encryption may be used with PPTP to provide an encrypted connection but PPTP itself does not use encryption.
Compare: Layer Two Tunneling Protocol.
[Origin? Standard? Document?]
(1998-09-23)
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<mathematics> A probability distribution used to describe the occurrence of unlikely events in a large number of independent trials.
Poisson distributions are often used in building simulated user loads.
[Formula?]
(2003-03-18)
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Copyright 2010 Denis Howe