Jargon Buster

DBMS

A Database Management System (DBMS) is a computer program (or more typically, a suite of them) designed to manage a database (a large set of structured data), and run operations on the data requested by numerous clients.

Desktop Publishing

is creating documents on your computer, such as web pages, flyers, posters, catalogues, newsletters and graphics

DEV

Development is the process of analysis, design, coding and testing of software

DHTML

Dynamic Hyper Text Markup Language refers to web pages that use a combination of Hyper Text Mark-up Language (HTML), JavaScript, and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to create features such as letting the user drag items around on the web page, some simple kinds of animation

DNS

Domain Name System is the way that internet domain name are located and translated into Internet Protocol ( IP ) addresses. A domain name is a meaningful and easy to remember, "handle" for an internet address

Domain Name

is a unique name that identifies an internet site, commonly your company name followed by .co.uk or .com

Download

is to load a file from a host such as a website or another computer onto your own computer

Downtime

is the length of time that a website or network can not be accessed

Driver

A software component that provides an interface between a piece of computer hardware and the operating system. It maps the proprietary functionality of the hardware component onto the standardised programmer interfaces understood by the operating system.

DSL

Digital Subscriber Line delivers high-speed Internet access. Using your existing telephone line, it delivers download speeds of up to 50 times faster than 28.8K modems. The service lets you send data and voice over the same line so you can talk or fax while you surf but because of the technology used you must be within a certain distance from your phone company’s telephone exchange for DSL to work or be available

DTS

Data Transformation Services (DTS) is a set of objects and utilities to allow the automation of extract, transform and load operations to or from a database. The objects are DTS packages and their components, and the utilities are called DTS tools. DTS is included with Microsoft SQL Server, and is almost always used with SQL Server databases, although it can be used independently with other databases.

DTS allows data to be transformed and loaded from heterogeneous sources using OLE DB, ODBC, or text-only files, into any supported database. DTS can also allow automatation of data import or transformation on a scheduled basis, and can perform additional functions such as FTPing files and executing external programs. In addition, DTS provides an alternative method of version control and backup for packages when used in conjunction with the Microsoft Visual SourceSafe version control system.

DVD

Digital Versatile Disc