Glossary


A comprehensive, structured, commented, glossary is available at: http://www.titan.be. The following glossary refers to the most important entries needed to be understood in order to fill the questionnaires in.

Application
The word "application" covers the type of service with its content of information.

Cache
The word "cache" corresponds to the cases where data are duplicated on the bases of the last requested parts, simply limited by the cache size, extracted in the original server. The purpose is to speed up the access to the data for the local users. The cache server works on behalf of the local server in a full automatic and transparent way. It means that the searches, queries, modifications, Ö could be done with use of the original data when the size of the cache is not large enough for avoiding that too often the requested data have been overwritten by more recent requests.
See also "proxy", "mirroring" and "cache" which could be used combined through "squid redirector". For more information find a very understandable document written by John Heaton john@manchester.ac.uk available on http://www.mcc.ac.uk/John.
You can also ask the proceedings of the WWW caching work-shop at http://wwwcache.ja.net

Duplicated data
The word "duplicated data" covers the cases when services of a specific common type are supplied at several places but that the data are supplied from several sources. The approach is a particular case of mirror services.

Encapsulation
The word "encapsulation" covers the transfer of a set of data from one place to another where the server uses one protocol to ensure the transfer, addressing and other controls to the client, while the client open the "capsule" to recover the data for further processing according to a structuration and representation according to another protocol. The most current encapsulations cover the transfer of data coded with the Internet Protocol (IP) on broadcast networks according to the DVB-ETSI broadcast standard format and protocol.

Interaction
The word "interaction" covers the fact that the service is given in a way that the "client" has the feeling that he can receive responses or reactions depending of his choices. This can be obtained in several ways:
a real time link exist between the "server" and the "client". It is called "full interaction". It means that the service is given from end to end in real time;
a real time link exist between a local "server" and the "client". It is called "interaction in proxy/cache/mirror mode". It means that the service is possibly given from end to end in real time through the use of ancillary servers;

Carousel
a carousel of information is permanently sent to the client(s). The client tool selects what the client has requested from the carrousel when the requested information passes.

Download
A download of data occurs in the client tool. The client operates in stand alone, as long as the local data suffice.
Note: several of those modes can be combined for performing one service! A typical example is the Internet browsing in full interaction with downloads of Java applets from the Server to the PC of the Client.

ISDN
The word "ISDN" covers the "Integrated Services Digital Network", the well known universal interactive network which, for the capillary part could used the PSTN two wires infrastructure with its addressing scheme. For the professional use and for the interconnection between exchanges, fibre optics is the most common solution.

Formats
The word "formats" cover all ways in which "sense" can be expressed: i.e. the semiotic, syntactical and semantic elements of documents or messages, as well as the interaction types between people through such documents or messages possibly exchanged via telecommunication. In particular, the format means:
In which natural language the document is expressed (French, English, Spanish, etc)
In which way it is represented (MicrosoftÒ Word, WordPerfect, etc)
In which way it is coded (ASCII, ISO G2, etc)
In particular, the encoding and representation techniques used within a specific format cover the interface protocols for the various layers of the tri-axes analysis model proposed below.
In particular, the analysis of the content of a message and legal monitoring could be based on these formats.

Hybrid
The word "hybrid" covers the cases when a service is given using more than one network: for instance the PSTN for interaction in the requests and the Satellite for the broadcast of huge set of data.

Media Home Platform
The word "media home platform" (MHP) covers the way in which hybrid and mixed services could be obtained at home, in particular in liaison with cable networks. The MHP is planned to be release by the DVB in mid 1998.

Mirror
The word "mirror" corresponds to the cases where data are duplicated with their structure and content. The purpose is to speed up the access to the data for the local users. It means that the searches, queries, modifications, Ö could be done without using necessarily the original data. In simple mirroring, the update is made on the initiative of the master server. So there is a risk that the local data will not be at the last revision.
See also "proxy", "mirroring" and "cache" which could be used combined through "squid redirector". For more information find a very understandable document written by John Heaton john@manchester.ac.uk available on http://www.mcc.ac.uk/John.

Mixed
The word "mixed" covers the type of service which is given through one type of equipment for several types of services. For example, the access to the TV broadcast and the Internet Web service through an IRD connected to the cable network.

Piping
The word "piping" covers the transfer of a set of data from one place to another where the client is listening and the server sends them when it want to.

Proxy
The word "proxy" corresponds to the cases where data are duplicated with their structure and content with reference to the original. The purpose is to speed up the access to the data for the local users. The proxy server works on behalf of the master server. It means that the searches, queries, modifications, Ö could be done with limited use of the original data (simply checking that the local data are up-to-date and, if not download of the updating).
See also "proxy", "mirroring" and "cache" which could be used combined through "squid redirector". For more information find a very understandable document written by John Heaton john@manchester.ac.uk available on http://www.mcc.ac.uk/John.

PSTN
The word "PSTN" covers the "Public Switched Telephone Network", the well known two wires infrastructure with its addressing scheme.

Rooming
The word "rooming" covers the fact that a telecom service provider supply a service of world type (like GSM or Digital TV) by him self for his own subscribers and supplies it also to the customers/subscribers of colleagues when, casually, they enter in his sphere of action.

Service
The word "service" covers all types of multimedia services and programmes, whatever medium they use: CD-ROM, etc. (in non-real time), Satellite, Cable, Fibre Optic, terrestrial radio, etc. (in real-time); whatever the mode: broadcast, addressed, with interaction, client-server, client-server-client, etc.

Stage
The word "stage" covers the main phases of a project:
M stage: Management "go" given on the bases of a "strategy" document;
F stage: Functional definition ready;
P stage: Product ready and validated;
T stage: Trial for evaluation before launch at large scale;
O stage: Running operations and maintenance;
E stage: End of life; date for end of service decided

Squid Director
The word "squid redirector" corresponds to the cases where the techniques of "proxy", of "cache" and/or "mirror" are combined to make profit of the advantages of all those facilities. The purpose is to speed up the access to the data for the local users and to optimize the use of the resources. The squid redirector works on behalf of the local server on contract with the master servers boosted by the redirector.
See also "mirror", "proxy" and "cache". For more information find a very understandable document written by John Heaton john@manchester.ac.uk available on http://www.mcc.ac.uk/John.

Streaming
The word "streaming" covers the transfer of data from one place to another where the client is listening the stream as it comes. The stream can include data intended to be sent for different clients (including broadcast to all listeners); the stream can include several consistent set of data called "programs".


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