ActiveSync

A program that synchronizes email, calendar, and contacts between a mobile device and a PC or server.

Aggie Computing Gateway

Web site (http://gateway.tamu.edu/) where all NetID account management tools can be accessed, including activating NetID, resetting NetID passwords, and setting up directory information.

Alias

Alternate email address. Messages sent to an alias address are delivered to the inbox of the primary address.

Antivirus software

A program that protects computers from malware such as viruses, worms, and Trojans.

Audacity

A free, cross-platform audio recording and sound editing program that can be used to create MP3 podcasts.

Blackboard Vista

An enterprise-level course management system, where instructors post syllabi, class notes, grades, and other content in a secure online area. It can be accessed through the Howdy portal or at http://elearning.tamu.edu/.

Cable modem

A modem used to connect a computer to a cable TV service that provides Internet access.

Cache

Storing copies of web pages viewed by a user to speed retrieval the next time the same page is requested.

Campus Directory

Contains contact information for of departments and groups on the campus and The Texas A&M System, as well as for faculty, staff, and students. The printed directory information can be found at http://studentmedia.tamu.edu/campusdirectory.html. The online directory can be accessed at https://services.tamu.edu/directory-search/ or at the main Texas A&M web site or the Howdy portal.

Camtasia

A program that records onscreen actions with the ability to add audio annotations and various types of visual callouts. Resulting video can be saved in various formats and resolutions.

Centra

Real-time webconferencing system administered by TTVN.

CIS

Computing & Information Services (http://cis.tamu.edu/) is responsible for many campus-wide IT resources such as TAMU Email, Help Desk Central, Open Access Labs, and more.

Clicker

Small handheld device that can be used in class to answer questions. It is used with the eInstruction Classroom Performance System and integrates with eLearning.

Code Maroon

Texas A&M's emergency notification service (http://codemaroon.tamu.edu/) used to quickly relay important safety-related information by SMS text message.

CPR

Calibrated Peer Review. An online peer review system in which students submit writing assignments and learn to review their peers' submissions.

Dial-up

Internet access via a telephone line. Texas A&M provides local dial-up access through a bank of 56K modems at no charge to students, faculty, and staff.

Digital piracy

Unauthorized use of copyrighted material, such as downloading and sharing copyrighted music and movies.

Directory information

Information including name, address, phone number, email address, major, etc. Students can withhold any or all of this information from being made public (see FERPA Policy - Official Notice to Students).

DSL

Digital subscriber line, a common home networking broadband connection technology.

DMCA

Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a United States law that protects copyrighted material. It specifically addresses online copyright infringement, and technologies or services that circumvent measures that control access to copyrighted works.

EBS

Educational Broadcast Services (http://ebs.tamu.edu/) is comprised of KAMU-TV, KAMU-FM, and TTVN.

EIS

Enterprise Information Systems (http://eis.tamu.edu/) is responsible for implementing and maintaining new mission-critical, enterprise-wide information systems.

eLearning

Campus learning management system, also known as Blackboard Vista (formerly WebCT), which allows instructors to post syllabi, class notes, grades, and other content in a secure online area. eLearning can be accessed through the Howdy portal (https://howdy.tamu.edu/) or at the eLearning web site (http://elearning.tamu.edu/).

The office (http://training.tamu.edu/) that provides training to employees of Texas A&M, including classes for software applications.

Encryption

Method used to protect confidential or sensitive information by reversibly transforming data from plain text to a difficult-to-interpret format using an encryption algorithm and one or more encryption keys.

Ethernet

Way for computers to access and connect to a local area network.

Extra email address

Additional addresses that can be used to send and receive email. These are not separate NetIDs or extra email accounts. Extra addresses do not appear on official university email lists.

FERPA

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, a United States law that protects the privacy of educational records.

File sharing

Downloading files over the Internet or other, smaller networks. With peer-to-peer (P2P) software, the most common applications for file-sharing, files are stored on and served from an individual's personal computer.

Firewall

Tool used to protect systems and networks from unauthorized access.

Flash drive

A data storage device. A USB flash drive is compact, inexpensive, and conveniently connects via a universal serial bus connector.

Grade Book

A feature of eLearning.

HDC

Help Desk Central (https://hdc.tamu.edu/) is responsible for providing computing assistance to students, faculty, and staff of Texas A&M.

HiPCAT

High Performance Computing Across Texas (http://www.hipcat.net/) is a consortium of Texas institutions that use advanced computational technologies.

Home drive

Network space that is available through your Open Access Labs account.

Howdy portal

Texas A&M's web portal, which provides easy access to A&M records, email, and other important links. Log in to Howdy at https://howdy.tamu.edu/.

HRConnect

The Texas A&M University System's online leave application that allows users to view personal, payroll, benefits, leave, and training records. Log in to HRConnect through the Single Sign On System (SSO) at https://sso.tamus.edu/.

IP address

Address of a device attached to an Internet Protocol (IP) network. Each device must have its own address.

Impatica

A program that converts PowerPoint files into a compressed format that is optimized for viewing over the Internet.

IMS

Instructional Media Services (http://ims.tamu.edu/) provides, supports, and maintains various multimedia equipment used in classrooms.

Inspiration

A visually oriented software that lets you creatively think, organize, and build intuitive diagrams and outlines.

Internet2

A not-for-profit advanced networking consortium (http://www.internet2.org/) of institutions of higher learning, corporations, and government agencies. that promotes collaboration and innovation that impact the future of the Internet.

ITS

Instructional Technology Services (http://itsinfo.tamu.edu/) fosters effective use of instructional technology in teaching and learning at Texas A&M.

iTunes U

A free hosted content distribution system from Apple that enables colleges and universities to make audio and video material easily available. Users can download content to their Mac or PC, or transfer the information to their iPod. It can be accessed at http://itunes.tamu.edu/.

KAMU

KAMU (http://kamu.tamu.edu/) is both a TV station and FM radio station, and provides public broadcasting to the Brazos Valley area.

LEARN

Lonestar Education And Research Network (http://www.tx-learn.org/) is a cooperative effort of higher education institutions in Texas to provide high-speed connectivity between their institutions as well as to research networks across the country.

LeaveTraq

The Texas A&M University System's online leave application that allows users to check leave balances, request leave, or track the status of leave request. Log in to LeaveTraq through the Single Sign On System (SSO) at https://sso.tamus.edu/.

Listserv

Listserv is an email list management software that allows users to manage opt-in email lists, such as newsletters, announcement lists, and discussion groups.

Malware

Malicious software that is specifically designed to attack or damage a computer. Viruses, Trojan horses, and worms are types of malware.

Mobile web client

Software that allows access to email and contacts on any web-enabled phone.

MyRecord

A tab in the Howdy portal where students can access their records.

NetID

Username or login ID for most campus systems.

OAL

Open Access Labs (http://oal.tamu.edu/) are computer labs located around campus where you can use computers, scanners, digital video workstations, printers, and specialized software.

P2P

Peer-to-peer. It is one of the most common applications for file-sharing, where files are stored on and served from an individual's personal computer.

Password

Secret authentication information that when entered, gives access to a resource.

Podcast

Short for iPOD broadCAST. An audio broadcast that has been converted to an MP3 file or other audio file format for playback in a digital music player or computer.

Primary address

'youraccountname@tamu.edu', the address where university email messages are delivered. It is the address that is published in the campus directory. Note: Students can withhold this information from being made public (see FERPA Policy - Official Notice to Students)

Respondus

An application for creating and managing exams that can be printed on paper or publish directly to Blackboard Vista.

RSS

Real simple syndication. It is used for aggregating updates to blogs, news, and other sites.

SCC

Student Computing Center. It is the largest Open Access Lab, centrally located near the Evans Library.

SELL

Software Evaluation and Licensing Library (http://sell.tamu.edu/). They operate an online store at http://software.tamu.edu/, where faculty, staff, and students can purchase software licenses at reduced prices.

Smart classroom

A technology-enhanced classroom that has installed equipment. It is managed by Instructional Media Services (http://ims.tamu.edu/).

Smartphone

A handheld device that integrates mobile phone, email, Internet browsing, and other features.

SSPR

Self-Service Password Reset. Allows you to reset your NetID password without having to go to or call Help Desk Central or an Open Access Lab. You need to set security questions IN ADVANCE to be able to use this service.

Spam

Electronic junk mail, usually email advertising.

Spyware

Program that collects information about the user and relays it to the originator. Spyware can be installed without the user's knowledge when installing new software, especially when it is freeware, or from clicking pop-up ads or display banners.

Supercomputer

High performance computer used for specialized applications that require immense amounts of mathematical calculations. Information about Texas A&M's Supercomputing Facility is available at http://sc.tamu.edu/.

Sympodium

Presentation tool installed in many Smart classrooms around campus. It has an interactive pen that lets users write over slides in digital ink, save notes, and access any web site or multimedia file.

TAMUDirect

Mailing lists for instructors to email class sections and send mail to individual student email addresses. These mailing lists are automatically provided to instructors every semester. They can be accessed at https://howdy.tamu.edu or https://tamudirect.tamu.edu/.

TAMU Email

Campus email system used by all students (and some faculty and staff). Because the university sends announcements and messages through TAMU Email, students are required to check their account regularly.

TAMULink

Texas A&M's campus wireless network that provides Internet and network access. It uses Wi-Fi Protected Access or WPA Enterprise.

Telecommunications

The office (http://telecom.tamu.edu/) that is responsible for providing telecommunications services to Texas A&M University and The Texas A&M University System.

TIGRE

Texas Internet Grid for Research and Education (http://www.hipcat.net/Projects/tigre) project's goal is to build a computational grid that will enhance the computational capabilities for Texas researchers.

Trojan

Unauthorized program hidden inside a legitimate program. It usually does some harm to the computer system while the host program appears to be performing normally. It is named after the famous Trojan horse of Greek mythology.

TTVN

The enterprise data and interactive communications network for The Texas A&M University System. It provides video- and webconferencing. Find out more at http://ttvn.tamu.edu/.

TurnItIn

An online database system designed to help instructors detect plagiarism in written assignments through word-matching. Request access at http://itsinfo.tamu.edu/ and click Request TurnItIn Access.

UIN

Universal Identification Number. For security reasons, Texas A&M uses UINs instead of Social Security Numbers.

Videoconference

A real-time video session between multiple people in different locations. Attendees can see and hear each other using telecommunication technology.

Virus

Program that reproduces itself by attaching to another program. It needs another program to continue spreading, unlike a worm. The most common way that a virus is spread is via an attachment to an email message. Viruses can damage data or change data without the user's knowledge.

VPN

Virtual Private Network. It uses encryption and other security mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access the campus network and that the data cannot be intercepted.

Webconference

A videoconferencing session via the Internet. Webconferencing offers collaborative web browsing, screen and application sharing, and chat, which are easily supported over the Internet.

Webmail

Internet email service in which email can be accessed through a web browser on any computer.

Wireless

A generic term that refers to transmission without wires, such as a computer network that does not use physical wired connections between the sender and receiver. The campus wireless network is called TAMULink.

Wireless card

Hardware that enables a laptop computer or other portable device to connect to a wireless network. TAMULink, the campus wireless network, requires 802.11b/g compliant wireless cards.

Worm

Self-replicating computer program. It does not require any user intervention and does not need to be attached to any other program, unlike a virus. It uses the network to send copies of itself to other computers. Most worms corrupt data and change files on the targeted systems, along with consuming network bandwidth.

WPA

Wi-Fi Protected Access. It is a security technology for wireless networks that scrambles or encrypts wireless traffic to protect information. WPA Enterprise is used by TAMULink, the campus wireless network.