Common acronyms
From Mac Guides
There are a lot of gaming-specific acronyms which are contained in Common gaming acronyms
Here are some common acronyms used on MacRumors and their meanings.
Updates:
- 040711 Added BOHICA & LOL.
| Acronym | Full Version | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers and Symbols | ||
| ^^ | The post above | Commonly used on the MacRumors forum to reply to the post above without quoting it. |
| != | Not equal to | Programmer terminology for not equal to. |
| ~/ | Home Directory | This is standard Unix terminology to refer to a file that is in a subfolder of your home folder. |
| +1 | Ditto, me too | Indicates the poster is adding their agreement or vote to the post. (+2, etc.) On MacRumors, this isn't allowed to be used as the only content of a post. |
| A | ||
| AAPL | Apple's Stock Symbol | The stock ticker symbol under which Apple's stock is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. |
| ACD | Apple Cinema Display | Apple's line of Computer displays |
| ACL | Access Control List | A way of choosing the permissions (i.e. what you can do with a file) for different users on a user by user basis. |
| ADC | Apple Display Connector | Apple's old video interface, used before DVI on the Mac. |
| Apple Developer Connection | For developers writing software for the Mac, often used in posts talking about Bug Reports. | |
| AEBS | Airport Extreme Base Station | Apple's WiFi "G" wireless router (UFO shaped) and "N" wireless router (Square shaped). As distinct from the earlier Airport Base Station which is wireless "B" only. |
| AFAIK | As far as I know | A common acronym used on the MacRumors Forums. |
| AGP | Accelerated Graphics Port | video interface |
| AI | AppleInsider | Apple rumor site |
| Artificial Intelligence | A computers ability to "think" about problems | |
| AIFF | Audio Interchange File Format | audio file format |
| AlBook | Aluminum Powerbook G4 | Apple's top notebook machine from Sept 2003 - April 2006. Came in 12" 15" and 17" screen sizes |
| API | application programming interface | functional specifications for programmers |
| ASIC | application-specific integrated circuit | circuit designed for a specific application |
| ATA | AT attachment | Hard disk and optical disk interface - two variants Parallel ATA (IDE, UltraATA, ATA-100, ATA-133, PATA) and Serial ATA (SATA). When ATA is used alone, it refers to Parallel ATA as distinct from SATA. |
| ATV | Apple TV | Apple hardware product |
| AVI | Audio Visual Interleave | video file format |
| B to C | ||
| BBC | British Broadcasting Corporation | Public broadcaster for the UK, they broadcast TV and radio content. |
| BOHICA | Bend Over Here It Comes Again | Navy term indicating that something undesirable is about to happen. (added by Huntn 040711) |
| BT | Bluetooth | A low power wireless technology used on most phones, and many Macs. |
| British Telecom | The biggest UK telecoms company, they are also a ISP with a lot of customers. | |
| BTW | By the Way | A common acronym used on the MacRumors Forums |
| CCC | Carbon Copy Cloner | This is a 3rd party disk cloning program, Developers Site |
| CD | Compact Disc | Used to describe a compact disc you put in a computer, also used generically for software discs, e.g. for Leopard even if the disc is actually a DVD. |
| Core Duo | When describing an early Intel computer, i.e. first generation MacBook, MacBook Pro or iMac by the processor. Commonly used in conjunction with MB and MBP. | |
| C2D | Core 2 Duo | When describing a Core 2 Duo Intel computer, i.e. second generation or later MacBook, MacBook Pro or iMac by the processor. Commonly used in conjunction with MB and MBP. |
| C2E | Core 2 Extreme | Used to describe Intel's Core 2 Duo Extreme Edition processors. |
| CMS | Content Management System | Used in web development to describe a system to store information for display on a website like Drupal, Wordpress or the Wiki software used on the Mac Guides. |
| Combo | Combo drive | Optical drive that can read DVD disks only, and both read and write CD disks |
| D to H | ||
| DOA | Dead on arrival | Used to describe a product that was broken when it was delivered. |
| DVD-RW | DVD Read-Write optical drive - also called "Superdrive" | Optical drive that can read and write both DVD disks and CD disks. |
| DVI | Digital Video Interface | A port included on the Mac mini, MacBook Pro and Mac Pro to connect displays. The other Mac models can connect to a DVI display with an adapter. This is backwards compatible with VGA with an adapter, and compatible with HDMI with an adapter. |
| FCC | Federal Communications Commission | The US goverment department governing radio and other wireless products. Macs with wireless networking and the iPod touch and iPhone must be submitted to them before they can be released. |
| FCE | Final Cut Express | Apple's 'semi-pro' video editing software. |
| FCP | Final Cut Pro/Final Cut Studio | Apple's professional-level video editing software. |
| FF | Firefox | A popular Mozilla based web browser |
| FTW | For The Win | A common acronym used on the MacRumors Forum, indicates agreement with the post. (References game shows when a player makes the answer that wins the match) |
| FWIW | For what its worth | A common acronym used on the MacRumors Forum |
| GHz | GigaHertz | A unit of measurement for the processor speed |
| HD | High Definition | Usually a display in widescreen format (16:9 or 16:10) with at least 720 vertical pixels. In Apple displays, it is often used for displays with a resolution of 1920x1200 or above even though 1680x1050 is technically HD. |
| Hard Disk | The biggest memory storage on a computer, used for storing general data, as well as applications. Also referred to as HDD (Hard Disk Drive) | |
| HDD | Hard Disk Drive | The biggest memory storage on a computer, used for storing general data, as well as applications. Also referred to as HD (Hard Drive). |
| HDMI | High Definition Media Interface | A digital interface cable standard for High Definition TVs and video devices. It consists of a DVI video signal plus sound. Wiki |
| I to L | ||
| IANAL | I am not a lawyer | Used when talking about legal issues. |
| IDK | I don't know | A common acronym used on the MacRumors Forums |
| IEEE | originally "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers", now just IEEE | A non-profit organization, IEEE is the world's leading professional association for the advancement of technology. It maintains standards for electronic components, such as the design of cables and connectors. |
| IMO | In my opinion | A common acronym used on the MacRumors Forums |
| IMHO | In my humble opinion | A common acronym used on the MacRumors Forums |
| ISP | Internet Service Provider | A company that supplies internet connection for homes and businesses |
| ITMS | iTunes (Music) Store | Apple's online music and video sales site accessed through iTunes. Apple now refers to this as the ITS or iTunes Store |
| iTouch | iPod touch | An informal nickname for the iPod touch. |
| ITS | iTunes Store | Apple's online music and video sales site accessed through iTunes |
| L1/ L2/ L3 | Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3 Cache | Very fast memory used by the processor to avoid dependence on main memory (RAM). |
| LOL | Laugh Out Loud. | A common acronym used on the MacRumors Forums (Added 040711 by Huntn) |
| M | ||
| Mac | Macintosh | The name of Apple's computer range, all current models use Mac in the name (although earlier models such as iBooks are still Macs). |
| MAC address | Media Access Control address | This is the "unique" identifying number of every device network interface that can be connected to Ethernet. A computer may have more than one MAC address (one for the Ethernet connector, one for the Airport card, for example) [Wiki] |
| MB | MacBook | Commonly used on the MacRumors forum to refer to the MacBook. |
| MBA | MacBook Air | Commonly used on the MacRumors forum to refer to the MacBook Air. |
| MBP | MacBook Pro | Commonly used on the MacRumors forum to refer to the MacBook Pro. |
| MP | Mac Pro | Apple top of the line tower computer. |
| MR | MacRumors | MacRumors |
| MS or M$ | Microsoft | The maker of Microsoft Office, Windows and Internet Explorer. Using M$ instead of MS is generally seen as immature. |
| MTR | MacTheRipper | Copies movies on CDs and DVDs from a CD or DVD to your computer, and removes the DVD region. |
| MWSF | MacWorld San Francisco | Apple's annual consumer products exhibition, held every year in January. Apple has released many consumer products here including the iPhone and the MacBook Air |
| N to S | ||
| OP | Opening Poster | The first person to post in a thread - i.e. the thread starter. |
| PCIe | PCI Express | An expansion interface. |
| PEBKAC | Problem exists between keyboard and chair | To say that the problem is the users fault not the computer. |
| PM | Power Mac | Apple's old Power PC Desktop tower machine. |
| Private Message | Sending a message through the forum to a single, or small group of members without making it public. | |
| PRSI | Politics Religion and Social Issues | The MacRumors forum for discussing politics, religion and social issues. Over 100 posts are required to post on these issues. |
| RAM | Random Access Memory | The 'working memory' of a system. All software and data currently in use is loaded into RAM for use, Information stored is lost when power is switched off. |
| RDF | Reality Distortion Field | Is a term coined by Bud Tribble at Apple Inc. in 1981, to describe company co-founder Steve Jobs' charisma and its effects on the developers working on the Mac project. Later the term has also been used to refer to perceptions of his keynote by observers and devoted users of Apple computers and products. |
| SD | Secure Digital | Secure Digital which is a format of memory card much like compact flash, xD card, etc, it is currently the most common type in use. |
| Standard Definition | Standard Definition television, as opposed to High Definition (HD) | |
| SuperDrive | An optical drive in Apple computers that reads and writes both CDs and DVDs (DVD-RW) | |
| SuperDuper! | SuperDuper! is a 3rd party disk cloning program. Developers Site | |
| SSD | Solid State Drive | Flash-based long-term storage. An alternative technology to Hard Disk Drives. |
| SR | Santa Rosa | The name of the logic board used in the MacBook and MacBook Pro, this is used to differentiate it from the first generation Core 2 Duo (Merom) Macs |
| T to Z | ||
| TiBook | Titanium PowerBook G4 | This is a nickname for Titanium Powerbook G4's, commonly used on the MacRumor's forum. |
| TPINWOP | This Post is Nothing Without Pictures | Humorous or ironic reply to a post. Also variants TPIWWOP (worthless) TPINWOV (Video) |
| UK | United Kingdom | It is made up of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is also known as Great Britain (though technically this excludes Northern Ireland). |
| VBA | Visual Basic for Applications | Visual Basic for Applications is an implementation of Microsoft Corp.'s Visual Basic programming language. |
| VGA | Video Graphic Array | The old analogue display connection standard. This port is commonly found on PC laptops, but Macs require an adapter, which is included with some Macs, or can be bought from Apple, to use VGA ports. |
| WTF | What The F... | An emphatic expression of disbelief |
| WWDC | Worldwide Developers Conference | Apple's annual software developers conference, usually held in June but always in the summer. The Mac Pro was introduced at WWDC 2006 and new versions of Mac OS X are frequently announced. |
| WYSIWYG | What you see is what you get | An abbreviation used in HTML which means that you see what your page will look like as you work on it. |
| YMMV | Your Mileage may vary | A common phrase used on MacRumors to show that you may have different experiences from the poster. |
[edit]
See Also
[edit]
External Links
- Apple Glossary computer terms A-Z
- Urban Dictionary a collection of online slang terms.
