Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, available at wombat.doc.ic.ac.uk/, editor Denis Howe.
FYI
For Your Information
FAT
File Allocation Table. A special file located in sector 0 on a disk, which contains information about the sizes of files stored on the disk and which clusters contain which files.
FAX
Facsimile. A document sent over telephone lines, originally by means of a special facsimile machine which scans a document and transmits electrical signals to print a copy of the document on the other end. Now computers can send faxes with fax software and a modem, so a fax can be sent from computer to fax machine, from fax machine to computer, or from computer to computer without requiring a printout.
FC/AL
Fiber Channel/Arbitrated Loop.
FD
1. Floppy Disk. A removable, portable magnetic disk on which data and programs can be stored. Also called diskettes, floppies are flexible plastic. The older 5-1/4 inch disks are more flexible; the 3-1/2 inch disks have a hard protective case around them and are the primary size used now. 2. Full Duplex. A communications channel which transmits data in both directions at once.
FDD
Floppy Disk Drive. The disk drive where a floppy disk is stored.
FDDI
Fiber Distributed Data Interface. An ANSI standard for 100 Mbit/s data transmission through fiber optic cable, in a token ring setup. Many local area networks can be linked together with a backbone that uses FDDI.
