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Computer, Telephony & Electronics
Industry Glossary

Q

1. In electronics, a term used most often, for lack of a better way to describe it, the Quality of a circuit, inductor or transmission.
2. Quality factor of an inductor or capacitor. It is the ratio of a component's reactance (energy stored) to its effective series resistance (energy dissipated). For a tuned circuit, a figure of merit used in bandwidth calculations. Q is the ratio of reactive power to resistive power in a tuned circuit.
3. The symbol for charge in coulombs (Q for quantity).

QAM

An acronym for Quadrature Amplitude Modulation. QAM is a method of combining two amplitude-modulated (AM) signals into a single channel, thereby doubling the effective bandwidth. QAM is used with pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) in digital systems, especially in wireless applications. In a QAM signal, there are two carriers, each having the same frequency but differing in phase by 90 degrees (one quarter of a cycle, from which the term quadrature arises). One signal is called the I signal, and the other is called the Q signal. Mathematically, one of the signals can be represented by a sine wave, and the other by a cosine wave. The two modulated carriers are combined at the source for transmission. At the destination, the carriers are separated, the data is extracted from each, and then the data is combined into the original modulating information.

QBASIC

Microsoft's interpreter BASIC supplied with DOS. It can be saved in ASCII and used as a source code for the QuickBasic compiler. See QuickBasic and BASIC.

QBE

An acronym for Query By Example. See query and database.

QCIF

An industry acronym for Quarter Common Intermediate Format, a videoconferencing format that specifies data rates of 30 frames per second (fps), with each frame containing 144 lines and 176 pixels per line. This is one fourth the resolution of Full CIF. QCIF support is required by the ITU H.261 videoconferencing standard.

QI

An industry acronym for Query Interface, The QI (generally based on the CCSO Nameserver) is a database system that can be accessed by phone client programs to retrieve and edit entries in the server. This is generally used for phonebook services, but can be used in any database application.

qic

Acronym for Quarter-Inch Cartridge, pronounced quick, a standard for magnetic tape drives. QIC tapes are among the most popular tapes used for backing up personal computers. QIC tapes are divided into two general classes: full-size (also called data-cartridge) and minicartridge. The QIC-40 and QIC-80 standards are sometimes referred to as floppy tape standards because they are designed to use a personal computer's existing floppy disk drive controller instead of requiring a customized controller. The newest set of QIC standards are based on the Travan technology developed by 3M. The various QIC standards are controlled by a consortium of manufacturers called the Quarter-Inch Cartridge Drive Standards, Inc. The term QIC, therefore, is used to refer both to the type of tape and to the standards-producing organization. The following is a table of the QIC standard for tapes.

QIC-24-DC 60 MB Full
QIC-40-MC 40 MB Mini
QIC-80-MC 80 MB Mini
QIC-120-MC 120 MB Mini
QIC-525-DC 525 MB Full
QIC-1000-DC 1.01GB Full
QIC-1350-DC 1.35 GB Full
QIC-2100-MC 2.1 GB Mini
QIC-3010-MC 340 MB Mini
QIC-3020-MC 680 MB Mini
QIC-3040-MC 1 GB Mini
QIC-3080-MC 1.6 GB Mini
QIC-3095-MC 4 GB Mini
QIC-3210-MC 2.3 GB Mini
QIC-3220-MC 10 GB Mini

Q number

A designation for specific articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base. This is usually followed by a number such as Q1234. That number can be searched specifically or the Knowledge Base can be searched by keywords.

QoS

An acronym for Quality of Service. The term is often a benchmark to indicate a certain service level guaranty.

QPSK

An acronym for Quadrature Phase Shift Keying. (Big help...) QPSK is a digital frequency modulation action used primarily for sending data over coaxial cable networks, such as cable subscriber networks that connect directly or indirectly to the Internet. Since it's both easy to implement and fairly resistant to noise, QPSK is used primarily for sending data (usually in large quantities of packets) from the cable subscriber upstream to the Internet.

QTM

An acronym for Quadratic Texture Mapping. This is a technology used with NVidia based 3D graphics boards that dramatically speeds up texture mapping and screen redrawing (refreshing) by reducing the amount of work required. NVidia chips use fewer polygons to render an acceptable looking rounded object. Filling the screen, therefore, takes less time and CPU horsepower than it would using most any other rendering chip or chipset. See them at HTTP://WWW.NVIDIA.COM.

QTVR

An acronym for QuickTime Virtual Reality. QTVR is a 3-D, virtual reality version of Apple's Quicktime multimedia software. QTVR uses multiple still shots to compile a 3-D view of space. See VRML. A competing player and approach to the technology is IPIX.

Qualcomm

A leading American manufacturer and player in the cellular business. Based in San Diego, they started operations in 1985. See them at HTTP://WWW.QUALCOMM.COM.

Quantum

1. An industry leader in the disk drive industry. As of August 2000, they are merging with former rival Maxtor to form a disk drive giant in both size and technology. Visit them at HTTP://WWW.QUANTUM.COM.
2. The smallest amount of a physical quantity that can exist independently, especially a discrete quantity of electromagnetic radiation.

query

1. A request for information from a database. There are three general methods for posing queries:
a. choosing parameters from a menu: In this method, the database system presents a list of parameters from which you can choose. This is perhaps the easiest way to pose a query because the menus guide you, but it is also the least flexible.
b. query by example, often just called QBE: In this method, the system presents a blank record and lets you specify the fields and values that define the query.
c. query language: Many database systems require you to make requests for information in the form of a stylized query that must be written in a special query language. This is the most complex method because it forces you to learn a specialized language, but it is also the most powerful.
2. To make a request for information from a database.
3. The process of extracting data from a database and presenting it for use.
4. A specific set of instructions for extracting particular data repetitively.

query language

As database structures have become more complex and powerful, entire language sets, not unlike programming languages, have been created. Each database program has its own but they are generally similar in make up and structure. The more elaborate database offerings such as SQL, Oracle, IFMX and Access actually have entire courses on this.

queue

A sequence of items such as packets or print jobs waiting to be processed. For example, a print queue holds files that are waiting to be printed.

QuickBasic

A DOS version of Microsoft's BASIC that was compatible and could be executed in .COM and .EXE files. See BASIC. It has been superseded by Windows requirements. See Visual Basic.

QuickBooks

A general accounting system from Intuit, Inc. that is a step up from the very popular checkbook money manager, Quicken. See Intuit on the Web.. You can contact us for support; talk to Diane.

Quicken

A very basic checkbook money manager that has had much popularity because of ease of use. It is not really an accounting system but does handle personal accounting. See QuickBooks.. Microsoft Money is its competitive product.

Quicktime

Apple's video format, the multimedia extensions to the Apple Macintosh System 7 software, also available for Windows. QuickTime can synchronize up to 32 tracks of sounds, video images, or MIDI or other control output. Quicktime .MOV files can be played on the Macintosh or Windows PC. MAC and Windows users can download Quicktime software at many download sites. Get it here, either flavor, QuickTime from Apple.

QWERTY

The standard English language keyboard layout. Term comes from the first six letters below the row of numbers. See also Dvorak and AZERTY.

Qwest

A major corporate player in the international communications industry. Formed in 2000 from several smaller organizations, the largest being U. S. West. See them at HTTP://WWW.QWEST.COM.

QWK

A format for offline mail and news reader packets, originally made popular on MS-DOS BBSs.

QXGA

An acronym for (Quantum Extended Graphics Array) is a display mode in which the resolution is 2048 pixels horizontally by 1536 pixels vertically (2048 x 1536). This results in 3,145,728 pixels in the image (sometimes referred to as 3.2 million pixels). This resolution is twice the 1024 x 768 seen on most high powered units. A QXGA display might be preferred by computer users who desire or need very extreme detail, or who want to view multiple high detail images on a single screen. An example of such an application is the reception of a television (TV) program while browsing the Web, and at the same time working in a high-end image-editing program. Advanced projection systems use QXGA to obtain images that appear crisp even when enlarged to dimensions such as those used in presentations. Liquid crystal display (LCD) panels with the QXGA specification can offer a level of detail comparable or superior to print on paper. The main disadvantage of this type of display is the high initial cost compared with displays having less (but still very good) resolution.

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