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WAN (wide area network): A connection between two or more local area networks (LANs). Wide area networks can be made up of interconnected smaller networks spread throughout a building, a state, or the globe.

WAP (wireless application protocol): A standard for providing cellular phones, pagers, and other handheld devices with secure access to email and text-based webpages. WAP features the Wireless Markup Language (WML), a streamlined version of HTML for small-screen displays. It also uses WMLScript, a compact JavaScript-like language that runs in limited memory.

webring: A navigation system that links related websites together. Each ring links sites that pertain to a particular topic.

white noise: A random noise that contains an equal amount of energy per frequency band. That is, 100-200, 800-900, and 3000-3100. Pink noise has an equal amount of energy per octave. The bands 0-200, 800-1600, and 3000-6000 all contain the same amount of energy.

word: One sample of audio data.

wordclock: Wordclock is a synch pulse that lets devices determine the start of each digital word. When multiple digital devices are connected together, it is vital that each device knows where a digital word starts and stops. Otherwise dropout or distortion may result. Although most digital interconnect protocols are self-clocking, it is more reliable to use a dedicated line for your wordclock signal. This is especially important in a multitrack environment where up to eight channels of digital data may be multiplexed on one cable.

worm: A program that makes copies of itself, for example from one disk drive to another, or by copying itself using email or some other transport mechanism. Recent worms have traveled by sending themselves to all the addresses in an infected users email address book.

XLR: A connector that's used to carry balanced audio signals.

XML (extensible markup language): Designed especially for Web documents, XML lets programmers create customized tags that provide functionality not available in HTML. Not only does it make the language easier to understand, it also lets you search and extract information. This can be particularly helpful for use in databases.

XNS (extensible name service): Combines the technology of XML with Web agents.

Zip drive: A small, portable disk drive used primarily for backing up and archiving personal computer files. The trademarked Zip drive was developed and is sold by Iomega Corporation. Zip drives and disks come in two sizes. The 100 megabyte size actually holds 100,431,872 bytes of data or the equivalent of 70 floppy diskettes. There is also a 250 megabyte drive and disk. The Iomega Zip drive comes with a software utility that lets you copy the entire contents of your hard drive to one or more Zip disks.

Zombie: A dead program or process that occupies memory but is no longer functional but will not go away.

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