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Zeus Lexicon

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S

SAM - Symantec Anti-Virus for the Macintosh

sample - 1. n. a discreet measurements in time, as in a sound sample. See Hertz, kHz, MHz. 2. v. to digitize; 3. free food at the Price Club.

sampling rate - the number of samples per second. (measured in Hertz, KHz or MHz).

sane - rational, reasonable. Contrast multimedia deadlines.

SANE - a library of math routines on the Macintosh.

scarf - 1. to abscond with, as in, "He scarfed the last piece of pizza." see open-scarf. 2. muffler (textile, not automotive)

scope - 1. n. a brand of mouthwash. 2. v. to hunt for or otherwise espy people with an eye towards romantic interest; reconnoiter. 3. n. the "pervasiveness" of a variable. A variable's scope denotes the handler or scripts for which it is a valid, declared value. A global variable's scope extends to any handler which declares the global variable. A local or temporary's variable's scope is limited ot the handler in which it is defined or used.

Score - Director timeline window which resembles a spreadsheet. Director 6.0 features an enhanced Score window designed to be easier to use. See Cast window, Paint window.

score script - 1. to get a prescription for drugs; 2. a Lingo script which is called a frame script if it is used in the script channel, or a sprite script if it is attached to a sprite in the Score.

screen capture - a snapshot of the screen at a given point in time. Director does not support screen capture, but third-party Xtras may allow you to include such functionality in your Director presentation. See capture, video capture, screen recording, screen grab, screen shot.

screen grab - a single screen capture, also screen shot.

screen shot - a single screen capture, also screen grab.

screen recording - the process of recording the actions appearing on the screen over time, as opposed to a single screen shot. See ScreenCam.

script - 1. a prescription for drugs, especially illicit drugs; 2. a Lingo castmember containing programming code to be executed; 3. the Lingo code contained in a script castmember. See variable, parent script, movie script, cast script, sprite script, frame script, score script.

script channel - the channel in Director's Score, preceding the first sprite channel. The script channel ordinarily contains frame scripts with exitFrame handlers.

scripting language - a programming language such as Lingo, HyperTalk or SmallTalk. Often interpreted, not compiled as is C or Fortran.

Score - a spreadsheet-like window showing Director assets over time.

SCSI - Small Computer Interface (pronounced "scuzzy") a daisy-chainable type of bus, used primarily on the Macintosh. PC users must install a SCSI card to use SCSI devices.

SCSI card - a circuit board which adds the ability to add SCSI devices to a PC.

SCSI chain - a series of SCSI devices, connected in series, sometimes requiring a terminator.

SCSI device - a device with a SCSI interface, such as a hard drive, scanner, CD-ROM or Zip drive..

SCSI ID - each device on a SCSI chain has a unique ID between 0 and 7.

Sculley, John - former CEO of Apple Computer, who was hired by and eventually ousted Steve Jobs.

SDK - Software Development Kit, refers to a development environment geared to creating programs for a specific operating system, such as the Windows SDK. See API, IDE, XDK.

SEA - Self-Extracting Archive (pronounced "Ess-Eee-Ay", not "see"), a standalone application, that, when run, decompresses into one or more component files. Most SEA files are created by Aladdin Systems' StuffIt, or CompactPro.

search engine - a utility which locates text or other data, either in a database or on the internet. The most popular net search engines are Yahoo, AltaVista and Lycos.

semantic - pertaining to words, often used to mean "insignificant" as in "the difference is semantic." See Symantec.

serial - sequential. A serial connection transmits data in series, rather than in chunks. Contrast parallel.

serial port - a communications port used to control certain devices, most notably modems, and some printers. See COM1, COM2. Contrast parallel port.

server - 1. a waiter or waitress. 2. a computer providing services to one or more clients. See print server, network server, web server.

Seuss - 1. Theodore Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. See the "Incognito Quiz" in our Amoosement Center. 2. Code name for Authorware 4. See Hopper, Spike.

SF - San Francisco, mistakenly thought of by residents as "The" City (See NYC). 2. Science Fiction. See vaporware.

SGI - Silicon Graphics Inc., makers or high-end workstations for computer graphics and engineering. See James Clark.

Shared Cast - a Director cast file used for holding common assets in Director 4.0.4 and prior versions. In Director 5 and later, multiple casts are all shareable.

shareware - a try-before-you-buy mechanism for distributing software. The user is entitled to try the software, but is expected to pay the registration fee if they keep and use it. Unfortunately, often confused, intentionally or otherwise with freeware. See KagiWare.

shiftDown - the Lingo property

the
shiftDown

indicates whether the Shift key is being pressed.

Shift key - the Shift key is used to modify other keys, to create capital letters, or punctuation marks. It is often used in conjunction with other modifier keys. For example, Shift-Option-M indicates that you should press the M key while holding down both the Shift and Option keys. You can disable Extensions completely by holding down the Shift key while restarting the Macintosh. Refer to the Lingo property

the
shiftDown

. See Alt key, Command key.

Shockwave - Macromedia's net-platback technology for Director, Authorware and Freehand content.

shortcut - 1. the best way to Grandma's house; 2. a small file which points to the actual file under Windows. Equivalent to a Macintosh alias.

SI - Sports Illusttrated.

SimpleText - a basic text editor included with the Mac OS.

SIT - a file in StuffIt! format.

SiteMill - application from Adobe Systems used to create and maintain web sites

SmallTalk - 1. idle chatter made at parties while waiting for the floorshow to start, dinner to be served, or the bar to be restocked. 2. the scripting language on which Lingo is based. See Hypertalk.

smiley - a common emoticon used to indicate that you are joking, which looks like a smiley face when viewed sideways :) See frown., grin.

Sniglet - a word created to remedy a linguistic deficiency. See the Sniglet Archive.

Snafu - 1. a snag; 2. allegedly a military acronym for Situation Normal, All Fucked Up

SNAG - Sensitive New-Age Guy; Alan Alda, John Tesh, Yanni. Uncommom e-mail abbreviation.

snail mail - delivery via the USPS, as opposed to, the presumably faster, e-mail. See TCIITM, Fed Ex, USPS, UPS.

SNMP - Simple Network Management Protocol.

software conflict - 1. a generic term describing when two or more software programs are incompatible. See driver conflict, hardware conflict, Extensions Manager. 2. the convenient scapegoat of all unidentified problems.

SOL - unlucky. See AOL.

SoundEdit - a Macintosh sound-editing utility from Macromedia.

SoundForge - a Windows sound-editing utility bundled with Macromedia Studio products.

source or source code - the human-readable programming instructions that are then compiled to create an executable or interpreted at run-time. Source code is often machine-independent. For example, the same C programming may work on multiple machines, although it must be copiled separately for each platform.

Spam - 1. the meat. see Hormel. 2. junk e-mail.

Sparc - a family of UNIX workstations from Sun. Also SparcStation.

spawn - to create a process. An executable may spawn a process to perform some task. For example, a word processor may spawn a process to handle printing.

Spike - the code name for D5. See Hopper, Seuss.

spinach - 1. Popeye's favorite food. 2. See Florentine.

Splash - a movie with Darryl Hannah as a mermaid and Tom Hanks as a fish lover.

splash screen - a graphic that displays when a program starts, and disappears before you can read what it says. Adobe Acrobat Reader's splash screen can be disabled under Windows using the /s flag.

sprite - an item in Director that has been placed on the Stage, such as a bitmap, text or video.

sprite script - a Lingo script attached to a Director sprite. Sprite scripts are executed when the user clicks on the associated sprite. See movie script, cast script, sprite script, frame script, score script.

Sprite Xtras - plug-ins which add new castmember types, such as MPEG video, QTVR or QD3D, to Director. See Xtras, Lingo Xtras, Tool Xtras and Transition Xtras.

srm.conf - Server Resource Map Configuration file used by HTTPd.

SSL - Secure Socket Layer, a security standard supported by Netscape Version 2.0 and higher, and Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 3.01. SSL ensures that confidential data remains confidential when transmitted vai the internet.

stand-alone application - an independent executable that does not requie any other application to run, as opposed to a plug-in or Xtra.

Stage - Director's playback window. The Stage is where animations take place and interativity occurs.

Start Menu - the Windows 95 menu bar from which you can launch applications, configure the system, open control panels, and explore files.

startMovie - a Lingo handler called whenever a Director movie is started. See stopMovie.

startUp - a Lingo handler used in the LINGO.INI file. Refer to the TechNote, "The DIRECTOR.INI and LINGO.INI Files".

static - 1. annoying electrical charges that make your clothing cling to you and shock you when you touch a doorknob; 2. poor TV reception or telephone operation, or other noise caused by interference; 3. unchanging. See constant, dynamic. 4. a C keyword for a static variablewhich persists over time. The equivalent of a global variable in Lingo.

stationary - adj. couch-potato-like.

stationery - n. a document template.

Startup Disk - The Macintosh boot drive is typically the first one found with the System and Finder together in a System Folder, but it can be set explicitly with the Startup Disk Control Panel.

STD - 1. STandarD. 2. Sexually Transmitted Disease.

string - 1. a piece of twine or rope. 2. a bunch of characters. "Hello" is a string. See string constant, string variable, integer, float, array, list, concatenate.

string constant - a predefined string, that doesn't change. Lingo does not provide for string constants. Use symbols or string variables instead. See constant.

string variable - a variable containing character data, as opposed to numeric or some other data type

stopMovie - a Lingo handler called whenever a Director movie is stopped or exited. See startMovie.

stub - a brief program or handler that performs little if any actual work. The stub may be a dummy handler that does nothing, but is used as a placeholder to prevent program errors. A stub may also simply pass information onto another handler that performs the real work.

stub projector - a Director Projector that contains a simple movie that merely calls an external DIR or DXR file to do all the real work. Stub projectors are highly recommended for simplified development and distribution of all Director projects. Refer to the TechNote, "Creating and Using Stub Projectors".

StuffIt! - 1. A compression utility from Aladdin Systems which creates SIT and SEA files. 2. What you say to your boss before quitting.

subject line - the topic of an e-mail message. Eudora allows you to filter messages based on their subject line. Some mailing lists require that commands be placed in the subject line of an e-mail message addressed to the List Server. See body.

Symantec - a software vendor of products such as ACT!, SAM and Norton Anti-Virus.

Symantec Anti-Virus - a utility for guarding against viruses. on the Macintosh. See SUM.

subject - 1. the topic of an e-mail. Some mailing lists require that commands be placed in the subject of an e-mail message addressed to the list server. Also subject line. See body. 2. a resident of a kingdom.

subroutine - a programming module which performs a useful operation. A subroutine often accepts parameters that affect the calculations or other operatinos it performs.

SUM - Symantec Utilities for the Mac, which includes Symantec Anti-Virus.

Sun - 1. a large fusion-powered object. 2. Sun Microsystems, Inc. purveyors of Java and engineering workstations. See Sparc.

Super VGA - a video standard that allows millions of colors at greater than 640 x 480 resolution, commonly referred to as SVGA. See CGA, EGA, VGA.

SVGA - Super VGA. See CGA, EGA, VGA.

symbol - in Lingo, an unchanging expression that is convenient to use when programming. They are faster to use than string variables, and easier to decipher and change than numeric constants.

syntax - 1. an excise tax on behaviors or activities which are considered sinful. 2. the required or acceptable grammar or structure for specifying a computer command. Incorrect syntax, such as a typographical error often results in a syntax error message from the computer.

syntax error - 1. a miscalculation of the excise tax on sinful activities or products 2. an error resulting from incorrect grammar or structure when specifying a computer command. Refer to the TechNote "Lingo Error Messages".

system - 1. a computer. 2. something too complicated to describe in actual words. 3. a way to lose money playing the horses, the lottery, blackjack, etc. 4. the man, as in "You can fight the system." 5. the scapegoat of all problems, as in "the system is down." 6. See System.

System - a special Macintosh file, which along with the Finder, constitutes the Mac OS. See System Folder.

System 7 - versions 7.0 through 7.n of the Mac OS, most notably, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.5, 7.6 and 7.8.

System Folder - a special folder of the Mac OS, which contains the System, the Finder, and the Fonts, Extensions, Control Panels, and Preferences folders.

SysEdit - a utility used to inspect and edit the CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, WIN.INI and other Windows system files. See RegEdit.

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