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  • LADAR
    Laser RADAR. Uses optical wavelength (typically 1 micron) laser pulses to interrogate distant targets (typically 10 kilometers) and then measures the reflected energy with either a single photo-detector or detector array.
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  • LAN
    Local Area Network. A computer network limited to the immediate area, usually the same building.
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  • Language Understanding
    A language processing technology that allows users to communicate with machines without the constraints of structured, unnatural language.
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  • Large Vocabulary System
    A speech recognition system that can be used for dictation rather than merely for programming or for command and control. Large vocabulary systems have at least 10,000 words, and usually between 30,000 and 60,000 words in their vocabularies.
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  • Latency
    The amount of time it takes a packet to travel from source to destination. Together, latency and bandwidth define the speed and capacity of a network.
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  • Leased line
    A fixed telephone line connection that provides wide-area connectivity, often constituting "last mile" transport between an ISP and a commercial customer. Contrast with dial-up.
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  • Legacy system
    A customer's existing system, often a database system.
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  • Link
    Shorthand for hyperlink in discussions related to hypertext issues.
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  • Linux
    An operating system that is a UNIX clone. It was created by programmer Linus Torvalds, who gave Linux its name. Linux is under special copyright that allows anyone to improve it, but no one to profit from it.
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  • listserv
    A very common program used to run a mailing list. Because it is so common, mailing lists are often called listservs, even if they are run with different software.
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  • Local authentication
    Authentication by means of a mechanism that is entirely local to the entity requiring authentication, such as an authentication service or database that resides on the same Web server that is capable of serving the content for which access control is desired.
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  • Log file
    A file in which a program records events as they occur for the purpose of analysis at a later time, for diagnostic or other purposes. Example: most Web server administrators configure their Web server to record the requests they receive and whether they responded successfully.
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  • Low Power Network
    A network that uses significantly less power than a traditional network, enabling longer, unattended operation. The critical issue in low power networks is balancing the necessary tradeoffs between power consumption and performance.
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