It has almost got to the point, with commercial software, that there are as many obscure terms, acronyms and abreviations as there are developers!  At PPS, we like to try and keep the techno-jargon to a minimum as there is simply no need for a lot of it.  It is mostly used by 'techno-wannabees' who try to hide their true lack of knowledge behind this stuff.  If your suppliers or contractors cant explain what they mean using simple english - change them.

To help you understand the more technical side of our services we have created this glossary.  If you are still confused about something, please let us know and we will ensure it is made a lot clearer - if it confuses you then it is our problem, not yours!

Test Terms

•  Test Driver - A program, or part of a program, that tests a software component by applying known input to that component and checking the result is as expected.
  

• Test Bed - A program that can execute Test Drivers, usually recording the test results.
  

• Test Suite - A number of related Test Drivers.
  

• Test Harness - A program that allows a user, or automated test system,  to control tests, test flows and test beds.
  

Miscellaneous

• HTTP - HyperText Transfer Protocol.  The way Web-pages and related data is transferred around networks.
  

• Web Services - Using HTTP, programs executing on one machine can allow remote programs, even web-pages, to access (or Consume) parts of them.  A program, for example, could allow another program running on another machine to access part of it to add two numbers together.
  

• API - Application Program Interface.  The software access points that Operating Systems (such as Unix, Windows, VMS etc.) provide allowing applications to utilise the low-level functionality (such as file-access, user interaction etc..) that operating systems are good at.
  

• GUI - Graphical User Interface.  The ubiquitous 'Windows' systems that are now commonly used as interfaces between applications and the User.  Frequen