wait state
A lag which occurs between processes, or while a process is waiting for data to be received. frequent wait states may cause the system to slow down severely.
warm reboot
To reset the computer without turning the power off, using the CTRL-LAMIGA-RAMIGA key sequence.
Wave Writer
A software package that positions 3D text for use with Lightwave.
WBStartup
The Workbench Startup drawer contains files which are executed whenever the Workbench is loaded.
West Chester
Commodore's former headquarters in the
United States, located in West Chester, Pennsylvania. This large engineering
facility was purchased in the summer of 1995 by QVC, and will supposedly
be converted into a museum or other attraction for the cable television
industry.
wildcard
A pattern that represents any string of text.
window
A portion of a screen defined by a rectangular border,
often draggable with the mouse. May also be positioned behind or in front of other windows, and may be closed. Contains a
border, gadgets, and a raster area. Must be opened on an existing screen and use colors that are avilable from the screen's palette.
wipe
A technique used to clear and image from a display, or to
redraw a new image. Often used in conjunction with a second image to be drawn in its place. May also be used with video.
wireframe
A method of drawing a 3D image by drawing only the edges of the correspoding 3D object. All edges are shown, including those hidden by faces or polygons.
word processor
A software program that is used to display and print texts. Used for simple text layouts.
word wrap
Text that is shaped to an image or border, such that it flows continuously without breaking the flow of text.
Workbench
The Amiga's graphic oriented file manipulation
program. The graphical user interface allows windows and menus to be onscreen along with icons and shells. Also
refers to the standard Amiga system software boot disk which includes the Amiga's preference software, AmigaDOS, and utilities.
workstation
A computer that is considered high-end, used by companies and not end-users.
world coordinates
The coordinate system representing an entire
scene and all the objects within that scene, irregardless of the dimensions of the actual objects themselves that are present within the scene.
wrap around
Text that is shaped to an image or border, such that it flows continuously without breaking the flow of text.
· The Workbench 1.3 Shell does not wrap text, while the Workbench 2.0 or greater Shell automatically wraps text at the borders. This keeps information from appearing offscreen.
write
The process of storing data to a disk or device. May overwrite existing information, or may involve finding unused memory, depending on how it is used.
write protect
A mode for which a storage device or file cannot
have data written to or deleted from it. Some devices have software protection while others have hardware protection.
Software write protection can often be turned on or off using software, while hardware write protection generally requires
a hardware setting. Some devices, such as CD-ROMs, are only currently available with write protection.
WYSIWYG
What You See Is What You Get, a display format that matches paper printed output as close as possible. These displays are slower than Text Modes.