interface

views updated May 23 2018

in·ter·face / ˈintərˌfās/ • n. 1. a point where two systems, subjects, organizations, etc., meet and interact: the interface between accountancy and the law. ∎  chiefly Physics a surface forming a common boundary between two portions of matter or space, e.g., between two immiscible liquids: the surface tension of a liquid at its air/liquid interface.2. Comput. a device or program enabling a user to communicate with a computer. ∎  a device or program for connecting two items of hardware or software so that they can be operated jointly or communicate with each other.• v. [intr.] (interface with) 1. interact with (another system, person, organization, etc.): his goal is to get people interfacing with each other.2. Comput. connect with (another computer or piece of equipment) by an interface.

interface

views updated May 18 2018

interface
1. A common boundary between two systems, devices, or programs.

2. The signal connection and associated control circuits that are used to connect devices. See also standard interface.

3. Specification of the communication between two program units. For example, if a procedure does not refer to nonlocal variables, its interface is defined by the parameter list. Careful definition of interfaces makes it possible to use a program unit without knowledge of its internal working, and is vital to the design of a system that is to be implemented by a team of programmers. The concept is an important feature of Ada; in Ada a package is defined in two parts, the interface and the body. The interface specifies exactly what identifiers are visible outside the package, and is sufficient to permit separate compilation of program units that use the package. Similar facilities are found in most modern programming languages and they are essential features of object-oriented languages such as C++ and Java.

4. To provide an interface.

5. To interact.

interface

views updated May 18 2018

interface Way that a computer program or system interacts with its user. The simplest form of computer interface is the keyboard, through which the user controls the computer by typing in commands. The most common type for personal computers is the graphical user interface (GUI).

interface

views updated May 08 2018

interface
1. A device which connects two machines and allows them to communicate with one another. The term is used most commonly in respect of equipment linked to a computer.

2. The boundary between two substances that have different properties. See also HORIZON.

Interface

views updated May 29 2018

Interface ★½ 1984

A computer game gets out of hand at a university, turning the tunnels beneath the campus into a battleground of good and evil. 88m/C VHS . John Davies, Laura Lane, Matthew Sacks; D: Andy Anderson; W: Roger Pistole; M: David Hoey, Steven Jay Hoey.

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