- K#
- K5, K6, and K7 are 1990s PC microprocessors from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).
- K8s
- An abbreviation of Kubernetes, because there are 8 letters between the K and the s. See container.
- Ka-band
- See microwave band.
- K-band
- See microwave band.
- Kermit
- See data protocol.
- kernel
- The manager of every multi-tasking OS. It’s the first program to control the CPU when the OS starts. It abstracts hardware resources (including memory and CPU), making them available to applications through a set of APIs.
- A monolithic kernel is one that loads all of its services and drivers into one (protected) memory area, which produces a faster system. Unix kernels are of this type. The microkernel approach provides minimal capability, and relies on applications to do more of the work. It’s easier to program, but, because of all the auxiliary code in and extra system calls from applications, uses more memory and has higher overhead. Hybrid kernels are a compromise between the two approaches.
- In Windows 95/98, the 32-bit Virtual Machine Manager is the kernel. All Windows versions from XP onward use the Windows NT hybrid kernel. GNU/Linux is built on the monolithic but highly customizable and scalable Linux kernel.
- keylogger
- Hardware or software that covertly records the keyboard strokes of a computer’s user and transmits the data to someone else. A hardware keylogger requires physical access to the target system. Software keyloggers can be installed remotely, and belong to the sub-category of malware known as spyware.
- kHz
- Kilohertz. 103 hertz.
- KiB
- Kibibyte. See byte.
- KLoC
- Thousand Lines of Code. A unit of measure used to analyze software projects. See LoC.
- kluge
- Probably from German klug, “clever”. Usually pronounced kloozh, even though it’s often spelled kludge. In software development, a clumsy, ad-hoc change or addition to make a program work.
- klystron
- A high-power, high-frequency microwave generator that runs on direct current. It fires an electron gun into a cavity resonator tube that alternately speeds up and slows down the electrons. The klystron is used in high-energy physics research, as it yields much higher RF power than a magnetron or TWTA.
- KPCOFGS
- Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species. The seven-level taxonomic classification of living things devised by Swedish naturalist Carolus Linnaeus (Carl von Linné, 1707-1778), and remembered by mnemonics such as “Kings Play Chess On Funny Green Squares.” In North America, modern biology recognizes either six kingdoms (plant, animal, fungus, protist, eubacteria, and archaebacteria) or three domains (eukarya, bacteria, and archaea) as the highest level of classification. Domains seem to be winning out, so the mnemonic might need to be, say, “Dead Kings Play Chess etc.” Identify organisms by genus and species, with genus capitalized.
- kT/s
- Kilo-Transfers per second. See T/s.
- Ku-band
- See microwave band.
- Kubernetes
- Ancient Greek for “helmsman”. See container.
- KVM
- Keyboard Video Mouse. A switch to let multiple computers share a monitor, keyboard, & mouse.