Handshaking

3 definitions found

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  handshaking
       n : grasping and shaking a person's hand (as to acknowledge an
           introduction or to agree on a contract) [syn: {handshake},
            {shake}, {handclasp}]

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:



  handshaking n. [very common] Hardware or software activity designed to
     start or keep two machines or programs in synchronization as they {do
     protocol}. Often applied to human activity; thus, a hacker might watch
     two people in conversation nodding their heads to indicate that they
     have heard each others' points and say "Oh, they're handshaking!". See
     also {protocol}.
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  handshaking
       
          1. Predetermined hardware or software activity designed to
          establish or maintain two machines or programs in
          synchronisation.  Handshaking often concerns the exchange of
          messages or {packet}s of data between two systems with limited
          {buffer}s.  A simple handshaking {protocol} might only involve
          the receiver sending a message meaning "I received your last
          message and I am ready for you to send me another one."  A
          more complex handshaking {protocol} might allow the sender to
          ask the receiver if he is ready to receive or for the receiver
          to reply with a negative acknowledgement meaning "I did not
          receive your last message correctly, please resend it" (e.g. if
          the data was corrupted en route).
       
          {Hardware handshaking} uses voltage levels or pulses on wires
          to carry the handshaking signals whereas {software
          handshaking} uses data units (e.g. {ASCII} characters) carried
          by some underlying communication medium.
       
          {Flow control} in bit-serial data transmission such as
          {EIA-232} may use either hardware or software handshaking.
       
          2. The method used by two {modem}s to establish contact with
          each other and to agreee on {baud rate}, {error correction}
          and {compression} {protocol}s.
       
          3. The exchange of predetermined signals between agents
          connected by a communications channel to assure each that it
          is connected to the other (and not to an imposter).  This may
          also include the use of passwords and codes by an operator.
       
          [{Jargon File}]
       
          (1995-01-13)