port
1. A logical channel or channel endpoint in a
communications system. The {Transmission Control Protocol}
and {User Datagram Protocol} {transport layer} protocols used
on {Ethernet} use port numbers to distinguish between
(demultiplex) different logical channels on the same {network
interface} on the same computer.
Each {application program} has a unique port number associated
with it, defined in /etc/services or the {Network Information
Service} "services" database. Some {protocols}, e.g. {telnet}
and {HTTP} (which is actually a special form of telnet) have
default ports specified as above but can use other ports as
well.
2. To translate {software} to
run on a different system or the results of doing so. See
{portability}.
3. An {imperative} language descended from {Zed}
from {Waterloo Microsystems} (now {Hayes} Canada) ca. 1979.
["Port Language" document in the Waterloo Port Development
System].
(1998-02-20)