Glossary

De-skew:
The process of straightening skewed (offcentre) images. De-skewing is one of the image enhancements that can improve OCR accuracy. Documents often become skewed when they are scanned or faxed.
De-speckle:
Removing isolated speckles from an image file. Speckles often develop when a document is scanned or faxed.
DICOM:
Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine. Allows for any image regardless of source to be distributed as long as it adheres to this standard
Digital Signature:
Electronic signature that can be used to authenticate the sender of a message.
DIP:
Document Image Processing. Document image processing systems transform unstructured information held on paper documents or microfilm into digital images. These, together with a suitable index, can become the basis for the automation of filing, storage, retrieval, distribution and display of documents.
DjVu:
A proprietary image compression algorithm and decompression software developed by AT&T and marketed by LizardTech.com. Designed to provide higher compression rates for greyscale and colour images than standard compression techniques such as JPEG. Used to deliver greyscale and colour image files across the Internet.
DMS:
Document Management System.
Document Management:
The electronic management of scanned and electronic files. A document management system will allow you to specify how to index documents, and supply whatever metadata your application demands. It differs from records management systems which are more prescriptive with the definition of metadata. Good document management systems will offer many other facilities including integration with email, allow annotation, and some will offer integrated or separate workflow. A well specified and operated document management system will meet the standards of legal admissibility.
Document Scanner:
A mechanical device that converts paper records into a digital stream to be stored electronically.
DPA:
Data Protection Act.
dpi:
(dots per inch) Measure of image resolution and quality in horizontal and vertical dimensions.
Duplex:
to handle both sides of a page, normally associated with document scanners.
Dublin Core Metadata Initiative:
An open forum engaged in the development of interoperable online metadata standards that support a broad range of purposes and business models. DCMI's activities include consensus-driven working groups, global workshops, conferences, standards liaison, and educational efforts to promote widespread acceptance of metadata standards and practices.
EDMS:
Electronic Document Management System.
e-GIF:
e-Government Interoperability Framework. Set of technical policies and specifications governing information exchange in the UK public sector.
Encryption:
The coding of messages to increase security and make transmission only readable by recipients with the ability to decode only by using the same algorithms.