What is a Vector?
In physics, we learn that a vector is a way to represent a property of an object that has both magnitude
and direction. However, the word vector is used in many different ways throughout our modern world.
One example is Vector ( “Oh YEAH!”), the bad guy in Despicable
Me. He committed crimes with “Both magnitude and direction, Oh
yeah!!” As according to the world of wikipedia, below are examples
of other ways the word vector is used.
Vector graphics
Vector graphics refers to the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, and curves
(i.e. shapes based on mathematical equations) instead of resolution-dependent bitmap graphics
to represent images in computer graphics. In video games this type of projection is somewhat
rare, but has become more common in recent years in browser-based gaming with the advent
of Flash, since Flash supports vector graphics natively. Earlier examples for the personal
computer is Starglider (1986)
Vector game can also refer to a video game that uses a vector graphics display capable of
projecting images using an electron beam to draw images instead of with pixels, much like a
laser show. Many early arcade games used such displays, as they were capable of displaying
more detailed images than raster displays on the hardware available at that time. Many vectorbased arcade games used full-color overlays to complement the
otherwise monochrome vector images. Other uses of these overlays
were very detailed drawings of the static gaming environment, while the
moving objects were drawn by the vector beam. Games of this type
were produced mainly by Atari, Cinematronics, and Sega. Examples of
vector games include Armor Attack, Eliminator, Lunar Lander, Space
Fury, Space Wars, Star Trek, Tac/Scan, Tempest and Zektor. The
Vectrex home console also used a vector display. After 1985, vector
graphics were substantially declining due to improvements to sprite
technology, rasterized 3D Filled Polygon Graphics were returning to the
Vectrex Home Console
arcades and were so popular in the late 80s that vector graphics can no
longer compete.
Vector (biology)
Traditionally in medicine, a vector is an organism that does not cause disease itself but which
spreads infection by conveying pathogens from one host to another. Species of mosquito, for
example, serve as vectors for the deadly disease Malaria. This sense of "biological vector" is
the primary one in epidemiology and in common speech. In gene
therapy, a virus itself may serve as a vector, if it has been reengineered and is used to deliver a gene to its target cell. A
"vector" in this sense is a vehicle for delivering genetic material
such as DNA to a cell.
Vector (malware)
A vector in computing, specifically when talking about malicious code such
as viruses or worms, is the method that this code uses to propagate itself or
infect the computer. This sense is similar to, and derived from, its meaning
in biology.
Vector (G.I. Joe)
Vector is a Cobra Laser Viper serving with the organization's elite Plague
Troopers. He was recruited to the Plague due to his modifying his
equipment from a targeting system to an offensive laser weapon system. It
is rumored Destro tried to recruit him or purchase his technology for
M.A.R.S.
Vector (Lift Force)
A fluid flowing past the surface of a body exerts a force on it. Lift is the component of this force
that is perpendicular to the oncoming flow direction.[1] It contrasts with the drag force, which is
the component of the surface force parallel to the flow direction. If the fluid is air, the force is
called an aerodynamic force.
Lift is the force generated by propellers and wings to propel
aircraft and keep them in the air. Birds, bats, insects, fish, flying
reptiles, and even falling plant seeds have usefully exploited lift
for millions of years.