Final answer:
The window size in the selective repeat protocol refers to the number of frames that can be sent before needing an acknowledgment, which would be 'k frames per second' in this context.
Step-by-step explanation:
Selective Repeat Protocol and Window Size
The question refers to the selective repeat protocol used in data communication, particularly with regard to the size of the sender's window. In the selective repeat protocol, the window size determines how many frames can be sent before needing an acknowledgment for the first frame. This is a mechanism in data transmission to ensure reliable delivery of packets or frames across a network. If a sender has a window size of k, it means the sender can send a maximum of k frames before stopping and waiting for an acknowledgment from the receiver. The frequency or rate at which these frames are sent depends on the network's capacity and other factors, not on the window size directly.
Therefore, the window size in the context of the selective repeat protocol refers to:
The other options a) k bits per second, b) k segments per second, c) k packets per second are not specifically relevant to the window size of the selective repeat protocol, but these terms are generally used in data communication to refer to transmission rates.