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Glossary
Glossary
AC Adapter
A device which converts the AC voltage from a
wall outlet to the DC voltage needed to power
your notebook.
Active-Matrix Display
A type of technology for making flat-panel displays
which has a transistor or similar device for every pixel
on the screen.
APM
Advanced Power Management.
Auto/Airline Adapter
A device which converts the DC voltage from an auto-
mobile cigarette lighter or aircraft DC power outlet to
the DC voltage needed to power your notebook.
BIOS
Basic Input-Output System. A program and set of
default parameters stored in ROM which tests and
operates your notebook when you turn it on until it
loads your installed operating system from disk. Infor-
mation from the BIOS is transferred to the installed
operating system to provide it with information on
the configuration and status of the hardware.
Bit
An abbreviation for binary digit. A single piece of
information which is either a one (1) or a zero (0).
bps
An abbreviation for bits per second. Used to describe
data transfer rates.
Boot
To start-up a computer and load its operating system
from disk, ROM or other storage media into RAM.
Bus
An electrical circuit which passes data between the CPU
and the sub-assemblies inside your notebook.
Byte
8 bits of parallel binary information.
Cache Memory
A block of memory built into the micro-processor which
is much faster to access than your system RAM and used
in specially structured ways to make your overall data
handling time faster.
CardBus
A faster, 32-bit version of the PC Card interface
which offers performance similar to the 32-bit
PCI architecture.
CD-ROM
Compact disc read only memory. This is a form of
digital data storage which is read optically with a laser
rather than a magnetic head. A typical CD-ROM can
contain about 600MB of data and is not subject to heads
crashing into the surface and destroying the data when
there is a failure nor to wear from reading.
CMOS RAM
Complementary metal oxide semiconductor random
access memory. This is a technology for manufacturing
random access memory which requires very low levels of
power to operate.
COMM Port
Abbreviation for communication port. This is your
serial interface connection.
Command
An instruction which you give your operating
system. Example: run a particular application or
format a floppy disk.
Configuration
The combination of hardware and software that makes
up your system and how it is allocated for use.
CRT
Cathode Ray Tube. A display device which uses a beam
of electronic particles striking a luminescent screen. It
produces a visual image by varying the position and
intensity of the beam.
Data
The information a system stores and processes.
DC
Direct current. A voltage or current that does not
fluctuate periodically with time.
Default Value
A pre programmed value to be used if you fail to
set your own.
DIMM
Dual-in-line memory module.