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101
Glossary
Glossary
AC Adapter
A device which converts the AC voltage from a wall
outlet to the DC voltage needed to power your LifeBook
notebook.
ACPI
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface. An
industry specification for the efficient handling of power
consumption in mobile computers. ACPI determines
how a computer's BIOS, operating system, and periph-
erals communicate with each other about power
management.
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.
ADSL
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. Technology for
transporting high bit-rate services over ordinary phone
lines.
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 LifeBook note-
book.
BIOS
Basic Input-Output System. A program and set of
default parameters stored in ROM which tests and
operates your LifeBook notebook when you turn it on
until it loads your installed operating system from disk.
Information 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 LifeBook 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.
CMS
Code Morphing Software. Crusoe processor software
architecture that results in longer battery life. For more
information on CMS, click on the Technology link on
the refer to the Transmeta website at: www.trans-
meta.com.
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.
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.
Disk
A spinning platter of magnetic data storage media. If the
platter is very stiff it is a hard drive, if it is highly flexible
it is a floppy disk, if it is a floppy disk in a hard housing
with a shutter it is commonly called a diskette.
Disk Drive
The hardware which spins the disk and has the heads
and control circuitry for reading and writing the data
on the disk.
P7230-B5FJ-2471-02EN-00.book Page 101 Wednesday, October 10, 2007 11:19 AM