User’s Manual Glossary-13
Satellite A660/A660D, Satellite A665/A665D
Read Only Memory (ROM): Non-volatile memory that can be read but not
written to. Non-volatile here means that information in ROM remains
whether or not the computer is receiving power. This type of memory
is used to store your computer’s BIOS, which is essential
instructions the computer reads when you start it up. See also BIOS,
memory. Compare RAM.
S
S/P DIF: A standard of digital interface for audio.
SCSI: Small Computer System Interface is an industry standard interface
for connection of a variety of peripheral devices.
SD/SDHC/SDXC Card: Secure Digital cards are flash memory widely used
in a variety of digital devices such as digital cameras and Personal
Digital Assistants.
serial: Processes that occur one at a time. In communications, it means the
transmission of one bit at a time sequentially over a single channel.
On your computer, the serial port provides a serial interface between
the computer and an appropriate device. Compare parallel.
SIO: Serial Input/Output. The electronic methodology used in serial data
transmission.
soft key: Key combinations that emulate keys on the IBM keyboard,
change some configuration options, stop program execution, and
access the numeric keypad overlay.
software: The set of programs, procedures and related documentation
associated with a computer system. Specifically refers to computer
programs that direct and control the computer system’s activities.
See also hardware.
stop bit: One or more bits of a byte that follow the transmitted character or
group codes in asynchronous serial communications.
synchronous: Having a constant time interval between successive bits,
characters or events.
system disk: A diskette that contains the operating system files needed to
start the computer. Any diskette can be formatted as a system disk.
A system disk is also called a “bootable disk”, “boot disk” or a
“startup disk.” Compare non-system disk.
T
terminal: A typewriter-like keyboard and CRT display screen connected to
the computer for data input/output.
TFT display: A liquid crystal display (LCD) made from an array of liquid
crystal cells using active-matrix technology with thin film transistor
(TFT) to drive each cell.