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User’s Manual Glossary-11
Glossary
MP3: An audio compression standard that enables high-quality
transmission and real-time playback of sound files.
N
network: A collection of computers and associated devices that are
connected by communications facilities. A network allows you to
share data and peripheral devices, such as printers, with other
users and to exchange electronic mail.
non-system disk: A disk for storing programs and data that cannot be
used to start the computer. Compare system disk.
nonvolatile memory: Memory that is capable of permanently storing
information. Turning the computer’s power off does not alter data
stored in nonvolatile memory.
numeric keypad overlay: A feature that allows you to use certain keys on
the keyboard to perform numeric entry, or to control cursor and
page movement.
O
OCR: Optical Character Recognition (reader). A technique or device that
uses laser or visible light to identify characters and input them into
a storage device.
online state: A functional state of a peripheral device when it is ready to
receive or transmit data.
operating system: A group of programs that controls the basic operation
of a computer. Operating system functions include interpreting
programs, creating data files, and controlling the transmission and
receipt (input/output) of data to and from memory and peripheral
device.
output: The results of a computer operation. Output commonly indicates
data.
1) printed on paper,
2) displayed at a terminal,
3) sent through the serial port of internal modem, or
4) stored on some magnetic media.
P
parallel: Processes that occur simultaneously. In communications, it
means the transmission of more than one bit of information at a
time. On your computer, the parallel port provides a parallel
communications interface between the computer and an
appropriate device. Compare serial.