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GLOSSARY
Glossary-10
N
non-system disk: A formatted diskette
(floppy disk) you can use to store
programs and data but you cannot use
to start the computer. See system disk.
nonvolatile memory: Memory, usually
read-only (ROM), that is capable of
permanently storing information.
Turning the computer’s power off
does not alter data stored in nonvola-
tile 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.
OCR wand: A device that reads, using
an optical device, hand written or
machine printed symbols into a
computer. See also OCR.
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 devices.
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
parity: 1) The symmetrical relationship
between two parameter values
(integers) both of which are either on
or off; odd or even; 0 or 1. 2) In serial
communications, an error detection bit
that is added to a group of data bits
making the sum of the bits even or
odd. Parity can be set to none, odd, or
even.
password: A unique string of charac-
ters used to identify a specific user.
The computer provides various levels
of password protection such as user,
supervisor and eject.
pel: The smallest area of the display
that can be addressed by software.
Equal in size to a pixel or group of
pixels. See pixel.
peripheral component interconnect:
An industry standard 32-bit bus.
non-system disk