Toshiba satellite Laptop User Manual


 
User’s Manual Glossary-7
Glossary
escape: 1) A code (ASCII code 27), signaling the computer that what
follows are commands; used with peripheral devices such as
printers and modems.
2) A means of aborting the task currently in progress.
escape guard time: A time before and after an escape code is sent to the
modem which distinguishes between escapes that are part of the
transmitted data, and escapes that are intended as a command to
the modem.
execute: To interpret and execute an instruction.
Extended Capability Port: An industry standard that provides a data
buffer, switchable forward and reverse data transmission, and run
length encoding (RLE) support.
F
fast infrared: An industry standard that enables cableless infrared serial
data transfer at speeds of up to 4 Mbps.
file: A collection of related information; a file can contain data, programs, or
both.
firmware: A set of instructions built into the hardware which controls and
directs a microprocessor’s activities.
floppy diskette: A removable disk that stores magnetically encoded data.
floppy diskette drive (FDD): An electromechanical device that reads and
writes to floppy diskettes.
Fn-esse: A TOSHIBA utility that lets you assign functions to hot keys.
folder: An icon in Windows used to store documents or other folders.
format: The process of readying a blank disk for its first use. Formatting
establishes the structure of the disk that the operating system
expects before it writes files or programs onto the disk.
function keys: The keys labeled F1 through F12 that tell the computer to
perform certain functions.
G
gigabyte (GB): A unit of data storage equal to 1024 megabytes. See also
megabyte.
graphics: Drawings, pictures, or other images, such as charts or graphs, to
present information.
H
hard disk: A non-removable disk usually referred to as drive C. The factory
installs this disk and only a trained engineer can remove it for
servicing. Also called fixed disk.
hard disk drive (HDD): An electromechanical device that reads and writes
a hard disk. See also hard disk.