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Glossary-2 User’s Manual
G
LOSSARY
SCSI
(Abbreviations continued)
SCSI: small computer system inter-
face
SIO: serial input/output
SO-DIMM: small-outline dual in-line
memory module
SVGA: super video graphics adapter
SDRAM: synchronized dynamic ran-
dom access memory
TFT: thin-film transistor
UART: universal asynchronous
receiver/transmitter
USB: Universal Serial Bus
VESA: Video Electronic Standards
Association
VGA: video graphics array
VRM: video ready modem
VRT: voltage reduction technology
A
adapter: A device that provides an
interface between two dissimilar elec-
tronic devices. For example, the AC
adapter modifies the power from a
wall outlet for use by the computer.
This term also refers to the add-in cir-
cuit cards that control external devices,
such as video monitors and magnetic
tape devices.
allocate: To assign a space or function
for a specific task.
alphanumeric: Keyboard characters
including letters, numbers and other
symbols, such as punctuation marks or
mathematical symbols.
alternating current (AC): Electric
current that reverses its direction of
flow at regular intervals.
analog signal: A signal whose charac-
teristics such as amplitude and fre-
quency vary in proportion to (are an
analog of) the value to be transmitted.
Voice communications are analog sig-
nals.
ANSI: American National Standards
Institute. An organization established
to adopt and define standards for a
variety of technical disciplines. For
example, ANSI defined the ASCII
standard and other information pro-
cessing requirements.
antistatic: A material used to prevent
the buildup of static electricity.
application: A group of programs that
together are used for a specific task
such as accounting, financial planning,
spreadsheets, word processing, and
games, etc.
ASCII: American Standard Code for
Information Interchange. ASCII code
is a set of 256 binary codes that repre-
sent the most commonly used letters,
numbers, and symbols.
async: Short for asynchronous.
asynchronous: Lacking regular time
relationship. As applied to computer
communications, asynchronous refers
to the method of transmitting data that
does not require a steady stream of bits
to be transmitted at regular time inter-
vals.