Operating instructions

GLOSSARY 5
Passport / Mike Meyers‘ A+ Certification Passport / Meyers / 226308-3 / Glossary
address space The total amount of memory addresses that an address bus
can contain.
administrative tools A group of Control Panel applets, including Computer
Management, Event Viewer, and Performance.
administrator account A user account, created when the OS is first installed,
that is allowed complete, unfettered access to the system without restriction.
ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) A fully digital, dedicated connec
-
tion to the telephone system that provides download speeds up to 9 Mbps and
upload speeds of up to 1 Mbps.
Advanced Startup Options menu A menu that can be reached during the
boot process that offers advanced OS startup options, such as boot in Safe mode
or boot into Last Known Good Configuration.
AGP (accelerated graphics port) A 32/64-bit expansion slot designed by Intel
specifically for video that runs at 66 MHz and yields a throughput of at least 254
Mbps. Later versions (2×, 4×, 8×) give substantially higher throughput.
AIX (Advanced Interactive Executive) IBM’s version of UNIX, which runs
on 386 or better PCs.
algorithm A set of rules for solving a problem in a given number of steps.
ALU (arithmetic logic unit) The CPU logic circuits that perform basic arith
-
metic (add, subtract, multiply, and divide).
AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) CPU and chipset manufacturer that com
-
petes with Intel. Produces the popular Athlon and Duron processors.
AMI (American Megatrends, Inc.) Major producer of BIOS software for mother
-
boards, as well as many other computer-related components and software.
amperes (amps or A) The unit of measure for amperage, or electrical current.
amplifier A device that strengthens electrical signals, enabling them to travel
further.
AMR (audio/modem riser) A proprietary slot used on some motherboards to
provide a sound inference–free connection for modems, sound cards,and NICs.
P:\010Comp\Passport\308-3\gloss.vp
Monday, April 09, 2007 10:24:40 PM
Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile
Composite Default screen