Reference Guide

678 Glossary
key combination
A command requiring you to press multiple keys at the
same time. For example, you can reboot your computer
by pressing the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> key combination.
kg
Abbreviation for kilogram(s), 1,000 grams.
kHz
Abbreviation for kilohertz, 1,000 hertz.
LAN
Acronym for local area network. A LAN system is
usually confined to the same building or a few nearby
buildings, with all equipment linked by wiring
dedicated specifically to the LAN.
lb
Abbreviation for pound(s).
LCC
Acronym for leaded or leadless chip carrier.
LIF
Acronym for low insertion force. Some computers use
LIF sockets and connectors to allow devices, such as
the microprocessor chip, to be installed or removed
with minimal stress to the device.
LED
Abbreviation for light-emitting diode. An electronic
device that lights up when a current is passed through it.
local bus
On a computer with local-bus expansion capability,
certain peripheral devices (such as the video adapter
circuitry) can be designed to run much faster than they
would with a traditional expansion bus. Some local-bus
designs allow peripherals to run at the same speed and
with the same width data path as the computer’s
microprocessor.
LPTn
The device names for the first through third parallel
printer ports on your computer are LPT1, LPT2,
and LPT3.
LRA
Acronym for local response agent.
m
Abbreviation for meter(s).
mA
Abbreviation for milliampere(s).
mAh
Abbreviation for milliampere-hour(s).
math coprocessor
See coprocessor.
Mb
Abbreviation for megabit.
MB
Abbreviation for megabyte(s). The term megabyte
means 1,048,576 bytes; however, when referring to
hard-drive storage, the term is often rounded to mean
1,000,000 bytes.
MB/sec
Abbreviation for megabytes per second.
Mbps
Abbreviation for megabits per second.
MBR
Abbreviation for master boot record.
MCA
Abbreviation for Micro Channel Architecture, which is
designed for multiprocessing. MCA eliminates potential
conflicts that arise when installing new peripheral
devices. MCA is not compatible with either EISA or XT
bus architecture, so older cards cannot be used with it.