Users Guide

Glossary 169
DIP
Acronym for dual in-line package. A circuit board, such as a system board or
expansion card, may contain DIP switches for configuring the circuit board. DIP
switches are always toggle switches, with an on position and an off position.
directory
Directories help keep related files organized on a disk in a hierarchical, "inverted
tree" structure. Each disk has a "root" directory; for example, a
C:\> prompt
normally indicates that you are at the root directory of hard drive C. Additional
directories that branch off of the root directory are called subdirectories.
Subdirectories may contain additional directories branching off of them.
display adapter
See video adapter.
DKS
Abbreviation for dynamic kernel support.
DMA
Abbreviation for direct memory access. A DMA channel allows certain types of
data transfer between RAM and a device to bypass the microprocessor.
DMTF
Abbreviation for Distributed Management Task Force, a consortium of
companies representing hardware and software providers.
dpi
Abbreviation for dots per inch.
DPMS
Abbreviation for Display Power Management Signaling. A standard developed by
the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA
®
) that defines the hardware
signals sent by a video controller to activate power management states in a
monitor. A monitor is said to be DPMS-compliant when it is designed to enter a
power management state after receiving the appropriate signal from a system's
video controller.
DRAC 4
Acronym for Dell™ Remote Access Controller 4.
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