Installation manual

Appendix A

Glossary of Terms

Adapter Cards

Adapter cards (a.k.a, controller cards, expansion cards, interface cards, etc.) plug into

slots of the computer’s main data bus, or bus extensions such as Local Bus. They

“adapt” the flow of data and instructions between the CPU and the device (peripheral).

ATAPI

ATA Programmer’s Interface. A set of commands designed to address a CD-ROM drive

over an IDE interface. Allows people to install and use a CD-ROM drive in much the

same manner as a hard disk.

Bootable CD

A bootable CD is one that the PC can boot from.

Bus

In computers, a bus is the main or continuous channel of electrical connection

between the CPU, the system memory (RAM), and the peripheral devices.

The Compact Disc was first implemented commercially for storing digital audio data

(CD Digital Audio). The CD is made up of a polycarbonate substrate, a thin reflective

metallic layer (the mirror-like is aluminum), and a lacquer coating. The encoded data

track is a spiral, with the pits making a central band. The encoded track is made up of

sectors (sometimes erroneously named blocks).

CD-Digital Audio

CD-Digital Audio was implemented to hold about 60 minutes of audio data, in up to 9 9

tracks (songs) at a sampling rate of 44.1 KHz and a sample size of 16 bits, to produce

high quality stereo sound.

Appendix A