User`s guide

74
Glossary
IDE - Integral Device Equipment. Also, IDE is an
acronym for Integrated, Intelligent or Imbedded
Drive Electronics. An IDE drive has the controller
electronics built into the drive itself and is
connected directly to the mainboard or to an
adapter card.
Jumper - A small electrical connector that alters
some of the computer’s functions. Short (makes a
connection) or Non-Short (no connection).
Kilobyte (KB) - A unit used to measure storage
space (in a computer’s memory or on a disk). One
kilobyte equals 1024 bytes.
LED - Light Emitting Diode. A substance that
illuminates when electricity passes through it, like
the indicator lights on the front panel of the
computer.
Local Bus - A set of addresses, data, and control
signals that interface directly with the host CPU.
Mainboard - A printed circuit board into which
other circuit boards can be plugged. Usually, it
contains the CPU, connectors for memory
(SIMMs), secondary cache, SCSI host adapter
socket and expansion slots for add-on boards. Also
known as a motherboard.
Memory - The area where your computer stores
data. Memory contents can be permanent and
unalterable (ROM) or temporary (RAM).
MHz - This stands for Megahertz, or cycles per
second.
Operating System - A collection of programs that
allow a computer to control its operations. The
Operating System determines how programs run on
the computer and supervises all input and output -
for example, MS-DOS.
Parallel - The type of interface which transmits
data in groups of bits. Printers usually use Parallel
ports.
Peripheral - A device (such as, a printer or a
modem) connected to a computer that depends on
the computer for its operation.
Port - A physical input/output socket on a
computer where you can connect a peripheral.
RAM - Random Access Memory. The part of memory
that a computer can both read and write to. The
programs you use are temporarily stored in RAM. All
data stored in RAM is erased when you turn off the
power.
Read - To copy data from one area to another. For
example, when you open a text file stored on disk, the
computer reads the data from the disk and displays it on
the screen.
Reset - To reload a computer’s operating system so you
can retry a task or begin using a different operating
system. Resetting clears RAM.
ROM - Read Only Memory. A portion of memory that
can only be read and cannot be used for temporary
storage. ROM retains its contents even when you turn
off the power.
Self Test - The initial diagnostics procedures a system
performs to check its hardware.
Setup - This refers (usually) to the program that is used
to load the CMOS data base with input from the user.
SETUP sets the date, time, and configuration of disk
drives installed on the system.
Software - The programs that enable your computer to
perform the tasks and functions you indicate.
Application programs are software.
Subdirectory - A directory that originates from another
directory (the root directory or some other directory).
Subdirectories branch out from other directories.
System Disk - A disk that contains the operating
system. A Boot Disk.
Write - To store data on a disk.
Write-Protect - To prevent a floppy disk from being
overwritten by placing a write-protect tab over the notch
on the side of the floppy disk (5.25") or setting the
write-protect switch (3.5"). When a floppy disk is write-
protected, you cannot erase, change, or record over its
contents.
ZEOS - Greek God of computers.