Toshiba Portege A600 User Manual - Page 206

Glossary CMOS: Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor. An electronic circuit fabricated on a silicon wafer that requires very little power. Integrated circuits implemented in CMOS technology can be tightly packaged and are highly reliable. cold start: Starting a computer that is currently off (turning on the power). COM1, COM2, COM3 and COM4: The names assigned to the serial and communication ports. commands: Instructions you enter at the terminal keyboard that direct the actions of the computer or its peripheral devices. compatibility: 1) The ability of one computer to accept and process data in the same manner as another computer without modifying the data or the media upon which it is being transferred. 2) the ability of one device to connect to or communicate with another system or component. components: Elements or parts (of a system) which make up the whole (system). computer program: A set of instructions written for a computer that enable it to achieve a desired result. computer system: A combination of hardware, software, firmware, and peripheral components assembled to process data into useful information. configuration: The specific components in your system (such as the terminal, printer, and disk drives) and the settings that define how your system works. You use the HW Setup program to control your system configuration. controller: Built-in hardware and software that controls the functions of a specific internal or peripheral device (e.g. keyboard controller). CPU: Central Processing Unit. The portion of the computer that interprets and executes instructions. CRT: Cathode Ray Tube. A vacuum tube in which beams projected on a fluorescent screen-producing luminous spots. An example is the television set. cursor: A small, blinking rectangle or line that indicates the current position on the display screen. D data bits: A data communications parameter controlling the number of bits (binary digits) used to make up a byte. If data bits = 7 the computer can generate 128 unique characters. If data bits = 8 the computer can generate 256 unique characters. data: Information that is factual, measurable or statistical that a computer can process, store, or retrieve. DC: Direct Current. Electric current that flows in one direction. This type of power is usually supplied by batteries. default: The parameter value automatically selected by the system when you or the program do not provide instructions. Also called a preset value. User's Manual Glossary-5