Toshiba Tecra S1 User Guide - Page 268

268 Glossary modem-Short for "modulator/demodulator." A device that converts information from digital to analog and back to digital, enabling information to pass back and forth between digital computers and analog telephone lines. motherboard-The main circuit board in the computer. It contains the processor, memory, and other primary components. MS-DOS prompt-See system prompt. multi-function drive-A DVD drive that can read and write to CD and DVD media. multimedia-A combination of two or more media, such as sound, animation, and video in a computer program or presentation. Musical Instrument Digital Interface-See MIDI. N network-A collection of computers and associated devices that are connected by communications facilities. A network allows you to share data and peripheral devices, such as printers, with other users and to exchange electronic mail. non-interlaced-A method of refreshing a computer screen, in which each pixel of every line is refreshed as the electron beam scans across and down the screen. Compare interlaced. non-system disk-A disk for storing programs and data that cannot be used to start the computer. Compare system disk. O online-Available through the computer. Online may refer to information being read from your own computer's hard disk, such as online documentation or online help, or to information coming from another company on a company network or the Internet. operating system-A set of programs that controls how the computer works. Examples of operating systems are Windows 2000 and Windows NT. P palette-See color palette. parallel-Processes that occur simultaneously. In communications, it means the transmission of more than one bit of information at a time. On your computer, the parallel port provides a parallel communications interface between the computer and an appropriate device. Most modern printers are parallel. Compare serial.