HP Compaq Presario,Presario 5000 User Manual page 223

such as Red Book, Yellow Book, and
Orange Book.
pixel (short for picture element) One of
the individual dots that compose a
graphical image. See graphics.
PMA (program memory area)
on a recordable CD that temporarily
contains the table of contents information
when tracks are written in a session that is
not yet closed. When the session is closed,
this same information is written in the
session lead-in.
playlist Tracks chosen to be played from a
CD or DVD.
plug-and-play A feature introduced with
Windows 95 to simplify the use of some
peripheral devices. Once the device is
installed (in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions), you can plug
it into the computer while the computer is
running. The operating system
automatically recognizes the new device.
In order to connect a non-plug-and-play
device, you must first shut down the
computer. See peripheral.
pop-up menu A list of options that pops
up when you right-click an icon on the
desktop or taskbar, the vacant part of the
desktop, a selection in a document, or a file
in Windows Explorer. See right-click.
premastering The process of preparing
data to be recorded onto a CD. This
includes dividing the data into sectors and
recording those sectors with the
appropriate header (address) and error
correction information. In the case of
G 16
LOSSARY
recordable CD systems, premastering and
mastering are done in one operation,
resulting in a ready-to-read CD.
processor (short for microprocessor). The
brains of the computer.
See microprocessor.
An area
product key A unique series of letters and
numbers that are assigned to each software
package you buy. You are asked to enter
the product key when you install the
software. When you register the software,
you transmit the product key to the
manufacturer for entry in a customer
database. Registration activates your
warranty. When you telephone for
technical support, you are asked for the
product key. The technician matches it
against the database to determine whether
you qualify for support. You should keep a
record of all product keys to protect your
investment. They are comparable to the
serial numbers on hardware. See software.
See also hardware.
program A set of instructions, written in a
programming language understood by the
computer, that tells the hardware what
tasks to perform. Some programs are
installed at the factory as ROM chips that
cannot be altered; they are essential for
operating the microprocessor. These
programs are called firmware. Most
programs are installed as software from
removable storage media. The word
"program," however, is commonly used
for a specific type of software: applications
that create data files. See data files. See
also hardware and software.
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