What Is Plug And Play - Toshiba Portégé 650CT User Manual

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What's Really Going On?

What Is Plug and Play?

Windows 95 and Windows programs use graphics modes.
Character cell in a text mode
In a text mode, a character cell is the smallest element a program
can control. A character cell is a grid of pels. All cells are the same
size. Each cell displays a single letter or symbol. Character cells
are arranged in rows and columns. In a text mode, only characters
from a predefined set are available. If your program uses a text
mode, refer to the program's documentation for a list of available
characters.
What Is Plug and Play?
Plug and Play is a clever name for a new technology developed
jointly by Intel and Microsoft that seeks to make upgrading a com-
puter system easy.
Computer systems, such as the Portégé 650CT, operating software
and add-on products that are designed according to this standard
work together the first time you connect them. Plug and Play elim-
inates the time-consuming frustration of figuring out which IRQ,
memory, and I/O addresses to assign.
Since it's not possible to open a Portégé 650CT computer and add
on devices, the fact that the system supports the Plug and Play
standard is important for future software developments.
Part I: Getting To Know Your Computer