HP Vectra VE5 4 User Manual page 97

Glossary
LAN Local Area Network. A general-
purpose communications network
that interconnects a variety of devices
within a limited geographical area. A
LAN might connect computers on
adjacent desks, within a building, or
within several buildings of a campus.
mass storage Any device used to
store large amounts of data. Usually
refers to hard disks and tape backup
units.
memory modules Miniature boards
containing memory chips. Used for
increasing the amount of memory
available in the computer.
MID files Standard file format used
to store MIDI sequence information.
MIDI Musical Instrument Digital
Interface. An international hardware/
software standard that specifies the
cable and hardware interface that
allows several devices, instruments,
and computers to interchange music
codes and events.
multimedia Combining static media
(such as text and pictures) with
dynamic data (such as sound, video,
and animation) on the same system.
network adapter An accessory
board that connects a computer to the
cables of a network and transmits the
type of signals used throughout the
network. On some computers, mainly
portables, the adapter may be an
external device, rather than a board.
network server mode A security
feature that prevents unauthorized
use of an input device (like a
keyboard or mouse) while your
computer is running as an unattended
network server.
OLE Object Linking and Embedding.
A Windows feature that allows
different object types (such as speech
clips or notes of music) to appear in a
document. The objects can be linked,
in which case they remain separate
files, or embedded, where they
become a part of the document.
PCI Peripheral Connect Interface.
The PCI local bus is a high
performance, 32-bit or 64-bit bus with
multiplexed address and data lines. It
is intended for use as an interconnect
mechanism between highly
integrated peripheral controller
components, peripheral add-in
boards, and processor/memory
systems.
pixel Picture element. The smallest
addressable spot on the screen.
Plug & Play Plug & Play is an
architecture designed to simplify
installation and configuration of new
devices in a PC.
POST Power-On Self-Test. A series
of tests your computer performs
when you switch the computer on.
RAM Random Access Memory. This
memory is used to hold programs and
data temporarily.
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