XPLORE TECHNOLOGIES GeneSys User Manual page 44

A
Adapter: a device that provides an interface between
two dissimilar electronic devices. For example, the AC
adapter modifies the power from a wall outlet for use by
the computer.
Advanced Power Management (APM): a facility
consisting of one or more layers of software that
support power management in computers with power
manageable hardware. The APM software interface
allows applications, operating systems, device drivers,
and the APM BIOS to work together to reduce power
consumption, without reducing system performance.
Alternating Current (AC): electric
reverses its direction of flow at regular intervals.
Analog Signal: a signal whose characteristics such as
amplitude and frequency vary in proportion to (are an
analog of) the value to be transmitted. Voice
communications are analog signals.
Application Program: a program that performs
specific tasks on your computer, such as word
processing or creating spreadsheets.
ASCII: American Standard Code for Information
Interchange. ASCII code is a set of 256 binary codes
that represent the most commonly used letters,
numbers, and symbols.
Asynchronous: lacking regular time relationship. As
applied to computer communications, asynchronous
refers to the method of transmitting data that does not
require a steady stream of bits to be transmitted at
regular time intervals.
ATA PC Card: a PC Card with an AT attachment hard
disk drive interface such as a storage device PC Card.
AUTOEXEC.BAT: a batch file that executes a series of
MS-DOS commands and programs each time you start
the computer.
B
Backup: a duplicate copy of files kept as a spare in
case the original is destroyed.
Batch File: a file that can be executed from the system
prompt containing a sequence of operating system
commands or executable
AUTOEXEC.BAT.
Binary: the base two number system composed of
zeros and ones (off or on), used by most digital
computers. The rightmost digit of a binary number has
a value of 1, the next a value of 2, then 4, 8, 16, and so
on. For example, the binary number 101 has a value of
5.
BIOS: programs that contain such basic hardware
operations as an interaction with diskette drives, hard
disk drives, and the memory.
Bit: a binary digit, representing the smallest unit of data
used by a computer.
October 2001
Board: a circuit board. An internal card containing electronic
components called chips, which perform a specific function or
increase the capabilities of the system.
Boot: to load a program or operating system into system
memory.
BPS: bits per second. In serial transmission, the instantaneous
bit speed with which a device or channel transmits a character.
Buffer: the portion of the computer's memory where data is
temporarily stored. Buffers often compensate for differences in
the rate of flow from one device to another.
BUS: an electrical circuit within the system, used to transmit
signals, data or electric power.
current that
Byte: a group of eight contiguous bits.
C
Cache Memory: high speed memory which stores data that
increases processor speed and data transfer rate. When the
CPU reads data from main memory, it stores a copy of this data
in cache memory. The next time the CPU needs that same
data, it looks for it in the cache memory rather than the main
memory, which saves time. The computer has two cache levels.
Level one is incorporated into the processor and level two
resides in external memory.
Card: synonym for board, see board.
CardBus: an industry standard bus for 32-bit PC Cards.
Capacity: the amount of data that can be stored on a magnetic
storage device such as a diskette (floppy disk) or hard disk. It is
usually described in terms of kilobytes (KB), where one
KB=1024 bytes and megabytes (MB), where one MB=1024 KB.
CD-ROM: a Compact Disk-Read Only Memory stores data on
metal-plated plastic discs. Your GeneSys® computer can read
such disks that have been pre-recorded in a variety of standard
formats.
Chip: a small semiconductor containing computer logic and
circuitry for processing, memory, input/output functions and
controlling other chips.
Clock: an electrical timer, used to synchronize system
operations.
CMOS: a special type of low -power memory that records and
stores information about your computer's configuration. CMOS
files. See also
is not erased when you power off the computer.
Cold Start: starting a computer that is currently off (turning on
the power).
COMx: the alias that the operating system and software
applications use to identify serial ports, where x refers to the
number of the port.
Command: an instruction you issue to direct the actions of the
computer or its peripheral devices.
Communications: the means by which a computer transmits
and receives data to and from another computer or device. See
parallel interface; serial interface.
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