Surge protectors do not protect against lightning strikes or against brownouts, which occur when the voltage drops more than 20 percent below the normal
Network connections cannot be protected by surge protectors. Always disconnect the network cable from the network connector during electrical storms.
SIM — Subscriber Identity Module. A SIM card contains a microchip that encrypts voice and data transmissions. SIM cards can be used in phones or portable computers.
SVGA —
The number of colors and resolution that a program displays depends on the capabilities of the monitor, the video controller and its drivers, and the amount of video memory installed in the computer.
SXGA —
SXGA+ —
system board — The main circuit board in your computer. Also known as the motherboard.
system setup program— A utility that serves as an interface between the computer hardware and the operating system. The system setup program allows you to configure
system tray — See notification area.
T
TAPI — telephony application programming interface — Enables Windows programs to operate with a wide variety of telephony devices, including voice, data, fax, and video.
text editor — A program used to create and edit files that contain only text; for example, Windows Notepad uses a text editor. Text editors do not usually provide word wrap or formatting functionality (the option to underline, change fonts, and so on).
travel module — A plastic device designed to fit inside the media bay of a portable computer to reduce the weight of the computer.
U
UMA — unified memory allocation — System memory dynamically allocated to video.
UPS — uninterruptible power supply — A backup power source used when the electrical power fails or drops to an unacceptable voltage level. A UPS keeps a computer running for a limited amount of time when there is no electrical power. UPS systems typically provide surge suppression and may also provide voltage regulation. Small UPS systems provide battery power for a few minutes to enable you to shut down your computer.
USB — universal serial bus — A hardware interface for a
UTP — unshielded twisted pair — Describes a type of cable used in most telephone networks and some computer networks. Pairs of unshielded wires are twisted to protect against electromagnetic interference, rather than relying on a metal sheath around each pair of wires to protect against interference.
UXGA — ultra extended graphics array — A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1600 x 1200.
V
video controller — The circuitry on a video card or on the system board (in computers with an integrated video controller) that provides the video
video memory — Memory that consists of memory chips dedicated to video functions. Video memory is usually faster than system memory. The amount of video memory installed primarily influences the number of colors that a program can display.
video mode — A mode that describes how text and graphics are displayed on a monitor.
video resolution — See resolution.
virus — A program that is designed to inconvenience you or to destroy data stored on your computer. A virus program moves from one computer to another through an infected disk, software downloaded from the Internet, or
A common type of virus is a boot virus, which is stored in the boot sectors of a floppy disk. If the floppy disk is left in the drive when the computer is shut down and then turned on, the computer is infected when it reads the boot sectors of the floppy disk expecting to find the operating system. If the computer is infected, the boot virus may replicate itself onto all the floppy disks that are read or written in that computer until the virus is eradicated.
V — volt — The measurement of electric potential or electromotive force. One V appears across a resistance of 1 ohm when a current of 1 ampere flows through that resistance.