I/O (Input/Output)

The data transfers from the input devices like a keyboard, mouse, or scanner, to the output devices like a printer or the monitor screen.

I/O Address

The specific memory location for a particular device. Two devices cannot share the same I/O address space.

IrDA (Infrared Data Association)

An internaltional organization that creates and promotes inter-operable, low cost, infrared data interconnection standards that support a walk-up, point-to-point model. The IrDA protocol is designed to support transmission of data between two devices over short-range point-to-point infrared at speeds between 9.6Kbps and 4Mbps.

ISP (Internet Service Provider)

A company that provides customer access to the Internet and the World Wide Web for a fee. The ISP also provides Internet utilities and services like e-mail, newsgroup, weather reports, and a host of others. The user can connect to the ISP using a modem installed in the computer and connected to a phone line.

LPT Port (Line Printer Port)

Logical device name reserved by DOS for the computer parallel ports. Each LPT port is configured to use a different IRQ and address assignment.

MMX

A set of 57 new instructions designed to accelerate multimedia and communications applications, such as 3D video, 3D sound, video conference.

Modem

A device that allows a computer to talk to another computer through the phone system.

Network

An interconnected computer system linked by telephone wires, or other means.

OnNow

The OnNow design initiative is a comprehensive, system-wide approach to system and device power control. OnNow is a term for PC that is always ON but appears OFF and responds immediately to user or other requests. The OnNow design initiative involves changes that will occur in the Microsoft Windows operating system, device drivers, hardware, and applications, and also relies on the changes defined in the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) specification.

PC100/133

This is an industry-standard designation for memory capacity as a measure of the speed of the memory bus. New platform requirements ensure that memory does not become a bottleneck to system performance.

PCI Bus (Peripheral Component Interconnect Local Bus)

PCI bus is a standard specification that defines a 32-bit data bus interface.

PCI Bus Master

The PCI Bus Master can perform data transfer without local CPU help and the CPU can be treated as one of the Bus Masters. PCI 2.1 supports concurrent PCI operation to allow the local CPU and bus master to work simultaneously.

POST (Power On Self Test)

Powering on the computer initiates the POST, a series of software-controlled diagnostic tests. The POST checks system memory, the motherboard circuitry, the display, the keyboard, the diskette drive, and other I/O devices.

PS/2 Port

PS/2 ports are based on IBM Micro Channel Architecture. This type of architecture transfers data through a 16-bit or 32-bit bus. A PS/2 mouse and/or keyboard may be used on ATX motherboards.

ASUS A7S333 motherboard user guide

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