Glossary 183
IRQ — Interrupt request. A signal that data is about to be sent to or received by a
peripheral device travels by an IRQ line to the processor. Each peripheral connection
must be assigned an IRQ number. Two devices can share the same IRQ assignment,
but you cannot operate both devices simultaneously.
jumper — Small blocks on a circuit board with two or more pins emerging from
them. Plastic plugs containing a wire fit down over the pins. The wire connects the
pins and creates a circuit, providing a simple and reversible method of changing the
circuitry in a board.
K — Kilo-; 1000.
Kb — Kilobit(s); 1024 bits.
KB — Kilobyte(s); 1024 bytes.
Kbps — Kilobit(s) per second.
KBps — Kilobyte(s) per second.
key combination — A command requiring you to press multiple keys at the same
time (for examp le, <Ctrl><Alt><Del>).
kg — Kilogram(s); 1000 grams.
kHz — Kilohertz.
KMM — Keyboard/monitor/mouse.
KVM — Keyboard/video/mouse. KVM refers to a switch that allows selection of the
system from which the video
is displayed and for which the keyboard and mouse are used.
LAN — Local area network. A LAN is usually confined to the same building or a few
nearby buildings, with all equipment linked by wiring dedicated specifically to the
LAN.
lb — Pound(s).
LCD — Liquid crystal display.