GIossary

The following definitions apply specifically to printers. If a word is italicized, see that topic for more information.

application program

A software program that helps you carry out a particular task, such as word processing or financial planning.

ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standardized coding system for assigning numerical codes to letters and Symbols.

bidirectional printing

Printing in which the print head prints in both directions. This increases the speed of printing.

b i t

A binary digit (0 or 1), which is the smallest unit of information used by a printer or computer.

bufferThe portion of the printer's memory used to store data before printing it.byteA unit of information consisting of eight bits.characters per inch (cpi)A measure of the size of text characters, sometimes referred to as pitch.The printer's default setting is 10 cpi.

character table

A collection of letters, numbers, and symbols that provides you with the characters used in a particular language.

condensed printingPrinting in which the width of each character is approximately 60% of the

width of standard characters. Useful for fitting wide tables or

spreadsheets onto a paper.continuous paper

Paper that has sprocket-feed holes on each side, is perforated between pages, and is supplied in a folded stack. Also called fanfold paper.

control code

Special codes used to control printer functions (such as a carriage return or line feed) instead of printing characters.

Glossary GL-1