Fujitsu C-4120 Glossary, AC Adapter, Active-Matrix Display, Auto/Airline Adapter, Bios, Boot

L i f e B o o k C S e r i e s f r o m F u j i t s u

A p p e n d i c e s

GLOSSARY

AC Adapter

A device which converts the AC voltage from a wall outlet to the DC voltage needed to power your computer.

Active-Matrix Display

A type of technology for making flat-panel displays which has a transistor or similar device for every pixel on the screen.

Auto/Airline Adapter

A device which converts the DC voltage from an automobile cigarette lighter or aircraft DC power outlet to the DC voltage needed to power your notebook.

BIOS

Basic Input-Output System. A computer pro- gram and set of default parameters stored in ROM which tests and operates your computer when you turn it on until it loads your installed operating system from disk. Information from the BIOS is transferred to the installed operat- ing system to provide it with information on the configuration and status of the hardware.

Bit

An abbreviation for binary digit. A single piece of information which is either a one (1) or a zero (0).

bps

An abbreviation for bits per second. Used to describe data transfer rates.

Boot

To start-up a computer and load its operating system from disk, ROM or other storage media into RAM.

Bus

An electrical circuit which passes data between the CPU and the sub-assemblies inside

your computer.

Byte

8 bits of parallel binary information.

Cache Memory

A block of memory built into the micro-proces- sor which is much faster to access than your sys- tem RAM and used in specially structured ways to make your overall data handling time faster.

CardBus

A faster, 32-bit version of the PC Card interface which offers performance similar to the 32-bit PCI architecture.

CD-ROM

Compact disc read-only memory. This is a form of digital data storage which is read optically with a laser rather than a magnetic head. A typical CD-ROM can contain about 600MB

of data.

CMOS RAM

Complementary metal oxide semiconductor random access memory. This is a technology for manufacturing random access memory which requires very low levels of power to operate.

COM Port

Abbreviation for communication port. This is your serial interface connection.

Command

An instruction which you give your operating system. Example: run a particular application or format a floppy disk.

Appendices

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