DC Power (Direct Current) Power Electronic components require direct current which is a current maintained at a constant level, not alternating in a sine wave like alternating current. Because of this property direct current can be used by the computer, not just to power components, but at different voltage levels to send electrical signals by means of pulses. Alternating Current has the ability to send electricity over long distances. Alternating Current provides power to, and throughout your house. Electronic devices like your computer have a power supply which takes alternating current and changes it into the Direct Current needed by your computer.
Defragment
There are defragmentation utilities which put all files into contiguous locations on a hard drive. Another way to defragment is to copy files to a newly reformatted hard drive since files will be written contiguously until there are open locations between files caused by erasing. See Fragmented Hard Drive.
Digital
Discrete information that can be broken down to one or zero bits.
Driver(s)
A software component that drives devices or components, such as drives, or EIDE or SCSI buses.
Digital Video Format
Format standard for Digital Video devices.
DVD
Digital Versatile Disk, an enhancement of CD- ROM technology with greater capacity. DVD media have a minimum capacity of 4.7 GB and a maximum capacity of 17GB while
EIDE
Enhanced IDE supports two IDE ports unlike IDE’s single port. Commonly referred to as IDE.
FireWire
The trademark for IEEE 1394 proposed and registered by Apple Computer.
Fragmented Hard Drive
Files are not always stored on a hard drive in contiguous locations on the drive, but where there is space available. Parts of a large file may be stored in several actual physical locations. Fragmentation occurs when files are erased and then new files are written. Erasing files can leave open locations between existing files. As these open locations are used they cause the files to be fragmented. Reading from fragmented files is slower than reading from contiguous locations on the disk because the read head will have to move to the proper track, like moving to the proper track on record, then wait for the proper place on that track to rotate under the read head. The more a drive is used, the more fragmented it will become.
Hops
The way of counting the number of cables between i.LINK devices.
Host
A device on the SCSI bus is either a host or target. The host is also known as the initiator.
i.LINK
The trademark for IEEE 1394 proposed and registered by Sony Electronics.
Jumper (Configuration Jumper)
A metal bridge encased in plastic that when placed across jumper configuration pins will complete an electric circuit. In this way, this configuration is chosen. Jumpers are used instead of more costly and less reliable means of changing configurations, such as switches.
kb
kilobyte. Basically this means 1000 bytes, but is actually 1024 bytes.
kb/s
kilobytes per second. Means of measuring throughput.
Kilobyte
See kb
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