Glossary

E

echo: To send back a reflection of the transmitted data to the sending device. You can display the information on the screen, or output it to the printer, or both. When a computer receives back data it transmitted to a CRT (or other peripheral device) and then retransmits the data to printer, the printer is said to echo the CRT.

erase: See delete.

escape guard time: A time before and after an escape code is sent to the modem which distinguishes between escapes that are part of the transmitted data, and escapes that are intended as a command to the modem.

escape: 1) A code (ASCII code 27), signalling the computer that what follows are commands; used with peripheral devices such as printers and modems. 2) A means of aborting the task currently in progress.

execute: To interpret and execute an instruction.

Extended Capability Port: An industry standard that provides a data buffer, switchable forward and reverse data transmission, and run length encoding (RLE) support.

F

fast infrared: An industry standard that enables cableless infrared serial data transfer at speeds of up to 4 Mbps.

file: A collection of related information; a file can contain data, programs, or both.

firmware: A set of instructions built into the hardware which controls and directs a microprocessor’s activities.

fixed disk: See hard disk.

floppy disk drive (FDD): An electromechanical device that reads and writes to floppy disks. See also diskette.

floppy disk: See diskette.

folder: An icon in Windows used to store documents or other folders.

format: The process of readying a blank disk for its first use. Formatting establishes the structure of the disk that the operating system expects before it writes files or programs onto the disk.

function keys: The keys labelled F1 through F12 that tell the computer to perform certain functions.

Portégé M200

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