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User’s Manual Glossary-10
Glossary
monitor: A device that uses rows and columns of pixels to display
alphanumeric characters or graphic images. See also CRT.
motherboard: A name sometimes used to refer to the main printed circuit
board in processing equipment. It usually contains integrated
circuits that perform the processor’s basic functions and provides
connectors for adding other boards that perform special functions.
Sometimes called a main board.
N
non-system disk: A formatted floppy diskette you can use to store
programs and data but you cannot use to start the computer. See
system disk.
nonvolatile memory: Memory, usually read-only (ROM), that is capable of
permanently storing information. Turning the computer’s power off
does not alter data stored in nonvolatile memory.
numeric keypad overlay: A feature that allows you to use certain keys on
the keyboard to perform numeric entry, or to control cursor and page
movement.
O
OCR: Optical Character Recognition (reader). A technique or device that
uses laser or visible light to identify characters and input them into a
storage device.
online state: A functional state of a peripheral device when it is ready to
receive or transmit data.
operating system: A group of programs that controls the basic operation
of a computer. Operating system functions include interpreting
programs, creating data files, and controlling the transmission and
receipt (input/output) of data to and from memory and peripheral
devices.
output: The results of a computer operation. Output commonly indicates
data.
1) printed on paper, 2) displayed at a terminal, 3) sent through the
serial port of internal modem, or 4) stored on some magnetic media.
P
PAL: PAL (Phase Alternating Line) is the dominant video and broadcasting
standard in Europe.
parity: 1) The symmetrical relationship between two parameter values
(integers) both of which are either on or off; odd or even; 0 or 1.
2) In serial communications, an error detection bit that is added to a
group of data bits making the sum of the bits even or odd. Parity can
be set to none, odd, or even.
password: A unique string of characters used to identify a specific user.
The computer provides various levels of password protection such
as user and supervisor.