A
B
C
D
E
F
H
I
J
K
L
M
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
This glossary includes terms and definitions from the
IBM Dictionary of Computing (New York: McGraw-Hill,
1994).
A
- ac
- Alternating current.
- ac power
- Power that is supplied to the computer through an electrical outlet.
- Advanced Power Management (APM)
- A facility consisting
of one or more layers of software that support
power management in computers with power manageable hardware.
The APM software interface allows applications, operating systems,
device drivers, and the APM BIOS to work together to reduce power
consumption, without reducing system performance.
- APM
- Advanced Power Management.
- application program
- A program that
performs specific tasks on your computer, such as word processing
or creating spreadsheets.
- ASCII
- American National Standard Code for Information Interchange.
- ATA PC Card
- A PC Card with an AT attachment hard disk drive interface
such as a storage device PC Card.
- AUTOEXEC.BAT
- A file that contains a startup procedure of DOS.
Each time you start your system, DOS performs the commands that are
stored in this file.
B
backup copy
A copy, usually of a file or group of files, that is kept in case
the original file or files are unintentionally changed or destroyed.
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)
Microcode that contains such
basic hardware operations as
interactions with diskette drives, hard disk drives, and the keyboard.
bitmap graphics
(1) A form of graphics in which all points on the display are
directly addressable.
(2) In multimedia applications, a form of graphics in an area of
computer memory or storage that can be displayed as an image.
boot
To prepare a computer system for operation by loading an operating
system.
bps
Bits per second. In serial transmission, the instantaneous
bit speed with which a device or channel transmits a character.
bus
A facility for transferring data between several devices located
between two end points, only one device being able to transmit
at a given moment.
C
cache memory
A special memory, smaller and faster than main memory, that is
used to hold a copy of instructions and data in main memory that
are likely to be needed next by the processor, and that have been
obtained automatically from main memory.
cold docking
Docking the computer to the docking station
when the computer is powered off.
combination keys
Keys that have specific functions when you hold them down at
the same time.
CONFIG.SYS
A file that contains a group of commands to load installable
device drivers and reserve space in system memory for information
processing. This file is referred to by DOS during system startup.
configuration
(1) The manner in which the hardware and software of an information
processing system are organized and interconnected.
(2) The physical and logical arrangement of devices and programs that
make up a data processing system. (3) The devices and
programs that make up a system, subsystem, or network.
CRT
Cathode ray tube display.
D
device driver
(1) A file that contains the code needed to use an attached device.
Operating system loads device drivers for screens,
keyboards, printers, diskette drives, hard disk drives, and
auxiliary devices.
(2) A program that enables a computer to communicate
with a specific peripheral device--for example,
a printer, a video disc player, or a CD drive.
(3) A collection of subroutines that control the
interface between I/O device adapters and processors.
DIMM
Dual inline memory module.
directory
A type of file containing the names and controlling information for
other files or other directories.
DMA
Direct memory access.
The transfer of data between memory and input/output units without
processor intervention.
docking station
An option to expand the capabilities of the computer by
providing additional PC Card slots and connectors.
double-click
To press and release a mouse button twice within
a time frame defined by the user, without moving the
pointer off the choice.
DRAM
Dynamic random access memory.
DSP
Digital signal processor.
E
ECP
Extended Capability Port.
EDO DRAM
Enhanced data output dynamic random access memory.
F
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
fax
(1) Facsimile machine.
(2) A transmitted document from a facsimile machine.
FDD
Floppy disk drive, or diskette drive.
fixed disk
In personal computing, fixed disk
is synonymous with hard disk.
Flash memory
Electrically rewritable storage.
folder
A file used to store and organize documents.
fuel gauge
An indicator on the screen that constantly shows the current power
status of the battery pack.
H
HHR
Half-horizontal resolution.
hibernation
One of the power-saving methods that stores
data and applications running
in the computer's memory on the hard disk.
During hibernation, the computer is
automatically turned off to save power.
When power is turned on again,
the computer immediately restores
the same data and applications as when hibernation started,
without restarting the operating system.
high-resolution mode
Video resolutions that are greater than 640 by 480 pixels.
hot docking
Docking the computer to the docking station when
the computer is powered on.
HPA
High performance addressing.
I
icon
A graphic symbol, displayed on a screen, that a user can point to
with a pointing device such as a TrackPoint or mouse
to select a particular function or software application.
IDE
Integrated device electronics.
IR
Infrared.
ISA
Industry standard architecture.
ISO
International Organization for Standardization.
J
JEIDA
Japan Electronics Industry Development Association.
K
kilobyte (KB)
1024 bytes.
L
LAN
Local area network.
LCD
Liquid crystal display.
M
MCI
Media Control Interface.
megabyte (MB)
1024 kilobytes. About 1 million bytes.
memory
Often referred to as random-access memory (RAM), measured in
kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB) of information.
MHz
Megahertz.
microcode
One or more microinstructions used in a product as an alternative
to hard-wired circuitry to implement functions of a processor or
other system component.
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface.
modem
A device that connects your computer to a telephone line,
enabling it to communicate with another computer at another location.
P
parallel connector
A connector used to attach such devices as dot-matrix printers and
input/output units; it transmits data 1 byte at a time.
partial suspend mode
A kind of standby mode that occurs if the computer has
failed to enter suspend mode. In this mode, the console is
locked if the power-on password is set.
password
A series of letters or numbers that you designate to restrict
access to your computer.
PC Card
A card that is based on the PC Card standard.
PCMCIA
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association.
Personalization Editor
A feature that helps you to identify your computer when identical
computers are being used in your location, or to deter theft.
picture element
In computer graphics, the smallest element of a display surface
that can be independently assigned color and intensity.
pixel
Picture element.
pointing device
An instrument, such as a mouse, TrackPoint, or joystick,
that is used to move a pointer on the screen.
pop-up menu
On the display screen, a menu that emerges in an upward direction
from a particular point or line on a display screen.
port replicator
An option to expand the
capabilities of the ThinkPad computer
by providing additional connectors.
POST
Power-on self-test.
power mode
A mode of battery operation to conserve power.
The ThinkPad computer has three power modes:
High Performance, Automatic, and Customize.
prompt
A visual or audible message sent by a program to request the
user's response.
PSTN
Public-switched telephone network.
pull-down menu
On the display screen, a menu that emerges in a downward direction
from a point or line at or near the top of the screen.
R
reboot
To restart all operations of the computer as if the power had just
been turned on.
resume
To begin computer operations again from suspend mode.
ROM
Read-only memory.
S
SDRAM
Synchronous dynamic random access memory.
serial connector
A connector used to attach such devices as display devices,
letter-quality printers, modems, plotters,
and such pointing devices
as light pens and mice; it transmits data 1 bit at a time.
SRAM
Static random access memory.
suspend
To stop all operations of the computer to reduce power drain and
restrict access to the files.
SVGA
Super VGA.
T
TFT
Thin-film transistor.
TrackPoint
The built-in pointing device of the ThinkPad computer.
U
UltraslimBay
The ThinkPad 600X
bay for installing a CD-ROM drive, a diskette drive,
a DVD-ROM drive, or another device.
USB
Universal serial bus.
V
vertical expansion
A video display technique in character-display mode to fit
video images on the whole LCD screen by adjusting the number of
character dots vertically.
VESA
Video Electronics Standards Association.
VGA
Video graphics array, a video mode that produces up to 640-by-480
resolution.
VSYNC
Vertical synchronization frequency.
W
warm docking
Docking the computer to the docking station when the computer
is in suspend or hibernation mode.
X
XMS
Extended memory specification.