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CIT172 Chapter 1
Operating Systems - Chapter 1 Hardware Key Terms
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| ATA | An acronym for Advanced Technology Attachment; the disk drive standard that is commonly known as Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE). |
| biometrics | The science and technology of authenticating a person’s identity by measuring physiological features. |
| BIOS | An acronym for basic input/output system. The set of essential software routines that test a PC at start-up and start the OS. |
| bus | The set of hardware lines used to transfer data among the components of a PC. |
| cable modem | A device that sends and receives data through coaxial cables. |
| Centronics parallel interface | The de facto standard for parallel data exchange between PCs and peripherals, originally developed by the printer manufacturer Centronics, Inc. |
| CRT | An acronym for cathode-ray tube. The basis for the standard PC display screen. |
| digital video camera | A camera that captures and stores images on a digital medium. Also known as a camcorder. |
| ECP (Extended Capabilities Port) | A connection port for peripheral devices, most likely printers. |
| EEPROM | An acronym for electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. Type of EPROM that can be erased with an electrical signal. |
| electrostatic discharge (ESD) | The discharge of static electricity from an outside source—such as human hands—into an integrated circuit, often damaging the circuit. |
| EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) | A connection port for peripheral devices, most likely printers. |
| EPROM | An acronym for erasable programmable read-only memory. Type of memory chip that can be reprogrammed after manufacture. |
| expansion card | A circuit card that is plugged into a PC’s bus to add extra functions. |
| fingerprint scanner | A scanner that reads human fingerprints for comparison to a database of stored fingerprint images. |
| FireWire | A PC and digital video serial bus interface standard offering high-speed communications. FireWire is also known as IEEE 1394. |
| firmware | Software routines stored in read-only memory (ROM). |
| floppy drive | A device that reads data from and writes data to floppy disks. |
| flyback transformer | A transformer in a CRT monitor that produces voltages of up to 20,000 volts. |
| form factor | The physical size and shape of a device. It is often used to describe the size of PC cases. |
| hard drive | A device that reads data from and writes data to one or more inflexible platters. |
| heat sink | A device that absorbs and dissipates heat created by an electronic device, such as a microprocessor. |
| LCD | An acronym for liquid crystal display. A type of display that uses a liquid compound with a polar molecular structure sandwiched between two transparent electrodes. |
| memory | An area where data can be stored and retrieved. |
| microprocessor | A central processing unit (CPU) on a single chip. |
| modem | Short for modulator/demodulator. A communications device that enables a PC to transmit data over a standard telephone line. |
| motherboard | The main circuit board containing the primary components of a PC. |
| mouse | A common pointing device. |
| network interface card (NIC) | An expansion card used to connect a computer to a local area network. |
| optical drive | A disk drive that reads and may write data to optical (compact) discs. |
| parallel port | An input/output connector for a parallel interface device. |
| PATA | An acronym for Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment. PATA is the same as ATA, which was renamed when SATA was introduced. |
| PROM | An acronym for programmable read-only memory. |
| RAM | An acronym for random access memory. Semiconductor memory that can be read or written by the microprocessor or other devices. |
| register | A small amount of high-speed memory. |
| ROM | An acronym for read-only memory. A semiconductor circuit in which data is permanently installed by the manufacturer. |
| RS-232 | An industry-accepted standard for serial communications. |
| SATA | An acronym for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment, which transfers data serially to and from the hard drive. |
| SCSI | An acronym for small computer system interface. It is used to connect SCSI devices to PCs. |
| serial port | An input/output connector for serial connectors. |
| sound adapter | An expansion card that supports the recording and playback of sound. |
| tape drive | A device for reading and writing data on magnetic tapes. |
| touch pad | A pointing device that responds to movement of a finger on a surface. |
| trackball | A pointing device with a stationary housing that contains a ball you roll with your hand. |
| Universal Serial Bus (USB) | A serial bus that connects devices to a PC. USB supports hot plugging. |
| USB drive | A small, portable flash memory card that plugs into a PC’s USB port and functions as a portable hard drive with up to 2 GB of storage capacity. |
| video adapter | Electronic components that generate the video signal sent to a video display. |
| wireless adapter | A device that supports a wireless connection through a radio connection to a wireless LAN. |
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Leisac
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