Toshiba Satellite 1405 S Manual

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Glossary
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application — A computer program that you use to perform tasks 
of a specific type. Applications include word processors, 
spreadsheets, and database management systems. See also 
program.
Bbackup — A copy of a file, usually on a removable disk, kept in 
case the original file is lost or damaged.
basic input/output system (BIOS) — See BIOS.
baud rate — The speed at which a communication device, such as 
a printer or modem, transmits information. Baud rate is the...

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bus — An electrical circuit that connects the central processing unit 
(CPU) with other parts of the computer, such as the video 
adapter, disk drives, and ports. It is the pathway through which 
data flows from one device to another. See also bus speed, 
frontside bus.
bus speed — The speed at which the central processing unit (CPU) 
communicates with the other parts of the computer.
byte — A sequence of eight bits. A byte is the smallest addressable 
unit of data....

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color palette — A set of specified colors that establishes the colors 
that can be displayed on the screen at a particular time.
compatibility — The extent to which computers, programs, or 
devices can work together harmoniously, using the same 
commands, formats, or language as another.
configuration — (1) The collection of components that make up a 
single computer system. (2) How parts of the system are set up 
(that is, configured).
controller — A device that...

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direct memory access (DMA) — A dedicated channel, bypassing 
the CPU, that enables direct data transfer between memory and a 
device.
directory — See folder.
disable — To turn a computer option off. See also enable.
disc — A round, flat piece of metal, designed to be read from and 
written to by optical (laser) technology, and used in the 
production of optical discs, such as CDs and DVDs. Compare 
disk.
disk — A round, flat piece of material that can be magnetically...

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drag — To hold down the control button or mouse button while 
moving the cursor to drag a selected object. In the Windows® 
operating system, this refers to the primary control button or left 
mouse button, unless otherwise stated.
driver — See device driver.
DVD — An individual digital versatile (or video) disc. See also 
DVD-ROM.
DVD-ROM (digital versatile disc read-only memory) — A very 
high-capacity storage medium that uses laser optics for reading 
data. Each...

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file extension — The three characters following the period 
(pronounced “dot”) at the end of a file name. The extension 
indicates the type of file. Examples are .exe for program files 
and .hlp for help files. See also file name.
folder — Also called directory. A container for organizing files 
saved to a disk. A folder is symbolized on screen by a graphical 
image (icon) of a file folder. A folder can contain files and other 
folders.
format — (verb) To prepare a...

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Hibernation — A feature of many Toshiba notebook computers 
that saves to the hard disk the current state of your work, 
including all open files and programs, when you turn the 
computer off. When you turn on the computer again, your work 
is returned to the same state it was when the computer was turned 
off. See also Standby, Suspend.
high-density diskette — A 3.5-inch diskette that holds 1.44 MB of 
data. See also diskette.
hot key — (1) A feature in which certain...

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L2 (level two) cache — Memory cache installed on the 
motherboard to help improve processing speed. It is slower than 
L1 cache and faster than main memory. See also cache, CPU 
cache, L1 cache.
LAN (local area network) — A group of computers or other 
devices dispersed over a relatively limited area and connected by 
a communications link that enables any device to interact with 
any other on the network.
liquid crystal display (LCD) — A type of display that uses a...

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MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) — A standard for 
connecting musical instruments, synthesizers, and computers. 
The MIDI standard provides a way of translating music into a 
form computers can use, and vice versa.
modem — Short for “modulator/demodulator.” A device that 
converts information from digital to analog and back to digital, 
enabling information to pass back and forth between digital 
computers and analog telephone lines.
motherboard — The main...

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Ppalette — See color palette.
parallel — Processes that occur simultaneously. In 
communications, it means the transmission of more than one bit 
of information at a time. On your computer, the parallel port 
provides a parallel communications interface between the 
computer and an appropriate device. Most modern printers are 
parallel. Compare serial.
password — A unique string of characters entered by a user to 
verify his or her identity to the computer or the...