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Toshiba Satellite 2650 User Manual

Page 198

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8 Glossary

User's Manual

Satellite 2610/2650 User's Manual – GLOSSARY.DOC – ENGLISH – Printed on 18/09/99 as GL_261UK

input: The data or instructions you provide to a computer, communication

device or other peripheral device from the keyboard or external or
internal storage devices. The data sent (or output) by the sending
computer is input for the receiving computer.

instruction: Statements or commands that specify how to perform a

particular task.

interface: 1) Hardware and/or software components of a system used

specifically to connect one system or device to another. 2) To
physically connect one system or device to another to exchange
information. 3) The point of contact between user, the computer,
and the program, for example, the keyboard or a menu.

interrupt request: A signal that gives a component access to the

processor.

J

jumper: A small clip or wire that allows you to change the hardware

characteristics by electrically connecting two points of a circuit.

K

K: Taken from the Greek word kilo, meaning 1000; often used as

equivalent to 1024, or 2 raised to the 10th power.

See also byte

and kilobyte.

KB:

See kilobyte.

keyboard: An input device containing switches that are activated by

manually pressing marked keys. Each keystroke activates a switch
that transmits a specific code to the computer. For each key, the
transmitted code is, in turn, representative of the (ASCII) character
marked on the key.

kilobyte (KB): A unit of data storage equal to 1024 bytes.

See also byte

and megabyte.

L

level 2 cache:

See cache.

Light Emitting Diode (LED): A semiconductor device that emits light

when a current is applied.

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): Liquid crystal sealed between two sheets

of glass coated with transparent conducting material. The
viewing-side coating is etched into character forming segments
with leads that extend to the edge of the glass. Applying a
voltage between the glass sheets alters the brightness of the
liquid crystal.

LSI: Large Scale Integration. 1) A technology that allows the inclusion of

up to 100,000 simple logic gates on a single chip. 2) An
integrated circuit that uses the large scale integration.