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Toshiba SATELLITE P500 User Manual

Page 194

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User’s Manual

Glossary-9

Glossary

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.

I/O: Input/output. Refers to acceptance and transfer of data to and from a

computer.

I/O devices: Equipment used to communicate with the computer and

transfer data to and from it.

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.

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

L1 cache: Level one cache. Memory cache built into the processor to help

improve processing speed. See also cache memory, L2 cache.

L2 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 memory, L1 cache.

LAN: 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.

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

when a current is applied.