Dell Dimension 3100C - Manual (Page 126)

126 Glossary
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M BPS — megabits per second — (written as Mbps) One
million bits per second. This measurement is typically
used for transmission speeds for networks and modems.
MB — megabyte — A measurement of data storage that
equals 1,048,576 bytes. 1 MB equals 1024 KB. When used
to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to
1,000,000 bytes.
MB/
SEC — megabytes per second — One million bytes
per second. This measurement is typically used for data
transfer ratings.
MEMOR Y — A temporary data storage area inside your
computer. Because the data in memory is not permanent,
it is recommended that you frequently save your files
while you are working on them, and always save your files
before you shut down the computer. Your computer can
contain several different forms of memory, such as RAM,
ROM, and video memory. Frequently, the word memory is
used as a synonym for RAM.
MEMOR Y ADDRESS — A specific location where data is
temporarily stored in RAM.
MEMOR Y MAPPING — The process by which the
computer assigns memory addresses to physical locations
at start-up. Devices and software can then identify
information that the processor can access.
MEMOR Y MODULE — A small circuit board containing
memory chips, which connects to the system board.
MH
Z — megahertz — A measure of frequency that
equals 1 million cycles per second. The speeds for
computer processors, buses, and interfaces are often
measured in MHz.
MODEM — A device that allows your computer to
communicate with other computers over analog
telephone lines. Three types of modems include: external,
PC Card, and internal. You typically use your modem to
connect to the Internet and exchange e-mail.
MODULE BAY — A bay that supports devices such as
optical drives, a second battery, or a Dell TravelLite™
module.
MONITOR — The high-resolution TV-like device that
displays computer output.
MOUSE — A pointing device that controls the
movement of the cursor on your screen. Typically you roll
the mouse over a hard, flat surface to move the pointer or
cursor on your screen.
MS — millisecond — A measure of time that equals one
thousandth of a second. Access times of storage devices
are often measured in ms.
N
NETWORK ADAPTER — A chip that provides network
capabilities. A computer may include a network adapter
on its system board, or it may contain a PC Card with an
adapter on it. A network adapter is also referred to as a
NIC (network interface controller).
NIC — See network adapter.
NOTIFICATION AREA — The section of the Windows
taskbar that contains icons for providing quick access to
programs and computer functions, such as the clock,
volume control, and print status. Also referred to as system
tray.
NS — nanosecond — A measure of time that equals one
billionth of a second.
NVRAM — nonvolatile random access memory — A
type of memory that stores data when the computer is
turned off or loses its external power source. NVRAM is
used for maintaining computer configuration information
such as date, time, and other system setup options that
you can set.
O
OPTICAL DRIVE — A drive that uses optical technology
to read or write data from CDs, DVDs, or DVD+RWs.
Example of optical drives include CD drives, DVD drives,
CD-RW drives, and CD-RW/DVD combo drives.
P
PARALLEL CONNECTOR — An I/O port often used to
connect a parallel printer to your computer. Also referred
to as an LPT port.