|
P-Cable
- Term used for 16-bit
& 32-bit Wide SCSI cable.
P-Code
- Refer to Pseudocode.
P5
- The pre-release code
name for Intel Corp.'s Pentium processor.
P6
- The pre-release code
name for Intel Corp.'s Pentium Pro Processor.
Pack
- To compress data, or
"smash" it together by taking out excess space, so that it
occupies less space when stored or transmitted. Compressed data must be
decompressed before it can be used again.
Packaged
software - A
collection of programs created to fill the specific needs of a large
variety of users, not specifically designed for one user or company.
Packed
file - File that
contains compressed data, which saves space on a storage device and
allows quicker transmission.
Packet
- Block of data that
can be transmitted from one computer to another on a network or on the
Internet. A packet contains three parts: the data to be transmitted, the
data needed to guide the packet to its destination, and the data that
corrects its destination, and the data that corrects errors that occur
along the way. Several packets make up a typical transmission. The
computer splits up the transmission at the transmission point and
reassembles it at the destination point. Also called a frame.
Packet
Internet Groper (Ping) - Command
used to send a packet from one computer to another. The packet carries
instructions for it to be immediately returned. The packet has a time
stamp so that the time it took to complete the process can be determined.
Packet
switching - To break
down a transmission over a network or the Internet into smaller parts
called packets and split them up as they travel to their final
destination, with each one taking the fastest possible route.
Pad
characters - Empty
characters used to fill out a word field that has more character spaces
than the user needs. For example, if a user types a seven-letter word
into a field that requires 12 characters, five pad characters (such as
the character for zero) can be added to the end of the word to fill the
remaining space.
Padding
- To complete a word
field with pad characters.
Paddle
- Input device,
similar to a joystick that rotates. Games require action mimicking the
motion of a car's steering wheel often use paddles.
Page
- Set amount of stored
information in memory. In word processing and graphics programs, a page
is the amount of information on screen that would take up one printed
page. On the Internet, a page refers to a single World Wide Web Page.
Page
break - Symbol or line
that marks the end of one page of text and the start of another on a
computer screen. This mark may be placed by the program or the user to
indicate that regardless of where the page would have automatically ended
(given margin settings), the page must end at the mark. A user might
force a page break if they do not want to chart on section of text
between the two sections.
Page-Description
Language (PDL) - The
computer language a PC users to describe the content of a page to the
printer. The printer uses the description to create the necessary images
and text, There are a few common PDLs, such as Hewlett Packard's Printer
Control Language (PDL), however different printers use different PDLs.
Page
Down Key - Refer to
PGDN key.
Page
markup - To gather and
organize a pages graphics and text to prepare it for printing. This also
can include page elements such as headers and page numbers.
Page
orientation - The
placement of information on a page. There are two types of page
orientation: landscape orientation and portrait orientation.
Page
printer - Printer that
prints one full page of text or graphics at a time. The most common type
is a laser printer.
Page
setup - The parameters
defined by the user that help determine how a printed page will appear.
Those parameters can include everything from the size of the margins on
the page to the quality of print. A page setup dialog box is usually
available from the File drop down menu.
Pages
Per Minute (PPM) - Method
of measurement for determining how fast a printer works, meaning the
number of regular text-only pages a printer can produce in one Minute.
Laser printers usually offer the fasts ppm rate, and the average laser
printer produces around 8ppm.
Page
Up Key - Refer to PGUP
key.
Pagination
- To take a document
break it down into separate pages, and number the individual pages for
printing. Pagination work is often done for the user by the word
processing or desktop publishing software.
Paint
program - Graphics
program that lets the user draw new bitmapped, or raster, graphics or
alter existing images on their display screen. Most paint programs offer
a variety of tools for working on these images, from line drawing tools
to spray paint cans to erasers.
Palette
- The set of available
colors in a given computer graphics program or computer system. Palette
also can refer to the collection of tools in paint programs used for
creating or altering images.
Palmtop
computer - PC that
fits in the palm of the user's hand. In the past most palmtop computers
had relatively limited capabilities, mainly because of their severely
limited amount of storage space and their inability to easily connect to
desktop PCs. However Today's palmtops such as the Apple's Newton, or the
UsRobotics / 3COM Palm Pilot,
offer improvements in handwriting recognition software, thus making them
easier to use than their predecessors.
Panic
- Slang word for a
crash or a fatal error that causes a computer to crash.
Pantone
Matching System (PMS) - Standardized
color matching system, available through most professional printing
outlets, that assigns a number to each specific color. With PMS, the user
can select any one of the 500 standard colors for a spot printing job and
know exactly what the color will look like, not mater what type of
program or color printers they are using.
Paper
feed - The method or
system by which paper moves through a printer. The paper feed method in a
dot matrix printer, for example, is called the pin feed. In more advanced
printers, dual pressure rollers pinch the paper and pull it through as
they rotate.
Paperless
office - The idea of
creating and storing all office information and documentation in
computers, eliminating the need of paper. The idea originated in the
1980s and has suffered as the use of personal printers, fax machines, and
other paper-friendly devices has grown.
Paper-white
- Monochrome monitor
that displays characters in black against a pure white background. Often
used in desktop publishing, because it looks like type on normal paper.
Paragraph
formatting - To make
changes to text that will affect an entire paragraph. Examples include
indenting the first line, centering the text, inserting an additional
space, or setting special margins to make the paragraph stand out from
the rest of the document.
Parallel
- Describes processes
that happen at the same time. In a data transfer, parallel means the
transmission of more than one bit of information at one time.
Parallel
access - Simultaneously
saving or retrieving all the required bits in a single data unit.
Parallel
computer - A computer
that uses more than one microprocessor at once. A parallel computer can
handle more tasks, at a faster rate of speed, than a machine with a
single processor. Most parallel computers are supercomputers, built to do
complex jobs.
Parallel
execution - To perform
two or more processes at once. Unless the computer has more than one
microprocessor, it needs to break down the process to perform parallel
execution.
Parallel
Interface - Channel,
usually between a computer and a peripheral, that allows for the transfer
of more than one bit of information at a time. The most common type of
parallel interface on a PC is the parallel port used to connect the
printer.
Parallel
port - Sometimes
referred to as the Centronics Interface after the company that designed
it. However the later version is actually designed by Epson. The computer
interface where an external parallel device such as a printer can
connect. On PC computers the Parallel port is a 25 Pin (Type DB-25)
connector. Macintoshes use SCSI as its interface, which is parallel
however a lot more flexible.
Parallel
Printer - Printer that
uses the parallel interface to connect to a PC.
Parallel
processing - Program
extension method that requires the use of more than one microprocessor.
Parallel processing divides the tasks evenly among the available
microprocessors and can add greatly to the speed of a program; however,
it can be tricky for programs to figure out how to evenly divide the work
between the processors to accomplish the job.
Parallel
transmission - In
telecommunications, sending a packet of information over two or more
wires at the same time.
Parameter
- The preferences of
commands used to define the characteristics of items such as a file or
page. A parameter also can be a value sent to an operation by the user in
a program.
Parameter-driven
- Program in which the
parameter values a user sets up help to determine the outcome.
Parameter-driven programs are often used by another program; in this
situation, the parameters would be set by one of the programs instead of
the user.
Parameter
RAM (PRAM) - Small,
battery-powered section of RAM in Macintosh computers used to store basic
settings such as the time and the data.
PARC
- Refer to Xerox Palo
Alto Research Center.
Parent/Child
- In file maintenance,
how two files can be related. The parent contains essential basic
information files, while the child contains a single, more specific file.
Also can refer to the relationship between two processes in a
multitasking environment. A parent processor will usually wait to perform
its operation until a child process can complete its own.
Parent
directory - The
directory that sits above another directory or group of files. Every file
has a parent directory, except the root directory, which is the highest
level and serves as parent to all directories on a drive. Also known as
an upper directory or a higher directory.
Parity
- An error-checking
system in which the PC checks the accuracy of a data transmission. Since
data moves in a stream using a series of 0s and 1s, the PC can check for
errors when it knows if the total number of 1s should be odd or even. If
the total number should be odd, but the actual number received turns out
to be even, the PC knows there was an error in the transmission.
Parity
bit - The extra bit
the computer adds to a data transmission to aid in the parity check
process. After the computer adds the extra bit, it knows whether to look
for an odd number of bits or an even number. If a known even transmission
ends with an odd number, the computer knows there was a transmission
error.
Parity
check - PC's process
of checking to make sure data transmission was sent and received
correctly. These are two types of parity checks: vertical redundancy
check (VRC) and a longitudinal redundancy check (LRC).
Park
- When a hard drive is
transported, the read / write head is parked or locked into position to
keep from damaging the head and the disk platter. It's especially
important to do this with portable PCs, which are frequently on the move.
Most newer hard drives do this automatically when the user turns off the
computer's power; conversely, when the user turns on the PC's power back
on most computers automatically "unpark" themselves.
Parse
- To break down input,
such as commands, into smaller, more usable pieces. For example a parse
can translate the chunks of a query written in human language into the
binary 0s and 1s of the computer's machine code.
Partition
- To divide a
computer's storage into separate units. Users often partition large hard
drives to make a computer think it has several smaller storage
compartments, rather then one large one. This makes the computer work and
find information faster because it doesn't have to search through as much
information as it would if it looked through the entire drive. It is also
more efficient for storing smaller files. Partitioning software usually
comes with the hard drive "Fdisk".
Pascal
- High-level
programming language created by Niklaus Wirth in 1971. Pascal is a very
structured language, and because of this, it is a very popular tool for
teaching new programmers.
Passive-matrix
display - Type of
screen display for portable computers that uses liquid-crystal display
(LCD) technology. A passive-matrix display has a series of criss-crossed
wires with an LCD element at each intersection. Each of these LCD
elements amounts to a single pixel that can either allow light to pass or
not. A passive-matrix display cannot produce the same level of quality
image an active-matrix display can.
Password
- Set of secret
characters or words needed to gain access to a computer or to files and
programs within the system. Passwords ensure that only authorized users
can reach certain information.
Password
protection - The
actual implementation of a password system in order to protect a computer
of files from unauthorized users.
Paste
- To insert a piece of
text or a graphic into a document from a clipboard by placing the cursor
over the inserted point and choosing the past option form the Edit menu
or by right clicking with your mouse if Windows 95/98/NT.
Patch
- Piece of code
inserted into a program to temporarily fix a defect. While most users do
not consider a patch a shortcut, or a shabby way to fix a problem, adding
too many can make the program difficult to maintain. Programmers often
create patches to add features to a program while users await the release
of new versions of the software that includes the "patched"
features.
Path
- The course between
two points, such as the link between two PC stations. Also refers to the
series of commands given to a computer in a software routine or the route
the computer needs to take to find, store, and retrieve a data file.
Pathname
- The file name
designation that shows the user where to find a file in a hierarchical
system, such as C:\WINDOWS
Pattern
recognition - Computer's
ability to see and match visual and audio patterns, which is important in
the development of character, handwriting, and voice recognition
techniques.
Pause
key - Keyboard key
that allows users to temporarily stop the action on-screen so they can
read the information as it scrolls quickly down the screen.
PC
- Refer to personal
computer.
PC/XT
Keyboard - 83-key
keyboard sold with the original IBM PC. IT was both applauded and
criticized for its changes from the standard typewriter keyboard. Those
changes including making several keys (such as the Enter key) smaller
than usual, and adding several keys, including the 10 function keys.
PCB
- Refer to Printed
Circuit Board.
PC
Board - Refer to
Printed Circuit Board.
PC
Card - Credit
card-sized device that plugs into a PC card slot and enables the user to
add additional computer peripherals including modems, sound cards, hard
drives and CD-ROM drives. They are used primarily in portable computers
but can be used also in desktop systems as well. There are three sizes of
PC Cards, Type 1, 2, and 3. See PCMCIA page
for additional information.
PC
card slot - Slot,
usually in the portable computers, in which PC cards can be inserted.
There are three types of PC lots that each, respectively, will accept the
three types of PC cards.
PC
DOS - An acronym for
Personal Computer Disk Operating System. A text based operating system,
nearly identical to Microsoft's DOS, but marketed by IBM.
PCI
- Refer to Peripheral
Component Interconnect.
PCL
- Refer to Printer
Control Language.
PCMCIA
- Refer to Personal
Computer Memory Card International Association.
PCMCIA
Slot - Refer to PC
card slot.
PC
memory slot - PC card
designed to add memory by adding batter powered RAM chips. The card is
inserted into a portable computer's PC card slot. The most common type of
PC memory card is a Type 1 PC card.
PDA
- Refer to Personal
digital assistant.
PDL
- Refer to page
description language.
Peer
- Computer that exists
on the same level as another with similar access privileges on a network.
Peer-to-peer
communications - The
transmission between two peer computers connected on the same level in a
network configuration.
Peer-to-peer
network - Network
setup where the server is non-dedicated meaning it is also a workstation.
Every computer acts on its own storing files and accessing peripherals
(such as printers) and can see every other computer on the network, with
the proper access privileges. This formation is used primarily in smaller
networks of less than a dozen computers.
PEL
- Refer to Pixel.
Pen
- Refer to light pen.
Pen
Computer - Type of
handheld computer or personal digital assistant (PDA) in which the user
interacts with the computer through a pen device instead of a keyboard.
Pen
plotter - Printer,
specifically for graphics, that uses one or more colored pens to create
an image on paper. The image is made by using software that directs the
pen(s) to draw connecting lines from point to point.
Pentium
- The CPU released by
Intel in 1993to replace the 486 processor. The Pentium processor is
faster with more powerful than Intel's earlier chips, with about 3.1
million transistors, compared to 1.2 million on the 486 and 275,000 on
the 386. The Pentium has a 32-bit access bus and a 64-bit data bus, and
it can operate at speeds of 60MHz to 200MHz.
Peripheral
- An device connected
to the computer that performs a specific function. Printers, keyboards,
disk drives, and monitors are among the most common types of peripheral
devices.
Peripheral
Component Interconnect (PCI) - The
Intel local bus standard that allows for faster communication between a
computer's CPU and peripheral components, thus speeding up operation
time. Most PCI buses co-exist on a motherboard with an Industry Standard
Architecture (ISA) or Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus,
so the user can plug in expansion cards compatible with either standard.
An advantage to the PCI bus is its Plug-and-Play capability, which means
it can help an operating system such as Windows 95/98 detect and
configure new cards when they are placed in a PCI slot.
Permanent
storage - Way of
holding information for extended periods of time. In reference to
computers, permanent storage is often in the form of a diskette or a hard
drive. The most common method of permanent storage is paper.
Permission
- The authorization
given when an individual, such as a systems or network administrator,
grants a network user access to information or resources stored on that
network.
Persistence
- The momentary
lingering of previous images on a changing computer display.
Personal
computer (PC) - Computer
designed for use by a single user, with everything a user could need for
basic computing including the ability to process and store information.
IBM introduced its first single-user computer as the IBM PC in 1981, and
in the last 15 years, the term has come to represent any computer based
on the IBM standard. The other standard in the personal computer market
is Apple Macintosh. Software and peripherals specify whether they work on
IBM-compatible PCs or Apple Macintosh platforms. In addition to standard
abilities such as word processing, PCs have brought a wide variety of new
possibilities to home users. Today a PC can be used to play high-tech
video games, access huge amounts of information, and contact people
throughout the world. The Web has opened up a vast new world of
opportunities for PC users.
Personal
Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) - Trade
association founded in 1989 by a group of computer manufactures, the
PCMCIA established the PC card standard, which has greatly expanded the
potential capabilities of portable computers. PC cards, also called
PCMCIA cards, are credit card sized devices that offer everything from
expanded memory, modems, network cards, and CD-ROM drives.
Personal
Digital Assistant (PDA) - Refer
to Palmtop computer.
Personal
Identification Number (PIN) - Set
of personal numbers used to prove positive identification. Often used
with automated bank teller machines and telephone calling cards.
Personal
Information Manager (PIM) - Program
that often helps get more organized. PIMs often include calendars,
telephone lists, and programmable reminders that are easy to use. Some
PIMs included in operating systems or office suites also can be purchased
separately.
Perspective
view - A
three-dimensional image (height, width, and depth) on a computer screen
used in conjunction with drawing and graphics programs. It resembles more
what the human eye actually sees rather than a standard display method.
PGDN
key - Keyboard key,
usually located in the section between the alphanumeric keys and the 10
digit keypad, that moves down through an entire page of text with one
strike of the key.
PGUP
key - Keyboard key,
usually located in the section between the alphanumeric keys and the 10
digit keypad, that moves up through an entire page of text with one
strike of the key.
Phase
change - The
technology used in CD-Erasable disk drives. A laser changes areas of the
material from an amorphous state to a crystalline state, each generation
a different level of reflectivity. These different levels are then read
as the 0s and 1s of digital data.
Phone
connector - The device
at the end of the phone line used to connect the line into the computers
modem.
Phoneme
- Small but important
piece of speech that helps to define different sounds. For example, the
difference between the pronunciation of the words "lack" and
"pack" are phoneme sounds L and P.
Phosphor
- Compound, used in
the manufacture of computer screens and other devices, that glows for
just an instant when charged with electrons. To produce a full color
display, units of blue, green, and red phosphors sit together in groups.
Photocomposition
- The design and
production of a printed page using photographic and electronic devices.
The most common of these machines are phototypesetters and laser
printers.
Photolithography
- Part of the complex
process used to create an integrated circuit. The process begins with the
creation of a circuit pattern, which is used to create a negative image
called a photomask. The photomask is placed over a wafer coated with
light sensitive materials, and the two are exposed to light. The areas
where the light shines through the photomask onto the waver become the
hardened circuit paths, and the rest is removed using a wet acid bath or
dry etching process.
Photo
manipulation program - Software
that offers the tools necessary to alter a scanned photo image.
Photorealism
- The computer
reproduction of an image in desktop publishing software creation, and
computer graphics that is close to a real photographic. Creating such an
image is a difficult prospect, and it takes a great deal of computer
power, as well as software specifically designed for creating these
reproductions.
Photo
retouching - To
improve a scanned photo image using the tools available in a photo
manipulation program.
Photosensor
- Highly sensitive
device that converts light into an electrical signal. Solar-powered
devices use photosensors.
Phototypesetter
- High-resolution,
text-only printer that generates camera-ready film.
Physical
- Term used to
describe anything that has to do with computer hardware, defined as real
and not logical. The major difference between physical and logical
objects is that physical objects can be touched or felt and logical
objects exist only abstractly.
Physical
address - An actual
hardware-based location within a computer. For example, a computer's hard
drive has a physical location denoted in memory by the physical address
that the processor knows to access when it seeks material stored there.
Physical
format - Refer to
low-level format.
Physical
layer - The first
layer in the seven-layer Open System Interconnect (OSI) standardized
model of computer network communications. This layer contains the wires
and physical interfaces that connect a network of computers.
Physical
memory - The amount of
actual memory in a computer. If a PC has two 8-megabyte (MB) single
in-line memory modules (SIMMs) installed on its motherboard, it has a
total of 16MB physical memory. Also called physical storage and real
storage.
Physical
storage - Refer to
physical memory.
Pica
- Unit of measure used
in typesetting and page design. There are six picas in an inch.
Picklist
- Refer to list box.
Picture
element - Refer to
pixel.
Pie
chart - Round chart
that is divided, or sliced, into sections. Each section represents a
percentage values or a whole.
Piezoelectric
- The ability of
certain crystals to convert mechanical energy into electric energy and
vice versa.
.PIF
- Refer to program
information file.
Piggyback
board - Small circuit
board that plugs into another larger circuit board instead of a slot on
the motherboard. Piggyback boards increase the capabilities of the
original circuit board.
PIM
- Refer to Personal
Information Manager.
Pin
- Short, thin piece of
metal on the plug end of a cable, called the male contact point. Most
connectors have a series of five or more pins.
PIN
- Refer to Personal
Identification Number.
Pin-compatible
- Describes two
electronic devices that have the same type of connector pins, with the
same input and output abilities. These two devices can replace each other
and can be plugged into the same socket.
Pin
feed - Way to move
paper through a printer. Rotating pints on ends of the platen catch the
prepunched holes in the paper and move it through the printer in a
continuous motion. This is commonly used on old dot matrix printers.
Ping
Pong - Communication
method that only allows only one participant to transmit at a time. One
side sends a message, the line switches from send to receive and the
other side sends a reply.
Ping
Pong buffer - Communications
buffering method that involves two buffers: one buffer receives
transmission while the second deletes earlier transmission. The two
alternate functions, which helps to keep transmissions close to
continuous.
Pin
grid array - Chip-mounting
method that allows a large number of pins in a small space by placing the
pins on the bottom side of the chip, instead of just along the sides,
allowing for more input and output.
Pipe
- Temporary section of
computer memory that can link two different computer processors. The
output of one process can be linked to the input of another to increase
over all efficiency.
Pipe
key - The piping or
pipe character appears as the vertical bar | which is usually on the same
key as the backslash \. This character is usually used to combine
characters within DOS.
Pipeline
- Refer to pipelining.
Pipelining
- Advanced
microprocessing technique in which the CPU handles several stages of
different instructions at one time. In piping, the processor never has to
wait, there is always a program instruction awaiting completion, and the
overall process increases in speed.
Piracy
- Refer to software
piracy.
Pitch
- Measurement in word
processing and desktop publishing used to measure how many fixed-width
characters fit into an inch of space. This is only absolutely accurate in
Monospacing fonts because each character is given an equal amount of
space.
Pixel
- The smallest part of
an image that a computer printer or display can control. An image on a
computer monitor consists of hundreds of thousands of pixels, arranged in
such a manner that they appear to each be connected. Each pixel on a
color monitor is three colored (blue, red, and green) dots. The term
comes from the words Picture Element or PEL.
Pixel
image - Description
for the way a color image is stored in computer's memory. Each pixel
requires a certain amount of storage space to make up a complete image.
Pixel
map - Refer to pixel
image.
PKUNZIP
- Decompressing
program that expands files that were compressed by PKWARE Inc.'s PKZIP.
PKZIP
- Compression program
that compacts files so they take up less storage space. In order to use a
compressed PKZIP file, the files must first be decompressed using PKUNZIP.
Plaintext
- Text format that is
simple, readable, and does not contain encrypted messages or formatting
commands. It can be read using nearly any word processing program or text
editor.
Plasma
display - Refer to
Gas-plasma display.
Plastic
Leadless Chip Carrier (PLCC) - Cheaper
version of the Leadless chip carrier socket method for attactching a CPU
to a motherboard. Similar to the Leadless chip carrier method, the chip
sits in the socket to make the necessary contact. While the two methods
appear similar, they are not compatible.
Platen
- The rolling
mechanism in an impact printer or typewriter that the paper is held
against as it is printed upon.
Platform
- The standard that
set the parameters for what a system can and cannot do; includes most
basic hardware and software on a PC.
Platter
- The magnetic disk
inside a hard drive that holds the actual information. There are multiple
platters inside a single hard drive.
PLCC
- Refer to Plastic
Leadless Chip Carrier.
Plot
- To draw an image by
connecting a series of precisely placed points on a surface, using a
series of lines.
Plotter
- A computer-driven
device that creates a precise image using a series of lines. Plotters are
more exact than regular printers and work well with graphics programs.
Plug
and Play - The ability
of a computer to detect and configure a new piece of hardware
automatically, with out the user having to physically reconfigure
hardware elements. Apple's Macintosh computers have been plug and play
for some time, and, with Windows 95, and 98, Microsoft and Intel
introduced their version of the technology to PC users. Plug and Play
requires a special system BIOS on a computer's motherboard and specially
designed expansion cards.
Plug-compatible
- A Piece of hardware
that can easily connect to another through the use of a standardized
connection device. A plug-compatible device from one company is
replaceable with a plug-compatible device from another company.
PMS
- Refer to Pantone
Matching System.
Point
- To move the
on-screen cursor using an input device such as a mouse, trackball, or
touch pad. Also in typography, a point is a unit of vertical measure.
There are 72 points in one inch Compare to pica.
Point-and-click
- To move the pointer
over an icon or file and open it by clicking on it with a mouse,
trackball, or other input device.
Point
chart - Chart that
compiles values from one or more source of data and sets them down at
exact points. Used for comparing different values.
Point
diagram - Refer to
Point chart.
Pointer
- An on-screen symbol
in a graphical user interface that lets the user navigate the screen
through the use of an input device such as a mouse or a trackball.
Pointing
device - An input
device that lets a user manipulate a pointer in a graphical user
interface. Common pointing devices include the mouse, trackball, lightpen,
and joystick.
Point-of-scale
(POS) computing - The
process of using computer technology to record all pertinent data
consumer purchases an item, normally by scanning the Universal Product
Code (UPC) on the item. When the scanner picks up that code, it not only
tells the user the price of the item, it also records that item as being
sold, so the store's inventory can be updated accordingly.
Point
size - Measurement
used to describe the height of a printed character. A single point is
1/72 of an inch.
Point-To-Point
Protocol (PPP) - A
communication protocol that lets users connect their PCs directly to the
Internet through their phone line. Considered more advanced than the
Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) connection that is quickly
replacing, PPP offers more error-checking capabilities as well as several
forms of password protection.
Polarity
- The direction that
charged particles will travel. Convention says current flows from
positive to negative.
Polling
- A constant routine
in which a PC checks all its connected devices-or a network computer
checks all of those connected to it-individually to see if there is any
new information there.
Polling
cycle - The amount of
time for a computer to obtain certain data from each device or computer
it is connected to.
Polyline
- A computer graphic
composed of lines that connect together numerous defined points. When the
lines connect all the points, they form what appears to be a continuous
line.
Populate
- To place additional
components on a circuit board. Another name for a completely full board
is a fully populated board.
Pop-up
menu - Menu that
appears when a user moves the point over a button on the screen and
clicks the mouse. Once the user makes a selection from the menu, it
disappears again.
Port
- Device, resembling a
plug-in of sorts, found on the back of a PC. It allows access to and out
of the computer for cables. The ports can be used to connect all types of
devices. For example, most users connect a printer to a computer through
the parallel port.
Portability
- The ability to move
software from one computer or operating system to another. Portability
can be defined as either high or low. A program designed to work
specifically on one person or company's computer system has extremely low
portability because it would be very difficult to get it to operate on
another system.
Portable
- A computer or
software that is easy to move from one place to another.
Portable
computer - A PC
designed to allow the user to take it on the road while early portable
computers were bulky and had very limited capabilities, today's models
are thin, lightweight, and powerful.
Portable
language - Type of
programming language used to create software for more than one computer
system.
Port
expander - Device that
expands the number of peripheral units a user can connect to a single
port, usually on a portable computer. An expander makes it possible to
connect additional devices, but only one of those devices can operate at
a time.
Portrait
mode - Vertical
computer monitor that is taller than it is wide. It is most often used
with desktop publishing and graphics programs. The opposite is the
landscape monitor, which is wider than it is tall.
POS
- Refer to
Point-Of-Scale computing.
Post
- Message or article
published on an Internet newsgroup or other bulletin board area. Also
means the at of publishing such a message or article.
POST
- Refer to Power On
Self Test.
Posting
- To transmit a
message or article for publication on an Internet newsgroup or bulletin
board.
Postprocessor
- Device or software
that works with information that has already been processed.
PostScript
- Page description
language program created by Adobe Systems. Because of its great
flexibility in type as well as graphics, PostScript has become the
standard in desktop publishing.
PostScript
Clone - Program that
mimics the capabilities of Adobe Systems' PostScript page description
language. While clones can cost considerably less than the real thing
most also offered fewer options and lesser quality.
Power
- The amount of
computing ability, determined by speed and functionality, a computer has,
or the actual electricity used to run a computer.
Power
down - To close down
all active applications and shut off the power to the computer.
Power
failure - To lose
electricity to a computer system. Any data stored only in RAM and not on
a permanent storage medium such as a hard drive unless the data has not
been saved to the hard drive.
Power
On Self Test (POST) - Set
of tests performed by a computer during its startup routine to make sure
its components are working correctly.
PowerPC
- The microprocessor
architecture developed by IBM, Motorola, and Apple and introduced in
1993. The first computer system based on the PowerPC architecture was
Apple's Power Mac in 1994. The PowerPC is an alternative to the
Intel-based architecture found in just about ever PC. It can process 32
bits of data and has a 64-bit internal data bus. It's also RISC based
(Reduced Instruction Set Computing) and can handle multitasking. Pentium
chips are CISC-based (Complex Instruction Set Computing), but Pentiums
are being built that favor RISC. One of the early PowerPC chips, the 601,
could run just as fast, if not faster, than an Intel Pentium.
Power
Strip - Device that
acts like an extension cord, providing additional cord length as well as
a mechanism that offers several electrical outlets.
Power
supply (PS) - The
electrical supply needed to operate a desktop computer. Also, the device
inside the desktop computer that transforms the AC electrical currents
available in standard wall sockets into lower DC voltages used in a
computer.
Power
Surge - Unexpected
increase in the amount of voltage carried by an electrical line, usually
caused by an oversupply at the source. A power surge can last for several
seconds (unlike a spike, which occurs in a very sort burst) and can
severely damage an unprotected computer. Users can help protect their
computer from power surges with a service called a surge protector.
Power
up - To turn on a
computer system.
Power
user - User who is
exceptionally knowledgeable and skilled in the use of computers and
software.
PPM
- Refer to Pages Per
Minute.
PPP
- Refer to
Point-To-Point Protocol.
PRAM
- Refer to parameter
RAM.
Precompiler
- Refer to
preprocessor.
Pre-emptive
multitasking - Type of
multitasking where the operating system or computer may shift control
from one program to another as it is needed; that way no single
application can completely take over the processing power. Putting the
microprocessor in charge of allocating power to applications and taking
away processing power from one program when it is needed by another keeps
the computer from freezing up..
Preformatted
- Computer diskette
that is already able to accept data when it comes out of the package and
does not need to be formatted.
Prepress
- The work done on a
publication before it is sent for printing. For example, laying out the
text and photographs for a newsletter on a sheet of paper.
Preprocessor
- Device or program
that processes information before sending it on to the main program or
processor.
Presentation
graphics - Combination
of colorful graphics used to present business information and other
complicated data in easy-to-read charts and graphs, to make immediate
comprehension easier.
Presentation
Manager - Graphical
user interface for the IBM OS/2 operating system.
Pressure-sensitive
tablet - Refer to
touch pad.
Preventive
maintenance - The
regular checkups and service performed on computer hardware to keep it
working properly.
Primary
channel - The channel
used most often, usually by default, to transmit data from a
communications device such as a modem.
Print
- To transmit data
such as text and graphics from a computer to a printer in order to create
a hard copy of the data.
Print
buffer - Temporary
storage area that holds information waiting to print until the printer is
ready to use it. A print buffer is often located in RAM or in the
printer's own memory. B holding the information and feeding it to the
printer as needed, the print buffer allows the computer to continue with
other work.
Printed
Circuit Board (PCB) - Board,
made of plastic or fiberglass, that holds electronic circuits connected
through metal pathways attached to the board. The motherboard is the main
printed circuit board of a computer/
Printer
- Device that takes
commands from a computer and produces hard copies, usually on paper, of
the text and graphics that appears on the monitor. Printers such as the
daisy-wheel and dot matrix produce images by striking the paper. Inkjet,
thermal, and laser printers are more complicated and precise methods to
render characters and images. These printers generally produce a higher
quality image than daisy wheel and dot matrix printers.
Printer
Control Language (PCL) - Command
language developed by Hewlett-Packard for its laser and inkjet printers.
PCL is a common type of page description language.
Printer
driver - Program that
allows a PC to communicate with the printer. A printer driver will
translate commands from the computer into instructions that the printer
understands.
Printer
engine - Part of the
printer that determines the resolution, speed, and overall quality of the
printing. Most engines are replaceable self-contained units; printers
from different manufactures often use the same engine.
Printer
font - Font that exist
specifically for use in printing. Most fonts appear differently on paper
than they do on-screen.
Print
head - The part of the
printer that actually prints text and images onto paper. In an inkjet
printer, the print head controls the firing of the different colors of
ink, arranging them in a precise pattern on the paper's surface. In a dot
matrix printer, the print head controls the pins that strike the
printer's surface ribbon against the page. Laser printers don't have
print heads; they use a method similar to a photocopier to create images.
Printing
orientation - The way
a printer places an image or text across a page. The two types of
printing orientation are portrait mode and landscape mode.
Print
merge - Refer to mail
merge.
Printout
- The actual printed
version of text or images.
Print
quality - The overall
quality of a printer's output, based on resolution and clarity of the
characters printed. A number of factors can affect print quality,
including the type of printer and the mode setting that the printer is
using. A laser printer should always have higher print quality than a dot
matrix printer. On the laser printer, however, the user must have three
more mode settings from which to chose. The draft setting will produce a
lesser quality of print, but it saves time and materials. At the other
end of the spectrum, at the presentation mode settings, the same printer
will use more time, energy, and materials to produce a higher print
quality.
Print
Screen key - Refer to
PRTSC key.
Print
server - Computer that
manages one or more printer on a local-area network (LAN).
Print
spooler - Program that
manages print jobs that have been sent to the printer. The printer does
not print as quickly as a computer operates and often multiple users send
documents to the same printer. These documents are sent to a spooler,
where they wait their turn to print. This frees up the computer's
attention so the user can continue working while waiting for a document
to print. Also called spooling.
Print
wheel - Refer to
daisywheel.
Priority
- Degree of importance
that determines when a tasks will be assigned to tasks within a single
system or to entire computers on a whole network.
Private
line - Refer to leased
line.
Privilege
level - Authorized
access level that each network user is assigned, Manager, Backup, either
at a user, an administrator, or a guest,. This determines what
information they can have access to.
PRN
(PRiNter) - The name
DOS assigns to the first parallel port, where most printers are connected
to the computer. You may see DOS term used if DOS ever gives you an error
message "Not ready writing device PRN."
Procedural
language - Type of
programming language centering on the procedure, or the order of the
commands. Examples of this type of language include BASIC, FORTRAN, and
Pascal.
Process
- To manipulate,
alter, or simply display information that a computer contains. Also can
mean a computer program.
Process
color - Type of
printing in which a computer takes a full-color image and re-creates it
by mixing and blending the four colors it has available.
Processing
- To control and alter
data. This is the main job of a computer to process data that it receives
and output the results.
Processing
capacity - The number
of operations a processor can perform in a set amount of time.
Processor
- Refer to
microprocessor.
Processor
cache - Refer to RAM
cache.
Program
- Set of instructions
that tells a computer what to do. Programs allow a computer to function
and will generally contain a list of variables that represent numbers,
text, or graphics. It also will have a series of statements, which tell
the computer what to do with these variables. Programmers use a variety
of languages to create programs, but each must be translated into machine
language before the computer can act on it.
Program
counter - Device
within a computer that keeps track of the next instruction a program will
require to continue it separation. Also called a current location
counter.
Program
generator - Program
that produces other programs by following the parameters set down by the
user. Program generators make the process of creating new applications
less complicated and tedious, but provide less flexibility than if a
program is written by a human.
Program
group - In Windows
3.x, a type of window holding icons representing applications. The
program manager holds icons representing the various program groups,
which can be opened to display the program files.
Program
Information File (.PIF) - File
used in Microsoft Windows Operating system that contains information used
to run a DOS application in the Windows environment.
Program
listing - Copy of a
program's source code, usually reproduced onto paper.
Program
logic - The basic
instructions that determine how a program carries out the task it was
designed to do.
Programmable
- The ability of a
machine to follow instructions and carry out user-dictated jobs.
Computers are programmable.
Programmable
function key - Key
board key the user can program to execute an often-used multikey strike
combination. Key programmed in this manner can help shorten a process by
eliminating the need to repeatedly type in the key combination. The keys,
sometimes unlabelled, may appear on third-party keyboards to perform just
such tasks, without any special RAM-resident software.
Programmable
Read-Only Memory - Refer
to programmable ROM.
Programmable
ROM - Memory chip that
allows data to be written to it once using a programmable ROM programmer.
The chip stores the data permanently, even when the computer's power is
turned off. As opposed to ROM, which is programmed by the manufacture,
PROM can be written to by a consumer.
Programmable
ROM programmer - Piece
of hardware used to write a programmable ROM (PROM) chip. Once this
device has written to the PROM chip, the user cannot reprogram the chip.
Also called a programmable ROM (PROM Blaster.
Program
manager - The main
window of Windows 3.x. The program manager holds icons representing
program groups, which hold icons for applications. To close the Windows
interface, a user closes the Program Manager like any other window by
double clicking the upper-left corner.
Programmatic
Interface - Refer to
command-line interface.
Programmer
- | 