Glossary
AGP n: acronym for Advanced Graphics Port, a special graphics card slot on motherboards that offers faster graphics than traditional PCI slots for little additional cost
autoexec.bat n: a "batch" file containing a list of drivers and other programs your system needs to run its devices.
BIOS n: acronym for basic input/output system, built in software placed on motherboards to manage the basic input and output functions for the computer. Today many motherboards have flash BIOS, which means that the BIOS can be upgraded.
bus n: generically a set of conductors that carry data and other information inside computer systems.
byte n: unit of memory used to represent one character on the screen, usually 8 data bits in length. A kilobyte is 1,024 bytes, a megabyte is 1,024 kilobytes or 1,048,576 bytes, and a gigabyte is 1,024 megabytes.
cache n: high-speed memory used to speed up certain areas, and are used on CPUs, motherboards, hard drives, CD-ROM drives, and other devices in a variety of ways.
CD-ROM n: acronym for Compact Discs - Read Only Memory; a storage device that reads information stored on compact discs, an optical storage format. Once information is recorded on a CD-ROM it can not be erased or overwritten normally.
chipset n: a group of microchips designed towards doing a specific task, like 3D graphics.
config.sys n: a file used by the operating system to specify certain device configurations and variables.
cooling fan n: small fan used to create air circulation and reduce heat inside of a computer case. On CPUs and other chips cooling fans can be equipped with heat sinks to draw heat away from the chip before circulation.
CPU n: acronym for Central Processing Unit, the heart of any computer.
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