Getting Started
FAQ and Basic Terminology
Windows Vista, XP, 2000, Me, Win98
Speedline Setup
Dialup Setup
Email Setup
Macintosh OSX, OS 9
Speedline Setup
Dialup Setup
Email Setup
Configuring Web TV
Getting Connected To The Internet
You're Connected! Now what?
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FAQ and Basic Terminology
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Cache:
Pronounced cash, a special high-speed storage mechanism. It can be either a reserved
section of main memory or an independent high-speed storage device. Two types of
caching are commonly used in personal computers: memory caching and disk caching.
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CPU:
Abbreviation of central processing unit, and pronounced as separate
letters. The CPU is the brains of the computer. Sometimes referred to simply as
the processor or central processor, the CPU is where most calculations take place.
In terms of computing power, the CPU is the most important element of a computer
system. |
Input Device:
Any machine that feeds data into a computer. For example, a keyboard is an input device,
whereas a display monitor is an output device. Input devices other than the keyboard are
sometimes called alternate input devices. Mice, trackballs, and light pens are all
alternate input devices. |
Monitor:
Another term for display screen. The term monitor, however,
usually refers to the entire box, whereas display screen can mean just the
screen. In addition, the term monitor often implies graphics capabilities.
The resolution of a monitor indicates how densely packed the pixels are.
In general, the more pixels (often expressed in dots per inch), the sharper the
image. |
Output Device:
Any machine or component that attaches to a computer. Examples of devices include
disk drives, printers, mice, and modems. These particular devices fall into the
category of peripheral devices because they are separate from the main computer |
Ram:
Pronounced ramm, acronym for random access memory, a type of computer memory that
can be accessed randomly; that is, any byte of memory can be accessed without touching
the preceding bytes. RAM is the most common type of memory found in computers and other
devices, such as printers.
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