Glossary-10
parallel printer
A printer with a parallel interface.
parameter
A characteristic of a device or system.
password
A string of characters that the user must enter before the
system allows access or system privileges.
PC card
A credit card sized peripheral for portable devices. Types of
PC cards currently offered by major vendors include
fax/modems, LAN, storage cards, and wireless communi-
cations devices.
PCI local bus
The 32-bit industry-standard PCI bus is a highly integrated
input/output (I/O) interface that offers the highest perform-
ance local bus available for the Pentium-based processor.
peripheral
Input or output device not under direct computer control. A
printer is a peripheral device.
pixels
Picture elements. Tiny dots that make up a screen image.
port
Provides the means for an interface between the microproc-
essor and external devices. A cable connector is usually
plugged into the port to attach the device to the computer.
processor
In a computer, a functional unit that interprets and executes
instructions.
