8 Glossary
prompt
A special symbol indicating the beginning of an input line. Also a message
that appears on the screen indicating that the user must take a certain action.
R
RAM
Random Access Memory. A storage device into which data is entered and
from which data is retrieved in a nonsequential manner.
read
To extract data from a storage device such as a diskette.
ROM
Read-Only Memory. Memory in which stored data cannot be modified by
the user except under special conditions.
reset
The process of returning a device to zero or to an initial or arbitrarily se-
lected condition.
resolution
The degree of screen image clarity. Video display resolution is determined
by the number of pixels on the screen. Resolution is usually specified in
pixels by scan lines, for example, 640 by 480. See pixels.
RS-232C
Standard interface for serial devices. This port is sometimes referred to as
the serial port.
S
scanner
An optical device that reads printed material and converts it to a computer
screen image.
serial interface
An interface that communicates information one bit at a time.
serial printer
A printer with a serial interface.
