|
Jargon |
Explanation |
|
Parallel
Port |
A port on the back of your computer normally
connecting printers and scanners - The parallel port
sends data in parallel which mean more than one bit at a time. The
amount depends on the amount of channels. e.g. 8 channel = 8 bits
at a time 32 channels 32 bits at a time. See Serial
Port. |
|
PB Cache |
Pipelined Burst Cache - A type of cache
using Static RAM and pipeline processing. Used in machines with
fast CPU's to improve performance |
|
PC |
Personal Computer - There are loads of
variety PC, but the common standard for the use of the word PC now
means that the machine is compatible with the IBM PC. |
|
PC100/133 |
A type of DIMM memory - The number rating
relates to the speed of the memory PC100 is a DIMM
running @ 100Mhz PC133 is a DIMM running @ 133Mhz |
|
PCMCIA |
Personal Computer Memory Card International
Association - The standard connection of peripherals
to a portable computer. |
|
Peripheral |
A piece of hardware connected to the main
computer - examples are Printers, Scanners, Mice and Keyboards
etc. see Component |
|
Perl |
A portable programming language - Invented
in 1987 by Larry Wall, Perl has become a widely used language in
the world of the World Wide Web and internet services. It serves
more than that though with its functions being stretched to
graphical processing etc. In fact it can serve any purpose where a
portable solution is required. |
|
PHP |
A server side scripting language - It
supports Windows NT Unix and Mac servers and is compatible with
many databases such as Oracle, Sybase, Solid, MySQ, MYSQL, and
PostgreSQL, as well as ODBC data sources. |
|
Ping |
In gaming terms its the time it takes for the
signal from your computer to reach the server side and back again.
Ping is measured in milliseconds and varies with different
types of connections. Modems for example have pings of around 200,
ISDN around 100 and cable and xDSL services can be as low as 30.
Lower ping gives you better gaming performance. |
|
PIO |
Programmed input/output - The Transfer of
data between two devices in which the data passes through the CPU
for processing and re-direction. |
|
PnP |
Plug 'n' Play - If a component has a plug
and play feature it means that the system should instantly
recognise the component and its requirements and set it all up for
you. The idea was to take some of the guess work out of installing
new hardware. Due to some failures in the system though it has
been re-named by many people as "Plug and Pray". |
|
POST |
Power on Self test - The diagnostic that
runs every time you boot up the computer. POST tests the RAM
keyboard and Disk drives. Actual test differ depending on BIOS
configuration. |
|
PPGA |
Plastic Pin Grid Array - The packaging
used by certain Intel Celeron processors, the silicon core is
facing the motherboard and is covered by a heat slug. |
|
PR |
Performance Rated - Used a lot in
older CPU's to compare relative speeds, Companies such as Cyrix
mainly used a PR rating to compare the speed of there CPU's to
that of the original Pentiums from Intel. Page Rank
- An algorithm used by the major search engine Google to determine
how relevant a page is to the user. The algorithm is based on
inbound links, content and the quality of sites linking to the page
from elsewhere on the Internet. |
|
PS/2 |
The PS/2 port is simply a connection for
either a keyboard or a mouse to be fitted (usually specified
which it takes). It was brought about to replace the larger AT
style keyboard DIN plug and the serial port for the mouse. A PS/2
port is now found on most PC's. |
|
PSU |
Power Supply Unit - The unit supplied in
the PC case that directs the power to all the other components.
They range in power from 200W to 400W +. |
