An add-in, printed circuit board that replaces the main processor with a higher performance processor. Using an accelerator board can reduce upgrading costs substantially, because you won't need to replace the monitor, case, keyboard, and so on.

However, the main processor is not the only component that affects the overall performance of your system. Other factors, such as disk-access time and video speed, contribute to a system's performance.

1. To retrieve data from a storage device, such as a hard disk.

2. To log in to a computer system or network.

The set of rules that determines which node in a network has access to the transmission media at any moment. Attempts at simultaneous access are either managed by a collision detection mechanism such as CSMA/CD, or prevented by use of a token passing method.

The set of rules that workstations use to avoid collisions when sending information over shared network media. Also known as the media-access control protocol.

The period of time that elapses between a request for information from disk or memory and the arrival of that information at the requesting device.

Memory-access time refers to the time it takes to transfer a character between memory and the processor. Disk-access time refers to the time it takes to place the read/write heads over the requested data. RAM (random-access memory) may have an access time of 80 nanoseconds or less, while hard-disk-access time could be 10 milliseconds or less.

On local area network (LANs) or multi-user operating systems, an account is setup for each user. Accounts are usually kept for administrative or security reasons. For communications and online services, accounts are used as a method of identifying a subscriber for billing purposes.

A modem that includes a pair of rubber cups that fit over the mouthpiece and earpiece' of a standard telephone handset (to prevent external noise from being picked up); see the accompanying illustration. An acoustic coupler allows you to connect your computer to a telephone system that does not have the stand RJ-11 connections used with conventional modems.

A device that amplifies transmission signals in a network, allowing signals to be sent over a much greater distance than is possible with a passive hub. An active hub may have ports for coaxial, twisted pair, or fiber optic cable connections, as well as LEDs to show that each port is operating correctly.

It's a printed circuit board that plugs into a computer's expansion bus to provide added capabilities. Common adapters include video adapters, hard-disk controllers, and input/output (I/O) adapters, as well as other devices, such as internal modems, CD-ROMs, and network interface cards (NICs). One adapter can often support several different devices. Some modern PC designs incorporate many of the functions previously performed by these individual adapters on the motherhood.

1. The precise location in memory or on disk where a piece of information is stored. Each byte in memory and each sector on a disk have its own unique address.

2. The unique identifier for a specific node on a network. An address may be a physical address specified by switches or jumpers on the network interface card hardware, or a logical address established by the network operating system.

3. To reference or manage a storage location.

The electronic channel, usually from 20 to 64 lines wide, used to transmit the signals that specify locations in memory. The number of lines in the address bus determines the number of memory locations that the processor can access, because each line carries one bit of the address. (A 20-line address bus used in early Intel 8086,8088 processors) can access 1 megabyte (MB) of memory, a 24-line address bus (used in the Intel 80286) can access 16 MB, and a 32-line address bus (used in the Intel 80386DX), Intel 80486, and Motorola 68020) can access more than 4 gigabytes (GB). A 64-line address bus (used in the DEC Alpha APX) can access 16 exabytes (EB).

Abbreviated ARP! A protocol within TCP/IP and Apple Talk networks that allows a host to find the physical address of a node on the same network when it only knows the targets logical address. Under ARP, a network interface and contains a table (known as the address resolution cache) that maps logical addresses to the hardware addresses of nodes on the network. The next time a node needs to send a packet, it first checks the address resolution cache to see if the physical address information is already present. If so, that address is used and network traffic is reduced; otherwise a normal APP request is made to determine the address.

A Novell NetWare 3.X workstation is used to view, set or modify the Inherited Rights Mask for a file or directory. You can also view the current rights settings for a file or directory. In Netware 4.x, use the RIGHTS utility for this purpose.

Acronym for Advanced Mobile Phone Service! Currently the cellular telephone standard in the United States , an analog, cellular communications system developed by AT & T. AMPS uses frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) and operates in the 825 to 890 megahertz (MHz) range.

A method of accessing an Internet computer with the ftp file-transfer program! Anonymous ftp does not require you to have an account on the target computer system. Just log in with the user name anonymous and use your e-mail address as your password.

You can use anonymous ftp with only those systems set up to offer the service. In the UNIX world, the term is lowercased, but in the world of Windows and OS/2, you'll sometimes see it in all capital letters.

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