Monday, August 14, 2000		Bits & Bytes

1. SCSI: It is the short form of small computer system interface. It refers to the set of ANSI standard electronic interfaces, which allows a computer to interact with other hardware devices like CD-ROM, hard disk and printers at a much faster speed and in a more flexible environment as compared to the Primary IDE interface.

2. Ultra DMA: Ultra DMA is a protocol, which is meant for transferring data between the hard disk and the RAM, through the bus. The Ultra DMA/33 protocol transfers the data at the rate of 33 MHz per second. It doubles the speed of its earlier version, which was called DMA or Direct Memory Access interface. Using this technology, the computer works faster as data transfer rate is much higher. It will open programmes faster and improve the overall performance of the computer. This technology is especially useful, if work involves high graphics.

3. Gigabyte: Gigabyte is the unit of measurement of storage capacity of computer data. Normally it refers to the hard disk. As the capacity of hard disk or other storage devices like CD-RW is represented by this unit of measurement. Roughly 1 gigabyte equals a billion bytes.

4. Serial Port: These ports are also referred to as Com port. They are external ports located behind your computer.

5. Bit: Bit is smallest piece of information understood by computers. Thus, this is the basic unit for a computer

6. Byte: Byte is the plural of Bit as eight bits combined together makes a byte. It is the basic unit of measurement of computer's memory.