See Random Access Memory.
Temporary memory used by the CPU to hold the operating system, active applications and any open files. RAM is volatile, meaning once the computer is turned off, the information that has been stored in RAM is gone. See the articles on Random Access Memory.
ROM is memory that can be read but not changed by the computer. Each ROM chip contains specific instructions important to the operation of a particular part of a computer or peripheral. ROM chips are found almost everywhere in a computer system; the basic input/output system (BIOS), for example, is in virtually all computers and peripherals. Unlike RAM, ROM is non-volatile. See the related articles on Read-Only Memory.
RealPlayer is a media player, created by RealNetworks, that plays a number of multimedia formats including multiple generations of RealAudio and RealVideo codecs as well as MP3, MPEG-4, QuickTime, etc. Read more about Realplayer at their site.
Nerdspeak for "as it happens," or "simultaneously." A realtime music clip can be heard as it is being downloaded, instead of after the entire file dumps into your computer.
1: The ability of a system to keep functioning normally in the event of a component failure, by having backup components that perform duplicate functions; 2: computer or network system components that are installed to back up primary resources in case of failur; 3: Multiple resources by which a given service can be provided. By offering multiple resources, the likelihood of all resources being unavailable at the same time is very low.
This is the rate at which the image on a computer monitor's screen is redrawn, measured in hertz (Hz), cycles per second. CRTs form images by projecting a series of still frames very rapidly on a screen. Higher refresh rates result in less flickering on the screen, which is especially important for digital video, animation and video games.
A device used in an electrical circuit to block the flow of electricity.
A monitor's resolution determines the sharpness of any displayed image. Screen images are formed by a grid of thousands of tiny dots, called pixels, and resolution is expressed in terms of the number of pixels appearing on the monitor. For example, resolutions of "640 x 480" or "1,024 x 768" represent the number of columns by the number of rows of pixels. In general, the higher the numbers, the sharper the images. Printer and scanner resolution is measured in dots per inch.
Reduced Instruction-Set Computing. A CPU architecture that contains fewer instructions than CISC designs but that can execute certain tasks much faster. RISC processor technology is better at speedy computation, which is needed for graphics.
Copying music from a compact disc to a computer's hard drive. Software used in ripping uses the same compression methods as MP3 and other formats; thus, the resulting music files take up little space on a drive. They can either be listened to on the computer or audio player, or transmitted over the Internet.
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