GDI
(Graphics Device Interface) The Windows graphics language used to provide output to the screen and
printer. When an applications needs to display or print something, it makes a call to a GDI function. GDI in turn communicates with the screen and printer drivers to produce the final output.
In order to provide fast, full-motion video, applications that use the DCI interface bypass GDI and address the display adapter directly.

GPF
(General Protection Fault) The Windows error name for a program that has crashed.

GPS
(Global Positioning System) A series of continuously-transmitting satellites used for identifying earth locations. By triangulation from three satellites, a hand-held receiving unit can pinpoint wherever you are on earth.

GUI
(Graphical User Interface) A graphics-based user interface that incorporates icons, pull-down menus and a mouse. The GUI has become the standard way users interact with a computer. The three major GUIs are Windows, Macintosh and Motif. In a client/server environment, the GUI resides in the user's client machine. See desktop manager, window manager and Star. Contrast with CUI.

hard disk
   The primary computer storage medium, which is made of one or more aluminum or glass platters. Each side of the platter is coated with a ferromagnetic material. Older hard disks held as little as five megabytes. Today's hard disks can hold several gigabytes.
   Desktop computers use disks from 1.5" to 5" in diameter. Minicomputer and mainframe disks range up to 12" in diameter, but are increasingly becoming as compact as the desktop drives.
   Hard disks provide fast retrieval because they rotate constantly at high speed, from 3,000 to over 10,000 rpm. In laptops however, the disks can be optionally turned off to preserve battery life after not being used for a specified period of time.
   Fixed hard disks are permanently sealed in the drive. Removable hard disks are encased in disk pack or disk cartridge modules that can be moved between computers with the same kinds of drives.
   Hard disks are usually low-level formatted from the factory, which records the original sector identification on them. 
Hard Disk Measurements Capacity is measured in bytes, and speed is measured in bytes per second (transfer rate) and in milliseconds (access time). Fast personal computer hard disk access times range from 9 to 14ms; in larger computers as fast as 1ms.

Glossary Index

Copyright  ©1998-2000 by Ultimate Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.