1. Often simply referred to as a protocol, a communications protocol is a set of rules or standard designed so that computers can exchange information with a minimum of errors.See also Open Systems Interconnection Model (OSI). 2. Layer 3 of the OSI networking model, which handles data routing and addressing.
place
To import a file into another file.
POST
Power On Self Test. A test the PC performs on its hardware, CPU, and memory when the power is switched on.
pixel
Short for picture element. A pixel is the smallest logical unit of visual information that can be used to build an image. Pixels are the little squares that can be seen when a graphics image is enlarged. The more pixels in an image, the better its resolution.
parity error
A message which is displayed on the computer if an error in parity has been detected.
parity bit
When binary data (1s and 0s) is being transmitted or stored, an extra bit can be added to make the total number of 1s always odd (or always even). This extra bit is called a parity bit. If one bit of the data is transmitted incorrectly, the parity will change, making it possible to detect the error.
password
A secret sequence of letters and other symbols needed to log in to a
computer system as an authorized user. When a user enters a password, it appears as a line of asterisks ******* so no one can read it.
paste
An editing function which involves transferring text, images, or both from the clipboard into a desired location. The expression is taken from "cut and paste," which is the way it was originally done, manually, on a layout table.
pica
1. A typewriter type that prints 10 characters per inch. Fixed-pitch computer printers usually print 10 cpi. 2. In typesetting, a pica is a measurement of space which is the same as 12 points, originally a little less than 1/6 inch. In computer page layout, pica measurement is usually represented as exactly 6 picas per inch.
pitch
The number of characters per inch in a given typeface. In fixed-pitch type, every character has the same width; in proportional-pitch type, some characters are wider than others, and the pitch is measured as an average character width.
