HP Compaq Presario,Presario 6012 Supplementary Manual page 66

Understanding Computer Terms
5–28
scroll mouse
A mouse with a scroll wheel (between the two mouse buttons) for
automatic scrolling through long documents or Web pages. See scroll
and mouse.
search engine
A program, accessed on the Internet, that allows you to search large
databases for information by using keywords or phrases. See
database.
sector
The smallest recordable unit on a CD. A CD can contain [(75 sectors
per second) x (60 seconds per minute) x (number of minutes on a
CD)] sectors. The amount of data contained in the sector depends on
the physical format in which it is recorded; for "regular" CD-ROM
data, you can fit 2048 bytes (2 kilobytes) of data into a sector.
secure Web site
A Web site that encrypts data to protect it from unauthorized use.
When you purchase items over the Internet, you are asked to type
your name, mailing address, e-mail address, and credit card
information on an electronic form. Sending information to a secure
Web site is comparable to giving it over the telephone when you order
from a catalog. (Never send your social security number over the
Internet. Criminals can steal your identity with your social security
number.) See encrypt.
sequential erase
Erasing the entire CD so that it can be re-used. (Available with
CD-RW CDs).
serial port
A small connector on the back of the computer (or keyboard) for
plugging in a thin cable attached to a serial device, such as a mouse.
Serial devices transfer data one bit at a time through a data wire. The
serial cable has two wires for bi-directional communication (sending
and receiving information simultaneously). See bit. See also parallel
port.
Learning More About Your Computer