Microsoft KB Archive/30569

Mac Works: Communications Terms and Meanings

PSS ID Number: Q30569 Article last modified on 10-22-1998

1.0 1.1 2.0 3.0

MACINTOSH

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= SUMMARY =

The following list contains common terminology for communications software and hardware in the personal computer industry:

  ANSI Terminal: A display terminal that follows commands in the ANSI standard terminal language. For example, it uses escape sequences to control the cursor, clear the screen, and set colors. Communications programs often support the ANSI terminal.   Baud Rate: Baud rate is a measurement of the speed of data transmission. It is roughly the number of bits per second. Common baud rates for modems are 300, 1200, and 2400. The common baud rate for direct connections between hardware or high-speed transmissions is 9600.   Data Size: This is the number of bits per character. There usually are 8 bits per character.   Escape Sequence: (1) Machine commands that start with an escape character. Printers are often commanded by escape sequences. (2) In a modem, a unique sequence of characters that precede a command. It allows modem commands (dial, hang up, and so on) to be transmitted with the data.   Stop Bits: This is a setting for the software to prepare it to receive 1 or 2 bits to identify the end of the transmission of a single character. Most services use 1 stop bit.   Parity: This is a form of error checking. Most services use No Parity. If you have a connection to a mainframe or to a minicomputer, you may need to set this to either Even or Odd. Under Even Parity checking, the sum will be even when added to the sum of the other bits in the character. Under Odd Parity, the sum will be odd.   Duplex: This is a hardware setting that indicates whether your modem will or will not echo characters back to the terminal for display.   In half duplex, the modem echoes characters back to the terminal for display. In full duplex, the modem does not echo characters. This hardware setting may require the software to be set either for Echo On or Echo Off. </li>  Echo Off or Echo On: This software setting is used to enable or disable the software from echoing the characters on your screen. This is a software equivalent to the hardware’s duplex setting. </li>  Handshake: This refers to the method used by two terminals or computers to tell each other whose turn it is to send or receive data. Most services use XON/XOFF. </li>  Phone Type: This determines whether the modem will use clicks (to emulate rotary dial phones) or tones (to emulate touch tone). </li>  Line Delay or Character Delay: Sometimes the terminal or computer sends information too quickly to the receiving computer, causing information to be lost. Line or Character Delay is used to slow down the sending computer’s transmission speed. </li>  Connection Port (called Connect To in Microsoft Works): This setting tells the software which port the modem is connected to in the back of the Macintosh. </li>  Throughput is the rate at which two or more communicating devices can transfer information. Throughput is dependent on the rate at which the receiving device can effectively “capture” and display data that is being received. </li></ul>

KBCategory: kbprint KBSubcategory: macworkskb

= Additional reference words: 1.00 1.10 2.00 3.00 mwkscom mwksmisc =

Keywords : kbprint Version : 1.0 1.1 2.0 3.0 Platform : MACINTOSH Issue type : kbinfo ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1998.