adapter
Also known as:
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Adapter is a general term which refers to a device which can be added to a computer system to expand functionality. For example, a network card can be added to a computer to allow it to connect with the Internet, or a video card can be added to allow high-end graphics software to run faster.
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AGP
Also known as:
accelerated graphics port
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AGP is a type of PC expansion slot on motherboards, much like PCI, but faster. AGP was designed by Intel to provide faster communication between an AGP video card and system memory, and it allows for better performance in high-end graphics and entertainment software. AGP's successor is PCIe or PCI Express.
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API
Also known as:
Application Programming Interface
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An API is an access point of an operating system which can be used by software applications to communicate with hardware or accomplish other OS-dependent tasks. For example, one API could allow allow applications to draw colors and shapes on the screen and another could allow access to data on the Internet. APIs usually come in the form of function calls that a programmer can write into software to talk with the OS.
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