Reference Guide

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Glossary

buffer

See memory.

character set

A collection of letters, numbers, and symbols used in a particular language.

ColorSync

Macintosh software that is designed to help you get WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) color output. This software prints colors as you see them on your screen.

default

A value or setting that takes effect when the printer is turned on, reset, or initialized.

download

To transfer information from the computer to the printer.

dpi (dots per inch)

The number of dots per inch is a measure of printer resolution. The higher the number of dots, the higher the resolution.

driver

See printer driver.

drum

The part of the printer mechanism where the image is formed and transferred to paper.

FF (Form Feed)

A control code to break the page.

fixed-width font

A font whose characters are allotted the same amount of horizontal space, no matter the width of the character. Thus the uppercase M receives the same amount of space as the letter l.

font

A set of characters and symbols that share a common typographic design and style.

font family

The collection of all sizes and styles of a font.

halftone

A grayscale image that is composed of small dots. The dots can be close together to create black or more widely spaced to create gray or white areas in the image. Newspaper photographs are common examples of halftones.

initialization

The act of returning the printer to its defaults (fixed set of conditions).

interface

The connection between the printer and the computer. A parallel interface transmits data one character or code at a time, while a serial interface transmits data one bit at a time.

landscape

Printing that is oriented sideways on the page. This orientation gives you a page that is wider than it is high and is useful for printing spreadsheets.

memory

The part of the printer's electronic system that is used to store information. Some information is fixed and is used to control how the printer operates. Information that is sent to the printer from the computer is stored in memory temporarily. See also RAM.

orientation

Refers to the direction in which characters are printed on a page. This direction is either portrait, where the length of the page is longer than its width, or landscape, where the width is longer than its length.

outline font

A font whose outline is described mathematically, allowing it to be rendered (printed or drawn) smoothly at any size.

photoconductor unit

A component of the printer that contains a photosensitive print drum.

pitch

A measure of the number of characters per inch (cpi) for fixed-width fonts.

point size

The height of a particular font as measured from the top of the tallest character to the bottom of the lowest. A point is a typographic unit of measure equivalent to 1/72 of an inch.

portrait

Printing that is oriented upright on the page (as opposed to landscape, in which printing is oriented sideways on the page). This is the standard orientation for printing letters or documents.

ppm (pages per minute)

The number of pages can be printed in one minute.

printer driver

Software that sends instructions to the printer to tell it what to do. For example, your printer driver accepts print data from your word processor application and sends instructions to the printer on how to print this data.

proportional font

A font whose characters have varying amounts of horizontal space depending on the width of the character. Thus the uppercase M takes up more horizontal space than the lowercase l.

RAM

Random Access Memory. The portion of the printer's memory used as a buffer and for storing user-defined characters. All data stored in RAM is lost when the printer is turned off.

reset

To refresh the printer's memory and erase the current print jobs.

resolution

A measure of the fineness and clarity of images produced by the printer or monitor. Printer resolution is measured in dots per inch. Monitor resolution is measured in pixels.

RITech

Resolution Improvement Technology. A feature that smooths the jagged edges of printed lines or shapes.

status sheet

A report that lists the printer settings and other printer information.

toner

The colored powder contained in the developer cartridges that is used to print images on the paper.

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