P

packet data, 684-686

paid telephone support, 21-22

parallel (printer) port

alternatives to, 277

connecting printers to, 555-558

disuse of, 327

standards, 276

partitioning hard drives, 144-146

parts of computer

overview, 79-80

whether available, 27

passwords, assigning to Windows users, 783-785

Pause/Break key, 201

PC card (PCMCIA) sockets, 326

PC cards

adding card reader to desktop computer, 382

Expresscards, 326, 378-379

installing and removing, 379-381

standard for, 376-377

cardbus cards and slots, 377

voltages, 377

uses for, 377-378

PC games, 530

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) interface, 158-159

PCI Express, 161-163

PCMCIA (pc card) sockets, 326

PDAs (personal data assistants), synchronizing data files with, 636-638

PDF files, 517-518

pen tablets, 222-223

Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) interface, 158-159

personal data assistants (PDAs), synchronizing data files with, 636-638

personal support team, 20

photo printers, 554

physical layer, 81-82

physical security

preventing damage, 777

protecting against theft, 775-776

protecting computer from power surges, 777

pictures

editing

adjusting brightness and contrast, 606-607

cropping images, 604-606

removing objects, 608-609

removing red eye, 608

rotating images, 603-604

storing

backing up images to DVD, 610-611

printing images, 609-610

viewing

as screen saver, 601-602

as slide show, 600-601

pixels, dead, 190

podcasts, 662

pointing devices, 49-50. See also mice

pointing stick, 321-322, 334-335

pop-up blocker, 516-517

port replicators, 363

portability of laptops, 10-11

portable desks, 388

portable drives, 154. See also CDs; DVDs; flash drives

positioning screens, 448-450

POST (power-on self test)

beep codes, 122

overview, 115

post diagnostic codes, 122-123

post diagnostic codes, Power-On Self Test, 122-123

posture, 464-466

power

external, required by desktop computers, 10

managing on desktop computer

DC power supply, 300-301

reducing power consumption, 295

setting Windows power options, 289-291

uninterruptible power supply (UPS), 295-300

managing on laptop computers

AC adapter, 351-352

batteries, 343-351

external DC power, 352

reducing power consumption, 352-355

power button, 331-332

power distribution, USB, 246

power supply

for desktops, 57-59

for laptops, 339-340

power surges, 777

Power-On Self Test. See POST

PowerPoint, 572-576

presentations

choosing projectors, 577-578

connecting to projectors, 578-580

software for, 571-577

OpenOffice Impress, 576-577

overview, 523-524

PowerPoint, 572-576

Print Screen/SysRq key, 200-201

printers

connecting to computer

accessing printer properties, 560-562

parallel port, 555-558

through network, 558-560

USB port, 558

memory, 564-565

types of

all-in-ones (printer/scanner/copier/fax), 554-555

impact printers, 553

inkjet printers, 553

laser printers, 551-553

photo printers, 554

printing

choosing and handling paper, 565-566

to a file, 568

using fonts, 562-564

using page setup, 568-569

using print preview, 569

when traveling, 399-401

privacy settings, of browsers, 741-743

privacy shield, 388-389

processors

Intel versus AMD, 38

managing, 84-85

performance, 40, 320

speed of, 38-39, 168-169

professional recording, sound cards for, 230-231

projectors

choosing, 577-578

connecting to desktop computers, 579-580

connecting to laptops, 578-579

proprietary parts, for laptops, 13-14

PS/2 keyboards, 196, 275

PS/2 mice, 218, 275

publishing images to Web sites, 599-600

purchasing a computer. See buying a computer