17. Glossary

Database	A collection of items which shows descriptions, prices, and labor estimates for items used by estimating system. There are four distinct Windows® files that make up the Database and include catitem.dat, catdesc.dat, labrdesc.dat, and matldisc.dat.
Cursor	Pointing device for digitizing tablet (also referred to as a mouse).
CPU	Central Processing Unit. The CPU is a microchip at the heart of your personal computer system. It performs calculations, reads information from the disk drives, and display information on the screen. CPUs are normally classified by their manufacturer (such as Intel Corporation) and are designated by the codes 386, 486, Pentium, etc. The codes designate the internal capabilities of the CPU, with the 386 having lesser capabilities and the Pentium having greater capabilities. CPUs are further classified by speed using the mega-hertz (MHz) designation. A 25MHz CPU has an internal clock that ticks 25 million times/second. A CPU performs a fixed amount of work (such as an addition or subtraction) during a fixed number of clock ticks. Thus, a 66MHz 486 CPU can perform certain internal operations twice as fast as a 33MHz 486 CPU since there are twice as many clock ticks occurring each second.
RAM	Random Access Memory. High-speed memory that is used to store programs and data that are active. RAM is typically installed in 4MB increments with most computers having between 4 and 16MB total RAM available. For systems that run many large programs, increasing RAM size can provide a substantial boost in performance.
Byte	Unit of measure for memory. A byte is the amount of storage typically required to store a single letter (such as ‘A’, ‘B’,…).
Megabyte (MB)	Unit of measure for memory. A megabyte is 1024 x 1024 bytes (approximately 1 million).