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R

Registry

The Windows Registry stores system configuration details so that Windows looks and behaves just as you want it to. The Registry stores user profile information such as wallpaper, color schemes, and desktop arrangements in a file called user.dat. And it stores hardware- and software-specific details, such as device management and file extension associations, in a file called system.dat. In many ways, the Registry (Windows 95 and later) replaces functions of win.ini and system.ini from earlier versions of Windows, though these files persist because so many Windows applications refer to them. Registry details can be edited using a program called RegEdit (which ships with Windows 95 and later) and exported to text format as a file with the extension REG.

Resolution

Resolution is a measure of graphics that's used to describe what a printer can print, a scanner can scan, and a monitor can display. In printers and scanners, resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi)--the number of pixels a device can fit in an inch of space. A monitor's resolution refers to the number of pixels in the whole image, because the number of dots per inch varies depending on the screen's dimensions. For example, a resolution of 1,280 by 1,024 means that 1,024 lines are drawn from the top to the bottom of the screen, and each of these lines is made up of 1,280 separate pixels--and in turn, each dot may have any number of combinations of red, green, and blue intensities. Common resolutions in the PC world include 640 by 480 (also called VGA resolution; appropriate for a 14-inch monitor), 800 by 600 (appropriate for a 15-inch monitor), 1,024 by 768 (appropriate for a 17-inch monitor), and 1,280 by 1,024.

Router

This piece of hardware does what it says: it routes data from a local area network (LAN) to a phone line's long distance line. Routers also act as traffic cops, allowing only authorized machines to transmit data into the local network so that private information can remain secure. In addition to supporting these dial-in and leased connections, routers also handle errors, keep network usage statistics, and handle security issues.