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Serial ports are not very fast, but they are very flexible and found on all types of computers from micros to mainframes. They can and are used with a wide variety of devices, including printers, terminals, modems, and other computers.
In this section we'll learn some basics about serial standards, devices, and connections; and how to attach and configure serial devices on a Unix system.
Terms used: microcomputer, mainframe, terminal, modem, RS-232.