All points addressable

All points addressable (APA), or pixel addressable, in the context of a dot matrix on a computer monitor or any display device consisting of a pixel array, refers to an arrangement whereby bits or cells can be individually manipulated, as opposed to rewriting the whole array, or regions such as characters, every time a change is needed.[1][2]

Generally, text modes are not all-points-addressable, whereas graphics modes are.[2] With the advent of more powerful computer graphics hardware, the use and importance of text-only display modes has declined, and with graphics modes it is generally taken for granted that they are all-points-addressable.

References

  1. ↑ Matick, R.; Ling, D. T.; Gupta, S.; Dill, F. (2006) [1984], "All points addressable raster display memory", IBM Journal of Research and Development, 28 (4): 379, retrieved 2013-09-28
  2. 1 2 Gonzalez, John Cambell (1982), Zippel, Richard E., ed., Implementing a window system for an all points addressable display, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, retrieved 2013-09-28


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