plug and play

(jargon)

1. Hardware or software that, after being installed ("plugged in"), can immediately be used ("played with"), as opposed to hardware or software which requires configuration.

See also turnkey, plug and pray.

2. A new recruit who needs no training. "The new guy, John, is great. He's totally plug-and-play."

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

plug and play

(1) Installing a new component in a system that works automatically without requiring any manual configuration by a technician or user. See CableCARD and definitions #2 and #3 below.

(2) (Universal Plug and Play) Protocols for discovering and configuring devices in an IP network. See UPnP.

(3) (Plug and Play) An Intel standard for automatic peripheral configuration in a PC. On startup, Plug and Play (PnP) recognizes the attached devices and adjusts internal settings (see IRQ, DMA and PC I/O addressing).

PnP and Windows 95 to the Rescue
Plug and Play (PnP) eliminated the "plug and pray" frustration of manually configuring a PC when new peripherals were installed. In the mid-1990s, motherboards and peripherals began to support PnP, and Windows 95 was the first PnP-enabled OS. A PnP peripheral could also be used in a non-PnP computer by installing a system module (DWCFGMG.SYS).

Transitioning to PnP
If an older ISA peripheral card was installed in a PnP computer, the ISA Configuration Utility (ICU) looked up its requirements and configured the card's settings. If the card was not in the list, the ICU made recommendations for the user ("plug and tell"). See PnP-X.

Copyright © 1981-2025 by The Computer Language Company Inc. All Rights reserved. THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher.

References in periodicals archive

Plug and Play has built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and an in-house VC to advance technological progress.

Plug and Play releases European corporate innovation model

Through its collaboration with Plug and Play, Brussels Airport will gain immediate access to the largest corporate innovation platform in the world, comprised of promising early and late stage startups from around the globe, bringing product, process and business model innovation to the travel and hospitality industry.

Brussels Airport, Plug and Play partner to offer new travel & hospitality program in Europe

Commenting on the agreement, Miral's chief executive officer, Mohammed Al Zaabi, said: "Our role as partner of Plug and Play ADGM's tech accelerator supports our strategy to approach every opportunity with an innovation-led mindset and encourage others to pursue their own innovations.

Miral joins Silicon Valley's Plug and Play for travel, hospitality start-ups

These partners will also be able to leverage Plug and Play's global ecosystem of over 25 travel and hospitality companies across the globe, from Silicon Valley to Singapore.

Etihad Airways and the Departement of Culture & Tourism Abu Dhabi Partner With Plug and Play ADGM to Disrupt the Travel and Hospitality Indutry in the Middle East

Piloting new technologies in different continents and rolling out the best solutions will create great value for the entrepreneurs and startups, for Cushman & Wakefield, for Plug and Play, and most importantly, for real estate owners and corporations."

C&W partners with real estate tech accelerator, Plug & Play

The company also has opportunities to collaborate with entrepreneurs in other Plug and Play industry-specific vertical platforms, such as Mobility, the Internet of Things, Health and more.

Materion, Plug and Play to Enable What's Next in Advanced Materials Innovation

Plug and Play, and Abu Dhabi Global Market yesterday announced BNP Paribas, Boubyan Bank, Finablr Group (whose portfolio of network brands include among others UAE Exchange, First Abu Dhabi Bank, and Riyad Bank as the first five corporate partners to join the Plug and Play ADGM Fintech Innovation Platform based in Abu Dhabi.

'Plug and Play' to deploy capital in UAE in 2019

Saeed Amidi, founder and CEO of Plug and Play, said, 'The mobility industry plays an integral part in Plug and Play's ecosystem and it is essential to have a forward-thinking corporation like SAIC provide valuable input to our batches.

SAIC Capital collaborates with Plug and Play

Plug and Play Tech Center is a global technology accelerator and venture fund.

Plug and Play launches insurance innovation platform

The Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems, an applied research and development laboratory, has completed the first public installation and interconnection of its Plug and Play PV Systems, a novel residential rooftop photovoltaic system, at its Plug and Play Demo Day.

The Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems completes public installation and interconnection of Plug and Play PV Systems