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Operating system
A collection of programs that manage a computer’s operations,
such as interpreting input, managing files, and reading and
writing data to disk. The operating system (such as MS-DOS,
OS/2, or UNIX) provides the foundation for the other
programs you use and controls the usage of the hardware
resources.
Option card
A circuit board you can install inside the computer to provide
additional capabilities, such as a modem or an additional I/O
port. Option cards plug directly into the special option slots so
you do not have to alter a computer’s circuitry to enhance your
system. See also
Bus.
OS/2
Operating System/2. The enhanced operating system
developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM that provides
protected mode processing and multitasking capabilities. See
also
DOS, MS-DOS,
and
Operating system.
Parallel
The type of interface that transmits all the bits in a byte of data
simultaneously over separate wires in a cable. See also
Interface
and
Serial.
Parameter
A qualifier added to a command that tells your operating
system what data to process, where it should locate or store a
file, or how it should operate. See also
Switch.
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Glossary