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LOSSARY
Glossary-5
system works. You use the HW Setup
program to control your system
configuration.
control keys: A key or sequence of
keys you enter from the keyboard to
initiate a particular function within a
program.
controller: Built-in hardware and
software that controls the functions of
a specific internal or peripheral device
(e.g. keyboard controller).
co-processor: A circuit built into the
processor that is dedicated to intensive
math calculations.
CPS: Characters per second. Typi-
cally used to indicate the transmission
speed of a printer.
CPU: Central processing unit. The
portion of the computer that interprets
and executes instructions.
CRT: Cathode Ray Tube. A vacuum
tube in which beams projected on a
fluorescent screen-producing luminous
spots. An example is the television
set.
cursor: A small, blinking rectangle or
line that indicates the current position
on the display screen.
D
data: Information that is factual,
measurable or statistical that a
computer can process, store, or
retrieve.
data access arrangement: Circuitry
that isolates a modem or other device
from telephone lines.
data bits: A data communications
parameter controlling the number of
bits (binary digits) used to make up a
byte. If data bits = 7 the computer can
generate 128 unique characters. If
data bits = 8 the computer can
generate 256 unique characters.
DC: Direct Current. Electric current
that flows in one direction. This type
of power is usually supplied by
batteries.
default: The parameter value
automatically selected by the system
when you or the program do not
provide instructions. Also called a
preset value.
delete: To remove data from a disk
or other data storage device. Synony-
mous with erase.
device driver: A program that
controls communication between a
specific peripheral device and the
computer. The CONFIG.SYS file
contains device drivers that MS-DOS
loads when you turn the computer on.
dialog box: A window that accepts
user input to make system settings or
record other information.
disk drive: The device that randomly
accesses information on a disk and
copies it to the computer’s memory. It
also writes data from memory to the
disk. To accomplish these tasks, the
disk drive