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Glossary-6
G
LOSSARY
device driver
device driver: A program that con-
trols communication between a spe-
cific peripheral device and the
computer. The CONFIG.SYS file con-
tains 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
unit physically rotates the disk at high
speed past a read-write head.
disk storage: Storing data on mag-
netic disk. Data is arranged on concen-
tric tracks much like a phonograph
record.
diskette: A removable disk that stores
magnetically encoded data used on a
microcomputer. Also called floppy
disk.
diskette drive: An electromechanical
device that reads and writes to floppy
disks. See also diskette.
display: A CRT, plasma screen, LCD,
or other image producing device used
to view computer output.
documentation: The set of manual
and/or other instructions written for
the users of a computer system or
application. Computer system docu-
mentation typically includes proce-
dural and tutorial information as well
as system functions.
DOS: Disk operating system. See
operating system.
driver: A software program, generally
part of the operating system, that con-
trols a specific piece of hardware (fre-
quently a peripheral device such as a
printer or mouse).
E
echo: To send back a reflection of the
transmitted data to the sending device.
You can display the information on the
screen, or output it to the printer, or
both. When a computer receives back
data it transmitted to a CRT (or other
peripheral device) and then retransmits
the data to the printer, the printer is
said to echo the CRT.
EGA: Enhanced Graphics Adapter. A
video display protocol defined by the
IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter and
its associated circuitry for direct drive
TTL displays that supports 16-color/
monochrome 640x350 and 16-color
640x200 and 320x200 graphics, and
16-color 640x350 and 320x350 text
modes.
erase: See delete.
escape: 1) A code (ASCII code 27),
signaling the computer that what fol-
lows are commands; used with periph-
eral devices such as printers and
modems. 2) A means of aborting the
task currently in progress.
escape guard time: A time before and
after an escape code is sent to the
modem which distinguishes between
escapes that are part of the transmitted
data, and escapes that are intended as a
command to the modem.