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
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,
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.
16 Glossary