Glossary
modem - A device that allows the use of telephone lines for communication between computers.
mouse - A device, manipulated by hand, that moves the cursor in the same direction as the movement created when the
mouse is moved on a flat surface.
mouse device driver - Enables an operating system to interpret signals coming from the mouse.
multitasking - The concurrent execution of two or more programs.
multiuser system - A system in which the computer and other external devices are shared in any one of several
arrangements by several people.
operating system - A set of programs that control the operation of the computer. Typically, the operating system
regulates space allocation, keeps track of files, saves and retrieves files, and manages other control functions
associated with data storage.
partitioning - Dividing a hard disk drive into work areas, usually approximately 20 Mb in size, to accommodate the
working capacity of the operating system.
path, pathname - A sequence of directory names, ending usually in a filename, all separated by backslashes (\), to tell
your computer where to find particular subdirectories and files.
plotter - A device for producing a hard copy of graphic images by controlling pens or other drawing media.
port - An input-output connection between external devices and the computer. The port has both male and female
connectors that contain a specific number of pins.
processing - The calculating, sorting, storing, and retrieving of information.
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