Glossary
This glossary explains many of the terms found in this manual as well as other computer-
related terms you may encounter.
access - The ability to obtain data from or place data into internal memory, a floppy
diskette, or the hard disk.
access shutter - A metal cover on a floppy diskette that slides open to allow the computer
to read or write data.
adapter - A device that connects an option to the computer.
application program - A program that instructs the operating system to perform specific
tasks by using either prepared programs, such as a word-processing program, or
programming languages such as BASIC, that allow you to design your own programs.
archiving - The process of storing back-up copies of data files in a specific location.
ASCII - An acronym for the American Standard Code for Information Interchange; an
agreed-upon standard for the assignment of numeric values to letters, digits, punctuation
marks, and control codes. The computer processes only numbers even though characters,
letters, and graphic symbols appear on the screen. The ASCII list is a set of numeric
values for the most frequently used characters. The computer converts these numeric
values to their binary equivalents.
asynchronous communications software - The software used to communicate with a
subscription information service, send or receive electronic mail, or process data using a
remote computer.
Glossary 1