Glossary
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. Also see
DOS.
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, usually ending in a filename, all
separated by backslashes (\), to tell your computer where to find particular subdirectories
and files.
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.
program - A list of instructions that tells your computer how to perform a specific task.
program file - A program stored on a storage medium such as a floppy diskette or hard
disk drive.
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