device driver
GLOSSARY
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
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
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
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.
