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 16-color/monochrome 640x350 and 16-color 640x200 and
320x200 graphics, and 16-color 640x350 and 320x350 text modes.
EIA: Electronic Industries Association. A trade association that publishes
technical standards related to the electronics industry.
emulation: A technique where a piece of hardware acts like another device.
erase: See delete.
escape: 1) A code ( ASCII code 27), signaling the computer that what follows
are commands; used with peripheral 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.
execute: To interpret and execute instruction.
expanded memory: Memory, in addition to the 640 kilobytes of conventional
memory managed by MS-DOS, that is mapped to a 64-kilobyte window between 640
kilobytes and 1 megabyte on the memory map. This memory is managed in
accordance with the Expanded Memory Specification standard jointly developed by
Lotus, Intel, and Microsoft called LIM-EMS.
extended memory: Memory, in addition to the 640 kilobytes of conventional
memory managed by MS-DOS, that is mapped beyond 1 megabyte on the memory map.
F
file: A collection of related information; a file can contain data, programs,
or both.
firmware: A set of instructions built into the hardware which control and
direct a microprocessorÕs activities.
fixed disk: See hard disk.
floppy disk: A small, flexible disk that stores magnetically encoded data used
on a microcomputer. Also called a diskette.
floppy disk drive (FDD): An electro-mechanical device that reads and writes to
floppy disks. See also floppy disk and diskette.
format: The process of readying a blank disk for its first use. Formatting
establishes the structure of the disk that the operating system expects before
it writes files or programs onto the disk.
full-duplex: See duplex.
function keys: The keys labeled F1 through F12 that tell the computer to