Disk drive
The physical device which allows the computer to read from and write
to a disk. A floppy disk drive has a disk slot on the front panel of the
main unit into which you insert diskettes. A hard disk is permanently
fixed inside the main unit, hidden behind the front panel.
Diskette
A flat piece of flexible plastic coated with magnetic material and used to
store data permanently. Also called floppy disk.
D O S
The Disk Operating System that controls the computer’s input and out-
put functions. See Operating system.
Double-density
A type of diskette format that allows you to store twice as much data as
the standarddensity format. A double-density diskette for the Equity I+
has a storage capacity of 360KB.
File
A group of related pieces of information called records, or entries, stored
together on disk. Text files consist of words and sentences. Program files
consist of code and are used by computers to interpret and carry out
instructions.
Floppy disk
See Diskette.
Format
To prepare a new disk (or erase an old one) so it can receive information.
Formatting a disk divides it into tracks and sectors which
create addressable locations on it.
Graphics
Lines, angles, curves, and other nonalphanumeric data.
GW-BASIC
Microsoft’s extended version of the Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic
Instruction Code. A programming language designed to be easy to use
and understand.
Hard disk
The enclosed unit used to store data permanently. Unlike a floppy disk,
it is fixed in place. It can process data more rapidly and store many more
files than a floppy disk.
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