GW-BASIC
Microsoft’s extended version of the BASIC programming
language. GW-BASIC is included on your Operating 2 diskette.
Hard disk
A sealed mass storage device used to store data permanently. A
hard disk can process data more rapidly and can store many more
files than a diskette.
Hardware
Any physical component of a computer system, such as a
monitor, printer, keyboard, or CPU.
Hexadecimal
A base 16 numbering system commonly used by programmers.
Hidden file
A file whose name is not listed by the DIR command. MS-DOS
stores two hidden files in the root directory of your hard disk.
Some application programs also create hidden files.
High-density
A type of diskette. High-density 3 1/2-inch diskettes can be
formatted to store 1.44MB of data.
Input/output (I/O) port
See Port.
Interface
A hardware or software connection that is used to transmit data
between equipment or programs.
Internal command
An MS-DOS command, such as DIR or ERASE, that is not
stored in a separate program file. Internal commands may be
executed from any drive or directory.
Kilobyte (KB)
A unit used to measure storage space in a computer’s memory or
on a disk. One kilobyte equals 1,024 bytes.
Glossary 9
