Glossary-4
formatting
The process of preparing a disk or diskette to accept data.
function keys
The set of keys on the keyboard (usually F1 through F12) that let you get help and error
message information or quickly select frequently used commands.
gigabyte
(GB) 1,073,741,824 bytes.
hard disk
A rigid magnetic storage device that provides fast access to stored data.
hardware
The electrical and mechanical parts from which a computer is made.
hertz
(Hz) A unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second.
input/output
(I/O) The process of transferring data between the computer and external devices.
IDE
Intelligent Drive Electronics. A hard disk drive type that has controller electronics built into
the drive and delivers high throughput.
interface
A connection that enables two devices to communicate.
interrupt
A special control signal from an I/O device that diverts the attention of the microprocessor
from the program to a special address.
kilobyte
(KB) 1024 bytes.
load
The process of copying a program into the computer's memory from a storage device.
