Glossary of Modem/Windows Related Terms


AT COMMANDS  Special abbreviated commands used to control a modem's
             operation.

ATTRIBUTE  Setting that controls access to a specific file.  Often
           used to protect important files (such as the Registry 
           files) from accidental change or deletion. Set using
           the ATTRIB command in MS-DOS.

BIOS  Basic Input Output System. Information stored permanently on a
      special chip. Controls how the computer communicates with basic 
      hardware such as hard drives, etc.

COM PORT  COMmunications Port.  A connection or device that allows
          serial (one bit at a time) transmission of information
          in both directions. Often used by mice or modems.

CONFIGURE  To set up a hardware device and its accompanying software

DRIVER  Special software designed to allow an operating system such as
        Windows to communicate with a hardware device.

INITIALIZE  To prepare a hardware device for use.

IRQ  Interrupt ReQuest line.  A "channel" used by a hardware device 
     to indicate that it needs the attention of the Central 
     Processing Unit. Normally, each device must have its own IRQ.

MOTHERBOARD  The biggest, circuit board in your computer.  The one
             that everything else connects to.  Usually contains the 
             BIOS, the Central Processing Unit, and possibly the 
             circuitry for the hard drive controller, video system, 
             and communications and parallel ports.  Also contains 
             special slots that expansion cards plug into(such as an
             internal modem).

PLUG AND PLAY(also referred to as PnP) Special BIOS that is designed
              to automatically identify added hardware devices, 
              PROVIDED those devices are "Plug and Play" compatible 
              and are able to send special identifying signals to the 
              rest of the system.  Non compatible devices must be 
              configured manually.

REGISTRY  In Windows 95, the area where all pertinent information
          regarding hardware, software and systems settings are 
          stored.  Consists of two files; USER.DAT, and SYSTEM.DAT.  
          Improper changes to the registry can disable the system
          or cause both hardware and software failures.

SYSTEM.INI  In Windows 3.1x, the file that contains hardware settings
            and information needed by Windows in order for it to 
            recognize and access added hardware.  SYSTEM.INI 
            functions are handled in a large part by the REGISTRY in
            Windows 95.

VxD  Virtual Device Driver.  Special software that causes one device
     to appear to the system as if it were a different device.  Often 
     used in Windows 95 and Windows NT to enable the use of devices 
     not included in the operating systems' built-in lists of devices.

WIN.INI  File that contains the environmental settings used primarily
         by Windows 3.1x, but also used by older applications under 
         Windows 95.  Includes information on things like fonts 
         loaded at startup, programs to load automatically at startup, 
         and various other settings that control how Windows and 
         Windows programs behave.