Dell PowerEdge 2300 User's Guide - Page 147

The following list defines or identifies technical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms used in Dell user documents. NOTE: Unless otherwise specified, these definitions may not apply to operating systems other than MS-DOS ® or Microsoft® Windows®. Abbreviation for ampere(s). Abbreviation for alternating current. Software designed to help you perform a specific task, such as a spreadsheet or word processor. Application programs are distinct from operating system and utility software. Acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A text file containing only characters from the ASCII character set (usually created with a text editor, such as MS-DOS Editor or Notepad in Windows), is called an ASCII file. An expansion card that plugs into an expansion-card connector on the computer's system board. An adapter card adds some specialized function to the computer by providing an interface between the expansion bus and a peripheral device. Examples of adapter cards include network cards, sound boards, and SCSI adapters. Abbreviation for analog-to-digital converter. Abbreviation for Autodesk Device Interface. Acronym for application-specific integrated circuit. Advanced SCSI programming interface. When you boot your computer, MS-DOS runs any commands contained in the text file, autoexec.bat (after running any commands in the config.sys file). An autoexec.bat file is not required to boot MS-DOS, but provides a convenient place to run commands that are essential for setting up a consistent computing environment-such as loading mouse or network software. Abbreviation for artificial intelligence. Acronym for American National Standards Institute. A copy of a program or data file. As a precaution, you should back up your computer's hard-disk drive on a regular basis. Before making a change to the configuration of your computer, you should back up important start-up files, such as Glossary 1