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MegaDOS - The Amiga DOS Manual (19xx)(MegaDisc Digital Publishing).zip
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MegaDOS - The Amiga DOS Manual (19xx)(MegaDisc Digital Publishing).adf
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REFERENCE
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Glossary
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1985-11-27
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GLOSSARY OF AMIGA TERMS
[ The symbol * after a word means that there is an entry
for that word in the Glossary ]
AMIGADOS
The Amiga's Disk Operating System, or simply Operating System. An
umbrella term covering all the routines/programs which allow the
computer to function, including the CLI and Workbench user interfaces.
Handles all the hardware devices, such as the screen and the drives as
well. Derived from TRIPOS at Cambridge University.
AUTOCONFIG
The ability of the system to automatically recognise external devices,
such as hard disks and RAM expansion units.
BIT-MAP
A rectangular array of PIXELS* which represents an area of memory and
which is the basis of the screen graphics.
BLITTER
From "BLT" or "BLock Transfer", part of the AGNES CHIP* which can
manipulate lines and rectangular parts of graphic images. Moves BOBS*
or Blitter Objects.
BOBS (see SPRITES)
A graphic element which is moved as a unit by the Blitter*, and is not
limited in size like sprites. They are slower to move because they are
not independent of the background.
BOOT
Or "boot up": coming from the expression "to pull yourself up by the
bootstraps" in some twisted way, it means to start up the computer from
scratch. The computer needs to find a particular program to run to
tell itself how to get going. A COLD BOOT means starting from turning
on the computer itself, while a WARM BOOT is what you do when you press
CTRL-A-A - the computer is already idling.
BUS
Hardware which lets various components of the system exchange data - in
the case of the Amiga, it connects the CPU, the memory, the
co-processors, the disk drives and other devices.
CLI - see the various commands in the manual.
CO-PROCESSOR
A separate processor chip which takes a load off the main CPU by doing
some specific task. Eg, the 6881 Motorola Maths Co-processor handles
complex mathematical calculations and thus speeds up the computer. The
Amiga has 3 custom Co-processors: Agnes = Animation Co-processor chip,
contains the Blitter and the Copper* and handles many of the Amiga's
graphic functions. Denise = Video Co-processor chip, helps in screen
control functions. Paula = Audio Co-processor chip, handles the
digital to analog sound conversion for up to four voices in the Amiga,
as well as many of the input/ output tasks such as disk and interrupt
control, the mouse, joystick and serial ports. The imminent ENHANCED
CHIP SET will allow for the co-processors to access 1 Megabyte of CHIP
memory in the A500 and A2000, rather than the now fairly limited 512
KBytes, thus giving a lot more graphics power.
CPU
The heart and nerve centre of the computer, in this case the 68000*
chip, which decodes and executes instructions.
DMA
DIRECT MEMORY ACCESS - a description of the method by the various chips
use the memory they require by writing or reading it directly, rather
than through CPU intervention. Devices that use this are faster than
those that don't.
DRAWERS/DIRECTORIES
See the explanation in the Introduction to the manual.
EXEC
Routines of the Operating System which control multi- tasking,
input/output and interrupt management.
*FILE/FILENAME/PATHNAME
Very important terms for anyone using the Amiga. A file refers to any
collection of data with its own name, so a file is any document you
type on your WordProcessor, a graphics image, a song you compose, or
any program that allows you to create these things. A Filename, as it
implies, is any legal name you give to a file, and in the CLI for
example, can consist of up to thirty characters except slash (/) and
colon (:) which mean a lot to AmigaDOS. To keep life simple, it's a
good idea to avoid spaces in filenames (though it can be done by
enclosing the full pathname/filename in double-quotes), and to make
filenames sufficiently informative so that you can recognise what they
mean at a later time. Filename extensions or suffixes, such as .ltr
(for a letter), or .hr (for a DPaint hi-res image), are useful, and in
certain programs they are essential, such as .doc (for a document in
Scribble). You can put as many full stops as you like in a filename.
Pathnames are described elsewhere, so suffice to say that if you're in
a directory of the CLI, and you want to operate on a file in another
directory (type, or copy, or whatever) then you have to include the
PATH to the file so that the system knows where to go. So if you are
in Workbench:system and you want to delete the note Novel.notes that is
sitting in the directory Workbench:utilities, you'd have to enter:
1> delete df0:utilities/novel.notes
FONT
All the characters in a typeface, which can come in a variety of Point
Sizes. The default system font of the Amiga is Topaz 8, but this can
be changed by running the program SetFont.
FREEWARE/SHAREWARE/VAPOURWARE
The Amiga has its fair share of all three. FREEWARE is Public Domain
software which for various reasons (no interest or profit in trying to
market it, a spirit of generosity, etc) the author has made available
to anyone who wishes to use it. SHAREWARE is similar, except that the
author tends to keep the copyright and lays a moral obligation on you
to send him a donation if you use the software. The AMIGA LIBRARY
DISKS, of which there are nearly 200 available in Australia at this
writing, are a wonderful resource of such software, and more are
becoming available all the time. Much of it is oriented towards the
software development community in the spirit of "let's not all
re-invent the wheel", but there is plenty on them to interest
everybody. VAPOURWARE is the name given to software which is as
substantial as steam - that is, claims are made by authors, or
publishers, of its imminent appearance and revolutionary features,
while it suffers from the serious disadvantage of not existing, yet.
GADGET
Graphic control devices, such as the Back-to-Front, Close, Drag
gadgets, which let the user control programs via the mouse.
GENLOCK
A device to combine and synchronise the graphics of the Amiga with
those from an external video source like a video camera or a TV.
GIGABYTE
A thousand Megabytes. A lot of bytes, stacks of bits.
HOLD-AND-MODIFY (HAM)
Graphics display in which all 4096 possible colours can be present on
screen simultaneously. Digi-Paint by New-Tek is a Paint program which
allows this facility.
ICON
A graphic element which represents some device or object such as a
disk, program, drawer, etc. The workbench uses these to manipulate and
organise data.
IFF
Interchange File Format - a file standard developed mainly by
Electronic Arts to facilitate the interchange of graphic and sound
files among programs from different sources (thus you can load a
graphic from Aegis Images into Deluxe Paint). Part of the reason that
the Amiga is such a versatile machine.
ILBM (INTERLEAVED BIT MAP)
One of the formats supported by the IFF standard*, a 2-dimensional
raster or bit-mapped image in colour, allowing transfer of images from
one program to another.
INTERLACE
The trick of turning a 640X200 screen into a 640X400, it doubles the
number of horizontal lines by scanning each second line in two passes
of the screen. Gives rise to "flicker", which can be greatly reduced
by choice of colours and contrast, and by fitting a plastic screen over
the monitor. There is also a CARD for the A2000 called the "FLICKER
FIXER" which removes it completely, at some expense.
INTUITION
A part of the Operating system which provides the graphic elements
which the user can manipulate the system. It is a set of software
routines which can be used by any Amiga program to show gadgets*,
menus, requestors, icons and to handle keyboard input. Use of
Intuition allows for a consistent interface for the user across the
range of Amiga applications.
KICKSTART
The part of the Operating system which is required to boot the
computer, these routines sit in ROM*, and we couldn't do without them.
KILOBYTE
A thousand bytes.
MEGABYTE
A million bytes. One or two Megabytes of RAM are desirable.
MEMORY [FAST AND CHIP AND SLOW]
Any expansion memory beyond the first 512K, referred to as fast because
it is not accessed by the co-processors and so so is not shared by the
CPU. CHIP The first 512K of memory, which is shared by both the CPU
and the 3 co-processors. The extra 512K in the A2000 & 500 is called
SLOW memory, and will become CHIP memory with the ENHANCED CHIP SET*.
MIDI
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DIGITAL INTERFACE - a standard for connecting
electronic instruments digitally, developed in 1982 rapidly established
as the only real standard for linking up synthesisers, drum machines,
etc. The Audio chip can drive a MIDI interface but the MIDI hardware
is not built in.
MODEM
A device for communicating with other computers over the phone lines.
Name derives from MOdulator/DEModulator.
MOUSE
Hardware rodent, to be pushed around on the desk to manipulate the
pointer on screen. Should be cleaned regularly.
PIXEL
Picture Element - the screen is made up of these, and the normal screen
has 640X200 of them.
PORT
An outlet on the computer which allows for communication between the
computer and external devices. Eg, the SERIAL PORT is a 25-pin outlet
(RS-232 standard) which allows bytes of data to be sent asynchronously
& serially (one after another at no fixed time), for MODEM*
communication and some printers.
PROJECTS
Any files created by programs/tools, such as a Notepad note.
RAM
Random Access Memory - Memory used by the computer to store data and
execute instructions. Can be read or written in a random order, unlike
the sequential access of say an audio tape. The Amiga can have up to
about 8.5 Megabytes of RAM. See MEMORY.
RASTER IMAGE
A picture comprised of PIXELS*, such as the Amiga produces on its
monitor. VECTOR images are made up from lines.
RGB MONITOR
The 1081 is an RGB analog monitor which is able to display an unlimited
number of colours, as distinct from a digital RGB which can display
only 16 colours.
RJ11
The kind of jack or connector used for the Amiga keyboard.
RESOLUTION
Defined by the number of horizontal and vertical pixels* on screen at
any time. Possibilities are 320X200; 320X400; 640X200; 640X400 and
HAM*.
ROM
Read Only Memory - like RAM*, memory storage, which however cannot be
"written to", but only "read". Usually used to store unchanging data,
such as KICKSTART*.
68000/68020 CHIPS
Two classics of the Motorola Family of chips. Your Amiga uses a 68000
as do the Mac and Atari families. The "Turbo Amiga" is a heavyweight
add-on which turns your Amiga into a ravening monster, with a 68020
chip & Maths co-processor. Computerists talk about "sixers" and
"eighters" referring to those who program for the 68K family and those
who do so for the 80xxx family (IBM's and INTEL'S stable). See CPU.
SPRITE
A graphic element which is independent of the background it lies on,
unlike a BOB*. An example is the Amiga's pointer.
VDU = CRT = Monitor
Video Display Unit or Cathode Ray Tube : the screen you look at, with
which you can Monitor what is going on, sometimes. Makes possible
human interaction with the computer, and works by shooting streams of
electrons precisely and rapidly at the phosphor on the inner surface of
the screen, causing it to emit light briefly.
WORKBENCH - see explanations on various parts of this disk
########################### END OF GLOSSARY ##########################