Discussion of the factors that should be considered when purchasing or upgrading a microcomputer focuses on the MS-DOS and OS/2 operating systems. Macintosh purchasing decisions are discussed in a sidebar. A glossary is provided. (CLB)

Explains computer terminology in areas of computer memory, computer languages, programing, computer hardware, and time sharing. A list of computer terms is appended. (EJS)

An overview of the basics of computers is presented. Definitions and discussions of processing, programs, memory, DOS, anatomy and design, central processing unit (CPU), disk drives, floppy disks, and peripherals are included. This article was designed to help teachers to understand basic computer terminology. (CW)

This special feature focuses on recent developments in optical disk technology. Nine articles discuss current trends, large scale image processing, data structures for optical disks, the use of computer simulators to create optical disks, videodisk use in training, interactive audio video systems, impacts on federal information policy, and…