DEC Digital PC 3500 System Reference Manual page 179

hardware
Computers, printers, modems and other physical devices for managing electronically
stored information.
icon
A symbol or picture on your monitor screen that represents a file, a software
application, an operating system command, or some other form of stored information.
Groups of icons might sometimes be referred to as button bars or toolbars.
interrupt
An event, condition, or instruction which causes your computer to temporarily stop
performing a task, but does so in a way that permits the task to be resumed and
completed later. For example, not using your keyboard or mouse for several minutes
might cause a screen saver program to interrupt another software application.
Interrupts also occur within your computer's memory that cannot be easily detected
by users.
IRQ
A hardware setting which instructs your computer how to allocate memory resources
between various components of the system. For example, serial ports COM1 and
COM3 are often assigned to the same IRQ setting. If IRQ settings are not properly
allocated to the various components of your computer (such as expansion boards),
your computer might not be able to operate all of the affected components.
An IRQ setting on a given component establishes an interrupt condition for that
component.
Glossary
GL-7