COMMAND INTERPRETER
\kəmˈand ɪntˈɜːpɹɪtə], \kəmˈand ɪntˈɜːpɹɪtə], \k_ə_m_ˈa_n_d ɪ_n_t_ˈɜː_p_ɹ_ɪ_t_ə]\
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A program which reads textual commands fromthe user or from a file and executes them. Some commands maybe executed directly within the interpreter itself(e.g. setting variables or control constructs), others maycause it to load and execute other files.Unix's command interpreters are known as shells.When an IBM PC is booted BIOS loads and runs theMS-DOS command interpreter into memory from file COMMAND.COMfound on a floppy disk or hard disk drive. The commandsthat COMMAND.COM recognizes (e.g. COPY, DIR, PRN) are calledinternal commands, in contrast to external commands which areexecutable files.
By Denis Howe
