TSR Meaning and
Definition
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TSR stands for "Terminate and Stay Resident," and it is a computer programming term that originated in the early days of personal computing. TSR refers to a type of software or program that can be loaded into a computer's memory and remain resident or active even after it completes its intended task. Unlike regular programs that terminate and exit completely when finished running, TSR programs stay in a computer's memory, ready to be called upon anytime.
These programs were particularly important during the era of MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) when system resources were limited. TSR functionality allowed multiple programs to share memory space, optimizing resource usage and enabling multitasking capabilities.
Typically, TSR programs were used to add additional functionality to the operating system or to provide utility tools that remained readily available to the user. Examples of TSR programs were antivirus software that continuously monitored the system, keyboard macros that allowed custom shortcut commands, or printer spoolers that managed the print queue in the background.
TSR programs utilized specific techniques to remain resident, such as interrupt handling or memory hooks, to intercept certain events or calls and execute their code when triggered. TSR functionality has become less relevant in modern computing environments due to advances in operating systems and increased memory resources.
Common Misspellings for TSR
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