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Spooling
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{{Short description|Form of multitasking in computers}} {{For|use of this term to refer to thrust changes in jet engines|Jet engine}} [[File:Largetape.jpg|thumb|Magnetic recording tape wound onto a spool may have contributed to the origin of the term]] In [[computing]], '''spooling''' is a specialized form of [[Computer multitasking|multi-programming]] for the purpose of copying data between different devices. In contemporary systems,{{efn|In the past it was used to, e.g., copy a deck of cards unrelated to a computer application.}} it is usually used for mediating between a computer application and a slow [[peripheral]], such as a [[printer (computing)|printer]]. Spooling allows programs to "hand off" work to be done by the peripheral and then proceed to other tasks, or to not begin until input has been transcribed. A dedicated program, the '''spooler''', maintains an orderly sequence of jobs for the peripheral and feeds it data at its own rate. Conversely, for slow ''input'' peripherals, such as a [[punched card|card reader]], a spooler can maintain a sequence of computational jobs waiting for data, starting each job when all of the relevant input is available; see [[batch processing]]. The '''spool''' itself refers to the sequence of jobs, or the storage area where they are held. In many cases, the spooler is able to drive devices at their full rated speed with minimal impact on other processing. Spooling is a combination of [[Data buffer|buffering]] and [[Queue (data structure)|queueing]].
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