What does the abbreviation ISA stand for in relation to expansion cards?

The abbreviation ISA stands for Industry Standard Architecture in relation to expansion cards. This terminology refers to a standard bus architecture that was widely used in the early days of personal computing to connect expansion cards, such as sound cards, network cards, and graphics cards, to the motherboard. It allowed for various peripherals to be added and used in a standardized way, enabling compatibility across different hardware manufacturers.

Industry Standard Architecture played a crucial role in the development of PCs in the late 1980s and early 1990s by providing a common system that other manufacturers could adopt, which helped to reduce costs and improve interoperability among devices. As technology advanced, ISA was eventually succeeded by more advanced standards, but understanding ISA is important for the historical context of computer development and the evolution of expansion cards.