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(multiboot.info)Terminology

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The definitions of terms used through the specification
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"must"
     We use the term "must", when any boot loader or OS image needs to
     follow a rule -- otherwise, the boot loader or OS image is _not_
     Multiboot-compliant.

"should"
     We use the term "should", when any boot loader or OS image is
     recommended to follow a rule, but it doesn't need to follow the
     rule.

"may"
     We use the term "may", when any boot loader or OS image is allowed
     to follow a rule.

"boot loader"
     Whatever program or set of programs loads the image of the final
     operating system to be run on the machine. The boot loader may
     itself consist of several stages, but that is an implementation
     detail not relevant to this specification. Only the _final_ stage
     of the boot loader -- the stage that eventually transfers control
     to an operating system -- must follow the rules specified in this
     document in order to be "Multiboot-compliant"; earlier boot loader
     stages may be designed in whatever way is most convenient.

"OS image"
     The initial binary image that a boot loader loads into memory and
     transfers control to start an operating system. The OS image is
     typically an executable containing the operating system kernel.

"boot module"
     Other auxiliary files that a boot loader loads into memory along
     with an OS image, but does not interpret in any way other than
     passing their locations to the operating system when it is invoked.

"Multiboot-compliant"
     A boot loader or an OS image which follows the rules defined as
     "must" is Multiboot-compliant. When this specification specifies a
     rule as "should" or "may", a Multiboot-complaint boot loader/OS
     image doesn't need to follow the rule.

"u8"
     The type of unsigned 8-bit data.

"u16"
     The type of unsigned 16-bit data. Because the target architecture
     is little-endian, WORD is coded in little-endian.

"u32"
     The type of unsigned 32-bit data. Because the target architecture
     is little-endian, DWORD is coded in little-endian.

"u64"
     The type of unsigned 64-bit data. Because the target architecture
     is little-endian, QWORD is coded in little-endian.