Computer Folks Computer Term Glossary

Please click on the letter below to take you to the corresponding glossary terms.

C	A compiled procedural language that provides both high-level commands and low-level access to hardware.
C++	An object-oriented vesion of C.
Cache	Special high-speed memory that gives the CPU more rapid access to data (also called RAM cache or cache memory).
Capacitor	Electronic circuit component that stores an electrical charge; in binary code, a charged capacitor represents an "on" bit, and a discharged one represents an "off" bit.
Capturing	In communications terminology, the process of storing received input in a file for later use.
Cardinality	A number describing the relationship (one-to-one, one-to-many, or many-to-many) that exists between two record types (for example, in a data diagram).
Carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD)	A method used by Ethernet networks to deal with collisions.
Case (computer-aided software engineering) tool	Software that is used to summerize system requirements, diagram current and proposed information systems, schedule developments tasks, prepare documentation, and develop computer programs.
Case sensitivity	A condition in which uppercase letters are not equivalent to their lowercase counterparts.
Category 6 cable	A category of cable that includes coaxial cable.
cc: option	An option that allows the user to send a copy of e-mail message to someone other than the primary recipient.
CD-R	Compact discs on which the user can write data (acronym for compact disc-recordable).
CD-ROM	A high-capacity, optical storage medium (acronym for compact disc read-only memory).
CD-ROM drive	A storage device that uses laser technology to read data from a CD-ROM.
Cell	In spreadsheet terminology, the intersection of a column and a row, in cellular communications, a limited geographical area surrounding a cellular phone tower.
Cell reference	A letter/number combination that indicates the position of a cell in a spreadsheet.
Cellular-ready modems	Modems that can connect to either the telephone system or the cellular phone system.
Central office (CO)	The location at which telephones in a city are physically connected to a local switch (the first tier in the five-tier network that telephone companies use to transmit calls).
Central processing unit (CPU)	The main control unit in a computer, consisting of circuitry that executes instructions to process data.
CGI (Common Gateway Interface)	An interface that allows a user to access a Web-based database from a Web browser.
Channel	Also called communications link, the means by which an encoded message travels from a sender to a receiver (for example, telephone wiring).
Chaos theory	The theory of complex dynamic nonlinear system, which encompasses the qualitative study of unstable behavior in complex systems.
Character	A letter, numeral, space, punctuation mark, or other symbol, consisting of one byte of information, displayed or used in an operation by a computer.
Character data	Letters, symbols, or numerals that will not be used in arithmetic operations (name, social security number, etc.).
Character data type	A data type assigned to fields in a data that does not need to be mathematically manipulated (also called string data type).
Character representation	The way in which non-numeric data, such as a letter of the alphabet, is represented by a series of bits.
Character representation code	A series of bits that represents a letter, symbol, or numeral (also called simply "code").
Character-based display	Method of display in which the monitor screen is divided into a grid of rectangles, each of which can display a single character from the standard character set.
Chat group	A discussion in which a group of people communicate online simultaneously.
Check box	On-screen boxes that allowthe user to select among options.
Checksum	A value, calculated by combining all the bytes in a file, that is used by virus detection programs to identify whether any bytes have been altered.
Chief information officer (CIO)	The highest-ranking executive responsible for information systems.
Child node	In a hierarchical database, a record type higher up in the hierarchy.
Circut switching	The method used by the telephone network to temporarily connect one telephone with another for the duration of a call.
Cladding	A reflective covering in which optical fiber is wrapped.
Class	In object-oriented programming, a group with specific characteristics, to which an object belongs.
Client/server architecture	A network architecture in which processing is split between workstations (clients) and the server.
Cluster	A group of sectors on a storage disk.
CMOS memory	A type of semiconductor that holds data and requires very little power to retain its contents (acronym for complementary metal oxide semiconductor).
Coaxial cable	A type of cable in which a center wire is surrounded by a grounded shield of braided wire. Used in connecting nodes on a network with silver BNC connectors on both ends (also called coax cable).
COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language)	A high-level, procedural, compiled language developed in 1960 and used primarily on mainframe computers.
Codec (Compressor/DECompressor)	A hardware or software routine that compresses and decompresses digital graphics, sound, and video files.
Coding	The process of using a computer language to express an algorithm.
Collision	A disruption of communication that occurs when two packets are sent at the same time.
Color ink-jet printer	A printer that creates character and graphics by spraying colored inks onto paper.
Columns	In document production terminology, newspaper-style layout of paragraphs of text, in spreadsheet terminology, a vertical arrangement of items withen a grid, such as cells running from the top to the bottom of the page.
Command	An instruction that the user inputs into the computer to tell it to carry out a task.
Command-line user interface	An interface that requires the user to type in commands.
Commercial information service	A company that provides access to computer-based information, for a fee.
Communications channel	The physical path or frequency for a signal transmission.
Communications medium	The material that carries one or more communications channels and provides a link between transmitting and receiving devices.
Communications protocol	Rules that ensure the orderly and accurate transmission and reception of data.
Communications software	Computer programs that interact with a computer's modem to dial up, and establish a connection with, a remote computer.
Communications system	A combination of hardware, software, and connecting links that transports data.
Compatible	In computer terminolgy, able to operate using the same format, commands, or languages.
Competitive upgrade	A special price offered to consumers who switch from one company's software product to the new version of a competitor's product.
Compiled language	A computer language that must be compiled in order to produce executable progam code.
Compiler	Software that translates a program written in a high-level language into low-level instructions before the program is executed.
Component programming	Using components to create a program.
Components	In objects-oriented programming, prewritten objects that programmers can customize and add to their own programs.
Compressed volume	A disk volume that contains data that has been recorded by means of disk compression in order to use storage space more efficiently.
Compression ratio	A measurement of the amount of shrinkage that occurs when data is compressed.
Computer	A device that accepts input, processes data, and produces output.
Computer industry	The corporation and individuals that supply goods and services to the people and organizations that use computers.
Computer network	A collection of computers and related devices, connected in a way that allows them to share data, hardware, and software.
Computer program	A set of detailed, step-by-step instructions that tells a computer how to solve a problem or carry out a task.
Computer programmer	A person who codes or writes computer programs.
Computer programming language	A standardized set of specific English-like phrases or predefined instructions used for writing computer programs.
Computer video camera	A video camera that transmits images to a computer by means of speacial digitizing hardware and software.
Computer virus	A program designed to attach itself to a file, reproduce, and spread from one file to another, destroying data, displaying an irritating message, or otherwise disrupting computer operations.
Computer-based tutorials	On-screen displays of step-by-step instructions.
Computerization	The control, processing, and storage of information by means of an automated electronic device.
Computer-related jobs	Jobs in the computer industry that are similar to jobs in other industries.
Computer-specific jobs	Jobs that are unique to computer industry.
Computer-use jobs	Jobs that require the use of computers to accomplish tasks in fields other than computing.
Concordance	An alphabetized list of words ina document and the frequency with which each word appears.
Concurrent-use license	Legal permission for an organization to use a certain numbers of copies of a software progam at the same time.
Connectivity software	Computer programs that connect a computer to a local computer network or to the Internet, and provide the user with tools to access the information it offers.
Connector	The coupler at the end of the cable, used to connect it to another cable or to a device.
Control structures	Instructions that specify the sequence in which a program is to be executed.
Control unit	The part of the ALU that directs and coordinates processing.
Controller	A circuit board in a hard drive that positions the disk and read-write heads to locate data.
Controller card	A circuit board that plugs into an expansion slot in the computer and provides the I/O circuitry for a peripheral device.
Conversion software	Programs used to read data and convert it into a format that is usable by a different computer system.
Cookie	A message sent from a Web server to a browser and stored on a user's hard disk.
Copy Disk	A utility program that duplicates the contents of an entire floppy disk.
Copy utility	A program that copies one or more files.
Copyright	A form of legal protection that grants certain exclusive rights to the author of a program or the owner of the copyright.
Custom software	Software that has been written specifically to meet the needs of a particular user.
Cyberspace	A term coined in 1984 by sciencefiction writer William Gibson to describe a computer-generated conceptual enviroment shared amoung computers. It has come to refer to the interconnected communication networks across the Web.
Cylinder	A vertical stack of tracks on a hard disk.