Compu-pedia: Computer Glossary C

cable	A collection of bundled wires with a connector on each end. Cables electrically connect a computer to its peripherals. Some cables are flat, called ribbon cables.
cache	A special block of fast memory used for temporary storage of data for quick retrieval. Compare buffer. (Think of a buffer as a temporary holding place between two devices, and a cache as a temporary holding place for one device.) See "disk cache" and "RAM cache."
Caps Lock key	A toggle key on the keyboard that makes all letters type uppercase, but does not affect the numeral, punctuation, or function keys.
case sensitive	Making a distinction between uppercase and lowercase. DOS commands and filenames are not case sensitive. Passwords frequently are case sensitive
CD	Compact Disc. The plastic, optically-read medium used in CD-ROM drives. Note the spelling of disc.
CD-ROM	Compact Disc Read Only Memory. An information (data) storage device that uses compact disc technology. CD's can store over 650MB, but most cannot be written to, hence the appellation "read only".
CD-ROM drive	The device that reads CD-ROM discs.
character	Any letter, punctuation mark, or one of about a hundred special shapes called graphics characters, especially if generated by the character generator chip.
chip	The square or rectangular piece of plastic or metal that contains an integrated circuit. Most chips have thin metal legs that connect to the integrated circuit inside. See integrated circuit.
circuit board	An arrangement of electronic components wired together on a thin sheet of non-conductive material. The wiring is almost always printed on and within the card. Also the system board.
click	To press and release the mouse button without moving the mouse. To click on something means to position the pointer on an object on the screen, then click.
coaxial cable	A type of cable used in networks. Has a single conductor in the center surrounded by a thick plastic sheath, which in turn is covered by a braided wire mesh shielding, then a final protective layer of plastic. Also called coax. (coe-axe)
COM port	One of up to four serial ports allowable in DOS. Identified by number: COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4. Normally only two COM ports can be used at one time, and they must have consecutive numbers.
command	An instruction, usually typed from the keyboard or chosen from a menu, that tells the computer or the program it is running to do something.
computer	Any device that takes input, applies rules to (processes) the input, and outputs the result.
control key	Usually shown as Ctrl. One of three shift keys on a computer keyboard. The meaning of a key pressed while the Control key is held down may depend on what software is running. See control key combination.
control key combination	Pressing and releasing a key while holding down the Ctrl key. Shown, for example, as Ctrl+C. Control key combinations frequently send commands rather than characters.
CPU	Central Processing Unit. In a microcomputer, a processor on an IC chip (called a microprocessor) that serves as the heart of the computer. It interprets and carries out instructions, performs numeric computations, and controls the peripherals connected to it. Often the entire system unit is called the CPU.
crash	When a computer system fails suddenly. Same as hang, "lock up," and "bomb." Usually requires rebooting the computer. Crashes almost always originate in software or firmware and very seldom cause actual damage to the hardware.
CRT	Cathode Ray Tube. Generally used to refer to the entire monitor.
Ctrl	The label on the Control key.
cursor	The indicator on the screen that shows where the next character will appear when you type. In DOS, the cursor is usually a blinking underline character. In Windows, it is usually a blinking vertical bar. Cursor is derived from the Latin word meaning to run, and has nothing to do with one's choice of vocabulary when the computer malfunctions.