Filter
Top Products
Learning More About Your Computer 5–7
Understanding Computer Terms
CD-RW drive
A drive with three laser powers that can write to a CD-RW, erase the
data, or read the data. A high-power laser melts the crystalline
recording layer. It cools quickly, sets without forming crystals, and
absorbs the laser beam. Data is written in pits that form as the
non-crystalline material shrinks. A medium-power laser erases the
data. It melts the recording layer at a lower temperature for a longer
period of time. As the phase-change material cools, crystals form that
reflect the laser beam. The high-power laser can then overwrite the
crystalline material. A low-power laser, which does not alter the state
of the recording layer, reads the data. A CD-RW drive can read
CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs. It can write to both CD-Rs and
CD-RWs.
CD Text
An audio CD format in which up to 5000 characters of CD
information (title, artist, and song titles) are written into the Table of
Contents of a CD. The information is displayed when the CD is
played back on CD Text-enabled players.
chat
An Internet feature that allows you to exchange typed messages with
another person (or group of people) in real time. A message you type
is instantly displayed on the other person’s computer.
click (left-click)
To press and quickly release the left mouse button to select an item.
close disc
To “close” a recordable disc so that no further data can be written to
it. This is done when the last session’s lead-in is written. The next
writable address on the CD is not recorded in the lead-in, so that the
CD-Recorder in subsequent attempts to write has no way of knowing
where to begin writing. Note: It is not necessary to close a CD to read
it in a normal CD-ROM drive.