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User’s Manual Glossary-5
Satellite A500/A500D
click: To press and release the pointing device’s primary button without
moving the pointing device. In the Windows operating system, this
refers to the pointing device’s left button, unless otherwise stated.
See also double-click.
CMOS: Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor. An electronic circuit
fabricated on a silicon wafer that requires very little power.
Integrated circuits implemented in CMOS technology can be tightly
packaged and are highly reliable.
cold start: Starting a computer that is currently off (turning on the power).
COM1, COM2, COM3 and COM4: The names assigned to the serial and
communication ports.
commands: Instructions you enter at the terminal keyboard that direct the
actions of the computer or its peripheral devices.
compatibility: 1) The ability of one computer to accept and process data in
the same manner as another computer without modifying the data
or the media upon which it is being transferred. 2) the ability of one
device to connect to or communicate with another system or
component.
components: Elements or parts (of a system) which make up the whole
(system).
Composite Video (YUV): A standard video signal used to transmit images,
e.g. from a VCR to a TV.
computer program: A set of instructions written for a computer that enable
it to achieve a desired result.
computer system: A combination of hardware, software, firmware, and
peripheral components assembled to process data into useful
information.
configuration: The specific components in your system (such as the
terminal, printer, and disk drives) and the settings that define how
your system works. You use the HW Setup program to control your
system configuration.
controller: Built-in hardware and software that controls the functions of a
specific internal or peripheral device (e.g. keyboard controller).
co-processor: A circuit built into the processor that is dedicated to
intensive math calculations.
CPU: Central Processing Unit. The portion of the computer that interprets
and executes instructions.
CRT: Cathode Ray Tube. A vacuum tube in which beams projected on a
fluorescent screen-producing luminous spots. An example is the
television set.
cursor: A small, blinking rectangle or line that indicates the current position
on the display screen.