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Glossary-4
GLOSSARY
capacity: The amount of data that can
be stored on a magnetic storage
device such as a diskette (floppy disk)
or hard disk. It is usually described in
terms of kilobytes (KB), where one KB
= 1024 bytes and megabytes (MB),
where one MB = 1024 KB.
card: Synonym for board. See board.
CardBus: An industry standard bus
for 32-bit PC cards.
CD-ROM: A Compact Disc-Read
Only Memory is a high capacity disc
that can be read from but not written
to. The CD-ROM drive uses a laser,
rather than magnetic heads, to read
data from the disc.
CD-R: A Compact Disc-Recordable
disc can be written once and read
many times. See also CD-ROM.
CD-RW: A Compact Disc-Read/Write
disc can be rewritten many times. See
also CD-ROM.
character: Any letter, number,
punctuation mark, or symbol used by
the computer. Also synonymous with
byte.
chassis: The frame containing the
computer.
chip: A small semiconductor contain-
ing computer logic and circuitry for
processing, memory, input/output
functions and controlling other chips.
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 periph-
eral devices.
communications: The means by
which a computer transmits and
receives data to and from another
computer or device. See parallel
interface; serial interface.
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 trans-
ferred. 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).
computer program: A set of instruc-
tions written for a computer that
enable it to achieve a desired result.
capacity