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This is a database of Computer Terms in common use.

The database is in alphabetical order.
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C	A sophisticated programming language invented by Bell Labs in 1974
cache	A small data-memory storage area that a computer can use to instantly re-access data instead of re-reading the data from the original source, such as a hard drive. Browsers use a cache to store web pages so that the user may view them again without reconnecting to the Web.
CAD	Computer-assisted design
CAD-CAM	Computer Aided Drawing-Computer Aided Manufacturing. The instructions stored in a computer that will be translated to very precise operating instructions to a robot, such as for assembling cars or laser-cutting signage.
CAM	Computer-assisted manufacturing
Carrier wave	An analog signal used in the transmission of electric signals
Cathode ray tube (CRT)	The major component of a visual display terminal and one that closely resembles the picture tube of a television screen
CD-ROM	Compact Disc Read-Only Memory. An optically read disc designed to hold information such as music, reference materials, or computer software. A single CD-ROM can hold around 640 megabytes of data, enough for several encyclopedias. Most software programs are now delivered on CD-ROMs.
Cell (in a spreadsheet)	A memory location in a spreadsheet identified by its row and column coordinates and that is used to store labels, numbers, formulas, or instructions
Cell referencing	Spreadsheet formulas that use the addresses of other cells (e
Central processing unit (CPU)	A device that performs the actual data processing tasks of a computer system
Centronics (parallel) connector	A type of cable connector used for parallel data transmission
CGI	Common Gateway Interface. A programming standard that allows visitors to fill out form fields on a Web page and have that information interact with a database, possibly coming back to the user as another Web page.
CGI	CGI may also refer to Computer-Generated Imaging, the process in which sophisticated computer programs create still and animated graphics, such as special effects for movies.
Chain address	A data field in an index or record that contains the disk address of a related record
Chain printer	An impact printer that can assemble an entire output line at one time
Channel	A data communications path through a medium that data can take to accomplish a communications task
Character	A letter, number, or special character (such as $)
Character addressable	Refers to computers that address data as a series of single characters
Character-at-a-time printers	Printers that only print one character at a time; often called serial printers
Character-oriented	Refers to word processing programs that display special characters on the screen that do not appear when the text is printed
chat	Typing text into a message box on a screen to engage in dialog with one or more people via the Internet or other network.
Check bit	Parity bit
client	A single user of a network application that is operated from a server. A client/server architecture allows many people to use the same data simultaneously. The program's main component (the data) resides on a centralized server, with smaller components (user interface) on each client.
Clipboard	A temporary holding area where data is stored when being transferred between software applications in an integrated software package
Clock	A component of the CPU that produces pulses at a fixed rate to synchronize all computer operations
Clone	A personal computer that closely imitates the operation and architecture of the IBM Personal Computer
Closed architecture	Personal computer design that limits add-ons to those that can be plugged into the back of the machine
Coaxial cable	A copper or aluminum wire that is wrapped in one or more layers of insulating metallic and/or fibrous sheathing, and that protects the data-carrying wire from external electrical static and noise
COBOL	A high-level programming language that uses instructions resembling English statements and imposes an overall framework for a program
Coding	The process of writing instructions for a computer program in a specific language (e
Command menu	The menu of commands in an applications software program such as Lotus 1-2-3
Command program (in a data base)	A program designed by a user to manipulate computer file data within a data base management system using the DBMS's command language
Command-driven system	The opposite of menu-driven software -- in other words, application software that requires the user to memorize commands rather than select options from a screen menu
Communications protocol	The conventions by which data is communicated between a sending station and a receiving station
Compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM)	Optical data storage technology using disk formats identical to audio compact disks
Compacted printing	The ability of a printer to compress print characters so that more of them can be printer in the same horizontal space -- for example, to print 132 characters in the space normally used for 80 characters
Compiler	A program that translates high-level programming language instructions into machine code
Compressed printing	The ability of a printer to compress print characters so that more of them can be printer in the same horizontal space -- for example, to print 132 characters in the space normally used for 80 characters
Computer	An electronic device with the ability to (1) accept user-supplied data, (2) input, store, and execute programmed instructions, (3) perform mathematical and logic operations, and (4) output results according to user specifications
Computer branch exchange (CBX)	Telephone equipment such as PBX's or PABX's that are used to create a computer network with data-over-voice modems connected to standard telephone jacks
Computer console	A device consisting of a monitor and a keyboard that is directly connected to the CPU
Computer hardware	Computer equipment such as a CPU, disk drives, CRT, or printer
Computer program	A set of instructions that a computer can execute to accomplish a data processing task
Computer software	Programs that instruct a computer how to process data and documentation that explains how these programs should be used
Computer-assisted design (CAD)	A computerized application used primarily for research and design of new products
Computer-assisted manufacturing (CAM)	A computerized application used by industrial manufacturers to produce products
Conditioned line (data communications)	A telephone line or other data communications channel that has been specially protected from unwanted noise, static, or other interference
Context switching	Changing from one software application to another -- for example, from a spreadsheet to a word processor -- while using an integrated software package
Control unit	The component of the central processing unit responsible for fetching, interpreting, and supervising the execution of the instructions of computer programs
Cookie	A text file sent by a Web server that is stored on the hard drive of a computer and relays back to the Web server things about the user, his or her computer, and/or his or her computer activities.
Coprocessor	A microprocessor typically mounted on an expansion card that can speed computations in such applications as scientific simulations or statistical calculations
Copy command (in spreadsheet)	A spreadsheet option that allows users to copy existing formulas into other, unoccupied cells
Copy protection	A software or hardware block that make it difficult or impossible to make unauthorized copies of software
Correspondence quality printing	The print quality of dot-matrix printers that occurs when a second printing pass is completed to fill in the spaces between the dots made by the first pass
CP/M	An abbreviation for "Control Program/Microcomputers
CPU	Central Processing Unit. The brain of the computer.
CPU	Central processing unit
cracker	A person who “breaks in” to a computer through a network, without authorization and with mischievous or destructive intent (a crime in some states).
crash	A hardware or software problem that causes information to be lost or the computer to malfunction. Sometimes a crash can cause permanent damage to a computer.
CRT	Cathode ray tube
cursor	A moving position-indicator displayed on a computer monitor that shows a computer operator where the next action or operation will take place.
Cursor	A tiny rectangle, dash, or line on a display screen that indicates where the user will input data
Cursor-control keys (keyboard)	Keys on terminal or microcomputer keyboards, usually designated with arrows, that position the screen cursor up, down, right or left
Cut and paste	A word-processing term meaning to move text from one place to another within a document
cyberspace	Slang for the Internet.
Cylinder	A vertically aligned set of tracks on a disk pack that are equidistant from the central spindle
Cylinder addressing (on disk)	The ability to locate disk records by assigning each one a cylinder number, surface number, and record count number
Daisywheel printer	A serial, impact printer that uses a plastic or metal typing element to create characters on paper in a way similar to certain typewriters
Data	A single fact, figure, or statistic that, out of context, often lacks meaning
Data base	A set of one or more computer files that is used by one or more application programs and that minimizes data redundancy
Data base management system (DBMS)	Special computer programs that enable users and application programs to create, maintain, manipulate, and retrieve file data and create useful reports
Data communications channel	A path that data can take for data communications -- e
Data encryption	The process of translating communicated data into secret codes in order to safeguard this data
Data field	The set of characters comprising a data item in a filed record (e
Data input screen	A template or model that is used to enter data for a programming application
Data redundancy	Duplicate information that typically gets created on the files of related computer applications
Data transcription	The process of converting source documents into machine-readable format for computer processing
Data transmission	The process of sending data from one location to another location within a computer or between computers and/or equipment
Database	A collection of data, typically organized to make retrievals easy and efficient.
DBMS	Data base management system
Dedicated computer	A computer specially configured to perform a single, data-processing function such as performing security tasks at a computer center
Dedicated word processing system	A microcomputer or minicomputer that is developed, marketed, and used primarily for word processing applications
Demodulation	Reconstruction of the original digital message after analog transmission
Dependent variables	Outputs of a model, so called because they depend on the inputs
Desktop publishing	The use of specialized hardware and software to crate professional-looking, high-quality text and graphics -- for example, an in-house weekly newspaper containing feature stories and maps of the local region
Destructive write	What happens when existing data is replaced with new data in computer memory -- i
Device address	A unique location designator assigned to peripheral devices and used by a computer's operating system for identification purposes (e
Diagnostic error message	An error message that is output by a compiler (or similar program), indicating that one or more source-language instructions do not conform to prescribed rules of syntax and grammar
Dial-back system	A computer security system in which a user dials the computer, enters a password, is disconnected from the computer, waits while the computer checks the password against a table, and finally is reconnected only if the password is found
Dial-up Connection	Common form of internet connection for the home user, connecting a computer to a host computer over standard telephone lines.
Digital computer	A device whose fundamental unit of storage is the binary digit or bit
Digital data transmission	The use of discrete electrical pulses, light pulses, or other discrete signals to create binary codes for data communications
Digital Signature	Electronic signature based on encryption and the use of sender's private key.
Digitizer	A device that converts analog input into digital data
Digitizing tablet	A graphics input device that allows the user to create images
Direct access storage device (DASD)	A device such as a magnetic disk that is able to assign a unique address to each data record
Direct file organization	Organization of records so each is individually accessible
Direct file processing	Processing that allows the user to access the record wanted directly by using a record key
Direct-connect modem	A modem connected directly to the telephone line
Directory	Also called "folder", a directory is a group of files usually stored togethr for organizational purposes.
Disk	A disk is a physical object used for storing data, which it will retain when the computer is turned off. It is always used in conjunction with a disk drive. Some disks can be removed from their drives, some cannot.
Disk drive	A device used to read data from, and write data to, a magnetic disk
Documentation	Written or displayed information that explains how computer programs should be used
Dot command	An instruction or command beginning with a period or dot
Dot-addressable display	A graphics display screen that is divided into dots, each which can be illuminated
Dot-matrix printer	A serial, impact printer that creates characters out of a "grid" or matrix of tiny dots
Double-density diskette	A floppy disk that can store twice as many characters (about 360k) as a single-density disk
Double-sided diskette	A floppy disk that can store data on both of its sides
Download	Transferring data (usually a file) from another computer to the computer you are are using. The opposite of upload.
Downloading data	Transferring files, programs, or other data from a larger mainframe or minicomputer to a smaller minicomputer or microcomputer
Draft quality printing	The relatively poor print quality created by the first pass of a dot-matrix printer
Drive	A device for storing and/or retrieving data. Some drives (e.g. disk drives, zip drives, and tape drives) can have new data written to them, but others (e.g. CD-ROMs or DVD-ROMs) cannot.
Driver	Software that works with a computer's operating system to control a particular piece of hardware, like a printer or scanner.
Drum plotter	A hard-copy-producing device that creates plotted or graphic output and that uses a single arm to move a pen across its cylindrical, or drum, writing surface
Dumb terminal	A computer terminal that cannot be programmed to perform the "intelligent" tasks of a smart terminal
DVD	(Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) A type of optical disk similar to the CD-ROM but with much greater storage capacity. A DVD holds a minimum of 4.7GB of data, enough for a full-length movie. DVD drives are backward-compatible with CD-ROMs, so they can play old CD-ROMs, CD-I disks, and video CDs.
DVD-R	(DVD-Recordable) Recordable DVD format similar to CD-R.
Dvorak keyboard	A keyboard designed to be more efficient than the QWERTY keyboard, but one that has not gained popular use
Dynamic partitioning	The ability of a computer operating system to divide the memory of the CPU into portions of varying sizes as needed to efficiently store several programs