Glossary
CMOS - An acronym for Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor; a large-scale integration technology that
requires low power consumption and is therefore used for battery-assisted memory systems.
command - The portion of a computer instruction that specifies what operation is to be performed.
communications - The electronic transfer of information between computers or between a terminal and a computer.
An example is sending a data file to another computer by using telephone lines and a modem.
compiler - A program that translates a language, such as BASIC, into a language your system can understand. A
compiler translates the entire program just once.
computer - A combination of a central processing unit (CPU) and memory designed to process information. Although
a combination of the central processing unit and memory is defined as a computer, an input device (such as a
keyboard) and an output device (such as a display unit) are required to make the system useful.
configure - To adapt software so that it sends the correct control codes to external devices, such as printers. Also
called setup.
connector - A coupling device that allows you to install a hardware option onto your computer.
contrast control - A control that allows you to adjust how well data shows up against the background of the LCD
screen.
4 Glossary