
capacity
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
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
cold start: Starting a computer that is currently off (turning on the power).
COM1,COM2,COM3andCOM4:
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.
Compact Flash: A small removable mass storage device, designed with flash technology, a
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.