Jargon Buster
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C
A programming language commonly used by professional software developers.
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CAB file
A ‘cabinet’ file that contains many smaller files, often used when distributing software and unpacked automatically.
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Cable broadband
Broadband delivered via the UK’s cable TV network by companies such as Virgin Media. Requires a special cable modem.
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Cache
A temporary space for storing information. Can be memory used on a computer processor, or space on a hard disk used by a web browser.
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CAD
Computer Aided Design. Software used to create 3D models.
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Caddy
A box into which you can fit a hard disk, converting it into an external drive.
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Calibration
The process of checking and adjusting a piece of equipment. Printers often need to calibrate themselves before use.
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Captcha
A tool used by websites to verify that you are human and not a spammer by asking you to type in some words or numbers.
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Capture device
A peripheral used to capture analogue video and convert it into a video file on your computer.
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Category 5
A name given to standard computer network cables. Sometimes shortened to Cat 5.
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CCD
Charge-coupled device. A type of light sensor used in many cameras and scanners.
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CD burner
An optical drive that can write to CD-R discs. Now superseded by DVD burners.
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CD-R
A CD disc that can be written to once.
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CD-Rom
A CD formatted so it can contain files to be read by a computer. Cannot be written to.
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CD-RW
A re-recordable CD disc.
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Celeron
A brand name used by Intel for low-cost processors.
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Cell
Spreadsheet programs split up the page into many small areas known as cells. Each can be identified by its column and row.
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Chat room
A place for people to chat online, either via a website or using special software.
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Checksum
The result of a mathematical calculation made using a file. The checksum can be used to verify that a file’s contents have not been tampered with.
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Chip
Short for microchip. Many microchips are used in each PC to perform various tasks.
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Chipset
A group of microchips. Often used to refer to the chips used on a computer motherboard that link the processor with other components.
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Chromakey
A video trick often known as bluescreen or greenscreen, where something is filmed in front of a coloured backdrop that is then replaced with another image.
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CIS
Compact Image Sensor. A type of sensor used in smaller and cheaper scanners.
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Click
To press down and then release a key or button. If no other details are given, use the left mouse button.
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Client
On a computer network client computers are connected to and retrieve information from a server.
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Clip art
A collection of drawings that can be inserted into documents or presentations.
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Clipboard
Part of a computer’s memory. Text, images or other information can be copied to the clipboard and pasted elsewhere.
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Clock speed
The speed at which a computer processor can perform operations. Measured in Gigahertz (GHz).
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Clone
In image-editing software the clone tool allows you to copy one area and paint it over another.
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Cloud computing
A generic term for software services and applications that are provided to the user via the internet, rather than being installed on a computer hard disk. Cloud applications are used in a web browser; examples include office applications (such as Zoho) and backup services (such as Trend Micro Safesync, and BT Digital Vault).
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Cmos
Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor. Can refer to both a type of image sensor chip used in some digital cameras and another chip on computer motherboards that stores the date and time.
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CMYK
Refers to the four coloured inks found in many printers: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and blacK.
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Coaxial
A type of cable where one wire is surrounded by insulation, which is then surrounded by another wire.
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Code
A term used to refer to computer programming instructions.
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Codec
Short for Compressor/Decompressor. A file that tells a computer how to record or play a type of media file.
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Colour depth
A measure of how many colours a computer can display. 24-bit colour, for example, allows for more than 16 million colours.
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Colour picker
The equivalent of a colour palette in a computer paint program. It allows you to click the colour you want.
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Command key
A key used on Apple computer keyboards next to the space bar. Sometimes known as the Apple key, but not always marked with an Apple logo.
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Command line
A way to control a computer by typing instructions one at a time. In Windows this is called the command prompt.
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Command prompt
A black window into which you can type instructions. To see it click Start, Run, type cmd and press Enter.
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Compact Flash
A type of memory card used in high-end digital cameras and some older models. Often abbreviated to CF.
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Compile
After software has been written it must be converted into a program that can be run. This process is called compilation.
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Component video
A type of high-quality video connection that uses three cables, plus two more for sound. Can carry high-definition video.
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Composite video
A low-quality type of video connection that uses one cable for video. Normally colour-coded yellow.
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Compression
The process of reducing the size of a file or files by encoding the data inside them. ZIP files are an example of compression.
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Configure
To change the settings of a program or computer.
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Contention ratio
Refers to the maximum number of customers that at any one time can connect to an internet service provider’s equipment.
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Context menu
A menu that displays options relevant to the area in which it is displayed. In Windows right-clicking often displays a context menu.
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Contrast ratio
A measure of the difference between the darkest and lightest possible shades shown by a screen. Screens with higher contrast ratios are good for watching movies or playing games.
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Control Panel
A tool in the Start menu that allows you to configure most aspects of how the computer and Windows will run.
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Cookie
A small text file stored on your computer by a website. Used to store browsing preferences, website log-in details and so on.
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Copy and paste
Copying information from one part of a document and pasting it elsewhere, either in the same file, another file or even in another program.
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Core
Most modern processors are effectively multiple processors squeezed onto a single chip and work together to increase performance. These individual processors within a processor are called ‘cores’. The more cores a processor has, the faster it should be – for this reason single-core processors are rare. Dual-core and quad-core processors are the most common.
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Coverage
Wireless and mobile phone networks have a limited range, so the areas in which they can be used – the coverage – is limited. Mobile phone networks often have poor coverage in rural areas.
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CPU
Central Processing Unit. Another term for a computer processor.
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Crash
What happens when a computer program goes awry and stops working. Some serious crashes can require you to restart the computer.
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Crossover cable
A special network cable required when connecting two computers directly to one another.
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CRT
Cathode-ray tube. The technology used in older, non-flat-screen televisions and computer displays.
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Cryptography
The science of scrambling data so it can only be read with the required key or code word.
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CSV
Comma Separated Value. A basic spreadsheet file format that all spreadsheet programs are expected to understand.
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Cursor
Can refer to the mouse pointer on screen or a flashing shape on the screen that shows where the next letter you type will appear.
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Cut
To move the selected text, file or area of an image to the clipboard, removing it from its previous position.