| C |
A high-level programming language designed by Dennis Ritchie at AT&T Bell Labs, in the 1970s. C was developed to allow UNIX to run on a variety of computers. C is becoming popular as an alternative to assembly language for some uses, and can be compiled into machine language for almost all computers.
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| C shell |
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| C# |
Pronounced "c sharp." A new programming language from Microsoft, it was created so that programmers can make a variety of applications – from system level applications to high level business objects – for Microsoft’s .NET platform. Microsoft sees C# as a way to overcome productivity issues it sees as coming from languages such as C and C++.
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| C&P |
Cut and Paste. Deleting a block of material (text or graphics, or both) from one place and moving it to another place. The expression is taken from production room layout, where originally cutting and pasting was done by hand.
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| C++ |
An object-oriented version of C created by Bjarne Stroustrup at AT&T Bell Laboratories in 1986. In C, "C++" means "add 1 to C." C++ is the basis of the Java language.
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| c/s |
Client/server. A method of networking in which a client machine sends a request to a server machine, which provides files, database searches, and other services.
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| C2 |
Command and Control. This is a military term. Command and control systems are management information systems that help monitor and control operations; for example, the computer systems that control nuclear weapons.
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| C: |
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| CA |
Compression Active. A modem status signal indicated by a light on the modem, which means that the data sent will be compressed.
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| cable |
A flexible wire or bundle of wires, usually metal (glass or silica in fiber-optic cable), insulated with plastic or rubber, and having connectors on the ends. Some kinds of cable, especially coaxial cable and fiber-optics cable, are used in electronics and computer networking.
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| cable modem |
A cable modem is an external device that hooks up to your computer and
instead of getting an internet connection through your telephone wire (or
another system), you get a connection through your cable network (same
place your cable TV connection comes from). Cable modems translate radio
frequency (RF) signals to and from the cable plant into Internet Protocol (IP),
the communications protocol spoken by all computers connected to the
Internet. Cable modems are designed to take advantage of the broadband
cable infrastructure enabling peak connection speeds over 100 times faster
than traditional dial-up connections.
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| cache |
A temporary storage area for frequently-accessed or recently-accessed data. Having certain data stored in cache speeds up the operation of the computer. There are two kinds of cache: internal (or memory cache) and external (or disk cache). Internal cache is built into the CPU, and external cache is on the motherboard. When an item is called for, the computer first checks the internal cache, then the external cache, and finally the slower, main storage. A cache hit (accessing data from a cache) takes much less time than retrieving information from the main memory; the cache has high-speed memory chips. The cache may also be used as a temporary storage area for data that will be written to disk when the computer is idle.
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| cache |
a storage device that is high-speed and can be used as either a main memory or as an independent high-speed storage device.
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| cache coherency |
The management of a cache so that data is not lost, corrupted, or overwritten.
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| cache hit |
The successful retrieval of requested data from the cache. Since a cache hit is faster than reading information from the main memory, the more cache hits, the faster the computer will operate. The larger the cache, the more chance that a particular file will be in cache.
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| cache memory |
A high-speed buffer storage that is smaller than the main storage. The cache memory temporarily stores instructions and data from the main storage that will likely be used next by the CPU.
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| cache miss |
A failure to find requested data in the cache; this means the slower memory must be searched.
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| caching |
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| CAD |
Computer Aided Design. In fields such as engineering and architecture, CAD uses computer graphics to do work that formerly would have been done with pencil and paper. CAD requires a high-resolution monitor and special software.
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| CAD/CAM |
Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing. A combination of CAD and CAM. For example, a designer creates a 3-dimensional representation of an object, with the help of the computer, and then the computer programs instructions for automated manufacture of the object and controls the manufacturing process.
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| CADD |
Computer Aided Design & Drafting. CAD systems with features added for drafting.
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| caddy |
The plastic and metal case that a CD-ROM is put in before inserting it into the CD-ROM drive.
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| CAE |
Computer-Aided Engineering. Using computers to help with engineering design work.
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| Caesar Cipher |
A cipher which replaces each letter of the message by a letter a fixed distance away. This cipher was supposedly used by Julius Caesar.
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| CAI |
Computer Aided Instruction. Using computers as aids for instructional purposes. Some people find computer instruction helpful because it allows them to learn at their own pace.
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