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C
C/C++ |
Cable Modem
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Cache | CAD |
CGI |
Chipset
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CISC | CMOS |
Codec |
Computer
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Configuration
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Cookie
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CPU |
CRM
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Cursor
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Cyberspace
C/C++
C is a high-level programming language that was developed in
the mid-1970s. It was originally used for writing Unix
programs, but now is used to write applications for nearly
every available platform. Some nice things about the language
are that it is easy to read, it is flexible (can be used for a
wide variety of purposes), and C programs typically use memory
very efficiently.
C++, pronounced "C plus plus," is a programming language that
was built off the C language. The syntax of C++ is nearly
identical to C, but it has object-oriented features, which
allow the programmer to create objects within the code. This
makes programming easier, more efficient, and some would even
say, more fun. Because of the power and flexibility of the
language, most programs today are written in C++.
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Cable Modem
Though a cable modem serves the
same purpose as a typical analog, or dial-up modem, a cable
modem is different in many ways. The biggest difference is
that a cable modem is much faster. While a 56K modem can
receive data at about 53 Kbps, a cable modem can haul it in at
about 1.5 Mbps (Megabits per second). That's about 30 times
faster. The actual Internet bandwidth over a cable line can be
as high as 27 Mbps downstream and 2.5 Mbps upstream. However,
most cable modems connect to the ISP's T1 connection, which
maxes out at 1.5 Mpbs, so that will be the maximum transfer
rate for the subscriber.
Another important way that a cable modem is different than a
dial-up modem is that it doesn't connect to a phone line.
Instead, the cable modem connects to a local cable TV line,
hence the term "cable modem." This allows computers equipped
with a cable modem to have a continuous connection to the
Internet. Therefore, there is no need to dial up the ISP
everytime you want to check your e-mail.
Cable modems, which have a much more complex design than
dial-up modems, are usually external devices, but there are
some models that can be integrated within a computer. Instead
of connecting to a serial port like a dial-up modem, cable
modems attach to a standard Ethernet port so that they can
transfer data at the fastest speed possible.
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Cache
This term is pronounced like "cash" -- not "catch," and
definitely not "cashe." There are many different types of
caches but they all serve the same purpose. A cache stores
recently-used information in a place where it can be accessed
extremely fast. For example, a Web browser like Internet
Explorer uses a cache to store the pages, images, and URLs of
recently vested Web sites on your hard drive. With this neat
strategy, when you visit a page you have recently been to, the
pages and images don't have to be downloaded to your computer
all over again. Because accessing your computer's hard disk is
much faster than accessing the Internet, caching Web sites can
speed up Web browsing significantly. Most Web browsers allow
you to adjust the size of the cache in in browser preferences.
Another common type of cache is a disk cache. This stores
information you have recently read from your hard disk in the
computer's RAM, or memory. Since accessing RAM is much faster
than reading data off the hard disk, this can help you access
common files and folders on your hard drive much faster.
Another type of cache is a processor cache which stores small
amounts of information right next to the processor. This helps
make the processing of common instructions much more
efficient, thereby speeding up computation time.
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CAD
Stands for "Computer-Aided Design." Also known by engineers
and architects as the best invention of all time. Today, CAD
software is used for nearly all three-dimensional designing.
Designers can turn an object into an electronic representation
more quickly and accurately than by diagraming it with a
pencil and paper. Better yet, objects created with CAD
software can be moved, resized, and rotated instantly. With a
pencil and paper, you can only erase so much before it starts
to smudge.
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CGI
Stands for "Common Gateway
Interface." CGI is a set of rules for running scripts or
programs on a Web server. When you submit information, like
search terms or your username and password, to a Web server,
there's a good chance that the server is using a CGI script to
receive and process the data. However, with new scripting
languages such as PHP, ASP, and JSP attracting many Web
programmers, CGI scripts aren't as not as prevalent as they
once were.
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Chipset
This term is used to describe
the architecture of an integrated circuit. For example, the
chipset of a modem card would be much different than the
chipset of a computer's CPU. Processors themselves also have
different chipsets. For example, a Pentium II and Pentium III
have slightly different chipsets, and the PowerPC processors
have other kinds. Though there are many different types of
chipsets that reside in today's computer hardware, the average
user does not need to know much about them. After all, as long
it works, who cares? =)
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CISC
Stands for "Complex Instruction Set Computing." This is a type
of microprocessor design. The CISC architecture contains a
large set of computer instructions that range from very simple
to very complex and specialized. Though the design was
intended to compute complex instructions in the most efficient
way, it was later found that many small, short instructions
could compute complex instructions more efficiently. This led
to a design called Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC),
which is now the other major kind of microprocessor
architecture. Intel Pentium processors are mainly CISC-based,
with some RISC facilities built into them, whereas the PowerPC
processors are completely RISC-based.
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CMOS
Stands for "Complementary
Metal Oxide Semiconductor." This technology is typically used
in making transistors. The "complementary" part of the term
unfortunately does not mean these semiconductors are free.
Instead, it refers to how they produce either a positive or
negative charge. Because CMOS-based transistors only use one
charge at a time, they run efficiently, using up very little
power. This is because the charges can stay in one state for a
long period of time, allowing the transistor to use little or
no power except when needed. Because of their wonderful
efficiency, processors that use CMOS-based transistors can run
at extremely high speeds without getting too hot and going up
in flames. You may also find CMOS memory in your computer,
which holds the date and time and other basic system settings.
The low power consumption of CMOS allows the memory to be
powered by a simple Lithium battery for many years.
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Codec
No, this is not just a cheap
rip-off of Kodak. The name "codec" is short for
"coder-decoder," which is pretty much what a codec does. Most
audio and video formats use some sort of compression so that
they don't take up a ridiculous amount of disk space. Audio
and video files are compressed with a certain codec when they
are saved and then decompressed by the codec when they are
played back. Common codecs include MPEG and AVI for video
files and WAV and AIFF for audio files. Codecs can also be
used to compress streaming media (live audio and video) which
makes it possible to broadcast a live audio or video clip over
a broadband Internet connection.
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Computer
Technically, a computer is
a programmable machine. This means it can execute a programmed
list of instructions and respond to new instructions that it
is given. Today, however, the term is most often used to refer
to the desktop and laptop computers that most people use. When
referring to a desktop model, the term "computer" technically
only refers to the computer itself -- not the monitor,
keyboard, and mouse. Still, it is acceptable to refer to
everything together as the computer. If you want to be really
technical, the box that holds the computer is called the
"system unit."
Some of the major parts of a personal computer (or PC) include
the motherboard, CPU, memory (or RAM), hard drive, and video
card. While personal computers are by far the most common type
of computers today, there are several other types of
computers. For example, a "minicomputer" is a powerful
computer that can support many users at once. A "mainframe" is
a large, high-powered computer that can perform billions of
calculations from multiple sources at one time. Finally, a
"supercomputer" is a machine that can process billions of
instructions a second and is used to calculate extremely
complex calculations.
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Configuration
In the computing world,
when people talk about their computer configuration, they are
referring to the technical specifications, or the "tech specs"
of their computer. These specs typically include processor
speed, the amount of RAM, hard drive space, and the type of
video card in the machine. While there are many other advanced
specifications that you could list, if you know the four
mentioned above, most computer geeks will grant you acceptance
into their conversation.
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Cookie
In the computing world,
when people talk about their computer configuration, they are
referring to the technical specifications, or the "tech specs"
of their computer. These specs typically include processor
speed, the amount of RAM, hard drive space, and the type of
video card in the machine. While there are many other advanced
specifications that you could list, if you know the four
mentioned above, most computer geeks will grant you acceptance
into their conversation.
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CPU
Stands for "Central
Processing Unit." This is the pretty much the brain of your
computer. It processes everything from basic instructions to
complex functions. Any time something needs to be computed, it
gets sent to the CPU. Every day, it's compute this, compute
that -- you'd think the CPU would need a break after awhile.
But no -- it just keeps on processing. The CPU can also be
referred to simply as the "processor."
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CRM
Stands for "Customer Relationship Management." This is a
business term that started somewhere in the deep abyss of the
IT (Information Technology) world. CRM refers to solutions and
strategies for managing businesses' relationships with
customers. (I suppose that's why they call it customer
relationship management). With the advent of Web retailing,
companies have found it hard to develop relationships with
customers since the e-commerce interface is so impersonal.
After all, don't you miss the firm handshake and sparkling
smile of the salesperson who just sold you the most expensive
computer system in the store? Well, whether or not you miss
the personal experience of the retail store, the goal of CRM
is to give you that feeling when you buy products over the
Internet. When it comes to CRM, customer service is the number
one priority. Yes, all companies seem to make that claim, but
when online businesses create CRM models, it really is the
case.
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Cursor
The cursor on your screen
can indicate two things: 1) where your mouse pointer is, or 2)
where the next character typed will be entered in a line of
text.
The mouse cursor is most often an arrow that you can use to
point to different objects on your screen. When the cursor is
over an object, you can click or double-click the mouse button
to perform an action on that object (such as opening a
program). The mouse cursor can change into other images, such
as a small hand (when you roll over a link in a Web page), or
an hourglass (when Windows is "thinking" so hard, it won't let
you click on anything).
The text cursor is typically a straight vertical line or
I-shaped object that flashes in a line of text. Typically,
when you are typing a paper, the cursor will be at the end of
the line, because you are adding new text to the uncharted
white area of the page. However, if you want to insert a word
or phrase somewhere else in a line of text, you can use the
mouse cursor to click the position where you would like to
insert the text. In most word processing programs, once you
start typing, the text cursor continues to flash, but the
mouse pointer disappears until you move the mouse again. This
is to avoid "cursor confusion," since most people can't type
and click on things at the same time.
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Cyberspace
Unlike most computer terms, "cyberspace" does not have a
standard, objective definition. Instead, it is generally used
to describe the virtual world of computers. For example, an
object in cyberspace is a block of data floating around on
some computer system or network. With the advent of the
Internet, cyberspace is now also used to refer to the global
network of computers. So, after sending an e-mail to your
friend, you could say you sent the message to her through
cyberspace. However, use this term sparingly, as it is a
popular newbie term and is already well overused.
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