communications server-through-computer security
A/B Switch box ~ America On-line AMI BIOS ~ Arithmetic Operation ARP ~ AVI Backbone ~ Bit Image Bit Map ~ Boot Disk Boot Drive ~ Bytes Per Inch C++ ~ Carrier Frequency carrier system ~ certification CGI ~ Chooser extension cipher ~ Clipper Chip clock ~ color color bits ~ communications satellite communications server ~ computer security CON ~ copy copy program ~ cycle time daemon ~ defragmentation demand paging ~ digitize DikuMUD ~ disk disk buffer ~ Document Style Semantics and Specification Language document window ~ dynamic Web page Easter egg ~ erase erase head ~ ezine F2F ~ finger2 firewall ~ font suitcase footer ~ FYI Game Control Adapter ~ GUI HAL ~ hot key1 hot key2 ~ Hz i486DX ~ internal modem internet ~ ISO 9660 ISO/OSI model ~ just-in-time K1 ~ knowledge base L1 cache ~ LU luggable computer ~ LZW compression MAC ~ MILNET mime ~ msec MTBF ~ MYOB named anchor ~ network drive Network File System ~ number crunching object ~ overwrite mode P5 ~ PC/XT keyboard PDA ~ pipeline processing piracy ~ preventive maintenance preview ~ pwd quasi-language ~ QWERTY keyboard R&D ~ registration marks Registry ~ RFI RF shielding ~ run-time library SAA ~ server error server push-pull ~ soft return software ~ style sheet stylus ~ System T1 ~ ToggleKeys token ~ typography UART ~ uupc V.120 ~ view2 viewer ~ VxD w3 ~ WinG WINS ~ WWW X.25 ~ X Windows Yahoo! ~ yotta- Z39.50 standard ~ Zulu time
communications server
n. A gateway that translates packets on a local area network (LAN) into asynchronous signals, such as those used on telephone lines or in RS-232-C serial communications, and allows all nodes on the LAN access to its modems or RS-232-C connections. See also gateway, RS-232-C standard.
communications slot
n. On many models of the Apple Macintosh, a dedicated expansion slot for network interface cards. Acronym: CS.
communications software
n. The software that controls the modem in response to user commands. Generally such software includes terminal emulation as well as file transfer facilities. See also modem, terminal emulation.
communications system
n. The combination of hardware, software, and data transfer links that make up a communications facility.
compact disc
n. 1. An optical storage medium for digital data, usually audio. A compact disc is a nonmagnetic, polished metal disc with a protective plastic coating that can hold up to 74 minutes of high-fidelity recorded sound. The disk is read by an optical scanning mechanism that uses a high-intensity light source, such as a laser, and mirrors. Also called optical disc. 2. A technology that forms the basis of media such as CD-ROM, CD-ROM/XA, CD-I, CD-R, DVI, and PhotoCD. These media are all compact disc- based but store various types of digital information and have different read/write capabilities. Documentation for compact disc formats can be found in books designated by the color of their covers. For example, documentation for audio compact discs is found in the Red Book. See also CD-I, CD-R, CD-ROM, CD-ROM/XA, DVI, Green Book (definition 2), Orange Book (definition 2), PhotoCD, Red Book. Acronym: CD.
compact disc-erasable
n. A technological improvement in compact discs whereby information can be repeatedly changed on the CD. Contemporary CDs are "write once, read many," in that the information originally written cannot be changed, but can only be appended to. Acronym: CD-E.
compact disc player
n. A device that reads the information stored on a compact disc. A compact disc player contains the optical equipment necessary for reading a disc's contents and the electronic circuitry for interpreting the data as it is read.
compare
vb. To check two items, such as words, files, or numeric values, so as to determine whether they are the same or different. In a program, the outcome of a compare operation often determines which of two or more actions is taken next.
compatibility
n. 1. The degree to which a computer, an attached device, a data file, or a program can work with or understand the same commands, formats, or language as another. True compatibility means that any operational differences are invisible to people and programs alike. 2. The extent to which two machines can work in harmony. Compatibility (or the lack thereof) between two machines indicates whether, and to what degree, the computers can communicate, share data, or run the same programs. For example, an Apple Macintosh and an IBM PC are generally incompatible because they cannot communicate freely or share data without the aid of hardware and/or software that functions as an intermediary or a converter. 3. The extent to which a piece of hardware conforms to an accepted standard (for example, IBM-compatible or Hayes-compatible). In this sense, compatibility means that the hardware ideally operates in all respects like the standard on which it is based. 4. In reference to software, harmony on a task-oriented level among computers and computer programs. Computers deemed software-compatible are those that can run programs originally designed for other makes or models. Software compatibility also refers to the extent to which programs can work together and share data. In another area, totally different programs, such as a word processor and a drawing program, are compatible with one another if each can incorporate images or files created using the other. All types of software compatibility become increasingly important as computer communications, networks, and program-to-program file transfers become near-essential aspects of microcomputer operation. See also downward compatibility, upward-compatible.
compatibility mode
n. A mode in which hardware or software in one system supports operations of software from another system. The term often refers to the ability of advanced operating systems designed for Intel microprocessors (for example, OS/2 and Windows NT) to run MS-DOS software or to the ability of some UNIX workstations and of some Apple Macintosh systems to run MS-DOS software.
compile
vb. To translate all the source code of a program from a high-level language into object code prior to execution of the program. Object code is executable machine code or a variation of machine code. More generally, compiling is sometimes used to describe translating any high-level symbolic description into a lower-level symbolic or machine-readable format. A program that performs this task is known as a compiler. See also compiler, compile time, high-level language, machine code, source code. Compare interpret.
compiler
n. 1. Any program that transforms one set of symbols into another by following a set of syntactic and semantic rules. 2. A program that translates all the source code of a program written in a high-level language into object code prior to execution of the program. See also assembler, compile, high-level language, interpreted language, language processor, object code.
comp. newsgroups
n. Usenet newsgroups that are part of the comp. hierarchy and have the prefix comp. These newsgroups are devoted to discussions of computer hardware, software, and other aspects of computer science. Comp. newsgroups are one of the seven original Usenet newsgroup hierarchies. The other six are misc., news., rec., sci., soc., and talk. See also newsgroup, traditional newsgroup hierarchy, Usenet.
component
n. 1. A discrete part of a larger system or structure. 2. An individual modular software routine that has been compiled and dynamically linked, and is ready to use with other components or programs. See also compile, component software, link (definition 1), program, routine.
COM port
or comm port n. Short for communications port, the logical address assigned by MS- DOS (versions 3.3 and higher) and Microsoft Windows (including Windows 95 and Windows NT) to each of the four serial ports on an IBM Personal Computer or a PC compatible. COM ports also have come to be known as the actual serial ports on a PC's CPU where peripherals, such as printers, scanners, and external modems, are plugged in. See also COM (definition 1), input/output port, serial port.
compress1
n. A proprietary UNIX utility for reducing the size of data files. Files compressed with this utility have the extension .Z added to their names.
compress2
vb. To reduce the size of a set of data, such as a file or a communications message, so that it can be stored in less space or transmitted with less bandwidth. Data can be compressed by removing repeated patterns of bits and replacing them with some form of summary that takes up less space; restoring the repeated patterns decompresses the data. Lossless compression methods must be used for text, code, and numeric data files; lossy compression may be used for video and sound files. See also lossless compression, lossy compression.
compressed disk
n. A hard disk or floppy disk whose apparent capacity to hold data has been increased through the use of a compression utility, such as Stacker or Double Space. See also data compression.
compressed drive
n. A hard disk whose apparent capacity has been increased through the use of a compression utility, such as Stacker or Double Space. See also compressed disk, data compression.
compressed file
n. A file whose contents have been compressed by a special utility program so that it occupies less space on a disk or other storage device than in its uncompressed (normal) state. See also installation program, LHARC, PKUNZIP, PKZIP, utility program.
CompuServe
n. An online information service that provides information and communications capabilities, including Internet access. It is primarily known for its technical support forums for commercial hardware and software products and for being one of the first large commericial online services. CompuServe also operates various private network services.
compute
vb. 1. To perform calculations. 2. To use a computer or cause it to do work.
computer
n. Any machine that does three things: accepts structured input, processes it according to prescribed rules, and produces the results as output. Ways to categorize computers are described in the table. See also analog, digital, integrated circuit, large-scale integration, very-large-scale integration. k:\compdict\database\4128.doc
computer-aided design and drafting
n. A system of hardware and software similar to CAD but with additional features related to engineering conventions, including the ability to display dimension specifications and other notes. See also CAD. Acronym: CADD.
computer art
n. A broad term that can refer either to art created on a computer or to art generated by a computer, the difference being whether the artist is human or electronic. When created by human beings, computer art is done with painting programs that offer a range of line-drawing tools, brushes, shapes, patterns, and colors. Some programs also offer predrawn figures and animation capabilities.
computer-assisted learning
n. The use of computers and their multimedia abilities to present information for educational purposes.
computer center
n. A centralized location that contains computers, such as mainframes or minicomputers, along with associated equipment for providing data processing services to a group of people.
computer crime
n. The illegal use of a computer by an unauthorized individual, either for pleasure (as by a computer hacker) or for profit (as by a thief). See also hacker (definition 2).
computer game
n. A class of computer program in which one or more users interact with the computer as a form of entertainment. Computer games run the gamut from simple alphabet games for toddlers to chess, treasure hunts, war games, and simulations of world events. The games are controlled from a keyboard or with a joystick or other device and are supplied on disks, on CD-ROMs, as game cartridges, or as arcade devices.
computer graphics
n. The display of "pictures," as opposed to only alphabetic and numeric characters, on a computer screen. Computer graphics encompasses different methods of generating, displaying, and storing information. Thus, computer graphics can refer to the creation of business charts and diagrams; the display of drawings, italic characters, and mouse pointers on the screen; or the way images are generated and displayed on the screen. See also graphics mode, presentation graphics, raster graphics, vector graphics.
Computer Graphics Interface
n. A software standard applied to computer graphics devices, such as printers and plotters. Computer Graphics Interface is an offshoot of a widely recognized graphics standard called GKS (Graphical Kernel System), which provides applications programmers with standard methods of creating, manipulating, and displaying or printing computer graphics. See also Graphical Kernel System. Acronym: CGI.
Computer Graphics Metafile
n. A software standard related to the widely recognized GKS (Graphical Kernel System) that provides applications programmers with a standard means of describing a graphic as a set of instructions for re-creating it. A graphics metafile can be stored on disk or sent to an output device; Computer Graphics Metafile provides a common language for describing such files in relation to the GKS standard. See also Graphical Kernel System. Acronym: CGM.
computer literacy
n. Knowledge and an understanding of computers combined with the ability to use them effectively. On the least specialized level, computer literacy involves knowing how to turn on a computer, start and stop simple application programs, and save and print information. At higher levels, computer literacy becomes more detailed, involving the ability of power users to manipulate complex applications and, possibly, to program in languages such as Basic or C. At the highest levels, computer literacy leads to specialized technical knowledge of electronics and assembly language. See also power user.
computer name
n. In computer networking, a name that uniquely identifies a computer to the network. A computer's name cannot be the same as any other computer or domain name on the network. It differs from a user name in that the computer name is used to identify a particular computer and all its shared resources to the rest of the system so that they can be accessed. Compare alias (definition 2), user name.
computerphile
n. A person who is immersed in the world of computing, who collects computers, or whose hobby involves computing.
computer revolution
n. The societal and technological phenomenon involving the swift development and widespread use and acceptance of computers--specifically single-user personal computers. The impact of these machines is considered revolutionary for two reasons. First, their appearance and success were rapid. Second, and more important, their speed and accuracy produced a change in the ways in which information can be processed, stored, and transferred.
computer science
n. The study of computers, including their design, operation, and use in processing information. Computer science combines both theoretical and practical aspects of engineering, electronics, information theory, mathematics, logic, and human behavior. Aspects of computer science range from programming and computer architecture to artificial intelligence and robotics.
computer security
n. The steps taken to protect a computer and the information it contains. On large systems or those handling financial or confidential data, computer security requires professional supervision that combines legal and technical expertise. On a microcomputer, data protection can be achieved by backing up and storing copies of files in a separate location, and the integrity of data on the computer can be maintained by assigning passwords to files, marking files "read-only" to avoid changes to them, physically locking a hard disk, storing sensitive information on floppy disks kept in locked cabinets, and installing special programs to protect against viruses. On a computer to which many people have access, security can be maintained by requiring personnel to use passwords and by granting only approved users access to sensitive information. See also bacterium, encryption, virus.
A/B Switch box ~ America On-line AMI BIOS ~ Arithmetic Operation ARP ~ AVI Backbone ~ Bit Image Bit Map ~ Boot Disk Boot Drive ~ Bytes Per Inch C++ ~ Carrier Frequency carrier system ~ certification CGI ~ Chooser extension cipher ~ Clipper Chip clock ~ color color bits ~ communications satellite communications server ~ computer security CON ~ copy copy program ~ cycle time daemon ~ defragmentation demand paging ~ digitize DikuMUD ~ disk disk buffer ~ Document Style Semantics and Specification Language document window ~ dynamic Web page Easter egg ~ erase erase head ~ ezine F2F ~ finger2 firewall ~ font suitcase footer ~ FYI Game Control Adapter ~ GUI HAL ~ hot key1 hot key2 ~ Hz i486DX ~ internal modem internet ~ ISO 9660 ISO/OSI model ~ just-in-time K1 ~ knowledge base L1 cache ~ LU luggable computer ~ LZW compression MAC ~ MILNET mime ~ msec MTBF ~ MYOB named anchor ~ network drive Network File System ~ number crunching object ~ overwrite mode P5 ~ PC/XT keyboard PDA ~ pipeline processing piracy ~ preventive maintenance preview ~ pwd quasi-language ~ QWERTY keyboard R&D ~ registration marks Registry ~ RFI RF shielding ~ run-time library SAA ~ server error server push-pull ~ soft return software ~ style sheet stylus ~ System T1 ~ ToggleKeys token ~ typography UART ~ uupc V.120 ~ view2 viewer ~ VxD w3 ~ WinG WINS ~ WWW X.25 ~ X Windows Yahoo! ~ yotta- Z39.50 standard ~ Zulu time