Skip to main content
Skip to footer
Glossary Terms: C
- Cable Internet access
- Provides high–speed Internet connecitons (up to 25 times faster than dial–up) over cable television wires. Because they operate over shared wires, cable connections are not truly dedicated. Access speeds can be reduced if there are hundreds or thousands of users tapping into the same cable line.
- Cache memory
- Increases the speed of a computer's processor by storing data that is most often accessed during a computing session. The more megabytes (MB) in cache memory, the more processor performance is enhanced.
- CAD
- Computer Aided Design. A package of graphics–heavy hardware and software used by designers, architects, and engineers. A CAD package allows users to view design plans from almost any angle, as well as up–close and from far away.
- Call transfer
- A feature in multi–line/multi–station phones that allows a user to automatically send a call from one extension to another.
- Call waiting
- If you're on the line and someone else tries to call, a signal will alert you that there's an incoming call. You can take the waiting call without disconnecting your original call.
- Call waiting/Caller ID display
- Very similar to Caller ID. When you're on the line and you receive an incoming call, the number of the person calling will be displayed the same way as on Caller ID. This feature requires service from your local telephone company and may not be available in all areas.
- Caller ID
- Displays the phone numbers of incoming calls. This is useful for screening calls — and for making sure that important calls are not missed. This feature requires service from your local telephone company and may not be available in all areas.
- Caller ID memory
- A function of Caller ID that stores calls received (usually 50), which is useful if you've been away and want to be aware of important calls that might not have been left on an answering machine. This feature requires service from your local telephone company and may not be available in all areas.
- Cartridge yield
- The number of copies or prints an ink or toner cartridge can be expected to produce before needing to be replaced.
- Cast iron blades
- Produced by pouring low–grade molten steel into a form or mold.
- Casters
- Small wheels at the base of a piece of furniture, such as a chair or computer cart, that allow the furniture to move across the floor easily.
- Category 5 cable
- The latest copper wire cable that can work with data transmission speeds as great as 100 megabits per second. Each computer in an Ethernet network must be connected to one another by either a Category 5 cable or RJ 45 cable.
- CD burning
- Saving critical information to a CD is as easy as saving to a floppy disk or hard disk. By selecting a folder of software, photos, or even your music, and dragging it to the CD–R device icon, you can create your own CDs.
- CD-R/CD-RW
- A CD–ReWritable disk is a CD that can be written over multiple times. A CD–R disk, on the other hand, can only have data written to it once. A CD–RW drive, also known as a CD burner, reads information from, and writes information to, CDs (either a CD–R or a CD–RW disk). A CD–RW drive makes an effective storage device and can be either internal or external to your computer.
- CD-ROM drive
- A device that can read information from a CD. A CD–ROM drive can be either external or internal to your computer. They are rated by their speeds (e.g. by how quickly they can access information). A CD–RW drive is needed for writing information (also known as "burning") to compact disks.
- Centralized administration
- Join Windows XP Professional systems to a Windows Server domain to take advantage of the full range of powerful management and security tools.
- ClearType®
- Supports Microsoft ClearType, a text display technology that gives you enhanced screen resolution, making it easier for you to read text on your computer screen.
- Cleated mats
- The underside of these mats have small cleats that gently burrow into carpets or rugs to keep the mat from sliding.
- Closed bookcases
- Also called a "storage unit." Has between two and seven shelves that are behind doors and/or cabinets to hide and protect their contents. Often, the shelves can be adjusted.
- Coaxial cable
- The cable typically used in Ethernet networks; also used to provide cable TV service.
- Collating
- Feature that enables a copier to process and produce copies in sequential order. As a result, the originals and copies don't have to be resorted after copying is complete.
- Color separation
- A color–printing technique used to print full–color photographs and mulit–color images and text. A standard set of colors (usually cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) is applied in separate layers, and the combination of these layers creates the different colors.
- Commercial shredders
- Large units with powerful motors that shred more paper for a longer period of time. Most office–grade shredders are placed in a hallway or mailroom and come with an enclosed cabinet mounted on wheels. Other commercial shredders come equipped with a plastic bag stand.
- CompactFlash card
- Removable memory device that stores images captured on a digital camera, or data, images, or audio/video files from a handheld (PDA). The card is roughly the size of a matchbook and has more storage than other removable memory cards.
- Compatibility mode
- You can enable an application to run within a compatibility mode that helps mimic older versions of Windows using the built–in compatibility technology.
- Computation
- Features margin ruling on the front (no lines) and cross–section ruling, which forms small squares, on the back. The cross–section ruling provides see–through reference to accurately space graphs and data on the front page.
- Conference
- Also known as 3–way calling. Gives you the ability to bring more callers on the line so that more than one party can talk at the same time.
- Contour
- A curving or irregular shape.
- Contrast ratio
- The ratio between between the brightest and darkest areas of an image. With a larger contrast ratio, a projector has a greater ability to show subtle color details and tolerate extraneous room light.
- Cord detanglers
- Connect the handset to the cord and swivel 360° to help prevent twists and tangles.
- Cord minders
- Reduces clutter and tangles by storing the phone cord in a separate housing. They can be used to connect laptop computer modems, telephones, and other accessories to a wall jack. Minders are available in different lengths and colors.
- Cordless phone batteries
- Used to power your cordless phone. Most batteries will need to be recharged after about two to three days.
- Cords
- Used to connect your telephone handset to the base unit. To determine the length of cord you need, think about your work area and how you utilize the phone.
- Corrugated
- Manufactured with a structured cardboard filler in between the fiberboard layers.
- Cotton content
- The amount of cotton fiber in the paper. Papers must contain a minimum 25% cotton content to be classified as "cotton paper."
- CPU
- Central Processing Unit, or the part of a computer where most calculations take place. Also known as the "brains of the computer," the CPU is the most important element in computing power.
- Credential manager
- Credential Manager is a secured store for password information. This feature allows you to input usernames and passwords for various network resources and applications (such as email) once, and then have the system automatically supply that information for subsequent visits to those resources without your intervention.
- Cross-section
- Divides a sheet into equal squares, with heavy rulings marking each square inch.
- CRT
- Cathode Ray Tube. A technology used in most computer monitors and television sets that projects images by moving an electron beam back and forth across the screen.