Toshiba Portege 7140 - Manual (Page 180)

Glossary 4 User's Manual
Portege 7140CT User's Manual – 7140_UK.doc – ENGLISH – Printed on 20/12/99 as IM_714UK
commands: Instructions you enter at the terminal keyboard that direct the
actions of the computer or its peripheral devices.
communications: The means by which a computer transmits and
receives data to and from another computer or device. See parallel
interface; serial interface.
compatibility: 1) The ability of one computer to accept and process data
in the same manner as another computer without modifying the
data or the media upon which it is being transferred. 2) the ability
of one device to connect to or communicate with another system or
component.
components: Elements or parts (of a system) which make up the
whole (system).
computer program: A set of instructions written for a computer that
enable it to achieve a desired result.
computer system: A combination of hardware, software, firmware, and
peripheral components assembled to process data into
useful information.
configuration: The specific components in your system (such as the
terminal, printer, and disk drives) and the settings that define how
your system works. You use the Hardware Setup, MaxTime or
TSETUP program to control your system configuration.
control keys: A key or sequence of keys you enter from the keyboard to
initiate a particular function within a program.
controller: Built-in hardware and software that controls the functions of a
specific internal or peripheral device (e.g. keyboard controller).
CPS: Characters per second. Typically used to indicate the transmission
speed of a printer.
CPU: Central processing unit. The portion of the computer that interprets
and executes instructions.
CRT: Cathode Ray Tube. A vacuum tube in which beams projected on a
fluorescent screen-producing luminous spots. An example is the
television set.
cursor: A small, blinking rectangle or line that indicates the current
position on the display screen.