C: The hard drive of a PC, where programs and documents are stored. In speech it is refered to as the 'C drive'

Cable Broadband Internet access that is deliverd via a cable television network. 

Cache A section of high speed memory that stores data recently used by the PC,s processor, thereby increasing the speed at which that data can be accessed again. 

CD-ROM Compact Disc Read Only Memory. A storage device, identical in appearance to a normal CD, containing up to 650 MB of data. Most software programs come on CD-ROMs are usually inserted into and accessed from the 'D drive' on the PC.

CD-R/CD-RW Compact Disc Reordable/Rewritable. CDs that can be written to in a special type of disc drive (sometimes called a burner). CD-rs can only be written to once. CD-RWs can be rewritten many times over. 

Cell A small rectangular section of a spreadsheet or database, into which text or figures are entered. Click on a cell to make it ctive,ready for entering or editing data. 

Chip A device that processes information at the most basi level withi a computer. A processor chip carries out calculations and a memory chip stores data.

Click To press and release the left mouse button once. Used to selct menu and dialog box options and toolbar buttons. See also Right Click 

Clip Art Graphic images that can be inserted into text based documents from the Clip Art Gallery and than resized and manipulated. 

Close A menu option, usually found underthe file menu, that shuts the active document, but not the program. A document can also be clsed by clicking the close button in its top right hand corner. 

CMOS Complemaentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. A type of menory chip that stores the computer's configuration and the date and time. To protect its data, this memory is maintained by battery. See Configuration 

Compressed files Files that have been temporarily condensed so they use less memory and can be copied or downloaded in a fraction of the time it would take for the full-sized version.

Configuration The settings used to ensure harware or software runs as the user requires.

Control Panel Any adjustments made to your system or its settings are made via the Control Panel. In the Control Panel you change the way your DEsktop looks, add new hardware and/or Software or alter your PC's sound output. 

Copy To make a duplicate of a file, folder,document, image or section of text. 

CPU Central Processsing Unit. The brain of your PC which carries out millions of arithmetic and control functions every second. 

Crash Your PC has crashed if it has stopped working, the screen has 'frozen' and there is no response to keyboard or mouse commands. A crash usually requires you to restart the computer. 

Curser A marker, usually a flashing vertical line, that indicates where the next letter or digit typed in will appear in the document. 

Cut To remove selected text and/or images to the Clipboard where they are sored for later use.