National Teaching and Learning Change ProgrammeInformation and Communication Technology:
Dictionary

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• computer operator
  The person responsible for the operation and monitoring of larger computer systems including backup and archiving.
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• computer platform
  A platform is a particular combination of hardware and operating system.
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• concatenation
  This is the process of joining together two (or more) strings.
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• concurrent thread
  Two or more threads being executed at the same time using multi-tasking.
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• condition
  A type of expression, e.g. 'IF age > 17 THEN
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• conferencing software
  Software that enables users connected to the system to take part in a virtual conference from any location. The software allows users to view text messages within an electronic discussion group. Conferencing software can include audio and visual communication between users.
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• configuration
  The particular choice of components, including hardware and software, within a computer system.
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• configure
  The process of changing the settings of hardware or software to suit your computing platform and/or personal preferences.
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• connect
  To join together two (or more) things, e.g. linking two computers together in a network is to connect them.
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• connection speed
  The speed at which data is uploaded and/or downloaded to a computer or peripheral.
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• constant
  A data item with a fixed value. In a high-level language it is assigned to a variable which cannot be changed when the program is executed. For example, if the following declaration is used: const pi = 3.14159265 then the programmer can use the variable name pi which will make writing the program easier.
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• contacts
  A list of names and email addresses, kept by an individual.
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• content
  The text, graphics and other data in a web page.
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• content management system (CMS)
  A software application designed to make it easy for authorised users to upload content to a website, and edit it as required, with little or no knowledge of HTML.
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• contention ratio
  Contention is a term used in data communications to refer to a service or device that is shared between more than one user, for example, a connection to an internet service provider might be shared between a number of users. In general, the higher the contention ratio the slower is the rate of data transmission.
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• continuous stationery
  This is stationery used in a printer in which the individual pages are joined together, rather than single sheets.
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• contrast (1)
  Adjusting the visual properties of an image or monitor display, particularly the light and dark colours, to make it clearer.
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• contrast (2)
  Adjusting the visual properties of an image or monitor display, particularly the light and dark colours.
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• control character
  Many character sets also have codes for control characters. These non-printing characters are used for special purposes. Examples of control characters are end of record and end of file characters in a file, carriage return and line feed for a printer, begin and end transmission with a modem, and cursor movement on a screen. Often represented by the caret symbol, ^.
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• control key
  Also known as the Ctrl key. One of a number of special keys which, when pressed, changes the effect of other keys on the keyboard. What these keys do will depend on the software, rather than the hardware, being used.