communications program

[kə‚myü·nə′kā·shənz ‚prō·grəm] (computer science) A computer program that transmits data to and receives data from local and remote terminals and other computers.

communications program

Software that manages the transmission of data between computers, typically via modem and the serial port. Such programs were very popular for connecting to BBSs before the Internet took off. Comm programs include several file transfer protocols and can also emulate dumb terminals for dialing into minis and mainframes. See communications protocol.

The Communications Program

All comm programs have facilities to (1) set the parameters for the transmission, (2) provide a phonebook for frequently dialed calls and (3) select appropriate files for uploading and downloading.