Morse code is a specific way of interrupting a carrier or a current flow. Hams utilize International Morse code.
There are other ways to interrupt the carrier to send information. During WW II the Japanese had their own code, for instance.
Then there are the railroads, which used to have a whole different code.
None of the others are Morse, yet they still use the same simple modulation method.
CW is the vernacular that people use today when they mean Morse code.
But the FCC defines a true continuous wave as an unmodulated carrier, type N0. No information except the existence of the transmitter and perhaps the location.
Like the NDB stations used for ADF in aircraft.
In that sense we all are wrong to call Morse code CW.
Yet we do, and always will.
The FCC formerly required a "Morse code" examination in order to qualify for ham radio licenses.
Here is an article that announces their elimination of the Morse code requirement:
Amateur Radio Licensing : Morse Code Eliminated
Excerpt:
By Report and Order 05-235 the FCC has modified the amateur radio service rules, eliminating Morse code exam requirements.
The current amateur service operator license structure contains three classes of amateur radio operator licenses: Technician Class, General Class, and Amateur Extra Class.
Previously, the Commission, in accordance with international radio regulations, required applicants for General Class and Amateur Extra Class operator licenses to pass a five words-per-minute Morse code examination.
The FCC has decided that is no longer a requirement because the FCC believes that the public interest is not served by requiring facility in Morse Code when the trend in amateur communications is to use voice and digital technologies for exchanging messages.
This change eliminates an unnecessary regulatory burden that may discourage current amateur radio operators from advancing their skills and participating more fully in the benefits of amateur radio.
The new FCC rules went into effect on February 23, 2007. All Technician licensees -- whether or not they have passed a Morse code examination -- will have "Tech Plus" operating privileges. This means you will have all of your current VHF/UHF and above frequencies and also will have access to the Novice/Technician Plus frequencies on HF to operate voice on 10 meters and CW on several HF bands.
If you have a Certificate for Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) for Element 3 (General written test) and have been waiting for the FCC to drop the Morse code requirement. It will not happen automatically. You also will need to wait until the new rules are in effect. CSCEs remain valid for 365 days. There's been no change in that rule. If you have a non-expired CSCE for Element 3 credit, you would need to take the CSCE to a VE test session and have the examination team prepare and submit the paperwork for your license upgrade. If you hold a novice license, there is no grandfather provision. In order to upgrade to Technician, you will need to pass the Element 2 written examination. The FCC did not change operating privileges for Novice, General, Advanced and Amateur Extra class licensees.
Problem statement: When I typed "Morse" into the tags the system did not offer anything so I went ahead and let it get created then gave it a definition. If the system had offered either morse-code or cw as an alternative I would have just used that instead. So now we have an orphan morse tag.
In the ensuing series of comments it was suggested that this subject be discussed here as a reference explaining the solution.