B

B – B2B to BZip2

B2B e-commerce (computer, application)
Business to business electronic commerce. Businesses conducting transactions with one another via the World Wide Web.

B2BUA (Back-to-Back User Agent) (communications, protocols)
Handles SIP call signaling from its initiation to completion. Based on SIP, B2BUA functions as a SIP User Agent Client (UAC) when initiating a call. On the other hand, it also functions as a SIP User Agent Server (UAS) to receive incoming messages.B2BUA participates in call transfer, call disconnection, maintaining network transparency and billing. Providers use B2BUA to offer multi-feature services to subscribers.

B2evolution (computer, publishing application)
B2evolution is a multi-lingual, multi-user, multi-blog publishing system written in PHP and backed by a MySQL database. It is distributed under the GNU General Public License and is available without charge.

Babbage, Charles (1791-1871)
A British inventor of computing machines, known as the "Father of Computing" for his contributions. Babbage invented a "difference engine," which was a device for producing mathematical tables. His "analytical engine" introduced ideas that were later used in electronic computers. Babbage was the first to have the idea of a machine which could be run by a program stored in its memory.

Baby AT (computer, motherboard)
A motherboard used in many PCs, smaller than the original Advanced Technology(AT) motherboard.

backbone (computer, networks)
In a hierarchical network, the backbone is the top level, employing high-speed data transmission and serving as a major access point; smaller networks connect to the backbone.

Backbone (computer, networks)
Backbone refers to a central network that serves as the nerve of a network. It generally stretches across long geographical distances and consists of several nodes of smaller network connections. The backbone carries the maximum traffic in a network.

Backbone (computer, networks)
Backbone is the main network that connects nodes. The term is often refered as the main network connections composing the Internet.

Back Bonding (computer/microelectronics)
Bonding active integrated circuits (chips) to the substrate using the back of the chip, leaving the face with its circuitry face up. The opposite of face down bonding.

Backbone (communications, computer)
Part of a network that handles the major traffic: it may interconnect Local Area Networks (LANs) in a building, on a Campus, Metropolitan Area, regional, geographic, continental, or around the world. It describes physical, logical and network electronic components.

back door (computer, hostile application)
A means of disabling a system's security which is deliberately left by designers of the system, often to give access to service technicians or maintenance programmers.

back end (computer, component)
A computer that does the main processing but has a smaller, more friendly computer that the user interacts with (called the front end). 2. A program that takes care of details behind the scenes, performing tasks not directly controlled by the user.

Backfill (computer/microelectronics)
Filling an evacuated hybrid circuit package with dry, inert gas before hermetic sealing.

Backfilling (history/computer)
Assignment of EMS (expanded memory manager) memory to conventional memory (below 1MB) in PCs that used 80286 processors. The original motherboard chips were disabled and EMS chips were assigned low memory addresses. Back-filling provided for some multitasking capabilities, allowing more programs to be run in expanded memory.

Back Focus (A/V)
Distance between the zoom lens and the camera pickup, at which the picture is in focus at the extreme wide-angle zoom position.

background (computer, applications)
The color or pattern on a computer screen which is behind the text and graphic elements.

Background (computer, M/M, Windows)
Non-interactive processing (see foreground/background): on computer screens, the base or background colour on the screen (white on a blue or text colours in black on white).

Background Ink (computer/scanner)
Highly reflective ink in optical character recognition (OCR) that is used to print the parts of the form that are not to be detected or recognised by the scanner.

Background Light (A/V, M/M)
Also called set light. Illumination of the set pieces and backdrops.

Background Noise (A/V, communications, computer, M/M)
External, extraneous, low-level signals that intrude into a cable, circuit, or channel.

background noise (computer, interference)
Interference in the form of extra signals in a line or circuit.

In multitasking operations, the application or procedure that is not visible on screen and that will not receive user-generated input. In Windows, background is an application that is minimised and does not have the focus. In multimedia animation, images (usually static) that are shown behind other images (usually animated) are called background.

background task (computer, application)
A task that runs on its own while the user interacts with the computer on another (foreground) task; for example, some computers can run a printer in background while the user edits text or reads other files.

Backhaul (communications)
In wireless technology, backhaul refers to transporting voice and data traffic from a cell site to the switch

Backing Storage (computer)
External, peripheral storage (i.e. optical disk, magnetic disk, tape).

backing up (computer, security)
Making copies of important files in case the originals are damaged. Data can be backed up on external hard drives, floppy discs, CD-ROMs, tape, etc.

Back Light (A/V, M/M)
Illumination from behind the subject and opposite the camera.

Backlighting (computer, displays)
Backlighting is a technique used to make flat-panel displays easier to read. The back layer of the display is illuminated so that the foreground appears sharper in contrast with the background.

Backlit (computer/screen)
Type of LCD (liquid crystal display) screen that provided its own light source from the back of the screen. It made the background brighter and the characters appear sharper.

backlit (computer, displays)
Illuminated from behind; this kind of illumination is used in the LCDs on laptop computers.

Back Orifice (computer, hostile application)
A hostile application which can be used by a cracker to take remote control of a computer. It appeared in the summer of 1998, then was quickly brought under control by anti-virus and security software programs; the application left a clear 120,000-byte signature.

backout (computer)
The elimination of updates made in a transaction that was interrupted by a system failure.

Back Out (computer/DOS/Windows)
Close down layers of functions in sequential order, and returning to a DOS or Windows menu: or a DOS or Windows prompt. To back out of Windows functions, before ending the Windows session.

Backplane (computer, networking)
Backplane is the physical interface module in many network devices such as a route or a switch that connects between an interface processor or card and the data buses and the power distribution buses inside a chassis.

Backplane (computer/microelectronics)
Connector blocks and wiring constituting most of a system's interconnecting circuits.

Backscattering (communications)
Backscattering is radio wave propagation in which the direction of the incident and scattered waves, resolved along a reference direction (usually horizontal) are oppositely directed. A signal received by backscattering is often referred to as "backscatter."

Backside Bus (computer, circuits)
Backside bus connects the CPU to a Level 2 cache while the frontside bus connects the CPU to the main memory.

backslash (computer, character map)
The character (ASCII 92), not to be confused with the forward slash / (ASCII 47).

Backspace (computer)
To move the screen cursor one column to the left, deleting the character that was displayed in that position. A backspace to a dot-matrix or impact printer moves the print head one column to the left. For magnetic storage, to move to the previous block on a magnetic tape.

backspace (computer, application)
To move the screen cursor to the left, using the "backspace" or "delete" key, depending on keyboard layout. On a typewriter, a backspace simply moves the carriage back one character or space; on a computer, backspacing deletes the character.

backspace key (computer, application)
A keyboard key that moves the screen cursor to the left, sometimes called the delete key. On a typewriter, a backspace simply moves the carriage back one character or space; on a computer, the backspace key deletes the character.

Backspace Key (computer, keyboard)
A backspace key on a keyboard moves the cursor or insertion point backward one character space. The Backspace key may also deletes the character to the left of the cursor or insertion point.

Backtracking (computer)
Method of solving programming problems systematically, eliminating potential solutions as quickly as possible, and never retrying a potential solution that has already been tried.

Back Timing (A/V)
Process of figuring additional clock times by subtracting running times from the clock time where the program ends.

Backup (computer)
Additional resources or duplicate copies of data for safety or emergency purposes.

back up (computer, application)
To make copies of important files in case the originals are damaged. Data can be backed up on external hard drives, floppy discs, CD-ROMs, tape, etc.

BACKUP (computer)
DOS Command: BACKUP Copies one or more files to another disk or diskettes in special backup files. Unlike DISKCOPY, the source disk and destination disk do not have to be the same size. It was frequently used to back up a hard drive onto several floppies, so that if something happened to the hard drive, files could be restored from the backup disks. Files on the backup disks were not exactly the same as files on the original disk. BACKUP command combined the files, so that the RESTORE command had to be used to restore one or more of the files that had been backed up. Also, since the backup disks were a contiguous set of files, all of the backup disks had be kept intact and together as a set. Labels had to be created so that the correct order is maintained for RESTORE.

Backup (computer, security)
Backup is the process of copying data, software or other digital information on a separate media in addition to its original storage.

Backup and Recovery (computer)
Combination of manual and machine procedures that can restore lost data in the event of hardware or software failure. Routine backup of files, databases and programs, and system logs to keep track of computer operations are part of a backup/recovery program.

backup and recovery test (computer, security)
A test to verify that a system can be reestablished after a failure. It is done by backing up to a point in the processing cycle before any errors occurred

backup copy (computer, security)
An extra copy of a file kept for safety.

Backup Copy (computer)
Any disk, tape or other machine readable copy of a data or program file.

Backup Disk (computer)
Disk that is used to hold duplicate copies of important files. High-density floppy disks and removable disk cartridges as well as CD/RWs and DVD/RWs can be used for backup disks.

Backup Power (communications, computer)
Additional power source used in the event of power failure. For workstations (PCs) battery backup is usually a device-oriented issue (each PC) and these battery backup's generally can power the PC for about 20 minutes so that any current work can be saved.

Backup Server (communications, networking)
A backup server is a computer in a network designed to store copies of files from other servers or users' machines. It is generally has a very large disk. In case of something wrong such as files of users being lost, the files in the backup server can be loaded back to the original machine.

Backus-Naur Form (history/computer)
Also known as Backus normal form, it was the first meta-language to define programming languages, developed by John Backus and Peter Naur in 1959.

Backward Chaining (computer)
In Artificial Intelligence (AI) Theory, a form of reasoning that starts with the conclusion and works backward. The goal is broken into many sub-goals, or sub-sub-goals, which can be solved more easily. Also known as top-down approach. (see forward chaining).

backward-compatible (computer, software)
A backward-compatible version of software is able to coexist with older versions that may have been installed on the machine previously, and able to read files of the older version. Also called downward-compatible.

Backward Wave Tube (communications)
Type of microwave, travelling-wave tube in which energy on a slow-wave circuit flows opposite in direction to the travel of electrons in a beam. Such tubes are useful as voltage-tuned oscillators for signal generators; as power sources for quick tuning transmitters; and as local oscillators in receivers for systems that have quick tuning transmitters. If backward-wave tubes are operated as regenerative amplifiers, they are useful as narrowband amplifiers in wide-range, rapidly tuned receivers. The two types in general use are: O-Type (O-carcinotron), and M-Type (M-carcinotron).

Bacteriorhodopsin (computer/photonics)
Bacterial protein, first isolated in the 1970s, that is similar to the protein found on the retina of the eye. Bacteriorhodopsin converts light energy into chemical energy, and holds several keys to molecular miniaturisation and photonic computing.

Bad command or file name (computer, software)
An MS-DOS error message that means it is unable to execute the command as given, or cannot find the desired file or program.

bad disk (computer, hardware)
A floppy disk that can no longer store information reliably, perhaps because of physical damage.
bad fix (computer, software, repair)
A failed attempt to repair a computer bug; a fix that doesn't work or that introduces new and unexpected problems. The expression has cropped up a lot in relation to Y2K fixes.

Bad Frame Interpolation (communications)
Bad Frame Interpolation is the process of negating the effects of packet loss or packet corruption on the call. The process interpolates corrupt or lost voice packets using the previous voice frames, and ensures that the voice quality is good in the transmission.

Bad Sector (computer)
Segment of disk storage that cannot be read or written due to a physical problem in the disk. Bad sectors on hard disks are marked by the operating system and bypassed. If data is recorded in a sector that becomes bad, special software, and sometimes special hardware, must be used to recover it.

bad sector (computer, software)
Sectors are pie-sliced divisions of a disk. A bad sector means part of the disk is physically damaged and that data cannot be read from or written to that sector. Sometimes data that is lost because of bad sectors can be restored with utility programs designed for the purpose; if this fails, sometimes special hardware can be used to recover it.

Baitware (computer, software)
Baitware, similar to freeware, refers to the software with very limited or defective functions which is made available gratis/free of charge. Baitware is released to deceptively attract users and drive them to commercial products.

BAK file (computer/DOS)
Backup File - in DOS & OS/2: it was a commonly used file extension for backup files.

Bake Out (computer/microelectronics)
Elevated temperature process which evaporates unwanted gases and moisture before final sealing of a hybrid circuit package.

BAL (computer)
Basic Assembly Language; assembly language for IBM mainframes: 370, 30xx, 40xx.
Branch And Link - instruction used to transfer control to another part of a program.

Balance (A/V)
Audio: a proper mixing of various sounds.
Video: relative structural stability of picture elements (objects or events). Balance can be stable (little pictorial tension), neutral (some tension), or unstable (high tension): refers to the interrelationship between stability and tension in a picture.

Balanced or Balanced Line (communications, computer)
Transmission of signals over a cable that can include two signal and one ground or just two signal conductors (in audio, two signal and one ground). The signal conductors carry voltages that are 180 degrees out of phase with one another. The imbalance enables the signals to be recombined with another at the receiving end of the cable. This type of transmission cancels most of the noise that might have been added to the signal during the cable run. Most balanced audio cables have 600-ohm impedance. Twisted Pair phone cable has a nominal impedance of 100-120 ohms. Balanced signals are sometimes referred to as "double-ended" (contrast with Un-balanced).

Ball Bond (computer/microelectronics)
Type of thermo-compression bond wherein a ball shaped end interconnect wire is flattened against a metallized pad.

ball printer (computer, hardware)
A printer that has a metal print head shaped like a ball, with raised characters around its surface. To print, the printer rotates the ball into position to strike each character against a ribbon.

balloon help (computer, software)
A Macintosh help feature that displays a cartoon balloon next to objects on the screen when the user points to them with the cursor. A message in the balloon explains what each feature does and how to use it. The balloons can be turned on and off as needed.

BALUN (communications, cable)
BALanced UNbalanced (device).

Balun: BALanced/Unbalanced (communications)
Communications device that connects balanced lines to unbalanced lines. For example, a twisted wire pair to a coaxial cable. A balanced line is one in which both wires are electrically equal (telephone wire). In an unbalanced line, such as a coaxial cable, the centre conductor has different physical properties than the outer copper braid or shield.

Band (communications, computer/printer)
Range of frequencies used for transmitting signals. A band can be identified by its width, its lower and upper limits, as well as the difference in frequency between lower and upper limits (i.e. a 10 megahertz band in the 100 to 110 megahertz range). In recording and magnetic storage, a contiguous group of tracks that are treated as one unit. In printing, a printing band that contains characters that can be struck by a hammer device to prints on rolls of paper.

Band (communications)
Band in telecommunication refers to the following definitions: 1. The range of frequencies between two defined limits which are used for a specific purpose. 2. One of the geopolitical boundaries established to define a WATS (wide-area telephone service) serving area.

Band Elimination Filter (communications)
Band Elimination Filter is an electrical device which blinds a receiving unit from recognizing a specific range of frequencies.

Band Pass Filter (communications)
Band Pass Filter is a radio wave filter with a specific range of frequencies in which it is designed to pass, while rejects frequencies outside the pass-band. Resistor-inductor-capacitor circuit is an example of Band Pass Filter.

Banding (historic, A/V)
Distortion of a videotaped pictures that were caused by quad videotape recorders. It showed up as wide, differently coloured bands horizontally dividing the picture (old technology 1 inch tape).

Band Pass Filter (communications)
Electronic device that prohibits all but a specific range of frequencies to pass through it.

Band Printer (computer/printer)
Line printer that uses a metal band, or loop, of type-face characters as a mechanism. The band moves horizontally around a set of hammers. When the desired character is in front of the selected print position, the corresponding hammer hits the paper into the ribbon and onto the character in the band.

Band Theory of Solids (computer/electronics)
Quantum-mechanical theory of the motion of electrons in solids. Its name comes from the fact that it predicts certain restricted ranges, or bands, for the energies of electrons in solids. Knowledge of the energy levels of electrons is fundamental in computing electrical, magnetic, optical, or thermal properties of solids.

Bandwidth (A/V, communications, computer, M/M)
Transmission capacity of a computer or communications channel. Digital transmission is measured in bits or bytes per second. When digital data is converted to frequencies for transmission over carrier-based networks, bandwidth is still stated in bits or bytes per second. When frequencies are used as the transmission signal rather than on/off pulses, bandwidth is also measured in cycles per second, or Hertz; the bandwidth being the difference between lowest and highest frequencies transmitted. In this case, the frequency will be equal to or greater than the bits per second. Bandwidth requirements determine the amount of radio spectrum needed for the communications systems. In allocating the spectrum to the many services and stations, their bandwidth requirements are taken into account. Transmitted signal can be computed with the waveform of the modulating signal and modulation parameters. For AM, the use of Fourier analysis is used. For FM, Bessel functions are employed. The Bandwidth necessary for various communications systems has been designated in Appendix 5 of the International Radio Regulations. Samples include: Telephony = 3,000 Hertz (3 kHz); AM Radio = 8 to 20 kHz; FM Radio = 180 kHz; U.S. Television = 6 million Hz or 6 MHz per channel.

In MPC (Multimedia Personal Computer) specifications, bandwidth refers to the rate at which instructions can be sent over the PC bus by the base-level speed of the processor chip. Consumption of processor time by the audio adapter card and CD-ROM drive must not (but often does) exceed the specified percentages of this capacity.

In Audio/Visual, bandwidth specifications for video equipment, give an indication of the maximum possible resolution to be expected in an image processed by that equipment.

bandwidth2 (communications)
The amount of data that can be sent through a network connection, measured in bits per second (bps). 2. The range of transmission frequencies a network can use, expressed as the difference between the highest and lowest frequencies of a transmission channel (in Hertz, or cycles per second). High bandwidth allows fast transmission or high-volume transmission.

Bandwidth3 (communications)
Bandwidth is the amount of data a network connection can carry in a given time duration. High bandwidths transfer more data causing faster connections. Bandwidth is usually measured in bits per second (bps) or kilobits per second (kbps).

Bandwidth4 (communications)
Bandwidth is the portion of the frequency spectrum required to transmit desired information. Each radio channel has a center frequency and additional frequencies above and below this carrier frequency which is used to carry the transmitted information. The range of frequencies from the lowest to the highest used is called the bandwidth.

Bandwidth5 (communications)
The oscilloscope frequency range within which performance of a particular characteristic falls within specified limits, commonly defined as the difference between the upper and lower frequency at which the response is .707 (-3dB) of the response at the reference frequency.

Bandwidth Reduction (communications, computer)
Techniques for reducing high transmission rates required for digital encoding of television signals, also known as bit-rate compression, involve the elimination of the redundant information. Bandwidth reduction techniques have been devised to take advantage of the similarity of the intensities of spatially as well as temporally adjacent picture samples. These techniques can be generally classified into two categories: Differential Pulse-Code Modulation (DPCM), in which intensity differences are sent; and Transform Coding, in which linear combinations of intensities in a block of samples are taken and only some of the combinations are selected for transmission. One popular application of DPCM is conditional replenishment, where each television frame is divided into two parts: one part which is practically the same as the previous frame, and the other part (called the moving area) which has changed since the previous frame. In television scenes which contain moving objects, a more efficient encoding can be performed by estimating the motion of objects and then using the motion to compare intensities in successive frames which are spatially displaced by an amount equal to the motion of the object. Such schemes are called Motion-Compensated Coding schemes.

bang (computer, character)
Exclamation point: ! (ASCII 33).

bang on (computer, testing)
To stress-test hardware or software.

bang path (communications)
Old-style UUCP email addresses used an exclamation point to indicate each station through which the mail passed on its way to the addressee. They were named "bang paths" because "bang" means exclamation point.

Bank (computer)
Arrangement of identical hardware components.

Bank Internet Payment System (BIPS) (communications protocol)
A protocol for securely sending payment instructions to banks over the Internet and for processing the payment instructions. BIPS instructions conform to the Extensible Markup Language (XML) standard. The Bank Internet Payment System is a project of The Financial Services Technology Consortium (FSTC).

Bank Switching (computer)
Engaging and dis-engaging of electronic circuits. Bank switching is used when the design of a system prohibits all circuits from being addressed or activated at the same time requiring that one unit be turned on while the others are turned off.

Bar (A/V, M/M, music)
In musical notation, a synonym for measure. Bar is a grouping of notes corresponding to the number of rhythmic beats corresponding to the denominator of the time signature.

Bar Chart (computer)
Graphical representation of information in the form of bars.

bar chart (computer application)
A graph that uses bars to represent the information provided.

Bar Code (computer)
Code used for identification of items with a scanner. The coding of the bars is the width of the bar not the height. Extended height allows tolerance for older recognition systems. Bar Codes can be invisible to the naked eye; so small as to be impossible to see. Newer detection devices allow for infrared scanning (undetectable to the human eye).

bar code (computer, applications)
A pattern of bars of various widths and with varying spaces between them, printed on paper or similar material for recognition by a scanner that uses a laser beam or a light source and photocell. Bar codes are used by the U.S. Post Office to encode mail, in stores to price items with the UPC (Universal Product Code), and for many other purposes.

Bar Code Reader/Scanner/Wand (computer)
Photoelectric scanner that reads bar codes by means of reflected light.

Bar Graph (computer)
Graph with filled-in columns or rows representing changes in information over time.

bar printer (computer, hardware)
A kind of impact printer in which the character slugs are moved on a type bar.

Barn Doors (A/V)
Metal flaps in front of lighting instruments that control the spread of the light beam.

bare bones (computer, basic system)
Having only the most essential elements; no frills. Computer ads often use this word to describe basic hardware systems.

Barrel Distortion (A/V)
Effect, caused by wide-angle lenses, that makes all vertical lines appear to be curved.

Base (computer, microelectronics, mathematics)
Starting point or reference point. Also, the component in a bipolar transistor that activates the switch (same as gate in a metal oxide semiconduction - MOS - transistor). Also, the multiplier in a numbering system. In a decimal system (base 10), each position is worth 10 times (10x) the position to its right. In a binary system (base 2), each position is worth 2 times (2x) the position to its right.

base 2 (computer, mathematics)
The binary numbering system, which has 2 as its base and uses 0s and 1s for its notation. Binary code is used by computers because it works well with digital electronics and Boolean algebra. The number one in base 2 is written as 1. The number two is written as 10 (1 in the twos position and 0 in the ones position). The numbers three to ten in base 2 are written: 11, 100, 101, 110, 111, 1000, 1001, 1010.

base 8 (computer, mathematics)
Also called the octal numbering system. Base 8 numbers use only the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; the second column to the left is the 8s place. For example, 36 in base 8 is 6 ones and 3 eights, or 30 decimal. Base 8 notation can be used as a shortcut for representing six-bit binary (base 2) characters by converting each three bits into one base 8 digit, this way: 011 010 binary = 32 octal = 26 decimal (base 10).

base 10 Decimal (computer, mathematics)
The numbering system in common use, in which each place to the left or right of the decimal represents a power of 10. The base 10 numbering system uses the numerals 0 to 9. The number one-hundred twenty, for example, is written 120 (1 in the hundreds place, 2 in the tens place, and 0 in the ones place). Computer languages use binary, or base 2, and hexadecimal (base 16), rather than decimal numbers.

base 16 (computer, mathematics)
The hexadecimal numbering system, sometimes used as a short way of representing binary numbers. The digits 0-9 are used, plus the letters A-F which stand for numbers 10 through 15. The farthest-right digit is the ones place; the digit next to the left is the 16s place; the next place to the left is 16^2 = 256, etc. Each place is 16 times the place immediately to the right of it. For example, the decimal number 18 would be represented as 12 (1 in the 16s place, 2 in the ones place) in base 16. Hexadecimal (base 16) numbers are often written with the letter h after them; for example, 13h.

base address (computer, addressing)
Part of a memory address that is used as a reference point for other addresses, called relative addresses. Base addresses are referred to as segment addresses in IBM PCs and PC compatibles. See also ablsolute address.

Base Address (computer)
Location in memory where the beginning of a program is stored. Relative address from the instruction in the program is added to the base address to derive the absolute address.

Base Alignment (computer)
Alignment of a variety of font sizes on a baseline.

BaseBand (communications, computer)
Communications technique in which digital signals are placed onto the transmission line without change in modulation. For Local Area Networks, it is usually limited to 100 meters or 330 feet of cabling and does not require the complex modems used in broadband transmission. Common baseband LAN techniques are Token Passing Ring (Token Ring) and CSMA/CD (Ethernet). CSMA/CD stands for Carrier Sensitive, Multiple Access with Collision Detection.

baseband (communications)
A network technology that uses a single-carrier frequency and is used for short-distance transmission. The complete bandwidth of the channel is used. If more than one message at a time is transmitted, the messages must be interleaved, a technique called time division multiplexing. Contrast broadband.

Baseband (communications)
Baseband is the transmission of a digital or analog signal signaling at its original frequencies and in its original form. It should not be changed by modulation.

Baseband layer (communications)
Baseband layer, also known as baseband packet, is a physical layer protocol in the Bluetooth protocol stack. The Baseband in the Bluetooth manages physical channels and links apart from other services like error correction, data whitening, hop selection and Bluetooth security. The Baseband layer lies on top of the Bluetooth radio layer in the bluetooth stack. The baseband protocol is implemented as a Link Controller, which works with the link manager for carrying out link level routines like link connection and power control. The baseband also manages asynchronous and synchronous links, handles packets and does paging and inquiry to access and inquire Bluetooth devices in the area.

Baseband signal (communications)
Baseband signal is a signal with frequency content centered around DC. Typically it is the modulating signal for an RF carrier.

Base Displacement (computer)
Technique for running programs from any location in memory. Addresses in the machine language program are displacement addresses (relative to program beginning). As the program is running, the hardware adds the displacement address to the base address (where the beginning of the program is currently stored) and derives the absolute address.

Baselight (A/V)
Even, non-directional (diffused) light necessary for the camera to operate optimally. Customary baselight levels for analog (traditional) older pre-digital studio cameras were: 150 to 250 ft-c (foot-candles) for three-tube Plumbicon cameras; 75-200 ft-c for one-tube colour cameras; 150-300 ft-c for vidicon tube cameras; 75-100 ft-c for monochrome cameras.

Baseline (computer)
Horizontal line to which the bottom of lowercase characters (without descenders) are aligned.

baseline (computer, typesetting)
Where the bottoms of characters in a line of type (excluding descenders) line up. Typesetters measure leading from baseline to baseline.

baseline test (computer, testing)
A test performed before any changes are made to a system. The results are compared with performance of the system after changes are made.

baseline to baseline (B/B or b/b) (computer, typesetting)
From the bottom of a line of type to the bottom of the next line of type (excluding descenders), used as a measurement of leading.

Base Register (computer)
Used in addressing a computer memory. In a computer that uses base registers, the effective address (i.e. the address field of the instruction, possibly modified by indexing and indirect addressing) is a relative address. The actual memory address used is determined by adding this relative address to the contents of one or more base registers.

Base Station (communications)
Master, controlling station for mobile radio operations.

BASH: Bourne-Again Shell (computer, software)
Bourne-Again SHell (BASH) is an interactive UNIX shell based on the traditional Bourne shell, but with increased functionality. BASH is the shell, or command language interpreter, that will appear in the GNU operating system. BASH is a sh-compatible shell that incorporates useful features from the Korn shell (ksh) and C shell (csh). It is intended to conform to the IEEE POSIX P1003.2/ISO 9945.2 Shell and Tools standard. It offers functional improvements over sh for both programming and interactive use. In addition, most sh-scripts can be run by BASH without modification.

BASIC (computer)
Beginners All purpose Symbolic Instruction Code - programming language developed by John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz in the mid-1960s at Dartmouth College. Originally developed as an interactive timesharing language for mainframes, BASIC has become widely used on all sizes of computers. BASIC is available in both compiler and interpreter form, the latter being more popular for the casual user and first time programmer. As an interpreter, the language is conversational and can be debugged a line at a time. BASIC can also be used as a desktop calculator. BASIC is considered one of the easiest programming languages to learn. Simple programs are quickly written on the fly. BASIC, however, is not a structured language, such as C. It is easy to unintentionally, write code that is difficult to decipher later.

Basic (computer software)
Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. A simple programming language designed in 1963 by John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz at Dartmouth College. Basic was designed as an easy programming language to learn. Beginners can quickly learn to write simple programs. Originally for mainframes, it is now extensively used on personal computers.

BASIC (computer, software)
BASIC is a simple computer language designed by John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz at Dartmouth College in 1963. It first ran on an IBM 704 on 1964-05-01. It was designed for quick and easy programming by students and beginners. BASIC exists in many dialects, and is popular on microcomputers with sound and graphics support.

BASIC in ROM (computer)
BASIC interpreter stored in a read only memory chip, available to the user at all times.

Basic Encoding Rules (BER) (computer, standards)
The rules for encoding data described in Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1).

Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) (computer firmware)
A set of instructions stored on a ROM chip inside IBM PCs and PC-compatibles, which handles all input-output functions. See also BIOS.

Basic language (computer, language)
Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code language. A simple programming language designed in 1963 by John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz at Dartmouth College. Designed as an easy programming language to learn, beginners can quickly learn to write simple programs. Originally for mainframes, it is now extensively used on personal computers.

Basic Logic Diagram (computer/microelectronics)
Logic diagram that depicts logic functions with no reference to physical implementations. It consists primarily of logic symbols and is used to depict all logic relationships as simply and understandably as possible. Non-logic functions are not normally indicated.

Basic Network Utilities (BNU) (software)
An IBM set of utilities that make it possible for a user to communicate with AIX and UNIX systems via telephone connections or dedicated lines.

Basic Rate Interface (BRI) (communications, standards)
Basic ISDN service at 128 kbps.

Basic Rate Interface (BRI) (communications)
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) rate of transmission having two basic channels at 64 kb/sec (kilobits per second), one data channel at 16 kb/sec, thus equalling 2B+D (2 basic plus 1 data) with a combined capacity of 144 kilobits per second.

Basic Stamp (computer, micro)
A tiny computer that can be programmed in Basic, used by robotics hobbyists for a robot brain. It contains a PIC microcontroller.

Basic Synthesizer Standard (computer, M/M)
Minimum sound synthesis capability of an MPC-compliant (Multi-Media Personal Computer), audio-adapter card. The basic standard was established by MPC (Microsoft) specification 1.0 issued by the Multimedia Marketing Council. The basic requirement is three, melodic timbres assigned to channels 13 through 15 and two percussive timbres assigned to channel 16 be playable simultaneously.

Basic Telecommunications Access Method (BTAM) (communications)
IBM communications software used in some mainframe computers.

bastion host (communications)
On an internal network, the only host which is visible to the Internet through the firewall.

Basic To C Translator (computer, software)
Basic To C Translator(BCX), an open source and free software, translates BASIC to C/C++ for compilation on various Win32 compilers. It is a small command line tool that takes a BASIC source code file and outputs a C/C++ source code file. The result can then be compiled using any of several popular C/C++ compilers, including non-commercial ones. Code can be compiled into 32-bit native Windows console mode programs, Windows GUI programs, and Dynamic Link Libraries.

batch (computer, software)
A group of items. In computing, a batch system is one that executes a series of commands which are all given before the program starts to run, instead of an interactive system which requires the user to give commands during the operation.

batch file (computer, software)
A file containing a series of commands for the operating system which are executed automatically in sequence. In DOS, batch files end with .BAT. In UNIX, they are called shell scripts.

batch processing (computer, software)
Processing a group of documents or files all at once. In batch processing, the user gives the computer a job, for example, printing letters to everyone on a mailing list, and waits for the whole job to be done. During the batch job, the user does not interact with the computer. In interactive processing, the user communicates with the computer while the program is running, perhaps giving instructions for each item.

batch session (computer, software)
A session in which an entire file is transmitted or updated without interruption, as opposed to an interactive session which requires input from the operator. See batch processing.

batch system (computer, software)
A system that executes a series of commands which are all given before the program starts to run, instead of an interactive system which requires the user to give commands during the operation.

Batch (computer)
Group, or collection, of items. Batch program or batch job refers to a program that processes an entire set of data, such as a report or sort program. Batch data entry refers to typing in a group of source documents. Remote batch means to transmit a complete file over a network. Batch operations are also called offline operations (see online, interactive, transaction).

Batch Job (computer)
Non-interactive program that is run in the computer, such as a listing or sort.

Batch Processing (computer)
Processing of a group of transactions at one time. Transactions are collected and processed against the master files (master files updated) at the end of the day or some other time period (conversely, see transaction processing).

Batch Program (computer/Windows)
ASCII file (unformatted text) containing one or more Windows network operating system commands. A batch program's filename has a .BAT or .CMD extension. When a user types the filename at the command prompt, the commands are processed sequentially.

Batch Session (computer)
Transmission or updating an entire file (see interactive session).

Batch Stream (computer)
Collection of batch processing programs that are scheduled to run in the computer.

Batch Total (total)
Sum of a particular field in a collection of items that is used as a control total to ensure that all data has been entered into the computer. For example, using an account number as a batch total, all account numbers would be summed manually before entry into the computer. After entry, the total is checked with the computer's sum of the numbers. If it does not match, source documents are manually checked against the computer listing.

BAT File (computer/DOS)
Batch File - DOS or OS/2 program executed as if each command were interactively entered one at a time. It has a BAT extension and is created with a text editor or word processor. The BAT file is run by entering its file name at the operating system prompt.

Batten (A/V)
Horizontal metal pipe that supports lighting instruments in a studio.

BatteryMark (computer, test)
A benchmark from Ziff-Davis that measures battery life on notebook computers running Windows 95. It must be run with special hardware, the ZDigit II.

baud (communications)
A unit of measure of transmission speed. Named after J.M.E. Baudot (1845-1903), French engineer. Originally baud was used for telegraph transmissions, and meant one Morse code dot per second. Baud is a measure of the number of signal-state changes per second; for example, voltage or frequency changes. It is sometimes, but not always, the same as the number of bits per second.

Baud Rate (history/communications)
Switching speed of a line, which is the number of changes in the electrical state of the line per second. Baud rate is equivalent to bits per second, ONLY AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. For example, 300 baud is the same as 300 bps. At higher speeds, the bits per second are greater than the baud rate, because one baud can be made to represent more than one bit. For example, the first V.22bis modem provided 1,200 bps at 600 baud. Baud is commonly (and erroneously) used to specify bits per second for any modem speed. Baud was named for Emile Baudot, a French engineer who invented the serial transmission method (1880) and the code to implement it.

Baudot Code (history/communications)
One of the first standards for international telegraphy developed around 1880 by Emile Baudot (1845-1903), it uses five bits to make up a character.

baudy language (communications)
The combination of letter abbreviations (such as IMHO) and emoticons ( :-) ) used in e-mail, chat rooms, and other forms of online communication.

bay (computer, hardware)
A shelf within a computer case for a hard drive, CD-ROM drive, tape drive, floppy drive, etc. The more bays in a case, the more drives can be added.

bayonet mechanism (communications, connector)
The mechanism found in the BNC connector. BNC stands for Bayonet Neill Concelman. Bayonet denotes the coupling mechanism, while Neill and Concelman were the inventors of the N and C connectors. Thus, the bayonet mechanism is a method by which the N and C connectors come together in the BNC connector.

B-Band cellular (communications)
In the U.S. cellular service industry, B-Band cellular refers to the regional Bell operating company's cellular subsidiary.

b Bit. (computer)
Short for binary digit. The smallest unit of information a computer can hold. The value of a bit is 1 or 0.

BBC Educational Text to Speech Internet BETSIE (computer, software)
A software package designed to help blind and visually impaired people surf the Net, from British Broadcasting Corporation's BBC Education Online.

bBlog (computer, application)
bBlog is a Web publishing and content management system system written in PHP and utilizing a MySQL database. bBlog is used to manage frequently updated Web content, especially Weblogs. It is distributed under the GNU General Public License and is available without charge. bBlog's design goals are based around using the Smarty PHP templating engine, with compatible plugin and template formats. This makes it very easy to modify the look and functions of your blog.

BBN Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Inc. (communications, company)
A Cambridge, Massachusetts, company which was awarded the original contract to build ARPANET and subsequently has been involved in many aspects of Internet development. 2. In chat, Bye Bye Now

BBS Bulletin Board System (computer, application)
A computerized version of the bulletin boards found in stores and other public places, where people can leave messages and advertise things they want to buy or sell. BBSs are often run by local computer user groups, and offer downloads of shareware and freeware plus online information and services. There are special interest bulletin boards, including those run by computer companies to provide information on their products. Many BBSs now have web pages. 2. In chat, Be Back Soon

BBS (history/computer)
Computer service that functioned as a centralised source and message switching system for a particular interest group. Users dialled up the bulletin board, reviewed and left messages for other users as well as communicated to other users on the system at the same time. Bulletin boards also could provide access, or doors, to other application programs.

B Byte (computer)
The smallest addressable unit of storage; the amount of memory space used to store one character, which is usually 8 bits. A computer that has 8-bit bytes (most large and small computers today) can distinguish 28 = 256 different characters. See bits, kilobytes and megabytes.

BCD (computer)
Binary Coded Decimal - storage of numbers in which each decimal digit is converted into binary and is stored in a single character or byte.

B-CDMA (computer, communications, standards)
broadband code division multiple access

BCC: Blind carbon copy (communications, terminology)
Sending a copy of a letter to another person in addition to the addressee, without showing on the original letter that a copy was sent to someone else.

BCCH: Broadcast Control Channel (communications)
Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) is a downlink-point-to-multipoint logical channel in GSM and cdma2000 systems used to send identification and organization information about common control channels and cell services.

BCD Binary Coded Decimal (computer, language)
A binary-coded notation in which each of the decimal digits is expressed as a binary numeral; for example, in binary-coded decimal notation 12 is 0001 0010, as opposed to 1100 in pure binary.

BCH code (computer, software)
Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem Code Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) Code is a family of powerful cyclic block forward error correction codes used in the transmission of data.

BCH: Broadcast Channels (communications)
Broadcast Channels (BCH) are a group downlink point to multipoint logical channels used by mobiles to synchronize to and receive information necessary to access a cell in GSM, cdma2000, and WCDMA systems.

B channel (computer, communications)
On an ISDN (ISDN), a connection that provides voice and data at the same time.

BCNF: Boyce-Codd Normal Form (computer, mathematics)
Boyce-Codd normal form (BCNF) is a structure and algorithm for the normalization of relational databases. BCNF requires that there be no non-trivial functional dependencies of attributes on something other than a superset of a candidate key (called a superkey). At this stage, all attributes are dependent on a key, a whole key and nothing but a key (excluding trivial dependencies, like A->A). A table is said to be in the BCNF if and only if it is in the 3NF and every non-trivial, left-irreducible functional dependency has a candidate key as its determinant. In more informal terms, a table is in BCNF if it is in 3NF and the only determinants are the candidate keys.

BCPL (computer, language)
Basic Computer Programming Language.

BDS C (computer, software)
BD Software C Compiler BD Software C Compiler (BDS C) is a compiler for a sizeable subset of the C programming language, that ran on and generated code for the Intel 8080 and Zilog Z80 processors. It was written by Leor Zolman and first released in 1979. "BDS" stood for "Brain Damage Software". BDS C was very popular and influential among CP/M users and developers in the 8-bit microcomputer era.

BDSG (computer, standards)
BDSG stands for Bundesdatenschutzgesetz, a Federal Data Protection Act enforced in Germany. The Act, framed in the 1970s aims to protect an individual�??s personal data from unauthorized use.

Bead (computer)
Small programming subroutine. A sequence of beads that are strung together is called a thread. Also, an insulator surrounding the inner wire of a coaxial cable.

Beam (A/V)
Focused stream of electrons inside a video tube or receiver/monitor picture tube.

Beam Leads (computer/microelectronics)
Generic term describing a system in which flat, metallic leads extend beyond the edges of a chip component, much the same as wooden beams extend from a roof overhang. These leads are used to interconnect the component to film circuitry.

Beam Pooling (A/V)
Defect from overexposure in a pickup tube; it is a form of image retention in a large area resulting when one pass of the scanning electron beam cannot fully discharge that image.

Beam Splitter (A/V)
Optical device within an older, conventional colour camera that splits the white light into the three primary colors: Red, Green, and Blue.

Beam Splitter Prism (A/V, photonics)
Glass block used within an optical system to divide Red, Green, Blue wavelengths inside a video camera. In photonics, an optical element that splits a light beam that falls onto it into two beams (semitransparent mirror). Also used to combine two beams into one.

Beam Starvation (A/V)
Another term for image retention in a highlight area of a video image from a pickup tube resulting from the inability of the scanning electron beam to fully discharge the target.

Beat (A/V, M/M, music)
In musical notation, the basic unit of rhythm. The tempo of music is determined by the number of beats per minute. In standard 4/4 (fox-trot) time, one beat is a quarter note.

BeBo (computer, hardware)
This is a machine Be Inc. revealed on October 3, 1995. Jean-Louis Gassée, the CEO of Be Inc. and former employee of Apple Computers, unveiled it in the hopes of attracting users to its low-cost design and high-tech capabilities.

Because It's Time Network (BITNET) (computer, communications)
An academic computer network originally connecting IBM mainframes and VAX systems via leased lines, providing electronic mail, file transfer, electronic mailing lists, and other services. BITNET merged with CSNET, The Computer+Science Network, and became part of CREN, The Corporation for Research and Educational Networking.

Bed (A/V)
A term used in television production to describe the instrumental portion of the music (the underscore) for a program or commercial.

BEDO DRAM (computer, hardware)
Burst EDO DRAM BEDO DRAM, also known as Burst EDO DRAM, can process four memory addresses in one burst. BEDO DRAM can only stay synchronized with the CPU clock for short periods (bursts) with buses run under 66 MHz.

Bedroom Programming (computer, application)
Bedroom programming is a computer programming practice which involves Software or Video Game development by one or a team of amateur programmers who program because they love it, and not for making money out of their software.

beep (computer, application)
A sound emitted by the computer to indicate that something requires the user's attention.

Beeper (A/V)
Series of eight low-frequency audio beeps, exactly one second apart, put at the beginning of each take for videotape cuing.

Beginning Of File: BOF (computer)
Status when first opened or when an instruction or command has reset the file pointer.

Be Inc (computer, software)
Be Inc. is a software developer of the BeOS and the BeIA Operating Systems (OS). The BeOS is an OS designed for a personal computer desktop platform, whereas the BeIA (IA stands for Information Applicance) is an OS specifically designed for Internet appliances. Be Inc. was formed in 1990 by Jean-Louis Gassée.

BEL (communications)
Bell character - a control code that is used to sound an audible bell or tune in order to alert the user. In ASCII, it has a numeric value of 7.

BeIA (computer, software)
This is an operating system (OS) developed by Be Inc. It is designed to run on Internet Applicances and Entertainment Applicances, and touts extremely stable multimedia capabilities, compatibility with most popular Web plug-ins, and the flexibility to conform to the needs of its users (whether they are savvy web surfers, beginners, or Information Technology (IT) professionals).

Bell 103 Modem Standard (AT&T) (communications)
Asynchronous 300 bps full-duplex using FSK (Frequency Shift Key) modulation and dial up lines (normal, single pair telephone lines).

Bell 113 Modem Standard (AT&T) (communications)
Asynchronous 300 bps full-duplex using FSK modulation on dial-up lines, with the 113A being able to originate but not answer, and 113D able to answer but not originate.

Bell 201 Modem Standard (AT&T) (communications)
Synchronous 2,400 bps full-duplex using DPSK (Differential Phase Shift Keying) modulation. Bell 201B was originally designed for dial-up lines and later for leased lines. Bell 201C was designed for half-duplex operation over dial-up lines.

Bell 202 Modem Standard (AT&T) (communications)
Asynchronous 1,800 bps full-duplex using DPSK modulation over four-wire leased lines as well as 1,200 bps half-duplex operation over dial-up lines.

Bell 208 Modem Standard (AT&T) (communications)
Synchronous 4,800 bps - 208A using a full-duplex modem using DPSK modulation over four-wire leased lines - 208B uses half-duplex over dial-up lines.

Bell 209 Modem Standard (AT&T) (communications)
Synchronous 9,600 bps full-duplex using QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) modulation over four-wire leased lines or half-duplex operation over dial-up lines.

Bell 212 Modem Standard (AT&T) (communications)
Asynchronous 1,200 bps full-duplex modems using DPSK modulation on dial-up lines.

bell character (comunications, character)
The control code (ASCII character 7) which causes an alert bell or tone to sound on the computer.

Bell Compatible (communications)
Modem compatible with modems originally introduced by the Bell Telephone System.

Bellcore Bell Communications Research, Inc (communications)
A research laboratory for the seven regional Bell Telephone companies in Livingstone, NJ.

Bell Laboratories (computer company)
AT&T's research and development center in Murray Hill, NJ.

Bell Labs – Now Called Lucent Technologies (communications)
Former research and development centre of the AT&T Company and was one of the most renowned scientific laboratories in the world (highest number of Nobel Prizes).

Bell Operating Company (BOC)
One of the 22 telephone companies that were formerly part of AT&T and is now part of one of the seven regional Bell telephone companies.

Bell Operating Company (BOC) (communications)
Also called RBOC for Regional Bell Operating Company. There is a BOC for each of seven regions of the United States.

Bell System (communications)
AT&T and the Bell Companies before divestiture on January 01, 1984. After divestiture the 23 Bell Operating Companies became seven independent, regional telephone companies: Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, BellSouth, Nynex, Pacific Telesis, Southwestern Bell, and US West. Bell Labs was renamed AT&T Bell Labs and then again renamed to Lucent Technologies, and its Western Electric manufacturing division was renamed AT&T Technologies.

Below The Line Production (A/V)
Budgetary division of production elements: concerns technical personnel and facilities.

bells and whistles (computer, application)
Fancy features added to software or hardware; usually indicates features that are more flashy than practical.

Bells and Whistles (computer, application)
Bells and whistles in software means those fancy features provided by an application. Typically, the term refers to features that are needed only in special cases or to features that make the program more visibly attractive. The term can be used either favorably or negatively.

Bench32 (computer, testing)
A comprehensive benchmark that measures overall system performance under Windows NT or Windows 95.

benchmark (computer, testing)
A standard test which is run on a computer, a peripheral device, or a program to give a measure of its performance. Benchmarks are criticized because they can be misleading. The best test of a computer's performance is to test a computer with the exact configuration and doing the same tasks the user intends to do. Many computer magazines put new machines through a series of benchmark tests and compare them.

Bench Mark (computer)
Test of performance of a computer or peripheral devices. The best benchmark is the actual set of application programs and data files that will be used. Running benchmarks on a single user computer is reasonably effective, however, obtaining meaningful results from a benchmark of a multi-user system is a complex task. Unless the end-user environment can be duplicated closely, the benchmark may be of little value. It may be more effective to find a user organisation with a similar processing environment and monitor the usage of the system.

benign virus (computer, virus)
A virus that does not destroy programs or data, but displays a message, perhaps a humorous one, on the computer screen at certain times; intended as a harmless prank.

Bent pipe technology (communications, satellite)
Bent pipe technology is a satellite technology to transmit calls from one point on Earth to a satellite and back down to another point.

BeOS (computing, software)
The operating system of the BeBox personal computer, designed by Be Inc. It has a graphical user interface, and supports multitasking and real-time operation. It can be downloaded for free for personal use from Be Inc's homepage, and installed under Windows 95 or 98. Once installed, the OS can be run by simply double-clicking on its Windows icon. Thereafter, the OS exits windows and reboots the system from a large file in the FAT file system. See also BeIA.

BER (computer)
Basic Encoding Rules - method for encoding in the ISO/OSI (International Standards Organization/Open System Interconnect) environment (how Boolean data is encoded).

BER Basic Encoding Rules (computing, software)
The rules for encoding data described in Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1). 2. Bit Error Rate. The estimated average number of bits sent in error.

Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND) (communications)
A DNS server implementation developed by the University of California at Berkeley.

Berkeley Software Design (computer, software)
Berkeley Software Design Inc. was a corporation which developed, sold licences to, and supported BSDi, a commercial and partially proprietary variant of the BSD operating system. It was founded by former members of the Computer Sciences Research Group at Berkeley, and the name was chosen for its similarity to "Berkeley Software Distribution" the source of its primary product. It contributed code and resources back to the open source BSD community.

Berners-Lee, Tim (communications, world wide web)
Inventor of the World Wide Web. Born in England, he graduated from Queen's College at Oxford University, England, in 1976. While there he built his first computer. In 1984, he took up a fellowship at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory, as a software engineer. Looking for a way to improve communications among the High Energy Physics community, Berners-Lee wrote a proposal in 1990 for a hypertext project. The result of this project was HyperText Markup Language (HTML), the common language of the Web. He wrote the first World Wide Web server, HTTPd, and the first client, WorldWideWeb, a hypertext browser and editor which ran in the NeXTStep environment. This program became available on the Internet in 1991. Berners-Lee had written the software in less than two months, and gave it away free. Less than five years later, more than 6 million people were using it. In 1994, Berners-Lee began working at the Laboratory for Computer Science at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). He also directs the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), a standards group whose goals are to realize the full potential of the Web and ensure its stability.

Bernoulli Box (computer)
Removable disk system that connects to personal computers through a SCSI (small computer system interface). The name comes from the 18th century Swiss scientist, Daniel Bernoulli, whose principle of fluid dynamics is demonstrated in the disk mechanism. When the floppy disk is spun, it bends up and maintains a thin band of air between it an the read/write head. Unlike a hard disk where the read/write head flies over a rigid disk, the floppy disk in the Bernoulli Box flies up to a rigid read/write head.

Bernoulli drive (computer, hardware)
A removable hard disk drive made by Iomega Corporation.

BERT (computer, test)
Bit Error Rate Test, Bit Error Rate Tester, or Bit Error Rate Testing. See Bit Error Rate.

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) (mathematician)
The English philosopher, author, and mathematician who discovered Russell's paradox: "If the barber of Seville shaves all men in Seville who don't shave themselves, and only those men, who shaves the barber?"

Bespoke Software (computer, software)
Bespoke software refers to the custom-made software products, including made-to-order software. Bespoke is a term used in the United Kingdom and elsewhere for an individually- or custom-made product or service. Typically, software companies offer packaged software with standard functions for all customers. Bespoke software addresses specific client needs that can't be satisfied by packaged software. In the U.S., bespoke software is often called custom or custom-designed software.

Beryllia (computer/microelectronics)
Beryllium Oxide ceramics significant because they have high thermal conductivity.
BE Service: (communications, protocol)

Best Effort Service Best Effort (BE)
Service is one of the five QOS service types defined in the IEEE 802.16 WiMAX. The 802.16 protocol supports five types of QoS: UGS (Unsolicited grant service), rtPS (Real time polling Service), ertPS (Extended Real-time POLLING SERVICE), nrtPS (Non-real-time polling service and BE (Best effort service). The aim of the Best Effort (BE) service is to provide efficient service to best effort traffic.

beta (computer, testing)
A new or revised software version released for beta testing. Typically the beta version will have most if not all of the features the finished product is scheduled to include. 2. The Sony VCR format, later replaced by VHS as the standard for home and industry.

Betamax (A/V)
First home VCR format, developed by Sony (1975 - 1987), it recorded video on 1/2" tape cassettes. Beta Hi-Fi added quality audio, and SuperBeta improved the visual image. Beta has gone out of production, leaving VHS as the primary standard for 1/2" videotape. Associated names include: Beta, Beta Format.

Beta Test (computer)
Test of hardware, software, peripheral, that is performed by the end users under normal but controlled operating conditions, before the product is formally released.

Beta test (computer, testing)
Beta test is the computer system test prior to commercial release. Beta testing is the last stage of testing, and normally can involve sending the product to beta test sites outside the company for real-world exposure or offering the product for a free trial download over the Internet. Beta testing is often preceded by a round of testing called alpha testing.

Beta Test (computer, testing)
Beta test is the computer system test prior to commercial release. Beta testing is the last stage of testing, and normally can involve sending the product to beta test sites outside the company for real-world exposure or offering the product for a free trial download over the Internet. Beta testing is often preceded by a round of testing called alpha testing.

beta testing (computer, testing)
The second stage in testing new software: making it available to selected users, who try out the software under normal operating conditions, in the kind of environment in which it will be used. See also beta.

Beta version (computer, software)
A beta version, also known as beta release, usually represents the first version of a computer hardware or software that implements all features in the initial requirements specification. It is likely to be unstable but useful for internal demonstrations and previews to select customers, but not yet ready for release. Some developers refer to this stage as a preview, as a technical preview (TP) or as an early access.

Beta Version (computer, software)
A beta version, also known as beta release, usually represents the first version of a computer hardware or software that implements all features in the initial requirements specification. It is likely to be unstable but useful for internal demonstrations and previews to select customers, but not yet ready for release. Some developers refer to this stage as a preview, as a technical preview (TP) or as an early access. BetBug

betaware (computer, software)
Software that is given to many users for beta testing before its official release. See also beta and beta testing.

Betaware (computer)
Software in beta test provided to a number of users in advance of formal release.

Bezier (computer)
In computer graphics, a curve that is generated using a mathematical formula which assures continuity with other Bezier curves. It is mathematically simpler, but more difficult to blend than a b-spline curve. Within CAD and drawing programs, Bezier curves are typically re-shaped by moving the handles that appear off of the curve.

BetBug (computer, application)
BetBug is a downloadable software application that links users together so that they can share betting offers. BetBug effectively functions as a betting exchange. BetBug's distributed network technology comes from P2P File sharing.

BETSIE (BBC Educational Text to Speech Internet Enhancer) (communications)
A software package designed to help blind and visually impaired people surf the Net, from British Broadcasting Corporation’s BBC Education Online.

Bezier (computer, graphics)
This is used in computer graphics. It describes a curve which is produced from a mathematical formula that ensures that the curve will not be interrupted by other Bezier curves.

Bezier curve (computer, graphics)
Also called Bezier spline. A curve made of a line that is set up to connect two points, but has two other points that influence the shape of the line by "pulling" it toward them into a curve. In computer drawing programs, curves are made by moving onscreen "handles" to adjust the curve's shape, thus creating a Bezier curve. Bezier curves are named after Pierre Bezier, who discovered the mathematical formula.

Bezier spline (computer, graphics)
Also called Bezier curve. A curve made of a line that is set up to connect two points, but has two other points that influence the shape of the line by "pulling" it toward them into a curve. In computer drawing programs, curves are made by moving onscreen "handles" to adjust the curve's shape, thus creating a Bezier spline. Bezier splines are named after Pierre Bezier, who discovered the mathematical formula.

BFF (computer, software)
Binary File Format (IBM).

BFT (computer)
Binary File Transmission - standard for facsimile (fax) boards for transmitting information in less time than with conventional modems: it does not allow the transfer between fax boards and data modems.

BGA (computer, microprocessor)
Ball Grid Array Ball Grid Array (BGA) is a surface-mount integrated circuit package. The pins of BGA are replaced with balls of solder to allow more contact points between the die and the circuit board.

BGCF (computer, software)
Breakout Gateway Control Function Breakout Gateway Control Function (BGCF), a component in the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), controls call transfers to and from the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

BGP (communications, protocol)
Border Gateway Protocol. An Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP) for routing within autonomous systems, defined in RFC 1267 and RFC 1268.

BHTML (computer, language)
Broadcast Hypertext Markup Language. A markup language based on XML, designed for synchronization of digital television, data, and Internet technologies.

Bias Light (A/V)
Light from a source within a video tube, video camera that uniformly illuminates the face of a pickup tube even when there is no image focused on it. Bias light creates dark current and is a means of reducing lag and improving shadow detail for cameras using video tubes. It is especially useful when the camera operates at low light levels.

BibTeX (computer, software)
LaTeX bibliography software.

Bidirectional (communications, computer)
Ability to move in both directions. A bidirectional gateway allows data to be transmitted to and from a network. Bidirectional printers print left to right and right to left (without having to return to the left side). In audio/visual production terms, a type of microphone reproducing sound impinging on it from two opposite sides.

bidirectional printer (computer, hardware)
A printer that prints a line from left to right, then the next line from right to left, etc.

bi-endian (computer, application)
Able to work in either big-endian or little-endian mode, or switch back and forth. An example is the PowerPC processor. See big-endian, little-endian.

BIFF (computer)
Binary Interchange File Format - spreadsheet file format that holds data and charts.

Bifurcate (computer)
To divide into two.

Big Blue (computer, logo)
The nickname for IBM, based on the color of its logo.

big-endian (computer, software)
A binary data format in which the most significant bit comes first.

bignum (computer, language)
A way of representing very large integers in some computer languages, so that calculations can be made with them.

Big Remote (A/V)
Production outside the studio to televise live and/or record live-on-tape an event that is specifically for television (sporting events, parades, special events, hearings, etc.).

Binaries (computer)
Executable programs in machine language.

Billing Increment (communications, application)
The unit devised to measure the duration of a call. The billing increment is typically written in seconds.

Billing System (computer, applications)
Applications that log usage of services so customers can be billed appropriately are referred to as billing systems. In addition to tracking usage, billing systems also manage customer data and analysis. Tuesday, April 3, 2007 IP PBX Essentials 180x150

billion (mathematics)
10^9 (U.S. and Canada);
10^12 (Europe).

binary (computer, mathematics)
A system of numbers having 2 as its base and using 0s and 1s for its notation. Binary code is used by computers because it works well with digital electronics and Boolean algebra.

Binary (computer)
Meaning two - fundamental principle behind digital computers. All input to the computer is converted into binary numbers made up of the two digits 0 and 1 (bits). The letter A on a PC, when pressed on the keyboard, generates and transmits the string 01000001 to the computer memory as a series of pulses. The 1 bits are transmitted as high voltage; the 0 bits are transmitted as low voltage. The 1s and 0s are stored as a series of charged and uncharged memory cells in the computer. On magnetic disk and tape, the bits are stored as positively and negatively charged spots. The display screen and printer convert the binary numbers into visual characters. The electronic circuits that process the binary numbers are also binary in concept. They are made up of on/off switches (transistors) that are electrically opened and closed. The current flowing through one switch turns on (or off) another switch, and so on. These switches open and close in nanoseconds and picoseconds (billionths and trillionths of a second). A computer's ability to do work is based on its storage capacity (memory and disk) and internal transmission speed. Greater storage capacities are achieved by making the memory cell or magnetic spot smaller. Faster speeds are achieved by shortening the time it takes to open and close the switch and developing circuit paths that can handle the increased speeds. In order to improve performance of computers, the binary concept is continually being refined.

Binary Coded Decimal (computer)
BCD - Storage of numbers in which each decimal digit is converted into binary and is stored in a single character or byte. A 25-digit number would take 25 bytes or 200 bits.

binary-coded decimal (BCD) (computer, coding)
A binary-coded notation in which each of the decimal digits is expressed as a binary numeral; for example, in binary-coded decimal notation 12 is 0001 0010, as opposed to 1100 in pure binary.

Binary Compatible (computer, application)
Binary compatible refers to that data files produced by one application/system that are exactly the same as data files produced by another application at the binary format level. Binary compatible avoids many of the conversion problems caused by importing and exporting data from one system to another. For example, many applications for Windows and the Macintosh that are binary compatible, which means that a file produced in a Windows environment is interchangeable with a file produced on a Macintosh.

Binary Field (computer)
Field that contains binary numbers. It may refer only to the storage of binary numbers for calculation purposes, or it may refer to a field that is capable of holding any information, including data, text, graphics images, voice and video.

Binary File (computer)
File or program in machine language that contains binary numbers. When transmitting files to a remote computer, some protocols handle only ASCII text and cannot be used for binary files. A file whose content does not consist of lines of text. Executable (EXE), dynamical link library (DLL), and most database files are stored in binary format.

Binary Format (computer)
Numbers stored in pure binary form in contrast with Binary Coded Decimel (BCD). Any information stored in binary coded form (data, text, images, voice) (see binary file, binary field). A file transfer mode that transmits any type of file without loss of data.

Binary Large Object (BLOB) (computer, software)
A database field that can hold images, audio, video, long text blocks, or any digitized information.

Binary Notation (computer)
Use of binary numbers to represent values.

binary number (computer, coding)
A number represented in binary form; for example, the number 101 in binary notation is the same as 5 in decimal notation.

Binary Numbers (computer)
Numbers stored in pure binary form. Within one byte (8 bits), the values 0 to 255 can be stored. Two contiguous bytes (16 bits) can hold values from 0 to 65,535, and three bytes, the values 0 to 16,777,215. Contrast with BCD (binary coded decimal) numbers where each decimal digit takes 1 byte. In BCD the maximum value in three bytes is 999.

Binary Search (computer)
Technique for quickly locating an item of data in a sequential list. The desired key is compared to the data in the middle of the list. The half that contains the data is then compared in the middle, and so on, either until the key is located or until a small enough group is isolated to be sequentially searched.

Binary Synchronous (Bisync) (communications, computer)
Binary Synchronous - category of synchronous communications protocols used extensively in mainframe networks. Bisync communications require both sending and receiving are synchronized before transmission is started (see asynchronous). Binary Synchronous Communications (BSC) is a synchronous protocol used in traditional IBM mainframes.

Binary Tree (computer)
Data structure in which each node contains one parent and no more than two children.

Binary Tree (computer, data)
A binary tree is a tree data structure in which each node has at most two children. Typically the child nodes are called a "left" pointer, a "right" pointer. The "root" pointer points to the topmost node in the tree. The left and right pointers recursively point to smaller "subtrees" on either side. One common use of binary trees is binary search trees; another is binary heaps.

binasec (computer, security)
binary security

BIND (communications, internet)
Berkeley Internet Name Domain.

Bind (computer)
To assign a machine address to a logical or symbolic reference or address. To assign a type or value to a variable or parameter (binding time). To link modules together.

Bindary (communications, computer)
Novell Netware 2.x , 3.x, 4x, 5x database that holds data about various network elements.

Binders (computer/microelectronics)
Substances added to un-fired substrate and thick film compounds to add strength.

Binding Time (computer, encoding)
Point in time when symbolic references to data are converted into physical addresses. In programming languages, the point in time when a variable is assigned its type (integer, string). Traditional compilers and assemblers provide early binding and assign types in the compilation phase. Object-oriented languages provide late binding and assign types at run time when the variable receives a value from the keyboard or other source.

BinHex (computer, encoding)
A format in which Macintosh binary files are temporarily encoded as ASCII files for transmission over the Internet. The Internet was originally designed for transferring text messages (7-bit files) from one computer to another. Binary files are 8 bits wide. An 8-bit file transmitted over the Internet can lose one-eighth of its data. BinHex encoding puts the 8-bit wide file into a 7-bit text format. Also, Macintosh files have a resource fork and a data fork; the resource fork is normally lost when a file is converted to a 7-bit format. BinHex preserves the resource fork, as well as the data fork, in Macintosh files. The BinHex format is not a compression format; it makes the file larger, and a file encoded in BinHex format will take longer to transmit. BinHex also converts the file back into its original format after transmission. The filename extension for BinHex files is .hqx. See also Macintosh file, MacBinary.

Bioinformatic Sequence Markup Language (BSML) (computer, protocol)
A proposed public domain protocol for Graphic Genomic Displays, based on SGML and XML. The purpose of BSML is to communicate genetic information more easily. BSML is funded by the National Center for Human Genome Research.

Biomechanics (computer)
Study of the anatomical principles of movement. Biomechanical applications on the computer employ stick modelling to analyze the movement of athletes.

Biometrics (computer)
Term sometimes used for the science and/or computer science of measuring individual body characteristics that is used in a number of security systems (handprint, eyeprint, etc.)

biometric security (computer, security)
A way of authenticating the identity of an individual by using fingerprints, palm prints, retinal scans, or other biological signatures.

bionet (computer, networking)
Top-level newsgroup category for a biology newsgroup.

Bionic (computer)
Machine patterned after principles found in humans/nature, for example, robots. It also refers to artificial devices implanted into humans replacing or extending normal human functions.

BIOS Basic Input/Output System (computer, firmware)
A set of instructions stored on a ROM chip inside IBM PCs and PC-compatibles, which handles all input-output functions.

BIOS: Basic Input/Output System (computer, firmware)
Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is the built-in software that determines how computers control the keyboard, display screen, disk drives, serial communications, and a number of miscellaneous functions.

BIOS (computer)
On-board, chip-based, Read Only Memory (ROM) instructions, when the PC is turned on that tell the PC what “it is” and also what its "domain" contains - detailed instructions for activating the system and all of its peripheral devices connected to the computer.

In all PCs, the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) resides in a read only memory (ROM) chip and accepts requests for input and output from both the operating system (say DOS), and the application programs (in Windows, for example, you can set the computer clock, time, date, etc.). The autostart routine in the BIOS is responsible for testing memory upon startup and preparing the computer for operation. It searches for BIOS components that are located on plug-in boards and sets up pointers in memory to access them.

Bipolar (computer/microelectronics)
Category of high-speed microelectronic circuit design, used to create the first transistor and first integrated circuit. The most common variety of bipolar chip is TTL (transistor-transistor-logic). Emitter coupled logic (ECL) and integrated injection logic (IIL) are also part of the bipolar family. Bipolar and MOS are the two major categories of chip design.

Bipolar Transmission (communications)
Technique for transmitting digital data that alternates between negative and positive states.

BIPS (computer, speeds)
Billion Instructions Per Second

2. Bank Internet Payment System (communications protocol)
A protocol for securely sending payment instructions to banks over the Internet and for processing the payment instructions. BIPS instructions conform to the Extensible Markup Language (XML) standard. The Bank Internet Payment System is a project of The Financial Services Technology Consortium (FSTC).

Biquinary Code (computer)
Meaning two-five code. A system for storing decimal digits in a four-bit binary number.

birds of a feather (BOF) (computer, group)
An informal discussion group on a particular topic, heard especially in connection with USENIX.

bis Second (in French) (computer, standards)
"bis" indicates the second release of a standard. For example, in modem data transmission, V.22bis, V.32bis, etc.

Bis (bis) (communications, computer)
Second version. It means twice in Old Latin, or encore in French.

BISDN (computer)
Broadband ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) (see ISDN).

BISDN Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (communications service)
A high-speed telecommunications service which can transmit multimedia over the phone line. It uses fiber-optic cable and synchronous transfer mode, and is faster than narrowband ISDN. BISDN can be used for voice, data, fax, e-mail, full motion video, and video conferencing.

BI software (computer, software)
Business Intelligence software (BI Software) is a kind of sotware that enables users to obtain enterprise-wide information more easily. BI software tightly integrates querying, reporting, OLAP, data mining and data warehousing functions to enable users to obtain "all" the information they desire from their organization's numerous databases. BI software should allow you to derive the transactions and summaries you need without having to know the sources (which databases, which servers, etc.).

Bistable Device (computer/photonics)
Optical device with two stable states: in one, it blocks most of the light falling on it and only transmits a very small portion of it; in the other state it transmits light efficiently.

Bistable Element (computer/microelectronics)
Name for Flip-Flop, a circuit or switch where output has two stable states ("0" or "1"), and can be caused to go to either of these states by input signals, but remains in that state permanently after input signals are removed. This differentiates the Bistable Element from a Gate, which also has two output states but which requires the retention of input signals to stay in a given state. The characteristic of two stable states also differentiates the Bistable Element from a Monostable Element which keeps returning to a specific state, and an Astable Element which keeps changing from one state to the other.

Bit (communications, computer)
Smallest piece of information that can be processed by a computer. A bit, derived from the contraction of BInary digiT, has two states; on (1), or off (0). Eight bits make up a byte (i.e. a character), and sixteen bits combined are called a word for 16-bit computers. For 32-bit computers there can be 2 16-bit words run in parallel or one 32-bit word. For 64-bit computers there can be 4 16-bit words run in parallel, two 32-bit words run in parallel, or one 64-bit word length (an so on).

BitBlt (computer)
Bit Block Transfer - an assembly-level function used for copying graphic images in Windows applications from a source to a destination graphic context.

BitComet (computer, software)
BitComet is a freeware client for BitTorrent. It supports simultaneous downloads, download queue, selected downloads in torrent package, fast-resume, chatting, disk cache, speed limits, port mapping, proxy, ip-filter, etc. BitComet also provides an embedded Internet Explorer window for the purpose of making torrent searching easier. A default list of torrent index sites is included, which users can modify to remove unwanted sites and add missing ones.

Bit Density (computer)
The number of bits that can be stored within a given physical area.

bit depth (computer, graphics)
In bitmap graphics, the number of bits per pixel; the idea of bit depth can also be applied in storing other kinds of information. The number of bits per pixel determines the number of shades of gray or variations of color that can be displayed by a computer monitor. For example, a monitor with a bit depth of 1 can display only black and white; a monitor with a bit depth of 16 can display 65,536 different colors; a monitor with a bit depth of 24 can display 16,777,216 colors. See 4-bit color, 8-bit color, 15-bit color, 16-bit color, 24-bit color, 32-bit color.

Bit Error Rate (BER) (communications, standards)
In fiber optics, the ratio of the number of bits received incorrectly to the number of bits transmitted.

bit level device (computer, encoding)
A device whose input and output are in the form of data bits. Contrast pulse level device.

BitLord (computer, software)
BitLord is a BitTorrent client. It supports simultaneous downloads, download queue, selected downloads in torrent package, fast-resume, chatting, disk cache, speed limits, port mapping, proxy, ip-filter, etc. BitLord is an outdated repackaged BitComet client, which adds two new buttons to the toolbar for linking to pornography and gambling sites.

bit manipulation (computer, programming)
Low-level programming that works with individual bits.

Bit Map (computer)
Representation of a screen or printed image, usually graphic, as a series of bits containing information on the color of each pixel that comprises the image. In computer graphics, an area in memory that represents the video image. For monochrome screens, one bit in the bit map represents one pixel on screen. For grey scale or colour screens, several bits in the bit map represent one pixel or group of pixels on the screen. Any binary representation where a bit or set of bits corresponds to some object or condition.

bitmap display (computer, graphics)
A computer display in which each pixel onscreen is mapped to one or more bits in memory. Images are generated on the screen as the bit pattern to be displayed is written into video memory. Most current personal computers have bitmap displays, which allow the fast updating of images necessary for graphical user interfaces.

bitmap graphics or bit-map graphics (computer, graphics)
A way of displaying images on a computer screen in which each picture is represented as an array of little squares called pixels. Each pixel is stored in a specific location in memory, and corresponds to one or more bits. The number of bits per pixel determines the number of colors or shades of gray that can be displayed. Bitmap graphics can be created and edited in paint programs or photo editing programs, and can be stored in a number of file formats. Depending on file format, bitmap graphics can sometimes be imported into word processing, page layout, or spreadsheet programs, or incorporated in World Wide Web pages. Same as raster graphics; contrast vector graphics.

Bit Mapped Font (computer/printer)
Complete set of dot patterns for each letter and digit in a particular typeface. Each font size requires an entirely different set of dot patterns (see scalable font).

Bit Mapped Graphics (computer)
Raster graphics method for generating images. Images produced by turning on or off an individual pixel. Paint programs involve bitmapped graphics and do not "remember" that rectangles are rectangles or text is text. Once painted, it is just a collection of the pixels (a painting). Part of the picture, or part of a word created with bitmapped graphics can be erased, but part of a word or text created with bitmapped graphics cannot be edited, for example, for ‘typo’ or misspelling errors. Also called raster graphics or paint graphics (see Object graphics).

Bit Oriented Protocol (communications)
Communications protocol that uses individual bits within the byte as control codes (IBM's SDLC) (contrast with byte-oriented protocol).

Bit Parallel (communications, computer)
Transmission of several bits at the same time, each bit travelling over a different wire.

Bit Pattern (computer)
Specific layout of binary digits.

Bit Rate (communications, computer)
Transmission speed of binary coded data (same as data rate).

bit rate (communications, standards)
The speed at which bits are transmitted, in bits per second. Also called data rate.

Bit Rot (computer, hardware)
Bit rot is a colloquial computing term used either to describe gradual decay of storage media or to facetiously describe the spontaneous degradation of a software program over time. The later use of the term implies that software can literally wear out or rust like a physical tool. More commonly, bit rot refers to the decay of physical storage mediums.

Bit Serial (communications, computer)
Transmission of one bit after the other on a single line, or cable.

Bit Slicing (computer)
Technique of constructing an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) by interconnecting a set of identical VLSI (very large scale integration) chips called bit slicers. Bit slice chips, typically one, two, or four bits wide, contain all of the circuits necessary to perform a large number of ALU functions including: arithmetic, logic, register storage. The major advantage of bit slicing is to provide a rational basis for packaging very high-speed, high-performance circuits in a reasonable number of IC (integrated circuit) chips.

Bit Slice Processor (computer)
Logic chip that is used as an elementary building block for a computer designer. Bit slice processors usually come in 4-bit increments and are strung together to make larger processors (8 bit, 12 bit, 16 bit, 32 bit, 64 bit, etc.).

Bit Specifications (computer)
Computer's internal word, or register size, which is the amount of data the processor can compute at the same time. If the clock rates are equal (33 MHz, 50 MHz, 100 MHz, 500 MHz etc.) a 32-bit computer works twice as fast as a 16-bit computer – a 64-bit twice as fast as a 32-bet, etc, however, this specification measures only the computational performance.

Size of the computer's data bus, which is the pathway over which data is transferred between memory and the CPU and between memory and the peripheral devices. If the bus clock rates are equal, a 16-bit bus transfers data twice as fast as an 8-bit bus.

Size of the address bus, which determines how much memory the processor can address directly. Each bit doubles the number; for example, a 20-bit address bus addresses 1,048,578 bytes; a 24-bit address bus addresses 16,722,216 bytes.

Bit Stream (communications, computer)
Transmission of binary signals.

Bit Stuffing (communications, computer)
Adding bits to a transmitted message in order to round out a fixed frame or to break up a pattern of data bits that could be misconstrued for control codes.

Bit Twiddler (computer)
Individual who likes to program or work with computers (colloquial).

Bit Wise (computer)
Process evaluating each bit of a combination, such as a byte or word, rather than processing the combination as a single element.

Bits Per Inch (computer)
BPI - Used to measure the number of bits stored in a linear inch of a track on a recording surface, such as on a disk or tape.

Bits Per Second (communications, computer)
BPS - Used to measure the speed of data transfer in a communications system.

bits per second (bps) (computer, standards)
The rate of data transfer over a communication line. The data rate of a modem is measured in kilobits per second.

BitTorrent Client (computer, software)
A BitTorrent client is a computer program that is used to download and upload files via the BitTorrent protocol. The first BitTorrent client was BitTorrent itself, developed by Bram Cohen. There are many BitTorrent clients were created later. Some are based on the original BitTorrent while some are completely rewritten. BitComet and BitLord are two examples of the BitTorrent clients.

bitwise (computer, encoding)
Working on the level of bits rather than bytes or larger units.

bitwise operators (computer, encoding)
Programming statements that work on the level of bits.

BIX (computer)
Byte Information Exchange – originally, an online database of computer knowledge available from BYTE magazine. BIX was designed to help users fix problems and obtain information about specific hardware and software products.

biz (computer, newsgroup)
Top-level newsgroup category for a business newsgroup.

BJT (computer, hardware)
Bipolar Junction Transistor The bipolar junction transistor (BJT) was the first type of transistor to be commercially mass-produced. Bipolar transistors are so named because the main conduction channel uses both electrons and holes to carry the main electric current. Two p-n junctions exist inside the BJT, colector-base junction and base-emitter junction. When the BJT is not powered, the junctions are in unbiased thermal equilibrium with a depletion region formed at each junction.

Black (A/V, computer/printing)
Darkest part of the greyscale, with a reflectance of approximately 3 percent; called TV black. "To Black" means to fade the television picture to black.

In printing, black is the absence of all reflected light, caused by printing an ink whose colorant gives no apparent hue; one of the four process inks.

BlackBerry (communications, service)
BlackBerry is a two-way wireless device, made by Waterloo, that allows users to check e-mail and voice mail (translated into text), as well as to page other users via a wireless network service. Also known as a RIM device, it has a miniature qwerty keyboard for users to type their messages. It uses the SMS protocol. BlackBerry users must subscribe to a wireless service that allows for data transmission.

Black Box (communications, computer)
Specialised hardware converting 1 code into another, for example, from one communications protocol to another. A black box is a transparent solution for interconnecting incompatible hardware and/or software and should not require changes to the existing systems. Originally custom-made items, black boxes have become standard, off-the-shelf products, today.

Black Level (A/V)
Video signal (set at 7.5 on the waveform monitor) that reproduces as black on the monitor screen. Also called picture black.

Black Printer (computer/printing)
Black plate produced from the four-colour separation of an image; used to increase contrast, especially for dark tones.

black widow (computer, software, malware)
A harmful computer program which is downloaded from the WWW as a Java applet.

Blanking Pulse (A/V)
Level of composite picture signal separating the range containing picture information from synchronising information. A scanning beam of a TV camera tube/monitor, traces and retraces the pattern of a raster across an image. Information is transmitted during the forward trace but not during the flyback (retrace). Pulses are then limited to black level (zero picture content), referred to as line blanking (horizontal), field blanking (vertical).

Blank Character (computer)
Space character that takes up one byte in the computer just like a letter or digit. When the space bar is depressed on a keyboard, in an ASCII compatible computer, a character (the actual space), with the numeric value of 32, is created.

Blank Squash (computer)
Removal of blanks between items of data.

BLAST (communications, protocol)
BLocked ASynchronous Transmission protocol (CRG).

Bleaching (computer/photonics)
Removal of the dark grains from a film, thus turning it into a phase filter.

Bleed (computer/printing)
Extend the printed image so that it goes right to the edge of the paper, after binding.

Bleeding (computer/microelectronics)
In photomasking, a poor edge definition or acuity that is caused by the spread of the image onto adjacent areas.

BLER: Block Error Rate Block Error Rate (computer, signalling)
(BLER) is a ratio of the number of erroneous blocks to the total number of blocks received on a digital circuit. Block error rate (BLER) is used for W-CDMA performance requirements tests (demodulation tests in multipath conditions, etc). BLER is measured after channel de-interleaving and decoding by evaluating the Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) on each transport block.

BLI (Busy Lamp Indicator) (communications, feature)
The telephone LED indicating the phone line currently in use.

blind carbon copy (bcc:) (communications, application)
Sending a copy of a letter to another person in addition to the addressee, without showing on the original letter that a copy was sent to someone else.

Blip (A/V, computer)
Mark, line or spot on a medium, such as microfilm, that is optically sensed and used for timing or counting purposes.

Blister (computer/microelectronics)
Lump of a conductor or resistor caused by out-gassing of the binder during oven firing.

Blitting (computer)
Process of using BitBlt functions to copy a bit map from a source to a destination.

Block (communications, computer)
Group of disk or tape records stored and transferred as a single unit.
Group of bits or characters that is transmitted as a unit.
Group of text characters marked for moving, copying, saving or other operation.

Bloatware (computer, software)
Bloatware, also called software bloat or fatware, is a type of software that requires lots of computer resources such as disk space and RAM. It is also used in a more general context to describe programs which appear to be using more system resources than necessary, or implementing extraneous features.

BLOB (computer, database)
Binary Large Object. A database field that can hold images, audio, video, long text blocks, or any digitized information.

Block code (computer, encoding)
Block code is a family of codes having a one-to-one mapping between k-symbol source words and n-symbol code words.

Block Copy Command (computer)
Command used to copy a block of text into a new location (word processing command).

Block Delete Command (computer)
Command used to delete or erase a block of text (word processing command).

Block Diagram (computer/microelectronics)
Chart with squares and rectangles connected by arrows to depict hardware and software components and their interconnections. For flow charts, information system flow charts, circuit diagrams and communications networks, more elaborate representations are used. In microelectronics fabrication, the illustration that depicts the separate functional units of a system and their inter-relationship through the various data and control signal paths.

Block Move Command (computer)
Command used to remove blocks of text from one location and place them elsewhere.

Block Structure (computer)
Programming language concept that allows related declarations and statements to be grouped together. When used carefully, it can help transform a large, unwieldy program into a disciplined, well-structured, easy to understand program.

Blocking (A/V)
Carefully worked out movement and actions by the talent, and movement of all mobile television equipment.

Blocking (computer)
Process of grouping logical records into one physical record, or block.

Blocking Factor (communications, computer)
Number of records in a block.

Blog Client (communications, software)
Blog client, also known as weblog client, is a software that can manage (post, edit) blogs from operating system with no need to launch a web browser. A typical blog client has an editor, a spell-checker and a few more options that simplify content creation and editing.

Blogware (communications, software)
Blogware, also called weblog software or blog software, is a category of software which consists of a specialized form of Content Management Systems specifically designed for creating and maintaining weblogs. Most blogware applications have features such as facilitating authoring and editing of blog posts or articles, various linking and web syndication features, and the ability to easily publish the blog to the world wide web.

Blow (computer)
To write code or data into a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory) chip by blowing the fuses of the 0 bits. The 1 bits are left as is.

Blow Up (computer)
Same as abend, bomb, or crash (the system abended, bombed, crashed).

BNC Connector (communications)
Connector for coax cable, where the plug is like a cylinder with two flanges on the outer edge on opposite sides. The socket is turned, causing the flanges to tighten within it.

Board (computer)
Same as printed circuit board (PCB).

Board Level (computer)
Electronic components mounted on a printed circuit board (not in a cabinet or housing).

Boat (computer/microelectronics)
Container for materials to be evaporated or furnace-fired.

BOC (communications)
Bell Operating Company - one of the 23 telephone companies that was formerly part of AT&T and is now part of one of the seven regional Bell telephone companies.

Body Mount (A/V)
Frame support worn by Electronic News Gathering (ENG) camera operators to balance and distribute the camera's weight.

Body Type (computer)
Also called Body Copy, the main text of a document, as distinct from headings, footers.

BOF (computer)
Beginning Of File - the status of a file when it is first opened or when an instruction or command has reset the file pointer.

Boilerplate (computer)
Any common phrase or expression that is used over again.

Boldface (computer/printer)
Characters brighter than normal on a screen and heavier and darker on printed output.

Boldface Attribute (computer/printer)
Code that turns normal characters into boldface characters on a screen display or printer.

Boldface Font (computer/printer)
Set of type characters darker and heavier than normal. In a boldface font, all the characters are bold. A boldface attribute converts normal characters into boldface.

Bomb (computer)
Same as abend and crash (the system abended, bombed, crashed).

Boom (A/V)
Boom is the same as a Crane.

BOMP (computer)
Bill of Materials Processor - one of the first database management systems used for bill of materials expanders (explosions) in the early 1960s from IBM.

Bond Liftoff (computer/microelectronics)
Failure mode whereby the bonded lead separates from the surface to which it was bonded.

Bond To Bond Distance (computer/microelectronics)
Distance measured from the bonding site on the die to the bond impression on the post, substrate land, or fingers which must be bridged by a bonding wire or ribbon.

Bond To Chip Distance (computer/microelectronics)
In beam lead bonding, the distance from the heel of the bond to the component.

Bonding Pad (computer/microelectronics)
Metallized area at the end of a thin metallic strip or on a semiconductor to which a connection is made. Also called a Bonding Island.

Bonding Ribbon and Tape (computer/microelectronics)
Bonding ribbon and tape are used in the manufacture of high-volume integrated circuits such as memory devices and consumer products. Wire connections between I/O pads (input/output) on the circuit die and the lead frame are replaced by a piece of tape with finely etched fingers that are patterned to fit exactly onto the pads.

Bonding Wire (computer/microelectronics)
Fine gold or aluminium wire for electrical connections in hybrid circuits between bonding pads on the semiconductor device substrate, and device terminals, or substrate lands.

Boolean Expression (computer, mathematics)
Statement using Boolean operators that expresses a condition which is either true or false.

Boolean Logic (computer, mathematics)
Mathematics of logic, developed by the English mathematician George Boole in the mid-19th century. Its rules and operations govern logical functions (true/false) rather than numbers. As add, subtract, multiply and divide are the primary operations of arithmetic, AND, OR and NOT are the primary operations of Boolean logic:

AND accepts two inputs and generates one output. It requires that both inputs be true (1) in order to produce a true output (1).

OR accepts two inputs and generates one output. It only requires one input to be true (1) in order to produce a true output (1).

NOT reverses the input. If a 1 comes in, a 0 goes out, and vice-versa.

Boolean Search (computer)
Search for specific data. It implies that any condition can be searched for using the Boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT.

Boot (computer)
Boot comes from bootstrap; since bootstraps help get a pair of boots on, booting the computer helps it get its first instruction. PCs have a bootstrap routine in a ROM chip that is automatically executed when the computer is turned on (i.e. On/Off switch) or reset (i.e. in DOS, Cntrl-Alt-Delete all at the same time). It searches for the operating system (DOS), loads it and then passes control over to it.

Bootable Disk (computer)
A disk that contains the operating system and typically refers to a floppy disk. Personal computers normally look for a bootable disk in the primary floppy drive. If a hard disk system does not find a bootable floppy upon startup, it boots from the hard disk.

Boot Loader (computer/Windows)
Information needed for system startup, such as the location for the operating system's files. Windows network operating systems automatically create the correct configuration and check this information whenever the end-user on the network starts their personal computer system.

Boot Partition (computer/Windows)
Volume, formatted for either an NTFS, FAT, FAT32 , HPFS file system, that contains the Windows networking operating system and its support files. The boot partition can be (but does not have to be) the same as the system partition.

Booting The System (computer)
Term used to describe turning on the personal computer system, and letting the program (operating system) load the necessary files that turn the system over to the user.

Bootstrap (computer)
Boot or Booting the System (same as Boot): program that "boots" the system.

Border (computer/Windows)
Any of the four sides of a window. The boarders of most windows can be dragged inward or outward with the mouse.

Boston Computer Society (BCS)
Nonprofit membership organisation founded in 1977 by Jonathan Rotenberg. With over 28,000 members, it is one of the largest personal computer associations in the U.S. Member services include special interest groups, a subscription to BCS publication, access to the BCS Resource Centre, public-domain software, shareware, and electronic services.

BPI (computer)
Bits Per Inch - used to measure the number of bits stored in a linear inch of a track on a recording surface, such as on a disk or tape.

BPS (communications, computer)
Bits Per Second - used to measure the speed of data transfer in a communications system.

Bragg Angle (computer/photonics)
Angle between a light beam and a grating, so that light rays interacting with successive lines have path differences of one wavelength.

Bragg Diffraction (computer/photonics)
Constructive interference (in certain directions) of light coming from a grating.

Branch (computer, DOS/Windows)
Instruction that directs the computer to go elsewhere in a program (see goto, jump).

Connection between two blocks in a flowchart or two nodes in a network.

Segment of File Manager Directory Tree, representing a directory and subdirectories.

Breadboard (computer)
Plastic board full of holes used to hold components (transistors, chips, etc.) that are wired together. It is used to develop electronic prototypes or one-of-a-kind systems.

Break (computer)
Temporarily or permanently stop executing, printing, or transmitting.

BREAK (computer/DOS)
DOS Command: Break=On, or Break=Off Controls when DOS checks whether Ctrl-C is pressed. Ctrl-C is used to halt a DOS command. DOS automatically checks for Ctrl-C when sending or receiving information from the keyboard, printer, or screen.

Breakdown (computer/microelectronics)
Large, abrupt rise in electric current in the presence of a small increase in electrical voltage. Breakdown can be intentional or accidental (Lightning is the most familiar). In a gas chamber such as a fluorescent tube, the process is known as ionization discharge. When controlled by the ballast, the process converts electrical power to light. In a solid such as an insulator, when the electric field gradient exceeds a certain threshold, valence bonds between atoms are ruptured and current flows. In a semi-conductor if applied backward or reverse, the potential across a junction reaches a critical level, the current increases rapidly with further rise in voltage. This avalanche characteristic is used for voltage regulation in diodes. In a transistor, the breakdown sets limits to the maximum instantaneous voltage that can safely be applied between collector and emitter.

Breakdown Potential (computer/microelectronics)
Potential difference in a gaseous discharge when a sudden increase in its electrical conductivity takes place. An alternative term is Sparking Potential (electric spark).

Breakpoint (computer)
Cause an interruption in program operation. Ctrl-C is the standard DOS break key combination, but it will seldom halt the operation of a Windows application. In Windows, Esc is more commonly used to cause an operation to terminate prior to completion. Breakpoint is a designated statement causing program execution to halt after executing the statement preceding it. Breakpoints may be toggled on or off by a Visual Basic menu selection, Run/Toggle Breakpoint, or the F9 function key.

Break Key (computer)
Key that is pressed to stop the execution of the current program or transmission. The standard DOS break key combination is Ctrl+C, but it will seldom halt the operation of a Windows application. In Windows, Esc is more commonly used to cause an operation to terminate prior to completion.

Breakout Box (communications, computer)
Device that is connected into a multi-line cable and provides terminal connections for testing the signals in a transmission. Breakout boxes may also have a small light for each line that glows when a signal is transmitted over that line.

Bridge (communications, computer)
Electronic device or software used to connect one type of network or communication system protocol with another of the same type. In multimedia, a bridge is a standard enabling CDs created in different formats to be read by a single drive.

Connecting two networks of the same type together as opposed to a gateway, which interconnects two different types of networks (see brouter and router).

Purposefully or inadvertently cross from one circuit, or channel to another.

Bridgeware (communications, computer)
Hardware/Software converting data or translating programs from one format to another.

Bridge Circuit (computer/microelectronics)
Electrical network with four impedance forming diamond-shaped network. Bridge circuits perform numerous functions depending upon the type of circuit elements used in the arms of the bridge (i.e. frequency measurement, wheatstone bridge, oscillators).

Bright True Logic (BTL) (computer/photonics)
Optical logic system in which the logical "True" (logical "1") is represented by a bright point of light. "False" (logical "0") is represented by darkness.

Brightness (A/V, computer/printing)
Attribute of colour that determines how dark or light a colour appears on the television screen, or how much light the colour reflects.

In printing, the lightness value of a colour or tone, regardless of its hue or saturation.

British Telecom (communications)
Division of British Post Office managing telecommunications in the U.K, N.Ireland.

Broad (A/V)
Floodlight with a broadside, pan-like reflector.

Broadband (communications)
Technique for transmitting large amounts of data, voice and video over long distances. Using high frequency transmission over fiber optics, for example, broadband transmission requires modems for connecting terminals and computers to the network. Using the same FDM (frequency division multiplexing) techniques as in CABLE TV, several streams of data can be transmitted simultaneously. TV signals off of a transmitter, or a camera - out of a VCR, etc. use broadband techniques. Bit rate on/off type transmissions on a Local Area Network use baseband techniques. (Contrast Broadband with Baseband)

Broadband code division multiple access (B-CDMA) (communications, standards)
Designed to correct many of the inherent short-falls of IS-95 (narrowband CDMA) and other digital narrowband technologies. In addition, it is being designed as a long-term solution to both voice and data wireless needs -- fixed and mobile. Some of the technical aspects of the B-CDMA air interface are related to its propagation characteristics.

Broadcast (A/V)
To disseminate information to recipients simultaneously (one-way, not interactive)

Broadcast Messages (communications, computer/LAN)
Messages sent to all computers on a network (one-way, not interactive).

Brouter (communications)
Communications device performing functions of a bridge and router. Like a bridge, a brouter functions at the ISO/OSI data link level (Layer 2) and remains independent of higher protocols, but like a router, manages multiple lines & routes messages accordingly.

Browse (computer/Windows)
View and possibly edit a file on screen like text in a word processing document. Browse commands let the user scroll through the data horizontally be file and vertically by row or screenful. To view and edit the class hierarchy of the objects in and object-oriented programming language. To look through lists of directories, files, groups, domains.

BSC (communications)
Binary Synchronous - a major category of synchronous communications protocols used extensively in mainframe networks. Bisync communications require that both sending and receiving devices are synchronized before transmission of data is started.

B-Spline (computer)
In computer graphics, a curve that is generated using a mathematical formula which assures continuity with other b-splines.

BTAM (communications, computer)
Basic Telecommunications Access Method - IBM communications program that is used in bisynch, non-SNA mainframe networks. Application programs must interface directly with the BTAM access method.

BTLZ (communications)
British Telecom Lempel Ziv - a data compression algorithm based on the Lempel-Ziv method that achieved up to 4 times the throughput of 2,400 and 9,600 bps modems.

B-tree (computer)
Balanced-tree - organization technique for indexes. In order to keep access time to all data at a minimum, it stores the data keys in a balanced hierarchy that continually realigns itself as items are inserted and deleted.

BTSC (A/V, M/M)
Broadcast Television System Committee - the U.S. version for multi-channel television sound (MTS) providing for two-channel stereo and an optional mono SAP (Separate Audio Program) channel that is used for purposes such as bilingual broadcasting.

Bubble (computer)
Bit in bubble memory or a symbol in a bubble chart.

Bubble Chart (computer)
Chart that uses bubble-like symbols which is often used to depict data flow diagrams.

Bubble Jet Printer (computer/printer)
Printer that used a rising and falling bubble to force drops of ink onto paper.

Bubble Memory (computer)
Solid state storage technology that combines semiconductor and magnetic methods. It is used in rugged, heavy duty, and military field applications. Conceptually, bubble memory can be thought of as a stationary disk whose bits spin instead of the disk. Bubble memory units are only 1 or 2 square inches in size and contain a thin film magnetic recording layer. The bubbles (globular shaped bits) are electromagnetically generated in circular strings inside this layer. In order to read or write the bubbles, the strings of bubbles are made to rotate past the equivalent of a read/write head.

Bubble Sort (computer)
Multiple-pass sorting technique that starts by sequencing the first two items, then the second with the third, then the third with the fourth and so on until the end of the set has been reached. The process is repeated until all items are in the correct sequence.

Buckyballs (computer/printing)
Carbon-like molecule, geodesic in shape that links itself to other modules to form new compounds with new properties. Named after Buckminster Fuller, the material improves copier image as a result of the size of the buckyball molecule. The smaller the carbon particles, the higher the resolution, and buckeyballs are one-thousandth the size of the carbon particles in the older, photocopier toner (Xerox Corporation, Inventor).

Buffer (communications, computer)
In memory, a reserved area of a designated size (number of bytes). A buffer is typically used to hold a portion of a file or the value of a variable. In multimedia, for example, when waveform audio is recorded, a buffer is created to hold the digital representation of the sound. When the recording is complete and ready to save, the content of the buffer is written to the hard disk, and the memory reserved by the buffer is freed.

Buffer Pool (computer)
Area of memory reserved for buffers.

BUFFERS (computer/DOS)
DOS Command: Buffers= Allocates space for DOS to use as buffers. Buffers are used to temporarily store information read from a file or to be written to a file. By increasing buffers, execution speed can be increased, but memory available for programs is decreased. Secondary cache can also be used to store additional information from files.

Bug (computer)
Persistent error in software or hardware. If in software, it can be corrected by changing the program. If the bug is in hardware, new circuits have to be designed.

Bug Compatible (computer)
Hardware device that contains the same design flaws as the original.

Built In Font (computer/printer)
Also resident or hardware font - built into the read-only memory (ROM) of a printer.

Built In Groups (computer/Windows)
Default groups provided with Windows networking and server software. Built-in groups have been granted collections of rights and built-in abilities. A built-in group can provide all the capabilities needed by a particular user. If a domain user account belongs to the Administrators group, logging on with that account gives a user administrative capabilities over the domain and the servers domain.

Bulk Dump (computer, M/M)
In MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) terminology, a long series of System Exclusive (SysEx) messages that may represent the setup information (patches) for a group of voices on a synthesizer or one or more sound samples in PCM format.

Bulk Storage (computer)
Storage not used for high-speed execution; refers to auxiliary memory, tape, or disk.

Bullet (computer/printing)
Dot, usually darker than text, used as an ornamental and defining element of the text.

Bulletin Board System (BBS)
Telephone-linked personal computer that provide public-access message systems.

Bump Chip (computer/microelectronics)
Chip that has on its termination pads a bump of solder or other bonding material that is used to bond the chip to external contacts.

Bump Contact (computer/microelectronics)
Large area contact used for alloying directly to the substrate of a chip, for mounting or interconnecting purposes.

Bundled/Unbundled (computer)
Bundled indicates a complete package of hardware and software for a single price. Unbundled systems have separate prices for each component.

Bunny Suit (computer)
Protective clothing worn in a clean room that keeps human bacteria from infecting the chip-making process. It got its name because it makes people look like oversized rabbits.

Buried Layer (computer/microelectronics)
Heavily doped region (N+) directly under the N doped epitaxial collector region of transistors in a monolithic integrated circuit used to lower the series collector resistance.

Burn (A/V)
Flaw in a video tube that reoccurs in the same frame position and is often caused by extended overexposure. In industrial grade video tubes, a flaw that may have occurred during the fabrication process but that is not noticeable and the tube can be sold for a reduced price, compared to the price for a flawless video tube.

Burn In (communications, computer)
Test a system by running if for a specified length of time. Although an electronic component can fail at any time, weak components will generally fail within the first few hours of running. The longer the burn in period, the better the test. In micro-electronics, the operation of electronic components, often at elevated temperatures, prior to ultimate application, in order to stabilise their characteristics and identify their early failures.

Burn In - Dynamic (computer/microelectronics)
High temperature test, with devices subjected to actual or simulated operating conditions.

Burn In - Static (computer/microelectronics)
High temperature test, with devices subjected to unvarying voltage rather than to operating conditions, using either forward or reverse bias.

Burst (A/V)
Signal consisting of nine cycles of subcarrier that forms the phase or hue reference for all the other colours in the video image.

Burst Flag (A/V)
Keying or gating signal used in forming colour burst from a chrominance subcarrier source.

Burst Mode (communications, computer)
Alternate method of high-speed communications. Burst mode implies that due to certain conditions, the system can send a burst of data at higher speed for some period of time. For example, a multiplexer channel may suspend transmission of several streams of data and send one high-speed transmission using the entire bandwidth.

Burster (computer/printer)
Mechanical device that separates continuous paper forms into cut sheets. A burster can be attached to the end of a collator, which separates multipart forms into single parts.

Bus (A/V, computer/microelectronics)
Row of buttons on audio or video switcher. A common central circuit that receives from several sources or feeds to several separate destinations. A pair of buses is called a bank.

Bus (communications, computer)
Common channel, or pathway, between devices either internally between components in a computer, or externally between stations in a communications network When bus architecture is used in a computer, the processor(s), memory banks and peripheral control units are all interconnected through the bus. The bus is divided into two channels, one to select where data is located (address bus), and the other to transfer the data (data bus). When a board is plugged into one of the expansion slots in a PC, it is plugged into the bus. When bus architecture is used in a network, all terminals and computers are connected to a common channel that is made of coax cable, fiber optic cable, or twisted pair wires.

Bus Bridge (computer)
Device that connects two similar, or dissimilar, buses together. This is not the same as a communications bridge, which connects two similar networks together.

Bus Driver (computer/microelectronics)
Circuit for amplifying bus signals to ensure valid receipt of signals at their destinations.

Bus Extender (computer)
Board that pushes a circuit board out of the way of surrounding boards for testing. It plugs into an expansion slot, and the expansion board plugs into the bus extender. Also, a device that extends the length of a communications channel. Also, a device that increases the number of available expansion slots. It is an individual housing of expansion slots cabled to a board that plugs into one of the free slots in the original bus. It may contain its own power supply to ensure reliable operations.

Bus Mastering (computer)
Bus design that allows add-on boards to process independently of the CPU and to be able to access the computer's memory and peripherals on their own.

Bus Mouse (computer)
Mouse that plugs into a printed circuit board in a computer's bus. Contrast with serial mouse. A bus mouse takes up one expansion slot, whereas the serial mouse takes up one serial post: choice depends on how many devices must be connected to each socket.

Business Graphics (computer)
Numeric data in graphic form. While line graphs, bar and pie charts are the common forms of business graphics, there are many additional graphic representations available. Most people think in pictures. By transforming data into graphic form, patterns of activity can be viewed and related to more quickly.

Business Machine
Any office machine, such as a typewriter or calculator, that is used in clerical and accounting functions. The term has traditionally excluded computers and terminals.

Bust Shot (A/V)
Framing of a person from the upper torso to the top of the head.

Busy Picture (A/V)
The picture, as it appears on the television screen, is too cluttered.

Butterfly Switch (computer)
Parallel processing topology from BBN Advanced Computers Inc., that mimis a crossbar and provides high-speed switching of data between nodes.

Button (computer, M/M)
Physical button on a device, such as a mouse, or a simulated button on screen (icon) that is "pushed" by moving the cursor onto it and clicking the mouse.

By Fax (Facsimile) (communications)
Use of a facsimile device (fax); refers to "fax" transmission over telephone lines.

By Modem (communications)
Use of a modem; typically refers to transmission of data over the telephone system.

Bypass (communications)
To circumvent the local telephone company for voice and data signals. Bypass is accomplished by using satellite, microwave, and alternative services companies like Hughes, Sprint, MCI, etc. If a company already has an internal building network it can obtain bids for bypass telecommunications services and enhanced service providers.

Byte (communications, computer)
Common unit of storage from personal computers to mainframes. A byte is made up of eight binary digits (bits). A ninth bit may be added as a parity bit for error checking. A byte holds a single character (A) a dollar sign, a decimal point or number (0 to 256).

Byte Addressable (computer)
Computer that can address each byte of memory independently of the others.

Byte Magazine (computer)
McGraw Hill publication dedicated to the personal computer industry and users.

Byte Oriented Protocol (communications, computer)
Communications protocol which uses control codes that are made up of full bytes. The bisynchronous protocols used by IBM and other vendors are examples (see bit-oriented).