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Term
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Description
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Backup
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Backups
can be made by copying files under a different name or by copying
them to another directory, another drive, or a different storage
media. Backups are used to replace or restore files if they should
become lost or corrupted. |
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Backward
Compatible
|
Refers
to new hardware and software that is able to support older, existing
technologies. People would be a lot less likely to purchase a
new piece of hardware or software if it wouldn't support all their
old programs or read their previous data files. |
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Bandwidth
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Bandwidth
is the range of frequencies that a communication cable or channel
can carry. In the computer world, it generally refers to the amount
of data that can be carried by a specific cable or bus. |
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Bitmapped
Image
|
An
image in which pixels are arranged in a grid format, like a sheet
of graph paper. The colors and arrangement of the pixels form
the picture. This type f graphic is also called a "raster"
image. Examples of bitmapped formats include .BMP (Windows Bitmap)
and TIFF (tagged-image file format). |
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Binary
Number System
|
In
our everyday lives we use a decimal numbering system containing
10 digits, 0 through 9. Computers use a binary numbering system
which contains only 2 numbers, 0 and 1, called binary digits or
bits. |
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BIOS
|
Basic
Input Output System - Sometimes called the ROM Bios, this is firmware
that controls most of your computers basic input and output functions
such as communications with the drives or the system memory. |
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BMP
|
Bit
mapped file. A type of graphics file that is stored and written
as a series of binary digits or bits arranged in a grid format.
The files have a .bmp extension and can be viewed, changed, or
printed from any graphics program that supports that format. See
Bitmapped Image. |
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Boot Record
|
The
boot record on your hard drives are at the beginning of each logical
partition and contain info about that drive. If the boot record
is on the active or bootable partition then it also contains start
up procedure that boots the Operating System. This is different
from the Master Boot Record. |
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Bootable
Disk
|
A
floppy disk that contains the necessary system files that will
complete the computers boot up sequence and load a basic Operating
System. |
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Booting
|
The
process and functions that a computer goes through when it first
starts up, ending in the proper loading of the Operating System
and preparing it to receive commands. |
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Braindump
|
Writing
down everything you can think of about a certain subject. Often,
after cramming for an exam, the first thing a student will do
once he's seated at the exam centre, is write down as much info
as he can remember (tables, dates, names and pertinent memorized
data). A braindump after an exam refers to writing down as many
of the questions that can be remembered from the actual test.
This can help other students to study for the same exam. |
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Buffer
|
A
temporary storage area in a computer's memory that holds recent
changes and other information to be transferred to another device
in larger blocks. This helps tremendously to speed up the computing
process. Access to RAM is much faster than access to a hard drive
or printer. Instead of accessing a hard drive hundreds or even
thousands of times, the information is stored in the much faster
buffer until it reaches a pre-determined size. It is then dumped
(written) to the drive in a single access. This is repeated continually. |
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Bullet
|
Small
graphical elements used to set off items in a list. Instead of
numbering each item in a list, you will often see small dots,
dashes, arrows, squares, etc. to make each item in a list stand
out from the other. These are called bullets. |
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Bus
|
The
electronic pathways that link different devices to each other.
In a computer, these pathways can carry data and information in
digital form (binary digits or 'bits') to and from each of the
different components (CPU, RAM, expansion cards, etc.) The amount
of data that can be moved along a bus is determined by the number
of lines or connections it has for moving binary information.
For instance, a 32-bit bus will have 32 connectors and be able
to move 32 bits at a time. It would be considered 32 bits wide. |
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Bus Speed
|
The
speed (measured in megahertz, MHz) at which information or data
can move across the bus on the motherboard. |
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