- backbone - The
connections between the primary computers in a network.
Stub networks branch off the backbone.
- back link -
Hyperlink that connects into the same page as opposed to
a normal link that takes the user to another page.
- bandwidth - The
measure of a transmission facility's ability to transmit
signals that span a range of frequencies without
degrading the amount of power in the signal more than
50%. For example, if measurements are performed on a
transmission line and it is found that all signals of
frequency below 300 Hz (cycles per second) and all
signals of frequency beyond 3000 Hz lose half their power
traversing the line, while signals between 300 and 3000
Hz retain at least 50% of their power, the line is said
to have a bandwidth of 2700 Hz (3000 - 300). Sometimes,
the maximum possible throughput of a data link in bits
per second is referred to as the bandwidth, although that
is technically incorrect.
- batch - A mode in
which the user submits a program for execution and later
receives an indication as to whether it ran successfully
or not. Typically, processing large volume of business
data is done in this mode at the end of each day's
on-line activities. For example, in a bank, during the
business hours transactions are entered on-line and at
the end of day these transactions are posted to the
individual accounts in 'batch' (and your balance is
reduced!).
- baud - In common
usage the "baud rate" of a modem is how many
bits it can send or receive per second. Technically,
"baud" is the number of times per second that
the carrier signal shifts value - so a 1200
bit-per-second modem actually runs at 300 baud, but it
moves 4 bits per baud (4 x 300 = 1200 bits per second).
It is no longer fashionable, however, having been
replaced by the more direct "bits per second"
or BPS.
- BBS - Bulletin Board
System - As the name implies, this is the forum for
carrying on discussions, uploading and downloading files,
and generally obtaining on-line information and services
or a congregation gathered electronically via a modem
that allows the users to post messages. An example of a
major BBS is 'Compuserv' while all over the world there
are thousands of small BBS services in operation.
- beta version -
Software that is released to a select group of developers
/ individuals for testing the product before its
commercial distribution. 'Bugs' are supposed to be
uncovered during the 'beta' testing phase but I know you
are giving a derisive smile. Sometimes, we pay for a
'beta' product, don't we?
- binary - Relating
to a number system that allows only two values, 0 and 1
as opposed to the decimal system that we are all aware of
- numbers from 0 to 9. When this term is used in the
context of files, it means that the file contains
non-printable non-readable-by-humans type of characters
that use all the 256 ASCII symbols and codes. Programs,
images, sound clips are some of the files that belong to
this category.
- bit - A binary digit
that can have either of the two values - 0 or 1.
- bitmap - Any
picture you see on a Web page is a bitmap. Bitmaps that
are recognised by browsers are in GIF or JPEG file
formats. As its name suggests, a bitmap is a map of dots
or "pixels". If you zoom in on or try to scale
up a bitmap, it will look blocky.
- bleed - In a web
page layout, extension of design and artwork to the
extreme edge of the page allowing no margin. Adopted in
web design to mean an image that flows outside what is
assumed to be the user's content area.
- bookmark - A web
address in the form of an URL that the user keeps a
record of in order to be able to return to it easily.
Another usage of bookmark is inside the web page itself.
When you design a web page, you may keep bookmarks at
appropriate places and refer to it in the link using a #
sign.
- boolean -
"Boolean logic" is a system of getting 'True'
or 'False' condition for searching and retreiving
information from computers by using and combining terms
such as AND, OR, and NOT. For example, if the web page
contains the phrase 'NO MORE FLAWS' and you search for
'YES' AND 'FLAWS' this page will not be returned. On the
other hand, if you search for 'YES' OR 'FLAWS', you will
get this page in your search results.
- boot - The process of
loading a computer's memory with sufficient information
that it can function. Often, the first information loaded
is used by the machine to read in additional information,
a process akin to "pulling oneself up by one's
bootstraps", hence the term bootstrapping or
booting. In less technical terms, booting simply means
'turning the machine on'.
- bot - Shortened for
'Robot'. These are automatic programs that reside in a
machine and run 24-hours and 7-days or at pre-set
periods. The most popular use of these programs in the
internet world (called 'spiders' or 'crawlers') is in the
various search engines like 'Alta Vista', 'Lycos' and
'Excite'. Bots explore the web by retrieving a document
and following all the hyperlinks in it and generate
catalogs that can be accessed by search engines.
- BPS - Bits Per Second.
A measure of transmission speed.
- broadband - A
transmission system in which signals are applied to the
transmission medium after being translated in frequnecy.
For example, human voice signals in the 300-3000 Hz range
might occur on the transmission facility in the
2,000,300-2,003,000 Hz range. In a broadband system,
there are typically many different sets of signals on the
transmission medium at one time, each set of signals
having been translated to other noninterfering
frequencies. The opposite of broadband transmission is
baseband.
- browser - A
program that allows users to access documents on the web.
Browsers can be either text or graphic. They read HTML
coded pages that reside on a server and interpret the
coding into what we see as web pages. Netscape Navigator
or Microsoft Internet Explorer are examples of web
browsers.
- bugs - Mistake in a
program occassionally called 'features' by the
distributors (and 'bug fixes' are called 'improvements'
or 'new features' !).
- bullets - A small
dot or a dark circle (as is seen on this line) normally
before each item on a list.