Jargon Buster

Back Up

is a utility used to take a copy of the database or subsets ot the database, usually to tape. This copy can be used to restore the database in case of serious failure

Bandwidth

is the amount of information traveling through a single channel at any one moment in time. If you are using a dial up of 56 K than you can expect to receive a maximum of 56 K bits per second of information. If you are using a cable or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) connection to the internet you can expect to receive a maximum of about 300 K bits per second of information

Baud Rate

is the speed at which data travels through a modem, measured in bps (bits per second). Most modems today range from 2400 to over 50,000 bps

Beta

Version of a software application or system still in development. Companies make beta versions available to selected testers for evaluation, testing and feedback.

BI

The term Business Intelligence (BI) typically refers to a set of business processes for collecting and analyzing business information. This includes the technology used in these processes, and the information obtained from these processes.

Binary

is a direct representation of the bits stored in Random Access Memory (RAM) on a computer

Biometrics

The use of measurable physical characteristics for identification purposes, such as fingerprinting.

BIOS

Basic Input Output System. Software built into all PCs, to control the basic operation of devices such as the screen, hard disk and keyboard. When a PC is switched on, the BIOS automatically kicks in, and looks for a drive (like the hard disk) from which the operating system proper can be launched.

Bit

Binary DigIT is the smallest unit of computerized data, comprising of either a 1 or 0. A combination of bits can indicate an alphabetic character, a numeric digit, or perform a signaling, switching or other function

Bitmap

often shortened to .BMP - a type of image file that doesn't use compression and is hence very large in file size

Bluetooth

A technology that allows devices (computers, phones, printers, etc.) to communicate with each other wirelessly.

Body text

Text makes up the bulk of a story, article or chapter, rather than the headings or footnotes.

Bookmark

A way of flagging favourite websites in your web browser for later reference, much like marking a page in a book.

Boolean

Logical propositions, such as AND, OR and IF, often used to refine searches or filter computer data. Named after Boole, a 19th c. English mathematician.

Bot

is a program that automatically searches the internet to scout for new sites and keywords to include in their database

BPM

The term Business Process Management (or BPM) refers to a set of activities which organizations can perform to either optimize their business processes or adapt them to new organizational needs. As these activities are usually aided by software tools, the term BPM is synonymously used to refer to the software tools themselves.

Bps

Bits Per Second is rate of data transfer between computers or modems

Broadband

is a wide band of frequencies used to transmit information. Information is multiplexed and sent on many different frequencies or channels within the band, allowing more information to be transmitted at the same time

Browser

allows the user to search the World Wide Web and other Internet facilities using a Graphical User Interface

Bug

Error in a program

Byte

a set of bits that represent a single character. There are 8 bits in a byte