B

 

Wildmoz Internet Glossary A-Z

 

Your Handy Glossary B:

 

Glossary-B-Wildmoz.com

Back End:
Back end; the back end for example is where I go when I edit a website. It is the area that authorized users can sign into to add, remove and modify content on a website.

Backbone:
Backbone, for example is a network, consisting of a series of connections in a computer or for high-speed lines like coaxial cable, phone or power lines that form the network pathway, for Ethernet. See Ethernet in this glossary.

Band:
Band is range of frequencies between lines, defined as the upper line and lower line, which form the limits of the signal, or data that is transferred. Like the expression to ‘keep between the lines’ as in broad band, lower band or upper band.

Bandwidth:
Bandwidth is the capacity of information carried on a communication channel. This is the amount of data that is transferred over the internet. Every time a page is visited on the Web, bandwidth usage is determined by the amount of data that is transferred to access that page. This Internet data is transferred to a browser and then displayed on a computer. The size of the bandwidth used determines the size of the file i.e. large file size, equals large bandwidth usage.

Baud rate:
Baud rate was the first method to measure data transmission speeds. It was replaced by bits per second, which is a more accurate method of measuring data transference. The baud rate unit interval or modulation rate was too broad of a measure, being measured in electrical current state change per second. Whereas bits are measured by bits of data instead, making it a more accurate method of measuring. Baud rate and bit rate cannot be compared against each other; being different measurements. See Bit in this glossary.

BBS:
BBS is a Bulletin Board System and is as its name suggests. Initially the system was used by hobbyists to share information. Now is used by governments as well as online international communities for host computer communicating. The board system allows for a dial up or login format. Being text based it is used mainly for e-mail, text chat and file downloads. This individual type of system application attracts people with the same specific interests or allegiances.

Binary code:
Binary code is a numeric system made up of 1’s and 0’s that represents all numbers. These binary numbers of only 1’s and 0’s commonly called “on” and “off” and is read from right to left. These make up the entire numbering system that constitutes computer code or language. This simple language is what is used to for graphic design and all computer application. It might be of interest to you to know, that the first record of binary numbers was in the year 100 BC.

Binaries:
Binaries consist of hosts and targets. The host is, let us say Linux and the target in this example is a platform designed by Pascal to be a blogging system. Note that the binaries are platform specific or open source code, computer programs, or executable. This makes combinations of hosts and operating platforms almost endless, using open source or pre-compiled binaries.

Bit:
Bit, a single bit holds one of two values: 0 or 1, therefore the combination of bits or 1’s and 0’s constitute, a byte when having 8 consecutive bits, thereby making it into a meaning combination and finally constituting a language. See Byte in this Glossary.

Blog, Blogs:
Blog, Blogs are logs in a journal or diary and the word is an abbreviation for weblog. Blogs are constructed and used in much the same way as websites. Blogs are constantly developing, although the main difference a blog has with a website, is that it allows designated comments by its readers. Also common to blogs are categories, archives and recent posts unlike a website. It is mainly a posting format as opposed to the page format that is deployed by websites. Although a blogging format can have pages individually as well as the page of posts it commonly follows. See Web log in this Glossary.

Blog host:
Blog host is a CMS or content management system. In the case of blogs there are both free and paid for hosts, with a large array of services. Examples are WordPress.org and WordPress.com. With the .org platform you own and pay for your domain name and pay for private hosting, with .com they own your domain name and do free hosting for you. With .org you can build a website out of a blog, but not with .com which is exclusively a blogging CMS platform. There are a number of other differences as well but these are the basics. See CMS in this glossary.

Blogosphere:
Blogosphere although not to be defined as a sphere or dome, is loosely a term applied or adapted to the collective community of blogs and bloggers, much like atmosphere. Blogs chiefly being a social network as such, give the perception that they exist chiefly together and therefore constitute a blogosphere. This is derived if you will, from the logo-sphere community, created by these collective bloggers in cyberspace. It is good to know that the phrase blogosphere was originally coined as a joke.

Bookmark:
Bookmark is a Web page link stored in a favourite page or browser bar for quick and easy access or retrieval. See Favourite page in this Glossary.

Boolean:
Boolean is either “0” or “1” – “true” or “false, much like binary code, or the algebraic system of logic. This is a logical data type with two values used in programing languages like Pascal and Java. See Digital in this glossary.

Bootstrap:
Bootstrap is a process by which a small amount of code being a small program is used to initialize a larger amount of code/program or operating system. Best noticed from the racing sound that is heard when a computer is first switched on at start-up.

Bot:
Bot, also known as web robots are software applications created for multiple uses on the Internet. Bots are both helpful and destructive, depending on the applications programmer and purpose for which it was intended. Web spidering Bots are most used for things like information and script fetching from servers. Some other types are search bots, gaming bots, video bots, chat bots, spam bots, web scraper bots and malicious bots.

Bps:
Bps, bits per second or bit rate is the standard measure of data transmission speeds. See also Bit in this Glossary.

Bread crumbs:
Bread crumbs are the path leading to the source file. Bread crumbs commonly begin at the main tab for example leading down the hierarchy from a child page on to a grandchild page and so forth. Or they create a path or trail through links/crumbs from elsewhere on the web culminating at your website.

Bridge:
Bridge in a network, is a device linking two or more sections of that network known as a network bridge, commonly with LAN. See LAN in this glossary.

Broadband:
Broadband has a high range of frequencies within a band, creating the ability for high traffic. The speed that data is transferred or transmitted is measured in a time scale. With digital devices, the bandwidth or the amount of time data takes to be transmitted is usually expressed in bits per second (bps) or bytes per second. Broadband technology allows transmissions of data, audio, and video all at once, over long distances by means of cable or radio signal. See also Narrowband in this Glossary.

Browser:
Browser is an abbreviation of Web browser. Browsers are software applications, used mainly to locate, link and display Web pages. The most popular browsers currently are Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

BSOD:
BSOD is an acronym that refers to, what is know as the “Blue Screen of Death.” So named by some IBM technicians when it first appeared as a result of a bug in the early years of the OS/2 operating system. This technical bug or fatal error causes a memory dump in protecting the kernel that results in a stop error or BSOD. There are many instances where a stop error can occur, such as on boot-up, with a faulty disk driver or a group of faulty files causing the kernel to shut down, thereby protect the computer from any further damage due to the fatal error.

Buffer:
Buffer is an aid to the CPU, in that it stores data for a temporary period, using mostly RAM as the holding area. Enabling the CPU through buffering to manipulate data transference before it is sent to a device.

Byte:
Byte in most computer systems, is a unit of information that is 8 bits long. A byte is the most common unit computers use to represent a character such as a letter or number. Typical byte sizes are 8, 16 and 32. See Kilobyte in this glossary.

Site Map


Meet Our Authors: The Wildmoz team, Cari and Moz, have a lifelong passion for the Bushveld and share adventures and stories about Africa's good things. Wildmoz is Africa - the cradle of life! Travel writing about wildlife, African folklore, wildlife art, Kruger Park and wildlife safari info! Taste life as it is in Africa.
 Posted by on October 2, 2013