~~ Techie Terms 2 ~~

52) Bioemtrics: The use of measurable physical characteristics for idenitification purposes, such as fingerprinting.

53) 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.

54) Bit: A contraction of binary digit, which is the smallest unit of computer data. A bit can hold one of two values ? 1 or 0. Consecutive bits combine together to form larger units of information. There are eight bits in a 'byte'.

55) Bitmap (BMP): A type of graphic image recorded as many tiny dots (or pixels). Scanned photographs and similar images are often stored in this form. If you use an image-editing application to zoom in on a bitmap image, the pixels will gradually become distinct. BMP image files tend to be quite large, so other types are more popular.

56) Blanking plates: Plastic or metal plates on the back and front of a PC, fitted by manufacturers to cover unused expansion bays. Blanking plates can be easily removed when new devices are fitted.

57) Blend: In image editing, the combining of one or more graphic layers.

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

59) Blu-Ray: A new format that will deliver high-definition on DVD-sized discs.Movies and the first compatible players are expected by the end of 2005.

60) Body text: Text makes up the bulk of a story, article or chapter, rather than the headings or footnotes.

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

62) 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.

63) Boot: The process a PC goes through after it is switched on ? performing a quick self-test, loading Windows, and so on.

64) Boot disk: A disk containing the operating system components essential for getting a PC up and running. Usually, the boot disk is the computer's hard disk but in times of strife, a suitably-prepared floppy disk can be used to kick-start a PC.

65) Boot sector: Area of a disk containing instructions enabling a computer to launch an operating system (such as Windows). These instructions are executed every time the computer starts up.

66) Bps ( Bits per second ): Measure of computer data transmission speed. For example, a 56Kbps modem can receive up to 56,000 bits of computer data per second.

67) Broadband: Refers to high-bandwidth internet connections, such as ADSL.

68) Browse: Using a web browser application to look at websites on the net.

69) Browser: The short name for a web browser ? an application that lets you view pages on the internet. Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator are the two most popular browsers.

70) Brush: Image-editing tools offer a selection of brushes for 'painting' on the screen. Some act like thick marker pens while others create an aerosol-like effect.

71) Bubblejet: Canon's trademarked name for its own inkjet printing technology.
BufferA small amount of memory used as a reservoir for data that's provided (usually in spurts) from a source.

72) Burn-proof: Technology used by some CD-RW drives to ensure error-free and foolproof disc creation.

73) Bus: In computer terminology, a bus is the data path on the motherboard that devices use to communicate with the processor.

74) Bus mastering PCI: A technology which reduces the burden on the processor when transferring data to and from the hard disk and other devices.

75) Byte: a unit of computer storage that can hold a single character. 1024 bytes make a kilobyte, or 1Kb.

76) C++: Programming language popular with professional computer software developers, and used to create many of today's top applications.

77) Cable: Shorthand for cable television and associated services.

78) Cache: A store for frequently-used data or files. Data can be accessed from a cache more quickly than from its original source. Internet Explorer uses a hard disk cache for web pages, while computer processors often have small amounts of very speedy memory as a cache.

79) CAD: Stands for Computer-Aided Design, which are special software applications that allow designers and architects to draw precise blueprints on screen, then model them in 3D to see how the design will appear in real life.

80) Caller ID: A system which enables a telephone caller's number to be displayed before the handset is picked up. Supported by most telecommunications companies and systems these days.

81) Capture cards: A video card that slots into a spare PCI slot in your computer and has the input and output sockets necessary for digitising video.

82) Capturing: The process of taking an ordinary analogue signal from a camcorder and converting it into digital information to be stored on a computer's hard disk.

83) CD changer: A device that can hold several CDs and switch between them as and when required.

84) CD writer: A special type of CD-ROM drive, which allows you to create, or 'burn', your own CDs.

85) CD-R: Standard for compact disc recordable format, or blank CDs onto which information (such as data or music) can be recorded ? but only once. Playable on most CD-ROM drives (except some older ones) and CD players. You need a CD-R drive to record onto CD-R discs.

86) CD-ROM: A version of the CD, which can store a lot more than just music. This small plastic disc can hold up to 650Mb of data.

87) CD-ROM drive: Used for installing software (on CD-ROM discs) and playing multimedia audio and video. Audio CDs can also be inserted.

88) CD-RW: Stands for compact disc rewritable format, or blank compact discs which can be recorded on over and over again.

89) Celeron: Cheaper but slower version of the Intel Pentium processor, used in budget PCs.

90) Cell: A spreadsheet page uses rows and columns to divide a page into cells. Rows and columns are identified with letters and numbers, so each cell has a unique co-ordinate, such as D15.

91) Channels: In the context of monitors, images are made up of three colour 'channels', one each to represent red, green and blue ? or RGB.

92) Charge-coupled device (CCD): A light-sensitive component used in digital cameras and camcorders.

93) Chat rooms: Online venues for typed chat, rather like the premium-rate chat lines you see advertised on late-night TV. Some even allow you to create cartoon-style characters to represent yourself.

94) Checksum: Mathematical formula performed on some data to generate a result that will be statistically unique for that data.

95) Chipset: Broadly speaking, any group of computer chips working together to perform certain functions. For example, a graphics card will have a number of chips ? the chipset ? designed to handle all graphics output.

96) Chorus: An audio effect that 'fattens up' the sound of a single instrument, to simulate several playing at once.

97) Chromakey effects: Sometimes known as blue-screening because subjects are filmed in front of a blue screen before being 'extracted' from the video. The subject can then be placed on top of another scene, giving the appearance of being somewhere they're not. Without Chromakey, Superman would never have flown.

98) Click: Pressing down once and releasing a mouse button, or other key.

99) Client: A geeky term for an additional piece of software that runs alongside your web browser, allowing you to use services like newsgroups and internet chat.

100) Clipart: A library of drawings or photographs that you can use in presentations, reports or in desktop-publishing documents. You must check whether there are copyright restrictions if you are intend using the pictures commercially.