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208 items available in this category B3d Projector Known spyware or adware. b-channel Connection between users on an integrated services digital network (ISDN) system that provides simultaneous voice and data service. B/F Acronym for Background/Foreground. BABYLONIA Known spyware or adware. back end Front end and back end are terms used to characterize program interfaces and services relative to the initial user of these interfaces and services. A "back end" application or program serves indirectly in support of the front end services, usually by being closer to the required resource or having the capability to communicate with the required resource. The back end application may interact directly with the front end or, perhaps more typically, is a program called from an intermediate program that mediates front end and back end activities. See also front end. backbone A high-speed line or series of connections that forms a major pathway within a network. The term is relative as a backbone in a small network will likely be much smaller than many non-backbone lines in a large network. Another term for bus, the main wire that connects nodes. The term is often used to describe the main network connections composing the internet. Backdoor Code inserted into a program by the original programmer in order to fix bugs or make other changes that need to be made. If the wrong person finds it, it can be used to attack your computer. BackDoor Lixy Known spyware or adware. Backdoor.Agent.B Known spyware or adware. Backdoor.IRC.Cloner Known spyware or adware. Backdoor.Lixy.B Known spyware or adware. BackDoor.Madfind Known spyware or adware. Backdoor.Sumtax Known spyware or adware. background (1) Multitasking computers are capable of executing several tasks, or programs, at the same time. In some multitasking systems, one of the processes is called the foreground process, and the others are called background processes. The foreground process is the one that accepts input from the keyboard, mouse, or other input device. Background processes cannot accept interactive input from a user, but they can access data stored on a disk and write data to the video display. For example, some word processors print files in the background, enabling you to continue editing while files are being printed. This is called print spooling. In addition, many communications programs are designed to run in the background. Background processes generally have a lower priority than foreground processes so that they do not interfere with interactive applications. Even though DOS is not a multitasking operating system, it can perform some specialized tasks, such as printing, in the background. Operating environments, such as Microsoft Windows and the Macintosh operating system, provide a more general multitasking environment. (2) The area of a display screen not covered by characters and graphics. The background is like a canvas on top of which characters and graphics are placed. Some monitors allow you to control the color or shading of the background. The background is also called the matrix. backlighting A technique used to make flat-panel displays easier to read. A backlit display is illuminated so that the foreground appears sharper in contrast with the background. backlink On the Web or similar hyperlinked system, a link or path from a destination back to an anchor, especially an implied or automatically generated backward link. backslash The backslash character is \; a simple slash or forward slash is /. In DOS and Windows systems, the backslash represents the root directory and is also used to separate directory names and filenames in a pathname. backspace A character that causes the cursor to move backward one character space, possibly deleting the preceding character. The backspace character has an ASCII value of 8. Most keyboards have a Backspace key that invokes this character. When inserted in a file, the character causes a printer or other device to move backward one space. Backspace key A key that moves the cursor or insertion point backward one character space. In addition to moving the cursor backward, the Backspace key usually deletes the character to the left of the cursor or insertion point. It is particularly useful, therefore, for correcting typos. Note that PCs also have a Delete key, which deletes the character under the cursor (or to the right of the insertion point). To move the cursor or insertion point backward without deleting characters, use the arrow keys. backup (v) To copy files to a second medium (a disk or tape) as a precaution in case the first medium fails. One of the cardinal rules in using computers is Backup your files regularly. Even the most reliable computer is apt to break down eventually. Many professionals recommend that you make two, or even three, backups of all your files. To be especially safe, you should keep one backup in a different location from the others. You can back up files using operating system commands, or you can buy a special-purpose backup utility. In general, backup programs are much faster than operating system shell commands because they use a DMA channel. In addition, the backup programs often compress the data so that backups require fewer disks. (n) (1) The act of backing up. (2) A substitute or alternative. The term backup usually refers to a disk or tape that contains a copy of data. backward compatible Compatible with earlier models or versions of the same product. A new version of a program is said to be backward compatible if you can create a file with the new version and then use the file with an older version of the program. A computer is said to be backward compatible if it can run the same software as the previous model of the computer. Backward compatibility is important because it eliminates the need to start over when you upgrade to a newer product. A backward-compatible word processor, for instance, allows you to edit documents created with a previous version of the program. In general, manufacturers try to keep all their products backward compatible. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to sacrifice backward compatibility to take advantage of a new technology. The flip side of backward compatibility is upward compatibility. Upward compatible is the same as backward compatible, except that it is from the point of view of the older model. Another term for backward compatible is downward compatible. BackWeb Known spyware or adware. BACKZAT Known spyware or adware. BACKZAT.G Known spyware or adware. bad sector A portion of a disk that cannot be used because it is flawed. When you format a disk, the operating system identifies any bad sectors on the disk and marks them so they will not be used. If a sector that already contains data becomes damaged, you will need special software to recover the data. Almost all hard disks come with bad sectors (sectors damaged during the manufacturing process), so do not be alarmed if a utility reports that your hard disk has bad sectors. However, additional bad sectors should occur only infrequently if your drive is functioning properly. Floppy disks should not have any bad sectors. BadDate Known spyware or adware. BADTRANS.A Known spyware or adware. BAK file In DOS systems, a file with a .BAK extension, indicating that the file is a backup. Many applications produce BAK files as part of their autosave procedure. Periodically, you may want to search for BAK files and delete old ones. Bakra Known spyware or adware. BALICK Known spyware or adware. ballistic tracking See under dynamic acceleration. BANCOS.B Known spyware or adware. BANCOS.D Known spyware or adware. banding The presence of extraneous lines in a printed page. Banding generally occurs when a color printer needs to pass the print head over a page multiple times to print each color. If the page isn´t exactly lined up for each pass, lines may appear. Such printers are called multi-pass printers. Because of the banding problem, single-pass printers, those that print all the colors in one pass are generally better. BandObjects Known spyware or adware. bandwidth 1) The frequency range wherein the maximum distortion of a signal is 3 dB during playback or recording. 2) The amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time. For digital devices, the bandwidth is usually expressed in bits or bytes per second (bps). For analog devices, the bandwidth is expressed in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz). The bandwidth is particularly important for I/O devices. For example, a fast disk drive can be hampered by a bus with a low bandwidth. This is the main reason that new buses, such as EISA and PCI, have been developed for the IBM PC. BANPAES Known spyware or adware. BANPAES.B Known spyware or adware. BANSAP Known spyware or adware. bar chart In presentation graphics, a type of graph in which different values are represented by rectangular bars. BargainBuddy Known spyware or adware. base address An address that serves as a reference point for other addresses. For example, a base address could indicate the beginning of a program. The address of every instruction in the program could then be specified by adding an offset to the base address. For example, the address of the fifth instruction would be the base address plus 5. base memory Same as conventional memory. base64 Encryption technology for attachments and E-mail in HTML-format, used by MIME. baseband transmission A type of digital data transmission in which each medium (wire) carries only one signal, or channel, at a time. In contrast, broadband transmission enables a single wire to carry multiple signals simultaneously. Most communications involving computers uses baseband transmission. This includes communications from the computer to devices ( printers, monitors, and so on), communications via modems, and the majority of networks. baseline In typography, the imaginary line on which characters sit. The x-height of a font is measured from the baseline to the top of a lowercase x. The descender, for those characters that have one, is defined as the portion of the character that falls below the baseline. BASIC Acronym for Beginner´s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. Developed by John Kemeney and Thomas Kurtz in the mid 1960s at Dartmouth College, BASIC is one of the earliest and simplest high-level programming languages with similarities to the English language. During the 1970s, it was the principal programming language taught to students, and continues to be a popular choice among educators. Despite its simplicity, BASIC is used for a wide variety of business applications. It is a programming language originally designed as a means of teaching FORTRAN. There is an ANSI standard for the BASIC language, but most versions of BASIC include many proprietary extensions and therefore there are many variations of BASIC with differing capabilities. Microsofts popular Visual Basic, for example, adds many object-oriented features to the standard BASIC. The majority of the versions are interpreted but compiled BASIC is becoming more popular. basic input/output system See BIOS. BAT file In DOS systems, batch files are often called BAT files because their filenames end with a .BAT extension. batch file A file that contains a sequence, or batch, of commands. Batch files are useful for storing sets of commands that are always executed together because you can simply enter the name of the batch file instead of entering each command individually. In DOS systems, batch files end with a .BAT extension. For example, the following DOS batch file prints the date and time and sets the prompt to GO>. date time prompt [GO>]. Whenever you boot a DOS-based computer, the system automatically executes the batch file named AUTOEXEC.BAT, if it exists. Many operating systems use the terms command file or shell script in place of batch file. batch processing Executing a series of noninteractive jobs all at one time. The term originated in the days when users entered programs on punch cards. They would give a batch of these programmed cards to the system operator, who would feed them into the computer. Usually, batch jobs are stored up during working hours and then executed during the evening or whenever the computer is idle. Batch processing is particularly useful for operations that require the computer or a peripheral device for an extended period of time. Once a batch job begins, it continues until it is done or until an error occurs. Note that batch processing implies that there is no interaction with the user while the program is being executed. The opposite of batch processing is transaction processing or interactive processing. In interactive processing, the application responds to commands as soon as you enter them. battery pack A rechargeable battery used in portable computer devices, such as notebook computers. The most common substances used in computer battery packs are nickel cadmium (Nicad) and nickel metal hydride (NiMH). Another substance, being used in some newer batteries, is lithium. A new type of battery, called a smart battery, provides the computer with information about its power status so that the computer can conserve power intelligently. With a normal battery, the computer makes estimates about the batterys condition that are not always correct. baud Pronounced bawd, the number of electrical oscillations that occur each second (or technically: that the carrier signal shifts value). The term is named after J.M.E. Baudot, the inventor of the Baudot telegraph code. At slow speeds, only one bit of information is encoded in each electrical change. The baud rate, therefore, indicates the number of bits per second that are transmitted. For example, a baud rate of 300 means that 300 bits are transmitted each second (abbreviated 300 bps ). Assuming asynchronous communication, which requires 10 bits per character, this translates to 30 characters per second (cps). For slow rates (below 1,200 baud), you can divide the baud rate by 10 to see how many characters per second are sent. At higher baud rates, it is possible to encode more than one bit in each electrical change. For example a 1200 bit-per-second modem actually runs at 300 baud, but it transmits 4 bits per baud (4 x 300 = 1200 bits per second). A baud rate of 4,800 may allow 9,600 bits to be sent each second. At high baud levels, therefore, data transmission rates are usually expressed in bits per second (bps) rather than in baud rates. For example, a 9,600 bps modem may operate at only 2,400 baud. baudrate The speed of data-transmission expressed in bits per second; example: COM-ports: 1200 or 2400 bps. bay Short for drive bay, this refers to a site in a personal computer where a hard or floppy disk drive, CD-ROM drive or tape drive can be installed. Thus, the number of drive bays in a computer determines how many mass storage devices can be internally installed. For PCs, bays come in a variety of sizes, the most common being 3.5 inch, which represents the bays height. In addition, bays are described as either internal or exposed. An internal bay cannot be used for removable media, such as floppy drives. Some manufacturers use the terms hidden and accessible in place of internal and exposed. Do not confuse bays with slots, which are openings in the computer where expansion boards can be installed. BBS Acronym for Bulletin Board System bcc 1) Acronym for block check character. 2) Acronym for blind courtesy copy. 3) Acronym for blind carbon copy. BCD Acronym for Binary Coded Decimal. BDE Known spyware or adware. BDHelper Known spyware or adware. BDplugin Known spyware or adware. BEAGLE.A Known spyware or adware. BEAGLE.B Known spyware or adware. BearShare Known spyware or adware. BEASTY.G Known spyware or adware. BEASTY.H Known spyware or adware. Bell 103 A standard protocol in the United States for transmitting data over telephone lines at transmission rates of 300 baud. The Bell 103A standard defines asynchronous, full-duplex communication. Europe and Japan use the CCITT V.21 protocol. Bell 212A A standard protocol in the United States for transmitting data over telephone lines at transmission rates of 1,200 bps. The Bell 212A standard defines asynchronous, full-duplex communications. Europe and Japan use the CCITT V.22 protocol. Benadril Known spyware or adware. benchmark A test used to compare performance of hardware and/or software. Many trade magazines have developed their own benchmark tests, which they use when reviewing a class of products. When comparing benchmark results, it is important to know exactly what the benchmarks are designed to test. A benchmark that tests graphics speed, for example, may be irrelevant to you if the type of graphical applications you use are different from those used in the test. BENJAMIN Known spyware or adware. BEREB Known spyware or adware. Bernoulli disk drive Named after a Swiss scientist who discovered the principle of aerodynamic lift, the Bernoulli disk drive is a special type of floppy disk drive from Iomega Corporation that is faster and has greater storage capacity than traditional floppy drives. A Bernoulli drive is really a cross between a hard disk drive and floppy drive. Like the platters in hard disk drives, Bernoulli disks float between the read/write heads, so there is no actual contact between the disk and the heads. But the disk itself is flexible and removable like a floppy disk. Because the disk is flexible, it is less susceptible than a hard disk to head crashes. Bernoulli disk drives, however, are not as fast as hard disk drives. BestPhrases Known spyware or adware. BESTPICS.A Known spyware or adware. beta A beta version is a version of a software product that isn´t finished yet. Betas give a good impression of the features of the final product but may contain bugs. beta release candidate Version that are nominated to receive the designation "beta". These release candidates are not the real beta version of a product. beta test A test for a computer product prior to commercial release. Beta testing is the last stage of testing, and normally involves sending the product to beta test sites outside the company for real-world exposure. BFT See Binary File Transfer. BIGFOOT Known spyware or adware. binary a numbering system used by computers, that uses powers of 2 to generate all other numbers. Binary Coded Decimal A method of data storage where two decimal digits are stored in each byte, one in the upper four bits and the other in the lower four bits. Since only the values 0 through 9 are used in each half of a byte, BCD values can be read as decimal numbers on a hexadecimal display of memory or a file. binary compatible Having the exact same data format, down to the binary level. That is, two files that are binary compatible will have the same pattern of zeroes and ones in the data portion of the file. The file header, however, may be different. The term is used most commonly to state that data files produced by one application are exactly the same as data files produced by another application. For example, many software companies now produce applications for Windows and the Macintosh that are binary compatible, which means that a file produced in a Windows environment is interchangeable with a file produced on a Macintosh. This avoids many of the conversion problems caused by importing and exporting data. binary file A file stored in binary format. A binary file is computer-readable but not human-readable. All executable programs are stored in binary files, as are most numeric data files. In contrast, text files are stored in a form (usually ASCII) that is human-readable. Binary File Transfer (BFT) A standard for transmitting data files using fax modems. There are actually two standards, both of which are referred to as BFT: CCITT T.434 and Microsoft At Work (MAW). binary format A format for representing data used by some applications. The other main formats for storing data are text formats (such as ASCII and EBCDIC), in which each character of data is assigned a specific code number. Binary formats are used for executable programs and numeric data, whereas text formats are used for textual data. Many files contain a combination of binary and text formats. Such files are usually considered to be binary files even though they contain some data in a text format. Binary Transfer The sending of a file over a link configured to expect any kind of data or bit patterns rather than just text. Many older internet services, such as FTP, were originally set up to expect only textfiles (consisting of 7 bits/character instead of 8) and so require special settings for binary transfers. However, more recent internet additions, such as gopher and the World Wide Web, take care of any limited pathways automatically, without requiring you to provide specific instructions. bind To assign a value to a symbolic placeholder. During compilation, for example, the compiler assigns symbolic addresses to some variables and instructions. When the program is bound, or linked, the binder replaces the symbolic addresses with real machine addresses. The moment at which binding occurs is called bind time or link time. binder Same as linker. BINGD Known spyware or adware. BinHex An encoding scheme that converts binary data into ASCII characters. Any file, whether it be a graphics file, a text file, or a binary executable file, can be converted to BinHex. This format is particularly valuable for transferring files from one platform to another because nearly all computers can handle ASCII files. In fact, many e-mail programs include a BinHex encoder and decoder for sending and receiving attachments. BinHex is an especially common format for Macintosh files. Encoded files usually have an .HQX extension. Usually this is used on internet-Email which can only handle ASCII. An alternative algorithm for converting binary files to ASCII is uuencode. BIONET Known spyware or adware. BIONET.318 Known spyware or adware. BIONET.404 Known spyware or adware. BIONET.405 Known spyware or adware. BIONET.40A Known spyware or adware. BIOS Pronounced bye-ose, an acronym for basic input/output system. The BIOS is built-in software that determines what a computer can do without accessing programs from a disk. On PCs, the BIOS contains all the code required to control the keyboard, display screen, disk drives, serial communications, and a number of miscellaneous functions. The BIOS is typically placed on a ROM chip that comes with the computer (it is often called a ROM BIOS). This ensures that the BIOS will always be available and will not be damaged by disk failures. It also makes it possible for a computer to boot itself. Because RAM is faster than ROM, though, many computer manufacturers design systems so that the BIOS is copied from ROM to RAM each time the computer is booted. This is known as shadowing. Many modern PCs have a flash BIOS, which means that the BIOS has been recorded on a flash memory chip, which can be updated if necessary. The PC BIOS is standardized, so all PCs are alike at this level (although there are different BIOS versions). Additional DOS functions are usually added through software modules. This means you can upgrade to a newer version of DOS without changing the BIOS. PC BIOSes that can handle Plug-and-Play (PnP) devices are known as PnP BIOSes, or PnP-aware BIOSes. These BIOSes are always implemented with flash memory rather than ROM. BIPS Billion (10^9) Instructions Per Second. BISCUIT.A Known spyware or adware. bit Short for binary digit, the smallest unit of information on a machine. The term was first used in 1946 by John Tukey, a leading statistician and adviser to five presidents. A single bit can hold only one of two values: 0 or 1. More meaningful information is obtained by combining consecutive bits into larger units. For example, a byte is composed of 8 consecutive bits. Computers are sometimes classified by the number of bits they can process at one time or by the number of bits they use to represent addresses. These two values are not always the same, which leads to confusion. For example, classifying a computer as a 32-bit machine might mean that its data registers are 32 bits wide or that it uses 32 bits to identify each address in memory. Whereas larger registers make a computer faster, using more bits for addresses enables a machine to support larger programs. Graphics are also often described by the number of bits used to represent each dot. A 1-bit image is monochrome; an 8-bit image supports 256 colors or grayscales; and a 24-bit or 32-bit graphic supports true color. bit block transfer A transformation of a rectangular block of pixels. Typical transformations include changing the color or shade of all pixels or rotating the entire rectangle. Many modern graphics adapters include hardwired bit block transformations, which execute much faster than they do when executed by software routines. bit depth See color depth bit map A representation, consisting of rows and columns of dots, of a graphics image in computer memory. The value of each dot (whether it is filled in or not) is stored in one or more bits of data. For simple monochrome images, one bit is sufficient to represent each dot, but for colors and shades of gray, each dot requires more than one bit of data. The more bits used to represent a dot, the more colors and shades of gray that can be represented. The density of the dots, known as the resolution, determines how sharply the image is represented. This is often expressed in dots per inch (dpi) or simply by the number of rows and columns, such as 640 by 480. To display a bit-mapped image on a monitor or to print it on a printer, the computer translates the bit map into pixels (for display screens) or ink dots (for printers). Optical scanners and fax machines work by transforming text or pictures on paper into bit maps. Bit-mapped graphics are often referred to as raster graphics. The other method for representing images is known as vector graphics or object-oriented graphics. With vector graphics, images are represented as mathematical formulas that define all the shapes in the image. Vector graphics are more flexible than bit-mapped graphics because they look the same even when you scale them to different sizes. In contrast, bit-mapped graphics become ragged when you shrink or enlarge them. Fonts represented with vector graphics are called scalable fonts, outline fonts, or vector fonts. The best-known example of a vector font system is PostScript. Bit-mapped fonts, also called raster fonts, must be designed for a specific device and a specific size and resolution. bit-mapped font See under font. bit-mapped graphics Refers to hardware and software that represent graphics images as bit maps. The other method for representing images is known as vector graphics. bitblt Pronounced bit-blit, short for bit block transfer. BITNET Short for Because Its Time Network, BITNET is one of the oldest and largest wide-area networks, used extensively by universities. A new version of BITNET, called BITNET-II, relies on the internet network to transfer messages and files. bitrate The average number of bits transmitted over a line during a period of time. bits per pixel Most raster image formats support more than one level of bits-per-pixel, and therefore more than one level of color. The following table is applicable:
Most raster formats record color information on this basis, but some formats use color planes. See also bit depth, color depth. bitstream a continuous stream of bits. BIZEX Known spyware or adware. BKDR_ALADINZ.H Known spyware or adware. BKSP BacKSPace. See also BS. Blackstone Transponder Known spyware or adware. blank character Also called a space character. A blank character is produced when you press the space bar. BLASTER Known spyware or adware. BLASTER.B Known spyware or adware. BLASTER.C Known spyware or adware. BLASTER.E Known spyware or adware. BLASTER.F Known spyware or adware. BLASTER.K Known spyware or adware. BLAXE Known spyware or adware. BlazeFind Known spyware or adware. bleed (n) Text or graphics that extends all the way to the edge of the paper. Bleeds are used for graphical effect and for printed tabs. Most printers cannot print all the way to the edge of the paper, so the only way to produce a bleed is to print on paper larger than the final page size and then trim the paper. (v) To run to the edge of the paper, thereby producing a bleed. blind carbon copy A copy of an e-mail message sent to an additional recipient but not included on the list of recipients seen by the primary addressees. blind courtesy copy See blind carbon copy block (n) (1) In word processing, a block is a group of characters that you have marked to perform some action on them. For example, to move a section of text, you must first block it. This is sometimes called a block move. To specify a block of text, you press special function keys (or click with a mouse) at the beginning and end of the block. The function keys differ from one word processor to another. Word processors usually display blocks by highlighting them on the screen. (2) In data management, a block is a group of records on a storage device. Blocks are manipulated as units. For example, disk drives often read and write data in 512-byte blocks. (3) In communications, a block is a fixed-size chunk of data that is transferred together. For example, the Xmodem protocol transfers blocks of 128 bytes. In general, the larger the block size, the faster the data transfer rate. (v) In word processing, to specify a section of text. See definition (1) above. Some applications call this selecting. block check character At the completion of a transmission, the receiving station sends its BCC to the transmitting station to check the accuracy of received data. block graphics Graphical images created in character mode. blog See weblog. BlowSearch Known spyware or adware. BlueCrescent Known spyware or adware. Bluetooth Standard meant as replacement for cables. It has nothing to do with Wifi or wireless network technology. BMBOT Known spyware or adware. BNC Bayonet Navy Connector, British Naval Connector, or Bayonet Neill Concelman. A connector for coaxial cable such as that used for some video connections and certain ethernet ("cheapernet") connections. A BNC connector has a bayonet-type shell with two small knobs on the female connector which lock into spiral slots in the male connector when it is twisted on. boilerplate Text or graphics elements designed to be used over and over. For example, you could create a boilerplate for a fax message that contains all the standard fax information that doesnt change, such as your name, address , and phone number. Then whenever you want to create a new fax, you need only insert the boilerplate rather than retyping the information. A boilerplate is similar to a template, but whereas a template holds layout and style information, a boilerplate contains actual text or graphics. Many applications, however, combine the two concepts. boldface A font that is darker than the regular face. For example normal font boldface font. Most word processors allow you to mark text as boldface. bomb To fail. The term bomb usually refers to a program hanging or ending prematurely. Note that bombing is usually less serious than crashing, because bombing refers to a single program, whereas crashing refers to the entire system. The two terms, however, are not always used consistently. Bonzi MaxALERT Known spyware or adware. BonziBuddy Known spyware or adware. BOOHOO Known spyware or adware. Boohoo-A Known spyware or adware. BookedSpace Known spyware or adware. bookmark (v) To mark a document or a specific place in a document for later retrieval. Nearly all Web browsers support a bookmarking feature that lets you save the address (URL) of a Web page so that you can easily re-visit the page at a later time. (n) A marker or address that identifies a document or a specific place in a document. BOOKMARKER Known spyware or adware. Boolean (logic) 1) Named after the nineteenth-century mathematician George Boole, Boolean logic is a form of algebra in which all values are reduced to either TRUE or FALSE. Boolean logic is especially important for computer science because it fits nicely with the binary numbering system, in which each bit has a value of either 1 or 0. Another way of looking at it is that each bit has a value of either TRUE or FALSE. 2) As applied to search operations, a mode that lets you specify multiple words or phrases combined with the words and, or, and not. 3)A programming variable that can only take on a true or false value. Boolean expression An expression that results in a value of either TRUE or FALSE. For example, the expression 2 < 5 (2 is less than 5) is a Boolean expression because the result is TRUE. All expressions that contain relational operators, such as the less than sign (<), are Boolean. The operators AND, OR, XOR, NOR, and NOT are Boolean operators. Boolean expressions are also called comparison expressions, conditional expressions, and relational expressions. Boolean operator There are five Boolean operators that can be used to manipulate TRUE/FALSE values. These operators have the following meanings, where x and y represent values of TRUE or FALSE. The OR operator is often called an inclusive OR, whereas XOR is an exclusive OR. Boolean operators are used widely in programming and also in forming database queries. For example, the query SELECT ALL WHERE LAST_NAME = Smith AND FIRST_NAME = John finds all records with the name John Smith. But the query SELECT ALL WHERE LAST_NAME = Smith OR FIRST_NAME = John finds all records with the last name Smith or the first name John. boot (v) To load the first piece of software that starts a computer. Because the operating system is essential for running all other programs, it is usually the first piece of software loaded during the boot process. Boot is short for bootstrap, which in olden days was a strap attached to the top of your boot that you could pull to help get your boot on. Hence, the expression pull oneself up by the bootstraps. Similarly, bootstrap utilities help the computer get started. (n) Short for bootstrap, the starting-up of a computer, which involves loading the operating system and other basic software. A cold boot is when you turn the computer on from an off position. A warm boot is when you reset a computer that is already on. BOOTP Bootstrap protocol (BOOTP) is an alternative to RARP that allows a machine to obtain its IP address, gateway address, and Netmask using UDP (User Datagram protocol) and IP. Therefore, BOOTP can be used over a dial up SLIP/PPP connection if required. border the side of a window or a screen. bot Short for robot, a computer program that runs automatically. bounce To return an e-mail message to the sender without delivering it--usually because the address is incorrect, insufficient, or outdated. box In graphical user interfaces, a box is an enclosed area, resembling a window, on the screen. Unlike windows, however, you generally cannot move or resize boxes. There are many different types of boxes. For example, dialog boxes are boxes that request some type of information from you. Alert boxes are boxes that suddenly appear on the screen to give you information. Boxes can also be small rectangular icons that control windows. Zoom boxes, for example, enable you to make a window larger or smaller. BOXER Known spyware or adware. BPI Bits Per Inch. A measure of the recording density of a magnetic tape or disk. bps Abbreviation of bits per second, the standard measure of data transmission speeds. Standard telephone lines are capable of transmitting data at a maximum speed of about 14,400 bps. However, the old metal telephone wires are steadily being replaced by fiber optic cables, which are capable of transmitting data at much faster rates. Specialized cables for transmitting data between devices support rates of over 500,000 bps. A number of standards define the format for sending data at various rates. See also baud. BPS Spyware Remover Known spyware or adware. BR Boot Record. The instructions that allow the computer´s hard disk to load the operating system. The boot record is a favorite target for a virus infection because it is run each time the computer is run. bracket These symbols: *[* and *]*. branch In tree structures, a branch is a single line of the tree that ends with a leaf. The Windows File Manager, for example, has an Expand Branch command that shows all sub-directories of a specified directory. Break key A special key on computer keyboards that temporarily interrupts the computer´s communications line. This usually terminates an established modem connection. Not all keyboards have a Break key, and not all programs respond to it. In DOS and Windows, you can abort the current application and reboot the program by pressing the Break key in combination with the Control and Alt keys. bridge A device that connects two local-area networks (LANs) , or two segments of the same LAN. The two LANs being connected can be alike or dissimilar. For example, a bridge can connect and Ethernet with a Token-Ring network. Unlike routers, bridges are protocol-independent. They simply forward packets without analyzing an re-routing messages. Consequently, they´re faster than routers, but also less versatile. BrilliantDigital Known spyware or adware. broadband transmission 1) A type of data transmission in which a single medium (wire) can carry several channels at once. Cable TV, for example, uses broadband transmission. In contrast, baseband transmission allows only one signal at a time. Most communications between computers, including the majority of local-area networks, use baseband communications. 2) Technically, it´s a link in which information is sent as variations in higher-frequency carrier waves, much like a radiostation does. broadcast To simultaneously send the same message to more than one receiver. Broadcasting is a useful feature in e-mail systems. It is also supported by some fax systems. Broadcastpc Known spyware or adware. BroadJump Known spyware or adware. BROWNEY.A Known spyware or adware. browse (1) To read or examine a file using a program or mode that doesn´t allow you to make any changes. Many database systems support a special browse mode, in which you can flip through fields and records quickly. Usually, you cannot modify data while you are in browse mode. (2)To look through a set of items or collection of information for items that might be of interest, as opposed to searching for a specific item. In object-oriented programming languages, browse means to examine data structures. (3) A mode in some interactive programs that lets the user explore material rather than following a step-by-step path. For example, you look at Web pages with a Web browser. browser Short for Web browser, a software application/client program used to locate and display Web pages. Three of the most popular browsers are Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Spyglass Mosaic. All of these are graphical browsers, which means that they can display graphics as well as text. In addition, most modern browsers can present multimedia information, including sound and video. browser hacking Hijacking of a browser so that an unknown Internet page appears at startup. BrowserAccel Known spyware or adware. BrowserAid Known spyware or adware. BrowserAid CashToolbar/QuickLaunch toolbar Known spyware or adware. BrowserAid.FeaturesResults Known spyware or adware. BrowserAid.RunDll Known spyware or adware. BrowserAid/SearchandClick Known spyware or adware. BrowserAid/Startium Known spyware or adware. BrowserPal Known spyware or adware. Browserplugin.com malware Known spyware or adware. BS BackSpace. See also BKSP. BSA Business Software Alliance. An agency of the big software producers that tries to track down (big) software hackers. So don´t say that I haven´t warned you....!! BSI British Standards Institute. BUDDY Known spyware or adware. BuddyLinks Known spyware or adware. BUF BUFfer. buffer (n) A temporary storage area, usually in RAM. The purpose of most buffers is to act as a holding area, enabling the CPU to manipulate (whole blocks of) data before transferring it to a device. Because the processes of reading and writing data to a disk are relatively slow, many programs keep track of data changes in a buffer and then copy the buffer to a disk. For example, word processors employ a buffer to keep track of changes to files. Then when you save the file, the word processor updates the disk file with the contents of the buffer. This is much more efficient than accessing the file on the disk each time you make a change to the file. Note that because your changes are initially stored in a buffer, not on the disk, all of them will be lost if the computer fails during an editing session. For this reason, it is a good idea to save your file periodically. Most word processors automatically save files at regular intervals. Another common use of buffers is for printing documents. When you enter a PRINT command, the operating system copies your document to a print buffer (a free area in memory or on a disk) from which the printer can draw characters at its own pace. This frees the computer to perform other tasks while the printer is running in the background. Print buffering is called spooling. Most keyboard drivers also contain a buffer so that you can edit typing mistakes before sending your command to a program. Many operating systems, including DOS, also use a disk buffer to temporarily hold data that they have read from a disk. The disk buffer is really a cache. (v) To move data into a temporary storage area. bug An error or defect in software or hardware that causes a program to malfunction. According to the folklore, the term originated when a moth trapped in the electrical workings of the first digital computer, the ENIAC, was discovered by Lieutenant Grace Hopper. BUGBEAR Known spyware or adware. build To distinguish between different releases of the same software product each release receives a build number. The higher the build number the more recent the software. build breaker A build breaker is a bug that causes the installation of a certain version of a software product to fail. built-in font Same as resident font. built-in function A function that is built into an application and can be accessed by end-users. For example, most spreadsheet applications support a built-in SUM function that adds up all cells in a row or column. bulkmail An E-mail message send to a large number of recipients. Bulla Known spyware or adware. bullet A small graphical element used to highlight or itemize a list: A round bullet. A square bullet. A diamond bullet. A pointing-finger bullet. Bulletin Board System An informationsystem that provides dataaccess and other services. It is accessible via a modem and communication-software. bundled software software that is sold with a computer or other hardware component as part of a package. As competition between computer manufacturers has intensified, bundling software has become a key strategy for attracting consumers. In some cases, the bundled software is even more valuable than the hardware. Burnaby Module / e-card_viewer / porn popups Known spyware or adware. bus (1) A collection of wires through which signals (address, data, or control information and the rules for using them) are transmitted from one part of a computer to another. You can think of a bus as a highway on which data travels within a computer. When used in reference to personal computers, the term bus usually refers to internal bus. This is a bus that connects all the internal computer components to the CPU and main memory. There´s also an expansion bus that enables expansion boards to access the CPU and memory. All buses consist of two parts an address bus and a data bus. The data bus transfers actual data whereas the address bus transfers information about where the data should go. The size of a bus, known as its width, is important because it determines how much data can be transmitted at one time. For example, a 16-bit bus can transmit 16 bits of data, whereas a 32-bit bus can transmit 32 bits of data. Every bus has a clock speed measured in MHz. A fast bus allows data to be transferred faster, which makes applications run faster. Most current desktop computers use one of several standard bus configurations (such as PCI, ISA, or NuBus), but portables and older computers often use proprietary designs. On PCs, the old ISA bus is being replaced by faster buses such as PCI. Many PCs made today include a local bus for data that requires especially fast transfer speeds, such as video data. The local bus is a high-speed pathway that connects directly to the processor. Several different types of buses are used on Apple Macintosh computers. The fastest and most sophisticated is called the NuBus expansion bus. 2) More loosely, the connections to the signal lines, especially the slots that allow cards to plug into such computers as the PC or the Macintosh. 3) a way of organizing connections in a network, in which a common channel runs to all nodes on a local-area network (LAN). It is also called the backbone. A bus system needs a controller or a master device to regulate traffic, or it needs some other form of arbitration to determine which station uses the channel at any given moment. bus mouse A mouse that connects to a computer via an expansion board. Another type of mouse is a serial mouse, which connects to a serial port. Serial mice are easier to install, but the advantage of bus mice is that they do not use up the serial port, so you can use the port for a different device (a modem, for example). bus topology See under topology. button (1) In graphical user interfaces, a button is a small outlined area in a dialog box that you can click to select an option or command. (2) A mouse button is a button on a mouse that you click to perform various functions, such as selecting an object. BX Base Register. A register that holds a base address. BYMER Known spyware or adware. BYRON Known spyware or adware. byte Abbreviation for binary term, a unit of storage capable of holding a single character. On almost all modern computers, a byte is equal to 8 bits (Binary Element String). Large amounts of memory are indicated in terms of kilobytes (1,024 bytes), megabytes (1,048,576 bytes), and gigabytes (approximately 1 billion bytes). A disk that can hold 1.44 megabytes, for example, is capable of storing approximately 1.4 million characters, or about 3,000 pages of information. This encyclopedia is for informational purposes only. All (registered) trademarks mentioned are property of their respective owners. No infringement of third party rights intended. The author cannot garantuee that the information presented is complete or that it contains no errors. 
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This explains the most common computerterms which you can encounter.
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