Toshiba 8000 User Manual page 260

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Glossary
basic input/output system (BIOS): A set of basic computer instructions.
The BIOS, in a ROM chip, contains the information the computer
needs to check the hardware and load the operating system.
batch file: A file, ending with a .BAT extension, containing MS-DOS
commands that you can perform together, rather than typing them
one at a time. Batch files are useful if you have a series of MS-DOS
commands that you need to type fairly often. For example you
could use a batch file for the commands needed to log on to a
network. See also AUTOEXEC.BAT.
baud (baud rate): The speed at which communication devices such as
printers, terminals, and modems transmit information. The Baud
rate is the number of signal changes per second (not necessarily the
same as bits per second). It is named for Emil Baudot, a pioneer in
printing telegraphy. See also bits per second.
binary: The base-two number system, in which the only digits are 0 and
1. This system is used in computers since it can be implemented as a
series of electronic signals that are either off (0) or on (1). From right
to left, the digits in a binary number have the values 1 2 4 8 16 and
so on. For example, the binary number 101 is equivalent to the
decimal number 5. If you need to convert numbers from binary to
decimal or vice versa, many pocket calculators and calculation
programs can do the work for you. See also decimal.
bit: The basic unit of information used by the computer, a bit may be
either 1 or 0. While an individual bit cannot contain a significant
amount of information, by combining bits into larger units, such as
bytes (a group of eight connected bits), your computer can deal with
huge blocks of data. See also byte.
bitmap: A graphic composed of dots or pixels. It is usually created by a
drawing package, a screen capture utility or a scanner.
bits per second (BPS): A way of measuring the speed at which
information is passed between two devices. This is the basic
measure used in modem communications. This is similar, but not
identical, to the baud rate. See also baud.
Part III: Appendixes