_ E ULTIMATE COMPUTER REFERENCE
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`’7-'¥i'°3- Detailed illustrations and diagrams for easy reference
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`PUBLISHED BY
`Microsoft Press
`A Division of Microsoft Corporation
`One Microsoft Way
`Redmond, Washington 98052—6399
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`Copyright © 1999 by Microsoft Corporation
`All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
`or by any means without the written permission ol‘ the publisher.
`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`Microsoft Computer Dictionary. -- 4th ed.
`p. cm.
`Previous eds. published under title: Microsoft Press computer
`dictionary
`ISBN 0-7356—0615-3
`7
`2. Microcomputers Dictionaries.
`1. Computers Dictionaries.
`7
`1. Microsoft Press computer dictionary.
`QA76.15.M538
`1999
`004‘.O3—-d021
`
`99—20168CIP
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`Printed and bound in the United States of America.
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`123456789 MLML 432109
`Distributed in Canada by ITP Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited.
`A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
`Microsoft Press hooks are available through booksellers and distributors worldwide. For further information
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`lntemational directly at {as {425) 936—7329. Visit our Web site at ntspress.mierosofl.com.
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`brightness
`
`browser
`
`the original computer, the Briefcase updates all files
`to the most recent version.
`
`brightness n. The perceived quality of radiance or
`luminosity of a visible object. Brightness is literally
`in the eye (and mind) of the beholder; a candle in
`the night appears brighter than the same candle un-
`der incandescent lights. Although its subjective
`value cannot be measured with physical instru-
`ments, brightness can be measured as luminance
`(radiant energy). The brightness component of a
`color is different from its color (the hue) and from
`the intensity of its color (the saturation). See also
`color model, HSB.
`
`British Navel Connector n. See BNC.
`
`broadband adj. Of or relating to communications
`systems in which the medium of transmission (such
`as a wire or fiber-optic cable) carries multiple mes-
`sages at a time, each message modulated on its own
`carrier frequency by means of modems. Broadband
`communication is found in wide area networks.
`
`Compare baseband.
`broadband ISDN n. Next—generation ISDN based on
`ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) technology.
`Broadband ISDN divides information into two cat-
`
`egories: interactive services, which are controlled by
`the user, and distributed (or distribution) services that
`can be broadcast to the user. Acronym: BISDN. See
`also ISDN, ATM (definition 1).
`
`broadband modem n. A modem for use on a broad—
`band network. Broadband technology allows several
`networks to coexist on a single cable. Traffic from
`one network does not interfere with traffic from an-
`other, since the conversations happen on different
`frequencies, rather like the commercial radio system.
`See also broadband network.
`
`broadband network n. A local area network on
`which transmissions travel as radio—frequency signals
`over separate inbound and outbound channels. Sta-
`tions on a broadband network are connected by co-
`axial or fiber—optic cable, which can carry data,
`voice, and video simultaneously over multiple trans-
`mission channels that are distinguished by frequency.
`A broadband network is capable of high—speed opera—
`tion (20 megabits or more), but it is more expensive
`than a baseband network and can be difficult to in—
`
`stall. Such a network is based on the same technol-
`
`ogy used by cable television (CATV). Also called
`wideband transmission. Compare baseband network.
`
`broadcast‘ adj. Sent to more than one recipient. In
`cormnunications and on networks, a broadcast mes-
`
`sage is one distributed to all stations. See also e-mail'
`(definition 1).
`broadcastz n. As in radio or television, a transmission
`sent to more than one recipient.
`broadcast storm n. A network broadcast that causes
`
`multiple hosts to respond simultaneously, overload-
`ing the network. A broadcast storm may occur when
`old TCP/IP routers are mixed with routers that sup-
`
`port a new protocol. See also communications proto-
`col, router, TCP/IP.
`
`broken as designed adj. See BAD.
`
`Brouter n. See bridge router.
`brownout n. A condition in which the electricity level
`
`is appreciably reduced for a sustained period of time.
`In contrast to a blackout, or total loss of power, a
`brownout continues the flow of electricity to all de—
`vices connected to electrical outlets, although at
`lower levels than the normally supplied levels (120
`volts in the United States). A brownout can be ex-
`tremely damaging to sensitive electronic devices,
`such as computers, because the reduced and often
`fluctuating voltage levels can cause components to
`operate for extended periods of time outside the
`range they were designed to work in. On a computer,
`a brownout is characterized by a smaller, dimer,
`and somewhat fluctuating display area on the moni-
`tor and potentially erratic behavior by the system
`unit. The only reliable means of preventing damage
`caused by a brownout condition is to use a battery—
`backed uninterruptible power supply (UPS). See also
`UPS. Compare blackout.
`browse vb. To scan a database, a list of files, or the
`Internet, either for a particular item or for anything
`that seems to be of interest. Generally, browsing im-
`plies observing, rather than changing, information. In
`unauthorized computer hacking, browsing is a (pre—
`sumably) nondestructive means of finding out about
`an unknown computer after illegally gaining entry.
`browser n. See Web browser.
`
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`II IIIII
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`LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
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`II
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`uranium-1m :olllllmml
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`pronuncration eys or i icut
`words, arts ofs eech, and
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`.9
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`extenSIve cross references.
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`the MICROSOFT COMPUTER
`DICTIONARY and MICROSOFT
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`MICROSOFT COMPUTER DICTIONARY, Fourth
`Edition, remains the authoritative source
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`of definitions for computer terms,
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`concepts, and acronyms. Written in a
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`clear, easy-to-understand style, this
`
`Fourth Edition defines over 8,000 terms
`and has been fully updated to include
`the latest technologies you will
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`including Y2K, networks, e—commerce,
`.
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`cyberculture, enterprise computing,
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`component terminology, Windows® 98,
`and UNIX. As an added bonus, the
`
`dictionary extensively covers computer
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`industry acronyms, jargon, and slang—
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`often the most confusing terms in the
`high-tech world.
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`Computers/General Reference
`ISBN 0-7356-0615-3
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`901.5 m, 9
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`9,80,35,06”,
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