Texas Instruments 3000 - Manual (Page 180)

Glossary
backlight - A feature that allows you to control background brightness for better
readability.
backing up - Duplicating a program or file onto a separate storage medium so that a copy
will be preserved against possible loss or damage to the original.
backup - A duplicate copy of information or programs; usually stored on a diskette and
kept in a separate location in case the original is lost or damaged.
BASIC - An acronym for Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Code; a programming
language widely used because many of its commands resemble everyday language.
battery, battery pack - An electrical power storage device that can be installed in, or
affixed to, your computer to provide electrical power.
baud - A signal element change per second. If a signal element change has only one bit,
baud equals bits per second.
binary - A system of numbering that uses patterns of only zero's and one's. Each item of
information, whether a letter, graphic symbol, or an instruction, is converted to a binary
number before it is processed by your computer.
BIOS - An acronym for Basic Input-Output System; instructions stored in read-only
memory (ROM) at the factory that check hardware components and load the computer
operating system (MS-DOS, for example) into the computer when you boot it.
bit - A binary digit (0 or 1); the smallest unit of information used by your computer.
bits per second - The speed at which your computer receives or sends data to a device
such as a modem or serial printer.
2 Glossary