6 Glossary
boot
To start up a computer. The computer is generally booted in one of
three ways: by turning on the power switch (cold boot), by pressing
the reset switch, or by simultaneously pressing the Ctrl, Alt, and Del
keys (warm boot). Booting the system after it has already been
powered up and booted is referred to as rebooting. Also the process
of booting itself. Boot is from “bootstrap,” a reference to a
computer’s ability to set itself up, or pull itself up by its own
‘bootstraps.’ See cold boot and warm boot.
bootable device
Any type of hardware that carries the information (software) required
by the computer to start properly. This device must also have the
capacity to be recognized by the computer in the first stages of the
boot process.
boot block
The part of a disk that contains the software (such as the operating
system loader) that enables the computer to start.
boot sector
The part of the boot block that contains the operating system loader, a
program that starts by itself and loads the operating system.
bps
Bits per second. The number of bits of data that can be transmitted in
one second. Because data compression schemes enable more than one
bit per voltage transition, bps is equivalent to baud only if no
compression is used.
buffer
A place, especially in RAM, for the temporary storage of data for the
purpose of speeding up an operation such as printing or drive access.
Data from a buffer is available more quickly than data from where
the buffer got it. Typically buffers get data before it is needed so it
will be ready quickly when it is needed. Similar to cache.
burst mode
When a device seizes control of the bus, sends data, then relinquishes
control of the bus. Any time a device sends data without interruption
instead of taking turns with other devices.