backlight

The fluorescent lighting on a liquid crystal display (LCD).

Bidirectional bus.

A bus on which data can be sent in either direction.

See endian.

A representation of an image by an array of bits.

A custom bit map that an application uses when it is displayed or as an item in a menu.

To prepare a computer system for operation by loading an operating system.

(1) A sequence of instructions whose execution causes additional instructions to be loaded and executed until the complete computer program is in storage. (T) (2) A technique or device designed to bring itself into a desired state by means of its own action; for example, a machine routine whose first few instructions are sufficient to bring the rest of itself into the computer from an input device. (A) (3) A small program that loads larger programs during system initialization. (4) To execute a bootstrap. The term bootstrapping is also used for translating a compiler by using the compiler or a previous version as the translator. (T) See also bootstrap loader.

An input routine in which preset computer operations are used to load a bootstrap. (I) (A) See also bootstrap.

(1) A routine or storage used to compensate for a difference in rate of flow of data, or time of occurrence of events, when transferring data from one device to another. (A) (2) A portion of storage used to hold input or output data temporarily.

A mechanism used to request or initiate an action. See also barrel buttons and bezel buttons.

An assignment that defines the action or actions performed as a result of activating a button or combination of buttons.

(1) A string that consists of a number of bits, treated as a unit, and representing a single byte character. (T) (2) A binary character operated upon as a unit and usually shorter than a computer word. (A) (3) A group of 8 adjacent binary digits that represent one EBCDIC character. (4) See n-bit byte. See double byte character set.