B

Backbone –

See Internet Backbone.

Bandwidth –

As used in this book, the term “bandwidth” refers to how much information can be carried in a given time period (usually a second) over a communications link.

Bit –

The smallest unit of information a computer can process and the basic unit in data communications. Bits compose a byte.

Blog –

Also known as a “weblog, at its most basic, a blog is a journal that is available on the Web. The writer (commonly known as a “blogger”) typically updates his or her online journal using software that enables even people with little or no technical background to update and maintain their blog. Postings on a blog are usually arranged in chronological order with the most recent additions viewed first.

Blogger –

Someone who keeps a blog.

Blogging –

The activity of updating a blog.

Bookmark -

Saving a web location (typically via a feature offered by a web browser) in order to be able to go back to it at a later point with a simple click. The term, “bookmark,” is used because the action is similar to sticking a paper bookmark in a book. Most web browsers provide the user with the capability to “save” a web location (i.e. address) so the user can quickly access the web address when it is needed.

Bot –

See Spider.

Brick-and-mortar -

A traditional business (usually retail) with actual buildings, manufacturing plants, customer service centers, or distribution facilities.

Bus –

All computers use buses — a collection of wires through which data is transmitted from one part of a computer to another. There are two common buses inside a PC – the older ISA bus, capable of transmitting only five megabytes per second and the newer PCI bus, capable of transmitting up to 132 megabytes per second.

Business Rules –

A conceptual description of an organization’s policies and practices enabling them to automate their polices and practices, and to increase consistency and timeliness of their business processing.

Byte –

A set of bits of a specific length that represent a value, in a computer coding scheme. A byte is to a bit what a word is to a character.