National Teaching and Learning Change ProgrammeInformation and Communication Technology:
Dictionary

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• body text
  The basic style of text in a document.
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• bold
  Emphasising letters or words by displaying them in a different style in the text to make them stand out.
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• bookmark
  A method of storing links to individual web pages or web locations within your browser. Bookmark is the term used by Netscape; Favorites is the Internet Explorer term.
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• Boolean
  Where something is either true or false, e.g. a Boolean variable can only have one of two values, TRUE or FALSE (1 or 0, yes or no). Boolean algebra compares different Boolean variables; Boolean operators such as AND, OR, NOT are applied to Boolean variables.
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• Boolean algebra
  A set of rules for manipulating truth values according to truth tables.
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• Boolean field
  A database field defined as Boolean is one which can only contain one of two values, TRUE or FALSE, 1 or 0.
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• Boolean operator
  Boolean operators combine Boolean values using operators such as AND, OR and NOT to produce a Boolean result, TRUE or FALSE.
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• boot
  A short sequence of machine-code instructions used for loading the program which starts up the computer. It is normally held in read-only memory and activated when the machine is switched on. This process is sometimes referred to as booting. It loads or initialises the operating system ready for use.
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• boot file
  Instructions executed when a computer is switched on.
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• boot up
  To start the computer.
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• border
  A border is a box or frame that goes round a paragraph, a graphic or a table to make it stand out, or separate it from the rest of a document. Often used in word processing, web pages, spreadsheets, and graphics.
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• bot
  Short for robot. An automated program that follows links on a web page, and then performs some action, e.g. indexing the words on a website.
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• bounce
  In email, an email is bounced when it is returned to the sender without being delivered, because it is incorrectly addressed, or the recipient's email server is temporarily down, for example.
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• branch
  A branch is the link between nodes in a tree data structure.
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• branch
  When the program executes a different set of commands depending on the results of a test, e.g. IF this is true, THEN go to this section, ELSE go to a different section.
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• breadcrumb trail
  On a website, a breadcrumb trail is a navigation (browser) tool that allows a user to see where the current page is in relation to the rest of the website. The trail will display each folder, or location, back up to the topmost level.
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• break point
  In programming, a break point is put in a program which is being developed, to stop its execution at a particular place, so that the programmer can examine the state of the program at that point, e.g. the values of variables.
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• bridge
  A bridge provides a link between two local area networks. It may also convert the data into the appropriate form for the other system.
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• broadband
  Broadband refers to connections that offer high levels of bandwidth. Although there is no clear guide to what qualifies as a broadband connection, the term generally refers to connections of 128Kbps or faster.
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• broadcast
  In a network, where data is sent to all the stations on the network.