assembler. A computer program used
to
assemble.
assembler language. A computer-oriented language whose
instructions are usually in one-to-one correspondence with
computer instructions.
/"""""'\
asynchronous transmission.
(1)
Transmission in which the time
of
occurrence
of
the start of each character,
or
block
of
characters,
is arbitrary; once started, the time of occurrence of each signal
representing a bit within a character,
or
block, has the same
relationship
to
significant instants of a fixed time frame.
(2)
Transmission in which each information character
is
individually
transmitted (usually timed by the use of start elements
and
stop
elements).
audio frequencies. Frequencies that can
be
heard by the human
ear
(approximately
15
hertz to
20000
hertz).
auxiliary storage.
(1)
A storage device that
is
not
main storage.
(2)
Data
storage other than main storage; for example, storage
on
magnetic disk. (3) Contrast with main storage.
BASIC. Beginner's all-purpose symbolic instruction code.
basic input/output system (BIOS). The feature
of
the IBM
Personal Computer
that
provides the level control
of
the major
I/O
devices, and relieves the programmer from concern about
hardware device characteristics.
baud.
(1)
A unit
of
signaling speed equal
to
the number
of
discrete conditions or signal events
per
second.
For
example, one
baud equals one bit
per
second in a train
of
binary signals,
one-half dot cycle
per
second in Morse code, and one 3-bit value
per second in a train of signals each of which
can
assume one
of
eight different states.
(2)
In
asynchronous transmission, the unit
of
modulation rate corresponding to one unit
of
interval per
second; that is, if the duration
of
the unit interval is
20
"...-..."
milliseconds, the modulation rate
is
50 baud.
BCC. Block-check character.
Glossary-3
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