BIT ("Binary Digit")
Short for binary digit, the smallest unit of information on a computer. The term was first used in 1946 by John Tukey. A single bit can hold only one of two values: 0 or 1. More meaningful information is obtained by combining consecutive bits into larger units. For example, a byte may be composed of 8 consecutive bits (depending on machine generation).

Literature:

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2005). Bit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bit

See also Information; Information theory.

Birger Hjørland

Last edited: 07-04-2006

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