ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Baud

Baud is a word that is used to describe how fast a computer can talk to other computers. It's kind of like how fast you can talk to your friends when you're on the phone - some people speak really fast and some people speak really slow.

When computers talk to each other, they use a special language called binary code. Binary code is made up of little bits, or pieces, of information that can either be "on" or "off." Think of it like a light switch - when the switch is up, the light is on, and when the switch is down, the light is off.

Baud measures how many bits of information a computer can send or receive per second. So if a computer has a baud rate of 9600, that means it can send or receive 9600 bits of information every second. That's a lot of information!

The baud rate is important because it determines how quickly computers can share information with each other. If the baud rate is too low, it might take a long time for one computer to send a message to another computer. But if the baud rate is too high, the computers might get confused and start sending the wrong information. So it's important to find the right balance.

Overall, baud is just a way to measure how fast computers can talk to other computers. It's like a speedometer for computers, and it helps them communicate more efficiently.