clock
As related to the year 2000 issue, an independent timekeeping circuit (called the Real Time Clock or RTC) used within a microcomputer to keep track of the time and calendar date. A clock/calendar circuit is battery powered, so it continues running even when the computer is turned off. The time and date kept by the clock/calendar can be used by the operating system (for example, to "stamp" files with the date and time of creation or revision) and by application programs (for example, to insert the date or time in a document) via calls to the BIOS. Not to be confused with the computer's system clock, one of the prime determinants of the overall processing speed.
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