| A |
|
| |
|
|
ADSL |
Asynchronous
Digital Subscriber Line. A new communications standard allowing
high speed access to the internet. |
| |
|
| Analog(ue) |
An
analog computer calculates variables such as voltage as analogs
of the variables being calculated. In other words it tries
to represent things in terms of their ordinary math numbers
rather than in binary code.(see Digital).D |
| |
|
| Analog
Signal |
A signal which varies in amplitude and speed accross a given
range and time frame. |
| |
|
| AOL |
A
very large ISP(Internet Service Provider)offering a wide range
of news, business, and leisure services, some of which you
have to pay extra for. |
| |
|
| Application |
A
program, piece of software, a software package. Any software
designed for a specific purpose or application. |
| |
|
| ARPANET |
The
Advanced Research Projects Agency Network. The forerunner
to the internet. |
| |
|
| Asynchronous |
Not synchronised. Not the same. In telecoms terms it means
that a communications device can send data at one speed, but
receive data at another speed. |
| |
|
| Avatar |
An avatar
is a graphical representation of a person, which you can
use in some 3D style chat rooms. Each person in the chat
room chooses an avatar to represent themselves.
|
| |
|
| B |
|
| |
|
| Backbone |
The
heavy duty telephone lines that carry information around the
internet. depending on your purpose. Speeds on the backbone
are usually measured in Megabits Per Second. Some people include
telephone exchanges, permanently connected computers, satellites,
relay stations, but strictly speaking its just the heavy duty
lines. |
| |
|
| Bit |
The
smalles unit
measurement for computer data. There are 8 bits in 1 byte. |
| |
|
| BPS |
Bits
Per Second This refers to the transmission speed of data sent
accross a communications line. For example, modem speeds are
measured in bps. |
| |
|
| Bookmark |
If
you are browsing the web with Netscape navigator and you find
a web site you really like you can bookmark it. It is basically
a personal web page address book. The equivalent in Microsoft
Internet Explorer is a Favourite. |
| |
|
| Bot |
Short
for Robot, but this is a special automated program designed
to search the Web. Search engines use bots regularly to trawl
the internet for web pages and key words to store in the search
engine database.. |
| |
|
| Bounce |
A
bit like a bouncing check. If and e-mail is returned to sender
because the e-mail address was invalid the e-mail has bounced. |
| |
|
| Broken
Link |
A
link from one web page to another that doesn't work properly.
Possibly because the web site that the link is pointing to
has moved or been dismantled. Links can point to pages or
graphics. |
| |
|
| Browser |
The
software program you use to view webpages. Without browsers,
pages would be full of code. |
| |
|
| Byte |
A
unit of measurement for computer data, it consists of 8 bits.
A byte can be considered equal to one text character. |
| |
|
| C |
|
| |
|
| Cable
Modem |
A
high speed connection to the internet offered by TV cable
companies. |
| |
|
| Cache |
An
area on your computer's hard drive where your browser stores
web pages that you have recently visited. If you ask for that
site again, the browser will load it from the cache, saving
transmission time. |
| |
|
| CGI |
Common
Gateway Interface. This has to be provided by an ISP. It allows
you to run special cgi scripts on your website which create
on-line forms, databases, etc. In most cases, you can only
use the cgi scripts provided. Many service providers will
not let you use your own scripts on your website. |
| |
|
| Chat
Client |
A
piece of software designed to enable you to chat on an internet
chat channel. Often called a chat program. |
| |
|
| Chat
Program |
A
piece of software enabling you to chat on internet chat channels.
Sometimes called a Chat Client. |
| |
|
| Chat
Room |
A
channel on an internet chat program enabling you to talk to
people in real time by typing your messages into an input
box. The message is received by the recipient(s) almost instantaneously
(usually). You can talk one-to -one or to a whole group. |
| |
|
| Client |
A
cmptr which requests information or services from another
cmptr (a server). A piece of computer software designed for
retrieing information from another computer (srvr). |
| |
|
| Compression |
Squezing
a number of files into one smaller file, normally called a
zip file. Compression reduces download times. Often, a whole
software application will be squeezed into one zip file, which
you download and then unzip and install. |
| |
|
| Compuserve |
An
Internet Service Provider offering internet access, news,
business, and leisure services. For some services you have
to pay extra. |
| |
|
| Cross-Platform |
Platform
is a general term for operating systems. If a computer running
on a UNIX platform is in communication with a cmptr running
on a DOS platform, this is called a cross-platform environment. |
| |
|
| Cyberspace |
This
is the intangible space which the World Wide Web occupies.
The term was first coined by the science fiction writer William
Gibson. |
| |
|
| D |
|
| |
|
| Default |
The
action or property that is automatically preferred by a computer.
eg the default directory is the directory the computer always
looks in first. |
| |
|
| Digital |
The
manipulation of data in terms of 1s and 0s, 1 being true,
0 being false, or 1 being on and 0 being off. |
| |
|
| Directory
(1) |
The same as a folder on a Windows PC. They are stored in a
hierarchical structure. eg A directory called Fruit may have
subdirectories under it called Apples, Oranges, Bananas, etc. |
| |
|
| Directory
(2) |
A
database of Web sites and all the information contained in
them. Unlike a search engine, a directory has all the data
put in by human beings rather than Bots. Yahoo is an example
of a directory. |
| |
|
| DNS |
Domain
Name System. This is the system that converts IP (Internet
Protocol) addresses into readable names. A typical IP address
is numerical. eg 193.232.145.1. |
| |
|
| Domain |
Similar
to a directory on a PC, but referring to locations or addresses
on the internet. |
| |
|
| Domain
Name |
The
identification of a computer connected to the internet. Domain
names consist of a Host Name, followed by a category. The
category may be followed by a further category, like a country
name abbreviation. JSmith.co.uk is a domain name consisting
of Host (JSmith), followed by the category Company, followed
by United Kingdom. |
| |
|
| Download |
Transferring information or software from one cmptr to another.
Web sites usually offer downloads in ZIP format (compressed
to a small size). |
| |
|
| E |
|
| |
|
| E-Mail |
Short
for Electronic Mail. Enables users to send messages, reports,
etc accross the internet to other users. You can usually add
attachments to the e-mail such as photos, databases, video
files etc. To save money on connection charges you can write
your e-mail off-line, then dial in for a few moments to send
the mail. |
| |
|
| E-Mail
Client |
The
software you use to compose, send, and receive e-mail. Your
e-mail client requests delivery of your mail messeges from
your sevice providers mail server. That is to say,
their computer which holds user's mail. Microsoft Outlook
Express is an e-mail client. Netscape Messenger, and Eudora
are other examples of mail clients. These are often called
e-mail programs, or e-mail software. |
| |
|
| Emoticon |
These
are sometimes called Smileys. They are used in chat channels
or in e-mail to convey emotions. e.g. :) is produced with
a colon and a close-bracket. :( is made with a colon and an
open-bracket. |
| |
|
| Encryption |
An
algorythim (special program) for scrambling information using
complex mathematical calculations. The strength of encryption
is measured in bits. 28 bit encryption is very weak encryption,
256 bit encryption is strong encryption. |
| |
|
| Eudora |
An
e-mail client (program), free to download in its Lite form.
|
| |
|
| Excite |
A
search engine and portal located at Excite.com.. |
| |
|
| Extension |
The
three letter abbreviation that occurs after the dot in cmptr
file names. eg .doc is the extension for a document file. |
| |
|
| E-Zine |
Electronic
Magazine. A magazine located on the Web. |
| |
|
| F |
|
| |
|
| Favorites
|
Microsoft
Internet Explorer's equivalent to Netscape's Bookmarks its.
Essentially a web page address book that you keep in your
browser so you can easily get to your favorite web sites. |
| |
|
| Filter
|
itA
rule set up in your e-mail program or browser to filter out
undesirable material, or to ignore messeges from certain individuals
or companies.. |
| |
|
| Firewall |
A
security system that allows a cmptr or network to connect
to the internet, while restricting access to itself, or its
network. |
| |
|
| Frames |
These
divide web pages into separate compartments that can be individually
scrolled. Frames can enable several web pages to be displayed
on a single page. |
| |
|
| Freeware |
Software
that is available for free. There are many sites on the internet
where you can download freeware onto your computer. |
| |
|
| FTP |
File
Transfer Protocol. The prtcl (interface with a set of rules
for speed, format, ect) used for two computers to connect
to each other for the purpose of transferring files. That
is to say, uploading or downloading files to each other. Cute
FTP is a very good piece of software for file transfer. Also
popular is WS_FTP. You can download these from many websites. |
| |
|
| G |
|
| |
|
| Gateway |
Usually
a cmptr on a network that allows access to the internet to
terminals on the local network which don not have direct internet
access. |
| |
|
| Gigabyte |
One
thousand million bytes or one thousand megabytes. |
| |
|
| H |
|
| |
|
| Hayes |
Hayes
invented the modem, and the Hayes protocols remain in common
use to this day. |
| |
|
| History |
A
directory in which your browser stores details of where you've
been on the web recently. You can delete this, either from
within the browser or by deleting the contents of your history
folder using Microsoft Explorer. Be aware that even when you
empty your recycle bin these files are recoverable. In order
to delete them permanently you need to Wipe the contents of
the directory. |
| |
|
| Hit |
A
measurement for visits to a web site. If your home page receives
ten Hits, your web page has been visited ten times. |
| |
|
| Hierarchy |
Layers
of authority, privileges, or functionality on a network. Also,
directories (folders) on a computer store information in a
hierarchical way. eg a directory called toys may have other
folders or directories beneath it called train sets, dolls
etc. |
| |
|
| Home
Page |
The
first, introductory page of your web site. This is the page
that visitors to your site will come to if they type in your
web address in their browser. |
| |
|
| Host |
A
server (cmptr) that is connected to other computers which
are one or more levels below it in a hierarchy. |
| |
|
| HTML |
Hypertext Markup Language. This is the original programming
language for the web. It is still in use but new versions
have been developed, such as DHTML(Dynamic Hypertext Markup
Language), XML (Extended Markup Language), and VRML (Virtual
Reality Markup Language). |
| |
|
| HTTP |
Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The prtcl (interface) used by
browsers to download, transfer web pages. |
| |
|
| I |
|
| |
|
| IE5 |
Abbreviation for Internet Explorer version 5. |
| |
|
| Internet |
The world-wide computer network consisting of various components
and protocols. ie the World Wide Web, Usenet, Telnet, FTP. |
| |
|
| IP |
Internet
Protocol. The protocol (interface, set of rules) that enables
computers to connect to the internet. |
| |
|
| IRCI |
Internet
Relay Chat. To take part in this you need an IRC program (client)
and you need to connect to an IRC server. Most IRC servers
carry several thousand channels. |
| |
|
| ISDN |
Intigrated
Services Digital Network. This provides digital access to
the internet. Digital lines are faster than analog lines.
Typically ISDN offers connection speeds of 128 kbps kilobits
per second. |
| |
|
| ISP |
Internet
Service Provider. The company that provides you with dial
up access to the Net. Some ISPs, like AOL and Compuserve offer
many additional services. Some are premium services which
you have to pay extra for. |
| |
|
| J |
|
| |
|
| Java |
A
web page programming lanuage, often called Java script. This
language is relatively simple and can be used for creating
fancy effects on web pages like rollovers (where a button
or other graphic changes when the mouse rolls over it). eg
making a button change colour on mousover. |
| |
|
| JPEG |
Joint
Pictures Expert Group. This is the committee which determines
standards for image formats on the web. JPEG files have the
extension .jpg. |
| |
|
| K |
|
| |
|
| Keyword |
A
word or phrase that you type into a search engine when looking
for information. |
| |
|
| Kilobit |
One
thousand bits. |
| |
|
| Kilobyte |
One
thousand bytes. |
| |
|
| L |
|
| |
|
| Link |
An
automated connection between one web page and another. These
can be links to pages within a web site, or to a completely
different web site. Links can be in either text or graphic
form, but in both cases, a web page address is hidden under
the text or graphic. When you click on it, you are connected
automatically to the new web page. These are sometimes called
Hyperlinks. |
| |
|
| Linux |
A
popular operating system seen by many as a better alternative
to Microsoft Windows. This OS is open source, which means
that, unlike Microsofts operating system, the code for developing
Linux is freely available. You can read or download Linux
code from the internet. |
| |
|
| Location
Bar |
The
long white rectangle at the top of your browser into which
you type the web address that you want to go to. |
| |
|
| Lycos |
A
search engine located at lycos.com. |
| |
|
| M |
|
| |
|
| Mail
Server |
A computer (server) used to process e-mail for delivery to
othe computers (clients). |
| |
|
|
Megabit |
One
million bits |
| |
|
|
Megabyte |
One
million bytes |
| |
|
| MIME |
Multiple
Internet Mail Extensions. A standard way of encoding e-mail
attachments, such as photos, mp3 files so that users of different
mail programs can exchange these attachments without complications. |
| |
|
| Modem |
The
electronic box that stands between your computer and the telephone
line. It converts the digital data on your computer into analog
data so it can be sent along an analog
phone line. In reverse, it converts the analog data received
from the phone line into digital data which can then be understood
by your computer. |
| |
|
| mp3 |
mp3
is the music file format that has taken over from the previously
popular .WAV format. The problem with .WAV music files is
that they are huge. mp3 stores music data in a much more efficient
way so they are relatively small. mp3 is short for mpeg, which
stands for Motion Pictures Experts Group, the committee which
oversees video and audio formats on the web.. |
| |
|
| N |
|
| |
|
| Netiquette |
A
somewhat pompous term translated as Net etiquette. Proper
behaviour in chat or news channels. |
| |
|
| Network |
Any
number of computers that are connected together. There are
essentially three types. Local Area Network (LAN) Wide Area
Network (WAN) and the internet, which is a global network. |
| |
|
| Newsgroup |
These
are discussion groups on the internet where you can read and
post messages. There are thousands of them, and you will often
see the term Subscribe used when you try to join one. This
word does not mean that you have to pay anything to join.
Although you can access newsgroups through a web browser,
newsgroups are considered to be a separate part of the internet
called Usenet. You can get dedicated news reading programs,
which will collect newsgroups from your Internet Service Provider's
news server. |
| |
|
| NNTP |
Network
News Transfer Protocol. The set of rules, or interface that
enables news servers (computers) to distribute news to news
clients (recipient computers). |
| |
|
| O |
|
| |
|
| OCR |
Optical
Character Recognition. Computer hardware and software that
can read and manipulate text. |
| |
|
| Offline,Off-line
|
Not
connected to the internet or other network. |
| |
|
| Offline
Browser |
A
piece of sofware that allows you to download an entire website
so that you can view it offline. Webwhacker is a popular example
of an offline browser. |
| |
|
| Online,On-line
|
Being
connected to the internet. |
| |
|
| Online
Service |
Services
provided by ISPs (Internet Service Providers) over and above
the normal array of services(normal services being connection,
news, and mail). These online services may include access
to electronic magazines, stocks and other financial information.
Online Service can also refer to a company specialising in
delivering a particular service. eg Reuters has an online
news service. |
| |
|
| P |
|
| |
|
| PGP |
Pretty
Good Privacy. Software for encrypting files, emails, or entire
disk drives. Check out pgp.com |
| |
|
| PING |
Packet
InterNet Groper. Small signal generator that sends a signal
to a server to see if it exists. If it does, the reply will
be Pong. |
| |
|
| Platform |
A
general term for computer operating systems. eg a computer
running on DOS can be said to be running on the DOS platform.
A computer running on UNIX is running on a UNIX platform. |
| |
|
| Plug-in |
Extra
software that enhance a browser's capabilites. For example,
Shockwave for viewing animations, Real Player for listening
to music. |
| |
|
| POP |
Post
Office Prtcl. A Protocol (interface, set of rules which enables
an e-mail client (program) to retrieve mail from an ISPs mail
server. |
| |
|
| PPP |
Point
to Point Prtcl. This takes you straight to the World Wide
Web. Some protocols link you into an intranet first. |
| |
|
| Protocol |
An
interface or set of rules which enables computers/software
to communicate with each other irrespective of platform or
format. |
| |
|
| Proxy
Server |
A
proxy server has a similar function to your browser cache.
(see Cache) It stores web pages which are in high demand and
downloads them on request from users, thereby taking the weight
off the main server. |
| |
|
| Public
Domain |
Software
that is freely available for use or distribution. Shareware
and Freeware are both Public Domain software. |
| |
|
| Q |
|
| |
|
| Quake |
A
popular first person intelligent blaster game which can be
played on the internet. Similar style to Doom, the original
intelligent blaster. |
| |
|
| R |
|
| |
|
| RAM |
Random
Access Memory. The memory that your computer uses to run software.
|
| |
|
| ROM |
Read
Only Memory. Memory that cannot be written to. |
| |
|
| Router |
A
computer that redirects data. It is sometimes called a switch.
It routes packets of information to their destinations. |
| |
|
| S |
|
| |
|
| Search
Engine |
A
web site that enables you to enter keywords to find sites
that have the information that you are looking for. Search
engines send out Robots, Bots, or Spiders to crawl over the
Web to find new sites in order to catalogue them into their
databases. |
| |
|
| Secure
Server |
A
server (computer) that has the ability to handle secure encrypted
transactions, such as purchasing of goods and services. |
| |
|
| Server(srvr) |
A computer which provides information to other cmptrs. There
are many different types of srvr. On the internet there are
mail srvrs, web srvrs, news srvrs, ftp srvrs. |
| |
|
| Shareware |
A program, piece of software, which is available to try out
for free, but has a limited lifespan. Usually they expire
after thirty days, after which you are expected to register
the sofware and pay a fee, or discard it. |
| |
|
| Signature |
A
name or phrase that is automatically added to the end of their
e-mail messages. |
| |
|
| SMTP |
Simple
Mail Transfer Protocol. This is the standard prtcl for e-mail
on the internet. |
| |
|
| Spam |
Junk
mail on the internet. Spamming large amounts of unsoliscited
e-mail. There is also search engine spamming. This involves
massive repetition of keywords, often in text the same colour
as the background on the web pages, in order to get a higher
listing when the search engine answers keyword queries. A
higher listing means more hits, and for a commercial site,
more hits means more money. |
| |
|
|
SSL
|
Secure
Socket Layer. The encryption system that allows secure servers
to carry out encrypted transactions. |
| |
|
| T |
|
| |
|
| TELNET |
Terminal
Emulation Local Network. The Telnet protocol If you make a
Telnet connection you log on to a network as though you were
a computer on that network. Emulation simply means to pretend.
Your computer pretends to be a teminal attached to a network.
Telnet connections tend to be rather boring, presenting users
with a black or green screen with no graphics or colour. |
| |
|
| U |
|
| |
|
| Unix |
A
computer operating system, popular for internet servers. For
directory pathways UNIX uses a foreward slash ( / ), while
Windows/DOS operating systems use a bacward slash ( \ ). |
| |
|
| Upload |
Transferring
data from one computer to another. eg from a personal computer
to an internet cmpter, of from a PC to a mainframe. |
| |
|
| URL
|
Uniform
Resource Locator. Another way of saying internet address. |
| |
|
| Usenet |
The
network of newsgroups on the internet. |
| |
|
| V |
|
| |
|
| VR |
Virtual Reality. Software viewable through a headset which
creates the illsion of being completely surrounded and immersed
in a computer generated environment. Some people use the term
VR in connection with 3D style web sites, games, or other
3D environments. |
| |
|
| VRML |
Virtual
Reality Markup Language. A programming language for designing
3D style web sites and chat environments. |
| |
|
| W |
|
| |
|
| WAP |
Wireless
Applications Protocol. Used for connection to the net of wireless
hardware such as mobile phones. |
| |
|
| WWW |
World
Wide Web. |
| |
|
| WWWW |
World
Wide Wireless Web. |
| |
|
| Webmaster |
A
person who designes or manges websites. |
| |
|
| Web
space |
The
area on a server that an ISP allocates to users for building
and maintaining a web site. |
| |
|
| W3C |
The
World Wide Web Consortium. This is based in Cern, Switzerland,
and oversees the development of the World Wide Web. |
| |
|
| X |
|
| |
|
| XML |
Extensible
Markup Language. An enhanced version of HTML. |
| |
|
| Y |
|
| |
|
| Yahoo |
The
biggest directory on the Web. To the user it seems like a
normal search engine, but Yahoo does not use bots or spiders
to crawl the Web. Its entire database is keyed in by human
beings. |
| |
|
| Z |
|
| |
|
