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// Glossary of Internet terminology
 We
have tried to make all terminology as simple to understand as possible,
however if you have any difficulty in understanding any terminology
don't hesitate to contact us and we will
be glad to explain things to you.
A B
C D E F
G H I J
K L M N
O P Q R S
T U V W
X Y Z
A
- Access
: As a verb, to gain entry into a Computer Network and utilise
it. As a noun, it is the method of connecting and interacting
with the Network. The latter may be through a Computer at work,
through a local Internet Service Provider (See: ISP), or through
an On-Line Service.
- Address
: The unique combination of letters or numbers which identifies
the person or location sought. It can be particular person (john@work.com),
an Address on the World Wide Web (http://www.frvp.com), or a specific
machine (152.52.0.7).
Application
: The
Software Program which handles a particular task, such as word-processing
or spreadsheet.
-
Article : a message that is posted to a newsgroup,
also called a post .
- ASCII
: "American
Standard Code for Information Interchange." The world standard
code for 128 characters representing all upper and lower case
Latin letters, numbers, punctuation, etc. Usually refers to straight,
unformatted text Files.
Avatar : the character you become in a
graphical or virtual chat room.
Top
B
bandwidth: The amount of electronic data
that can be transferred through an electronic connection in a
given time. For modems connected by telephone to the Internet,
the modem's "speed" represents the maximum possible
bandwidth of the connection, such as 56.6 Kbps (kilobits per second).
banner
ad: An image file that displays an online advertisement, typically
sized for placement at the top or bottom of a Web page, and
linked to another page.
Backbone
: The
high-speed line or connection within a Network which functions
as the main pathway for data transmission.
- Bandwidth
: The
amount of information which can flow through a given portal at
any time. Akin to the capacity of a pipeline or the number of
lanes in a highway.
- BBS
: (See:
Bulletin Board System.)
- Beta
: An experimental or prerelease version of Software. Often released
to the public for free, thus having the public do the final testing
FOR the Software producer.
- Binary
: The code which represents any alphanumeric character, punctuation
or symbol as a 7-digit number to the base 2: 0000000 to 1111111.
- BPS
: "Bits
Per Second." The measure of a Modem's speed, referring to the
number of bits of data which can be sent and received per second.
- Browser
: A
Software Application or Client which is used in
locating, requesting and displaying Web pages
of the World
Wide Web in a graphics format. There are 2 main browsers Internet
Explorer and Netscape Navigator.
- Bulletin
Board System : A
BBS is a dedicated Computer system that acts as host for other
Computers to call into. The special BBS Software usually allows
Uploading and Downloading Files, E-mail, and discussion groups.
Known also as message boards, forums and chat boards.
- Byte
: A
set of bits which represents a single character. Usually there
are 8 BITS in a BYTE.
Top
C
Case sensitive :
URL's, email addresses and passwords must usually be typed exactly
the way they are written or they won't work. Always check
your letters if you have problems with a URL, email address or
password: you may have missed a capital letter or your CAPS LOCK
key may be on.
Chat
Room : A virtual room where you type
messages to other people in real time.
- CGI
: "Common
Gateway Interface." A File which runs a Program to perform a specific
action depending on input by the user of a World Wide Web document.
- Client
: A
Software Application. Usually used in conjunction with SLIP/PPP
connection. Also the term used for a system which is connecting
to a Server.
- Compressed
File : A
File or number of Files which have been reduced in size and combined
into a single File to simplify and speed up transmission via Modem.
Examples are Files ending in ZIP, ARC, HQX, SEA, TAR, and the
like.
- Compression
: The
method of creating compressed Files. The Programs such as often
Binhex, Stuffit, Winzip and Pkzip often use code which will delete
the spaces from a File, then restore them when the File is expanded.
- Computer
: Usually
used to designate a desktop, laptop, or Personal Computer (PC).
Lowest rung in the microchip food chain, the least microComputer
sold today is FAR more powerful than the largest mainframe of
just a few decades ago. The only problem is that the code for
the operating systems and Programs of today is written by Programmers
who do not have to BUY their own Memory.
- Config
File : A
system File (config.sys) in DOS used to set certain parameters
in the Computer. It is read first on Bootup.
Top
D
database: A file or file system containing
organized information and, most commonly, a filing and retrieval
system for storing information. Most
database software also includes tools for data analysis. Microsoft
Access is an example of database software.
discount
rate: A percentage fee paid to the merchant account provider
or ISO for handling an electronic transaction. This fee includes
the interchange rate. Most Web merchants pay between 2 percent
and 10 percent of their revenue from online credit card orders.
domain:
A designation for particular location on the Internet. A domain
(e.g., "frvp.com") contains the files that make up
the content of Web
pages under that address. frvp.com/index.html and frvp.com/webdesign.htm
are different Web pages located within the same domain. Domain
names are associated with IP addresses. See also domain name.
domain
name: The
unique name which designates a specific site on the Internet
eg. www.frvp.com. An
Internet address in alphabetic form. Domain names must have
at least two parts: the part on the left (the second-level domain
name), which names the organization, and the part on the right
(the top-level domain name),
which identifies the highest subdomain, such as the country
(".fr" for France, ".uk" for United Kingdom)
or the type of organization (".corn" for "commercial,"
".edu" for "educational," etc.). The IP
address is translated into the domain name by the domain name
server. See also domain. Find
out about our domain prices here
download:
To transfer files or data from one computer to another. To download
means "to receive;"to upload means "to transmit."
-
Dialer
: A
Computer Program which actually dials a telephone number through
the Modem and connects one Computer to another.
Digest : A daily compilation of emails
that have been sent to a mailing list .
Directory
: A
subdivision of a hard disk -- known in some systems as a Folder,
much like a File drawer. Directories allow the user to divide Files
and Programs and keep them separate.
- DNS
: "Domain
Name Server." The specific machine which contains all the Addresses
on the Internet and parses (translates) whatever Address the user
inputs to its alphanumeric equivalent for transmission to the
remote system.
- Top
E
- e-commerce:
The processing of economic transactions, such as buying and selling,
through electronic communication. E-commerce often refers to transactions
occurring via the Internet, such as credit card purchases at Web
sites. See also Internet commerce.
encryption:
Putting data into a secret code so they are unreadable except
by authorized users. Encryption uses a key to jumble data. The
only way to use the information is to decrypt it with the same
key.
- E-mail:
Electronic correspondence sent from one user to another on a Network.
Emoticon
: See Smiley.
Top
F
- firewall:
A set of related programs located at the
entry point to your PC, network or server that can
be customized to protect your data from hackers,
viruses and unwanted visitors.
Flash:
A bandwidth-friendly and browser-independent animation technology
that uses geometrical formulas — rather than patterns of
dots — to represent images. As long as different browsers
are equipped with the necessary plug-ins, Flash animations will
look the same when viewed by any of them.
fulfillment:
The act of getting an ordered item from the warehouse shelf
to the customer. This can include any or all of the following:
order call management, warehousing, pick and pack, packaging,
printing literature, hang tags, labels or stories, any manipulation
such as label removal or addition, shipment waybill preparation,
and shipping.
- FAQ
: "Frequently
Asked Questions." Encyclopedic Files of information on a specific
topic. Usually prepared by an expert or group in a standard format
and updated at regular intervals. An excellent source of information.
- File
: A
single document or Program. A unit of storage on the Computer.
- File
Transfer : Movement
of a File from one Computer to another.
- Fire
Wall : Hardware
or Software which separates one Network from another for security
purposes.
Flame
: To send insults and abuse to another user
electronically, either through email or newsgroup posts. Flaming
is not good netiquette and is not recomended.
- Flame
War : An
exchange of insults in an On-Line discussion in which the debaters
rather than the subject are the topic of discussion.
- Folder
: (See:
Directory)
Freeware
: Software
which is distributed freely, without charge.
FTP
: File Transfer Protocol - a method of moving files
across the Internet, often referred to as a up-load .
Top
G
GIF
(graphic interchange file): A file type that contains a graphic,
a photo or another image. GIFs tend to take less memory and bandwidth
than JPEGs and can contain animation. JPEGs offer greater image
clarity, especially for photo images.
Gateway
: The
hardware/Software arrangement which translates between two different
Protocols.
-
Geek : Term of endearment (or derision, depending on the user)
which signifies a person who tends to cloak him/herself in technical
details or jargon.
GIF : "Graphics Interchange Format." A File format developed
by CompuServe for transferring and viewing graphics Files.
- Gigabyte
: One thousand Megabytes (which is one thousand Kilobytes).
Gopher : Menu-driven Access to the information on the Internet.
Most systems have a Gopher Program. Requires a Gopher Client (Program)
to Access.
- GUI
: "Graphics User Interface." Pronounced "GOO-ee." A terminal
or Communications Program which allows the user to see graphics.
Guru : One who is experienced and usually willing to teach
others the ropes.
Top
H
- host;
Any computer directly connected to a network that acts as a repository
for services, such as e-mail or FTP, available for other computers
on the network.
HTML
(hypertext markup language): A set of codes that determine how
a Web page will appear, including graphics, links and text characteristics.
Hacker
: Once
a term or respect and endearment for Computer users who competed
informally to write shorter, more concise and more elegant code.
Now used primarily to describe the Computer equivalent of street
gangs and hooligans who try to break into Computer systems for
their own purposes.
- Help
Desk : The
god-like Gurus who endow every conversation with confused users
with the unselfish dispensation of infinite patience and wisdom.
(See also: divine, majestic, miracle-workers.)
- Helper
Applications : Programs or Clients which allow the user to translate
Compressed and Multimedia Files into a format which can be used
on the user's Computer. (See also: JPEG, MPEG, ZIP.)
- Home
Page : The main page of a Hypertext document on the World Wide
Web. On some systems, users are allowed to put up their own Home
Pages for Access by others. (See also: Web Page.)
- HTM
: "HyperText Markup." The DOS version of HTML, truncated to three
letters because DOS only allows a three-character File extension.
- HTTP
: "HyperText
Transfer Protocol." The method of transferring the data in an
HTML (hypertext
transfer protocol): The protocol most often used to transfer information
from Web servers to browsers. All
WWW Addresses start with "http://" but newer Browsers take this
for granted and allow the user to put in the Address without having
to enter this each time.
Hyperlink
: A
link from a point in one document to a point in the same or another
document. Enables
you to navigate from page to page across the Web and are what gives
the Web it's name - all the pages are cross-linked to one another
like a spider's web. Hyperlinks can be graphics or text, usually
colored and underlined, and are clicked on to get to the next page.
Top
I
Internet
commerce: A broad term covering all
commercial transactional activities via the Internet.
ISP
(Internet service provider): A firm that provides access to the
Internet, including Web browsing and e-mail.
Infohighway
or Infobahn : Refers
to the Internet; also Infosuperhighway or I-Way.
Internet
: A
Network Linking millions of Computers together in a state of sustained,
benevolent anarchy. Originally started by the U.S. government as
a way of assuring redundant routing and survivability in the event
of nuclear war, the Network has taken on a life of its own and is
the closest thing ever created to a manmade organism It is composed
of a number of different methods of Access as well as a number of
different ways of moving data, including the World Wide Web, File
Transfer Protocol, Telnet, Gopher, and Internet Relay Chat.
IRC
: Internet Relay Chat - a method for chatting
with others by typing to each other in real time.
IP
Address (Internet
protocol address): A
designation for a particular location on the Internet, such as "140.23.719.6."
IP addresses are associated with domain names.
The
four-part numeric Address for any machine connected to the Internet,
used for purposes of routing information, e.g., 152.52.2.2. Everything
on the Internet has a unique code number. Some numbers are permanent
-- or "static" -- while some numbers are assigned "dynamically,"
that is they are assigned only for the current session and are likely
to be different for the next session.
ISDN
: "Integrated
Services Digital Network." A method of connecting to the Internet
through existing phone lines which allows much faster transmission
of data. Instead of the 28,800 BPS limit of most Modems, ISDN allows
users to transmit and receive at 56,000 BPS and sometimes as high
as 128,000 BPS.
Top
J
Java
: A special
computer language formulated by Sun Microsystems to work over the
Internet. Some Web pages include small programs written in
Java, that add animations or other complex tasks.
JPEG
: "Joint
Photographic Experts Group." A committee that has established standards
for the compression and decompression of graphic images. Also the
extension for such Files (written sometimes as JPG).
JPG:
A file format used for storing graphic images, usually photographs.
JPEG files are larger than GIFs of the same image but offer better
color control and clarity. See also GIF.
Top
K
keyword:
A word or phrase used in a search engine query to find Web documents
relating to a particular subject.
Kilobyte
: A
thousand bytes, actually 1024 (2^10) bytes.
Top
L
- Links
:
Addresses to other resources on the World Wide Web. Links are
usually a different color from the rest of the text and can be
clicked on with a mouse, thus transporting the user to the new
location. Most sites have Links to other, similar sources of information.
Other sites such as some personal Home Pages merely provide Links
to other locations the site provider finds of interest to him
or her.
Lurker
: Someone who reads the posts to Mailing Lists
or Newsgroups without participating in the "conversation".
Often good to do before you begin to participate or post.
Top
M
Mailing
List : An email
group that individuals subscribe to and send messages to and receive
messages from, often on a specific topic like a software program
or a medical support group. May be received as separate messages
or a digest that compiles all the message for one
day. Use caution before you subscribe: some mailing lists
may send you over 100 emails a day. Also, keep unsubscribe
instructions for future reference.
MAP
(merchant account provider): A bank or other institution that provides
merchant accounts and processes online credit card transactions.
The term is also often used broadly to include any credit card processing
service, including independent service organizations (ISOs).
merchant
account: A bank account established by a merchant to receive the
proceeds of credit card purchases. By establishing a merchant account,
the merchant bank agrees to pay the merchant for valid credit card
purchases in exchange for the right to collect on the debt owed
by the consumer.
merchant
bank: A bank that holds a merchant account. After a consumer buys
a product using a credit card, the merchant bank places funds into
a merchant account in exchange for the right to collect on the debt
owed by a consumer. See also MAP.
meta
tag: A special HTML code that provides information about a Web page
such as who created the page, how often it is updated, what the
page is about, and which keywords represent the page's content.
Many search engines use this information when building their indices.
Megabyte
: One
thousand Kilobytes. (For comparison, a single page of double-spaced
type is roughly two Kilobytes.)
Memory
(RAM) : The amount of Random Access Memory a Computer has. It is
not related to hard disk storage, but rather is the amount of space
available for Programs to run. Usually given in MB or Megabytes,
4 MB or RAM is usually considered the absolute minimum for running
a SLIP/PPP connection, and then under older versions of the Connection
and Browser Programs.
-
MIME : "Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions." Protocol for
E-mail which allows transmission of non-text Files such as graphics,
audio, video, and Program Files. Uses encoding which sends the
message as text, then unencodes it at the other end when it is
Downloaded.
Modem : "MOdulator-DEModulator." A device which -- IN THEORY
-- connects a Computer to a phone line and Modulates the Computer's
electronic signals into "sound," transmits it across telephone
lines, then DEModulates that sound at the other end of the line
into electronic signals for the remote Computer to read. There
is only MINIMAL standardization among Modem manufacturers.
MPEG : "Motion Picture Experts Group." A committee that has
established standards for the compression and decompression of
motion pictures and audio. Also the extension for such Files (written
sometimes as MPG).
Multimedia : Various methods of presenting information on
the Computer including audio, video, animation, and telephony.
There are Programs which can be Downloaded which will run the
various types of Files (See also: Helper Applications.)
Top
N
Networkaddress:
The host number, network number and socket number of an entity,
constituting its address on the Internet.
Netiquette
: Internet manners or
the appropriate way to behave. Applies to email, newsgroups,
mailing lists and chat.
Nerd
: See
Geek.
Network
: Any group
of interconnected computers (including the hardware and software)
used to connect in
such a way that they can communicate and share data.
Newbie
: A new Internet user.
Newsgroups : The thousands of electronic
bulletin boards linked together on Usenet
.
Top
O
- online
auction: An auction via the Web. Buyers log on to the auction
site, look over the products, and enter their bids. Notification
is sent explaining how their bids compared with those submitted
by other bidders. Bidding continues until the auction's time limit
expires. The goods are then offered to the highest bidder, and
a method of shipment is determined.
online
brochure: A brochure that provides useful, practical information
about your service and enables you to develop your image and
build trust and customer loyalty.
online
publication: A site that provides news and how-to articles in
exchange for a subscription fee or a per-item price.
- On-line
: Any
thing or any one that is on-line.
- On-Line
Services : A service such as AOL or Freeserve which offers
On-Line services such as Internet Access.
Top
P
payment
gateway: The code that transmits a customer's order to and from
a merchant's bank's transaction-authorizing agent, usually a MAP.
See also payment gateway provider.
payment
gateway provider: A company that provides code and/or software for
an e-commerce site to enable it to transfer information from its
shopping cart to the acquiring bank and on through the rest of the
credit card transaction. See also payment gateway.
portal
site: An information center or gateway to other sites. Portals do
not typically sell products or services but make money selling advertising
space.
POS
terminal (point of sale terminal): An electronic device used for
verifying and processing credit card transactions. If the credit
card is available, the merchant can swipe the card through the terminal.
program
(software): An organized list of instructions that, when executed,
causes the computer to behave in a determined manner. Without programs,
computers are useless. (When you buy software, you normally buy
an executable version of a program.)
Pop
: Point Of Presence
- refers to local phone numbers maintained by national, regional
or local Internet access providers.
POP
: "Post
Office Protocol." Also POP3.
- POP3
: A method of delivering mail to users on the Internet via
SLIP/PPP, but who do not have a permanent IP Address. Mail is
held in an account much like General Delivery at the Post Office.
When the user signs in with his/her user ID and password, the
mail is taken from their holding area and passed across the counter
to the user.
Post
: See Article.
PPP
: Point-to-Point Protocol - a type of access
account that gives you virtually direct access to the Internet.
-
- Prompt
: The command line indicator that input from the user is expected.
Examples are the "C:>" or "C:\" in DOS or the "mbowen@parsifal:~$"
Prompt in the Unix Shell.
- Protocol
: A set of rules that regulate the way data are transmitted between
computers. Rules agreed upon by both parties for the transmission
of data on a Network. It can be as complex as Transfer Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol which packages and routes data to millions
of points on the Internet at once.
Top
R
reserve account: A portion of the revenue
from a merchant's credit card transactions held in reserve by
the merchant account provider to cover possible
disputed charges, chargeback fees and other expenses. After a
determined time, funds in reserve accounts are turned over to
the merchant.
-
S
- search
engine: A program that lets you perform keyword searches for information
on the World Wide Web or for information within specific Web sites.
secure
server: A Web server or other computer connected to the Internet
that is capable of estabiishing encrypted communication with
clients.
server:
The computer in a client/server architecture that supplies files
or services. The computer that requests services is called the
client.
shipper:
The company that sells the product being shipped to the receiving
party or consignee.
spider
(also known as a robot or a crawler): A software application
that automatically finds and retrieves information from the
Web. Used by search engines to find and index Web sites.
Secure
Sockets Layer (SSL): A system for encrypting data sent via the
Internet, including e-commerce transactions and passwords. With
SSL, client and server computers exchange public keys, allowing
them to encode and decode their communication.
storefront:
A Web site that has all the qualities of a brick-and-mortar
business, that is, a display of products, shopping carts and
a checkout stand, except that everything is online. Customer
service tools such as FAQ pages, search engines and discussion
groups allow customers to get information and provide feedback.
Profits are made by charging your customers for goods you provide
to them.
- Search
: To
seek information on a specific topic on the Internet.
- Search
engine : The Software or Program used to Search. The most familiar
Search Engines are Yahoo, Lycos, Altavista, and Webcrawler.
Shareware : A program that you can freely
download, but if you keep using it you are expected to pay the author
for it. May be a fully functional program, a partially functional
program or a fully functional program that only works for a period
of time.
Shell
: A
command interpreter and Programming language which allow you to
use the host Computer's facilities and Programs. The Unix Shell
is the most common example. When you log into the Unix Shell, you
can use the Software on the remote system to Access every part of
the Internet from a command Prompt.
SLIP
: Serial Line Internet Protocol - a direct
type of Internet access account requiring TCP/IP software.
Smiley
: A symbol make of keyboard characters (ASCII)
such as :) or ;-) that resembles a smiley face turned sideways,
also know as emoticon .
- Software
: A
Program which allows the user to perform a specific task, such
as word processing, database or spreadsheet. Telecommunications
Software such as Terminal, HyperTerminal, Microphone or ClarisWorks
is used with a Modem to communicate with a remote Computer.
Spam
: When you receive unsolicited email similar
to the junk mail you receive through snail mail .
Spamming
: Sending a single message to multiple
newsgroups or email address. Not just frowned upon, this can
cause you to lose your Internet access account.
-
- Storage
: The method of saving data, usually on a hard disk drive. The
drive capacity is usually measured in Megabytes or Gigabytes.
My provider allows each account up to 5 Megabytes of storage.
Subscribe : To ask to receive all the correspondence accruing
to a Newsgroup or Mail List. (See also: Unsub, Unsubscribe.)
Surf : A term for moving from one point to another on the Internet
randomly.
Top
T
- turnkey:
A business solution in which the provider assumes total responsibility
from design through completion of the project. For example, you
can have a turnkey Web site, a complete site built according to
your specifications; a turnkey e-commerce solution, which would
include all the software and merchant accounts required to enable
an e-store to accept credit cards; or a turnkey search engine
submission service, which writes your keywords and submits your
site to search engines and directories for you. Many consulting
firms refer to themselves as turnkey solution providers, meaning
they can assess your needs and do all the coding required to build
an entire e-commerce-capable Web site.
turnkey
application: Software that requires little or no modification
when inserted into a Web site. In e-commerce, many MAPs and
ISOs offer turnkey
applications for processing credit card orders online.
- Tar
: Tape
archive, a method of Compressing data and Files in Unix.
- TCP/IP
: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol;
a series of rules computers must obey in order to communicate
across the Internet.
Telnet
: A communications protocol that lets you
log onto another computer from a remote location.
Terminal Server : A device who's sole duty is to tell you
where to go and how to do things once you have become part of the
Network or family. The Computer equivalent of a mother-in-law.
Top
U
UNIX
: The operating system used on networked machines
that provide the basis for the Internet.
- Upload
: To
transfer a File from one's own Computer "up" to a remote Computer.
(See also: FTp.)
URL
(uniform resource locator): An address for a file (or a page) located
on the Internet (e.g., "http://www.frvp.com").
Usenet
: A network featuring thousands of discussion
groups, also see newsgroups .
Top
V
Virus
: A malicious program
that will erase your hard drive or destroy data on your computer.
Make sure you have a virus scanner on your computer if you are going
to be downloading and running a lot of programs. There are
free programs available that scan downloads for viruses before you
save them.
VRML
: Virtual Reality Modeling Language; used to create
3-D areas on the Web, allowing you to experience animation, ../images,
sound, music, video and more.
Top
W
Web
(short for World Wide Web): The entire collection of files written
in HTML and similar mark-up languages available via the Internet.
Clients on the Internet use their browsers to request these files
from Web servers then display them as Web
pages. The Web is only a portion of the Internet; other parts include
e-mail communication and FTP.
Web
host: A company that leases services and server space to other companies
and individuals who wish to maintain a Web or e-commerce presence
without maintaining their own servers. Cost structures are determined
by amount and complexity of services offered, such as scripting
tools, credit card processing, etc.
Web
mall: A one-stop shopping place where a number of merchants occupy
the same Web site and sell their goods to the public. If you're
one of the merchants, profits are made from the sale of your products.
If you also own the Web site, you can charge the companies a fee
for giving them an outlet to sell their products.
Web
server: A computer dedicated to storing the files that make up Web
pages and the protocols needed for communicating with other computers
via the Internet.
WYSIWYG
(what you see is what you get): What an onscreen document will look
like when it is printed or what a Web page you're creating will
look like when it is viewed in a browser.
Webcrawler
:
A Program which Searches the WWW and returns a list of Links the
user can go to for information about the Search topic.
- Web
page : A File on the World Wide Web which can be viewed in
either a text or graphics mode.
Web
Site : A group of related web pages, usually
about the same topic or business, and have a first or "home page"
which directs you to the other pages on the site.
WHOIS
: One of several Internet directories, listing
names and email addresses of Net VIP's and web site owner/operators.
WWW
: The World Wide Web. See Internet.
Top
Z
- Zip
: File
created using the ZIP compression Protocols. To UnZIP -- or decompress
-- it, you will need to use the PKUNZIP or the WINZIP Program.
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