| Address
- |
(email
address, Internet address, and web address) - The code (series of
letters, numbers and/or symbols) by which the Internet identifies
you or the location where information is stored.
|
| Application
- |
program or
software; what tells the computer to do what you want it to do.
Examples include Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer,
HTML editors, Shockwave, Quick Time, and ActiveX.
|
| Bandwidth
- |
The
frequencies a transmission line or channel can carry: the higher
the frequency, the higher the bandwidth and the more information
carrying capacity of a channel. Bandwidth is also used to measure
the amount of time it takes for a Web page to fully load.
|
| Baud
rate - |
A
measurement of data transmission speed. It is sometimes referred
to as bps (bits per second). If your modem has a baud rate of 14.4
KBS, it transmits data at 14,400 bits per second.
|
| Bitmap -
|
a bitmap is
a map of dots or "pixels". Pictures you see on a Web
page are bitmaps. Bitmaps come in many file formats such as GIF,
JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PICT, PCX, and DIB.
|
| Bookmark
- |
method of
"saving" a web site location. "Bookmarking" a
web site allows you to easily return to that page at a later time
with a simple click of the mouse rather than remembering and
typing in long and sometimes cryptic URL's. Bookmarks enable you
to quickly find areas of the web you have visited and want to
return to. Many web sites have a "links" section/page
which is a collection of bookmarks.
|
| Broken
link - |
A link or
hyperlink or hotlink which no longer works when "clicked
on" or which does not take you to the destination it was
supposed to. This can occur for several reasons, the server
hosting the web site is temporarily unavailable (for upgrading or
technical problems), or the web site has moved and is no longer on
the server. Also occurs if the HTML code for the hyperlink is
incorrect.
|
| Browser
- |
A program
that allows users to access documents on the World Wide Web (WWW).
Browsers can be either text or graphic. They read HTML coded pages
that reside on a server and interpret the coding into what we see
as web pages. Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator
are the best known examples of web browsers
|
| Bug - |
A
programming error that causes a program or computer system to
perform erratically, produce incorrect results, and/or crash
|
| Cache - |
(sounds
like 'cash') a location in the memory of your computer where data
is stored for easy retrievel, allowing quicker access to data.
When you return to a previous visited site your browser doesn't
have to download the information all over again, instead it can
grab it from the cache. This is why sometimes you should refresh
the page if you want to view the most current information.
|
| Cookies
- |
Files
stored on your hard drive that contain information about sites you
have visited, newsgroups you have read, or passwords to
subscription areas of sites. Generally harmless, usually expire on
a set date. You can not visit some sites unless you accept their
cookies.
|
| Compressed
- |
Large data
files or programs available for download from the Internet are
frequently compacted to decrease download time. File extension for
compressed files is usually zip. Dial-up connection - The most
common form of Internet connection from home, this is the
connection from your computer to the host computer over standard
telephone lines.
|
| CGI - |
(Common
Gateway Interface) A set of rules that describe how a Web Server
communicates with another piece of software on the same machine,
and how to the other piece of software (the CGI program) talks to
the web server. Any piece of software can be a CGI program if it
handles input and output according to the CGI standard.
|
| CGI-BIN
- |
The most
common name of a directory on a web server in which CGI programs
are stored.
|
| Document
Source- |
The source
code (HTML, Javascript etc.) of the Web page
|
| Domain
name - |
The
"address" or URL of a particular Web site. Also the name
at the right of the @ sign in an Internet address
|
| Download
- |
To transfer
files from one computer to another. 'Saves' the file or program to
your computer
|
| DPI
(dots per inch)- |
measurement
of printer and screen resolution
|
| E-mail
address - |
is similar
to username@hostname.com.
The username is the userID, account, or nickname of a specific
person or machine designated to receive the e-mail. The hostname
is either the name of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) the
account is setup with, or the name of the computer which receives
the e-mail messages. An e-mail address would be spoken as username
at hostname dot com.
|
| F.A.Q. - |
Frequently
Asked Questions - answers to commonly asked questions gathered
into one location
|
| Freeware
- |
Software
that is available for download free
|
| FTP - |
File
Transfer Protocol - Allows the transfer of files between two
computers connected to the Internet. A frequent method of
uploading files for Web pages, usually requires an account and a
password. Anonymous FTP allows transfer of files without an
account or password
|
| Gateway
- |
The
computer software and hardware allowing networks of computers to
connect
|
| GIF - |
Graphics
Interchange Format - the most common format for images found on
Web pages.
|
| Home
Page - |
The main or
introductory page of a Web Site. Personal Web pages are frequently
called homes pages as well. The document that is accessed first on
the World Wide Web server
|
| Host - |
A computer
that is connected directly to the Internet. Your service
provider's computer is a host.
|
| HTML - |
HyperText
Markup Language - The primary language used to develop Web pages
|
| HTTP - |
HyperText
Transfer Protocol - Allows communications between a server and a
client computer. Web addresses usually begin with http://
|
| Hyperlink
- |
Also called
hotlink, hypertext, or link. Highlighted words in a text that can
be clicked on to go to another page or site.
|
| Hypertext
- |
Also called
hotlink, hyperlink, or link. Highlighted words in a text that can
be clicked on to go to another page or site.
|
| ISP - |
Internet
Service Provider - Agent for most peoples access to the Internet.
Can be either a Dial-up or Direct connection.
|
| IP
Address - |
Internet
Protocol Address - The name for the unique identifying number
every computer on the Internet has.
|
| Internet
- |
Basically a
bunch of computers linked together through a network so computer
users in different locations can have access to the same
information. Worldwide network of computers.
|
| Java - |
Java is a
network-friendly programming language invented by Sun
Microsystems. Java is often used to build large, complex systems
that involve several different computers interacting across
networks, for example transaction processing systems. Java is also
becoming popular for creating programs that run in small
electronic devices, such as mobile telephones. A very common use
of Java is to create programs that can be safely downloaded to
your computer through the Internet and immediately run without
fear of viruses or other harm to your computer or files. Using
small Java programs (called "Applets"), Web pages can
include functions such as animations, calculators, and other fancy
tricks.
|
| JavaScript
- |
JavaScript
is a programming language that is mostly used in web pages,
usually to add features that make the web pages more interactive.
When JavaScript is included in an HTML file it relies upon the
browser to interpret the JavaScript. When JavaScript is combined
with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and later versions of HTML (4.0
and later) the result is often called DHTML.
|
| Kilobyte
- |
A thousand
bytes. Actually, usually 1024 (210) bytes.
|
| LAN - |
(Local Area
Network) A computer network limited to the immediate area, usually
the same building or floor of a building.
|
| Leased
Line - |
Refers to
line such as a telephone line or fiber-optic cable that is rented
for exclusive 24-hour, 7-days-a-week use from your location to
another location. The highest speed data connections require a
leased line.
|
| PPP - |
(Point to
Point Protocol) The most common protocol used to connect home
computers to the Internet over regular phone lines. Most well
known as a protocol that allows a computer to use a regular
telephone line and a modem to make TCP/IP connections and thus be
really and truly on the Internet.
|
| Server - |
A computer,
or a software package, that provides a specific kind of service to
client software running on other computers. The term can refer to
a particular piece of software such as a WWW server, or to the
machine on which the software is running, e.g. "Our mail
server is down today, that's why e-mail isn't getting out." A
single server machine can (and often does) have several different
server software packages running on it, thus providing many
different servers to clients on the network.
|
| SMTP - |
(Simple
Mail Transfer Protocol) The main protocol used to send electronic
mail from server to server on the Internet. SMTP is defined in RFC
821 and modified by many later RFC's.
|
| TCP/IP - |
(Transmission
Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) This is the suite of protocols
that defines the Internet. Originally designed for the UNIX
operating system, TCP/IP software is now included with every major
kind of computer operating system. To be truly on the Internet,
your computer must have TCP/IP software.
|
| URL - |
(Uniform
Resource Locator or web address) - usually starts with http://www
followed by a "dot" and then a domain name and a path.
|
| Username
- |
The name
you use to log on to a network. Also referred to as user id (user
I.D.)
|
| WAN - |
(Wide Area
Network) Any Internet or network that covers an area larger than a
single building or campus.
|
| Web
Address - |
(URL or
Uniform Resources Locator) - usually starts with http://www
followed by a "dot" and then a domain name and a path.
|
| World
Wide Web - |
A hypertext
system that allows users to jump from one place to another,
rapidly becoming one of the most popular services on the Internet.
|
| XML - |
(eXtensible
Markup Language) A widely used system for defining data formats.
XML provides a very rich system to define complex documents and
data structures such as invoices, molecular data, new feeds,
glossaries, inventory descriptions, real estate properties, etc.
As long as a programmer has the XML definition for a collection of
data (often called a "schema") then they can create a
program to reliably process any data formatted according to those
rules. |