ActiveX -
A Microsoft standard for computer program building blocks, known
as objects.
Address
- Internet users encounter two important types of addresses: e-mail
to someone; e-mail addresses almost always contain a @ and Web
page addresses (more properly called URL's).
Anonymous
FTP - A way of using the FTP program to log on
to another computer to copy files, even though you don’t
have an account on the other computer. When you log on,
you type anonymous as the username and your e-mail address
as the password.
Applet -
A small computer program written in the Java programming
language. You can download applets by using a Web browser.
Applets must obey special rules that make it difficult for
the programs to do damage to your computer.
Archive -
A single file containing a group of files that have been
compressed and glommed to gather for efficient storage. You
have to use a program such as Win Zip, PKZIP, tar or Stuff
to get the original files back out.
Attachment -
A computer file electronically stapled to an e-mail message
and sent along with it.
B
Backbone -
The high-speed communications links that connect Internet
providers and other large Internet sites together.
Band -The
number of electrical symbols per second that a modem sends
down a phone line. Often used as a synonym for BPS (bits
per second); although this usage in incorrect, only 43 people
on the entire plant know why or care. Named after J. M. E.
Baudot, inventor to the Teletype.
BCC -
Blind carbon copy, BCC addressees get a copy of your e-mail
without other recipients knowing about it.
Binary
file - A file that contains information other
than text. A binary file might contain an archive, a picture,
sounds, a spreadsheet, or a word-processing document that
includes formatting codes in addition to text characters.
Bin
Hex - A file-encoding system popular among Macintosh
users.
Bit -
The smallest unit of measure for computer data. Bits can
be on or off (symbolized by 1 or 0) and are used in various
combinations to represent different types of information.
Bitmap -
Little dots put together to make a black-and white or color
picture.
Bookmark -
The address of a Web page to which you may want to return.
Blog -
A blog is essentially a formatted web page with a sequential
series of posts and replies on a particular subject. A Web
LOG is a journal kept on the Internet. Blog is short for
weblog.
Bounce-
To return as undeliverable or redeliver to the appropriate
address. If you mail a message to a bad address, it bounces
back to your mailbox. If you get e-mail intended for someone
else, you can bounce it to her.
BPS
(bits per second) - A measure of how fast data
is transmitted. Often used to describe modem speed.
Browser -
A program that lets you read information on the World Wide
Web. The two most popular Internet browsers are Netscape
and Microsoft’s Internet Explorer
C
CC -Carbon copy. - CC addressees get a
copy of your e-mail, and other recipients are informed
of it if they bother to read the message header.
Chat-
An Internet feature that allows two or more people to communicate
love with each other by typing messages. This is like a telephone
conversation, but using typed messages on computer.
Chat
Room - Refers to a theoretical room in cyberspace
where individuals with a similar interest meet together
to “chat.”
Client-
Refers to a computer attached to any network, including the
Internet. The term is also used to describe personal-computer
software that gives access to and enables the use of the
Internet, either by modem connection or by connection to
a local area network (LAN) and related hardware. A client
can also refer to a program like a web browser that you use
to retrieve data, or a service, from a server on the Internet.
Client/server
model - A division of labor between computers. Computers
that provide a service other computers can use are known as servers.
The users are clients.
Com.
- When these letters appear as the last part of an address
(in net. Gurus. Com, for example), it indicates that the host
computer is run by a commercial organization, probably in the
United States.
Cookie -
A small text file stored on your computer by a Web site you
have visited used to remind that site about you the next
time you visit it.
Country
code - the last part of a geo-graphic address,
which indicates in which country the host computer, is
located, such as us for the United States. Country codes
are always two letters.
Cyber -
A prefix meaning the use of the computers and networks that
comprise the Internet, as in cyberspace or cybercop.
D
DES -
(Data Encryption Standard) A U.S. government standard for
encrypting unclassified data. Breakable at some expense,
although a newer version, triple-DES, is probably safe.
Digest -
A compilation of the messages that have been posted to a
mailing list recently.
Dial-up
Networking - The built-in Internet communication
program in Windows.
Domain -
Part of the official name of a computer on the Net ¾for
example, save.com to register a domain name, go to www.icann.org/registrars/
accredited-list.html and choose a registry.
Domain
name server (DNS) - A computer on the Internet
that translates between Internet domain names, such as
instantly .com, and Internet numerical addresses, such
as 208.13.47.47. Sometimes just called a name server.
Download -
To copy a file from a remote computer “down” to
your computer.
E
eBay -The
original and most successful Web-based auction, at www.eBay.com
edu -
When these letters appear as the last part of an address
(www. school.edu, for example). It indicates that the host
computer is run by an educational institution, usually a
college or university in the United States.
e-Commerce -
Electronic commerce, mainly buying and selling goods and
services over the Internet.
E-mail -
Electronic messages sent via the Internet.
Eudora -
A popular mail-handling program that runs on the Macintosh
and under Windows. Eudora Lite is freeware, and Eudora pro
is commercial. Both are excellent. Find them on the Web at
www.eudora.com
Extranet -
An Internet technology used to connect a company with its
customers and business partners.
F
FAQ (Frequently
Asked Questions) - An article that answers questions that
comes up often. Many mailing lists and Usenet newsgroups
have FAQ's that are posted regularly.
Favorites -
A list of files or Web pages you plan to use frequently.
Firewall
- A specially programmed computer that connects a local network
to the Internet and, for security reasons, lets only certain
kinds of messages in and out.
Freenet -
A free (except in Los Angeles) online system offering local
communities information and limited access to the Internet.
Dying out, now that there are free ISP's.
FTP
(File Transfer Protocol) - A method of transferring
files from one computer to the other over the Net.
FTP
server - A computer on the Internet that stores
files for transmission by FTP.
G
Gateway -
A computer that connects one network with another, where
the two networks uses different protocols.
GIF -
(Graphics Interchange Format) A patented type of graphics
file originally defined by CompuServe and now found all over
the Net. Files in this format end in, gif and are called
GIF files or just GIF's. Pronounced “jif” unless
you prefer to say “gif”.
giga -
Prefix meaning one billion (1,000,000,000).
Google -
A search engine used for finding things on the World Wide
Web, with extra smarts to look for the most useful pages.
Gopher -
an Internet system that let’s you find information
by using menus, make obsolete by the Web.
Gov -
When these letters appear as the last part of an address,
it indicates that the host computer is run by some government
body, probably the U.S. federal government.
H
Header
- The beginning of an e-mail message containing to and from addresses,
subject, date, and other gobbledygook important to the programs
that handle your mail.
Home page - The entry page, or main page,
of a Web site, if you have a home page, it’s the
main page about you. A home page usually contains links
to other Web pages.
Host -
A computer on the Internet.
Hostname -
the name of a computer on the Internet
HTML -
(Hypertext Markup Language) The language used to write pages
for the World Wide Web. This language lets the text include
codes that define fonts, layout, embedded graphics, and hypertext
links.
HTTP
- (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) the way in which World Wide Web
pages are transferred over the Net URL's for Web pages start with
http://, although you almost never have to type it.
HTTPS -
A variant of HTTP that encrypts messages for security.
Hypertext -
A system of writing and displaying text that enables the
text to be linked in multiple ways, be available at several
levels of detail, and contain links to related documents.
The World Wide Web uses both hypertext and hypermedia.
I
ICQ - “I
Seek You,” a popular paging and instant message system
that lets users track which of their friends are online and
exchange instant messages with them.
Internet -
All the computers that are connected together into an amazingly
huge global network so that they can talk to each other.
When you connect your computer to your Internet service provider,
your computer becomes part of threat network.
Internet
Explorer - A Web browser vigorously promoted by
Microsoft that comes in Windows, Mac, and (arguably) UNIX
flavors.
Internet
Relay Chat (IRC) - A system that enables Internet
folks to talk to each other in real-time (rather than after
a delay, as with e-mail messages).
Intranet -
A private version of the Internet that lets people within
an organization exchange data by using popular Internet tools,
such as browsers.
IP
address - a unique Internet Protocol address assigned
to a specific computer connected to the Internet. An IP address
can be compared to the physical address of a house or business.
A letter sent from one address to another will usually include
the address of the sender and the address of the recipient. Likewise,
when a computer on the Internet sends a request for information
from another computer, the request is sent with both the sender’s
IP address and the recipient's IP address. The receiving computer
responds by sending the requested information back to the IP address
of the computer that make the request.
ISDN
(Integrated Services Digital Network) - A faster,
digital phone service that operates at speeds as high as
128 kilobits per second.
Internet
Service Provider (ISP) - is an Internet Service
Provider. It is a company that maintains a constant connection
to the Internet and sells Internet access to individuals
and /or businesses. The term is also synonymous with Internet
Access Provider, Access Provider and Access Service Provider.
J
Java
- A computer language invented by Sun Microsystems. Because Java
programs can run on many different kinds of computers, Java makes
it easier to deliver application programs over the Internet.
JPEG -
A type of still-image file found all over the Net. Files
in this format end in .jpg or .jpeg and are called JPEG (pronounced "JAY-peg")
files. Stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group.
K
Kbyte - 1,024 bytes, also written KB or just
plain K. Usually used as a measure of a computer's memory or hard
disk storage, or as a measure of file size.
Kilo -
Prefix meaning on thousand (1,000) of often, with computer,
1,024.
L
Link -
a hypertext connection that can take you to another document
or another part of the same document. On the World Wide Web,
links appear as text or pictures that are highlighted. To
follow a link, you click the highlighted material. See also
hypertext.
List
server - E-mail mailing list management program:
a program that maintains the subscriber list and distributes
list posting to those subscribers.
Lynx -
A character-based World Wide Web browser. No pictures, but
it's fast.
M
Mail
server - A computer on the Internet that provides
mail services for mail clients.
Mega
- Prefix meaning one million (1,000,000).
Microsoft
Network (MSN) - A commercial online service that
provides many Internet services, including e-mail and access
to the World Wide Web.
Modem -
A gizmo that lets your computer talk on the phone or cable
TV. Derived from modulator/demodulator.
MPEG -
A type of video file found on the Net. Files in this format
end in .mpg. Stands for Moving Picture Experts Group.
N
net -
A network, or (when capitalized) the Internet itself. When
these letters appear as the last part of an address (in www.
yoursite.net, for example), it indicates that the host computer
is run be a net- working organization, frequently an ISP
in the United States.
Netscape
Navigator - A popular Web browser that comes in
Windows, Mac, and UNIX flavors. Part of the Netscape Communicator
suite of programs.
Network -
Computers that are connected together, by a common communications
protocol.
Newsgroup -
One of thousands of discussion groups on the Internet where
people with similar interests can post messages.
O
Opers -
A small, fast Web browser from Opera Software in Norway.
Online
- Online means a computer is connected to the Internet.
P
Packet -
A chunk of information sent over a network. Each packet contains
the address it's going to and the address from which it came.
Page
- A document or hunk of information, available by way of the World
Wide Web. Each page can contain text, graphics files, sound files,
video clips.
Password -
A secret code used to keep things private.
PDF
file - A method for distributing for matted documents
over the Net. You need a special reader program called
Acrobat.
Plug-in -
A computer program you add to your browser to help it handle
a special type of file.
Protocol
- The agreed-on rules that computers rely on to talk among themselves.
A set of signals that mean "go ahead," "got it,"
"didn't get it," "didn't get it. Please resend,"
"all done," and so on.
Q
QuickTime -
a video and multimedia file format invented by Apple Computer
and widely used on the Net.
R
RealAudio -
A popular streaming audio file format that lets you listen
to programs over the Net.
Router -
A small machine that takes information from any computer
and transfers the data between two networks that use the
same protocols.
RSS
XML - Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a lightweight
XML format designed for sharing headlines and other Web
content.
S
Search
engine - A program used to search for things on
the Web.
Secure
Server - A Web server than uses encryption to
prevent others from reading messages to or from your browser.
Storefront -
Term for an e-commerce enabled website on the We.
Spam -
E-mail sent to thousands of uninterested recipients or Usenet
messages posted to many uninterested newsgroups or mailing
lists.
Surfing -
Wandering around the World Wide Web.
T
TCP/IP -
The way networks communicate with each other on the Net.
It stands for Transfer Control Protocol / Internet.
Thread -
A message posted to a mailing list or Usenet newsgroup, together
with all the follow-up messages, the follow-up to follow-ups,
and so on.
Timed
out - The equivalent of getting a busy signal
or being cut off from the computer you are accessing via
the Internet.
U
UNIX -
A computer operating system with powerful networking features.
Linux is now the most popular version.
Upload -
To copy your stuff to somebody else's computer.
URL
(Uniform Resource Locator) - A standardized way
of naming network resources, used for linking pages on
the World Wide Web.
Usenet -
A system of thousands of newsgroups. You read the messages
by using a newsreader.
V
Viewer -
A program to show you files that contain stuff other than
text.
Virtual
reality - A 3-D visual computer simulation that
responds to your input so realistically that you feel you
are inside another world.
VRML -
A language used for building virtual reality pages on the
Web.
W
Webmaster -
The person responsible for creating and managing a Web site
on the World Wide Web.
WAV
file - A popular Windows format for sound files
(.wav files) found on the Net.
Web
page - A document available on the World Wide
Web.
WebTV -
An online Internet service that includes hardware (an Internet
terminal and remote control) you connect to your TV.
WWW
(World Wide Web) - A hypermedia system that lets
you browse through lots of interesting information.
X
Xmodem -
A protocol for sending filies between computers over dialup
phone lines.
Y
Yahoo!
- A Web site that provides a subject-oriented guide to the
World Wide Web and many other kinds of information.
Z
ZIP
file - A file with the extension .zip that has
been compressed using ZipMagic, WinZip, or a compatible
program.
