Resources - GlossaryInternet Online Glossary
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- Accountability
The ability of an interactive service to provide verification of monthly readership and interaction. This data can be sorted by age, sex, or residence. Accountability requires media departments to set performance expectations, so on-line ad placements can be evaluated.Adaptive branding
The process of delivering a personalized brand message via a consumer database and an interactive system. Through adaptive branding, marketers can deliver messages formed around the priorities of individual consumers.ALT
An alternative label. Used in an HTML tag for the benefit of people using nongraphical browsers, or for people using a browser with graphics turned off.Anchor
An HTML tag that specifies links to text or images on the same page or to a specific location on a different page.Archie
A method of searching for files on anonymous FTP servers.Authoring tools
A software application which enables programmers (authors) to integrate multimedia components into an interactive application.Antialiasing
Using software to create a smooth transition between the pixels at the edge of a graphic and the surrounding pixels.
- Bandwidth
The volume of data that the transmission line can carry. Telephone lines have the lowest bandwidth. Fiber optics have the highest bandwidth.Banner
An area of the screen (usually at the top of the page) that contains a logo, site title, copyright notice, or other information that is consistently displayed.Baud
A unit of signaling speed. When transmitting data, the number of times the mediums 'state' changes per second.Bits
Ones and Zeros. When information is digitized, it is turned into ones and zeros. So all digital information is made up of bits.Boolean
Whenever you see a Web search tool or database query system that allows you to use AND, OR, and NOT to hone your search, the chances are it uses Boolean techniques. The most common Boolean operators are AND (you're looking for all terms), OR (you're looking for at least one of the terms), and NOT (you're excluding a term).BPS, TBPS, GBPS, MBPS, KBPS, TBPS, GBPS, etc..
Refers to data transmission rates. The higher the rate, the more data that can be transmitted. B usually means bytes and b usually bits. There are eight bits in a byte. T is for Tera, G is for Giga, M is for Mega and K is for Kilo. So, K is a thousand bits or bytes. M is a million, G is a billion and T is a trillion.Browser
A program that "reads" hypertext and displays it as formatted text and images. Browsers allow users to view the contents of a site and navigate from one site to another. Mosaic and Netscape are browsers commonly used on the World Wide Web.Bulletin Boards
Areas where users of an interactive service can communicate publicly with other users. Anyone can post a message for all to read; a reply also can be read by everyone.Bytes
Bytes are typically eight bits put together to create a single computer character.
- Cache
Caches come in many types, but they all work the same way: They store information where you can get to it fast. A Web browser cache stores the pages, graphics, sounds, and URL's of online places you visit on your hard drive: that way, when you go back to the page, everything doesn't have to be downloaded all over again. This speeds things up.CD-ROM
Compact Disc-Read Only Memory: This is the same disc as the audio compact disc except that it contains optical information, instead of audio information.CERN
The European Laboratory for Particle Physics. The originators of the HTTP and HTML concepts.CGI
Common Gateway Interface. An interface between World Wide Web servers and scripts, utilities, and programs.Classless Interdomain Routing (CIDR)
CIDR is a protocol used by ISPs and other large networks on the Internet to group large blocks of networks under fewer network addresses. If it weren't for CIDR, the number of network addresses on the Internet would already have far exceeded the storage capacity of even the most powerful routers.COM port
A contraction of communications used to describe the serial port on a PC. COM is usually used in conjunction with a number, as in COM1, COM2, COM3, or COM4.CPU
Central Processing Unit. This is the most powerful microprocessor chip in your computer. Sometimes the term CPU is used to describe the whole box that contains the chip (along with the motherboard, expansion cards, disk drives, power supply, and so on).Cyber-
The prefix cyber- is most often used to make whatever word it's attached to seem hip, cool, and connected in some loose way to the world of computers or the Internet.Cyberspace
A word used loosely to refer to virtual reality, the Internet, the World Wide Web, and many other kinds of computer systems that users become immersed in.
- Data
Information in its raw form. The characters, numbers, pixels, bits and bytes that make up digitized information.Digital
The representation of analog information as ones and zeros.DNS
Domain Name System. When you send e-mail or point a browser to an Internet domain such as cnet.com, the domain name system translates the names into Internet addresses (a series of numbers looking something like this: 123.123.23.2). The term refers to two things: the conventions for naming hosts and the way the names are handled across the Internet.Domain Name
You'll find the domain name to the right of the @ sign in an email address, or about ten characters into a URL. Domain names are used by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and they come with different extensions based on whether the domain belongs to a commercial enterprise (.com), an educational establishment (.edu), a government body (.gov), the military (.mil), a network (.net), or a nonprofit organization (.org).
Electronic mail. A way of sending an electronic letter or messages between individuals or computers.E-Commerce
Buying and selling goods and services over the Internet.- Emoticon
Clusters of punctuation such as : ) and : > that are used to set the tone for the sentence that precedes them.
- FAQ
A file that contains Frequently Asked Questions and answers.Finger
A program that you point at the username of someone on a networked system. It uncovers that person's full name, most recent log-in time, and other information. It's also used as a verb, meaning to apply the program to the user name.Firewall
If you want to protect any networked server from damage by those who log in to it, you put up a firewall. This could be a dedicated computer equipped with security measures such as a dial-back feature, or it could be software-based protection called defensive coding.Flame
A (often) largely personal attack against the author of a USENET posting. People who post flames are known as "flamers".Footer
A formatting style designated in HTML by a specific tag and used at the end of an HTML file.Freeware
Freeware is a class of software that you can download, pass around, and distribute without payment. However, it's still copyrighted, so you can't turn around and decompile it or sell it as your own.FTP
File transfer protocol is the method used on the Internet to copy a file from one computer to another. Using FTP, you can search through directories on computers around the world, locate a file, and transfer a copy of it to your machine.
- Gateway
A program or piece of hardware that passes data between networks. You'll see this term most often when you either log in to an Internet site or when you're passing email between different servers.Ghosting
In monitors, shadows and streaking due to drastic changes in onscreen intensity are referred to as ghosting. It is common to see white or black shadows to the right of a solid bar drawn on the screen.GIF
Graphics Interchange Format. An image file format that compresses data. Supported by all graphical browsers.Gigabyte
This year's minimum hard disk size is one gigabyte, or 1,073,741,824 bytes. Abbreviated as GB.Gopher
A menu-based search service for finding information and resources on the Internet.Green Book
Green Book is the compact disc standard created by Sony and Philips to work on CD-I players. CD-I players can play back audio CDs.GUI
Graphical User Interface. The front-end interface and navigation design of an application.
- Header
A formatting style designated in HTML by a specific tag and used to set titles and subtitles apart from plain text.Hit
A hit can refer to anyone of a few different things. If you perform a search using Excite, the results are called hits. If you load up a Web page, you've hit the site. Technically, a hit is a request made to the Web server.Home page
The "front door" to a site, most frequently the first page users see when visiting a site.Hot link
A mechanism for sharing data between two application programs or sites on the Web. Clicking on a hot link in one site takes the user to another site specified by the link (see "image map").HTML
The HyperText Markup Language, which comprises plain ASCII text with tags to indicate formats and anchors to specify links.HTTP
HyperText Transport Protocol, the protocol used by the WWW servers.Hyperlink
A link in a given document to information within another document. These links are usually represented by highlighted words or images. The user also has the option to underline these hyperlinks.Hypermedia
Richly formatted documents containing a variety of information types, such as textual, image, movie, and audio. These information types are easily found through hyperlinks.Hypertext
A document containing links or cross-references that connect electronically to another document or site on the Internet.
- Image map
An image in an HTML document with hot links that act as anchors or links to other information. For example, the BBN home page on the Web is an image map that will take readers to other sections of the BBN site. Image source
A file that contains the data encoding a picture or graphic. Image source files may be in one of several formats. GIF, TIFF, and JPEG are the most common.Information Superhighway
This term is widely and loosely used to mean the Internet, and it's often shortened to I-way, the infobahn, and so on.Inline image or graphic
An image that is aligned or integrated with text or other images, as opposed to a standalone image that appears by itself on a Web page.Interactive
Communication between two or more entities that invites contribution which affects all parties.Internet
A world wide collection of interconnected computer networks that use multiple protocols (see definition) but that function as one large network.InterNIC
The InterNIC is an authority created by the National Science Foundation in 1993 to provide a variety of information management services for the Internet. (Services are actually provided by private companies -- AT&T, Network Solutions Inc., General Atomics/CERFnet). Among these services are registration of domain names and assignment of IP addresses.Intranet
A restricted-access network that works like the Web, but isn't on it. Usually owned and managed by a corporation, an intranet enables a company to share its resources with its employees without confidential information being made available to everyone with Internet access.IP
Internet protocol. The Internet protocol defines how information gets passed between systems across the Internet.IP address
Internet protocol address. This address is a unique string of numbers that identifies a computer on the Internet. All resources on the Internet must have an IP address--or else they're not on the Internet at all.ISDN
Integrated Services Digital Network. ISDN has the capability of providing voice conservation, faxes and computer data over one telephone line-all at the same time.
- JAVA
Sun Microsystem's Java is a programing language for adding animation and other action to Web sites. The small applications (called applets) that Java creates can play back on any graphical system that's Web-ready, but your Web browser has to be Java-capable for you to see it.JPEG
Joint Photographic Experts Group. File format that compresses data and discards data not essential to the display of the image. Produces files smaller than GIF's. Supported by most browsers.
- Kermit
This is a protocol for transferring files during direct dial-up communications. Kermit is sound but old and can be very slow.Kiosk
This mode drops all the visual clutter of your browser--its toolbars, menus, and borders--to leave more room for the Web page.
- Link
A hypertext reference to another page or to another location on the same page (see also "anchor").
- Megabyte
A megabyte contains 1,048,576 bytes. In other words, a million bytes is actually less than a megabyte. Abbreviated as MB.MIME
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. A standard that allows a Web server to recognize different applications and file types. It facilitates the exchange of nontextual data, such as graphics and audio files, among servers.Mirror site
Because the Internet population has exploded in recent years, a lot of archive servers can't cope with the load. One solution is to create an exact copy of a server--a process called mirroring. Mirror sites divert some of the traffic from the original site. It's not unusual to find a dozen or more mirrors of busy ftp sites.Modem
Modulate/demodulate: Essential telecommunications hardware, which converts digital data into analog or voice-like frequencies that the telephone system can reproduce.Mosaic
One particular browser for the World Wide Web that supports hypermedia.Motherboard
The motherboard is the largest printed circuit board in your computer. It generally houses the CPU chip, the controller circuitry, the bus, and sockets for additional boards, which are called daughterboards.Multimedia
The use of multiple forms of media to communicate: i.e. audio, video, text, graphics, etc.Multiscanning
Multiscanning describes a type of computer monitor that adjusts itself to accommodate signals from different classes of video boards. Any monitor labeled VGA is by definition not a multiscanning device.
- Navigation
Finding one's way through the site.Network operations center (NOC)
A NOC is a control center for network management. ISPs and other owners and managers of large networks perform monitoring, trouble shoot,ing and maintaInance from NOCs. Newsgroups
Forums on the Internet or on-line services; usually related to those found on USENET.Newsreader
A newsreader is a program that lets you read, download, and reply to the newsgroup messages you want. Some automatically handle the encoding of binary file attachments for you.
- OEM
Original Equipment Manufacturer. Originally OEM was an adjective used to describe a company that produces hardware to be marketed under another company's brand.Orange Book
The format that enables CD-R drives to record discs that regular CD-ROM players can read. Orange Book defines how CD-R devices can append index data to an existing disc's directory if you add more data to the disc in multiple sessions.
- Parallel port
The 25-pin RS-232C connector found on the back of any PC. Parallel ports are also called printer ports, since that's what you usually find attached to them.Parity
This is an obsolete method of detecting communication errors. These days, communication ports are almost always set to No Parity, and the modem's internal error detection and correction are used to provide reliable communication.Pincushioning
On computer screens, lines that should be straight don't always appear that way. Lines that look bowed or curved are evidence of a pincushion error. Better monitors include controls to help you compensate for this error.Plug and Play
The Plug and Play standards were developed to simplify the process of adding hardware to PCs. The standard's intention is to conceal unpleasant details, such as IRQ and DMA channels, from people who just want to add a new board, drive, or other chunk of hardware to their system.PoP
Point of Presence. So that your Internet access provider can offer a local dial-up number to give you access to the Net, it either maintains or leases PoPs throughout the areas it serves.Protocol
A set of rules of standards that devices use to exchange data, for example the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or Internet Protocol (IP). The collection of protocols used in the Internet is referred to as the TCP/IP protocol suite.Proxy Servers
A system that caches items from other servers to speed up access. On the Web, a proxy first attempts to find data locally, and if it's not there, fetches it from the remote server where the data resides permanently.Public Domain
Of all the kinds of software or information you can download, public domain had the fewest strings attached. With public domain downloads, there are no copyright restrictions whatsoever.
- QuickTime
A method of storing movie and audio files in a digital format.
- RAM
Random Access Memory. Both programs and data are called up from permanent storage and operate in RAM. In general, this means that the more RAM you have, the more able you are to handle large amounts of data and big programs--though in practice, a lot of data in RAM is passed off into slower virtual memory to free up working space.Red Book
Another name for the CD-DA audio CD format introduced by Sony and Philips, the Red Book standards defines the number of tracks on the disc that contain digital audio data and the error correction routines that save sound from minor data loss.Refresh rate
The image on your computer monitor doesn't just appear fully formed on the screen's phosphors: it's drawn line by line with beams fired from three electron guns at the back of the CRT. The frequency at which they redraw the image is called the refresh rate, and it's an important measure of how steady the image will appear.Relative link
A mechanism for electronically connecting documents without using an absolute path name. Relative links are used to link sections within a document or to link documents that reside on the same server.Resolution
Resolution is a measure of graphics that's used to describe what a printer can print, a scanner can scan, and a monitor can display.RFC
Request for Comments, there are the agreed upon standards with which all methods of communicating over the Internet are defined.ROM
Read-only memory. ROM is a storage chip that typically contains hardwired instructions for use when a computer starts (boots up).
- Serial port
This is the communications port on your computer: it's also called the COM or RS-232 port.Server
A networked computer that is dedicated to serving requested information or multimedia content to either end users (clients) or other servers.Service Provider
An organization that provides connections to a part of the Internet.Shareware
Shareware is a try-before-you-buy-software. Shareware is a distribution method rather than a type of software.Shell account
A shell account is a connection that enables an end-user's computer to act as a terminal on an Internet host. In this case, the terminal user is not directly on the Internet, but is using a machine that is. This means that functions such as transferring files require an extra "hop"; users must first transfer the file to the Internet host, then download it through the terminal connection to their desktop.SLIP
Serial Line Internet Protocol is the other popular protocol for connecting a computer to the Internet over a dial-up phone line.Smiley
Smiling faces used in mail and news to indicated humor and irony. The most common smiley is :).Streaming
When data is moving fast from one chunk of hardware to another, and it doesn't have to wait until it's all in one place for the destination device to do something with it, it's streaming.Subnetting
Subnetting is a means of making a splitting a single IP address into multiple network addresses. It is accomplished by mathematically combining an IP address with another set of numbers called a network mask. Subnetting increases the number of networks an organization can have but decreases the number of hosts that can be on each network.Supernetting Supernetting is a means of combining multiple network addresses into a single network address. It is accomplished by mathematically combining an IP address with another set of numbers called a network mask. Supernetting decreases the number of networks an organization can have, but increases the number of hosts that can be on each network.
- Tag
A notation in HTML that specifies text formats, links to local files on the same computer, or links to remote files on other computers on the Internet (see "anchor").TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, a set of rules that establish the method with which data is transmitted over the Internet between two computers.Telephony
An adjetive that covers a multitude of communications issues, telephony has recently permeated the world of small computing, as add-in boards that combine the functions of modems, sound boards, speakerphones, and voice mail systems have begun to proliferate.Telnet
An application that lets you log on to a Unix computer. Provided you have an account on that Telnet server, you can use its resources.Toolbar
The string of buttons across the bottom of each page. Can be an image map or individual images.
- URL
Uniform (or Universal) Resource Locator. A standard for specifying the location of a site on the World Wide Web.USENET
A collection of electronic bulletin boards (called newsgroups) set up by subject matter and covering just about every conceivable topic, from molecular biology to nude sunbathing. The newsgroups are organized into hierarchies, such as science (sci), recreation (rec), society (soc), and the miscellaneous category called alternate (alt).
- Veronica
Software that searches for filenames on Gopher servers.Viewer
A viewer assists your Web browser by handling files that the browser itself can't. Viewers can be any type of application, since they may be called upon to handle any kind of file. Some people prefer to call them helpers.
- WAIS
Wide Area Information Server, a database.White Book
This is the fourth major extension to the audio CD standard. White Book is a very medium-specific format.WinSock
Windows Socket Services. WinSock is a piece of software that acts as the middleman between Windows applications and the Internet protocol.World Wide Web
A hypertext-based system for finding and accessing Internet resources.
- Xmodem
This is a protocol for transferring files during direct dial-up communications. Xmodem has basic error checking to ensure that information isn't lost or corrupted during transfer.
- Ymodem
This is a protocol for transferring files during direct dial-up communications. It is faster than Xmodem, but does not work well on noisy phone lines. Ymodem-G drops the software error correction, which speeds up the process by leaving hardware-based error correction in modems.
- ZIP
An open standard for compression and decompression used widely for PC download archives.Zmodem
This is a protocol for transferring files during direct dial-up communications. Zmodem's speed and error checking recommend it, and it can resume a file transfer after a break in communications.
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