Glossary of Internet Terms
(click on a letter)
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 |
| 404
Not Found |
Error
message your web browser frequently
displays when it can't locate the page you requested commonly
caused by mistyping a URL or clicking on
a broken link.
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| ActiveX |
A new
programming standard proposed by Microsoft Corporation which
would increase the functionality of webpages. Similar in nature
to Java and Javascripts. Go to top of page
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| alt
text |
Text
description of a graphic that appears
while the graphic is being downloaded.
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| animation |
An image composed of several consecutive images that
are loaded by the browser one after
another, creating the illusion of movement. These images are
usually made up of GIF images.
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| applet |
Is a very small form of a larger, full-featured application
or app. It refers to simple or single function or function-specific
programs that are often found with larger programs. Programs
such as WordPad and NotePad, which are found in Windows, are
examples of applets. These applets are written in the Java language that
requires a browser to execute.
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| ASCII |
A text file that
conforms to the American Standard Code for Information Interchange.
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| attachment |
A
computer file electronically stapled to an e-mail message.
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| attributes |
Keywords
and associated values that modify or extend a basic HTML tag in some way.
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| authentication |
Any of several methods used to provide proof that
a particular document received electronically is actually from
the individual it claims to be from and is unaltered or in its
original state.
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| authoring
tools |
Creation
tools for interactive media such as programs like Flash and
Dreamweaver.
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| B2B |
Business-to-Business
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| B2C |
Business-to-Consumer
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| backbone |
The
high-speed communications link that connect Internet providers
and other large Internet sites together.
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| background |
Addition of a color or pattern behind a web page's text
and graphics.
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| BMP
(bit map) |
A file format used to transfer graphic images
within compatible applications. A BMP file is a neutral format
designed for compatibility with all applications
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| bridge |
A device
that links different networks together
so they can form one single network
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| broken
links |
Links between pages
in a web site that do not work because the destination web page
has been deleted or the path has been changed.
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| browser |
A software program for viewing HTML pages on the
Internet.
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| browser-safe
colors |
The
216 colors that do not shift between platforms, operating
systems (o/s) or most web browsers.
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| button |
Individual
graphic indicating
a link that, when clicked on, takes a web site visitor to another
location on the page, another page in the web site, or another
web site altogether.
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| cache |
A
temporary storage area that a web browser uses to
store text and graphics. When
the web page is revisited, the web browser will quickly retrieve
the data(text and graphics) from the cache instead of downloading it
again to save time.
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| CGI
(Common Gateway Interface) |
Is
a standard method for passing information between a server and
an application as part of the world wide web's HTTP protocol. The
most common way is by scripting. A CGI
script is a program written with a scripting language such as
Perl, Java or C++.
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| client |
A computer on the world wide web that receives data and
information from a server which handles requests for information
and locates the files.
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| clip
art |
Previously
create illustrations and graphics that
you can use as is, or modify by ungrouping, combining with other
illustrations, and adding different backgrounds, borders and
effects.
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| code |
Anything written in a language intended for computers to interpret.
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| compression |
The process of making a computer file smaller so that
it can be transferred more quickly between computers.
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| cookie |
A small file on your
computer in which a web site may write data. The data may be
used by that web site only, to track your choices and custom
tailor its responses.
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| corporate
identity |
The
consistent image created by your company's print communications,
ranging from letterheads to business cards to brochures, newsletters,
and documentation. The elements that makeup a corporate identity
include the consistent use of a limited number of typefaces,
type sizes, colors, graphics, and
logo. These elements typically appear in the same position and
at the same size on all corporate documents.
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| CRM |
Customer
Relations Management
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| cropping |
Photographs
usually include extraneous detail at their top, bottom, or sides.
Cropping removes the unwanted information, allowing the most
important message-bearing elements of the photograph to emerge
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| CSS
(Cascading Style Sheets) |
A
method of coding that allows
users to define how certain HTML, DHTML, or XML structural elements,
such as paragraphs and headings, should be displayed using style
rules. At the present time there exists versions CSS1 and CSS2.
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| deprecated |
Within
the context of HTML DTDs, a deprecated
term is one whose use is no longer recommended, but which is
still supported for backward compatibility.
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| DHTML |
Dynamic
HTML.
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| dithering |
A technique
for alternating the values of adjacent dots or pixels to create
the effect of intermediate values or giving the illusion of
a third color.
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| DNS |
Domain Name Server.
This is a program running on a server which automatically translates
domain names into their correct TCP/IP addresses. A busy DNS
server is the most common reason for Navigator's frequent "Unable
to find Domain Name or invalid entry in the DNS" error.
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| DOM |
Document
Object Model. A platform-independent and language-neutral programming
interface that allows programs and scripts to access
and update the content, structure, and style of documents in
a standard way.
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| domain |
The address of a computer on the Internet.
A user's Internet address is made up of a username and a domain
name.
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| DOS |
Disk
Operating System.
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| download |
To retrieve or transfer a file or or files from a remote
server to a client's computer.
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| DTD |
Document Type Definition. The statement of rules
for an XML document that specify
which elements (the markup tags)
and attributes (values associated with specific tags) are allowed
in your documents.
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| e-commerce |
Electronic
Commerce. The exchange of money and goods over the internet.
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| EDI |
Electronic
Data Interchange. Is a common document structure designed to
allow large corporations to transmit information over private
networks.
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| e-mail |
E-mail (electronic mail) is the exchange of computer-stored
messages, usually text, sent from one computer to another. However,
you can also attach non-text files, such
as graphic images
and sound files.
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| e-mail
address |
Is
an internet address of a user, typically made up of a username,
an at sign (@), and a domain name (that is, user@domain). E-mail
addresses are translated from the numeric IP addresses by the
domain name system (DNS).
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| emboss |
A three-dimensional
effect created with an illustration program that allows text
to look like it was raised from the background.
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| extranet |
An
internet technology
used to connect a company with its customers and business partners.
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| e-zine |
Short
for electronic magazine.
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| FAQ |
Frequently Asked Questions.
A collection of frequently asked questions and answers related
to a specific topic.
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| feathering |
A technique
that allows for the softening of an edge around an image.
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| firewall |
Is a security device placed on a LAN to protect it from
hackers and internet intruders. This can a be special piece
of software or a combination of the two.
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| forms |
Forms
facilitate interaction between visitors and the web site. Forms
make it easy for visitors to enter their names, addresses, and
product and/or service preferences in a format that can be returned
to the web site via e-mail and easily
compiled and used for follow-up purposes.
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| frames |
Frames
offer the ability to divide a web page into multiple regions,
with each region acting as a nested web page.
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| freeware |
Software
offered by companies at no charge.
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| FTP
(File Transfer Protocol) |
The
basic method for copying a file from one computer to another
through the Internet.
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| GIF
(Graphics Interchange Format) |
Pronounced "jif", is a patented type of graphics file
format originally developed By CompuServe and is an industry
standard. GIF is commonly used on the web because it employs
an efficient compression
method. Is one of two of the most common file formats for graphic
images on the world wide web. The other is JPEG.
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| gradient
fill |
Background fill
created with illustration and presentation programs characterized
by a smooth transition from one color to another, or from one
color to white or black. The direction of the transition can
be top to bottom, bottom to top, side to side, diagonally, etc.
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| graphics
|
Digitized pictures and computer-generated images.
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GUI
(Graphical User Interface) |
Any number of programs and operating systems, such as Windows
or Macintosh systems, that are operated by using a mouse input
device to move a pointed to various graphics, icons, and menus.
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| hit |
way of measuring the number of visitors to a
web site. Although most believe a hit equals one visit to a
site, it actually refers to the number of files opened at the
site. For example, if you access a web page that has four images
on it, the site will register five hits (one hit for the web
page and four hits for the four images, one for each image).
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| home
page |
The
entry page or main page of a web site.
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| HTML
(Hypertext Markup Language) |
is
a language used to create electronic documents for the world
wide web which contains hyperlinks. HTML
tells a web browser how to
display web pages on a user's computer through the use of tags.
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| HTTP
(Hypertext Transfer Protocol) |
is a set of standards that lets users of the world wide web
exchange information found in web pages. The standard method
for exchanging information between HTTP servers and clients
on the web. The HTTP specification establishes the rules of
how web servers and browsers must work
together.
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| hyperlink |
is
an icon, graphic or word
on a web page that, when clicked with the mouse, automatically
links the user to another web page.
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| ICANN |
Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. This organization
is responsible for issuing the IP addresses and domain names
used on the internet, ie., .com, .net and .org.
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| icon |
As it relates to a web page, an icon is a graphical image
that usually represents the main topic or information category
of another web page. Frequently, the icon is a link to that
page.
On a computer's GUI (graphical user
interface), an icon is an image that represents an application,
a capability or some other concept specific to that software.
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| image
map |
An
image that has clickable "hot" spots that acts as links
to other web pages.
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| interlacing |
The
progressive display of a graphic image
in greater and greater detail as it downloads. Instead of displaying
the graphic one line at a time, a rough outline of the entire
graphic is downloaded before the details fill in.
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| Internet |
a large, loosely organized integrated network of computers
connecting universities, research institutions, government,
businesses, and other organizations so that they can exchange
messages and share information.
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| Internet
Explorer |
A popular
web browser developed
by Microsoft Corporation and is integrated with the Windows
operating system.
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| InterNIC |
Internet
Network Information Center. A private agency responsible for
registering World Wide Web site domain names.
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| intranet |
A network within
a company or organization that employs the same protocol as the
internet. One can think an intranet as a private version of
the internet that
allows people within an organization to exchange information
and data and is usually protected by a firewall.
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IP
(Internet Protocol) |
internet
Protocol. Is the address of a computer on a TCP/IP (Transmission
Control Protocel/Internet Protocol) network. IP addresses are
written as four groups of numbers separated by periods. An example
of an IP address is 207.182.125.23.
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ISO
(Internation Organization for Standardization) |
International
Organization for Standardization. The most popular computing
and communications standards organization comprising of standards
bodies from all over the world.
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ISP
(Internet Service Provider) |
The
company that provides you or a company with access to the Internet. ISPs
usually have several servers and a high-speed link to the Internet
backbone.
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| Java |
A programming language, similar to C++, developed
by Sun Microsystems for developing applets to be run
on any computer regardless of the operating
system. It is considered an operating system independent
language.
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| JavaScript |
is a scripting language
developed by Netscape
Communications that brings interactivity to the world wide
web and the pages that reside on the web.
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| JPEG
(Joint Photographic Experts Group) |
Is an industry standard graphics compression
format in which a lossy compression method is applied that can
reduce the size of a graphics file by as much as 96 percent.
Some data, in the form of image quality, is sacrificied to achieve
greater compression which in turn results in faster download times.
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| JScript |
is
a scripting language
developed by Microsoft similar to JavaScript.
The two standards are not fully compatible, so some scripts
will run in one browser but not
in the other.
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| kilobyte |
Is a measure of computer
memory or storage. A kilobyte (KB) is approximately a thousand
bytes. Precisely, a kilobyte is equal to 1,024 bytes.
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| kern |
To
adjust the horizontal spacing between a pair of characters.
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| LAN |
Local Area Network
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| link |
Links are navigational tools that allow a web site visitor
to move from place to place within a web site, moving from page
to page or from location to location. Links also permit web
sites to be linked together, so that visitors to one web site
can easily visit a web site devoted to a similar topic or area
of interest. Links consist of different color text or icons.
When visiting a web site, you can tell when the mouse is moving
over a link because the pointer turns into a hand.
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| lossless
compression |
A data
compression
technique that reduces the file without sacrificing any of the
original data. In lossless compression, the expanded or restored
file is an exact replica of the original file before it was
compressed.
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| lossy
compression |
A data
compression
technique in which some data is deliberately discarded in order
to achieve massive reductions in the size of the compressed
file.
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| mail
bombing |
Sending someone vast
amounts of un-wanted e-mail.
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| mailbot |
A program
that automatically sends or answers e-mail.
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| mail
server |
A computer
on the Internet that provides mail services for mail clients.
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| MAN |
Metropolitan
Area Network. Is a group of PCs connected over a common medium
within a campus environment or city.
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| masking |
The
process of blocking out areas in a computer graphic.
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| meta |
As
part of the HEAD of an HTML document, this
tag provides information
that describes the document in various ways. It contains valuable
information for search robots to use in adding your web pages
to their search indexes.
A number of search engines use the information within tags as
part of their algorithms. Infinity Web Technologies strongly
recommends that you implement <META> tags that describe
the content and keywords that describe your web site and its
web pages.
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| MIME |
Multipurpose Internet Mail Exchange. Extensions
that allow e-mail messages
to carry multiple types of data (such as binary, audio, video
and graphics) as attachments.
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| modem |
Acronym
for modulator/demodulator. This device allows
a computer to transmit and receive information over telephone
lines by converting digital data into analog data. The opposite
process takes place on the receiving end.
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| MPEG |
A type
of high-quality video file.
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| navigation |
Navigation is the act of moving from location to location
within a web site, or between web sites. Navigation is accomplished
by clicking on links. Links can consist
of either colored and underlined text or icons representing
the link's destination.
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| navigation
bar |
Horizontal
or vertical design element containing buttons or text links
to various pages within a web site.
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| netiquette
|
Internet
Etiquette. Refers to traditional and socially accepted behavior
for users on the Internet.
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| Netscape |
Netscape Communications Corporation is a software company
that developed one of the world's most popular web browser called
Navigator. Navigator is part of a software suite called Communicator.
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| network |
A set of computers interconnected so that
they can communicate and share information. Most major networks
are connected to the global networks-of-networks, called the
Internet.
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| newbie |
Slang
for a newcomer to the Internet.
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| node |
A network-connected
device such as a PC, printer or server.
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| object-oriented
graphics |
A graphic image
composed of autonomous objects such as lines, circles, ellipses,
and boxes that can be move independently. Object-oriented graphics
are based on math instructions instead of pixel locations.
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| online |
A general term referring to anything connected to or conveyed
through a communications network.
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| opacity |
The
density of a color or shade, ranging from transparent to an
opaque.
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| o/s |
operating system. Some common operating systems are Windows
95/98, NT, Linux, and DOS.
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| packet |
A group of data, usually consisting of
data and an address header prior to being sent over a network.
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| pixel |
an individual dot of color in a computer graphics image.
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| plug-in |
A computer
program you add to your browser to help
it handle a special type of file.
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| POP |
Post
Office Protocol. A system by which a mail server on the internet allows
you to pick up your e-mail and download it to
your computer. A POP server is the computer from which you pick
up your e-mail.
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| portal |
Generally
synonymous with a gateway for the web. Some major portals include
Yahoo, Excite, Netscape, Lycos, Cnet and America Online's AOL.com.
Portals can be characterized as having a directory of web sites,
search capabilities to find other web sites, documents, news,
weather information, e-mail, phone and
map information and sometimes a community forum.
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| POTS |
Plain
Old Telephone Service.
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| protocol |
is a set of procedures for exchanging data between computers
on a network through
the Internet. A protocol
usually contains information on error checking, data compression,
and sending/receiving address information.
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| prototype |
A working
model that is not yet finished but that represents the major
technical, design, and content features of the site. Prototypes
are used for testing.
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| pull
technology |
A technique
in which your browser retrieves
information from a web server.
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| push
technology |
A technique
used to initiate delivery of information from a web server to
a properly equipped client.
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| PWS |
Personal Web Server. A low-end version of IIS found on Windows 95/98.
PWS allows your windows 95/98 computer to act as a web server.
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| queue |
commands or processes,
waiting to be processed. May also be called scrolling.
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| RAM
(random access memory) |
Is the place in a computer
where the operating system, application
programs and data reside so that they can be accessed quickly
by the computer's processor.
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| remote
mailbombing |
Is
the act of subscribing people to lots of mailing lists against
their will so that their e-mail mailboxes
fill up with unwanted list postings.
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| resolution |
The
number of individual dots or pixels that make
up an image.
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| rollover |
A JavaScript technique
in which one image is replaced by a second image when a mouse
is passed over it.
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| router |
A device
that routes packets
toward their destinations essentially acting like a traffic
'cop' on the internet. Routers decide how to send and where
to send data based on network conditions.
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| script |
is a sequence of commands that the computer
executes in response to to a mouse click.
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| search
engine |
is a program that searches the web for documents
for specified keywords and returns a list of these documents
where the keywords were found.
In general, a search engine
works by sending out a spider to retrieve
as many documents as possible. Another program, called an
indexer, then reads these documents and creates an index based
on the words contained in each document.
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| secure
server |
A web
server that uses encryption to prevent others from reading messages
to or from your browser. Web-based
shopping sites usually use secure servers so others can't intercept
your ordering information.
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| site
architecture |
The
structure of a web site. It reflects how information is organized,
including categories, subsites, labeling and other relationships.
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| site
flow |
The
flow of movement through your site. Site flow usually represents
the way an average user will move through your site's space.
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| S/MIME |
Secure
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension. An extension to MIME that includes
encryption and authentication.
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SMTP
(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) |
Simple
Mail Transfer Protocol. Method by which e-mail is delivered
from one computer to another.
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| spider |
is
a program that searches and retrieves web pages.
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SSL
(Secure Socket Layer) |
Secure
Socket Layer. A security protocol methodology
designed to create a secure connection to the server for the
transmission of confidential data through the internet. SSL
uses public key encryption, one of the industry's strongest
encryption methods, to protect data as it travels over the internet.
Originally created by Netscape.
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| surfing |
another
term for browsing.
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| T1 |
Transmission
rate standard for telephony or data communications circuits.
T1 operates at 1.544 Mbps. Typically, this circuit is subdivided
into many 64 Kb channels.
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| tables |
Tables
create rows and columns, as in a spreadsheet, and can be used
to align data and images.
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| tag |
a
coded HTML command used
to indicate how part of a web page should be displayed.
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| text
file |
A file that contains only textual characters with no special
formatting, graphical information, sound or video files.
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| TIFF |
Tag
Image File Format. A file form used in storing image files.
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| UNIX |
An operating system
developed by Bell Laboratories during the late 1960s and early
1970s. Arguably the best operating system for mission-critical
applications because of almost 30 years of refinement.
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| upload |
The
process of transferring data file(s) from a client or local
computer to a remote server via the internet. Opposite is download.
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| URL
(uniform resource locator) |
also commonly called a location or address. This is an addressing
system that locates documents on the Internet.
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| visit |
Synonymous with viewing
a world wide web site. It is defined where a single person makes
contact with a website. Normally mistaken as a 'hit'
where a 'hit' is the total number of files that a user receives
while visiting a website.
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| vortal |
A vortal
(Vertical industry portal) is a web site that
provides a gateway or portal to information relating to a particular
industry, such as health care, insurance or automobiles. In
other words, a vertical industry is one that is focused on a
relatively narrow range of goods and services whereas a horizontal
industry is one that aims to offer a wide range of goods and
services. As more and more industries tend to specialize, more
and more industries are said to be vertical.
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| W3C |
World
Wide Web Consortium. Is the organization that recommends and
drafts standards for the world wide web. HTML
3.0 and 4.0, CSS2 and XML are a few examples
of W3C-recommended standards.
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| walk
through |
A
skeletal, text-only version of a site that allows designers
to test basic navigation.
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| WAN |
Wide
Area Network. A computer network interconnected
over distances beyond a city or metropolitan area.
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| web |
Synonym
for the World Wide Web, often referred to as "The Web."
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| Windows
95/98 |
Microsoft's
client operating system.
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| Windows
NT |
Microsoft's
enterprise operating system. Fully preemptive and reliable.
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| XML
(eXtensible Markup Language) |
A standard recommended by the WC3 for defining new
document types, as well as user-defined or application-specific
tags to extend the
capabilities of HTML.
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| Yahoo! |
One of the world's most
popular search engines.
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| zip |
A compressed file format(*.zip).
To reduce storage space and transfer times files are compressed.
Utilities such as PKZip (DOS) or WinZip (Windows) are needed
to compress and uncompressed files.
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