The Web Vocabulary:
ADN:
(Advanced Digital Network) usually refers to a 56Kbps leased-line.
Applet:
Applet is a small Java program that can be embedded in an HTML page. Applets
differ from full-fledged Java applications in that they are not allowed to
access certain resources on the local computer, such as files and serial devices
(modems, printers, etc.), and are prohibited from communicating with most other
computers across a network. The current rule is that an applet can only make an
Internet connection to the computer from which the applet was sent.
Archie:
A tool (software) for finding files stored on anonymous FTP sites.
Backbone:
A high speed line or series of connections that forms a major pathway within a
network
Bandwidth:
Data handling capacity of a medium is called bandwidth. Or ranges of frequencies
offered by a medium are called bandwidth, usually measured in bits per second,
BBS:
(Bulletin Board System), A computerized meeting and announcement system that
allows people to carry on discussions, upload and download files, and make
announcements without the people being connected to the computer at the same
time.
BITNET:
(Because it's Time Network or because It's there Network), A network of
educational sites separate from the Internet, but e-mail is freely exchanged
between BITNET and the Internet.
Bps:
(Bits-Per-Second), A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place to
another. A 28.8 modem can move 28,800 bits per second.
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 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.
Client:
A software program that is used to contact and obtain data from a Server, and
software programs on another computer often across a great distance. Each Client
program is designed to work with one or more specific kinds of Server programs,
and each Server requires a specific kind of Client. A Web Browser is a specific
kind of Client.
Cookie:
The most common meaning of "Cookie" on the Internet refers to a piece of
information sent by a Web Server to a Web Browser that the Browser software is
expected to save and to send back to the Server whenever the browser makes
additional requests from the Server.
Cyberspace:
Refers to the computer online world and the Internet particular, as well as the
whole wired and wireless world of communications
Domain Name:
Domain name is a unique name that identifies an Internet site. Domain Names
always have two or more parts, separated by dots. The part on the left is the
most specific, and the part on the right is the most general. A given machine
may have more than one Domain Name but a given Domain Name points to only one
machine. For example, the domain names; cyber.net usa.net
E-mail:
(Electronic Mail): Messages, usually text, graphics, sounds, etc., sent from
one; person to another via computer. E-mail can also be sent automatically to a
large number of addresses (Mailing List).
Emoticons:
Keyboard produced pictorial representations of expressions that can be used in
online communications to stand for a facial expression or inflections. For
example :-) for smile.
Ethernet:
A very common method of networking of computers in a LAN; Ethernet will handle
about 100 Mega bits/second and can be used with almost any kind of computer.
Extranet:
An extension of an internal network (intranet) to connect not only internal
personnel but also selected customers, suppliers, and other offices
FAQ:
(Frequently Asked Questions): FAQs are documents that list and answer the most
common questions on a particular subject,
FDDI:
(Fiber Distributed Data Interface): A standard for transmitting data on optical
fiber cables at a rate of around 100,000,000 bits/second (10 times as fast as
Ethernet, about twice as fast as T-3)
Finger:
Finger is an Internet software tool for locating people on other Internet Sites.
Finger is also sometimes used to give access to non-personal information, but
the most common use is to see if a person has an account at a particular
Internet site. Many sites do not allow incoming Finger requests, but many do.
Fire Wall:
A combination of hardware and software used to connect internal networks
(intranets) to external network (internet). It prevent unauthorized people,
whether outside or inside the company from accessing the network.
Flaming:
In online communication, writing a message that uses obscene, or
inappropriate language; a form of attack usually directed at someone who violate
online manners.
Gateway:
The technical meaning is hardware or software set-up that translates between two
dissimilar protocols. Another,, sloppier meaning of gateway is to describe any
mechanism for providing access to another System, e.g. AOL might be called a
gateway, to the internet.
GIF:
(Graphic Interchange Format): A common format for image files, especially
suitable for images containing large areas of the same color. GIF format files
of simple images are often smaller than the same file would be if stored in JPEG
Format, but GIF format does not store photographic images as well as JPEG.
Home Page:
The first page (main page) that is, the first screen seen upon accessing a Web
site.
HTML:
(Hypertext Markup Language): The coding language used to create Hypertext
documents for use on the World Wide Web. HTML looks like an old-fashioned
typesetting code, where you surround a block of text with codes that indicate
how it should appear, additionally; in HTML you can specify that a block of
text, or a word, is linked to another file on the Internet. HTML files are meant
to be viewed using a World Wide Web Client Program, such as Netscape or Mosaic.
HTTP:
(Hypertext Transfer Protocol): Expressed as http:// the communications standard
used to transfer information on the Web. The abbreviation appears as a prefix on
Web addresses. HTTP is the most important protocol used in the World Wide Web
(WWW).
Hypertext:
Generally, any text that contains links to other documents, words or phrases in
the document that can be chosen by a reader, which cause another document to be
retrieved and displayed
Intranet:
Internal corporate network that uses the infrastructure and standards of the
Internet and the World Wide Web; a private network inside a company or organization that uses the same kinds of software that you would
find on the public Internet, but that is only for internal use.
IP Number
(Internet Protocol Number): A unique number consisting of four parts separated
by dots, e.g.
165.113.245.2
Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP number, if a machine does
not have an IP number; it is not really on the Internet. Most machines also have
one or more Domain Names that are easier for people to remember.
IRC:
(Internet Relay Chat): Basically a huge multi-user live chat facility. There are
a number of major IRC servers around the world which are linked to each other.
Anyone can create a channel and anything that anyone types in a given channel is
seen by all others in the channel. Private channels can (and are) created for
multi-person conference calls.
ISDN:
(Integrated Services Digital Network): Basically a way to move more data over
existing regular phone lines, ISDN is rapidly becoming available to much of the
USA and other markets, it can provide speeds of roughly 128,000 bits/second over
regular phone lines. In practice, most people will be limited to 56,000 or
64,000 bits/second.
ISP:
(Internet Service Provider): A local or national company that provides access to
the Internet in some form, usually for money.
Java:
Java is a network oriented programming language invented by Sun Microsystems
that is specifically designed for writing 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 page more interactive. When JavaScript is included in an HTML file it relies upon the
browser to interpret the JavaScript.
LAN:
(Local Area Network): A configuration in which many geographical dispersed or
distributed independent computer systems are connected by a telecommunications
network, and in which messages, processing tasks, programs, data, and other
resources are transmitted between cooperating processors and terminals. Such an
arrangement enables the sharing of many hardware and significant software
resources among several users who may be sitting far away from each others.
Modem:
(MODulator, DEModulator); A device that connects yours computer to a phone line,
and that allows the computer to talk to other computers through the phone
system. Basically, modems do for computers, what a telephone does for humans.
Mosaic:
The first WWW browser that was available for the Macintosh, Windows, and UNIX
with the same interface. Mosaic really started the popularity of the Web. The
source-code to Mosaic has been licensed by several companies and there are
several other pieces of software good or better than Mosaic, most notably,
Netscape, Internet Explorer.
Netscape:
A WWW Browser and the name of a company The Netscape™ browser was originally
based on the Mosaic program developed at the National Center for Supercomputing
Applications (NCSA). Netscape has grown in features rapidly and is widely
recognized as the best and most popular web browser. Netscape Corporation also
produces web server software.
NNTP:
(Network News Transport Protocol): The protocol used by client and server
software to carry USENET postings back and forth over a TCP/IP network. If you
are using any of the more common software such as Netscape, Internet Explorer,
etc. to participate in newsgroups then you are benefiting from an NNTP
connection.
Packet Switching:
The method used to move data around on the Internet. In packet switching, all
the data coming out of a machine is broken up into chunks, each chunk has the
address of where it came from and where it is going. This enables chunks of data from many different sources to
combine on the same lines, and be sorted and directed to different
routes by special machines along the way, this way many people can
use the same lines at the same time.
Plug-in:
In reference to Web software, a plug-in is a program that can be attached to a
Web browser for adding capability, such as improving animation, video, or audio.
Portals:
An Internet gateway that offers search tools plus free features such as e-mail,
customized news, and chat rooms; revenue comes from online advertisements.
Yahoo, Infoseek, AltaVista, Lycos, Excite, WebCrawler, HotBot, Galaxy are
examples.
Posting:
A single message entered into a network communications system, e.g. a single
message posted to a newsgroup or message board.
PPP:
(Point to Point Protocol): A protocol that allows a computer to use a regular
telephone line and a modem to make TCP/IP connections.
Router:
Router is a special purpose computer or software, which handles the connection
between two or more networks. Routers spend all their time looking at the
destination addresses of the packets passing through them and deciding which
route to send them on.
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 could have several different server
software packages running on it, thus providing many different servers to
clients on the network.
SLIP:
(Serial Line Internet Protocol); A standard for using a regular telephone line (a serial line) and a modem to connect a computer as a real Internet site. SLIP is gradually being replaced by PPP.
SMTP:
(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): The main protocol used to send electronic mail
on the Internet. SMTP consists of a set of rules for how a program sending mail
and, a program receiving mail should interact. Almost all internet email is sent
and received by clients and servers using SMTP, thus if one wanted to set up an
email server on the internet one would look for email server software that
supports SMTP.
SNMP:
(Simple Network Management Protocol): A set of standards for communication with
devices connected to a TCP/IP network. Examples of these devices include
routers, hubs, and switches. A device is said to be SNMP compatible if it can be
monitored and/or controlled using SNMP messages.
Spamming:
On the Internet, refers to sending voluntary mail such as chain letters and
advertising.
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 available for every major kind of computer operating
system. To be truly on the Internet, your computer must have TCP/IP software.
Telnet:
The command and program used to login from one internet site to another. The
Telnet command/program gets you to the login prompt of another host.
URL:
(Uniform Resource-Locator): The standard way to give the address of any resource
on the Internet that is part of the World Wide Web (WWW). A URL looks like this:
http://www.basicsofcomputer.com
USENET:
A world-wide system of discussion groups, with comments passed among hundreds of
thousands of machines. USENET is completely decentralized, with over 10,000
discussion areas, called newsgroups.
WAN:
(Wide Area Network): Any internet or network that covers an area larger than a
single building or campus.
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Web Terminology You can't pick in the lab |
| 404:
Someone who's clueless. From the World Wide Web message "404, URL Not Found,"
meaning that the document you've tried to access can't be located. "Don't bother
asking him...he's 404, man."
Alpha Geek:
The most knowledgeable, technically proficient person in>an office or work
group. "Ask Larry, he's the alpha geek around here."
Bookmark:
To take note of a person for future reference (a symbol borrowed from web
browsers). "I bookmarked him after seeing his cool demo."
Be epilepsy:
The brief attack, people sometimes suffer when their beepers go off, especially
in vibrator mode. Characterized by physical spasms, goofy facial expressions,
and stopping speech in mid-sentence.
Blowing Your Buffer:
Losing train of thought. Occurs when the person you are speaking with won't let
you get a word in edgewise or has just said something so astonishing that your
train gets derailed. "Damn, 1 just blew my buffer!"
Chip Jewelry:
For old computers destined to be scrapped or turned into decorative ornaments.
"I paid three grand for that Mac SE, and now it's nothing but chip jewelry."
Cobweb Site:
A World Wide Web Site that hasn't been updated for a long time. A dead Webpage.
Crapplet:
A badly written or very much useless Java applet. "I just wasted 30 minutes
downloading this crapplet.
Dead Tree Edition:
The paper version of a publication available in both paper and
electronic forms, as in: "The dead tree edition of the Wall Street
Journal..."
Dilberted:
To be exploited and demoralized by your boss. Derived from the experiences of
Dilbert, the geek-in-hell comic strip character. "I've been dilberted again. The
old man amend the specs for the fourth time this week,"
Doritos Syndrome:
Feelings of emptiness and dissatisfaction triggered by addictive ' substances
that lack nutritional content. "I just spent six hours, surfing the Web, and now
I've got a bad case of Doritos Syndrome." j
Gray Matter:
Older, experienced business people hired by young commercial firms looking to
appear more reputable and established.
Keyboard Plaque:
The sickening increase of dirt found on computer keyboards. "Are there any other
terminal I can use? This one has a bad case of keyboard plaque."
Plug and Play:
A new hire who doesn't need any training. "The new guy, Faraz, is great. He's
totally plug-and-play."
Tourists:
People who are taking training classes jus to get a vacation from their jobs.
"We had about three serious students in the class; the rest were tourists."
Under Mouse Arrest:
Getting inoperative for violating an online service's rules of conduct. "Sorry I
couldn't get back to you. My ISP put me under mouse arrest."
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Web Browser:
Software that translates HTML documents and allows a user to view a remote Web
page; has a graphical user interface.
Web Page:
Documents in hypertext markup language (HTML) that is on a computer connected on
the Internet.
Web Site:
Internet location of a computer or server on which a hyperlinked document (Web
page) is stored.
Web Surfing:
A user's action of moving form one Web page to another by using the computer
mouse to click on the hypertext links.
WWW:
(World Wide Web): Interconnected system of sites, or servers, of the Internet
that stores information in multimedia form and share a hypertext form that links
similar words or phrases between sites.
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP):
Looking back just six years it's hard to believe that things we now take of
granted in our everyday lives ware virtually unheard of. What are we talking
about? Well the Internet, but more specifically the World Wide Web. The Internet
first came in 1969 as part of a US Department of Defense research project to
link computers together into a communications network.
However the web as we know it didn't really appear on the scene until 1992
mainstream web browser mosaic didn't appear until 1993. Within a year Pizza Hut
was offering online ordering and the web has experienced explosive growth ever
since with Alta Vista UK boasting roughly 45 million UK pages in its database at
home in the office the library or even an Internet cafe and demand is increasing
all the time. So the next logical step is to be able to browse web pages when
you're nowhere near a phone line
Mobile phones have grown in popularity at almost the same phenomenal speed as
the Internet but up until now their use has been confined to pretty much just
making call. Although most mobiles are capable of sending and receiving faxes
and making data calls, the transmission speed has been so slow it's been
impractical to connect one up to your palmtop and check out the latest football
scores. Although many people use their mobiles to check their email this is
virtually the limit. One of the biggest problems though is the size of the
screen. The trend for mobile phones to be ever smaller has meant that screen
size has also decreased, and the amount of information they can display is now
minimal. Your average high-end phone has a five-line display and even such a
technological wonder as pitiful resolution of just 200x460 pixels. But things
are changing and changing fast with the introduction of new technologies such
as WAP (Wireless Application Protocol).
HSC:
SD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data), GPRS (General Packet Radio System) and
Bluetooth. All these are very much emerging technologies although WAP has been
around for about a year and so far there are very few phones in existence that
can use these technologies.
WAP is an open standard that enables mobile phone users to interact with
services and information easily. It's currently the flavor of month and there
are several WAP phones available, the Nokia 7110 and the Ericsson R380 being
just two. These have oversized screens, and in the case of the Nokia, a roller
to facilitate Web navigation. But it's not all about surfing the web. In fact,
normal web pages won't actually display on a WAP phone they have to be
specifically for the WAP service. Instead it's more about information gathering,
like interactive yellow pages. You log on to a WAP server and obtain diverse
services; from the latest football scores to booking cinema tickets. The best
thing is that this sort of technology is not forcing you to pay a premium
either, The Nokia 7110 has gone on sale at roughly the same price as its
technologically inferior predecessor a year before. And some network operators
are charging no more for WAP call than they do for standard data connections. At the moment
services are still limited, but every new technology has its initial teething
problems although the biggest one seems to be getting enough 7110s made to
satisfy all the Matrix fans.
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