P.L. Ruth Web Design And Computer Services of San Luis Obispo, CA

Ever wonder what the heck a certain computer term meant when it applied to the Internet? Below are definitions to answer some of those questions you may have. Just click on the letter you think the term begins with.

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

Absolute URL: The full Internet address of a page or other World Wide Web resource. The absolute URL includes a protocol, such as "http," network location, and optional path and file name. For example, http://example.microsoft.com/ is an absolute URL.

Active Hyperlink: A hyperlink that is currently selected in a Web browser. Some Web browsers indicate the active hyperlink by changing its color.

Address: The location of an Internet resource. An email address may take the form of janedoe@somecompany.com. A web address looks something like http://www.plruth.com.

Add-in: A mini program which runs in conjunction with a web browser or other application that enhances the functionality of that program. In order for the add-in to run, the main application must be running as well.

Anonymous FTP: An anonymous FTP site allows Internet users to log in and download files from the computer without having a private userid and password. To login, you typically enter anonymous as the userid and your email address as the password.

Applet: A program that can be downloaded over a network and launched on the user's computer (see Java).

Anchor: Either the starting point or destination of a hyperlink. The letters at the top of this page are all anchors - clicking one takes you to another part of this page.

ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A set of 128 alphanumeric and special control characters. ASCII files are also known as plain text files.

Archie: The system used in searching FTP sites for files.

ASP: (Active Server Page) - A method for connecting data from an Access database to a webpage.

AU: (.au) - a common audio file format for UNIX systems.

AVI: Audio/Video Interleaved - a common video file format (.avi). Video quality can be very good at smaller resolutions, but files tend to be rather large.

Bandwidth: A measurement of the volume of information that can be transmitted over a network at a given time. Think of a network as a water pipe - the higher the bandwidth (the larger the diameter of the pipe), the more data (water) can pass over the network (through the pipe).

Banner: An image, usually displayed at the top of a page in a Web site, containing text and design elements (typically advertising).

Baud: The speed at which modems transfer data. One baud is roughly equal to one bit per second. It takes eight bits to make up one letter or character. Modems rarely transfer data at exactly the same speed as their listed baud rate because of static or computer problems.

Binary: The system by which combinations of 0s and 1s are used to represent any type of data stored on a computer.

Bitmap File: A common image format (.bmp) defined by a rectangular pattern of pixels.

BPS: Bits Per Second - a measurement of the volume of data that a modem is capable of transmitting. Typical modem speeds today are 33.6K bps (33,600 bits per second) and 56K bps. ISDN offers transfer rates of 128K bps.

Bookmark: A named location on a page that can be the target of a hyperlink. A bookmark can be applied to a set of characters or it can exist on a page separately from any text. Bookmarks allow authors to link to a specific section of a target page. In a URL, a bookmark is preceded by a pound-sign character (#). Also called an anchor.

Browser: A program run on a client computer for viewing World Wide Web pages. Examples include Netscape, Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Mosaic.

Cache: A region of memory where frequently accessed data can be stored for rapid access.

CERN: The European Laboratory for Particle Physics. The originators of the HTTP and HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) concepts.

CGI: Common Gateway Interface - the specification for how an HTTP server should communicate with server gateway applications.

Channel: A push technology that allows users to subscribe to a Web site to browse offline, automatically display updated pages on their screen savers, and download or receive notifications when pages in the Web site are modified. Channels are available only in browsers that support channel definitions, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0.

Chat: A system that allows for online communication between Internet users. See IRC.

Client: A program (like a Web browser) that connects to and requests information from a server.

Client-Server Protocol: A communication protocol between networked computers in which the services of one computer (the server) are requested by the other (the client).

Clip Art: A collection of icons, button, and other useful image files, that can be inserted into pages.

Compressed: Data files available for download from the Internet are typically compacted in order to save server space and reduce transfer times. Typical file extensions for compressed files include zip (DOS/Windows) and tar (UNIX).

Cookies: Sweet snacks. Also the collective name for files stored on your hard drive by your Web browser that hold information about your browsing habits, like what sites you have visited, which newsgroups you have read, etc. Many view 'cookies' as an invasion of privacy. To learn about ways to protect your privacy, visit this site for software and information.

Cyberspace: From the fabulously prophetic works of William Gibson in his science fiction classic, Neuromancer, to describe an information Network (or super highway). Gibson coined the word and now it is commonly used to describe the universe of electronic information represented by all the interconnected networks, computers, and communication systems scattered all over the world.

Dial-up Connection: A connection to the Internet via phone and modem. Connection types include PPP and SLIP.

Direct Connection: A connection made directly to the Internet - much faster than a dial-up connection.

Discussion Group: A particular section within the USENET system typically, though not always, dedicated to a particular subject of interest. Also known as a newsgroup.

Domain: The Internet is divided into smaller sets known as domains, including .com (business), .gov (government), .edu (educational) and others.

Domain Name: Allows you to reference Internet sites without knowing the true numerical address.

Download: The process of copying data file(s) from a remote computer to a local computer. The opposite action is upload where a local file is copied to a server.

E-mail: Electronic mail.

Emoticon: A combination of characters that form a facial expression. For example, if you turn your head sideways, the characters :) make a smiley face, and the characters 8) make a four-eyed smiley. Frequently used in email messages to convey a particular tone.

Encrypt: The act of encoding a file for the purpose of preventing other from gaining access to its contents.

Error Message: A message display by a computer to indicate that something is wrong and some action must be taken in order to continue.

Eudora: A popular freeware and commercial email management program.

Exchange: Microsoft's integrated fax and email program designed for Windows 95.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions - a collection of common questions and answers on a particular subject.

File: Information stored as a series of bits organized by computer software.

File Extension: A "tag" at the end of a file name which associates it with a particular action or software program. For example .exe is a file extension that tell the computer the file is actually a program. .exe stands for execute. ".jpg" and ".gif" are file extensions which identify them as image files.

File Size: The file size is just that. How large the file is measured in bytes, kilobytes and megabytes.

Flame: An insulting message exchanged via email or within newsgroups. A series of flames are known as flame wars.

FreeWare: Software that is available for download and unlimited use without charge. Compare to shareware.

FTP: File Transfer Protocol - a set of rules for exchanging files between computers via the Internet.

Gateway: Computer hardware and software that allow users to connect from one network to another.

GIF: Graphics Interchange Format - a common image format. Most images seen on web pages are GIF files.

Gopher: A system allowing users to search for files via menus or directory structures. Uses plain English names and is text based only.

Hacker: A technically advanced computer user who uses his skill to break into other computer systems to damage or steal information.

Hard Drive: A computer's main storage device, also referred to as a hard disc.

Hardware: Any physical component of a computer system. For example: monitors, printers, hard drives, mice, and keyboards are all hardware devices.

Helper Application: A program allowing you to view multimedia files that your web browser cannot handle internally, such as images, audio and video files. The file must be downloaded before it will be displayed/played. Plug-ins allow you to actually view the file over the Internet without downloading first.

Highlight: The act of selecting a block of text with a mouse. After highlighting text a user can then "copy" and "paste" into a new document.

Home Page: The first page of a Web Site. Also, the Web site that automatically loads each time you launch your browser.

Host: The name of a specific machine within a larger domain.

Hot Java: A Web browser developed by Sun Microsystems that takes full advantage of applets written in the Java programming language.

Hotspot: A graphically defined area in an image that contains a hyperlink.

HTML: HyperText Markup Language - a collection of tags typically used in the development of Web pages. The 'language' (or, more appropriately, the 'text format') that all World Wide Web sites are written with. HTML's ease of authoring has much to do with the success and explosive growth of the World Wide Web.

HTTP: HyperText Transfer Protocol - a set of instructions for communication between a server and a World Wide Web client.

Hyperlink: A connection between two anchors. Clicking on one anchor will take you to the linked anchor. Can be within the same document/page or two totally different documents.

Hypertext: A document that contains links to other documents, commonly seen in Web pages and help files.

Information Superhighway/Infobahn: The terms were coined to describe a possible upgrade to the existing Internet through the use of fiber optic and/or coaxial cable to allow for high speed data transmission.

Install: The process of setting up a piece of hardware or software for operation.

IRC: Internet Relay Chat - the system allowing Internet users to conduct online text based communication with one or more other users.

ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network - a system of all digital, high bandwidth telephone lines allowing for the simultaneous delivery of audio, video and data. Data travels at 128K bps.

ISP: Internet Service Provider - the company which provides you with a connection to the Internet via either a Dial-up Connection or a Direct Connection.

IP Address: Internet Protocol Address - every computer on the Internet has a unique identifying number, like 191.1.24.2.

Internet: The worldwide network of computers communicating via an agreed upon set of Internet protocol. Odds are that if you are reading this document, you are probably on the Internet right now (just in case you didn't know).

Java: A programming language, similar to C++, created by Sun Microsystems for developing applets that are capable of running on any computer regardless of the operating system.

Javascript: A cross-platform, World Wide Web scripting language developed by Netscape Communication.

JPEG: Joint Photograhic Experts Group - a common image format. Most of the images you see embedded into Web pages are GIFs, but sometimes, especially in art or photographic Web sites, you can click on the image to bring up a higher resolution (larger) JPEG version of the same image.

Killfile: Found within newsreaders, a list of undesirable authors or threads to filter out.

Kilobyte: A unit of measurement for the speed of data transferred.

Knowbot: A system for finding Internet user's email addresses via their first and last names. Due to the rapid growth in the volume of email users, this system is not perfect.

LAN: Local Area Network - a network of computers confined within a small area, such as an office building.

Link: Another name for a hyperlink.

Listserv: An electronic mailing list typically used by a broad range of discussion groups. When you subscribe to a listserv, you will receive periodic email messages about the topic you have requested.

Log: A detailed list of a systems or applications activities.

Logic: A list of instructions that tells a program or circuits in a piece of hardware how to operate.

Login: The process users must complete to gain access to a computer or computer network.

Lurking: The act of reading through maillists and newsgroups without posting any messages. Considered good netiquette to get the feel of the topic before adding your own two cents.

Lynx: A popular text (non-graphical) World Wide Web Browser.

Mailbox: A storage area, either in memory or on disc, for electronic mail messages. This area is usually divided into folders, Inbox and Outbox.

Mailing List: A list of email addresses to which messages are sent. You can subscribe to a mailing lists typically by sending an email to the contact address with the following in the body of the message: the word subscribe, the name of the list, and your email address.

Mail Server: A computer that hold electronic mail messages for clients on a network.

Marquee: A region on a web page that displays a horizontal scrolling text message.

Meta Tags: Special code inserted into a webpage describing the contents of the page. Search Engines look for these meta tags when indexing a website.

Microsoft: The world's largest operating system and application software development company. Products include Windows 95, the MS Office Suite, the MS Internet Explorer, and far too many others to list here.

MIDI: Musical Instrument Digital Interface - a high quality audio file format.

MIME: Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, a protocol for allowing email messages to contain various types of media (text, audio, video, images, etc.).

Mirror Site: An Internet site setup as an alternate to a busy site; contains copies of all the files stored at the primary location.

Mosaic: One of the first graphical World Wide Web browsers developed at NCSA.

MPEG: Motion Picture Experts Group - a video file format offering excellent quality in a relatively small file. Video files found on the Internet are frequently stored in the MPEG format. Full length movies (like Top Gun) are available on CD and are stored in the MPEG format.

Multimedia: A combination of media types on a single document, including: text, graphics, animation, audio and video.

Nameserver: A computer running a program that converts domain names into appropriate IP addresses and vice versa.

Netiquette: Emily Post meets the Internet. Short for Internet etiquette.

Newbie: A new Internet user. If you are reading this defintion, you probably are one (or at least were one before you read this).

Newsgroup: A particular section within the USENET system typically, though not always, dedicated to a particular subject of interest. Also known as discussion groups.

Newsreader: A program designed for organizing the threads received from a mailing list or newsgroup.

NCSA: National Center for Supercomputing Applications - an organization headquartered at the University of Illinois. Researchers here created the Mosaic and HTTPD server programs.

Netscape: Netscape dominates the market for World Wide Web browsers and servers.

Network: A system of connected computers exchanging information with each other. A LAN is a relatively smaller form of a network in comparison to the Internet, a world wide network of computers.

Online: When you connect to the Internet, you are online.

Online Service: Services such as America Online, CompuServe, Prodigy and the Microsoft Network which provide content to subscribers and usually connections to the Internet, though sometimes limited. For instance, online services just recently added Web browsing ability. If you spend a lot of time on the Internet, the fees these services charge add up rapidly.

Operating System: Software that controls a computer and it's peripherals. The most common operating system is Window 95/98.

Packet: A chunk of data. The TCP/IP protocol breaks large data files into smaller "packets" for transmission. When the data reaches its destination, the protocol makes sure that all packets have arrived without error.

Page: A single document on a website written in HTML.

Password: A string of characters that allow users access to an ISP or a protected webpage.

PING: Ping - a program for determining if another computer is presently connected to the Internet.

Pixel: Short for picture element - the smallest unit of resolution on a monitor. Commonly used as a unit of measurement.

Plug-In: A small application which extends the built in capabilities of your Web browser. Examples include Macromedia's Shockwave, providing animation, and RealAudio, offering streamed sound files over the Internet. Compared to helpers, the multimedia files do not need to be downloaded before shown or played.

PKZIP: A widely available shareware utility allowing users to compress and decompress data files. Helps reduce storage space and transfer times.

POP: Post Office Protocol - a method of storing and returning email.

Post: To send a message to a mailing list or newsgroup.

PPP: Point-to-Point Protocol - a protocol for converting a dial-up connection to a point-to-point connection over the Internet. Frequently used for accessing the World Wide Web over phone lines. Considered more stable than a SLIP connection.

PGP: Pretty Good Privacy - an encryption scheme which uses the "public key" approach - messages are encrypted using the publicly available key, but can only be deciphered by the intended recipient via the private key.

Protocol: An agreed upon set of rules by which computers exchange information.

Provider: An Internet Service Provider, or ISP.

Query: To request information from a database. When you use a search engine you are actually querying a database.

Queue: A list of email messages that will be distributed next time you log onto the Internet.

QuickTime: A common video file format created by Apple Computer. Video files found on the Internet are often stored in the QuickTime format - they require a special viewer program for playback.

Radio Button: A form field that presents the user with a selection of choices and can by chosen by clicking on it. Similar to a check box.

Refresh/Reload: To force the web browser to check the web server for a more recent version of a document.

Register: With shareware, when you contact the vendor and pay for the product, you are registering. In return, you will receive either a password to turn off the nag notices or a copy of the full commercial version.

Robot: A program that automatically searches the World Wide Web for files.

Search Engine: A tool for searching information on the Internet by topic. Popular engines include InfoSeek, Inktomi and Web Crawler.

Server: One half of the client-server protocol, runs on a networked computer and responds to requests submitted by the client. Your World Wide Web browser is a client of a World Wide Web server.

Shareware: Software that is available on a free limited trial basis. Sometimes this is a fully featured product, other times it lacks some of the features of the commerical version. If you find the product useful, you are expected to register the software, for which in return you will receive the full featured commercial version.

Signature: A personal tag automatically appended to an email message. May be short, such as the author's name, or quite long, such as a favorite quote.

SGML: Standard General Markup Language - a standard for markup languages. HTML is one version of SGML.

Site: A single or collection of related Web pages.

SLIP: Serial Line Internet Protocol - a protocol allowing you to use a dial-up connection as an Internet connection. Similar to a PPP connection, though far less stable.

SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol - a protocol dictating how email messages are exchanged over the Internet.

Snail Mail: Web term for traditional postal mail.

SPAM: Non-Internet: Delicious "meat" in a can! Internet: Sending multiple, sometimes thousands, of unwelcome messages to a newsgroup or mailing list to promote a commercial product or Web site.

Subscribe: To become of a member of. One can subscribe to a mailing list, a newsgroup, an online service or an Internet Service.

T1: A category of leased telephone line service, allowing transfer rates of 1.5 Mbps (megabytes per second) over the Internet. Too expensive for home users (around $2000 per month), but commonly found in business environments.

TAR: Tape ARchive - a compression format commonly used in the transfer and storage of files residing on UNIX computers.

TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol - this protocol is the foundation of the Internet, an agreed upon set of rules directing computers on how to exchange information with each other. Other Internet protocols, such as FTP, Gopher and HTTP sit on top of TCP/IP.

Telnet: A protocol for logging onto remote computers from anywhere on the Internet.

Thread: An ongoing message based conversation on a single subject.

TIFF: Stands for Tagged Image File Format. A high resolution, tag-based image format. TIFF is used for the universal interchange of digital images.

Trolling: Deliberately posting false information in order to elicit responses from people who really want to help.

UNIX: A powerful operating system used on the backbone machines of the Internet. World Wide Web servers frequently run on UNIX.

Upload: To copy a file from a local computer connected to the Internet to a remote computer. Opposite is download.

URL: Uniform Resource Locator - the method by which Internet sites are addressed. An example would be "http://www.plruth.com", the address of this website.

UPS: Stands for uninterruptible power supply. A back up battery connected to a computer system that will supply power to the system if the electricity goes out. This allows users time to save work and shut down their systems safely.

USENET: Short for User's Network. The collection of the thousands of bulletin boards residing on the Internet. Each bulletin board contains discussion groups, or newsgroups, dedicated to a myriad of topics. Messages are posted and responded to by readers either as public or private emails.

Veronica: The system used in searching Gopher menus for topics. Also Archie's girlfriend.

Visit: Synonymous with viewing a World Wide Web site.

VRML: Stands for Virtual Reality Modeling Language and is used to create 3D environments or web pages that allow users to move around within the environment.

WAIS: Wide Area Information Servers - a system of searchable text databases.

WAN: Wide Area Network - a system of connected computers spanning a large geographical area.

WAV: Waveform Audio (.wav) - a common audio file format for DOS/Windows computers.

WINSOCK: Winsock - a Microsoft Windows DLL file that provides the interface to TCP/IP services, essentially allowing Windows to use Web browsers, FTP programs, and others.

WWW: World Wide Web, or simply Web. A subset of the Internet which uses a combination of text, graphics, audio and video (multimedia) to provide information on most every subject imaginable

X-Pixelmap: An uncompressed color image file format (.xpm).

X-Bitmap: An uncompressed black and white image file format (.xbm).

Yahoo: A Web directory created by a couple of guys from Stanford. Their site is constantly updated and provides an easy way of finding almost any Web page. Check it our for yourself at http://www.yahoo.com.

ZIP: A compressed file format (.zip). Many files available on the Internet are compressed or zipped in order to reduce storage space and transfer times. To uncompress the file, you need a utility like PKZip (DOS) or WinZip (Windows).