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internet
jargon
Below
is some of the terminology used within the internet environment?
A
Address
- See also URL. An Internet address is the name of a site you want
to connect to, such as www.xtra.co.nz. Also, an Internet address can
be the address of someone you want to send email to, such as name@company.co.uk.
A typical address starts with a protocol (need an entry for protocol)
name (such as ftp:// or http://) followed by the organisation that
maintains the site; the suffix identifies the kind of organisation.
For example, commercial site addresses often end with .co.uk or .com.
Anonymous FTP - This enables a user to retrieve files from
another site on the Internet without having to establish a user-ID
and password on the system.
ANSI (American National Standards Institute) - ANSI is responsible
for approving standards on many aspects of the Internet.
Apache - A public domain Web server developed in 1995. Because
it was developed from existing NCSA code plus various patches, it
was called a patchy server, hence the name Apache Server. By some
estimates, it is used to host more than 50 per cent of all Web sites
in the world.
Applet - A program designed to be executed from within another
program. Unlike stand-alone programs, applets cannot be activated
from an operating system. See Java, for example.
Archie - A system for finding publicly available files for
FTP over the Internet.
ASCII - American Standard Code For Information Interchange.
Most frequently encountered as the ASCII character set, a group of
96 lower- and uppercase characters plus 36 non-printable control characters.
Other characters with specific attributes usually demand application-specific
character codes. Many special characters can be accessed by typing
the ASCII code on the numbers keypad of the keyboard (NumLock ON)
with the Alt key depressed (leading zeros have to be used to make
the codes three digits). Look in the Windows manuals (old ones!) to
see the full list of characters for the code page which is loaded
on boot-up, and their respective ASCII codes.
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Backbone
Net Connection - A set of paths of local or regional networks
connected for long-distance communication. The connection points are
known as network nodes or telecommunication data switching exchanges
(DSEs).
Bandwidth - The maximum amount of information passed over a
connection in one second. It is measured either in Kbps (kilobits
per second) or Mbps (megabits per second).
Baud - This is the speed of a modem, determined as the number
of transitions in modem signals per second. Each transition can carry
more than one bit of information.
BIOS (Basic Input Output System)- Software (usually held on
ROM on the computer motherboard) which tells the operating system
exactly what hardware components are connected to the PC, such as
hard drives, keyboards, processors and input-output (IO) devices.
Bit (Binary DigIT)
A single digit number in base-2, in other words, either a 1 or a zero.
The smallest unit of computerized data. Bandwidthis usually measured
in bits-per-second.
Bounce
- When an e-mail is returned undelivered.
Broadband
- This is now becomming the only way to work on the internet. With
download speeds from 0.5 mbps to 8mbps, but all have only a 0.25mbps
upload speed.
Browser - A programme which communicates with Web Servers used
for retrieving and displaying information on the WWW, including graphical,
audio, video etc. Some well known Browsers are Microsoft Explorer,
Netscape Navigator, Mosaic and Lynx.
Browser Plug-in - Software that is installed on a computer
and used to support a specific function for a browser (Shockwave and
RealPlayer and examples).
Bus Network - A network where all the computers are connected
to a single wire (or bus) which forms the route for all network traffic.
Byte - One byte of data comprises eight bits (binary digits
representing either 1 or 0).
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Cache
- An area in your hard disk that is reserved for storing images, text,
and other files that you have viewed on the Internet. The Temporary
Internet Files folder is the cache for Internet Explorer.
CDMA - Code Division Multiple Access
Certificate Revocation List (CRL) - Lists issued by Certification
Authorities of digital certificates which have been compromised and
should not be trusted.
Certification Authorities: - Are trusted third parties (TTP's)
who issue a digital certificate to confirm the identity of the owner
of a public key for electronic encryption used in secure email and
e-commerce transactions. Familiar TTP's are Verisign (USA) and InterClear
(UK). Financial institutions such as banks and credit card companies
can be TTP's for ecommerce.
CGI - Common Gateway Interface. A feature of Web Servers that
allow HTML clients (such a Browsers) to communicate over the Web with
scripts installed on the Server. HTML forms are often processed with
such scripts, which are frequently written in Perl. Most ISP’s reserve
an area of their Server for storing common CGI scripts (often CGI-bin),
for hit counters, form processors etc. Some ISP’s will not allow users
to upload their own scripts to their Server. Web authoring tools have
varying degrees of support for CGI calls. Real anorak stuff.
CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer) - A slightly meaningless
phrase that distinguishes (for instance) the current Intel chip architecture
from faster and more versatile RISC chips, as used by Apple and Silicon
Graphics (for example).
Client - In networks: An approach to computing which separates
services and users. For instance, a network client would be a workstation
(usually a single computer) which can request files or programs from
a central server, without the need to store them locally. - In the
WWW: An application (such as a Web browser or newsreader) that extracts
information from a server on your behalf.
Client-Server - A client-server network is more commonly found
in medium-large sized companies. Computers (Clients) are connected
through intermediary devices (Servers) which store most of the software
and the data for the network. Servers also handle security, access
to peripherals (like printers and modems) and administration privileges.
Cookie - A cookie is a message sent by a Web Server to a browser,
and stored in a text file, usually called cookie.txt. The message
is then sent back to the browser every time a new request is made
while you are still on the site. When you move on to another Web site,
the cookie stays on your hard drive. When you return to the original
Web site your browser sends the cookie information back to the Web
server. Cookies are mostly used to identify users and create site
visit statistics on types of browser, operating systems and popular
pages.
Cookies - A Cookie is a small piece of information which a
Web server can store temporarily on your hard drive. This is useful
for having your Web browser remember specific information which the
Web server can later retrieve the next time you visit that Web page.
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Device
Driver - Software that will let the operating system (and programs
running with it) control a particular hardware device, such as a monitor
or a printer.
Digital Certificate - A common security standard for online
transactions (ecommerce) such as Secure Electronic Transactions (SET),
a Digital Certificate is issued by banks (e.g.: a MasterCard or Visa
issuer) to each patron and each merchant to identify them as a valid
transactor. More widely, Digital Certificates are issued by Certification
Authorities such as VeriSign (USA) and Inter Clear (UK) to authenticate
the public keys of persons who wish to conduct secure transactions
(including encryptedemail) over the Internet.
Digital ID - A Digital ID is composed of "public key",
a "private key" (see encryption) and a "digital signature".
When you expose your digital ID to someone, you are giving them your
public key. When a public key has been certified by a Certification
Authority it is known as a "Digital Certificate". The digital
signature is an electronic identity card (analogous to a passport)
which has been formed by your private key and can therefore be read
with you public key, thus linking the sender and the recipient..
DLL (Dynamic Link Library) - Computer programs written so
that they perform a common part of an application somewhat similar
to a sub-routine. DLL's can be shared between several tasks at the
same time (rather than each task containing copies of the routines
it uses).
DNS (Domain Name System) server - A computer maintained by
your Internet service provider that matches IP addresses to host names.
Some providers will send you a specific DNS address. This address
typically contains four sets of numbers separated by periods and is
different from your IP address (e.g.: 194.164.40.31). See also IP
address.
Domain - A domain is part of the naming hierarchy of the Internet.
A domain name precisely locates an organisation or other entity on
the Internet, e.g. www.my-company.co.uk or www.my-company.com. An
address of the form "www.my-isp.net/my-company/ " is a sub-domain.
Dynamic Pages - Dynamic HTML is a collective term for a combination
of new HTML tags and options, style sheets and programming, which
enable you to create Web pages that are more interactive and faster
to download.
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e-Business
- The term coined by IBM to describe its e-commerce solutions, now
commonly in use as a generic term.
e-Commerce - The process of buying and selling over the Internet.
Effective transaction systems are based on four principles: Confidentiality,
Integrity, Authentication and Non-repudiation.
e-Mail - The process of transmitting messages across the Internet.
Many protocols are in use to enable text and binary attachments to
be exchanged. The most prevalent are POP and SMTP. Some of the early
mass providers on the Internet (AOL and CompuServe, for example) had
proprietary, and until recently, inferior e-Mail standards.
Emoticon - Also known as smilies, an emoticon is used to convey
emotions such as joking, sarcasm or boredom by using keyboard characters.
For instance, :) for happy; :( for sad. The permutations are surprisingly
wide and dubious.
Encryption/Decryption - The practice of digitally "scrambling"
a message using algorithms which are secret to the sending and receiving
parties. Symmetric encryption/decryption requires the same algorithm
to be utilised by both the sending and receiving parties. With current
technology, a 90 bit key length is required. The alternative public
key - private key system (for example the popular PGP program) is
asymmetric encryption/decryption and requires a significantly lower
order of key (20-30 bits). In this method each participant has a private
and a public key. Each party in a transaction holds the public key
for the other participants through use of digital signatures (among
other processes). Thus, a message from one party to another is encrypted
by the sending party by using the intended recipients public key,
meaning that the only person able to decrypt the message is the holder
of the private key (the intended recipient).
Enhanced IDE - This is a description of the control electronics
used to run large hard disks on most modern personal computers. EIDE
is an expansion of the IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) standard.
An EIDE controller (which is usually an on-board component, or possibly
a plug-in adapter board) can handle up to four hard drives and other
devices at a time such as, for example, a CD-ROM drive or a tape drive.
Error Correction - A technique used in modems to cancel out
extraneous electrical noise and repeat on-line transmissions when
an error is made.
Ethernet - A method for connecting computers to a network using
coaxial cable.
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FAQ
(Frequently Asked Question(s)) - This term generallyrefers to
a document posted on an Internet web page, News Group or elsewhere
for the specific purpose of assisting new users. Very useful and frequently
not used to full advantage.
Faster communication speeds can be achieved with digital -
transmission using a variety of systems. The most common in the UK
have a basic transfer speeds of 500 Kbps (up to 8mbps ) and higher,
depending on the installation. These services are commonly marketed
in the UK as BROADBAND packages.
FAT (File Allocation Table) - A feature of the MS-DOS operating
system, the FAT tracks and records the location of all files on a
hard disc or floppy drive. This is the only means DOS can use to find
data on disk. DOS doesn't necessarily store programs and data in consecutive
clusters on disk, instead taking the next available cluster. It's
the FAT that maintains the link addresses for subsequent but physically
separated clusters. After considerable use, particularly after deleting
multiple files, the remaining files become separated by unallocated
clusters which are subsequently filled by new files. This causes fragmentation
of the files which can be reduced (and disc performance increased)
by defragmentation, utilities for which are available in the Windows
OS.
Firewall - A system designed to prevent unauthorised access
to a network, particularly from hackers. All information leaving or
entering the network is scrutinised and warnings are triggered if
certain criteria are not met.
Forum - A message area on CompuServe or Delphi. Equivalent
to an echo of FidoNet, a newsgroup on Usenet or a conference on CIX.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) - A means of transferring files
from one computer to another across the Internet. Also see Schemes.
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GIF
(Graphics Interchange Format) - An image file format common on
CompuServe and for small images on the Internet. It's limited to 256
colours but produces compact files. GIF's, in common with some other
Internet 'friendly' graphic formats, can be interleaved (allowing
downloads in steps which provide increasing resolution with each step)
and given a property known as 'transparency', which allows any background
of the web page to be seen through the graphic, if required.
GPF (General Protection Fault) - The dreaded Blue Screen. Windows'
way of warning you that a program has tried to access a portion of
RAM that is protected from unauthorised intrusion. In practice this
means your program has crashed. There are too many potential remedies
to mention in a glossary.
Groupware - Software used by more than one person across a
network. Examples include Lotus Notes and Microsoft Project.
gTLOs (generic Top Level Domains) - These include new domains
such as .web .shop .firm .info .arts .rec .nom. Also see Top Level
Domains (TDL's)
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Hit
- An entry in the log file of a Web server. A hit is generated by
every request made to a Web server. It has no predictable relation
to users, visitors or pages.
Home Page - The main page of a Web site. The home page usually
contains a main menu or table of contents containing links to other
pages within the site. This is usually the first page you see when
you start Internet Explorer.
Hot Spot (or Image) - Part of a Web page (text or image) which
is dynamically linked to another site, image or page and usually identified
by an underline and blue typeface.
HTML - Hypertext Markup Language. The language used to create
and design Web pages. HTML is a series of "tags" that create
the page layout, format text, insert graphics and multimedia, and
more.
HTTP - Hypertext Transfer Protocol. A protocol that makes hypertext
information such as Web pages available over the Internet, when you
use a computer that is connected to a server.
Hub - A network device that distributes data to other systems
on a network
Hyperlink, Link - Anything on a Web page that you can click
to go to another page. A text or graphical link could go to another
page at the same Web site or to page on a different part of the Web.
Hypertext - A method of presenting information that allows
the user to jump between places in the document, typically by clicking
on a highlighted word or an icon, rather than being forced to navigate
it in a linear fashion. Both Help files and Web pages make extensive
use of this technique. Adobe Acrobat is a good example of the genre,
which is portable across different computer platforms.
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IDE
(Integrated Drive Electronics) - This is the most popular type of
hard drive for the PC. The controller electronics are included inside
the device, which means that you don't need to have a separate adapter
card (as you do with SCSI controller). Cheaper than SCSI, IDE drives
are also easier to install. Also see EIDE.
Inter Clear - A UK based Certification Authority.
Internet - The Internet is a constantly evolving group of international
computer networks connected by telephone lines. When you're connected
to the Internet, you can gain access to a wealth of information from
the World Wide Web and Internet newsgroups (bulletin board services,
or BBS). See also World Wide Web.
Internet Telephony - A category of hardware and software that
enables people to use the Internet as the transmission medium for
telephone calls. For users with free or fixed-price Internet access,
Internet telephony software essentially provides free telephone calls
to anywhere in the world. There are many Internet telephony applications
available. Some, such a CoolTalk and NetMeeting, come bundled with
popular Web browsers. Internet telephony products are sometimes called
IP telephony, Voice over the Internet (VoI) or Voice over IP (VOIP)
products.
InterNIC - The company that controls the registration of most
global and US domain names (.com, .org etc.).
Intranet - An internal network of computers, such as in a medium
sized company, which allows transmission of data and files to colleagues.
Most commonly, Intranets are being developed using HTML as the backbone
language for sharing information and data.
IP (Internet Protocol) - A protocol on which the Internet is
based.
IP Address - The IP address is the numeric address of a computer.
Some Internet service providers will send you the IP address of their
server. If you're not sure whether you need to enter an IP address,
contact your provider. See also DNS.
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) - A method of transmitting
digital (rather then the more common analogue signal for modems and
speech) down a standard telephone line. Higher speeds and better error
correction can be achieved, at a cost. Besides the higher rental charges,
users require an ISDN adapter on their computers. Very useful for
high volume users, especially if the access can be shared through
a network.
ISP - Internet service provider. An Internet service provider
maintains a server that is directly connected to the Internet. You
must connect through a service provider unless you are directly connected
to the Internet. Connecting to a service provider entails calling
the provider and setting up an account.
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Java
- A platform independent object-oriented programming language that
enables software developers to create interactive elements (Applets)
which can be attached to a Web page (or used in native mode).
JavaScript - A scripting language, loosely based on Java, which
allows Web programmers to create dynamic content, such as interactive
games, or search engines on their Web sites.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) - The term usually
refers to a graphic image format defined by this group that has become
an alternative to GIF for small, compact images. All JPEG images (identified
by the suffix jpg) can use 16.7 million colours at a much higher compression
rate than GIF.
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LAN
(Local Area Network) - A network located in a relatively small area
(office or building) where each computer is relatively independent
(has its own operating system and data files) but share peripherals
such as printers. The users also have the facility to communicate
across the LAN via Email.
Leased Line - A permanent connection between two sites, which
requires no dialling and includes all phone charges.
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Mailto
- A scheme which causes a browser to send a form to a particular email
address or to generate a mail editing window.
Merchant Service Agreement (MSA) - To conduct real-time e-commerce
on-line you will need an MSA with a bank or credit card company.
MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) - A method of
sending binary objects by e-mail.
Modem (Modulator/demodulator) - A device which allows a PC
to communicate and exchange information with other modem equipped
computers via normal (PSDN) analogue phone lines. The modem converts
the digital information created by the computer into analogue signals
for transmission to another modem equipped computer where the analogue
signal is converted back to digital signals. Modem and data transmission
speeds are usually measured in bits or thousands of bits (kilobits,
Kb) per second, thus the common 56Kbps modem specification. Some Windows©
dialogue boxes use a measure of kilobytes(KB) per second. Thus these
figures have to be multiplied by 8.192 to be compared to figures quoted
in kilobits per second. For example, a 56 Kbps modem achieving 100%
transmission efficiency should theoretically have a transmission rate
of about 6.84 KBps.
MP3 - Short for MPEC Layer 3, this is a type of audio data
compression that can reduce digital sound files by a 12:1 ratio with
virtually no loss in quality.
MPEG (Motion Picture Experts Group) - A compression format
for video enabling high quality picture sequences to be stored on
disk. MPEG 2, offers even higher compression rates than its predecessor,
which means that more images can be stored in less space.
Multi-threading - An operating system ("OS") feature
which allows an appropriately designed program to run several tasks
concurrently. Microsoft claims that Windows 9x is a multi-threading
OS, although independent views suggest this is not correct. Windows
NT5.0 , the first true Microsoft 32 bit multi-threaded OS was to be
released in 1Q 2000 but this has been delayed and MS has announced
another "nearly there" OS called Windows 2000, for release
in 2Q 2000.
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Network
- A group of computers and peripherals connected to share files and
devices.
Newer technology such as Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Lines
(ADSL), which should be widely available in the UK in 2001 (through
BT), will provide faster and lower cost digital access to the telecommunication
network. Customers with cable connections have the opportunity to
use "cable modems" which provide very fast connections over
dedicated cable systems.
Node - Another name for a network terminal (Client).
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Packet
- This is a unit of data, which is typically a part of a file, prepared
for transmission across a network.
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) - This is a standard
bus design for computer motherboards and expansion slots that can
transfer 32 or 64 bits of data at one time. PCI has taken over as
the standard format for modern PCs.
PCMCIA - More commonly known as a PC card, this expands a computer's
capabilities via a credit card-sized connection. Despite the simplicity
of this approach, particularly by comparison with the somewhat crude
plug-in adapter card, high costs mean PC cards are used mainly on
portable computers for adding functionality such as modem and network
support.
Peer-to-Peer - A network with no central Server. All the computers
retain autonomy of their operating systems and data, but share peripherals.
The protocols used for the service and the hardware make this ideal
for a small office environment. Peer-to Peer networking has been well
integrated and implemented in Windows 9x.
PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) - A technique for encrypting messages.
PGP is one of the most common ways to protect messages on the Internet
because it is effective, easy to use and free. PGP is based on the
public key method, which uses two keys. To encrypt a message using
PGP, you need the PGP encryption package, which is available free.
Some levels of encryption available through PGP is illegal in the
US and the use of PGP and other high order encryption algorithms is
being resisted by many governments.
PING (Packet Internet Groper) - A program used to testdestinations
on the Internet to see if they exist and are operating.
Plug-ins - Programs that can easily be installed and used as
extensions to a Web browser to provide additional functions such as
audio, video and support for flashy graphics.
Polling - Connecting to a Web server to check for e-mail and
messages
PoP (Point of Presence) - The location of the nearest node
for an ISP, this is the number you dial to connect to the Internet.
Currently, most ISP's have a local charge number which is valid for
the mainland UK, the concept of the PoP is largely defunct.
POP (Post Office Protocol) - E-mail system with faster delivery
than SMTP. Current implementation is POP3.
Port Number - Computers that run the TCP/IP protocols can use
different ports to run different services.
Portal - A recently coined term for Web sites that have all
the services people are likely to use on-line (search engines, chat
rooms, on-line shopping and so on).
PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) - This enables a computer to
use TCP/IP with a standard telephone line.
Protocol - Standards governing the transfer of information
between computers.
Proxy Server - A proxy server acts as a security barrier (sometimes
called a "firewall") between your internal network (intranet)
and the Internet, keeping other people on the Internet from gaining
access to confidential information on your intranet.
Proxy Server - A server between your browser and a Web server,
which monitors all requests that pass through it. The proxy server
intercepts all requests and checks that it doesn't already have the
requested Web page stored on its hard disk. If it has, then the proxy
server returns the requested Web page from its own hard disk. If the
proxy server doesn't have the requested page, then it forwards the
request to the Web server. Proxy servers speed up Internet access
for large numbers of users, and can also be used by companies to filter
out requests for unsuitable Web pages. They are also used as Firewalls
to isolate a local network (a company Intranet, for example) from
security problems which may arise from direct connection to the Internet,
such as hacking and viruses.
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RAM (Random Access Memory) - The type of memory that Microsoft
engineers seem to think we all have more of than we actually do. RAM
is the transient memory which stores the computational and programme
instructions and data for use by the Central Processing Unit (CPU).
If you are running Windows 9x you need about 32 MB of RAM as a minimum.
More is better, but Win 9x cannot properly address more than 64 MB,
a limitation not affecting Windows NT 4.x.
Right-Click - To click the secondary mouse button (in most
cases, the one on the right side of the mouse). If you are left-handed,
you can change primary and secondary mouse buttons in Control Panel.
RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) - This is a type of
CPU which can reduce to a minimum the number of instructions that
are processed simultaneously, thereby increasing the computer's efficiency.
Silicon Graphics and other manufactures use RISC processors. Intel
utilise CISC.
ROM (Read Only Memory) - Part of memory in a computer which
contains pre-installed instructions that the system needs to access
on a regular basis. ROM typically takes the form of chips on circuit
boards or non-rewritable instructions on a CD-ROM. ROM is where the
computer stores all the basic everyday functions, such as the power-on
procedures.
Router - In a packet-switching network, such as the Internet,
a router is a device which examines packets of data and sends them
to their appropriate destination, such as a Web server.
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Scheme
- Part of the URL which tells a Browser which
access method to use to retrieve a file. Examples are WWW, Usenet,
Mailto and FTP.
SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) - This is a method
of attaching storage and other devices to a personal computer. It's
versatile, because a single SCSI controller can handle a mix of up
to eight different devices - generally these will be such things as
hard drives, CD-ROM drives, printers and scanners. But the cheaper
solution tends to be EIDE for disks and CD-ROM's and a separate adapter
for other devices. The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a fairly recent
(1998) development which is set to replace EIDE, having many of the
advantages of SCSI, but at lower cost.
Search Engine - A database of information on URLs linked to
certain keywords. Internet users can use this data to find the information
they need.
Search Page - The page you see when you click the Search button
on the Internet Explorer toolbar. The search services that are available
will vary depending on your Internet service provider. A search page
provides an organised way to find and go to other Internet sites.
Many search pages provide various searching capabilities, such as
the ability to search by topic or by keyword. Others might provide
a well-organised list of hyperlinks to selected Internet sites.
Serial Port - A socket that can transfer one bit of information
at a time (parallel ports can transfer an entire byte at a time).
Used primarily for modems, occasionally for a mouse, sometimes for
other devices.
Server - A central computer in a network which contains most
of the software and files required by the Clients. The server is usually
secured by a series of administration privileges and, due to its key
role in the network would be backed-up very frequently and be projected
by a UPS (uninterrupterable power supply). The Server is frequently
not equipped to be used as a Client/workstation, but in a small company
network a single computer could function as a Server and a Client,
albeit with possible reduction in performance dependent upon the overhead
inflicted by other users (clients) on the network.
SET (Secure Electronic Transaction) - A secure system for on-line
e-commerce transactions with all information encrypted. Pioneered
by Visa and MasterCard but now also adopted by American Express and
JCB. SET uses digital certificates issued by Certification Authorities
as the basis of establishing the identity of the transacting parties.
Invalid or questionable parties are posted on a Certification Revocation
List. SET provides all four requirements for e-commerce (Confidentiality,
Integrity, Authentication and Non-repudiation) and ensures that neither
party in a transaction has access to information other than strictly
required. Thus, merchants are not given access to clients' credit
card details, only sufficient information to confirm identity and
authentication.
Shareware - Software that's available on a try-before-you-buy
basis. The prospective buyer downloads the product from the Web or
loads it from a disk, and gets a free period of use before being obliged
to buy and register it.
SLIP/PPP (Serial Line Interface Protocol & Point To PointProtocol)
- Standards for connecting directly to the Internet, as opposed to
having to log on to it via a host computer.
SME - Small to medium-sized enterprises with 20-100 employees
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) - SMTP is used to transfer
e-mail between computers, as part of the TCP/IP protocol family
SOHO - In information technology, SOHO is a term for the small
office or home office environment.
Spam - Spam is unsolicited email. Any email that you receive
without signing up for can be considered to be Spam. Spam is one of
the biggest problems on the Internet.
Spider - "Agents" sent out by various search engines
to search the Web for information on Web sites.
SSL (Secure Socket Layer) - SSL is an encryption system developed
by Netscape to secure communications between Web Browsers and Servers.
Version 3 of the SSL protocol is now the defacto standard. SSL uses
'certificates' of identity to authenticate Web users. These certificates
are 'digitally signed' and issued by a trusted third party such as
VeriSign. SSL provides three of the four basic assurances required
for ecommerce (confidentiality, integrity and authentication). Also
see SET
Star Network - A network in which, surprise, the computers
are arranged in a star topology around the central Server. In this
way, if one Node (or Client) malfunctions, it does not affect the
integrity of the network.
Surfing - The act of navigating the Web by clicking hyperlinks.
Swap File - Also known as virtual memory, this is a portion
of your hard disk drive set aside for Windows to use as a cache, basically
to speed up transfers to and from disk.
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TCP/IP
- Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A suite of communication
protocols that allow computers to talk to each other, thus creating
the Internet.
Telnet - An Internet protocol that allows you to log in to
other computer systems via the Net.
TLD (Top Level Domain) - A Top Level Domain name such as .com
.org .net and co.uk
Token-Ring Network - In this arrangement, the computers are
arranged serially in a ring topology. Data is transmitted around the
ring using a special Bit pattern which is recognised by the network
software by each Client computer. To send or receive data each computer
catches or attaches the "Token" which then proceeds on its
merry way around the ring.
U (back
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UART
(Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter) - This chip controls
the transfer of data over a serial port (information which passes
between your modem and the computer). For modern modems, you will
really need at least a 16550 (or preferably a 16650) UART chip rather
than the older 8550 type, which is still encountered on some computers.
Uninstaller - When you want to get rid of a program, if you
simply delete it, you will leave files scattered throughout the hard
drive, and they take up valuable disk space. An uninstaller utility
logs what happened when the program was originally installed so it
can backtrack to remove all files and restore the original parameters
in key functions like the Windows 95/98 Registry.
Units of binary data. One byte consists of eight bits (each
either a 1 or a 0). Bits per second (also known as Baud) are the units
used in measurement of data transmission speeds (e.g.: 56Kbps modem
or 56,000 Baud). Bytes are units used when describing memory and disk
space (e.g.: 2 GB hard disk). One kilobyte is 1024 bits (1 megabyte
is therefore 1,048,576 bytes).
URL - Uniform Resource Locator. The address of a Web page.
Web URLs start with http://. The URL of the page you are on appears
in the Address box of Internet Explorer. See also address.
USB (Universal Serial Bus) - A Plug And Play standard which
allows you to attach peripherals to a personal computer without the
need for the hands-on hardware configuration. USB allows peripherals
to be "daisy-chained" in a similar way to SCSI devices.
The USB standard is gaining rapid popularity with hardware vendors
and users, although you need Windows 98 (or Windows 95 with a service
pack) for USB support.
Utility - A software program which either fixes system software
or adds enhancing capabilities to an existing piece of software or
operating system. Utilities include uninstallers, defragmenters, crash
prevention and recovery programs, disk scanners and file compressors,
managers and viewers.
UUencode - A method of encoding binary data so that it can
be sent as an ASCII file across networks by e-mail. A UUdecoder is
required to convert the file back into an executable binary file again.
V (back
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Verisign
- The leading provider of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and digital
certificate solutions used by enterprises, Web sites and consumers
to conduct secure communications and transactions over the Internet
and private networks.
Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) - This is a script
language, superficially similar to Java, which provides a pseudo 3D
view in a Web page. Browsers equipped with suitable plug-ins or viewers
are required (such as Live3D for Netscape Navigator)..
W (back
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WAN
(Wide Area Network) - As the name suggests this is a network which
may extend over several offices, towns or countries, perhaps connecting
a series of company LAN’s. The Internet is an example of the largest
WAN.
WAP - WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) is a set of communication
protocols used by wireless devices, such as cellular telephones so
that they can be used for Internet access.
WC3 (World Wide Web Consortium) - The governing and standards
authority of the Internet.
Web Browser - A Web Browser is a program used to view Web sites on
the Internet. You can browse Internet Web sites in much the same way
you would browse through a library of books. Instead of using your
feet to go from bookshelf to bookshelf, browsing the Internet is done
using a Web Browser such as Internet Explorer to go from Web page
to Web page. Browsing is also called surfing.
Web Page - Any document you can view on the Web. A Web site
consists of one or many pages.
Web Server - This term refers to a computer that serves Web
pages. When your browser sends out a request for a page ( www.fatchance.index.html,
for example), the server that holds the fatchance site will pick up
the request and send the correct page to your browser.
Winsock - A program that provides Windows with a standard way
in which it can communicate with the Internet. All Windows based computers
needs one, which will probably be provided by your ISP if you don't
already possess a Winsock on your system.
WML - The Wireless Markup Language (WML) is used to create
pages that can be delivered using WAP.
World Wide Web - Sometimes known as WWW, the Web is a system
that enables you to see documents in richly formatted text and graphics.
Using a Web browser, such as Internet Explorer, you can navigate the
Web by clicking hyperlinks. See also hyperlink.
WWW (World Wide Web or "Web" or "W3") -
The generic name for the vast collection of interconnected Servers
and Clients which span the world.
X
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XML
(eXtensible Markup Language) - Designed to be an "easy to use"
subset of SGML for use over the Internet promoted by a consortium
of major manufacturers/software houses.
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