Common computer related terms
Common Terms
A - Z
ActiveX
An application programming interface (API) that allows web browsers to download and execute Windows programs. For example, Netscape Communicator's support for ActiveX lets users open an Excel spreadsheet from within Netscape Navigator.
ADSL
Short for asymmetric digital subscriber line, a new technology that allows more data to be sent over existing copper telephone lines.
Agent
A program that creates a model of a computer user's personal interests and tastes, and acts as a proxy in searching out and prioritizing information for that user. Agent technology is often used to classify and prioritize information for custom delivery via push technology.
Anonymous FTP
A way to use the FTP program to log on to another computer to copy files when you don't have an account on the other computer. When you log on, enter anonymous as the username and your address as the password. This gives you access to publicly-available files.
Applet
A client-side program written in Java or JavaScript that downloads and executes on the enduser's computer rather than executing on the server.
API (Application Programming Interface)
A standard interface built into a program that lets other programs communicate with it. Used by web browsers and databases as an alternative to CGI gateways. The client-side program is written in Java or JavaScript, and it downloads and executes on the end user's computer rather than executing on the server.
ARPANet -- (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network)
The precursor to the Internet. Developed in the late 60's and early 70's by the US Department of Defense as an experiment in wide-area-networking to connect together computers that were each running different system so that people at one location could use computing resources from
ASCII
The "American Standard Code for Information Interchange" is basically a set of numbers that represent all the normal characters one would find on their keyboard. There are many variations on this theme used for different languages or other purposes. Text saved in ASCII (.txt) format can be read by all word processing programs on most platforms.
Backbone
A high-speed line or series of connections that forms a major pathway within a network. The term is relative as a backbone in a small network will likely be much smaller than many non-backbone lines in a large network. (see also: Network)
Bandwidth
How much information you can send through a connection. Usually measured in Kilobits-per-second.
Blog -- (weB LOG)
A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is "blogging" and someone who keeps a blog is a "blogger." Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog.
Bookmark
A way for web browser users to mark a web page they want to return to later.
Broadband
Broadband is a faster way of accessing the Internet, typically 500Kbps or above.
Browser safe colors
The 216 colors that will not get dithered on monitors that only display 256 colors.
Browser
A client program (software) that is used to search through information provided by a specific type of server.
Cable
Cable is a method of accessing the Internet, either dial up or broadband.
Cache
To store on a computer user's hard disk a local copy of a web page accessed via the Internet. The web browser compares the cached copy of the page to the original, and if there have been no changes, the browser will use the cached copy rather than reloading the page onto the client, saving processing and download time. Also refers to a web site's database generating static copies of frequently requested dynamic pages, reducing processing time.
Channel
A dynamic information-delivery source. A web site becomes a web channel when it dynamically broadcasts its content to users who have expressed an interest in receiving that information. Users can select channels they want to receive so they do not have to type the address for each site every time they want that information. It's ready for them when they want it, stored in a cache for easy viewing offline.
Chatting
Talking in real-time to other network users from any and all parts of the world.
Client
Computer hardware or software used by an end user on a computer network or the Internet to query a remote server. A web browser is an example of client software.
Client-Server
A computing network in which the functions are divided between clients (or personal computers or terminals), and servers that store, process, and transmit the information.
Client-Side Program
A computer program that is downloaded from a server and executed or run using the end user's computer hardware. Java and JavaScript are examples of client-side programs.
Commands and Filters
Commands and filters allow users to prioritize and organize incoming email messages and discussion group postings.
CGI (Common Gateway Interface)
A server-side communication standard supported by all web servers for accessing external programs. Since HTML allows only one-way communication from the server, which is read by the web browser or client, CGI permits communication and interaction from the client to the server for two-way, dynamic web pages.
.com
International domain name
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.
Depending on the type of Cookie used, and the Browsers' settings, the Browser may accept or not accept the Cookie, and may save the Cookie for either a short time or a long time.
Cookies might contain information such as login or registration information, online "shopping cart" information, user preferences, etc.
When a Server receives a request from a Browser that includes a Cookie, the Server is able to use the information stored in the Cookie. For example, the Server might customise what is sent back to the user, or keep a log of particular users' requests.
Cookies are usually set to expire after a predetermined amount of time and are usually saved in memory until the Browser software is closed down, at which time they may be saved to disk if their "expire time" has not been reached.
Cookies do not read your hard drive and send your life story to the government, but they can be used to gather more information about a user than would be possible without them.
.co.uk
United Kingdom based domain name.
Cyberspace
A virtual universe of computers, programs and data.
Digital Certificates
The digital equivalent of positive identification, such as a driver's license. Issued by various certificate authorities, digital certificates are used to prove that a web site, or a visitor to a web site, is the entity or person they claim to be.
Digital Signatures
Digital signatures work just like paper-and-ink signatures, allowing document recipients to confirm the source of a document. Digital signatures are generated by digital certificates.
Dithering
When a color that is not browser safe is displayed, two browser safe colors are mixed (or alternated) to create the desired color. This is called dithering.
Domain Names
All servers on the Internet have a TCP-IP address that consists of a set of four numbers like 123.45.6.78 By assigning a name to the TCP-IP address - or vice versa - the Web becomes easier to use. URL addresses (domain names) are obtainable from us. Anyone can own a domain name.
Download
To receive a copy of a file from another computer or web server using a modem.
Dynamic
A web document that is created from a database in real-time or "on the fly" at the same time it is being viewed, providing a continuous flow of new information and giving visitors a new experience each time they visit the web site.
DHTML (Dynamic HTML)
The next generation of HTML, the language that specifies exactly how text and images will be displayed on a web page. Dynamic HTML, developed by Netscape and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), is based entirely on industry-standard HTML and Java. New features in Dynamic HTML, such as absolute positioning, give designers and developers greater control over the look and feel of web pages.
Dynamic IP Addressing
Allows users to automatically locate Internet or intranet sites.
e-commerce (Electronic Commerce)
Conducting business online, including product display, online ordering, secure transactions and inventory management.
.edu
Educational institution domain name.
E-mail
Electronic Mail. Messages, usually text, sent from one person to another via computer.
Encryption
A method of encoding messages to provide privacy for email, discussion group postings, and other communications as they move over intranets or the Internet.
Enterprise
A large-scale, organization wide computer network that may include web-based, client-server, and mainframe computing technologies.
Extranet
A specialized virtual community created by linking business groups via the World Wide Web. Similar to an intranet, an extranet includes outside vendors and uses web technology to facilitate inter business transactions, such as placing and checking orders, tracking merchandise, and making payments.
E-zine
An electronic magazine or newsletter delivered over the Internet via E-mail. A Web-zine is a web site that has a magazine format and is not e-mailed.
Ethernet
A very common method of networking computers in a LAN.
There is more than one type of Ethernet. By 2001 the standard type was "100-BaseT" which can handle up to about 100,000,000 bits-per-second and can be used with almost any kind of computer .
FAQ -- (Frequently Asked Questions)
FAQs are documents that list and answerthe most common questions on a particular subject. There are hundreds of FAQs on subjects as diverse as Pet Grooming and Cryptography. FAQs are usually written by people who have tired of answering the same question over and over.
File-transfer protocol (FTP)
A method of transferring one or more files from one computer to another on a network or phone line.
Firewall
Firewalls have two basic functions. They protect your system from unsolicited scans coming from the Internet. Secondly, they usually offer outbound control.
Frame
On web pages, a "frame" refer to a part of the screen which is reserved for a particular purpose. On this web site, there is a "navigation frame" and a "content frame".
GIF (Graphic Information File)
Originated by CompuServe as a way of keeping image files small for easier transport over networks. GIFs are the most widely used graphic file type because can be transparent or even animated. GIFs are limited to 256 colors and look best when using the 216 browser safe colors.
Gigabyte
1000 or 1024 Megabytes, depending on who is measuring.
GUI (Graphical User Interface)
A user interface that displays in graphic or pictorial format rather than in text only .
Hexadecimal
When you define colors for backgrounds, links, fonts and whatever else in HTML, you can either define them with a word (i.e. "white") or the hexadecimal equivalent. The hexadecimal notation represents each RGB (red, green & blue) component of a color in two characters, 00 to FF, rather than three characters, 000 to 256. The hexadecimal equivalent of white is 000000, and black is FFFFFF. A very large GIF that contains a complete list of browser safe colors and their hexadecimal designations is here.
HTML Editor
A software program that makes creating a web page nearly as easy as typing a memo using a word processor. Instead of learning HTML commands, users can format web pages using a menu. HTML editing tools support bullets, tables, paragraph alignment, font size, font color, indenting, and other common formatting features. Many HTML editor packages display the page being edited exactly the same way it will be displayed on the web - a feature called WYSIWYG, or what you see is what you get.
HTML
Hypertext Markup Language, used for writing pages for the World Wide Web. HTML allows text to include codes that define fonts, layout, embedded graphics, and hypertext links.
HTTP
Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The method by which World Wide Web pages are transferred over the network.
Hyperlink
An element found on web pages and other electronic documents that, when clicked with a mouse, automatically opens a file or web page in your web browser. A hyperlink may be a word, button, or graphic. When a hyperlink is text, it typically displays in a different color and may also be underlined. A text hyperlink that has already been visited is usually displayed in a different color.
Internet
The vast collection of inter-connected networks that all use the TCP/IP protocols and that evolved from the ARPANET of the late 60's and early '70s.
Internet Explorer
A common web browser supplied by Microsoft.
Internet Protocol (IP)
The transport layer protocol used as a basis of the Internet. IP enables information to be routed from one network to another in packets and then reassembled when they reach their destination
IP Number
A four-part number separated by dots (e.g. 192.321.991.2) which uniquely identifies a machine on the internet. Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP number.
IRC
Internet Relay Chat. A system that enables Internet users to talk with each other in real time over the Internet rather than in person.
ISDN
Integrated Services Digital Network. A way to move more data over existing regular phone lines. ISDN can provide speeds of 128,000 bits-per-second over a regular phone line.
ISP -- (Internet Service Provider)
An institution that provides access to the Internet in some form, usually for money.
Java
Java is a network-friendly programming language invented by Sun Microsystems.
A very common use of Java is to create 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 animation's,calculators, and other fancy tricks. Java is also becoming popular for creating programs that run in small electronic devices, such as mobile telephones.
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.
JPEG -- (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
JPEG is most commonly mentioned as a format for image files. JPEG format is preferred to the GIF format for photographic images as opposed to line art or simple logo art.
Keywords
Keywords are terms used in search engines to find specific information.
Kbps
Kbps stands for kilobits per second and is a measure of bandwidth
Kilobyte
Commonly thought of as a thousand bytes. (Actually 1024 bytes.)
LAN
Local Area Network. A group of connected computers, usually located in close proximity (such as the same building or floor of the building) so data can be passed between them
Login
The account name used to gain access to a computer system. Unlike a Password, the login name is not a secret.
Linux
A widely used Open Source Unix-like operating system. Linux was first released by its inventor Linus Torvalds in 1991. There are versions of Linux for almost every available type of computer hardware from desktop machines to IBM mainframes. The inner workings of Linux are open and available for anyone to examine and change as long as they make their changes available to the public. This has resulted in thousands of people working on various aspects of Linux and adaptation of Linux for a huge variety of purposes, from servers to TV-recording boxes.
Message
A piece of e-mail or a posting to a newsgroup.
META Tags
META tags always go in the <HEAD> section of the document. META NAME tags include descriptions and keywords. This HTML code helps some search engines classify and rank a web page. META HTTP-EQUIV tags can indicate to the web browser how to display the page.
MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions)
A method of attaching multimedia files (images, audio, video) or an application to an email message, which would otherwise only be capable of transmitting ASCII characters. Most servers and email clients are now MIME compliant.
Mirror
An FTP server that provides copies of the same files as another server. Some FTP servers are so popular that other servers have been set up to mirror them and spread the FTP load to more than one site.
Modem
MOdulator, DEModulator. A device that you connect to your computer and to a phone line to allow the computer to talk to other computers through the phone system. Modems convert the computer's digital signals into analogue waves that can be transmitted over standard voice telephone lines. Modem speeds are measured in bits per second (bps) - also sometimes expressed as KILObits (thousands of bits) per second. As an example,56Kbps and 56000bps are the same thing, 56000 bits per second.
Mbps
Mbps stands for megabits per second and is a measure of bandwidth
Netscape Navigator
A Windows-based browser that lets you access information on the World Wide Web.
Network
Any time you connect two or more computers together so that they can share resources you have a computer network.
Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP)
A protocol defined for distribution, inquiry, retrieval and posting of news articles.
Newsgroup
A distributed bulletin board system about a particular topic. Usenet news is a system that distributes thousands of newsgroups to all parts of the Internet.
Open Source Software
Open Source Software is software for which the underlying programming code is available to the users so that they may read it, make changes to it, and build new versions of the software incorporating their changes. There are many types of Open Source Software, mainly differing in the licensing term under which (altered) copies of the source code may (or must be) redistributed.
Packet
A chunk of information sent over a network. Each packet contains the destination address, the sender's address, error-control information, and data.
Page
A document, or collection of information, available by way of the World Wide Web. To make information available over the WWW, it is organised into pages. A page may contain text, graphics files, video, and/or sound files.
Password
A code used to gain access (login) to a locked system. Good passwords contain letters and non-letters and are not simple combinations such as virtue7. A good password might be:
93%vs(29) ( But don't use that one! )
Ping
A network management tool that checks to see whether you can communicate with another computer on the Internet. It sends a short message to which the other computer automatically responds. If the other computer does not respond to the ping, you usually cannot establish communications.
Plug-ins
Small applications that add new functionality, multimedia, or audio-video capability to a program.
POP3
Post Office Protocol. A system by which a mail server on the Internet lets you grab your mail and download it to your computer.
PPP
Point-to-Point Protocol. A scheme for connecting two computers over a phone line.
QuickTime
A multi-platform standard for multimedia applications. Developed by Apple, QuickTime is a software program that handles video, sound, animation, graphics, text and music
Router
A device that forwards data packets along networks. A router is connected to at least two networks, commonly two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP's network. Routers are located at gateways, the places where two or more networks connect.
Search Engine
A search engine is a web site that allows you to search for specific information on the Internet eg: Google.com , Yahoo.com
Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
The SSL specification is a software technology designed to provide a secure method for handling credit card transactions across electronic networks.
SERPs (search engine result page).
Search Engine Results Pages - These are the pages that are generated by search engines in response to a search query. Usually the search engines display 10 results per page. SERPs page
Server
A computer that provides a service to other computers on a network.
Shareware
Copyrighted software that is distributed over the Internet or from one satisfied user to another user. No fee is charged for trying the program, but the user is expected to pay a donation to the owner and tell others about the program if he or she continues to use it.
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
A protocol used to transfer e-mail between computers.
Site
One or more web pages that combine to present information relating to people, companies, services or products.
Spam (or Spamming)
An inappropriate attempt to use a mailing list, or Usenet or other networked communications facility as if it was a broadcast medium (which it is not) by sending the same message to a large number of people who didn?t ask for it. The term probably comes from a famous Monty Python sketch which featured the word spam repeated over and over
Style Sheets (Also known as Cascading Syile Sheets - CSS)
Extensions to standard HTML that allow designers to control multiple web page styles from a single file. Used to predefine page elements such as font size, color, and style; image placement; and background images, and have the same style applied to a series of web pages..
TCP/IP
Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. The system networks use to communicate with each other on the Internet.
Trojan Horse
A computer program that is either hidden inside another program or that masquerades as something it is not in order to trick potential users into running it. For example a program that appears to be a game or image file but in reality performs some other function. The term "Trojan Horse" comes from a possibly mythical ruse of war used by the Greeks sometime between 1500 and 1200 B.C.
A Trojan Horse computer program may spread itself by sending copies of itself from the host computer to other computers, but unlike a virus it will (usually) not infect other programs.
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.ddjem.com. The most common way to use a URL is to enter into a Web browser program, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.
Upload
To send a copy of a file from a client to a server using a modem.
Usenet
A system of thousands of distributed bulletin boards called newsgroups. You read the messages by using a program called a news reader.
Virus
A chunk of computer programming code that makes copies of itself without any conscious human intervention. Some viruses do more than simply replicate themselves, they might display messages, install other software or files, delete software of files, etc.
A virus requires the presence of some other program to replicate itself. Typically viruses spread by attaching themselves to programs, especially email attachments.
VPN -- (Virtual Private Network)
Usually refers to a network in which some of the parts are connected using the public Internet, but the data sent across the Internet is encrypted, so the entire network is "virtually" private.
WAN
Wide Area Network. Any Internet or network that covers an area larger than a single building or campus.
Web Page
A single document on the World Wide Web that is specified by a unique address or URL and that contains text, hyperlinks, and graphics.
Web Server
Computer hardware where web pages are stored and accessed by others using web client software, or the computer software that allows the user to access the web pages. See also server.
Web Site
A group of similar web pages linked by hyperlinks and managed by a single company, organization, or individual. A web site may include text, graphics, audio and video files, and hyperlinks to other web pages.
Wireless Network
A technology that allows 2 or more computers to be connected without wire - typically running at 11 mbps, but the newer equipment allows up to 54mbps. Known as 802.11b and 802.11g.
Worm
A worm is a virus that does not infect other programs. It makes copies of itself, and infects additional computers (typically by making use of network connections) but does not attach itself to additional programs; however a worm might alter, install, or destroy files and programs
WWW
World Wide Web. A hypertext-based system for accessing information on the Internet.
WYSIWYG
What you see is what you get. To display a document being edited exactly the same way it will be displayed on the web or in print.
XML -- (eXtensible Markup Language)
A widely used system for defining data formats. XML provides a very rich system to define complex documents and data structures such as invoices, molecular data, news feeds, glossaries, inventory descriptions, real estate properties, etc.
posted by My Diary @ 9:45 PM
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