This glossary was written, complied, and edited by Peter DeHaan.  It is not intended to be all-inclusive, offering easy-to-understand definitions and explanations of common terms.  If you have a word you would like added, send an email to info@TASwebsites.com.

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A

Applet: A small Java program that can be embedded in an HTML web page. 

Application Server: A computer that runs programs that other people access and use.

ASP (Application Service Provider): A business that runs computer programs on their own servers for users to access.  Charges vary from a fixed monthly charge to fees based on actual usage.

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B

Backbone: A high-speed connections that is a major pathway in a network. 

Bandwidth: A measure of the amount of data (information) that can be sent through a connection; it is usually measured in bits-per-second (bps.)

Blog: A blog is basically an online journal, available on the web.  The person who writes the blog (blogging) is a blogger.  Blog postings are usually in chronological order.  It is common for blogs to be available as RSS feeds.

Broadband: A high-speed Internet connection using DSL or via Cable-TV. 

Browser: A program that is used to view websites and access other Internet resources. 

Byte: A set of bits that represent a single character.

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C

Client: A program used to contact and obtain data from a server software program on another computer.

Cookie: 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 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, and so forth.  Cookies do not read your hard drive, but they can be used to gather information about a user.

CSS (Cascading Style Sheet): A standard developed for use with HTML in Web pages, to provide a library of styles that are used repeatedly on a web site.  By changing a single style specification, everything in a website based on that style will be instantly changed.

Cyberspace: All of the information resources available on the Internet. 

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D

DNS (Domain Name System): The Domain Name System translates Internet domain names into IP numbers.

Domain Name: The unique name that identifies an Internet site.  They have two or more sections, separated by dots.  For example, TASwebsites.com.

Download: Transferring data from another computer to the one you are using.  (The opposite of upload.)

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line): A high-speed (or broadband) Internet connections.  There are several different varieties of DSL, each with different upload and download speeds.

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E

Email (Electronic mail): A text form of communication, analogous to voice mail.  Anything that can be stored on a computer can be sent from one email address to another.  Email that has access to the Internet can send a message to any other Internet email address anywhere in the world.  Generally, email messages are short, informal typed messages.  However, they can also be long or formal and can contain attached files and pictures.

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F

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions): FAQs list and answer the common questions on a particular subject.   

Firewall: A hardware device and software program that separates a computer or network from the Internet for security purposes. 

FTP (File Transfer Protocol): A method of moving files between two Internet sites. 

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G

Gateway: A means to effectively connect two dissimilar protocols in order to allow communication to take place. 

GIF (Graphic Interchange Format): A common format for image files, especially of simple images which are often smaller than if that same file were stored in JPEG format.  GIF files do not generally have as high of quality as JPEG files. 

Gigabyte: 1000 Megabytes (or more correctly, 1024 Megabytes). 

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H

Hit: A single request from a web browser for a single item from a web server.  In order for a browser to display a single page that contains graphics, multiple hits could occur.  As such, a hit is not a good means of measuring a Website’s traffic.

Homepage: 1) the main web page for a website; 2) the web page that your browser accesses when it starts up.

Host: A computer on a network that is a repository for services to other computers.  One host often provides multiple services, such as SMTP (email) and HTTP (web). 

HTML (HyperText Markup Language): The software language used to create Hypertext documents for use on the World Wide Web (WWW).

HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol): The protocol for hypertext files on the Internet; it is the key protocol used in the World Wide Web (WWW). 

Hypertext: Any text or graphic that contains links to other web pages, images, or files.

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I

Internet: A vast interconnected network of computer networks.

IP Number (Internet Protocol Number): A unique number consisting of four sections separated by dots, such as 192.168.1.1.  Every computer on the Internet has a unique IP number.

IPv4 (Internet Protocol, version 4): The current common version of the Internet Protocol (the “IP” portion of TCP/IP.)  IPv4 allows for approximately four billion IP numbers (2³²).

IPv6 (Internet Protocol, version 6): The successor to IPv4 which is beginning to be deployed, IPv6 provides over a sextillion addresses (theoretically 2¹²⁸), allowing every device on the planet to have its own IP number!

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network): A digital phone service that can be used for a high speed Internet connection.  It comes two varieties, basic (BRI-ISDN) and primary (PRI-ISDN).

ISP (Internet Service Provider): A company that provides access to the Internet to its clients.

IT (Information Technology): Anything that relates to computer hardware, software, programming, and network management.

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J

Java: A network-friendly programming language from Sun Microsystems, Java can be used to build large, complex systems that involve several different computers interacting across networks.  Using small Java programs (called “Applets”), Web pages can include special functions.

JavaScript: A programming language used in web pages to add interactive features.

JPG or JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group): The most commonly used format for image files on websites.  JPEG is preferable to GIF for photos as opposed to line art or simple logo art. 

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K

Kilobyte: A thousand bytes (actually 1024 or 2¹⁰ bytes). 

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L

LAN (Local Area Network): A local computer network.

Linux: An Open Source operating system that is based on Unix.

List serve: A program that allows people to send email to one address, which resends that message to all of the other subscribers to the list.

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M

Megabyte: A million bytes (more accurately, a 1024 kilobytes.

Meta Tag: A specific HTML tag that contains information that is not displayed.  Meta tags contain information about the web page, typically to tell search engines about the page. 

Mirror: To provide an exact copy of something, such as to mirror a hard drive or a website.  A common reason is for redundancy, thereby allowing more reliable access. 

Modem: A device that connects a computer to a phone line, typically, a dialup phone line.

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N

Netiquette: Internet Etiquette. 

Netizen: A contraction of ‘network citizen,” referring someone who uses a network’s resources, suggesting responsible actions.

Network: Two or more computers connections together

Node: Any one computer on a network. 

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O

Open Source Software: Software where the programming code is available to the users so that they can study it, change it, and write enhanced versions of it.

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P

Packet Switching: The method used to move data around on the Internet.  (Think of a train going from station to station, dropping off and picking up things along the way.)

PDF (Portable Document Format): A file format that allows the printing and viewing of documents with all their original formatting intact regardless of program or operating system is used.

Plug-in: A small piece of software that adds features to a larger program. 

Pod-casting: Audio broadcasting on Internet, it is a contraction of iPod and broadcasting.  Podcasting makes audio files available in an RSS feed, which can be accessed by users and listened to at their convenience.

Portal: A Website that is intended to be the first place people see when using the Web, such as a search engine or news source.

Protocol: A set of rules, standards, or expectations that define communication between systems.

Proxy Server: A interim devices between a client and server, facilitating communication between the two.

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R

Router: A device (or software program) that handles the connection between networks.  Routers examine the source and destination addresses of packets in order to retransmit  in the proper path or to the proper device.

RSS (Real Simple Syndication): A common protocol for syndication and sharing of content, such as news, articles, and blogs.  RSS is an XML-based summary of a web site or page.

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S

Search Engine: A web-based means to find information on the Internet. 

Server: A computer or software program that provides a specific service to client software running on other computers. 

Spam: An inappropriate message (generally email) that is sent in mass quantities to largely disinterested parties.  (There is no connection to Spam®, a registered trademark of Hormel Corporation for its processed meat product.  The term spam was reportedly derived from a Monty Python skit, set in a cafe, in which every menu item included Spam®)

Spyware: Software that is stealthy installed on a computer to monitors the computer without the users’ knowledge or consent.  Some spyware sends information about the user to another machine over the Internet.  

SQL (Structured Query Language): A specialized language for querying a database.  Most large and some smaller database applications can be addressed using SQL.

SSL (Secure Socket Layer): A protocol to enable encrypted, authenticated communications across the Internet.

Sysop (System Operator): Anyone responsible for the operations of a computer system or network.

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T

T-1: A leased-line connection capable of carrying data at 1,544,000 bits-per-second.

T-3: A leased-line connection capable of carrying data at 44,736,000 bits-per-second.  This is more than enough to do full-screen, full-motion video.

Tag: A basic element of the languages used to create web pages.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol): A family of common Internet protocols. 

Terabyte: 1000 gigabytes (or 1,024 gigabytes). 

TLD (Top Level Domain): The last (right-hand) part of a complete domain name.  For example in the domain name www.TASwebsites.com, .com is the TLD.  Other TLDs include .biz, .edu, .gov, .info, .mil, .name, .net, and .org.  Plus there is a list two-letter TLDs corresponding to two-letter country codes, such as .us, .ca, and so forth.

Trojan Horse: A malicious computer program is hidden inside another program or that masquerades as something it is not in order to trick unsuspecting users to running it.  For example a program that appears to be a game or image that actually performs another function. 

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U

Unix: A computer operating system that is common for servers on the Internet. 

Upload: Transferring data (usually a file) from your computer to another computer.  The opposite of download.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator): Essentially, a web address. 

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V

Virus: A malicious program that copies itself without human intervention and spreads to other computers and across networks.  Some viruses might display false messages, install other program, delete files, and perform other destructive tasks.

VoIP (Voice over IP): A technology used to make telephone calls over the Internet.

VPN (Virtual Private Network): A network which uses public Internet, but the data is encrypted, rendering network as “virtually” private. 

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W

WAN (Wide Area Network): Any Internet or network that covers an area larger than a single building or campus. 

Web: Short for “World Wide Web.”

Webpage: A document designed to be viewed by a web browser; a website is a collection of web pages; this is a webpage.

Website: The entire collection of web pages, images, documents, and other information; www.TASwebsites.com is a website.

Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity): A common term for a wireless local area network.

Worm: A virus that does not infect other programs, but makes copies of itself and infects additional computers. 

WWW (World Wide Web): Sometime used incorrectly to refer to the Internet, it is a hypertext system for sharing information on the Internet using web browsers. 

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X

XML (eXtensible Markup Language): A system for defining data formats that provides a system to define complex documents and data structures.