The field of computer graphics concerned with generating and displaying
three-dimensional objects in a two-dimensional space (e.g., the display screen).
A pioneering long-haul network funded by what's now-called
DARPA
(formerly known as ARPA). It was the foundation on which the Internet was built.
These programs are free to the end user and won't cost you a
penny. The developers support their programs by placing advertisements inside
their programs. If you appreciate the work done by these dedicated
authors, do them a favor and check out their sponsors. The majority of adware
authors will have a advertisement-free version of their available for a
small fee. The ads serve as a revenue source for the author. It allows them to stretch their program and update more frequently. There are a few companies that you will see often associated with Adware programs, namely Cydoor, Radiate, Web3000, and Aureate.
If you need help detecting and removing Adware software from your computer then check out Ad-Aware. It is a free removal tool that detects and removes Adware components that are sometimes left on your system after uninstalling Adware programs.
A type of nickname (usually short and easy to remember) that refers
to a type of network resource. Aliases are used so you won't have
to remember the long and difficult names.
The standard method for encoding characters as 8-bit sequences of binary
numbers, allowing a maximum of 256 characters. Text files are customarily
called "ASCII files".
By using the word "anonymous" as your user ID and your
email address as the password when you login to an FTP site, you can bypass local security
checks and gain limited access
to public files on the remote computer. This type of access is
available on most FTP sites.
Sometimes known as a client or an "app" it's a program that performs a
specific function. FTP, Mail, Gopher, Mosaic, and Telnet clients are the
most common examples of Internet applications.
A small Java program that can be embedded in an HTML page. Applets differ from
full-fledged Java applications in that they are not allowed to access certain
resources on the local computer, such as files and serial devices (modems,
printers, etc.), and are prohibited from communicating with most other computers
across a network. The current rule is that an applet can only make an Internet
connection to the computer from which the applet was sent.
You'll usually hear this term referred to in the phrase "archie
search." Archie is a way of automatically gathering, indexing
and sometimes even retrieving files on the Internet. Most good
archie clients are able to FTP files once you've
found the information you're looking for.
A collection of files stored on an Internet machine. FTP
sites are known as archives.
A UNIX sound file format. On the Net you may come across the
option to hear a sound clip. The file which is downloaded to
your computer when "clicked on" might be in the au format (if
the sound file was originally captured on a UNIX system or
converted from another platform). Your helper applications or
browser plugins need to be configured to know what to do with
this type of file. Goldwave Sound Editor and Player - Great
for .au files and just about any audio file format you
may encounter on the Internet.
Any process that ensures that users are who they say they are.
When you type your name and password, you are authenticated and
allowed access.
A Windows platform audio/video (multimedia) file. A common format
which you will find on the Internet for small movies and videos.
These files are usually pretty large and would require a
connection of 28.8 or better to download in any kind of reasonable
time. A 20 second movie clip in AVI format could be as much a 3MB
in size and could take on average about 15 minutes to download on
your computer. Some other types of video files found on the
Internet include: MOV, MPEG, and ASF.
This refers to the difference (measured in Hz), between the highest
and lowest frequencies of a transmission. Most people loosely
refer to bandwidth as the amount of data that can be transferred
over a network connection.
A unit used to measure the number of data bits a modem can transfer in
one second. One baud is how many signals a modem can handle in one
second. Information is measured in bits, and bits come in the signal.
Higher baud modems can send and receive more signals in a second, and the
faster speeds also cram more bits into a signal.
A method for converting non-text files (non-ASCII) into ASCII.
This is needed because Internet e-mail can only handle ASCII.
To mark a document or specific place in a document for later retrivel.
Nearly all Web brousers support a bookmarking feature that lets you
save the address (URL) of Web page so that you can easily revisit the
page alater time.
If you send email and it fails to arrive
at its intended recipient for any reason (wrong user name,
network failure, etc.), the message "bounces" and returns
to you. The subject line in a bounced message usually says something
like: "Undeliverable Mail" or "Message Undeliverable."
A computer which typically provides email
services, file archives, and announcements
of interest to the bulletin board system's operator (known as
a sysop). BBS's started out as hobbies for computer enthusiasts,
and were mostly accessible by modem. Recently, however, more and
more BBS's are being connected to the Internet.
A program used to view, download, upload, surf or otherwise access documents
(pages) on the World Wide Web. Browsers can be text based meaning they do
not show graphics or images but most however are text and graphical based.
Browsers read "marked up" or coded pages (usually HTML but not always) that
reside on servers and interpret the coding into what we see "rendered" as
a Web page. Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer are examples
of Web browsers.
The program you are using right now to view this information is called a browser.
A programming error that causes a program or computer system to perform
erratically, produce incorrect results, or crash. The term bug was coined
when a real insect was discovered to have fouled up one of the circuits of
the first electronic digital computer, the ENIAC.
A cache temporarily stores the information on a page in your computer. If you
request a page that is stored in a cache, Browsers can retrieve the page from the
cache more quickly than retrieving the page again from it's
location out on the network.
Sometimes you may not want a page to be retrieved from a cache. The page you
brought initially may no longer be identical to the page currently offered by the
network. If a modification to a particular URL has occurred, you may want the
updated page rather than the copy (now stale) stored in a cache.
You can modify your cache preferences in Netscape under Edit > Preferences >
Advanced > Cache. Internet Explorer users go to View > Internet Options > Temporary
Internet Files > Settings.
Careware is software that is freely distributed via download. The only payment expected for careware, is the user must care about something, anything, and show it in some way to better themselves or their community.
The standard for running programs on a server from a Web page. Gateway programs, or
scripts, are executable programs which can be run by themselves. They have been made
external programs in order to allow them to run under various (possibly very different)
information servers interchangably. Gateways conforming to this specification can be
written in any language which produces an executable file. Some of the more popular
languages to use include: C or C++, Perl, Python, TCL, shells, and many others. Some
of the most common CGI scripts found on the Web are programs which process the
information a user might enter on a form or whenever an imagemap is "clicked" on
- although most imagemaps these days are done via a client side script which resides
in the HTML file itself. To see an example of what a CGI script looks like, click here.
SEE ALSO: FastCGI. Web Developers Virtual Library: CGI Matt's CGI Script Archive -
Where most of the CGI programs you see around the Internet originated FreeCode - CGI,
JavaScript, Java and More and it's all FREE!
An authentication method that can
be used when connecting to an Internet Service Provider.
CHAP allows you to login to your provider automatically, without
the need for a terminal screen. It is more secure than the Password Authentication Protocol
(another widely used authentication method) since it does not
send passwords in text format.
Chat
Another term for IRC . Also, an acronym meaning
"Conversational Hypertext Access Technology."
In Internet terms, it's an application
that performs a specific function, such as Telnet
or FTP. It's the "front-end" to an
Internet process. In more general terms, a client is computer
system or process that requests a service of another computer
system or process. The much talked about "client-server architecture"
refers to a workstation requesting the contents of a file from
a server.
The CERT was formed by DARPA in November 1988 in response to the
Internet worm incident. CERT exists to facilitate Internet-wide
response to computer security events involving Internet hosts
and to conduct research targeted at improving the security of
existing systems. They maintain an archive
of security-related issues on their FTP server
at "cert.org." Their email address
is "cert@cert.org" and their 24-hour telephone Hotline
for reporting Internet security issues is (412) 268-7090.
A special piece of information about you, something you clicked
on, and/or your computer system which is stored in a text file
on your hard drive. This information is usually accessed by a server
when you connect to a Web site which wants to know some information
about you or your system. One common occurance of a "handing of a
cookie", would be when you as a user, log into a system through a
Web site. After you enter in your username and password, a text
file is saved by your browser for later access. This prevents you
from having to log in again if you happen to leave the Web site
and then return at a later time. Cookies are also used in the
process of purchasing items on the Web. It is because of the cookie,
that the "shopping cart" technology works. By saving in a text file,
the name, and other important information about an item a user "clicks"
on as they move through a shopping Web site, a user can later go to an
order form, and see all the items they selected, ready for quick and
easy processing. Why have a cookie?
The "world of computers and the society that gathers around
them," as referred to by William Gibson in his fantasy novel
"Neuromancer." It now loosely refers to the online world
and even more loosely to the Internet.
An error-checking procedure for data transmission. The sending device
performs a complex calculation, generating a number based upon the data
being transmitted, and sends that number to the receiving device. The
receiving device performs the same calculation after transmission. If the
results match, the transmission succeeds. If the numbers don't match, it
means the message was received in an altered state, and the data may be
incorrect.
Much like an actual key used for locking and re-opening doors,
DEKs are used for the encryption and decoding of message text,
sometimes in the form of a digital signature.
A standardized encryption method widely used on the Internet.
A block of data that is "smart" enough (actually, which
carries enough information) to travel from one Internet
site to another without having to rely on earlier exchanges between
the source and destination computers.
A communications line that is used solely for computer connections.
If you buy an additional phone line for your modem, that's a dedicated
line. There are other types of dedicated lines (such as T3
and T1 that are used for larger network entities.)
Demoware is limited evaluation software that has some of its features disabled. This software usually allows the use of a fair amount of features to entice a user to purchase the full product.
A widely-used method of accessing the Internet.
A dialup connection uses regular phone lines to connect one computer
to another via modem.
Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies designed by Microsoft to
make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and
displaying applications rich in multimedia elements such as full-color
graphics, video, 3-D animation, and surround sound. Built directly
into the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems, DirectX is
an integral part of Windows 98 and Windows 2000, as well as Microsoft
Internet Explorer.
A "logical" region of the Internet.
People sometimes refer to them loosely as "sites." Generally,
a domain corresponds to an IP address
or an area on a host.
The DNS is a static, hierarchical name service used with TCP/IP
hosts, and is housed on a number of servers on the Internet.
Basically, it maintains a database for figuring out and finding
(or resolving) host names and IP addresses
on the Internet. This allows users to specify remote computers
by host names rather than numerical IP addresses
The advantage of the DNS is that you don't have to
remember numerical IP addresses for all the Internet sites you
want to access.
To copy data (usualy an entire file) from a main source to a perepherial
device. The term is often used to describe the process of copying a file
from an online service to one's own computer.
Instructions written in HTML that enable Web pages to react to user
input and produce content that changes each time it is viewed. With
dynamic HTML coding, Web pages are created "on the fly", as the
information is delivered to your desktop. There are many technologies for
producing dynamic HTML, including CGI scripts, Server-Side Includes
(SSI), cookies, Java, JavaScript, Cold Fusion and ActiveX.
A foundation that addresses social and legal issues arising from
the impact of computers on society. You can find them at http://www.eff.org/
A method by which computer users can exchange messages with each
other over a network. Email is probably the most widely-used communications
tool on the Internet. There are many quirky
conventions to Email, but most entail a "To:", "From:",
and "Subject:" line. One of Email's advantages is its
ability to be forwarded and replied to easily. If an email is
badly received by a group or user, the sender is likely to get
"flamed."
The basis of network security. Encryption encodes network packets
to prevent anyone except the intended recipient from accessing
the data.
A standard and probably the most popular connection type for Local Area Networks
(LANs). It was first developed by Xerox, and later refined by
Digital, Intel and Xerox (see also "DIX"). In an Ethernet
configuration, computers are connected by coaxial or twisted-pair
cable where they contend for network access using a Carrier Sense
Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) paradigm. Ethernet
can transfer information at up to 10 Megabit-per-second (Mb/s).
Acronym for "Frequently Asked Questions." FAQs are widely
available on the Internet and usually
take the form of large, instructional text files. They are written
on a wide variety of topics, and are usually the most up-to-date
source for specialized information.
The most widely-used way of downloading and uploading (getting
and putting) files across an Internet
connection. The File Transfer Protocol is a standardized way to
connect computers so that files can be shared between them easily.
There is a set of commands in FTP for making and changing directories,
transferring, copying, moving, and deleting files. Formerly, all
FTP connections were text based, but graphical applications are
now available that make FTP commands as easy as dragging and dropping.
Numerous FTP clients exist for a number
of platforms.
A UNIX command that shows information about a user or group of
users on the Internet. When executed,
the Finger command usually returns the user's real name, whether
or not they have unread mail, and the time and date of their last
login. Finger also displays two files (if they exist) located
in the home directory of the user you fingered. These two files
(the .PLAN and the .PROJECT files.) are simply ASCII text files
that can be entered by the user to display any information upon
being fingered. With present-day privacy concerns, this protocol is
becoming more and more rare.
Special computers or computer programs that are set up on a network to
prevent intruders from stealing or destroying confidential files.
A negative response to an email message or
newsgroup posting. If you post an article
or send an email to an audience that deems your message inappropriate,
expect to get "flamed." The most common recipients of
flames are users who post commercial messages in public forums,
those who post adult material in non-adult areas of the Internet,
and users who post or send make racial or gender-biased comments.
The worst sort of flame is known as a "mail-bomb," which
occurs when the user being flamed open his or her email and receives
a flood of letters with unusually long file attachments that may make
their computer "crash."
A reply to an email or newsgroup
posting that continues the conversation or idea, known as a "thread."
A network system made up of community-based bulletin board system
with email, information services, interactive
communications, and conferencing. They are usually funded and
operated by individuals or organizations much like public television.
Freenet providers are part of the National Public Telecomputing
Network (NPTN), a Cleveland-based organization that works to make
computer networking services as freely available as public libraries.
Freeware is... free. Just as you'd imagine it! The software was developed
just for the sake of providing you, the end user, with a cool new
application. If you really like the program, you might take a moment to
send the author a thank you note. But there are no strings attached to
these programs.
A kind of "go-between" device or program that passes
information between networks that normally couldn't communicate.
What used to be called a gateway is now called a router.
An information search and retrieval tool used mostly for research.
Gopher information is stored hierarchically on computers across
the Internet. It uses a simple protocol
that allows a client to access information from a multitude of
numerous Gopher servers at one time, creating what's known as
"gopher space." The most common search tools in gopher
are Veronica and Jughead. Gopher clients
exist for most platforms.
Stands for General Public License. See http://www.linuxberg.com/gpllicense.html for more information.
Developed by Compuserve using compression technology from Unisys.
On the World Wide Web pictures and graphics you see on Web pages
are usually in GIF format because the files are small and download quickly.
A computer user who works to understand the "ins and outs" of computers, networks, and the Internet in general. Hackers are generally benign, and believe that information should be free.
A computer that is attached to a network or the Internet.
Hosts allow users on client machines to
connect and share files or transfer information. Individual users
communicate with hosts by using client application programs.
The combination of hypertext and multimedia in an online document.
A type of text that allows embedded "links" to other
documents. Clicking on or selecting a hypertext link displays
another document or section of a document. Most World Wide Web
documents contain hypertext.
The standard way to mark text documents for publishing on the
World Wide Web. HTML is marked-up using "tags"
surrounded by brackets. To see what tagged HTML text looks like,
select the View Source feature from the menus in the program you
are using to view this document now, and you'll see a display
of the HTML text used to create this page.
The protocol that tells the server what to send to the client,
so the client can view Web pages, FTP sites, or other areas of the net.
A single graphic image containing more than one hot spot. Image maps are
used extensively on the WWW. Each hot spot in a Web image takes you to
a different Web page or to another area of the same Web page.
A type of communications service that enables you to create a private chat
room with another individual. Typically, the instant messaging system
alerts you whenever somebody on your private list is online. You can then
initiate a chat session with that particular individual.
A relatively new technology which combines voice and digital network
services in a single medium. ISDN makes it possible for communications
carriers to offer their customers digital data services as well
as voice connections through a single line. CCITT
defines the standards relating to ISDN.
Something that connect two separate entities.For example, a user interface
is a part of a program that connects the computer with a human operator (user).
An organization of 89 member countries (founded in 1946) responsible
for setting world standards in many electronics areas. Members
of the ISO are the national standards organizations of the member
countries.
A large, uncontrolled, unadministered, anarchic cyber-state that
will soon take over the world! Basically, it's just everyone's
computers hooked together. It's not a corporation, organization,
or entity in itself. When you connect to the Internet, you actually
become part of it. Always capitalized, the word Internet can also
be referred to colloquially as the "Net."
An industry standard, connectionless, best-effort packet switching
protocol used as the network layer in
the TCP/IP Protocol Suite.
The 32-bit address defined by the Internet Protocol.
Every resource on the Internet has a unique numerical IP address,
represented in dotted decimal notation.
IP addresses are the closest thing the Internet has to phone numbers.
When you "call" that number (using any number of connection
methods such as FTP, HTTP, Gopher, etc.) you get connected to the computer
that "owns" that IP address.
An ISP is a company that maintains a network that is linked to
the Internet via a dedicated communication line, usually a high-speed link
known as a T1. An ISP offers use of its dedicated communication lines
to companies or individuals who can't afford the high monthly cost for a
direct connection. Using a modem, you can dial up to a service provider
whose computers will connect you to the Internet, typically for a fee.
Meaning "Internet information Center," InterNIC is the
combined name for the providers of registration, information,
and database services to the Internet. InterNIC is who you contact if you
want to register a domain name on the Internet.
A private network inside a company or organization that uses the same kinds
of software that you would find on the public Internet, but that is only
for internal use. As the Internet has become more popular many of the tools
used on the Internet are being used in private networks, for example, many
companies have Web servers that are available only to employees. Note that
an "Intranet" may not actually be an Internet, it may simply be a network.
The world-wide "party line" of the '90s. IRC allows
multiple users to converse in real time on different "channels."
Channels (which have a "#" sign preceding their name)
vary in traffic and content. Channel operators (or Ops) moderate
the conversation, and have the ability to "kick" people
from channels, or even ban them if their actions warrant it. IRC
clients are available for nearly all platforms.
A JAR (Java ARchive) file is a file that contains the class, image, and
sound files for a Java applet gathered into a single file and compressed
for faster downloading to your Web browser. An applet that comes as part
of a Web page that you may happen to request may include several files,
each of which would have to be downloaded along with the Web page. By
putting them in a single file and compressing that file, download time is saved.
Developed by Sun Microsystems, Java is a programming language that is
specifically designed for writing programs that can be safely downloaded
to your computer through the Internet and immediately run without fear of
viruses or other harm to your computer or files. Using small Java programs
(called "Applets"), Web pages can include functions such as animations,
calculators, and other fancy tricks. Java is a simple, robust, object-oriented,
platform-independent multi-threaded, dynamic general-purpose programming
environment. It is best for creating applets and applications for the Internet,
intranets and any other complex, distributed network. This puppy is not Java
(although it is the JAVA logo) but alot of people think it is. It's an animated
GIF. Making this a JAVA animation would require some special software to
compilethe Java code which is also called a CLASS, and then a user would
need a Java enabled browser in order to see it. Sun Microsystems' Java
description page JAVA FAQ Archive This Is Java, Mark's Cool Java Stuff.
A software development package from Sun Microsystems that implements the basic set
of tools needed to write, test and debug Java applications and applets.
JavaBeans is an object-oriented programming interface from Sun Microsystems that
lets you build re-useable applications or program building blocks called components
that can be deployed in a network on any major operating system platform. Like Java
applets, JavaBeans components (or "Beans) can be used to give World Wide Web pages
(or other applications) interactive capabilities such as computing interest rates
or varying page content based on user or browser characteristics.
One of the two most common types of images used on the World Wide Web,
the other being. The shorter JPG (without the E) extension/version is
usually only used in association with PC platform files.
A standardized image compression mechanism. JPEG is named after the
Joint Photographic Experts Group, the original name of the committee
that wrote the standard.
Acronym for "Local Area Network." LANs are now commonplace
in most businesses, allowing users to send email
and share resources such as files, printers, modems, etc. Currently,
most larger companies are connection their LANs to the Internet,
allowing users to connect to resources within or outside the LAN.
A dedicated, full-time connection
used to link a user or network to an Internet Service Provider
or another network.
1.A collection of files.
2.In programming, a library is a collection of precompiled routines
that program can use.
Text and/or an image area on a Web page that a user can click on
to "connect to" or reference another document. There are many
possiblities of what that document can be. Most commonly links
are thought of as what connects two Web pages or Web sites. They
can also however be referencing a different part of the same document,
linking to a file which will download to your computer or triggering
the launching of an external or helper application which will then
process the clicked on file. What actually occurs when you click on
a link is determined by the file's MIME type which is configured
(setup) on your computer system to make certain things happen when
a MIME type is clicked on. For example it is configured in your browser
preferences to display Web page files whenever a file whose MIME
extension is HTML.
Links are also called hyperlinks, hypertext and hot links and they
are coded in HTML by Web page authors.
A symbol, name, or key that represents a list of commands, actions, or
keystrokes. Many programs allow you to create macros so that you can
enter a single character or word to perform a whole series of actions.
A program that distributes files or information in response to
requests sent via email. Many Listservs have mail reflectors. You can
request documents of a reflector by sending message with the subject
"SEND document name" or a similar command. Mail reflectors are
also being used to provide FTP-like services for users with limited
Internet access.
A list of email addresses used to forward messages to groups of people.
When you subscribe to a mailing list, you receive all mail sent to that
list.
A connectivity standard which enables you to hook together computers,
musical instruments, and synthesizers to make and orchestrate digital sound.
Pronounced "middy," the term is used to describe the standard itself, the
hardware that supports the standard, and files that store information that
the hardware can use. MIDI files are like digital sheet music--they contain
instructions for musical notes, tempo, and instrumentation--and are widely
used in game soundtracks and recording studios.
MIDI sound files usually have an extension of .mid. If you come across any of
these files on the Internet you will need a helper application configured to
work on your system in order to play one of these sound files. MIDI files
are just one of a few different file formats which can be embedded on a Web
page with the BG SOUND= HTML tag, which causes the sound file to play when
the Web page is accessed. NOTE: This feature may not be supported by all browsers.
Due to the popularity of some FTP and Web sites, mirror sites came into
existence. They are areas on a computer that "mirror" or contain
an exact replica of the directory structure of another computer. If you
have trouble getting connected to an FTP site, for example, because of the
high amount of traffic, you can often connect to a mirror site that
contains the same information on a different computer. Mirror sites are
updated at differing intervals.
The best way to explain the module format, is starting with the old
protracker format, coming from the Amiga: a MOD file. A MOD-File is
a collection of sample data (similar to the WAV format) and a description
of how to play these samples (similar to the MIDI format).
Mpeg Layer 3 is an amazing new standard for audio compression. It is capable
of 10:1 compression with no noticeable loss in quality.
An audio sample at CD Quality (44KHz, 16 bit, Stereo) takes up 172 bytes
for every second with a standard Wave Audio file. Making use of Mpeg Layer 3
(MP3) compression each second takes only 16 bytes, when compressed at the
standard bitrate of 128 kbits/sec. By compressing at lower bitrates,
MP3s can be lowered to 12 bytes per second of audio with slight quality loss.
The only disadvantage to this format is that MP3 needs to be decoded while
it is being played back. This is done with a player such as WinAmp, or
Winplay3. This requires a fairly decent computer, I recommend a Pentium 100
processor, with 16 megabytes of RAM minimum. This should yield reliable
playback. If you do have a slower machine, Mp3s can still be played but at
reduced quality.
A type of audio/video (multimedia) file found on the Internet. In order to
hear or see an MPEG movie, you will need to install a helper application or
Web browser plugin. MPEG is an algorithm for compressing audio and video;
not to be confused with Motion-JPEG.
"Modem" means "Modulate/de-modulate" because that's what it does with a signal.
An easy way to remember it, though, is to think of it as "Method Of Dialing
External Machine."
A modem is a piece of hardware, either internal or external,that allows your
computer to connect, via phone line, to other computers. You can also send faxes,
make data connections, and voice connections if your type of modem supports it.
You will need software, such as Dial-up Networking, to make your modem work.
The person who manages moderated mailing lists, newsgroups, or online
discussion forums for services such as AOL, CompuServe, or the Microsoft
Network.
A graphical browser for the World Wide Web that supports hypermedia. The
NCSA (National SuperComputer Association) invented the Mosaic browser,
which quickly became the industry standard. Recently, however, Netscape
Communications and Microsoft have stormed the marked with more
feature-rich browsers, which has radically redefined the Web. The term
"Mosaic" is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for the
World Wide Web.
Acronym for Multi-User Domain or Dimension. MUDs are role-playing games
that take place on a computer. Users can Telnet to a MUD host, and create
a character. MUDs can be action-, adventure-, or fantasy-based games, and
allow you to save your character for future play. Some MUDs have thousands
of registered characters, and most foster a community or culture of their
own. These are highly-addictive areas of the Internet, and users can spend
many hours enthralled in this type of activity.
The use of computers to present text, graphics, video, animation, and
sound in an integrated way.
MIME is a standardized method for organizing divergent file formats.
The method organizes file formats according to the file's MIME
type. When Internet (usually email) software retrieves a file from a
server, the server provides the MIME type of the file, and the file is
decoded correctly when transferred to your machine.
The combination of the words "Net" and "etiquette,"
this refers to the proper behavior on a network, and more generally
the Internet. The key element in Netiquette is remembering that actual
people are on the other end of a computer connection, and offensive
comments or actions are just as offensive even if you can't see your
recipient. Further rules of netiquette are not to waste bandwidth and
other users time, such as sending unsolicited (unasked for)
attachments.
Two or more computers that are connected. The most common types of networks are:
LAN - local area network:
The computers are near each other, like in the same office space, room or building
WAN - wide area network:
The computers are at different geographic locations and are connected by telephone lines or radio waves.
A protocol developed by Sun Microsystems. NFS allows a computer
to access and use files over a network as if they were local.
This protocol has been incorporated into the products of more
two-hundred companies, and is now a de facto Internet standard.
An industry standard protocol for the distribution, inquiry, retrieval,
and posting of news articles. There are many popular newsreader
programs to help you sort through the wealth of data that usenet
contains.
The common term for the standard unit of data sent across a network. When
you send or request data, it is broken up into packets which meet back
together again at the destination and are rejoined.
The simplest way to test or time the response of an Internet connection.
PING sends a request to an Internet host and waits for a reply (PONG).
When you PING an address, you get a response telling you the number of
seconds it took to make the connection. PING clients exist for a number of
platforms, or you can use a UNIX or Windows 95 prompt to issue a PING
command directly.
One of the many authentication methods that can be used when connecting to
an ISP. PAP allows you to login automatically, without having to use a
terminal window to type in your username and password. One warning
about PAP: passwords are sent over the connection in text format,
which means there is no protection if someone is "listening-in"
on your connection.
A protocol that provides a method for transmitting packets over serial
point-to-point links. PPP is one of the most popular methods for dialup
connections to the Internet, since it allows you to use other standard
protocols (such as IPX, TCP/IP,) over a standard telephone connection,
but it can also be used for LAN connections.
A protocol
designed to allow single users to read mail from a server.
There are three versions: POP, POP2, and POP3. When email
is sent to you, it is stored on the server until accessed by you.
Once you are authenticated, the
POP is used to transmit the stored mail from the server to your
local mailbox on your client machine.
A Postcardware is a kind of freeware that requires only that the user send the software author a postcard as payment. This shows the software provider that someone is actually using the software and lets the user thank the provider personally. The postage stamp also indicates where in the world the software is being used. Same as Cardware.
The sending of an article to a Usenet newsgroup
or the placing of a message on a BBS.
The person to contact at a particular site to ask for information about
the site or complain about one of his/her user's behavior.
Simply, the "language" spoken between computers to help
them exchange information. More technically, it's a formal description
of message formats and the rules that two computers must follow
to exchange those messages. Protocols can describe low-level details
of machine-to-machine interfaces (like the order in which bits
and bytes are sent across a wire) or high-level exchanges between
allocation programs (the way in which two programs transfer a
file across the Internet).
Immediate response by a computer system. Real time can also refer to events
simulated by a computer at the same speed that they would occur in real life.
A device that forwards traffic between networks. Forwarding decisions
are made based on network layer information and routing tables,
often constructed by routing protocols.
A program that search one or more documents for specified keywords
and returns a list of locations where those keywords were found.
Although search engine is really a general class of programs, the
term is often used to specifically describe systems like Alta Vista
and Excite that enables user to search for documents on the World Wide
Web and in USENET newsgroups.
Also known as calling script. A record of keystrokes and commands that
can be played back in order to automate routing tasks, such as logging on
to an online service.
This is software you can download, check out, and decide whether or not
it's right for you. If you like it you pay a small nominal
fee for the full-featured program. If you don't want to keep it, shareware
programs usually either stop functioning after a period of time or they
will continue to work but will never have all of the features the
purchased version would have.
Similar to PPP, SLIP is another standard protocol
used to run TCP/IP over serial lines, such
as telephone circuits or RS-232 cables. Unlike PPP, however, SLIP
does not work on a LAN connections. SLIP used to be
the most popular way for dialup
users to access the Internet. PPP Has become more popular
Simply, a computer that provides resources, such as files or other
information. Common Internet servers include
file servers and name servers Domain Name Service.
A servlet is a small program that runs on a server. The term was coined in
the context of the Java applet, a small program that is sent as a separate
file along with a Web (HTML) page. Java applets, usually intended for running
on a client, can result in such services as performing a calculation for a
user or positioning an image based on user interaction.
An ASCII text file that can be automatically attached to the bottom
of a piece of email or newsgroup
posting that identifies the sender. Many signatures (or "sigs")
use symbols and characters to create images or words to make the
sig more interesting.
A protocol used to transfer email.
SMTP transfers mail from server to server,
and the end user must use POP
to transfer the messages to their machine.
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 skit which featured the word spam
repeated over and over. The term may also have come from someone?s low opinion of
the food product with the same name, which is generally perceived as a generic
content-free waste of resources. (Spam is a registered trademark of Hormel
Corporation, for its processed meat product.)
Audio, video, and text available for viewing on your computer even as it is in the
process of downloading to your system from a Web site.
A term used to denote the type of connection
of a host to the Internet.
A T1 transmits a DS-1 formatted digital signal at 1.544 megabits
per second.
A term used to denote the type of connection
of a host to the Internet.
A T3 transmits a DS-3 formatted digital signal at 44.746 megabits
per second.
To properly use the TCP/IP protocol, PCs
require a TCP/IP stack. This consists of
TCP/IP software, sockets software (such as WINSOCK.DLL
for Windows machines), and hardware driver software (known as
packet drivers). Windows 95 comes with Microsoft's own built-in
TCP/IP stack, including version 1.1 of Microsoft's WINSOCK.DLL
and packet drivers.
The Internet standard protocol
to connect to remote terminals. Telnet clients
are available for most platforms. When you Telnet to a UNIX site,
for example, you can issue commands at the prompt as if the machine
were local.
A graphic or image purposely made smaller in size in order to display
multiple images on the same Web page at the same time. A popular
practice on the Web because it gives the user the chance to choose
the image they would like to see a larger version of. This is
usually done by clicking your mouse on it.
The practice of using thumbnails is also used to display "samples"
of images that are "free" thus, when a user click on it, they
either need to enter in a password in order to get at it, or they
are instructed on how to provide payment for the higher resolution
larger version, before they can actually see it.
A slight variation of Telnet used to connect
the user to an IBM mainframe. TN3270 clients
exist for most platforms.
A type of LAN in which networked computers
are wired into a "ring." Each computer (or node) is
in constant contact with the next node in the ring. A control
message, called a "token", is passed from one node to
another, allowing the node with the token to send a message out
to the network. If the ring is "broken" by one computer
losing contact, the network can no longer communicate. The IEEE
802.5 token ring standard is the most common.
The "layout" of all the computers on a network and the
links that join them.
TCP/IP is the standard communications protocol
required for Internet computers. To communicate
using TCP/IP, PCs need a set of software components called aTCP/IP stack.
Macintoshes typically use a proprietary software called MacTCP.
Most UNIX systems are built with TCP/IP capabilities.
More commonly referred to as the URL, the Universal Resource Locator
refers to the entire address that is recognized "universally" as the
address for an Internet resource. Each resource on the Internet has a
unique URL. URLs begin with letters that identify the resource type, such
as http, ftp, gopher, etc. These types are followed by a colon and two
slashes. Next, the computer's name is listed, followed by the directory
and filename of the remote resource. For example, the URL for this
glossary is http://www.tucows.com/help/glosindex.html.
To tranlmit data from a computer to a bulletin board service,mainframe,
or network.
Usenet groups are more commonly known as "newsgroups."
There are thousands of groups hosted on hundreds of servers around
the world, dealing with various topics. Newsreader software is
required to properly download and view "articles" in
the groups, but you can usually "post" and article to
a group simply by emailing to it.
A program that performs a very specific task, usually related to
managing system resources.
A method for converting binary information into ascii.
It can be used for posting to Usenet and or e-mailing with non MIME
compliant mail readers.
A search engine (not unlike Archie) that
is built into Gopher. It allows searches
of all gopher sites for files, directories and other resources.
Microsoft Visual Basic development system, the world's most popular
rapid application development (RAD) tool and member of the Microsoft
Visual Studio development tools suite.
A program which replicates itself on computer systems by incorporating
itself into other programs that are shared among computer systems.
The format for storing sound in files developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM.
Support for WAV files was built into Windows 95, making it the de facto
standard for sound on PCs. WAV sound files end a .wav extension and
can be played by nearly all Windows applications that support sound.
Databases containing email addresses, telephone
numbers, and postal addresses of Internet
users. You can search the Internet White Pages to find information
about particular users.
An Internet program (related to Finger
and the White Pages) that lets you
enter an Internet entity (such as domains,
networks, and hosts) and display information
such as a person's company name, address, phone number and email
address.
A distributed information service and search engine that allows
natural language input and indexed searching. Many Web
search utilities use a WAIS engine.
Stands for "Windows Sockets." Winsocks is a set of specifications
or standards for programmers creating TCP/IP
applications for use with Windows.
The "Web" is a collection of online documents housed
on Internet servers around the world.
The concept of the Web was created by researchers at CERN in Switzerland.
Web documents are written or "coded" in HTML.
To access these documents, you have to use a Web browser, such
as Netscape,Microsoft Explorer or Mosaic. When these browsers
access (or hit) a page, the server uses the HyperText Transfer
Protocol (HTTP) to send the document to your computer.
A computer program that replicates itself and is self-propagating.
While viruses are designed to cause problems on a local system
and are passed through boot sectors of disks and through files,
worms are designed to thrive in network environments. Network
worms were first defined by Shoch & Hupp of Xerox in ACM Communications
(March 1982). The most famous (or infamous) worm was the Internet
Worm of November 1988. It successfully propagated itself on over
6,000 systems across the Internet.
