ABCs

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ABCs: INTERNET DEFINITIONS

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BACKBONE - The primary high-speed line (or series of connections) that forms the main routes within a computer network.

BANDWIDTH - The amount of information you can send through a connection, usually measured in bits-per-second.

BAUD - The baud rate is the measurement of speed that a telephone or cable modem can transmit or recieve in bits. Example: a 1200 bit-per- second modem actually runs at 400 baud, but moves 3 bits per baud or (3 x 400) 1200 bits per second.

BBS - Abbreviation for Bulletin Board System, a system that allows people to meet and leave messages, carry on discussions, and upload and download files without the people being connected to the computer at the same time.

BINHEX - (BINary HEXadecimal) -- A method for converting binary files (applications) into ASCII format. This is needed because Internet e-mail can only handle ASCII.

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.

BIOS - Abbreviation meaning "Basic Input-Output System". Computer software controlling input and output (e.g. on a PC, the code stored in ROMs which allows the PC to cummunicate with the keyboard, screen and disks as well
as boot up an operating system.

BPS - (Bits-Per-Second) -- A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place to another. A 28.8 modem can move 28,800 bits per second.

BROWSER - Term applied to a program that is used to look at various kinds of Internet resources, and alows the users to see the visual graphics designed on web sites , along with text. Currently, the two best known browsers are Netscape & Internet Explorer with Opera a distant third.

BYTE - A set of Bits that represent a single character. Usually there are 8 Bits in a Byte, sometimes more, depending on how the measurement is being made.

CD-ROM - (Compact Disc - Read-Only Memory) CD containing data.

CHAT - Another term for IRC . Also, an acronym meaning Conversational Hypertext Access Technology.

CHECKSUM - A computed value which is dependent upon the contents of a packet. This value is sent along with the packet when it is transmitted. The receiving system computes a new checksum based upon the received data and compares this value with the one sent with the packet. If the two values are the same, the receiver has a high degree of confidence that
the data was received correctly.

CIAC - (Computer Incident Advisory Center). A group of the US Department of Energy that alerts concerned parties with information about computer security and viruses which may affect other government agencies and the public.

CGI - (Common Gateway Interface) A CGI program is a small program that takes data from a web server and converts the content of a form into an e-mail message, or turns the data into a database query. CGI programs are most often scripts programmed in PERL, a programming language.

CLIENT - In Internet terms, an application that performs a specific function, such as Telnet or FTP, the front-end to an Internet process. In more general terms, a client is a computer system or process that requests a service of another computer system or process.

CRACKER - Crackers are users who try to gain illegal access to computers. They are usually malicious in their intentions.

COOKIE - A small file which is installed on your computer by a web site you visit. The file contains data about you and the conputer system you are on and the data is often used by the web site to track your choices and custom tailor responses for future visits.

CYBERPUNK - A term coined by science fiction writers William Gibson and Bruce Sterlingreffering for a sub-group existing in an overindustialized society. It is a cultural label used for many different kinds of human, machine, and punk attitudes, including clothing and lifestyle.

CYBERSPACE - A term used to encompass the entire range of information available on the internet through computer networks. Likely first used by author William Gibson in his sci-fi novel Neuromancer.

DBMS - Data Base Management System.

DIALUP - A temporary connection between machines established over a standard phone line, usually by means of modems.

DIGEST - A message that contains multiple individual postings to a mailing list or newsgroup. Example: LinkExchange Daily Digest

DLL - (Dynamic Link Library) A set of shared functions and procedures used by applications that can be loaded or unloaded at any time by the applications.

DNS - (Domain Name Server) A program running on a server which automatically translates domain names into their correct TCP/IP addresses.

DOMAIN NAME - English language standard for a computer system's TCP/IP numeric address (example: 208.239.240.102). Domain names always have 2 or more parts, separated by dots (example: jayde.com).

DOS: The Disk Operating System that preceded indows but that has receded in importance with each new version of Windows.

DOWNLOADING - The process by which a file or program is transferred from a host or source computer to your computer.

DSVD - Digital Simultaneous Voice and Data.

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FAQ - (Frequently Asked Questions). FAQs are lists that answer the most common questions on a particular topic. There are thousands of FAQs on the Web on a multitude of subjects. FAQs are usually written by people who have tired of answering the same question over and over.

FTP - (File Transfer Protocol). A software program by which files are moved from one computer on the Internet to another. FTP is a method of logging into an other Internet site for the purposes of retrieving and/or sending files. Many Internet sites have publicly accessible databanks of downloadable material that can be obtained using FTP. These sites are often referred to as Anonymous FTP sites because anyone can login in using the UserID "anonymous" and their email address as a Password.

FIRE WALL - A combination of hardware and software that separates a LAN (local area network) into two or more parts for security purposes.

FLAME - Originally, flame meant to carry on a fierce honorable debate. Flames often involved the use of flowery language and flaming was an art form. More recently, flame has come to refer to any kind of derogatory comment used in public forums such as newsgroups and discussion lists.

FLAME WAR - When an online discussion degenerates into a series of personal attacks against the debators, rather than discussion of their positions.

FORMS - Online electronic forms that you can complete on the Web, if you have a forms-capable Web browser such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer.

FREENET - A network system made up of community-based bulletin board systems with email, information services, interactive communications, and conferencing. They are usually funded and operated by individuals or organizations who wish to make computer networking services as freely available as public libraries.

FREEWARE - Software that you can distribute freely and use for free, but for which the author often retains the copyright, which means that it can't be modified.

GAME CONTROL ADAPTER - Converts voltage levels into numbers using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). In IBM personal computers and compatibles, it is a circuit that processes input signals at a game port.

GAME PORT -In IBM personal computers and compatibles, an I/O (in/out) port for devices such as joysticks and game paddles.

GATEWAY - A "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.

GIF - A graphic format commonly found on web pages. GIF images can display a maximum of 256 colors and can be saved with transparent backgrounds or combined to form animated graphics.

GIGABYTE - 1,000, or more accurately, 1,024 Megabytes. A unit of hard drive storage measurement.

GMT - (Greenwich Mean Time) Often used as a standard time zone. In e-mail headers, you will often see references to the hours offset from GMT. Eastern Standard Time, for example, is GMT minus 5 hours because of the 5 hour difference between Greenwich, England and the Eastern US.

GOPHER - An information search and retrieval tool developed at the University of Minnesota and widely used for research. Gopher information is stored hierarchically on computers across the Internet. Gopher uses a simple protocol that allows a client to access information from a multitude of numerous Gopher servers at one time. The most common search tools in gopher are Veronica and Jughead.

GRAMMAR CHECKER - A software accessory found in many write - edit programs that checks text for errors in grammatical construction, and highlights them for correction.

GREEN PC - A computer system designed to conserve energy. Green PC's shut off power to non-essential systems if no input has been detected for a specified amount of time.

GROUPWARE - Software designed to allow a group of users on a network to work simultaneously on a project. Groupware may provide services for communicating (such as e-mail), group document development, scheduling, and tracking. Documents can include text, images, or other types of
data.

GUI - (Graphical User Interface). Pronounced "gooey". An operating system environment that represents programs, files, and options by means of icons, menus, and dialog boxes on a screen. The best known GUI is, of course, MS Windows.

HEADER - Generally, the top part of an email message or Usenet posting that contains information about the message, such as who it's from, when it was sent, etc.

HITS - A term used to describe the volume of traffic a web site is receiving. Specifically, a "hit" means a single request from a web browser for a single item from a web page. A web surfer visting a single web page with 3 graphics would cause 4 hits to be recorded, one for the page and 3 for the graphics. The term is often used as a rough measurement of traffic to a page or site but can be very misleading in determining unique visitors to a web site.

HOME PAGE - Another term that is often loosely used and that can have several meanings. The term is most commonly used in reference to the main or starting web page for a business, organization, or individual. Also, used in reference to the the web page that your browser is set to use when it starts up.

HOST - Simply put, this is the computer you connect to for your Internet access.

HTML - (HyperText Markup Language) The coding language used to create Hypertext documents (web pages) for use on the World Wide Web. Browsers like Netscape and IE read pages coded in HTML and present the results in a formatted and readable manner. As HTML evolves and becomes more
complex, so do the web browsers that interpret HTML.

HTTP - (HyperText Transport Protocol) The protocol used for moving hypertext files (web pages) across the WWW. Requires a HTTP client program on one end and an HTTP server program on the other end. For those who were wondering why every web site address was preceded by
"http://", now you know.

HYPERTEXT - A term used to describe nonlinear writing in which associative paths are followed through a world of interrelated text documents. The term is often used in relation to web pages and sites but hypertext has practical application off the Web as well.

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) ...is simply a different type of mail or message protocol. It is not nearly as well known as the POP3 protocol and consequently not
used as frequently. Advantages of IMAP:
- Messages stay on the server, thus saving you local disk space.
- You always have access to an updated mailbox, and you can get your mail from multiple locations.
- Performance on a modem is faster, since initially only message headers are downloaded.
Disadvantages of IMAP:
- Not all ISPs or email programs support IMAP.

IMHO: Abbreviation for the expression "In my humble opinion."

INTERNET - Also referred to as the "Net". The collection of all the connected networks in the world. Specifically, the set of networks that communicate via TCP/IP.

INDEX - In relation to the Internet, the term is used to describe the main or starting page of a website describing the sites contents. The term is also used to describe the means by which a search engine catalogs a web site.

INTERNIC - The main source of all domain names issued in the United States. Also, the controlling agency which handles domain disputes .

IP - (Internet Protocol) The main protocol used on the Internet.

IP NUMBER - A four-part number that uniquely identifies a machine on the Internet. For instance, the IP number for Jayde is 208.239.240.102 and can be used interchangeably with our domain name "jayde.com".

IRC - (Internet Relay Chat) Both a protocol and a program type which allows someone to talk in real time to someone else, anywhere in the world.

ISDN - (Integrated Services Digital Network) Communications carriers which offer Voice and digital network services combined into a single medium using one line to their customers.

ISP - (Internet Service Provider) Simply put, a company through which you can access the Internet. ISP's maintain a network linked to the Internet via a dedicated communication line, usually a high-speed link known as a T1 or T3 connection, and offer use of these dedicated lines to companies or individuals for a fee. Using a modem, you can dial up an ISP whose computers will connect you to the Internet.

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POP3 (Post Office Protocol) Mail ...

POP3 mail services store incoming messages on a server until you download them using an email client like Netscape, Outlook Express, Eudora, or Pegasus. As messages are downloaded, they are deleted from the server and stored on your PC. ISPs commonly provide POP3 mail accounts as part of their Internet dialup package so chances are you already have one or more POP3 mail addresses. Advantages of POP3 mail:
- Most ISPs currently support POP3.
- Messages can be read and composed offline.
- Messages can be downloaded and sent at your convenience.
- You can configure your email client not to delete incoming mail from your POP3 account and keep copies of your messages on the server.
If you receive a lot of mail, this is not a good idea since messages piling up at the server end can easily exceed disk storage quotas.
- Most top email programs support POP3 and include features that allow users to store, organize and filter incoming messages in myriad ways.
Disadvantages of POP3 mail:
- In the past, the main disadvantage of a POP3 email account was that it was tied to wherever your dialup account was located. Basically, this meant if you were travelling, you didn't check your mail until you got home. A number of free web-based email services are now available, however, that allow mail forwarding from a POP3 account to a web-based account which can be accessed from anywhere.

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