ADSL
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line: A high-speed connection that sends
data over existing copper phone lines. ADSL provides download speeds of
up to 1 million bits per second--that's 35 times faster than a standard
28.8Kbps modem connection. A common configuration of ADSL would allow a
subscriber to download at speeds of up to 1.544 megabits per second, and
upload at speeds of up to 128 kilobits per second.
Anonymous FTP
An FTP session that does not require a user ID and password. Often
permitted by large host computers who are willing to openly share some
of their system files to outside users who otherwise would not be able
to log in.
See Also: FTP, Login, Password
Anti-Virus Software
Software written specifically to combat harmful viruses. Anti-Virus
software seeks and removes viruses from your computer. Norton AntiVirus
and McAfee VirusScan are two popular Anti-Virus programs.
Applet
A small Java program. that can be placed (embedded) in an HTML page.
Applets differ from full-fledged Java applications in that they are not
allowed to access files and serial devices (modems, printers, etc.) on
the local computer, and are prohibited from communicating with other
computers across a network.
See Also: HTML, Java, Network
Archie
An early Internet search tool not used much since the advent of
the Web Browser in 1994. It is an archive of filenames maintained at
Internet FTP sites.
See Also: Browser, Veronica
ARPANet
(Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) - The precursor to the
Internet. It was developed in the late 60's by the US Department of
Defense as an experiment in wide-area networking that would survive a
nuclear war.
See Also: Internet
ASCII
American Standard Code for Information Interchange: This is a global
standard of code numbers, used by computers to represent all upper and
lower-case letters, numbers, and punctuation. There are 128 standard
ASCII codes, each of which can be represented by a 7-digit binary number,
0000000 through 1111111.
See Also: Binhex
ASP
Active Server Pages: A Microsoft-invented programming environment that
allows Web developers to create server-side scripted templates that
generate dynamic, interactive applications. Embedded ASP codes in
standard HTML can achieve a range of possibilities, from Web content
customized to a user's individual tastes or a complex database
application that may access legacy data from a mainframe.
AU
A common audio file format for UNIX systems (.au).
Autoresponder
A feature that sends an automated reply to incoming email. For example,
when customers send email to your sales@yourdomain.com address, an
autoresponder can send a standard message back to them.
AVI
(Audio/Video Interleaved) - A common video file format (.avi). Video
quality can be good at smaller resolutions, but files tend to be large.
Backbone
A high-speed line (or a series of connections) that forms a major
pathway within a network.
Bandwidth
The amount of data you can send through a connection, usually measured
in bits per second. A full page of English text is about 16,000 bits. A
56K modem can move about 56,000 bits (3.5 pages of text) in one second.
The greater the bandwidth, the more data that can be moved at one time.
Lack of bandwidth can impose severe limitations on the ability of the
Internet to quickly deliver information.
See Also: Bps, Bit
Banner
A paid advertisement in the form of a graphic (usually rectangular in
shape) displayed on a Web page. When viewers click on a banner, they are
taken to the advertiser's Web site. You get FREE Banner placement in our
Platinum Hosting Plan!
Baud
The baud rate of a modem is how many bits it can send or receive per
second.
See Also: Bit, Modem
BBS
Bulletin Board System: An online/ computerized meeting system. BBS users
can have discussions, make announcements, and upload or download files.
There are thousands of BBSs around the world; many of them rely on a
direct modem-to-modem connection over a phone line, using a single
computer.
Binhex
(BINary HEXadecimal) - A method for converting non-text files into ASCII
files. This is required because Internet email can only handle ASCII
files.
See Also: ASCII, MIME, UUENCODE
Bit
This is the smallest measure of computerized data, either 1(on) or 0(off).
Eight bits equal one byte, or one character. Bandwidth is usually
measured in bits-per-second. See Also: Bandwidth, Bps, Byte
BITNET
('Because It's Time NETwork' or 'Because It's There NETwork') - A
network of educational sites separate from the Internet. Listserv, the
most popular form of email discussion groups, originated on BITNET.
Bookmark
A pointer to a Web site of interest. Within browsers, pages can be "bookmarked"
for quick reference, rather than remembering and typing the complete URL
in the address bar. See Also: Internet Explorer, Mosaic, Netscape
BPS
Bits per second: A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place
to another. A 28.8K modem can move 28,800 bits per second, or about 3600
characters per second. See Also: Bandwidth, Bit, Modem
Browser
A client program (software) used to view various kinds of Internet
resources. You use a browser (e.g., Netscape Navigator or Microsoft
Internet Explorer) to view Web pages from your computer.
See Also: Internet, Internet Explorer, Mosaic, Netscape, Home Page (or
Homepage), URL, WWW
BTW
(By The Way) - An email version of shorthand!
See Also: IMHO, RTFM
Byte
A byte is a set of 8 bits that represent a single character.
See Also: Bit, Kilobyte, Megabyte, Gigabyte, Terabyte
Cache
A section of memory or the Hard Drive where data can be stored for rapid
or frequent access.
Certificate Authority
An issuer of Security Certificates used in SSL connections.
CGI
Common Gateway Interface: A protocol that allows a Web page to run a
program on a Web server. Forms, counters, and guestbooks are common
examples of CGI programs. In order to use CGI scripts on your site, you
must have a CGI-Bin.
See Also: cgi-bin, Email, WWW
cgi-bin
The most common directory to store CGI programs on a web server. The "bin"
part of "cgi-bin" is an abbreviation of "binary", dating back to when
programs were referred to as "binaries".
See Also: CGI, Server, WWW
ClariNet
A commercial news service dedicated to a wide range of topics that
provides tailored news reports via the Internet. You can access ClariNet
news within Usenet newsgroups.
See Also: Usenet
Client / Server
Computer technology that separates computers and their users into two
categories. When you want information from a computer on the Internet,
you are a client. The computer that delivers the information is the
server. A server both stores information and makes it available to any
authorized client who requests the information.
See Also: Server
Compression
Data files available for upload and download are often compressed in
order to save space and reduce transfer times. Typical file extensions
for compressed files include .zip (DOS/Windows) and .tar (UNIX).
See Also: Download, PKZIP, Upload
Cookie
A cookie is a piece of information sent to a browser by a Web server
upon accessing a Web site. The next time the browser accesses that site,
the server retrieves the information. This is how some Web pages "remember"
your previous visits; for example, an E-Commerce site might use a cookie
to remember which items you've placed in your online shopping cart.
Cookies can also store user preference information, log-in data, etc.
CyberCash
CyberCash is the name of a company that developed a Web-based payment
system. Their software enables online payment services for credit cards
and Internet check transactions, and works with all popular browsers.
Cyberspace
This term was coined by author William Gibson in his novel Neuromancer.
Cyberspace is currently used to describe the whole range of information
available through computer networks.
See Also: Internet
Data Transfer
In general, any outward-bound traffic from a Web site is considered to
be data transfer. Each time a Web page, image, MIDI file, etc. is loaded,
data transfer is generated.
Database
A collection of data: part numbers, product codes, customer information,
etc. It usually refers to data organized and stored on a computer that
can be searched and retrieved by a computer program.
Dial-In
An Internet account that connects a PC directly to the Internet. These
accounts use a software application to connect to an Internet Service
Provider (ISP) and establish a TCP/IP link to the Internet. To access a
dial-in connection, a PC needs either a modem to connect via a regular
phone line or a terminal adapter (TA) to connect via an ISDN phone line.
See Also: Internet, ISDN, Modem, TCP/IP
DNS
Domain Name System: A system of servers located throughout the Internet
that handles Internet connections and the routing of email.
Domain Name
A unique name that identifies one or more Web sites. A domain name acts
as a permanent Web address and provides a professional, prestigious Web
presence. Compare these two Web addresses (URLs)
1. http://www.free111hosting111site.com/members/yourwebpage
2. http://www.yourname.com
In the first URL, the domain name "free111hosting111site.com" is owned
by someone else. If you moved your business Web site to another Web host,
you would need a new URL and you would have to notify your customers of
your new address. The second URL contains an example of a custom domain
name that you own: "yourname.com." If you ever move your site, your
address will stay the same. A domain name is the Internet's way of
translating a numeric IP address into an easy-to-remember combination of
words and numbers. A given machine may have more than one domain name,
but a given domain name points to only one machine. For example, the
domain names "example.com", "mail.example.com" and "sales.example.com"
can all refer to the same machine, but each domain name can refer to no
more than one machine. Terapower allows you to host unlimited domains!
See Also: IP Number, InterNIC.
Download
Transferring a file from a computer on the Internet to your own computer.
Things you might download include software, images, email, MIDI files,
etc.
Email
Electronic Mail: Messages sent from one person to another via the
Internet. Email can also be sent automatically to a large number of
addresses via a mailing list.
Encryption
A method of encoding a file for security reasons. Encryption is often
used to protect credit card numbers from third parties during online
purchases.
Ethernet
The common method of networking computers in a LAN, or Local Area
Network. An Ethernet connection will handle about 10,000,000 bits per
second.
See Also: Bandwidth, Bps, LAN
Extranet
A private network, built for specific users (e.g., business clients) who
don't have access to a company's intranet.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions: A compilation of answers to the most common
questions on a particular subject.
Finger
An Internet tool for locating people on other sites. Finger can also be
used to give access to non-personal information, but the most common use
is to see if a person has an account at a particular site. The most
famous finger site was a Coke machine at Carnegie-Mellon University that
students had wired to the Internet. They could then finger the machine
and find out how many bottles remained and how long they had been in the
machine so they wouldn't walk all the way there and find an empty
machine or warm soda.
Firewall
A combination of hardware and software, used to protect a network from
unwelcome traffic. A firewall can be used to separate a LAN into two or
more parts, or to control network traffic.
Flame
Originally, to "flame" meant to debate in a passionate manner, often
involving the use of flowery language. More recently, flame has come to
refer to any kind of derogatory or inflammatory comment, no matter how
witless or crude.
See Also: Flame War, Netiquette
Freeware
Software that is available for download and unlimited use without charge.
See Also: Register, Shareware
FrontPage
FrontPage is a WYSIWYG Web page editor by Microsoft. To use FrontPage to
create and maintain your Web site, your hosting service must install "extensions"
(CGI programs that provide the server side implementation of FrontPage)
for your account. Terapower offers FrontPage extensions at no charge.
FTP
File Transfer Protocol: A common method of sending and receiving files
on the Internet. You might use FTP to upload HTML files to your Web host
from your own computer. A user ID and password are needed to use FTP,
unless Anonymous FTP is allowed.
GIF
Graphic Interchange Format: A type of image file. GIF files are graphics
or pictures, often used on Web pages. Because GIF files contain a
maximum of 256 colors, this file format is ideal for simple graphics
with minimal shading or color variation. Other types of graphics are
better suited for the JPEG file format.
Gigabyte
(GB) One billion bytes. To be more accurate, one gigabyte actually
contains 1,073,741,824 bytes. Since the prefix "giga" is associated with
one billion, the term gibibyte is used to define 1,073,741,824 bytes.
See Also: Bit, Byte, Kilobyte, Megabyte and Terabyte
Graphic
Any picture or image files within a Web page. Graphics are usually in
GIF or JPEG format.
Helper Application
A program allowing you to view multimedia files (images, audio, video)
that your web browser cannot handle internally. The file must be
downloaded before it will be displayed. There are some plug-ins that
allow you to view the file over the Internet without downloading it
first.
See Also: Browser, Plug-in
Hit
A single request from a Web browser for a single item from a Web server.
When a browser displays a Web page that contains 2 graphics, 3 hits
occur at the server: 1 hit for the HTML page itself, plus a hit for each
of the two graphics.
See Also: Impressions
Homepage
The first page of a Web site. Some people choose to have only a homepage,
with no supporting pages. Originally, a home page was the web page that
your browser is set to use when it starts up. The more common definition
refers to the main web page for any business or personal site. See Also:
Browser, WWW
Host
A computer system accessed by a user from a remote location. In the case
of two computer systems connected via modem, the "host" is the system
containing the data and the "remote" is the computer at which the user
is working.
A computer that is connected to a TCP/IP network, including the
Internet. Each host has a unique IP address.
As a verb, "host" means providing the infrastructure for a computer
service. A company that hosts a Web server may provide the hardware and
software needed to run that server, but does not supply all the content
on that server. Terapower provides hosting services, while allowing
customers to maintain their own Web site content.
HTML
HyperText Markup Language: The coding language used to create Web pages.
The language used to build hypertext documents on the WWW. They are
nothing more than plain ASCII-text documents interpreted (or rendered)
by a web browser to display formatted text and fonts, color, graphic
images, and links.
See Also: Browser, Internet Explorer, Mosaic, Netscape, WWW
HTTP
HyperText Transfer Protocol: The protocol for moving hypertext files
across the World Wide Web. When you enter a URL in your browser to visit
a Web page, an HTTP command is sent to the Web server. This command
tells the server to fetch and transmit the requested Web page.
Hypertext
Any text within a document that is linked to another location. The other
location could be within the same document, or a different document.
Clicking hypertext with your mouse will activate the link.
Image Map
A graphic used for multiple navigations on a Web page. Image maps
contain HTML codes that turn specific areas of graphics into links.
Impressions
The actual number of people who've seen a specific Web page. Impressions
are much more accurate than hits when discerning how much traffic your
Web page actually receives. Impressions are sometimes called "page views".
Internet
The vast collection of inter-connected networks that evolved from the
ARPANET of the late 60's and early 70's.
See also: ARPANET, i Network
Intranet
A private network inside a company or organization that uses the same
kind of software that you would find on the public Internet, but only
for internal use.
IP Number
(IP Address) The unique 4-part number assigned to each and every
computer linked to the Internet (i.e. 200.112.336.001). When you connect
to the Internet, your ISP assigns you an IP number for the duration of
your connection. DNS converts domain names into IP addresses.
IRC
(Internet Relay Chat) - A large multi-user live chat facility. There are
a number of major IRC servers around the world that are linked to each
other. Anyone connected to IRC can create a channel or chat room, and
all others in the channel see everything that everyone types.
See Also: Mailing List
ISDN
Integrated Services Digital Network: A high-speed connection that sends
data over phone lines at speeds of up to 64,000 BPS per channel. An ISDN
connection can use one or two channels; at two channels, it provides
download speeds of up to 128,000 BPS.
ISP
Internet Service Provider: A company that provides access to the
Internet. For example, Prodigy Internet is an ISP.
Java
Java is a programming language invented by Sun Microsystems. Java
programs (or "applets") can be downloaded from the Internet to your
computer. They are often used to enhance Web pages. Common Java applets
used on Web pages include animation, calculators, and counters.
JavaScript
A scripting language that interacts with HTML source code, allowing for
interactive Web sites. JavaScript is used for things such as "rollover
buttons" (graphics that change color when you run your mouse over them),
rotating banners, MIDI jukeboxes, pop-up windows, etc.
JPEG
(or JPG) (Joint Photographic Experts Group) - The name of the committee
that designed the photographic image-compression standard. The format (.jpg)
is optimized for compressing full-color or grayscale photographic images,
and does not work well for line drawings or black-and-white images. JPG
images are 24-bit (16.7 million color) graphics.
See Also: GIF, TIFF
Kilobyte
(KB) One thousand bytes. To be more accurate, one kilobyte actually
contains 1024 bytes. Since the prefix "kilo" is associated with 1000,
the term kilobyte is used to define 1024 bytes.
LAN
Local Area Network: A computer network limited to the immediate area,
usually the same building or floor of a building.
List server
The most common kind of mailing list. List servers originated on BITNET,
but are now common on the Internet.
See Also: BITNET, Email, Mailing List
Login
The user- or account-name used to gain access to a computer system. Also,
the act of entering or "signing on" to a computer system.
See Also: Password
Lurking
To read through mailing lists or newsgroups and get a feel of the topic
before posting your own messages. It is considered good netiquette to "lurk"
a while before joining an online discussion.
See Also: Netiquette, Netizen, Spam, Trolling
Mail Forwarding
An email feature that forwards email from one address to another. Mail
forwarding options include the ability to forward different yourname.com
email to specific addresses on the Internet. For example, email
addressed to webmaster@yourname.com could forward to another email
address, sales@yourname.com could forward to a different email address.
Terapower allows you unlimited email forwarding!
Mailing List
A group discussion conducted through email messages, specific to a topic
or common interest. When a message is sent to a mailing list, each list
subscriber receives a copy.
Megabyte
(MB) A million bytes; a thousand kilobytes. To be more accurate, one
megabyte actually contains 1,048,576 bytes. Since the prefix "mega" is
associated with one million, the term megabyte is used to define
1,048,576 bytes.
META tag
Hidden HTML code that contains information about a Web page, such as who
created the page, what the page is about, and which keywords best
describe the page's content. Some search engines use this information to
list and categorize Web pages by topic.
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface: A digital sound file often used to
play music on Web pages.
MIME
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions: The standard for attaching non-text
files (such as graphics, spreadsheets, word processor documents, sound
files, etc.) to email messages.
Modem
A device that connects your computer to a phone line. It transforms
digital computer data into analog data; the analog data is then sent
through a telephone line to a second computer. A modem on the receiving
end transforms the analog data back into the digital format, so that the
receiving computer can read it.
Mirror
To "mirror" something is to maintain an exact copy of it. The most
common use of the term on the Internet refers to "mirror sites" which
are FTP or web sites that maintain exact copies of material originally
stored at another location. Another term is "pointing", where one domain
points to another. This is often used if you have multiple domain names
that you want to have referred to only one. Another common use of the
term "mirror" refers to writing information to more than one hard disk
simultaneously to prevent its loss or destruction.
See Also: FTP, WWW
mSQL
Mini SQL: A lightweight database engine designed to provide fast access
to stored data.
See Also: SQL
Netiquette
The informal rules of Internet etiquette.
Netizen
Derived from the term citizen, referring to a citizen of the Internet.
The term implies civic responsibility and participation.
Network
Two or more computers connected together for the purpose of sharing
resources.
Newbie
Someone who is new to the Internet.
Newsgroup
An Internet forum at which people meet to discuss a variety of topics.
Newsgroups are typically accessed through a news reader, a program on
your computer that connects you to a news server on the Internet.
Online
When someone is connected to the Internet, they are considered "online".
See Also: Internet
Operating System
(OS) This is the software that manages a computer system. Windows 95 is
an OS.
Page Views
See impressions.
Password
A code used to gain access to a locked system. Effective passwords
should contain both letters and non-letters and not be common or easily
guessed words.
See Also: Login
Ping
A program for determining if another computer is presently connected to
the Internet.
Pixel
A unit of measurement for graphics or monitor resolution. A pixel is one
dot on a computer screen. Most computer monitors are set to a resolution
of 800 x 600, meaning 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels high.
PKZIP
A widely available shareware utility that allows users to compress and
decompress data files.
See Also: Compression
Plug-ins
Software programs that enhance other programs or applications on your
computer. There are plug-ins for Internet browsers, graphics programs,
and other applications.
POP
Post Office Protocol: a method of retrieving email from a server. Point
Of Presence a telephone number that provides dial-up Internet access.
ISPs usually provide several POPs so users can gain Internet access with
local phone calls.
Posting
A single message entered into a newsgroup, mailing list, or other
communications system.
See Also: Newsgroup, Mailing List, Thread, USENET
Protocol
Computer rules that provide uniform specifications so that all computer
hardware and operating systems can communicate with each other. A
standard for the exchange of information. There are several different
types of protocols (e.g., FTP, TCP/IP) used by various computers and
software programs.
PPP
Point to Point Protocol: The protocol that allows a computer to use a
telephone line and a modem to make TCP/IP connections, connecting users
to the Internet.
RAM
Random Access Memory: This is reusable computer memory, available to all
programs on a computer. A computer with 32M of RAM has about 32 million
bytes of memory that programs can use. RAM is read/write memory, as
opposed to ROM which is read-only memory.
RealPlayer
Client software that plays audio and video media. Providers of news,
entertainment, sports, and business content can create audio and video
multimedia content, and deliver it online to audiences worldwide. To
create your own RealPlayer files and offer them on your Web site, your
hosting service must install special "extensions" for your account.
RFC
(Request for Comments) - The process for creating a standard on the
Internet and the name of the result. New standards are proposed and
published online, as a Request for Comments. Any new standards that are
established retain the acronym RFC. For example, the official standard
for email is RFC 822.
See Also: Email, Internet
Resolution
(Screen or Monitor) The way things appear on your computer monitor.
Resolution is measured in pixels. The lower the resolution, the larger
things appear on your screen. Most computer monitors are set at 800 x
600 resolution, meaning 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels high. Some
people's monitors are set at 1024 x 768 or higher. Others are set at 640
x 480. When designing a Web site, keep in mind that your Web pages will
look different to viewers depending on their monitor resolutions.
Robot
A program that automatically searches the WWW for files and catalogues
the results.
See Also: WWW
ROM
Read-Only Memory: This is a computer's unchangeable memory. It's used to
store programs that start the computer and run diagnostic functions.
Search Engine
A directory of Internet content. Search engines use spiders to search
for Web pages, and then list those pages according to the content they
contain. When you use a search engine to find specific information, the
search engine provides a detailed list of Web pages that best match your
inquiry. Popular search engines include Excite, Snap, Yahoo, Google and
Infoseek.
Security Certificate
Information used to establish a secure connection by SSL protocol. In
order for an SSL connection to be created, both sides must have a valid
Security Certificate, issued by the Certificate Authority.
Server
A computer or program that manages network resources. The term can refer
to a program, or to the machine on which the program is running. A
single server machine could be running several programs, thus providing
different services to users on the network.
Shopping Cart
Software used to create an online "storefront," or E-Commerce Web site.
It acts as a virtual shopping cart, keeping track of the items visitors
have ordered and allowing them to add or remove items. When a visitor
decides to "check out" (purchase the items online) the software sends
all order information to the merchant.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol: A protocol used to send email from one
server to another.
Spam
(or Spamming) To send a message or advertisement to a large number of
people who did not request the information, or to repeatedly send the
same message to a single person. "Spamming" is considered very poor
Netiquette. CAUCE (The Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email)
is an organization dedicated to removing spam from the Internet.
See Also: Netiquette, Netizen, Trolling
Spider
An Internet program (used by a search engine) that explores the Web at
large. Spiders collect and index Web page addresses based on content
found at those pages.
SQL
Structured Query Language: A specialized programming language used to
send queries to databases. Many Web-based programs use SQL to store and
retrieve information about users and products from databases.
SSL
Secure Sockets Layer: A protocol designed by Netscape to enable
encrypted communications across the Internet. It provides privacy,
authentication, and message integrity. SSL is often used in
communications between browsers and servers. A URL that begins with
"https" indicates that an SSL connection will be used on the Web page.
During an SSL connection, each side sends a Security Certificate to the
other. Both sides then encrypt what they send, ensuring that only the
intended recipient can decode it.
Subscribe
To become a member of a mailing list, newsgroup, or other online
service.
See Also: Mailing List, Newsgroup
TAR
(Tape ARchive) - A compression format commonly used in the transfer and
storage of files on UNIX computers (.tar).
See Also: Compression, PKZIP, ZIP
T-1
A connection capable of carrying data at 1,544,000 bits per second. T-1
is most commonly used to connect LANs to the Internet.
T-3
A connection capable of carrying data at 44,736,000 bits per second.
TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol: This is the suite of
protocols that defines the Internet. Originally designed for the UNIX
operating system, TCP/IP software is now available for every major
computer operating system. Your computer must have TCP/IP software to be
connected to the Internet.
Terabyte
A thousand (technically 2^10 or 1024) Gigabytes.
See Also: Bit, Byte, Kilobyte, Megabyte, Gigabyte
Thread
An ongoing message-based conversation on a single subject.
See Also: Mailing List, Newsgroup, Posting
Trolling
The act of deliberately posting false or inflammatory information in
order to start a flame war or cause aggravation to others.
See Also: Flame, Netiquette, Spam
TrueSpeech
Software that compresses speech down to as little as 1/40th its original
size. Regular speech files are normally large, causing Web pages to load
slowly; TrueSpeech compression allows faster, easier transfer.
UNIX
A computer operating system. UNIX is designed to be used by many people
at the same time and has TCP/IP built-in. It is the most common
operating system for servers on the Internet.
Upload
The process of transferring data from a local computer to a remote
computer. When you copy a file from your computer to a computer on the
Internet, you are "uploading" that file.
See Also: Download
URL
Uniform Resource Locator: The standard way to display an address on the
World Wide Web (WWW). A URL is accessed through a Web browser and looks
like this: http://www.terapower.com/
UUENCODE
UNIX to UNIX Encoding: A method for converting files from Binary to
ASCII so that they can be sent across the Internet via email.
See Also: MIME
Virus
A virus is a malicious program whose sole intent is to cause problems on
a computer. There are Anti-Virus programs, such as McAfee and Norton
Utilities, created to combat viruses.
Virus Hoax
Occasionally, rumors are started about viruses that do not exist. These
are merely hoaxes.
Volano Chat
A real-time, live chat interface you can add--quickly and easily--to
your Web site. Written in Java, it is compatible with the vast majority
of Web browsers and requires no plug-ins.
Web or WWW
World Wide Web: This commonly refers to the massive, global collection
of hypertext (HTTP) servers that allow concurrent viewing of Internet
data. The term "dub,dub,dub" is a shortened, spoken version of "WWW."
WYSIWYG
What You See Is What You Get (pronounced "wizzy-wig"): A program that
displays a document on your screen exactly as it would appear when
printed or published online. The term usually applies to HTML editors,
such as Microsoft FrontPage. These WYSIWYG editors can show you how your
Web page will appear online, as you're editing the document.
Zip
Zone Information Protocol: This is a method of compressing computer data
or files into a small size, so they can be transferred quickly over the
Internet. There are programs built specifically to zip files, such as
WinZip.
