Web Terms A - F

G - L   ||   M - R   ||   S - Z

A | B | C | D | E | F

A

Acceptable Use Policy -- (abbreviation: AUP) 
A formal set of rules that governs how a network may be used. For example, the original NSFnet Acceptable Use Policy forbade non-research use by commercial organizations. 
AUPs sometimes restrict the type of material that can be made publicly available; many AUPs ban the transmission of pornographic material. 
The enforcement of AUPs has historically been very uneven. This was true of the NSFnet AUP: its limitations on commercial activity were so widely ignored that it was finally abandoned in 1994, enabling the development of today's commercial Internet. See also Netiquette, Terms of Service. 


Access number -- The telephone number used by a subscriber to dial into an Internet Service Provider or online service. 


ACK -- 1. Acknowledge. Used to confirm one's presence. An appropriate response to ping. 
2. When one computer sends a block of data to another over a network, the second computer sends an acknowledgment code back to indicate that the transfer was successful. If there were errors detected in the transmission, the second computer would send a negative acknowledgment (NAK). 


Active X -- A software technology developed by Microsoft that allows programmed capabilities or content to be delivered to Windows-based personal computers via the World Wide Web. Active X is notable for a complete lack of security controls; computer security experts discourage its use over the Internet. 


Address -- There are three types of addresses in common use on the Internet: email addresses, IP addresses, and Uniform Resource Locators. See also email address, IP address, Uniform Resource Locator. 


Address book -- A feature of some email applications that stores names and email addresses in an accessible format. 


AFK -- Abbreviation for Away From Keyboard. 


Agent -- A software process empowered to transparently act for or represent a user by completing transactions, seeking information of specific interest, or communicating with other users and agents. The Firefly online service is a good example of agent technology at work, http://www.firefly.com 


AI -- See artificial intelligence. 


alt -- 1. A top-level category of "alternative" USENET newsgroups. These unmoderated newsgroups can be started by anyone with the time, equipment, and expertise. The alt hierarchy covers perhaps the widest variety of topics ranging from the informative to the bizarre, and from the politically radical to the explicitly sexual. 
2. The Alt key on the keyboard of IBM PC compatibles, typically used in conjunction with other keys. 


AltaVista -- An Internet search engine at http://www.altavista.digital.com 


America Online -- The leading commercial online service that serves as an entry point into cyberspace for millions of network newcomers. 


API -- See Application Program Interface. 


Applet -- A Java program which is designed to run only on a web page. To use an applet on a web page, you would specify the name of the applet and the size (length and width--in pixels) that the applet can utilize. When the web page is accessed, the browser downloads the applet from a server and runs it on the user's machine (the client). Applets differ from applications in that they are governed by a strict security protocol. For example, even though applets run on the client, they can not read or write data onto the client's machine. Additionally, applets are further restricted so that they can only read and write data from the same domain that they are served from. See also Java. 
Here is the code for a Java applet version of "Hello Word!": 
import java.awt.Graphics; 
public class HelloWorldApplet extends java.applet.Applet { 
public void paint(Graphics g) { 
g.drawString("Hello world!", 5, 25); 
} 
} 


Application -- A self-contained program that performs a well-defined set of tasks under user control, as opposed to a system program. Web browsers, mail readers, and FTP clients are examples of applications commonly used on the Internet. 


Archie -- A database service that automatically gathers, indexes, and catalogues files on Internet servers. The initial implementation of Archie provided an indexed directory of filenames from all anonymous FTP archives on the Internet. Later versions provide other collections of information. Archie was developed by McGill School of Computer Science. 


Archive site -- A server that provides access to an organized collection of files available to the public. 


Artificial Intelligence -- (abbreviation: AI) 
A branch of computer science that studies how to endow computers with capabilities of human intelligence. For example, speech recognition is a problem being worked on by AI scientists. 


ASCII -- Acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange, pronounced "ass-key". ASCII is a code that assigns a number to each key on the keyboard. ASCII text does not include special formatting features and therefore can be exchanged and read by most computer systems. 


attached file -- A file that is embedded into an email message. 


AUP -- See Acceptable Use Policy. 


authentication -- The verification of the identity of a person or process. 



B

backbone -- The top level of a hierarchical network. The main pipes along which data is transferred. The "Internet backbone" is sometimes referred to, though it doesn't exist. 


bandwidth -- 1. The amount of information or data that can be sent over a network connection in a given period of time. Bandwidth is usually stated in bits per second (bps), kilobits per second (kbps), or megabits per second (mps). 
2. The technical meaning is generalized in hacker slang. Individuals are said to be "high bandwidth" if they are able to process large volumes of information in short periods of time. 


bang -- Spoken name for an exclamation point, used in old-style UUCP addresses to delimit the steps in a path from one site to another. 


BASIC -- Acronym for Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instructional Code. An easy-to-learn, highly flexible computer language invented at Dartmouth University. Different versions of BASIC run on various operating systems. Since each version has its own peculiar quirks, a BASIC program written in one version may not be compatible with another version. 
The "Hello World!" program in BASIC: 
10 PRINT "Hello World!" 
20 END 


bcc: -- Abbreviation for Blind Carbon Copy. To bcc: an email message to someone is to send them a copy of the email message without the knowledge of the person to whom the email message is addressed to. 


beta -- A version of an application that is made available prior to the official release for the purposes of testing. 


bible -- A detailed and sometimes authoritative reference book covering a particular operating system, platform, or application. Originally, this was used generically to describe fundamental source books; more recently, it has been embraced by computer book publishers as a marketing ploy. 


binary -- Mathematical base 2, or numbers composed of a series of zeros and ones. Since zero's and one's can be easily represented by two voltage levels on an electronic device, the binary number system is widely used in digital computing. 


bit -- Stands for binary digit. A bit is either on or off and is represented by "1" or "0". A collection of bits are put together to form a byte. 


BITNET -- Acronym for Because It's Time NETwork. An obsolete network used by the academic and research community for email, mailing lists, and file transfers. It is distinct from the Internet but connected to it through email and news gateways. 


bookmark -- A routine that allows you to save a reference to a site or page that you have already visited. At a later point in time, you can use a bookmark to return to that page. It commonly refers to a feature of Netscape Navigator (a web browser) that allows you to collect and organize bookmarks of your favorite web sites. 


boot -- To start up or reset a computer. When a computer is booted, a bootstrap routine is automatically executed that looks for and loads the operating system. A cold boot is when the computer is powered up from an off state. A warm boot occurs when an already turned on computer is rebooted. 


browser -- An application used to view and navigate the World Wide Web and other Internet resources. 


browser war -- A catch phrase that refers to the battles between Netscape and Microsoft for dominance of the web browser market. Both sides seek to maximize their product's marketshare and mindshare in cyberspace. The battles are marked by short product development cycles, publicity campaigns, provocative public statements, appeals for federal intervention, and a general desire to crush the other side. 


BTW -- Abbreviation for By The Way. 


bug -- A problem with computer software or hardware that causes it to malfunction or crash. 


bulletin board system -- (abbreviation: BBS) 
An open computer system that members can dial into in order to send email, join discussion groups, and download files. Since the 1970s, BBS's have provided an early means for home users to get online. Originally, BBS's were freestanding local systems, but now many provide access to Internet email, telnet, FTP, and other Internet services. 


byte -- A collection of bits to form a binary number. The size of bytes varies from system to system. On the original home computers, bytes were composed of 8 bits. Now many computers operate with bytes that are 32 bits long. 


C

C -- The name of a sophisticated computer language commonly used for the creation of professional-grade applications. C is distinguished from other computer languages by its usage of pointers, variables that point at locations in memory. It was invented by Dennis Ritchie in the early 1970s. 
This is the C version of "Hello World": 
#include "stdio.h" 
main() { 
printf("Hello World!"); 
} 


C++ -- A computer language based on C that uses objected-oriented programming design principles. 


cascade -- A series of reply posts to a USENET message, each adding a trivial or nonsense theme to the corpus of previous replies. Some consider this art; there is a USENET newsgroup devoted to propagating this self-expressive form (alt.cascade). 


cc: -- Abbreviation for Carbon Copy. To cc: an email message to someone is to send them a copy of the email message. 


CD -- 1. Abbreviation for compact disk. 
2. Abbreviation for change directory, a command in both the UNIX and DOS operating systems that assists in navigating a hierarchical directory structure. 


Central Processing Unit -- (abbreviation: CPU) 
The main silicon chip that runs a computer's operating system and application software. It performs a computer's essential mathematical functions and controls essential operations. Intel CPUs in PCs were numbered by generation: 286, 386, 486. This numbering scheme was abandoned by Intel with the Pentium CPU, which would be the 586, and the Pentium Pro, which would the 686. Motorola PowerPC CPUs have maintained a consistent numbering convention: 601, 603, 604. 


CGI -- See Common Gateway Interface. 


chat -- A form of interactive online communication that enables typed conversations to occur in real-time. When participating in a chat discussion, your messages are instantaneously relayed to other members in the chat room while other members' messages are instantaneously relayed to you. 


chat history -- A transcript of a chat session. 


commercial online service -- A computer network that supplies its members with access to chat rooms, bulletin boards, and other online content on a monthly fee basis. Commercial online services include America Online, CompuServe, The Microsoft Network, and Prodigy. In addition to their own proprietary content, most commercial online services also provide access to the Internet. 


Common Gateway Interface -- (abbreviation: CGI) 
A standard used by programmers that allows their programs to interact with the World Wide Web. CGI scripts can be written in many computer languages, but Perl and C are the most common. 


compile -- To have a computer translate code written in a computer language into an executable form. 


compression -- A technology that reduces the size of a file. Compression programs like WinZip and UNIX compress are valuable to network users because they help save both time and bandwidth. 


Compuserve -- A commercial online service. 


computer literacy -- Knowledge about and the ability to learn about computers. 


congestion -- A state occurring in a part of a network when the message traffic is so heavy that it slows down network response time. 


connection -- When two computers have established a path through which the exchange of information can occur. 


cookies -- Small files that are downloaded to your computer when you browse certain web pages. Cookies hold information that can be retrieved by other web pages on the site. Some cookies are programmed with an expiration date so that they are automatically deleted after a period of time. 


CPU -- See Central Processing Unit. 


cracker -- A malicious hacker who breaks (or cracks) the security of computer systems in order to access, steal, or destroy sensitive information. "Hacker" is often incorrectly used instead of cracker, especially by the media. See also hacker. 


cyberpunk -- 1. A subgenre of science fiction inspired by William Gibson's 1982 novel "Neuromancer". 
2. A lifestyle characterized by computer games, Internet surfing, and large doses of attitude. 


cyberspace -- 1. The place where computer networking hardware, network software, and people using them converge. Defined by John Perry Barlow as the place where a telephone call happens. 
2. The prefix "cyber" is often combined with other words, as in "cyberpunk". 

D

database -- Loosely, any aggregation of data; usually a large collection of data that has been formatted by some user-defined standard. 


DNS -- See Domain Name System. 


domain name -- The official name of a computer connected to the Internet. Domain names are derived from a hierarchical system, with a host name followed by a top-level domain category. The top-level domain categories are com (for commercial enterprises), org (for non-profit organizations), net (for network services providers), mil (for the military), and gov (for government). Some Internet domain names include the computer server name, other sub-domains, and/or country abbreviations (e.g., us). Domain names act as easy-to-remember addresses for product or company information. As such, they are often subject to disputes between competing commercial interests. Most domain names are assigned by the InterNIC. 


Domain Name System -- (abbreviation: DNS) 
A database system which looks up host IP addresses based upon domain names. For example if you ask for "www.thisismyhost.com" it will return "123.45.67.89". Copies of the Domain Name System are distributed through the Internet. 


download -- To transfer data from a larger "host" system to a smaller "client" system's hard drive or other local storage device. See also upload. 


download charges -- Monetary charges associated with downloading a file from a commercial online service. This method of information exchange is not very popular. 


drag -- To move an image or a window from one place on the screen to another by grabbing it and pulling it to a new location. 


dump -- 1. A large mass of information that shows the exact contents of computer memory at a particular time. Dumps are used by programmers in the debugging process. 
2. To send a large volume of information to somewhere specific such as a printer or a screen. 
3. A backup or a backup file created by the UNIX dump utility


E

email -- Electronic mail, the computer-based exchange of mail. 


email address -- An electronic mail address. Email addresses follow the formula: user-ID@domain-name. 


email never-neverland -- A fictitious "place" where lost email is said to wind up. 


email overload -- The state of being completely overwhelmed by the amount of email one has received. 


Ethernet -- A standard method of connecting computers to a local area network using coaxial cable invented by Robert Metcalfe at Xerox PARC in the early 1970s. 


Excite -- An Internet search engine at http://www.excite.com 


execute -- To process or run a computer program. 


eyeballs -- A viewing audience for a WWW site. 

F

facilitated chat -- In a facilitated chat, a host or facilitator controls the messages that appear on the chat screen. Usually used when there is a guest speaker. Facilitated chats provide an orderly environment for the guest speaker and ensure that she is not overwhelmed with dozens of questions all being asked at once. See also chat. 


FAQ -- Acronym for Frequently Asked Questions. A reference document created for particular topic or group that answers to common beginners' questions. It is considered poor Netiquette to ask a question without first reading the FAQ. 


FidoNet -- A worldwide hobbyist network of personal computers started in 1984 that exchanges mail, discussion groups, and files. 


file compression -- Reducing the size of files for ease of storage and transfer. WinZip is an example of an application that compresses files; the UNIX compress utility is another. 


file transfer -- The process of moving or transmitting a file from one location to another, as between two programs or from one computer to another. 


File Transfer Protocol -- (abbreviation: FTP) 
An Internet protocol that enables you to transfer files between computers on the Internet. See also anonymous FTP. 


finger -- A UNIX utility that reports information about other users who have UNIX accounts. Finger can tell you, for example, where and when a person last logged in to the system. It can also be used on a single host or across the Internet. 


firewall -- A set of security procedures that separates and protects data on a LAN from crackers who might access the LAN from the Internet. 


flame -- A public post or email message that expresses a strong opinion or criticism. Flames can be fun when they allow people to vent their feelings, then return to the topic at hand. Others are simply insulting and can lead to flame wars. 


flame bait -- An inflammatory post that is designed to provoke a flame war or flame responses. 


flat-file -- 1. As a noun, an ASCII text file consisting of records of a single type, in which there is no embedded structure information governing relationships between records. 
2. As an adjective, describes a flattened representation of a database as single file from which the structure could implicitly be rebuilt. 


font -- A typographic style used to display or print characters. Times Roman, Courier, and Helvetica are three examples. 


forum -- A topically-focused discussion group or area. From the traditional Roman forum -- a community area where ideas and proposals are discussed. 


forwarding -- Sending an email message or post from one person to a third party. 


frame -- 1. An HTML feature that allows web designers to segment the window of a web browser into distinct sections. 
2. A single complete picture in a moving picture sequence. 


freenet -- A community-based bulletin board system that serves a local geographic community on a non-profit basis. 


FTP -- See File Transfer Protocol. 


FYI -- Abbreviation of For Your Information.