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Glossary
Hereafter you find a listing of some Internet related terms. For comments, if you wish to
add a term or would like to modify one expression, please youse the page "Write
us".
Access provider
A company providing a computer system that connects
your computer to the Internet.
Account
You are said to have an account on a host computer,
or with an online information system, when you have registered with its administrators to
use the system. There are usually restrictions on who can register, and registration may
involve a fee. When you get an accout, you are issued a user name (userid) and a password
that you use to log into the system. Some guest or anonymous accounts, set up for public
access to some Internet computers, do not require prior registration, but limit access to
a few file directories and allowed commands.
ActiveX
A set of technologies that enables software
components to interact with one another in a networked environment, regardless of the
language in which the components were created. ActiveX, which was developed as a proposed
standard by Microsoft in the mid 1990s and is currently administered by the Open Group, is
built on Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM). Currently, ActiveX is used primarily to
develop interactive content for the World Wide Web, although it can be used in desktop
applications and other programs. ActiveX controls can be embedded in Web pages to produce
animation and other multimedia effects, interactive objects, and sophisticated
applications.
Administrator
The person who sets up a network resource,
registers users and their passwords, and maintains the resource.
Animated GIF
A series of graphic images in GIF format, displayed
sequentially in a single location to give the appearance of a moving picture.
Anonymous FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
The procedure of connecting to a remote computer,
as an anonymous or guest user, in order to transfer public files back to your local
computer.
Anonymous remailer
An e-mail server that receives incoming messages,
replaces the headers that identify the original sources of the messages, and sends the
messages to their ultimate destinations. The purpose of an anonymous remailer is to hide
the identities of the senders of the e-mail messages.
Applet
A small piece of code that can be transported over
the Internet and executed on the recipient's machine. The term is especially used to refer
to such programs as they are embedded in line as objects in HTML documents on the World
Wide Web.
Archie
An Internet utility for finding files in public
archives obtainable by anonymous FTP. The master Archie server at McGill University in
Montreal downloads FTP indexes from participating FTP servers and merges them into a
master list and sends updated copies of the master list to other Archie servers each day.
Archie is a shortened form of archive.
ARPANET
A large wide area network created in the 1960s by
the U.S. Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA, renamed DARPA in
the 1970s) for the free exchange of information between universities and research
organizations, although the military also used this network for communications. In the
1980s MILNET, a separate network, was spun off from ARPANET for use by the military.
ARPANET was the network from which the Internet evolved.
ASCII
Acronym for American Standard Code for Information
Interchange. A coding scheme using 7 or 8 bits that assigns numeric values to up to 256
characters, including letters, numerals, punctuation marks, control characters, and other
symbols. ASCII was developed in 1968 to standardize data transmission among disparate
hardware and software systems and is built into most minicomputers and all personal
computers.
Attached document
An ASCII text file or a binary file, such as a
document created in a word processing system, that is included with an e-mail message as
an attachment. The file is not part of the actual e-mail message, and it is generally
encoded using uuencoding, MIME, or BinHex. Most e-mail programs automatically encode an
attached document for transmission with a message. The recipient of the message must have
an e-mail program capable of decoding the attached document or use a separate utility to
decode it in order to read the document.
Authentication
In a multiuser or network operating system, the
process by which the system validates a user's logon information. A user's name and
password are compared against an authorized list, and if the system detects a match,
access is granted to the extent specified in the permission list for that user.
AVI
Acronym for Audio Video Interleaved. A Windows
multimedia file format for sound and moving pictures that uses the Microsoft RIFF
(Resource Interchange File Format) specification.
Backbone
A network of communication transmission that
carries major traffic between smaller networks. The backbones of the Internet, including
communications carriers such as Sprint and MCI, can span thousands of miles using
microwave relays and dedicated lines.
Bandwidth
The data transfer capacity of a digital
communications system.
Banner
A section of a Web page containing an advertisement
that is usually an inch or less tall and spans the width of the Web page. The banner
contains a link to the advertiser's own Web site.
Baud rate
The speed at which a modem can transmit data. The
baud rate is the number of events, or signal changes, that occur in one second--not the
number of bits per second (bps) transmitted. In high-speed digital communications, one
event can actually encode more than one bit, and modems are more accurately described in
terms of bits per second than baud rate. For example, a so-called 9,600-baud modem
actually operates at 2,400 baud but transmits 9,600 bits per second by encoding 4 bits per
event (2,400 × 4 = 9,600) and thus is a 9,600-bps modem.
Bcc
Acronym for blind courtesy copy. A feature of
e-mail programs that allows a user to send a copy of an e-mail message to a recipient
without notifying other recipients that this was done. Generally, the recipient's address
is entered into a field called "bcc:" in the mail header. Also called blind
carbon copy.
BIOS
Acronym for basic input/output system. On
PC-compatible computers, the set of essential software routines that test hardware at
startup, start the operating system, and support the transfer of data among hardware
devices. The BIOS is stored in read-only memory (ROM) so that it can be executed when the
computer is turned on. Although critical to performance, the BIOS is usually invisible to
computer users.
Bookmark
In a navigator, a link to a Web page or other URL
that a user has stored in a local file in order to return to it later.
Bps
Short for bits per second. The speed at which a
device such as a modem can transfer data. Speed in bps is not the same as baud rate.
Bug
An error in coding or logic that causes a program
to malfunction or to produce incorrect results. Minor bugs, such as a cursor that does not
behave as expected, can be inconvenient or frustrating, but do not damage information.
More severe bugs can require the user to restart the program or the computer, losing
whatever previous work had not been saved. Worse yet are bugs that damage saved data
without alerting the user. All such errors must be found and corrected by the process
known as debugging. Because of the potential risk to important data, commercial
application programs are tested and debugged as completely as possible before release.
After the program becomes available, further minor bugs are corrected in the next update.
A more severe bug can sometimes be fixed with a piece of software called a patch, which
circumvents the problem or in some other way alleviates its effects.
Cascading style sheets (CCS)
A Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) specification
developed by The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that allows authors of HTML documents and
users to attach style sheets to HTML documents. The style sheets include typographical
information on how the page should appear, such as the font of the text in the page. This
specification also directs the way in which the style sheets of the HTML document and the
user's style will blend. Cascading style sheets have been proposed for the HTML 3.2
standard.
Cc
Acronym for courtesy copy. A directive to an e-mail
program to send a complete copy of a given piece of mail to another individual. The use of
cc mail addressing, as opposed to directly addressing the mail to a person, generally
implies that the recipient is not required to take any action; the message is for
informational purposes only. In a cc directive, the fact that this recipient received the
mail is printed in the mail header and is thus known to all other recipients. Also called
carbon copy.
CCITT
Acronym for Comité Consultatif International
Télégraphique et Téléphonique. Also known as the International Telegraph and Telephone
Consultative Committee. An organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, and established as
part of the United Nations International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Its functions
have been taken over by the ITU. The ITU recommends use of communications standards that
are recognized throughout the world. Protocols established by the ITU are applied to
modems, networks, and facsimile transmission.
CGI
Acronym for Common Gateway Interface. The
specification that defines communications between information servers (such as HTTP
servers) and resources on the server's host computer, such as databases and other
programs. For example, when a user submits a form through a Web browser, the HTTP server
executes a program (often called a CGI script) and passes the user's input information to
that program via CGI. The program then returns information to the server via CGI. Use of
CGI can make a Web page much more dynamic and add interactivity for the user.
Chat
Real-time conversation via computer. When a
participant types a line of text and then presses the Enter key, that participant's words
appear on the screens of the other participants, who can then respond in kind. Most online
services support chat; on the Internet, IRC is the usual system.
Client/server architecture
An arrangement used on local area networks that
makes use of distributed intelligence to treat both the server and the individual
workstations as intelligent, programmable devices, thus exploiting the full computing
power of each. This is done by splitting the processing of an application between two
distinct components: a "front-end" client and a "back-end" server. The
client component is a complete, stand-alone personal computer (not a "dumb"
terminal), and it offers the user its full range of power and features for running
applications. The server component can be a personal computer, a minicomputer, or a
mainframe that provides the traditional strengths offered by minicomputers and mainframes
in a time-sharing environment: data management, information sharing between clients, and
sophisticated network administration and security features. The client and server machines
work together to accomplish the processing of the application being used. Not only does
this increase the processing power available over older architectures but it also uses
that power more efficiently. The client portion of the application is typically optimized
for user interaction, whereas the server portion provides the centralized, multiuser
functionality.
CompuServe
An online information service that provides
information and communications capabilities, including Internet access. It is primarily
known for its technical support forums for commercial hardware and software products and
for being one of the first large commericial online services. CompuServe also operates
various private network services.
Cookie
On the World Wide Web, a block of data that a Web
server stores on a client system. When a user returns to the same Web site, the browser
sends a copy of the cookie back to the server. Cookies are used to identify users, to
instruct the server to send a customized version of the requested Web page, to submit
account information for the user, and for other administrative purposes.
Cybercafe
1. A coffee shop or restaurant that offers access
to PCs or other terminals that are connected to the Internet, usually for a per-hour or
per-minute fee. Users are encouraged to buy beverages or food to drink or eat while
accessing the Internet. 2. A virtual café on the Internet, generally used for social
purposes. Users interact with each other by means of a chat program or by posting messages
to one another through a bulletin board system, such as in a newsgroup or on a Web site.
Cybernaut
One who spends copious time online, exploring the
Internet. Also called Internaut.
Cyberspace
The universe of environments, such as the Internet,
in which persons interact by means of connected computers. A defining characteristic of
cyberspace is that communication is independent of physical distance.
Dial-up access
Temporary connection between computers by a
telephone link, usually with a modem. Unlike dedicated connections, dial-up connections
are established only for the duration of the session.
Digital signature
A personal authentication method based on
encryption and secret authorization codes used for "signing" electronic
documents.
Discussion group
Any of a variety of online forums in which people
communicate about subjects of common interest. Forums for discussion groups include
electronic mailing lists, Internet newsgroups, and IRC channels.
DNS
Acronym for Domain Name System. The system by which
hosts on the Internet have both domain name addresses (such as bluestem.prairienet.org)
and IP addresses (such as 192.17.3.4). The domain name address is used by human users and
is automatically translated into the numerical IP address, which is used by the
packet-routing software.
Domain name
An address of a network connection in the format
that identifies the owner of that address in a hierarchical format:
server.organization.type. For example, www.whitehouse.gov identifies the Web server at the
White House, which is part of the U.S. government.
E-mail
The exchange of text messages and computer files
over a communications network, such as a local area network or the Internet, usually
between computers or terminals.
E-mail address
A string that identifies a user so that the user
can receive Internet e-mail. An e-mail address typically consists of a name that
identifies the user to the mail server, followed by an at sign (@) and the host name and
domain name of the mail server. For example, if Tilo Sturm has an account on the machine
called Alpha Inter in France, she might have an e-mail address TSturm@alpha-inter.fr,
which would be pronounced "T Sturm at alpha inter fr".
Easter egg
A hidden feature of a computer program. It may be a
hidden command, an animation, a humorous message, or a list of credits for the people who
developed the program. In order to display an Easter egg, a user often must enter an
obscure series of keystrokes.
EDI
Acronym for electronic data interchange. A set of
standards for controlling the transfer of business documents, such as purchase orders and
invoices, between computers. The goal of EDI is the elimination of paperwork and increased
response time.
Electronic Frontier Foundation
A public advocacy organization dedicated to the
defense of civil liberties for computer users. The organization was founded in 1990 by
Mitchell Kapor and John Perry Barlow as a response to U.S. Secret Service raids on
hackers.
Electronic mall
A virtual collection of online businesses that
affiliate with the intention of increasing the exposure of each business through the
fellow businesses.
Emoticon
A string of text characters that, when viewed
sideways, form a face expressing a particular emotion. An emoticon is often used in an
e-mail message or newsgroup post as a comment on the text that precedes it. Common
emoticons include :-) or :) (meaning "I'm smiling at the joke here"), ;-)
("I'm winking and grinning at the joke here"), :-( ("I'm sad about
this"), :-7 ("I'm speaking with tongue in cheek"), :D or :-D (big smile;
"I'm overjoyed"), and :-O (either a yawn of boredom or a mouth open in
amazement).
ENIAC
An 1800-square-foot, 30-ton computer containing
17,468 vacuum tubes and 6,000 manual switches. Developed between 1942 and 1946 for the
U.S. Army by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly at the University of Pennsylvania, ENIAC
is considered to have been the first truly electronic computer. It remained in operation
until 1955.
Ezine
Short for electronic magazine. A digital production
available on the Internet, a BBS, or other online service, often free of charge.
FAQ
Acronym for frequently asked questions. A document
listing common questions and answers on a particular subject. FAQs are often posted on
Internet newsgroups where new participants ask the same questions that regular readers
have answered many times.
Firewall
A security system intended to protect an
organization's network against external threats, such as hackers, coming from another
network, such as the Internet. A firewall prevents computers in the organization's network
from communicating directly with computers external to the network and vice versa.
Instead, all communication is routed through a proxy server outside of the organization's
network, and the proxy server decides whether it is safe to let a particular message or
file pass through to the organization's network.
Freeware
A computer program given away free of charge and
often made available on the Internet or through user groups. An independent program
developer might offer a product as freeware either for personal satisfaction or to assess
its reception among interested users. Freeware developers often retain all rights to their
software, and users are not necessarily free to copy or distribute it further. Compare
free software, public-domain software, shareware.
FTP
To download files from or upload files to remote
computer systems, via the Internet's File Transfer Protocol. The user needs an FTP client
to transfer files to and from the remote system, which must have an FTP server. Generally,
the user also needs to establish an account on the remote system to FTP files, although
many FTP sites permit the use of anonymous FTP.
GIF
Acronym for Graphics Interchange Format. A graphics
file format developed by CompuServe and used for transmitting raster images on the
Internet. An image may contain up to 256 colors, including a transparent color. The size
of the file depends on the number of colors actually used. The LZW compression method is
used to reduce the file size still further. See also raster graphics.
Gopher
An Internet utility for finding textual information
and presenting it to the user in the form of hierarchical menus, from which the user
selects submenus or files that can be downloaded and displayed. One Gopher client may
access all available Gopher servers, so the user accesses a common
"Gopherspace." The name of the program is a three-way pun: it is designed to go
for desired information; it tunnels through the Internet and digs the information up; and
it was developed at the University of Minnesota (whose athletic teams are named the Golden
Gophers). Gopher is being subsumed by the World Wide Web.
HTML
Acronym for Hypertext Markup Language. The markup
language used for documents on the World Wide Web. HTML is an application of SGML that
uses tags to mark elements, such as text and graphics, in a document to indicate how Web
browsers should display these elements to the user and should respond to user actions such
as activation of a link by means of a key press or mouse click. HTML 2.0, defined by the
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), includes features of HTML common to all Web
browsers as of 1995 and was the first version of HTML widely used on the World Wide Web.
Future HTML development will be carried out by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). HTML
3.2, the latest proposed standard, incorporates features widely implemented as of early
1996. Most Web browsers, notably Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer, recognize HTML
tags beyond those included in the present standard.
HTTP
Acronym for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The
client/server protocol used to access information on the World Wide Web.
Hyperlink
A connection between an element in a hypertext
document, such as a word, phrase, symbol, or image, and a different element in the
document, another hypertext document, a file, or a script. The user activates the link by
clicking on the linked element, which is usually underlined or in a color different from
the rest of the document to indicate that the element is linked. Hyperlinks are indicated
in a hypertext document through tags in markup languages such as SGML and HTML. These tags
are generally not visible to the user. Also called hot link, hypertext link.
Hypertext
Text linked together in a complex, nonsequential
web of associations in which the user can browse through related topics. For example, in
an article with the word iron, traveling among the links to iron might lead the user to
the periodic table of the elements or a map of the migration of metallurgy in Iron Age
Europe. The term hypertext was coined in 1965 to describe documents presented by a
computer that express the nonlinear structure of ideas as opposed to the linear format of
books, film, and speech. The term hypermedia, more recently introduced, is nearly
synonymous but emphasizes the nontextual element, such as animation, recorded sound, and
video.
Image map
An image that contains more than one hyperlink on a
Web page. Clicking on different parts of the image links the user to other resources on
another part of the Web page, a different Web page, or a file. Often an image map, which
can be a photograph, drawing, or a composite of several different drawings or photographs,
is used as a map to the resources found on a particular Web site.
Internet
The worldwide collection of networks and gateways
that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols to communicate with one another. At the heart of
the Internet is a backbone of high-speed data communication lines between major nodes or
host computers, consisting of thousands of commercial, government, educational, and other
computer systems, that route data and messages. One or more Internet nodes can go off line
without endangering the Internet as a whole or causing communications on the Internet to
stop, because no single computer or network controls it. The genesis of the Internet was a
decentralized network called ARPANET created by the Department of Defense in 1969 to
facilitate communications in the event of a nuclear attack. Eventually other networks,
including BITNET, Usenet, UUCP, and NSFnet, were connected to ARPANET. Currently, the
Internet offers a range of services to users, such as FTP, e-mail, the World Wide Web,
Usenet news, Gopher, IRC, telnet, and others. Also called Net. See also BITNET, FTP,
Gopher, IRC, NSFnet, telnet, Usenet, UUCP, World Wide Web.
Internet Explorer
Microsoft's Web browser, introduced in October
1995. Internet Explorer is now available in Windows and Macintosh versions. Later versions
provide the ability to incorporate advanced design and animation features into Web pages
and recognize ActiveX controls and Java applets.
InterNIC
Short for NSFnet (Internet) Network Information
Center. The organization that is charged with registering domain names and IP addresses as
well as distributing information about the Internet. InterNIC was formed in 1993 as a
consortium involving the U.S. National Science Foundation, AT&T, General Atomics, and
Network Solutions Inc. (Herndon, Va.). The latter partner administers InterNIC
Registration Services, which assigns Internet names and addresses. InterNIC can be reached
by e-mail at info@internic.net or on the Web at http://www.internic.net/.
Intranet
A network designed for information processing
within a company or organization. Its uses include such services as document distribution,
software distribution, access to databases, and training. An intranet is so called because
it usually employs applications associated with the Internet, such as Web pages, Web
browsers, FTP sites, e-mail, newsgroups, and mailing lists, accessible only to those
within the organization.
IP
Acronym for Internet Protocol. The protocol within
TCP/IP that governs the breakup of data messages into packets, the routing of the packets
from sender to destination network and station, and the reassembly of the packets into the
original data messages at the destination. IP corresponds to the network layer in the
ISO/OSI model. See also ISO/OSI model, TCP/IP.
IP address
Short for Internet Protocol address. A 32-bit
(4-byte) binary number that uniquely identifies a host (computer) connected to the
Internet to other Internet hosts, for the purposes of communication through the transfer
of packets. An IP address is expressed in "dotted quad" format, consisting of
the decimal values of its four bytes, separated with periods; for example, 127.0.0.1. The
first one, two, or three bytes of the IP address, assigned by InterNIC Registration
Services, identify the network the host is connected to; the remaining bits identify the
host itself. The 32 bits of all 4 bytes together can signify almost 232, or roughly 4
billion, hosts. (A few small ranges within that set of numbers are not used).
IRC
Acronym for Internet Relay Chat. A service that
enables an Internet user to participate in a conversation on line in real time with other
users. An IRC channel, maintained by an IRC server, transmits the text typed by each user
who has joined the channel to all other users who have joined the channel. Generally, a
channel is dedicated to a particular topic, which may be reflected in the channel's name.
An IRC client shows the names of currently active channels, enables the user to join a
channel, and then displays the other participants' words on individual lines so that the
user can respond. IRC was invented in 1988 by Jarkko Oikarinen of Finland.
ISP
Acronym for Internet service provider. A business
that supplies Internet connectivity services to individuals, businesses, and other
organizations. Some ISPs are large national or multinational corporations that offer
access in many locations, while others are limited to a single city or region.
Java
An object-oriented programming language, developed
by Sun Microsystems, Inc. Similar to C++, Java is smaller, more portable, and easier to
use than C++ because it is more robust and it manages memory on its own. Java was also
designed to be secure and platform-neutral (meaning that it can be run on any platform)
through the fact that Java programs are compiled into bytecodes, which are similar to
machine code and are not specific to any platform. This makes it a useful language for
programming Web applications, since users access the Web from many types of computers.
Currently, the most widespread use of Java is in programming small applications, or
applets, for the World Wide Web.
Java applet
A Java class that is loaded and run by an
already-running Java application such as a Web browser or an applet viewer. Java applets
can be downloaded and run by any Web browser capable of interpreting Java, such as
Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, and HotJava. Java applets are frequently used to
add multimedia effects and interactivity to Web pages, such as background music, real-time
video displays, animations, calculators, and interactive games. Applets can be activated
automatically when a user views a page, or they may require some action on the part of the
user, such as clicking on an icon in the Web page.
JavaScript
A scripting language developed by Netscape
Communications and Sun Microsystems, Inc. that is loosely related to Java. JavaScript,
however, is not a true object-oriented language, and it is limited in performance compared
with Java because it is not compiled. Basic online applications and functions can be added
to Web pages with JavaScript, but the number and complexity of available application
programming interface functions are fewer than those available with Java. JavaScript code,
which is included in a Web page along with the HTML code, is generally considered easier
to write than Java, especially for novice programmers. A JavaScript-compliant Web browser,
such as Netscape Navigator, is necessary to run JavaScript code.
JPEG
Acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group. An
ISO/ITU standard for storing images in compressed form using a discrete cosine transform.
JPEG trades off compression against loss; it can achieve a compression ratio of 100:1 with
significant loss and possibly 20:1 with little noticeable loss.
MIME
Acronym for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions.
A standard that extends the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to permit data, such as
video, sound, and binary files, to be transmitted by Internet e-mail without having to be
translated into ASCII format first. This is accomplished by the use of MIME types, which
describe the contents of a document. A MIME-compliant application sending a file, such as
some e-mail programs, assigns a MIME type to the file. The receiving application, which
must also be MIME-compliant, refers to a standardized list of documents that are organized
into MIME types and subtypes to interpret the content of the file. For instance, one MIME
type is text, and it has a number of subtypes, including plain and html. A MIME type of
text/html refers to a file that contains text written in HTML. MIME is part of HTTP, and
both Web browsers and HTTP servers use MIME to interpret e-mail files they send and
receive.
Mirror site
A file server that contains a duplicate set of
files to the set on a popular server. Mirror sites exist to spread the distribution burden
over more than one server or to eliminate the need to use high-demand international
circuits.
Mosaic
The first popular graphical World Wide Web browser.
Released on the Internet in early 1993 by the National Center for Supercomputing
Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Mosaic is available
as freeware and shareware for Windows, Macintosh, and X Window systems. Mosaic is
distinguished from other early Web browsers by its ease of use and its addition of inline
images to Web documents. Also called NCSA Mosaic.
MYOB
Acronym for Mind your own business. An expression
used in e-mail and newsgroups.
Netiquette
Short for network etiquette. Principles of courtesy
observed in sending electronic messages, such as e-mail and Usenet postings. The
consequences of violating netiquette include being flamed and having one's name placed in
the bozo filter of one's intended audience. Disapproved behavior includes gratuitous
personal insults; posting of large amounts of irrelevant material; giving away the plot of
a movie, television show, or novel without warning; posting offensive material without
encrypting it; and excessive cross-posting of a message to multiple groups without regard
to whether the group members are likely to find it interesting.
Netscape Navigator
The most widely used family of Web browser
programs, made by Netscape Corporation. Versions of Netscape Navigator are available for
the Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, and Macintosh platforms, and for many varieties
of UNIX. Netscape Navigator, which is based on NCSA's Mosaic Web browser, was one of the
first commercially available Web browsers.
Newbie
1. An inexperienced user on the Internet. 2. In a
particularly derogatory sense, an inexperienced Usenet user who asks for information that
is readily available in the FAQ.
Newsgroup
A forum on the Internet for threaded discussions on
a specified range of subjects. A newsgroup consists of articles and follow-up posts. An
article with all of its follow-up posts all of which are (supposed to be) related to the
specific subject named in the original article's subject line constitutes a thread. Each
newsgroup has a name that consists of a series of words, separated by periods, indicating
the newsgroup's subject in terms of increasingly narrow categories, such as
rec.crafts.textiles.needlework. Some newsgroups can be read and posted to only on one
site; others, such as those in the seven Usenet hierarchies or those in ClariNet,
circulate throughout the Internet.
PAP
Acronym for Password Authentication Protocol. A
method for verifying the identity of a user attempting to log on to a Point-to-Point
Protocol (PPP) server. PAP is used if a more rigorous method, such as the Challenge
Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP), is not available or if the user name and
password that the user submitted to PAP must be sent to another program without
encryption.
PGP
Acronym for Pretty Good Privacy. A program for
public key encryption, using the RSA algorithm, developed by Philip Zimmermann. PGP
software is available in unsupported free versions and supported commercial versions from
Pretty Good Privacy, Inc., Redwood Shores, Calif.
Plug-in
A small software program that plugs into a larger
application to provide added functionality. 2. A software component that plugs into the
Netscape Navigator. Plug-ins permit the Web browser to access and execute files embedded
in HTML documents that are in formats the browser normally would not recognize, such as
many animation, video, and audio files. Most plug-ins are developed by software companies
who have proprietary software in which the embedded files are created.
POP3
Acronym for Post Office Protocol 3. This is the
current version of the Post Office Protocol standard in common use on TCP/IP networks.
PPP
Acronym for Point-to-Point Protocol. A data link
protocol developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force in 1991 for dial-up telephone
connections, such as between a computer and the Internet. PPP provides greater protection
for data integrity and security than does SLIP, at a cost of greater overhead.
Proxy server
A firewall component that manages Internet traffic
to and from a local area network (LAN) and can provide other features, such as document
caching and access control. A proxy server can improve performance by supplying frequently
requested data, such as a popular Web page, and can filter and discard requests that the
owner does not consider appropriate, such as requests for unauthorized access to
proprietary files.
Remote Access Service
Windows software that allows a user to gain remote
access to the network server via a modem. See also remote access. Acronym: RAS.
RSA encryption
Short for Rivest-Shamir-Adleman encryption. The
patented public key encryption algorithm, introduced by Ronald Rivest, Adi Shamir, and
Leonard Adleman in 1978, on which the PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption program is
based.
Search engine
A program that searches for key words in documents
or in a database. 2. On the Internet, a program that searches for keywords in files and
documents found on the World Wide Web, newsgroups, Gopher menus, and FTP archives. Some
search engines are used for a single Internet site, such as a dedicated search engine for
a Web site. Others search across many sites, using such agents as spiders to gather lists
of available files and documents and store these lists in databases that users can search
by keyword. Examples of the latter type of search engine are Lycos, AliWeb, and Excite.
Most search engines reside on a server.
Secure Sockets Layer
A proposed open standard developed by Netscape
Communications for establishing a secure communications channel to prevent the
interception of critical information, such as credit card numbers. The primary purpose of
Secure Sockets Layer is to enable secure electronic financial transactions on the World
Wide Web, although it is designed to work with other Internet services as well. This
technology, which uses public key encryption, is incorporated into the Netscape Navigator
Web browser and Netscape's commerce servers. See also commerce server, open standard,
public key encryption.
SGML
Acronym for Standard Generalized Markup Language.
An information management standard adopted by the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) in 1986 as a means of providing platform- and
application-independent documents that retain formatting, indexing, and linked
information. SGML provides a grammarlike mechanism for users to define the structure of
their documents and the tags they will use to denote the structure in individual
documents.
Shareware
Copyrighted software that is distributed on a
try-before-you-buy basis. Users who want to continue using the program after the trial
period are encouraged to send a payment to the program's author. Compare free software,
freeware, public-domain software.
SHTML
Acronym for server-parsed HTML. Hypertex Markup
Language (HTML) text that contains embedded server-side include commands. SHTML documents
are fully read, parsed, and modified by the server before being passed to the browser.
Snail mail
A popular phrase on the Internet for referring to
mail services provided by the U.S. Postal Service and similar agencies in other countries.
The term has its origins in the fact that regular postal mail is slow compared with
e-mail.
SNMP
Acronym for Simple Network Management Protocol. The
network management protocol of TCP/IP. In SNMP, agents, which can be hardware as well as
software, monitor the activity in the various devices on the network and report to the
network console workstation. Control information about each device is maintained in a
structure known as a management information block.
SNMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
A TCP/IP protocol for sending messages from one
computer to another on a network. This protocol is used on the Internet to route e-mail.
See also communications protocol, TCP/IP. Compare CCITT X series, Post Office Protocol.
Spam
An unsolicited e-mail message sent to many
recipients at one time, or a news article posted simultaneously to many newsgroups. Spam
is the electronic equivalent of junk mail. In most cases, the content of a spam message or
article is not relevant to the topic of the newsgroup or the interests of the recipient;
spam is an abuse of the Internet in order to distribute a message (usually commercial or
religious) to a huge number of people at minimal cost.
Tag
In markup languages such as SGML and HTML, a code
that identifies an element in a document, such as a heading or a paragraph, for the
purposes of formatting, indexing, and linking information in the document. In both SGML
and HTML, a tag is generally a pair of angle brackets that contain one or more letters and
numbers. Usually one pair of angle brackets is placed before an element, and another pair
is placed after, to indicate where the element begins and ends. For example, in HTML,
hello world indicates that the phrase "hello world" should be italicized.
TCP/IP
Acronym for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol. A protocol developed by the Department of Defense for communications between
computers. It is built into the UNIX system and has become the de facto standard for data
transmission over networks, including the Internet.
Trojan horse
A destructive program disguised as a game, utility,
or application. When run, a Trojan horse does something harmful to the computer system
while appearing to do something useful.D
UNIX
A multiuser, multitasking operating system
originally developed by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie at AT&T Bell Laboratories in
1969 for use on minicomputers. UNIX is considered a powerful operating system that,
because it is written in the C language, is more portable--that is, less
machine-specific--than other operating systems. UNIX is available in several related
forms, including AIX (a version of UNIX adapted by IBM to run on RISC-based workstations),
A/UX (a graphical version for the Apple Macintosh), and Mach (a rewritten but essentially
UNIX-compatible operating system for the NeXT computer).
URL
Acronym for Uniform Resource Locator. An address
for a resource on the Internet. URLs are used by Web browsers to locate Internet
resources. A URL specifies the protocol to be used in accessing the resource (such as
http: for a World Wide Web page or ftp: for an FTP site), the name of the server on which
the resource resides (such as //www.whitehouse.gov), and, optionally, the path to a
resource (such as an HTML document or a file on that server).
Usenet
A worldwide network of UNIX systems that has a
decentralized administration and is used as a bulletin board system by special-interest
discussion groups. Usenet, which is considered part of the Internet (although Usenet
predates it), is composed of thousands of newsgroups, each devoted to a particular topic.
Users can post messages and read messages from others in these newsgroups in a manner
similar to users on dial-in BBSs. Usenet was originally implemented using UUCP
(UNIX-to-UNIX Copy) software and telephone connections; that method remains important,
although more modern methods, such as NNTP and network connections, are more commonly
used.
Vaporware
Software that has been announced but not released
to customers. The term implies sarcastically that the product exists only in the minds of
the marketing staff.
Virus
An intrusive program that infects computer files by
inserting in those files copies of itself. The copies are usually executed when the file
is loaded into memory, allowing them to infect still other files, and so on. Viruses often
have damaging side effects--sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. For example, some
viruses can destroy a computer's hard disk or take up memory space that could otherwise be
used by programs.
VRML
Acronym for Virtual Reality Modeling Language. A
scene description language for creating 3-D interactive Web graphics similar to those
found in some video games, allowing the user to "move around" within a graphic
image and interact with objects. VRML, a subset of Silicon Graphics' Inventor File Format
(ASCII), was created by Mark Pesce and Tony Parisi in 1994. VRML files can be created in a
text editor, although CAD packages, modeling and animation packages, and VRML authoring
software are the tools preferred by most VRML authors. VRML files reside on an HTTP
server; links to these files can be embedded in HTML documents, or users can access the
VRML files directly. To view VRML Web pages, users need a VRML-enabled browser, such as
WebSpace from Silicon Graphics, or a VRML plug-in for Internet Explorer or Netscape
Navigator.
Web browser
A client application that enables a user to view
HTML documents on the World Wide Web, another network, or the user's computer; follow the
hyperlinks among them; and transfer files. Text-based Web browsers, such as Lynx, can
serve users with shell accounts but show only the text elements of an HTML document; most
Web browsers, however, require a connection that can handle IP packets but will also
display graphics that are in the document, play audio and video files, and execute small
programs, such as Java applets or ActiveX controls, that can be embedded in HTML
documents. Some Web browsers require helper applications or plug-ins to accomplish one or
more of these tasks. In addition, most current Web browsers permit users to send and
receive e-mail and to read and respond to newsgroups. Also called browser.
Web site
A group of related HTML documents and associated
files, scripts, and databases that is served up by an HTTP server on the World Wide Web.
The HTML documents in a Web site generally cover one or more related topics and are
interconnected through hyperlinks. Most Web sites have a home page as their starting
point, which frequently functions as a table of contents for the site. Many large
organizations, such as corporations, will have one or more HTTP servers dedicated to a
single Web site. However, an HTTP server can also serve several small Web sites, such as
those owned by individuals. Users need a Web browser and an Internet connection to access
a Web site.
Webmaster
A person responsible for creating and maintaining a
World Wide Web site. A Webmaster is often responsible for responding to e-mail, ensuring
the site is operating properly, creating and updating Web pages, and maintaining the
overall structure and design of the site.
World Wide Web
The total set of interlinked hypertext documents
residing on HTTP servers all around the world. Documents on the World Wide Web, called
pages or Web pages, are written in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), identified by URLs
(Uniform Resource Locators) that specify the particular machine and pathname by which a
file can be accessed, and transmitted from node to node to the end user under HTTP
(Hypertext Transfer Protocol). Codes, called tags, embedded in an HTML document associate
particular words and images in the document with URLs so that a user can access another
file, which may be halfway around the world, at the press of a key or the click of a
mouse. These files may contain text (in a variety of fonts and styles), graphics images,
movie files, and sounds as well as Java applets, ActiveX controls, or other small embedded
software programs that execute when the user activates them by clicking on a link. A user
visiting a Web page also may be able to download files from an FTP site and send messages
to other users via e-mail by using links on the Web page. The World Wide Web was developed
by Timothy Berners-Lee in 1989 for the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN).
Also called W3, Web.
World Wide Web Consortium
A consortium of commercial and educational
institutions that oversees research and promotes standards in all areas related to the
World Wide Web. Acronym: W3C.
Zulu time
Slang for Greenwich Mean Time.
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