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[ Technical Glossary ] Working with computers means that you come across acronyms fairly often. Terms like RAM, ADSL and ROM may seem a bit daunting to the beginner, so this glossary is here here to help just in case you come across something that you are unfamiliar with. Please let us know if there is something missing from this list.
ADSL: (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)
- A method for moving data over regular telephone lines that is
much faster than a regular telephone 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: To connect to an FTP
server without providing a personal login 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. 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. 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. ARPANet: (Advanced Research Projects
Agency Network) - The precursor to the Internet. It was developed
in the late 60's by the US Department of Defence as an experiment
in wide-area networking that would survive a nuclear war. ASCII: (American Standard Code for Information
Interchange) - The world-wide standard of code numbers used by
computers to represent all the upper- and lower-case Latin 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. AU: A common audio file format for UNIX systems (.au). 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 series
of connections, that forms a major pathway within a network. This
term is relative, as a backbone in a small network may be much
smaller than non-backbone lines in a large network. Bandwidth: The transmission capacity
of the lines that carry the Internet's electronic traffic. 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. Baud: The baud rate of a modem is how
many bits it can send or receive per second. BBS: (Bulletin Board System) - An online meeting and information system that allows people to carry on discussions, make announcements and transfer files. There are thousands of BBS's around the world, varying in size from those running on a single machine with only 1 or 2 phone lines, to massive networks such as CompuServe. Binhex: (BINary HEXadecimal) - A method
for converting non-text files into ASCII files. This is required
because Internet email can only handle ASCII files. Bit: (Binary DigIT) - A bit is the smallest
unit of computerized data, comprised of either a 0 (off) or a 1
(on). Bandwidth is usually measured in bits-per-second. 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. Bps: (Bits per second) - A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place to another. A 28.8 modem
can move data at 28,800 bits per second. 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. Browser: A software program that is used to view Websites and other Internet resources on the WWW. BTW: (By The Way) - A shorthand term appended to a comment in an online forum or email. Byte: A set of bits that represent a single character. There are usually 8 bits in a byte.
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 programming
language used to convert data gathered from a web page into another
form. A CGI program might turn the content of a feedback form into
an email message, or search a server's database with user-entered
keywords. 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". 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. 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. Cookie: A piece of information (login
names, passwords, online "shopping cart" items, user preferences,
etc.) sent by a web server to a web browser and saved to the computer.
These "cookies" can then be used at a later date to restore the
information when the web server is accessed again. Cookies are
usually set to expire after a predetermined amount of time. 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). 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.
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. Discussion Group: A section within
USENET dedicated to a particular topic or interest. Discussion
groups are also known as newsgroups. DNS: (Domain Name Server) - A computer
running a program that converts domain names into IP addresses
and vice versa. Domain Name Servers (also known as Name Servers)
are the backbone of the Internet. Domain Control Panel: A password access section of our site that Domain Registrants and Partners use to make domain modifications, receive proprietary scripting code, and use our management system. Each panel's content is different and will depend on your status in relation to Registrars.com. Domain Name: A unique name that identifies
an Internet site. 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. Download: The process of transferring
data from a remote computer to a local computer. When you copy
a file from a computer on the Internet to your computer, you are "downloading" that
file.
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. Email: (Electronic Mail) - Messages sent
from one person to another via the Internet. Email can also be
sent to a large number of addresses at once through a Mailing List.
FAQ: (Frequently Asked Questions) - An
FAQ is a document that lists and answers the most common questions
on a particular subject. It is considered good netiquette (the
Internet's code of conduct) to check for FAQ's and read them. 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 that separates a LAN into two or more parts for security
purposes. A firewall is commonly used to separate a network from
the Internet. 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. Flame War: When an online discussion
degenerates into a series of personal attacks against the debaters,
rather than a discussion of their positions, it is referred to
as a flame war. FQDN: (Fully Qualified Domain Name) -
The official name assigned to an individual computer. Organizations
register names, such as "example.com", then assign unique names
to their computers, such as "mail.example.com". Freeware: Software that is available
for download and unlimited use without charge. FTP: (File Transfer Protocol) - A common
method of moving files between two Internet sites. Most FTP sites
require a login name and password before files can be retrieved
or sent.
Gateway: Hardware or software set up to translate between two different protocols. For example, Prodigy has a gateway that translates between its internal email format and Internet email format. Another definition of gateway is any mechanism for providing access to another system. For example, AOL might be called a gateway to the Internet. GIF: (Graphics Interchange Format) - A
graphics file format commonly used on the Internet to provide images
on Web pages. GIF images are 8-bit (256-color) graphics. Gigabyte: A thousand (technically
2^10 or 1024) Megabytes. Gopher: A searching tool that was once
the primary tool for finding information on the Internet before
the WWW became popular. Gopher is now buried under massive amounts
of WWW pages.
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. Hit: A "hit" is a single request from a web browser for a single item from a web server. For example, a page displaying 3 graphics would require 4 hits: one for the HTML document, and one for each of the 3 graphics. "Hits" are often used as a rough measure of load on a server; however, because each hit can represent a request for anything from a tiny document to a complex search request, the actual load on a machine from a single hit is impossible to define. Home Page (or Homepage): 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. Host: Any computer on a network that is
a repository for services available to other computers on the network.
It is common to have one host machine provide several services,
such as WWW and USENET. HTML: (HyperText Markup Language) - 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, colour, graphic
images, and links. HTTP: (HyperText Transfer Protocol) -
The protocol for moving hypertext (HTML) files across the Internet.
This requires a HTTP client program on one end and a HTTP server
program on the other end. HTTP is the most important protocol used
on the WWW. Hypertext: Text in a document that contains a link to other text. Hypertext is used in Windows help programs and CD encyclopedias as well as web pages to link and reference related information across documents.
IMHO: (In My Humble Opinion) - A shorthand
term appended to a comment in an online forum or email. IMHO indicates
that the writer is aware that they are expressing a debatable or
dissenting view. Information Superhighway: There is some debate about this term. Some claim it refers to the future, where everyone will have fast, easy access to the Internet and things such as video conferencing will be widely available. Others claim that the Internet as we already know it is the Information Superhighway. Internet: The vast collection of
inter-connected networks that evolved from the ARPANET of the late
60's and early 70's. Internet Explorer: A web browser developed
by Microsoft Corporation to compete with Netscape. internet: (Lower case I) An internet
is created any time 2 or more networks are connected together. Intranet: A network inside a company
or organization that uses the same kinds of software found on the
Internet, but is only for internal use. A company web server available
only to employees would be an Intranet. IP Number: (Internet Protocol Number) -
A unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots. 123.45.678.9
could be an IP number. Every machine that is on the Internet has
a unique IP number. Most machines also have one or more domain
names that are easier for people to remember. 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. ISDN: (Integrated Services Digital Network) - A high-speed way to move data over existing phone lines. In theory, it can provide speeds of roughly 128,000 bits-per-second; in practice, most people will be limited to 56,000 or 64,000 bits-per-second. ISOC: (Internet SOCiety) - Based in Herndon, Virginia, the Internet Society promotes the Internet and coordinates standards. You can visit their site (http://www.isoc.org/) to learn more or become a member. ISP: (Internet Service Provider) - A business
that provides access to the Internet and WWW in some form, usually
for pay.
Java: A network-oriented programming language
invented by Sun Microsystems specifically designed for creating
programs that can be downloaded to your computer from a web page
and immediately run. Using small Java programs ("applets"), Web
pages can include features such as animations, calculators and
other fancy or interactive tricks. JDK: (Java Development Kit) - A software
development package from Sun Microsystems containing the basic
tools needed to write, test, and debug Java applications and applets. JPG: (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
- The name of the committee that designed the photographic image-compression
standard. The format (.jpg) is optimised 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 colour) graphics.
Kilobyte: A thousand (technically,
2^10 or 1024) bytes.
LAN: (Local Area Network) - A computer
network restricted to a limited area, usually the same building
or a floor of a building. Office computers are typically connected
to a LAN. Leased-line: Refers to a telephone
line that is rented for an exclusive 24-hour, 7-days-a-week connection
from your location to the Internet. The highest speed data connections
require a leased line. List server: The most common kind
of mailing list. List servers originated on BITNET, but are now
common on the Internet. 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. 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.
Mailing List: An email-based discussion
group. Sending one email message to the mailing list sends email
to all other members of the group. Mailing lists are usually joined
by subscribing, and can be left by unsubscribing. Masking: To conceal a web site's URL
in some manner, normally by using a domain name. For example, if
a URL shows up as "http://www.example.com/" but the web site is
actually located at "http://www.somewhere-else.com/example/", that
URL is said to be "masked". Megabyte: A million bytes or a thousand
(technically 2^10 or 1024) kilobytes. MIDI: (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
- A high-quality audio file format (.mid). MIME: (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions)
- The Internet standard for attaching non-text files to standard
email messages. Non-text files can include graphics, spreadsheets,
word-processor documents, sound files, etc. An email program is
said to be "MIME Compliant" if it can both send and receive files
using the MIME standard. 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 common use of the term "mirror" refers to writing
information to more than one hard disk simultaneously to prevent
its loss or destruction. Modem: (MOdulator, DEModulator) - An
electronic device that lets computers communicate with one another,
much as telephones work with people. The name is derived from "modulator-demodulator" because
of their function in processing data over analog phone lines. Terminal
Adapters are often (and mistakenly) referred to as modems. Mosaic: The first web browser that was
available for Macintosh, Windows and UNIX machines with the same
interface for each. The popularity of the WWW began with Mosaic. MPEG: (Motion Picture Experts Group) -
A video file format (.mpeg) offering excellent quality in a comparatively
small size. Video files found on the Internet are frequently stored
in the MPEG format. Multimedia: A combination of media types in a single document, such as text, graphics, audio and video. MX Records: MX Records are required to be
able to send email to domain names (email@example.com), rather
than the actual mail server (email@mailserver.example.com). There
are other methods for forwarding messages from a domain to a mail
server, but MX Records are the preferred method.
NCSA: (National Centre for Supercomputing
Applications) - One of the five original centres in the Supercomputer
Centres Program and a unit of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
It was founded in 1986, and is responsible for developing Mosaic,
the web browser responsible for launching the multibillion dollar
dot-com explosion. Netiquette: The desired mode of
manners and conduct for the Internet. Netizen: A term referring to a citizen
of the Internet, or someone who uses networked resources. The term
connotes civic responsibility and participation. Netscape: A web browser created by
Netscape Communications Corporation. The Netscape browser was originally
based on the Mosaic program developed at the National Centre for
Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). It provided major improvements
in speed and interface over other browsers, but also engendered
debate by being the first to create browser-specific elements for
HTML. Network: A network is created any time
2 or more computers are connected together to share resources.
When 2 or more networks are connected, it becomes an internet. Newsgroup: The name for a discussion
group on USENET. NIC(1): (Networked Information Centre)
- (Networked Information Centre) - Any office that handles information
for a network can be referred to as an NIC. The most famous of
these is the InterNIC, the original office of domain registration
. Another definition of NIC is Network Interface Card, which plugs
into a computer and adapts the network interface to the appropriate
standard. NIC(2) (Network Information Centre) -
a unique ID Code issued by Registrars.com to identify contact persons
associated with a domain name. There can be up to 3 NIC handles
per domain, referred to as 'ADMIN / TECH / BILL', each having its
own area of responsibility. NNTP: (Network News Transfer Protocol)
- The protocol used by client and server software to move a USENET
posting over a TCP/IP network. Most common web browsers use an
NNTP connection to participate in newsgroups. Node: Any single computer connected to
a network.
OC-3 and OC-12: High-speed data links capable
of transferring data at 155 and 622 Megabits-per-second respectively.
OC-3’s and OC-12’s are replacing T-3’s as the backbones of the
Internet. Online: When someone is connected to
the Internet, they are considered "online".
Packet: A chunk of data. The TCP/IP
protocol breaks large data files into smaller "packets" for transmission
over the Internet. When the data reaches its destination, the protocol
makes sure that all packets arrived without error. Packet Switching: A method of
moving data around the Internet that allows many people to use
the same lines at the same time. In packet switching, all data
being transferred from a machine is broken into packets, with each
packet having the address of its origin and destination. This enables
packets from different sources to be simultaneously transferred,
sorted and directed on the same line. 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. Ping: A program for determining if another computer is presently connected to the Internet. Pixel: Shorthand for "picture element", a pixel is the smallest unit of resolution on a monitor. It is commonly used as a unit of measurement. PKZIP: A widely available shareware utility
that allows users to compress and decompress data files. Plug-in: A small piece of software that
adds features to a larger software application. Common plug-ins
are those for web browsers (RealAudio, QuickTime, etc.) or graphics
programs (Kai's Power Tools, DigiMarc, etc.) POP: ("Point Of Presence" or "Post Office
Protocol") - A Point of Presence usually refers to a city or location
where a network can be connected to. For example, if an Internet
company says they have a POP in Vancouver, this means they have
a local telephone number in Vancouver and/or a place where leased
lines can connect to their network. A second definition, Post Office
Protocol, refers to the way email software (such as Eudora) retrieves
mail from a mail server. Almost all SLIP, PPP or shell accounts
come with a POP account as well. Port: (3 definitions) - First and most
frequently, a port is where information goes into and/or out of
a computer, such as the serial port on a PC. Secondly, a "port" often
refers to the number appearing after the colon (:) in a domain
name, such as http://www.example.com:7000/. Thirdly, to "port" something
refers to translating a piece of software from one computer platform
to another (for example, from Windows to Macintosh). Posting: A single message entered into
a newsgroup, mailing list, or other communications system. PPP: (Point to Point Protocol) - The protocol
that allows a computer to use a phone line and a modem to make
TCP/IP connections and connect to the Internet. Protocol: Computer rules that provide uniform specifications so that all computer hardware and operating systems can communicate with each other. PSTN: (Public Switched Telephone Network) - The regular telephone system.
QuickTime: A common video file format
created by Apple Computers. Video files found on the Internet are
often stored in this format, and require a browser plug-in to be
viewed (.mov).
Register: To pay a software company
for a product to receive the full working copy. Registration is
most often required for shareware programs, which may be partially
disabled or contain "nags" until registered. 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. Robot: A program that automatically searches
the WWW for files and catalogues the results. Router: A computer or software package
that handles the connection between 2 or more networks. Routers
spend all their time looking at the destination addresses of the
packets passing through them to decide which route to send them
on. RTFM: (Read The F***ing Manual) - A commonly
used abbreviation in online forums and email, in response to foolish
questions or questions already answered in the FAQ. A repository
of FAQ's can be found at http://rtfm.mit.edu/.
Search Engine: A tool for locating information on the Internet by topic. Popular search engines include Yahoo, AltaVista, and HotBot. Security Certificate: Information that is
used by the SSL protocol to establish a secure connection. Security
Certificates contain information about its ownership, issuer, valid
dates, and an encrypted "fingerprint" that can be used to verify
the contents of the certificate. In order for an SSL connection
to be created, both sides must have a valid Security Certificate. Server / Client: A computer or software
package that provides a specific kind of service to client software
on other computers. The term can refer to a particular piece of
software (such as a WWW server) or to the machine that the software
is running on (such as a mail server). A single server machine
may have several different server software packages running on
it. Shareware: Software that is available
on a limited free trial basis. Some shareware applications are
fully featured products, while others may have disabled features
to encourage purchase of the full ("registered") version. Shell Account: A software application that allows use of another machines' Internet connection. Users do not have a direct Internet connection; instead, an Internet connection is made through a host computer's connection. Signature File: An ASCII text file
containing the text for someone's signature. Most email programs
will automatically attach a signature file to all messages sent,
eliminating the need to repeatedly type a closing. Site: A single web page or a collection of related Web pages. SLIP: (Serial Line Internet Protocol)
- A standard for using a telephone line (or serial line) and a
modem to connect a computer to the Internet. SLIP is gradually
being replaced by PPP. SMTP: (Simple Mail Transport Protocol)
- The main protocol used to send email on the Internet. STMP consists
of a set of rules for how the sending and receiving programs should
interact. SNMP: (Simple Network Management Protocol)
- A set of standards for communicating with devices connected to
a TCP/IP network, such as routers, hubs, and switches. Software
for managing devices via SNMP is available for every kind of commonly
used computer and is often bundled along with the device they are
designed to manage. SRS: (Shared Registry Server) - The central
system for all accredited registrars to access and register/control
domain names. 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. SQL: (Structured Query Language) - A specialized programming language for sending queries to databases. Each application will have its own version of SQL-implementing features unique to that application, but all SQL-capable databases will support a common subset of SQL. SSL: (Secure Sockets Layer) - A protocol
designed by Netscape Communications to enable encrypted, authenticated
communication across the Internet. SSL is used mostly, but not
exclusively, in communications between web browsers and web servers.
A URL that begins with "https" instead of "http" indicates an SSL
connection will be used. Subscribe: To become a member of
a mailing list, newsgroup, or other online service. Sysop: (SYStem OPerator) - Someone responsible
for the physical operations of a computer system or network. A
System Administrator (or Sysadmin) decides how often system maintenance
should be performed, and the Sysop performs those tasks.
TAR: (Tape ARchive) - A compression format
commonly used in the transfer and storage of files on UNIX computers
(.tar). T-1: A leased-line connection capable of
transferring data at 1,544,000 bps. At maximum capacity, a T-1
line could move a megabyte in less than 10 seconds. T-3: A leased-line connection capable of
transferring data at 44,736,000 bps. This is fast enough to view
full-screen, full-motion video, which requires a transfer rate
of at least 10,000,000 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 not available for every major computer operating system. To
connect to the Internet, a computer must have TCP/IP software. Telnet: An Internet protocol allowing
a PC to connect to a host computer and use that computer as if
you were locally connected. This often provides the ability to
use all the software and capabilities of the host computer. Terabyte: A thousand (technically
2^10 or 1024) Gigabytes. Terminal Adapter: An electronic device that
interfaces a PC with a host computer via an ISDN phone line. They
are often called "ISDN modems"; however, because they are digital,
Terminal Adapters are not modems at all. Terminal Server: A special-purpose computer
with places to plug in several modems on one side, and a connection
to a LAN or host machine on the other side. The terminal server
does the work of passing connections on to the appropriate node.
Most terminal servers can provide PPP or SLIP services if connected
to the Internet. Thread: An ongoing message-based conversation
on a single subject. TIFF: (Tag Image File Format) - A popular
graphic image file format (.tif). Trolling: The act of deliberately
posting false or inflammatory information in order to start a flame
war or cause aggravation to others.
UNIX: The most common operating system
for servers on the Internet. UNIX systems are designed to be used
by many people at the same time and have TCP/IP built in. 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. URL: (Uniform Resource Locator) - The standard
method of giving the address for any resource on the WWW. A URL
might look like this: http://www.example.com/examples.html. The
most common use of a URL is to enter it in a web browser to access
that page on the Internet. USENET: A distributed bulletin board
system that runs on news servers, UNIX hosts, online services and
bulletin board systems. Collectively, USENET is made up of all
the users who post to and read newsgroup articles. The USENET is
the largest decentralized information utility available today. UUENCODE: (Unix to Unix Encoding)
- A method for converting files from Binary format to ASCII text
so that they can be sent across the Internet via email.
Veronica: (Very Easy Rodent Oriented
Net-wide Index to Computerized Archives) - Developed at the University
of Nevada, Veronica is a constantly updated database of the names
of almost every menu item on thousands of gopher servers.
WAIS: (Wide Area Information Servers) - A commercial software package that allows the indexing of huge quantities of information, then makes those indices searchable across networks and the Internet. A prominent feature of WAIS is the ranking (scoring) of the search results, according to how relevant the hits are. See Also: Search Engine WAN: (Wide Area Network) - Any internet
or network that covers an area larger than a single building or
campus. WAV: (Waveform Audio) - A common audio file format for DOS and Windows computers (.wav). WINSOCK: A Microsoft Windows DLL file
that provides the interface to TCP/IP services and allows Windows
to use web browsers, FTP programs, and other Internet-related programs. WWW: (World Wide Web) - The technical definition
of the WWW is the global network of hypertext (HTTP) servers that
allow text, graphics, audio and video files to be mixed together.
The second, more loosely used definition is the entire range of
resources that can be accessed using Gopher, FTP, HTTP, telnet,
USENET, WAIS, and other such tools.
ZIP:A compressed file format (.zip). Many
files available on the Internet are compressed or "zipped" in order
to reduce storage space and transfer times. |
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