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Active X Programming language from Microsoft®. Used with Internet Explorer® to make interactive Web pages that look and feel like computer programs.
ADC Analogue to Digital Converter. Electronic device to convert an analogue signal to a digital one.
ADSL Asymetric Digital Subscriber Line. Fast digital telephone system not yet widely used in the UK.
AOL America OnLine®. Popular ISP.
Analogue A continuously variable quantity. Digital quantities vary in distinct steps.
Anchor In HTML an anchor marks text or an image as the start and/or destination of hypertext links.
Applet A small Java program that can be embedded in an HTML page
Attachment File sent as part of an email message. May be a graphic, document, music, or program file.
Backbone Large transmission line carrying data collected from smaller lines that connect to it.
Bandwidth The amount of data that can be sent through a particular communications circuit in a given amount of time.
Baud rate A measure of transmission speed. Not quite the same as bits per second but has come to mean the same thing.
Binary system A system of numbers with 2 as its base, using the digits 0 and 1 (on or off).
BIOS Basic Input/Output System. Firmware that is loaded automatically when the computer is started and handles all input and output.
Bits per second A measure of speed in data transmission. The number of bits sent every second. (See: baud rate).
Bookmark Term used by Navigator®. URL saved so that the user can return to a particular Web site or document. (See: Favorites).
Bounce To return an email due to an error.
Browser Any program that allows a user to navigate the Web and view HTML documents.
Bug An error in a computer program.
CCITT Comité Consultatif International Téléphonique et Télégraphique. International organisation that sets international communications standards.
Client A program that makes a service request to another program, a server.
Cookie A small text file that a Web server gives a browser on the first visit to a site, containing information about the user, and which is updated each visit.
CPU Central Processing Unit. The 'brain' of a computer. It executes its' own instructions and controls other parts of the system. Sometimes called the 'Central Processor'.
DAC Digital to Analogue Converter. Electronic device to convert a digital signal to an analogue one.
Decrypt To decode a message. (See: Encrypt)
Dedicated line Used on the Internet for connecting organisations to ISPs.
Dedicated service (See: Permanent connection).
Dial-in service Networking service used for dialling into a computer via a telephone.
Digital System using two states, either on/off or high/low electrical pulses. (See: Binary system).
DNS Domain Name System. Used by one Internet host to find another, in order to send email, or connect ftp sessions.
Dot Address Informal term for an IP address, in the form of numbers, e.g. 192,17,3,5.
Download To transfer data from one computer to another. (See: Upload).
Email Electronic mail. Used to send and receive messages on the Internet.
Emoticons Symbols composed of keyboard characters. Devised by email users to express emotions that cannot easily be conveyed in a text-only system. These examples should be viewed sideways:
:-) Smiling :-O Shouting :-( Glum 8-) Wearing glasses & smiling :-)8 Wearing a bow tie & smiling.
Encrypt To write a message in code; encode. (See: Decrypt).
Ethernet A protocol to connect computers in order to exchange data.
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions. A document with commonly asked questions, and answers.
Favorites Term used by Internet Explorer®. URL saved so that the user can return to a particular Web site or document. (See: Bookmark).
FTP File Transfer Protocol. A method of sending files across the Internet.
File transfer Copying data from one computer to another.
Firmware Programs that are stored in ROM.
Flame Abusive message on the Internet.
Form Interactive Web document into which readers can enter information.
Frames Web pages divided into two or more independent sub-frames within the browser window, each one displaying a different HTML document. Not all browsers can handle frames.
Gateway A system enabling two incompatible networks to communicate with each other.
Geek Computing slang for a person who knows a great deal about computers, but very little about communicating with other people.
GEnie An online service owned by General Electric®.
GIF Graphics Interchange Format. A format for saving Web images.
GUI Graphical User Interface. Pronounced 'goo-ey', a program providing users with onscreen tools such as menus, buttons, dialog boxes etc., selected by using a mouse, making the use of complicated commands in applications unnecessary.
Guiltware Shareware that tries to make users register and pay by making them feel guilty.
History list A list saved by your browser of Web documents and sites visited.
Home page The Web document your browser shows when first started.
Host address (See: IP address.
Host number (See: IP address.
Host A computer connected directly to the Internet.
Hostname Name of a computer on the Internet. Easier to remember than numbers. (See: IP address).
Hotlist A list of URL's saved for future use. (See: Bookmark and Favorites).
HTML HyperText Markup Language. The universal language of the Web.
HTTP HyperText Transport Protocol. The protocol used to transfer HTML documents on the Internet.
Hyperlink (See: Link).
Hypertext (See: Link). The Web is a hypertext system.
Imagemap Graphic in an HTML document with areas which, when clicked, activate links to other documents.
IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol. Used for Internet mail, although most ISP's use POP.
Internet Global computer network connecting countries, companies, universities, plus many other networks and users.
Internet Address (See: IP address).
Internet Explorer Web browser from Microsoft®.
Intranet Private network. Businesses may connect offices in different towns using their own networks.
IP Internet Protocol. The standard protocol used by systems communicating through the Internet.
IP address 32-bit address defining the location of an Internet host. Shown as four bytes separated by full stops, e.g. 192.17.3.5. (See: Dot address).
ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network. Digital alternative to analogue telephone lines allowing much faster connections.
ISP Internet Service Provider. Any company providing connections to the Internet.
IT Abbreviation for Information Technology.
JANET Joint Academic Network. Special network linking academic and research institutes in the UK.
Java A programming language enabling developers to include multimedia effects into Web pages.
JavaScript A subset of Java, a scripting language easier to use than Java.
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group. Another format for saving Web images. (See: GIF).
Kbps Kilobits Per Second. Represents modem speed. Higher is better.
Kilobyte Kb. A unit of memory equal to 1,024 bytes. Often used incorrectly to mean 1000 bytes.
Kilostream link Leased line that can transfer data at 64 kilobits per second.
KIS (See: Knowbot Information Service).
Knowbot A program that can search the Internet for information.
Knowbot Information Service Experimental system that aids searches through various directories for a person's information, e.g. an email address. (See: KIS).
LAN (See: Local Area Network).
Leased line (See Dedicated line).
Link An item of text or an image in a Web document that when clicked on, causes the browser to display a different Web document.
Local Area Network A computer network covering a small area, e.g. a single office or building.
Log file A file that keeps a record of a computers' use.
Lycos Popular search engine used on the Internet.
Lynx A text-only Web browser.
Mail reflector Mail program that redirects email to another address.
Mail responder System that automatically responds to an email and sends back an appropriate message.
Mail server A program that handles incoming email for a host.
Mailing list A list of email addresses to which a single message can be sent by entering a group name as the To address.
Markup Characters or symbols added to an item of text to show how it should look when printed or displayed.
Megabyte MB. Usually taken to mean 1 million bytes, but is actually 1,024,000. (See: Kilobyte).
MHz The speed at which a CPU runs, e.g. 450MHz.
MIME Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. The system that allows you to send an attachment with an email).
Mirror site A copy of another site. If one is busy, you may be able to use the other one.
Modem Acronym for Modulator/Demodulator. Digital data is converted to analogue using a DAC in order to transmit it over normal telephone lines. At the receiving end, the data is converted back to its digital form using an ADC.
Mosaic The first GUI Web browser.
Nagware Shareware that constantly reminds you that you haven't paid for it.
Navigate To move around the Web or a Web document using a browser.
Navigator Web browser from Netscape®.
Network Two or more computers interconnected and able to share data and peripherals. (See: LAN).
Newbie Derogatory term for a person new to the Internet.
Node Any device connected to a network.
NSFnet A network funded by the US National Science Foundation. An important part of the Internet backbone.
OCR Optical Character Recognition. A system of scanning text documents directly into a word processing program.
OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer.
Offline Not connected. The opposite of online.
Off-line browser A program that can download and save Web pages on a computer to be viewed without being connected to the Internet.
Online Connected so that data can be transferred. The opposite of offline.
OS Operating System. A program to control the basic operation of a computer.
Packet switching A system of breaking data into small packets. Each one is individually addressed and may travel over a different route to the others. At the receiving end the packets are re-combined to form the original data.
Packet A collection of data. (See: Packet switching).
Permanent connection A connection to the Internet using a leased line.
Pixel Derived from 'picture element'. A single dot on the screen which can either be off (dark) or on (bright) - these days usually in colour. (See: Resolution).
Plug-and-Play PnP. Where an item of hardware or software is installed and automatically configures itself and the system.
Plug-in Extension to a browser to extend its functionality.
POP (See: POP3.
POP3 Post Office Protocol 3. Similar to SMTP but simpler for people accessing the Internet via a dial-up account.
PoPs Points of Presence. The modems you dial into to connect to the Internet.
Port Normally refers to the hardware through which data is transmitted. The plugs at the back of a computer are ports. These are usually, serial, parallel and game ports. (See: USB).
Protocol A set of rules that define how computers send data to each other.
Quake Popular 3D computer game released in 1966.
Queue Backup of packets waiting to be processed, or unread email.
QuickTime Multimedia utility developed by Apple®.
Quoting When replying to emails users often quote the original message in their reply.
QWERTY Standard type of keyboard in the UK and the US. So named because the top row of letter keys start with Q, W, E, R, T, Y. Some countries have other arrangements, e.g. AZERTY or QWERTZ.
Radio button The round buttons in a dialog box giving mutually exclusive options.
RAM Random Access Memory. A memory chip that can be read from and written to. RAM is volatile memory. (See: ROM).
Raster graphics A style of graphics in which each pixel is mapped. One drawback is that when an image is enlarged it suffers from jaggies and loses resolution.
Refresh A command in Internet Explorer® that tells the browser to re-draw the image or document. (See: Reload).
Reload A command in Navigator® similar to refresh.
Render To draw an image on a computer screen.
Resolution The screen resolution is determined by the number of pixels available. Resolutions vary from 320 x 200 to 800 x 400 pixels. Screens with 1024 x 768 pixels for high quality graphic displays are becoming more commonplace.
Resolver (See: Name server).
ROM Read Only Memory. A memory chip that can be read, but not written to. ROM is non-volatile. The BIOS is stored in ROM.
Search engine A Web site containing powerful search facilities allowing the user to find HTML documents on specific subjects.
Server A computer used to store data that can be accessed by other computers on a network.
Service provider A company that provides a connection to the Internet.
Shareware Programs distributed freely on the Internet and by other means. They are free to try for a short period. After that time they should either be registered and paid for, or removed from the computer.
SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Older and more flexible protocol for email than POP3.
Source document An HTML document. Basic ASCII file that is rendered by a browser.
Spamming On the Internet, sending unsolicited advertising to large numbers of people whether relevant or not, just like 'junk' mail. Spamming can result in the offender being flamed.
Spider A program that searches the Internet for new Web pages and FTP files.
Tag The codes within a simple text file that make it an HTML document. Browsers use the tags to know how they should render the document.
TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Controls the way data is transferred on the Internet.
TCP/IP stack Software that must be installed in order to run TCP/IP programs over a dial-in direct connection.
Telco Computing slang for Telecommunications company.
Telecommuting Working from home by using a fax, telephone and modem.
Telnet An Internet utility that allows users to work on remote computers as if they are directly connected.
Trojan Software that appears to be something useful but actually can damage the computer. Named after the Trojan horse in Greek mythology.
USB Universal Serial Bus. A connector intended to replace out-of-date ports used in PCs. USB allows up to 127 peripherals such as printers, scanners, etc. to be used from a single socket by daisy-chaining, and to be 'hot-swapped' without switching off the computer.
UNIX A computer operating system. Many host computers connected to the Internet use UNIX.
Upload To transfer data from one computer to another. (See: Download).
URL Universal Resource Locator. The letters and/or numbers specifying an address on the Web.
Vector graphics Unlike raster graphics, vector graphics can be enlarged without jaggies or loss of resolution.
Video Capture Board An expansion card for a PC that digitizes incoming analogue video.
Video CD Medium used to store films for playback on a computer equipped with a suitable CD-Rom player.
Video file A file that contains compressed video information.
Virus Software that can replicate and transfer itself from one computer to another. Some are harmless while others can damage or destroy data.
Volatile memory All memory which loses stored data as soon as the power is switched off.
WAN Wide Area Network. Similar to an intranet.
W3 Consortium W3C. Directed by Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the Web, the W3 Consortium manages the Web and is behind many initiatives including the HTML standard for creating Web pages.
Web (the) (See: World Wide Web).
Web browser Client software that allows access to the Web.
Web page A hypertext document on the Web.
Web server A computer system that makes Web documents available to Web browsers.
Web site A collection of Web pages on a particular subject on a host.
World Wide Web WWW. Hypertext system enabling users to travel between linked documents following a particular route.
X.25 Communications protocol for sending packets of data over a network.
X.500 Directory standards for network addresses, issued by the CCITT.
Xerox Xerox Corporation®. Between the 1970's and 80's they were behind many computer innovations including the GUI.
X Windows Developed in 1984 it has been adopted as a standard for UNIX, but versions exist for many different operating systems.
Yahoo! Popular search engine for the Web, based on a catalogue of indexed recourses.
Y2K Year 2000 when horrible things were supposed to happen to our computers.
That's all the Y's, unless you know different. In which case we'd like to hear from you.
Zero wait state Refers to CPU's that run without wait states, i.e. without waiting for slower chips.
ZIF socket Zero Insertion Force. Socket designed to allow CPU's to be inserted or removed easily.
ZIP drive Portable storage device that can hold up to 100 megabytes on a 3½" disk.
Zip file A file that has been compressed using a special software utility.
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