An Internet-based system that enables an individual or a company to publish itself to the entire world, except to countries or locations that prohibit the free interchange of information.
HTML
which stands for Hyper Text Markup Language, is the predominant markup language for web pages.
Hypertext
text displayed on a computer or other electronic device with references (hyperlinks) to other text that the reader can immediately access, usually by a mouse click or keypress sequence.
Multimedia
Information in more than one form. It includes the use of text, audio, graphics, animation and full-motion video.
Domain Name System (DNS)
A system for converting host names and domain names into IP addresses on the Internet or on local networks that use the TCP/IP protocol.
Internet Access Provider
An organization that provides access to the Internet.
Dumb Terminal
A display terminal that provides keyboard input and screen output and no data processing capability.
Wireless Network
A system that transmits and receives radio signals over the air.
Modem
Until the late 1990s, the term referred to a device that allows a computer or terminal to transmit data over a standard dial-up telephone line.
FTP
A protocol used to transfer files over a TCP/IP network (Internet, Unix, etc.)
NFS
The file sharing protocol in a Unix network.
Gopher
A protocol for searching file names and resources on the Internet that presents hierarchical menus to the user.
Browser
A program that lets you look through a collection of data.
E-mail
The transmission of text messages from sender to recipient.
Applet
A small application, such as a utility program or limited-function spreadsheet or word processor.
ASCII
Pronounced "ask-ee," it is the built-in binary code for representing characters in all computers except IBM mainframes, which use the EBCDIC coding system.
Binary
Meaning two. The principle behind digital computers.
Bit
The smallest element of computer storage.
Byte
The common unit of computer storage from desktop computer to mainframe.
Client
A user's computer, which is generally a Windows, Mac or Linux desktop or laptop.
Cookie
A small amount of data sent back to the requesting party by the recipient.
Cyberspace
Coined by William Gibson in his 1984 novel "Neuromancer," it is a futuristic computer network that people use by plugging their minds into it! The term now refers to the Internet or to the online or digital world in general.
DNS
A system for converting host names and domain names into IP addresses on the Internet or on local networks that use the TCP/IP protocol.
Domain Name
The term may refer to any type of domain within the computer field, since there are several types of domains.
Download
To transmit a file over a network.
DSL Fire Wall
The primary method for keeping a computer secure from intruders.
Flame
To communicate emotionally via e-mail.
GIF
A popular bitmapped graphics file format developed by CompuServe.
Gigabyte
One billion bytes.
Hit
A successful match.
Homepage
The first page retrieved when accessing a Web site or the first screen displayed when a PDA or smartphone is started.
Intranet
An inhouse Web site on the company's local area network (LAN) that serves employees only, and almost every medium to large company has an intranet.
Internet
The global network of networks composed of hundreds of millions of computers in more than 100 countries.
Java
An object-oriented programming language that is platform independent.
LAN
A communications network that serves users within a confined geographical area.
Listserv
Mailing list management software from L-Soft international, Inc., Landover, MD (www.lsoft.com) that runs on Windows, Mac, OpenVMS, VM (mainframe) and various Unix machines.
Login
Signing in and gaining access to a network server, Web server or other computer system.
Megabyte
One million bytes, or more precisely 1,048,576 bytes.
Network
A system that transmits any combination of voice, video and/or data between users.
Password
A secret word or code used to serve as a security measure against unauthorized access to data.
Plugin
Software that is installed as an add-on to an application in order to enhance its capability.
Protocol
The format and procedure that governs the transmitting and receiving of data.
Search Engine
Software that searches for data based on some criteria.
Spam
E-mail that is not requested.
Trojan Horse
A program that appears legitimate, but performs some illicit activity when it is run.
Upload
To send data from a user's machine to a server.
Virus
Software used to infect a computer.
Website
A presence on the World Wide Web.
Worm
A destructive program that replicates itself throughout a single computer or across a network, both wired and wireless.
