Internet Glossary
addressing: A method of
identifying a resource (such as a program) or piece of information (such
as a file) on a network. Methods of addressing vary considerably from network
to network. The standardized address used for accessing resources on the
World wide web is referred to as a URL.
alias: In System 7, or above, on the
Macintosh, a file that "points to" another file, folder, or disk,
and may generally be used in place of the original item. In network usage,
alias usually refers to a simple name, location, or command that you can
use in place of a more complex name, location, or command. Aliases are commonly
used for email addresses, directories, or commands.
America Online: Currently,
the most widely used commercial online service.
It pioneered the graphical interface.
anonymous FTP Also known as "anon FTP"; a service provided
to make files available to the general Internet community. Using
FTP (the File Transfer Protocol),
Internet users can view or download other people's files "anonymously,"
that is, without any special clearance or password. (Such files are made
specially available on FTP servers.
AOL: Shorthand for America
Online. Each letter is pronounced separately.
Apple: The company that makes the Macintosh
computer, the MacOS, and related products.
AppleTalk: A local area network protocol Apple developed
to connect computers and peripherals over various different types of wiring.
Archie: An Internet service
that maintains, and allows users to search, a large database of materials
stored on anonymous FTP sites.
archive site: A site that archives files for users to retrieve,
via either FTP or email.
ARPA: Advanced Research Projects
Agency. The governmental organization responsible for creating the
beginnings of the Internet.
ARPAnet: The proto-Internet network created by ARPA.
ASCII: American Standard
Code for Information Interchange. In the context of a file, an ASCII
file is one that contains only "text" characters: numbers, letters,
and standard punctuation. In FTP
, it's a command that tells FTP that you will be transferring text files
(which is the default).
attachments: Files that are linked to a specific email
message, just as you might paperclip a clipping to a snail
mail letter.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
bandwidth: term used to express
the amount of information that can flow through a given point on an electronic
network at any given time. Some points have narrow bandwidth (indicating
not much information can flow through at one time), and others have high
bandwidth (indicating a great deal of information can flow through at one
time). As the World wide web adopts more multimedia
resources, it requires growing amounts of bandwidth. This term is sometimes
used in reference to "wasted bandwidth," implying that some (or
most) of the information flowing by a point is of no use. This can include
excessive commentary or overly lengthy "signature"
files in newsgroup postings or
discussion groups ("mailing lists").
Of course, what one person views as wasteful might be essential to someone
else.
baud: A measure of modem speed
equal to one signal per second; 300 baud equals 300 bits per second (bps).
But at higher speeds one signal can contain more than one bit,
so a 9600 baud modem is not a 9600 bps modem. (The terms are often incorrectly
used interchangeably). See also bps.
BBS Bulletin Board System.: A computer system
that provides its users with files for downloading and areas for electronic
discussions. Bulletin board systems usually are run by and for local users,
although many now provide Internet email.
Binary: In the context of a file, any file that contains
non-textual data. (Images and applications are examples of binary files.)
In FTP, a command that tells
FTP to transfer information as an arbitrary stream of bits rather than as
a series of textual characters.
BinHex: The standard Macintosh
format for converting a binary file into an ASCII file that can pass through
email programs. (For those of you wondering how to pronounce it, "Bin"
rhymes with "tin," and "hex" rhymes with "sex,"
and the accent is on the first syllable.) See also uucode.
bit: binary digit. Either a "one"
or a "two," the minimal unit into which all information is translated
by computers.
BITNET: An large-scale computer
network, primarily connecting academic institutions. BITNET is often expanded
as the "Because It's Time" Network.
body: The part of an email message where you type your
message, as opposed to the header
or the signature.
bounce: The return of a piece of mail because of an error
in its delivery. If, for example, you try to send e-mail to someone but
use an incorrect address, it is "bounced" back to you (so you
know very quickly that it didn't get through).
bps Bits per second.:
The measurement of modem transmission speed. Not comparable to baud after 300 bps.
browser: A client (end user) software
program (such as Netscape Navigator, Mosaic, or Microsoft Explorer) that
enables one to search, often somewhat randomly, through the information
provided by specific types of servers.
See, also, Web browser. Generally used
in relation to the World Wide Web.
btw: Abbreviation for the expression, "By the
way." One of many abbreviations used to save typing in the informal
communication that typifies the way many people use email.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
CERN: The birthplace of the World
Wide Web. CERN is a high energy physics research facility,
located in Geneva, Switzerland. CERN was originally an acronym for the facility's
French name. Today, it no longer stands for anything.
charter: The document that lays out what
topics a newsgroup will cover,
what its name will be, and other relevant details.
CIM: See CompuServe
Information Manager.
CIS: Stands for CompuServe
Information Service, or simply CompuServe. See CompuServe. (NOTE: As you have likely gathered,
CIS also stands for Center for Instructional Support, the far smaller entity
that sponsors this web site.)
ClariNet: An alternate hierarchy of newsgroups that uses
the same transmission routes as Usenet,
but carries commercial information from UPI and others. Users must pay to
access ClariNet news.
client: The user of a network service.
Also, the program or computer that enables users to gain access to and request
information from a "host"
computer or program. See also server.
clone: A DOS or Windows-based
computer made by others that imitates computers made by IBM, or a
MacOS-based computer that imitates computers made by Apple. Referred to as clones because they don't
distinguish themselves enough for us to bother referring to them any other
way. Their operation is determined primarily by the operating system they
use, not the company that made them.
command line: The place in
an operating system, such as DOS or Unix, where you type commands, rather
than click or make selections, to get tasks accomplished. Although command-line
operating systems can be powerful, they can be a pain to work with, especially
for Macintosh and Windows users who are accustomed to a graphical
interface.
compress: To make a file smaller by removing redundant
information. Useful for reducing the time it takes to transfer a file on
the internet or conserving space on the hard drive of a computer.
CompuServe: One of the oldest
and largest commercial online services.
Sometimes abbreviated as CIS.
CompuServe Information
Manager: A graphical program for the Mac and Windows that puts
a nice face on CompuServe, making it easier for most people to use than
the command line approach
with which the service began. Generally abbreviated CIM.
connect time: The amount of time you are actually connected
to and using a remote computer. Because connect or telephone charges are
based on this amount of time, you want to keep it as low as possible (unless
you have full-time access, as some institutions and services now provide).
cross-posted: What happens to a Usenet posting when you
put several newsgroup names in the Newsgroups line. More efficient than
posting multiple individual copies.
cyberspace A term coined by William Gibson in his fantasy novel "Neuromancer"
to describe the "world" of computers and the society that gathers
around them. Often used now to suggest the collection of information and
ideas encompassed by - and stored on - the Internet.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
default: the option that a software program (such as
a WWW browser) presents as the recommended
choice, or the choice it makes automatically, when you come to a decision
point. For example, a browser's default choice when launched may be to take
you directly to its own home page on the World Wide Web.
In most software, you are given the possibility of changing the default
choices at most key choice points.
dial up: To call another computer via modem. The term is often
lumped together as one word, except when used as a verb.
dialup: A connection or line reached by modem, as in "a
dialup line."
digest: A single message that contains multiple individual
postings to a mailing list or newsgroup.
domain, domain name:
The part of an email or WWW address that defines the location (and, often,
the organizational characteristics) of the sponsor or site of the server on which the service resides. For example,
the email address: MaryDoe@aol.com tells you that Mary gets her mail at
the "domain" America Online, which is a commercial organization.
The email address: John.Doe@uchsc.edu tells you that John's mail comes to
him thru the domain University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, which
is an educational organization. In the U.S. the suffix appended to domain
names typically tell you the type of organization. (In addition to the 2
just mentioned, 3 other common ones are: .org=non-profit organization, .gov=government
agency and .mil=military.) Domains in other countries typically end with
a suffix that designates that country's name (e.g., .ca=Canada; .au=Australia),
not the type of organization housing the domain.
domain name server: A computer that keeps track of names
of other machines and their numeric IP
addresses. When you refer to a machine by name, your domain name server
translates that information appropriately into the numeric IP address necessary
to make the connection.
domain name system: The system that makes it possible for
you to think in terms of names, such as indra.com, (the internet
service where this site resides), whereas computers use numbers, such as
204.144.142.2, in this case.
DOS: An elderly operating system that was used on most
IBM computers and its clones but is now typically concealed from users by
Microsoft Windows.
download: The transfer of a
file from a "host"
computer to a "client."
When you connect to another computer from your computer, files or messages
may be available for you to transfer "down" to your computer.
If, on the other hand, you send a file from your computer to a host computer,
you are doing an "upload."
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
email (e-mail) or
electronic mail: Messages that travel through electronic
networks (typically, the internet) rather than being committed to paper
and making the arduous journey through the U.S. or other Postal Service.
e-mail address The way each user of the Internet is uniquely identified
for receiving messages. Each person's address begins with a screen name,
followed by the domain - the service they use for accessing the Internet.
For example, in the address JohnD@fictionnet.com., "JohnD" is
the screen name and "fictionnet.com" is the domain. Mail sent
on the Internet usual arrives as its destination within seconds or a few
minutes.
If you happen to be a member of America Online (AOL), your screen name is
all that other members of AOL need to use when addressing mail to you. However,
you also have an Internet address for receiving e-mail from anywhere on
the Internet. It is "your screen name"@aol.com. Similarly, if
you subscribe to CompuServe, your Internet address is: "your screen
name"@compuserve.com.
NOTE: e-mail addressing on the Internet is case-insensitive: that is, it
doesn't matter if you use UPPER CASE or lower case or a mixture when writing
addresses.
emoticons: An occasionally used name for smilies.
Ethernet: A type of local area network that is much faster
than Apple's LocalTalk. Most current desktop computers can use Ethernet
by adding an Ethernet expansion card; some Macs and Windows machines now
come with Ethernet built-in.
expire: After a certain amount of time, Usenet postings can be set to expire, which
means that they will be deleted even if they haven't been read, so that
they don't waste space.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
FAQ Frequently Asked Question: Lists of commonly
asked questions and their answers, often posted in newsgroups to reduce
the number of novice questions. Read a FAQ list before asking a question,
to make sure yours isn't one that has already been answered on the FAQ list.
Fax Slang for facsimile: A technology that takes
paper from the sender and produces more paper that looks just like it at
the recipient's end. You can use fax modems with your computer to eliminate
the paper step at one end or both, but they may be less reliable than stand-alone
fax machines. Email is cleaner, usually cheaper, more environmentally friendly,
and the results are more useful, since you have editable text. However,
you can't easily send real signatures or existing paper documents via email.
Fidonet: A network of cooperating
bulletin board systems that has some links to the Internet.
filename extension: A three-letter (usually) code at the
end of a filename that indicates what type of file it is. Essential in non-Macintosh
environments that lack icons or other methods of identifying file type.
Common extensions include .txt for text
files, .exe for application files (in DOS/Windows), and
.sit for StuffIt files.
fileserver or file server:
A machine that provides files via a network. Some people use it as a synonym
for mailserver, a machine that
returns files that are requested via email.
file site: Another name for an archive site or FTP site. A computer on which files are
stored for anyone on the Internet to retrieve.
File Transfer Protocol. See FTP.
firewall: A security system that prevents intruders from
outside entering an organization's internal network, and may also prevent
that organization's users from getting out to the Internet. A firewall usually
has a single machine that's connected to the Internet, and all of that organization's
Internet traffic must pass through that one machine.
flame, flaming: The act of sending an email messages to someone, or a posting
a message on a newsgroup, that
is insulting or strongly argumentative, typically in response to something
the other person wrote, with which you disagree. It is a non-constructive
form of communication and should be avoided.
followup: An article posted on a newsgroup
in reply to another article, or an email message sent in reply to one or
more prior messages on that subject. The contents of the subject
line should remain the same so that readers can follow the "thread" (i.e., tell that the two
articles or messages are related).
forms: In the World Wide Web,
online electronic forms that you can fill in if you have a forms-capable
Web browser, such as Netscape Navigator, or Microsoft Explorer.
forum A system within the Internet,
or on a commercial on-line service, where
messages or information can be shared among many people. It is analogous
to a community bulletin board. On the Internet it takes two main forms:
mailing lists and newsgroups.
Freenet: An organization whose goal is to provide free
Internet access in a specific area, often by working with local schools
and libraries. Freenet also refers to the specific Freenet software and
the information services that use it.
freeware: Software that you can
use for free and distribute freely, but not modify, because the author typically
retains the copyright. See also, shareware.
FTP: File Transfer Protocol..
One of the main ways in which you retrieve files from other machines on
the Internet. Used as a noun and a verb (i.e., you can FTP a file via FTP).
It is the internet's way of transferring files.
FTPmail: A method of retrieving files stored on FTP sites
via email.
FYI: Abbreviation for the expression, "For your
information."
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
gateway: A special-purpose dedicated computer that links
two or more networks, enabling the routing of packets
(files, messages) from one network to another. Gateways route packets to
other gateways, as needed, until they are delivered to their final destination.
GIF Graphics Interchange Format.: A platform-independent
file format developed by CompuServe, the GIF format is commonly used to
compress and distribute graphics on the Internet. It is also commonly used
as a format for presenting graphics on the WWW.
.gif: The filename extension generally given to GIF files.
Gopher: An information retrieval
system created at the University of Minnesota. In wide acceptance on the
Internet, Gopher is one of the most useful resources available. Web browsers
can be used to access and retrieve files stored at Gopher sites. (Some links
to Gopher sites are provided here. Click on "Links to Other Web Sites
of Interest" in the Main Menu on our Home Page.)
Gopherspace: The collection of all available Gopher servers.
graphical interface: a way of presenting
information and resources on a computer monitor that enables the use of
a variety of type font styles, icons, images and layouts. This is the look
and approach that was popularized by the Macintosh and has now been adopted
by the Windows operating system. The alternative to a graphical interface
is a "text based" interface, in which everything you see is text.
.gz: An extension used by GNU's version of ZIP called gzip.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
header The portion of a packet
(message, file), preceding the actual data, containing source and destination
addresses and error-checking fields. It is the first part of e-mail you
receive over the Internet.
home page: In the World Wide Web, this is the "front
door" web page of a web site. It is possible to connect to a location
on a web site without going through the home page if you know the specific
URL of the location you want to access
on that site. Generally, however, people go to a site's home page first.
Your Web browser also has a home
page. Most web browsers come configured to go to their own home page when
launched, but you can change this behavior in the program's "preferences."
You can make your default a blank page, so that you don't access any site
until you decide to select one, after launching your browser.
host A computer that has resources and/or
services that can be accessed by others (clients).
.hqx: The filename extension used for
BinHex files.
HTML HyperText Markup Language.:
The language used to write documents for the World Wide
Web so that they have styles and links that can be recognized by
World Wide Web browsers. You don't
need to know what HTML is to use the web, and there are software programs
available that enable you to create HTML documents without your knowing
the language: you set up your pages with simple controls and the software
inserts the HTML code automatically.
HTTP HyperText Transport
Protocol.: The protocol used by the World Wide Web, enabling a wide
variety of computers and operating systems to view the same documents and
access the same resources.
Hypermedia Hypertext that contain
links not only to other pieces of text, but also to other forms of media
- sounds, images, and movies.
hypertext: A term created by
visionary Ted Nelson to describe non-linear writing in which you follow
associative paths through a world of textual documents. The most common
use of hypertext these days is in the Links presented
on Web pages (such as you are using to navigate this Web site).
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
IAB, Internet Architecture
Board: A group of invited volunteers that manages certain aspects
of the Internet, such as standards and address allocation.
IBM International Business Machines.: IBM has
been and remains one of the most powerful companies in the computer industry.
Developer of numerous mainframes and operating systems, some of which are
still in use today.
IMAP Interactive Mail Access Protocol.:
A new protocol for the storage and retrieval of email (much like POP, the Post Office Protocol). It's not yet in
wide use.
IMHO: Abbreviation, used in email and news groups, for
the expression, "In my humble opinion."
information agent: A software program (typically an interface
to frequently updated databases) that can search numerous databases for
information that interests you without your having to know what it is searching.
Archie and Veronica are current examples of information
agents.
Internet: An interconnection
of individual, campus, corporate, state, regional, and national networks
into one single logical global network, in which all the networks share
a common addressing scheme.
This common addressing scheme enables files from many different kinds of
computers and software programs to move successfully throughout this global
network. While a precise number is impossible to ascertain, most estimates
are that currently there are more than 30 million Internet users. Sometimes
called the Net. More specifically, the Internet is the set of networks that
communicate via TCP/IP protocol. It is the transfer medium for the World Wide Web, through which you accessed this site.
Internet Engineering
Task Force: A volunteer organization that meets regularly to discuss
problems facing the Internet.
Internet Service Provider (ISP):
An organization/company that provides Internet access for individuals or
other organizations, often for a fee.
Intranet. One or more web sites designed for use within an organization,
providing resources with restricted access. Typically, most or all of those
resources are not available to the general internet community.
IP: Internet Protocol.: The main
protocol used on the Internet.
IP number: A four-part number that uniquely identifies
a specific machine (domain)
on the Internet where information resides. People generally use the English
language name instead of the IP number.
IRC Internet Relay Chat.: A
world-wide network enabling people to "talk" to each other in
real time (by typing their comments for viewing by everyone else who is
participating at that time) over the Internet, rather than in person.
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
A fast digital technology designed to replace slower, less efficient
analog phone lines and modems.
ISOC The Internet Society.: A membership organization
that supports the Internet and is the governing body to which the IAB reports.
ISP - see, Internet
Service Provider.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts
Group.: A group that has defined a compression scheme that reduces
the size of image files by up to 20 times at the cost of slightly reduced
image quality. Quite widely used for images that are presented on the WWW. Files compressed with the JPEG format generally
have the file name extension .jpeg. (The acronym is pronounced:
J-peg.) See also MPEG.
Jughead: A searching agent for Gopher,
much like Veronica, but more
focused.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
Kbps (kilobits per second) A measurement
representing approximately 1,000 (actually, 1,024) bits of information per
second. In phone applications, such as ISDN,
Kbps represents 1,000 bits per second.
kernel The level of an operating system or networking system that
contains the system-level commands or all of the functions hidden from the
user. This program is always running while the system is operating.
Kermit: A file transfer protocol, actually named after
the popular Kermit the Frog. Kermit is generally slower than XMODEM, YMODEM,
and the top-of-the-line protocol: ZMODEM.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
LAN (local area network):
Two or more computers connected together via network cables. If you have
a computer in your office that shares information or a printer with another
computer, you have a local area network.
line noise: Static on a telephone line that causes trouble
for modem connections.
Link or hyperlink - text or a graphic in
an HTML document that you can click on and get
taken to another place within that document or to another HTML document
(which can be anywhere else in the world that is connected to the internet). Links usually display as underlined
blue text or as graphics with a blue border.
List see, mailing list
listserv: A program for automating the
management of "email mailing
list." Although "Listserv" is the name of a
specific software program, this term is often used generically, referring
to any of the many List management software programs that are in use. There
are thousands of discussion groups that actively exchange email under the
control of Listserv type programs. For information about joining Lists that
are relevant to education in the health professions, click on the "E-mail
Lists" option in the Main Menu on the Home Page of this site.
LocalTalk: The form of local area networking hardware that
Apple builds into every Macintosh.
login: The process by which you identify yourself to a
host computer. Usually involves a userid and a password.
lurkers: Not a derogatory term. People who merely read
discussions online without contributing to them.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
MacBinary: A file format that combines the three parts
of a Macintosh file: the data fork, resource fork, and Finder information
block. No other computers understand the normal Macintosh file format, but
they can transmit the MacBinary format without losing data. When you download
a binary Macintosh file from another computer using the MacBinary format,
your communications program automatically reassembles the file into a normal
Macintosh file.
MacOS: The Macintosh Operating System.
The set of programs and commands that control the basic functioning of Apple
Macintosh computers and its clone.
MacTCP: A control panel from Apple that implements TCP
on the Macintosh. MacTCP is required to use programs such as Fetch and TurboGopher.
mail bombing: The act of sending hundreds or thousands
of messages to someone you think deserves the punishment for transgressions
against the Internet. Highly discouraged.
mailing list (list; see, also,
listserv): Mailing lists are like recorded
party lines in which each member's contributions to a discussion topic are
sent to everyone who is a subscriber to that list. As a subscriber you receive
in your regular e-mailbox all other members' contributions. The membership
of a list may or may not be controlled (restricted), and the discussion
may or my not be moderated. You can
usually choose to receive messages in one of two ways: either each message
separately or as groups of messages, in "digest" form. Digests
are usually comprised of multiple messages accumulated over a period of
one or more days, sent together as a single file. In some lists, the moderator
reviews the messages before posting
them, eliminating irrelevant and duplicate messages, reducing the
reading burden for subscribers. Each list is usually confined to a topic
area or theme. Lists are like newsgroups,
except that the contributions by others come to you automatically. You don't
have to seek them out. There are mailing lists on thousands of topics. See
"Links to other sites of interest" on this site for a search engine
("Liszt") that
enables you to find mailing lists in your areas of interest.
mailserver: A program that provides
access to files via email. See also fileserver.
MIME Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions.: An
Internet standard for transferring non-textual data, such as audio messages
or pictures, via email.
mirror site: An FTP site that contains exactly the same
contents as another site. Mirror sites help distribute the load from a single
popular site.
modem: Stands for modulator-demodulator,
because, technically, that's what it does. It is the device that is needed
for connecting a computer to a telephone line, if the phone line is to be
used for transmitting and receiving information. Modems vary in their maximum
speed of data transmission. Most Internet
Service Providers and on-line
services now allow up to the highest rate currently available: 28,800
bps. When accessing the Internet,
especially when using the World Wide Web, the
faster your connection the better.
moderator: Typically, an overworked
volunteer who reads all of the submissions to a mailing list or newsgroup,
to make sure they are appropriate, before posting
them for others to see.
monospaced font:
A font whose characters are all the same width, as is displayed in this
paragraph. Courier on the Macintosh and Courier New on Windows are common
monospaced fonts. You generally want to use a monospaced font when reading
text on the Internet. Many email management packages enable you to choose
a monospaced font for displaying your incoming email.
MPEG Motion Picture Experts Group.:
An organization that developed and maintains a digital video compression
format allowing movies to play on a computer. (The acronym is pronounced:
M-peg.) Files compressed with MPEG generally have the extension .mpeg.
See, also, JPEG.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
NCSA National Center for Supercomputing Applications.:
A group that has produced a great deal of public domain software for the
scientific community. They wrote NCSA Telnet and NCSA Mosaic for the Macintosh.
netiquette A pun on "etiquette." Proper behavior on the
Internet.
network A group of computers connected together so they can transmit
information to one another. There are two main kinds of networks: local
area networks (LANs) and remote (wide area) networks (WANs).
Network Information Center:
An organization that provides information about a network.
news: Synonymous with
Usenet news, or sometimes just Usenet.
newsgroup: A collection of world-wide
discussion groups on Usenet
that are among the most popular resources on the Internet. Newsgroups are
similar in concept to the message boards found in supermarkets or on electronic
bulletin boards. The major difference is that, since these Newsgroups are
distributed through the Internet,
you have access to many more people, on just about any topic you can imagine.
These discussion groups are also referred to as "Usenet news,"
"Net news," "Internet news," and "News." "Newsgroups"
is now their most familiar name. You can just read Newsgroups, or you can
participate in the discussions by posting your own response to what you
read. Most Newsgroups are "unmoderated," meaning that every message
you and others send will appear in the discussion. Some Newsgroups are "moderated,"
meaning that only messages that are pre-approved by that Newsgroup's moderator will be posted. Currently,
there are estimated to be more than 10,000 newsgroups. To access the messages
posted to newsgroups, you need to seek them out. Mailing
lists, by contrast, once you've subscribed, send their postings
to you, via email.
newsreader: A program that helps you read news and
provides capabilities for following or deleting threads.
NIC: See Network
Information Center.
nickname: An easy-to-remember shortcut
for an email address. Sometimes also called an alias.
NNTP Net News Transport Protocol.: A transmission
protocol for the transfer of Usenet
news.
NSF National Science Foundation.: The creators
of the NSFNET.
NSFNET National Science Foundation Network.: The
current high-speed network that links users with supercomputer sites around
the country.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
offline: Actions performed when you aren't actually
connected to another computer. Good online services and mail management
programs enable you to compose your outgoing email and read your incoming
email offline, avoiding the connect charges you accumulate when you are
online.
online: Actions performed while you are connected to another
computer.
online service There are several commercial
services that provide their subscribers with access to a variety of information
and e-mail services. The major on-line services now provide gateways
to the Internet, enabling
the exchange of mail with any other person in the world who has Internet
access. These services are also expanding their connections to other Internet
services, including the World Wide Web. Among
the more widely used on-line services are America
Online and CompuServe. Most on-line
services are accessed through world-wide networks, enabling connections
to their services with local phone calls from most parts of this country
and from large cities in many other countries. On-line services charge a
monthly fee for which you are provided a set number of hours of access,
after which you pay extra per hour.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
packet The unit of data sent across
a packet switching network. The term is used loosely. While some Internet
literature uses it to refer specifically to data sent across a physical
network, other literature views the Internet as a packet switching network
and describes all messages and files as packets.
page: In the World Wide Web, the name for the basic document type.
POP Post Office Protocol.:
A protocol for storing and retrieving email.
port: In software, the act of converting code so that a
program runs on more than one type of computer. In TCP/IP
networking, a number that identifies a specific "channel"
used by network services. For instance, Gopher generally uses port 70, but
occasionally is set to use other ports on various machines.
post, posting: To send a message
to a discussion group or list.
PPP: Point to Point Protocol.
A newer protocol that supports Internet communication over a dial-up
phone line. Similar to SLIP,
PPP is better designed for handling multiple networking protocols.
proportionally spaced font: A font whose characters vary
in width, so that, for example, a W is wider than an i..
Proportionally spaced fonts often work poorly when you're reading text on
the Internet, so it is best to set up your email program to display incoming
text in a monospaced font.
protocol: A language that computers
use when communicating each other.
public domain: Software that
you can use freely, distribute freely, and modify in any way you wish. See
also freeware and shareware.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
QuickTime: A time-based technology developed by Apple
Computer, usable on both Mac and Windows computers, designed to acquire
and deliver digitized audio and video information quickly and efficiently.
Video clips in this format are referred to as "QuickTime Movies."
QuickTime files can include text, sound, animation, and video, among other
formats. Despite being internally compressed, QuickTime movies can be huge,
requiring considerable bandwidth
on the Internet.
quoting: The act of including parts of an original message
in a reply. The standard character used to set off a quote from the rest
of the text is a column of > (greater-than) characters
along the left margin. Some email management programs make it easy to select
part of all of an incoming message for inclusion as a quote in your reply.
Since some people send and receive many email messages a day, quotes make
it easier to follow the thread of an exchange.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
root directory: The topmost directory that you can see.
On the Mac, you see the root directory when you double-click on your hard
disk icon. Under DOS the root directory is typically c:\.
Each volume or disk drive will have its own root directory.
route The path that network traffic takes from its source
to its destination.
router A dedicated computer (or other device) that sends packets
from one place to another, paying attention to the current state of the
network.
RTFM (Read The Fantastic Manual) This acronym is sometimes used when
someone asks a simple or common question that could have been easily answered
with a glance at the manual. (The word `Fantastic' may be replaced with
another word that is considerably less polite.)
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
.sea: The filename extension used by almost all self-extracting archives on the Mac.
self-extracting archive: A compressed
file or files encapsulated in a decompression program, so you don't need
any other programs to expand the archive. Under DOS and Windows a self-extracting
archive will always have an extension of .exe since this
is consistent with application files. On the Mac, such archives have the
extension: .sea.
server: A machine that makes services
available on a network to client
programs. A file server makes files available. A Web server makes Web pages
available through the HTTP protocol.
shareware: A method of software
distribution in which the software may be freely distributed, and you may
try it before paying. If you decide to keep and use the program, you send
your payment directly to the shareware author. Some shareware depends totally
on the honor system. Other is time constrained or functionally limited:
it ceases to operate a fixed number of days after first being installed
on your computer, or is missing some critical function, such as saving or
printing, if you don't add a code number provided by the author after you
pay your fee. See also, freeware.
signal-to-noise ratio When used in reference to activity on newsgroups or mailing
lists, 'signal-to-noise ratio' describes the relation between
amount of actual information in a discussion, compared to its quantity.
More often than not, there's substantial activity in these discussions,
but only a small number of posted messages actually contain anything useful
to any one person. The ratio is usually far better in closed or moderated
discussions.
signature: The message at the bottom
of a piece of e-mail or a Newsgroup or Mailing list
article providing the name and contact information (institution, address,
phone numbers) of the author. Signatures can be automatically appended to
your email messages by some email management programs. You are encouraged
to keep your signatures short.
.sit: The filename extension used by
files compressed with StuffIt, a popular Macintosh archival and compression
program.
SLIP: Serial Line Internet
Protocol.. Like PPP, a protocol
that lets your computer pretend it is a full Internet machine using only
a modem and a normal phone line. SLIP is older and less flexible than PPP
but somewhat more prevalent.
smilies: Symbols that can be created
with standard keyboard keys that writers of email
and newsgroup messages can use to add "feelings"
or "moods" to the otherwise dry medium of computer communication.
There are hundreds of these symbols, ranging from the obvious to the obscure.
Two examples are ;-) = smile with a wink; :-) =
smile without a wink. Don't see them? Tilt your head to the left 90 degrees.
Depending on context, such smilies can also be used to convey sarcasm. (Sometimes
referred to as "emoticons".)
SMTP Simple Mail Transport Protocol.: The protocol used
on the Internet to transfer mail.
snail mail: The name on the Internet
for paper mail since email can travel across the country or around the world
in seconds.
spamming: The act of sending large numbers of inappropriate
postings to Usenet newsgroups and mailing lists. Do it and you'll seriously
regret it.
Stuffit: A family of programs originally
developed by Raymond Lau and now published by Aladdin Systems. Also the
compression format used by those programs. Typically used only in the Macintosh
world, the extension is .sit.
subject line. That part of an email message or a newsgroup
posting in which the sender provides a brief summary of the topic. It is
an important part of electronic communication, since it is the only part
that is initially visible to the receiver, providing help in formulating
a reading and filing plan, and enabling others to follow the thread of an ongoing exchange.
summarize To encapsulate a number of responses into one coherent,
usable message. Often done on controlled mailing
lists or active newsgroups,
to help reduce the burden on the available bandwidth.
system administrator: The person who runs your host machine
or network. Also known as the network administrator or just plain
administrator. In most organizations it pays to be nice to this
person.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
T1: A high-speed network link used on the Internet (1.54
megabits/second).
T3: An even higher speed network link used on the Internet
(45 megabits/second).
TCP Transmission Control Protocol.: It works with
IP to ensure that information travels
safely on the Internet.
TCP/IP: The combination of
Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol. The
base protocol on which the
Internet is founded.
Telnet: Can refer to a terminal emulation protocol that
lets you log in to other machines, or a program that implements this protocol
on any of various platforms.
terminal: A piece of hardware like a VT100
that lets you interact with a character-based operating system such as Unix.
terminal emulator: Software that allows one computer to
act like a dedicated terminal, such as a VT100.
text: In terms of files, a file that contains only characters
from the ASCII character set.
In terms of FTP, a mode that
assumes the files you will be transferring contain only ASCII characters.
You set this mode in FTP with the ASCII command.
thread: A group of messages
in a Usenet newsgroup that all
share the same subject and topic, so you can easily read the entire thread
or delete it, depending on your specific newsreader. Consistent subject
lines also help you follow the thread of ongoing discussions in a mailing list.
timeout: After a certain amount of idle time, some connections
will disconnect, hanging up the phone if you are connected via phone line
to a network, possibly saving you connect time charges.
twisted pair Cable made up of a pair of insulated copper wires wrapped
around each other to cancel the effects of electrical noise. Often used
for linking computers in a LAN.
(Alternate: a dysfunctional couple.)
.txt: The filename extension generally
used for straight text files that you can read (as opposed to text files
that have been encoded or compressed, as with BinHex
or uuencode).
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
Unix: A popular, but utterly cryptic, operating system
in wide use on host computers on the Internet. Other operating systems work
fine on the Internet, but Unix is probably still the most common.
upload: The transfer of a file
from a client computer to a host. When you are connected to another computer,
transferring files or messages from your computer to the remote computer
is known as "uploading." (The reverse of "download")
URL: Uniform Resource Locator. An internet
address that tells the network what resource is there, and how to get to
it. That is, whether it's a Web site,
an email address, a file you can FTP,
etc., and what route to follow in reaching that destination. The URL for
this site is: http://www.indra.com/CIS. The "http://" component
of this URL indicates that what is coming is an address for a WWW site. For an FTP site, the initial part would be: "FTP://".
Entering the URL: http://www.who.ch in your web
browser would take you to the resources provided at the web site
of the World Health Organization's headquarters in Geneva. The second section
of the URL (www.who.ch) is this resource's domain
name. The domain name's extension (ch) is the abbreviation for Switzerland,
the country where this resource resides. (At this time, resource providers
in countries except the USA usually append their country's abbreviation
to their URL.)
Usenet: An older network, still
in active use, composed of thousands of discussion groups on every imaginable
topic. See newsgroups.
Usenet news: The news that flows through Usenet. Sometimes
abbreviated Usenet or news. See newsgroups.
userid: The name (identification /
i.d.) you use to log in to another computer. Synonymous with username.
username: See above, userid. They're generally the same.
.uu: The filename extension generally used by uuencoded files.
uucode: A file format used for transferring
binary files in email, which can only reliably carry ASCII
files. See also uuencode and uudecode.
.uud: A filename extension sometimes used by uuencoded files.
uudecode: A Unix program for decoding
files in the uuencode format, turning them from ASCII
back into binary files.
.uue: Yet another filename extension sometimes used by
uuencoded files.
uuencode: A Unix program that turns
binary files into ASCII files for transmission via email.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
v.34: Currently the fastest standard modem protocol,
although others are due to appear soon. Although not required, almost all
v.34 modems support all sorts of other protocols, including v.42 error correction
and v.42bis data compression. Don't worry about the specifics; just try
to match protocols with the modems you call.
Veronica: An information agent
that searches a database of Gopher
servers to find items that interest you.
VT100: Originally, a dedicated terminal
built by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) to be used with mainframe computers.
The VT100 became a standard for terminals, and as a result almost all terminal
emulation programs can emulate the VT100. The VT100s themselves have been
made obsolete by desktop computers.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
WAIS Wide Area Information Servers.: A set
of full-text databases containing information on hundreds of topics. You
can search WAIS using natural language queries and use relevance feedback
to refine your search.
WAN: See wide-area
network.
Web browser (see, also, browser):
an application (software program) for locating, displaying, and capturing
HTML documents (resources) on the WWW, presenting graphics and fancy formatting, and enabling
links within and between documents just by clicking
on them (providing you are using a graphical web browser). The best browsers
can now present audio, motion video, and animations.
Web site - a collection of HTML documents
that relate to, and typically interact with, each other in various ways.
And the site is typically available for access by multiple people through
the WWW and/or through an Intranet.
wide-area network: A group
of geographically separated computers connected via dedicated lines or satellite
links. The Internet enables small organizations to simulate a wide-area
network without the cost of one.
wildcards: Special characters such as * and ?
that can stand in for other characters during text searches in some programs.
The * wildcard generally means "match any number of characters
in this spot," whereas the ? wildcard generally means "match
any character in this spot."
Windows: Extremely popular operating system for PCs. Released
in 1986 with poor reception. It redeemed itself in 1989 with the release
of Windows 3.0 .
Windows for Workgroups: Version of Windows that supports local
area networks. Resources such as disks and printers can be shared among
users within a workgroup. Windows for Workgroups also includes workgroup
software such as electronic mail and scheduling.
Windows NT: Windows New Technology. The 32-bit, multitasking
version of Windows.
WinSock: Windows Sockets (WinSock)
is a TCP/IP extension to the Windows Applications Interface (API). It essentially
allows Windows applications to run independently of the hardware underneath.
It is just like the device independence you gain with a Windows graphics
program -- it can run independently of your video board.
World Wide Web, or Web or WWW - The
newest, the most ambitious, and now the most popular of the special Internet
services. A collection of documents on the internet that can display graphics
and fancy formatting, if the document is viewed with a "web browser". Web pages can also have sounds,
video, animations, and links to other places. Links can take you to other
locations with the site you are visiting, such as going to the alphabet
bar at the top of this page, or to other documents elsewhere on the web.
Because the information on the WWW is easily linked to related pieces of
information on the WWW, users can quickly find the information they need,
no matter where in the world it resides. The Web has changed the way people
view and create information. It provides the first truly global hypertext and hypermedia
network.
worm: A program that infiltrates a computer system and
copies itself many times, filling up memory and disk space and crashing
the computer. The most famous worm of all time was released accidentally
by Robert Morris over the Internet; it brought down whole sections of the
Internet.
wrt An abbreviation for the phrase "with respect to."
WWW: See World Wide Web.
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
Xerox PARC: The Xerox research
lab that invented the graphical interface
among many other things, including the mouse and Ethernet.
XMODEM: A common modem file transfer
protocol.
YMODEM: Another common modem file
transfer protocol.
.Z: The filename extension used by files compressed with
the Unix Compress program.
.z: A filename extension used by files compressed with
the Unix gzip program.
.ZIP: The filename extension used by
files compressed into the ZIP format common on PCs.
ZMODEM: The fastest, most efficient,
and most popular of the modem file transfer protocols. (See also XMODEM and YMODEM.)
Back
up to the Alphabet Selector
RETURN
to Help
RETURN
to CIS Resources
RETURN to the CIS Home
Page