Website Tips and Tricks
Browser Tips and Tricks

Website Glossary

Words and Terms You may see on the web

  • America Online (AOL) the largest Internet service provider.


  • .AVI extension audio visual data file


  • Backbone The top level of a network through which other networks are connected.


  • Baud rate A measurement of data transmission speed by which a modem can transmit.


  • .BMP extension Bitmap graphic file


  • Browser Software that interprets HTML code and allows surfing the web.


  • Bulletin Board System - (BBS) A computer system that allows you to read and reply to messages in open forum.


  • Chat online chat is a means of communication in which the participants type the words.


  • Cyberspace a universe inside computer networks which is absent of physical distance.


  • .DAT extension data file


  • DNS the Domain Name System which identifies each computer as a network on the Internet to translate domain names to IP numbers which is used by the packet routing software.


  • DNS Server the computer you use to access the DNS to allow you to contact other computers on the Internet. The server keeps a database of host computers and their IP addresses.


  • .DOC extension file document formatted for Microsoft Word.


  • Domain the last part of the address .com .org .net.


  • Domain Name A name given to a host computer on the Internet that identifies the "owner" of the address. "server.owner.type" or "server.Domain Name. domain"


  • Download The process of receiving information from another computer.


  • .DRV extenstion driver file


  • Ethernet a method for directly connecting a computer to a network in the same physical location .


  • File Transfer Protocol - (FTP) A program that allows you to upload or download files from one computer to another on the Internet.


  • Form An html file tag that allows online users to input data into a web page.


  • Forum A public place to discuss subjects online.


  • Gateway A computer system or network that translates information between different types of protocols or formats so they can be transmitted on the Internet.


  • .GIF extension GIF bitmap image file


  • Home Page the starting page, or document that is the entry page accessed first on a World Wide Web server.


  • Host - the main computer in a system. Your service provider's computer is a host.


  • Hosting - A service provider who sells space on his Host computer system for storage of web page files.


  • HTTPD Hyper-text Transfer Protocol Daemon a computer program which manages the transfer of hyper-text and multimedia documents over the internet. Available free from NCSA.


  • HTML Hyper Text Markup Language used to insert tags which allow a Web browser to correctly display a hyper-text document such as this page.


  • Hypertext documents which contain links to other documents.


  • HyperText Markup Language (HTML) The language used to create hyperlinks and describe documents to be used with World Wide Web browsers and activated by a action such as a mouse click.


  • .IMAG extension Macintosh disk image file


  • .INF extension device information file


  • .INI extension initialization file


  • Internet the name given to the matrix of network computers which are connected throughout the world started at the US Dept. of Defense


  • Internet Service Provider (ISP) Internet Access Provider (IAP) an organization or commercial enterprise which provides access to the Internet.


  • IP address Internet Protocol address Decimal values (123.00.00.0) identifies the host connected to the internet


  • IRC Internet Relay Chat a method for serving and retrieving connections for real-time conferencing over computer networks.


  • ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network a digital telephone network that allows personal home computers to connect to remote networks.


  • .JPG extension graphic image file


  • .JPEG extension graphic image file (JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group)


  • Joint Photographic Experts Group - (JPEG) A file format that reduces the size of image files by up to 20 times while only slightly reducing image quality.


  • Logging On Connecting to a remote computer system usually by typing in a username and a password.


  • Logging Off Disconnecting from a remote computer system usually by typing a command such as exit.


  • MACTCP a program used on Macintosh computers to provide socket connections for SLIP and PPP connections.


  • Modem A device that converts digital signals into analog signals and converts phone analog signals into digital signals. This allows computers to link up with other computers over telephone lines.


  • Net Short for Internet.


  • Newsgroup A forum to discuss subjects on the internet by leaving messages for others to read.


  • NFS Network File System a set of protocols that allow transparent access to a remote computers file system and allows Window NT and UNIX workstations to access remote files.


  • Online being connected to another computer or computer network.


  • .PCS extension PC Paintbrush bitmap file


  • Posting Sending a message to a newsgroup.


  • PPP Point to Point Protocol an Internet standard for electronically connecting a remote computer to an IP network provides greater protection for data integrity and security than SLIP.


  • Protocol A set of rules that defines how computers transmit information to each other.


  • .PS extension PostScript printer file


  • Public Domain Software Software programs which are not owned by anyone that you can freely use and distribute.


  • .SIG extension signature file for e-mail


  • SLIP Serial Line Internet Protocol a non-standard method of electronically connecting a remote computer to an IP network


  • SPAM Sending Particularly Annoying Messages. sending an article to everyone instead of the specific group that might be interested. Electronic junk mail.


  • .SYS extension system configuration file


  • TLDs (Top Level Domains) .com, .net, .org


  • .TXT extension text file without formatting


  • Universal Resource Locator - (URL) An address that identifies the location of any type of Internet resource. Specifies the resource for a page or file, the name of the server and the path to the resource document or file.


  • URL Uniform Resource Locator
      Sintax= language://service.domain name.domain/filename
      ftp: or http: or https:, (language)
        ftp: used to transfer (up load or down load) files.
        http: used to transfer text files that can be viewed.
        https: used to transfer encrypted secure text files.

      www. = world wide web, (service)
      site-name = domain name, (domain name)
      .com = extension (domain)
      index.html = primary html file (filename)
    http://www.site-name.com/index.html this is a complete URL address


  • Upload The process of sending information from one computer to another.


  • Username The name you use to log on to a network. (user I.D.)


  • USENET the name given to the computer network which carries newsgroups users can read and post messages similar to BBS.


  • WAIS Wide Area Information Service a method of finding information on the Internet.


  • .WAV extension sounds file format


  • WinSock short for Windows Sockets a specification for a program that implements a "socket" connection under the MS Windows environment software that provides a TCP/IP interface needed for SLIP or PPP connections under WINDOWS.


  • World Wide Web A hypertext system of interlinked servers located around the world that allows access to documents called web pages. invented by Dr. Tim Berners-Lee


  • .WP extension Word Perfect file