Glossary of Terms

Active X - a Microsoft technology that provides application functionality over the web

Adwords - a marketing product offered by major search engines also known as 'sponsored results' which show at the very top and in the right column of search result pages. Google branded Adwords but all search engines and their subsidaries offer similar products. Advertisers bid on how high in the sponsored results their text ad on a CPC or cost per click basis.

Adsense - also a Google product mimiced by others, adsense allows the webmaster to embed html code in their site which the search engine then uses to insert text ads based on the content of the webpage. The service is free for advertisers and they earn a commission off any resulting sale or click.

ASP - application service provider – online provider of software and application that relieve the need for hosting on your own servers

Autoresponder - An automatic response to an e-mail inquiry generated by the mail server that is programmed to acknowledge receipt of an e-mail request. This can be used to send additional information about a specific product or service. See also, Infobot.

Avatar - a cybercharacter that serves as your "alter ego" on line. Avatars can be anything from caricatures to photographs. Usually more associated with gaming

BBS – stands for bulletin board system. BBSes work just like the corkboards you see in hallways, kitchens or recreational rooms in almost every business. You can pick up a message of interest or leave your own.

cybernaut – you are one if you use the Internet often.

Cyberspace - the artificial or virtual world associated with the Internet online community. When you are surfing and playing on the Internet you are in cyberspace.

download – transmission of information from a source on the Internet directly into your computer.

e-mail – the electronic mail is probably the most used feature on the Internet. You can send out friendly letters instantly.

encrypted message – a message that has the scrambled so that no one other than the desired recipient, who can unscramble the message, can read it.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions.

flame – to send someone a nasty note. Sending an email with all CAPS for example is considered shouting and a flame.

file – computer documents that you work with. You can send files over the Internet to just about anywhere in the world.

firewall - a hardware or software based device that restricts access and protects a private network.

ftp - file transfer protocol also sftp secure file transfer protocol to transfer files quickly across networks.

hacker - aka cracker - someone who abuses their talents by exploiting software security vulnerabilities.

html - hypertext markup language, this is what internet browsers speak.

http - hypertext transfer protocol; this is the protocol that connects and transfers you to webpages

Hosting – providing the servers and space for online services such as a website

Internet - vast collection of inter-connected networks that all use the TCP/IP protocols and that evolved from the ARPANET of the late 60's and early 70's.

Intranet - a private network that is usually connected to the Internet but protected by a firewall that keeps unauthorized users out.

java – a computer programming language for the distribution of digital information. Because Java can “talk” to any computer operating system, it is ideal for something so wildly diverse as the Internet.

log on – connecting to the Internet.

lurk – reading and understanding the posted messages in a newsgroup before posting your own.

mailing list – an e-mail list of people who want to get information about a specific subject (e.g. person, place, products, services, etc.).

.net - Microsoft development technology primarily for web based applications.

PHP - a scripting language used to create dynamic content that can be embedded in html.

PPC - pay per click is an advertising technique where the destination website pays an agreed amount to the advertiser that delivers a click or visit. PPC is also generally used as a term that covers any adwords campaign based on cost per click. also see adwords

protocol - networking rules that determine the format and transmission of data

SEO - search engine optimization, the process where a web pages content is maximized to reflect specific keywords and phrases.

snail mail – term referring to the slowness of the postal system compared to the speed of e-mail.

SSL - secure socket layer - a secure web protocol that creates an encrypted connection. Primarily for sensitive transactions (credit card) and secure servers. You can usually see a padlock icon in the lower right of your internet browser if you are using an SSL connection.

Troll - some unscrupulous troublemaker who makes posts on forums and bulletin boards just to provoke a reaction

URL – Uniform Resource Locator. Also known as website address

Usenet - the current evolution of the BBS system. Now only available via hosted webservers usually for a fee. There is no end to the software, video, audio and resources on Usenet but beware, much of the material violates copyright law.

XML/XHTML - (eXtensible Markup Language) A widely used system for defining data formats. XML provides a very rich system to define complex documents and data structures such as invoices, molecular data, news feeds, glossaries, inventory descriptions, real estate properties, etc.