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- Access Counters
- An access counter actually displays the number of visitors while an access tracker displays either a counter or a logo, but also provides more site statistics if you click on the counter or logo. Counters can be visible or invisible on the Web site. Most counters simply count accesses ("hits"), but a few counter services also serve as trackers and provide the number and percentage of visitors based on operating system (Win95, Win 3.1, Macintosh, etc.), browser (Netscape, MSIE, etc.), domain (e.g. COM, NET,EDU, ORG, and country-specific domains), as well as traffic by hour, day, week, and month.
- Application Server
- A computer in a Local Area Network (LAN) that hosts shared network applications. See Server.
- Bandwidth
- The transmission capacity of an electronic line such as a communications network, computer bus or computer channel. It is expressed in bits per second, bytes per second or in Hertz (cycles per second).
- Bookmark
- A stored location for quick retrieval of a Web site. Web browsers provide bookmarks that contain the Internet addresses (uniform resource locators, or URLs) of favorite sites.
- BPS
- (Bits Per Second) The speed of data transmission is measured in bps or baud rate. The larger the bps, the more data that can flow over the line in a shorter amount of time.
- Byte
- (BinarY TablE) The common unit of computer storage. It is made up of eight binary digits (bits). A byte holds the equivalent of a single character, such as the letter A, a dollar sign or decimal point.
- Capture Cards
- Devices which take the analog TV signal and convert it to digital information.
- CGI
- (Common Gateway Interface) A standard for interfacing external applications with information servers. In other words, CGI allows a Web site application, such as a form, to "talk" to the server that actually performs the application.
- Cryptography
- The conversion of data into a secret code for secure transmission over a public network. The original text, or plaintext, is converted into a coded equivalent called ciphertext via an encryption algorithm. The ciphertext is decoded (decrypted) at the receiving end and turned back into plaintext.
- Cyberspace
- The Internet, or the digital world in general.
- Data Compression
- Storing data in a format that requires less space than usual. Useful in communications because it enables devices to transmit the same amount of data in fewer bits, or in backup utilities, spreadsheet applications, and database management systems to reduce storage and memory space used.
- Decrypt
- To convert encrypted data back into its original form.
- Domain Name
- An organization's registered unique name used for its Internet address. See URL.
- Download
- To bring a file or application from the Internet to a computer.
- Electronic commerce
- Buying and selling information, products, and/or services via telephone or online networks. The application of technology toward the automation of business transactions.
- E-mail
- The transmission of memos and messages over a network. Users can send messages to one or many recipients.
- Encrypt
- To encode data for secure transfer over the Internet.
- Fiber-optic network
- Communications systems that use optical fibers for transmission of voice, broadcast, or data information.
- Frames
- A Web browser feature that enables two or more Web pages to be displayed in separate scrollable windows on one browser screen. Alternately, one picture in a series used to produce an animation.
- FTP
- (File Transfer Protocol) A convention used to share or transfer files over a network. It includes functions to log onto the network, list directories and copy files.
- GIF
- (Graphics Interchange Format) A format for computer graphics that is widely used on the Web because the files compress well. GIFs include a color table that supports 8-bit color (256 colors) which includes the most popular 256 colors used on Internet browsers.
- Host
- A computer server that houses the information content of a Web site, and links the information to the Internet. May be part of the services provided by an ISP (Internet Service Provider).
- HTML
- (HyperText Markup Language) A document formatting language used on the World Wide Web. Web pages are built with HTML tags, or codes, embedded in the text. HTML defines the page layout, fonts and graphic elements as well as the hypertext links to other documents on the Web.
- HTML Validation
- A program that tests the HTML coding for accuracy and verifies hyperlinks.
- Hyperlinks
- A predefined linkage between two Internet locations. Web pages may either display the link using text or graphic images.
- Hypermedia
- The use of data, text, graphics, video and voice as elements in a networked system. All the various forms of information are linked together so that a user can easily move from one to another.
- Interactivity
- Methods of exchanging information with and engaging visitors to a Web site. These methods range from filling out online forms to sophisticated scripting programs that create dynamic content tailored to the individual visitor.
- Internet
- A network of networks linking computers worldwide. The Internet is made up of more than 100,000 interconnected networks in over 100 countries, comprised physically of wires, routers, and servers.
- ISDN Line
- (Integrated Services Digital Network) An international telecommunications standard for transmitting voice, video and data over digital lines running at 64 Kbps (Kilobytes per second).
- ISP
- (Internet Service Provider) An organization that provides connection services such as Internet access, hosting of Web sites, software for navigating and publishing content on the Internet, and payment systems for electronic commerce.
- JAVA
- An object-oriented programming language for the Internet, developed by Sun Microsystems, that can be read on any computer platform.
- Java applet
- A small JavaScript program, such as a utility program or limited-function spreadsheet, which is embedded within an HTML page and executed under a Web browser. Applets can be downloaded as a prepackaged tool for the Web. Some particularly useless Java applets are called "crapplets."
- JavaScript
- A script language that is easier to use than Java, but not as powerful. JavaScript uses the HTML page as its user interface, whereas Java can generate a completely custom interface. JavaScript does not have the programming overhead of Java, but can be used in conjunction with it. For example, a JavaScript applet could be used to display a data entry form and validate the input, while a Java program processes the information.
- JPEG
- (Joint Photographic Experts Group) An format for computer graphics, and standard for compressing still images, that is becoming very popular due to its high compression capability. In other words, complex color photographs can be converted to relatively small files to be displayed on the Web.
- Log File Parsers
- A program that analyzes the records of computer activity, used for statistical purposes.
- Megabytes
- One million bytes of information. Also MB, Mbyte and M-byte. See also Byte.
- Modem
- (MOdulator-DEModulator) A device that connects a terminal or computer to a telephone line. It converts the computer's digital pulses into audio frequencies (analog) for the telephone system and converts the frequencies back into pulses at the receiving side. The modem also dials the line, answers the call and controls transmission speed. See also BPS.
- Network
- The transmission channels interconnecting all client and server stations as well as all supporting hardware and software.
- Online
- The ability to connect to digital information. Alternately, being available on or logged on to the Internet.
- Operating System
- The master control program that runs the computer. It is the first program loaded when the computer is turned on.
- Pentium Processor
- Pentium refers to the Pentium CPU (central processing unit) chip, produced by Intel, that conducts the actual computations within a computer. The Pentium CPU is a microprocessor chip that computes by performing trillions of switch openings and closings. It could also refer to the computer that uses the Pentium CPU.
- Platforms
- A combination hardware and software architecture, such as Unix, Macintosh, or Windows NT.
- Plug-ins
- An auxiliary program added to Web browsers such as Netscape to enable them to support new types of content (e.g. RealAudio, Shockwave).
- Private Key
- The private part of a two-part, public key cryptography system. The private key is kept secret and never transmitted over a network.
- Protocols
- Rules governing transmitting and receiving of data.
- Public Key
- The published part of a two-part (public key/private key) cryptography system.
- Relational Database
- A database organization method that links files together in order to perform cross-tabulation and queries, resulting in value-added information. Non-relational databases organize information in a flat file structure.
- Search Engine
- Automated searching programs that send "spider" programs out over the Internet to collect text from Web sites to store in a searchable database. Yahoo!, the first search site to gain world wide attention, actually uses humans to catalogue the information into hierarchical directories by subject.
- Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
- An encryption system, developed by Netscape, which automatically encrypts data sent between two remote computers. SSL relies on RC4, a private encryption key method.
- Server
- A high-capacity computer that houses files and applications which are shared within a network of multiple users (clients). The term may refer to both the hardware and software or just the software that performs the service.
- Site Map
- A hierarchical diagram, or outline, of all the pages on a Web site.
- Telnet
- A terminal emulation protocol commonly used on the Internet. It allows a user to log onto and run a program from a remote terminal or computer.
- Thumbnail
- A miniature representation of an image used to reduce file size, and thus, download time.
- TIFF
- (Tagged Image File Format) A widely-used graphics file format developed by Aldus and Microsoft that handles monochrome, gray scale, 8-and 24-bit color.
- URL
- (Uniform Resource Locator) the Internet address for a Web site (e.g. www.artsnet.org).
- Web Authoring Tools
- A Web site development system that allows Web pages to be visually created like a desktop publishing program. The required HTML, JavaScript or Java code necessary within the pages is automatically generated by the software.
- Web Browser
- The program that allows you to view documents on the World Wide Web. Although Mosaic was the browser that put the Web on the map, the two major browsers today are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.
- Web Editors
- A low-level Web site authoring tool that is essentially a text editor, specialized for writing HTML code. It assists the HTML author by cataloging all HTML tags
and common structures in menus and by being able to catch certain syntax errors.
- Web Page
- A page in a World Wide Web document.
- Web Site
- A server file, containing Web pages and other files, which is continuously available to the Internet.
- Wizards
- Instructional help that guides the user through a series of steps to accomplish a task.
- World Wide Web
- The Web became the center of Internet activity, because Web pages, containing both text and graphics, were easily accessible via a Web browser. The Web provides point and click interface to the largest collection of online information in the world, and the amount of information is increasing at a staggering rate.
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