acceptable
use policy - The conduct expected from a person using a computer or
service. ISPs, online services and BBSs provide their customers with an
acceptable use policy (AUP), which may prohibit spamming or commercial
usage.
access number - A telephone number used to dial into the Internet
or other online service or network.
Acrobat Reader - Acrobat Reader is used to display and print PDF
files. It is built into Acrobat, but is also available separately as a
free download from the Adobe Web site (www.adobe.com). With Acrobat
Reader, you can view any Acrobat file, but you cannot edit it or create
new ones.
attachment - A a file attached to an e-mail message so that they
travel to their destination together. Any type of file can be attached;
for example, a database, spreadsheet, graphics or program file. Even a
text file that might be more elaborate than message being sent can be
attached.
BPS: Bits Per Second – the rate of data transfer. Modem
speeds are measured in kilobits per second. Typical modem speeds today are
56k bps (56,6000 bits per second.) But due to the varying quality of phone
lines, most customers see speeds between 28,000 and 44,000 BPS.
bookmark - a link stored in a Web browser for future reference.
Also see "Favorites".
browser (web
browser) -
A software application that allows for the browsing of the World Wide Web.
browser cache - Pronounced "browser cash." A temporary storage area
in memory or on disk that holds the most recently-downloaded Web pages. As
you link from page to page on the Web, caching those pages in memory lets
you quickly go back to a page without having to download it from the Web
again.
chat
room -
An area
on the Internet where two or more people can have a typed conversation.
cookie - information
stored on a user's computer by a Web site so preferences are remembered on
future requests.
cut and paste -
The process of moving a section of text
from one place to another.
e-mail: Electronic Mail - the transmission of computer-based
messages over telecommunication technology.
download -
To copy a file from a
computer on the Internet to your own computer.
e-Mail
spam -
unwanted, unsolicited email.
Emoticons
- also referred to as smileys (or smilies) are little faces made by typing
the certain characters on a computer keyboard. The word emoticon is short
for "emotional icons". Emoticons were originally intended to help people
show emotion over email and in chat rooms in a clever, creative way.
Click to see frequently used Emoticons
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions - a collection of common
questions and answers on a particular subject. Many newsgroups, mailing
lists and websites have FAQs available.
flame
- To send nasty or insulting messages, usually in response to someone's
having broken the rules of Internet etiquette (see Netiquette).
frames - a structure
that allows for the dividing of a Web page into two or more independent
parts.
Free Ware- Software available for download and use without charge,
this software is still copyrighted to the developer, who retains the right
to control the distribution and to sell it if they wish. See Shareware.
FTP: File Transfer Protocol - a set of rules for exchanging
files between computers via the Internet.
favorites - Another term for bookmarks, which was popularized by
Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser.
history - Web browsers maintain a list of downloaded pages in the current
session so that you can quickly review everything that you have retrieved.
hoax - A hoax is
information that is passed on from one person to another that is supposed
to be true, but isn't. There are many "hoaxes" sent by e-mail. Don't
believe everything you read. Always check a reliable source or go to one
of the many
internet hoax sites for
confirmations.
home page: The first page of a Web Site. The web page that loads each time
you start your browser is also known as the homepage.
instant messaging - A computer conference using the keyboard (a keyboard
chat) over the Internet between two or more people. Instant messaging is
not a dial-up system like the telephone; it requires that both parties be
online at the same time. You have to put the names of people you want to
instant message with in a list, and when any of those individuals log on,
you are "instantly" notified so that you can begin an interactive chat
session. AOL's Instant Messenger (AIM), Microsoft Network Messenger
Service (MSNMS), ICQ and Yahoo! Messenger are the major instant messaging
services.
link
(hyperlink) - a selectable connection from one word, picture, or
information object to another.
media player - Software that "plays" audio, video or animation
files. Windows Media Player and Quicktime are two examples.
Microsoft Internet Explorer - Microsoft's Web browser, also known
as "IE." Versions for Windows, Mac and UNIX are available. Internet
Explorer has also been the browser in AOL's online software.
modem - (MOdulator-DEModulator) A device that adapts a terminal or
computer to an analog telephone line by converting digital pulses to audio
frequencies and vice versa. The term usually refers to 56 Kbps modems
(V.90), the current top speed, or to older 28.8 Kbps modems (V.34). The
term may also refer to higher-speed cable or DSL modems or to ISDN
terminal adapters, which are all digital and technically not modems.
navigation - that
which facilitates movement from one Web page to another Web page.
Netiquette - short
for network etiquette, the code of conduct regarding acceptable
online behavior.
Netscape Navigator - A Web browser for Windows, Macintosh and X
Windows from Netscape that provides secure transmission over the Internet.
parental control software - A special browser or filtering program
designed to reject Web sites not suited for children. Such programs may
screen pages by word content, site rating or by URL, using an updated
database of objectionable sites, or any combination of these techniques.
Search Engines - Web sites that maintain databases about the
contents of other Web sites. Most sites are free and are paid for by
advertising banners, while others charge for the service.
Shareware - Software that is copywrited to protect the programmers
rights, but still available on a free limited trial basis. After a
specified trial period, a user is asked to send the author a small
payment. In most cases, the software will either stop functioning after a
pre-specified number of days or may not contain all the features of the
registered version.
Shopping Cart -
software used to make a site's product catalogue available for online
ordering, whereby visitors may select, view, add/delete, and purchase
merchandise.
spam - To send copies of the same message to large numbers of
newsgroups or users on the Internet. People spam the Internet to advertise
products as well as to broadcast some political or social commentary. se
opt-in.
Trojan horse - A program that appears legitimate, but performs some
illicit activity when it is run. It may be used to locate password
information or make the system more vulnerable to future entry or simply
destroy programs or data on the hard disk. A Trojan horse is similar to a
virus, except that it does not replicate itself. It stays in the computer
doing its damage or allowing somebody from a remote site to take control
of the computer.
URL- (Uniform Resource Locator) The address that defines the route
to a file on the Web or any other Internet facility. URLs are typed into
the browser to access Web pages, and URLs are embedded within the pages
themselves to provide the links to other pages.
Upload -
To copy a file from your
computer to another computer, usually over the Internet.
Virus - Software used to infect a computer. After the virus code is
written, it is buried within an existing program. Once that program is
executed, the virus code is activated and attaches copies of itself to
other programs in the system. Infected programs copy the virus to other
programs.
The effect of the virus may be a simple prank that pops up a message on
screen out of the blue, or it may destroy programs and data right away or
on a certain date. It can lie dormant and do its damage once a year.
virus scanner - An antivirus program that searches for binary
signatures (patterns) of known viruses that have attached themselves to
executable programs. As new viruses are discovered, the signature database
has to be updated in order for the antivirus program to be effective.
Vendors generally offer downloads via the Web in order to keep current.
virus hoaxes - Considering the speed with which messages can be
copied and sent via e-mail on the Internet, pranksters love to spread
phoney warnings just to upset as many people as they can. Virus hoaxes
such as the Good Times virus tell people that if they open their e-mail,
their hard drives will be erased or some such catastrophe will occur.
Web address - The URL of a page on the Web; for example,
www.computerlanguage.com. See URL.
World Wide Web - i.e. the internet a facility that links documents
locally and remotely. The Web document, or Web page, contains text,
graphics, animations and videos as well as hypertext links. The links in
the page let users jump from page to page (hypertext) whether the pages
are stored on the same server or on servers around the world. Web pages
are accessed and read via a Web browser, the two most popular being
Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator.
Web browser - The program that serves as your front end to the
World Wide Web on the Internet. In order to view a site, you type its
address (URL) into the browser's Location field; for example,
www.computerlanguage.com, and the home page of that site is downloaded to
you. The home page is an index to other pages on that site that you can
jump to by clicking a "click here" message or an icon. Links on that site
may take you to other related sites.
