World Wide Webfx Internet Glossary of Computer Terms

Glossary of Computer Terms
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP): Many networks-both the larger transit and regional networks, as well as company networks and public BBSs-have policies that restrict the uses to which the network or computing facility may be put. A well-known example was NSFNET's AUP which did not allow commercial usage. Enforcement of AUP's varies with the network and systems administrator. See also National Science Foundation.
address: The unique identifier for a specific location on a network. There are three types of addresses in common use within the Internet: e-mail addresses; IP or Internet address; and hardware or MAC addresses.
Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET): A network funded by ARPA. It served as the basis for early networking research in the 1960s, as well as the central backbone during the development of the Internet. The ARPANET's architecture consisted of individual packet-switching computers interconnected by leased lines.
alias: A name, usually short and easy to remember; that stands for another name, usually long and difficult to remember. In networking, aliases are frequently used to associate a service with a logical name, rather than with a particular computer or machine address. Aliases are also used to reroute mail and service requests from one computer to another; this allows the system or network management to change the computer providing the services when needed without affecting users, or to keep the underlying architecture hidden. Aliases are also used to indicate the service available from the host: for example, www.weather.org, gopher.msu.edu, or ftp.netcom.com.
American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII): A standard character-to-number encoding widely used in the computer industry. Plain text, Postscript files, and BinHex files are among the types of data that are transferred in ASCII format. Spreadsheets, compiled programs, and graphics are transferred across the net in binary format. In addition, the computer community has extended the ASCII character set so it includes control and other characters. This change allowed for e-mail, "8-bit clean" data transmission, essential for the development of workstation TCP/IP applications. This lets users turn their home computers into Internet hosts.
anonymous FTP: An FTP site which does not require you to have a logon ID. Not all FTP servers make their file archives available to all Internet users. If they do, you can access the site by logging in using the ID "anonymous." It allows a user to retrieve (and sometimes deposit) documents, files, programs, and other archived data from archives in the Internet without having to establish a user ID and password on the computer that contains the archive. Many, but not all, computers used as FTP archive sites allow anonymous access. By using the special user ID "anonymous" and the password "guest" you can have limited access to publicly accessible files on the remote system. Many systems now request the user's e-mail address as a password to ensure better tracking. See also File Transfer Protocol.
application: Any of a class of "programs" or "software", which causes a computer to perform some useful function (like type text or add numbers or communcate over telephone lines).
ARA: Apple Remote Access, a program to allow full access to the UVA network including IP and AppleTalk services (Novell file Servers) over a phone line from a Macintosh computer
AppleTalk: an Apple network protocol that provides a way to share printers, file servers, and groupware services
Archie: A system that automatically gathers, indexes, and serves archived information on the Internet.The initial implementation of Archie provided an indexed directory of filenames from anonymous FTP archives on the Internet. Later versions provide other collections of information. See also archive site, Gopher Wide Area Information Servers.
ASCII: See American Standard Code for Information Interchange.
ASCII file: a file that contains only ASCII characters usually equivalent to plain text or DOS text. For comparison, see binary file
at sign (@): The at sign (@) is the separator for most e-mail addresses; it separates the user ID from the domain name of the mail computer. See also UUCP
AUP: See Acceptable Use Policy.
authentication: The verification of the identity of a person or process. The most common authentication process most users experience is the login challenge, which requests a valid login ID and a password. PIN numbers, "carding," and the famous military checkpoint challenge "Friend or foe?"-are all examples of authentication in everyday life. See also authorization.
authorization: The granting of privilege based on identity. Authorization is a partner to authentication in computer networking, where your access to services is based on your identity, and an authentication procedure guarantees that you are who you say you are. See also authentication, Kerberos, password.
auto-responder: A program that genrates an automated respone to an email message.
backbone: The top level in a hierarchical network. Stub networks and transit networks that connect to the same backbone are guaranteed to be interconnected. Backbone networks usually run at a higher speed, and with a larger bandwidth, than the networks that branch off of them.
background: On a web page, the color or graphic which is used to fill in the page behind the text and graphics that make up the page.In HTML a body tag parameter that defines the background for a document.
backup: Making a copy of software and files/documents on another storage device so that it can be restored if the computer loses that information.
bandwidth: Technically; the difference, in Hertz (Hz), between the highest and lowest frequencies of a transmission channel. However, as typically used, the amount of data, usually measured in bits per second, that can be sent through a given communications circuit.
banner: A poular type of advertising found on the WWW consisting of a a graphic (usually banner shaped which acts as link to the advertiser's home page or other informational site.
BBS: See Bulletin Board System.
binary: "It's all ones and zeros." Computers store information in the form of oni off electrical impulses, which correspond to the binary (base 2) digits, 0 and 1. Files can be transferred over the Internet in either binary or ASCII (text) format. A binary file is one that contains any non-printable characters, such as compiled programs, graphics files, word-processing and spreadsheet files, audio files, and so on. See also File Transfer Protocol.
bit: Binary digit. A bit is the primary unit of digital data. Written in binary language as a "1" or a "0". There are eight bits in a byte. There are eight bits in one ASCII character. See also kilobit, megabit.
Bookmark: A list of frequently accessed Web sites, which you can create using Netscape's Add Bookmark function (see also Favorites, Hotlist)
baud: a measure of the rate of transmission of a modem, see bps
BinHex: an encoding algorithm used on Macintosh computers for binary files
binary file: a file that is encoded in a computer natural format. For comparison, see ASCII file
bit: binary digit; a computational quantity that can take on one of two values, 0 or 1
1000 bits=1 Kilobit (Kb)
1000 Kilobits=1 Megabit (Mb)
bootp: a protocol that assigns an IP address
bounce: The return a piece of mail because of an error in its delivery.
bounce-o-gram: A message from an automated mailer telling you that mail has bounced.
bps: bits per second, see baud
browser: An application that displays HTML and other information found on the Internet. Netscape, Lynx, Internet Explorer, and Mosaic are examples of browsers.This client software accesses the World Wide Web and Gopher services and lets you drift from link to link without having to have a purposeful search. Browsers encourage discovery by serendipity, hence the name.
Bulletin Board System (BBS): A computer (with associated software), that typically provides electronic messaging services, archives of files, and any other services or activities of interest to the bulletin board system's operator. Although BBSs were traditionally the domain of hobbyists and accessible only by using a modem, an increasing number of BBSs are connected directly to the Internet, and many are currently operated by government, educational, and research institutions. See also e-mail, Internet, MUD, Usenet.
byte: Unit of measurement for computer memory roughly equal to one character (i.e. the letter "A")
1000 Bytes=1 Kilobyte (K, KB)
1000 Kilobytes=1 Megabyte (MB)
1000 Megabytes=1 Gigabyte (GB)
Campus Wide Information System (CWIS): A CWIS makes interactive computing publicly available on a campus (or even a K-12 school) via kiosks, information stations named for the old circular bulletin boards that are perennially plastered with posters. Services routinely include directory information, calendars, bulletin boards, and databases.
CD-ROM: Compact Disk-Read Only Memory - a disk that stores information (commonly about 650MB) that can be read or copied from the disk Read only means you can not save information to the disk.
CERT: Computer Emergency Response Team
CGI: Common Gateway Interface
Cisco: company that makes modem hardware currently used by ITC's modem pool
classified advertising: A popular on-line ad format that groups products of like kind together
clickable: In a graphic user interface, such as a Web browser or a Gopher client, the fact that the user can use a mouse to point at portions of the image or text and click on that point. Once the user clicks on a point in the display, the client launches an action, either following a hypertext link or running another program.
client: a computer system or process that requests a service of another computer system or process (e.g., a computer requesting the contents of a file from a file server )In client-server computing, the "front-end" program that the user runs to connect with, and request information from, the server program. For most of the common Internet tools, many different client programs are designed to work in DOS, Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX environments. See also Archie, Wide Area Information Servers.
client-server computing: The model or scheme underlying practically all programs running on the Internet (as well asother network and database software). In this design, the work of an application (such as FTP orGopher) is divided up between two programs-the client (or "front end") and the server (or "back end"). The client program handles the work of connecting to the server and requesting files or information, and the server handles the work of finding and "serving up" the information (or of providing some other service, such as directing print jobs to a printer). See also Archie, client, File Transfer Protocol, Gopher server Domain Name System, Wide Area Information Servers.
clipboard: A temporary storing area for cut or copied information. The clipboard holds the information until you cut or copy another selection to it or you exit from Windows.
Common Gateway Interface (CGI): An Interface that allows a program,or application called a CGIscript usually written in a computer language such as "PERL" or "C++" to perform some useful task based on a users input. Typical CGI scripts do things like:read an Image Map, count the number hits to your page, or accept and filter data from a forms page.
compiler: a program that takes instructions written in a high level language (e.g., C, Fortran), and converts it into something the computer can understand.
computer: Electronic machine that accepts, processes, outputs and stores data.
computer architecture: usually refers to the type of computer or the kind of software that will run on it (Macintosh, IBM, NeXT, RS/6000, SGI, Sun, etc.) Sometimes reffered to as "platform".
Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT): The CERT was formed by DARPA in November 1988 in response to the needs exhibited during the Internet worm incident, where a program sent out on the Internet by a college student used security loopholes in networked computers to replicate itself, send itself on to other computers, and disable critical flinctions on the affected computers. The CERT charter is to work with the Internet community to facilitate its response to computer security events involving Internet hosts, to take proactive steps to raise the community's awareness of computer security issues, and to conduct research targeted at improving the security of existing systems. CERT products and services include 24-hour technical assistance for responding to computer security incidents, product vulnerability assistance, technical documents, and tutorials. In addition, the team maintains a number of mailing lists (including one for CERT Advisories), and provides an anonymous FTP server at cert.org where security-related documents and tools are archived. The CERT may be reached by e-mail at cert@cert.org and by telephone at (412)268-7090(24-hour hotline). See also worm.
congestion: What occurs when the load exceeds the capacity of a data communication path. You may be experiencing congestion when any of the following happens: you get a busy signal when you dial into a modem pool, the response from the server or host you are trying to reach is slow, or you get an error message telling you that no ports are available for the service or host you want to use.
CPU: Central Processing Unit or circuitry of the computer that controls storage and processing of data. CPU's have a clock speed measured in Megahertz (Mhz). Higher numbers usually mean faster computers.
cracker: An individual who attempts to access computer systems without authorization. These individuals are often malicious, as opposed to hackers (who see themselves as benevolent explorers), and have many means at their disposal for breaking into a system. See also Computer Emergency Response Tram, Trojan Horse, virus, worm.
crash: An unexpected interuption of the proper functioning of a computer; disk drive or software.
cursor: This is the symbol on your display screen which represents your logical position within NetCruiser. The cursor can be either an arrow, a hand, a vertical bar, an hourglass, or some other symbol. The arrow represents places where you can click your mouse. The hand points to a colored link where you can click to jump to new information. The vertical bar represents a place where you provide input from the keyboard. If material may be inserted or replaced, it will be inserted or replaced from this point. If you may select material, the selection win start from this point.The hourglass is shown when NetCruiser is working on the flinction that you have selected. It tells you that, even though the screen may not have changed, your request has been recognized and is being processed.
cyberspace: Cyber comes from the '50s term cybernetics, which is used to describe the science of computers. Space harkens to the '60s terms "inner space," "head space," and so on. "Cyberspace" is a term coined by either computer hackers or science fiction writers (both claim credit) to describe the place you are when you are traversing the virtual geography of the Internet. The term first appeared in print in William Gibson's novel Neuromancer (Ace, 1984) to describe the world of computers and the society that gathers around them.
data: Information put into the computer for processing and storage as contrasted with "code" the programs that make the computer work. Note:Data is a plural noun; the singular form is datum
databox: a wall unit that usually has connections for telephone, cable TV, and computer data
Data Encryption Standard (DES): A popular; standard encryption scheme.
database: A collection of related information (data) that can be sorted, searched and calculated. Also the application that manipulates the data.
datagram: A self-contained, independent entity of data carrying sufficient information to be routed from the source to the destination computer without reliance on earlier exchanges between this source and destination computer and the transporting network. This entity has given rise to several joking and serious other sorts of communications: a "bounce-o-gram," for example, is a message from an automated mailer telling you that your mail has bounced. A "nastygram" is an unpleasant message, usually e-mail but sometimes in news, which has unpleasant contents. See also packet. (Term coined by J. Postel.)
default: the value supplied by the system when the user omits it from a parameter list on a command or control statement.
DES: See Data Encryption Standard.
Dialin Authentication: password protection for modem lines.
dialup: A temporary, as opposed to dedicated, connection between computers established over a standard phone line.
direct connection: Any Internet connection in which you have your own IP address and connect physically and directly to the Internet on a permanent basis via a dedicated phone line or network.
directory: On a hard drive, a file which acts as a folder or drawer and contains other file or directories. On the internet a Listing of web sites, email addresses or other data. (see Search Engine)
DNS: Domain Name System The set of conventions for naming host computers on the Internet and the directory service for looking up names. Each host name corresponds to an IP address. See also Fully Qualified Domain Name.
documentation: Printed or on-line information concerning Hardware and Software usage and requirements.
domain: A named collection of network hosts. Some important domains are: .com (commercial),.edu (educational), net (network operations), .gov (U.S. government), and.mil (U.S. military). Most countries also have a domain. For example,.us (United States),.uk (United Kingdom), .au (Australia). See also Domain Name System. The portion of a URL address that identifies a host system or a part of the system dedicated to a specific user group. In the URL "http://www.wwwebfx.com", "wwwebfx" is the secondary domain. The.com is the primary domain. Domains provide a easier way of identifying a host system than using the numbers that make up its IP address (such as 207.34.183.70).(see DNS)
domain address: The human language name of a computer on the Internet, as opposed to its more computer-friendly numeric IP address. For example, hermes.merit.edu is a domain address and 42.1.1.6 is an IP address.
domain registration: The process of requesting and receiving a unique name for a location on the Internet from a regulatory body See internic.net ;NIC
Domain Name Server (DNS): Domain Name Server, UNIX software to keep track of Internet host systems and domain addresses. It translates domain names into IP addresses so internet applications can find the host machines translates the domain name of another computer into an IP address, and vice versa, upon request. Most DNS servers maintain a large database of such correspondences, which is refreshed on a regular (at most daily) basis. Usually the request for translation comes from another computer which needs the IP address for routing purposes. See also Fully Qualified Domain Name.
dot matrix: A printer that uses a rectangular array of small wires striking the paper through an inked ribbon to form the desired shapes.
download: To transfer files from a network to a local computer,usually from a website or FTP site. Also, as a noun,the files downloaded
E-1 circuit: A large bandwidth phone connection. An E-1 circuit (2,000,000 bits per second) is the European equivalent (roughly speaking) of a T-1.
editor: a program designed for entering and manipulating text via a keyboard.
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): A foundation established to address social and legal issues arising from the impact on society of the increasingly pervasive use of computers as a means of communication and information distribution. You can reach the EFF at info@eff~org. The EFF's anonymous F'I'P archive of user policies at schools and universities is particularly useftil.
e-mail (electronic mail): A system whereby a computer user can exchange messages with other computer users (or groups of users) via a communications network. Electronic mail is one of the most popular uses of the Internet.
e-mail address: The domain-based or UUCP address that is used to send electronic mail to a specified destination. For example, Bill Clinton's address is president@whitehouse.gov. See also UNIX-to-UNIX Copy.
encapsulation: The technique used by layered protocols in which a layer adds header information to the protocol data unit (PDU) from the layer above. As an example, in Internet terminology; a packet would contain a header from the physical layer, followed by a header from the network layer (IP), followed by a header from the transport layer (TCP), followed by the application protocol data.
encryption: The manipulation of a packet's data in order to prevent any but the intended recipient from reading that data. There are many types of data encryption, which make up the basis of network security. See also Data Encryption Standard, Kerberos.
Ethernet: A local area network (LAN) transport protocol (TP), initially developed by Xerox and later refined by Digital, Intel, and Xerox IX.. It is very common in computer networks. It's bandwidth is 10 megabit (10,000,000 bits per second). All hosts are connected to a coaxial cable where they contend for network access using a Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/C paradigm). See also Local Area Network.
Ethernet Address: sequence of numbers that is coded into the hardware of the Ethernet device, as opposed to the IP address which is assigned by the bootp server or other methods.
Ethernet cable: a cable capable of transmitting Ethernet signals most frequently 10baseT (looks like telephone wiring) and 10base2 (also called Thin Coax and looks like TV cable wiring).
Ethernet card: a piece of computer hardware that allows computers to exchange information by sending electrical signals through Ethernet cable.
Eudora: A freeware Windows-based E-mail utility often provided by ISP's It can he used to send and receive mail across the Internet via a SLIP or PPP account.
FARNET: A non-profit corporation, established in 1987, whose mission is to advance the use of computer networks to improve research and education. You can reach FARNET at infb@farnet.org.
FAQ: See Frequently Asked Questions.See also RTFM.
Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI): A high-speed (100Mb/sec.) LAN standard. The underlying medium is fiber optics. See also Local Area Network.
file: An contiguous information packet, either data or code, identified by a filename and accesible by a filing system.
File menu: The first drop-down menu in a windows application.
file server: a computer which is mainly used to store and distribute files or programs.
file transfer: The copying of a file from one computer to another over a computer network. See also File Transfer Protocol, Kermit.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP): A protocol that allows a user on one host to access, and transfer files to and from, another host over a network. Also, FTP is usually the name of the program the user invokes to execute the protocol. See also anonymous FTP; archive.
Finger: A program that will check to see if someone is currently logged on to a system and displays information about a particular user, or all users, logged on to the local system or on a remote system. It typically shows the full name, last login time, idle time, terminal line, and terminal location (where applicable). It may also display plan and project files left by the user.
firewall: A hardware device (or collection of devices) that is placed between two networks. One network is considered inside the company (safe) and one is considered outside the company (not safe). All traffic, both from the inside and outside, must pass through this device. The firewall limits access to authorized users and systems by filtering packets as they come in based on the source or destination address, as well as an application's TCP/IP port. On the Internet, firewall, bastion host, and secure Internet Connection are synonymous.
flame: See also e-mail, Frequently Asked Questions, kill file.
flame: A strong opinion and/or criticism of something, usually in a deliberately insulting tone, in an electronic mail message or news posting. Flames usually come in the form of grumpy, irritated, sometimes downright angry responses to questions or to inflammatory statements you make. Flaming is frowned upon in polite Internet society. It is common to precede a flame with an indication of pending fire (such as "FLAME ON!"). "Flame wars" occur when people start flaming other people for flaming when they shouldn't have. They can also start when a new reader in a newsgroup asks a question that older readers have answered many times, and which has been incorporated into a FAQ. A warning to new users: some folks enjoy flame wars and deliberately try to provoke one. Sometimes, you'll be gang-flamed, in which case many (sometimes many, many, many) users will seek revenge on you (for whatever reason) by dumping your E-mail address with thousands upon thousands of worthless messages. Avoid flames. Be nice.
floppy disk: A storage device that stores files/documents. Originally 8" in diameter it has been periodically replaced by smaller packages. They are curently almost exclusively 3.5". It's storage has progressively increased from.72MB to 1.44 MB and they now can hold 2.88MB of data.
floppy drive: a piece of computer hardware used to store and retrieve information from floppy disks.
folder: 1) refers to a collection of files or other folders on Macintosh computers;the same as a directory on another operating system (q.v) 2) collection of electronic mail messages; also refered to as 'mail folder'.
forms-capable browser: A World Wide Web browser which allows users to "fill in the blank" in questionnaires and other user-response items. Most GUI browsers are forms-capable, as are some of the line-mode browsers
For Your Information (FYI): A subseries of RFCs that are not technical standards or descriptions of protocols. FYIs convey general information about topics related to TCP/IP or the Internet. See also Request for Comments, STD.
forwarding: Passing mail from one mailbox to another, particularly when the user is not reading mail regularly on the first system. Some users with accounts on many computers prefer to read mail on one of them (for convenience, better user interface, cost, or other reasons), and so have all their mail forwarded to one account. Forwarding is also used to have mail come to a well-known public name (such as info@host, postmaster@host, or help@host without the need for a specific separate mailbox for that name. See also alias.
freenet: Community-based bulletin board system with e-mail, information services, interactive communications, and conferencing. Freenets are funded and operated by individuals and volunteers-in one sense, like public television. They are part of the National Public 'Thlecomputing Network (NPTN), an organization based in Cleveland, Ohio, devoted to making computer telecommunication and networking services as freely available as public libraries. See also Bulletin Board System.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): A document containing answers to a set of such questions. Many newsgroups put out these FAQ documents so that each new person does not ask the same questions; many computer product companies, as well as organizations that distribute information or do business over the Internet, have begun creating FAQs for their product, service, or information. Many FAQs are stored in an anonymous FTP archive, and many are broadcast across interested mailing lists at least once per month. See also flame.
FTP: File Transfer Protocol, which defines the communications standards used to upload and download files to and from an FTP server.
Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN): The FQDN is the full name of a host computer on the Internet, rather than just its host name. For example, "xrayf' is a host name and xrayf.ge.com is an FQDN. The host named "xrayf" is located within the institutional domain.ge (General Electric), which is within the top-level domain.com (commercial institutions). An FQDN corresponds to an IP address, but this correspondence is not fixed. If the service provided by "xrayf' is moved to a different computer, the administrator will be able to reassign the FQDN to the new computer's IP address. See also host name, Domain Name System.
FYI: See For Your Information.
gateway: The term "router" is now used in place of the original definition of "gateway." Currently, a gateway is a communications device/program that passes data between networks having similar functions but dissimilar implementations. This should not be confused with a protocol converter, which allows dissimilar protocols (for example, DEC, net and AppleTalk) to pass data between them. See also mail gateway, router.
GIF: Graphic Interchange Format, a highly compressed format for storing and transferring graphic images. The GIF format was created by CompuServe to speed the time required to download graphics, and has since become most widely used graphic format on the Internet and the Web.
gigabyte: Approximately one billion bytes or 1,000 MB (actual 1,073,741,824 bytes).
Gopher: A simple, menu-based system (named after the mascot of the University of Minnesota, where it was created) for searching and retrieving information from resources across the Internet. Gopher uses a simple protocol that allows a single Gopher client to access information from any accessible Gopher server, providing the user with a single menu of information. Menu topics may lead to hierarchically organized subtopics. Depending on the context, the term "Gopherspace" refers either to the whole collection of documents available from Gopher servers or to what's available based on the menu selections you've already made. Public domain versions of the client and server are available. The system can beaccessed by typing a Gopher URL in the Open URL dialog box.See also Archie, archive site, Wide Area Information Servers.
graphic: A binary file that is displayed as an image as opposed to text.See inline image
Graphical User Interface (GUI): A GUI is a software "front end" which lets the user use pictures and "point-and-click" technology to access the software application. It allows a computer user to interact with the computer by manipulating graphic representations (icons) witha mouse or other pointing device instead of typing text commands. Many modern Internet clients are based on GUI principles and technology. NetCruiser is a GUI. See also browse, World Wide Web, Gopher
GUI: Graphical User Interface.
hacker: Among programmers, a person who delights in having an intimate understanding of the internal workings of a computer system or network. The term is often misused in a pejorative context, where cracker would be the correct term. Hackers take joy in accomplishing difficult tasks ("hacking out" a working program, for example) and learning more and more about networking and computer systems.
handshaking: See negotiation.
hard copy: A printed copy of some data.
hard disk: A disk inside the computer which stores data and code, sometimes used incorrectly to refer to a 3.5" floppy disk, but differs from a floppy in that it can store more information, and is generally not removable.(You can take a floppy disk out of the floppy drive).
hard drive: a piece of computer hardware used to store files or information. They are currently getting cheaper and larger. The size varies by the model of computer.
hardware: Physical components of a computer such as monitor, mouse, printer, system unit, disk drive, modem, and keyboard.
header: The portion of a packet, preceding the actual data, containing source and destination addresses, and error checking and other fields. A header is also the part of an e-mail message that precedes the body of a message and contains, among other things, the message originator, date, and time.
Help Desk: the technical support department of an organization.
High-Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC): The term high-performance computing encompasses advanced computing, communications, and information technologies, including scientific workstations, supercomputer systems, high-speed networks, special purpose and experimental systems, the new generation of large scale parallel systems, and application and systems software with all components well integrated and linked over a high-speed network. The HPCC Acts legislation passed by the U.S. Congress in the early 1990s (also known as the "Dole Bills") established national networking objectives for the United States. See also National Research and Education Network.
home page: In the World Wide Web, a starting point for a set of information about a particular topic. For example, the NetCruiser Homeport page is the home page for NetCruiser users on the Web. In general terms, the home page is the default page which is presented when a user accesses a Web server. See also World Wide Web, browse,:
home Page: The starting point (first screen) in a Web Site.
hop: A term used in routing. A path to a destination on a network is a series of hops, through routers, away from the origin.
host: A computer that provides a physical link to the Internet and allows users to communicate with other host computers on a network. Individual users communicate by using application programs, such as electronic mail, Telnet, and FTP. In some contexts, and in some philosophies of the way the Internet should work, the host itself is less important than the servers which run on it. For example, Web and Gopher servers distribute data to users without the user having to know which host the server is located on. A host computer is identified via its system and domain names. The terms host. site, and server all essentially are the same. See also server.
host name: The domain name given to a computer. The following are all domain names: nic.ddn.mil, eff.org, and terminator.um.cc.umich.eau. The terms "host name" and "Fully Qualified Domain Name" are interchangeable in most contexts; host name is a more informal term. See also Fully Qualified Domain Name.
host number: See host address, IP address.
Host Presenter: an implementation of telnet for LAN Workplace (LWP).
hotlink: An word, phrase, graphic, or address that, when clicked on, loads other information about the linked phrase or loads a related Web page.
Hotlist: A list of frequently accessed Web sites, which you can create using the Mosaic Add to Current Hotlist function.(See bookmark; favorite)
hotspots: The places in a Web document that are the entry points linking a page to another page via URLs. Hotspots look different than other words or pictures on a Web page. They may be a different color, be followed by a bracketed number, or be underlined. Their appearance differs based on the client being used. You click on the hotspot or enter the number of the hotspot to invoke the link.
HTML: Hyper Text Markup Language, a subset of SGML which is a standardized method for defining formatting, links, and other special handling of text, images, and objects. The World Wide Web can be thought of as a single VERY large HTML document.
HTTP: Hyper Text Transfer Protocol: the protocol used to transfer World Wide Web pages throughout the Internet and is a bona fide resource type used to locate a Web server.
Hypercard: a hypertext Multimedia package popular on Macintosh computers in the late 80's.
hypermedia and hypertext: Hypertext is text which points to other text and allows you to jump around in the text without necessarily reading it in a specific order. Hypermedia is a superset of hypertext. It allows graphical and audio representations of links as well. If you select a link, hypertext and/or hypermedia will transfer you to the page represented by the link.
hypertext: See HTML.
Hyper Text Markup language: See HTML
IATH: Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, an institute established in 1992 with a major grant from IBM and a multi-year commitment of support from the University to provide national leadership in the application of information technology to th e arts, humanities and social sciences.
IBM (International Business Machines): a big company that makes computer hardware and software and was the developer of one of the first sucessful Personal Computers
icon: Graphic or symbol on the computer monitor that represents a computer task or file.
IEEE: See Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers.
IETF: See Internet Engineering Task Force.
IMHO: In My Humble Opinion. Seen a lot in newsgroups, usually to soften the blow of a critical opinion in order to avoid flames.
implementation: the realization of a technical specification.
inkjet printer: Printer that prints hard copies by spraying ink from a matrix of tiny jets.
inline image: A graphic that is part of a webpage.
input: Any data or instructions entered into a computer with any jof a variety of devices including keyboard, light pen, graphics tablet, or mouse.
installation: Process of permanently storing and configuring application software on a hard drive. Alternately, adding hardware to a system.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics: The IEEE is one of the bodies that creates and distributes standards for network protocols, interoperability, and hardware compliance, which allows for smooth operation of networks. In addition, many computer professionals belong to the IEEE and subscribe to their standards of professional behavior and ethics.
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN): An emerging technology that is beginning to be offered by the telephone carriers of the world.ISDN combines voice and digital network services in a single medium, making it possible to offer customers digital data services as well as voice connections through a single "wire." The standards that define ISDN are specified by CCITT If you are interested in finding out whether ISDN is available in your area, you may need to contact a local university or other large Internet site, or ask for the data marketing division at your local phone company. Many residential marketing customer agents at local phone companies are not fully briefed on ISDN. International Organization for Standardization (ISO) A voluntary, nontreaty organization founded in 1946, which is responsible for creating international standards in many areas, including computers and communications. Its members are the national standards organizations of the 89 member countries, including ANSI for the U.S. See also Open Systems Interconnection.
interface: a means by which the two systems interact (see user interface ).
interconnect: Networks which can exchange information and services and which are physically or logically connected by phone lines or other wires can be said to interconnect. See also interoperability.
Internet: A collection of networks interconnected with routers. When lowercased, "internet" often refers to collections of LANs, metropolitan or campus networks, or other regional networks. The uppercase "Internet" is the conglomeration of all the "small-i" internets connected together in the world. It is a three-level hierarchy composed of backbone networks (for example,NETCOM, MILNET), mid-level networks (CICNet, NYSERNet), and stub networks. The Internet uses either the TCP/IP or OSI protocol suite (gateways exist to translate between the two protocols)to ensure that all of its parts work together. See also transit network, internet Protocol, National Science Foundation.
Internet address: An IP address that uniquely identifies a node on an internet. An Internet address (capital "I") uniquely identifies a node on the Internet. See also Internet, IP address.
Internet Architecture Board (IAB): The technical body that oversees the development of the Internet suite of protocols. It has two task forces: the IETF and the IRTF. "IAB" previously stood for Internet Activities Board. See also internet Engineering Thsk Force.
Internet-Draft (I-D): Internet-Drafts are working documents of the IETF, its areas, and its working groups. As the name implies, Internet-Drafts are draft documents. They are valid for a maximum of six months and may be updated, replaced, or made obsolete by other documents at any time. Very often, I-Ds are precursors to RFCs. See also Internet Engineering Thsk Force, Request for Comments.
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF): The IETF is a large, open community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers whose purpose is to coordinate the operation, management and evolution of the Internet, and to resolve short-range and mid-range protocol and architectural issues. It is a major source of proposals for protocol standards that are submitted to the lAB for final approval. The IETF meets three times a year and extensive minutes are included in the IETF Proceedings. See also Internet; Internet Architecture Board. To subscribe to the mailing list that carries IETF announcements, send e-mail to ietf-announce-request@cnri.reston.va.us.
Internet number: See Internet address.
Internet Protocol (IP): The network layer for the TCP/IP protocol suite. It is a connectionless, best-effort packet- switching protocol. ("Best-effort" means each packet is separately evaluated to find the best route available at that moment for sending the packet. Routes have formulas assigned to determine which is the most efficient for any given packet.)
Internet Relay Chat (IRC): A world-wide "party line" protocol that allows users to converse with each other in real time. IRC is structured as a network of servers, each of which accepts connections from client programs, one per user. Some schools and organizations have disabled IRC on their computers and networks because of congestion problems or organizational policies about appropriate use. IRC garnered world-wide attention during the Gulf War, when citizens on their computers in Tel Aviv during the bombing raids were describing the events as they happened over IRC to listeners around the world. See also Talk.
Internet Service Provider (ISP): An internet service provider charges startup and monthly fees to users and provides them with the initial host connection to the rest of the Internet usually via a dialup connection.
Internet Society (ISOC): The Internet Society is a nonprofit, professional membership organization that facilitates and supports the technical evolution of the Internet. It stimulates interest in and educates the scientific and academic communities, industry, and the public about the technology, uses, and applications of the Internet, and promotes the development of new applications for the system. The Society provides a forum for discussion and collaboration in the operation and use of the global Internet infrastructure. The Internet Society publishes a quarterly newsletter, the lnternet Society News, and holds an annual conference, INET. The development of Internet technical standards takes place under the auspices of the Internet Society with substantial support from the Corporation for National Research Initiatives under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Federal Government. (Source: V. Cerf)
internic.net: This is the domain name of the Internet Services NIC, the grandaddy of all NICs. See also Network Information Center.
interoperability: The ability of software and hardware from different vendors, and using different operating systems, to communicate meaningfully. Interoperability is a desirable feature when researching hardware and software to build or add on to an existing network. The goal of most Internet standards and protocols is the smooth interaction and transmission of data between heterogeneous networks, which we also call interoperability.
interpreter: a program that interactively reads and processes commands.
IP: See Internet Protocol.
IP address: The 32-bit address defined by the Internet Protocol that is usually represented in decimal notation. For example, an IP address looks like this:127.0.0.1, while a domain name looks like this: nic.cicnet.net. See also domain address, host address, lnternet address, Internet Protocol, network address, subnet address.
IP datagram: See datagram.
IRC: See Internet Relay Chat.
ISDN: See Integrated Services Digital Network.
ISO: See International Organization for Standardization.
ISOC: See Internet Society.
ISP: See Internet Service Provider.
Java: A platform independent programming language, developed by Sun Microsystems. Java Applications are compiled and stored on a server and downloaded to be run on local "Java Virtual Machines" embedded into the client software.
Javascript: A special purpose Java-like language especially adept at interacting with user input and used extensively to make web pages interactive.
JPEG: Joint Photographic Experts Group, which defined a standard compression format for high-resolution color images
KA9Q: An implementation of TCP/IP and associated protocols for amateur packet radio systems. KA9Q is most popular with users of home computers: KA9Q implementations for computers rather than radios run on many varieties of computers (including such unusual models as Ataris and Apple 2's) to allow them to function as standalone Internet-connected workstations. "KA9Q" is the Amateur Radio call sign of the original author, Phil Karns. See also TCP/IP Protocol Suite.
Kerberos: A security system developed by MIT's Project Athena and others on the Net, named after the three-headed watchdog of Hades in Greek and Roman mythology. It is based on symmetric key cryptography; you give your login and password to a trusted agent on your local computer, who authenticates your identity to the services you wish to use on another computer. See also authentication, authorization, encryption, password.
Kermit: A popular file transfer protocol developed by Columbia University. Because Kermit runs in most operating environments, it provides an easy method of file transfer. Kermit is not the same as FTP See also File Transfer Protocol.
keyboard: Input device for computer commands, text and numerical data.
kill file: An automatically processed database of names, user IDs, topics, and so on, from whom or about which you do not wish to see e-mail or news postings. Kill files are useful to trim your information processing time down to something manageable, or to prevent you from seeing mail or postings from people who persist in behavior with which you do not agree. See also flame.
kilobit: One thousand bits. The kilobit is a convenient unit of data for talking about transmission speeds over computer networks. A 56-kilobit line, for example, can transmit 56,000 bits per second. A T1 line, by comparison, can transmit 1,544,000 bits per second. Kilobit is abbreviated Kb (i.e., 56Kb). See also bit, megabit, T1.
kilobyte: Approximately one thousand bytes (1,024).
LAN: Local Area Network is a linking of many computers so that they may exchange files and share hardware (like printers and disk drives).
Lan WorkPlace (LWP): This is a Novell-produced product which allows PC-compatibles to run both the IP protocol (used by Unix and other computers) at the same time as IPX (used by Novell servers). It also inc ludes several TCP/IP DOS programs, such as telnet and ftp, MS Windows programs like Host Presenter and Rapid Filer , and low-level utilities like PING and RSH.
laptop: Portable computer with monitor, system unit and keyboard combined as one unit.(see notebook)
laser printer: Printer that uses technology similar to a copier.
leased line: Any dedicated phone line but usually refers to a 56 kilobit (56,000 bits per second) leased line, It is also roughly the bandwidth needed for a voice phone call. (For leased-line Connection See Direct Connection)
link: see hotlink
load: In World Wide Web or Gopher sessions, a page or menu is loaded into your browser when you access that page and the images and text appear on your screen. If for some reason you need to update the image or information, you can reload the page or menu. See also World Wide Web; Gopher; browser; home page.
Local Area Network (LAN): A data network intended to serve an area of only a few square kilometers or less. LANs usually serve either a single building or a group of closely located buildings. Because the network is known to cover only a small area, optimizations can be made in the network signal protocols that permit data rates up to 100Mb/s. Popular LAN software includes Novell NetWare and Banyan Vines. See also Ethernet, Fiber Distributed Data Interface, Wide Area Network.
local printer: usually refers to a printer that is directly connected to a computer, as opposed to one connected via a network.
login (verb): a procedure used to establish communication to a computer in interactive mode.
login (noun): same as userid.
login id: same as userid , your user name, or your login (noun).
listserv: An automated mailing list distribution system originally designed for the BITNET/EARN network. Listserv programs now also run on UNIX and other operating systems.
lurking: On a mailing list or Usenet newsgroup, listening without responding publicly. As the name implies, this activity is considered somewhat antisocial, but lurking allows beginners to get a feel for the flavor and response patterns of the participants of the group, and also lets them get up to speed on the history of the group. See also e-mail, Frequently Asked Questions, mailing list, Usenet
Mac: a short name for the Macintosh computer.
machine name: the name of a computer has been given (some have more than one name) see FQDN and hostname.
Macintosh: type of microcomputer made by the Apple computer company.
mail address: an address to where electronic mail is routed. The address is ususally made up of the person's userid and FQDN of machine where their acc ount resides, e.g.; mst3k@darwin.clas.virginia.edu.
mail exploder: Part of an e-mail delivery system that allows a message to be delivered to a list of addresses. Mail exploders are used to implement mailing lists. Users send messages to a single address and the mail exploder takes care of delivery to the individual mailboxes in the list. Some systems administrators prefer to receive mailing list mail at a local exploder address on their system, and to have a local mailing list that users can subscribe or unsubscribe to locally, rather than having each user subscribe to the various mailing lists separately. This helps control the amount of disk space used by copies of e-mail, and can also prevent problems that would occur if the user's ID changes locally or the account terminates on the host. See also e-mail address.
mail folder: a file organized in a standard format where one or more e-mail messages are stored.
mail gateway: A computer that connects two or more (possibly dissimilar) electronic mail systems and transfers messages between them. Sometimes the mapping and translation can be quite complex, and it generally requires a store-and-forward scheme whereby the message is received from one system completely before it is transmitted to the next system, after suitable translations. Some mail gateways also have the capability of selecting which messages will be allowed through, either on political or technical grounds. See also e-mail.
mail server: A program that distributes files or information in response to requests sent via e-mail. Internet examples include Almanac and netlib. Mail servers have also been used in BITNET to provide FTP-like services. See also email, File Transfer Protocol.
mailing list: A list of e-mail addresses, used by a mail exploder, to forward messages to groups of people. Generally, a mailing list is used to discuss a particular set of topics. If a mailing list is moderated, messages sent to the list are actually sent to a moderator who determines whether to send the messages on to everyone else. Requests to subscribe to, or leave, a mailing list should always be sent to the list's "-request" address (for example, ietf-request@cnri.reston.va.us for the IETF mailing list).
mailer: a program used to read and write electronic mail.
main menu: usually refers to the first menu you encounter in a software program.
mainframe: A type of computer suited for processing vast quanities of information.
man pages: Along with FAQs and RTFM, man pages (short for manual pages) are one of the single most useful online sources of information on UNIX systems. The complete documentation for many system utilities can be accessed through the man pages. To ask for help, type man man. This peculiar-looking command gives you instructions on using the "man" facility itself. See also Frequently Asked Questions.
megabit: One million bits. See also bit, kilobit, T1.
megabyte (MB): Approximately one million bytes (1,048,576).
megahertz (MHz): One million cycles per second. A unit of measurement to compare clock speed of computers. The higher the number, the faster the computer.
memory: computer hardware (usually chips) used to store information, not to be comfused with hard drive.
menu: a list of items that you may select that may do a variety of functions: provide information, start an application, show another set of choices.
microcomputer: A personal desktop or portable computer; usually refers to either a IBM or compatible PC or Macintosh
microprocessor: Chip that contains the arithmetic-logic unit and control unit of a CPU.
Microsoft Windows: a graphical interface that runs on the MS/DOS operating system.
mid-level network: Mid-level networks (a.k.a. regionals) make up the second level of the Internet hierarchy. They are the transit networks that connect the stub networks to the backbone networks. NYSERNet, CERFNet, SESQUINET, and MIDNet are examples of mid-level networks.
MIME: See Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions.
mirror: Just as a mirror reflects accurately the image portrayed in it, an "FTP archive mirror" contains all the contents of the original archive site. Mirror sites are updated on a regular basis to maintain congruency with the original site.
modem: Abbr. for MOdulate-DEModulate hardware device that allows computers to communicate (exchange information) over a telephone line. A modem converts digital signals to analog and back again to digital.
moderator(s): A person, or small group of people, who manages moderated mailing lists and newsgroups. Moderators are responsible for determining which e-mail submissions are passed on to the list. They only forward mail which meets the standards that the group has established for itself for topicality, civility of speech, and commercial content. See also e-mail, mailing list, Usenet, Frequently Answered Questions.
monitor: Output device that produces on-screen display of processed data and computer instructions.
mouse: Device used with a Graphical User Interface system software to position on-screen pointer for choosing tasks.
MPEG: Motion Pictures Experts Group, which defined a standard compression format for video and sound. It is used to display and hear online movies.
MS Windows: See Microsoft Windows.
MSDOS: Microsoft's Disk Operating System, the operating system used by most personal computers.
MUD: See Multi-User Dungeon.
multimedia: usually refers to the combination of sound and video on a computer or software package.
Multimedia Extensions: The code which makes a computer able to precess and display Multimedia data
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME): An extension to Internet e-mail that provides the ability to transfer nontextual data, such as graphics, audio, and faxes. Many e-mail clients, such as Pine, mh, and NetCruiser have at least simple Mime capabilities. See also American Standard Code for information interchange, binary, e-mail.
Multi-User Dungeon (MUD): Adventure or role-playing games or simulations (such as political campaigns, conferences, or creativity exercises) played on the Internet. Devotees call them "text-based virtual reality adventures." The games can feature fantasy combat, booby traps, and magic. Players interact in real time and can change the "world" in the game as they play it. Most MUDs are based on the Telnet protocol. MUDs can be an excellent interaction and learning tool, as advanced "wizards" must learn to program the underlying structures in order to create their own realities, but the popularity of the game can cause resource problems for network administrators. See also congestion, Telnet.
MVS: Multiple Virtual Systems, the operating system used by some mainframes
name resolution: The process of mapping a name into its corresponding IP address. See also Domain Name System.
nastygram: An unpleasant message, usually e-mail but sometimes in Usenet newsgroups. Usually nastygrams come from a human being who is in a bad mood, but some folks refer to automated warning messages as nastygrams, as well.
National Research and Education Network (NREN): The NREN is the realization of an interconnected gigabit computer network devoted to high-performance computing and communications.
National Science Foundation (NSF): A U.S., government agency whose purpose is to promote the advancement of science. The NSFNET, funded by NSF, was an essential part of academic and research communications. It was a high-speed "network of networks" that was hierarchical in nature. At the highest level, it was a backbone network comprised of 16 nodes connected to a 45Mb/s facility that spanned the continental United States. Attached to that were mid-level networks and attached to the mid- levels were campus and local networks. NSFNET also had connections out of the U.S. to Canada, Mexico, Europe, and the Pacific Rim. The NSFNET was replaced by network access points, where backbone networks (like NETCOM's) interconnect.
negotiation: Just as diplomats negotiate terms of a settlement or treaty, so computers running Internet Protocols negotiate with other computers running IP. These negotiations allow the computers to make sure they are communicating at the same speed, with the same processes, and that the information they exchange will be packaged in ways that each can properly direct the data to the intended destination. This process is also called handshaking, particularly when speaking of modems connecting to one another.
Net News: See Usenet.
netiquette: A pun on "etiquette" referring to proper behavior on a network. There currently is no "Miss Manners" of the Internet.
Netware: the operating system used by Novell fileservers.
network: A data communications system that interconnects several computer systems for the purpose of sharing files and hardware resources such as printers or disk drives. It may be composed of any combination of LANs, MANs, or WANs. See also Local Area Network, Wide Area Network, Internet.
network address: The network portion of an IP address. For a Class A network, the network address is the first byte of the IP address. For a Class B network, the first two bytes of the IP address. For a Class C network, the first three bytes of the IP address. In each case, the remainder is the host address. On the Internet, assigned network addresses are globally unique. See also subnet address.
Network Information Center (NIC): A NIC provides information, assistance and services to network users. See also Network Operations Center.
Network Information Services (NIS): A set of services, generally provided by an NIC, to assist users in using the network. See also Network Information Center.
network node: A machine, usually a computer, on the Internet. Routers, workstations, and modems are all nodes. While some nodes are at endpoints of a piece of the network, others are waystations or entry points.
network number: See IP address, network address.
Network Operations Center (NOC): A location from which the operation of a network is monitored. Additionally, this center usually serves as a clearinghouse for connectivity problems and efforts to resolve those problems. See also Network In formation Center.
network printer: a printer that is attached to a network and (generally) accessible by other machines on that network.
Network Time Protocol (NTP): A protocol that assures accurate local timekeeping with reference to radio and atomic clocks located on the Internet. This protocol is capable of synchronizing distributed clocks within milliseconds over long time periods.See Network Information Center
newsgroup: Collection of related articles in the USENET news system. This is a way for users with common interests to share information.
NeXT: multiuser Unix Workstation manufactured by NeXT corporation that runs the NeXTSTEP operating system (NeXT Turbo).
NFS: network Filesystem, protocol originated by Sun Microsystems to facilitate file sharing between computers, over a network.
NIS: See Network Information Services.
NNTP: Net News Transfer Protocol, protocol used to facilitate the disemination of USENET news.
NOC: See Network Operations Center
node: An addressable device attached to a computer network. See also host, router.
Norton Utilities: a set of utility programs for PCs and Macs that allows the user to restore crashed files and repair other problems with disks and hard drives.
notebook: Portable, battery powered computer smaller than a laptop with monitor, system unit and keyboard combined as one unit.(see notebook)
Novell Menu: menu system used in some of the DOS-based computers on Grounds.
Novell Fileserver: Provides central sorce for software and file storage capabilty for microcomputer users.
NREN: See National Research and Education Network. NSF See National Science Foundation.
OC-3: A very fast data transmission circuit. An OC-3 circuit (155,000,000 bits per second) (see backbone)
octet: Eight bits. In networking, this term is sometimes used instead of "byte," because some systems have bytes that are not 8 bits long.
online: Connected to or part of a network especially the Internet.
Online Computer Library Catalog: OCLC is a nonprofit membership organization offering computer-based services to libraries, educational organizations, and their users. The OCLC library information network connects more than 10,000 libraries worldwide. Libraries use the OCLC system for cataloging, interlibrary loan, collection development, bibliographic verification, and reference searching.
on-line documentation: locally written and commercial documentation that is available by direct access on the computer.
Open Systems Interconnection (OSI): A suite ofprotocols, designed by ISO committees, to be the international standard computer network architecture. See also International Organization for Standardization.
Open URL: The dialog box you use to type the complete URL address for a Web page or other Internet server
Operating System: Software that allows a computer to accept input and generate output to various peripheral devices.(DOS and Windows 95 are operating systems).
OSI: See Open Systems Interconnection.
OSI Reference Model: A sevenlayer structure designed to describe computer network architectures and the way that data passes through them. The lowest levels handle the physical media and transmission characteristics of the network. The highest levels handle the user applications and data transmission. This model (sometimes referred to as the "seven-layer model") was developed by the ISO in 1978 to clearly define the interfaces in multivendor networks, and to provide users of those networks with conceptual guidelines in the construction of such networks. See also International Organization for Standardization.
output: Data that is displayed on the computer monitor or printed.
page: See Web Page.
parity: an extra bit added to a byte or word to reveal errors in a transmission.
password: a sequence of alphanumeric characters that, when coupled with a userid provides controlled access to a computer account. It may be either chosen by a user, assigned by a systems administrator,or generated by a key distribution program. Along with a valid login ID, this constitutes the two parts of the authentication process on most systems. See also authorization.
PC: Any Personal Computer, but usually refers to an IBM-compatible microcomputer.
PCNews: a program written by ITC to allow PC users to send and receive USENET news.
PING: See Packet Internet Groper
PIF: program Information File, used by Microsoft Windows programs to store information for a MS/DOS program that is run in Windows.
plaintext: Text that uses only the standard ASCII character set. Also used to describe text that is not encrypted using a security program
plan file: A file on a UNIX system that can be read by users on- and off-system using the finger program (if the systems administrator has set up the system to allow it). It has the filename.plan and usually contains some information you want people to know about you, such as your name, preferred e-mail address, and business phone. Plan files may also include information about the user's interests. Some systems administrators do not permit remote fingering of plan files for security or privacy reasons.
Point of Presence (POP): A site where there exists a collection of telecommunications equipment, usually digital leased lines and multi-protocol routers to physically connect users to the Internet. Many network providers have their equipment located along with telephone company POPs.
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP): IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) standard which provides a method for transmitting packets over serial point-to-point links. PPP is the successor protocol to SLIP and like SLIP allows dialup users to connect their home computers to the Internet as peer hosts. Like SLIP, PPP establishes the initial connection between your computer and your service provider's host system, but includes a more robust set of protocols than SLIP. PPP is more efficient than SLIP when using a high-speed modem (14.4 kbps or higher). PPP can also be more difficult to configure than SLIP. (See also SLIP, Service Provider, TCP/IP, Serial Line IP)
POP: See Post Office Protocol and Point of Presence.
port: Although your computer has a physical port in the back into which you plug things, TCP/IP ports are also values defined in the protocol. For example, most computers which accept Telnet sessions create a port "23" to accept Telnet transmissions. When a packet comes in with the Telnet request, it carries a request for port 23. Each application has a unique port number associated with it. See also Transmission Control Protocol.
Post Office Protocol (POP): A protocol designed to allow single-user hosts to read mail from a server. There are three versions: POP, POP2, and POP3. Later versions are not compatible with earlier versions. See also e-mail.
Postal Telegraph and Telephone (PTT): Outside the U.S., PTT refers to a telephone service provider (usually a monopoly) in a particular country.
postmaster: The person responsible for taking care of e-mail problems, answering queries about users, and other.related work at an e-mail server site. By agreement between sites, codified in the RFC's for e-mail, any site that has email connectivity must have a human being who answers mail addressed to postmaster@host. Many postmasters are also handling security questions and systems ethics questions. See also e-mail.
postscript: a file format which is a programming language with powerful graphics primitives for describing printed pages.
PowerPC: RISC microprocessor developed by a consortium of IBM, Apple and Motorola (sometimes refers to the Power Macintosh, the first commercially available micro computer using this chip).
PPP: See Point-to-Point Protocol.
print queue: a method of managing requests to print from a variety of computers to one printer.
printer: Hardware component that produces "hard copy" output.
Privacy Enhanced Mail (PEM): Internet e-mail that provides confidentiality, authentication, and message integrity using various encryption methods.See also e-mail.
processing: Computer instructions executed to transform inputted data (word processing, sorting, calculating) into useable information.
program: a set of instructions or steps that tells the computer how to perform a task.
programming language: a notation providing a means of writing computer source programs, which has syntax (the rules for forming grammatically correct statements in the language) and semantics (the rules for determining the meanings of the statement s) e.g., Basic, C, Cobol, Fortran, Pascal.
protocol: A formal description of message formats and the rules two or morecomputers must follow to exchange those messages. Protocols can describe lowlevel details of computer-to-computer interfaces (for example, the order in which the bits from a byte are sent across a wire), or high- level exchanges between application programs (for example, the way in which two programs transfer a file across the Internet).
provider: See Service Provider.
queue: A backup of packets awaiting processing. See also spool.
Quick Time: A video format for making movies available on the World Wide Web.
RAM: Random Access Memory temporarily stores current application software and data for quick access.
Rapid Filer: a MS Windows program that allows file transfer between the microcomputer and a remote computer.
reciprocal linking: The practice of providing a link to a web site in return for a link posted on that site referencing back to to the originating site.
regional: See mid-level network.
remote computer: a computer that you are connecting to in different location from your local computer.
repeater: A device that propagates electrical signals from one cable to another. See also gateway, router.
Request for Comments (RFC): The document series, begun in 1969, that describes the Internet suite of protocols and related experiments. The name comes from bureaucratspeak-as do its government procurement cousins RFQ (Request for Quote) and RFP (Request for Purchase). Not all (in fact very few) RFC's describe Internet standards, but all Internet standards are written up as RFCs. The RFC series of documents is unusual in that the proposed protocols are forwarded by the Internet research and development community; acting on their own behalf, as opposed to the formally reviewed and standardized protocols that are promoted by organizations such as CCITT and ANSI. See also For Your Information, STD.
ROM: Read Only Memory stores permanently essential system programs and start-up instructions for the PC.
route: The path that network traffic takes from its source to its destination. Also, a possible path from a given host to another host or destination.
router: A device that forwards traffic between networks, using information from then network layer and from routing tables. Some routers are "dedicated," meaning that they do nothing but shuffle traffic; some are used for other purposes, including file storage. See also gateway.
routing: The process of selecting the correct interface and next hop for a packet being forwarded. See also router.
routing domain: A set of routers exchanging routing information within an administrative domain.
routing table: A table or database of routing paths and decision variables that allows a router to send packets on to the correct destination. Routing tables are maintained both by humans and computers.
RS/6000: a multiuser Unix Workstation manufactured by IBM that runs the AIX operating system. The majority of Unix accounts are on this class of machines.
RTFM: Read the Flippin' Manual (or some such similar thing). This is a mild flame in response to a user's question when the answer is immediately available in a README, STD, FAQ, or FYI file. Read first, ask questions later.
SAS: A statstical software package.
scanner: Hardware device that digitizes hard copy (converts into a series of dots) and stores it as a graphics file.
search engine: A search engine is a computer program or group of programs which can take a search string (usually a word or words) and rapidly compare that string with the information in its database, keyword index, or the text of many documents.
secure server: A server,sometimes called a Secure Commerce Server, that encrypts the transfer of data to and from a user to protect their identity or sensitive data such as credit card numbers that may otherwise be intercepted.
Serial Line IP (SLIP): A protocol used to run IP over serial lines, such as telephone circuits or RS-232 cables, interconnecting two systems. SLIP, along with PPP, is one of two popular protocols which allow home computer users to connect their computers to the Internet as peer hosts. SLIP and PPP encapsulate TCP/IP packets for transmission over phone lines.
server: In client-server computing, the "back-end" program from which a client program requests information or other resources. The server handles the work of locating and extracting the information. The term is also often used to refer to the computer running a server program, particularly if it is used only for that purpose (as, for example, a "print server" in a LAN). Essentially means the same as host; however, the term "server" has come to take on a separate connotation, in which "server" is preceded by an adjective that identifies the type of Internet service it provides. For instance, you can connect to a Web server, an FTP server, a Gopher server, or a host (pun intended) of other server types.
Service Provider: An internet service provider charges startup and monthly fees to users and provides them with the initial host connection to the rest of the Internet usually via a dialup connection.
SGML: Standard, Generalized Markup Language, a superset of HTML.
SGI: multiuser Unix Workstation manufactured by Silicon Graphics that runs the IRIX operating system (SGI Indigo, SGI Indy, SGI Crimson).
shareware: Software which the creator or author stores on the network for access by anyone to try out. Once you decide you want to continue using the software, it is ethically correct to pay the shareware fee. Once you do, you will receive update software and manuals.
signature: The three- or four-line message at the bottom of an e-mail message or a Usenet article that identifies the sender. Large signatures (over five lines) are generally frowned upon. These files usually have the filename sig or signature. With many news readers and some e-mail clients this file is automatically appended to the sender's messages or postings. See also e-mail, Usenet.
Simple Mall Transfer Protocol (SMTP): A protocol used to transfer electronic mail between computers. It is a server-to-server protocol, so other protocols are used to access the messages. See also e-mail, Post Office Protocol.
site: A location usually consisting of a collection of documents. A web site is collection of HTML documents or "pages"; an FTP site is a collection of directories for uploadong and downloading files; a Gopher site is a collection of menus;etc.See Host.
site promotion: The activity of listing a web page or site with search engines, on-line and print advertising, and gererally anything which generates traffic to or user awareness of a web site.
SLIP: See Serial Line IP
SLIP: Stands for Serial Line Internet Protocol, and is a standard method for connecting to a service provider via telephone lines. SLIP software provides this connection so that the Internet treats your computer as though it were your service provider's host system. (See also TCP/IP PPP and Service Provider).
SMTP: See Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
software: The coded instructions that gives the computer some form of functionality.(see application, program , operating system)
spreadsheet: A grid of rows and columns used for number tracking and calculation.
spooll(ing): A spool is a storage area where e-mail, print jobs, and some other service requests are stored up until they can be sent on to their destinations. Spooling is the act of storing up such messages or jobs. Items may be spooled for any of several reasons: most commonly if the destination host is down, not accepting transmissions for some reason, or (particularly in print jobs) the receiving printer has not finished printing the job(s) ahead of the spooled job. BITNET traffic is often spooled if the next node on the line cannot accept it for any reason. See also queue.
SprintNet: See Telenet.
storage: Permanent retention of software and document files. Alternately the device which accomplishes this function.
static route/routing: A table or database of destinations and pathways used to route packets to the correct destination. These tables are not dynamically updated by other computers in response to changing network operating conditions. For example, they cannot be automatically updated if a network portion goes down or if the router they want to send to is not functioning. As such, they are prone to problems if the network changes or is not functioning correctly. See also routing, routing table.
STD: A subseries of RFCs that specify Internet standards. See also For Your Information, Request for Comments.
store front: A special website configured with display, ordering, and secure transaction capabilties to act as an on-line store.
sub menu: a menu that is accessed under a main menu.
subnet: A portion of a network (which may be a physically independent network segment) that shares a network address with other portions of the network and is distinguished by a subnet address. A subnet is to a network what a network is to the Internet. See also Internet, network.
subnet address: The subnet portion of an IP address. In a subnetted network, the host portion of an IP address is split into a subnet portion and a host portion using an address (subnet) mask. See also IP address, network address, host address.
subnet number: See subnet address.
Sun: multiuser Unix Workstation manufactured by Sun that runs the SunOS operating system (Sparc 20, Sun IPC, Sun 3/60).
supercomputer: A computer that can process a great deal of information or make involved and extensive calculations very, very quickly. Supercomputers can resolve complex mathematical equations in a few hours which would have taken a scientist with paper and pencil a lifetime, or years using a hand calculator.
Switched Muitimegabit Data Service (SMDS): An emerging high-speed datagram-based public data network service developed by Bellcore and expected to be widely used by telephone companies as the basis for their data networks. See also Integrated Services Digital Network.
system unit: PC hardware that resembles a rectangular box that houses the CPU, disk drives and memory,
T1: An AT&T term for a digital carrier facility used to transmit signals at 1.544Mb/sec. The fiber links between many network nodes run at T1 speed; in some areas, you can get T1 service into your local home or office.
T-1 Circuit: A type of leased phone line. A T-1 circuit 1,544,000 bits per second which is equivilent to 24 56kbs leased lines.
T3: A term for a digital carrier facility used to transmit signals at 44.746Mb/ sec. The NETCOM backbone fiber runs at T3 speed.
T-3 Circuit: A type of leased phone line. A T-3 Circuit (45,000,000 bits per second) is the backbone speed of all major national Internet Service Providers in the US. and roughly equivilent to 30 T-1 lines
Talk: A protocol that allows two people on remote computers to communicate in a real-time fashion.See also Internet Relay Chat.
tape archive: Permanent storage of files on magnetic tape, usually used for backup of files, from a computer.; Return to Index
WWWebfx Home Page
TCP: See Transmission Control Protocol.
TCP/IP Protocol Suite: A common shorthand that refers to the suite of transport and application protocols that runs over the Internet. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol over Internet Protocol) is the set of rules which defines the communications standards for passing information back and forth across the Internet. TCP/IP is actually a collection of more than 100 transmission protocols. It is the common language that controls all communications hardware linked to the Internet,thereby helping to avoid communications conflicts and misunderstandings when data is shuttled among computers linked to the Internet. See also Internet Protocol, Transmission Control Protocol, File Transfer Protocol, Telnet, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.
Telenet: A public packet-switched network using' the CCITT X.25 protocols. It should not be confused with Telnet. In the United States the network is called SprintNet. Telenet/SprintNet is one of the largest IP networking vendors and offers direct connections and high-speed links.
Telnet: A text based networking utility that allows your computer to emulate a terminal connected to a particular network. Unlike FTP, which only allows you to access files from a remote computer, Telnet actually allows you to log into a network and run programs and other services available on the network.Telnet is the Internet standard protocol for remote terminal connection service.
terminal emulator: A program that allows a computer to emulate a particular type of terminal in order to communicate with a remote host computer that is programmed to work with terminals of that type.
terminal server: A device that connects many terminals to a LAN through one network connection. A terminal server can also connect many network users to its asynchronous ports for dial-out capabilities and printer access. See also Local Area Network.
text file: A file that can be read by a human and one that can be transmitted between different programs and systems containing no graphics or formatting information, see ASCII character.
Thirty-ninety (3090): a Mainframe (IBM 3090).
TIFF: Tagged Interchange File Format, a graphics format mutually established by Adobe and Microsoft for use in importing graphics into different applications. TIFF is a common graphics standard among PC applications, but can't be used with some GIF/JPEG viewers.
time sharing: an old system where people were allotted chunks of time on a large computer
TN3270: A variant of the Telnet program that allows one to attach to IBM mainframes and use the mainframe as if you were using a 3270 (or similar) terminal. IBM 3270 terminals (and terminal emulators) are noted for having fullscreen displays, instead of line-oriented displays, and frequently have fixed fields or cells in the display where information can be entered and updated. Several popular library card catalog interfaces work best with TN3270 emulators.
Transfer Protocol: In a URL, this identifies the set of standard transfer procedures that will be used to access and exchange information on the Internet and the Web. Examples of transfer protocols are http and ftp. A transfer protocol is an example of a resource type.
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): An Internet standard transport layer protocol that is connection-oriented and stream-oriented.
Trojan Horse: A computer program that carries within itself a means to allow the creator of the program access to the system using it. See also virus, worm.
Trumpet Winsock: Widely used utility for TCP/IP stack implementation for windows.
twisted pair cable: ethernet cable that looks like a normal RJ11 telephone wire.
URL: Uniform Resource Locator (originally called Universal Resource Locator). A URL is essentially the address and path that internet client software uses to find a particular site on the net.See Uniform Resource Locator.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL): URLs are the resource locators used by the World Wide Web as explicit addresses for information. They contain an access method/resource type (file, Gopher, or http, for example); a host name; perhaps a TCP/IP port number; and may contain a directory/file path. These explicit strings are used by the Web-traversing programs to connect the user directly to a particular document or page. This URL connects you to the NETCOM Gopher Gopher: //Gopher.netcom.coIn Other examples of URLs include: file://ftp.yoda.edu/pub/doc/file.txt or ftp://ftp.yoda.edu/pub/doc/fiie.txt to describe a specific file of text, file://ftp.empire.Inil/pub to describe a specific directory, Gopher://swamp.dagoba.edu:1234 to describe how to get to a Gopher using a specific port number, and http://www.ice.hoth.org:1234/pub/doc/force.html to describe how to get to a World Wide Web page.
Universal Time Coordinated (UTC): Simply put, Greenwich Mean Time.
Unix: an operating system; many manufacturers have their own version of Unix (e.g. SunOS, Solaris, AIX, HP/UX, IRIX, MACH, Linux).
Unix mail: mail delivered to a Unix machine, can be read by a variety of mail reading programs.
Unix-to-Unix Copy (UUCP): Initially, a program run under the Unix operating system that allowed one Unix system to send files to another UNIX system via dial-up phone lines. Today, the term is more commonly used to describe the large international network that uses the UUCP protocol to pass news and electronic mail. See also e-mail, Usenet.
upload: To transfer files from a local computer onto a remote computer,usually to a networked website or FTP site. Also, as a noun, the files uploaded.
UPS: Uninterruptable Power Supply, usually refers to a device that sits between the power supply (wall outlet) and a computer to prevent outages, surges, etc. to adversely affect performance.
Usenet: A massive (really massive) networked collection of thousands of topically named newsgroups, which in turn refers to special-interest forums where Internet users gather to discuss a staggering variety of subjects. Also, the computers that run the protocols, and the people who read and submit Usenet news. Not all Internet hosts subscribe to Usenet and not all Usenet hosts are on the Internet. To access Usenet newsgroups from a browser, simply begin the URL with news:// followed by the domain of the newsgroup.See also UNIX-to-UNIX Copy.
user ID: An account name or login name. See userid
userid: unique alphanumeric character combination that is assigned to a user's account. Also known as a login id or user ID
user interface: the environment that allows a human to interact with a computer (Windows, DOS prompt, Unix prompt, X Window system, Machintosh environment, etc.).
uudecode: a program that converts an uuencoded file back into a binary file.
UUCP: See UNIX-to- UNIX Copy.
uudecode: a program that converts an uuencoded file back into a binary file.
uuencode: a program that converts a binary file into a form suitable for sendingover a network.
Veronica: Internet gossip has it that this actually stands for Very Easy Rodent-Oriented Network Index to Computerized Archives, but that's beside the point. More simply put, Veronica is an index of all Gopher menu items. Since a Veronica search is based on the name on a menu rather than keywords within databases, these searches tend to be less reliable than other methods,
viewer: A software utility that allows you to open and view any of a variety of file formats (typically GIF and JPEG)images online.
virtual domain: A domain that exists as a software entity on a server as contrasted with a domain that actually is comrised of a dedicated hardware location. A virtual domain has a numeric IP address and can include websites, mailservers, FTP sites or any other resource type.
virus: A program that replicates itself by incorporating itself into other programs that are shared among computer systems. See also Trojan Horse, worm.
VT1OO Terminal: The "standard" ASCII text terminal for which applications are designed. Originally manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), this terminal has a monochrome screen and attached keyboard. As you connect to services across the Internet via Telnet, you will frequently be asked what terminal your client is emulating. Choose VT1OO.
W3: See World Wide Web.
WAIS: See Wide Area Information Servers.
WAN: See Wide Area Network.
Web: See World Wide Web.
Web Page: Typically used to refer to a site on the Internet that uses HTML as its interface. Web pages can be downloaded with an HTML based browser and viewed on a local computer. A page may include graphics, text, sounds, and movies.
WHOIS: An Internet program that allows users to query a database of people and other Internet entities, such as domains, networks, and hosts kept at the NIC. The information for people shows a person's company name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. See white pages. Wide Area Information Servers (WAIS) A distributed information service that offers simple natural language input, indexed searching for fast retrieval, and a "relevance feedback" mechanism that allows the results of initial searches to influence future searches. Public domain implementations are available. See also Archie, Gopher.
Wide Area Information Server: Wide Area Information Server, which is an Internet text search and retrieval system that works much like Gopher in that you use keywords to locate items within an online database. Unlike Gopher, WAIS searches are limited to keyword searches; you can't navigate databases through a series of menus. A Gopher server uses WAIS to conduct a search.
Wide Area Network: Wide Area Network is connection of PC's over a wide geographical area using high speed long distance communications hardware such as long-distance phone line and satellites.
WinSock: One of several Windows implementations of the Berkeley Sockets TCP/IP stack for UNIX. Trumpet WinSock is the most common of these.
word: a fundamental unit of storage in a computer, usually the size used to represent an integer.
Word Processing: Method used to create, edit, proof-read, format and print documents on a computer.
workstation: usually refers to a computer that is well-suited to running science or engineering applications. Some characteristics: large (15" or larger)monitor, floating point processor.
World Wide Web (WWW or W3): A hypertext-based distributed information system for linking databases, servers, and pages of information available across the Internet. Created by researchers at CERN in Switzerland it allows users to create, edit, or browse hypertext documents. The clients and servers are freely available from www.w3.org.
worm: A computer program that replicates itself and is self-propagating. Worms, as opposed to viruses, are meant to spawn in network environments. The Internet worm of November 1988 is perhaps the most famous; ��t��o Trojan Horse, virus.
Yahoo: A popular search engine on the Internet.
Yellow Pages: A service, available from Sun Microsystems, used by UNIX administrators to manage databases distributed across a network.
Zip: A compression format used to make files smaller, often before sending them over the internet. A decompression program such as pkunzip is needed to make these files usable after downloading.