Technical Glossary

< > (angle brackets) — Angle brackets around text indicate that all the characters within the brackets must be treated as a single unit, with no spaces between parts, as in <http://www.infolink.org/glossary.htm>. By using angle brackets to frame handwritten or printed electric information (e.g., email addresses and web site locations), you prevent misinterpretation. Leave the angle brackets off such information when you type it into your browser's or email program's dialog box.

@ ('at' sign) — A fixture in every email address, @ separates the username from the domain name, indicating that you are "at" a particular electronic address. For example, <jhsmith@acs.eku.edu> indicates that someone, possibly Jane Smith, gets email at Academic Computing Services, which is at Eastern Kentucky University, an educational institution. See also "e-mail" and "e-mail address."

. (dot) — The period symbol, called "the dot" in online lingo, is used to separate parts of email addresses, URLs, and newsgroup names, as in <jhsmith@acs.eku.edu>, <http://www.yahoo.com >, and <alt.sci.ecology>.

/ (the forward slash) — Used to separate parts of URLs, as in <ftp://ftp.tidbits.com/pub>; not to be confused with the backward slash (\ ) used in DOS directory paths.

ASCII — An acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange, ASCII is the most basic format for transferring files between different programs. It is sometimes referred to in word processing programs as "unformatted text."

BBS (bulletin board service) — A service maintained by a computer that services as an information hub for many computers. People with common interests subscribe to BBS in order to post and receive messages.

Bookmark — An entry in a bookmark list.

Bookmark List — A browser's pull-down menu or pop-up window containing links to web sites you want to visit frequently; sometimes called a "hot list" or "favorites."

Browser — A World Wide Web program for navigating the Internet. Most browsers display graphics and formatted pages and let you click on hyperlinks to "jump" from one Web page to another.

Dialog Box — A window on your computer screen that prompts you to type something, make choices, or confirm a command before the program can continue.

Direct Access — A computer connection that lets you use Internet software (e.g., a graphic browser ) on your personal computer.

Directory — A list or collection of related computer files, sometimes called "folder." A directory may contain other directories, which are called "subdirectories."

Directory Path — The sequence of directories and subdirectories you need to open to find a particular computer file. For example, the directory path <pub\data\history> shows that the "history" file is in the "data" subdirectory, which in turn is in the "pub" directory.

Domain Name — The string of letters and symbols associated with a Web site or e-mail service provider, as in <www.enigmacom.com>. A domain name has at least two elements (parts), separated by periods. The first element or elements uniquely identify an organization's server, while the final element, called the domain, identifies the type of organization operating the server. Common suffixes include .com (commercial), .edu (educational), .gov (government), .mil (military), .net (network management), and .org (non-commercial/ nonprofit). Domains outside the United States often identify the country in which a server is located (e.g., .au for Australia, .ch for Switzerland).

Download — To transfer information electronically from one computer to another, as when you move a program from an archive to your computer.
E-mail (electronic mail) — Any various programs that send and receive messages over a network.

E-mail Address — The address you use to send and receive email. Your email address contains your username, the @ symbol, and the domain name, as in <jhsmith@acs.eku.edu>.

Emoticons — Small graphic renderings, composed of ASCII characters, that the writer substitutes for facial expressions and body language. Emoticons are useful in an online world where curt and hastily written messages can easily offend, and where you may want to indicate humor, surprise, or some other emotion to readers who cannot see you. Some of the most popular emoticons are :-) (smile), :-( (frown), ;-/ (skeptical),}:-> (devilish) and :-o (surprised). For a fuller list, see Emoticons at http://jwp.bc.ca/peregrine/irc/emot.htm.

Encryption — The level of security your browser is compatible with. The higher the 'bit' number, the greater the security and compatibility with today's secure Web sites.

FAQ (frequently asked questions) — Pronounced "fack"; a file containing answers to common questions that new user of a program or service might ask. If you are new to a newsgroup or listerv, look up the group's FAQ file and read the answers to questions others have already asked.

FTP (file transfer protocol) — The set of commands used to transfer files between computers on the Internet.

GIF (graphics interchange format) — Pronounced "jiff" or "giff"; one of two common formats (the other is JPEG) for image files associated with Web documents. The acronym appears at the end of the file name, as in <marsface.gif>.

History List — A list (usually a pull-down menu) of the Web pages you most recently visited. History lists let you return quickly to a site or see an overview of your latest surfing session.

Hit — In Internet lingo, hit can mean (1) an item in the list of search results a browser gives you ("Alta Vista's search for "scorpions" turned up sixty-nine hits), or (2) accessing of a Web page by an Internet surfer ("The Online! Web page received three dozen hits this week").

Homepage — Usually the first page you see when you access a particular Web site, a homepage has hypertext links to other pages on the same server or to other Web servers. Both organizations and individuals can have their own homepages.

HTML (hypertext markup language) — A computer code that allows you to create pages on the World Wide Web. HTML "tags" electronic text to indicate how it should be displayed onscreen by browsers. It provides a common language for browsers using different computer systems (Mac, PC, Unix, etc.).

HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) — The communication rules used by browsers and servers to move HTML documents across the Web.

Hyperlink — A connection between two places on the Web. Hyperlinks are represented onscreen by highlighted icons or text. Selecting a hyperlink makes your browser "jump" from one place to another. Hyperlinks are sometimes called "hotlinks."

Hypertext — A document coded in HTML; a collection of such documents.

Hypertext Link — A connection between two documents or sections of a document on the web; a type of "hyperlink."

Internet — A vast network of computers offering many types of services, including e-mail and access to the World Wide Web. As a "network of networks," the Internet links computers around the world.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) — A person or company providing access to the Internet.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) — Pronounced "jay-peg"; one of two common formats (the other is GIF) for image files associated with Web documents. In filenames the acronym appears as jpeg or jpg, as in <pluto.jpg>.

Keyword — The term you type into a search tool's dialog box; what you want to search for.

Modem — Equipment that connects a computer to a data transmission line (usually a telephone line), enabling the computer to communicate with other computers and the Internet.

Netiquette — A combination of the words "Net" and "etiquette," netiquette refers to appropriate behavior on a network, and more generally the Internet.

Online — On a network; on the Internet.

Password — A personal code you use to access your computer account and keep it private.

Post — To send a message to someone online. An online message is a "post."

Search Engine — Any of various programs that work with your browser to find information on the Web. After you type a keyword or keywords into your browser's dialog box, a search tool looks for Web pages containing your keyword(s) and produces a menu of available documents (hits). Also called "search tool."

Server — A computer that handles requests from client computers for data, e-mail, file transfer, and other network services.

TCP/IP — An abbreviation for "transmission control protocol/Internet protocol," TCP/IP controls software applications on the Internet.

Thread — A series of postings about a particular topic. For example, you might decide to follow a "fire ants" thread in the newsgroup <alt.sci.ecology>.

URL (uniform resource locator) — Pronounced "u-r-l." a string of characteristics that uniquely identifies each page of information on the World Wide Web; a Web address. The URL for Online! Is <http://www.smpcollege.com/online-4styles~help>.

Virtual — Online; occurring or existing in cyberspace.

Wired — Electronic; online.

World Wide Web (WWW) — A global Internet service connecting hypertext data and resources. Using a browser, you can move quickly from one Web site to another in search of information, graphics and data.