Glossary of Internet Terms

7/27/2019 Glossary of Internet Terms

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Glossary of Internet Terms

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1xRTT -- (Single Carrier (1x) Radio Transmission Technology)

A wireless communicationsprotocolused for connections to networks by devices such as

laptop computers. 1xRTT has the capability of providing data transfer speeds of up to144 thousand bps. 1xRTT is a built on top of another widely used protocol, CDMA and is

also called CMDA2000.

See also:bps,CDMA,Network,Protocol

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ADN -- (Advanced Digital Network)

Usually refers to a 56Kbpsleased-line.

See also:bps,Leased Line
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ADSL -- (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)

ADSL line where the upload speed is different from the download speed. Usually the

download speed is much greater.

See also:Download,DSL,SDSL,Upload

Ajax -- (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)

A way of including content in a web page in whichjavascriptcode in the web page

fetches some data from a server and displays it without re-fetching the entire surroundingpage at the same time (hence the 'Asynchronous')

Often (but not always) the data fetched by the javascript code is inXML format.

It is common for Ajax applications to update the Ajax content multiple times without thesurrounding page needing to be updated even once.

A simple example of Ajax would be a weather-forcast box in the middle of a web page.Ajax could be used to populate the box every 5 minutes without needing to refresh the

surrounding page.

See also:JavaScript,Web page,XML

Anonymous FTP

See also:FTP

ApacheThe most common web server (orHTTPserver) software on the Internet. Apache is an

open-source application originally created from a series of changes ("patches") made to aweb server written at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, the same

place theMosaic web browser was created.

Apache is designed as a set of modules, enabling administrators to choose which featuresthey wish to use and making it easy to add features to meet specific needs inlcuding

handling protocols other than the web-standardHTTP.

See also:HTTP,mod_perl,Mosaic,Server

Applet

A smallJava program that can be embedded in anHTML page. Applets differ from full-fledged Java applications in that they are not allowed to access certain resources on the

local computer, such as files and serial devices (modems, printers, etc.), and are

prohibited from communicating with most other computers across a network. Thecommon rule is that an applet can only make an Internet connection to the computer from

which the applet was sent.

See also:HTML,Java
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Application ServerServersoftware that manages one or more other pieces of software in a way that makes

the managed software available over a network, usually to a Web server. By having apiece of software manage other software packages it is possible to use resources like

memory and database access more efficiently than if each of the managed packages

responded directly to requests.

See also:ASP,Server

ArchieA tool (software) for finding files stored on anonymous FTPsites. You need to know the

exact file name or a substring of it. By 1999Archie had been almost completely replaced

by web-based search engines.

Back whenFTPwas the main way people moved files over theInternetarchie was quite

popular.

See also:FTP

ARPANet -- (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network)The precursor to theInternet. Developed in the late 60's and early 70's by the US

Department of Defense as an experiment in wide-area-networking to connect together

computers that were each running different system so that people at one location coulduse computing resources from another location.

See also:Internet (Upper case I),Network,WAN

ASCII -- (American Standard Code for Information Interchange)

This is the defacto world-wide standard for the code numbers used by computers torepresent all the upper and lower-case Latin letters, numbers, punctuation, etc. There are

128 standard ASCII codes each of which can be represented by a 7 digit binary number:

0000000 through 1111111.

ASP -- (Application Service Provider)A organization (usually a business) that runs one or more applications on their own

servers and provides (usually for a fee) access to others. Common examples of services

provided this way include web-based software such as Calendar systems, HumanResources tools (timesheets, benefits, etc.), and various applications to help groups

collaborate on projects.

See also:Application Server,Server

AtomAn evolving protocol for syndication and sharing of content.

Atom is being developed as a succesor to and improvement overRSSand is more

complex than RSS while offering support for additional features such digital signatures,geographic location of author, possibly security/encryption, licensing, etc.
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Like RSS, Atom is anXML-based specification.

See also:RSS,XML

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BackboneA high-speed line or series of connections that forms a major pathway within a network.

The term is relative as a backbone in a small networkwill likely be much smaller thanmany non-backbone lines in a large network.

See also:Network

BandwidthHow much stuff you can send through a connection. Usually measured in bits-per-second(bps.) A full page of English text is about 16,000 bits. A fast modem can move about

57,000 bits in one second. Full-motion full-screen video would require roughly

10,000,000 bits-per-second, depending on compression.

See also:Bit,bps,T-1

BaudIn common usage the "baud" of a modem is how many bits it can send or receive per

second. Technically, baud is the number of times per second that the carrier signal shifts

value - for example a 1200 bit-per-second modem actually runs at 300 baud, but it moves

4 bits per baud (4 x 300= 1200 bits per second).

See also:Bit,Modem

BBS -- (Bulletin Board System)

A computerized meeting and announcement system that allows people to carry ondiscussions, upload and download files, and make announcements without the people

being connected to the computer at the same time. In the early 1990's there were many

thousands (millions?) of BBS's around the world, most were very small, running on asingle IBM clone PC with 1 or 2 phone lines. Some were very large and the line between

a BBS and a system like AOL gets crossed at some point, but it is not clearly drawn.

BinaryInformation consisting entirely of ones and zeros. Also, commonly used to refer to filesthat are not simply text files, e.g. images.

See also:MIME,UUENCODE

Binhex -- (BINary HEXadecimal)
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A method for converting non-text files (non-ASCII) intoASCII. This is needed because

Internet e-mail can only handle ASCII.

See also:ASCII,MIME,UUENCODE

Bit -- (Binary DigIT)A single digit number in base-2, in other words, either a 1 or a zero. The smallest unit of

computerized data.Bandwidthis usually measured in bits-per-second.

See also:Bandwidth,Bit,bps,Byte,Kilobyte,Megabyte

BITNET -- (Because It's Time NETwork (or Because It's There NETwork))A networkof educational sites separate from the Internet, but e-mail is freely exchanged

betweenBITNETand the Internet.Listservs, a popular form of e-mail discussion

groups, originated on BITNET. At its peak (the late 1980's and early 1990's) BITNET

machines were usually mainframes, often running IBM's MVS operating system.BITNET is probably the only international network that is shrinking.

See also:Internet (Upper case I),Listserv ,Network

Blog -- (weB LOG)

A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blogis "blogging" and someone who keeps a blog is a "blogger." Blogs are typically updated

daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update

and maintain the blog.

Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in chronological order with the most

recent additions featured most prominently.

It is common for blogs to be available asRSSfeeds.

See also:Blogosphere or Blogsphere,RSS

Blogosphere or BlogsphereThe current state of all information available on blogs and/or the sub-culture of those who

create and use blogs.

See also:Blog

bps -- (Bits-Per-Second)A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place to another. A 56Kmodem can

move about 57,000 bits per second.

See also:Bandwidth,Bit

Broadband
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Generally refers to connections to the Internet with much greaterbandwidth than you can

get with a modem. There is no specific definition of the speed of a "broadband"

connection but in general any Internet connection usingDSL or a via Cable-TV may beconsidered a broadband connection.

See also:Bandwidth,DSL,Modem

BrowserA Clientprogram (software) that is used to look at various kinds of Internet resources.

See also:Client,Server,URL,WWW

BTW -- (By The Way)

A shorthand appended to a comment written in an online forum.

See also:IMHO

ByteA set of Bits that represent a single character. Usually there are 8 Bits in a Byte,sometimes more, depending on how the measurement is being made.

See also:Bit

Back to Index

CATP -- (Caffeine Access Transport Protocol)

Common method of moving caffeine across Wide Area Networks such as theInternet

CATP was first used at the Binary Cafe in Cybertown and quickly spread world-wide.

There are reported problems with short-circuits and rust and decaffinated beverages werenot supported until version 1.5.3

See also:Internet (Upper case I),IRC,WAN

CDMA -- (Code Division Multiple Access)

Aprotocolfor wireless data and voice communication, CMDA is widely used in

cellphone networks, but also in many other data communications systems. CDMA uses atechnique called "Spread Spectrum" whereby the data being transmitted is spread across

multiple radio frequencies, making more efficent use of available radio spectrum. There

are a number of additional protocols built on top of CDMA, such as 1xRTT(also calledCMDA2000).

See also:1xRTT,Protocol
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Certificate AuthorityAn issuer ofSecurity Certificates used in SSL connections.

See also:SSL

CGI -- (Common Gateway Interface)A set of rules that describe how a WebServercommunicates with another piece of

software on the same machine, and how the other piece of software (the ?CGI program?)

talks to the web server. Any piece of software can be a CGI program if it handles inputand output according to the CGI standard.

See also:Server,WWW

cgi-binThe most common name of a directory on a web server in which CGIprograms are stored.

See also:CGI

ClientA software program that is used to contact and obtain data from a Serversoftware

program on another computer, often across a great distance. EachClientprogram is

designed to work with one or more specific kinds ofServerprograms, and each Serverrequires a specific kind ofClient. A WebBrowseris a specific kind ofClient.

See also:Browser,Client,Server

co-locationMost often used to refer to having aserverthat belongs to one person or group physically

located on anInternet-connected networkthat belongs to another person or group.Usually this is done because the server owner wants their machine to be on a high-speed

Internet connection and/or they do not want the security risks of having the server on

thier own network.

See also:Internet (Upper case I),Network,Server

CookieThe most common meaning of "Cookie" on the Internet refers to a piece of information

sent by a Web Serverto a WebBrowserthat the Browser software is expected to save

and to send back to the Server whenever the browser makes additional requests from the

Server.

Depending on the type of Cookie used, and the Browsers' settings, the Browser mayaccept or not accept the Cookie, and may save the Cookie for either a short time or a long

time.

Cookies might contain information such as login or registration information, online

"shopping cart" information, user preferences, etc.
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When a Server receives a request from a Browser that includes a Cookie, the Server is

able to use the information stored in the Cookie. For example, the Server might

customize what is sent back to the user, or keep a log of particular users' requests.

Cookies are usually set to expire after a predetermined amount of time and are usually

saved in memory until the Browser software is closed down, at which time they may besaved to disk if their "expire time" has not been reached.

Cookies do not read your hard drive and send your life story to the CIA, but they can beused to gather more information about a user than would be possible without them.

See also:Browser,Server

CSS -- (Cascading Style Sheet)

A standard for specifying the appearance of text and other elements. CSS was developed

for use withHTML in Web pages but is also used in other situations, notably inapplications built usingXPFE. CSS is typically used to provide a single "library" of

styles that are used over and over throughout a large number of related documents, as in a

web site. A CSS file might specify that all numbered lists are to appear in italics. Bychanging that single specification the look of a large number of documents can be easily

changed.

See also:HTML,Web page,XPFE

CyberpunkCyberpunk was originally a cultural sub-genre of science fiction taking place in a not-so-distant, dystopian, over-industrialized society. The term grew out of the work of William

Gibson and Bruce Sterling and has evolved into a cultural label encompassing many

different kinds of human, machine, and punk attitudes. It includes clothing and lifestylechoices as well.

See also:Cyberspace

CyberspaceTerm originated by author William Gibson in his novelNeuromancerthe wordCyberspace is currently used to describe the whole range of information resources

available through computer networks.

See also:Cyberpunk

Back to Index

DHCP -- (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)

DHCP is aprotocolby which a machine can obtain anIP number(and other network

configuration information) from aserveron the local network.
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See also:IP Number,Network,Server

DHTML -- (Dynamic HyperText Markup Language)

DHTML refers to web pages that use a combination ofHTML,JavaScript, and CSStocreate features such as letting the user drag items around on the web page, some simple

kinds of animation, and many more.

See also:CSS,HTML,JavaScript,Web page

DigeratiThe digital version of literati, it is a reference to a vague cloud of people seen to be

knowledgeable, hip, or otherwise in-the-know in regardsto the digital revolution.

DNS -- (Domain Name System)The Domain Name System is the system that translates Internet domain names intoIPnumbers. A "DNS Server" is aserverthat performs this kind of translation.

See also:Domain Name,IP Number,Server

Domain NameThe unique name that identifies an Internet site. Domain Names always have 2 or more

parts, separated by dots. The part on the left is the most specific, and the part on the right

is the most general. A given machine may have more than one Domain Name but a given

Domain Name points to only one machine. For example, the domain names:

matisse.netmail.matisse.networkshop.matisse.net

can all refer to the same machine, but each domain name can refer to no more than one

machine.

Usually, all of the machines on a given Network will have the same thing as the right-hand portion of their Domain Names (matisse.net in the examples above). It is also

possible for a Domain Name to exist but not be connected to an actual machine. This is

often done so that a group or business can have an Internet e-mail address without having

to establish a real Internet site. In these cases, some real Internet machine must handle themail on behalf of the listed Domain Name.

See also:IP Number,TLD

DownloadTransferring data (usually a file) from a another computer to the computer you are are

using. The opposite ofupload.

See also:Upload

DSL -- (Digital Subscriber Line)
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A method for moving data over regular phone lines. A DSL circuit is much faster than a

regular phone connection, and the wires coming into the subscriber's premises are the

same (copper) wires used for regular phone service. A DSL circuit must be configured toconnect two specific locations, similar to a leased line (howeverr a DSL circuit is not a

leased line.

A common configuration of DSL allows downloads at speeds of up to 1.544 megabits

(not megabytes) per second, and uploads at speeds of 128 kilobits per second. This

arrangement is calledADSL: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line.

Another common configuration is symmetrical: 384 Kilobits per second in both

directions.

In theory ADSL allows download speeds of up to 9 megabits per second and upload

speeds of up to 640 kilobits per second.

DSL is now a popular alternative to Leased Lines and ISDN, being faster than ISDN andless costly than traditional Leased Lines.

Back to Index

Email -- (Electronic Mail)

Messages, usually text, sent from one person to another via computer. E-mail can also besent automatically to a large number of addresses.

See also:Listserv ,SMTP

EthernetA very common method of networking computers in aLAN.

There is more than one type of Ethernet. By 2001 the standard type was "100-BaseT"which can handle up to about 100,000,000 bits-per-second and can be used with almost

any kind of computer.

See also:Bandwidth,FDDI,LAN

Extranet

An intranetthat is accesible to computers that are not physically part of a companys' ownprivate network, but that is not accessible to the general public, for example to allow

vendors and business partners to access a company web site.

Often an intranet will make use of a Virtual Private Network. (VPN.)

See also:Intranet,Network,VPN
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Back to Index

FAQ -- (Frequently Asked Questions)

FAQs are documents that list and answerthe most common questions on a particularsubject. There are hundreds of FAQs on subjects as diverse as Pet Grooming and

Cryptography. FAQs are usually written by people who have tired of answering the same

question over and over.

FDDI -- (Fiber Distributed Data Interface)

A standard for transmitting data on optical fiber cables at a rate of around 100,000,000

bits-per-second (10 times as fast as 10-BaseTEthernet, about twice as fast as T-3).

See also:Ethernet,T-3

FingerAn Internet software tool for locating people on other Internet sites. Finger is also

sometimes used to give access to non-personal information, but the most common use is

to see if a person has an account at a particular Internet site. Many sites do not allowincoming Finger requests, but many do.

Fire WallA combination of hardware and software that separates aNetworkinto two or more partsfor security purposes.

See also:Network

FlameOriginally, "flame" meant to carry forth in a passionate manner in the spirit of honorable

debate. Flames most often involved the use of flowery language and flaming well was anart form. More recently flame has come to refer to any kind of derogatory comment no

matter how witless or crude.

See also:Flame War

Flame WarWhen an online discussion degenerates into a series of personal attacks against the

debators, rather than discussion of their positions. A heated exchange.

See also:Flame

FTP -- (File Transfer Protocol)A very common method of moving files between two Internet sites.

FTP is a way to login to another Internet site for the purposes of retrieving and/or sendingfiles. There are many Internet sites that have established publicly accessible repositories

of material that can be obtained using FTP, by logging in using the account name

"anonymous", thus these sites are called "anonymous ftp servers".
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FTP was invented and in wide use long before the advent of the World Wide Web and

originally was always used from a text-only interface.

See also:Login,WWW

Back to Index

GatewayThe technical meaning is a hardware or software set-up that translates between two

dissimilar protocols, for example America Online has a gateway that translates betweenits internal, proprietary e-mail format and Internet e-mail format. Another, sloppier

meaning of gateway is to describe any mechanism for providing access to another

system, e.g. AOL might be called a gateway to the Internet.

GIF -- (Graphic Interchange Format)A common format for image files, especially suitable for images containing large areas of

the same color. GIF format files of simple images are often smaller than the same file

would be if stored inJPEG format, but GIF format does not store photographic images aswell as JPEG.

See also:JPEG,PNG

Gigabyte1000 or 1024Megabytes, depending on who is measuring.

See also:Byte

GopherInvented at the University of Minnesota in 1993 just before the Web, gopher was a widely

successful method of making menus of material available over the Internet.

Gopher was designed to be much easier to use thanFTP, while still using a text-onlyinterface.

Gopher is a Clientand Serverstyle program, whichrequires that the user have a Gopher

Clientprogram. Although Gopher spread rapidly across the globe in only a couple ofyears, it has been largely supplanted by Hypertext, also known as WWW (World WideWeb). There are still thousands of GopherServers on the Internet and we can expect they

will remain for a while.

See also:Client,FTP,WWW

Back to Index
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hitAs used in reference to the World Wide Web, ?hit? means a single request from a web

browserfor a single item from a webserver; thus in order for a web browser to display apage that contains 3 graphics, 4 ?hits? would occur at the server: 1 for theHTML page,

and one for each of the 3 graphics.

See also:Browser,HTML,Server

Home Page (or Homepage)Several meanings. Originally, the web page that yourbrowseris set to use when it starts

up. The more common meaning refers to the main web page for a business, organization,

person or simply the main page out of a collection of web pages, e.g. "Check out so-and-

so's new Home Page."

See also:Browser,WWW

Host

Any computer on a networkthat is a repository for services available to other computerson the network. It is quite common to have one host machine provide several services,

such as SMTP(email) andHTTP(web).

See also:Network,SMTP

HTML -- (HyperText Markup Language)

The coding language used to createHypertextdocuments for use on the World Wide Web.

HTML looks a lot like old-fashioned typesetting code, where you surround a block oftext with codes that indicate how it should appear.

The "hyper" in Hypertext comes from the fact that in HTML you can specify that a blockof text, or an image, is linked to another file on the Internet. HTML files are meant to be

viewed using a "Web Browser".

HTML is loosely based on a more comprehensive system for markup called SGML, andis expected to eventually be replaced byXML-basedXHTML standards.

See also:Browser,Hypertext,SGML,WWW,XHTML,XML

HTTP -- (HyperText Transfer Protocol)

The protocol for moving hypertextfiles across theInternet. Requires a HTTP client

program on one end, and an HTTPserverprogram (such asApache) on the other end.HTTP is the most important protocol used in the World Wide Web (WWW).

See also:Apache,Client,Hypertext,Server,WWW

Hypertext
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Generally, any text that contains links to other documents - words or phrases in the

document that can be chosen by a reader and which cause another document to be

retrieved and displayed.

See also:HTML,HTTP

Back to Index

IMAP -- (Internet Message Access Protocol)

IMAP is gradually replacingPOPas the main protocol used by email clients incommunicating with emailservers.

Using IMAP an email client program can not only retrieve email but can also manipulatemessage stored on the server, without having to actually retrieve the messages. So

messages can be deleted, have their status changed, multiple mail boxes can be managed,

etc.

IMAP is defined in RFC 2060

See also:Client,Email,POP,RFC,Server

IMHO -- (In My Humble Opinion)A shorthand appended to a comment written in an online forum, IMHO indicates that the

writer is aware that they areexpressing a debatable view, probably on a subject already

under discussion. One of many such shorthands in common use online, especially indiscussion forums.

internet (Lower case i)Any time you connect 2 or more networks together, you have an internet - as in inter-

national or inter-state.

See also:Internet (Upper case I),Network

Internet (Upper case I)The vast collection of inter-connected networks that are connected using the TCP/IP

protocols and that evolved from theARPANETof the late 60's and early 70's.

The Internet connects tens of thousands of independent networks into a vast global

internetand is probably the largest Wide Area Networkin the world.

See also:internet (Lower case i),Network,WAN

IntranetA private networkinside a company or organization that uses the same kinds of software

that you would find on the publicInternet, but that is only for internal use. Compare withextranet.
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See also:Extranet,internet (Lower case i),Internet (Upper case I)

IP Number -- (Internet Protocol Number)

Sometimes called a dotted quad. A unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots,e.g.

165.113.245.2

Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP number - if a machine does not havean IP number, it is not really on the Internet. Many machines (especially servers) alsohave one or more Domain Names that are easier for people to remember.

See also:Domain Name,Server,TCP/IP

IPv4 -- (Internet Protocol, version 4)

The most widley used version of the Internet Protocol (the "IP" part ofTCP/IP.)

IPv4 allows for a theoretical maximum of approximately four billionIP Numbers

(technically 232

), but the actual number is far less due to inefficiencies in the way blocks

of numbers are handled by networks. The gradual adoption ofIPv6will solve thisproblem.

See also:IP Number,IPv6,Network,Protocol,TCP/IP

IPv6 -- (Internet Protocol, version 6)

The successor toIPv4. Already deployed in some cases and gradually spreading, IPv6provides a huge number of availableIP Numbers - over a sextillion addresses

(theoretically 2128

). IPv6 allows every device on the planet to have its own IP Number.

See also:IP Number,IPv4,Network,Protocol,TCP/IP

IRC -- (Internet Relay Chat)

Basically a huge multi-user live chat facility. There are a number of major IRCserversaround the world which are linked to each other. Anyone can create a channel and

anything that anyone types in a given channel is seen by all others in the channel. Private

channels can (and are) created for multi-person conference calls.

See also:Server

ISDN -- (Integrated Services Digital Network)

Basically a way to move more dataover existing regular phone lines. ISDN is available to

much of the USA and in most markets it is priced very comparably to standard analogphone circuits. It can provide speeds of roughly 128,000 bits-per-second over regularphone lines. In practice, most people will be limited to 56,000or 64,000 bits-per-second.

UnlikeDSL, ISDN can be used to connect to many different locations, one at a time, just

like a regular telephone call, as long the other location also has ISDN.

See also:DSL
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ISP -- (Internet Service Provider)

An institution that provides access to the Internet in some form, usually for money.

IT -- (Information Technology)A very general term referring to the entire field of Information Technology - anything

from computer hardware to programming to network management. Most medium and

large size companies have IT Departments.Back to Index

JavaJava is a network-friendly programming language invented by Sun Microsystems.

Java is often used to build large, complex systems that involve several different

computers interacting across networks, for example transaction processing systems.

Java is also used to create software with graphical user interfaces such as editors, audioplayers, web browsers, etc.

Java is also popular for creating programs that run in small electronic devicws, such as

mobile telephones.

Using small Java programs (called "Applets"), Web pages can include functions such asanimations,calculators, and other fancy tricks.

See also:Applet,JDK

JavaScriptJavaScript is a programming language that is mostly used in web pages, usually to addfeatures that make the web page more interactive. When JavaScript is included in an

HTML file it relies upon the browser to interpret the JavaScript. When JavaScript is

combined with Cascading Style Sheets(CSS), and later versions of HTML (4.0 and later)

the result is often calledDHTML.

See also:Ajax,DHTML,HTML

JDK-- (Java Development Kit)

A software development package from Sun Microsystems that implements the basic set

of tools needed to write, test and debugJava applications and applets

See also:Applet,Java

JPEG -- (Joint Photographic Experts Group)JPEG is most commonly mentioned as a format for image files. JPEG format is preferred

to the GIFformat for photographic images as opposed to line art or simple logo art.

See also:GIF,PNG
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Back to Index

Kilobyte

A thousand bytes. Actually, usually 1024 (2

10

) bytes.

See also:Byte

Back to Index

LAN -- (Local Area Network)A computer network limited to the immediate area, usually the same building or floor of

a building.

See also:Network,VPN,WAN

Leased LineRefers to line such as a telephone line or fiber-optic cable that is rented for exclusive 24-

hour, 7-days-a-week use from your location to another location. The highest speed data

connections require a leased line.

See also:DSL,ISDN

LinuxA widely used Open Source Unix-like operating system. Linux was first released by its

inventor Linus Torvalds in 1991. There are versions of Linux for almost every availabletype of computer hardware from desktop machines to IBM mainframes. The innerworkings of Linux are open and available for anyone to examine and change as long as

they make their changes available to the public. This has resulted in thousands of people

working on various aspects of Linux and adaptation of Linux for a huge variety ofpurposes, from servers to TV-recording boxes.

See also:Open Source Software,Unix

Listserv The most common kind ofmaillist, "Listserv" is a registered trademark of L-Soft

international, Inc. Listservs originated onBITNETbut they are now common on theInternet.

See also:BITNET,Internet (Upper case I),Maillist

LoginNoun or a verb.
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Noun: The account name used to gain access to a computer system. Not a secret (contrast

withPassword).

Verb: the act of connecting to a computer system by giving your credentials (usually your

"username" and "password")

See also:Password

Back to Index

Maillist(or Mailing List) A (usually automated) system that allows people to send e-mailto one

address, whereupon their message is copied and sent to all of the other subscribers to themaillist. In this way, people who have many different kinds of e-mail access can

participate in discussions together.

See also:Email,Listserv

MashupA web page or site made by automatically combining content from other sources, usually

by using material available viaRSSfeeds and/orRESTinterfaces.

See also:REST,RSS

MegabyteTechnically speaking, a million bytes. In many cases the term means 1024 kilobytes,

which is a more than an even million.

See also:Byte,Kilobyte

Meta TagA specific kind ofHTML tag that contains information not normally displayed to theuser. Meta tags contan information about the page itself, hence the name ("meta" means

"about this subject")

Typical uses of Meta tags are to include information forsearch engines to help them

better categorize a page.

You can see the Meta tags in a page if you view the pages' source code.

See also:HTML,Search Engine,SEO

MIME -- (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions)Originally a standard for defining the types of files attached to standard Internet mail

messages. The MIME standard has come to be used in many situations where one
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cmputer programs needs to communicate with another program about what kind of file is

being sent.

For example,HTML files have a MIME-type oftext/html,JPEG files are image/jpeg,etc.

See also:HTML,JPEG

MirrorGenerally speaking, "to mirror" is to maintain an exact copy of something. Probably the

most common use of the term on the Internet refers to "mirror sites" which are web sites,orFTPsites that maintain copies of material originated at another location, usually in

order to provide more widespread access to the resource. For example, one site might

create a library of software, and 5 other sites might maintain mirrors of that library.

See also:FTP,WWW

Modem -- (MOdulator, DEModulator)A device that connects a computer to a phone line. A telephone for a computer. A modem

allows a computer to talk to other computers through the phone system. Basically,

modems do for computers what a telephone does for humans.

The maximum practical bandwidth using a modem over regular telephone lines is

currently around 57,000 bps.

See also:Bandwidth,bps

mod_perl

An add-on for theApache web server software, mod_perl makes it possible to use thePerl language to add new features for the Apache server, and to increase the speed of Perl

applications by as much as 30 times.

See also:Apache

MOO -- (Mud, Object Oriented)

One of several kinds of multi-user role-playing environments.

See also:MUD

MosaicThe first WWW browserthat was available for the Macintosh, Windows,and UNIX all

with the same interface. Mosaic really started the popularity of the Web. The source-code

to Mosaic was licensed by several companies and used to create many other webbrowsers.
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Mosaic was developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA),

at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, in Illinois, USA. The first version was

released in late 1993.

See also:Browser,WWW

MUD -- (Multi-User Dungeon or Dimension)

A (usually text-based) multi-user simulation environment. Some are purely for fun and

flirting, others are used for serious software development, or education purposes and allthatlies in between. A significant feature of most MUDs is that users can create things

that stay after they leave and which other users can interact within their absence, thus

allowing a world to be built gradually and collectively.

See also:MOO

MUSE -- (Multi-User Simulated Environment)One kind of MUD - usually with little or no violence.

See also:MUD

Back to Index

NetiquetteThe etiquette on theInternet.

NetizenDerived from the term citizen, referring to a citizen of theInternet,or someone who uses

networked resources. The term connotes civic responsibility and participation.Netscape

A WWW Browserand the name of a company. The Netscape (tm) browser was originallybased on theMosaic program developed at the National Center for Supercomputing

Applications (NCSA).

See also:Mosaic

NetworkAny time you connect 2 or more computers together so that they can share resources, you

have a computer network. Connect 2 or more networks together and you have an internet.

See also:internet (Lower case i)

NewsgroupThe name for discussion groups on USENET.

See also:USENET
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Documents

Glossary of Internet Terms