Introduction
The following is a list of terms that you may hear used in this workshop or read about in your work for this project. It is not a comprehensive list and has been adapted from Learn the Net Glossary.List of Terms
Asynchronous, synchronous Chat and video conferencing are examples of online communication that occur in real time (synchronous). Discussion boards and email are examples of online communication that do not occur in real time (asynchronous).
Bandwidth The maximum amount of data that can travel a communications path in a given time, usually measured in seconds. If you think of the communications path as a pipe, then bandwidth represents the width of the pipe that then determines how much data can flow through it all at once.
Bit, Byte Short for binary digit, a bit is the smallest unit of data a computer can handle. Bits are used in various combinations to represent different kinds of data. Each bit has a value of 0 or 1. A byte is a series of bits of a particular length, usually 8. Computer storage space is measured in bytes. Some common terms and measurements (adapted from ISP Glossary http://isp.webopedia.com/):
Kilobyte (or 1 K) represents 1024 bytes. Megabyte (1 MB) represents one thousand "K" bytes, or one million bytes.
Gigabyte (or 1 GIG) is equal to 1,024 megabytes, or one billion bytes..
Terabyte equals 1,024 gigabytes, or 1 trillion bytes.
CGI An acronym for Common Gateway Interface, CGI is an interface program that enables an Internet server to run external programs to perform a specific function. Also referred to as gateways or CGI "scripts," these programs generally consist of a set of instructions written in a programming language like C or PERL that process requests from a browser, execute a program and format the results in HTML so they can be displayed in the browser. Gateway scripts are commonly used to add interactivity to a web page by allowing users to do things like fill out and submit forms for processing (as in an order form for an online catalog, or taking a test online.
Chat Describes the way people communicate online in real time. The term "chat" is actually a misnomer. Typically, people in online chat sessions type messages to each other using their keyboards. The message then appears on the screens of all the participants. Chats can involve two or more people. Two common types are ICQ and IRC.
Clickable Image Any image that has instructions embedded in it so that clicking on it initiates some kind of action or result. On a web page, a clickable image is any image that has a URL or more than one URL embedded in it (i.e. hidden behind it). Embedding more than one URL in an image requires constructing an image map.
Cookie A file sent to a web browser by a web server that is used to record one's activities on a web site. For instance, when you buy items from site and place them in a so-called virtual shopping cart, that information stored in the cookie. When the browser requests additional files, the cookie information is sent back to the server. Cookies can remember other of personal information, such as your password, so you don't have to re-enter it each time you visit the site; and your preferences, so the next time you return to a site, you can be presented with customized. Some people regard cookies as an invasion of privacy; others think they are a harmless way to make web sites more personal.
Forms Web pages comprised of text and "fields" for a user to fill in with information. They are an excellent way of collecting and processing information from people visiting a web site, as well as allowing them to interact with web pages. Forms are written in HTML and processed by CGI programs. The output can be sent as an e-mail form, stored online, printed, and/or returned to the user as an HTML page. Forms are used for things such as online catalogs, surveys, requests for information, and conferencing.
GUI Short for graphical user interface, allows users to navigate and interact with information on their computer screen by using a mouse to point, click, and drag icons and other data around on the screen, instead of typing in words and phrases. The Windows and Macintosh operating systems are examples of GUIs. The World Wide Web is an example of a GUI designed to enhance navigation of the Internet, once done exclusively via terminal-based (typed command line) functions.
Internet Telephony The conversion of analog speech signals used on current telephone systems into digital data, allowing calls to be sent over the Internet, bypassing long distance charges. While the Internet was first devised as a way of transmitting data, it is now being used to make voice calls. Internet telephony is projected to explode as the costs plummet.
Intranet An internal Internet designed to be used within the confines of a company, university, or organization. What distinguishes an intranet from the freely accessible Internet is that an intranet is private.
Java An object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. to create executable content (i.e., self-running applications) that can be easily distributed through networks like the Internet. Developers use Java to create special programs called applets that can be incorporated in web pages to make them interactive. A Java-enabled web browser is required to interpret and run the Java applets.
JavaScript A scripting language (different from Java) that allows dynamic behavior to be specified within HTML documents.
Host Any computer directly connected to a network that acts as a repository for services (such as e-mail, Usenet newsgroups, FTP, or World Wide Web) available for other computers on the network.
Image Map A graphic divided into regions or "hotspots", that when clicked, calls up a web page that is linked to a particular region. A typical example of an image map is a web site that offers national information organized by region. Clicking on a region on a map of the Egypt, for example, calls up the appropriate page for that area.
Pull and Push Technology You are using pull technology when you surf the World Wide Web, to seek out and download information to your computer. This contrasts with push technology, where data is automatically delivered to your computer. You are using push technology when you allow data to be sent automatically to your computer at regular intervals, such as news updates every hour, or when triggered by an event, such as when a web page is updated.
Shockwave A set of programs that allow Macromedia Director animation files to be played over the Internet with a web browser. Possible uses for this type of animation on the Web include online advertising, games, training, and animated logos.
VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) An open, platform-independent file format for 3-D graphics on the Web. VRML requires a special web browser to display these graphics, which simulate virtual reality 3-D "environments" or "worlds" through which the user can move and interact with objects.
Zip A popular standard for file compression on the PC. You can recognize it by the .zip file extension.
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