Glossary
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| This list of definitions will
help you learn new terms that relate to the internet. Click on a letter
to see different sections of the glossary.
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Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) |
A binding
document signed by all users that explains the rules of Internet use at
an institution. All schools with Internet access should create an AUP. |
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address |
Refers to
the email address of an individual or group, or the address of a site on
the Internet. Site addresses are known as URLs. |
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address book |
A feature
of an email program that lets the user enter email addresses to make it
easier to automatically address email messages.
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advanced search |
A search
of the Internet that uses combinations of more than one limiter and/or Boolean
operator in the search term or query. |
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alignment |
How text
is placed on a page. Also called justification. |
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anchor |
A destination
marker for a link, specifying a specific location on a Web page. Anchors
are often used to link to locations within a Web page. Sometimes they are
used to identify specific spots on other Web pages. If you have a lot of
text on a Web page, use an anchor to help your readers maneuver around the
text. |
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animated gif |
A type of
GIF image that can be animated by putting several images together in a single
file. When the images are viewed, they cycle through the combined images.
This gives the illusion of motion, or animation. Animated GIF format is
by most Web browsers. |
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anonymous FTP |
A way of
accessing an FTP server anonymously. Users must sign on as anonymous and
enter their email address to connect to an anonymous FTP site. |
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application |
A software
program. For example, Microsoft Word is a wordprocessing application. |
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ask an expert |
A site where
you can ask a question of an expert in a particular subject by email and
get an answer in return. |
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attachment |
A file sent
with an email message. An attachment may be a text or picture file or an
application. Anything stored on your hard drive can be attached to and sent
with an email message. |
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authenticate |
To verify
the sender or source of an email, whether sent by computer or a person.
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AV |
Acronym for
audio visual. An AV computer is capable of input and/or output of audio
(sound) and video (picture) to and from external hardware, such as video
cameras, VCRs, computer projection devices, and large screen monitors. |
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AVI |
Acronym for
Audio Video Interleaved digitized video files, a PC format for movies. AVI
movie files are named using the .avi file extension (example: a movie of
a student's speech might be named "speech.avi"). |
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back button |
Takes you
to the previous Web page within a sequence of Web pages you have visited.
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baud |
Pronounced
"bod." The speed at which data is transferred. |
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bit |
The unit
of measure which represents a single character of data. The smallest unit
of storage on a computer. |
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bits per second (bps) |
The speed
at which bits are transmitted over a communication medium, such as a modem.
Kbit kilobit
Kbyte or K kilobyte
Mbit megabit
Mbyte or MB megabyte
Gbit gigabit
Gbyte or GB gigabyte
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Blind Carbon Copy (Bcc) |
To send a
copy of an email message to someone other than the person to whom the message
is originally addressed without letting the addressee know. |
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bookmark |
A marker
for a Web page of a favorite or important site. It can help you return to
a site faster. Sometimes called a hotlist. All Internet browsers make it
easy to create bookmark files. |
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boolean operator |
A word in
all capital letters, such as AND, OR, and NOT, used to combine search items.
For example, if you search for
- ham AND eggs, you would get documents which contain both words;
- ham OR eggs would look for all documents with ham and all with eggs;
- ham AND eggs NOT seuss would look for documents with both words, but
no mention of Dr. Seuss.
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boot |
To load system
software. A computer boots up when you turn it on. You "reboot" the computer
when you restart it. |
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browse |
To casually
explore the Internet.
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browser |
Also known
as Internet or Web browser. Software that allows users to access and navigate
the Internet. Some Internet browsers, such as Netscape Navigator and Microsoft
Internet Explorer, are graphical. Lynx is a text-based browser.
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BTW |
Abbreviation used in email for "by the way." |
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button |
A button
is activated when you place the arrow on it and click the mouse. Back button
Takes you to the previous Web page within a sequence of Web pages you have
visited. Home button On a Web page, this takes you to the home page of the
Web site. In a Web browser application it takes you to a start up home page
you have preset. Forward button Takes you to the next Web page within a
sequence of pages you have visited. Stop button Halts a Web page from loading.
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byte |
A byte is
a series of eight bits, each one a 0 (meaning "off") or 1 (meaning on).
A byte is the unit of memory required to store one ASCII character.
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cache |
A cache is
a method for storing frequently accessed information for easy retrieval.
The area in your computer's hard drive or RAM (memory) where this information
is stored. (See disk cache and memory cache.) |
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cancel |
To stop a
command. |
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Carbon Copy (Cc) |
To send a
copy of an email message to someone other than the person to whom the message
is addressed.
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chat |
To send and
receive short messages in a chat room. |
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chat group |
An Internet
site that allows users to engage in large group conversations. |
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chat room |
Same as chat
group. |
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checking mail |
Looking to
see if any mail has been received by logging on to the Internet and loading
your email software. Your software then accesses your online mailbox and
retrieves new messages. |
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click |
To press
the mouse button once (such as pointing it to the location you want to open).
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clip art |
Drawings
created by professional or amateur artists. Clip art images can be used
to enhance your text as image links or just as decorations. They must be
in GIF or JPEG formats for use in Web page publishing. |
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coax plug |
One type
of AV input plug. It is the screw-in plug used to connect an antenna or
cable TV line. |
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code |
The language
in which programmers write (source code) and which computers read (machine
code). |
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compose |
To type out
an email message. You can compose a message either online or offline. |
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compress |
This is a
compact way to store files containing text, data, or images. Compressed
Windows files are known as ZIP files. Compacted Macintosh files are known
as SIT, SEA, or HQX files. Special software is necessary to uncompress these
files«Unzip for Windows, and Stuffit Expander for Macintosh. |
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controller |
Control strip
at the bottom of movie windows. The speaker on the left regulates the volume.
The triangle is the Play/Pause button. The slider indicates which part of
the movie is playing. The two buttons on the right advance or reverse the
movie one frame at a time. |
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cookie |
A cookie
is an Internet small file sent by a Web server to a browser. This file is
then filled in with basic user information (name, interests) and then sent
back to the server. When asked if you want to ìset a cookie,î you can choose
whether or not to provide the information being requested. If you say yes,
when this Web site is visited again, you may find pages customized for your
interests, and often, sales pitches for goods or services related to your
interests. Cookies are also random quotes generated by cookie servers. |
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copy |
To duplicate.
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copyright |
Legal ownership
of something, such as text in an article and an image on a Web page. |
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crash |
Complete
computer system failure. Necessitates a reboot of the system. (See boot.)
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crop |
To trim unwanted
parts of images. |
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cursor |
The arrow
or blinking I-beam you direct to different locations on the computer screen
by using the mouse. |
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cyberspace |
Term used
to mean the virtual space in which people connect and navigate when they
use the Internet. Coined by the science fiction author William Gibson in
his novel Neuromancer (1984). |
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database |
A collection
of information that is organized and stored so it can be searched easily.
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decompress |
To open a
file that has been compressed, returning it to its original size. A compressed
file must be decompressed in order to be viewed, printed, or run. |
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dedicated Web presence provider |
Company that
specializes in storing Web sites for a fee. |
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delete |
To remove
permanently. If you don't want to save a message, you may delete it, or
put it in the trash to be deleted later. |
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desktop |
The area
on your computer screen on which icons for your hard drive, files, disks,
and applications appear. |
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dialog box |
The box that
appears when you open an option from the menu or toolbar. The box gives
you choices of commands to give the computer, such as to save a file or
open a document. |
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digital |
Information
stored as bits«ones and zeros. |
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digital camera |
A camera
that does not use film. Instead, it creates electronic images of pictures
that can be copied (downloaded) directly onto your computer. |
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digital photograph |
A picture
taken by a digital camera. |
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disk cache |
The area
in your computer's hard drive where information you accessed while online
is kept. |
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domain name |
The name
of a computer (server) on the Internet which must be registered with a central
organization known as the InterNIC. Ensures that only one computer on the
Internet is named CNN.com, www.microsoft.com, etc. The domain name in an
address (URL) tells you the official, registered name of each site. |
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domain name extension |
A section
of an address (URL) that tells you the kind of computer on the Internet
with which you want to interact. There are a number of commonly recognized
domains. These include:
- .com (commercial businesses)
- .edu (educational institutions)
- .gov (government organizations)
- .mil (military organizations)
- .net (network organizations)
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double-click |
To press
the mouse button two times. |
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download |
To transfer
a file from a computer on the Internet to your personal computer. (See also
upload.) |
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drawing application |
A computer
program used to draw objects which can be selected, deleted, resized, and
grouped. |
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drop-down menu |
A list of
possibilities that appears when you select an option on the menu bar. To
choose an item from the list, you drag the cursor down to the item and release.
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email (electronic mail) |
A method
of sending messages across the Internet between online users. The most popular
Internet application, since all users have their own unique email address.
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email address |
Just as a
street address that directs a letter to a particular location, an email
address directs a message to a particular Internet user. Every user has
his own unique email address, such as connect@classroom.com. This email
address is read ìconnect at classroom dot comî (the sign @ means ìatî and
the period is called a ìdotî). |
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emoticons |
Smileys and
other character art used to express feelings in online communication. Some
examples: :-) :-0 |
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enhancement tools |
Tools in
some software that alter the appearance of images. These tools include things
like Crop, Fill, Sharpen, Blur, Brightness, and Contrast. |
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FAQ |
Acronym for
Frequently Asked Questions. A list of commonly asked questions and answers
on a specific topic. |
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file |
A way of
storing a piece of information. There are different kinds of files, such
as document files and application files, each identified by its own icon.
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file name |
Web pages
are saved with a file name and a file title. The file name is what the computer
uses to find a page on the Internet. Examples of file names are science.html
or rm46.html or sch_fact.htm. |
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file title |
Web pages
are saved with a file name and a file title. The file title refers to what
a Web page is about. For example,
- a file with the name science.html might have the title Science Fair
Projects.
- the file named sch_fact.htm might have a title Facts About Our School.
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flame |
A vicious,
sarcastic, or otherwise mean-spirited reply directed toward the author of
a posting on a Usenet newsgroup or mailing list. |
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flatten |
The process
of converting a movie/video to a form compatible for use on the Web.
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folder |
A way of
organizing a collection of files. A folder may contain just one file, more
than one file, another folder, or collection of other folders. Folders are
also known as directories. |
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font |
A style of
lettering. Most computers contain a dozen or more fonts from which to choose.
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format |
The code
in which an application is written, such as DOS, Macintosh, or Windows.
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frame |
The boundary
that encloses a collection of parts in an open window. |
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freeze |
Crash.When
an application, system software, or both cannot understand the software
programming code and stop functioning. They can appear to "freeze" and fail
to respond to keyboard or mouse commands. |
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FTP |
Acronym for
File Transfer Protocol. The protocol used to transfer data between computers
on the Internet. Allows users to transfer a file from one computer to another.
Internet browsers have FTP capabilities built in. |
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FYI |
Acronym for
the phrase "for your information." |
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GIF |
Acronym for
Graphics Interchange Format. The most common type of image found on the
Internet. Most images found on the Web are stored in .gif format. |
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GopherÚ |
A menu-based
system for browsing information stored inside gopher servers on the Internet.
The software for Gopher was created and developed in 1991 at the University
of Minnesota, whose mascot is the golden gopher. Internet browsers have
gopher access capabilities built in. A rarely used portion of the Internet.
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graphic |
An electronic
picture or image. |
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hardware |
The physical
part of electronic equipment. Computers, scanners, digital cameras, and
printers are all examples of hardware. |
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heading |
A larger
size of font that highlights main topics or ideas on a Web page. |
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highlight |
To shade
the space occupied by a word or group of words by holding down the mouse
and sweeping across them. This may be done to select words to be deleted
(or cut), copied and pasted, or to in some way alter the format (such as
by underlining, italicizing, or using color). |
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hit |
A Web site
which is found while conducting a keyword Web search. Also called a match.
A Web site receives a hit when someone accesses a page within it. |
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home page |
The first
page of a Web site accessible through a Web browser. |
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hotlist |
A list of
favorite or important sites. It can help you return to a site faster. It
is sometimes called a bookmark file. |
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HTML |
Acronym for
Hypertext Markup Language. The programming language used for writing Web
pages. |
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HTTP |
Acronym for
Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The system used by the Web servers to transfer
data to Internet browsers. |
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hyperlink |
See also:link
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hypertext |
Highlighted
text on a Web page that connects you to other locations on the page or to
other sites on the Web when clicked. |
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icon |
An image
that represents an application, a document, or a directory. An icon can
be clicked on to activate it to send the computer a command. For example,
the toolbar shows icons«buttons with pictures on them«that you can click
on to activate functions that are described in words on the menu bar. |
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image |
An electronic
picture, also called a graphic. There are several formats for images.
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)
Highest quality image for electronic publishing (not Web page publishing).
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)
Most common image format used for Web pages. It is best used for images
drawn by hand or created with a computer.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
Image format used for Web pages. It is normally used for digital camera
photos and scanned photos.
PICT
Most commonly used image format for publishing.
TIFF (Tag Image File Format) High quality image. Also used in publishing.
See also:GIF,
JPEG
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image label |
The text
attached to an image. This is what may appear in place of an image if you
load a Web page with the images turned off. |
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incoming mail |
Mail that
is being sent to your mailbox. |
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Infobot (or mailbot) |
A server
that automatically returns information requested by the user via email.
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Internaut |
Anyone who
uses (navigates) the Internet. |
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Internet |
The global
"network of networks" that connects millions of computers (called hosts).
The Internet is the virtual "space" in which users send and receive email,
browse databases of information (gopher, World Wide Web), and send and receive
programs (FTP) contained on these computers. Also referred to as the Net,
cyberspace, the matrix, or the Information Superhighway. |
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Internet account |
Purchased
through an Internet service provider, the account assigns a password, Internet
access, and email address to an individual or group. |
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Internet directory |
Listing of
sites by categories and subcategories based on site listings selected by
the directory's team of editors. Yahoo! is the most popular Net directory.
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Internet Relay Chat (IRC) |
Interactive, real-time discussions between Internauts
using text messages. Users log in to designated Net computers and join discussions
in progress. A rarely used part of the Internet, due to security concerns.
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Internet server |
A computer
that stores data that can be accessed via the Internet. Internet browser
software is used to connect to Internet servers. Each server has its own
unique domain name and IP address. |
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Internet site |
A computer
connected to the Internet containing information that can be accessed using
an Internet navigation tool such as ftp, gopher, or a Web browser. An Internet
site is stored in a server. |
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IP |
Acronym for
Internet Protocol. Every computer on the Internet has a unique numerical
IP address assigned to it, such as 123.456.78.9. Most IP addresses have
domain names associated with them. For instance, the address for classroom.com
is also 101.101.101.2. |
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ISP (Internet Service Provider) |
Any entity
which provides or sells Internet access to individuals, schools, and businesses.
An ISP may also host your schoolôs Web site on its Web server. |
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JPEG |
(Joint Photographic
Experts Group) One of the ways a computer stores images. It is used for
digital camera photos and scanned photos for Web page publishing.
See also:image
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justification |
How text
is placed on a page. Also called alignment. Text can be left, center, or
right justified. |
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keypal |
An email
pen pal. |
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keyword |
A word or
words that describe something or specify search criteria. The keywords basket,
hoop, dribble, and freethrow describe the game of basketball. Keywords can
be searched for in documents or menus. Internet search tools utilize the
keywords you provide to track down links to the information you are looking
for online. |
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layout |
The placement
of text and images on a page. |
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limiter |
A symbol,
such as + or -, used to include or exclude search items. For example, if
you search for ham +eggs, you would look for documents which have both words
or just eggs (the + in front of eggs means eggs must be included); ham eggs-seuss
would look for documents with both words, but no mention of Dr. Seuss (the
- in front of seuss means Dr. Seuss can't be included). |
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link |
Text or images
embedded on a Web page which make it possible for users to jump from one
piece of information to a related document or site by clicking on it. Also
known as hyperlinks. Usually blue in color. |
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link history |
A list of
Internet sites, services, and resources which have been accessed through
your Internet browser to arrive at the current item. Also known as a history
list. |
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listserv |
(See mailing
list.) |
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location field |
The area
at the top of the browser window that shows you the location of the current
page. The box where you type in an Internet address (URL) that you wish
to connect with. |
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logon |
To sign on
to a computer system. |
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lurker/lurking |
Someone who
reads postings on a mailing list or usenet newsgroup but does not participate
in the "discussion" by posting messages of his/her own. New users are cautioned
to ìlurk before they leapî so they can get a feel for a discussion area
before contributing. |
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mailbox |
The place
from which your email comes and goes. |
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mailing list |
Topic-oriented, email-based message bases that can be
read and posted to. Users subscribe to the lists they want to read and receive
messages via email. Because many mailing lists are operated using listserv
software, many Internauts call mailing lists "listservers." There are two
types of lists: moderated and unmoderated. Moderated lists are screened
by a human before messages are posted to subscribers. Messages to unmoderated
lists are automatically forwarded to subscribers. |
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mailing list moderator |
A person
who looks over the messages sent to a particular mailing list, sometimes
choosing not to include inappropriate messages, before sending them out.
Some mailing lists are moderated; others are not. |
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match |
A Web site
which is found while conducting a keyword Web search. Also called a hit.
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memory cache |
The area
in your computerôs RAM (memory) where information you access while online
is kept. |
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menu |
A set of
commands in an application which activate a variety of functions. A menu
is also a set of choices on a Web page or server site. |
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menu bar |
A selection
of command options that can be pulled down by pointing the mouse to a menu
option and holding down your mouse button. Many of the menu bar options
may also be accessed by clicking the icons on the tool bar. |
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message |
The contents
of an email communication, contained in the message body. |
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message body |
The portion
of the open window in which the text of the message appears. |
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meta search engine |
A site which
allows you to send your keywords to multiple Internet directories and search
engines simultaneously. Meta engines speed and simplify searches. |
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modem |
A device
that lets your computer communicate with other computers over phone lines.
Modem stands for "modulator-demodulator." Most modems operate at 28,800
baud. Both 33,600 and 57,600 baud modems are also available. |
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MOV |
Format for
QuickTime movies. QuickTime movie files are named using the .mov file extension
(example: a movie of a student's speech might be named "speech.mov"). |
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navigate |
To find your
way around a Web page or from one page to another. To ìsurf the Net.î |
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netiquette |
The rules
of conduct for Internet users. Violating netiquette could result in flaming
or removal from a mailing list or Usenet newsgroup. Some service providers
will even cancel a user's Internet account, denying access to the Net, if
the violation is severe. |
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network |
A group of
computers connected to each other so they can share data. The Internet is
a collection of thousands of networks which can communicate with one another.
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online |
You are online
when your computer is connected to the Internet. A printer is online when
it is connected to a computer and ready to receive information to be printed.
When you are using your computer but are not connected to the Internet you
are said to be working offline. |
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online encyclopedia |
A reference
guide of articles on a broad range of subjects accessible through the Internet.
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online newspaper |
A daily or
weekly publication containing recent news, feature articles, and advertising
accessible through the Internet. |
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online periodical |
A collection
of stories, articles, and pictures accessible through the Internet. |
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online service |
A company
that provides access to the Internet. Some services, such as America Online,
CompuServe, and The Microsoft Network, provide a wide range of services
and information to members. Services include email, chat groups, and Internet
access. Information includes news, entertainment, and travel. |
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options |
A menu choice
or button which generally activates a dialog box with additional choices.
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| P |
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paint application |
A computer
program that uses tools, such as brushes, rollers, pencils, and spray cans,
to draw on the computer screen. |
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PDF |
PDF stands
for Portable Document Format. PDF files typically contain more formatting
(charts, maps, etc.) than is possible in ordinary Web pages. To read PDF
files, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader. |
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pixel |
Acronym for
PICture ELement. The smallest units of a picture on a monitor's screen.
The more pixels a screen has, the clearer the resolution. |
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plug-in |
An add-on
application for an Internet browser which extends its capabilities. Plug-ins
are available which allow you to view video-clips, display virtual reality
landscapes, or listen to real-time streaming audio. |
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pointing arrow |
The arrow
that you direct to different locations on the computer screen by using the
mouse. Also known as a pointer. |
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pointing hand |
The pointer
used to select a link on a Web page. |
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post |
To store
or upload a Web site to a Web server. |
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posts |
Email messages
sent to a mailing list or Usenet newsgroup to be read by subscribers or
others on the Internet. |
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protocol |
A set of
rules computers use to communicate over a network. All Internet-connected
computers use the TCP/IP protocol to communicate with one another. |
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publish |
To make a
Web page and make it available on the Internet. |
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RAM |
RAM Acronym
for Random-Access Memory. Commonly refers to the internal memory of your
computer. The more RAM your computer has, the more programs you can run
simultaneously. |
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ranking word |
A search
word that affects the order in which the search results are listed. If a
word is entered into the ranking field on AltaVista, it bumps matches that
include that word to the top of the search results list. |
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RCA plug |
One type
of AV input plug. Sometimes called phono plugs, these plugs are found in
the back of most stereo systems. Yellow RCA plugs are for video or image
input. Red and white RCA plugs are for audio or sound input.
See also:coax
plug |
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refine |
To narrow
the focus of a search by including more search terms, limiters, and/or Boolean
operators. In AltaVista, the Refine feature offers menu choices which help
you narrow the focus of your search. |
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relevance rating |
A score given
as a percent (87%) which tells you the chances of a particular item from
a search results list matching the focus of your search. Relevance ratings
are used by many search engines. |
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resize |
To make an
image larger or smaller. Once selected, an image can be resized by dragging
its handles; however, this does not change the image file size. To change
the file size, along with the appearance, an image must be resized in an
image editing application. |
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return key |
A key on
a computer keyboard which activates a command or starts a new line of text.
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router |
A device
(hardware) that regulates traffic on the Internet and selects paths for
the information to travel. |
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