Learn a Few New Vocabulary Terms and You'll Understand a Lot More Technology
This
crash course in vocabulary and acronyms is designed to help you better understand your computer and what everyone is talking about on the Internet.
To find some more of the latest terms on the Web, visit Wordspy.com. For a more comprehensive vocabulary guide, visit www.dictionary.com.
bandwidth: The capacity of the Internet to transport information. Think of it like a garden hose: The greater the bandwidth, the faster information can be transferred through it. On the Internet, information is digital data that's measured in kilobytes and megabytes, the same way it's measured on your hard drive. The larger the file, the more bandwidth is required to send it across the Internet. Today, limited bandwidth is one of the biggest inhibitors of growth on the Internet and the reason information travels so slowly (especially graphics, sound, and video files, which are much larger than text and therefore require more bandwidth to download).
Example: If you have a DSL or cable modem connection to the Internet, you have more bandwidth than someone with a dial-up connection over a regular phone line.blog: A kind of personal Web site that features regular updates by an individual or group. Blogs often include commentary and very personal entries, as well as comments that can be added by anyone who reads the blog. Also known as web log or Weblog. Verb: to blog, blogged, or blogging; noun: blogger.
cache: Pronounced "cash." A special section of RAM or disk memory set aside to store frequently accessed information. Many Web browsers use the cache to store information on your computer so it will download more quickly. If something changes on a Web site, you may have to reload the page or clear the cache before you can see those changes in your browser. Search engines also cache pages so you can access them more quickly and view information even after it's changed on a Web site.
cookie: Information stored on your hard drive by a program on a Web site you visit. This information can be used to track your preferences and activities, such as your user name and password, so you don't have to enter them again when your return to the site later. Cookie technology enables Web sites such as Amazon.com to greet you by name and make book recommendations. Cookies have become controversial because some people view them as an invasion of privacy. Most of the latest browsers enable you to prevent cookies from being stored on your computer if you don't want sites to keep track of you. You can change the Internet settings options in your browser to accept or reject cookies.
cross-platform: "Platform" refers to the hardware and software on a computer. Also known as the "operating system" the most common platforms are Mac and PC. When something is cross-platform, it can work on more than one type of computer. Example: Adobe Photoshop is cross-platform so it works on both Mac and PC computers.
database: A collection of information stored in a way that makes it easy for a computer program -- or a visitor to a Web site -- to access information. If you've ever searched a Web site for a book, restaurant, or movie listing, you've probably searched through a database. Most contact programs, such as Outlook and Act, use databases to store names, addresses, and other information.
download: To move information from a remote computer to your computer. For example, when you download images from a Web site, you copy them from a Web server to your computer.
encrypt: To convert data into a format that can't be read without a key or password. Encryption is the most common way keep information private on a computer network.
Ethernet: One of the most widely used standards on a local area network (LAN). Ethernet enables relatively fast data transfer rates -- up to 10 megabits per second. If you connect your computer to a central system at your office, you likely use Ethernet to do so. Home networks can also use Ethernet and most computers come with a slot where you can connect an Ethernet cable.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol): A way to copy files from one computer to another over a network. For example, you can use FTP to copy files from your computer to your Web server. This practice is common because most developers build Web pages on their personal computers and then transfer them to a Web server via FTP. You can also use FTP to download programs and images off the Internet.
home page: Some people call their entire Web site their home page, but the term is best used to describe the first page, or start page, of a Web site.
Internet: A public and global network of computers and information that anyone with a computer and a modem can access. The term Internet refers to the entire global network and everything it encompasses, including the capability to deliver e-mail and display pages on the World Wide Web.
intranet: The same thing as the Internet, except that it's a private network belonging to an organization or business and is accessible only to employees or members of the organization. An example of an intranet project is a Web site created for your company's human resources department to provide information to employees that is not available to the public.
server: A computer with a permanent connection to the Internet that's used to host Web sites and make them available to other computers (servers can provide information to everyone on the Web or just to people on a closed network). Web servers are computers that are permanently connected to the Internet that host Web sites.
secure server: A secure server uses encryption technology kind of like a sophisticated combination lock. To understand hosting a site on a secure server think of renting a safe deposit box at a bank. You pay more to keep your valuables there because you know that a burglar would have to get past the guards and have your combination or key to get in. Most secure servers use SSL (secure sockets layer), a protocol for transferring encrypted information over the Internet. Just like banks, secure servers sometimes do get broken into, but they're still usually safer than your dresser drawer (even if you hide things under your socks).
signature: In e-mail a signature (also known as a tagline) is a collection of information that appears at the bottom of a message. Signatures often include contact information or a brief explanation of who you are: your business name, Web address, title, claim to fame, and sometimes a quote or saying.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator): Pronounced "U-R-L" (and sometimes "earl"). Represents the server and path information that locates a document on the Internet. For example: http://www.domain_name.com is a URL. (You can learn how to register your own domain name by following this link.)
Wiki: A kind of interactive Web site that anyone can contribute to, add to, and edit. One of the most famous wikis is located at Wikipedia.com, which is kind of a global encyclopedia created by and for people all over the world. Anyone with the right software and Internet connection can create a wiki. Today there are hundreds of thousands of wikis all over the Internet. They are used by teachers to create and share lesson plans, friends to compare notes, and coworkers to solve problems together. You'll find many program options, including TiddlyWiki, Instiki, SeedWiki, and now PBWiki (named because the programmers who made it believed that creating a wiki should be as easy as making a peanut-butter sandwich). In PB wikis, editorial control can be password-protected but anyone can read the pages.
