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| A selection of terms that are used frequently
when talking about the Internet |
- Attachment:
A file that is included as part of an email
message. It is indicated by a paper clip next to the message.
- Browser: Shortened
from Web Browser, this is the software programme that allows you
to "surf" the Web. The most popular web browser is Microsoft's
Internet Explorer, and Netscape and Opera are two other common
choices.
- Chat Room: Places
on the Internet where people go to "chat" with other
people in a virtual room. These rooms are generally listed by
topic so each user can chat to someone with similar interests.
When you're in a chat room you can view all of the public conversations
taking place at once on your screen.
- Cookie: These
are small text files that a website places on your computer, that
identify you to them as a customer. This can make your surfing
the Web faster and more personal, by retaining information about
your preferences. Some people have privacy concerns because websites
may acquire some general information with their cookies. You can
set your browser to warn you before you accept cookies or not
accept them.
- Domain Name:
This is part of the system of organising
Internet addresses. Domains are large areas divided by purpose
(.com for commercial, .ac for education, etc) and country. Sub
domains are smaller areas within these larger domains (bbc.co.uk,
for example).
- Directory: A
search directory is a website that organises some proportion of
the contents of the Net into subject categories and topics, to
assist the retrieval of information. Yahoo is the best example
- Download: The
transfer of information from a computer somewhere on the Internet
to your computer. Checking your email involves downloading the
messages. You can download any file you want onto your computer,
but be careful with sites you are unfamiliar with - you could
download a virus.
- Email: Electronic
mail allows you to send and receive mail messages over the Internet.
Through email you can write to anyone who has an email account.
- Favorites: Also
called bookmarks. These are saved references to websites that
enable you to return to each site instantly without having to
retype the address.
- FAQ: Short
for frequently asked questions. A list of FAQs is usually created
by the members of a discussion group, (such as a mailing list
or newsgroup).
- Hacker: This
is a person who breaks into a site to view and/or alter sensitive
information.
- Home Page: 1.
the primary page of a website, the front door. 2. an individual's
personal page on the web. 3. the page on which a web browser starts.
- Host: The
computer (server) on which a website is physically located.
- HTML: Short
for Hypertext Mark-up Language. HTML is the programming language
that makes the Web work.
- Hyperlink: A
link will transport you from one Internet site to another with
just a click of your mouse. Links may be text or graphic. Text
links will often be underlined and often a different colour from
the rest of the text. A graphical link could be a picture, drawing,
or animation.
- ISP: (Internet
Service Provider) the company that provides you with access to
the Internet, such as AOL, Freeserve or Virgin.
- Keyword: A
word you might use to search for a website. For example, searching
the Web for the keyword "parents" might help you to
find this site.
- Modem: Modems
allow computers to transmit information between computers to one
another through any telephone line.
- Netiquette:
The well-established guidelines for behaviour
on the Internet are most often referred to as "netiquette".
These rules help keep the Net cooperative and help everyone get
along.
- Newsgroups:
These are electronic discussion groups
among people on the Internet who share a mutual interest. They
are similar to chat rooms except messages are not relayed over
real time, and more people have access.
- Scroll: To
look at the parts of a page that are below or above what you can
see on the screen.
- Search Engine:
A large database of Internet addresses
that users can visit on the Web and ask questions to search for
resources, eg Google, Yahoo, Ask Jeeves.
- Server: A
machine that handles heavy-duty jobs such as sorting and routing
mail, maintaining sites and serving web pages to clients.
- SPAM: The
Internet version of "junk email". Spamming is sending
the same message to large numbers of users and is usually to advertise
something. Email addresses are collected using cookies, newsgroups
and other ways. These emails are often untargeted. (From the Monty
Python sketch when the "Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam" song
eventually crowded out all conversation.)
- URL: Short
for Uniform Resource Locator. This is a phrase for an Internet
address expressed in a form that any web browser can understand.
It is a standard form of address for any file, object, or resource
on the Internet. A website address starts with http://
- Virus: A
computer virus can wipe out information on your computer and create
major problems. They usually originate from people who want to
cause harm. You can unintentionally download a virus from a website
or get it from a disk that someone has lent you.
- World Wide Web:
A full-colour, multimedia database of information
on the Internet. The Web is a universal mass of web pages connected
by hyperlinks.The BBC "Webwise" website has a more extensive
glossary
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