Computer Glossary, Popular Computer and Internet Terms
An easy to understand definitions of popular computer and Internet terms. Browse terms and definitions related to Internet resources, computers and web technology.
| A Letter | |
What is AdCenter? |
Microsoft's cost per click ad network. While it has a few cool features (including demographic based bidding) it is still quite nascent in nature compared toGoogle AdWords. Due to Microsoft's limited market share and program newness many terms are vastly under priced and present a great arbitrage opportunity. |
What is ADSL? |
ADSL is the acronym for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A DSL line where the upload speed is different (usually much higher) from the download speed and that is why it is termed as asymmetric. It is up to 70 times as fast as a 28.8 Kbps modem, and can be used concurrently with voice over the same line. This technology is well suited to the Web, where much more data is sent from a server to your computer than you send to the server. |
What is Adwords Site? |
(MFA) Made For Google Adsense Advertisements - websites that are designed from the ground up as a venue for GA advertisements. This is usually, but not always a bad thing. TV programming is usually Made For Advertisement |
What is Affiliate? |
An affiliate site markets products or services that are actually sold by another website or business in exchange for fees or commissions. |
What is Analytics? |
A program which assists in gathering and analyzing data about website usage. Google Analytics is a feature rich, popular, free Analytics program. |
| B Letter | |
What is Back Link? |
Also known as backlink, inlink or incoming link. Any link into a page or site from any other page or site. |
What is Bandwidth? |
Bandwidth refers to the maximum amount of data that you can send through a network or modem connection within a specific time interval. It is usually measured in bits per second (bps) or kilo bits per second (kbps). You can think of communication path as a pipe, and bandwidth as the width of the pipe. The greater the bandwidth, the greater the amount of data that can travel in a given time period. |
What is Blog? |
A website which presents content in a more or less chronological series. Content may or may not be time sensitive. Most blogs us a Content Management System such as WordPress rather than individually crafted web pages. Because of this, the Blogger can chose to concentrate on content creation instead of arcane code |
What is Bounce Rate? |
The percentage of users who enter a site and then leave it without viewing any other pages. |
| C Letter | |
What is Cache? |
A file on the hard drive or a section in memory in which a Web browser stores information like links, text and graphics from recently visited Web sites. It offers the advantage of much quicker loading when files are stored on disk than when they must be transferred from the web. The disadvantage is that it will sometimes show you an old version of a file from your disk when a newer one is available on the web. In such cases you can check for a newer version by using the Refresh or Reload selections in your browser. Some large Internet service providers also cache frequently visited sites and feed them to you from their own cache when you try to visit them. |
What is CD-ROM? |
An acronym for Compact Disk Read-Only Memory. A CD-ROM can store large amounts of information (~700 MB); generally used to distribute software or multi-media for use on computers with CD-ROM drives. The data written on CD-ROM cannot be altered or erased by a user. CD-ROMs are just like normal audio CDs, but they are formatted in such a way that they can store many types of data. |
| D Letter | |
What is DNS? |
The Domain Name System (DNS) is the system that translates Internet domain names into IP numbers. A DNS Serveris a server that performs this kind of translation. DNS servers are located at many strategic places on the nets to resolve the routing of e-mail and Internet connections. There are thirteen major, top-level DNS servers, which are updated daily, and these in turn feed the updated DNS information to smaller subordinate DNS servers, which hold more detailed information on their specific areas of coverage. No single DNS server has all the address information of the Internet, and successful routing may require routing through several levels of servers. |
What is Domain Name? |
The 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, Apple Computer (Domain Name "apple.com") has Web sites at www.apple.com and store.apple.com. Each of these sites could be served on different machines. |
| E Letter | |
What is Email? |
A short form used for Electronic Mail. One of the earliest standard Internet protocols which enables people with different computers and operating systems to communicate with each other. E-mail allows one-to-one or one-to-many mailings. E-mail is part of the standard TCP/IP set of protocols. Sending messages is typically done by SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) and receiving messages is handled by POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3), or IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol). IMAP is the newer protocol, allowing you to view and sort messages on the mail server, without downloading them to your hard drive. The Internet e-mail standards include no provision for authenticating the sender, and creates possibility of using false From addresses and routing |
| F Letter | |
What is FAQ? |
Acronym for "Frequently Asked Questions". FAQs are documents that list and answerthe most common questions on a particular subject. FAQs are usually written by people who have tired of answering the same question over and over. Most of the Web sites often refer visitors to their FAQ section before asking them to e-mail their questions, which helps cut down on tech support. |
What is Firewall? |
Firewall refers to the concept of a security interface or gateway between a closed system or network and the outside Internet that blocks or manages communications in and out of the system. The security may be provided by passwords, authentication techniques, software, and hardware. A network firewall only allows authorized traffic from the Internet to flow in and out of the network. |
What is FTP? |
It stands for 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 sending files. Many FTP servers are "anonymous FTP" servers (for providing publicly accessible repositories of material) which means you can log in with the user name "anonymous" and your e-mail address as the password. |
| G Letter | |
What is Gateway? |
Gateways are points of entrance to and exit from a communications network. Viewed as a physical entity, a gateway is that node that translates between two otherwise incompatible networks or network segments. In simple words, A gateway is either hardware or software that acts as a bridge between two networks so that data can be transferred between number of computers. |
What is Google Adwords? |
Google Pay Per Click contextual advertisement program, very common way of basic website advertisement. |
| H Letter | |
What is Host? |
Any computer on a network that is a repository for services available to other computers on the network. It can be a Web server (HTTP), an e-mail server (SMTP), an FTP server or more. |
What is HTML? |
Stands for HyperText Markup Language. The coding language used to create Hypertext documents for use on the World Wide Web. A page written in HTML is a text file that includes tags in angle brackets that control the fonts and type sizes, insertion of graphics, layout of tables and frames, paragraphing, calls to short runnable programs, and hypertext links to other pages. Files written in HTML generally use an .html or .htm extension. HTML is loosely based on a more comprehensive system for markup called SGML, and is expected to eventually be replaced by XML-based XHTML standards. |
What is HTTP? |
Stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol, the protocol for moving hypertext data across the Internet. HTTP is the most important protocol used in the World Wide Web (WWW). It Requires a HTTP client program (e.g. Browser) on one end, and an HTTP server program (such as Apache, IIS) on the other end. |
| I Letter | |
What is IMAP? |
The term used for Internet Message Access Protocol sometimes listed as Internet Mail Access Protocol. It is a mail protocol that provides management of received messages on a remote server. The user can review headers, create or delete folders/mailboxes and messages, and search contents remotely without downloading. IMAP is gradually replacing POP as the main protocol used by email clients in communicating with email servers, because POP3 requires users to download messages to their hard drive before reading them. |
What is Internet? |
The vast collection of inter-connected networks that are connected using the TCP/IP protocols and that evolved from the ARPANET of the late 60's and early 70's. The Internet connects tens of thousands of independent networks into a vast global internet and is probably the largest Wide Area Network in the world. Also an internet (lower case i) describes more than one local network interconnected by bridges or routers. |
What is IP Address? |
Also known as an IP Number or Internet Protocol Number or a dotted quad. It is a unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots, e.g. 192.168.0.1 Each part can have range from 0 to 255. Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP number - if a machine does not have an IP number, it is not really on the Internet. Many machines (especially servers) also have one or more Domain Names that are easier for people to remember. |
| J Letter | |
What is Java? |
Java is a network-friendly programming language developed by Sun Microsystems based on C++. Java is often used to build large, complex systems that involve several different computers interacting across networks, to create software with graphical user interfaces such as editors, audio players, web browsers, etc. Using small Java programs (called "Applets"), Web pages can include functions such as animations, calculators, and other fancy tricks. |
What is Javascript? |
JavaScript is a programming language that is mostly used in web pages, usually to add features 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 called DHTML. |
| K Letter | |
What is Kbps? |
Stands for Kilobits Per Second. Another similar term is KBps (Kilobytes per second, which means 8 times more data per second). This term is commonly used in describing data transfer rates. |
What is Keyword Stuffing? |
Keyword stuffing refers to the practice of adding superfluous keywords to a web page. The words are added for the 'benefit' of search engines and not human visitors. The words may or may not be visible to human visitors. While not necessarily a violation of search engine Terms of Service, at least when the words are visible to humans, it detracts from the impact of a page (it looks like spam). It is also possible that search engines may discount the importance of large blocks of text that do not conform to grammatical structures (i.e. lists of disconnected keywords). |
| L Letter | |
What is LAN? |
Stands for Local Area Network. It is a computer network limited to the immediate area, usually the same building or floor of a building. Most mid to large-sized businesses today use LANs, which makes it easy for employees to share information. However, with the emergence of wireless networking, wireless LANs have become a popular alternative. |
What is Link? |
An active connection to another web page, location in a web page, file, or other Internet resource. Selecting the link takes you to the new location or resource. While text links are typically blue and underlined, they can be any color and don't have to be underlined. Images can also serve as links to other Web pages. When you move the cursor over a link in a Web page, the arrow will turn into a little hand, letting you know that it is a link. |
| M Letter | |
What is Modem? |
Short for MOdulator / DEModulator. A modem is used between a computer and a phone or cable line to convert the computer's digital signal to an analog signal for the line and vice versa. 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 which is quite low as compared with DSL and cable modems. |
| N Letter | |
What is Network? |
A network is two or more computers connected to each other so they can share resources. The Internet could be described as a global network of networks. Computer networks can be connected through cables, such as Ethernet cables or phone lines, or wirelessly, using wireless networking cards that send and receive data through the air. |
What is Newsgroup? |
The name for a discussion group on USENET, or an electronic discussion group consisting of collections of related postings (also called articles) on a particular topic that are posted to a news server which then distributes them to other participating servers. Newsgroups are classified by subject matter and do not necessarily deal with journalism or "news." Health, hobbies, celebrities, and cultural events are the subjects of many newsgroups. Participants in a newsgroup conduct discussions by posting messages for others to read, and responding to the messages posted by others. Unlike a magazine or newspaper subscription, a subscription to a newsgroup is free. |
| O Letter | |
What is Open Content? |
Copyrighted information (such as this Glossary) that is made available by the copyright owner to the general public under license terms that allow reuse of the material, often with the requirement (as with this Glossary) that the re-user grant the public the same rights to the modified version that the re-user received from the copyright owner. Information that is in the Public Domain might also be considered a form of Open Content. |
| P Letter | |
What is Password? |
A password is a code or word used to gain access to restricted data on a computer network. Effective passwords should contain both letters and non-letters and not be common or easily guessed words. While passwords provide security against unauthorized users, the security system can only confirm that the password is legitimate, not whether the user is authorized to use the password. |
What is Phishing? |
An identity theft scam in which criminals send out spam that imitates the look and language of legitimate correspondence from e-commerce sites. The fake messages generally link to Web sites which are similarly faked to look like the sites of the respected companies. On the sites, you are directed to enter your personal information for authentication or confirmation purposes. The information, when submitted, however, goes to the thieves, not to the "spoofed" company. |
What is Plug-in? |
A small piece of software that adds features to a larger software application, for example, you can add a Quick Time plug-in to your browser to play Quick Time movies on the web. |
| Q Letter | |
What is Query? |
A query is the process by which a web client requests specific information from a web server, based on a character string that is passed along. A query typically takes the form of a database search for a particular keyword or phrase. The keyword is entered into the search field of an Internet directory, such as Yahoo, and then passed onto the web server. |
What is QuickTime? |
A common video file format created by Apple Computers. Video files found on the Internet are often stored in this format, and require a browser plug-in to be viewed (.mov). |
| R Letter | |
What is Robot? |
A robot is a program that is designed to automatically searches the WWW for files and catalogues the results. These are also sometimes called spiders or Worms. WebCrawler and Lycos are popular examples of robots |
What is Router? |
A router is a piece of hardware or software that connects two or more Packet-Switched networks. A router functions as a sorter and interpreter as it looks at addresses and passes bits of information to their proper destinations. Software routers are sometimes referred to as gateways. |
What is RSS? |
RSS stands for Rich Site Summary or RDF Site Summary or Real Simple Syndication. RSS is an XML-based summary of a web site, usually used for syndication and other kinds of content-sharing. It is originally developed to facilitate the syndication of news articles, now widely used to share the contents of blogs. RSS content can be accessed with an RSS-enabled Web browser or other programs designed for retrieving RSS feeds. RSS is being overtaken by a newer, more complex protocol called Atom. |
| S Letter | |
What is SEO? |
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) means the practice of designing web pages so that they rank as high as possible in search results from search engines. There is "good" SEO (White Hat SEO) and "bad" SEO (Black Hat SEO). Good SEO involves making the web page clearly describe its subject, making sure it contains truly useful information, including accurate information in Meta tags, and arranging for other web sites to make links to the page. Bad SEO involves attempting to deceive people into believing the page is more relevant than it truly is by doing things like adding inaccurate Meta tags to the page. |
What is Server? |
A server is a computer that handles requests for data, e-mail, file transfers, and other network services from other computers (i.e., clients).The term can refer to a particular piece of software, such as a WWW server, or to the machine on which the software is running, e.g. Mail servers. A single server machine can (and often does) have several different server software packages running on it, thus providing many different servers to clients on the network. Dedicated servers are very common when it comes to Web hosting. |
What is Software? |
A computer program, which provides the instructions which enable the computer hardware to work. System software, such as Windows or Mac OS, operate the machine itself, and applications software, such as spreadsheet or word processing programs, provide specific functionality. |
What is Spam? |
To send a message or advertisement to a large number of people who did not request the information, or to repeatedly send the same message to a single person. "Spamming" is considered very poor Netiquette. CAUCE (The Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email) is an organization dedicated to removing spam from the Internet. |
What is Spider? |
A software program that "crawls" the Web, searching and indexing Web pages to create a database that can be easily searched by a search engine. Also known as a worm or crawler. |
What is SSL? |
Stands for Secure Sockets Layer - A protocol designed by Netscape Communications to enable encrypted, authenticated communication across the Internet. SSL is used mostly, but not exclusively, in communications between web browsers and web servers. A URL that begins with "https" instead of "http" indicates an SSL connection will be used. |
| T Letter | |
What is Thread? |
A series of messages with the same subject. It consists of an original message and all the replies and replies to replies that follow. Sometimes the replies will stray from the original subject, and this is called 'thread drift'. |
| U Letter | |
What is Upload? |
To transfer a file from your computer system to another system via a modem over telephone or cable lines or a telnet connection using a transfer protocol like xmodem, ymodem, zmodem, or Kermit. Less precisely, it may also refer to a direct transfer from your local terminal to a server over a local area network or an FTP transfer from your system to a remote system |
What is URL? |
An acronym for Uniform Resource Locater, a URL is the address for a resource or site (usually a directory or file) on the World Wide Web and the convention that web browsers use for locating files and other remote services. |
| V Letter | |
What is Virus? |
A chunk of computer programming code that makes copies of itself without any conscious human intervention. Some viruses do more than simply replicate themselves, they might display messages, install other software or files, delete software of files, etc. A virus requires the presence of some other program to replicate itself. Typically viruses spread by attaching themselves to programs and in some cases files, for example the file formats for Microsoft word processor and spreadsheet programs allow the inclusion of programs called "macros" which can in some cases be a breeding ground for viruses |
What is VPN? |
Stands for Virtual Private Network. Usually refers to a network in which some of the parts are connected using the public Internet, but the data sent across the Internet is encrypted, so the entire network is "virtually" private. Privacy for the virtual network is achieved through encryption and provides a less expensive option than using dedicated lines. |
| W Letter | |
What is WAN? |
An acronym for Wide Area Network - Any internet or network that covers an area larger than a single building or campus. In other words, WAN refers to a network that connects computers over long distances via telephone lines or satellite links. In a WAN, the computers are physically and sometimes geographically far apart. |
What is Web? |
The World Wide Web. An Internet system to distribute graphical, hyper-linked information, based on the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). The World Wide Web is also known as WWW or W3. The Web is not synonymous with the Internet; rather, it is just one service on the Internet. Other services on the Internet include Internet Relay Chat and Newsgroups. The Web is accessed through use of a browser. |
What is Website? |
A website is a collection of network services, primarily HTML documents, that are linked together and that exist on the Web at a particular server. Typically all the of pages in a web site share the same basic URL, for example the following URLs are all for pages within the same web site: https://www.trickscity.webnode.com/ https://www.trickscity.webnode.com/about-us/ Exploring a website usually begins with the home page, which may lead you to more information about that site. |
| X Letter | |
What is XHTML? |
An acronym for eXtensible HyperText Markup Language. Basically HTML expressed as valid XML. XHTML is intended to be used in the same places you would use HTML (creating web pages) but is much more strictly defined, which makes it a lot easier to create sofware that can read it, edit it, check it for errors, etc. XHTML is expected to eventually replace HTML. |
What is XML? |
Acronym for eXtensible Markup Language. A richer subset of SGML than HTML. A widely used system for defining data formats. XML provides a very rich system to define complex documents and data structures such as invoices, molecular data, news feeds, glossaries etc. Basically, XML allows you to create a database of information without having an actual database. While it is commonly used in Web applications, many other programs can use XML documents as well. |
| Y Letter | |
What is ymodem? |
A common form of file transmission for dialup and telnet connections, which uses 1K blocks of data. It has two forms--single file mode and batch mode. The single file form is sometimes called 1K xmodem, and the batch mode is sometimes called ymodem batch. Usage is not consistent. Zmodem is newer and more reliable. |
| Z Letter | |
What is Zip? |
A method of file compression originally used with MS-DOS and a file extension for files which are zip compressed. |
What is Zone File? |
A zone file is stored on a name server and provides information about one or more domain names. Each zone file contains a list of DNS records with mappings between domain names and IP addresses. These records define the IP address of a domain name, the reverse lookup of an IP to other domains, and contain DNS and mail server information |