Glossary of Net Terms

Using the Net can be very difficult and frustrating. This is mostly because the error messages and intructions on how to do something you will run into are very cryptic. Here's a list of words you may run into in your travels.
The [MORE]

icon denotes that more information follows that glossary entry, in the form of a table or list.

ASCII: ASCII, or American Standard Code for Information Interchange, is the standard system by which computers send text files. All web pages are written in ASCII (commonly referred to as plain text), so all computers can read and interpret them.
baud rate: A measurement of how quickly a modem transfers data.

Method of Connection Baud Rate
Analog Modems 28.8 kilobits per second, 33.6 kilobits per second, and 56 kilobits per second
ISDN 128 kbps
T1 1.5 megabytes per second
Cable Modem 3.5 megabytes per second
bandwidth: The amount of information that can be sent through a particular communications channel.
bits per second: Bits per second, or bps, is a measure of the speed of a data transmission.
browser: A program that lets you read HTML documents and navigate the World Wide Web.
Common browsers include Netscape Navigator/Communicator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and NSCA Mosaic
cyberspace: The "area" in which computer users travel when navigating a network on the Internet.
dialup service: A common Internet term for a dial-in Internet connection, using a modem.
domain name: A name given to a host computer on the Internet.
Domain Name System: The Domain Name System, or DNS, is a system by which one Internet host can find another so it can perform routine Internet activities like email, FTP, and World Wide Web.
email: Short for electronic mail, the system that allows people to send and receive electronic messages over a network such as the Internet.
encryption: The modification of data so that unauthorized recipients cannot use or understand it.
File Transfer Protocol: File Transfer Protocol, or FTP, is a protocol which allows users to transfer files across the Internet. A protocol is a set of standards which permit computers to communicate with each other and perform different tasks.
form: A form is an interactive way to collect data through the World Wide Web. A user may type information in text fields or check buttons to submit information through a form.
hacker: Someone who enters a computer system without authorization. Hackers are also referred to as crackers.
host: A host is a computer which is connected directly to the Internet and is able to act as a home for sites which can be shared across the Internet.
HyperText Markup Language: HyperText Markup Language, or HTML, is the basic language which is used to encode the World Wide Web.
HyperText Transfer Protocol: HyperText Transfer Protocol, or HTTP, is the method with which documents are transferred across the World Wide Web. A protocol is a set of standards which permit computers to communicate with each other and perform different tasks.
ISOC: The ISOC, or Internet Society, is the organization which "governs" and erects standards for the Internet.
Java: Java is a programming language developed by Sun Microsystems that is widely used on the Internet because of its relative simplicity and cross-platform compatibility.
link: A piece of text that links one web page to another. See A Beginner's Guide to the World Wide Web.
modem: A device that allows users to connect to the Internet via phone lines.
newsgroup: An Internet-based discussion forum in which people leave messages and can share ideas.
protocol: A set of standards which permit computers to communicate with each other and perform different tasks.

Name of Protocol Usage
FTP file transfer
HTTP World Wide Web
NNTP newsgroups
SMTP email
server: A program or computer that services another program or computer. Web servers share web pages with other computers.
service provider: An Internet service provider, or ISP, provides people with access to the Internet based on a set monthly fee or hourly rate.
tags: The codes inside a web page or HTML file.
URL: A URL, or Universal Resource Locator, is an address that specifies the location of something on the Internet.
virus: A program that uses various techniques to duplicate itself and travel from computer to computer. Viruses can be harmless, annoying, or dangerous. See Internet Safety for more information.
World Wide Web: The World Wide Web, also known as the web, W³, or WWW, is a system that allows users to travel from one place to another across a wide range of documents by clicking on different links. The WWW is the fastest-growing and most popular part of the Internet.

Method of Connection	Baud Rate
Analog Modems	28.8 kilobits per second, 33.6 kilobits per second, and 56 kilobits per second
ISDN	128 kbps
T1	1.5 megabytes per second
Cable Modem	3.5 megabytes per second

Name of Protocol	Usage
FTP	file transfer
HTTP	World Wide Web
NNTP	newsgroups
SMTP	email