Below are some terms you may encounter while exploring the Internet, as well as some links to other glossaries available on-line.

ASCII

The American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a computer code allowing many different computers all over the world to understand letters and numbers transmitted back and forth.

backbone

Backbones are the major parts of networks and are usually high-capacity lines through which much information generated in interconnected networks can traverse.

bandwidth

The amount of information that can be transmitted and received through a connection on the Internet. "Poor bandwith" describes a slow connection, which is somewhat relative to the speed at which your MODEM operates as well as how many users are on any given network at any given time. Bandwith generally deteriorates as more users go on-line at the same time or if more information (such as streaming audio or video) is requested by a client.

bit

A bit is the basic unit of measurement in computers. Numerically bits are base-2, a system of alternating 0s and 1s. MODEM speeds and Internet connections commonly use bits (as in BPS) to specify how fast your computer may speak with other computers.

bookmark

This helps you remember specific locations on the World Wide Web. When you find a web site you like you "create a bookmark" so you may find that site quickly the next time you access the Web. Those who surf with Microsoft Internet Explorer use the term "favorites," which are also bookmarks.

Bulleting Board System (BBS)

A BBS is usually a solitary computer configured to accept calls from outside users, who use their own computers and MODEMs to dial into the BBS. Once connected, users log on and may access a variety of functions. They can read or leave messages for other users, play electronic games, and upload and download files. A BBS tends to be socially local in its interests, resources, themes and access.

Before the Internet and WWW came about, the BBS ranked among the most popular way for users to get together electronically. Despite the Internet revolution, bulletin boards still serve a number of purposes. For more information on this topic, click here.

byte

A popular unit of measurement in computers. Bytes consist of bits (8 bits per byte). Companies usually specify the minimum number of bytes of free RAM a program requires for it to execute properly. Many files on the Internet are measured in terms of bytes; the more bytes there are to a file, the longer it will take to download and the more space it will occupy on your hard drive.

client

Clients communicate with servers to request or transfer information. Example of a client would be a web browser or a specific program, such as telnet.

cookie

Cookies are pieces of data a server sends to your computer for any number of reasons or uses. One of the most popular applications of cookie technology is the ability of a user to "personalize" a web site (e.g. Webcrawler). Another thing sites use cookies for is to remember your user name and password (required at certain sites) so you don't have to retype them every time to access a particular site. The New York Times is one such site that does this.

cyberspace

In his novel, Neuromancer, William Gibson coined the word cyberspace. Since then it has been used to describe the Internet and the World Wide Web experience, everything on-line (and everyone, including users; i.e. you). When connected to the Internet, you are "in cyberspace."

database

An organized collection of computerized records. Many databases are available on the World Wide Web. There are numerous databases available at Middletown Thrall Library: SIRS, Magazine Index, Ethnic NewsWatch, Alt-Health, Women-R contain articles and citations, all of which you may view and print at the library.

domain name

Internet sites are identified by their domain name(s), which distinguish one site from the next and allow you and other computers and users to communicate with a specific site, such as www.thrall.org.

download

When you receive information from the Internet (such as a file or a graphic) you are downloading that information. The opposite of downloading is uploading. When you followed a link to this particular web page, the information was downloaded to your computer.

e-mail

Electronic mail E-mail allows you to send message to other people on the Internet. You may send and receive e-mail. To send e-mail to someone you need that person's e-mail address.

e-mail account

To send and receive e-mail you need an e-mail account, which you get when you sign up with an Internet Service Provider. If you do not have an Internet account at home, you may still obtain your own e-mail address through free e-mail providers on the Internet. To explore this possibility, click here.

e-mail address

A special address you use when sending an electronic message to someone. A typical e-mail addres looks like anyname@abcd.xyz.

file

A computer file contains information. It can be something you can read or something only the computer understands, such as an image or a program.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

The Internet uses FTP to transfer files to and from your computer.

flame (and "flame war")

Can be used as a verb or a noun. "To flame" is to verbally attack a user or group or users who may or may not be present in an on-line discussion (chat or via e-mail). A flame is such a verbal attack. These verbal attacks are often occur when someone makes a statement that offends someone or says something contrary to what another user believes is true. Many flames occur on highly technical or scholarly points. "Flame wars," in which two or more users engaged in heated exchanges. In unmoderated discussions, in which people can (and usually do) say anything they wish, flame wars can go on for quite a while. Occasionally flame wars are set off by a simple comment, which one person may see no harm in but another user may actually take with extreme exception. Despite the typical negative qualities of a flame war, flames may sometimes take an on-line discussion in fresh directions.

GIF

A popular graphic format on the Internet. GIFs are images, often business logos, illustrations, animations, or buttons and give the World Wide Web its illustrative qualities.

hits

When you use a search engine on the Internet to find information, anything found is considered a "hit." The broader your query terms are, the more hits will be reported.

The term also applies to how many times your site has been accessed by people. Many sites have counters to inform visitors how popular a page is.

home page

The first or main page of a web site. Many people mistake "home page" for website, and the term has been used as a synonym for "web site." If a web site consists of a single page, you can correctly refer to it as a "home page" or a "web site."

HyperText Markup Language (HTML)

HTML is the special language of the World Wide Web that allows documents (such as this one) to contain special formatting, interactive elements, graphics and sound, and hyperlinks to other documents. HTML

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

HTTP is used to quickly transfer hypertext information (such as this page) over the World Wide Web. You will notice the majority of website addresses you enter in a web browser begin with http://

hyperlink

The World Wide Web is a "web" because there are links to and from documents all over the world. It is through the hyperlink you were able to access this document, and it will be because of the hyperlink you will be able to access other parts of the World Wide Web.

hypertext

Most of what you see on the World Wide Web is hypertext, which contains hyperlinked words and images that take you to other locations on the Web when vou click on them with a mouse.

Internet

All the inter-connected networks in the world. Includes the World Wide Web. Note: The Internet and the World Wide Web are not synonymous terms. The World Wide Web is only a part of the Internet.

Internet Service Provider (ISP)

A company or organization that grants you to access the Internet. Generally, if you want to use the Internet from your home, you must go through an ISP.

intranet

Intra, as in internally, + net, as in network. An intranet is a network using Internet technology for internal purposes, usually so that employees can network and share resources with one another.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC)

Users can "talk" to one another on the Internet using IRC technology. Communication occurs through predefined chat channels, which are, for the most part, thematically arranged so that people discussing on these channels stay within a certain range of topics.

Internet Service Provider (ISP)

The company or institution that enables you to connect with the Internet. Middletown Thrall Library offers free public Internet access. For more information, please call 914-341-5454.

Java

A platform-independent language created by Sun Microsystems enabling programs to be distributed and executed on many different computers throughout the world. Such programs are commonly called applets, as in "small applications." Many Java apps currently take the form of chat interfaces or on-line games. Due to the fact it's a young technology and many (<32-bit) computers do not yet have the capability of running Java applications, the growth in popularity and understanding of the language has been rising slow but steadily. Many sites now require you to have a "Java-enabled" browser in order to gain access. For more information on Java technology, click here.

kilobyte (KB)

A unit of measurement for data. A kilobyte is 1,024 bytes of information. Many programs to be downloaded on the Interenet are measured in terms of kilobytes (e.g. 700KB).

link

On a web page, a word or image you click on to take you to another page or web site. Text links are usually underlined and in a different color from the rest of the text on the screen, while graphical links, sometimes known as buttons, may be any shape, color, or size. Some links are animated. Graphical links for advertisements are also known as "banners."

Lynx

One of the original web browsers. Lynx is a text-only browser. While limited in sites it can access, Lynx is still one of the fastest browsers still in use today, as graphics are not loaded with a web page.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

A popular program that allows you to explore the World Wide Web. For more information on this browser, click here.

MODEM (MODulator DEModulator)

A device that allows your computer to connect to the Internet and other computers. Modems are rated by their speed. A 33.6 or 56k modem is considered fast by present domestic standards. Newer technologies are emerging to push the speed of access over standard phone lines.

moderated discussions & lists

A electronic mailing list or chat that is overseen by a moderator, who ensures all verbal activity is taking place within the guidelines users agreed to abide by before joining the list or discussion.

moderator

A person or group of people in charge of determining whether or not users are conducting themselves in a proper way. The properness of a comment may be judged on its relevance to the discussion or the manner in which it was imparted to other users. If a user persists in such behavior, a moderator may eject that user temporarily or permanently from the list or chat room.

Mosaic

Among the earliest of web browsers ever developed, Mosaic helped standardize and popularize the graphical nature of access on the World Wide Web.

mouse

A controller connected to your computer that has buttons you can click. When using a web browser, you will be using a mouse most of the time to "click" on links.

netiquette

An informal but widely-expected level of behavior, maturity, and protocol across the Internet, including e-mail. What makes for "good" or "bad netiquette" is debatable. TYPING IN ALL CAPS LIKE THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF EXTREMELY BAD NETIQUETTE. Typing in caps is considered "shouting" in cyberspace. Political correctness is a strong element of netiquette, particularly in discussion groups such as chats. Considerateness, brevity of speech, and honesty are also critical components of netiquette. It's also considered bad netiquette to accuse another user of bad netiquette... unless you're a moderator.

Netscape Navigator

A popular program that allows you to explore the World Wide Web. For more information on this browser, click here.

network

A group of computers (including terminals and servers) connected to share information. The Internet is a network of networks.

query terms

Words and phrases you type into a search engine or database prompt to find information on the Internet. For more information on searching the web or to search the web, click here.

search engine

What you normally use to find information on the Internet. Examples of search engines are Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com) and Webcrawler (www.webcrawler.com). There are also metasearch engines and search pages, such as the Proteus Search Page at http://www.thrall.org/proteus.html.

software

A program or set of special instructions that tells your computer what to do. An example of a prorram is a web browser. On the other hand, harware refers to the physical parts of your computer, such as the hard drive or monitor.

spam

In short, electronic "junk mail." Spamming over the Internet is characterized by a person or company tranmitting unsolicited messages (usually of a commercial and/or explicit nature) directly to users and mailing lists. Such practices are heavily frowned upon and often lead to deactivation of that user or company's account and, in some cases, legal action. To be "spammed" is to receive such unwanted messages.

"surfing the net"

A casual phrase for viewing content on the World Wide Web.

Uniform Resource Locator (URL) Also once known as Universal Resource Locator.

The URL is the specific location of a piece of information, textual or graphical, on the Internet, or an entire website. URLs help you find information on the Internet. To visit a homepage or website, you need to know it's URL. For example, Thrall Library's URL is www.thrall.org.

web browser

This allows you to access and explore the World Wide Web.

webmaster

The person designated to maintain a website. Webmasters should be true to their title and be knowledgeable in the ways of the Internet and World Wide Web, staying current with changes in Internet technology, such as HTML, Java, web browsers, file formats, and multimedia (sound, music, graphics) across varying platforms to ensure a website's maximum accessibility. Webmasters are also often responsible for site indexing and promotion (via search engines), order, layout, and linking of web pages, development of interactive web services (such as user feedback forms), and planning a site's expansion over time. A female webmaster is also known as a "webmistress" or a "web goddess" but may opt to use the term "webmaster."

web page

A page of information at a web site. A web page usually contains text and may also offer graphics and links to other web pages.

website

The collective term for all the web pages at a particular site on the Web. Websites can cover one topic or a variety of subjects, offer a number services, or provide you with information on other websites.

World Wide Web (WWW)

A special part of the Inrernet dedicated to hypertext documents and images. To view things on the Web you need a web browser.

Other glossaries on the World Wide Web

BABEL: Computer Related Abbreviations and Acronyms

Diccionario de Términos Informáticos (En Espanol y Ingles)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

PC Webopaedia

Netlingo.com

Whatis.com