Basic Internet Definintions.
ARPANet - The precursor to the Internet.
ASCII - American Standard Code for Information Interchange. The de facto world wide standard code for alphanumeric characters.
Baud - In common usage, how many bits can be sent or received per second.
Bit - A Binary Integer, either a 0 or a 1.
Blacklist - Describes inappropriate advertisers on Usenet newsgroups and via junk E-mail.
Browser - A program that is specifically used to look at various WWW resources.
Client - Any computer that makes use of services available from other computers.
Cyberspace - The term used to describe the whole range of information resources available through computer networks.
Domain Name - A unique name that identifies an Internet site. The name always has two or more parts separated by a dot. The last part of the name identifies the site ( i.e. gov for government, edu for education, com for commercial, or net for network). An electronic street address.
EDI - Electronic Data Interchange
E-mail - Messages, usually text, sent from one person to another via a computer.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Question. Documents that list and answer the most common questions on a particular subject.
Fire Wall - A combination of hardware and software that separates a LAN into two or more parts for security purposes.
Flame - Any kind of derogatory comment no matter how witless or crude.
Flame War - A heated exchange which has turned into personal attacks against the debators.
FTP - File Transfer Protocol. Stores and provides files and documents.
Gopher - Can provide everything that an FTP site can plus provide a menu. This makes it easier to find items because they can be searchable by subject and linked to the World Wide Web.
Host - A computer or software package which provides a specific kind of service to other computers. One that is seen by other computers on the Internet.
HTML - The standard coding language used to create documents for use on the World Wide Web.
HTTP - The protocol used to move hypertext files across the Internet.
Hypertext - Generally any document that contains "tags" to other documents.
IP Number - A "dotted quad." A unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots.
IRC - Internet Relay Chat.
LAN - Local Area Network. Several computers located in the same physical location which are connected together in order to share information and services.
Modem - A device that allows a computer to use a phone line to communicate with another computer.
MOO - Multi-user Object Oriented MUDDs.
Mosaic - The first World Wide Web browser available for the Macintosh, Windows, and Unix with the same interface.
MUDDs - Multi-User Dungeons & Dragons. Interactive games where players assume roles and the computer acts as arbiter of their actions.
Netiquette - The techniques for using the Internet that are considered appropriate to the majority of its uses.
Netizen - A citizen of the Internet.
Netscape - A World Wide Web browser and the name of a company.
PPP - A protocol that allows a computer to use a telephone line and a modem to make TCP/IP connections.
Protocol - The rules of conduct which enables a computer to communicate with another computer.
Server - Any computer that makes services available to other computers.
Slip Account - Serial Line Internet Protocol. A protocol that allows a computer to use a telephone line and a modem to make a connection to an Internet site.
Spam - An inappropriate attempt to use a mailing list or USENET or other network communications facility as if it was a broadcast medium.
Sysop - Anyone responsible for the physical operations of a computer system or network resource.
TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. This is the protocol which defines the Internet.
Telnet - A program that is used to contact and obtain data from another computer.
Unix - A multi-user computer operating system with TCP/IP built in.
URL - Uniform Resource Locator. A unique name that identifies an Internet site.
Usenet - A world wide system of discussion groups.
Webmaster - Anyone responsible for the physical operations of a World Wide Web site.
WWW - World Wide Web. The universe of hypertext servers.
PortHarbor University