Jargon Buster A-F
A
Active Directory (AD)
An Active Directory structure is a hierarchical framework of
objects. The
objects fall into three broad categories: resources (e.g.,
printers),
services (e.g., email), and users (user
accounts and groups). The AD provides information on the objects,
organises the objects, controls access and sets security.
Active Server Page (ASP)
A type of HTML page that includes one or more
scripts, (small embedded programs written in VBScript or
JScript), that are processed on a Microsoft web
server to tailor a page before it is sent to the user.
ASP pages are referred to as dynamic pages, since the content will
change according to the user’s request.
Address
A unique name or number used to
specify the location of a computer, website or person’s mailbox on
the Internet. Computers are identified by an “IP address”
(e.g. 192.168.100.1), websites are identified by a “URL” (e.g.
www.microsoft.com), and mailboxes are identified by an “email
address” (e.g. bill@microsoft.com).
ADSL
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - one of the most popular
forms of internet connection currently available, using regular
copper telephone lines for broadband internet
connectivity.
Adware
Any software application in which
advertising banners are displayed while the program is running. The
authors of these applications include additional code that delivers
the ads, which can be viewed through pop-up windows or through a
bar that appears on a computer screen. The justification for adware
is that it helps recover programming development cost and helps to
hold down the cost for the user. Adware has been criticised because
it usually includes code that tracks a user's personal information
and passes it on to third parties, without the user's authorisation
or knowledge.
Antivirus Software
Antivirus software is used to protect
computers against known or potential viruses, and other malicious
software.
Application
A program used to accomplish a
specific task, i.e. a word processing program, a spreadsheet
program or an FTP client.
Authentication
Verifying the identity of a person or computer when it
attempts to access a resource on a network.
B
Bandwidth
Also referred to as data transfer,
bandwidth is a measurement of the amount of information that can be
transmitted over a network at a given time. Bandwidth is often
measured in kilobits per second (Kb/s) or megabits per second
(Mb/s).
Bookmark
Used to save the address of a website
so it can be quickly and easily returned to in future. Customers
might save your URL as a bookmark or 'favourite' to save typing the
URL each time they visit.
Browser
The program that allows you to view
web pages. Examples of widely used browsers are Internet Explorer,
Netscape or Firefox.
C
Cache
Pronounced 'cash’ – a file store used
to temporarily store copies of files locally on a computer to
enable quicker access when the file is next required.
CGI Script
A CGI script allows a program to be
run on your server to output dynamic information and add
interactivity to your site. Some examples of CGI scripts are: hit
counters, mail forms, search pages and guest books. Although Perl
is the predominant language because of its worldwide acceptance,
CGI can be written in any number of programming languages such as,
Unix SH, KSH, CSH, and C.
Client
A client is the requesting program or user in
a client/server relationship. For example, the user of a Web
browser makes client requests for pages from servers all over the
Web. The browser itself is a client in its relationship with the
server that is getting and returning the requested page. Another
example of a client would be Outlook.
Cookie
A cookie is information that a web
site puts on your hard disk so that it can remember something about
you at a later time. Typically, a cookie records your preferences
when using a particular site. They can be used to rotate the banner
ads that a site sends so that it doesn't keep sending the same ad
as browse the site. They can also be used to customise pages for
you based on your browser type or other information you may have
provided the Web site. Web users must agree to let cookies be saved
for them, but, in general, they help Web sites to serve users
better.
Call To Action (CTA)
A CTA is used in a marketing message
(i.e. on a website or e-mail) to highlight to the end target how
you wish them to respond i.e. Email Us, Call Us or complete a
form.
D
Data Transfer
See Bandwidth
Data Transfer Rate
The speed at which data is transferred.
Measured in kilobytes per second for a CD-ROM drive, in bits per
second for a modem, and in megabytes per second for a hard
drive.
Dedicated
Belonging to only one user. For example, a
dedicated server is a computer in a network that is reserved to
manage communications between all other computers in the network. A
dedicated line is a phone line used only to connect to the
Internet, rather than one shared by a modem and a phone.
Dial Up
Dial-up is a form of Internet access
via telephone lines. The user's computer or uses an attached modem
connected to a telephone line to dial into an Internet service
provider's (ISP) node to establish a modem-to-modem link, which is
then used to route data between the user's equipment and hosts on
the Internet.
Disk Space
Disk space describes the storage
capacity of a disk. It is usually expressed in Megabytes (MB) or
Gigabytes (GB).
Domain Name System (DNS)
The Domain Name System serves as the "phone
book" for the Internet by translating human-friendly computer
hostnames into IP addresses. For example, www.example.com
translates to 208.77.188.166.
Domain Name
A naming system for computers, services, or
any resource participating in the Internet. E.g. http://www.example.com/ is a domain
name.
Domain Name Registration
Domain Name Registration is the
process of registering your domain name (i.e. www.example.com) with
an official Internet registrar. This then prevents anybody else
from using the same domain name as you.
Denial Of Service (DOS)
A method of attacking a server by
sending an abnormally high volume of requests over a network; this
slows down the performance of a server, making it unavailable to
users.
DOS Attack
Denial of Service attack. A method of
attacking a server by sending an abnormally high volume of requests
over a network; this slows down the performance of a server, making
it unavailable to any users.
Download
To retrieve a copy of a file from a
host server onto your local computer
E
Electronic Commerce
Commonly known as e-commerce or
eCommerce, consists of the buying and selling of products or
services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other
computer networks.
Email Forwarding
Forwards email sent to one email
address to another specified email address.
F
Firewall
A protective mechanism, usually a
combination of hardware and software, designed to act as a barrier,
keeping external networks, such as the Internet, completely
separate from an internal network. Firewalls forbid access to
anyone but individuals authorized to use the network.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
A method for transferring files
between two computers over the Internet. An FTP client is required
to make the connection to a FTP server. It is commonly used to
upload files to a web server or download files from a web site.
Jargon Buster G-L