Glossary


Absolute Links
A type of HTML link which identifies a precise URL location which will not change, even if the location of the original document changes.Anonymous FTP. Using the FTP program to log on to another computer, even though you don't have an account there. Typing "anonymous" when prompted for the username allows access to publicly-available files.

Archie
A search tool that helps you find FTP files located anywhere on the Internet. Archie is both a program and a system of servers (computers that contain indexes of files).ARPANET. Advance Research Project Administration Network. Department of Defense designed for use during a nuclear war.

ASCII
American Standard Code for Information Interchange. It is used for transmitting text between computers or between a computer and another device.Attributes. Commands in a HTML element placed after the start-tag which provide more distinction concerning the meaning or use of the element.Bandwidth. The range of transmission frequencies that a network can use. The greater the bandwidth, the greater the amount of information that can travel on the network at one time.

Baud
Also known as bits per second (BPS). Baud is the transmission rate of modems or networks and commonly are provided in 2,400, 9,600, 14,400, and 28,800 bps. The higher the number, the faster the transmission.BBS. Bulletin Board System. A public board system that you can post messages or retrieve information.BINHEX. Binary Hexidedral; converting 8-bit files into 7-bit ASCII for transmission over non-8-bit mediums such as e-mail.Bit. A contraction of binary digit. The smallest unit of information that a computer can hold. the value of a bit (1 or 0) represents a simple two-way choice, such as yes or no.

BITNET
A message and file retrieval network within the education community.

Browser
A program that lets you access the Internet via the WWW. It provides the interface between the information and your computer in order to make display of homepages possible.

Bulletin Board System (BBS)
An on line message service which allows users to read and post messages. The Usenet is a BBS on the Internet and is the largest BBS in the world.Byte. The number of bits used to represent a character. For personal computers a byte is usually eight bits

Chat lines
An interactive tool which allows real time communication over the Internet. It is similar to a conference call between any number of individuals, except that participants type their input and read the responses on a computer screen. Programs which provide this service are called Internet Relay Chat (IRC).Client. connects to a server which exchanges information

Conference
A managed location on the BBS which includes information specific to discrete topics.Container Command. A HTML command type which requires a beginning tag and ending tag to define the contents.

Ethernet
A cable that connects pieces of a local area network in a particular pattern.Elements. Portions of a HTML document which include beginning and ending tags and the text between them.

Email
Electronic messages sent by way of computer networks, including the Internet.Ethernet A local area network (LAN) that is most frequently used with computers using a TCP/IP connection.

Firewall
A security program which limits access to computers linked to the Internet.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
The set of conventions for copying files from one place to another. FTP is loosely used as a noun and as a verb, to indicate the act of transferring files.

Freeware
A program which is free for downloading over the Internet.FYI. For Your Information.

Gateway
A gateway is a computer that connects one network with another when the two networks use different protocols. Similar to a router, but a router must connect networks that use IP.

Geographic Information System (GIS)
A computer system (including hardware, software, data, and trained personnel) which displays database information in a mapped, graphical format.GIF (Graphics Interchange Format). A type of graphics file originally developed by CompuServe which is easy to display on the standard PC monitor.

Gopher
A system that lets you find information on the Internet by using menu.

Hierarchy
A grouping of newsgroups which relate to a similar topic.

Homepage
A commonly used WWW document which denotes a web site. It often contains hyperlinks to other information or other homepages.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
The coding system that lets the text of a homepage include definitions for fonts, layout, embedded graphics, and hypertext links.HTML Tag. Keywords which direct the browser to display text, graphics, or other media presentations on the World Wide Web.Hypermedia. a combination of hypertext and multimedia

Hypertext
A system of writing and displaying text that enables the text to be linked in multiple ways, available at several levels of detail, and contains links to related documents. Hypermedia can also contain pictures, sounds and video.

Hypertext Links
The link created by hypertext.IMHO. In my humble opinion...

Internet
The largest collection of interrconnected computer networks in the world. All networks on the internet use TCP/IP protocols.

Information Services
National companies that preselect a variety of information and make it available to subscribers on line. Nearly all information service companies also provide links to the Internet and, specifically to the WWW.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
A program that enables Internet users to trade messages in real time, simulating a conversation.

Internet Service Provider
A company or organization which provides individual users or networks access to the Internet. IP. It works like an envelope. It allows information to travel accross many networks to reach its final destinationISDN. Integrated Services Digital Network- where phone lines carry digital signals.JPEG. Joint Photographic Experts Ground compression feature.

Listserve
A family of programs that automatically manages mailing lists, distributes messages posted to the list and other tasks.

Local Area Network (LAN)
A network of computers located near one another and connected with cable.

Local Internet Service Providers
Smaller companies which serve specific geographic areas and provide direct Internet access.

Lynx
A non-graphical program that reads information on the World Wide Web.

Metadata
A collection of information describing a GIS data set.

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions)
A convention for including other formats in addition to text in email messages.

Netiquette
A term which originated from network and etiquette. It is the generally accepted standards of behavior for use of the Internet.

Network
A collection of interconnected, individually controlled computers, with hardware and software used to connect them. A network allows users to share data and peripheral devices such as printers, storage media, electronic, etc.

Newsreader
A program which allows you to read and respond to newsgroups. The most common programs are Trumpet, for Windows applications, and trn and nn for UNIX systems.OSI. Open Systems Interconnect- network protocol

PEM (Privacy Enhanced Mail)
A program which scrambles email in the transfer process and requires a password prior to unscrambling it.

PGP (Pretty Good Privacy)
A program which scrambles email in the transfer process and requires a password prior to unscrambling it.Protocol. Is how computers will act when talking to each other. Protocol definitions range from how bits are placed on a wire to format an electronic message. Standard Protocols allow computers from different manufacturers to communicate. PPP. Point to Point Protocol. A protocol that allows a computer to use the TCP/IP protocols with a standard telephone line and a modem. PPP is the new standard and replaces SLIP.RFC. Request for Comments.Relative links. A type of HTML link which is relative to the original document and which will remain usable even if the location of the linked documents change.

Samba
A Microsoft program that reads information on the World Wide Web.

Search Engines
Programs that search for information on the World Wide Web based upon user-defined parameters.Separator Command. A HTML command type which separates sections of the document and does not require a beginning and ending tag.Server. provides information to clients. Most networks are client-server based.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
The set of conventions which direct how Internet mail is delivered from one computer to another.

SLIP
Communication protocols that lets you access the Internet over a phone line.

SMB (Session Message Block)
The protocol used for Microsoft networks.TCP. Takes information you want to transmit and breaks it into pieces so it can be transmitted. Each piece is numbered so the pieces can be put back together when the information arrives.

TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol are two communications protocols that are used to route information through the Internet. TCP and IP are also used for lcoal area network (LAN) communciations and tying networks together.

Telnet
A program which allows remote use of a computer and its programs.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
A compact representation of the location and access method for a resource available via the Internet. A way of naming network resources, originally for linking pages together in the World Wide Web.

Usenet
A large system of distributed bulletin boards called newsgroups.

Uudecode
The program which translates text files back to binary files when transferred with email programs.

Uuencode
The program which translates binary files to text files for transfer with email programs.Veronica. User search tool for gopher system documents

WAIS (Wide Area Information Servers)
A system that lets you search specific libraries for documents that contain the information you're looking for.

World Wide Web (WWW)
A portion of the Internet based on hypermedia or hypertext which links information from one document to another.WYSIWYG. What You See Is What You Get


Internet Resource Guide
Table of Contents



Last Update May 8, 1997