Account Name
Alternate name for username. See Username.

ActionScript
Programming language used by Macromedia's Flash.

Active Server Pages
A file type that dynamically creates a web page from a database.

Adobe Type Manager(TM)
Abbreviated ATM, a software program or system extension manufactured by Adobe Systems that is used to enhance the display of screen fonts on computer monitors, Essentially, ATM uses the outline fonts (or printer fonts) rather than bitmap fonts, which not only allows for the creation of screen fonts in any type size, but also reduces the memory and processing power needed for bitmaps. ATM also handles the downloading of fonts to a computer printer.

Alias
In computing, any shorthand or abbreviated name for a file. Specifically, it is used as a shortcut for opening a file that may be buried in several layers of directories (in UNIX) or folders (on a Macintosh). An alias is essentially a way of opening a file without typing long paths of directories or clicking through many hierarchical folders.

Aliasing
In computer graphics, an undesirable effect--also known as “jaggies”--in which the edge of the image or letter is characterized by a stair-step appearance.

Alpha Channel
In digital-image processing programs (such as Adobe PhotoShop), one of two basic types of “channel” which comprise an image. A channel is essentially one portion of a digital image. There are color channels, and there are alpha channels. A color channel is one of three separate channels (one for red, one for green, and one for blue), each of which contains a grayscale image corresponding to one of the three primary colors making up the image. (For example, the red channel contains only the red portions of the image, the green contains only the green portions of an image, and the blue contains only the blue portions of an image). An alpha channel, on the other hand, is a kind of “wild card” channel, and can store other user-selected portions of an image, or even other images that can be intermingled with the other channels to provide various effects to the image as a whole. Most image-processing programs allow for many different channels to be added.

Alpha Test
The first stage in the testing of a new product--in particular, computer hardware and software--in which in-house personnel use the product in a working environment as a means of gauging the efficiency of the product’s concept and design, and to identify any flaws or “bugs” in the product, allowing time for rectification. An alpha test is followed by a beta test involving actual users. (See also Beta Test).

Animation
A sequence of still images (called frames) varying slightly from image to image that, when projected at high speed, produce the illusion of movement.

Anonymous FTP
Anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP) enables anyone to download files from a FTP server. This allows users without accounts to access files by entering the username “anonymous,” along with their email address as a password.

APP
Abbreviation for the term application. See Application.

Applet
In computing, any small application program used for a single purpose. Most operating systems include applets such as a calculator, note pad, calendar, etc. Applets are also small programs developed using Sun Microsystems’ Java computer language.

AppleTalk
Apple Computer’s proprietary telecommunications architecture and network protocol for the Macintosh computer.

Application
In computer terminology, application refers to any software program--such as Adobe PhotoShop, Microsoft Excel, or QuarkXPress-- that applies programmed routines to handle certain tasks. Application, in this sense, is often abbreviated app.

Application Package
Any commercially available computer program, along with assorted “extras,” such as plug-ins, system extensions, tutorial files, and related documentation. See Application Program.

Application Program
Any software program that allows a computer to be used for a specific task. Application programs include those for word process (such as WordPerfect), creating spreadsheets (Excel), laying out pages for publication (QuarkXPress), manipulating digital photographs (Adobe PhotoShop), or drawing illustrations (Macromedia Freehand), among many others. An application program often comes with a wide variety of “extras” such as plug-ins, system extensions, tutorials, and other elements that add functionality to the basic program. This collection of extras (including the documentation needed to learn how to operate the program) is known as an application package.

Application Service Provider
An ASP can provide applications over the Internet without you having to buy it and put it on your computer.

Application System
Alternate term for an application package. See Application Package.

Architecture
The internal configuration of computer hardware, including its microprocessor, its bus, and the amount of data that can be addressed at any one time, among other things. A specific operating system is often designed specifically for a single (or small variety of) architecture(s).

ASP
Abbreviation for active server pages. See Active Server Pages.

ASP
Abbreviation for application service provider. See Application Service Provider.

Aspect Ratio
A comparison of the height and width of any rectangular area, be it a television screen, a movie screen, a window, or a photographic image. The aspect ratio of a computer monitor is 4 to 3, being 4x width and 3x height.

Asynchronous
Descriptive of two or more events which occur independently of each other in time, usually used to refer to asynchronous transmission in data communications, in which the timing of a transmission does not need to be precisely coordinated by both the sender and the receiver. See also Synchronous.

Attachment
Any file linked to an email message is an attachment. Many mail packages use MIME encoding to attach files. This allows users to exchange files/documents through email. This is also the source of many virus attacks.

ATM
Abbreviation for Adobe Type Manager. See Adobe Type Manager.

Audio CD
Alternate term for compact disc-digital audio. See Compact Disc- Digital Audio (CD-DA).

Autoresponder
An email message which is sent automatically when an email is received to the email address.

Bit
A contraction of the term “binary digit,” the smallest piece of information used by a computer, consisting of either the number 1 or 0.

Bits Per Second
In telecommunications, a measure of data or modem speed. In synchronous communications, one character is described by 8 bits, thus a speed of one character per second would be equivalent to 8 bps. In asynchronous communications, one character per second is equivalent to 10 bps. The evolution of modems has resulted in ever- increasing transmission speeds. As of this writing 28,800 bps (or 28.8 Kbps) is the norm. Color depth is also called pixel depth and bit depth. See Pixel Depth and Bit Depth.

BMP
A file format or file extension for a bitmap graphic. BMP files were first used in the Windows environment to display, for example, the desktop background (“wallpaper”). BMP files are also used in the OS/2 operating system.

Broadband
In telecommunications and networking, a type of data communications allowing the transmission of several channels simultaneously through the same cable, usually by means of multiplexing. In this way, each transmission has its own unique frequency. Two-way transmission is also possible with broadband communications, accomplished by dividing a single channel into a forward and reverse channel. The frequency of broadband networks is measured in megahertz (MHz).

Browser
An application program used to explore--or “browse”--Internet resources, specifically Web pages. With a browser, the user can scroll from node to node (or page to page) without much concern for the technical details of such wandering. Some common browsers are Mosaic, Netscape, and Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. See World Wide Web. Also referred to as a Web browser.

Byte
A common, basic unit of computer storage or memory, commonly comprising eight bits of data. One bit is one particular binary digit, a 1 or a 0, one byte being some eight-digit combination of them, such as “10010011”. Eight of these digits is commonly the minimum amount necessary to describe a specific character as the letter “A”, or the number “7”, or any other character. One byte is typically the smallest unit of main memory. 1,024 bytes usually rounded to 1,000) is known as 1 kilobyte, while 1,048,576 bytes ( usually rounded to one million) is known as 1 megabyte.

CGI
Abbreviation for computer graphics interface. See Computer Graphics Interface (CGI).

Chat Rooms
Alternate term for Internet relay chat. See Internet Relay Chat (IRC).

Client
In networking and telecommunications, a program or device that uses the services of another, known as the server. See also Client /Server.

Client/Server
In networking and telecommunications, a network architecture that is based on a division of “labor,” involving a server or device or program that provides a particular service, and a client that requests and utilizes those services.

CSS
Abbreviation for cascading style sheets. See Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).

Cursor
On a computer or computerized device, a moveable spot on the computer screen that indicates where the next entered character will go, or where the next action will occur. Text entry cursors are often blinking. Cursors controlled by a mouse are often known as pointers.

DHTML
Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language. The W3C does not have an official definition for it, but dynamic HTML combines HTML, style sheets, and scripts to make Web pages dynamic or interactive. DHTML has compatibility problems between browsers.

DNS
Domain Name System. When a user sends email or points a browser to an Internet domain such as malanenewman.com, the DNS translates the names into IP address (218.46.152.16). The term refers to two definitions: naming hosts and how domain names are handled on the Internet.

Domain Name
Domain names or Internet alias, usually an easy to remember name, are issued by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and have different extensions based on whether the domain belongs to a commercial enterprise (.com), an educational establishment (.edu), a government body (.gov), the military (.mil), a network (.net), or a nonprofit organization (.org).

DSL
Abbreviation for Digital Subscriber Line is a technology for bringing high-bandwidth information to homes and small businesses over ordinary copper telephone lines.

Dynamic Content
A page that is generated by a website/script just as the user views it. This method has not traditionally created pages that rank as high in search engines as static HTML pages. Robots and spiders are getting better at indexing these pages although it is still not the preferred method for development.

Email Alias
A method of creating an email address and then redirecting that email to another pop3 or email address.

File Extension
A (typically) three-character addition to a computer file name preceded by a period, for example FILENAME.EXT. The extension is often used to indicate the file format in which the file was saved.

File Format
A specification for the structure with which a computer data file is saved and stored, often requiring certain programs or computers to reopen and/or edit the information within.

Flash
Vector drawing tool and animation program created by Macromedia.

Frames
Sections that divide a web page, where different HTML documents can be called to show inside each framed section separately.

FTP
Protocol used to copy files between computers - usually a client/ computer and an archive/web site.

GIF
Abbreviation for Graphics Interchange Format. See Graphics Interchange Format (GIF).

Gigabyte
1,073,741,824 bytes of computer storage. Giga is the prefix meaning “billion”, so it is common to consider 1 gigabyte as equal to 1 billion bytes, although that is not entirely accurate.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)
A computer interface (i.e., the means by which the user and the computer communicate with each other) that uses visual, graphical icons, Windows, pull-down menus, and a pointing-clicking-dragging device (such as a mouse) to manipulate screen objects, rather than relying on a straight, somewhat cryptic and technical text, to convey messages and accept commands.

Graphics Interchange Format (GIF)
A standard file format that was developed by CompuServe for the transmission of bitmapped graphics via Internet connection. GIF images are capable of displaying images in only eight bit (8-bit) color, or with a display of up to 256 colors. GIF files can also be saved as animated GIFs and/or transparent GIFs.

HTML
Abbreviation for Hypertext Markup Language. HTML is commands and code that create hypertext documents or web pages. Your browser interprets this code and/or commands which is embedded in these pages and formats the page text, layout, and graphical elements.

HTTP
The protocol for moving hypertext files across the Internet. Requires a HTTP client program on one end, and an HTTP server program on the other end. HTTP is the most important protocol used in the World Wide Web (WWW). See also: Client, Hypertext, Server, and WWW.

Hyperlink
Hyperlinks are the graphics, words, or phrases you click on in HTML documents that jump from page to page or site to site.

Hypertext
Text linked to other documents, pages or sites.

Interactive
In general computing, descriptive of any computer program that solicits user participation, allowing the user to make decisions about what the program actually does.

Internet
Alternate term used to define the WWW. Essentially, a world-wide computer network in which smaller networks and individual computers are connected to each other by means of a complex system of routers and gateways. Originally created by the United States Department of Defense, it is now a popular consumer-oriented network, especially thanks to the World Wide Web, a graphics-based portion of the Internet. See WWW.

Internet Address
Alternate term for email address. See Email Address.

Internet Explorer (IE)
A software program developed by Microsoft and possibly the most popular and widely used browser (or web browser). Another software program that is used for browsing or surfing the Internet is Netscape Navigator.

Internet Protocol (IP)
The protocol defines how information gets sent between servers or systems across the Internet.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
Allows for a number of different users to “meet” in a single location and converse with each in real time. IRC (known colloquially as chat rooms) is kind of a real-time USENET group, where users can discuss a wide variety of topics.

Intranet
An intranet is a restricted-access or internal network that works like the Internet. It enables employees or those with access to browse or share resources.

IP Address
This is a unique string of numbers that identifies a computer or server on the Internet. These numbers are normally shown in groups separated by periods. Example: 216.239.51.100 is Google’s IP address.

ISDN
Abbreviation for Integrated Services Digital Network, and international communications standard that allows ordinary phone lines to transmit digital instead of analogue signals, allowing data to be transmitted at a much faster rate than with a traditional modem.

ISP
Abbreviation for Internet Service Provider. A company or organization that provides users and subscribers with remote Internet access and usually a host of other services.

JavaScript
Designed by Sun Microsystems and Netscape as an easy-to-use scripting language of Java programming. JavaScript code can be inserted into standard HTML pages to create interactive documents special effects, etc.

JPEG
Abbreviation for Joint Photographic Experts Group. A file format that compresses graphics of photographic color depth. This compression makes JPEG files--also known as JPG--smaller and quicker to download. The image deteriorates in quality as you ad compression. JPG (JPEG) and GIF files are used exclusively on the Internet for graphics.

JPG
Alternate file extension for JPEG. See JPEG.

Keyword
In databases or other searching mechanisms, any significant and representative word (or phrase) used to locate a particular file, document, web page, etc.. See also Meta Tags.

Kilobits Per Second
Each kilobit is 100 bits.

Kilobyte
1,024 bytes (usually rounded to 1,000) is known as 1 kilobyte.

Local Area Network (LAN)
A network of linked computers occupying a small geographic area, such as an office, in contrast to a wide area network (WAN), which encompasses a larger area.

Megahertz (MHz)
A measure of frequency, equal to one million cycles per second.

Memory
The internal storage capacity of a computer, usually temporary. When computer memory is spoken of, it is usually random-access memory (RAM) that is meant, rather than disk size, which is technically known as storage, not memory.

Meta Tags
HTML commands that are placed in the head section of an HTML document. The meta tags that can affect search engine rankings are Meta Description and Meta Keywords to a lesser extent as Inktomi is currently the only search results provider that acknowledges using the keywords tag or meta data.

MPEG
Abbreviation for Motion Picture Experts Group, a committee working by arrangement with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

MP3
A digital audio compression algorithm that archives a compression factor of about twelve while preserving sound quality. It does this by optimizing the compression according to the range of sound that people can actually hear. MP3 is currently the most powerful algorithm in a series of audio encoding standards developed under the sponsorship of the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and formalized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Multimedia
A technology for creating interactive presentations that incorporate sound, graphics, video, and text, usually playable on a computer, and increasingly, the Internet and World Wide Web.

Network
Essentially, any interconnection of separate components, be they computers, television or radio station, etc., each node or station of which is capable of transmitting some form of information to another node or station.

Network Architecture
Essentially, the structure and organization of a computer network or the means by which different nodes or stations are connected to each other and data is transferred between or among them, either locally as LANs or over high-speed, wideband, long-distance interconnections linked over telecommunications facilities.

PDF
Abbreviation for Portable Document Format developed by Adobe. PDF files have become a popular way to exchange platform independent documents with or without interactivity and hyperlinks which are viewable using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Plug-in
Alternate term for extension, especially when describing any small software program or utility that can be “plugged into” a larger program. See Extension.

POP
Post Office Protocol. The standard for Internet based email access standards. Currently on version POP3.

Protocol
In networking and telecommunications, a predetermined set of rules and procedures for data transmission and reception, error detection and correction, data compression, etc.

Registrant
One who registers; especially, one who, by virtue of securing an official registration, obtains a certain right or title of possession, as to a trademark, or in the case of a domain name, “owns” the domain address.

Registrar
One who registers; a recorder; a keeper of records; as, a registrar of births, deaths, and marriages. In the case of a domain name, only “recorded” the domain name and not the “owner” of the domain address. See also Registrant.

Resolution
A measure of the extent to which the human eye can distinguish between the smallest discrete parts of an image. See also Screen Resolution.

Robots
Used by search engines to crawl the WWW and index sites and their pages following the hyperlinks within the pages along the way. Also called Spiders.

Router
In networking, a device that connects two or more networks, much like a bridge or a gateway. Unlike these other devices, however, a router has the ability to decide the most expedient route by which to transmit a message.

Search Engine
A term used to describe applications that find words or phrases on the Internet. Some of the larger and more popular search engines are Google, Yahoo, AltaVista, Lycos, Ask Jeeves, LookSmart, Overture, FindWhat, About, AllTheWeb, MSN Search, AOL Search, HotBot, Teoma, Inktomi, Open Directory, and Netscape Search.

Search String
In computing, a sequence of characters purportedly located within a database that a user has requested the system locate.

Secondary Navigation
A group of navigation buttons, whether text, graphical or any combination that are second to the main navigation in terms of importance.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
A protocol that transmits your communications over the Internet in an encrypted form. SSL ensures that the information is sent, unchanged, only to the server you intended to send it to. Online shopping sites frequently use SSL technology to safeguard your credit card information.

Server
A computer attached to a network of sorts. This can be a Internet, intranet, or networked server. The server allows multiple users to store and/or retrieve information, data, or files in most instances.

Server Side Includes (SSI)
Commands and/or code that can be integrated into HTML pages which are processed by the server when users request a file or page. It is commonly used to display content in the header or footer areas of web pages which allow you to make one page or content and share it among many and/or all pages of the website.

Shopping Cart
On the Internet this usually refers to the script or software used to store items while shopping an ecommerce site.

SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Electronic mail or email is sent using this protocol. It keeps the process regulated and standardized between mail servers.

SPAM
Junk or many times unsolicited email.

Spiders
Used by search engines to crawl the WWW and index sites and their pages following the hyperlinks within the pages along the way. Also called Robots.

TGA
The real name for this format is just plain “TGA” or “Truevision File Format”, but a lot of people call it “Targa”, after the Truevision video card that first used it. There’s a lot of this name confusion in image file formats. It supports 1 to 32 bit images and professional features like an alpha (mask) channel, gamma settings and a built-in thumbnail image.

Toolbar
In computing, especially by means of a graphical user interface (GUI), a row of small icons or buttons along the top of a screen, providing a quick means of activating commonly used commands. Also know as a buttonbar.

UNIX
A computer operating system. UNIX is designed to be used by many people at the same time (it is multi-user) and has TCP/IP built-in. It is the most common operating system for servers on the Internet.

URL
Abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator. Often referred to as “URL”. This is the equivalent of your home address on the Internet. An example is http://malanenewman.com/graphics . The protocol is “http://”, the server address or domain of “www.malanenewman.com”, and the directory is “graphics”.

USENET
Alternate term for newsgroup, is a kind of electronic bulletin board, in which subscribers can post and download messages to and from each other, usually pertaining to a single topic, be it taoism, socialism, conspiracy theories, television programs, music groups, artists, computers, and (not surprisingly) sex. There are literally thousands of newsgroups on every conceivable topic.

User ID
Alternate name for username. See Username.

Username
The name that identifies a user to a computer network; generally used in conjunction with a password to establish the user's right to access a host; also called account name or user ID.

Whois
A search engine service of sorts which looks up specific domain name information. This includes ownership, contact, expiration, and other information.

Wide Area Network (WAN)
A network of linked computers or other networks that are scattered over large geographic areas. See also Local Area Network (LAN).

Windows
A family of operating systems for personal computers, Windows dominates the personal computer world, running, by some estimates, on 90% of all personal computers. Like the Macintosh operating environment, Windows provides a graphical user interface (GUI), virtual memory management, multitasking, and support for many peripheral devices. In addition to Windows 3.x and Windows 95, which run on Intel-based machines, Microsoft also sells Windows NT, a more advanced operating system that runs on a variety of hardware platforms.

WML
Abbreviation for Wireless Markup Language. Wireless Markup Language is a markup language developed specifically for wireless applications. WML is based on XML.

World Wide Web (WWW)
The fastest growing portion of the Internet, being as it is graphics-based. Essentially, the Web is an interlinked collection of “pages”, which correspond to files on widely separated computers. These pages can be instantaneously accessed by means of hypertext links. The Web can be used (by means of a browser, or a software utility that can read HTML code) to view graphics, as well as hear sounds, see video and animation, or download files.

W3C
World Wide Web Consortium, an international consortium of companies involved with the Internet and the Web. The W3C was founded in 1994 by Tim Berners-Lee, the original architect of the World Wide Web. The organization’s purpose is to develop open standards so that the Web evolves in a single direction rather than being splintered among competing factions. The W3C is the chief standards body for HTTP and HTML.

WWW
Abbreviation for World Wide Web. See World Wide Web.