Glossary
Don't let Internet terminology confuse you. Here is everything
you need to know!
Authorisation Key
This key is similar to a blank pin number and is a vital part
to the domain name authentification process when requesting any
changes. Name holders should ensure they keep their key details
secure.
Bandwidth
This is the size of your connection to the internet. Usually measured
in bits-per-second. A full page of English text is about 16,000
bits. A fast modem can move about 57,000 bits in one second.
Bps (Bits per second)
A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place to another.
A 56K modem can move about 57,000 bits per second.
Browser
A Client program (software) that is used to look at various kinds
of Internet resources.
Byte
A set of Bits that represent a single character. Usually there
are 8 Bits in a Byte, sometimes more, depending on how the measurement
is being made.
Certificate Authority
An issuer of Security Certificates used in SSL (secure) connections.
DNS (Domain Name Server)
Refers to a database of Internet names and addresses that translate
to the correct Internet Protocol Numbers for accessing the specific
Website information.
Domain Name
This is the name which represents your unique Internet identity
on the Web. Your customers will remember this name and use it
to find your Website. For example, the domain names: www.yodel.com
and www.yodel.com.au.
E-mail (Electronic Mail)
Messages, usually text, sent from one person to another via computer.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
FAQs are documents that list and answer the most common questions
on a particular subject.
GIF (Graphic Interchange Format)
A common format for image files, especially images with large
areas of the same colours. GIF files of simple images are often
smaller than the same file would be if stored in JPEG format,
but GIF does not store photographic images as well as JPEG.
Gigabyte
1000 or 1024 Megabytes, depending on who is measuring.
Home Page (or Homepage)
The main page or first page you view when you access a website
on the Internet.
Hosting
The information of every Website is stored on a computer server
that always remains connected to the Internet, enabling users
to access this information.
IP Number (Internet Protocol Number)
A unique number given to a server or computer connected to the
Internet.
ISP (Internet Service Provider)
The Company that provides access to the Internet.
Java
Java is a network-friendly programming language invented by Sun
Microsystems. Java is often used to build large, complex systems
that involve several different computers interacting across networks,
for example transaction processing systems.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
JPEG is most commonly mentioned as a format for image files. JPEG
format is preferred to GIF for photographic images as opposed
to line art or simple logo art.
Kilobyte
A thousand bytes. Actually, usually 1024 bytes.
Login
The account name used to gain access to a computer system. Not
a secret (contrast with Password) or the act of connecting to
a computer system by giving your credentials (usually your “username”
and “password”)
Megabyte
A million bytes. Actually, technically 1024 kilobytes.
Modem
The device that connects a computer to a phone line. A modem allows
a computer to talk to other computers through the phone system.
Security Certificate
Is the certificate and its related information that is used by
the SSL protocol to establish a secure connection.
Server
A computer, or a software package, that provides a specific kind
of service to client software running on other computers. The
term can refer to a particular piece of software, such as a WWW
server, or to the machine on which the software is running, e.g.
“Our mail server is down today, that's why e-mail isn't
getting out.” A single server machine can (and often does)
have several different server software packages running on it,
thus providing many different servers to clients on the network.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
The standard way to give the address of any resource on the Internet
that is part of the World Wide Web (WWW). URLs look like this:
http://www.yodel.com.au
WWW (World Wide Web)
This is the place that people are raving about, and the place
where your business Website will appear. It contains colourful
graphics, video, sound bites, real audio, and much, much more.
The World Wide Web is fast becoming the predominant tool for accessing
and storing information on the Internet.
