3-D graphics

The field of computer graphics concerned with generating and displaying three-dimensional objects in a two-dimensional space (e.g., the display screen).

A pioneering long-haul network funded by what's now-called DARPA (formerly known as ARPA). It was the foundation on which the Internet was built.

A type of nickname (usually short and easy to remember) that refers to a type of network resource. Aliases are used so you won't have to remember the long and difficult names.

By using the word "anonymous" as your user ID and your email address as the password when you login to an FTP site, you can bypass local security checks and gain limited access to public files on the remote computer. This type of access is available on most FTP sites.

You'll usually hear this term referred to in the phrase "archie search." Archie is a way of automatically gathering, indexing and sometimes even retrieving files on the Internet. Most good archie clients are able to FTP files once you've found the information you're looking for.

A collection of files stored on an Internet machine. FTP sites are known as archives.

A UNIX sound file format. On the Net you may come across the option to hear a sound clip. The file which is downloaded to your computer when "clicked on" might be in the au format (if the sound file was originally captured on a UNIX system or converted from another platform). Your helper applications or browser plugins need to be configured to know what to do with this type of file. Goldwave Sound Editor and Player - Great for .au files and just about any audio file format you may encounter on the Internet.

A Windows platform audio/video (multimedia) file. A common format which you will find on the Internet for small movies and videos. These files are usually pretty large and would require a connection of 28.8 or better to download in any kind of reasonable time. A 20 second movie clip in AVI format could be as much a 3MB in size and could take on average about 15 minutes to download on your computer. Some other types of video files found on the Internet include: MOV, MPEG, and ASF.

This refers to the difference (measured in Hz), between the highest and lowest frequencies of a transmission. Most people loosely refer to bandwidth as the amount of data that can be transferred over a network connection.

A method for converting non-text files (non-ASCII) into ASCII. This is needed because Internet e-mail can only handle ASCII.

To mark a document or specific place in a document for later retrivel. Nearly all Web brousers support a bookmarking feature that lets you save the address (URL) of Web page so that you can easily revisit the page alater time.

If you send email and it fails to arrive at its intended recipient for any reason (wrong user name, network failure, etc.), the message "bounces" and returns to you. The subject line in a bounced message usually says something like: "Undeliverable Mail" or "Message Undeliverable."

A computer which typically provides email services, file archives, and announcements of interest to the bulletin board system's operator (known as a sysop). BBS's started out as hobbies for computer enthusiasts, and were mostly accessible by modem. Recently, however, more and more BBS's are being connected to the Internet.

A program used to view, download, upload, surf or otherwise access documents (pages) on the World Wide Web. Browsers can be text based meaning they do not show graphics or images but most however are text and graphical based. Browsers read "marked up" or coded pages (usually HTML but not always) that reside on servers and interpret the coding into what we see "rendered" as a Web page. Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer are examples of Web browsers. The program you are using right now to view this information is called a browser.

A programming error that causes a program or computer system to perform erratically, produce incorrect results, or crash. The term bug was coined when a real insect was discovered to have fouled up one of the circuits of the first electronic digital computer, the ENIAC.

A cache temporarily stores the information on a page in your computer. If you request a page that is stored in a cache, Browsers can retrieve the page from the cache more quickly than retrieving the page again from it's location out on the network.
Sometimes you may not want a page to be retrieved from a cache. The page you brought initially may no longer be identical to the page currently offered by the network. If a modification to a particular URL has occurred, you may want the updated page rather than the copy (now stale) stored in a cache. You can modify your cache preferences in Netscape under Edit > Preferences > Advanced > Cache. Internet Explorer users go to View > Internet Options > Temporary Internet Files > Settings.

The standard for running programs on a server from a Web page. Gateway programs, or scripts, are executable programs which can be run by themselves. They have been made external programs in order to allow them to run under various (possibly very different) information servers interchangably. Gateways conforming to this specification can be written in any language which produces an executable file. Some of the more popular languages to use include: C or C++, Perl, Python, TCL, shells, and many others. Some of the most common CGI scripts found on the Web are programs which process the information a user might enter on a form or whenever an imagemap is "clicked" on - although most imagemaps these days are done via a client side script which resides in the HTML file itself. To see an example of what a CGI script looks like, click here. SEE ALSO: FastCGI. Web Developers Virtual Library: CGI Matt's CGI Script Archive - Where most of the CGI programs you see around the Internet originated FreeCode - CGI, JavaScript, Java and More and it's all FREE!

An authentication method that can be used when connecting to an Internet Service Provider. CHAP allows you to login to your provider automatically, without the need for a terminal screen. It is more secure than the Password Authentication Protocol (another widely used authentication method) since it does not send passwords in text format.

Another term for IRC . Also, an acronym meaning "Conversational Hypertext Access Technology."

In Internet terms, it's an application that performs a specific function, such as Telnet or FTP. It's the "front-end" to an Internet process. In more general terms, a client is computer system or process that requests a service of another computer system or process. The much talked about "client-server architecture" refers to a workstation requesting the contents of a file from a server.

The CERT was formed by DARPA in November 1988 in response to the Internet worm incident. CERT exists to facilitate Internet-wide response to computer security events involving Internet hosts and to conduct research targeted at improving the security of existing systems. They maintain an archive of security-related issues on their FTP server at "cert.org." Their email address is "cert@cert.org" and their 24-hour telephone Hotline for reporting Internet security issues is (412) 268-7090.

A special piece of information about you, something you clicked on, and/or your computer system which is stored in a text file on your hard drive. This information is usually accessed by a server when you connect to a Web site which wants to know some information about you or your system. One common occurance of a "handing of a cookie", would be when you as a user, log into a system through a Web site. After you enter in your username and password, a text file is saved by your browser for later access. This prevents you from having to log in again if you happen to leave the Web site and then return at a later time. Cookies are also used in the process of purchasing items on the Web. It is because of the cookie, that the "shopping cart" technology works. By saving in a text file, the name, and other important information about an item a user "clicks" on as they move through a shopping Web site, a user can later go to an order form, and see all the items they selected, ready for quick and easy processing. Why have a cookie?

The "world of computers and the society that gathers around them," as referred to by William Gibson in his fantasy novel "Neuromancer." It now loosely refers to the online world and even more loosely to the Internet.

Much like an actual key used for locking and re-opening doors, DEKs are used for the encryption and decoding of message text, sometimes in the form of a digital signature.

A standardized encryption method widely used on the Internet.

A block of data that is "smart" enough (actually, which carries enough information) to travel from one Internet site to another without having to rely on earlier exchanges between the source and destination computers.

A communications line that is used solely for computer connections. If you buy an additional phone line for your modem, that's a dedicated line. There are other types of dedicated lines (such as T3 and T1 that are used for larger network entities.)

A widely-used method of accessing the Internet. A dialup connection uses regular phone lines to connect one computer to another via modem.

Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies designed by Microsoft to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and displaying applications rich in multimedia elements such as full-color graphics, video, 3-D animation, and surround sound. Built directly into the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems, DirectX is an integral part of Windows 98 and Windows 2000, as well as Microsoft Internet Explorer.

A "logical" region of the Internet. People sometimes refer to them loosely as "sites." Generally, a domain corresponds to an IP address or an area on a host.

The DNS is a static, hierarchical name service used with TCP/IP hosts, and is housed on a number of servers on the Internet. Basically, it maintains a database for figuring out and finding (or resolving) host names and IP addresses on the Internet. This allows users to specify remote computers by host names rather than numerical IP addresses The advantage of the DNS is that you don't have to remember numerical IP addresses for all the Internet sites you want to access.

To copy data (usualy an entire file) from a main source to a perepherial device. The term is often used to describe the process of copying a file from an online service to one's own computer.

A foundation that addresses social and legal issues arising from the impact of computers on society. You can find them at http://www.eff.org/

A method by which computer users can exchange messages with each other over a network. Email is probably the most widely-used communications tool on the Internet. There are many quirky conventions to Email, but most entail a "To:", "From:", and "Subject:" line. One of Email's advantages is its ability to be forwarded and replied to easily. If an email is badly received by a group or user, the sender is likely to get "flamed."

The basis of network security. Encryption encodes network packets to prevent anyone except the intended recipient from accessing the data.

A standard and probably the most popular connection type for Local Area Networks (LANs). It was first developed by Xerox, and later refined by Digital, Intel and Xerox (see also "DIX"). In an Ethernet configuration, computers are connected by coaxial or twisted-pair cable where they contend for network access using a Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) paradigm. Ethernet can transfer information at up to 10 Megabit-per-second (Mb/s).

Acronym for "Frequently Asked Questions." FAQs are widely available on the Internet and usually take the form of large, instructional text files. They are written on a wide variety of topics, and are usually the most up-to-date source for specialized information.

The most widely-used way of downloading and uploading (getting and putting) files across an Internet connection. The File Transfer Protocol is a standardized way to connect computers so that files can be shared between them easily. There is a set of commands in FTP for making and changing directories, transferring, copying, moving, and deleting files. Formerly, all FTP connections were text based, but graphical applications are now available that make FTP commands as easy as dragging and dropping. Numerous FTP clients exist for a number of platforms.

A UNIX command that shows information about a user or group of users on the Internet. When executed, the Finger command usually returns the user's real name, whether or not they have unread mail, and the time and date of their last login. Finger also displays two files (if they exist) located in the home directory of the user you fingered. These two files (the .PLAN and the .PROJECT files.) are simply ASCII text files that can be entered by the user to display any information upon being fingered. With present-day privacy concerns, this protocol is becoming more and more rare.

A negative response to an email message or newsgroup posting. If you post an article or send an email to an audience that deems your message inappropriate, expect to get "flamed." The most common recipients of flames are users who post commercial messages in public forums, those who post adult material in non-adult areas of the Internet, and users who post or send make racial or gender-biased comments. The worst sort of flame is known as a "mail-bomb," which occurs when the user being flamed open his or her email and receives a flood of letters with unusually long file attachments that may make their computer "crash."

A reply to an email or newsgroup posting that continues the conversation or idea, known as a "thread."

A network system made up of community-based bulletin board system with email, information services, interactive communications, and conferencing. They are usually funded and operated by individuals or organizations much like public television. Freenet providers are part of the National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN), a Cleveland-based organization that works to make computer networking services as freely available as public libraries.

A kind of "go-between" device or program that passes information between networks that normally couldn't communicate. What used to be called a gateway is now called a router.

Developed by Compuserve using compression technology from Unisys. On the World Wide Web pictures and graphics you see on Web pages are usually in GIF format because the files are small and download quickly.

An information search and retrieval tool used mostly for research. Gopher information is stored hierarchically on computers across the Internet. It uses a simple protocol that allows a client to access information from a multitude of numerous Gopher servers at one time, creating what's known as "gopher space." The most common search tools in gopher are Veronica and Jughead. Gopher clients exist for most platforms.

A computer user who works to understand the "ins and outs" of computers, networks, and the Internet in general. Hackers are generally benign, and believe that information should be free.

A computer that is attached to a network or the Internet. Hosts allow users on client machines to connect and share files or transfer information. Individual users communicate with hosts by using client application programs.

The combination of hypertext and multimedia in an online document.

A type of text that allows embedded "links" to other documents. Clicking on or selecting a hypertext link displays another document or section of a document. Most World Wide Web documents contain hypertext.

The standard way to mark text documents for publishing on the World Wide Web. HTML is marked-up using "tags" surrounded by brackets. To see what tagged HTML text looks like, select the View Source feature from the menus in the program you are using to view this document now, and you'll see a display of the HTML text used to create this page.

The protocol that tells the server what to send to the client, so the client can view Web pages, FTP sites, or other areas of the net.

A single graphic image containing more than one hot spot. Image maps are used extensively on the WWW. Each hot spot in a Web image takes you to a different Web page or to another area of the same Web page.

A type of communications service that enables you to create a private chat room with another individual. Typically, the instant messaging system alerts you whenever somebody on your private list is online. You can then initiate a chat session with that particular individual.

A relatively new technology which combines voice and digital network services in a single medium. ISDN makes it possible for communications carriers to offer their customers digital data services as well as voice connections through a single line. CCITT defines the standards relating to ISDN.

Something that connect two separate entities.For example, a user interface is a part of a program that connects the computer with a human operator (user).

An organization of 89 member countries (founded in 1946) responsible for setting world standards in many electronics areas. Members of the ISO are the national standards organizations of the member countries.

A large, uncontrolled, unadministered, anarchic cyber-state that will soon take over the world! Basically, it's just everyone's computers hooked together. It's not a corporation, organization, or entity in itself. When you connect to the Internet, you actually become part of it. Always capitalized, the word Internet can also be referred to colloquially as the "Net."

An industry standard, connectionless, best-effort packet switching protocol used as the network layer in the TCP/IP Protocol Suite.

The 32-bit address defined by the Internet Protocol. Every resource on the Internet has a unique numerical IP address, represented in dotted decimal notation. IP addresses are the closest thing the Internet has to phone numbers. When you "call" that number (using any number of connection methods such as FTP, HTTP, Gopher, etc.) you get connected to the computer that "owns" that IP address.

An ISP is a company that maintains a network that is linked to the Internet via a dedicated communication line, usually a high-speed link known as a T1. An ISP offers use of its dedicated communication lines to companies or individuals who can't afford the high monthly cost for a direct connection. Using a modem, you can dial up to a service provider whose computers will connect you to the Internet, typically for a fee.

Meaning "Internet information Center," InterNIC is the combined name for the providers of registration, information, and database services to the Internet. InterNIC is who you contact if you want to register a domain name on the Internet.

A private network inside a company or organization that uses the same kinds of software that you would find on the public Internet, but that is only for internal use. As the Internet has become more popular many of the tools used on the Internet are being used in private networks, for example, many companies have Web servers that are available only to employees. Note that an "Intranet" may not actually be an Internet, it may simply be a network.

The world-wide "party line" of the '90s. IRC allows multiple users to converse in real time on different "channels." Channels (which have a "#" sign preceding their name) vary in traffic and content. Channel operators (or Ops) moderate the conversation, and have the ability to "kick" people from channels, or even ban them if their actions warrant it. IRC clients are available for nearly all platforms.

Developed by Sun Microsystems, Java is a programming language that is specifically designed for writing programs that can be safely downloaded to your computer through the Internet and immediately run without fear of viruses or other harm to your computer or files. Using small Java programs (called "Applets"), Web pages can include functions such as animations, calculators, and other fancy tricks. Java is a simple, robust, object-oriented, platform-independent multi-threaded, dynamic general-purpose programming environment. It is best for creating applets and applications for the Internet, intranets and any other complex, distributed network. This puppy is not Java (although it is the JAVA logo) but alot of people think it is. It's an animated GIF. Making this a JAVA animation would require some special software to compilethe Java code which is also called a CLASS, and then a user would need a Java enabled browser in order to see it. Sun Microsystems' Java description page JAVA FAQ Archive This Is Java, Mark's Cool Java Stuff.

One of the two most common types of images used on the World Wide Web, the other being. The shorter JPG (without the E) extension/version is usually only used in association with PC platform files. A standardized image compression mechanism. JPEG is named after the Joint Photographic Experts Group, the original name of the committee that wrote the standard.

Acronym for "Local Area Network." LANs are now commonplace in most businesses, allowing users to send email and share resources such as files, printers, modems, etc. Currently, most larger companies are connection their LANs to the Internet, allowing users to connect to resources within or outside the LAN.

A dedicated, full-time connection used to link a user or network to an Internet Service Provider or another network.

1.A collection of files.
2.In programming, a library is a collection of precompiled routines that program can use.

Text and/or an image area on a Web page that a user can click on to "connect to" or reference another document. There are many possiblities of what that document can be. Most commonly links are thought of as what connects two Web pages or Web sites. They can also however be referencing a different part of the same document, linking to a file which will download to your computer or triggering the launching of an external or helper application which will then process the clicked on file. What actually occurs when you click on a link is determined by the file's MIME type which is configured (setup) on your computer system to make certain things happen when a MIME type is clicked on. For example it is configured in your browser preferences to display Web page files whenever a file whose MIME extension is HTML. Links are also called hyperlinks, hypertext and hot links and they are coded in HTML by Web page authors.

A symbol, name, or key that represents a list of commands, actions, or keystrokes. Many programs allow you to create macros so that you can enter a single character or word to perform a whole series of actions.

A program that distributes files or information in response to requests sent via email. Many Listservs have mail reflectors. You can request documents of a reflector by sending message with the subject "SEND document name" or a similar command. Mail reflectors are also being used to provide FTP-like services for users with limited Internet access.

A list of email addresses used to forward messages to groups of people. When you subscribe to a mailing list, you receive all mail sent to that list.

A connectivity standard which enables you to hook together computers, musical instruments, and synthesizers to make and orchestrate digital sound. Pronounced "middy," the term is used to describe the standard itself, the hardware that supports the standard, and files that store information that the hardware can use. MIDI files are like digital sheet music--they contain instructions for musical notes, tempo, and instrumentation--and are widely used in game soundtracks and recording studios. MIDI sound files usually have an extension of .mid. If you come across any of these files on the Internet you will need a helper application configured to work on your system in order to play one of these sound files. MIDI files are just one of a few different file formats which can be embedded on a Web page with the BG SOUND= HTML tag, which causes the sound file to play when the Web page is accessed. NOTE: This feature may not be supported by all browsers.

Due to the popularity of some FTP and Web sites, mirror sites came into existence. They are areas on a computer that "mirror" or contain an exact replica of the directory structure of another computer. If you have trouble getting connected to an FTP site, for example, because of the high amount of traffic, you can often connect to a mirror site that contains the same information on a different computer. Mirror sites are updated at differing intervals.

The best way to explain the module format, is starting with the old protracker format, coming from the Amiga: a MOD file. A MOD-File is a collection of sample data (similar to the WAV format) and a description of how to play these samples (similar to the MIDI format).

Mpeg Layer 3 is an amazing new standard for audio compression. It is capable of 10:1 compression with no noticeable loss in quality. An audio sample at CD Quality (44KHz, 16 bit, Stereo) takes up 172 bytes for every second with a standard Wave Audio file. Making use of Mpeg Layer 3 (MP3) compression each second takes only 16 bytes, when compressed at the standard bitrate of 128 kbits/sec. By compressing at lower bitrates, MP3s can be lowered to 12 bytes per second of audio with slight quality loss. The only disadvantage to this format is that MP3 needs to be decoded while it is being played back. This is done with a player such as WinAmp, or Winplay3. This requires a fairly decent computer, I recommend a Pentium 100 processor, with 16 megabytes of RAM minimum. This should yield reliable playback. If you do have a slower machine, Mp3s can still be played but at reduced quality.

A type of audio/video (multimedia) file found on the Internet. In order to hear or see an MPEG movie, you will need to install a helper application or Web browser plugin. MPEG is an algorithm for compressing audio and video; not to be confused with Motion-JPEG.

"Modem" means "Modulate/de-modulate" because that's what it does with a signal. An easy way to remember it, though, is to think of it as "Method Of Dialing External Machine."
A modem is a piece of hardware, either internal or external,that allows your computer to connect, via phone line, to other computers. You can also send faxes, make data connections, and voice connections if your type of modem supports it. You will need software, such as Dial-up Networking, to make your modem work.

The person who manages moderated mailing lists, newsgroups, or online discussion forums for services such as AOL, CompuServe, or the Microsoft Network.

A graphical browser for the World Wide Web that supports hypermedia. The NCSA (National SuperComputer Association) invented the Mosaic browser, which quickly became the industry standard. Recently, however, Netscape Communications and Microsoft have stormed the marked with more feature-rich browsers, which has radically redefined the Web. The term "Mosaic" is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for the World Wide Web.

Acronym for Multi-User Domain or Dimension. MUDs are role-playing games that take place on a computer. Users can Telnet to a MUD host, and create a character. MUDs can be action-, adventure-, or fantasy-based games, and allow you to save your character for future play. Some MUDs have thousands of registered characters, and most foster a community or culture of their own. These are highly-addictive areas of the Internet, and users can spend many hours enthralled in this type of activity.

The use of computers to present text, graphics, video, animation, and sound in an integrated way.

MIME is a standardized method for organizing divergent file formats. The method organizes file formats according to the file's MIME type. When Internet (usually email) software retrieves a file from a server, the server provides the MIME type of the file, and the file is decoded correctly when transferred to your machine.

The combination of the words "Net" and "etiquette," this refers to the proper behavior on a network, and more generally the Internet. The key element in Netiquette is remembering that actual people are on the other end of a computer connection, and offensive comments or actions are just as offensive even if you can't see your recipient. Further rules of netiquette are not to waste bandwidth and other users time, such as sending unsolicited (unasked for) attachments.

Two or more computers that are connected. The most common types of networks are: LAN - local area network: The computers are near each other, like in the same office space, room or building WAN - wide area network: The computers are at different geographic locations and are connected by telephone lines or radio waves.

A protocol developed by Sun Microsystems. NFS allows a computer to access and use files over a network as if they were local. This protocol has been incorporated into the products of more two-hundred companies, and is now a de facto Internet standard.

An industry standard protocol for the distribution, inquiry, retrieval, and posting of news articles. There are many popular newsreader programs to help you sort through the wealth of data that usenet contains.

The common term for the standard unit of data sent across a network. When you send or request data, it is broken up into packets which meet back together again at the destination and are rejoined.

The simplest way to test or time the response of an Internet connection. PING sends a request to an Internet host and waits for a reply (PONG). When you PING an address, you get a response telling you the number of seconds it took to make the connection. PING clients exist for a number of platforms, or you can use a UNIX or Windows 95 prompt to issue a PING command directly.

One of the many authentication methods that can be used when connecting to an ISP. PAP allows you to login automatically, without having to use a terminal window to type in your username and password. One warning about PAP: passwords are sent over the connection in text format, which means there is no protection if someone is "listening-in" on your connection.

A protocol that provides a method for transmitting packets over serial point-to-point links. PPP is one of the most popular methods for dialup connections to the Internet, since it allows you to use other standard protocols (such as IPX, TCP/IP,) over a standard telephone connection, but it can also be used for LAN connections.

A protocol designed to allow single users to read mail from a server. There are three versions: POP, POP2, and POP3. When email is sent to you, it is stored on the server until accessed by you. Once you are authenticated, the POP is used to transmit the stored mail from the server to your local mailbox on your client machine.

The sending of an article to a Usenet newsgroup or the placing of a message on a BBS.

The person to contact at a particular site to ask for information about the site or complain about one of his/her user's behavior.

Simply, the "language" spoken between computers to help them exchange information. More technically, it's a formal description of message formats and the rules that two computers must follow to exchange those messages. Protocols can describe low-level details of machine-to-machine interfaces (like the order in which bits and bytes are sent across a wire) or high-level exchanges between allocation programs (the way in which two programs transfer a file across the Internet).

Immediate response by a computer system. Real time can also refer to events simulated by a computer at the same speed that they would occur in real life.

A device that forwards traffic between networks. Forwarding decisions are made based on network layer information and routing tables, often constructed by routing protocols.

A program that search one or more documents for specified keywords and returns a list of locations where those keywords were found. Although search engine is really a general class of programs, the term is often used to specifically describe systems like Alta Vista and Excite that enables user to search for documents on the World Wide Web and in USENET newsgroups.

Similar to PPP, SLIP is another standard protocol used to run TCP/IP over serial lines, such as telephone circuits or RS-232 cables. Unlike PPP, however, SLIP does not work on a LAN connections. SLIP used to be the most popular way for dialup users to access the Internet. PPP Has become more popular

Simply, a computer that provides resources, such as files or other information. Common Internet servers include file servers and name servers Domain Name Service.

An ASCII text file that can be automatically attached to the bottom of a piece of email or newsgroup posting that identifies the sender. Many signatures (or "sigs") use symbols and characters to create images or words to make the sig more interesting.

A protocol used to transfer email. SMTP transfers mail from server to server, and the end user must use POP to transfer the messages to their machine.

A term used to denote the type of connection of a host to the Internet. A T1 transmits a DS-1 formatted digital signal at 1.544 megabits per second.

A term used to denote the type of connection of a host to the Internet. A T3 transmits a DS-3 formatted digital signal at 44.746 megabits per second.

To properly use the TCP/IP protocol, PCs require a TCP/IP stack. This consists of TCP/IP software, sockets software (such as WINSOCK.DLL for Windows machines), and hardware driver software (known as packet drivers). Windows 95 comes with Microsoft's own built-in TCP/IP stack, including version 1.1 of Microsoft's WINSOCK.DLL and packet drivers.

The Internet standard protocol to connect to remote terminals. Telnet clients are available for most platforms. When you Telnet to a UNIX site, for example, you can issue commands at the prompt as if the machine were local.

A graphic or image purposely made smaller in size in order to display multiple images on the same Web page at the same time. A popular practice on the Web because it gives the user the chance to choose the image they would like to see a larger version of. This is usually done by clicking your mouse on it. The practice of using thumbnails is also used to display "samples" of images that are "free" thus, when a user click on it, they either need to enter in a password in order to get at it, or they are instructed on how to provide payment for the higher resolution larger version, before they can actually see it.

A slight variation of Telnet used to connect the user to an IBM mainframe. TN3270 clients exist for most platforms.

A type of LAN in which networked computers are wired into a "ring." Each computer (or node) is in constant contact with the next node in the ring. A control message, called a "token", is passed from one node to another, allowing the node with the token to send a message out to the network. If the ring is "broken" by one computer losing contact, the network can no longer communicate. The IEEE 802.5 token ring standard is the most common.

The "layout" of all the computers on a network and the links that join them.

TCP/IP is the standard communications protocol required for Internet computers. To communicate using TCP/IP, PCs need a set of software components called aTCP/IP stack. Macintoshes typically use a proprietary software called MacTCP. Most UNIX systems are built with TCP/IP capabilities.

To tranlmit data from a computer to a bulletin board service,mainframe, or network.

Usenet groups are more commonly known as "newsgroups." There are thousands of groups hosted on hundreds of servers around the world, dealing with various topics. Newsreader software is required to properly download and view "articles" in the groups, but you can usually "post" and article to a group simply by emailing to it.

A program that performs a very specific task, usually related to managing system resources.

A method for converting binary information into ascii. It can be used for posting to Usenet and or e-mailing with non MIME compliant mail readers.

A search engine (not unlike Archie) that is built into Gopher. It allows searches of all gopher sites for files, directories and other resources.

Microsoft Visual Basic development system, the world's most popular rapid application development (RAD) tool and member of the Microsoft Visual Studio development tools suite.

A program which replicates itself on computer systems by incorporating itself into other programs that are shared among computer systems.

The format for storing sound in files developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM. Support for WAV files was built into Windows 95, making it the de facto standard for sound on PCs. WAV sound files end a .wav extension and can be played by nearly all Windows applications that support sound.

Databases containing email addresses, telephone numbers, and postal addresses of Internet users. You can search the Internet White Pages to find information about particular users.

An Internet program (related to Finger and the White Pages) that lets you enter an Internet entity (such as domains, networks, and hosts) and display information such as a person's company name, address, phone number and email address.

A distributed information service and search engine that allows natural language input and indexed searching. Many Web search utilities use a WAIS engine.

Stands for "Windows Sockets." Winsocks is a set of specifications or standards for programmers creating TCP/IP applications for use with Windows.

The "Web" is a collection of online documents housed on Internet servers around the world. The concept of the Web was created by researchers at CERN in Switzerland. Web documents are written or "coded" in HTML. To access these documents, you have to use a Web browser, such as Netscape,Microsoft Explorer or Mosaic. When these browsers access (or hit) a page, the server uses the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to send the document to your computer.

A computer program that replicates itself and is self-propagating. While viruses are designed to cause problems on a local system and are passed through boot sectors of disks and through files, worms are designed to thrive in network environments. Network worms were first defined by Shoch & Hupp of Xerox in ACM Communications (March 1982). The most famous (or infamous) worm was the Internet Worm of November 1988. It successfully propagated itself on over 6,000 systems across the Internet.

A Microsoft Windows based compressed file. Can contain one or many files as well as a directory structure. On the Internet large graphics and programs are usually compressed into ZIP files and then made avaliable for download. After you download this file you need to use a decompression software program to "UNZIP" the file.