INTERNET TERMS

CMS

Stands for "Content Management System." A CMS is a software tool that allows you to create, edit, and publish content. While early CMS software was used to manage documents and local computer files, most CMS systems are now designed exclusively to manage content on the Web.

The goal of a CMS is to provide an intuitive user interface for building and modifying webpage content. Each CMS also provides a web publishing tool that allows one or more users to publish updates live on the Web. The editing component is called the content management application (CMA), while the publishing tool is called the content delivery application (CDA). These two components are integrated together in a CMS to streamline the web development process.

Cookie

A cookie is a small amount of data generated by a website and saved by your web browser. Its purpose is to remember information about you, similar to a preference file created by a software application.

While cookies serve many functions, their most common purpose is to store login information for a specific site. Some sites will save both your username and password in a cookie, while others will only save your username. Whenever you check a box that says, "Remember me on this computer," the website will generate a login cookie once you successfully log in. Each time you revisit the website, you may only need to enter your password or you might not need to log in at all.

CPA

Stands for "Cost Per Action," and is used in online advertising. CPA defines how much revenue a publisher receives when a user clicks an advertisement on his website and then completes a certain action. For example, a publisher may place a banner or text link from an advertiser on his website. When a user clicks the link, she is directed to the advertiser's website. She might then be asked to fill out a form or take a survey. If she completes the form or survey, the action has been completed, and the advertiser pays the publisher a certain amount based on the CPA.

CPA and CPL (cost per lead) are often used interchangeably, though CPA is more generic.

CRM

Stands for "Customer Relationship Management." This is a business term that started somewhere in the deep abyss of the IT (Information Technology) world. CRM refers to solutions and strategies for managing businesses' relationships with customers. (I suppose that's why they call it customer relationship management). With the advent of Web retailing, companies have found it hard to develop relationships with customers since the e-commerce interface is so impersonal. After all, don't you miss the firm handshake and sparkling smile of the salesperson who just sold you the most expensive computer system in the store? Well, whether or not you miss the personal experience of the retail store, the goal of CRM is to give you that feeling when you buy products over the Internet. When it comes to CRM, customer service is the number one priority. Yes, all companies seem to make that claim, but when online businesses create CRM models, it really is the case.

CSS

Stands for "Cascading Style Sheet." Cascading style sheets are used to format the layout of Web pages. They can be used to define text styles, table sizes, and other aspects of Web pages that previously could only be defined in a page's HTML.

CSS helps Web developers create a uniform look across several pages of a Web site. Instead of defining the style of each table and each block of text within a page's HTML, commonly used styles need to be defined only once in a CSS document. Once the style is defined in cascading style sheet, it can be used by any page that references the CSS file. Plus, CSS makes it easy to change styles across several pages at once. For example, a Web developer may want to increase the default text size from 10pt to 12pt for fifty pages of a Web site. If the pages all reference the same style sheet, the text size only needs to be changed on the style sheet and all the pages will show the larger text.

While CSS is great for creating text styles, it is helpful for formatting other aspects of Web page layout as well. For example, CSS can be used to define the cell padding of table cells, the style, thickness, and color of a table's border, and the padding around images or other objects. CSS gives Web developers more exact control over how Web pages will look than HTML does. This is why most Web pages today incorporate cascading style sheets.

INTERNET TERMS 5

 Cloud Computing

Cloud computing refers to applications and services offered over the Internet. These services are offered from data centers all over the world, which collectively are referred to as the "cloud." This metaphor represents the intangible, yet universal nature of the Internet.

The idea of the "cloud" simplifies the many network connections and computer systems involved in online services. In fact, many network diagrams use the image of a cloud to represent the Internet. This symbolizes the Internet's broad reach, while simplifying its complexity. Any user with an Internet connection can access the cloud and the services it provides. Since these services are often connected, users can share information between multiple systems and with other users.

Examples of cloud computing include online backup services, social networking services, and personal data services such as Apple's MobileMe. Cloud computing also includes online applications, such as those offered through Microsoft Online Services. Hardware services, such as redundant servers, mirrored websites, and Internet-based clusters are also examples of cloud computing.

 

Cloud

The term "cloud" comes from early network diagrams, in which the image of a cloud was used to indicate a large network, such as a WAN. The cloud eventually became associated with the entire Internet, and the two terms are now used synonymously. The cloud may also be used to describe specific online services, which are collectively labeled "cloud computing."Examples of popular cloud-based services include web applications, SaaS, online backup, and other types of online storage. Traditional Internet services like web hosting, email, and online gaming may also be considered part of the cloud since they are hosted on Internet servers, rather than users' local computers. Even social networking websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn are technically cloud-based services, since they store your information online.While "the cloud" is simply a buzzword for most consumers, it plays an important role for businesses. By moving software services to the cloud, companies can share data more efficiently and centralize their network security. Additionally, cloud-based virtualization can help businesses reduce the number of computer systems and software licenses they need to buy. The end result and a more efficient and less costly way of running a business.                   

INTERNET TERMS

Captcha

A captcha is program used to verify that a human, rather than a computer, is entering data. Captchas are commonly seen at the end of online forms and ask the user to enter text from a distorted image. The text in the image may be wavy, have lines through it, or may be highly irregular, making it nearly impossible for an automated program to recognize it. (Of course, some captchas are so distorted that they can be difficult for humans to recognize as well.) Fortunately, most captchas allow the user to regenerate the image if the text is too difficult to read. Some even include an auditory pronunciation feature.

By requiring a captcha response, webmasters can prevent automated programs, or "bots," from filling out forms online. This prevents spam from being sent through website forms and ensures that wikis, such as Wikipedia, are only edited by humans. Captchas are also used by websites such as Ticketmaster.com to make sure users don't bog down the server with repeated requests. While captchas may be a minor inconvenience to the user, they can save webmasters a lot of hassle by fending off automated programs.

The name "captcha" comes from the word "capture," since it captures human responses. It may also be written "CAPTCHA," which is an acronym for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart."

Cc

Stands for "Carbon Copy." The term comes from carbon copying, in which a piece of carbon paper copies writing from one paper to another (often used when filling out forms). However, the term is now commonly used in reference to e-mail. When you send an e-mail message, you typically type the recipient's address in the "To:" field. If you want to send the message to one or more other recipients, you can use the "Cc:" field to add additional addresses. This will send the e-mail to the address in the "To:" field and to each address listed in the "Cc:" field as well.

The "Cc:" option is often used in business communications when a message is intended for one person, but is relevant to other people as well. For example, a retail employee may e-mail another employee saying he can work for her on a certain day. He might include his manager's and assistant manager's e-mail addresses in the "Cc:" field to let them know he is taking the work shift. Similarly, a team member working on a product design may e-mail his boss with the latest design revisions and may "Cc:" the other members of his team to let them know the e-mail has been sent.

"CCing" (yes, it can also be used as a verb) is a quick way to let other people in on your e-mail communications. It is efficient because you don't have to send separate messages to each individual address. However, remember that When you Cc an e-mail, all the recipients can see the other addresses the message was sent to. If you want to hide the additional addresses, use Blind Carbon Copy (Bcc) instead.

CDN

Stands for "Content Delivery Network." A CDN is a group of servers distributed in different locations. Small CDNs may be located within a single country, while large CDNs are spread across data centers around the world.

CDNs are used to provide content to users in different locations as quickly as possible. For example, a user in San Francisco may receive website content from a server in Los Angeles, while a user in England may receive the same content from a server in London. This is accomplished using data replication, which stores the same data on multiple servers. Whenever you access a website hosted on a CDN, the network will intelligently provide you with the content using the server closest to the your geographical location.

By providing Internet-based content over a CDN, large businesses can avoid bottlenecks associated with serving data from a single location. It also helps limit the impact of security breaches, such as denial of service attacks. If hardware fails on one server, the CDN can quickly reroute traffic to the next best server, limiting or even eliminating downtime.

While CDNs are often used to host websites, they are commonly used to provide other types of downloadable data as well. Examples include software programs, images, videos, and streaming media. Cloud computing services are often provided over content delivery networks as well. Since CDNs automatically choose the best server for each user, there is no need to manually choose the most efficient location, like some FTP download services require.

NOTE: While CDNs are often accessed via standard URLs, many CDNs include the letters "cdn" in their web address.

Certificate

An SSL certificate, or secure certificate, is a file installed on a secure Web server that identifies a website. This digital certificate establishes the identity and authenticity of the company or merchant so that online shoppers can trust that the website is secure and reliable. In order to verify that these sites are legitimate (they are who they say they are), the companies and their websites are verified by a third party, such as Verisign or Thawte.

Once the verification company establishes the legitimacy of an organization and the associated website, they will issue an SSL certificate (for the small fee of a few hundred dollars). This digital certificate is installed on the Web server and will be viewable when a user enters a secure area of the website. You can tell you are visiting a secure page when the URL starts with "https." To view the certificate, click the lock icon near one of the edges of your browser window.

Because digital certificates verify a company's current status, they do not last forever. SSL certificates typically expire every one to three years. If the certificate is not renewed in time, you may see an alert box pop up that says "This website's certificate has expired." This error has nothing to do with you or your computer, but is displayed because the Web server you connected to has not renewed its SSL certificate. While this does not necessarily mean the site is fraudulent, it does show that the site is less than professional.

CIFS

 CIFS is a standard file system designed for sharing files over the Internet. It is part of the SMB protocol, which allows multiple types of computers to share data and peripherals over a network. CIFS enables users to access files remotely from multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and others.

Client

In the computer world, servers have clients. The "client-server" architecture is common in both local and wide area networks. For example, if an office has a server that stores the company's database on it, the other computers in the office that can access the datbase are "clients" of the server.

On a larger scale, when you access your e-mail from a mail server on the Internet, your computer acts as the client that connects to the mail server. The term "client software" is used to refer to the software that acts as the interface between the client computer and the server. For example, if you use Microsoft Outlook to check your e-mail, Outlook is your "e-mail client software" that allows you to send and receive messages from the server. Isn't exciting how it all works?

INTERNET TERMS 3

Backbone

Just like the human backbone carries signals to many smaller nerves in the body, a network backbone carries data to smaller lines of transmission. A local backbone refers to the main network lines that connect several local area networks (LANs) together. The result is a wide area network (WAN) linked by a backbone connection.

The Internet, which is the ultimate wide area network, relies on a backbone to carry data over long distances. The Internet backbone consists of several ultra-highbandwidth connections that link together many different nodes around the world. These nodes route incoming data to smaller networks in the local region. The fewer "hops" your data needs to make before reaching the backbone, the faster it will get sent to the destination. This is why many Web hosts and ISPs have direct connections to the Internet backbone.

Backlink

A backlink is an incoming link from an external website to specific webpage. For example, if you publish a webpage and 20 other websites link to it, your webpage has 20 backlinks. Links to the page from within your own website are not included in the backlink total.

Web developers benefit from backlinks (or "inlinks") in two different ways — direct traffic and search result placement. As more links to a specific webpage are published on external sites, there is greater potential for traffic to be generated from other websites. This is called direct traffic. By increasing direct traffic, a website can gradually grow its presence on the Web and generate a steady stream of visitors from other websites.

While direct traffic is helpful, most websites generate the majority of their traffic through search engines. Since search engines use backlinks as an important part of the their algorithms for search result placement, external links are important for good search ranking. Therefore, generating backlinks has become common practice for search engine optimization, or SEO. The more backlinks a webpage has, the better the chance that the page will rank highly in search results for relevant keywords. If a website has many pages that have backlinks, the overall number of incoming links may help increase the ranking of all pages within the website. While most backlinks point to a website's home page, incoming links to other pages within the website are beneficial as well.

Banner Ad

Whether you like it or not, much of the Web is run by advertising. Just like television or radio, websites can offer free content by generating revenue from advertising. While you may get tired of Web ads from time to time, most people would agree that seeing a few advertisements here and there is better than paying a usage fee for each website.

Perhaps the most prolific form of Web advertising is the banner ad. It is a long, rectangular image that can be placed just about anywhere on a Web page. Most banner ads are 468 pixels wide by 60 pixels high (468x60). They may contain text, images, or sometimes those annoying animations that make it hard to focus on the page's content. Regardless of the type of banner ad, when a user clicks the advertisement, he or she is redirected to the advertiser's website.

Bcc

Stands for "Blind Carbon Copy." When you send an e-mail to only one person, you type the recipient's address in the "To:" field. When you send a message to more than one person, you have the option to enter addresses in the "Cc:" and "Bcc:" fields. "Cc" stands for "Carbon Copy," while "Bcc" stands for "Blind Carbon Copy."

A carbon copy, or "Cc'd" message is an e-mail that is copied to one or more recipients. Both the main recipient (whose address is in the "To:" field) and the Cc'd recipients can see all the addresses the message was sent to. When a message is blind carbon copied, neither the main recipient nor the Bcc'd recipients can see the addresses in the "Bcc:" field.

Blind carbon copying is a useful way to let others see an e-mail you sent without the main recipient knowing. It is faster than sending the original message and then forwarding the sent message to the other recipients. It is also good netiquette to use Bcc when copying a message to many people. This prevents the e-mail addresses from being captured by someone in the list who might use them for spamming purposes. However, if it is important that each recipient knows who your message was sent to, use carbon copy (Cc) instead.

Big Data

The phrase "big data" is often used in enterprise settings to describe large amounts of data. It does not refer to a specific amount of data, but rather describes a dataset that cannot be stored or processed using traditional database software.

Examples of big data include the Google search index, the database of Facebook user profiles, and Amazon.com's product list. These collections of data (or "datasets") are so large that the data cannot be stored in a typical database, or even a single computer. Instead, the data must be stored and processed using a highly scalable database management system. Big data is often distributed across multiple storage devices, sometimes in several different locations.

Many traditional database management systems have limits to how much data they can store. For example, an Access 2010 database can only contain two gigabytes of data, which makes it infeasible to store several petabytes or exabytes of data. Even if a DBMS can store large amounts of data, it may operate inefficiently if too many tables or records are created, which can lead to slow performance. Big data solutions solve these problems by providing highly responsive and scalable storage systems.

There are several different types of big data software solutions, including data storage platforms and data analytics programs. Some of the most common big data software products include Apache Hadoop, IBM's Big Data Platform, Oracle NoSQL Database, Microsoft HDInsight, and EMC Pivotal One.

Bing

Bing is a search engine developed by Microsoft. It provides a standard web search, as well as specialized searches for images, videos, shopping, news, maps, and other categories.

Bing originated from MSN Search, which later became Windows Live Search (or simply "Live Search"). Microsoft renamed the search engine to "Bing" in June of 2009. The name change also reflected Microsoft's new direction with the search engine, which the company branded as a "decision engine." Bing is designed to help users make important decisions faster. This focus is summarized in the search engine's slogan, "Bing and decide."

Bing differentiates itself from other search engines like Google and Yahoo in several different ways. For instance, Bing's home page includes a background image or video that is updated every day. You can click on different areas of the background to learn more about the daily topic. Bing also uses Microsoft's proprietary search algorithm to provide relevant search results. These results may include "instant answers," which provide helpful information at the top of the search results page for specific types of queries. The search results may also include images, videos, shopping information, or news stories that are relevant to the keywords you entered.

You can choose to sign into Bing using your Windows Live ID or your Facebook login. When you are logged into Facebook, Bing displays which of your friends "Like" specific webpages in the search results. If you want even more Facebook integration, you can download the "Bing Bar," which provides News Feed updates directly from the toolbar in Internet Explorer. The Bing Bar also provides one-click access to weather, maps, videos, stock quotes, and other information.

Try Bing for yourself.

       

 

   BitTorrent

BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing protocol designed to reduce the bandwidth required to transfer files. It does this by distributing file transfers across multiple systems, thereby lessening the average bandwidth used by each computer. For example, if a user begins downloading a movie file, the BitTorrent system will locate multiple computers with the same file and begin downloading the file from several computers at once. Since most ISPs offer much faster download speeds than upload speeds, downloading from multiple computers can significantly increase the file transfer rate.

In order to use the BitTorrent protocol, you need a BitTorrent client, which is a software program that accesses the BitTorrent network. The client program allows you to search for files and begin downloading torrents, which are in-progress downloads. Most BitTorrent clients allow you to resume torrents that have been paused or stopped. This can be especially helpful when downloading large files.

For a list of BitTorrent clients, view the .TORRENT file extension entry

                Blog

Short for "Web Log," this term refers to a list of journal entries posted on a Web page. Anybody who knows how to create and publish a Web page can publish their own blog. Some Web hosts have made it even easier by creating an interface where users can simply type a text entry and hit "publish" to publish their blog.

Because of the simplicity of creating a blog, many people (often young kids and adults) have found a new presence on the Web. Instead of writing confidential entries in a book that no one is supposed to see, people now can share their personal feelings and experiences with thousands of people around the world. Blogs are typically updated daily, monthly, or anywhere in between. "Blog" may also be used as a verb, as in "Wow, Matt sure blogged a lot last week."

Bookmark

A bookmark is a saved shortcut that directs your browser to a specific webpage. It stores the title, URL, and favicon of the corresponding page. Saving bookmarks allows you to easily access your favorite locations on the Web.

All major web browsers allow you to create bookmarks, though each browser provides a slightly different way of managing them. For example, Chrome and Firefox display your bookmarks in an open window, while Safari displays them in a list in the sidebar of the browser window. Internet Explorer uses the name "Favorites" to refer to bookmarks, and like Safari, it displays all your favorites in a list within the browser window sidebar.

To create a bookmark, simply visit the page you want to bookmark and select Add Bookmark or Bookmark this Page from the Bookmarks menu. In Internet Explorer, you can click the star icon to open the Favorites sidebar and click Add to Favorites to add the current page to your bookmarks. The website title will show up in your bookmarks list along with the website's favicon if available. As your collection of bookmarks grows, you can create folders to organize your bookmarks into different categories.

It is helpful to bookmark frequently visited websites and useful references since you don't have to remember the URLs. Additionally, you can just click the bookmarks instead of typing in the full web addresses. Some browsers even display your bookmarked pages in the autocomplete drop down menu as you type in the address bar. This allows you to visit bookmarked pages without even opening the bookmarks window or sidebar in your browser.

NOTE: A bookmark only stores the location of a webpage, not store the contents of the webpage itself. Therefore, when you open a previously saved bookmark, the contents of page may have changed since the last time you viewed it.

Bot

A bot (short for "robot") is an automated program that runs over the Internet. Some bots run automatically, while others only execute commands when they receive specific input. There are many different types of bots, but some common examples include web crawlers, chat room bots, and malicious bots.

Web crawlers are used by search engines to scan websites on a regular basis. These bots "crawl" websites by following the links on each page. The crawler saves the contents of each page in the search index. By using complex algorithms, search engines can display the most relevant pages discovered by web crawlers for specific search queries.

Chat bots were one of the first types of automated programs to be called "bots" and became popular in the 1990s, with the rise of online chatrooms. These bots are scripts that look for certain text patterns submitted by chat room participants and respond with automated actions. For example, a chat bot might warn a user if his or language is inappropriate. If the user does not heed the warning, the bot might kick the user from the channel and may even block the user from returning. A more advanced type of chat bot, called a "chatterbot" can respond to messages in plain English, appearing to be an actual person. Both types of chat bots are used for chatroom moderation, which eliminates the need for an individual to monitor individual chatrooms.

While most bots are used for productive purposes, some are considered malware, since they perform undesirable functions. For example, spambots capture email addresses from website contact forms, address books, and email programs, then add them to a spam mailing list. Site scrapers download entire websites, enabling unauthorized duplication of a website's contents. DoS bots send automated requests to websites, making them unresponsive. Botnets, which consist of many bots working together, may be used to gain unauthorized access to computer systems and infect computers with viruses.

Bounce

The term "bounce" has several different IT related meanings, yet none of them include bouncy balls. The most common definition of bounce used in the computer world refers to e-mail messages.

1. Returning E-mail

When you send an e-mail message to another person, the mail server processes the message and delivers it to the appropriate user's mailbox. For example, if you send a message to "mrman@mail.com," the mail.com server looks for a user named "mrman" to deliver the message to. If the user does not exist, the mail server may bounce the message back to the sender, saying "Sorry, that user does not exist." These messages often come from "Mail Delivery Subsystem" and have a subject line that reads "Returned mail: see transcript for details."

If you receive a bounced message, you may want to check the e-mail address you sent the message to and make sure it was typed correctly. If the address is correct, it may help to read the body of the bounced message for more details. The transcript may say something like "User quota over limit," which means the recipient has reached his or her e-mail quota and must delete some messages and/or attachments in order to receive new mail. If this is the case, you may want to call the person or use an alternative e-mail address to let the person know he or she has some Inbox maintenance to do.

2. Restarting a Computer

The term "bounce" can also describe the process of rebooting or restarting a computer. For example, a workstation may need to be bounced after installing new software. Similarly, a Web server may be bounced if websites hosted on the server are not responding correctly.

3. Exporting Audio

"Bounce" can also describe the process of exporting several tracks in an audio mix to one mono track or two stereo tracks. This helps consolidate audio tracks after they have been mixed. Bouncing audio tracks limits the need for processing power since the computer only has to process one track instead of all the tracks individually. Digital Performer is the primary audio software program that uses bouncing to export audio.

4. Hiding a Network Connection

Finally, "bouncing" can also be used in networking to describe a method of hiding the source of a user's network connection. This type of bouncing is often abbreviated "BNC." Someone who bounces his network connection is called a "bouncer," though this is not the same person who checks your ID at the bar.

Botnet

A botnet is a group of computers that are controlled from a single source and run related software programs and scripts. While botnets can be used for distributed computing purposes, such as a scientific processing, the term usually refers to multiple computers that have been infected with malicious software.

In order to create a malicious botnet, a hacker must first compromise several computers. This might be done by exploiting a security hole through a Web browser, IRC chat program, or a computer's operating system. For example, if a user has turned off the default firewall settings, his or her computer may be susceptible to such a botnet attack. Once the hacker has gained access to several computers, he can run automated programs or "bots" on all the systems at the same time.

A hacker may create a botnet for several different purposes, such as spreading viruses, sending e-mail spam, or crashing Web servers using a denial of service attack. Botnets can range from only a few computers to several thousand machines. While large botnets can cause the most damage, they are also easiest to locate and break apart. The unusual amount of bandwidth used by large botnets may trigger an alert at one or more ISPs, which might lead to the discovery and dismantling of the botnet.

In most situations, users do not know that their computers have become part of a botnet. This is because hackers typically hide their intrusion by masking the activity within regular processes, similar to a rootkit attack. Therefore, it is a good idea to install antivirus or anti-malware software that regularly checks for such intrusions on your computer. It is also wise to make sure your system firewall is turned on, which is usually the default setting.

Broadband

This refers to high-speed data transmission in which a single cable can carry a large amount of data at once. The most common types of Internet broadband connections are cable modems (which use the same connection as cable TV) and DSL modems (which use your existing phone line). Because of its multiple channel capacity, broadband has started to replace baseband, the single-channel technology originally used in most computer networks. So now when you see companies like AT&T and SBC pushing those fancy "broadband" ads in your face, you'll at least know what they are talking about.

TECHTERMS

INTERNET TERMS2

Apache

Apache is the most popular Web serversoftware. It enables a computer to host one or more websites that can be accessed over the Internet using a Web browser. The first version of Apache was released in 1995 by the Apache Group. In 1999, the Apache Group became the Apache Software Foundation, a non-profit organization that currently maintains the development of the Apache Web server software.

Apache's popularity in the Web hosting market is largely because it is open sourceand free to use. Therefore, Web hosting companies can offer Apache-based Web hosting solutions at minimal costs. Other server software, such as Windows Server, requires a commercial license. Apache also supports multiple platforms, including Linux, Windows, and Macintosh operating systems. Since many Linux distributions are also open-source, the Linux/Apache combination has become the most popular Web hosting configuration.

Apache can host static websites, as well as dynamic websites that use server-side scripting languages, such as PHP, Python, or Perl. Support for these and other languages is implemented through modules, or installation packages that are added to the standard Apache installation. Apache also supports other modules, which offer advanced security options, file management tools, and other features. Most Apache installations include a URL rewriting module called "mod_rewrite," which has become a common way for webmasters to create custom URLs.

While the Apache Web server software is commonly referred to as just "Apache," it is technically called "Apache HTTP Server," since the software serves webpages over theHTTP protocol. When Apache is running, its process name is "httpd," which is short for "HTTP daemon."

Applet

An applet is a small application designed to run within another application. While the term "applet" is sometimes used to describe small programs included with a computer's operating system, it usually refers to Java applets, or small applications written in the Java programming language.

Unlike ordinary applications, Java applets cannot be run directly by the operating system. Instead, they must run within the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), or within another program that includes a Java plug-in. If there is no JRE installed, Java applets will not run. Fortunately, Java is freely available for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems, which means you can easily download and install the appropriate JRE for your system. Since Java applets run within the JRE and are not executed by the operating system, they are crossplatform, meaning a single applet can run on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.

While applets can serve as basic desktop applications, they have limited access to system resources and therefore are not ideal for complex programs. However, their small size and crossplatform nature make them suitable for Web-based applications. Examples of applets designed to run in web browsers include calculators, drawing programs, animations, and video games. Web-based applets can run in any browser on any operating system and long as the Java plug-in is installed.

During the early years of the Web, Java applets provided a way for webmasters to add interactive features that were not possible with basic HTML. However, in recent years, applets have been slowly replaced by newer technologies such as jQuery and HTML 5. Some browsers, like Google Chrome, no longer support the <applet> tag, and others, like Apple Safari, do not even enable Java by default. Since web developers cannot fully rely on Java support from web browsers, applets are no longer a common way to provide interactive content on the Web.

Archie

Archie is a program that allows you to search for files available on one or more FTP servers. It was commonly used in the early 1990s, but has been replaced by standard web-based search engines and peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing services.

In the early days of the Internet, large files were often available only through FTP servers. In order to download a specific file, users would have to navigate to the appropriate directory and then find the correct file before downloading it. This made it difficult for people to locate files unless they knew exactly where they were stored on the server. Archie made it possible for users to actually search FTP servers rather than browsing through all the directories.

While Archie is rarely used today, some websites still offer an Archie search feature. You can often identify an Archie search engine by a URL that begins with "archie" rather than "www." Most Archie search engines allow you to search for filenames based on either substrings or exact matches. You can also specify if a search should be case sensitive or not. Additionally, you can use boolean operators such as AND and OR to search for multiple filenames at once.

ASP

ASP has two different meanings in the IT world: 1) Application Service Provider, and 2) Active Server Page.

1) Application Service Provider

An Application Service Provider is a company or organization that provides software applications to customers over the Internet. These Internet-based applications are also known as "software as a service" (SaaS) and are often made available on a subscription basis. This means ASP clients often pay a monthly fee to use the software, rather than purchasing a traditional software license. Some SaaS applications can be accessed via a web browser, while others operate over a proprietary secure port.

2) Active Server Page

An Active Server Page, commonly called an "ASP page," is a webpage that may contain scripts as well as standard HTML. The scripts are processed by an ASP interpreter on the web server each time the page is accessed by a visitor. Since the content of an ASP page can be generated on-the-fly, ASP pages are commonly used for creating dynamic websites.

ASP is similar to other scripting platforms, like PHP and JSP, but supports multiple programming languages. While the default ASP language is VBScript, ASP pages can include other programming languages as well, such as C# and JavaScript. However, alternative languages must be defined before the script code using the following declaration:

<%@ Page Language="C#"%>

ASP pages are part of the ASP.NET web application framework developed by Microsoft. Therefore, ASP pages are most often found on Windows-based web servers that run Microsoft Internet Information Services, or IIS. You can tell if you are accessing an ASP page in your browser if the URL has an ".asp" or ".aspx" suffix.

File extensions: .ASP, .ASPX

ASP.NET

ASP.NET is a set of Web development tools offered by Microsoft. Programs like Visual Studio .NET and Visual Web Developer allow Web developers to create dynamic websites using a visual interface. Of course, programmers can write their own code and scripts and incorporate it into ASP.NET websites as well. Though it often seen as a successor to Microsoft's ASP programming technology, ASP.NET also supports Visual Basic.NET, JScript .NET and open-source languages like Python and Perl.

ASP.NET is built on the .NET framework, which provides an application program interface (API) for software programmers. The .NET development tools can be used to create applications for both the Windows operating system and the Web. Programs like Visual Studio .NET provide a visual interface for developers to create their applications, which makes .NET a reasonable choice for designing Web-based interfaces as well.

In order for an ASP.NET website to function correctly, it must be published to a Web server that supports ASP.NET applications. Microsoft's Internet Information Services (IIS) Web server is by far the most common platform for ASP.NET websites. While there are some open-source options available for Linux-based systems, these alternatives often provide less than full support for ASP.NET applications.

ATM

Stands for "Asynchronous Transfer Mode." Most people know of ATMs as automated teller machines -- those friendly boxes that allow you to withdraw cash from your bank or credit account while charging you a ridiculous surcharge for the service. In the computer world, however, ATM has a different meaning. Asynchronous Transfer Mode is a networking technology that transfers data in packets or cells of a fixed size.

ATM uses 53-byte cells (5 bytes for the address header and 48 bytes for the data). These extremely small cells can be processed through an ATM switch (not an automated teller machine) fast enough to maintain data transfer speeds of over 600 mbps. The technology was designed for the high-speed transmission of all forms of media from basic graphics to full-motion video. Because the cells are so small, ATM equipment can transmit large amounts of data over a single connection while ensuring that no single transmission takes up all the bandwidth. It also allows Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to assign limited bandwidth to each customer. While this may seem like a downside for the customer, it actually improves the efficiency of the ISP's Internet connection, causing the overall speed of the connection to be faster for everybody.

Attachment

An attachment, or email attachment, is a file sent with an email message. It may be an image, video, text document, or any other type of file.

Most email clients and webmail systems allow you to send and receive attachments. To send an attachment along with your email, you can use the "Attach" command, then browse to the file you want to attach. In some email interfaces, you can simply drag a file into the message window to attach it. When you receive an attachment, most email programs allow you to view the attachment in place or save it to your local storage device.

While modern email programs make it easy to send and receive attachments, the original email system (SMTP) was actually not designed to handle binary files. Therefore, attachments must be encoded as text in order to be transferred with an email message. The most common encoding type is MIME (Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Extensions). While MIME encoding makes it possible to send messages with emails, it typically increases the file size of the attachment about 30%. That's why when you attach a file to an email message, the file size of the attachment appears larger than the original file.

You can attach multiple files to a single email message. However, the maximum size of the combined attachments is limited by the sending and receiving mail servers. In other words, the size of the attachment(s) after being encoded cannot be larger than the limit of either the outgoing or incoming mail server. In the early days of email, attachments were limited to one megabyte (1 MB). Today, many mail servers allow attachments larger than 20 MB. However, to protect against viruses and malware, many mail servers will not accept executable file types, such as .EXE or .PIF files. If you need to send an executable file to someone, you can compress the file as a .ZIP archive before attaching it to the email message.

NOTE: Even a large amount of text takes up a small amount of space compared to most binary files. Therefore, attaching a document to an email may increase the size substantially. For example, a typical email may only require one kilobyte (1 KB) of disk space. Attaching a single 1 MB file will make the message 1,000 times larger. Therefore, it is best to share large files using another method like FTP or DropBox. Additionally, if you have almost reached your email quota on your mail server, you can free up a lot of space by deleting old attachments.

AUP

Stands for "Acceptable Use Policy." An AUP is list of rules you must follow in order to use a website or Internet service. It is similar to a software license agreement (SLA), but is used specifically for Internet services.

Most well-known, high traffic websites include an AUP, which may also be called Terms of Service (TOS) or Terms of Use (TOU). You can often find a link to the to the website's AUP in the footer of the home page. Many web services, such as cloud applications require you to agree to an AUP in order to use the online service. ISPs often provide an AUP with each account, which states specific guidelines you must follow.

The specifics of an AUP vary depending on the service offered. Even website AUPs may differ greatly based on the purpose of the website and the website's content. However, most AUPs include a list of general dos and don'ts while using the service, such as the following:

Do not violate any federal or state laws.

Do not violate the rights of others.

Do not distribute viruses or other malware.

Do not try to gain access to an unauthorized area or account.

Respect others' copyrights and intellectual property.

Familiarize yourself with the usage guidelines and report violations.

An AUP serves as an agreement between the user and the company offering the online service. Some rules are basic netiquette, while others may have legal ramifications. If you fail to comply with a policy in a AUP, the company has the right to suspend or terminate your account or take legal action if necessary. Therefore, it is wise to familiarize yourself with the AUPs of the Internet services you use.

Autoresponder

An autoresponder is a program or script on a mail server that automatically replies to e-mails. Though it is run from the mail server, an autoresponder can usually be set up by the user through a Web-based interface. For example, a company might set up an autoresponder for their support e-mail address to let users know they have received their support requests. The automated reply might read something like, "Thank you, we have received your message. One of our technicians will attempt to answer your question after he finishes his dart game in the lobby."

Individuals may also use autoresponders to let people know when they are away from their computer and won't be able to respond to any e-mails for awhile. For example, you might set up an autoresponder for your personal e-mail address to say, "Sorry, I am on vacation in the Bahamas indefinitely. I'll respond to your message whenever I decide to come back." Of course, it is important to reply to messages even after the autroresponder has sent a esponse. After all, most people like to communicate with other people rather than computers.

Avatar

Generally speaking, an avatar is the embodiment of a person or idea. However, in the computer world, an avatar specifically refers to a character that represents an online user. Avatars are commonly used in multiplayer gaming, online communities, and Web forums.

Online multiplayer role-playing games (MMORPGs) such as World of Warcraft and EverQuest allow users to create custom characters. These characters serve as the players' avatars. For example, a World of Warcraft player may choose a Paladin with blue armor as his avatar. As the player progresses in the game, his character may gain items and experience, which allows the avatar to evolve over time.

Avatars are also used in online communities, such as Second Life and The Sims Online. These avatars can be custom-designed to create a truly unique appearance for each player. Once a user has created an avatar, he or she becomes part of an online community filled with other users' avatars. Players can interact with other avatars and talk to them using text or voice chat. It's no surprise that "Second Life" refers to a virtual life that players live through their avatars.

Finally, avatars may also seen in Web forums. Online discussion boards typically require users to register and provide information about themselves. Many give users the option to select an image file that represents the user's persona. This image, combined with a made-up username, serves as a person's avatar. For example, a user may select a picture of a Pac-Man and choose the name "pac32" for his avatar. This avatar typically appears next to each posting the user contributes in an online forum.

Regardless of the application, avatars allow people to represent themselves online in whatever way they want. They may be considered alter-egos, since users can customize characters that are completely different than their actual personas. Of course, what's the point of having a "second life" if it's the same as reality?

3G

3G is a collection of third generation cellular data technologies. The first generation (1G) was introduced in 1982, while the second generation of cellular data technologies (2G) became standardized in the early 1990s. 3G technologies were introduced as early as 2001, but did not gain widespread use until 2007.

In order to be labeled "3G," a cellular data transfer standard must meet a set of specifications defined by the International Telecommunications Union, known as IMT-2000. For example, all 3G standards must provide a peak data transfer rate of at least 2 Mbps. Most 3G standards, however, provide much faster transfer rates of up to 14.4 Mbps.

While many cell phone companies market phones with "3G technology," there is no single 3G standard. Rather, different companies use their own technologies to achieve similar data transfer rates. For example, AT&T uses a 3G technology based on GSM, while Verizon uses a technology based on CDMA. Additionally, cell phone networks outside the United States use different IMT-2000 compliant standards to achieve 3G data transfer speeds.

3G precedes 4G, the fourth generation of cellular data technologies.

404 Error

A 404 error is a common website error message that indicates a webpage cannot be found. It may be produced when a user clicks an outdated (or "broken") link or when a URL is typed incorrectly in a Web browser's address field. Some websites display custom 404 error pages, which may look similar to other pages on the site. Other websites simply display the Web server's default error message text, which typically begins with "Not Found." Regardless of the appearance, a 404 error means the server is up and running, but the webpage or path to the webpage is not valid.

So why call it a "404 error" instead of simply a "Missing Webpage Error?" The reason is that 404 is an error code produced by the Web server when it cannot find a webpage. This error code is recognized by search engines, which helps prevent search engine crawlers from indexing bad URLs. 404 errors can also be read by Web scripts and website monitoring tools, which can help webmasters locate and fix broken links.

Other common Web server codes are 200, which means a webpage has been found, and 301, which indicates a file has moved to a new location. Like 404 errors, these status messages are not seen directly by users, but they are used by search engines and website monitoring software.

4G

4G is a collection of fourth generation cellular data technologies. It succeeds 3G and is also called "IMT-Advanced," or "International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced." 4G was made available as early as 2005 in South Korea under the name WiMAX and was rolled out in several European countries over the next few years. It became available in the United States in 2009, with Sprint being the first carrier to offer a 4G cellular network.

All 4G standards must conform to a set of specifications created by the International Telecommunications Union. For example, all 4G technologies are required to provide peak data transfer rates of at least 100 Mbps. While actual download and upload speeds may vary based on signal strength and wireless interference, 4G data transfer rates can actually surpass those of cable modem and DSL connections.

Like 3G, there is no single 4G standard. Instead, different cellular providers use different technologies that conform to the 4G requirements. For example, WiMAX is a popular 4G technology used in Asia and Eastern Europe, while LTE (Long Term Evolution) is more popular in Scandinavia and the United states.

Address Bar

An address bar is a text field near the top of a Web browser window that displays the URL of the current webpage. The URL, or web address, reflects the address of the current page and automatically changes whenever you visit a new webpage. Therefore, you can always check the location of the webpage you are currently viewing with the browser's address bar.

While the URL in the address bar updates automatically when you visit a new page, you can also manually enter a web address. Therefore, if you know the URL of a website or specific page you want to visit, you can type the URL in the address bar and press Enter to open the location in your browser.

NOTE: The URL typically begins with "http://", but most browsers will automatically add the HTTP prefix to the beginning of the address if you don't type it in.

The appearance of the address bar varies slightly between browsers, but most browsers display a small 16x16 pixel icon directly to the left of the URL. This icon is called a "favicon" and provides a visual identifier for the current website. Some browsers also display an RSS feed button on the right side of the address bar when you visit a website that offers RSS feeds. In the Safari web browser, the address bar also doubles as a progress bar when pages are loading and includes a refresh button on the right side. Firefox includes a favorites icon on the right side of the address bar that lets you add or edit a bookmark for the current page.

The address bar is sometimes also called an "address field." However, it should not be confused with a browser toolbar, such as the Google or Yahoo! Toolbar. These toolbars typically appear underneath the address bar and may include a search field and several icons.