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Common Internet Terms
Bookmarks
used for finding and organizing useful web sites, rather like an individual address book for the World Wide Web. Bookmarks are included as a feature on most web browsers. There are also a number of bookmark software programs.
Browser
or Web Browser is a utility software program which allows people to access and view Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) documents - World Wide Web pages (websites) - delivered from a client server (computer) located at Uniform Resource Locators (URL's) on the World Wide Web. Browsers use the information in HTML code in the web pages to produce a graphical representation of the page on your computer monitor.There are many web browser programs available; for example, Netscape and Internet Explorer are popular web browsers.
CGI
Common Gateway Interface (CGI) is the method or convention for passing data back and forth between the Host's Web server and data processing application program. The Web server typically passes Web form information to a server-side application, or program, that processes the data and returns information to the sender and/or forwards that information to others.
CGI scripts can be written in Visual Basic, Java, or C and C++ programming languages, but most are written in Purl. Also see: Interactive Applications.
Domain Name
an alias for an an actual Internet Protocol (IP) address, a specific Uniform Resource Locator (URL), or a website address, which makes it easy to locate and connect with other websites. Domain names are registered with INTERNIC, a service which issues and oversees domain names. The following is an example: IP address = 207.106.162.5 and Domain name = www.seacoastweb.com
Electronic Mail
or, email, is a method for sending and receiving messages over the Internet. It is fast, convenient, easy to use, and inexpensive. email is generally accessed through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or host computer (server). Most browsers include email software as a feature, and there are also a number of email client software programs available. For example, Eudora is a popular free email program.
FTP
File Transfer Protocol is a utility software program used to move information and data from one computer to another. Files include web pages, graphics, books, newsletters, software, graphics, sound, and other large computer files & data. There are a number of ftp client software programs available. For example, Cutelittleftp is a popular free email program.
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Gopher
a utility software program used to make Internet navigation easier. Gopher services organize information to resources or web sites.
Home Page
or, Index Page, a World Wide Web home page is usually the first document displayed when people access a website. A home page is the main page of a website, and generally includes an introduction to, and the purpose of, the website and its table of contents (index).
HTML
Hypertext Mark-up Language is the computer language that the World Wide Web uses to "code" web pages using "tags" which dictate how the computer will display text, hyperlinks, graphics, and other media. HTML is commonly called hypertext. Hyptertext tags are read by the browser which then displays the information on the Web page to the viewer. HTTP tags are always enclosed in <>, and must be opened and / closed.
The following are examples: B = the client used to display bold text; P = the client used to display a paragraph; BR = the client used to display a break between lines of text; IMG SRC = the client used to display graphics; A HREF = the client used to display hypertext (clickable links); ALT = the client used to enclose text descriptions of graphics (viewable by reading the source code of the page in the browser).
HTTP
HyperText Transfer Protocol is the preferred but not the only way of retrieving documents from a server. An http server is very similar to an ftp daemon, but provides more sophisticated authentication, fancier feedback.
Hyperlink
or "link; is a website reference which, when "clicked" on with a "mouse", connects to a document, file, or another World Wide Web site; hyperlinks are underlined and often highlighted in color to demark them as hyperlinks.
Interactive Applications
are alternative methods to CGI, such as Allaire's Cold Fusion and Microsoft's Active Server Page (ASP), in which scripts are imbedded in the Web pages. The scripts encapsulate the functionality provided by the programming languages (listed above, under CGI) into easy-to-understand server-side tags which look like HTML tags. These small programs, which are commonly used to create interactive Web applications, require both server-side and client-side support to work.
CGI, ASP and Cold Fusion all enable you to create forms, such as guestbooks, and counters, order and purchase forms, shopping carts, and much, much more to interface with a server-side data base, and enable visitors interact with your Web pages.
It is important to note that the type of server your web page/site is located on on (host) determines what interactive applications you must use. And, your host server policies determine if and which applications you have permission to use on your site.
Internet
the worldwide network of computers interconnected via internetworking protocols using standard computer formats to allow information exchange.
ISP & IPP
Internet Service Providers are businesses which provide people access to the Internet via interconnecting computers through telephone lines. The Internet is accessed through the ISP's "host" computer from your computer via a "modem", computer hardware which, when connected to a phone line, transmits data from the host computer to your computer. ISP's also provide email service.
Internet Presence Providers are businesses which host people's web pages and websites on their large computers, also called servers. To access the Internet you need an ISP. To have a web page or website you need an IPP. Some ISP's are also IPP's.
Listservs
or, discussion lists, or lists which are distributed by email, to which people can subscribe (join) and read, send and respond to messages. There are thousands of different lists on innumerable topics on the Internet. Newsgroups and Listservs provide a means for people to *meet* and discuss subjects of common interest.
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Search Engines
websites available free to the public with massive data bases which are used to search and find other World Wide Web sites (websites), and information within them. Popular search engines include: AltaVista, Yahoo, Lycos, Web Crawler, Infoseek.
Server
a server is a "host" computer, connected to the World Wide Web, which contains files, including web pages (websites) which can then be accessed by anyone on the Internet via the World Wide Web.
Telnet
a utility software program which connects your computer directly to another Internet computer, allowing access to online databases, electronic newsletter, library catalogs, etc.
URL
a Uniform Resource Locator is an address for a World Wide Web sites (website). URLs are used to access websites as well as Gopher and Telnet sites. URL's indicate where computer files can be found and how to access/download them. The URL protocol form is http://address/directory/file -- for example: The URL for this webpage is https://npguides.org/web/terms.htm
Usenet groups
similar to listservs, except that messages are collected on the central computer to which your computer is connected, for retrieval at will, rather than sent immediately to your computer from another computer.
World Wide Web, WWW, Web
commonly referred to as "the Web", this is the part of the internet that consists of linked HTML documents, a network of HTML documents. Within these documents there are hyperlinks or links that connect these documents to other documents, services, graphics, sound, etc. found on other computers. All of the various documents and hyperlinks comprise the Web.
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