Active Server Pages (ASP) - Microsoft created Active Server Pages as an alternative to CGI. ASPs can only run on Windows NT servers.

ASCII - Stands for "American Standard Code for Information Interchange". ASCII is a set of 128 alphanumeric and special control characters. Most emails are sent as ASCII text. ASCII files are also known as plain text files. ^top

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) - A document explaining the conditions for using a site or network. ^top

AUP - See "Acceptable Use Policy" ^top

Auto Responders - Email messages that are set to automatically reply when someone sends a message to a certain email address. You might make an auto responder for feedback@yourdomain.com, so that anyone who emails that address would automatically receive a message that read: "Thank you for your interest in XYZ Company. Your email has been received, and we will respond shortly." ^top

Backbone - A central network connecting other networks together. ^top

Bandwidth - Used to describe the amount of data that can be sent through a circuit. The greater the bandwidth, the greater the amount of data that can travel in a given time period. ^top

Bit - One eighth of a byte. In abbreviations, it is represented by a lower-case "b" to distinguish it from a byte, which is symbolized by a capital "B". ^top

BGP - See "Border Gateway Protocol" ^top

Browser - See "Web Browser" ^top

Byte - 8 bits of data. In abbreviations, it is represented by a capital "B" to distinguish it from a bit, which is symbolized by a lower-case "b".^top

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) - Intelligent routing software which can identify which path is the most efficient for each data packet, and then route the packet to its destination on the fastest path. ^top

CGI - See "Common Gateway Interface" ^top

Chat - See "IRC" ^top

Client - A program that connects to and requests information from a server. ^top

Common Gateway Interface (CGI) - A method of running an executable program from a web site to generate dynamic content. Normally, a CGI script is a small program that manipulates data from a web server. It might take the content of a form and put it into an e-mail message, or convert data into a database query. ^top

Cookie - A short file, put on your system by a web page, which may keep track of you, your preferences, and your surfing habits. A cookie might remember the horoscope sign you looked up or the city for which you requested the weather, so the next time you visit the site, you wont have to search for this information. Cookies can make surfing the Internet more personal, and more efficient, but they can also be used to collect your e-mail address for marketing purposes. You can decide whether you want to accept cookies or not by going into your web browser's advanced settings. ^top

CPU - Stands for "Central Processsing Unit". Your CPU is your computer's processor. Intel Pentium, Sun Sparc, and Digital Alpha are examples of CPUs. ^top

Dedicated Server - A web server which can be purchased or leased in its entirety, rather than by segment. For individuals or companies who require more space, speed, or control. This is an alternative to Virtual Hosting. ^top

Domain Name - A unique name that identifies an Internet site. A site does not require a domain name, but it does make it easier for visitors to remember a site's location. (See IP Address) ^top

Encrypt - To code data. Credit card and social security numbers are encrypted so they can be sent securely over a network. ^top

Ethernet - A method of networking computers in a local area network. ^top

File Transfer Protocol. (FTP) - The Internet protocol that enables you to transfer files between your system and another system. In order to put a web page on the Internet, you must FTP the files to your server. ^top

Front Page Extensions - Server side programs that enable Front Page users to utilize the progam's special components. ^top

FTP - See "File Transfer Protocol" ^top

GBps - Stands for gigabytes per second. ^top

GC - See "Global Center" ^top

GIF - Stands for Graphical Interchange Format. Gif is a graphic format that can only support 256 colors, or 8 bits. It is a good format for graphics with small text, and can be used to make animated images. ^top

Gigabyte (GB) - One billion bytes.^top

Global Center (GC) - A Tier 1 provider whose 13,000-mile fiber optic network and Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology provide an enormous 460 gigabytes per second of capacity worldwide. ^top

HTML - See "Hypertext Markup Language" ^top

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) - The coding language used to create documents for use on the World Wide Web. ^top

IP Address (Internet Protocol Address) - A unique number which describes a site's location on the Internet. Normally, IP addresses are tied with a domain name which is easier to remember. ^top

IRC - Stands for "Iternet Relay Chat". IRC is the system which allows Internet users to communicate in real time using a text-based system. ^top

Java - A programming language, developed by Sun Microsystems, that is used with web pages to create applets that will run on different platforms. It has little to do with JavaScript. ^top

JavaScript - A scripting language, developed by Netscape, for writing short programs embedded in a web page. JavaScript can be used to make menu trees, mouseovers, pop-up alerts, and much more. It has little to do with Java. ^top

JPEG- Stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. JPG is a graphic format that was specifically made for images with more than 256-color images. Although JPGs are a good way to compress large graphics, image quality often suffers. ^top

KBps - Kilobytes per second. ^top

Kilobyte - 1024 bytes. ^top

LAN - See "Local Area Network" ^top

Linux - A free Unix-type operating system, originally created by Linus Torvalds. Linux is frequently run on Internet backbones and World Wide Web servers because it is extremely stable, includes true multitasking, has built-in TCP/IP networking, and was designed to be used by many people at the same time. ^top

Local Area Network (LAN) - A data communications network, which is geographically limited to an immediate area, usually the same building or floor of a building. ^top

Megabyte - Roughly one million bytes. ^top

MIDI - Stands for "Musical Instrument Digital Interface". Midi is a high quality audio file format. ^top

MIME - Stands for "Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions". Mime is a protocol that allows email messages to contain various types of non-ASCII media like audio, video, and images. ^top

Mirror Site: An alternate Internet site that visitors can be directed to if the primary site is busy. A mirror site contains copies of all the files stored at the primary location. ^top

Modem - Short for "Modulator-demodulator devices". Modems allow computers to transmit information to one another via an ordinary telephone line. ^top

Multitasking - The ability of an operating system to do several tasks at one time. ^top

MySQL - A database server, normally used with PHP, which gives Internet users a way to access information stored in a database. ^top

Name Server - A computer that maps domain names to IP addresses. ^top

Network News Transfer Protocol - The protocol that defines communication methods between news servers and news clients. ^top

Nibble - Four bits or half a byte. ^top

NNTP - See "Network News Transfer Protocol" ^top

NOC - Stands for "Network Operations Center" ^top

OC-3 - Stands for Optical Carrier Level 3. OC-3 is a circuit that transmits 155 megabits per second. ^top

OC-12 - Stands for Optical Carrier Level 12. OC-12 is a circuit that transmits 622 megabits per second. ^top

OC-24 - Stands for Optical Carrier Level 24. OC-24 is a circuit that transmits 1.244 gigabits per second. ^top

OC-48 - Stands for Optical Carrier Level 48. OC-48 is a circuit that transmits 2.488 gigabits per second. ^top

OnNet - On the same network ^top

Operating System (OS) - The basic software running on a computer, underneath things like word processors and spreadsheets ^top

OS - See "Operating System" ^top

Parking a Domain - The process by which a domain name is registered under someone's name servers. ^top

Perl - A scripting/programming language, commonly used for writing CGI programs to be run from a web site. ^top

PHP - A scripting language for writing short programs embedded in a web page. Unlike JavaScript, PHP commands are executed on the web server, making it browser independant. The web browser only sees the resulting HTML output of the PHP code. ^top

Pointing a Domain - When a new domain name is pointed to an existing domain name or IP Address. ^top

POP3 - See "Post Office Protocol - Version 3" ^top

Post Office Protocol -Version 3 (POP3) - The protocol which e-mail software uses to get mail from a mail server. ^top

Raw Log Files - A list of the connections and error occurrences on your page, before they are organized into site statistics. ^top

Router - A special-purpose computer (or software package) that "routes" the path of data between 2 or more computers or networks. Routers identify which path is the most efficient for each data packet, and then route the packet to its destination on the fastest path. ^top

Secure Shell - A method of telnetting in to a Unix server, over a secure connection, in order to keep the session private. Because the data is being encrypted, it is usually a little slower. ^top

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) - A that allows for "secure" passage of data between a browser and a server. ^top

Server - A networked computer that responds to requests submitted by a client. Often, servers store files, programs, and other data that may require too much memory to run on a client's system. ^top

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) - The Internet standard for transferring mail. ^top

Site Statistics - A list of the connections and error occurrences on your page. ^top

SLIP - Stands for "Serial Line Internet Protocol" SLIP is a protocol which allows you to use a dial-up connection as an Internet connection. ^top

SMTP - See "Simple Mail Transfer Protocol ^top

Spam - Junk e-mail. Spamming is when someone sends the same message to a large number of users, usually to advertise something. It is an inappropriate use of bandwidth, which slows down the network and is generally annoying to be on the receiving end of. ^top

SSH - See "Secure Shell" ^top

T-1 - A network connection capable of carrying data at 1,544,000 bits-per-second. T-1 is the fastest speed commonly used to connect networks to the Internet. ^top

T-3 - A network connection capable of carrying data at 44,736,000 bits-per-second. ^top

TCP/IP - Stands for "Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol". TCP/IP is the foundation of the Internet. It defines how computers exchange information with eachother and is the basis for transmitting and routing data packets on the Internet. ^top

Telnet - A protocol for logging onto remote computers from anywhere on the Internet. ^top

UNIX - A set of standards for operating systems, like Linux. ^top

Upload - To transfer a file from your computer system to another system. ^top

Virtual Hosting - A hosting option that allows a company or individual to lease part of a server to store their website's data, rather than pay for an entire machine with more space than they need. ^top

Web Browser - The program, like Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer, that allows you to surf the web. ^top