Internet Definitions
Here is a variety of internet definitions that will help you understand and become more familliar with the Internet and its uses.
Freenet - A community network that provides free online access, usually to local residents, and often includes its own forums and news.
Hardware - A term for the nuts, bolts, and wires of computer equipment and the actual computer and related machines.
Home Page - The site that is the starting point on the World Wide Web for a particular group or organization.
Host - A computer system that is accessed by a user working at a remote location. Typically, the term is used when there are two computer systems connected by modems and telephone lines. The system that contains the data is called the host, while the computer at which the user sits is called the remote terminal.
HTML - Stands for Hypertext Markup Language. A computer language that is used to write and create webpages. Also referred to as Hypertext.
Hyperlink - (short for Hypertext link) Instantly transports you to another location on the internet. Usually a hyperlink is the coloured text you see in your web browser. When you move your mouse cursor over top of a hyperlink it changes (usually into a hand). Clicking a mouse button when this happens activates the hyperlink.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol - A standard used by World Wide Web serverrs to provide rules for moving text, images, sound, video, and other multimedia files across the Internet.
Icon - A small picture on a Web page that represents the topic or information category of another Web page. Frequently, the icon is a hypertext link to that page.
Internet - A global network connecting millions computers. As of 1998, the Internet has more than 100 million users worldwide, and that number is growing rapidly. More than 100 countries are linked into exchanges of data, news and opinions. Often called the Information Superhighway or Cyberspace.
IP Address - A unique number given to your computer to identify it while you are on the World Wide Web.
ISP - Internet Service Provider. A company that gives you access to the internet for a fee.
Modem - A device that is connected to your computer, either internally or externally, that allows you to exchange information over the telephone lines. You must have a modem in order to browse the Internet. To make the most of you Internet experience it is recommended that you have a modem speed of 28.8 bps (bits per second).
Netiquette - A contraction of "Internet etiqette. A term given to the way you should properly conduct yourself in Internet discussions.
Network - A group of connected computers that exchange information and share equipment.
Newsgroups - A meeting place for people with similar interests. You can ask questions, discuss problems and read many interesting stories. There are thousands of these newgroups on every tipic you can imagine.
Operating System - The most important program that runs on a computer. You must have an operating system in order to use other computer programs. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.
Packet - A piece of a message transmitted over a computer network. Contains not only the message which you are sending but also its destination address.
Password - A secret or set of characters that enables a user to access a file, computer, or program.
Router - Specialized computers that regulate the traffic on the internet. Like a travel agent the router picks the most efficient route for the packets to take, based on the traffic and the number of stopovers.Search Engine - A tool for searching for information on the internet by topic. Popular engines include: Yahoo, Google and Hotbot.
Software - A computer program or set of instructions. System software operates on the machine itself and is invisible to you. Application software allows you to carry out certain activities, such as word processing, games and spreadsheets.
Upload - Copying a file from your computer to a host computer.
URL - Uniform Resource Locator. A standard way to acess files and documents electronically over the World Wide Web.
Virus - A computer program, usually malicious in nature which is used to disrupt the normal operation of a computer. Some problems viruses cause vary from annoying messages to destruction of information. You can buy commercially available software to detect and destroy these unwanted menaces.
Web Browser - A computer program that allows you to locate and display web pages. Two of the more popular web browser are Internet Explorer and Firefox.
Website - A Site (location) on the World Wide Web. Each website contains a home page, which is the first document users see when they enter the site. The site might also contain additional documents and files. Each site is owned and managed by an individual, company or organization.
WWW - Acronym for World Wide Web. Also called "Triple W" or "W3"