Definitions and TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms)

There are a lot of buzz words that get tossed around which may be familiar to some of us but which can frustrate the newbie trying to learn. Most of us don't do it to be "smart" or to show off. It's just the vocabulary we have picked up over the years of working with all this techie stuff. This post begins a list of definitions and TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) to help beginners and old-timers alike. New definitions will be added to this post as useful terms are brought to our attention. If you have a term you would like a definition for please use the Contact OSA link above.

The first term, I guess, should be:

newbie - someone who is new to the subject at hand.

Newbie is an affectionate term and we are all newbies of one sort or another. Even the ol' wiz is a newbie from time to time when he tries out new software or learns something new about coding or web design. The rest of the terms are in alphabetical order. Linked terms often go to their respective Wiki page. Website references are also linked.

Above the fold - Borrowed from the newspaper industry this term refers to the part of a web page that displays upon opening in a browser. The part (if any) of the page that is below the visible screen would be considered "below the fold". The exact point where the "fold" intersects a given web page will vary with the particular browser used and the various combinations of browser settings the viewer's browser may have.

ADC - (Application Delivery Controller) An advanced traffic management device that is often also referred to as a web switch, content switch, or multilayer switch, in order to distribute network traffic among a number of individual servers or remote sites based on application needs.

ADN - (Advanced Digital Network) Typically a 56Kbps leased-line.

ADN - (Application Delivery Network) A suite of technologies that, when deployed together, provide application availability, security, and acceleration.

ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line): A "telephone" line where the upload speed is different from the download speed (asymmetrical). Typically the download speed is the greater of the two.

Affiliate Marketing - A marketing model where a website (the affiliate) agrees to feature ads for an advertiser in exchange for a commission on the sales generated by such ads. For example, many websites generate sales leads for Amazon.com by displaying Amazon's ad banners. In return, Amazon pays these websites a percentage of the sales revenue generated by the ad banners.

Affiliate Network - Affiliate networks are brokers between advertisers and individual websites.

Aggregated Content - Content -- such as articles, videos or images -- gathered from various sources and presented on one website.

Animated Ad - A graphical ad with movement, usually generated by an interactive Java applet, flash or an animated GIF file.

Applet - A small piece of coding that typically works within another application (program) such as when JavaScript applets are called into, or are embedded in, an HTML document (web page).

ASP - Active Server Pages; Microsoft's first scripting language for server-side processing of dynamic web page content. See PHP.

Autoresponder - An "autoresponder" is a tool that automatically sends a pre-written email in response to an incoming email, often used to acknowledge receipt of a message.

B2C (Business to Consumer) - Commercial activity conducted between a company and an end consumer. B2C is often used to describe the retail part of Ecommerce.

B2B (Business to Business) - Commercial activity conducted between two businesses, as opposed to between a business and an end consumer.

Back End - Behind-the-scenes technology that powers a technical system such as a website.

Bandwidth - the rate of data transfer over the connection between two devices (ie: your computer and an Internet server) typically measured in bits per second (bps).

Banner Ad - Banners are graphical ads that links to an advertiser's website.

Below the fold - the part of a web page which, upon loading, is unseen and may be accessed by vertical scrolling. See "above the fold".

BFF - (Best Friend Forever) Online shorthand.

bit - the smallest single piece of data that can be stored by a computer (ie: a one "1" or a zero "0"). All information stored in a computer is represented in a series of ones and zeros defined by the electrical states on (1) or off (0) or the magnetic states plus (1) or minus (0). See also byte, nibble, and word.

Blog - (weB LOG) a journal that is available on the Web. Blogs are typically updated daily, much like a diary. Some blogs are personal journals. Some are informative and/or technical.

Blogger - one who writes a blog.

Blogging - the act of writing in a blog.

BOT - (abbreviation: roBOT) An automated process that, once initiated, works independently. Bots server purposes such as automatically harvesting (downloading) files from an FTP server or, used by search engines, they scour the Internet indexing the content of the web pages they locate.

Brochureware - Websites created by publishing a company's traditional print marketing materials online. Like a brochure, such websites contain only basic information about the company and does not offer any interactive features.

bps - bits per second, typically shown in lower case.

BPS - bits per second but, when shown in upper case, may indicate bytes per second.

Browser - see web browser.

BTW - shortform for "by the way", typically used in email, blogs or other online writing.

byte - a group of bits processed at one time by a computer. Originally 8 bits (as processed by "8-bit processors"). A play on the word "bite" as in biting into the data one piece (several bits) at a time. See also bit, nibble, and word.

CAPTCHA - a type of challenge-response test used in computing to ensure that a response is generated by a human and not a computer. CAPTCHA is a contrived acronym for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart".

Clickthrough - A clickthrough occurs when a user clicks on an ad and gets successfully redirected to the advertiser's website.

CGI - (Common Gateway Interface) a standard protocol for interfacing external applications with an information server, commonly a web server. Typical uses would include processing of data (information) gathered from a web form. CGI programming is being replaced by server side scripting languages like PHP and ASP.

cgi-bin - a common name for the directory on a web server where CGI programs are stored.

Client - a computer and it's associated software used by an individual to access the Internet. Also any program used to access a server; a mail client (like Pegasus, Eudora or Outlook) accesses a mail server, a web client (or browser, like Fire Fox, Opera or Internet Explorer) accesses a web server. See server.

Client-side - something that happens on the personal computer after the web page is sent to the requesting browser. See server-side.

CMS (Content Management System) - Software that facilitates the creation, modification, organization, and publication of content (usually in the form of articles). Examples of CMSs include WordPress, Movable Type, Joomla!, and Drupal.

Cookie - A small bit of data placed in your browser's cache (a storage area on your computer) which typically contains information about your connection to a website. A cookie may, for example, allow you to be automatically logged into a site when you re-visit. Cookies are not harmful, cannot be active, do not contain viruses, and will not "spy" on your private information.

Conversion Rate - The rate at which visitors are "converted" from viewing an ad to taking a desirable action on an advertiser's website. The desired action might be buying a product, registering for a membership, opting into a mailing list, or subscribing to an RSS feed.

CPA (Cost Per Action) - Advertising pricing model where advertisers pay only when users completes a specific desired action. The action is usually a sales transaction or a registration.

CPM (Cost Per Mille) - How much it costs an advertiser to show an ad 1,000 times. A $100 CPM means the advertiser paid $100 per every 1,000 times his ad appears on a Web site. CPM is the most common measurement of online advertising costs. Also known as cost per thousand (Mille is Latin for one thousand).

CPC (Cost Per Click) - Advertising pricing model where advertisers pay by the number of times visitors click on an ad. A typical range is 5 cents to $1 per click. Also known as pay-per-click.

Contextual Advertising - Advertising designed to be related to a website's content. For example, placing presidential campaign ads on a political blog is a form of contextual advertising.

COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protecting Act) - US federal law which regulates the online collection of personal information from children under the age of 13. COPPA specifies a website's responsibility for the protection of children's privacy and safety online, such as how to draft and display the website's privacy policy, and how to seek verifiable consent from a parent. For more information, visit COPPA.org.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) - Business tools and strategies used by companies to better attract, service, and retain customers.

CSS - (Cascading Style Sheet) there are three types of CCS: linked, embedded and inline. CSS is a method of separating form from content. CSS is used to better control fonts, colors, layout and other design elements.

CTA (Call To Action) - The portion of ad copy that prompts customers to take a specific action. Popular calls to action include "click here to buy now," "enter your email to join today," or "use our secure form to order."
CTR - (Click Through Rate) the number of clicks you receive from a link, often applied to Google Ad Words program links.

Cyberspace - the general term for the "virtual world" contained within computer networks.

Data - techie for "inforamtion". All the stuff or information stored on computers; text, documents, image files, statistics, lists, dates, times, personal information, etc. can be called "data".

Dedicated Hosting - An advanced form of Web hosting where the hosting company dedicates a single server to an individual customer.

DHTML - (Dynamic HyperText Markup Language) is a collection of services used together to create interactive and/or animated web sites using a combination of HTML, client-side scripting languages such as JavaScript, CSS, and the Document Object Model.

Directory - When data is stored on a hard drive (or other storage device) it is written in a format called a file. Rather than putting all files in one place they are typically grouped together in containers called directories. Directories are themselves actually files and may be contained within other directories. In this fashion data can be conveniently organized and retrieved.

Directory Tree - directories are organized in a hierarchy or structure starting with the initial (or root) directory and branching out, much like a tree, as directories are added within the root and then, subsequently, within those directories. See Root Directory.
DNS - (Domain Name System) is a process on the Internet for converting domain names to IP addresses and determining where a given device (computer/server) is located.
Domain Name - (also: Host Name) A name that identifies a computer or computers on the Internet, appearing as part of a Website's address or URL ( ie: wizardsplace.com). In the Domain Name System (DNS) domain names are used as easier to remember references to the IP address.

Download - The transfer of data (files) from another computer to your computer. We receive files "down" from the other computer. The opposite of upload.

Drop Shipping - Retail business model where the Internet merchant does not keep an inventory of goods. The merchant will accept product orders from customers and forward those orders to a distributor or manufacturer, who will ship the product directly to the end customer.
DSL - (Digital Subscriber Line) A method for moving data over regular phone lines. A DSL circuit is much faster than a regular phone connection, and the wires coming into the subscriber's premises are the same (copper) wires used for regular phone service. DSL is now a popular alternative to Leased Lines and ISDN, being faster than ISDN and less costly than traditional Leased Lines.

Dynamic Webpage - A webpage that is created in real time, usually as an interactive response to a visitor's preferences.

E-commerce - online business; selling products or services professionally over the Internet

Email - (Electronic Mail) Messages, typically text based, sent between people from computer to computer over a network, most typically the Internet.

Email client (or just "mail client") - the software program on your computer that you use to read, compose, send and receive email.

Enterprise - Large businesses and organizations. For example, "enterprise software" refers to software designed for large business customers.

Ethernet - A common method (protocol and hardware) of networking computers via a LAN.

Exit Page - The page from which a visitor exists a website. A website's most popular exit pages may have problems with usability, bad writing, or technical errors.

Exit Strategy - A plan for making a profitable exit from a business venture. For online businesses, exit strategies often involve the founders selling the company or taking the company public.

Expandable Banner Ad - A banner ad that expands in size after a user clicks on it or hovers the mouse cursor over the banner.

flame Flame - An insulting online message. A series of flames are known as flame wars.
flash Flash - A popular technology developed by Adobe used to deliver animation, video, and various interactive elements on a website.
FAQ - (Frequently Asked Questions) FAQs are documents, typically web pages, that list common questions and answers on a particular subject.

Fire Wall - (also firewall) Hardware and/or software that separates your computer from its network connection or separates a network into two or more parts for security purposes. A properly configured fire wall allows only trusted requests and/or data to cross its boundary.

Flame - typically derogatory comments or posts about someone in email or on forums.

Flame War - the back and forth derogatory communication that results when one person "flames" someone and then that second person responds. Sometimes others join in the fray.

FLD - see TLD.

Floating Ads - An ad that appears on the main browser window and floats across the top of the webpage's normal content.

Folder - the contemporary name given to a directory due to the icon (small graphic) used to represent them in graphic user interfaces (GUI). See directory.

Forum - a website that provides a process to allow for the interactive posting of messages between members or visitors to the site.

Front End - User interface that allows a visitor to interact with a website's features.

FTP - File Transfer Protocol; the popular method by which files are transfered from computer to computer across the Internet.

Gateway - (techical) The hardware or software interface between two systems with dissimilar protocols (communications methods). A modem could be considered a gateway between a computer and the telephone system.

Gateway - (general) Any broad generalized access point between systems, ie: Main Street Mall Online is a gateway to online shopping.

Geo-targeting - The ability to target ads at users based on their geographic location. The targeting can be based on country, state, city, or postal code. Geo-targeting is an important tool for local small businesses that wants to run focused, cost-effective ad campaigns.

GIF - (Graphic Interchange Format) The lower resolution (maximum 256 colors) GIF file format is most suitable for drawn or cartoon images rather than photographic representations. GIF format also supports transparency.

GUI - (Graphical User Interface) a process, displaying graphics (icons, visual indicators and special elements called "widgets") on the monitor screen, which allows a person to interact (interface) with a computer or computer-controlled device. Instead of offering only text menus, or requiring typed commands, actions are performed through manipulation of the graphical elements, typically by moving a mouse-controlled pointer over them and clicking the mouse button.

Header - something at the top; typically the HEAD section of an HTML document or the banner or site name/logo information on a web page.

Hit - (technical) The request by a web browser for a single object (web page, graphic, sound file, etc.) from a web server. A complex web page with multiple graphics, for example, would require many "hits" before the browser could completely display the page.

Hit - (general) The number of visitors to a website or single web page. When using internal server stats a hit may be recorded or tracked for each page object loaded, thus counting the page itself, linked files, and each picture on the page, for example, making the "hits" be much larger than the number of actual visitors to the site. (see: visitors, unique visitors, page views)

Home Page - (also homepage) - the page your browser is configured to open when it first runs and/or the first page display by a website when visited.

Host - a computer that "hosts" files or services on the Internet. Also called a "server".

HTML - Hyper-Text Markup Language; the coding used to mark up documents, or other text/image content, for display as web pages.

HTTP - Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol; the method by which web pages are transfered across the Internet from web server to personal computer browser.

Hypertext - Any text that contains links (typically specially encoded words) that provide pop-up information or connect to another place in the current document or to another document entirely, when the mouse pointer is passed over them.

Information Architecture (IA) - The organization and structure of information on a website. In particular, the organization of a website's pages using directories and subdirectories.

internet - (lower case i) Any 2 or more networks connected together. ("inter" as in inter-national or inter-state, "net" as in network)

Internet - (upper case i) a network of computers (both clients and servers) that spans the world and provides access to a wide array of information; consisting of computers, connecting cables or other data pathways, and machines for the transfer and routing (routers) of that information; and the protocols (instructions) for the storage and transfer of that information.

IMHO (In My Humble Opinion): One of many shorthand forms in common use online, typically appended to a debatable view or comment posted in an online discussion forum on a subject already under discussion.

Interstitial Ad - An ad page that appears before the user-requested page is displayed. Also known as a splash page or transitional ad.

IP - (Internet Protocol - also IP Address) A unique numbering system consisting of 4 parts separated by dots (ie 65.112.255.0), often called a "dotted quad". Each machine that is connected to the Internet has a unique IP number (address), much like a telephone number that indicates where it is located on the network. A machine that does not have an IP number is not really on the Internet although it may be accessed through some gateway structure that allows it to communicate with the Internet. Domain names (ie: wizardsplace.com) are translated by the Domain Name System (DNS) into IP numbers so the relevant server, computer or other hardware can be located.

IRC - (Internet Relay Chat) A multi-user live chat facility with a number of servers around the world which are linked to each other via the Internet. This open system allows anyone to create a channel where they can communicate with other. Channels may be both pulic or private. Private channels are used for multi-person private discussions. IRC client software is required to use this system.

ISDN - (Integrated Services Digital Network) Basically a way to move more data over existing regular phone lines. ISDN is available to much of the USA and in most markets it is priced very comparably to standard analog phone circuits. It can provide speeds of roughly 128,000 bits-per-second over regular phone lines. In practice, most people will be limited to 56,000 or 64,000 bits-per-second. Unlike DSL, ISDN can be used to connect to many different locations, one at a time, just like a regular telephone call, as long the other location also has ISDN.

ISP - (Internet Service Provider) An organization, usually a for-profit business, that provides connection to the Internet. ISPs may provide other Internet-related services like email, file hosting, web and file servers, etc.

Java - A network-friendly programming language created by Sun Microsystems, Java is often used to build complex systems that involve several different computers interacting across networks (ie: transaction processing systems). Java is not the same as, nor should it be confused with JavaScript.

JavaScript - a programming language that is mostly used in web pages to add features that make the web page more interactive. When included in an HTML file it relies upon the browser to interpret the coding. Most all modern browsers have JavaScript support. When combined with Cascading Style Sheets(CSS), and later versions of HTML (4.0 and later) the result is often referred to as DHTML.

JMO (Just My Opinion): One of many shorthand forms in common use online, typically appended to a debatable view or comment posted in an online discussion forum on a subject already under discussion.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group): JPEG is the most typically preferred/chosen image format for web files, though PNG format is probably a better choice. JPEG format files typically take an extension of .jpeg or .jpg with the latter being most common.

Keyword - A word or phrase users type into search engines in order to find relevant information.

Keyword Density - The number of times a keyword appears on a webpage. Achieving the ideal keyword density will help draw search engine traffic for that specific keyword.

Landing Page - The advertiser's webpage visitors "land" on after they click on an ad. Usually the landing page will have a call to action prompting the user to sign up for a service or purchase a product.

Link - or hyper-link; a text or graphic button or area that, when clicked on, transfers focus to another area of the current web page or to another web page, or other web object, entirely. Often links are designated by underlining (text), different color (text), a 3-D button shape or appearance (image), or a change of state or appearance when the mouse pointer passes over (text or image).

LINUX - a popular open-source operating system for both server and home/office use. Originally created by Linus Torvalds to make the features and function of the powerful (but expensive!) UNIX operating system available to everyone, LINUX has grown into what many consider to be the best small-computer operating system available today.

Local Folder - a folder (or directory) on the computer you are using.

Login - (noun) The name or word used to access your account on a computer, server, or network.

Login - (verb) The process of connecting to a computer, server, or network and identifying yourself to a particular service.

LMAO - (Laughing My Ass Off) - Online shorthand appended to posted text to indicate an excessively humorous response to what is being said.

LOL - (Laughing Out Loud) - Online shorthand appended to appended to posted text to indicate a humorous or friendly state of mind in regards the comment,or to indicate the comment is not serious. Often over-used by nervous people. LOL.

Mailing List - (also mail list) A process that stores names and/or email address and automatically sends a given email to everyone on the list.

META tag - An HTML tag used to incorporate information into a web document that is not seen on the web page. Meta (meaning "about this subject") tags provide a place for things like copyright notices, instructions to search engine spiders or bots, and other general information abut the document.

Merchant Account - A special bank account that enables merchants to accept credit card payments. You can get a merchant account from any bank.

MFP (Multi-Function Printer) - Definition of MFP -- multi-function printer.

Modem - (a contraction of the words MOdulator and DEModulator) A device connecting a computer to the telephone system. A modem translates the outgoing digital information from a computer (modulates) to analog format suitable for communication over the phone line and and the incoming analog information from the phone line (demodulates) to digital format for suitable for the computer. Modems allow computers to communicate with each other (or systems and networks, like the Internet) over the telephone system.

Monetize - The process of converting a website's traffic into money.

MSMO - Main Street Mall Online is an online selling site, or venue, were independent sellers operate their own stores in merchandise-specific virtual malls.

MySQL - (often pronounced My-See-Quil) a particular brand of SQL used for accessing databases. MySQL is often used in conjunction with PHP dynamic web programming.

Nibble - (less commonly, nybble) is a four-bit piece of data. See also bit, byte, and word.

NWT - New With Tags.

OOAK (One Of A Kind, sometimes OOK) Online shorthand often used in listing titles.

Open-source - In a world where copyright and patent rights abound and restrict access (either implicitly or financially) to many great processes, open-source is a concept of making public the source code of powerful software programs so that anyone can work on or with them. LINUX and Open Office (a Microsoft Office rival) are two better known open-source works.

Password - A code, or secret word, used in conjuction with a login to gain access to a secure system.

Page Views - the count of the number of individual website pages seen by a single visitor to the site. (see visitors, unique visitors, hits)

Pay Per Click (PPC) - Advertising pricing model where the advertiser pays Web publishers based on the number of times visitors click on an ad.

Page View - The measurement of how often a webpage is displayed to visitors. Each time a webpage is displayed to a visitor is considered one page view.

PCMCIA - (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) the body that sets the standard for, and the acronym name for, those credit card size cards that plug into a slot in (mostly) a laptop computer. These cards add many features like modem, wireless Internet, network, etc., to a computer that doesn't otherwise have the hardware function built in.

PDF - (Portable Document Format) is file format standard created by Adobe Systems in 1993 for common document exchange.

PHP - (PHP Hyper-Text Processor - yes, it has its own initials within its name!) a server-side scripting language that allows web designers to access database information and otherwise include dynamic content in web pages. See ASP.

Pixel - Tiny dots that make up a digital image. It is commonly used as a unit of measurement for Web design and advertising.

Plug-in - a small piece of software that adds one or more features to a larger piece of software. A typical example would be a plug-in that allows your web browser to read PDF files.

PNG - (Portable Network Graphics) A graphics format specifically designed for use on the World Wide Web and other networks. PNG enable compression of images without any loss of quality, including high-resolution images. PNG is an open format in that anyone may create software that works with PNG images without paying any royalties or other fees. PNG also supports transparency -- previously only available on the Internet through the use of limited resolution GIF format files.

POP - (Point of Presence) The point, typically a city or other defined location, where a connection can be made to a wide area network.

POP3 - Post Office Protocol Three; the process by which email is delivered by the mail storage server (post office) to it's ultimate recipient. See SMTP.

Pop-Under Ad - An ad that pops into a separate browser window that remains hidden until the visitor closes his current window.

Pop-Up Ad - An ad that pops into a separate browser window that remains hidden until the visitor closes his current window.

Port - (noun, hardware) - typically the connector(s) where external (peripheral) devices are connected to a computer. There are serial, parallel, IEEE, and other types of ports, usually designated by their data transfer method or protocol.

Port - (nown, software) - regarless of the physical (hardware) port used to connect a data flow to a computer, the software on the computer separates out the required data by listening on numbered ports. Data sent to the computer is assigned a matching port number so the service running on the computer can identify it.

Port - (verb) - the process of translating software from one language or operating system to another. ie: translating a Windows program so it will run on a Mac.

Portal - typically a website that acts as a gateway to other related sites. ie: the main Main Street Mall Online home page acts as a portal to a number of individual, merchandise-specific mall sites.

Post - (noun) a message added to a forum or other discussion thread.

Posting - (verb) the act of adding a message to a forum or other discussion thread.

Privacy Policy - A website's written statement that explains what personal information is collected by the site and how that information will be used.

Protocol - the set of rules and instructions for the procedure of communicating between devices or services on the Internet. For example, the HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is the method by which web documents are transferred between servers and web browsers.

Proxy Server - A secondary server that sits in between a client and the "real" server that a client is trying to reach. The client contacts the proxy server, the proxy server obtains the information from the client about the server they are trying to reach. The proxy server connects to the "real" server, obtains or passes the relevant information, and then connects back to the client to pass the result. Proxy servers may be used for security purposes, to hide one's identity from the "real" server, or when the proxy server also caches often-retrieved information, to reduce load on the network.

Referrer - When users visits your website by clicking on a link from another website, that linking website is considered a referrer.

Registrar - A company that registers, sells, and manages domain names.

Remote Folder - a folder (or directory) located on a computer other than the one you are using and connected to by some process, often an FTP client. See Local Folder.

Root Directory - the initial or first directory (also called a folder) placed on a data storage device, like a hard drive or CD. All data files and subsequent directories are placed within the root.

Router - A special-purpose computer device and/or software package that handles the delivery of information between two or more packet-switched networks. Routers server the singular purpose of examining the addresses of the data packets passing through them and deciding which route to send them on.

RPM (Revenue Per Mille) - The amount of revenue a website generates per thousand page impressions. Also known as revenue per thousand (Mille is Latin for one thousand).

RSS - RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication

SBA - U.S. Small Business Administration.

Search Engine - Typically a web-based system for searching the information available on the World Wide Web. Google is probably the most known and most used search engine.

Security Certificate - a digital document, typically stored as a text file, that is used by the SSL protocol in establishing a secure connection.

SEO - Search Engine Optimization; making a website more search engine friendly so it will do well in the SERPs.

SERP - Search Engine Return Page; the page(s) of returns to a search for a term or keyword in a search engine like Google or others.

SERPs or SERPS is just the plural of SERP.

Server - a computer and it's associated software, typically in reference to the Internet, which stores and 'serves' up information and/or other web objects when requested by a client. See client.

Server-side - something that happens, or is processed, on the server before a web page is sent to the requesting browser. See client-side.

Shopping Cart - The software used to create an online storefront. Shopping carts keep track of items visitors have ordered, allows visitors to add or remove items, and facilitates the payment for the selected items through a checkout process.

SLD (Second Level Domain) - the part of the domain name second from the right; the "wizardsplace" part of wizardsplace.com. See TLD.

SMTP - Simple Mail Transfer Protocol; the process by which mail is sent from the originator across the Internet and to the destination mail storage server. See POP3.

Social Networking Site - Social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook let people with similar interests interact online.

SPAM (or spam, noun) - named after the canned meat product and, perhaps, with reference to the Monty Python skit that used the word over and over, spam is unsolicited bulk messaging, ie: sending, or posting, the same message to a large list of recipitents to whom it may not apply. Often it is said spam is any message you didn't ask for but this is not true. If the message is sent singly and is contextual -- ie: if it is about golf and you are a golfer -- then it is not spam.

Spamming - (verb) the act of sending spam messages or posts.

Spider - see BOT.

Splash Page - An opening (or title) page that appears before the user-requested page is displayed. Also known as a interstitial ad or transitionial ad.

Sponsored Content - Advertising message integrated into the editorial content or placed in a special context on the webpage. Also known as content integration or Web advertorial.

Spyware - Software installed on computers (usually without the user's permission) used to track an Internet user's surfing habits.

SQL - (Structured Query Language) a programming language for interacting with databases.

SSL - (Secure Sockets Layer) the protocol that defines a format for encrypted communications over the Internet.

Stickiness - Measurement of how long visitors stay on a website. The most sticky websites usually feature highly compelling content and popular interactive elements.

TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol: a suite of protocols (rules) for communicating between computers.

Text Link Ad - A text ad with a link to the advertiser's website. The link usually includes the name of the advertiser or a call to action.

TLD - (Top Level Domain also, sometimes, FLD or First Level Domain) The right-most part of a domain name; the "com" part of wizardsplace.com. See SLD.

Transitional Ad - An ad page that appears before the user-requested page is displayed. Also known as a splash page or interstitial ad.

Trojan Horse - (or, simply, trojan) In deference to the wooden horse used in the sacking of the ancient Greek city of Troy, a computer program that is either hidden inside another program or that masquerades as something it is not in order to trick potential users into running it. Unlike a virus, a trojan horse typically does not replicate and spread itself. Typically it relies on being transferred from computer to computer when its host program is shared or downloaded. Like viruses, trojans run the gamut of benign to damaging.

Unique Visitor - separates the count of individual persons to a website from the more general count of all visits including repeat or return visits by the same person, typically tracked by cookies or IP addresses. (see hits, visitors, page views)

UNIX - A computer operating system designed to be used by many people at the same time (ie: multi-user) and has TCP/IP built-in. It is the most common operating system for servers on the Internet. Apple computers' Macintosh operating system, as of version 10 (Mac OS X), is based on Unix. There are numberous versions of UNIX, often referred to collectively as *NIX (star-NIX), including BSD (Berkley Software Distribution, available for PCs as OpenBSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD, BSDi, etc.), RISC, AIX, Digital UNIX, DEC OSF/1, SUN OS, QNX, NEXTStep, XNIX, UNIX System V, and many others. LINUX is a UNIX-like operating system written from the ground up to run on PC computers.

Upload - The transfer of data (files) from your computer to another computer. We send files "up" to the other computer. The opposite of download.

URI - (Uniform Resource Indicator) Synonymous with URL this is the address of an object (document, file, image, etc.) on the Internet. URI has replaced URL in technical specifications.

URL - (Uniform Resource Locator) Synonymous with URI this is the address of an object (document, file, image, etc.) on the Internet. URI has replaced URL in technical specifications.

Virus - Program code that attaches itself to existing computer programs or documents and makes copies of itself without any conscious human intervention. Some viruses simply replicate themselves, some display harmless messages, some install other software or files (see Trojan), and a few do nasty things delete software files, format hard drives, corrupt files, etc. Contrary to popular rumor, viruses seldom, if ever, cause physical damage to your computer or hard drive. If a computer technician says you need to purchase a new hard drive because yours was damaged by a virus get a second opinion!

Visitors - (also visits) the number of people (and "bots") that visit a website. This typically includes a count of all visits including repeat, or return, visits by the same person or source. (see hits, unique visitors, page views)

WAN - (Wide Area Network) Any network (or internet) that reaches more than a single building or campus.

Web - Term short for "World Wide Web".

Web browser - (or just browser) A program (ie: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Lynx, Netscape, Mozilla) that displays web pages on a client computer. You are using a web browser to read this forum.

Web mail - a form-based process to allow email to be read and composed and otherwise processed on a web server. No client-side email client is required.

Word - the natural unit of data used by a particular computer design. Synonymous with byte when the word length is 8 bits. See also bit, byte, and nibble.

Web object - any document, graphic, musical composition, animation, movie or other file available on the Internet.

Web page - An internet-hosted document, typically written in HTML or some other web programming language, designed for viewing in a web browser.

Worm - a special class of virus that does not infect other programs. Rather, it makes copies of itself and infects additional computers, typically by making use of network connections ("worming" its way through networks), but does not attach itself to additional programs. Just like a virus, however, a worm may alter, install, or damage files and programs on the computer it infects.

WWW - (World Wid Web, "web" for short) - often used incorrectly to refer to the entire Intenet, the web is one of many services available on the 'net. The web is a mechanism for storing and displaying web objects (documents, web pages, forms, and other files) through the use of a viewing mechanism or program called a web browser.

XML - (eXtensible Markup Language) A widely used system for defining data formats. XML provides a very rich system to define complex documents and data structures such as invoices, molecular data, news feeds, glossaries, inventory descriptions, real estate properties, etc. As long as a programmer has the XML definition for a collection of data (often called a "schema") then they can create a program to reliably process any data formatted according to those rules.

XUL - (eXtensible User-interface Language) A markup language similar to HTML and based on XML. XUL is used to define what the user interface will look like for a particular piece of software, to define what buttons, scrollbars, text boxes, and how other user-interface items will appear, but it is not used to define how those item will look (ei: color, font, etc.). The most widely used example of XUL use is probably in the Mozilla web browser where the entire user interface is defined using the XUL language.