Glossary
ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)A method of moving data over ordinary copper-wire phone lines at a speed much faster than an ordinary phone connection. See also XDSL. - browser, Web browser
- A piece of software loaded on your computer that enables you to access and display Web pages and other Internet resources. Common Web browsers include Internet Explorer and Netscape.
- bandwidth
- How much stuff you can send through a connection. Usually measured in bits per second. A full page of English text is about 16,000 bits. A fast modem can move about 15,000 bits in one second.
- bit
- A unit of information, expressed as either 1 or 0 in binary notation.
- bps (bits per second, also known as baud)
- A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place to another. A 56K modem can move 56,000 bits per second.
- broadband, broadband access
- Broadband access to the Internet means high speed access that is many times faster than an ordinary dial-up service, and which is typically always on (i.e. there is no need to dial up or "connect" each time you want access). Examples: cable and ADSL.
- byte
- A set of bits that represent a single character. Usually there are 8 bits in a byte.
- cyberspace
- A term coined by William Gibson in his novel Neuromancer. The word is currently used to describe the virtual environment of the Internet.
- dial up
- Access to the Internet using a modem and an ordinary telephone line.
- domain name
- The unique name that identifies an Internet site.
- intranet
- A private network owned by a company or organisation. It uses the same kinds of software as you find on the public Internet, but there is no public access to the network.
- ISP (Internet Service Provider)
- An ISP sells access to the Internet to the public, rather as a telephone company sells access to the telephone network. An ISP may also offer a range of other services, including Web hosting, domain name registration, turnkey Web site solutions, Web design, and perhaps e-commerce solutions.
- portal
- A special Web site designed to provide access to a range of other Internet content and services. An example is Yahoo.com
- Web hosting
- A Web hosting company is a company that specialises in hosting Web sites for other companies on their computers. Typically an ISP also offers Web-hosting services.
- Web server
- A piece of software that stores Web pages ready for access by other computers.
- Web site
- A collection of Web pages belonging to a single organisation or individual, stored on a Web server.
- XDSL
- A method of moving data over ordinary copper-wire phone lines at a speed much faster than an ordinary phone connection. A version of this technology, ADSL, is available in a number of locations in New Zealand.
Source: Matisse Enzer, Glossary of Internet Terms For the full Internet glossary, see www.matisse.net/files/glossary.html
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