ADSL

Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line
A new standard for home and business digital communication. Can achieve up to 10mbps half-duplex or it can be split for full-duplex communication. Not available in the UK... yet.
See ISDN

BRB

Abbreviation for "Be Right Back"

cache

A fast locally held storage space for frequently accessed information
See proxy server

CGI

Common Gateway Interface
An interface between web servers and scripts, utilities and programs that generate custom responses to requests.

CSS1

Cascading Style Sheets Level 1
The latest de facto standard for implementing style sheets on web documents. It is supported by the latest versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator web browsers.

DNS

Domain Name Server
Systems which translate host names and domain names to IP addresses and vice versa.

domain name

A domain name is the stem from which host names are derived.
Example: ibm.com, olcs.net

DSSSL

Document Style Semantics and Specification Language
One of the earliest specifications to provide extensions to HTML for better formatting of web documents. See CSS1

FTP

File Transfer Protocol
The protocol which enables two computers on networks to transfer files.

FUD

Abbreviation for "Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt"

GB - gigabyte

One billion bytes, with respect to computers, it is usually expressed as powers of 2. Therefore, a gigabyte may be 1024 megabytes or 2³⁰ bytes.

GIF

Graphics Interchange Format
A image format developed by Compuserve to facilitate the transfer of images between different computer systems. It is currently the image format of choice for the internet but may soon be replaced by PNG.

host name

A host name identifies a computer on the network with a name which is human comprehensible.
Example: www.olcs.net

HTML

Hyper-Text Markup Language
This is a file format which describes how the text and graphics should be arranged to form the web page. Despite the standard is being governed by the W3C, new versions are appearing almost daily and extensions are appearing everywhere. (editor: It's becomming a mess).

HTTP

Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol
This is the protocol which enables your computer to retrieve web pages from a remote server. The current standard is up to version 1.1

hypertext

A document that contains links to other documents, indicated by text in a nonstandard format either by formatting, colour or some other means. The linked document can be actively followed or referenced by clicking on the emphasised text.

icon

An on-screen symbol that simplifies access to a program, command or data file

IMHO

Abbreviation for "In My Honorable Opinion"

IMO

Abbreviation for "In My Opinion"

internet

A collection of networks interconnected by a set of routers that enable them to operate as a single large virtual network

Internet

The largest internet in the world

IP address or Internet address

A unique number that identifies each computer within a network. The current standard IP4 expresses addresses as four numbers seperated by a period.
Example: 193.192.209.29

ISDN

Intergrated Services Digital Network
The current standard for domestic and business digital communications. It achieves 64kbps down one channel and channels can be bonded with suitable routers for faster data transfer.

IRC

Internet Relay Chat
A communication protocol which allows thousands of users to participate in online chat sessions. One of the largest IRC networks if Effnet but many others exist, such as DALnet and Undernet.

Java

A computer programming language developed by Sun Microsystems to enable programs to be "Written once, run everywhere". It is an attempt to create a language which would enable programmers to develop applications and utilities for any operating system.

Java VM

Java Virtual Machine
The virtual code executor which emulates the ideal "Java computer". This enables programs written in Java and compiled for the Java VM to be run on other systems. The Java VM standard was created by Sun Microsystems.

JavaScript

A scripting language developed by Netscape Communications to allow web documents to contain small interactive elements without having to run any additional programs.
See the Javascript handbook

JPG or JPEG

Joint Pictures Expert Group
An image format developed for efficiently storing photographic images in the smallest possible form. This format is slightly "lossy" insofar as the image extracted is not exactly the same as the original. This is the current image standard on the internet for photographic images.

KB - kilobyte

One thousand bytes, with respect to computers, it is usually expressed as powers of 2. Therefore, a kilobyte may be 1024 bytes or 2¹⁰ bytes.

kbps

Kilo-bits per second. Typically, kilo is assumed to be 1,000. With respect to modems, it may be called KBaud.

link

A hypertext reference to another document or to another point within the current document

MB - megabyte

One million bytes, with respect to computers, it is usually expressed as powers of 2. Therefore, a megabyte may be 1024 kilobytes or 2²⁰ bytes.

mbps

Million bits per second. Typically, million is assumed to be 1,000,000.

MIME

Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions
Defines the format of the contents of Internet mail messages and provides for multipart textual and nontextual message contents. Also used to describe the contents of web resources.
Example: text/html

MODEM

Modulator Demodulator
Enables digital communication between computers using an ordinary analogue telephone network. Current modems can achieve up to 56kbps. With V42bis compression, up to 115kbps can be realised.

MPEG

Motion Pictures Expert Group
A set of standards which covers both the storage of video and audio data in the smallest possible space.

NNTP

Network News Transfer Protocol
The protocol which allows your News software talk and exchange articles with News servers.

OS - Operating System

A collection of programs that monitor the use of the computer, supervising the programs which it runs and providing services to them.

PICS

Platform for Internet Content Selection
Originally designed for use by parents and teachers by the W3C to effectively control what could be viewed on the internet by children.
For more info, see RSAC.

PNG

Portable Network Graphics
A new standard for the storage of images. Designed to be the successor of GIF, this format is not encumbered by properiety patented compression technology.

POP3

Post Office Protocol 3
The protocol which allows your email software talk to the mail server

PPP

Point to Point Protocol
This is the protocol which your computer uses to communicate down the Modem or ISDN codec to other computers.

proxy server

A computer which holds frequently accessed resources on the internet on a system which is close to the end user. Proxy servers are useful for making the internet faster.

recursion

Something that is recursive.
See recursion.

RFC

Request For Comments
A series of documents which began in 1969 that describes the Internet suite of protocols and related designs. Not all RFCs describe Internet standards and many are superceeded by more receint documents but all Internet standards are written up as RFCs.

ROTFL

Abbreviation for "Rolling On The Floor Laughing"

RTFM

Abbreviation for "Read The Fine Manual"

server system

A system that is on a network and provides resources such as disk space and file transfers to other systems.

SET

Secure Electronic Transaction
A new protocol developed to enable online ordering and purchasing of products. It is supported by companies such as MasterCard and Visa International.

SGML

Standard Generalised Markup Language
A standard for defining other markup languages such as HTML.

SLIP

Serial Line Internet Protocol
This is an older method for linking up to the internet using a Modem.
See PPP

SMTP

Simple Mail Transfer ProtocolThe protocol which allows mail servers to talk and transfer emails with other mail servers.

source code

The uncompiled version of a program written in a language such as C, Pascal or Java. The source code must be translated by a program known as a compiler before the computer is able to run the program.

SPAM

A popular brand of tinned lunchion meat. Or it can be unsoliciated bulk emails.

SSL

Secure Sockets Layer
A standard for secure encrypted communication over the internet which was developed by Netscape Communications. It currently allows for up to 128bit encryption, however due to US export restrictions, only 40bit encryption is provided in browsers which are developed by US software companies for use outside of the USA.

TCP/IP

Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol
The language of the internet, the standard which all computers on the internet talk to each other.

Telnet

The protocol which allows remote access of servers and text based services. Online BBS may use protocols such as Zmodem to transfer files through Telnet.

TIA

Abbreviation for "Thanks In Advance"

TTFN

Abbreviation for "Ta-ta For Now"

URL

Uniform Resource Locator
A method of identifying a resource on the internet. An URL is formed as follows:
protocol://host name or IP Address[:optional port]/resource name or file path
Where protocol may be http, ftp or news. A suffix of "s" on the protocol indicates that a secure (SSL) communication is desired.

WWW

World Wide Web
A document publishing system that uses Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) as the document format and Hypertext Tranfer Protocol (HTTP) as the method to deliver the document.

XML

eXtended or eXtendable Markup Language
This is supposed to be the "Next Big Thing" which will replace HTML.

Xmodem

Early protocol for reliable file transfer using modems

Ymodem

Enhanced protocol for reliable file transfer using modems

Zmodem

An efficient reliable protocol for file transfers with dial-up electronic BBS. See Xmodem and Ymodem.