Glossary of Internet Terms.

TCGI - Common Gateway Interface.

Client-Server - Describes the relationship between two different computers. One computer, the client, requests information from another computer, the server. The server gives, the client takes.

Domain Name - Identifies a server (or virtual server) on the net. Domain names typically consist of a host name followed by a top level domain category, such as .com, .co or .org and then perhaps a country abbreviation, like .uk

Domain Name System (DNS) - Every server on the internet can be identified by its IP (Internet Protocol) address. These consist of a series of digits, e.g. 212.84.187.11 It isn't easy to remember a series of digits for each web site you want to visit, so the Domain Name System was created. This maps a name to the IP address.

Encryption - A way of encoding messages so only the intended recipient can decode it.

Firewall - A firewall allows only specific kinds of messages from the Internet to flow in and out of the internal network to protect the internal network from intruders.

FTP Programs - A method of transferring files between two computers on a TCP/IP network. We recommend CuteFTP.

Gateway - A gateway refers to hardware or software that bridges the gap between two otherwise incompatible applications or networks so that data can be transferred among different computers

Hit - A measure of the number of visits to a web page. When someone visits a web page, that page has received one hit.

HTML - Hypertext Markup Language. This is the code from which every web page is made. Your web browser reads the HTML and then presents the page on your screen.

HTTP - Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. A protocol used by Web browsers to download web pages from web servers.

Java - Programming language mainly used for Web development.

Javascript - Programming language that enables you to do relatively advanced programming on web pages.

MIME - Multiple Internet Mail Extensions. This is a standard way of enclosing E-mail attachments so that the users of different E-mail programs can still send each other files without encountering problems.

PGP - Pretty Good Privacy. A technique for encrypting messages . PGP is one of the most common ways to protect messages on the Internet.

POP - Post Office Protocol. The standard method of retrieving electronic mail over the Internet. .

POP account - This is where you download your e-mail from. A pop account is not necessarily the same as an e-mail address. So your e-mail address may be info@yourdomain.com and the pop account may be 'fred'.

Router - A system responsible for directing network traffic to one of several possible paths.

Secure server - Special server used for submitting user's credit card information. Uses SSL encryption.

SSL (Secure Socket Layer) - A protocol that takes advantage of digital authorized certificates and public key encryption technology to establish a secure link for such things as online sales, order transactions and credit card information.

Server - A server is a computer that handles requests for data, e-mail, file transfers, and other network services from other computers.

Spam - Sending large quantities of unsolicited e-mail. Most ISP's do not allow customers to spam.

Telnet - protocol that enables you to log in to other computer systems on the Internet.

Web Address - Web Address is unique location of a web page on the Internet. Just like your home address.