Internet Terms and Concepts

What is HTML?
HTML is a markup language for describing web documents (web pages).
HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language
A markup language is a set of markup tags
HTML documents are described by HTML tags
Each HTML tag describes different document content

Blog - Short for "Web log". A blog is an online journal or diary of an individual’s opinions and
latest news. It is updated regularly, in chronological order. Many blogs allow visitors to make
comments, or “postings” in response to the blogger, or to ask questions.

Blog
A blog is a type of website where an individual can add and maintain a regular commentary like
an online diary or journal, for other users of the site. The entries can also include the addition of
other material such as pictures, video or links to other pages. The word ‘blog’ is a blend of the
phrase ‘web log’.

Broadband - A term used to describe a technology that provides bandwidth that is greater than
that provided by ordinary telephone lines, that is, greater than 64 kilobits per second. The greater
the bandwidth, the greater the data-carrying capacity.

Down-load - Process whereby programs or data are transferred via communications channels,
from a computer and stored on media located at the user’s computer.

Home page - The file available for access at a web site intended chiefly to greet visitors,
provide information about the site, and direct them to other sites with related information.

HTML Hyper Text Markup Language. A markup language used to structure text and
multimedia documents used extensively on the World Wide Web.

HTTP - Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. A protocol used to request and transmit files, especially
Web pages and Web page components, over the Internet or other computer network.

Podcasting - A form of audio broadcasting using the Internet; podcasting takes its name from a
combination of “iPod” and broadcasting. It is a method of releasing files to the Internet, allowing
users to subscribe and receive new files automatically.

Protocol - A set of rules and procedures controlling the transmitting and receiving of data so that
different devices can communicate with each other.

TCP/IP - TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. These are a set of
rules and regulations followed by computers on the Internet to communicate.
Down-load - Process whereby programs or data are transferred via communications channels,
from a computer and stored on media located at the user’s computer.

Up-load - Process of reading data from a user’s computer storage and sending it to another
computer via communication channels.

URL - Each page on the World Wide Web has a unique address called the Uniform Resource
Locator (URL).

Usenet - Short for Users Network is the largest discussion forum in the world. Usenet allows
people with common interest to communicate with one another.

VoIP - Acronym for Voice over Internet Protocol. It is a protocol which governs the
transmission of voice over the Internet. VoIP is often used abstractly to refer to the actual
transmission of voice (rather than the protocol implementing it). VoIP is also known as IP
Telephony.

Internet - The Internet is the largest computer network system in the world. It consists of many
smaller networks connected together by a global public network. The Internet is often called the
information superhighway or cyberspace.

Intranet - An intranet is a private network that belongs to an organization, and is designed to be

accessible only by the organization's members, employees, or others with authorization.

Extranet - an extranet is the part of an intranet is made accessible to customers, partners,

suppliers, or others outside the company.

Modem - Acronym for modulator-demodulator. A device that converts signals from analogue to
digital and vice versa. A modem allows computers to exchange information through telephones
lines.

Podcasting - A form of audio broadcasting using the Internet; podcasting takes its name from a
combination of “iPod” and broadcasting. It is a method of releasing files to the Internet, allowing
users to subscribe and receive new files automatically.

World Wide Web (WWW) - The World Wide Web commonly referred to as the ‘Web’, is a
graphical easy-touse system of inter-linked files on the Internet. Vast amounts of information can
be obtained through the use of the WWW.

Web page - A document on the World Wide Web, consisting of an HTML file and any related
files for scripts and graphics and often hyperlinked to other Web pages.

Web site - Set of interconnected related Web pages, usually including a home page, generally
located on the same server, and prepared and maintained as a collection of information by a
person, group, or organization.
Web browser - A web browser is a programme that allows users to view and explore
information on the World Wide Web. Examples of popular browsers are: Microsoft Internet
Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

Web Server - A computer that delivers (serves up) Web pages. When a request is made to
access a web site, the request is sent to the web server. The server then fetches the page and
sends it to your browser.

Electronic mail (E-mail) - Mail or messages transmitted electronically by computers via

communication channels. It is usual for such messages to be held in a central store for retrieval at
the user’s convenience.

Email
Electronic mail or ‘email’ is a method of exchanging messages from one person to another using
computer networks. Only the people addressed in the email are able to receive and read the
message. Messages are usually in text format but can include attachments of other types of
computer files such as pictures or video.

Bulletin Board
A bulletin board is an online version of the traditional message board where people can post
messages, advertisements or add community news for others to view and comment on.It is also
sometimes abbreviated to BBS for Bulletin Board System.

IMS
IMS is an abbreviation for Instant Messaging Service where you can communicate by typing
short messages to other people using the same application. Unlike email both

Search Engine
A search engine is a website which enables the user to find information on the World Wide Web
by typing in keywords. The search results are usually presented as a list which is created
automatically with information from millions or even billions of web pages. Popular search
engines are Bing, Yahoo and Google.

SMS
SMS stands for Short Message Service and is the facility to allow text messages to be exchanged
between mobile phone devices. Computers can also send SMS messages to mobile phones using
this technology. Messages are typically restricted to160 characters in length.

Social Network
A social network is a website service for a group of individuals who are connected by a common
interest or by friendship. Popular examples of social network sites are Facebook, Bebo,
Linkedin, MySpace and Habbo.
WiFi
WiFi is a system which allows different devices such as computers, printers and smartphones to
connect to each other and the Internet without wires or direct connections.

DEFINITION of 'Electronic Commerce - ecommerce'

A type of business model, or segment of a larger business model, that enables a firm or
individual to conduct business over an electronic network, typically the internet. Electronic
commerce operates in all four of the major market segments: business to business, business to
consumer, consumer to consumer and consumer to business. It can be thought of as a more
advanced form of mail-order purchasing through a catalog. Almost any product or service can be
offered via ecommerce, from books and music to financial services and plane tickets.

What is e-learning?
E-learning is electronic learning, and typically this means using a computer to deliver part, or all
of a course whether it's in a school, part of your mandatory business training or a full distance
learning course.

What is Telnet?
Telnet is a user command and an underlying TCP/IP protocol for accessing remote computers.
Through Telnet, an administrator or another user can access someone else's computer remotely.
On the Web, HTTP and FTP protocols allow you to request specific files from remote
computers, but not to actually be logged on as a user of that computer. With Telnet, you log on
as a regular user with whatever privileges you may have been granted to the
specific application and data on that computer.

The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) - is a standard network protocol used to transfer computer
files from one host to another host over a TCP-based network, such as the Internet. FTP is built
on a client-server architecture and uses separate control and data connections between the client
and the server.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) - is an application layer protocol that facilitates the transfer of
messages in the form of text. The chat process works on a client/server networking model. IRC
clients are computer programs that a user can install on their system. These clients communicate
with chat servers to transfer messages to other clients. IRC is mainly designed for group
communication in discussion forums, called channels, but also allows one-on-one
communication via private messages as well as chat and data transfer, including file sharing.

A newsgroup
A newsgroup is a discussion about a particular subject consisting of notes written to a central
Internet site and redistributed through Usenet, a worldwide network of news discussion groups.
Usenet uses the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP).
An online discussion group with a collection of articles and user-created posts relating to a
particular topic. Commonly found within the Usenet system, newsgroups are often accessed via
news readers which are included in most newer web browsers.
Same as forum, an on-line discussion group. On the Internet, there are literally thousands of
newsgroups covering every conceivable interest. To view and post messages to a newsgroup,
you need a news reader, a program that runs on your computer and connects you to a news
server on the Internet.