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Glossary of Internet Terms

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line

A method for moving data over regular phone lines. An ADSL circuit is much faster than a regular phone connection, and the wires coming into the subscriber&#14 !s premises are the same "copper# wires used for regular phone service. An ADSL circuit must be configured to connect two specific locations, similar to a leased line. A commonl$ discussed configuration of ADSL would allow a subscriber to receive data "download# at speeds of up to 1.%44 megabits "not megab$tes# per second, and to send "upload# data at speeds of 1&' (ilobits per second. )hus the &#14*!As$mmetric&#14'! part of the acron$m. Another commonl$ discussed configuration would be s$mmetrical+ ,'4 -ilobits per second in both directions. .n theor$ ADSL allows download speeds of up to / megabits per second and upload speeds of up to 40 (ilobits per second. ADSL is often discussed as an alternative to .SD1, allowing higher speeds in cases where the connection is alwa$s to the same place.

Applet
A small 2ava program that can be embedded in an 3)4L page. Applets differ from full5fledged 2ava applications in that the$ are not allowed to access certain resources on the local computer, such as files and serial devices "modems, printers, etc.#, and are prohibited from communicating with most other computers across a networ(. )he current rule is that an applet can onl$ ma(e an .nternet connection to the computer from which the applet was sent.

Archie
A tool "software# for finding files stored on anon$mous 6)7 sites. 8ou need to (now the e9act file name or a substring of it.

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ARPANet
"Advanced :esearch 7ro;ects Agenc$ 1etwor(# 55 )he precursor to the .nternet. Developed in the late 0&#14 !s and earl$ *0&#14 !s b$ the <S Department of Defense as an e9periment in wide5area5networ(ing that would survive a nuclear war.

ASCII
"American Standard =ode for .nformation .nterchange# )his is the de facto world5wide standard for the code numbers used b$ computers to represent all the upper and lower5case Latin letters, numbers, punctuation, etc. )here are 1&' standard AS=.. codes each of which can be represented b$ a * digit binar$ number+ 0000000 through 1111111.

Backbone
A high5speed line or series of connections that forms a ma;or pathwa$ within a networ(. )he term is relative as a bac(bone in a small networ( will li(el$ be much smaller than man$ non5bac(bone lines in a large networ(.

Bandwidth
3ow much stuff $ou can send through a connection. <suall$ measured in bits5per5second. A full page of >nglish te9t is about 1 ,000 bits. A fast modem can move about 1%,000 bits in one second. 6ull5motion full5screen video would re?uire roughl$ 10,000,000 bits5per5second, depending on compression .

Baud
.n common usage the baud rate of a modem is how man$ bits it can send or receive per second. )echnicall$, baud is the number of times per second that the carrier signal shifts value 5 for e9ample a 1&00 bit5 per5second modem actuall$ runs at ,00 baud, but it moves 4 bits per baud "4 9 ,00 @ 1&00 bits per second#.

Bulletin Board System

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A computeriAed meeting and announcement s$stem that allows people to carr$ on discussions, upload and download files, and ma(e announcements without the people being connected to the computer at the same time. )here are man$ thousands "millionsB# of CCS&#14 !s around the world, most are ver$ small, running on a single .C4 clone 7= with 1 or & phone lines. Some are ver$ large and the line between a CCS and a s$stem li(e =ompuServe gets crossed at some point, but it is not clearl$ drawn.

BI N!
"Because itDs time Networ(# A networ( of educational sites separate from the .nternet, but e5mail is freel$ e9changed between C.)1>) and the .nternet. Listservs, the most popular form of e5mail discussion groups, originated on C.)1>). C.)1>) machines are usuall$ mainframes running the E4S operating s$stem, and the networ( is probabl$ the onl$ international networ( that is shrin(ing.

Bits"Per"Second
A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place to another. A &'.' modem can move &','00 bits per second.

Browser
A =lient program "software# that is used to loo( at various (inds of .nternet resources.

C#I
"=ommon Fatewa$ .nterface# 55 A set of rules that describe how a Geb Server communicates with another piece of software on the same machine, and how the other piece of software "the &#14*!=F. program&#14'!# tal(s to the web server. An$ piece of software can be a =F. program if it handles input and output according to the =F. standard. <suall$ a =F. program is a small program that ta(es data from a web server and does something with it, li(e putting the content of a form into an e5mail message, or turning the data into a database ?uer$. 8ou can often see that a =F. program is being used b$ seeing &#14*!cgi5bin&#14'! in a <:L, but not alwa$s.

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cgi"bin
)he most common name of a director$ on a web server in which =F. programs are stored. )he &#14*!bin&#14'! part of &#14*!cgi5 bin&#14'! is a shorthand version of &#14*!binar$&#14'!, because once upon a time, most programs were refered to as &#14*!binaries&#14'!. .n real life, most programs found in cgi5bin directories are te9t files 55 scripts that are e9ecuted b$ binaries located elsewhere on the same machine.

Client
A software program that is used to contact and obtain data from a Server software program on another computer, often across a great distance. >ach =lient program is designed to wor( with one or more specific (inds of Server programs, and each Server re?uires a specific (ind of =lient. A Geb Crowser is a specific (ind of =lient.

Cyberspace
)erm originated b$ author Gilliam Fibson in his novel 1euromancer the word =$berspace is currentl$ used to describe the whole range of information resources available through computer networ(s.

Domain Name
)he uni?ue name that identifies an .nternet site. Domain 1ames alwa$s have & or more parts, separated b$ dots. )he part on the left is the most specific, and the part on the right is the most general. A given machine ma$ have more than one Domain 1ame but a given Domain 1ame points to onl$ one machine. 6or e9ample, the domain names+ matisse.net mail.matisse.net wor(shop.matisse.net can all refer to the same machine, but each domain name can refer to no more than one machine. <suall$, all of the machines on a given 1etwor( will have the same thing as the right5hand portion of their Domain 1ames "matisse.net in the e9amples above#. .t is also possible for a Domain 1ame to e9ist but not be connected to an actual machine. )his is often done so that a group or business can have an .nternet e5 mail address without having to establish a real .nternet site. .n these

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cases, some real .nternet machine must handle the mail on behalf of the listed Domain 1ame.

!lectronic $ail
4essages, usuall$ te9t, sent from one person to another via computer. >5mail can also be sent automaticall$ to a large number of addresses "4ailing List#.

!thernet
A ver$ common method of networ(ing computers in a LA1. >thernet will handle about 10,000,000 bits5per5second and can be used with almost an$ (ind of computer.

%re&uently Asked 'uestions

6AHs are documents that list and answer the most common ?uestions on a particular sub;ect. )here are hundreds of 6AHs on sub;ects as diverse as 7et Frooming and =r$ptograph$. 6AHs are usuall$ written b$ people who have tired of answering the same ?uestion over and over.

%iber Distributed Data Inter(ace

A standard for transmitting data on optical fiber cables at a rate of around 100,000,000 bits5per5second "10 times as fast as >thernet, about twice as fast as )5,#.

%inger
An .nternet software tool for locating people on other .nternet sites. 6inger is also sometimes used to give access to non5personal information, but the most common use is to see if a person has an account at a particular .nternet site. 4an$ sites do not allow incoming 6inger re?uests, but man$ do.

%ire )all
A combination of hardware and software that separates a LA1 into two or more parts for securit$ purposes.

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%ile rans(er Protocol

A ver$ common method of moving files between two .nternet sites. 6)7 is a special wa$ to login to another .nternet site for the purposes of retrieving andIor sending files. )here are man$ .nternet sites that have established publicl$ accessible repositories of material that can be obtained using 6)7, b$ logging in using the account name anon$mous, thus these sites are called anon$mous ftp servers.

#ateway
)he technical meaning is a hardware or software set5up that translates between two dissimilar protocols, for e9ample 7rodig$ has a gatewa$ that translates between its internal, proprietar$ e5mail format and .nternet e5mail format. Another, sloppier meaning of gatewa$ is to describe an$ mechanism for providing access to another s$stem, e.g. AJL might be called a gatewa$ to the .nternet.

#igabyte
1000 4egab$tes

#opher
A widel$ successful method of ma(ing menus of material available over the .nternet. Fopher is a =lient and Server st$le program, which re?uires that the user have a Fopher =lient program. Although Fopher spread rapidl$ across the globe in onl$ a couple of $ears, it has been largel$ supplanted b$ 3$perte9t, also (nown as GGG "Gorld Gide Geb#. )here are still thousands of Fopher Servers on the .nternet and we can e9pect the$ will remain for a while.

hit
As used in reference to the Gorld Gide Geb, &#14*!hit&#14'! means a single re?uest from a web browser for a single item from a web server! thus in order for a web browser to displa$ a page that contains , graphics, 4 &#14*!hits&#14'! would occur at the server+ 1 for the 3)4L page, and one for each of the , graphics. &#14*!hits&#14'! are often used as a ver$ rough measure of load on a server, e.g. &#14*!Jur server has been getting ,00,000 hits per month.&#14'! Cecause each &#14*!hit&#14'! can represent an$thing from a re?uest for a tin$ document "or even a re?uest for a missing

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document# all the wa$ to a re?uest that re?uires some significant e9tra processing "such as a comple9 search re?uest#, the actual load on a machine from 1 hit is almost impossible to define.

*ome Page
Several meanings. Jriginall$, the web page that $our browser is set to use when it starts up. )he more common meaning refers to the main web page for a business, organiAation, person or simpl$ the main page out of a collection of web pages, e.g. &#14*!=hec( out so5and5 so&#14 !s new 3ome 7age.&#14'! Another sloppier use of the term refers to practicall$ an$ web page as a &#14*!homepage,&#14'! e.g. &#14*!)hat web site has % homepages and none of them are interesting.&#14'

*ost
An$ computer on a networ( that is a repositor$ for services available to other computers on the networ(. .t is ?uite common to have one host machine provide several services, such as GGG and <S>1>).

* $L
3$per)e9t 4ar(up Language )he coding language used to create 3$perte9t documents for use on the Gorld Gide Geb. 3)4L loo(s a lot li(e old5fashioned t$pesetting code, where $ou surround a bloc( of te9t with codes that indicate how it should appear, additionall$, in 3)4L $ou can specif$ that a bloc( of te9t, or a word, is lin(ed to another file on the .nternet. 3)4L files are meant to be viewed using a Gorld Gide Geb =lient 7rogram, such as 1etscape or 4osaic.

"3$per)e9t )ransport 7rotocol# 55 )he protocol for moving h$perte9t files across the .nternet. :e?uires a 3))7 client program on one end, and an 3))7 server program on the other end. 3))7 is the most important protocol used in the Gorld Gide Geb "GGG#.

*yperte+t

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Fenerall$, an$ te9t that contains lin(s to other documents 5 words or phrases in the document that can be chosen b$ a reader and which cause another document to be retrieved and displa$ed.

I$*,
".n 4$ 3umble Jpinion# 55 A shorthand appended to a comment written in an online forum, .43J indicates that the writer is aware that the$ are e9pressing a debatable view, probabl$ on a sub;ect alread$ under discussion. Jne of ma$ such shorthands in common use online, especiall$ in discussion forums.

Internet
)he vast collection of inter5connected networ(s that all use the )=7I.7 protocols and that evolved from the A:7A1>) of the late 0&#14 !s and earl$ *0&#14 !s. )he .nternet now "2ul$ 1//%# connects roughl$ 0,000 independent networ(s into a vast global internet.

Intranet
A private networ( inside a compan$ or organiAation that uses the same (inds of software that $ou would find on the public .nternet, but that is onl$ for internal use. As the .nternet has become more popular man$ of the tools used on the .nternet are being used in private networ(s, for e9ample, man$ companies have web servers that are available onl$ to emplo$ees.

IP Number
Internet Protocol 1umber Sometimes called a dotted ?uad. A uni?ue number consisting of 4 parts separated b$ dots, e.g. 1 %.11,.&4%.& >ver$ machine that is on the .nternet has a uni?ue .7 number 5 if a machine does not have an .7 number, it is not reall$ on the .nternet. 4ost machines also have one or more Domain 1ames that are easier for people to remember.

IRC
Internet Rela$ Chat

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Casicall$ a huge multi5user live chat facilit$. )here are a number of ma;or .:= servers around the world which are lin(ed to each other. An$one can create a channel and an$thing that an$one t$pes in a given channel is seen b$ all others in the channel. 7rivate channels can "and are# created for multi5person conference calls.

Integrated Ser-ices Digital Network

Casicall$ a wa$ to move more data over e9isting regular phone lines. .SD1 is rapidl$ becoming available to much of the <SA and in most mar(ets it is priced ver$ comparabl$ to standard analog phone circuits. .t can provide speeds of roughl$ 1&',000 bits5per5second over regular phone lines. .n practice, most people will be limited to % ,000 or 4,000 bits5per5second.

Internet Ser-ice Pro-ider

An institution that provides access to the .nternet in some form, usuall$ for mone$.

.a-a
2ava is a networ(5oriented programming language invented b$ Sun 4icros$stems that is specificall$ designed for writing programs that can be safel$ downloaded to $our computer through the .nternet and immediatel$ run without fear of viruses or other harm to $our computer or files. <sing small 2ava programs "called KAppletsK#, Geb pages can include functions such as animations, calculators, and other fanc$ tric(s. Ge can e9pect to see a huge variet$ of features added to the Geb using 2ava, since $ou can write a 2ava program to do almost an$thing a regular computer program can do, and then include that 2ava program in a Geb page.

.a-a De-elopment /it

A software development pac(age from Sun 4icros$stems that implements the basic set of tools needed to write, test and debug 2ava applications and applets

/ilobyte

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A thousand b$tes. Actuall$, usuall$ 10&4 "&L10# b$tes.

LAN
Local Area 1etwor( A computer networ( limited to the immediate area, usuall$ the same building or floor of a building.

Leased"line
:efers to a phone line that is rented for e9clusive &45hour, * 5da$s5a5 wee( use from $our location to another location. )he highest speed data connections re?uire a leased line.

Listser)he most common (ind of maillist, Listservs originated on C.)1>) but the$ are now common on the .nternet.

Login
1oun or a verb. 1oun+ )he account name used to gain access to a computer s$stem. 1ot a secret "contrast with 7assword#. Eerb+ )he act of entering into a computer s$stem, e.g. Login to the G>LL and then go to the FC1 conference.

$aillist
or 4ailing List A "usuall$ automated# s$stem that allows people to send e5mail to one address, whereupon their message is copied and sent to all of the other subscribers to the maillist. .n this wa$, people who have man$ different (inds of e5mail access can participate in discussions together.

$egabyte
A million b$tes. A thousand (ilob$tes.

$ultipurpose Internet $ail !+tensions

)he standard for attaching non5te9t files to standard .nternet mail messages. 1on5te9t files include graphics, spreadsheets, formatted word5processor documents, sound files, etc.

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An email program is said to be 4.4> =ompliant if it can both send and receive files using the 4.4> standard. Ghen non5te9t files are sent using the 4.4> standard the$ are converted "encoded# into te9t 5 although the resulting te9t is not reall$ readable. Fenerall$ spea(ing the 4.4> standard is a wa$ of specif$ing both the t$pe of file being sent "e.g. a Huic(time video file#, and the method that should be used to turn it bac( into its original form. Cesides email software, the 4.4> standard is also universall$ used b$ Geb Servers to identif$ the files the$ are sending to Geb =lients, in this wa$ new file formats can be accommodated simpl$ b$ updating the Crowsers&#14 ! list of pairs of 4.4>5)$pes and appropriate software for handling each t$pe.

$irror
Fenerall$ spea(ing, &#14*!to mirror&#14'! is to maintain an e9act cop$ of something. 7robabl$ the most common use of the term on the .nternet refers to &#14*!mirror sites&#14'! which are web sites, or 6)7 sites that maintain e9act copies of material originated at another location, usuall$ in order to provide more widespread access to the resource. Another common use of the term &#14*!mirror&#14'! refers to an arrangement where information is written to more than one hard dis( simultaneousl$, so that if one dis( fails, the computer (eeps on wor(ing without losing an$thing.

$odem
4Jdulator, D>4odulator A device that $ou connect to $our computer and to a phone line, that allows the computer to tal( to other computers through the phone s$stem. Casicall$, modems do for computers what a telephone does for humans.

$osaic
)he first GGG browser that was available for the 4acintosh, Gindows, and <1.M all with the same interface. 4osaic reall$ started the popularit$ of the Geb. )he source5code to 4osaic has been

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licensed b$ several companies and there are several other pieces of software as good or better than 4osaic, most notabl$, 1etscape.

$ulti"0ser Dungeon or Dimension

A "usuall$ te9t5based# multi5user simulation environment. Some are purel$ for fun and flirting, others are used for serious software development, or education purposes and all that lies in between. A significant feature of most 4<Ds is that users can create things that sta$ after the$ leave and which other users can interact with in their absence, thus allowing a world to be built graduall$ and collectivel$.

Neti&uette
)he eti?uette on the .nternet.

Neti1en
Derived from the term citiAen, referring to a citiAen of the .nternet, or someone who uses networ(ed resources. )he term connotes civic responsibilit$ and participation.

Netscape
A GGG Crowser and the name of a compan$. )he 1etscape "tm# browser was originall$ based on the 4osaic program developed at the 1ational =enter for Supercomputing Applications "1=SA#. 1etscape has grown in features rapidl$ and is widel$ recogniAed as the best and most popular web browser. 1etscape corporation also produces web server software. 1etscape provided ma;or improvements in speed and interface over other browsers, and has also engendered debate b$ creating new elements for the 3)4L language used b$ Geb pages 55 but the 1etscape e9tensions to 3)4L are not universall$ supported. )he main author of 1etscape, 4ar( Andreessen, was hired awa$ from the 1=SA b$ 2im =lar(, and the$ founded a compan$ called 4osaic =ommunications and soon changed the name to 1etscape =ommunications =orporation.

Network
An$ time $ou connect & or more computers together so that the$ can share resources, $ou have a computer networ(. =onnect & or more networ(s together and $ou have an internet.

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Newsgroup
)he name for discussion groups on <S>1>).

Networked In(ormation Center

Fenerall$, an$ office that handles information for a networ(. )he most famous of these on the .nternet is the .nter1.=, which is where new domain names are registered. Another definition+ 1.= also refers to 1etwor( .nterface =ard which plugs into a computer and adapts the networ( interface to the appropriate standard. .SA, 7=., and 7=4=.A cards are all e9amples of 1.=s.

NN P
1etwor( 1ews )ransport 7rotocol )he protocol used b$ client and server software to carr$ <S>1>) postings bac( and forth over a )=7I.7 networ(. .f $ou are using an$ of the more common software such as 1etscape, 1untius, .nternet >9plorer, etc. to participate in newsgroups then $ou are benefiting from an 11)7 connection.

Node
An$ single computer connected to a networ(.

Packet Switching
)he method used to move data around on the .nternet. .n pac(et switching, all the data coming out of a machine is bro(en up into chun(s, each chun( has the address of where it came from and where it is going. )his enables chun(s of data from man$ different sources to co5mingle on the same lines, and be sorted and directed to different routes b$ special machines along the wa$. )his wa$ man$ people can use the same lines at the same time.

Password

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A code used to gain access to a loc(ed s$stem. Food passwords contain letters and non5letters and are not simple combinations such as virtue*. A good password might be+ 3otN15

Plug"in
A "usuall$ small# piece of software that adds features to a larger piece of software. =ommon e9amples are plug5ins for the 1etscape&reg! browser and web server. Adobe 7hotoshop&reg! also uses plug5ins. )he idea behind plug5in&#14 !s is that a small piece of software is loaded into memor$ b$ the larger program, adding a new feature, and that users need onl$ install the few plug5ins that the$ need, out of a much larger pool of possibilities. 7lug5ins are usuall$ created b$ people other than the publishers of the software the plug5in wor(s with.

P,P
7oint of 7resence, also 7ost Jffice 7rotocol )wo commonl$ used meanings+ 7oint of 7resence and 7ost Jffice 7rotocol. A 7oint of 7resence usuall$ means a cit$ or location where a networ( can be connected to, often with dial up phone lines. So if an .nternet compan$ sa$s the$ will soon have a 7J7 in Celgrade, it means that the$ will soon have a local phone number in Celgrade andIor a place where leased lines can connect to their networ(. A second meaning, 7ost Jffice 7rotocol refers to the wa$ e5mail software such as >udora gets mail from a mail server. Ghen $ou obtain a SL.7, 777, or shell account $ou almost alwa$s get a 7J7 account with it, and it is this 7J7 account that $ou tell $our e5mail software to use to get $our mail.

Port
, meanings. 6irst and most generall$, a place where information goes into or out of a computer, or both. >.g. the serial port on a personal computer is where a modem would be connected. Jn the .nternet port often refers to a number that is part of a <:L, appearing after a colon "+# right after the domain name. >ver$ service on an .nternet server listens on a particular port number on that server. 4ost services have standard port numbers, e.g. Geb servers normall$

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listen on port '0. Services can also listen on non5standard ports, in which case the port number must be specified in a <:L when accessing the server, so $ou might see a <:L of the form+ gopher+IIpeg.cwis.uci.edu+*000I shows a gopher server running on a non5standard port "the standard gopher port is *0#. 6inall$, port also refers to translating a piece of software to bring it from one t$pe of computer s$stem to another, e.g. to translate a Gindows program so that is will run on a 4acintosh.

Posting
A single message entered into a networ( communications s$stem. >.g. A single message posted to a newsgroup or message board.

PPP
Point to Point Protocol 4ost well (nown as a protocol that allows a computer to use a regular telephone line and a modem to ma(e )=7I.7 connections and thus be reall$ and trul$ on the .nternet.

PS N
7ublic Switched )elephone 1etwor( )he regular old5fashioned telephone s$stem.

R%C
:e?uest 6or =omments )he name of the result and the process for creating a standard on the .nternet. 1ew standards are proposed and published on line, as a :e?uest 6or =omments. )he .nternet >ngineering )as( 6orce is a consensus5building bod$ that facilitates discussion, and eventuall$ a new standard is established, but the reference numberIname for the standard retains the acron$m :6=, e.g. the official standard for e5mail is :6= '&&.

Router
A special5purpose computer "or software pac(age# that handles the connection between & or more networ(s. :outers spend all their time loo(ing at the destination addresses of the pac(ets passing through them and deciding which route to send them on.

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Security Certi(icate
A chun( of information "often stored as a te9t file# that is used b$ the SSL protocol to establish a secure connection. Securit$ =ertificates contain information about who it belongs to, who it was issued b$, a uni?ue serial number or other uni?ue identification, valid dates, and an encr$pted &#14*!fingerprint&#14'! that can be used to verif$ the contents of the certificate. .n order for an SSL connection to be created both sides must have a valid Securit$ =ertificate.

Ser-er
A computer, or a software pac(age, that provides a specific (ind of service to client software running on other computers. )he term can refer to a particular piece of software, such as a GGG server, or to the machine on which the software is running, e.g.Jur mail server is down toda$, that&#14 !s wh$ e5mail isn&#14 !t getting out. A single server machine could have several different server software pac(ages running on it, thus providing man$ different servers to clients on the networ(.

SLIP
Serial Line Internet Protocol A standard for using a regular telephone line "a serial line# and a modem to connect a computer as a real .nternet site. SL.7 is graduall$ being replaced b$ 777.

S$ P
Simple $ail ransport Protocol )he main protocol used to send electronic mail on the .nternet. S4)7 consists of a set of rules for how a program sending mail and a program receiving mail should interact. Almost all .nternet email is sent and received b$ clients and servers using S4)7, thus if one wanted to set up an email server on the .nternet one would loo( for email server software that supports S4)7.

SN$P
Simple Networ( $anagement Protocol

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A set of standards for communication with devices connected to a )=7I.7 networ(. >9amples of these devices include routers, hubs, and switches. A device is said to be &#14*!S147 compatible&#14'! if it can be monitored andIor controlled using S147 messages. S147 messages are (nown as &#14*!7D<&#14 !s&#14'! 5 7rotocol Data <nits. Devices that are S147 compatible contain S147 &#14*!agent&#14'! software to receive, send, and act upon S147 messages. Software for managing devices via S147 are available for ever$ (ind of commonl$ used computer and are often bundled along with the device the$ are designed to manage. Some S147 software is designed to handle a wide variet$ of devices.

S'L
Structured 'uer$ Language A specialiAed programming language for sending ?ueries to databases. 4ost industrial5strength and man$ smaller database applications can be addressed using SHL. >ach specific application will have its own version of SHL implementing features uni?ue to that application, but all SHL5capable databases support a common subset of SHL.

Secure Sockets Layer

A protocol designed b$ 1etscape =ommunications to enable encr$pted, authenticated communications across the .nternet. SSL used mostl$ "but not e9clusivel$# in communications between web browsers and web servers. <:L&#14 !s that begin with &#14*!https&#14'! indicate that an SSL connection will be used. SSL provides , important things+ 7rivac$, Authentication, and 4essage .ntegrit$. .n an SSL connection each side of the connection must have a Securit$ =ertificate, which each side&#14 !s software sends to the other. >ach side then encr$pts what it sends using information from both its own and the other side&#14 !s =ertificate, ensuring that onl$ the intended recipient can de5cr$pt it, and that the other side can be sure the data came from the place it claims to have come from, and that the message has not been tampered with.

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Sysop
S$stem Jperator An$one responsible for the ph$sical operations of a computer s$stem or networ( resource. A S$stem Administrator decides how often bac(ups and maintenance should be performed and the S$stem Jperator performs those tas(s.

"2
A leased5line connection capable of carr$ing data at 1,%44,000 bits5 per5second. At ma9imum theoretical capacit$, a )51 line could move a megab$te in less than 10 seconds. )hat is still not fast enough for full5 screen, full5motion video, for which $ou need at least 10,000,000 bits5 per5second. )51 is the fastest speed commonl$ used to connect networ(s to the .nternet.

"3
A leased5line connection capable of carr$ing data at 44,*, ,000 bits5 per5second. )his is more than enough to do full5screen, full5motion video.

CP4IP
)ransmission =ontrol 7rotocolI.nternet 7rotocol )his is the suite of protocols that defines the .nternet. Jriginall$ designed for the <1.M operating s$stem, )=7I.7 software is now available for ever$ ma;or (ind of computer operating s$stem. )o be trul$ on the .nternet, $our computer must have )=7I.7 software.

elnet
)he command and program used to login from one .nternet site to another. )he telnet commandIprogram gets $ou to the login+ prompt of another host.

erminal
A device that allows $ou to send commands to a computer somewhere else. At a minimum, this usuall$ means a (e$board and a displa$ screen and some simple circuitr$. <suall$ $ou will use terminal

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software in a personal computer 5 the software pretends to be "emulates# a ph$sical terminal and allows $ou to t$pe commands to a computer somewhere else.

erminal Ser-er
A special purpose computer that has places to plug in man$ modems on one side, and a connection to a LA1 or host machine on the other side. )hus the terminal server does the wor( of answering the calls and passes the connections on to the appropriate node. 4ost terminal servers can provide 777 or SL.7 services if connected to the .nternet.

0NI5
A computer operating s$stem "the basic software running on a computer, underneath things li(e word processors and spreadsheets#. <1.M is designed to be used b$ man$ people at the same time "it is multi5user# and has )=7I.7 built5in. .t is the most common operating s$stem for servers on the .nternet.

0RL
<niform :esource Locator )he standard wa$ to give the address of an$ resource on the .nternet that is part of the Gorld Gide Geb "GGG#. A <:L loo(s li(e this+ http+IIwww.matisse.netIseminars.html or telnet+IIwell.sf.ca.us or news+new.newusers.?uestions etc. )he most common wa$ to use a <:L is to enter into a GGG browser program, such as 1etscape, or L$n9.

0S!N!
A world5wide s$stem of discussion groups, with comments passed among hundreds of thousands of machines. 1ot all <S>1>) machines are on the .nternet, ma$be half. <S>1>) is completel$ decentraliAed, with over 10,000 discussion areas, called newsgroups.

6eronica
6er$ !as$ Rodent ,riented Net5wide Inde9 to ComputeriAed Archives Developed at the <niversit$ of 1evada, Eeronica is a constantl$ updated database of the names of almost ever$ menu item on

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thousands of gopher servers. )he Eeronica database can be searched from most ma;or gopher menus.

)AIS
)ide Area Information Servers A commercial software pac(age that allows the inde9ing of huge ?uantities of information, and then ma(ing those indices searchable across networ(s such as the .nternet. A prominent feature of GA.S is that the search results are ran(ed "scored# according to how relevant the hits are, and that subse?uent searches can find more stuff li(e that last batch and thus refine the search process.

)AN
)ide Area Networ( An$ internet or networ( that covers an area larger than a single building or campus.

)))
)orld )ide )eb )wo meanings 5 6irst, loosel$ used+ the whole constellation of resources that can be accessed using Fopher, 6)7, 3))7, telnet, <S>1>), GA.S and some other tools. Second, the universe of h$perte9t servers "3))7 servers# which are the servers that allow te9t, graphics, sound files, etc. to be mi9ed together.