ASP

A scripting language that allows your Web pages to interact with databases (a Microsoft NT language).

Backbone

A high-speed line or series of connections that forms a major pathway within a network. The term can refer either to a small network backbone or a large network backbone.

Bandwidth

The amount of data (measured in bits per second) that can be sent through a connection.

Bit-mapped Images

Bit-mapped graphics are often referred to as raster graphics. They are a representation of a graphic image in computer memory made up of rows and columns of dots. The density of the dots is the image's resolution, which determines how sharply the image appears when printed or viewed onscreen. Resolution is usually listed as the image's dots per inch (dpi) or the number of rows and columns the image takes up, such as 640x480.

To display a bit-mapped image on a monitor or to print it on a printer, the computer translates the bit map into pixels (for display screens) or ink dots (for printers). Optical scanners and fax machines work by transforming text or pictures on paper into bit maps.

CGI

(Common Gateway Interface) A CGI program is a small program that takes data from a Web server and follows a set of rules for what to do with it, such as putting the content of a form into an e-mail and sending it out, or turning the data into a database query. This set of rules describes how a Web server communicates with another piece of software on the same machine, and vice versa.

Co-location

Co-location is having a server that belongs to one person (or business) physically located at and connected to another network that is connected to the Internet. This saves the owner of the server from the security risk of having it connected to his/her own network and the Internet. In some cases, this can also facilitate faster connections.

Cookie

A cookie is a small piece of data given to a Web browser by a Web server in order to give the server a visitor's name (or other information) and allow the server to customize the pages the visitor views according to his/her preferences. The visitor at some point must fill out a form in order for the cookie to be created and stored on the server. The browser stores the message in a text file called cookie.txt and sends it back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server.

Data Transfer

This is the amount of data that your Web host allows to be transferred through your Web hosting account. This means that text or images on your site that are transferred to your site's visitors is limited to a specific amount for a specified period of time. For instance, 100 MB of data might translate to about 40,000 to 50,000 page views depending on how many graphics and images are on your pages.

Finger

This is an Internet software tool that lets you find people on other Internet sites. Finger is usually used to find out if a person has an account at a particular Internet site. Many sites do not allow incoming Finger requests, but some do, and some allow access to non-personal information.

FTP

(File Transfer Protocol) FTP allows you to move files to an Internet site. You use special FTP software that lets you log into another site using either a username and password or as an anonymous user. You use FTP software to upload your Web files to your Web server.

HTTP

(Hypertext Transport Protocol) The protocol that allows hypertext files to be moved across the Internet. It requires an HTTP client program (your browser) and an HTTP server program (Web host software).

IP Number

(Internet Protocol Number) This is a unique number consisting of four parts separated by dots (e.g. 165.113.245.2). This number (IP address) is required in order to be on the Internet. Every computer has a unique IP number. The IP number is translated into domain names that are easier for people to remember.

POP

(Post Office Protocol) This is a protocol used to retrieve e-mail from a mail server. Most e-mail applications (sometimes called e-mail clients) use the POP protocol, although some use IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol). There are two versions of POP -- POP2 and POP3. POP 2 requires SMTP, but the newer POP3 doesn't. You may get a POP2 or POP3 mailbox with your ISP or from your Web host.

Server

Software and/or computer hardware that is set up to allow specific "clients" access to data or other software on the machine. It can refer to both the software on the server and the computer (server) itself. You might set up a server in your home or office for file storage or other central data functions. A Web server connects directly to the Internet and allows interaction between the Web files loaded on it and users on the Web.

Server-side Includes

These are commands that can be included in Web pages that are processed by the Web server when a user requests a file.

SMTP

(Simple Mail Transport Protocol) SMTP is a set of rules that determines how a program that sends mail interacts with a program that receives mail, and is the most common protocol used on the Internet.

SSL

(Secure Sockets Layer) SSL allows encrypted, authenticated communications to travel safely across the Internet. SSL is usually involved in communications between Web browsers and Web servers. You can tell if there is a "secure" connection by looking for "https" at the beginning of the URL. This indicates that an SSL connection is being used. The security features that SSL provides include security for sensitive information through encryption, authentication that the information came from where it was supposed to have come from, and assurance that the data hasn't been tampered with. This is very important for e-commerce when financial data is being transferred for product purchases.

Uptime Guarantee

Web hosts will often have an uptime guarantee that means that your site will be up and functioning 99.5% of the time. This means that there is a 0.5% allowable downtime. This converts to 7.2 minutes per day, or 3.6 hours per month.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator) URL is a standardized address system for locating resources on the Internet. A typical URL is "http://www.primarydomain.com/filename.html."

Vector Images

Vector images, also known as object-oriented graphics, use geometrical formulas to represent images. Vector-oriented images are more flexible than bit maps because they can be resized and stretched. By selecting an area of the graphic, you activate "handles" that can be used to resize or reshape that section of the image. In addition, vector images often require less memory (i.e. smaller file size) than bit-mapped images. Vector images are created in software programs referred to as "draw" programs.