Term
| acceptable use policy (AUP) |
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Definition
| The policy of a school, employer, or Internet Service Provider (ISP) that specifies the conditions under which its Internet connections may be used. |
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Term
| Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA) |
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Definition
| The U.S. Department of Defense agency that sponsored the early research and development of technologies and systems that later became the Internet. |
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Term
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Definition
| The wide area network (WAN) created by DARPA in 1969 that grew to become the Internet; Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) division of, into two specialized networks, growth of the Internet and, packet switching. |
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Term
| Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) |
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Definition
| A type of broadband connection that offers transmission speeds ranging from 100 to 640 Kbps from the user to the telephone company and from 4.5 to 9 Mbps from the relephone company to the user. |
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Term
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Definition
| The amount of data that cam travel through a communications circuit in one second. |
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Term
| Because It's Time Network (BITNET) |
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Definition
| A network of university computers that eventually became part of the Internet. |
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Term
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Definition
| The basic increment in which bandwidth is measured. |
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Term
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Definition
| The basic increment in which file sizes aare measured' it contains 8 bits. |
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Term
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Definition
| Converts a computer's digital signals into radio-frequency analog signals that are similar to television transmission signals. The converted signals travel to and from the user's cable company, which maintains a connection to the Internet. |
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Term
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Definition
| A type of twisted-pair cable that telephone companies have used for years to carry voice signals. It is inexpensive and easy to install but transmits information much more slowly than any other types of cable. |
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Term
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Definition
| A type of twisted-pair cable developed specifically for carrying data rather than carry voice signals. It is easy to install and carries signals between 10 and 100 times faster than coaxial cable. |
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Term
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Definition
| An enhanced Category 5 cable that is constructed of higher quality materials so it can carry signals about ten times faster than regular Category 5 cable. |
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Term
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Definition
| A centrally controlled, single-connection method for sending information over a network. |
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Term
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Definition
| A computer that is connected to another, usually more powerful, computer called a server. The client computer can use the server computer's resources, such as printers, files, or programs. This way of connecting computers is called a client/server network. |
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Term
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Definition
| A way of connecting multiple computers, called client computers, to a main computer, called a server computer. This commection method allows the client computers to share the server computer's resources, such as printers, files, and programs. |
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Term
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Definition
| An insulated copper wire that is encased in a metal shield and then enclosed in plastic insulation. The signal-carrying wire is completely shielded so it resists electrical interference much better than twisted-pair cable does. Coaxial cable also carries signals about 20 times faster than twisted-pair cable, but it is considerably more expensive. |
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Term
| commerce service provider (CSP) |
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Definition
| A firm that purchases Internet access from network access points and sells it to businesses, individuals, and smaller ISPs. It usually offers additional services that help businesses conduct commerce on the Internet. Also known as an Internet service provider (ISP). |
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Term
| Computer Science Network (CSNET) |
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Definition
| An internet funded by the NSF for educational and research institutions that did not have access to ARPANET. |
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Term
| Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) |
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Definition
| ARPA turned into this when the military wanted control of the Internet. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of converting an analog signal to a digital signal. |
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Term
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Definition
| The standard telephone service provided by telephone companies to business and individual customers for voice communications. This service allows users to transmit data by using a modem at a bandwidth of between 28.8 and 56 Kbps. |
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Term
| Digital Subscriber Line or Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) |
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Definition
| A type of broadband connection that offers tramsmission speeds ranging from 100 to 640 Kbps from the user ot the telephone company and from 4.5 to 9 Mbps from the telephonecompany to the user. |
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Term
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Definition
| A flow of unwanted electricity in a wire that is induced from the electromagnetic field created by the electrical current flowing through a nearby wire. |
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Term
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Definition
| The transmission of messages over communications networks, such as the Internet. |
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Term
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Definition
| An intranet that permits access by selected outside parties. |
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Term
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Definition
| A type of cable that transmits information by pulsing beams of light through very thin strands of glass. It transmits signal much faster than coaxial cable does and, because it does not use electricity, it is immune to electrical inference. It is lighter and more durable than coaxial cable, but it is harder to work with and is more expensive. |
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Term
| File Transfer Protocol (FTP) |
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Definition
| That part of the TCP/IP protocol set that includes rules for formatting, ordering, and error-checking files sent across a network. |
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Term
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Definition
| A technology for connecting residential and and small business computers to the Internet that is similar to that used by wireless LANs. |
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Term
| gigabits per second (Gbps) |
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Definition
| A measure of bandwidth;1,073,741,824 bits per second (bps). |
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Term
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Definition
| A unit of measure for file sizes; it is 1,073,741,824 bytes (8,589,934,592 bits). One file of them stores approximately one billion text characters. |
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Term
| graphical user interface (GUI) |
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Definition
| A way of presenting program output that uses pictures, icons, and other graphical elements rather than text only. |
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Term
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Definition
| An HTML tag that instructs the Web brouser to display the tagged text as a title. |
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Term
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Definition
| A page-linking sustem described by Ted Nelson in the 1960s in which text on one page links to text on other pages. |
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Term
| hypertext link (hyperlink) |
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Definition
| Connection between two HTML pages. |
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Term
| Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) |
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Definition
| A language that includes a set of codes (or tags) attached to text that describes the relationships among text elements. |
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Term
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Definition
| A computer that stores HTML documents and lets other computers connect to it and read those documents. |
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Term
| Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) |
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Definition
| A type of DSL that allows data transmission at bandwidths of up to 128 Kbps. |
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Term
| interconnected network (internet) |
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Definition
| A general term for any network of networks. |
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Term
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Definition
| A specific worldwide collection of interconnected networks whose owners have voluntarily agreed to share resources and network connections. |
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Term
| Internet access provider (IAP)/Internet service provider (ISP) |
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Definition
| A firm that purchases Internet access from network access points and sells it to businesses, individuals, and smaller ones. |
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Term
| Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) |
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Definition
| A self-organized group that mades technical contributions to the Internet and related technologies. It is the main body that develops new Internet standards. |
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Term
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Definition
| A computer that connects a LAN or WAN to the Internet. |
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Term
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Definition
| A part of the TCP/IP set of rules for sending data over a network. Version 4 is the version most commonly used on the Internet today, however, verion 6 has been approved and is being implemented. |
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Term
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Definition
| A program launched by Robert Morris in 1988 that used weaknesses in e-mail programs and operating systems to distribute itself to some of the computers that were then connected to the Internet. The program created multiple copies of itself on the computers it infected, which then consumed the processing power of the infected computers and prevented them from running other programs. |
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Term
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Definition
| A network being developed by a group of universities and the NSF that will have backbone bandwidths that exceed 1 Gbps. |
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Term
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Definition
| A LAN or WAN that uses the TCP/IP protocol but does not connect to sites outside the host firm or organization. |
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Term
| Joint Academic Network (JANET) |
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Definition
| An internet established by U.K. universities. |
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Term
| kilobits per second (Kbps) |
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Definition
| A measure of bandwidth; 1,024 bps. |
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Term
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Definition
| A unit of measure for file sizes; it is 1,024 bytes (8,192 bits). A one of them stores approximately 1,000 text characters. |
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Term
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Definition
| A device that divides combined signals from a cable television company into their television and data components. |
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Term
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Definition
| Software for running mailing lists on IBM mainframe computers. |
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Term
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Definition
| Any of several ways of connecting computers to each other when the computers are located close to each other (no more than a few thousand feet apart). |
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Term
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Definition
| An e-mail address that represents a group of individual e-mail addresses. |
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Term
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Definition
| A computer that is larger and more expensive than either a minicomputer or a PC. Businesses and other organizations use mainframe computers to process large volumes of work at high speeds. |
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Term
| megabits per second (Mbps) |
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Definition
| A measure of bandwidth; 1,048,576 bps. |
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Term
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Definition
| A unit of measure for file sizes; it is 1,048,576 bytes (8,388,608 bits). One of them stores approximately one million text characters. |
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Term
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Definition
| A memory-extension device envisioned by Vannevar Bush in 1945 taht stored all of a person's books, records, letters, and research results on microfilm. The idea included mechanicl aids to help users consult their collected knowledge quickly and flexibly. |
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Term
| MILNET (Military Network) |
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Definition
| That part of ARPANET, created in 1984, reserved for military uses that required high levels of security. |
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Term
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Definition
| A computer that is larger and more expensive than a PC. Businesses and other organizations use minicomputers to process large volumes of work at high speeds. |
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Term
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Definition
| A device that converts a computer's digital signal to an analog signal (modulation) so it can travel through a telephone line, and also converts analog signals arriving through a telephone line to digital signals that the computer can use (demodulation). |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of converting a digital signal to an analog signal. |
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Term
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Definition
| The first program with a GUI that could read HTML and use hyperlinks in HTML documents to navigate from page to page on computers anywhere on the Internet. It was the first Web browser that became widely available. |
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Term
| network access point (NAP) |
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Definition
| The points at which local portions of the Internet connect to its main network backbone. |
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Term
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Definition
| The long-distance lines and supporting technology that transport large amounts of data between major network nodes. |
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Term
| Network Control Protocol (NCP) |
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Definition
| A set of rules for formatting, ordering, and error-checking data used by the ARPANET and other early forerunners of the Internet. |
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Term
| network interface card (NIC) |
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Definition
| A card or other device inserted into or attached to a computer that allows it to be connected to a network. |
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Term
| network operating system (NOS) |
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Definition
| Software that runs on a server computer that allows other computers, called client computers, to be connected to it and share its resources, such as printer, files, or programs. |
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Term
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Definition
| A structure linking computers and other devices together for the purpose of sharing resources such as printers and files. |
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Term
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Definition
| Each computer, printer, or other device that is attached to a network. |
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Term
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Definition
| An approach that allows each network in an internet to continue using its own protocols and data transmission methods for moving data internally. |
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Term
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Definition
| Software that is created and maintained by volunteer programmers; the software is made available to users at no charge. |
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Term
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Definition
| A type of leased telephone line that uses optical fiber. |
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Term
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Definition
| A method for sending information over a network in which files and messages are divided into packets that are labeled electronically with codes for their origins and destinations. The packets are sent through the network, each possibly by a different path. The packets are reassembled at their destination. |
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Term
| plain old telephone service (POTS) |
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Definition
| The standard telephone service provided by telephone companies to business and individual customers for voice communications. This service allows users to transmit data by using a modem at a bandwidth of between 28.8 and 56 Kbps. |
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Term
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Definition
| A collection of rules for formatting, ordering, and error-checking data sent across a network. |
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Term
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Definition
| A computer on a packet-switching internet that accepts packets from other networks and determines the best way to move each packet forward to its destination. |
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Term
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Definition
| The program on a router computer in a packet-switching internet that determines the best path on which to send packets. |
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Term
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Definition
| A computer that accepts requests from other computers, called clients, that are connected to it and shares some or all of its resources, such as printers, files, or programs, with those client computers. This way of connecting computers is called a client/server network. |
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Term
| Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) |
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Definition
| The document description language on which HTML is based. Organizations have used SGML for many years to manage large document-filing systems. |
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Term
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Definition
| A high-bandwidth (1.544 Mbps) data transmission connection used as part of the Internet backbone and by large firms and ISPs as a connection to the Internet. |
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Term
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Definition
| A high-bandwidth (44.736 Mbps) data transmission connection used as part of the Internet backbone and by large firms and ISPs as a connection to the Internet. |
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Term
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Definition
| A markup code that tells the Web browser software how to display text. |
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Term
| Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) |
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Definition
| A combined set of rules for data transmission. One includes rules that computers on a network use to establish and break connections; and the other one includes rules for routing of individual data packets. |
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Term
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Definition
| It lets users log in to thier computer accounts from remote sites. |
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Term
| Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) |
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Definition
| A part of the TCP/IP set of rules for sending data over a network. |
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Term
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Definition
| The type of cable that telephone companies have used for years to wire residences and businesses; it has two or more insulated copper wires that are twisted around each other and enclosed in another layer of plastic insulation. |
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Term
| User's News Network (Usenet) newsgroups |
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Definition
| A network that allows users to post information and responses to that information. The network predates the Internet, but is now available through the Internet. |
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Term
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Definition
| Software that lets users read (or browse) HTML documents and move from one HTML document to another through the text formatted with hypertext link tags in each file. HTML documents can be stored on the user's computer or on another computer that is part of the Web. |
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Term
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Definition
| A collection of HTML documents stored on a computer that is connected to the Internet. All of them taken together make up the Web. |
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Term
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Definition
| Any of several ways of connecting computers to each other when the computers are located more than a few thousand feet from each other. |
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Term
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Definition
| A way of connecting computers to each other that does not use cable. Instead, it uses wireless transmitters and receives that plug into network interface cards (NICs). |
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Term
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Definition
| A subset of the computers on the Internet that are connected to each other in a way that allows them to share hyperlinked HTML documents with each other. |
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