Glossary

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Address

There are two types of addresses in common use within the Internet. They are email and IP or Internet addresses.

Anonymous FTP

Anonymous FTP allows a user to retrieve documents, files, programs and other archived data from anywhere on the Internet without having to establish a userid and password. By using the special userid of "anonymous" the network user will bypass local security checks and will have access to publicly accessible files on the remote system.

Application

A program that performs a function directly for a user. FTP, mail and Telnet clients are examples of network applications.

B

Bandwidth

Technically, the difference, in Hertz (Hz), between the highest and lowest frequencies of a transmission channel. However, as typically used, the amount of data that can be sent through a given communications circuit. Also used colloquially (esp. on Usenet) to indicate message traffic.

Baud

A gauge to measure the speed at which a modem communicates. Synonymous with "bits per second" (BPS); e.g., 14,400bps = 14,400baud.

BBS

See: Bulletin Board System

BCNU

Be Seeing You

Binary

Base 2 numeral system. The two symbols used are '0' and '1'.

Binary file

Any file that is not plain, ASCII text. For example: executable files, graphic files and compressed (ZIP) files.

Bounce

The return of a piece of mail because of an error in the delivery process. Mail can be bounced for various reasons. "Bounce" can also refer to the message indicating the error (informal usage).

BTW

By The Way

Bulletin Board System (BBS)

A computer, and associated hardware, which typically provides electronic messaging services, archives of files and any other services or activities of interest to the bulletin board system's operator. Many BBS's are currently operated by government, educational and research institutions. Although BBS's have traditionally been the domain of hobbyists, an increasing number of BBS's are connected to the Internet. The majority, however, are still reachable only via a direct modem-to-modem connection over a phone line.

C

Client

A computer system or process that requests a service of another computer system or process. A workstation requesting the contents of a file from a file server is a client of the file server.

Cracker

A cracker is an individual who attempts to access computer systems without authorization. These people are often malicious, as opposed to hackers, and have many means at their disposal for breaking into a system. See also: Trojan Horse, virus, worm.

Cyberspace

A term coined by William Gibson in his SF novel Neuromancer (1984) to describe the interconnected "world" of computers and the society that gathers around them.

D

DNS

See: Domain Name System

Domain

A group of computers whose hostnames share a common suffix. This is the domain name. See also: Domain Name System.

Domain Name System (DNS)

The DNS is a general purpose distributed, replicated, data query service. The principal use is the lookup of host IP addresses based on host names. The style of host names now used in the Internet is called "domain name", because they are the style of names used to look up anything in the DNS. Some important domains are .COM (commercial), .NET (network), .EDU (educational), .GOV (government) and .MIL (military). Most countries also have a domain. For example, .US (United States), .UK (United Kingdom) and .AU (Australia).

E

Electronic Mail

A system whereby a computer user can exchange messages with other computer users (or groups of users) via a communications network. Electronic mail is one of the most popular uses of the Internet.

Email

See: Electronic Mail

Email Address

The domain-based or UUCP address that is used to send electronic mail to a specified destination.

Encryption

Encryption is the manipulation of data in order to prevent any but the intended recipient from reading that data. There are many types of data encryption and they are the basis of network security.

F

FAQ

Frequently Asked Question. In its usual context, FAQ refers to collected answers to often-asked questions on Usenet newsgroups. These are periodically posted to the newsgroups in question, to the .answers newsgroups (news.answers, rec.answers, comp.answers, etc.) and are stored on the FAQ FTP archive on rtfm.mit.edu. Men On Line maintains numbered FAQ files -- information files that address issues raised frequently by customers.

File Transfer

The copying of a file from one computer to another over a computer network. See also: File Transfer Protocol, Kermit.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

A protocol which allows a user on one host to access and transfer files to and from another host over a network. Also, FTP is usually the name of the program the user invokes to execute the protocol. See also: Anonymous FTP.

Firewall

Any of several ways to protect a network from an untrusted host or network. Consists of mechanisms to block network traffic and mechanisms to permit network traffic.

For Your Information (FYI)

FYIs convey general information about topics related to TCP/IP, the Internet and others. It is used colloquially as an acronym in Usenet and IRC.

FTP

See: File Transfer Protocol

FWIW

For What It's Worth

FYI

See: For Your Information.

G

GIF

Graphic Interchange Format. An image compression algorithm that facilitates the transfer of high quality images over a network. A GIF can be of any resolution but only has 8 bit (256) color.

Gigabyte

A billion bytes, which is large enough to hold 1,250 copies of Moby Dick.

H

Hacker

A person who delights in having an intimate understanding of the internal workings of a system, computers and computer networks in particular. The term is often misused in a pejorative context, where "cracker" would be the correct term.

Host

A computer that allows users to communicate with other host computers on a network. Individual users communicate by using client programs, such as electronic mail, Telnet and FTP.

HTML

See: HyperText Markup Language

HTTP

See: HyperText Transfer Protocol

Hypertext

A link between one document and other, related documents elsewhere in a collection. By clicking on a word or phrase that has been highlighted on a computer screen, a user can skip directly to files related to that subject.

HyperText Markup Language (HTML)

The coding that World Wide Web browsers read to create Web pages.

HyperText Transfer Protocol

The protocol used to transfer World Wide Web data across the Internet.

I

IMHO

In My Humble Opinion.

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)

ISDN combines voice and digital network services in a single medium, making it possible to offer customers digital data services as well as voice connections through a single "wire".

Internet

A network or collection of networks interconnected with routers. It also refers to the largest network of computers in the world "The Internet".

Internet Address

An IP address that uniquely identifies a node on the Internet.

Internet Protocol (IP)

The network layer for the TCP/IP Protocol Suite. It is a connectionless, best-effort packet switching protocol.

IP

See: Internet Protocol

ISDN

See: Integrated Services Digital Network

K

Kermit

A popular file transfer protocol developed by Columbia University. Because Kermit runs in most operating environments, it provides an easy method of file transfer. Kermit is not the same as FTP.

L

Lurking

No active participation on the part of a person to a mailing list, Usenet, newsgroup or IRC channel. A person who is lurking is just listening to the discussion. Lurking is encouraged for beginning users who wish to become acquainted with a particular discussion before joining in.

M

Mail Server

A software program that distributes files or information in response to requests sent via email. Internet examples include Almanac and netlib. Mail servers have also been used in Bitnet to provide FTP-like services.

Men On Line

The world's hottest site for gay entertainment.

MUD

See: Multi-User Dungeon

Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME)

An extension to Internet email which provides the ability to transfer non-textual data, such as graphics, audio and video.

Multi-User Dungeon (MUD)

Adventures, role playing games, or simulations played on the Internet. Devotees call them "text-based virtual reality adventures". Players interact in real time and can modify the "world" in which the game is played. Most MUDs are based on the Telnet protocol.

N

Net Abuse

Net abuse can be either abuse of Men On Line's network services, or violations of netiquette. Types of net abuse that violate Men On Line's Terms and Conditions include: Attempting to "hack", or break into accounts. Using an account for any illegal activity. Disruption of chat channels. "Flooding" someone with talk requests. Direct threats in email. Sharing an account (in certain circumstances).

Netiquette

A pun on "etiquette", referring to proper behavior on a network.

Newbie

Slang term for a user who is new to the Internet.

P

POP

See: Post Office Protocol, Point of Presence

Post Office Protocol (POP)

A protocol designed to allow single user hosts to read email from a server. There are three versions: POP, POP2 and POP3. Later versions are not compatible with earlier versions.

PPP

See: Point-to-Point Protocol

Protocol

A formal description of message formats and the rules two computers must follow to exchange those messages. Protocols can describe low-level details of machine-to-machine interfaces (the order in which bits and bytes are transmitted across a network) or high-level exchanges (how two programs transfer a file across the Internet).

R

ROTFL

Rolling On The Floor Laughing.

S

Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP or CSLIP)

A protocol used to run IP over serial lines, such as telephone circuits or RS-232 cables, interconnecting two systems. CSLIP indicates that compression is used with the SLIP protocol. See also: Point-to-Point Protocol.

Server

A provider of resources (e.g., file servers and name servers).

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)

A protocol used to transfer electronic mail between computers. SMTP is a server to server protocol, so other protocols are used to access the messages. See also: Post Office Protocol.

SLIP

See: Serial Line IP

SMTP

See: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

Surfing

Informal term for exploring the Internet (i.e., "surfing the 'net."). Most often used in reference to accessing sites on the World Wide Web.

SysOp

The person responsible for maintenance of a given computer system. Short for "System Operator".

T

T1

An AT&T term for a digital carrier facility used to transmit a DS-1 formatted digital signal at 1.544 megabits per second.

T3

A term for a digital carrier facility used to transmit a DS-3 formatted signal at 44.746 megabits per second.

TCP/IP Protocol Suite

Transmission Control Protocol over Internet Protocol. This is a common shorthand which refers to the suite of transport and application protocols which run over IP. See also: IP, TCP, FTP , telnet, SMTP.

Telnet

The standard Internet protocol for remote terminal connection service.

Thread

A series of articles on the same topic, in a Usenet newsgroup.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

An Internet standard transport layer protocol. It is connection-oriented and steam-oriented, as opposed to UDP.

Trojan Horse

A computer program which carries within itself a means to allow the program's creator access to the system using it.

TTFN

Ta-Ta For Now

U

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

Uniform Resource Locators provide an absolute location for a given piece of information. URL's are used by web browsers to locate information. The protocol is: protocol://host/path/filename . For example, the URL for the MEN ON LINE homepage is https://www.hot4men.com

URL

See: Uniform Resource Locator

Usenet

A collection of thousands of topically named newsgroups, the computers which run the protocols and the people who read them and submit Usenet news articles. Not all Internet hosts subscribe to Usenet and not all Usenet hosts are on the Internet.

Userid

A compression of "user identification"; the userid always proceeds the @ sign in an email address.

UUdecoding

The restoration of uuencoded data to its original form.

UUencoding

The conversion of binary data into a 7-bit ASCII representation using an encoding scheme. Originally implemented to enable users to send such data over UUCP, it is now used to send binary files such as graphics files, user application documents and programs through email and on Usenet. See also: UUdecoding.

V

Virus

A program which replicates itself on computer systems by incorporating itself into other programs which are shared among computer systems. See also: Trojan Horse, Worm.

W

W3

See: World Wide Web.

Winsock

Winsock is a TCP/IP stack that allows you to use your modem to send data to/from the Internet. A Winsock interface is required for Windows Internet applications like Netscape, Eudora, Free Agent, and many others. Winsock allows true Internet networking via modem.

World Wide Web (WWW or W3)

A hypertext-based, distributed information system created by researchers at CERN in Switzerland. Users may create, edit or browse hypertext documents. The clients and servers are freely available.

Worm

A computer program which replicates itself and is self-propagating. Worms, as opposed to viruses, are meant to spawn in network environments. Network worms were first defined by Shoch and Hupp of Xerox in ACM Communications (March 1982). The Internet worm of November 1988 is perhaps the most famous; it successfully propagated itself on over 6,000 systems across the Internet. See also: Trojan Horse, Virus.

WWW

See: World Wide Web

WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get.