# Glossary

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

A

address
  The unique name or number, also called a URL, that specifies the location of a file on the Internet or on another network.
ASCII
  American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a code that represents letters, numerals, punctuation marks, control characters, and symbols, and makes it possible to transfer information from one computer to another.
animation
  A special type of image file that can store multiple images in a single file and produce the illusion of movement when an application displays the images sequentially.
applet
  A small application that can be embedded in a Web page to enhance the look of or add functionality to the page. See also Java.

B

BinHex
  A method for converting binary data files to ASCII text files so they can be transmitted over the Internet or across a network without losing data. BinHex files use the .hqx file name extension.
Binary file
  A file consisting of characters that describe an image, document, or application. Binary files are read by computers rather than by people.
browser
  See Web browser.
bytecode
  The compiled format of a Java applet. These files are executed by the Java Virtual Machine (VM) and usually use the .class file name extension.

C

cache
  The folder on your hard disk in which Microsoft Internet Explorer stores Web pages and other files, such as images, as you view them. By storing these files on your hard disk, Internet Explorer can display pages you previously visited more quickly, because it displays the files from your hard disk rather than from the Web.
certificate
  A digital signature, issued by a certification authority, that verifies the identity of a secure Web site. Certificates ensure that no other Web site can assume the identity of a secure site. This helps make sensitive online transactions, such as shopping, banking, and stock trading, more secure by preventing unauthorized access to information sent to or from a secure site.
character set
  A group of alphabetic, numeric, and other characters needed to display text in a specific language.
ColorSync
  A color management system included with the Macintosh operating system. ColorSync improves color consistency between different devices, such as monitors and printers.
compression
  The process of reducing the size of a file by changing its format so that it requires less storage space or takes less time to transfer.
cookie
  A text file on your hard disk that Web sites use to store information about you and your preferences for the site. Only the information you provide or the choices you make while visiting a Web site can be stored in a cookie.

D

decompression
  The process of restoring a compressed file to its original size and format.
domain name
  The unique name of the server and a suffix that identifies the location of the server or the type of organization that maintains the server. Domain names are often used in URLs. For example, the domain name, “microsoft.com” is part of the URL “http://www.microsoft.com/”.
download
  To copy a file from the Internet, a network server, or a file server to a computer.

E

e-mail
  Electronic mail. An e-mail message is sent from one person to another.
e-mail address
  The address of your electronic mailbox, or the mailbox where you receive e-mail messages. An e-mail address typically includes your name, followed by the @ sign and then your domain name — for example, “someone@microsoft.com”
extension
  See file name extension.

F

file helper
  See helper application.
file name extension
  The characters that follow a period in a file name and indicate the file’s format or type. For example, the file Image.gif uses the .gif file name extension, which indicates that the file is a GIF image.
firewall
  A security system that prevents computers on a network from communicating directly with computers on another network. Instead, all communication is routed through a proxy server, which determines whether a particular message or file may pass to or from the network.
frame
  A rectangular section of a Web page that is itself a separate HTML document. Web pages can have multiple frames, each with the same capabilities as an unframed Web page, including scrolling and linking to another frame or Web site.
FTP
  File Transfer Protocol, a protocol used for copying files to and from remote computer systems on a network, such as the Internet. FTP sites are frequently used on the Internet for making files and folders publicly available.

G

GIF
  Graphic Interchange Format, a file format commonly used for transmitting bitmap images on the Internet because its file size is typically smaller than comparable formats.

H

helper application
  An application that handles a particular protocol or file type. For example, you can make the Apple QuickTime plug-in the helper application for QuickTime movie files, so you can view these movies in Microsoft Internet Explorer.
home page
  The Web page that serves as a starting point for a Web site and often functions as a table of contents for the site. The home page is also the page you see each time you start Microsoft Internet Explorer or when you click Home on the Button Bar.
HTML
  Hypertext Markup Language, a language used for creating documents for the World Wide Web. HTML uses special code that tells Web browsers how to display elements such as text and images in a document.
HTTP
  Hypertext Transfer Protocol, a protocol used for exchanging HTML documents and other files on the World Wide Web.
HTTPS
  Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, a protocol used for handling secure transactions on the World Wide Web.
hyperlink
  See link.

I

Internet
  The worldwide network of millions of connected computers. The Internet contains many types of information, including HTML documents, e-mail messages, newsgroup messages, and applications.
Internet address
  See e-mail address, URL.
ISP
  Internet service provider, a company that provides connections to the Internet.

J

Java
  A programming language, developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. Applications written in Java are platform-independent, which means they can run on any type of computer. Developers often use Java to create applets.
Java Virtual Machine
  A special application included with your browser or operating system that runs Java applets. Also called Java VM.
JPEG
  Joint Photographic Experts Group, a file format commonly used for storing continuous-tone images, such as photographs, in a compressed format.

L

link
  An image or special text that enables you to jump from one HTML document to another, to jump to another location in the same HTML document, or to download files from the Internet to your computer. To follow a link, click the link text or image.

M

MacBinary
  A method of encoding and decoding Macintosh files so they can travel over networks without losing information. MacBinary files use the .bin file name extension.

N

newsgroup
  A collection of messages posted to a news server. You can find newsgroups on practically any subject. Anyone who can access a newsgroup can read the messages it contains and post new messages.

O

offline
  Not connected to the Internet or to another network.
online
  Connected to the Internet or to another network.

P

page
  See Web page.
plug-in
  A small application that adds functionality to a larger application. For example, the Apple QuickTime plug-in enables Microsoft Internet Explorer to display QuickTime movies in the browser window.
PNG
  Portable Network Graphics, a file format commonly used for transmitting bitmap images on the Internet because its file size is typically smaller than comparable formats.
protocol
  A set of rules and standards that enables computers to exchange information.
protocol helper
  See helper application.
proxy server
  A computer that acts as a gateway between a network protected by a firewall and other networks. For example, a proxy server passes a request for an Internet address from a Web browser in the protected network to an outside server and then returns the results.

R

refresh
  To reload — or update the contents of — the current Web page or frame in your Web browser.

S

scripting
  A simple programming language, such as Perl, that enables Web page designers to enhance the look of or add functionality to a Web page. Scripts are typically implemented by embedding script code in an HTML document.
site
  See Web site.
SMTP
  Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, a TCP/IP protocol used for sending e-mail messages from a computer to a server, and from one server to another.
style sheet
  A list of formatting definitions, such as character, paragraph, and layout attributes, used by one or more Web pages.

T

TCP/IP
  Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, a set of protocols used for transferring data between computers.
temporary items folder
  See cache.

U

URL
  Uniform Resource Locator, a unique name or number that specifies the location of a file on the Internet. A URL consists of a protocol, such as “http://” that specifies a Web page, followed by a server or path name. For example, the URL for the Microsoft Web site is “http://www.microsoft.com/”.

W

Web
  See World Wide Web.
Web browser
  An application, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, that enables you to view Web pages on the World Wide Web, on another network, or on your computer. A browser also enables you to jump from one Web page to another by following links and to download files from the Internet to your computer.
Web page
  An HTML document that can include text, images, sounds, and movies, as well as links to other Web pages and files.
Web server
  A computer that can deliver a Web page when requested to do so by a Web browser. Each Web server on the World Wide Web has a unique address.
Web site
  A collection of Web pages (also known as HTML documents) on the same Web server. The pages on a Web site typically cover related topics and are usually interconnected by links. Most Web sites have a home page.
World Wide Web
  The graphical, multimedia portion of the Internet. The most common files on the World Wide Web (WWW) are HTML documents, which are also known as Web pages.