Internet Buzzwords Defined
The Internet is so full of slang words, it’s getting harder and harder to keep up. Here are some of the more common words defined.
E-commerce - The buying and selling of goods, services or products over the Internet. The “e” is short for electronic. Often used interchangeably with e-business.
Privacy Policy - A publicly available document stating what information a web site is collecting from it’s visitors and how that data will be used. Links to privacy policies are usually clearly marked on every page, and are different for web sites that are targeted towards children.
POP3 - This stands for Post Office Protocol 3. It is an Internet protocol in which the server (usually the Internet Service Provider, ex. MSN) stores the email on the server until the client (you, on your computer) downloads it onto your local computer when you check your mail.
Personal Firewall - A software program used to protect a single computer with one connection to the Internet. This is useful for those with “always on” Internet connections, such as @Home.
Bandwith - The amount of data that can be sent through your Internet connection. It’s usually measured in kilobytes per second. A 56k modem can transfer a maximum of 56 kilobytes per second.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions. A list of questions that are frequently asked so you can go there first and see if you question has already been answered.
Shareware - Software that is distributed and downloaded over the Internet, rather than purchased at a store. Usually written by a single author, they can either be purchased for a small fee or free.
GIF - Graphic Interchange Format. A color graphics file that is commonly used for pictures on the Internet.
Spam - Unsolicited advertising, usually sent via email. Companies might sell your email address to another company so they can send email about their product. This is why Privacy Policies are necessary.
URL - Uniform Resource Locator. Every web page needs a unique address. If you know the URL of a site you want to visit, you can type it in the address bar of your browser. This is analogous to a telephone number.
