We
have gathered a list of some of the most commonly used technical
terms for web site design, marketing and maintenance purposes and on the
internet.
Browser
-
An
Internet Browser interprets HTML, the programming language of the Internet,
into the words and graphics that you see when viewing a web page. The most
common browser is Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which controls
approximately 80% of the market. Netscape's Navigator is a distant second.
Cable
and DSL
-
These
are high-speed connection methods, which are spreading in availability.
Technically, they're not dial-up because they're "always on". This
is the connection we use and prefer.
Database
-
A
database is just a file, which contains a lot of information in a format
that can be accessed quickly. Microsoft Access is one type of database that
can be integrated with your website.
DNS
- Domain Name Server - this is a computer used by your ISP to store
the database of IP addresses and their associated Domain Names. When you
type a Domain Name into your browser, your ISP consults the DNS database to
translate the name into the appropriate IP address, then broadcasts your
request onto the Internet.
Domain
Name
-
This
is the unique name assigned to your IP address. It is usually the name of
your business, i.e. www.yourname.com
Some
web hosting services require their name to appear first, i.e. www.webhost/yourname.com
and although it may work for some, it is usually too limited for a company
that wants a competitive edge when it comes to marketing, specifically -
name recognition, search engine submission, optimization, indexing and
cataloging as well as databases. These are crucial elements that
determine the visibility and ultimate success of your online business. If
you use a free web host who goes out of business or moves to a different server all
of your efforts could be for naught.
E-commerce
- E-commerce
refers to all forms of business activities conducted across the internet.
This can include processing orders, e-mailing, business to business
contacts, intranets and extranets, online advertising and any online
presence that is used for some type of communication.
FTP
- File Transfer Protocol - the method used by computers to transfer
files to each other. FTP is how the files, which make up your web site get
transferred from the development computers to the hard drive on your Server.
Our hosting plans allows unlimited FTP access.
Hard Disk Storage
- This is the space you have to store your site. Every
website is stored on a web server, which is the computer that broadcasts
your site to your visitors. Your hard disk storage is how much space you are
allocated on that server's hard drive. Even most robust websites don't
require more than 10 megs of space, but having more is a nice luxury for
storing pictures, video, and graphics. Alliance Web Site Solutions plans
offer 100 to 500+ megs of storage.
Host
-
is
a node or computer on a network from which your workstation can log into or
use resources from. This is where the files, which create your web site, are
stored. The host computer is connected to the Internet full-time over
high-speed wires. Your overhead costs will include the rent,
for your space, to the host.
HTML
- Hypertext Markup Language - this is the computer language, which
tells your browser what the web page is supposed to look like. HTML is plain
text with commands "hidden" in between the words, so that
">B<" tells Netscape to start showing the text in Bold face,
while "<BR>" signals a line break. To see what the code for
any page looks like, right-click anywhere on the text and select "View
Source" or under VIEW in the browser menu choose "Document
Source".
HTTP
- This is an application protocol, which defines how files on the World
Wide Web are transferred. HTTP is the framework for how browsers will
display and use file formats. When you enter in a URL with HTTP at the
beginning, you are requesting a web page that can contain other elements
(such as pictures) and links to other resources.
IMAGE MAP - Image maps are used for navigation on web sites. An image map is a
graphic on a web page. When you click on the image you are taken to another
web page or spot on that web site. You may have used them to see
enlargements of smaller image files.
IP
Address
- this
is the 4-part number, which is actually the identifying address of your web
site on the Internet. Your IP address is one of the series of numbers
assigned to the hosting company, which in turn assigns it to you. The master
database of whose name goes with the IP address.
ISDN
and DSL- these are the names of 3 types of high-speed connections
between computers. Your modem is capable of transmission speeds of 28,800,
or 33,600, or 57,600 bits per second. An ISDN connection can handle 128,000
bits per second; a DSL line is capable of 1,544,000 bits per second. A DSL
line will cost about $35.00 per month and up.
ISP
- or Internet Service Provider, is a company, which provides
Internet access for individuals, organizations, and companies. An Internet
Service provider usually has multiple access methods, including dial-up, DSL,
cable modem, ISDN, T1, and sometimes T3.
JAVA - Java
is an object oriented programming language. You can create full programs
with Java. It is a platform independent computer language that can be used
on any 32-bit operating system.
JAVASCRIPT - Javascript
is a scripting language that is used inside other programming languages such
as HTML to enhance its' abilities. It cannot work as a stand alone
programming language. It works within other computer programming.
Keyword
-
Keyword
is the term used for words included in a web page that would match words
used by web surfers in finding relevant information on specific products and
services (via a search engine). Keywords can simply be words included in the
body text of the document, or added to the header using Meta tags to
increase the number of keywords. Selecting keywords that match your target
audiences' use of the web is a critical marketing tactic.
LINKS
- Due to the nature of the World Wide Web, many sites
are interlinked or they connect to each other via “links” on their web
site to other resources and web sites.
Microsoft FrontPage Server
Extensions - Microsoft
FrontPage is an extremely popular web development tool. You can create your
site and upload it to our servers using this extremely powerful product. Our
servers support FrontPage components which are easy-to-add features for your
website like counters, order forms, and more. Alliance Web Site Solutions
always supports the latest version of FrontPage and is backwards compatible
with all previous versions. You can use FrontPage to add powerful
functionality to your website with an easy graphical interface.
Meta
Tags
-
Are
tags that can be included in HTML source code in the header section. The
most common Meta tags allow the designer to include additional keywords into
a document (keyword meta tag) and specify the text that appears when a
search engine includes the document in its database (subject meta tag). They
are therefore useful for increasing the utility of the document and helping
potential clients who are searching for particular products and services.
Meta tags are cataloged and indexed by search engines.
Monthly Transfer (also called
bandwidth)- This is the
total amount of data (including graphics, HTML web pages, video, etc) which
can be uploaded and downloaded from your site each month. It is a rough
estimator of how many visitors your hosting plan can accommodate. For
example, on an average size with a moderate amount of graphics, it has been
our experience that 1000 megabytes (MB) of transfer can accommodate well
over 5,000 visitors per month. Some web hosts claim to offer "unlimited
bandwidth" which is not really possible. Not only are they likely to
pack your site on an overloaded server and connection, but if you read the
fine print there are always "excessive use penalties" which are
arbitrary and costly. In contrast, we insure your site always gets the
resources you pay for to make it fast and reliable with no hidden charges.
POP3 Email- short for post
office protocol, it's used to retrieve email from a mail server. Most email
applications (sometimes called an email client) such as Outlook and Eudora;
use POP3, although some can use IMAP (Internet Messaging Access Protocol).
SEARCH
ENGINE OPTIMIZATION - Search engine optimization can best be
described as creating or altering websites to best be found on search
engines or creating or changing sites so they appear in the top listings of
search engines.
There are many optimization companies and web developers who offer search
engine optimization services. Typically, these range from under $100 to
several thousand dollars depending on your advertising and marketing budget
and your specific needs.
(Some
companies use deceptive or questionable methods that can cause your web site
to be penalized or banned on major search engines. Alliance
Web-Site-Solutions does not approve of or use these types of marketing
schemes).
Server
-
A
server is a computer/device, which provides information or services to
computers on a network, which actually handles the Internet communications.
One of the functions of a Server is to Host Web Sites.
TARGET
ACTION -
Imagine you've got a physical office. Now assuming you want
potential customers to come in, what do you want them to do once they are in
the door? While that example may be very intuitive, now think of your
website. Imagine a potential customer that has just come into your site.
What do you want them to do next?
The web site target action
is THE most important action that a user of your web site needs to
eventually take. In other words, you have a visitor to your site, now what
is the single most important thing that you would like him/her to do?
Contact you via the contact form? Pick up the phone and call your office?
Register for your online newsletter? Fill out that order form with his/her
credit card details? Join your forum? Or, merely write a feedback about a
new topic? Whatever that MOST IMPORTANT action may be, this is the web
site's target action.
For a given target
audience, the target action of your web site is one and one only. It is THE
most important action that needs to be taken by the target user. If there is
more than one action that you want your users to take, please decide which
one is the most important. The target action needs to be simple (if it's
not, then you are losing customers). Last, the target action may change
according to season, company’s growth stage, new opportunities, external
changes, etc. Early on in the project, it should be evident to you and to
everyone who is working on your web site, what the target action of your web
site is.
URL
- Stands for Uniform Resource
Locator. The URL is the address of a resource or file available on
the Internet. The URL contains the protocol of the resource e.g. http:// or
ftp://. For example a page on the internet may be at the URL http://www.yourname.com.
The URL could also point to other things such as CGI programs, Java
programs, graphic files, or other resources available on the Internet.
World
Wide Web -
Web
and Internet have become interchangeable and have come to mean the same
thing. Technically, the Web is one way to use the Internet, just as a Word
Processor is one way to use a computer, or commuting is one way to use a
car.
If
you come across other buzzwords that you feel should be included here send it to
us at info@web-site-solutions.net and we'll gladly add it.
Regardless of your level of
Internet knowledge, online fluency is easy to achieve and it is just a click
away.
For more information, visit the following sites:
Webopedia.com
-
How Things Work
-
CMPNet:
TechEncyclopedia
- www.techweb.com/encyclopedia
-
Computing
Dictionary
- wombat.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/index.html
-
CNET
Glossary
- www.cnet.com/Resources/Info/Glossary
-
CNET:
Errors Explained
- www.cnet.com/Resources/Tech/Advisers/Error/index.html
-
Download.com
- www.download.com
-
HotWired:
Web 101 Glossary
- www.hotwired.com/web101/glossary/index.html
-
Netdictionary
- www.netdictionary.com/html/index.html
-
NetLingo
- www.netlingo.com
-
PC
Webopaedia
- www.pcwebopaedia.com
-
Whatis.com
- www.whatis.com
-
Yahoo!
Internet Life: Surf Lingo
- www.zdnet.com/yil/content/surfschool/lingo/lingotoc.html
-
ZDNet
Webopaedia - www.zdwebopedia.com
