|
bandwidth |
the transmission
capacity of the lines that carry the Internet's electronic traffic. Historically,
it's imposed severe limitations on the ability of the Internet to deliver
all that we are demanding it deliver, but fiber-optic cables will ensure
that bandwidth soon will be essentially limitless and free. |
| CGI |
Common
Gateway Interface |
A set of rules that
describe how a Web Server communicates with another piece of software on
the same machine, and how the other piece of software (the “CGI program”)
talks to the web server. Any piece of software can be a CGI program if it
handles input and output according to the CGI standard.
Usually a CGI
program is a small program that takes data from a web server and does something
with it, like putting the content of a form into an e-mail message, or turning
the data into a database query. |
|
cgi-bin |
the most common name
of a directory on a web server in which CGI programs are stored.
The “bin” part
of “cgi-bin” is a shorthand version of “binary”, because once upon a time,
most programs were refered to as “binaries”. In real life, most programs
found in cgi-bin directories are text files -- scripts that are executed
by binaries located elsewhere on the same machine |
|
client/server |
Computer technology
that separates computers and their users into two categories: clients or
servers.
When you want
information from a computer on the Internet, you are a client.
The computer
that delivers the information is the server. A server both stores information
and makes it available to any authorized client who requests the information. |
|
domain
name |
The unique name that
identifies an Internet site. Domain Names always have 2 or more parts,
separated by dots. The part on the left is the most specific, and the part
on the right (com, net, org etc.) is the most general.
Each domain
name can refer to no more than one machine. It is also possible for a Domain
Name to exist but not be connected to an actual machine. This is often done
so that a group or business can have an Internet e-mail address without having
to establish a real Internet site. |
| DNS |
Domain Name System |
the hierarchical system by
which easy-to-remember, human-friendly names like "icann.org" are associated
with Internet locations.the hierarchical system by which easy-to-remember,
human-friendly names like "icann.org" are associated with Internet locations. |
|
firewall |
a combination of
hardware and software that protects a local area network (LAN) from Internet
hackers. It separates the network into two or more parts and restricts
outsiders to the area "outside" the firewall. Private or sensitive information
is kept "inside" the firewall |
| FTP |
File
Transfer Protocol |
the basic Internet
function that enables files to be transferred between computers. You can
use it to download files from a remote, host computer, as well as to upload
files from your computer to a remote, host computer. (See Anonymous FTP). |
|
anonymous
FTP |
using the FTP function
of the Internet anonymously by not logging in with an actual, secret login
ID and password. Often permitted by large, host computers who are willing
to share openly some of the files on their system to outside users who
otherwise would not be able to log in. |
|
gateway |
a host computer that
connects networks that communicate in different languages. A gateway connects
for example a company's local area network to the Internet. |
|
host |
a computer that "hosts"
outside computer users by providing files, services or sharing its resources. |
| IANA |
Internet Assigned
Numbers Authority |
the authority originally responsible
for the oversight of IP address allocation, the coordination of the assignment
of protocol parameters provided for in Internet technical standards, and
the management of the DNS, including the delegation of top-level domains
and oversight of the root name server system. Under ICANN, the IANA continues
to distribute addresses to the Regional Internet Registries, coordinate
with the IETF and others to assign protocol parameters, and oversee the
operation of the DNS. |
| ICANN |
The
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers |
a global non-profit corporation
formed to oversee the technical coordination of the Domain Name System (DNS),
which allows Internet addresses (for example, web pages and email accounts)
to be found by easy-to-remember names, instead of numbers. Thanks to the
DNS, users can find the server at 208.56.194.91 simply by typing www.mykerala.net
into their browsers.
a select range of Internet
technical management functions. ICANN is responsible for coordinating the
assignment of protocol parameters, the management of the domain name and
root server systems, and the allocation of IP address space. |
| IETF |
Internet Engineering Task Force |
a large open international
community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers concerned
with the evolution of the Internet architecture and the smooth operation
of the Internet. It is open to any interested individual. |
| IP |
Internet
Protocol |
The communications protocol
underlying the Internet, IP allows large, geographically-diverse networks
of computers to communicate with each other quickly and economically over
a variety of physical links. An Internet Protocol Address is the numerical
address by which a location in the Internet is identified. Computers on the
Internet use IP addresses to route traffic and establish connections among
themselves; people generally use the human-friendly names made possible
by the Domain Name System. |
| ISDN |
Integrated
Services Digital Network |
a set of communications
standards that enable a single phone line or optical cable to carry voice,
digital network services and video. It is a way to move more data over
existing regular phone lines. It can provide speeds of roughly 128,000 bits-per-second
over regular phone lines. In practice, most people will be limited to 56,000
or 64,000 bits-per-second. ISDN is intended to eventually replace
our standard telephone system. |
| ISOC |
The Internet Society |
the international organization
for global cooperation and coordination for the Internet and its internetworking
technologies and applications. ISOC membership is open to any interested
person. |
| ISP |
Internet Service Provider |
a company which provides access
to the Internet to organizations and/or individuals. Access services provided
by ISPs may include webhosting, email, VoIP (voice over IP), and support
for many other applications. |
|
Java |
A network-oriented
programming language invented by Sun Microsystems that developers use
to create applets (small Java programs) that are embedded in Web pages
Java is specifically
designed for writing programs that can be safely downloaded to your computer
through the Internet and immediately run without fear of viruses or other
harm to your computer or files. Using small Java programs (called "applets"),
web pages can include functions such as animations, calculators, pop-up-windows
and other fancy tricks. |
| kbps |
kilobits
per second |
a speed rating for
computer modems that measures (in units of 1,024 bits) the maximum number
of bits the device can transfer in one second under ideal conditions |
| kBps |
kilobytes per second |
one byte is eight
bits |
|
listserv |
an Internet application
that automatically "serves" mailing lists by sending electronic newsletters
to a stored database of Internet user addresses. Users can handle their
own subscribe/unsubscribe actions without requiring anyone at the server
location to personally handle the transaction |
|
mailing
list |
an e-mail based discussion
group. Sending one e-mail message to the mailing list's list server sends
mail to all other members of the group. Users join a mailing list by subscribing.
Subscribers to a mailing list receive messages from all other members.
Users have to unsubscribe from a mailing list to stop receiving messages
forwarded from the group's members |
| MIME |
Multipurpose
Internet Mail Extensions |
a set of Internet
functions that extends normal e-mail capabilities and enables computer files
to be attached to e-mail. Files sent by MIME arrive at their destination
as exact copies of the original so that you can send fully-formatted word
processing files, spreadsheets, graphics images and software applications
to other users via simple e-mail. |
| POP |
Post Office Protocol |
an Internet protocol
that enables a single user to read e-mail from a mail server |
| PPP |
Point to Point Protocol |
a protocol that allows
a computer to use a regular telephone line and a modem to make TCP/IP connections
and thus be on the Internet |
|
protocols |
a set of rules that
lets computers agree how to communicate over the Internet. Computer rules
provide uniform specifications so that computer hardware and operating systems
can communicate regardless of the underlying language. |
| PSTN |
Public Switched Telephone
Network |
the regular old-fashioned
telephone system |
|
router |
a network device
that enables the network to reroute messages it receives that are intended
for other networks. The network with the router receives the message and
sends it on its way exactly as received. In normal operations, they do
not store any of the messages that they pass through |
| SSL |
Secure
Sockets Layer |
a protocol designed
by Netscape Secure Sockets LayerCommunications to enable encrypted, authenticated
communications across the Internet. SSL used mostly (but not exclusively)
in communications between web browsers and web servers.
URL’s that
begin with “https” indicate that an SSL connection will be used. SSL provides
3 important things: Privacy, Authentication, and Message Integrity. an SSL
connection each side of the connection must have a Security Certificate,
which each side’s software sends to the other. Each side then encrypts what
it sends using information from both its own and the other side’s Certificate,
ensuring that only the intended recipient can de-crypt it, and that the other
side can be sure the data came from the place it claims to have come from,
and that the message has not been tampered with |
| T1 |
|
an Internet backbone
line that carries up to 1.536 million bits per second (1.536Mbps). |
| T3 |
|
an Internet line
that carries up to 45 million bits per second (45Mbps). |
| TCP/IP |
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol |
the suite of protocols
that defines the Internet (carrying computer messages around the globe via
the Internet). Originally designed for the UNIX operating system, TCP/IP
software is now available for every major kind of computer operating system.
To be truly on the Internet, your computer must have TCP/IP software. |
| URL |
Uniform Resource Locator |
the distinct address that identifies
each resource on the Internet. More formally, a URL is the networked extension
of the standard filename concept that can exist on any machine on the
network and served via any of several different methods. An example of
a URL is http://www.mykerala.net/index.html |
| WIPO |
World Intellectual Property
Organization |
an intergovernmental organization
based in Geneva, Switzerland responsible for the promotion of the protection
of intellectual rights throughout the world. It is one of the 16 specialized
agencies of the United Nations system of organizations. |
