Glossary
This is a list of computer-related terms that we are often asked to explain.
If there is any term not listed here that you need more information on, please contact us.
Back-office
Back-office systems are those used in a normal business environment (databases are the most common).
Broadband
The term is used to describe almost any 'always on', high speed connection to the Internet, e.g. ADSL, Cable etc.
Broadband used to be considered necessary only for companies who required this large throughput of data, but it is now becoming increasingly common in the home.
Dial-up connection
Dial-up pertains to a telephone connection between a desktop computer and a server linked to the Internet (usually via an ISP). A dial-up connection is established and maintained for a limited duration, usually to send/receive email or to access the World Wide Web.
A dial-up connection can be initiated manually or automatically by your computer's modem or other device.
Domain name
A domain name helps to locate an organisation or entity on the Internet.
For example, the domain name www.fluvius.co.uk locates an Internet address for 'fluvius.co.uk'. The 'co.uk' suffix of the domain name reflects the purpose of the organisation or entity (.co.uk suffixes are intended for commercial Web sites in the UK).
There are many different domain name suffixes (.org, .net, .biz, .tv to name but a few), but in the UK .com and .co.uk are the most popular.
Dynamic pages
When a visitor to a Web site requests a particular page (by clicking on a hyperlink for instance) the HTTP server where the page is stored returns the HTML document to the user's computer and the Web browser displays it.
On a static Web page, this is all that happens. The user may interact with the document through clicking available hyperlinks, but the document has no capacity to return information that is not pre-formatted within it.
On a dynamic Web page, the user can make requests (often through a form) for data contained in a database on the server that will be assembled 'on the fly' according to what is requested. For example the user might want to find out information about a theatrical performance, such as theatre locations and ticket availability for particular dates. When the user selects these options, the request is relayed to the server using an intermediary, such as PHP script embedded in the page's HTML. The intermediary tells the server what information to return. Such a Web page is said to be dynamic.
E-Commerce
E-commerce (or electronic commerce to give its full title) is the buying and selling of goods and services on the Internet, especially the World Wide Web. In practice, this term and a newer term, e-business, are often used interchangably.
The process normally involves searching for items of interest on a Web site and adding them to a virtual shopping cart or basket, before moving to a secure area of the site - the checkout - where you enter your credit card and delivery details. When the transaction is complete the goods are delivered to you as they would through normal mail ordering.
Email (electronic mail) is the exchange of computer-stored messages by telecommunication. Most email messages usually contain text, but you can also send non-text files, such as graphic images and sound files as attachments. Email accounts for a large percentage of the total traffic over the Internet.
An email address is easily identified by the '@' symbol, for instance info@fluvius.co.uk, making identification of the domain it's attached to much easier - in this case fluvius.co.uk. The text before the '@' can be literally anything; a name (a.nonymous), or a topic (news) to name just two.
Flash
Flash is a programming language developed by Macromedia that allows highly media-rich applications to be developed. These applications can range from Web site introductions, through full interactive Web sites to information kiosks and presentations.
Anyone who has the Flash player installed on their Web browser (currently 94% of the online community) can view Flash content.
HTML
HTML (Hypertext Mark-up Language) is the simple programming language inserted in a file intended for display on the World Wide Web. The mark-up tells a Web browser how to format and display a Web page's content.
HTTP
The Hypertext Transfer Protocol is the set of rules for exchanging files (text, graphic images, sound, video, and other multimedia files) on the World Wide Web.
HTTP server
A computer permanently connected to the Internet on which Web sites are stored and can be accessed at any time.
Hyperlink
A hyperlink is a piece of text or a graphic image on a Web page that is linked to another location, and can be clicked on with a mouse.
The name is thought to have originated as an abbreviation of the two words 'hypertext link'.
ISP
An ISP (Internet service provider) is a company that provides individuals and companies with access to the Internet, usually via broadband or a dial-up connection. An ISP has the equipment and the telecommunication line access required to have a point-of-presence on the Internet.
Legacy system
In information technology terms, legacy applications and data are those that have been inherited from languages, platforms, and techniques prior to current technology. Most enterprises that use computers have legacy applications and databases that serve critical business needs.
MySQL
MySQL (pronounced "my ess cue el,") is a relational database management system that uses Structured Query Language (SQL), the most popular language for adding, accessing, and processing data in a database. MySQL is noted mainly for its speed, reliability, and flexibility.
PHP
A script language and interpreter that can be embedded within HTML Web pages and used to access information from a database or some other form of back-office system. Originally derived from Personal Home Page Tools, but now stands for PHP: Hypertext Pre-processor.
Server side programming
Server side programming refers to specific computer code that is resident on an HTTP server, and is executed by someone visiting a Web site held on that server and making a specific request (for information in a database for instance).
The execution of any server side programming at a Web site visitor's request is normally transparent to them, since information is processed and formatted prior to presentation.
Web browser
A browser is an application that provides a way to look at and interact with all the information on the World Wide Web. Technically, a Web browser uses HTTP to make requests of Web servers throughout the Internet on behalf of the browser user.
A commercial version of the original browser; Mosaic, is in use. Many of the user interface features in Mosaic, however, went into the first widely-used browser, Netscape Navigator. Microsoft followed with its Microsoft Internet Explorer, although this browser is now vastly out-of-date since it has had no significant updates since 2000. A superb modern and free browser is Mozilla FireFox.
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web (WWW) is essentially a term that refers to all the resources and users on the Internet that are using HTTP.
XHTML
eXtensible HyperText Markup Language; a reformulation of HTML and the successor to it, allowing a true seperation between the content of a Web page and its manner of presentation.