Internet Word of the Day Archive

August 01, 2009

A transmission method in which a network uses its entire transmission range to send a single signal. Because many baseband networks use twisted-pair cables, they're cheaper to install than broadband networks, which require coaxial cable. However, a baseband system is limited in its geographic extent and provides only one channel of communication at a time.

Describes something that is strong. For example, the Internet is robust in that it exists on millions of networks. "Robust" is frequently mentioned with "scaleable" in ads for new software products.

If you encounter one of the unfortunate side-effects of using Microsoft technology, you've been "Gatesed." In typical IT usage, "If it Gatesed (BSOD), you were SOL."

August 02, 2009

Executives with strong real-world experience who are hired or brought in by VCs to make Internet start-ups look like established businesses (even though the suits may know little about computers, the Internet, or technology in general). They are also affectionately known as "gray hairs" or "gray matter."

A play on the phrase "behind the scenes," it refers to programs that automatically run on your computer without need for your initiation or intervention. For example, when you launch a program, it does a variety of things to get the program up and running; those are behind-the-screens activities.

A term for the electrical pathways inside a computer, along which signals are sent from one part to another. For example, there is a data bus, an address bus, a control bus, and an expansion bus. There are also external busses, where you can attach peripherals or additional devices. These buses include parallel and serial ports, PCI slots, and SCSI ports. A backbone is a network bus that connects all computers into a single network.

August 03, 2009

An Internet account that is set up so your local computer can connect to the Internet as a terminal on a multi-user Unix system (rather than as a computer with a direct Internet connection). This allows you to use normal Unix commands and to store and process information on the host computer.

A standard measurement used to test the performance of different brands of hardware or different versions of software.

An old or broken computer placed on a shelf and slowly stripped of working parts to supply replacement components for other machines.

August 04, 2009

A system for exchanging information across networks that are incompatible and use different protocols. Basically, a gateway is a combination of hardware and software that connects two different types of networks so that information can be exchanged. The hardware devices (called "bridges") and the computer programs perform the necessary translations.

For example, you can access the Archie service by way of a Web page that functions as an Archie gateway, and similarly, AOL services have e-mail gateways for sending messages to other e-mail systems. Separately, a "mobile gateway" is a ground-based link to a mobile satellite service network.

Information or features on a Web site that gives users a compelling reason to revisit it frequently. Stickiness is also gauged by the amount of time spent at a Web site over a given period of time. This is often maximized by getting the user to leave some information behind on the site, such as a personal profile, an investment portfolio, a resume, a list of preferred cities for weather reports, personal horoscopes, birthday reminders, and the like.

The concept is this: Once a user has taken the time to enter personal information on that site, he or she is more likely to stick around and reuse the site instead of switching to another site that provides similar services. The mindset of industry execs is that the more information a customer leaves with your company, the greater the hold you have on that customer. Financial services Web sites are a good example of sticky content: Once customers type in an enormous amount of information (often including a credit card number), they are less likely to use another company's Web site, in order to avoid having to reenter all the information again. It's a perceived value for both parties: Customers release this kind of information in order to streamline a process, making access to the same, everyday info-based activity faster. Companies get repeat business and loyalty.

To have your computer (or a commonly used Web site) remember your info and access it whenever you go there is one of the many excellent uses of Internet technology that makes doing business in the online world so unique. At the same time, it's a PITA to fill out form after form after form, so pick your sites carefully. Sticky content is an important factor in the birth of the portal.

A service that enables you to get Web content or e-mail over a telephone using voice recognition software. Here's an example of how it works: Instead of lugging around a laptop in order to connect to the Net and browse for information, you can opt to use your cell phone as a voice portal. AOL, for example, offers AOLbyPhone, which for a small monthly fee provides access to a toll-free dial-in number to an automated voice prompt system. You can check e-mail, get headline news, get information on movies, the weather, or restaurants in many cities, plus other features (it's similar to the kind of content that's available on a Web portal). The system will read back the information to you on any type of phone.

One challenge is that speech recognition software has a hard time in noisy environments and may not be able to accurately make out the words you say. On the plus side, after you listen to a listing of restaurants, for instance, the voice portal will offer to connect you to one of them via the phone. It is a convergence of multiple forms of technology. To try a free voice portal service, click on the link.

Just Thinking Out Loud

August 05, 2009

A complete system designed for a specific application, it is a product that is pre-assembled and delivered to the buyer, ready to operate. A turnkey computer system means it contains all of the necessary hardware, software, peripherals, and files necessary to run. For example, DRM products are turnkey packages that include everything needed for operation, including server software and plugins.

When tech support personnel assist customers only to give them confidence about what they are doing, they are said to be hand-holding. For example, a user may already know how to install and configure a new program, but he or she may like to have a techie on the phone, just to make sure it's done correctly. Some consultants refer to "hand-holding" their clients through a new program or initiative.

August 06, 2009

A nickname for the companies who bring you cable television.

A computer or network to which another computer is connected via a modem and a telephone line (or some other form of connection). The computer connected to the remote system is a remote terminal.

August 07, 2009

Companies whose information systems function like a 24/7 live camera on operations, where managers are instantly alerted to changes in inventory or to the availability of supplies, for example, based on current customer demand. Derived from the notion of "real-time computing," the concept of a real-time enterprise leads some companies to ditch proprietary interfaces and let customers access the actual storeroom of goods and services.

Lazy Piece Of Sh**

Refers to the complete process of creating a Web site, it includes visual, functional, organizational, technical, and usability aspects. Web design, Web programming, and Web server configuration are considered the main parts of Web development.

August 08, 2009

A citizen of the Internet, as in, one who spends a significant amount of time online or is an experienced user of the Net.

Describes a product that's going to be shipped by a certain date whether or not it is ready or approved.

A programming technique for creating interactive Web applications. Small amounts of data are exchanged as needed instead of pulling entire Web pages to be reloaded each time the user makes a change. This increases the Web page's response time, interactivity, and overall usability. Ajax is a cross-platform technology that can be used on many different operating systems, computer architectures, and Web browsers as it is based on open standards such as JavaScript and XML.

August 09, 2009

A round-the-clock hacking session in which your eyes get so tired you have to turn off the lights and toggle the monitor into reverse - white letters on a black screen. Programmers in Troglodyte mode often prop themselves up with stimulants, loud music, and outbursts of colorful language.

August 10, 2009

The unique name by which a computer is known on a network. It is used to identify the host in e-mail, Usenet news, or other forms of electronic information interchange.

On the Internet, the host name is an ASCII string. For example, the host name "wombat.doc.ic.ac.uk" consists of a local part (wombat) and a domain name (doc.ic.ac.uk). The host name is translated into an Internet address by the "/etc/hosts" file, NIS, the Domain Name System (DNS), or resolver. It is possible for one computer to have several host names (aliases), though one is designated as its canonical name.

An online marketing program between a publisher and an online advertiser designed to make it look like there is a close connection between the two companies. Instead of simply displaying online ads, they may try to create beyond-the-banner campaigns, which are thought to be more effective because they blur the distinction between editorial content and promotion.

A media industry term to describe a broadcast television episode made especially for viewing on a mobile device. These video snippets are brought to you by a wireless provider and are available on a variety of topics.

Not Online Anymore

August 11, 2009

Also known as "bitmapped graphics" these programs store images in the form of patterns of screen pixels. Unlike "draw programs" (vector graphics), these "paint programs" can create detailed patterns of shading that convey an artistic touch, but any attempt to rescale or resize the image may result in unacceptable distortion. Raster-based graphics have become a standard technology and are popularly known by their GIF and JPG formats. Raster graphics use pixel-by-pixel definitions as opposed to vector graphics which use computer algorithms to describe shapes, lines, animation, etc.

Slang for a person who makes his or her living manipulating images.

An "in-store" entertainment event used by the retail world to draw a crowd of potential shoppers. For example: "Hey shoppers, Faith Hill is playing over in aisle 3." (No joke, Wal-Mart really did that!)

August 12, 2009

The HTML for PDAs, it is a computer language used to define hypertext-like content and applications for handheld devices that have small display screens. HDML is designed to leverage the infrastructure and protocols of the World Wide Web while providing an efficient markup language for wireless and other handheld devices.

Congruent with the capabilities and limitations of many handheld devices, HDML's focus goes beyond presentation and layout. HDML provides an explicit navigation model that does not rely upon the visual context required of HTML. As such, HDML offers an efficient means for delivering content over the Web to handheld devices, such as cell phones, pagers, and wireless PDAs.

Just as we have online ad campaigns (using ad banners or text links) on our Web pages, and just as we have e-mail campaigns (using e-mail messages to advertise) in our inboxes, now we have what is known as "in-player messaging" (IPM) campaigns on our computers or mobile devices. An IPM campaign refers to the advertising that appears in the same screen (or window) when you are watching a streaming multimedia presentation or online video, or listening to an MP3.

For example, if you click on the first link below and click again to listen to one of the radio stations online, you will see a small window appear streaming the audio; within that window is advertising, or an in-player messaging campaign. Similarly, if you click on the second link below and click again to view one of the televised programs online, you will see an advertisement displayed either before the video or next to the video; that is an in-player messaging campaign.

This term also refers to advertising on portable devices, specifically on game players.

Slang for an extreme form of arrogance found in multimedia auteurs who think they're Stanley Kubrick.

August 13, 2009

As in "pseudonym." A nym is a false name a person signs his or her newsgroup articles with. It is similar to a handle.

To close network applications or a network connection as part of the shut down process.

Employees tend to strive for "face time" with the boss, salesmen work for face time with their customers. Now, with many employees telecommuting face time takes on the meaning of physically meeting co-workers through e-mail, chat or video-conferencing. "Next week I'll be in the office, so we can get in a little face time."

Laughing Too Hard To Type

August 14, 2009

In telecommunications, it is a network device that selects a path or circuit for sending a unit of data to its next destination. A switch may also include the function of the router, a device or program that determines the route (and specifically, what adjacent network point) the data should be sent to. In general, a switch is a simpler and faster mechanism than a router, which requires knowledge about the network and how to determine the route.

On larger networks, the trip from one switch point to another in the network is called a "hop." The time a switch takes to figure out where to forward a data unit is called its "latency." The price paid for having the flexibility that switches provide in a network is this latency. Switches are found at the backbone and gateway levels of a network, where one network connects with another, and at the subnetwork level, where data is being forwarded close to its destination or origin.

A switch is not always required in a network. Many local area networks (LANs) are organized as rings (or buses) in which all destinations inspect each message and read only those intended for that destination.

The opposite of "absenteeism," it is when employees are so worried about and/or devoted to their jobs that they won't leave or take time off -- even when it is in their best interest.

August 15, 2009

The ability to move around, it also refers to anything that can be moved around (or transported) and still functioning properly. It usually describes handheld devices, such as PDAs and cell phones (that is, mobile phones), but it can also refer to laptops or other portable devices.

Nicknames techies give to their workspaces.

An "engagement" is the work a consultant performs for a client. "Synopsis" is a detailed statement of that work to be accomplished. Therefore, an "engagement synopsis" is an outline of a case study used to promote the consultant's business.

August 16, 2009

Sometimes referred to as "full duplex," it is a data transmission that takes place in two directions simultaneously. "Half duplex" allows transmission in two directions, but only one at a time. "Simplex" only allows transmission in one direction. When used in reference to sound cards and Internet telephony, duplex means the ability to send and receive audio at the same time, as on a standard telephone. Some sound cards and systems require a special full duplex audio driver, software that's usually available from either the manufacturer of the sound card or the program itself. If you are searching for duplex drivers for your system, try using AltaVista with a search string of "full duplex {name of software} {type of hardware}." Creative Labs is the maker of Soundblaster 16 and AWE32, and full duplex drivers are available for download on their Web site.

A term used in the modern workplace to describe "sitting around in a group discussing why a deadline was missed or a project failed and who is responsible."

A link on your Web site to another page on your Web site.

August 17, 2009

A favorite phrase among industry execs, it is used to put bad news in the past and good news in the future. For example, "Downsizing was a necessary evil at this point. Going forward, we intend to emphasize our core competencies and take advantage of changing market conditions."

An application program interface specification for connecting programs written in Java to the data in a database. It is a Java API that enables Java programs to execute SQL statements and interact with any SQL-compliant database. Since nearly all relational database management systems (DBMSs) support SQL, and since Java itself runs on most platforms, JDBC makes it possible to write a single database application that can run on different platforms and interact with different DBMSs. Similar to ODBC, it was developed by JavaSoft, a subsidiary of Sun Microsystems.

I Love You As A Friend

August 18, 2009

An online ad that appears in a pop-up browser window while the primary Web page is still loading. The word "interstitial" literally means "a small space in between things," which is how these ads appear, as mini-browsers, either on top of or behind your active screen. They are likely to contain large graphics, streaming media, or applets, elements that regular ad banners don't usually have, due to size restrictions. Some studies say that more users click on interstitials than on ad banners. However, popular opinion indicates that users do not like interstitials because they slow down access to destination pages, they launch another browser (thereby slowing your computer down), and they are intrusive (most people don't appreciate having a window suddenly appear on their screen without their permission).

August 19, 2009

A secure private network that uses the public telecommunications infrastructure to transmit data. In contrast to a much more expensive system of owned or leased lines that can only be used by one company, VPNs are used by enterprises for both extranets and wide area intranets. Using encryption and authentication, a VPN encrypts all data that passes between two Internet points, maintaining privacy and security. In order to take advantage of a VPN service, you will need a static IP number, a dedicated connection to the Internet, and a router (or switch) that supports VPN protocol. The Automotive Network Exchange (ANX) is an example of a VPN.

see: spam trap

August 20, 2009

The era of history when computers became popular with the masses and knowledge workers outnumbered factory workers. It is generally agreed upon that mankind has progressed from the agricultural age to the industrial age to the information age. One aspect of the information age is the convergence of computers and telecommunications. An example of progression into the information age is the ability for entrepreneurs, business people, and investors to make more money than ever before in the history of business.

Another name for a neighborhood or community where a disproportionate number of residents work in high-tech industries. These residents also tend to have a disproportionate number of electrical outlets and phone jacks in their homes.

August 21, 2009

In general it refers to using interactive campaigns to market products and services to people. By using computer applications, commonly found on Web sites, in-store kiosks, CD-ROMs, widgets, handheld devices, etc., marketers can collect direct input from prospective customers and current users regarding their interests, preferences, and motivations. With this information, marketing messages can be tailored directly to those people. Interactive marketing campaigns usually take the form of offer-driven marketing techniques, such as games, contests, sweepstakes, cash-back offers, product sampling, coupons, and free offers.

The ability of systems or products to work together automatically. Interoperability is only possible when the systems or products conform to standards.

A fictitious disorder characterized by having too many peripherals and nowhere to plug them in or by not being able to get peripherals to communicate or work with each other.

August 22, 2009

The basic unit of information in a binary numbering system, it takes 8 bits to make up a byte. For the most part, bits are used to describe transmission speeds, whereas bytes generally refer to storage capacity. It works like this: The electronic circuitry in computers detects the difference between two states (high current and low current) and represents these two states as one of two numbers, 1 or 0. These basic high/low, either/or, yes/no units of information are called bits. The word bit derives from the phrase "binary digit."

The name of an online video commercial that appears during an online video, it is typically :10 - :15 seconds in length. Once you click on certain online video links, you may be forced to watch a short commercial either before the video content (known as a pre-roll) during the video content (known as a mid-roll) or after the video content (known as a post-roll).

Mid-roll advertising resembles traditional TV commercials, and online advertisers claim it is better for three main reasons: 1) It has increased accountability (you are forced to watch it), 2) it targets a more engaged user due to its on-demand format (you clicked on the link to see it), and 3) it has a handy interactive component (you can take an action regarding the ad if you're interested). Some websites let you skip over the commercial spot, but most do not.

August 23, 2009

Venture capital is a hot topic in the industry because many investors believe e-commerce and B2B Internet solutions are driving a new economy, and they are willing to invest heavily in new, risky ideas. This opportunity has spurred many entrepreneurs to develop Internet-related plans, partnerships, and technology in an effort to get funded with VC money, take first-mover advantage, and eventually go public (IPO). It is interesting to note that venture capital once seemed to belong only to an elite group on Wall Street (or Sand Hill Road, for that matter). However, with the advent of e-commerce, we suddenly saw VC funds operated by a wide variety of people (even sports figures and celebrities, who ultimately may have played a part in the dot-com shakeout).

The VC appeal is understandable-it's money. Venture capitalists typically expect a 20 percent to 50 percent annual return on investment (ROI) at the time they are bought out. Venture capitalists invest in high-growth companies with the potential to generate revenues of $20 million, but typical investments range from $500,000 to $5 million. Management experience is a major consideration in evaluating financing. However, in Silicon Valley, if you have "the next best idea" and the VC firm is willing to fund you, the investors will hire the suits and form the board of directors. This kind of input and guidance is intended to be in everyone's best interest.

A type of automated service that relies on speech recognition, concatenated speech, or both to create a dialogue between a computer and a person.

August 24, 2009

Usually seen with a dot after it, as "alt." (pronounced: alt-dot) this refers to a large variety of newsgroups that discuss "alternative" topics. Some ISPs require users to sign an agreement stating they are "over 18" before access to the alt.newsgroups is provided. For a list of all of the alt.newsgroups, click on "more info" below!

August 25, 2009

A blanket term for any criminal attempt to disrupt computer or telecommunications services. With the majority of the world digitally connected, there is a large vulnerability to attack. Hackers, for example, are able to spread a virus or launch a denial of service (DoS) attack with relative ease and anonymity. The ripple effect of bringing down a system in Mountain View, California, can cause ramifications in Munich, for example. High-tech security to ward off cyberterrorism is a growing business.

A business strategy whereby a company acquires other companies to build up its staff so it can bid on bigger deals.

A Web page included on many Web sites, its purpose is to help users navigate large, complicated sites. The sitemap usually lists text links to the content of a Web site in its entirety, on one page. For example, when you click on a nav bar link to a sitemap, you will see a hierarchical listing of the entire Web site's content; you can then click on a link to whatever content you are interested in.

August 26, 2009

A circuit board that plugs into an expansion slot in a computer, giving the computer additional capabilities. Popular cards include: internal modem cards, memory expansion boards, sound boards, and video adapters.

In financial circles it is the degree to which assets can be "cashed out" as part of an exit strategy. In the industry, it generally describes the size of transaction volume (a key success factor in the B2B space) or the frequency of transactions (for example, achieving critical mass in electronic exchanges).

Just In Case

August 27, 2009

The ability of a browser to recognize and interpret certain codes in HTML or other languages. For example, Netscape Navigator 1.0 did not have the ability to render a page layout in frames. This feature did not come along until version 2.0; therefore, Navigator 1.0 did not "support" frames.

The number of an employee, based on when that person was hired in relation to the rest of the company. In the early days, it was a popular thing to say you were the twelfth person, for example, to be hired at such-and-such firm, but low hire numbers (thirty or below) made people too egotistical. Now, most companies do not tell employees their hire number (especially if there are more than 100 people at the firm).

The protection of data so that unauthorized users cannot access it or copy it. Security can mean anything from a screen saver with a password to encrypted data that cannot be read without the proper decoding software.

More Info Than I Needed

August 28, 2009

The four basic design inks used to create a full spectrum of color on a printed page.

The practice of massaging data to extract value from the numbers, statistics, and information found within a database and to predict what a customer will do next. Data mining software works like this: in the first stage, "data collecting," information is gathered from Web site logs and databases; in the second stage, "data refining," user profiles are compared with recorded behavior to divide the users into groups and to predict their behavior; in the final stage, "taking action," the business or Web site answers a user's question on the fly or sends a targeted online ad to a browser, based on the results in the database. Data mining also refers to gathering and presenting on a Web site as much information on one particular topic as possible (this is similar to a guru site).

To measure the quantity and/or quality of sites that link back to your Web site.

Link popularity is a ranking method used by most major search engines. It looks at the number of Web sites linking to your page and more importantly, the quality of who is linking to you. The more sites linking to you, the better your ranking becomes. Also, links from more popular and content relevant sites are better than just any random links (such as link farms).

To find out who is linking to your domain name, go to Google and enter the following in the search box (replacing "yoursite" with your domain name): link:www.yoursite.com Note: ONLY inbound links from websites with a pagerank" value of 4 or more will be listed.

Webmasters: Be sure to read the "more info" article in the page rank definition to understand Page Rank vs. Link Popularity and Linking Tips for BLOGS!

August 29, 2009

The name for a computer file or a physical space in an office where an online marketer brings together all of his or her data, for the purpose of integrating it.

A nickname for people who work in the industry.

Safari is a Web browser developed by Apple Inc. and included in Mac OS X. It was first released in January, 2003, and a beta version for Windows was released in June, 2007.

August 30, 2009

The standardized query language used for requesting information from a database. The original version (called SEQUEL, for Structured English Query Language) was designed at an IBM research center in 1974 and 1975. SQL was introduced as a commercial database system by Oracle in 1979, and it refers to either of two database management software products from Sybase and Microsoft.

When a company lays high-bandwidth fiber-optic cable containing much more capacity than can currently be used, the wire is said to be dark. It's rumored that telecos, oil companies, and gas companies are all laying dark fiber since they already own long-distance stretches of hollow pipes.

August 31, 2009

A live chat area of the Internet in which real-time conversations take place via IRC software, ASCII commands, and channels. Each channel begins with a # and is dedicated to a different area of interest. IRC is considered one of the technologies of the Internet, along with FTP, Telnet, Gopher, and the Web. Because IRC requires special software and knowledge of technical commands, and because of its text-only environment, many people prefer to chat in GUI-friendly chat rooms found on the World Wide Web.