Internet Word of the Day Archive

June 01, 2009

A company that has a special relationship with computer producers: OEMs buy computers in bulk and customize them for a particular application; then they sell the customized computer under their own name. The term is really a misnomer because OEMs are not the original manufacturers; they are customizers of other people's products.

This is also a chat acronym that means "Operator Equipment Mismatch."

Increasingly this is the pace at which western culture operates. It relates to our preoccupation with speed and technology and our need to keep up with the information age. Internet time implies that something is happening very quickly or that something must be done ultra fast-because it may cease to exist tomorrow. Even Andy Grove, chairman of Intel, was quoted as saying, "The world now runs on Internet time." Popular consensus in the industry says it's more than twice as fast.

For example, consider the need for express services like FedEx: If your presentation would normally take three days to be delivered by snail mail, but instead you pay more to get it delivered overnight, then you're operating on Internet time.

Left Message To Call Back

June 02, 2009

Like carbon copy (cc), this e-mail option lets you send the same message to many different addresses. The difference is that when you put a recipient's e-mail address in the bcc field, the recipients cannot see each other's e-mail addresses and don't know that someone else received it. For example, if you want to send a letter to your boss but you also want your girlfriend to read it, you can put her e-mail address in the bcc field. That way, both she and your boss will receive the message, but your boss won't know she received it also.

A Web page that serves only as an entry point through which users click to go to the actual homepage. In the past, search engines would classify and retrieve Web sites based primarily on meta tags, but now each search engine has its own set of criteria that you must adhere to if you want your site listed near the top of the results.

For example, in addition to having "help, Internet terms, online jargon" in the header, NetLingo.com has been advised to create a separate doorway domain for each search engine so that it complies with each engine's criteria. Therefore, if you want to target top listings in ten search engines for ten keywords, you'll need to create multiple doorway domain pages. The only time a user sees these pages is when they click on your link from a search engine's result page. This involves writing a paragraph of about one hundred words, with the keyword listed ten times in the paragraph and once in a headline. That way, you have a better chance of optimizing your site for each keyword and for each search engine. The process of creating, submitting, and checking up on your results is very detailed, so we recommend working with a search engine optimization consultant who specializes in this kind of work.

An expression for a budget with no fat, as in "We've got ribs 'n' dick and we're supposed to find $20K for memory upgrades?"

June 03, 2009

A program that continually runs on an Internet server, automatically looking for and deleting any Usenet postings from certain people or on subjects the system administrator deems inappropriate. Cancelbots are primarily used on news servers to filter out incoming spam from notorious e-mail addresses.

Refers to any kind of communications medium that is interactive, such as the Internet.

June 04, 2009

A general term for disorders that occur from prolonged, repetitious use of the hands (such as typing on a keyboard all day), resulting in pain, burning, swelling, tingling, numbness, loss of dexterity, and weakness. Other synonyms for RSI include Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD), Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS), and Repetitive Motion Syndrome (RMS). The more specific disorders are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and tendonitis.

A virus that usually comes in the form of an e-mail attachment. A sniffer is a program that steals and spreads passwords.

The term is also used to describe software for snooping; for example, the majority of instant messages are sent over a public network without encryption, making it easy for sniffers to eavesdrop on conversations in real time.

A "hijacker" is a type of spyware designed by certain online publishers that allow them to snoop on your browsing activity, invade your privacy, and flood you with those annoying pop-up ads.

A few of the symptoms are:
* Changing your "search" page to THEIR "pay-per-click" search page
* Changing your default homepage to another page (often porn sites)
* Transmitting Web sites you have viewed to their company servers

Increasingly, most users on the Internet are infected with these applications which are also transmitted via Trojans, worms, malicious cookies, and keyloggers.

The solution is to download a program to help rid your computer of these online pests. For more info about hijackers, spyware, adware and the like, click on the "more info" button below!

June 05, 2009

The text or graphics on a Web site that can be clicked on with a mouse to take you to another Web page or a different area of the same Web page. Hyperlinks are usually created (or coded) in HTML. They are also used to load multimedia files, such as AVI movies and AU sound files.

The last portion of the "local loop" that brings broadband into a home or business. The last mile is the link between your home and the nearest aggregation point of your communications network, such as a telco central office or a cable system head end. It is this portion of your service that determines the speed of your Internet connection.

A software program that checks a Web site for broken links. It generates a report indicating which external and internal hyperlinks are no longer working.

June 06, 2009

The digital sibling of an identification card, it is used in conjunction with a public key encryption system to identify a person. Digital certificates are issued by a third party (known as a certificate authority) and are included in the transmission of an encrypted message (to prove that the sender is the person he or she claims to be). A digital certificate is an important component in e-commerce and data security transmissions. The two most prominent companies providing digital certificate services are VeriSign and GTE.

In America, there are three primary categories of cities or places with a high concentration of technology companies. They are

(1) traditional high-tech industrial complexes, such as Silicon Valley, Research Triangle, and northern Virginia;

(2) urban technology centers, such as Pioneer Square in Seattle; and

(3) latte towns, such as Austin and Boulder.

The list of American cities that have a high concentration of technology companies also includes Atlanta, Austin, Boca Raton, Boston, Denver, Minneapolis-St. Paul, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

Reference librarians of the future; software agents that can worm their way through networks looking for requested info. "Full-feature knowbots are still on the drawing board, while some preliminary systems are currently in use."

June 07, 2009

The act of positioning your cursor on top of a selection on your computer screen or on a Web page until a comment or a new menu appears. This is usually achieved on the Web with JavaScript.

"White hat" search engine optimization seeks to work with the search engines' strengths, rather than their weaknesses. By creating valid HTML code, well-written and keyword-rich content, and a carefully organized Web site, white hat SEO specialists seek to create the kind of site that search engines are looking for.

The strongest benefit of white hat SEO is that it will never damage your rankings in the manner of black hat SEO tactics. As a result, white hat SEO is more difficult to pursue because it relies on many "soft" factors (such as high quality content, effective site organization, building strong link relationships, regular blogging, etc.), whereas black hat SEO can usually be easily commoditized (number of keywords added, number of artificial links built, number of false landing pages created, etc.)

While some online businesses view these quality factors as complexities, most agree that white hat search engine optimization performs better with less maintenance and reduced risk. It has longer value and makes more business sense. It helps keep the Web clear of clutter too; users do not appreciate hitting those false landing pages and seeing those link farms and scrolling through puffed-up, unrelated rankings on search results. Success comes when you keep it real.

June 08, 2009

Slang for nonmonetary, token compensation given to worker bees as a reward. For example, "We put in a week's worth of overtime on that project and all we got were two scooby snacks" (as in two extra casual days). It comes from the popular cartoon character, Scooby Doo.

A program that activates itself when a computer has been inactive for a period of time. Screensavers were originally designed to prevent images from being burned into monochrome monitors. Even though modern monitors do not run this risk, screensavers are popular for their entertainment value. They often show moving images, floating text, or rotating photographs.

An expression for the inept, often irrelevant comments left by supervisors on copies of memos and other documents. For example, "That spec sheet was ready to distribute till Sanders left his brain stains all over it."

June 09, 2009

The way something works or operates, or online, what purpose it serves.

For example, a Web site that allows people to purchase an item online has a distinct functionality from one that simply lets users post and read other people's information. Functionality means the same as "function," but for whatever reason, it is referred to in the industry as the "functionality" of something.

When a joint partnership is announced in a financial release, public relations experts agree that it is not legitimate unless it has quotes and comments from both companies.

A technology that was initially developed to track cattle, it is now the cutting edge in merchandise, parcel, and baggage tracking. Unlike clunky sensomatic clips that set off alarms in department stores, RFID comes in the form of a small label that serves as a portable database, picking up stored information sent by radio waves. This technology is slated to allow customers to walk out of a library or department store without stopping to check-out a book or pay for a product, because the processing will be handled behind-the-screens. When discount store giant Wal-Mart announced in 2005 that to reduce out-of-stock products by providing visibility into the location of goods with RFID tags, RFID officially entered the mainstream.

Technically speaking, RFID is a technology that incorporates the use of electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling in the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to identify an object (or animal or person). Also known as dedicated short range communication (DSRC), RFID is seen as an alternative to the bar code. The main advantage of RFID is that it does not require direct contact or "line-of-sight" scanning. An RFID system consists of three components: an antenna and transceiver (usually combined into one reader) and a transponder (the tag). The antenna uses radio frequency waves to transmit a signal that activates the transponder. When activated, the tag transmits data back to the antenna. The data is used to notify a logic controller that an action should occur. The action could be as simple as raising an access gate or as complicated as interfacing with a database to carry out a monetary transaction. Low-frequency RFID systems (30 KHz to 500 KHz) have short transmission ranges (generally less than six feet). High-frequency RFID systems (850 MHz to 950 MHz and 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz) offer longer transmission ranges (more than 90 feet). In general, the higher the frequency, the more expensive the system.

Also referred to as "high-tech tagging" here are a few examples of RFID in use.

In Japan, RFID has made the jump from grocery store to schoolyard. Every time a fourth grader passes through the Elementary School's front gate, a small plastic tag tucked inside his or her backpack beams a message to a computer in the office to log every time a student enters or leaves. Moments later their parents receive confirmation by e-mail.

In the U.S., motorists with prepaid RFID cards zip through traffic toll gates without stopping and airlines plan to adopt an RFID baggage-handling system at every US airport.

Coming to a golf pro shop near you, a new form of advertising is taking place via RFID tags. If you see a high-definition TV with snippets of original content playing (such as tips from PGA pros and club news) then you may notice that once you pick up a piece of gear for a closer look, the television will start playing an ad for that particular item. This is because the RFID tag cues the TV to play the ad.

RFID technology continues to get personal; the state of Virgina is looking at the idea of embedding RFID chips in driver's licenses.

In Mexico, the attorney general said he and his staff were getting microchip implants for access to secure areas of their offices. Oh, my! The same is true for employees featured in the "Big Brother" documentary.

View the CNBC documentary by clicking on the link below!

June 10, 2009

A component of a software program that makes it unique and that enables you to do something with that program (for example, a spell checker). The slang translation is a bug or discrepancy, inadvertently made by a programmer, that the marketing department somehow made useful.

June 11, 2009

A common computing term, it refers to several things. On a computer monitor, it is the number of pixels (horizontally) and lines (vertically) on the screen. For printers, resolution is a measurement expressed in dpi that describes the sharpness of a printed image. With sound boards, it is the number of bits used to encode sounds. And in business, it describes some for of mutual agreement.

June 12, 2009

A common phrase on the World Wide Web, used to encourage a user to click on hypertext or a clickable graphic (such as an ad banner) that links to another Web page.

A script language and interpreter that is freely available, primarily for use on Linux Web servers. As with Active Server Pages, the PHP script is embedded within the HTML code of a Web page. It is a popular way of coding Web pages because it is also database-driven.

The guardian god of the Internet. Surfus stands heroically in front of stylized waves of Web, his surfboard grasped in his right arm, and his computer under his right foot, symbolizing complete domination. A coil of fiber-optic cable is draped on his left shoulder and his name adorns the base.

June 13, 2009

The three colors that create all of the other colors on a computer screen.

The method of obtaining training without being physically present during the class. Instead, you view the class on a computer screen or by satellite broadcast. For example, an engineer may use distance learning by computer to solve (by teleconference) a malfunction on a Pacific oil rig.

Online courses, mostly in high schools, have proliferated despite debate about their effectiveness compared with F2F instruction. The number of times students enrolled in distance learning courses connected with public schools (using Internet, two-way video or other technologies) rose from about 317,000 in 2002-03 to more than 506,000 in 2004-05, the National Center for Education Statistics reported in June. That's a 60 percent increase. In at least 66 percent of the cases, the report says, students earned credit with a passing grade. Read more in the link below!

The ne plus ultra of hacker editors, it is a programmable text editor with an entire LISP system inside it. Originally written by Richard Stallman at the MIT AI Lab, it is described as "an advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible, real-time display editor." It has been reimplemented any number of times, by various hackers, and versions exist for major operating systems. Perhaps the most widely used version, also written by Stallman, is called GNU EMACS (or GNUMACS), which runs principally under Unix. It includes facilities to run compilation subprocesses and to send and receive mail. Many hackers spend up to 80 percent of their "tube time" inside it. However, some hackers find EMACS too heavyweight and baroque for their taste, and they expand the name as "Escape Meta Alt Control Shift" to spoof its heavy reliance on keystrokes decorated with "bucky bits." Other spoof expansions include "Eight Megabytes And Constantly Swapping" and "EMACS Makes A Computer Slow."

June 14, 2009

The fastest type of computer. Supercomputers are expensive and are reserved for specialized applications that require an immense amount of mathematical calculations, such as weather forecasting, animated graphics, fluid dynamic calculations, nuclear energy research, and petroleum exploration.

The chief difference between a supercomputer and a mainframe is that a supercomputer channels all of its power into executing a few programs as fast as possible, whereas a mainframe uses its power to execute many programs concurrently.

An advertising management system that allows for advertisers to tailor their online ads to individual consumers.

Information about users such as their location, demographics, search engine keywords, and browsing preferences allow advertisers to deliver their online ads to people who are more likely to respond, thus receiving a higher ROI.

June 15, 2009

A tool for transferring files, sending mail, and executing remote commands that was invented in 1978 at AT&T Bell Laboratories by Mike Lesk.

A "body scan" can refer to several things, most notably it is an X-ray-based technology that produces a high-resolution image of a person's body beneath their clothing (in order to reveal concealed objects). This process (also known as "backscatting") has been used in prisons, diamond mines, and customs searches, and it is being tested as an alternative to metal-detection and pat-downs for airport security.

Another definition of a "body scan" involves the process of using a life-size scanner to scan your body in order to have a better-fitting pair of pants, custom made to your exact size. It involves a scanning booth, the light scan (which takes about 12 seconds), and a software program to record an individual's precise measurements. These measurements are then fed into a database that can be accessed over the Web by you and/or an online clothes etailer. This particular technology is available but not yet widely used; companies that manufacture body scan booths also intend to use this technology to fit individuals with prosthetics or ergonomic devices.

Finally, there is another type of "body scanning" which refers to a medical procedure (similar to a CAT scan but it is for the entire body.)

June 16, 2009

A permanent connection between your computer system and the Internet. This is sometimes referred to as a leased line connection because the line is leased from the telephone company.

An acronym created to make fun of all the business acronyms being developed.

The act of removing bound-in subscription cards, cardstock ad pages, and "blow in" cards from a magazine to make it easier to read.

I Don't Know, my Best Friend Forever Jill

June 17, 2009

A hard disk device that provides a repository for your entire music collection. You simply slide a CD into the drive, and its content is automatically converted to the MP3 format and filed away. This kind of unit can also be wired to a PC to transfer MP3s (so you don't even need CDs anymore).

First was the agricultural revolution, then the industrial revolution. Now, there is the digital revolution, which refers to the radical reshaping and restructuring of society caused by digital technology.

June 18, 2009

A mailing list server that runs under Unix. When e-mail is addressed to a majordomo mailing list, it is automatically broadcast to everyone on the list. The result is similar to a newsgroup or forum, except that the messages are transmitted as e-mail and are therefore available only to individuals on the list.

Need To Have

Getting busted for violating an online service's rules of conduct. "Sorry I couldn't get back to you. AOL put me under mouse arrest."

Originally a term used in acupuncture, business consultants use the phrase "pain points" to describe the places where a business feels the "pain" due to poor operational structure, bad software or good, old-fashioned inefficiencies.

June 19, 2009

An interface between the operating system and the application programs, it extends the capabilities of Web servers. Used by programmers who write applications that can interact with other applications, a server API is a published interface. Software developers write programs that become part of the Web server itself. Usually, these programs are DLLs that are loaded into memory and "stay resident" at all times. Some common server APIs and the servers they support include the following: ISAPI, Microsoft Internet Information Server; NSAPI, Netscape Commerce and Enterprise Server; and WSAPI, O'Reilly Web Site and Web Site Pro.

Creating the appearance of movement with drawn objects, as in cartoons. Animation gives life to Web sites by displaying a variety of moving objects in your browser screen: images, words, and pictures, to name a few (although having too many animated images can be annoying). There are certain software programs that allow Web developers to create animated images, commonly known as animated GIFs.

The ability to move a product out of the warehouse door and into the hands of the end-user, it is a critical capacity that only brick-and-mortar firms bring to the B2B table. Dot-coms may have the technology, but they don't have the execution capabilities. This is why many dot-coms offer equity partnerships to wholesale distributors.

June 20, 2009

Another name for instructional software, courseware can come in the form of a CD-ROM, a Web site, a floppy, an instructional video, or a program tutorial. Courseware is often used to train people on computer business applications, and is the term given to ancillary material in computer training classes.

A buzzword created in Silicon Valley, referring to the profit margin gains that were supposed to be made once the monies invested into the commercial Internet sector panned out. Prior to the Nasdaq crash on April 14, 2000, many VC firms believed that Internet technology was, in fact, creating a new economy (based primarily on B2C, e-commerce, and B2B applications). But stock market analysts disagreed, stating that since no profits were being made, many dot-coms were overvalued. The concept of the new economy, which once promised an exciting and profitable future, has been all but cast aside as nothing more than hype. In fact, 75 percent of B2C dot-coms ceased operations in the year 2000.

Still, many execs and researchers believe that information itself is as valuable as money. They suggest that once the wash-out of bad business models clears the way for some real players, investment into the tech sector will continue and the industry will eventually become profitable (again). It is generally agreed upon that although the industry got a little ahead of itself, a strong Internet-based sector of the economy will reemerge, which has in fact happened and is knows as Web 2.0.

June 21, 2009

A 2-D graphics language that provides precise control over layout, fonts, color, and printing, making the text, images, and graphics on Web pages more compelling. It was created by Adobe, IBM, Netscape, and Sun Microsystems to compete with Microsoft's ClearType technology.

Unlike the approach taken by ClearType, PGML uses 2-D vector graphics (which use computer algorithms to describe shapes and lines) as opposed to the popular raster graphics standards-GIF and JPG-both which use pixel-by-pixel definitions. Vector-based images are scalable and smaller in file size, a plus for online viewing and downloading. Adobe has joined an assortment of other vector-based graphics promoters in submitting PGML to the W3C as a possible new Web graphics standard. Other candidates include Microsoft's Vector Graphics Format (VML) and Macromedia Flash.

The name of the computer in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. Its full name is HAL 9000 and "HAL" stands for a "Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic" computer. Computers in the real year 2001 had nowhere near the speech-articulation HAL does in the movie. To engage computers in extended conversations, programmers need to integrate speech recognition, natural-language understanding, discourse analysis, world knowledge, reasoning ability, and speech generation. DARPA is working on wide-ranging conversational interfaces.

Even though it sounds like it could be an exotic word game or elite programming term, it's everyday language used at the Pentagon. It describes the inner workings or logistical details of a government program.

June 22, 2009

A group of participating Web sites that display each other's ad banners (or buttons) in exchange for credits; the more impressions you display, the more credits you receive. The credits are then converted into ad spaces for you to display your ad banner on participating Web sites. Participating in banner exchange programs is a great way to drive traffic to your site if you have compelling content and a creative ad banner.

Refers to the base-16 number system, which consists of 16 unique symbols: the numbers 0 to 9 and the letters A to F. It is most commonly used online to assign color to Web pages. For example, the decimal number 15 is represented as F in the hexadecimal numbering system. The hexadecimal system is useful because it can represent every byte as two consecutive hexadecimal digits. It is easier for humans to read hexadecimal numbers than binary numbers. To convert a value from hexadecimal to binary, you merely translate each hexadecimal digit into its 4-bit binary equivalent. Hexadecimal numbers have either and 0x prefix or an h suffix. For example, the hexadecimal number: 0x3F7A translates to the following binary number: 0011 1111 0111 1010.

June 23, 2009

A service provided by a hosting company to businesses that wish to have their Web site on a stand-alone or "dedicated" computer. It can be costly, and therefore is usually only utilized by large companies that have a lot of traffic on their Web sites and an in-house technology team that provides 24/7 monitoring. The primary benefit of dedicated hosting is that you have root access to the machine and can literally turn it off or make any changes at any time.

A phrase that refers to not displaying specified online ads. A publisher can request that his or her ad network block certain ad banners, usually because of the content (such as online porn) or because of the technology used to display them (such as pop-up ads or ads that contain Flash or Java).

Negative or indifferent reactions to nonexistent, but already overhyped technologies. Examples would include video-on-demand, 500 channels, interactive TV, and anything promised in the AT&T "You Will" ads.

June 24, 2009

Another name for a business. On the Web, it refers to any large company or organization that utilizes computers. For example, an intranet can be called an "enterprise computing system."

To open a network connection or to begin using network applications, generally by entering a password.

A variation on multimedia.

June 25, 2009

A packet data protocol standard for sending wireless data, it was developed for use on cellular phone frequencies. It transmits data in packets on unused cellular channels (in the 800MHz to 900 MHz range). This technology offers transfer rates of up to 19.2 Kbps, quicker call set-up, and better error correction than modems on an analog cellular channel. Too confusing? Basically, CDPD is a way to send and receive information over wireless devices.

A subset of value chain management, it is an old system that's been updated with new technology. It specifically refers to the relationship between a supplier and a retailer. For example, a major retailer can monitor surplus on its shelves right down to an individual product, and this enables the retail store to keep its supplier aware of how its product is selling. In return, the retailer may demand favorable promotions from the supplier.

A deluge of private chat messages while one is trying to do something else online. "Sorry, I'm currently the victim of a send storm. I'll be with you in a moment." On AOL, this is called "being IMed to death" (see instant messaging).

June 26, 2009

MOment Please

June 27, 2009

Business slang for a deal that lacks substance. Someone may say, "Those two companies could care less about each other's products; they just did a barney deal to save face."

Refers to the hard work that was performed. "Our vendor did the 'heavy lifting', we just supervised the project from beginning to end."

June 28, 2009

A term that generally refers to a short display of a product's features and capabilities. It can be used in the past, present, or future tenses. For example, "I'm demoing it at noon," or, "He demo'd it last night," or, "What time is the demo?"

Slang for men who are art directors and creative professionals working in design, post-production, gaming, or the entertainment industry (but it doesn't mean they all have ponytails).

For example, "Here's the concept, now we have to run it by the ponytails."

One of a variety of server messages you may see on your browser screen, it reports the return status of a Web page request and specifies whether the data transfer was successful or not (and why not).

Possible "Success" codes include the following:

200 = Success: OK

201 = Success: Created

202 = Success: Accepted

203 = Success: Partial Information

204 = Success: No Response

300 = Success: Redirected

301 = Success: Moved

302 = Success: Found

303 = Success: New Method

304 = Success: Not Modified

Possible "Failed" codes include the following:

400 = Failed: Bad Request

401 = Failed: Unauthorized

402 = Failed: Payment Required

403 = Failed: Forbidden

404 = Failed: Not Found

500 = Failed: Internal Error

501 = Failed: Not Implemented

502 = Failed: Overloaded Temporarily

503 = Failed: Gateway Timeout

June 29, 2009

A host computer on a network, it houses information and responds to requests for information (for example, it houses Web sites and executes their links to other Web sites). The term "server" also refers to the software that makes the act of "serving information" possible. Commerce servers, for example, use software to run the main functions of an e-commerce Web site, such as product display, online ordering, and inventory management (you'll also hear this described as shopping cart technology). A server is the control computer on a LAN, meaning it controls the software, access to printers, and other parts of the network (usually accompanied by workstations that "share the load"). A server may be dedicated (where its sole purpose is to be the server) or non-dedicated (where in addition to being the server, it can be used for basic computing purposes).

Initially just a modern marketing buzzword, it is now considered a business practice in which a company adds extra features (such as a warranty) to a product so the customer has a difficult time comparing prices and opts to buy the product with more value-added features. The term is also loosely used to refer to anything that can add value to something else. For example, "The NetLingo Search Box represents value-added content for newbie Web sites that do not have a dictionary of Internet terms."

Said about someone who refuses to admit to having cosmetic surgery. For example, "Is Tori Spelling in the plastic closet, or what!?"

June 30, 2009

Any text document in an electronic format. An e-text may take the form of a short pamphlet, a README file, or a note.

An input/output device (such as a computer) consisting of a keyboard and a monitor. It is possible to login to a remote terminal by using an application program based on Telnet. A user can enter commands on a local computer and access files on a remote computer that may be located anywhere in the world.

A corporate divestiture in which a division of a company (or a subsidiary) becomes a separate corporate entity altogether. Here's a classic scenario of what happened in the new economy: Stricken with stock envy as shares in dot-coms soared to enormously high levels in 2000, large companies (such as Wal-Mart and Staples) created separate Internet companies that they hoped to take public at equally high valuations. Once the dot-com bubble burst, these corporate entities started laying out the cash to buy these spin-offs back and bring them back into the parent company fold.