Internet Word of the Day Archive

January 01, 2013

The technology that lets people to speak a computer command instead of typing it. The computer understands it and implements the task. Voice recognition is in use on some telephone and computer systems. Algorithm-based programming enables computers to recognize the words of human speech and to record them into memory, where they can be saved into files or used to command and interact with an IVR system. Software programs transform recognized words into digitized text. Discrete-speech systems require the user to speak slowly and distinctly. Continuous-speech systems allow a user to speak naturally.

You're Welcome

January 02, 2013

Modern jargon that refers to a social network which exists online, it refers to a "taxonomy" of knowledge organized by ordinary "folks." In other words, regular people like you and I are building networks of knowledge based on common interests by combining "what they know" with "who they know." The topics are all over the map. One way to think of it is like a job board or classified advertising blast but instead the vehicle is a Web site.

The Walls Have Ears

January 03, 2013

The name for a network packet that induces a broadcast storm or a network meltdown. Named in memory of the April 1986 nuclear accident at Chernobyl, in Ukraine.

Evil Grin

January 04, 2013

Real Life

The opposite of high-tech. It generally refers to businesses that are not reliant on computer technology, such as a bakery or shoe repair shop.

January 05, 2013

The process of having to format something all over again.

I Love You

January 06, 2013

The name of the process for creating a new standard in computing or on the Internet, new standards are proposed and published online as a "Request For Comments." The IETF is the consensus-building body that facilitates discussion in establishing new standards. The reference number/name for the standard retains the acronym "RFC," for example, the official standard for e-mail is RFC 822.

Bye Bye for Now

January 07, 2013

No Basis In Fact

Big Smile -or- Bull Sh** -or- Brain Strain

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.

A form of CRM, it is a tactic that uses e-mail to establish a bond between consumer and company.

A built-in help file designed to aid you in setting up or configuring a particular application or program. It is actually an interactive utility that guides a user through each step of the set-up process.

Check Your Mail

January 08, 2013

A technique used to cache information on a Web server. It acts as an intermediary between a Web client and a Web server.

Basically, a proxy server holds the most commonly accessed and recently used content from the World Wide Web in order to provide quicker downloads for users and to increase server security. It is common for an ISP to use a proxy server, especially if it has a slow link to the Internet. Proxy servers are also constructs that allow direct Internet access from behind a firewall. They open a socket on the server and allow communication via that socket to the Internet.

For example, if your computer is inside a protected network and you want to browse the Web using Netscape, you will need to set up a proxy server on a firewall. The proxy server would be configured to allow requests from your computer, trying for port 80, to connect to port 1080 on the server; then all of your requests would be redirected to the proper place.

Slang usage of this term implies a catalyst. For example, "In our company, the Internet is a proxy for change, and people are looking to me to act as the change agent."

Neighborhood Electric Vehicle

January 09, 2013

Part of a string.

Take Care Of Yourself

January 10, 2013

Not My Problem

A learning management system (LMS) is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting of teaching programs, classroom events, online events, e-learning programs, and training content.

January 11, 2013

Bathroom

Used to describe a standard handshake protocol that allows peripherals to connect "without a lot of street jive" (no complicated configuring).

January 12, 2013

Ha-Ha, Only Serious

As heard on NPR (National Public Radio) this refers to boring, poorly done CD-ROMs (and any other multimedia platform).

January 13, 2013

Child safety software for the Internet. Net Nanny is intended for parents, guardians, and teachers who wish to stop children from accessing online porn and other undesirable material, while at the same time preventing the children's personal information-names, addresses, telephone numbers, and so on-from being circulated on the Net.

For more information about Net Nanny, click on the "more info" button below!

It's In The Mail

January 14, 2013

A Web site that gives away money for using the site. It works like this: Each time a surfer goes to an "e-lottery" site to look up sports scores, for example, he or she earns points toward an entry into a sweepstakes giveaway.

Any Second

January 15, 2013

Failure Between Keyboard and Seat

A heat map is a graphical representation of data where the values taken by a variable in a two-dimensional table are represented as colors. In the online world, Web "heat maps" have traditionally been used for displaying areas of a Web page or email most frequently scanned by visitors (in terms of clicks, mouse movements, and even eye-tracking). Heat mapping also refers to the live stream online display of where people are congregating at a particular time.

January 16, 2013

A play on words, it's the state of owning real estate in cyberspace or the camaraderie of frequently interacting online. Cytizens may own their own domain name, have a vanity page on the Web, or regularly visit discussion boards, chat rooms, or newsgroups of interest. They may be geektavists, hackers, or consumers concerned about such issues as online privacy. Whatever a person's interests, cytizenship connotes the feeling of belonging to cyberspace, a place where many netizens feel very much at home.

to explode

January 17, 2013

When you sign up with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and pay a monthly fee, you establish an "account" and receive an account name (or a username) as well as a password. This information allows you to access the Internet and your e-mail account when you dial the telephone number provided by the ISP. Account is a common term, and you can easily have more than one online account. For e-mail, you may have a local account and a Webmail account (such as Hotmail). For Net access, you may have a dial-up account you use at home and another account you use at school or work. see also: access number

An international scientific and educational organization dedicated to advancing the art, science, engineering, and application of information technology (IT). The ACM serves both professional and public interests by fostering the open interchange of information and by promoting professional and ethical standards.

No Reply Necessary

The process of removing a domain name from the zone files of the top-level domains. When a domain name is deactivated, the Domain Name System (DNS) will no longer have the information needed to resolve the domain name to its corresponding Internet Protocol number (IP number), effectively disabling that domain name as a tool for locating the related Web sites. InterNIC refers to this status as being "on hold," though, because the domain name record remains in InterNIC's domain name database.

Software that enables people (even those with no technical experience) to assemble text, image, audio, and video files into sophisticated electronic documents. It is an assembly tool for creating and viewing multimedia documents, similar to Acrobat. TK3 is available in an author version (which allows you to create e-books that use text, audio, and video) and a reader version (which allows you to view TK3 books). It provides user features, such as highlighters, sticky notes, hyperlinks to the Net, annotations, and the ability to search all text. TK3 documents can be distributed over the Internet or on fixed media like CD-ROMs, making it an extremely versatile tool. With TK3, you can make books, catalogs, electronic press kits, online documentation, academic papers and journals, multimedia art projects, and photo albums and distribute them through the Internet or on a CD-ROM, DVD, or Zip Disk.

A set of instructions that tells a computer how to execute functions and tasks. Software code is written in a programming language that makes computer systems and hardware work. Some programs contain millions of lines of code, and there are millions of software programs. The two basic software categories are system software (which makes your computer run properly, behind-the-screens) and application software (which include the programs, such as Microsoft Word, that you use while working on the computer).

Not That It Matters Much

Get Off Your High Horse

Computer media used for social purposes, as a means of exchange, collaboration, and the social construction of knowledge. Computer conferencing would be a perfect example of "sociomedia". Suggested by hypermedia theorist Edward Barrett in his book of the same name.

Talk To You Tomorrow

January 18, 2013

The main circuit board of a computer, it contains the central processing unit (CPU) and other necessary components.

An online ad, such as an interstitial, it is displayed in a new browser window when you click from one page to another. A pop-up ad, as well as a pop-under ad, is most commonly the size of the image to the right.

This type of online advertising is annoying for most Internet users because it interferes with what you are doing, and it is something that appears without you wanting it or taking any action. One way to rid yourself of pop-up ads is to download a toolbar (such as the Google toolbar) or download an anti-spyware program. See the spyware defintion for download resources!

Click on "more info" below to view pop-up ads and rectangles.

Old Man

yours

January 19, 2013

Fresh Fields and Pastures New

A computer logic board that plugs into the motherboard, it offers additional computer functions (such as enabling 3-D graphics enhancement and video capture).

The latest of all cyber threats, this form of digital attack is aimed towards businesses and government agencies and is designed to capture sensitive information from key insiders' computers.

Many "cyberattack" crime groups in Eastern Europe and Asia spy on employee PCs that have access to high profile and confidential data, resulting in credit card fraud, access to bank account information, and other valuable data.

Often times cyber attacks are launched through an email attachment that contains a malevolent code, and when opened, installs a tiny program on the victim's PC that will eventually copy the desired sensitive information. These emails may appear innocent, even disguised as an email coming from a business associate, making cyberattacks very difficult to detect.

Not Just Another Pretty Face

January 20, 2013

Another funny take on emoticons, "boobiecons" (like assicons) involve another body part. Known as straight-on smileys (because unlike the traditional smiley, you don't have to tilt your head to see it). Believe it or not, these icons are a form of ASCII art. Here are some examples:

.Y. flat boobies

(.Y.) curvy boobies

( . Y . ) fat boobies

( o Y o ) boobiecons

(.)(.) little boobies

(o)(o) regular boobies

( O )( O ) big boobies

( ' ) ( ' ) perky boobies

( , ) ( , ) droopy boobies

{.} {.} cold boobies

( @ ) ( @ ) hairy boobies

[ _ ] [ _ ] android boobies

( $ )( $ ) silicon boobies

There's also the assicons, they're so silly they're cute.

Correct Me if I'm Wrong

Parent Behind Back

The term "in situ" is used in many different contexts but in the online world it primarily refers to a particular user action that can be performed without going to another window. For example, in designing user interfaces (GUI), if a computer displays an image and allows you to edit the image without launching a separate image editor, this is called "in situ editing." You may hear someone say "This Web element will be in situ" meaning "show it to me in the page."

In computer science, an in situ operation is one that occurs without interrupting the normal state of a system. For example, a file backup may be restored over a running system, without needing to take the system down to perform the restore.

The term is a Latin phrase which is translated literally as 'in position.'

January 21, 2013

Message Of The Day

The modern phrase for a turning point in one's life.

You Know What I Mean

The nickname for a young cougar, these are women who are in their 20s and early 30s who are sexy and independent and date or have relationships with younger men. Celebrity examples include: Drew Barrymore, Claire Daines, and Jessica Alba. Not to be confused with a kitten.

January 22, 2013

A play on the name "Hollywood," this refers to a group of entertainment companies using Internet technology to create media products.

When a search is performed, this tool scrapes the documents and takes out chunks of text, this text is what is displayed to the user at the end of the search.

In The Final Analysis

Because

January 23, 2013

An open technology specification for short-range radio links between mobile PCs, "smart" devices, and other portable machines. It is a networking technology that enables data to easily transfer from one device to another, and unlike infrared (which requires a clear line of sight to operate properly), Bluetooth operates over a 2.4 gigahertz radio frequency that allows communications through obstacles over distances of 30 feet. This means, for example, that if this technology is combined with MP3, your audio could follow you from your living room to your car to your office. The same data (your preferred songs) could get transferred to different devices (your home stereo, your car radio, and your office audio system). You could also use your phone to create a wireless Internet connection for your laptop.

Bluetooth is a global wireless standard, and it eliminates the need for cords, thus allowing friends and business associates to exchange contact information much more easily. Building on the convenience of using a LAN for file and printer sharing, the creators envision a Bluetooth-enabled home, where the appliances talk to each other using you as the antenna. (Wouldn't you want your datebook to check your refrigerator to be sure there's enough orange juice for Sunday brunch? see: PAN).

On a more practical side, having your PDA, cell phone, desktop computer, and laptop computer automatically synchronize address books and calendars just by being in the same room sounds like a good thing. Named after the tenth century Danish king Harald Blåtand (which translates to Bluetooth), who unified Denmark and Norway, it is gaining momentum under the joint development backing of Nokia, IBM, Intel, LM Ericsson, and Toshiba.

A new kind of customer service call center that offers not only telephone support for customers but also e-mail support, chat support, and other Web-based inquiries.

Enough Said

Looks Like Trouble

January 24, 2013

When seen online with a capital "A," Anonymous refers to a network of hacktivists. Their website describes the group as "an Internet gathering" with "a very loose and decentralized command structure that operates on ideas rather than directives". The group became known for a series of well-publicized hacks and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on government, religious, and corporate websites, including the video on Church of Scientology below. Many say Anonymous is not as much a group as it is the manifestation of neuromance, William Gibson's vision come to life.

When seen with a lowercase "a," anonymous means remaining unknown to the extent that you have not voluntarily identified yourself. On the Internet, computers are always identifiable because of IP addresses, so it's difficult to remain completely anonymous online. For anonymity, the best suggestion is not to give out your personal information online unless you really want to use a particular service or need something that requires you to divulge your personal information. For instance, it is not a good idea to voluntarily post on your personal Web site your home address along with pictures of your kids and where they go to school.

Just My Opinion

Online enterprises that link buyers and sellers, provide purchasing and distribution, and facilitate private negotiations, sealed bids, and requests for proposals. TPN Register, the joint venture of GE Information Services and Thomas Publishing Company, is a well-known example.

there

January 25, 2013

"Preferences" offer a way for a user to personalize his or her computer applications. This includes the Web browser, e-mail, even cell phone settings. Settings on a phone such as the ring tone, wallpaper, screen savers, etc are all examples of preferences that the user sets to his or her own liking.

This Is So Not Cool

Slang for being inundated and exhausted trying to be on top of all your email 24/7 with your handheld mobile device.

them

January 26, 2013

Age/Sex/Location/Picture

Something that a company has not divulged, especially regarding design or technique specifications that would allow other companies to duplicate the product.

Proprietary software, for example, has been privately developed and is privately owned and controlled. see also: if I tell you, I'll have to kill you, NDA

Hello And Welcome To Last Week

An area of education that specifically focuses on e-learning and how to integrate blogs, podcasts, wikis, and other types of interactive technologies into the classroom to engage students and enhance the learning experience.

EdTech is a growing field because it is widely acknowledged that today's students consume their information in different formats, and learn in different ways than students in the past.

January 27, 2013

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.

In short, podcasting lets everyday users distribute audio files over the Internet for playback any time on computers or digital music players. It is the process of creating an audio show of some sort available in MP3 format via an RSS feed that supports enclosures. Podcasts are designed to include talk shows, tutorials, music, or other audio content.

Hey, give a geek an iPod and what's he going to do? Write a script to automatically fill it with interesting content. Let's say you have a downloadable audio show that you're interested in listening to on a regular basis because it has something with new material each time. In the past you would have to go to the Web site and locate the new download where you'd manually grab the MP3 file and listen to it. With podcasting, online publishers put together RSS feeds that announce when the file is available. With the right kind of feedreader, you can have the file automatically downloaded as soon as it is released. This way there is only one step: "automatic downloading" in which the software takes the download and copies it into your digital music player (such as an iPod, hence its name "podcasting"). The idea is that if you go to sleep with zero music on your iPod, you can wake up and the new audio files will be waiting for you to listen to them.

Some netizens believe podcasting will revitalize the art of radio. All you need are rudimentary recording tools, free software, and a speedy Internet connection. Like the bloggers before them, podcasters are changing the nature of the medium.

Even some big companies, such as Oracle and IBM, are already using podcasting as a means of disseminating company information, there are questions about the effectiveness of audio-only presentations (especially for selling purposes). Still, as a technology, podcasting is inexpensive and awaits creative niche uses.

For those of you who still don't quite get it, think of it like the desktop aggregator: You can subscribe to a set of feeds, and easily view the new stuff from all of the feeds together, or view each feed separately. Podcasting works the same way, with this exception: Instead of reading the new content on a computer screen, you listen to the new content on an iPod or digital music player. (The format used is RSS 2.0 with enclosures.) For a quick sample of the latest podcasts, check out the link below!

Excuse Me For Butting In

Not Invented Here

January 28, 2013

A mathematical technique used to check for errors when sending data by modem. Because some phone lines are notoriously crackly and can cause breaks in transmission, this is a crucial step. If the CRC fails to add up, the receiving end of a data transmission sends a NAK (Negative Acknowledgement) signal back to the sending modem until it does add up. CRCs are also used in tape backups and other streaming communications.

The ability to add or remove hardware or peripheral devices to a computer while the computer is running. The operating system automatically recognizes the change and the system isn't interrupted. Also known as "hot swapping," hot plugging is currently supported by two external bus standards: Universal Serial Bus (USB) and FireWire. It's also a feature of PCMCIA.

God Only Knows

A Completely Obsessive Really Nutty person

January 29, 2013

Same as pay-per-click, cost-per-click is an online advertising payment model in which the publisher is only paid when a user clicks on an online ad. Cost-per-click models have become more popular, particularly on search engines because the technology can target the ads based on the keywords a person used to search. For example, if I search Google on "radio stations Seattle" --in addition to the search results, a couple of sponsored links appear about "Washington State Radio Stations" and "AM, FM Station Lookup"-- these sponsored links are cost per click ads.

Slang for being not connected. The opposite of wired. It also refers to acoustic music as opposed to electric.

Said Enough Darling

Will Comply

January 30, 2013

American Association Against Acronym Abuse

This expression is in reference to the (former) largest oil spill in North American history when the Exxon Valdez tanker spilled 10.8 million gallons of unrefined Alaskan crude oil into Prince William Sound. (The Gulf disaster has far eclipsed that number, spilling an estimated 108 million gallons as of July, 2010.)

A similar debacle of astronomic proportion occurred when AOL intentionally released three months of search queries by 658,000 AOL users. Though the Internet service provider tried to pull back the data, it was too late as it had already leaked all over the net. AOL rightly apologized but in fact, violated its own privacy policy as well as existing federal law. According to experts, U.S. congress should heed the lessons of this "data Valdez" and enhance protections for users' privacy.

AOL's data Valdez released a total of 36,389,629 individual searches. They intended the files to be an academic resource but didn't consider that users might be upset to see their private queries become a research tool.

Click on "more info" below to see "The 7 Ways People Search the Web according to AOL's users."

Don't Even Notice I Am Lying

A nickname for an avid online user who is considered an "influencer" because of his or her social networking followers, blogs, tweets, posts, etc.  It primarily refers to people who use social media to build up their reputation.

January 31, 2013

The process of assembling a comprehensive database on consumer shopping habits and product preferences. Data is typically captured from online and offline transactions (including cookies and credit cards). Consumer profiling enables targeted marketing.

A nickname for a senior-level exec charged with reforming an "old economy" company's Internet and e-commerce strategies. The new program will have to cut the mustard in the new economy.

Just Kidding

Without A Doubt