Computer Jargon, Computing Terms, Jargon Glosssary Page, Internet Terms…

February 11, 2015 Rob Abdul

This page has the most commonly used computer jargon words and their meanings in my own words:

.NET	A programming language that is meant to replace ASP and one that all programmers will bow down to. This is also a product of the mighty Microsoft.
Accessibility Guidelines	Web accessibility refers to the practice of making web pages on the Internet accessible to all users, especially those with disabilities.
ACL	Access control Lists. Basically a list that specifies who can access the system and what they can access.
Ad-aware	Software that removes malicious cookies and files.
Adsense	A Google product that allows you to advertise Google ads on your website. If your site receives a substantial number of page views or visits, you might consider publishing Google adds on your site as a lucrative revenue stream. It is lovely to receive cheques form Google I’ve received two so far! http://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/ads
Adwords	A Google product that allows you to advertise your website on Google. It is an ideal way to get your site promoted right away. http://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/ads
Alpha	When software is released before its official launch for testing purposes it is known as Alpha Edition.
Anti-Virus Program	Software that removes viruses from your computer.
ASP	Active Server Pages. A programming language by the mighty Microsoft that runs on the server.
Back-End	This is an administration point for system administrators.
Beta	Beta as you may have guessed proceeds after Alpha.
Bobby	Bobby is a check to see how well a sites design is for the less able. Depending on how well the design is it could score priority 1, 2 and 3.
Bread Crumbs	Links that progressively appear as navigate on a web site. You are able to use these links go navigate back to where you started from.
BSOD	Blue Screen of Death
CGI	Common Gateway Interface. A type of Server side programming language.
Client Side	Programming code that runs on a surfer’s computer.
Console	This is an administration point.
Crackers (Cracking)	Naughty people that de-engineer software so that you do not need a registration key.
DDA Compliance	Priority 1 (level A) WAI guidelines. This means that most disabled (and non-disabled) people will be able to work through your site, though often with some difficulty. Priority 2 (level AA) WAI guidelines. This means that the web designer has taken steps to increase the level of accessibility for his/her website. Priority 3 (level AAA) WAI guidelines. This means that disabled users can expect to easily obtain the same information and services as non-disabled users.
De-fragmentation	Files on a hard-disk get disorganised. De-fragmenting helps the files get organised again
Dedicated Server/Host	Dedicated Hosting is a service that Web hosting companies provide to their Clients’ whose websites generate a lot of traffic. Essentially, and entire server is used for a single customer, ensuring that all of the server’s resources are used to that Clients’ needs. This is important for companies that do business online, as heavy traffic tends to eat up bandwidth and make sluggish websites. This is more flexible than shared hosting, as webmasters typically have full control over the back end of the server, including choice of Operating System (Windows or Unix) and Web serving Software (IIS or Apache). Administration, however, is still handled by the hosting company
DNS	Domain Name Server. When you navigate to a web site on your browser the DNS server is contacted first. The DNS tells the browser where to go to find the site you’re looking for.
Domain Name	Is only the name part without the www and the .com or .co.uk. My domain name is robabdul
DOS	Disk Operating System – This is a really old school operating system by the mighty Microsoft.
DOS Attack	Denial of Service attack is when naughty people inundate web sites and mail servers with requests. So when you try to access the site you get a busy server error.
Extranet	Imagine accessing your Intranet from your home computer. That makes it an Extranet.
Firewall	Your personal bouncer. It blocks unwanted traffic and hackers.
Front-End	This is administration point for system users.
FTP	File Transfer Protocol. The process of sending WebPages and images you’ve designed to a web site
G4	Establishment of multimedia resources on local policy priorities accessible via public website (e.g. video & audio files). Also a PC by Apple.
Google	Behave! You should know this! A popular search engine, is a tool for finding resources on the World Wide Web (Googol is the mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeros. The term was coined by Milton Sirotta, nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasner). I love Google!
Googlebot	Googlebot is a smart little spider that accesses your site and takes snapshots of your pages as a human would do. Googlebot checks your sites robots.txt file located at the root of your server to see whether it may access your site. Sometimes poor Googlebot can get lost in your site or may get confused because you haven’t built your site friendly to search engines. If you are smart you can provide a sitemaps.xml file that helps old Googlebot find all your pages and include them in Google.
Hackers (Hacking)	It is a common misconception to brand hackers and crackers as one group. Crackers are all bad. Hackers can be good people and bad. Bad hackers’ break into you computer and f%# it up bad. A good hacker may break into your computer and do no damage and notify you that hey “get yourself a firewall mate”.
Hardware	In information technology, hardware is the physical aspect of computers,
HTTP	Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. This is not a programming language. It is just a protocol that you’re web browser and the web site you’re intended to visiting use to talk to each other.
HTTPS	Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure or Secure Socket Layer. This is not a programming language. It is just a protocol that your web browser and the web site you’re intended to visiting use to talk to each other in a secure one to one manner. Bad Hackers and Crackers cannot interfere.
Hyperlink	A reference (link) from some point in one {hypertext} document to (some point in) another place in the same document.
ID10T	ID10T (Idiot)is Synonym for PEBKAC ‘Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair’.
IIS	Internet Information Server. The mighty Microsoft’s Web Server. I love it.
IMAP4	This is a protocol that the Apple Mac’s use to get email a mail Server.
Intranet	The Internet is a massive network of networks.
IP Address	A unique set of numbers and dots to identify you on the Internet.
Java	A web programming language.
JavaScript	A web programming scripting language.
JSP	A web programming language.
Link Popularity	A measure of the quaintly and quality of web sites that link to a site.
MAC Address	A unique set of numbers and dots unique to your network device in your computer.
MS SQL	Microsoft’s premier database server
MySQL	Open source database server. MySQL is a true multi-user, multithreaded SQL database server. MySQL is fast and flexible enough to allow you to store logs and pictures in it. Its main goals are speed, robustness, and ease of use.
PEBKAC	PEBKAC is an acronym which stands for ‘Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair’.
PERL	A web programming language.
PHP	A web programming language.
Ping	Ping or pinging an IP address is when your send a packet of information to an IP address to see whether is replies.
POP3	A fast email service. Not like web based email services like hotmail
Port	Your computer has 65000 ports which are like doors that open. When you’re browsing the Internet you are using port 80. When receiving email you are using port 25
Profile	You collection of files and preferences on the network.
Protocol	A set of instructions that explains how communication between two computers is to be carried out.
Rapid-Prototyping	Rather than spend days, a developer will quickly build a mockup or a small part of a system.
Registry	A huge hidden database on your computer that stores everything about your computers workings.
Router	Similar to a Switch a box that you plug all your computers in so they’re networked.
Screen Readers	A Screen Reader is commonly used name for Voice Output Technology. Hardware and software produce synthesized voice output for text displayed on the computer screen, as well as for keystrokes entered on to a keyboard.
Scripting (programming)	Many websites incorporate some form of scripting language. Simple Php scripts may be used to process forms or facilitate interaction between the user and the website.
SEO	Search Engine Optimised. The term is used to describe the marketing technique of preparing a web site to enhance its chances of being ranked in the top results of a search engine.
Server Side	Programming code that runs on a Web Server.
Shared Server/Host	Shared hosting refers to the practice of splitting up server resources among many customers in order to defer the cost to many different customers.
Software	Program of instructions that directs the operation of a computer.
SP2	SP is Service Pack 2 for Microsoft Windows XP. It basically fixes errors made by Microsoft programmers.
Spy ware	Software that removes programs that collect your personal information.
SQL	Structured Query Language. A bad ass programming language that allows you to talk to databases and made them do things.
SSL connection	Secure Socket Layer. A security protocol that provides communication privacy. SSL enables client/server applications to communicate in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, and message forgery.
Switch	A box that you plug all your computers in so they’re networked.
Telnet	A console for extremely nerdy individuals. Me included.
TLD	Top-level Domain the suffix to a domain name. For example .com
URL	Unicode Reference Link. The full address to a page on the Internet is a URL. For example https://robabdul.com/contact.asp
USB	Universal Serial Bus
VB	Visual Basic. A windows programming language.
VB Script	Visual Basic Script. A programming scripting language by the mighty Microsoft.
VNC	Virtual Network Connection. A program that allows you to access a computer remotely.
VPN	Virtual Private Networking. If you are working from home you would have to authenticate with your in-house server before you are given access to our network resource like printers. Information for your home computer and the in-house server are encrypted.
W3C	An international consortium based at the MIT that coordinates technical development and quality standards for the web.
W3C CSS	Cascading style sheets can also be checked for compliancy.
WHOIS	An Internet database that provides information of ownership, billing and contact information form domains names.
WWW	World Wide Web, do not confuse the World Wide Web with the Internet! They are not the same thing. The World Wide Web is a sub network that runs in the Internet container. The Internet is a massive network and the WWW is a way of accessing it.