A

Active X 
A Microsoft technology used on the Internet. ActiveX controls can be downloaded from the Internet. These controls are "activated" by the web browser and perform a variety of different functions. There are Active X controls which allow you to view Microsoft word documents via the web browser, play animated graphical effects and display interactive maps. As the name suggests they make the web page "active". ActiveX controls provide similar functionality to Java Applets.

ADSL 
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - a mechanism by which data can be transmitted across conventional telephone lines. The circuit needs to be configured to connect two specified locations.

Animated GIF 
An image that moves like a cartoon on your computer screen. 

Applet 
An applet is a very small program written in the Java programming Language that can only be used as part of a web page. The browser you are using must be capable of running Java Applets. They are used to bring a web page to life.

Application 
Any software program that you use on your computer to perform a task such as writing letters. Applications on your computer are like CDs on your CD player. 

ASP
Application Service Provider

Attachment 
A file that you attach to an Email. 

Awaiting Testing  
This task is awaiting for testing and will be actioned by assignee. 

B

Banner 
Signboard style advertising across the top of a web page.

Baud 
Commonly used to describe the number of bits of information that a modem transmits: 500 baud means 500 bits per second. 

Bit 
The smallest unit of computer data, equivalent to either a 1 or zero. 

Body (TAG)
Part of a web page that appears inside the main part of a browser window. 

Boolean Operator 
Words like ‘and’ ‘or’ and ‘not’ that help you pinpoint information you want to retrieve from the Internet. 

Bookmarking 
Adding a website address to your on-line address book so you can visit it again without having to type in the web address. Netscape call this feature Bookmarking, Microsoft’s browser names them ‘Favourites’. 

Browser 
Software used to navigate the World-Wide-Web. Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer are browsers.

Byte 
This equals 8 bits. One byte is smaller than a word and generally represents one character. 

C

CACHE 
The part of the computer memory where downloaded web pages are stored. 

Chat 
Live conversations with any number of other people anywhere in the world. You ‘talk’ by typing and reading messages. Everyone sees your message and you can read everyone else’s message. 

Client 
Client/Server distributes the processing of a Computer Application between two computers - the Client and the Server - the principal being to exploit the power of each. The Client is usually a PC. The Application Program will access data and perform processing on the server and, using the data obtained via the server more processing tasks will be performed on the Client. The Application can be used by more than one user.

Collaborative ‘c’-commerce
Collaborative commerce is an advanced and powerful implementation of ebusiness that involves organisations electronically interlinking their business processes across the Internet.

Cookie 
Information stored on your computer when you visit a website that is useful if you return to that site, e.g. when a website says ‘Welcome Back’, it has read a cookie stored on your computer last time you visited the site. 

Cyberspace 
The imaginary spaces that you travel around in when you use the Internet. 

D

Data 
Information

Deferred  
for future This task is deferred and will be taken up in future.

DHCP
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - a standard method for assigning IP addresses automatically to the devices on a TCP/IP network. As a new device connects, the DHCP server assigns an IP address from a list of available addresses. The device retains this IP address for the duration of the session - once the device disconnects the IP address becomes available for use again. 

Dial Up 
The use of telephone lines to connect a computer to another computer on the Internet. 

Directory 
A list of hyperlinks to web pages or programs from the Internet to your computer. 

Domain Name 
The highest level name for a website. For example, the BBC’s domain name is bbc.co.uk 

Download 
To copy files such as web pages or programs from the Internet to your computer. 

E

e-mail 
Electronic Mail - a way of sending other people messages from your PC. Widely used facility on the Internet that basically sends addressed messages over a network. The message normally gets there in a couple of minutes. Internet users refer to the conventional mail system as "Snail Mail".

Encryption 
A method of coding and decoding information. Used for security on the Internet.

ERP
Enterprise Resource Planning

Ethernet
A standard for connecting computers into a local area network (LAN). 

En
Enquiry 

F

FAQ 
Frequently Asked Questions – A web page that contains the answers to the most popular and frequently asked questions asked by visitors to a website. 

Firewall 
Software that sets up a security barrier around a company’s internal network, protecting it from outside networks such as the Internet. 

Freeware 
Software that is free to use. 

FTP - File Transfer Protocol
A standard method of transferring files over the Internet.

G

Gateway 
A gateway is a device that connects different networks together. This handles the transfer of data between the networks and any conversion that is required to enable the data which has been extracted from one network to be read in the other network

Global Issue 
This issue is affecting most of the sites, more details are available under "Category"

H

Handshake 
A signal sent by a modem to an access provider’s computer in order to obtain permission to connect to the Internet. 

Hit 
A website found by a search engine using keywords entered into the query box. It can also measure the number of visitors to a website and therefore how popular the site is. 

Home page 
An introductory page which contains links to other pages on a website. 

Host 
A computer connected to the Internet which holds information that can be accessed by Internet users 

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) 
Language used to create documents on the web. This page is written in html.

HTTP 
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol – the language computers use to transfer web pages over the Internet. 

Hyperlink 
A piece of text, picture or graphic that links a web page with another web page. Also known as Hotspot. 

Hypertext 
A word or group of words which are hyperlinks. 

I

Icon 
A small picture which you can click on to make your computer do something or which indicates that the computer is doing something. 

Information Superhighway 
Slang for the Internet. 

Internet 
An internet is a network of networks. The Internet refers to a world-wide interconnection of networks first begun by the US Department of Defense in the 1960s. 

Internet Service Providers
(ISP’s) – companies that sell Internet connections to people. 

Intranet 
Using Internet-type resources like the Web to build private information resources.

In Progress 
This task is in being undertaken.

ISDN 
Integrated Services Digital Network - a faster way of moving information over a standard telephone line.

J

Java
Java is a modern Programming Language, first seen in 1995, which is used to bring Web Pages to life. Java programs are referred to as applets.

Java is an interpreted, object-orientated program language with a syntax and structure similar to C++, designed specifically for the internet by Sun Microsystems 
One huge plus for Java is that Java programs can run on many different types of computer (e.g. IBM PC, Apple Macintosh). 

Java Applets are always small in size and can be downloaded from the internet and executed as part of the Web page being displayed.

Once a programmer has completed the Java program it is compiled to produce an executable module. This executable module has instructions written for the "Java Virtual Machine" - this is designed for the platform on which the module is to be executed. These instructions are interpreted on the platform where the program is being executed. "Java Virtual Machines" are available for a number of operating environments e.g. Windows, AIX, OS/2.

K

kbps 
Kilobits Per Second. The unit used to measure how quickly data is transferred between devices on a network. One kilobit is 1024 bits. 

Keyword 
Any word used with the search engine to locate information or a web page. 

Known Bug 
This is a request/issue that has already been raised in another site, and that will be fixed in all sites at the same time (i.e. ASP bug) . 

L

Link 
A component of a hypertext document which when clicked with a mouse takes the user to another document or a different section of the current document. The word "mouse" above in this paragraph - which you can probably see in mauve or blue is an example of a link. 

Location box 
(Or Address box) – the part of the browser where the URL’s of the web page are stored. 

M

MRP
Materials Requirements Planning

MIME 
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions - a standard by which people can send each other e-mail messages that contain pictures, videos or sounds.

Modem 
(Modulated/Demodulated) – a device which enables computer data to be sent down an analog telephone line. 

N

Netiquette 
A code of conduct, developed by Internet users, which states acceptable and unacceptable ways of behaving on the Internet. 

Net Surfer 
Someone who explores the Internet, looking for interesting things to do. 

Net Surfing 
Exploring the Internet by jumping from one file to another, like a surfer catching one wave and then another. 

Network 
A number of computers and other devices that are linked together to that they can share information and equipment. 

News Groups 
News Groups are one of the many facilities available on the Internet. Like most of the Internet, news groups are run voluntarily and co-operatively by people like you and me. A news group is centered on a discussion topic, an example being rec.sport.soccer. Within these news groups several discussions or threads take place on themes within the discussion topic. A news group devoted to the great rock guitarists, for instance, may have a thread on who is the best guitarist - Clapton, Beck or Page. If you are having a problem getting something specific to work in a spreadsheet there will definitely be a news group to which you can pose your problem and it won't take long to get many responses. Unfortunately news groups appear to be the vehicle for a majority of the more undesirable topics that pollute the internet. If you see a particular news group of interest you can "subscribe" to it. Once this has been done you "post" your article and eventually it can be seen by anyone else who subscribes to that particular news group.

The categories of news groups (represented by the first 3 or 4 characters of the name followed by a "." are) :-

• rec - recreational activities
• biz - business related groups
• comp - computers including technical discussion and support
• soc - social issues
• sci - scientific discussions
• uk - groups of interest to English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh
• alt - alternative groups

Not Started 
This task is assigned but not yet started. 

Not in Spec 
Request that is beyond original specification or outside base functionality where no specifics are defined. . 

O

ODBC
Open Database Connectivity - an interface used by windows application programs to gain access to databases.

Off-line 
Not connected to the Internet. 

On Hold 
This task is on hold and is expecting action from staff / client. 

On-line 
Connected to the Internet. 

On-line service 
A company that gives you access to its private network, containing various kinds of information, as well as to the Internet. 

Operator 
A word or symbol that gives a particular instruction to a search engine. 

Operational Issue 
This is not a bug but issue related to functioning of the application. This could also mean user has not understood the functionality and expecting different result . 

P

Parking
Domain parking

Plug-in 
A piece of software you can add to your browser to enable it to perform extra functions such as displaying video clips. 

POP 
Post Office Protocol - standard for exchanging e-mail between a users PC and their Internet Access Provider.

Protocol 
An agreed set of rules that two computers use when communicating with each other. 

P1 
To be used for tasks affecting operations. 

P2 
To be used for Urgent Tasks. 

P3 
To be used for low priority tasks. 

PR 
Pre Release. 

Q

QBE
Query By Example is a particular search type used by Search Engines. Once you find a particular Web Site QBE will locate sites of a similar nature for you. 

Query 
There is a query for this task. 

Query Box 
The place on the search engine’s home page where you can type in your query or keywords. 

R

RAS
Remote Access Server - a PC on a network that has a number of modems attached allowing the users to connect via telephone lines.

Register 
To type in details about yourself on a form on a website in order to gain access to the information on that site. 

Request Closed 
This task is completed and closed. 

S

Search Engine 
A type of program that searches for web pages which contain particular words. 

Serial Port 
The part of a computer through which data can be transmitted. Modems are connected through serial ports. 

Server 
A program which provides a service to another program, called the client. A web server holds web pages and allows client programs to read and write them. 

Shareware 
Software which you can try out before having to pay for it. 

Site Alteration 
This is a request to change the way something works for this site only. Such as changes in existing custom process points or deviations from original specification.  

Site Enhancement 
This is extending the default functionality of this site only. Such as changes in existing custom process points or deviations from original specifications .  

SMTP 
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. An accepted standard used extensively on the Internet for transferring e-mail messages between computers. The standard defines exactly how the message will be sent, any controls, format of the message, etc.

Spam 
Junk mail on the Internet. 

Software 
Programs that enable computers to carry out certain tasks. 

Source code 
The HTML code that makes up a particular web page.

System Alteration 
This is a request that changes the way an existing part of the system functions. i.e. changing the way Placement references are generated.

System Bug 
Error not trapped by Production or QA Team. This may also be due to inadequate test script.

System Enhancement 
This is a request that enhances the default functionality of the system.

T

TCP/IP
TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol and is quite simply a standard set of protocols that govern the basic workings of the Internet that was implemented in 1982.
The TCP part is all about ensuring that data is transmitted correctly between two computers. If any errors occur these are detected and the data is retransmitted. The data transmitted is split up into small portions called Data Packets. The IP part of TCP/IP is how these data packets are moved from one point to another. Each computer on the Internet has a unique IP address and the data packets are moved from the source to the destination through many different computers, controlled via TCP/IP. This protocol is used on the Internet and also by computers which are part of a LAN.

U

URL
Uniform Resource Locater - How documents on the WWW are referenced. The URL contains the protocol to be used e.g. HTTP.

Unworkable Enhancement
This is a request/issue that cannot be resolved with reasonable effort. It might be a request to change core functionality or maybe a larger change than is acceptable in production plans.

V

Virus 
A program which interrupts the normal functioning of your software or hardware 

VPN 
Virtual Private Network. A private network which is actually part of a larger public network. This technology is of great interest as a VPN can be created on the Internet. The VPN operates for its users as a private network accessible only by authorized users. 

W

Webmaster 
A person who creates or maintains a website. 

Web page 
A computer document written in HTML and linked to other computer documents by hyperlinks. 

Website 
A collection of web pages set up by an organisation or an individual, which are usually stored on the same server. 

Wired 
Connected to the web 

WWW
The World Wide Web - The Internet facility that allows you to browse linked web pages.

X

XML 
EXtensible Markup Language - a subset of SGML aimed at web site developers. Gives more flexibility than the original standards in HTML.

XBRL
Extensible Business Reporting Language – a tagging scheme to tailor financial data for different industry sectors and national standards.

Y

ymodem
A file transfer protocol for modems, which sends data from an Internet host to a PC. The data is sent without acknowledgment from the computer receiving the data. Supersedes XModem.

Z