Washington, 30 November 1998 (RFE/RL) -- The following is a brief glossary of some of the most commonly used terms used when referring to the Internet and electronic mail.
Attachment -- a file that is joined to a mail message so that the file is delivered along with the message.
Body -- the main part of the text within an electronic mail message.
Bookmarks -- a permanent list of links chosen by you and available in your Internet web browser.
Browser -- a program used to access the web and other Internet resources.
Cracker -- a person who makes an unauthorized intrusion into another computer or files with the intent to cause damage.
Cyberspace -- a term invented by author William Gibson in his 1984 book "Neuromancer". It refers to the electronic realm of networked computers. Or more commonly -- if you are on the Internet, you are considered in cyberspace.
Data -- any type of information that might be stored or processed by a computer.
Domain Name -- a standard Internet address consisting of two or more names and separated by a "." (i.e. http://www.rferl.org).
Download -- to transfer data from a remote computer to your computer.
Electronic Mail (e-mail) -- a system by which computer users can exchange messages with each other via a communication network.
Hacker -- a person who makes an unauthorized intrusion into another computer or files.
Home Page -- the main web page of a person or organization.
Host -- a computer connected to the Internet, or a computer system capable of supporting more than one user.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) -- a set of specifications for embedding instructions within regular text in order to create a web page.
Http (HyperText Transfer Protocol) -- the beginning of most addresses on the web and the set of rules that instructs the transfer of most documents traveling over the web.
Hyperlink -- to link from one web page on the Internet to another.
IP Address -- a standard Internet address using numbers rather than names.
Information Superhighway -- refers to the Internet and other network-based information systems.
Internet -- the world's largest computer network -- sometimes referred to as the 'Net.'
Internet Service Provider -- An organization or business offering public access to the Internet.
Link -- a connection from one Internet web page to another.
Log In -- to initiate a session with a remote computer.
Modem -- a communications device that permits computer uses to transmit information over a standard telephone line. You use your modem to connect to the Internet.
Multimedia -- a computer system suitable for displaying pictures and working with sounds as well as standard computer functions.
Net -- see Internet.
Network -- a group of computers connected together in order to permit them to transfer information to each other.
Phreak -- a person who engages in phone or telecommunications hacking.
Search Engine -- a mechanism for finding documents on the Internet.
Shareware -- a program you can try for free, usually for a limited time period, and pay for only if you want to use it permanently.
Snail Mail -- regular postal mail as opposed to electronic mail.
Spam -- the mailing of a huge number of unwanted and unrequested electronic mail.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator) -- the technical name of a world wide web page address. For example, the URL for RFE/RL's home page is: http://www.rferl.org.
Web Page -- a specific location on the Internet where you can place, edit, or examine text and graphics.
World Wide Web (www) -- the most popular system on the Internet on which you can create and browse through web pages.