Internet Industry Definitions

Internet Definitions

Domain Name

the term may refer to any type of domain within the computer field, since there are several types of domain (see below). However, today, it often refers to the address of an Internet site. An Internet domain name is an organization's unique name combined with a tip level domain name (TLD). For example, pcb.ca is the domain name of Pacific Customs Brokers. Following are the top-level domains. The .edu, .mil and .gov domains are traditionally U.S. domains.

.ca - Canadian domain
.com - commercial
.net - gateway or host
.org - non-profit organization
.edu - educational and research
.gov - government
.mil - military

E-mail

The transmission of memos and messages over a network. Users can send mail to a single recipient of broadcast it to multiple users. With multi-tasking work stations, mail can be delivered and announced while the user is working in another application. Otherwise, mail is sent to a simulated mailbox in the network server or host computer, which must be interrogated. An e-mail system requires a messaging system, which provides the store and forward capability, and a mail program that provides the user interface with send and receive functions.

EDI: (Electronic Data Interchange)

The electronic communication of business transactions, such as orders, confirmations and invoices, between organization. Third parties provide EDI services that enable organizations with different equipment to connect. Although interactive access may be a part of it, EDI implies direct computer to computer transactions into vendor's database and ordering systems.

FTP: (File Transfer Protocol)

A protocol used to transfer files over a TCP/IP network (Internet, UNIX, etc.). It includes functions to log onto the network, list directories and copies files. It can also convert between the ASCII and EBCDIC character codes. FTP operations can be performed by typing commands at a command prompt or via an FTP utility running under a graphical interface such as Windows. FTP transfers can also be initiated from within a Web browser by entering the URL preceded with ftp://.

HTML: (Hypertext Makeup Language)

The document format used on the World Wide Web. Web pages are built with HTML tags, or codes, embedded in the text. HTML defines the page layout, fonts and graphic elements as well as the hypertext links to other documents on the Web. Each link contains the URL, or address of a Web page residing on the same server or any server worldwide, hence the "World Wide" Web.

HTTP: (Hypertext Transport Protocol)

The communications protocol used to connect to servers in the World Wide Web. Its primary function is to establish a connection with a Web server and transmit HTML pages to the client browsers typically default to the HTTP protocol.

Hypertext

A linkage between related text. For example, by selecting a word in a sentence, information about the word is retrieved if it exists, or the next occurrence of the word is found. Hypertext is the foundation of the World Wide Web. Links embedded within Web pages are addressed to other Web pages, which are stored locally or in a Web server anywhere in the world. Links can be text only, in which case they are underlined, or they can be represented as an icon of any size or shape.

Internet

A large network made up of a number if smaller networks.

Intranet

An in-house Web site that servers the employee of the enterprise. Although Intranet pages may link to the Internet, an Intranet is not a site accessed by the general public.

ISDN: (Integrated Services Digital Network)

An international telecommunications standard for transmitting voice, video and data over digital lines running at 64 Kbps. The telephone companies commonly use a 64 KBPS channel for digitized, two-way voice conversations. ISDN service is becoming widely available in the U.S. It is expected to be fully nationwide in a couple of years. ISDN users 64 Kbps circuits switched channels, called B channels, or "bearer" channels, to carry voice and data. It uses separate D channels or "delta" channels for control signals. The D channel is used to signal the telephone company computer to make a call, out them on hold and activate features such as conference calling and call forwarding. It also receives information about incoming calls, such as the identity of the caller. ISDN's basic service is Basic Rate Interface (BRI) which is made up of two 64 Kbps B channels and on 16 Kbps D channels (2B + D). If both channels are combined into one, called bonding, the total data rate becomes 128 Kbps and is four and a half times the bandwidth of a V.34 modem (28.8Kbps).

ISP

Internet Service Provider

Modem: (MOdulaor-DEModulator)

A device that adapts a terminal or computer to a telephone line. It converts the computer's digital pulses into audio frequencies (analog) for the telephone system and converts the frequencies back into pulses at the receiving side. The modem also dials the line, answers the call and controls transmissions speed, which ranges from 300 to 33600 bps and higher.