A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

Select a letter to go to the corresponding glossary's section. If you are searching an item beginning with a number or symbol, choose #.

• ActiveX Programming language developed by Microsoft. It's an implementation of OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) designed to build web applications integrated with Windows environments.
• Address System developed to identify and reach someone or something. About concerning the Internet, there are: a) e-mail addresses, b) IP addresses, c) hardware addresses, e) URLs.
• ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line). A modem technology which allows high speed data communications on twisted-pair telephone lines. To know more: ADSL Forum link.
• Anchor Synonym for hyperlink.
• Anonymous FTP System to retrieve data stored on FTP servers which allow access to publicly accessible files without having to provide an userid and a password. Just by using the special userid of "anonymous". Netiquette however says that you have to provide your e-mail address as a password.
• ANSI (American National Standards Institute). An organization that is concerned with U.S. standards in several areas such as computers and communications.
• Archie A kind of search engine to automatically gather, index and provide information about files contained in all anonymous FTP archives on the Internet. See also: FTP.
• ARPA Advanced Research Project Agency. USA's defense department agency.
• ARPANET A packet switched network developed in the early 1970s. The old "mother" of today's Internet.
• ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange). A standard encoding system used in computer systems.
• ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) A technology wich allows high-speed (1.544Mbps through 1.2Gbps), fixed-size packet (cell) switching with dynamic bandwidth allocation. To know more: ATM Dictionary.
• AVI (Audio Video Interface). Microsoft's video file format.

Top

• Backbone The top level in a hierarchical network. It's a high speed connection line which connects sub-nets among them.
• Bandwidth The amount of data that can travel through a given medium.
• Baud Unit to measure signaling speed in communications. Do not be confused with 'BPS' (bit per second). See also: BPS.
• BBS (Bulletin Board System). A system based on a computer with a particular software which provides electronic messaging services, programs, games and other services.
• Binary System based on two states: '0' and '1'.
• Binary file A file that doesn't contains ASCII characters, for example pictures, sound files or executable files.
• BinHex (BINary HEXadecimal) A method for converting non-text files (binary) into ASCII. Helpful because Internet e-mail can only handle ASCII text.
• Bit Contraction of "Binary Digit", the smallest unit of information in a binary system. In other words the 'basics' of computers' language. Its possible values are '0' and '1.
• BITNET Because It's Time NETwork. Old academic network developed by IBM.
• Blind carbon copy A copy of a message which all persons on the Bcc: list receive. Recipients cannot see who else has received the message: hence the term "blind".
• Bookmark A user's reference to a document on the World Wide Web usually in the form of a URL and a title or comment string.
• BPS (Bit Per Second). Unit to measure of data transmission rate in serial transmission.
• Browser Software package developed to 'navigate' on the World Wide Web (WWW). It shows the web pages' content (HTML pages). See also: Client, HTML, HTTP, Lynx, Mosaic, Netscape, Server, WWW.
• Byte Group of 8 bits. It represents a single character.

Top

• Cable A transmission medium composed by copper wires or optical fibers wrapped in a protective cover.
• Carbon Copy A copy of a message which all persons on the Cc: list receive. Each recipient of the message can see other recipient's addresses. See also Blind Carbon Copy.
• Carrier A continuous signal at a fixed frequency capable of being modulated with a second (Information Carrying) signal.
• CD (Carrier Detect). A signal indicating the 'carrier' has detected from the modem.
• CFV Call For Votes. During this stage votes are gathered to create a new newsgroup. See also: Newsgoup.
• CGI Common Gateway Interface. Interface to allow servers, clients, operating systems, data and programs 'talking' each other. For example, CGI scripts are used to interact with the user's client (typically a web browser).
• Channel Virtual 'room' on IRC, where people can have a chat. See also: IRC.
• Client A computer system or software that requests a service of another computer system or software. For example, a web browser is a client. See also: Server.
• Cookie Little text file stored inside of your computer, where web sites can store information.
• Cracker A person who attempts to access computer systems without authorization. See also: Hacker, Trojan Horse, Virus, Worm.
• CSDN Circuit Switched Data Network.
• CSLIP (Compressed Serial Line Internet Protocol). A protocol that minimizes traffic on SLIP lines. Substituted by PPP. See also: PPP.
• CSS1 Cascading Style Sheet version 1.
• CSS2 Cascading Style Sheet version 2.
• CTS (Clear To Send). A control signal from the data communications equipment (DCE, the modem) indicating to the data terminal equipment (DTE, the computer) that it may begin data transmission.
• CU-SeeMe It means "See you, See me" and it's a publicly available videoconferencing program developed at Cornell University.
• Cyberspace A term coined by William Gibson in his book 'Neuromancer' describing the 'virtual' world of computers, and people who 'live' inside of this world.

Top

• Daemon A background process that answers to requests of users. For example HTTPD is a HTTP daemon, that's the HTTP server which answers to web browsers (clients) requests.
• Dedicated line A communications line that is not switched. When the line is not owned by the user, the term leased line is more common. See also: Dialup.
• Demodulation Process of returning a modulated signal to its original form. Modems perform demodulation by taking an analog signal and returning it to its original (digital) form.
• DES (Data Encryption Standard) A popular, standard encryption scheme.
• DHTML Dynamic HyperText Markup Launguage. Here scripts (such as vbscript or javascript) CSS and HTML pages interact each other to provide interactive and dynamic HTML pages.
• Dialup A temporary, as opposed to dedicated, connection between machines established over a standard phone line. See also: Dedicated line.
• DNS (Domain Name System). The DNS is a distributed data query service. The principal use is the lookup of host IP addresses based on host names.
• Document Unit of information sent from servers to clients (e.g., a web page).
• Domain A sequence of names (labels) separated by periods (dots), e.g., "wowarea.com".
• DOV (Data Over Voice). A technology for transmitting data and voice simultaneously over coomon phone lines.
• DSL (Digital Subscriber Line). Particular modems on either end of a single twisted pair wire in a ISDN system.
• DSR (Data Set Ready). A signal meaning that the DCE (modem) is powered on and ready for use. See also DTR.
• DTR (Data Terminal Ready). A control signal sent from the computer to the modem, usually telling the modem that it is ready to transmit data. See also DSR.

Top

• E1 The european 2.048 Mbps digital carrier system.
• E3 The european 34 Mbps digital carrier system.
• Echo When a modem returns all received characters to its local terminal/computer so they can be seen on-screen.
• Electronic Mail (E-Mail) A system to exchange messages via a communications network. See also Snail mail.
• E-Mail Address The UUCP or domain-based address that a user is referred to with.
• External Viewer A software program that Browser (like Mosaic, Netscape, etc.) calls upon to view file formats it does not itself support.

Top

• Faces :-). Or 'smiles' or even 'emoticons'. Are very helpful, because they 'show' your real mood. Smiles are usually used to let others understand the real sense of your affirmation. For example, if you are joking, you could use a smile like this: ':-)))'. Or you could say: 'My mouse is broken :-( ' . If you can't see any 'smiling' or 'sad' little faces here, bend your head with an inclination of 90 degrees on your left...;-).
• FAQ Frequently Asked Question. Text or HTML file containing more frequently asked questions about a specific topic and, obviously, the corresponding answers.
• Fiber-optic-cable A medium capable of higher data rates by conducting modulated light transmission.
• Finger A program that displays information about a particular user, or all users, logged on the local system or on a remote system.
• Firewall A Firewall is designed specifically to control access to your network.
• Flame Real 'war' usually burst as a consequence of a misunderstood (or just to polemize) inside of mailining lists or newsgroups.
• Flash EPROM An EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) is a nonvolatile storage that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. Developed by Intel.
• Forwarding The process of sending a message toward another user who is not the actual recipient.
• Frame Relay A protocol used across the interface between user devices (for example, hosts and routers) and network equipment (for example, switching nodes).
• Freenet Community-based bulletin board system with e-mail, information services, interactive communications, and conferencing funded and operated by volunteers.
• Freeware Free software available without having to register and pay a fee.
• FTP (File Transfer Protocol). A protocol to transfer files on the net. You can transfer files to (upload) and from (download) another host over a network. See also: Anonymous FTP.
• Full Duplex A circuit or device permitting transmission in two directions in the same time. See also: Half Duplex.
• FYI (For Your Information). A subseries of RFCs that are not technical standards or descriptions of protocols. See also: Request For Comments, STD.

Top

• Gateway A communications device/program which passes data between networks having similar functions but dissimilar implementations.
• GIF (Graphics Interchange Format). Is the CompuServe(TM) image format for image files. See also JPEG.
• Gopher Distributed information service used to search and retrieve information on the Internet (inside of the 'Gopherspace'). See also: JOUGHEAD, VERONICA.
• Gopherspace Imaginary space composed by all interconnected Gopher servers.
• GigaPOP (Gigabit Point Of Presence). High-speed points of presence (POPs).

Top

• Hacker A person who delights in having an intimate understanding of the internal workings of a system, computers and computer networks in particular. The term is often misused in a pejorative context, where "cracker" would be the correct term. See also: Cracker.
• Half Duplex A circuit or device capable of transmitting in two directions, but not at the same time. See also Full Duplex.
• Handshake Sequence of messages exchanged between two or more network devices to ensure transmission synchronization.
• Header The portion of a packet, preceding the actual data, containing information such as source and destination addresses. A header is also the part of an electronic mail message that precedes the body of a message. See also: Electronic Mail.
• Home page The document initially displayed when starting up your browser. This term is often used to define a personal page.
• Hop A term used in routing to indicate a router within a path.
• Host any computer permanently connected on a network.
• HTML HyperText Markup Language. 'Formatting' language to build web pages. See also: Browser, Client, Lynx, Mosaic, Netscate, Web.
• HTTP HyperText Transfer Protocol. Protocol used to exchange information between a web server and a web client (web browser). See also: Client, Browser, Server. [RFC 1945].
• Hyperlink (or simply 'link') A way to link one document to another in a hypertexts contest. It is usually an underlined word or graphic; when you 'click' on a hyperlink the browser suddenly point to the linked document.

Top

• IMAP (Interactive Mail Access Protocol). A protocol to allow a workstation or personal computer to access electronic mail from a mailbox server. To know more:
  • RFC 1176-IMAP2
  • RFC1203-IMAP3
  • RFC1730-IMAP4
  • RFC1731-IMAP4 Authentication Mechanisms
  • RFC1732-IMAP4 COMPATIBILITY WITH IMAP2 AND IMAP2BIS
  • RFC1733 DISTRIBUTED ELECTRONIC MAIL MODELS IN IMAP4
• internet A network composed by different network typologies. The biggest internet is the Internet.
• Internet It's the biggest internet. A worldwide network composed by thousands of computer's nets interconnected among them.
• Internet Address (Host Number-Host Address). A IP address that uniquely identifies a node on an internet. [RFC1392].
• Intranet An Intranet is the use of the Internet technology within companies' private networks, to allows communications between offices.
• IP (Internet Protocol). The Internet Protocol, defined in STD 5, RFC 791, is the network layer for the TCP/IP Protocol Suite. It is a connectionless packet switching protocol. [RFC1392].
• IP Address The 32-bit address defined by the Internet Protocol in STD 5, RFC 791. It is usually represented in dotted decimal notation. 4 numbers (octets) separated by dos. E.g, 123.123.123.123 [RFC1392].
• IRC (Internet Relay Chat). Virtual space where people can meet each other and chat. IRC is structured as a network of servers, each of which accepts connections from client programs. See also: talk, channel.
• ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network). A technology which combines voice and digital network services in a single medium. [RFC1208].
• ISP (Internet Service Provider). A company that provide services related to the Internet. It ALSO allows users to connect to the Internet.

Top

• JAVA An object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems. It is used extensively within the web browser HotJava.
• Javascript Script language developed by Netscape Communications Inc..
• Joughead Service to search information inside of the 'gopherspace'. See also: Gopher, Gopherspace, Veronica.
• JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group). An image file compression standard. See also GIF.

Top

• Kerberos Authentication system of MIT's Project Athena. It is based on symmetric key cryptography and secure Kerberos servers. [RFC1392].
• Kermit A popular file transfer protocol developed by Columbia University. See also Zterm, Xterm.
• Knowbot An experimental e-mail directory service. See also: White Pages, WHOIS, X.500.

Top

• LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a system to query and manage a database of hierarchical attribute/value pairs over a TCP/IP connection (port 389).
• Listserv Distribution list management package developed for IBM VM/CMS systems. It allows groups of computer users with a common interest to communicate among themselves. A similar software package, called 'Majordomo', is available on Unix systems. See also: Mailing lists.
• Local loop The part of line from a telephone user to the telephone company.
• Login the name used to gain access to a computer system. See also: Password.
• Loopback A type of diagnostic test in which the transmitted signals is returned to the sending device.
• Lurking It means that a subscriber to an mailing list or USENET newsgroup is just listening to the discussion but he doesn't partecipate. See also: Electronic Mail, Mailing list, Usenet.
• LYNX It is a text-based web browser.
• LZW (Lempel-Ziv-Welch). A compression algorithm. It is contained inside of the GIF format.

Top

• Mail gateway A machine that connects two or more electronic mail systems and transfers messages between them. See also: Electronic Mail. [RFC1208].
• Mailing list Discussion group where people talks about a specific topic. Each member can send messages to the other members of the list and receives the other member's messages via e-mail. You have to subscribe to a mailing list in order to receive/send messages from/to it.
• MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface). For more information see: LexiCat.
• MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions). An extension to Internet e-mail which provides the ability to transfer non-textual data, such as graphics, audio, video and fax. It is defined in RFC1341. Now obsoleted by RFC1521. (Updated by RFC1590) See also: Electronic Mail. [RFC1392].
• MNP (Microcom Network Protocols). Protocols for error correction and data compression by Microcom-Inc..
• Modem (Modulator- Demodulator). A device used to convert digital data sent by a computer to an analogic signal over telephone lines and vice versa.
• Moderator A person, or small group of people, who manage moderated mailing lists and newsgroups. See also: Electronic Mail, mailing list, Usenet. [RFC1392].
• MOO (Mud Object Oriented) -- one of several kinds of multi-user role-playing environments. See also: MUD, MUSE.
• Mosaic The first web browser developed by NCSA's Software Development Group. See also: Browser, Client, Lynx, Netscape, WWW.
• MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group). A movie format.
• MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit). The largest frame length which may be sent on a physical medium. [RFC1392].
• MUD (Multi-User Dungeon). Adventure, role playing games, or simulations played on the Internet. Most MUDs are based on the Telnet protocol. See also: Telnet, MOO, MUSE.
• MUSE One kind of MUD - usually with little or no violence. See also: MOO, MUD.

Top

• Name server A server that resolves network names into network addresses.
• Netiquette Contraction of 'Net-etiquette'. A set of behavior rules developed by the Internet community. RFC 1855 (FYI 28) contains a netiquette guide produced by the IETF.
• Netscape Web client developed by Netscape Communications Inc.. See also: Browser, Client, NCSA Mosaic, WWW.
• Network Information Center An organization providing access to RFCs, information about the Internet, assistance and services to network users. Usually called NIC. [RFC1392].
• Newbie A new participant of a particular newsgroup or the internet as a whole.
• Newsgroup Discussion group where people talks about a specific topic. Anyone can send messages to a group. Messages are stored on a dedicated NNTP server. You have not to subscribe to a newsgroup in order to receive or send messages. See also: Usenet.
• NNTP (Network News Transfer Protocol). Protocol defined in RFC 977, for the distribution, inquiry, retrieval, and posting of news articles. See also: Usenet. [RFC1392].
• NOC (Network Operations Center). A location from which the operation of a network or internet is monitored.
• Node An addressable device attached to a computer network. See also: host, router. In Data Communication a point of interconnection to a network.
• NTP (Network Time Protocol). A protocol that assures accurate local timekeeping with reference to radio and atomic clocks located on the Internet. It is defined in STD 12, RFC 1119.

Top

(void)

Top

• Packet The unit of data sent across a network. [RFC1392].
• Packet sniffer Software to intercept TCP/IP packets traveling on a network. Unfortunately also used by crackers to stole passwords or credit card numbers.
• Parity Bit An additional bit added to a group of bits to ensure that the total number of bits in the character is even or odd.
• Password String of characters known only to the user and the system. The user must supply this string when prompted to gain access to the system. See also: login.
• PCM (Pulse Code Modulation). A procedure for adapting an analog signal (such as voice) into a 64 kbps digital stream for transmission.
• PDF (Portable Document Format). An Adobe Systems format for files may contain binary data. To read a PDF document you neead a special program called 'Acrobat Reader'.
• PEM (Privacy Enhanced Mail). Internet e-mail which provides privacy by means of various encryption systems. See also: Electronic Mail. [RFC1392].
• PERL Practical Extraction and Reporting Language. A widely used script language.
• PGP Pretty Good Privacy - is a cryptographic software package published in 1991 by its inventor Phil R. Zimmermann. It's considered a de facto standard for encrypted e-mail by now.
• PICS (Platform for Internet Content Selection). Is an infrastructure for associating labels with Internet content. To know more: http://w3.org/PICS.
• PING (Packet InterNet Grouper). A program used to test reachability of destinations by sending them test packets and waiting for a reply. [RFC1208].
• PNG (Portable Network Graphics). Is a graphic file format developed to provide a patent-free replacement for GIF. To know more: PNG home page and W3ORG.
• POP Post Office Protocol. A protocol to allow users to access mailboxes for retrieve e-mail. Documented in RFC 1725. Last version is POP3 (RFC 1939). See also: E-mail, SMTP. It also means: Point Of Presence (POP) A site where there exists a collection of telecommunications equipment, usually digital leased lines and multi-protocol routers. [RFC1392].
• Port It's a number associated to a specified service. Every service on an Internet server "listens" on a particular port number on that server, for example, web servers normally listen on port 80 and FTP servers listen on port 21.
• PostScript A page description language developed by Adobe System.
• Postmaster The person responsible for taking care of electronic mail problems at a site.
• PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol). The Point-to-Point Protocol, defined in RFC 1661, provides a standard method for transporting multi-protocol datagrams over point-to-point links. See also: CSLIP, SLIP.
• Prospero A distributed filesystem which provides the user with the ability to create multiple views of a single collection of files distributed across the Internet. See also: Anonymous FTP, Archie, Gopher, WAIS. [RFC1392].
• Proxy A system (host, server, cache) which send requests to another system on behalf of someone else. For exmple it is used to collect into a cache most requested documents to avoid new connections to retrieve the same document.

Top

• QuickTime Movie format developed by Apple Computer.

Top

• RFC Request For Comment. Documents containing description of standards, protocol and services available on the net. See also: FYI (For Your Information), STD. [RFC 1392]
• RFD (Request For Discussion) During this stage (usually a two- to three-week period) discussions concerning the creation of a new newsgroup are done. See also: Newsgroup.
• RGB (Red-Green-Blue).
• Router A device which forwards traffic between networks. See also: Gateway. [RFC1392].
• RTS (Request To Send). A modem control signal sent from the DTE to the modem, used to tell the DTE has data to send.
• RTT (Round-Trip Time). The time required for a network communication to travel from the source to the destination and back.

Top

• S-HTTP Secure HTTP is an extension of HTTP to assure secure transactions over the Internet.
• S-MIME Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions is a specification for secure electronic mail developed to add security to e-mail messages in MIME format. To know more: S-MIME Home Page
• Search engine Service to perform searches on the web by means of queries and keywords. See also: WEB.
• Server A computer system or software which provides resources (e.g., file servers and name servers). See also: Client, Domain Name System. [RFC1392].
• SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language). A programming language that uses tags to define the format of pages.
• Shareware A distribution method for software. The author lets the user try out the software for a certain amount of time at no charge. If the customer wants to keep and use the product after the period he must pay the requested fees. See also Freeware.
• Signal-to-noise ratio Used within Usenet environments, it describes the rate of actual information in a discussion compared to their quantity.
• Signature The three or four line message at the bottom of a piece of e-mail or a Usenet article which identifies the sender. See also: Electronic Mail, Usenet. [RFC1392].
• SLIP (Serial Line IP) A protocol used to run IP over serial lines, such as telephone circuits or RS-232 cables, interconnecting two systems. [RFC 1055]. See also: CSLIP, PPP. [RFC1392].
• SLiRP SLiRP is a free TCP/IP program emulator over the CSLIP/SLIP/PPP link-level protocols which allows a normal user with a shell account on a UNIX system to act like a real (C)SLIP/PPP account. This means you can use programs like Netscape, Mosaic, ftp etc. from your home machine with only a shell account.To know more: SLiRP Home Page and Configure Slirp on Macintosh.
• SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Protocol to transfer e-mail. Documented in STD 10, RFC 821. See also: E-mail, POP (Post Office Protocol), RFC 822. [RFC 1392].
• Snail mail As opposed to e-mail it is referred to the normal postal service.
• SPAM (Stupid Persons' AdvertiseMent). Unsolicited advertisements sent to a user or newsgroup.
• SQL (Structured Query Language). The international standard language for defining and accessing relational databases.
• Ssh (Secure Shell) Ssh is a program to log into another computer over a network, to execute commands in a remote machine, and to move files from one machine to another in a secure manner. To know more: Ssh (Secure Shell) FAQ.
• SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). A security protocol to provide secure transactions over the Internet.
• Start bit In asynchronous transfers, a new character is introduced by the start bit.
• STD A subseries of RFCs that specify Internet standards. The official list of Internet standards is in STD 1. See also: FYI, RFC. [RFC1392].
• Stop bit In asynchronous transfer, very character is terminated by one or two stop bits which show where a character ends.
• Subnet A portion of a network which shares a network address with other portions of the network and is distinguished by a subnet number. [RFC1392].
• SVGA Super Video Graphic Array.

Top

• T1 A term for a digital carrier facility used to transmit a digital signal at 1.544 megabits per second.
• T3 A term for a digital carrier facility used to transmit a digital signal at 44.746 megabits per second. [ FYI4].
• Tag Formatting code used in HTML (e.g., <h1>, </H1>, <P>).
• Talk A protocol which allows two people on remote computers to communicate in a real-time fashion on Unix systems. See also: IRC. [RFC1392].
• TCP Transmission Control Protocol, a protocol to provide reliable, stream-oriented connections. Documented in STD 7, RFC 793. [RFC1392]
• Telnet Protocol to connect a remote terminal to a host. Defined in STD 8, RFC 854. [RFC1392].
• Terminal emulator A program that allows a computer to emulate a terminal. The workstation thus appears as a terminal to the remote host.
• TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol). A simplified version of FTP allowing the transfer of files from one computer to another over a network.
• Traceroute Tool helpful to check the 'path' that one packet follows. You can use traceroute to discover the path and most of all, you can see *how long* it takes to reach you or a specific host.
• Time-out An event that occurs when one network device expects to hear from, but does not hear, another network device within a specified period of time.
• TRICKLE Is a service which will send you files on request, or by subscription.
• Trojan Horse A computer program which carries within itself a means to allow he creator of the program access to the system using it. See also: virus. [RFC 1135] [RFC1392].
• TSR Terminate-and-Stay Resident. A program permanently residing in RAM that can be quickly activated to perform a task while another program is operating.
• TTL Time to Live. A field in the IP header which indicates how long this packet should be allowed to survive before being discarded.
• Twisted Pair Cable used on phone lines which consist of a pair of insulated copper wires wrapped around each other to cancel the effects of electrical noise.

Top

• UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter). An integrated circuit incorporating a receiver/transmitter that can convert parallel signals to the serial transmissions needed for asynchronous communications.
• UPS Uninterruptable Power Supply.
• Urban legend A story, which may have started with a grain of truth, that has been embroidered and retold until it has passed into the realm of myth. To know more: www.urbanlegends.com and alt.folklore.urban.
• URL Uniform Resource Locator. A way to identify a specific resource on the Internet. Its generic format is: service://host-domain[:port]/path/filename. Usually used inside of HTML pages by means of a Hyperlink. See also: HTML, Hyperlink.
• Usenet Contraction of 'Users-network'. The network where newsgroup's messages (articles) are sent (posted). Based on the NNTP protocol. See also: Newsgroup, NNTP.
• Username A unique "name" by which each user is known to the system. This name is given to the user whenever they register to use the system.

Top

• V. The ITU-TSS V. standards describe data transfer via telephone lines.
• VDSL Very high data rate Digital Subscriber Line. A modem technology which allows high speed data communications on twisted-pair telephone lines. To know more: ADSL Forum link.
• VERONICA Very Easy Rodent Oriented Net-wide Index to Computerized Archives A service to perform searches on the gopherspace by means of queries and keywords, without doing a menu-by-menu, site-by-site search . See also: Gopher.
• Virus A program which replicates itself on computer systems by incorporating itself into other programs which are shared among computer systems. See also: Trojan Horse. [RFC1392].
• VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language). A language for describing multi-participant interactive simulations in virtual worlds networked via the Internet and hyperlinked with the World Wide Web. To know more: The VRML Forum.

Top

• WAIS (Wide Area Information Servers). A distributed service which offers simple natural language input and indexed searching to retrieve information. See also: Archie, Gopher, Prospero. [RFC1392].
• WHOIS An Internet program which allows users to query a database of people and other Internet entities, such as domains, networks, and hosts. See also: white pages, Knowbot, X.500. [ FYI4].
• White Pages Databases that contain basic information about users, such as e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, and postal addresses. See also: Knowbot, WHOIS, X.500. [RFC1392].
• World Wide Web (WWW or W3 or Web) A Hypertext-based, distributed information system created by researchers at CERN in Switzerland. Users may create, edit or browse Hypertext documents. The clients and servers are freely available. [RFC1392].

Top

• X. The ITU-TSS X. standards describe data transfer in public data network.
• X.25 A data communications interface specification developed to describe how data passes into and out of public data communications networks. The CCITT and ISO approved protocol suite defines protocol layers 1 through 3. [RFC1392].
• X.400 The CCITT and ISO standard for electronic mail. It is widely used in Europe and Canada. [RFC1392].
• X.500 The CCITT and ISO standard for electronic directory services. See also: white pages, knowbot, WHOIS. [RFC1392].
• X Recommendations The CCITT/ITU documents that describe data communication network standards. Well-known ones include: X.25 Packet Switching standard, X.400 Message Handling System, and X.500 Directory X Services.
• XML eXtensible Markup Language. It is related to HTML but allows for much greater flexibility in describing documents and data. To know more: W3C Recommendation
• XModem A widely used file transfer protocol.
• XON/XOFF (Transmitter On/ Transmitter Off). Control character used for flow control, instructing a terminal to start transmission (X-ON) and end transmission (X-OFF).
• X Windows Distributed, network-transparent, device-independent, multitasking windowing and graphics system originally developed by MIT for communication between X terminals and UNIX workstations.

Top

• YP (Yellow Pages). A service used by UNIX administrators to manage databases distributed across a network. [RFC1392].
• YModem File transfer protocol which uses data blocks of 1 Kbyte and transfers filenames and more than one file in one transfer. See also Xmodem, Zmodem.

Top

• ZModem A file transfer protocol with variable block size, reinitiation of aborted transfer of several files in one transfer along with file (and path) names.

Top

(void)

Top