Account

An account is the authorization to access a computer, mailbox or another online service. The account must consist of at least a user name and a password.

Adress

Recognition code to reach and identify a particular person (or a website) on a particular computer. This could be a web address or an email address.

ADSL

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line is broadband internet (see bandwidth). ADSL is a variation of DSL, by which the upstream (see term) works at a slower data transfer rate (640 KBit/s) than downstream (see term) (up to 9 MBit/s).

A-GPS (Assisted GPS)

A-GPS (Assisted Global Positioning System) combines the GPS system’s satellite data with information from the cellular network; this informs the system at which station and in which cell the cell phone customer is logged on. A-GPS provides more precise localisation, down to a few meters. However, the cell phone must be equipped with an A-GPS receiver.

Applet

A small program used within web browser environments. Normally written in the Java programming language (see term) developed by Sun Microsystems. Applets generally add graphics, animation and text effects to websites. They are relevant from a security point of view as they enable Java to penetrate firewalls (see term) unhindered if no security provisions have been made.

Attachment

A data file attached to and sent with an email (image, sound, video, text, etc.)

 

Bandwidth

The frequency bandwidth of the telephone. This refers to the frequency range that can be transmitted via the telephone. The more bandwidth, the faster the data transfer (e.g. images on the internet appear faster on the monitor.)

Banner

Graphics in various sizes that draw attention to a product advertised on another website and which, by clicking on it, takes the user to a homepage.

Bit

Computers receive information in the form of bits. One bit is either set at the value 0 or 1. All data consists of a series of bits.

Bitrate

The number or bits per second (transmission speed). It is measured in bit/s or bps.

Bluetooth

This technology will eliminate cables and sockets in future. With Bluetooth, mobile devices are connected via radio signals. Prerequisite is that the devices are equipped with a Bluetooth chip. Bluetooth uses wireless signals in the 2.45 gigahertz range, a frequency that is “free“ all over the world, which means that Bluetooth could become a world standard. Devices equipped with Bluetooth can communicate with each other at a range of up to 100 meters.

bps

Short for “bits per second“ (see bit rate)

Browser

A program with which HTML documents are displayed and commands relayed in the WWW.

Byte

Data packets consisting of 8 bits; numbers between 0 and 255 can be displayed. 1024 bytes constitute a KByte (Kilobyte). Further increments are:
MByte=1.024 KByte (Mega=Million)
GByte=1.024 MByte (Giga=Billion)
TByte=1.024 GByte (Tera=Trillion)

 

Cache

Temporary buffer on the hard disk that accelerates the flow of data frequently required by processors, browsers or networks.

Chat

“Conversations“ via keyboard and monitor. Chats between just two people is often referred to as Talk.

Chatting

Online-conversations between (at least) two users via chat platforms.

Client

Computer or Software dependent on a server.

 

Compatible

In computer language, the term used when two or more components (PC, software, etc.) can communicate with each other.

 

Content Provider

A company that offers content and information such as services, online.

Data File

A collection of the same or similar information saved on a data medium and treated as one unit.

DGPS

Differential Global Positioning System. An even more accurate satellite navigation system. DGPS corrects GPRS inaccuracies. GPS can pinpoint a position within 50 to 100 meters. With DGPS, the inaccuracies are registered by means of ground stations whose exact coordinates are known, and are GPS senders at the same time. These deviations are then sent to receivers in the surrounding area, permitting location accuracy of just a few meters.

Domain

A specified number of computers or servers (hosts; see term) under one collective name. A single host can be a domain as well as an entire network. All computers with names ending in .at belong to the top level domains in Austria.

Download

Downloading a data file from another computer to one’s own with the aid of a transmission protocol. The reverse process is called Upload (see term).

Downstream

“Streaming” stands for continuous data transmission (data stream) as required, for example, for Web TV. If the transmission is one-way, it is called downstream, e.g. from one network to your own computer.

DSL

Digital Subscript Line is a connection technology with which up to 6 mbps (download, see term) and 0.6 mbps (upload, see term) can be transmitted over short distances (ca. 5 km.) For all variations of this technology (ADSL, HDSL, SDSL) special modems are operated using dedicated copper wire links.

E-Commerce

Electronic Commerce describes electronic trade, shopping in and via the internet.

EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates For GSM Evolution)

A technology with which data transmission rates are increased in the GMS cellular network. EDGE, like GPRS, is an evolutionary step following on GSM technology, with transmission rates up to 200 kilobits/second. EDGE is regarded as an intermediate step on the way to UMTS. In Austria, Mobilkom Austria offers EDGE as an addition to its existing UMTS network; the product is called “A1UMTS + EDGE.”

Electronic Postcard

An MMS message (photo or video message.) This can be accompanied by text and sound and sent to cell phone users via a cellular phone network.

E-Mail

Short for electronic mail; a personal message sent to another user (also see Mail.)

Emoticon

Little smileys represented by punctuation marks :-) to express feelings in the internet, for example laughter.

Explorer

Internet-Explorer (IE or MSIE for short) is a browser (see term) that Microsoft developed from a version by Mosaic. It is the most widely-used explorer in the internet.

Firewall

Any kind of facility or technology forbidding unauthorized users access to a certain computer. This can be software or a device that examines every packet and pinpoints its origin. If the address is on the authorized (safe) list, the packets may enter. If not, they are rejected.

GByte

Short for gigabyte (1024 MByte)

GIF

Stands for Graphics Interchange Format and is a digital picture format with good, lossless compression for images with low colour depth up to 256 colours.

GPRS

Short for General Packet Radio Service: first step before UMTS (see term). BPRS is the next stage in the further development of the GSM network. With GPRS, data transmission can be sped up from 9.6 kilobit per second to up to 170 kilobit per second. However, the 170 kilobit per second can never be reached because this data transmission speed is “reserved” for the UMTS network.

GPS

Short for Global Positioning System: Satellite navigation system invented by the US Army. 24 navigation satellites orbit the earth at a height of about 20,200 kilometers. If a receiver – installed in a car, ship, or – in future, a cellular phone – receives data from at least 4 satellites, its position can be pinpointed to an accuracy of 50 to 100 meters.

GSM

Short for Global System of Mobile Communication: a technical standard for digital cellular telephony. Also known as the second generation of cellular telephony (2 G). The first generation (1 G) consisted of analogue networks; 3 G is UMTS (see term).

Handheld-Computer

Mini-PCs that are so handy they can be carried. These include smart phones, laptops, notebooks and palmtops (lighter than laptops.)

Hardware

Originally meaning “tools, ironware“: designates all the “touchable” components of or in a computer.

Hit

Refers to information obtained from a specific web server. A website with many hits is very successful.

Homepage

Company homepages are often reached under their own domains.

Host

Generally, computers or servers providing services to users.

Hotspots

Locations in a city in which WLAN (see term) i.e. wireless internet is available. You can log in with your notebook to a WLAN hotspot to surf the internet.

HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access)

Is a mobile communication standard by which the UMTS network is upgraded. Many networks, for example Siemens systems, only have to perform a software update on the net. Theoretically HSDPA manages a data transmission rate of 1.4 megabits/second (in the lab); in practice, up to 3 megabits/second.

HTML

Short for Hypertext Mark-up Language: Standardised layout language with which pages in the WWW are created.

http

Short for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. This is the protocol used to enable hypertext access to information in the World Wide Web. The WWW is based on this protocol.

Icon

Small image symbols that convey a meaning. In HTML documents, icons often hide hyperlinks.

Instant Messenger

Instant Messenger is a program for chatting in realtime. Instant Messaging denotes a service – originally invented by AOL – through which internet and also cell phone users can exchange information with each other and know who comes/goes online. With messaging programs you can also share data such as text, pictures or music.

Internet

Short for “International Network“. A worldwide computer alliance that uses the same type of data communication to send and receive written data (email.) With the help of browsers it is possible to locate documents stored on any given server in the WWW.

ISDN

Short for Integrated Services Digital Network: the fast, digital telephone system in which every data channel has 64 kBit/s bandwidth (see term).

IT

Short for Information Technology.

 

Java

A network programming language developed by Sun Microsystems, used to create hypertext documents. Java is a programming language that runs on all computer platforms, and today also on many mobile telephones.

JavaScript

The programming language used in Netscape and Internet Explorer environments. JavaScript was developed by Netscape communications and supports most programming functions. With JavaScript the activities are transferred from the server to the client. JavaScript is embedded in a HTML document and is executed by a browser, if the browser is compatible with JavaScript.

JPEG

Short for Joint Photographic Experts Group. Compression algorithm for picture files. The most important image format on the web after GIF. Specially suitable for photos, as it achieves an ideal balance between image quality and file size.

Kbit

Short for Kilobit (1024 Bit)

KByte

Short for Kilobyte (1024 Byte)

LAN

Short for Local Area Network, digital highspeed network that can transfer data at up to a rate of 50 megabits/second. LANs usually cover houses, office buildings, storeys and small properties. Ideally the range is up to 100 meters.

Link

Connection between sites with the aid of transmission protocols. Links connect two or more websites.

Live-Cam/Webcam

Cameras connected to computers that transfer pictures to the internet at regular intervals.

Log in

„Entering“ a network or a service and the beginning of data transfer.

Log off

„Exiting“ a network or a service and the end of data transfer.

Logins

Entering a name and password to identify the user to a network or a service.

Mail

Also called Electronic Mail or Email. Emails consist of a header (see term) and a body. The header states the origin of the email, the provider, the server, the time, etc. The body refers to the text that the senders write in their email.

Mailbox

Same meaning in the internet.

Mailing-List

Electronic mail distribution by which interest groups can exchange messages sent either by email or SMS.

Mbps

Short for megabit per second. Refers to a line’s data transmission rate. For example, with 1 Mbps approximately 95 KByte per second can be transmitted.

MByte

Short for megabyte (1024 KBytes).

mCommerce

Electronic commerce on the internet by means of a mobile terminal (cell phone)

Message

Message – e.g. an email - on an electronic bulletin board.

MMS

Short for Multimedia Messaging Service. This service makes it possible to send multimedia data such as photos and videos from cell phone to cell phone, from cell phone to computer and vice versa.

MO (Mobile Originated) 

MO designates what originates from the cell phone and what arrives (is terminated). A text message sent from the telephone is an MO. The service is billed when it is sent from the customer’s cell phone.

Modem

Short for MOdulator/DEModulator. A modem converts the computer’s bit stream into analogue signals that can then be transmitted to a telephone network (Modulation).

MP3/MPEG-3

Short for Moving Picture Expert Group Audio Layer 3. This sound format for music in the internet, developed by the Erlanger Fraunhofer Institute, compresses the size of music CD data by up to 90 percent without sacrificing music quality. MP3 is above all interesting for the internet, as music tracks can be downloaded relatively quickly in CD quality.

MT (Mobile Terminated) 

MT designates what arrives on the customer’s telephone (terminated). A call to a cell phone is MT. The service is billed when it is accepted by the customer on his cell phone.

Multimedia

On the one hand this refers to the combination of different media on one device (text, image, video, graphics, sound); on the other hand, it enables interaction with the user.

Newsgroup

Discussion groups formed on the internet around a specific topic. Newsgroups are a popular drop-in center on the internet, to meet like-minded people. There are already more than 30,000 newsgroups in the WWW.

Offline

The user is currently not exchanging data with a system (no data transfer.)

On demand

A buzzword of the future. Information and entertainment tailored to the user, made possible by the new mobile communication channels.

Online

The user is currently exchanging data with a system. A (telephone) connection is active.

 

Operating System

The basic software required to operate a PC or other data processing device (cell phone, PDA). The operating system receives commands from other programs and relays them to the computer’s processor.

PDA

Short for Personal Digital Assistant. This includes laptops, notebooks, palmtops and smart phones functioning as a kind of personal secretary („organizer“) and with which one can not only manage data but integrate cameras and MP3 play-back etc.

Peer-to-peer

Peer-to-peer networks are network systems without centralized access control, in which all computers have equal status. Data connections always take place directly from one subscriber to another. The best example is music sharing networks on the internet.

PIN

Short for Personal Identification Number. A code not only required for operating cell phones; it is also required for ATMs and other devices. The PIN is a password consisting of numbers.

Plug-in

A software connected to another software product. Plug-ins expand the functionality of a program or parts of a program.

Posting

A message published in a forum.

Provider

A company that provides access to the Web for a fee.

Pseudonym

User name that is different from the real name of the user.

Real Audio/Real Video

Progressive Network technology by which audio and video data can be transmitted in realtime on the internet, making it possible to listen to radio and watch television via the internet.

Router

On the one hand, a device (pathfinder) that routes data packets in and out of a network; many routers are highly sophisticated and can be used as firewalls (see term). One the other hand, a device that routes data packets from one line to the correct other line; a fundamental function for data transfer in the internet.

Routing

Transportation of data within a network.

 

Talk

See Chat

 

Terminal

The combination of monitor and keyboard that connect a user with the computer.

Traffic

Amount of information flowing through the links.

UMTS

Short for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. Third generation mobile radio system (internationally known as IMT 2000) integrating all terrestrial and satellite networks, making telephoning worldwide with just one device possible.

Update

Already installed programs are updated with new versions.

Upload

Transferring data from one’s own computer to another computer by means of a transmission protocol. The reverse process is called Download (see term).

Upstream

Data flow from the client or customer to the server or provider (see term).

URL

Short for Uniform Resource Locator, for example
www.internet-insider.at – an internet computer’s unique address or the address of specific information on that computer.

User

The person using the internet, a mailbox, a cell phone, etc.

User ID / User name

The name a user uses to identify himself to a computer system. This can be a real name, a pseudonym, a series of numbers or abbreviations.

USIM Card

UMTS Subscriber Identity Module; a personally licensed subscriber card in credit-card format, which will be inserted in every UMTS cell phone in future (-> SIM Card.)

WAN

Wide Area Network. Often the counterpart to LAN (see term.) WAN covers a larger area. Often several LANs are connected over longer distances.

WAP

Wireless Application Protocol – a type of microbrowser for cell phones by which documents and programs can be displayed, and commands routed. WAP reduces an internet page to its bare essentials.

Web

Short for WWW (see term).

WLAN

Short for Wireless LAN (Local Area Network). WLAN is a wireless network for cable-free surfing, only requiring a notebook fitted with a special radio card.

WWW

In the World Wide Web, HTML documents are connected via URLs (see term). Together they constitute the WWW. It not only offers text but pictures, sound and other information. The WWW has become by far the most popular service on the internet. To many people, the Web is the internet.