Backbone - A high-speed line or series of connections that form a network which an Internet provider uses to deliver service.

Bandwidth - The amount of information one can send through a connection. This is usually measured in bits-per-second or Bps.

Baud Rate - Transmission speed of a modem. Usually measured by the number of signal elements per second.

Bit - The smallest unit of computerized data usually represented through a combination of 1's and 0's.

Bps (Bits-Per-Second) - A measurement of how fast data can move through a network or from one computer to another. A 28.8 modem can move 28,800 bits per second.

Browser - A software program that is used to surf the Internet (See IE or Netscape).

Byte - A set of Bits. There are 8 Bits in a Byte.

Cable Modem - A device that provides high speed data access via a cable TV network. It will have two connections, one to the cable wall outlet and the other to a PC . It works by translating cable signals the same way a telephone modem translates signals from a telephone line.

Cyberspace - A media term which is used to describe the range of information resources available through the Internet.

Dial Up Networking - a feature of Windows 95 which allows a computer user to gain access to shared information on another computer, even if your computer is not on a network. Dial up networking must be properly configured in WIN 95 in order for an Internet session to be properly initiated.

Domain Name - the name which identifies a site on the Internet. Digital Alchemy’s domain name is pixels2au.com. The domain name appears in e-mail addresses (see e-mail) and URL's (see URL).

DNS (The Domain Name System) - performs a mapping between domain names and their corresponding numeric network addresses.

E-mail (Electronic Mail) - Text messages sent from one person to another via computer. An e-mail address usually takes the format of mike@pixels2au.com.

Ethernet - A method of networking computers in a Local-Area-Network (see LAN) at speeds up to 10,000,000 bits-per-second. A device called an Ethernet card is used to make the connection.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) - Documents that list and answer the most common questions on a particular subject.

Fibre Optics - means of providing a high speed transmission, using light to send data through a flexible bundle of glass fibres.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) - A method of retrieving and/or sending large files between two servers on the Internet. FTP activity can be initiated using specialized software (available on the Internet) or through a browser such as Netscape.

Home Page (or HomePage) - The main web page for a person, business, or organization where information is presented. A home page can also refer to a collection of web pages on the Internet.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) - A software language that is used to create documents for use on the Web. HTML is a relatively simple programming language to pick up and master. There are numerous HTML programming assistants widely available on the Internet.

HTTP (HyperText Transport Protocol) - The protocol for moving hypertext files across the Web and is usually represented by the prefix http:// followed by an Internet address such as www.pixels2au.com.

HTTPS - The security protocol for moving hypertext files across the Web in a "secure" mode and is usually represented by the prefix https:// follows by an Internet address such as https://pixels2au.com.

Hypertext - Any text (words or phrases) that contains links to other documents which are chosen by an Internet user enable another document to be retrieved and displayed. Hypertext words or phrases are usually referred to as "Active" words and usually appear in blue on most web browsers.

Internet - A vast collection of interconnected networks that evolved out of activities of the US military and the scientific community. The Internet connects tens of thousands of computers together in a global computer network

Intranet - A private network or database inside a company or organization that uses the same software used to browse the Internet. The advantage of an Intranet is that it offers users the same look and feel as browsing the web.

IE (Internet Explorer) - software developed by the Microsoft Corporation used to browse or navigate the Internet. IE is available free of charge from Microsoft's home page (www.microsoft.com) and is quickly gaining in popularity.

IP Number - Every computer that is on the Internet has a unique IP number (e.g. 125.33.68.225).

IRC (Internet Relay Chat) - A multi-user live chat facility created by the linking of specialized IRC servers from all over the world.

ISP (Internet Service Provider) - A company such as Cable Atlantic that provides access to the Internet in some form, usually through a fee for service.

Java - A new programming language invented by Sun Microsystems which allows programs to be safely downloaded to your computer through the Internet and immediately run on your computer. Small Java programs (called "Applets"), enhance the functionality of the common web browser.

Kilobyte - A thousand bytes.

LAN (Local Area Network) - A series of computers connected together in a localized network using a protocol like Ethernet. LANs are commonly found in businesses and institutions.

Login - The account name you used to gain access to the Internet

Megabyte (Mb) - A million bytes. A thousand kilobytes. A 4 Mb modem can move 4,000,000 bits per second.

Modem - A device that you connect to your computer and then to a phone or cable line, that allows the computer to talk to other computers through the phone or cable system. Modems may take the form of an external device or can be found inside the computer.

Netscape - The name of a company and the name of the software used to browse or navigate the Internet.

Network - Any time you connect 2 or more computers together so that they can share resources, you have a computer network.

Newsgroup - The name for discussion groups. There are thousands of discussion groups on the Internet covering all topics from A to Z.

Packet - A block of data handled by a network.

Password - A secret code used to gain access to the Internet and prevent others from using an Internet account. Like the PIN number of a bank card it should be kept confidential at all times.

POP (Point of Presence) - A location where a network can be connected, often with local dialup or direct cable connections.

PPP (Point -to-Point Protocol) - A protocol that allows a computer to use a telephone line and a modem to make an Internet connection.

Router - An electronic device or special-purpose computer that handles the connection between 2 or more networks. Routers act as network traffic cops spending their time managing data traffic, looking at the destination addresses of the packets passing through them and deciding which route to send them on.

Server - A computer or piece of software that provides a specific kind of service such as a WWW server, or to the machine on which the software is running.

SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol) - A protocol that allows a computer to use a telephone line and a modem to make an Internet connection. SLIP is gradually being replaced by PPP.

T-1 - A line connection capable of carrying data at 1,544,000 bits-per-second.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) - A suite of protocols that defines the Internet. TCP/IP is commonly referred to as the language of the Internet.

Telnet - The program used to login from one computer to another over the Internet.

Terminal Server - A device or special purpose computer that connects a group of modems to a LAN or host machine on the other side. A terminal server answers incoming calls and passes the connections on to the appropriate POP so that an Internet session can be enabled.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator) - The address of any resource (computer) on the Internet that is part of the World Wide Web (WWW). A URL will appear as a string of characters prefixed by http: and two forward slashes (//). The URL for Digital Alchemy is http://www.pixels2au.com .

USENET - The world-wide system of discussion groups

Web or WWW (World Wide Web) - The graphically rich part of the Internet which is accessed through a browser such as IE or Netscape and uses HTML as the main programming language. The WWW is one element of the Internet which was developed in Switzerland in the late 1980's at the CERN. With the introduction of easy-to-use browsing or navigating tools the WWW has entered the mainstream.