YOUR HELP

A

absolute URL

The full Internet address of a page or other World Wide Web resource. The absolute URL includes a protocol, such as "http," network location, and optional path and file name. For example, http://example.microsoft.com/ is an absolute URL. See also URL.

accessibility

The quality of a system incorporating hardware or software that makes it usable by people with one or more physical disabilities, such as restricted mobility, blindness, or deafness.

Active Data Objects

(ADO) Components that enable client applications to access and manipulate data in a file- or server-based database through a provider.

active hyperlink

A hyperlink that is currently selected in a Web browser. Some Web browsers indicate the active hyperlink by changing its color.

active page, active web

See current page, current web.

Active Server Page

(ASP) A document that contains embedded server-side scripting. ASP-compatible Web servers can execute these scripts. On the client side, an ASP is a standard HTML document that can be viewed on any platform using any Web browser.

ActiveX

A set of technologies that enables software components to interact with one another in a networked environment, regardless of the language in which the components were created. ActiveX is used primarily to develop interactive content for the World Wide Web, although it can be used in desktop applications and other programs. See also ActiveX controls.

ActiveX controls

Reusable software components that incorporate ActiveX technology. ActiveX controls can be embedded in Web pages to produce animation and other multimedia effects, interactive objects, and sophisticated applications. They can be written in a variety of programming languages, including C, C++, and Visual Basic.

anchor

See bookmark.

animated GIF

A file containing a series of GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) graphics that are displayed in rapid sequence in a Web browser, giving the appearance of a moving picture. See also GIF.

anonymous FTP

The ability to access a remote computer system on which one does not have an account, via the Internet's File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Users have restricted access rights with anonymous FTP and usually can only list, view, or copy files to or from a public directory on the remote system. Many FTP sites do not permit anonymous FTP access in order to maintain security. See also FTP.

applet

See Java applet.

article

A message or posting in a discussion group or an Internet newsgroup. An article can be a response to a previous article.

ASCII

(American Standard Code for Information Interchange) A coding scheme using 7 or 8 bits that assigns numeric values to up to 256 characters, including letters, numerals, punctuation marks, control characters, and other symbols. ASCII was developed in 1968 to standardize data transmission among disparate hardware and software systems and is built into all personal computers.

ASP

(Active Server Page) A document that contains embedded server-side scripting. ASP-compatible Web servers can execute these scripts. On the client side, an ASP is a standard HTML document that can be viewed on any platform using any Web browser.

aspect ratio

In computer displays and graphics, the ratio of the width of a picture or picture area to its height. For example, an aspect ratio of 2:1 indicates that the picture is twice as wide as it is high. The aspect ratio is an important factor in maintaining correct proportions when a picture is incorporated into another document such as a Web page.

authentication

In a multiuser or network environment, the process by which the system validates a user's logon information. A user's name and password are compared against an authorized list, and, if the system detects a match, access is granted to the extent specified in the permission list for that user.

authentication database

A database on a server that matches user names to passwords.

Auto Thumbnail

A tool that creates a thumbnail of a picture or photograph and a hyperlink to the original picture. The Pictures toolbar in Page view contains the Auto Thumbnail command. See also thumbnail.

B

background sound

A sound clip associated with a Web page. When the page is displayed in a Web browser, the sound is played either continuously or the number of times that the page specifies.

 

banner

See page banner.

 

Banner Ad Manager

A component in FrontPage that shows each of a series of designated graphics for a specified number of seconds, then transitions to the next graphic using any of several transition effects. Banner ads usually contain hyperlinks to an advertiser's Web site.

 

base location, base URL

A URL that you can assign to a page to convert all relative URLs on that page to absolute URLs. A base URL should end with a document name part, such as http://example.microsoft.com/sample.htm or a trailing slash, such as http://example.microsoft.com/subdir/. See also absolute URL

.

 

bevel

A three-dimensional edge effect applied to the border of a graphic. The Pictures toolbar in Page view contains the Bevel command.

 

BMP

(bitmap) The standard graphics file format on Windows-compatible computers. Bitmap graphics support 24-bit color and can be saved for Windows or OS/2 systems.

 

bookmark

A named location on a Web page that can be the target of a hyperlink. A bookmark can be applied to a string of characters or exist on a page separately from any text. Bookmarks allow authors to link to a specific section of a target page. In a URL, a bookmark is preceded by a the pound sign (#). Also called anchor.

 

broken hyperlink

A hyperlink that points to an incorrect URL or a missing page or file.

 

browser

See Web browser.

 

browser-safe palette

A color table containing only 216 out of a possible 256 colors, used to precisely match the colors of graphics and pictures in cross-platform Web browsers. The remaining 40 colors vary on IBM-compatible and Macintosh computers and are therefore omitted.

C

Cascading Style Sheet

(CSS) An HTML specification developed by the World Wide Web Consortium that allows authors of Web pages to attach style sheets to HTML documents. Style sheets can include typographical information on how the page should appear, such as the font of the text in the page. CSS also directs the way in which the style sheets of the HTML document and the user's style will blend.

 

category

A classification for labeling and grouping Web pages and files by common criteria such as page contents, file types, or similar distinction.

 

cell padding

The space between the contents and inside edges of a table cell.

 

cell spacing

The amount of space between cells in a table. Cell spacing is the thickness, in pixels, of the walls surrounding each cell.

 

CGI

(Common Gateway Interface) A standard method of extending Web server functionality by executing programs or scripts on a Web server in response to Web browser requests. A common use of CGI is in form processing, where the Web browser sends form data to a CGI script on the server, the script integrates the data with a database, and sends back the results as a Web page. Use of CGI can make a Web page much more dynamic and add interactivity for the user.

 

check box

A form field that can be selected by clicking a box. When a box is selected, it is usually displayed with a check mark or X. Check boxes are usually grouped to represent a set of non-exclusive choices. See also radio button.

 

child web

See subweb.

 

class selector

In a cascading style sheet's style definition (or style rule), a subset of a selector that controls whether the same selector can be used for slightly different styles in different situations.

 

client

On a local area network or the Internet, a computer that accesses shared network resources provided by another computer. See also server.

 

client-side image map

An image map that encodes the destination URL of each hotspot directly on a Web page. Client-side image maps do not require processing from a server to allow a site visitor to follow the hyperlinks on the image map. However, not all Web browsers support client-side image maps. See also image map.

 

client-side program

On the Internet, a program that is run on a client computer rather than on a server computer.

 

color average tool

The action of dragging the eyedropper tool across a selection of graphics or various solid colors on a Web page and thereby determining the average color spectrum of these.

 

comment

Text that can be viewed in Page view that will not be displayed in a Web browser. Comment text appears purple in Page view and is used to insert notes to authors and editors during the construction of the page. Site visitors can reveal comments by viewing the source HTML of the page containing the comments.

 

confirmation page

A page that is displayed in a Web browser, confirming that data entered into a form has been successfully submitted. You point to a form's confirmation page in the form handler's dialog box.

 

current page

The page that is currently being edited in Page view.

 

current web

The web that is currently open.

 

custom dictionary

A list of words not in the standard dictionary that an author wants the spelling checker to accept as correct.

D

database

A file containing records of information that are organized and presented to serve a specific purpose, such as the facilitation of searching, sorting, and recombination of data. Databases can be published on the World Wide Web to let site visitors look up information in records or add new information to the database.

 

database results region

An area on an Active Server Page that can be dynamically populated by the results of a database query when the page is displayed in a Web browser.

 

data connection

A connection that specifies the name, type, location, and optional information for a database file.

 

data validation

A set of rules you can apply to form fields to restrict the type of information site visitors enter into forms. For example, you can set rules so that only letters, and not numbers, can be entered into a "name" field on a form.

 

default hyperlink

In an image map, the hyperlink that site visitors follow when they click in an area of the picture where there are no hotspots. See also hotspot.

 

design-time control

An ActiveX control that is used while designing or editing a page.  See also ActiveX.

 

Discussion form handler

A form handler that allows site visitors to participate in an online discussion. The Discussion form handler collects information from a form, formats it into an HTML page, and adds the page to a table of contents and to a text index. In addition, the Discussion form handler gathers information from the form and stores it in a selected format.

 

discussion group

Visitors submit topics or responses by entering and then submitting text in a form. Visitors can search the group using a search form, or access articles using a table of contents.

 

Distributed Password Authentication

(DPA) An advanced, distributed method of user authentication from Microsoft, allowing for single user log-on. DPA support is provided by the Microsoft Membership System and is optimized for the needs of Internet service providers and online services.

 

domain name

The address of a network location in the format that identifies the owner of that address in the format: server.organization.type. For example, www.whitehouse.gov identifies the Web server at the White House in the United States, which is part of the U.S. government. See also network location.

 

drop-down menu field

A form field element that presents a list of selections in drop-down menu style. A drop-down menu form field element can be configured to permit the selection of many fields or a single field.

 

Dynamic HTML

(DHTML) An extension of the HTML language that enables the creation of presentation effects for text and objects.  

E

editor

A program that creates files or makes changes to existing files.  

 

e-mail

(electronic mail) The exchange of electronic text messages and computer file attachments between computers over a communications network, such as a local area network or the Internet.

 

E-mail form handler

See Save Results form handler.

 

embedded files

Graphics, pictures, sounds, and video clips that have been inserted on a page in Page view from a file system or from the clipboard

 

embedded style sheet

A cascading style sheet that is embedded on a page. Styles in an embedded style sheet can be applied only to the page containing the style sheet, and will either extend or override styles defined in any external style sheet that is linked to the page.

 

EPS

(Encapsulated PostScript) An extension of the PostScript graphics file format developed by Adobe Systems. EPS enables PostScript graphics files to be incorporated into other documents. 

 

executable folder

A folder in which scripts and executable programs can be run on a Web server. Server administrators may prohibit the use of executable folders.

 

external hyperlink

A hyperlink pointing to a page or file that is outside of the current web.

 

external style sheet

A cascading style sheet in a file with a .css file name extension. The .css file is comprised solely of style rules in valid .css syntax, without any surrounding HTML tags. By defining styles in one or more external style sheets and linking them to pages in your web, you ensure a consistent appearance throughout those pages. If you change a style in the external style sheet, the change will be reflected in all of the pages linked to that style sheet.

F

FAQ

(Frequently Asked Questions) A document listing common questions and answers on a particular subject. FAQs are often posted on Internet newsgroups where new participants ask the same questions that regular readers have already answered many times.

 

file

A named collection of information that is stored on a computer. Also, an Internet protocol that refers to files on a disk or local area network. 

 

file server

A computer running on a network that stores files and provides access to them. Also called server. See also Web server.

 

file type

The format of a file, commonly indicated by its file name extension. Computer applications usually work on a limited set of file types.

 

firewall

A method of protecting the files and programs on one network from users on another network. A firewall blocks unwanted access to a protected network, while giving the protected network access to networks outside of the firewall. A company will typically install a firewall to give users access to the Internet while protecting their internal information. 

 

folder

A named storage area on a computer containing files and other folders.

 

Folders view

The view of a web that shows how the content of the web is organized. Similar to Windows Explorer, you can create, delete, copy, and move folders in Folders view. 

 

followed hyperlink

A hyperlink on a page that has been activated. Visited hyperlinks are usually displayed by the Web browser in a specified color.

 

form

A set of data-entry fields on a page that are processed on a Web server. The data is sent to the server when a site visitor submits the form by clicking on a button or, in some cases, by clicking a graphic.

 

form field

A data-entry field on a page. A site visitor supplies information in a field either by typing text or by selecting a field.

 

frame

An area of a Web browser window defined by a frames page. A frame appears in a Web browser as one of a number of different areas in which pages can be displayed. A frame may be scrollable and resizable, and may have a border. You display a page in a frame by creating a hyperlink to the page and specifying the frame as part of the hyperlink. See also frames page.

 

frames page

A page that divides a Web browser's window into different areas called frames that can independently display several Web pages. See also frame.

 

frameset

See frames page.

 

FrontPage Server Extensions

A set of programs and scripts that support authoring in FrontPage and extend the functionality of a Web server. The FrontPage Server Extensions are available for Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) and other popular Windows and UNIX Web servers. To learn whether your Web server is supported, visit http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage/

 

FTP

(File Transfer Protocol) The Internet service that transfers files from one computer to another over standard phone lines. 

G

gateway script

See CGI.

 

GIF

(Graphics Interchange Format) A graphics file format commonly used to display indexed-color graphics on the World Wide Web. GIF is a compressed format, designed to minimize file transfer time over standard phone lines. See also interlaced GIF.

 

graphics file formats

BMP, EPS, GIF, JPEG, PCD, PCX, PNG, RAS, TGA, TIFF, and WMF. 

H

heading

A paragraph style that is displayed in a typeface larger than normal text. The size of a heading is related to its level: Heading 1 is the largest, Heading 2, the next largest, and so on. Use headings to provide names or titles for text paragraphs or entire pages.

 

hidden field

A form field that is invisible to a site visitor but supplies data to a form handler. Each hidden field is implemented as a name-value pair. When a form is submitted by a site visitor, its hidden fields are passed to the form handler along with name-value pairs for each visible form field. See also name-value pair.

 

home page

On the World Wide Web, an entry page for a set of Web pages and other files in a Web site. The home page is displayed by default when a visitor surfs to the site using a Web browser. The name of a home page depends on the type of Web server used to host the Web site. Some Web servers reserve Index.htm as the name for the home page, while others name the home page Default.htm.

 

host

See server.

 

host name

See network location.

 

hotspot

A graphically defined area in a graphic or picture containing a hyperlink. A graphic with hotspots is called an image map. Hotspots are invisible in Web browsers. Site visitors can tell that a hotspot is present because the mouse pointer changes appearance when the mouse is moved over the graphic. See also image map.

 

Hover Button component

An animated button in the navigation bar on a Web page that is activated when the mouse pointer is moved over the button or when the button is clicked. See also navigation bar.

 

HTML

(Hypertext Markup Language) The standard markup language used for documents on the World Wide Web. HTML development is carried out by the World Wide Web Consortium. The HTML language uses tags to indicate how Web browsers should display page elements such as text and graphics, and how Web browsers should respond to user actions such as hyperlink activation by means of a key press or mouse click. Most Web browsers, notably Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, recognize HTML tags beyond those included in the present standard. See also World Wide Web Consortium.

 

HTML attribute

A value used within an HTML tag to assign additional properties to the object being defined.

 

HTML character encoding

A standard table which associates a numeric index with each character in a character set. The table is used when you create a Web page for use in a specific language. Also called code page.

 

HTML tag

A text string used in HTML to identify a page element's type, format, and appearance.

 

HTTP

(Hypertext Transfer Protocol) The Internet protocol that enables Web browsers to retrieve information from World Wide Web servers.

 

hyperlink

A pointer from text, from a picture or a graphic, or from an image map to a page or file on the World Wide Web. On the World Wide Web, hyperlinks are the primary way to navigate between pages and among Web sites. Also called link.

 

hypertext

Originally, any textual information on a computer containing jumps to other information. The hypertext jumps are called hyperlinks. On the World Wide Web, hypertext is the primary way to navigate between pages and among Web sites. Hypertext on Web pages has been expanded to include hyperlinks from text, from a picture or a graphic, and from image maps.

I

ID selector

In a cascading style sheet style definition (or style rule), a selector that is used to define a style for an individual page element, usually as an inline style.

IIS

See Internet Information Services.

 

image map

A graphic containing one or more invisible regions, called hotspots, which are associated hyperlinks. Typically, an image map gives site visitors visual cues about the information made available by clicking each part of a picture or graphic. For example, a geographical map could be made into an image map by assigning hotspots to each region of interest on the map.

 

initial page

The page that is initially displayed in a frame when a site visitor browses to a frames page containing the frame. 

 

inline style

A method of applying cascading style sheet properties and values to an element on a page, such as a table, graphic, or ActiveX control. You can use this method even if the page is not linked to an external style sheet or does not contain an embedded style sheet.

 

interlaced GIF

A picture in GIF format that is gradually displayed in a Web browser, showing increasingly detailed versions of the picture until the entire file has finished downloading. See also GIF.

 

internal hyperlink

A hyperlink pointing to any page or file within the current web. See also hyperlink.

 

internal web

A Web site created within an organization and accessible only to members of that organization on an intranet. See also intranet.

 

Internet

The worldwide collection of computers, networks and gateways that use TCP/IP protocols to communicate with one another. At the heart of the Internet are high-speed data communication lines between major host computers, consisting of thousands of commercial, government, educational, and other computer systems that route data and messages. Currently, the Internet offers a range of services to users, such as e-mail, the World Wide Web, FTP, Usenet newsgroups, Gopher, IRC, telnet, and others.

 

Internet address

See network location.

 

Internet Information Services

(IIS) Microsoft's brand of Web server software, utilizing Hypertext Transfer Protocol to deliver World Wide Web documents. IIS incorporates various functions for security, allows for CGI programs, and also provides for FTP servers.

 

Internet service provider

A business that supplies Internet connectivity services to individuals, businesses, and other organizations. Some ISPs are large national or multinational corporations that offer access in many locations, while others are limited to a specific city or region.

 

intranet

A network designed for information processing within a company or organization. Its uses include such services as document and software distribution, access to databases, and training. An intranet is so called because it usually employs applications associated with the Internet, such as Web pages, Web browsers, FTP sites, e-mail, newsgroups, and mailing lists, accessible only to those within the organization. See also firewall.

 

IP

(Internet Protocol) Internet software that divides data into packets for transmission over the Internet. Computers must run IP to communicate across the Internet. See also TCP.

 

IP address

(Internet Protocol address) The standard way of identifying a computer that is connected to the Internet, much the way a telephone number identifies a telephone on a telephone network. An IP address is four numbers separated by periods, and each number is less than 256, for example, 192.200.44.69. Your Web server administrator or Internet service provider will assign your computer an IP address.

 

IP address mask

(Internet Protocol address mask) A range of IP addresses defined so that only computers with IP addresses within the range are allowed access to an Internet service. To mask a portion of the IP address, replace it with the asterisk wild card character (*). For example, 192.44.*.* represents every computer on the Internet with an IP address beginning with 192.44.

 

ISAPI

(Internet Server Application Programming Interface) A Web server application-development interface, developed by Process Software and Microsoft, that can be used in place of CGI.

 

ISP

See Internet service provider.

J, K

Java

A general-purpose programming language created by Sun Microsystems. Currently, the most widespread use of Java is in programming small applications, or applets, for the World Wide Web. See also Java applet.

 

Java applet

A Java class that is loaded and run by an already-running Java application such as a Web browser. Java applets can be downloaded and executed by a Web browser capable of interpreting Java, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Java applets are frequently used to add multimedia effects and interactivity to Web pages, such as video displays, animations, calculators, real-time clocks, and interactive games. Applets can be activated automatically when the page containing them is displayed in a Web browser, or they may require some action on the part of the site visitor, such as clicking an element on the page.

 

JavaScript

A scripting language developed by Netscape Communications and Sun Microsystems, Inc. Compared to Java, JavaScript is limited in performance because it is not compiled before execution. Basic online applications and functions can be added to Web pages with JavaScript, but the number and complexity of available application programming interface functions are fewer than those available with Java. JavaScript code, which is included in a Web page along with the HTML code, is generally considered easier to write than Java, especially for novice programmers. A JavaScript-compliant Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, is required to interpret JavaScript code.

 

JPEG

(Joint Photographic Experts Group) A graphics file format used to display high-resolution color graphics on the World Wide Web. JPEG graphics apply a user-specified compression scheme that can significantly reduce the large file sizes usually associated with photo-realistic color graphics. A higher level of compression results in lower quality, whereas a lower level of compression results in higher quality. 

L

LAN

(local area network) A computer network technology designed to connect computers separated by a short distance. A LAN can be connected to the Internet and can also be configured as an intranet.

 

link

See hyperlink.

 

live web

A web that has been published to a Web server and can currently be browsed by site visitors. 

M

mailto

The Internet protocol used to send electronic mail. 

 

Marquee component

A region on a page that displays a horizontally scrolling text message.

 

META tag

An HTML tag that must appear in the HEAD portion of the page. META tags supply information about a page but do not affect its appearance. A standard META tag, "generator," is used to indicate the type of editor that created the HTML page.

 

Microsoft Image Composer

A powerful image-editing application included with FrontPage that lets you create original artwork or modify existing graphics for use in your webs.

 

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Microsoft's Web browser, available in Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX versions. 

 

Microsoft Visual Basic

A high-level, visual-programming version of Basic. Visual Basic was developed by Microsoft for building Windows-based applications.

 

Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications

(VBA) A macro-language version of Microsoft Visual Basic that is used to program Windows applications and is included with several Microsoft applications. See also Microsoft Visual Basic.

 

Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition

(VBScript) A subset of the Visual Basic for Applications programming language, optimized for Web-related programming. As with JavaScript, code for Visual Basic, Scripting Edition is embedded in HTML documents. This version is included with Microsoft Internet Explorer. See also Microsoft Visual Basic.

 

MIME type

(Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions type) A method used by Web browsers to associate files of a certain type with applications that display files of that type.

 

multi-hosting

The ability of a Web server to support more than one Internet address and more than one home page. Also called multi-homing.

N

navigation bar

A collection of graphical or textual buttons containing hyperlinks to pages that are part of the same web structure. See also web structure, Navigation view.

 

nested frames page

A frames page containing another frames page inside one of its frames. See also frames page, frame.

 

network location

In a URL, a unique name that identifies an Internet server. A network location has two or more parts, separated by periods, as for example www.aucklandwebdesign.com. Also called host name and Internet address. See also URL.

news

The Internet protocol for retrieving files from an Internet newsgroup. 

 

Normal text

The default paragraph style of Page view, intended for use in text paragraphs.

 

NTLM

(NT LanMan) The Windows NT Challenge/Response authentication protocol. This protocol uses encryption for secure transmission of passwords.

O

Open Database Connectivity

(ODBC) An application programming interface (API) for authoring applications that are independent of any particular database management system.

 

OLE

(Object Linking and Embedding) A technology for transferring and sharing information among applications. OLE lets an author invoke different editor components to create a compound document.

 

one-line text box

A labeled, single-line form field into which site visitors can type text.

P, Q

page

A single document in a Web site written in HTML. 

 

page banner

A section of a Web page containing a graphic element and text, such as the page title. Page banners are usually displayed at the top of a Web page.

 

page template

A predesigned, generic Web page you can use to create new custom pages. 

 

page title

A descriptive text string identifying a page.

 

parent page

A page in a web that is part of the navigation structure of the web and is linked to one or more pages on the child level. A page on the child level is accessed from its parent page by following a link from a navigation bar on the parent page. See also navigation bar, web structure.

 

parent web

In a hierarchical structure, the web immediately above the current web.

 

password

A security measure used to restrict access to computer systems and sensitive files. On the World Wide Web, passwords are strings of characters that allow site visitors access to Internet services, such as FTP, if the Internet service requires authentication. See also authentication.

 

path

The portion of a URL that identifies the folders containing a file. For example, in the URL http://www.aucklandwebdesign/opstec/start/index.htm, the path is /opstec/start/.

PCD

(Photo CD) A graphics file format developed by Eastman Kodak Company. 

 

PCT

(Personal Communications Technology) An enhanced version of Secure Sockets Layer. See also Secure Sockets Layer.

 

PCX

A graphics file format that compresses the graphic's data with RLE-type compression, used by early versions of Windows Paintbrush.

 

picture

A graphics file that can be inserted on a Web page and displayed in a Web browser. 

 

plug-in

One of a set of software modules that integrate into Web browsers to offer a range of interactive and multimedia capabilities.

 

PNG

(Portable Network Graphics) A file format for compressed bitmap graphics, similar to the GIF format.  

 

port

One of the network input/output channels of a computer running TCP/IP. On the World Wide Web, port usually refers to the port number a server is running on. A single computer can have many Web servers running on it, but only one server can be running on each port. The default port for Web servers is 80.

 

PPP

(Point-to-Point Protocol) An Internet standard for transmitting data over serial links between computers.

 

progressive JPEG

An enhancement to the JPEG graphics file format specification that gradually displays a photo-realistic picture in a Web browser, showing increasingly detailed versions of the picture until the entire file has finished downloading. While this is similar to interlaced GIFs, progressive JPEGs can retain the high quality of 24-bit color, and they offer the same efficient compression as standard JPEG. See also JPEG.

 

properties

The characteristics of an item in the current web, such as the title and URL of a web, or the name and initial value of a form field. You can also specify properties for page elements such as tables, graphics, and active elements.

 

protocol

A method of accessing a document or service over the Internet, such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Also called type.

 

proxy server

An Internet server that acts as a firewall, mediating traffic between a protected network and the Internet. See also firewall.

 

publish

The process of making a web public on the World Wide Web or an intranet by copying all of its pages and files to the Web server connected to the Internet or the local area network.

 

push button

A form field that a site visitor can click to submit a form or reset a form to its initial state.

R

radio button

A form field that presents a site visitor with a selection that can be chosen by clicking on a button. Radio buttons are presented in a list, one of which is selected by default. Selecting a new member of the list deselects the currently selected item. See also check box.

 

RAS

The raster graphics file format developed by Sun Microsystems.

 

record

In a database, a group of related fields of information that are treated as a unit. Records are the logical equivalents of rows in a table. 

 

registered user

A visitor to a Web site whose name and password has been recorded within the Web site. 

 

Registration form handler

A form handler that allows site visitors to automatically register themselves for access to a service implemented as a Web site. The Registration form handler adds the site visitor to an authentication database, then gathers optional information from the form and stores it in one of many supported formats.

 

relational database

A relational database management system (RDBMS) organizes data into related rows and columns as specified by the relational model. Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle are examples of relational database management systems. A Microsoft Access database is an example of a relational database.

 

relative URL

The Internet address of a page or other World Wide Web resource relative to the Internet address of the current page. A relative URL gives the path from the current page to the destination page or resource. A relative URL can include a protocol. For example, the relative URL Doc/Sample.htm refers to the page Sample.htm in the folder Doc, below the current folder. See also URL.

 

root web

The default, top-level web provided by a Web server. To access the root web, you supply the URL of the server without specifying a page name or subweb.  

 

RTF

(Rich Text Format) A method of encoding text formatting and document structure using the ASCII character set. By convention, RTF files have an .rtf file name extension. 

S

script

A type of computer code that can be directly executed by a program that understands the language in which the script is written. Scripts do not need to be compiled to be run.

 

scrolling text box

A labeled, multiple-line form field in which site visitors can type one or more lines of text.

 

Secure Sockets Layer

(SSL) A proposed open standard developed by Netscape Communications for establishing a secure communications channel to prevent the interception of critical information, such as credit card numbers. The primary purpose of SSL is to enable secure electronic financial transactions on the World Wide Web, although it is designed to work with other Internet services as well. This technology, which uses public key encryption, is incorporated into many Web browser and Web servers.

 

selector

In a cascading style sheet style definition (or style rule), the HTML element linked to a particular set of style properties and values.

 

server

A computer that offers services on a network. On the World Wide Web, a server is a computer that runs the Web server software that responds to HTTP protocol requests. Also called host.

 

server-side image map

An image map that passes the coordinates of the mouse pointer to a CGI handler routine on the server. Server-side image maps require the Web server to compute the target URL of the hyperlink based on the mouse pointer coordinates. See also image map.

 

server-side include

A feature provided by some Web servers that automatically inserts text onto pages when they are fetched by a Web browser.

 

shared borders

Page regions reserved for content that you want to appear consistently throughout your pages. Shared borders usually contain navigation bars hyperlinks to the other pages in the current web. 

 

Site Summary report

The default report displayed in Reports view. A site summary is the combination of several reports that identify unlinked files, slow pages, unverified hyperlinks, broken hyperlinks, page component errors, unused theme files, and incomplete tasks. The site summary is useful for determining the overall size and health of your web. 

 

SLIP

(Serial Line Internet Protocol) An Internet standard for transmitting data over serial links between computers.

 

slow pages

Pages that take an inordinate amount of time (20 seconds or more) for a site visitor to download in a Web browser.

 

staging web

A local web that is maintained on a file system or local Web server and that currently cannot be browsed by site visitors. Staging webs allow authors and workgroups to make significant changes or updates to Web sites before they are published to the World Wide Web or a company intranet. See also live web.

 

Structured Query Language

(SQL) A database query and programming language widely used for accessing, querying, updating, and managing data in relational database systems. Using SQL, you can retrieve data from a database, create databases and database objects, add data, modify existing data, and perform other, more complex functions. With SQL, you can also change the server configuration, modify database or session settings, and control data and access statements.

 

style

Styles are used to control the font, alignment, and spacing of text; appearance of background pages; and other HTML attributes. A collection of styles is called a style sheet. See also cascading style sheet.

 

subweb

A named subdirectory of the root web that is a complete web. Each subweb can have independent administration, authoring and browsing permissions from the root web and other subwebs. Any number of subwebs can be created under the root web, and subwebs can be created within subwebs. See also root web, web.

T

table

One or more rows of cells on a page used to organize the layout of a page or arrange data systematically. 

 

tag

See HTML tag.

 

target frame

The name of a frame in which the target page of a hyperlink is displayed. Typically, a hyperlink from one frame of a frames page will supply as its target frame another frame of the frames page. See also frame, frames page.

 

TCP

(Transmission Control Protocol) Internet networking software that controls the transmission of packets of data over the Internet. Among its tasks, TCP checks for lost packets, puts the data from multiple packets into the correct order, and requests that missing or damaged packets be sent again. Computers must run TCP to communicate with Web servers.

 

template

A set of pre-designed formats for text and graphics on which new pages and webs can be based. After a page or web is created using a template, you can customize the page or web.

TGA

(Targa) A photo realistic graphics file format designed for systems with a Truevision display adapter.

 

thread

In e-mail and Internet newsgroups conversations, a series of messages and replies that are all related to a specific topic.

 

thumbnail

A small representation of a picture on a Web page, usually containing a hyperlink to a full-size version of the graphic. Thumbnails are used to load pages rich in graphics or pictures more quickly in a Web browser. See also Auto Thumbnail.

 

TIFF

(Tagged Image File Format) A high-resolution, tag-based graphics format. TIFF is used for the universal interchange of digital graphics. 

 

transition effect

One of a set of page-display effects, such as Dissolve and Fade To Black, that are available in some Web browsers. Transition effects can be configured to occur when a site visitor visits or leaves a page. 

 

TWAIN

("Technology without an interesting name") Developed by a consortium of imaging hardware and software manufacturers, TWAIN is a cross-platform interface for acquiring pictures captured by TWAIN-compliant scanners, digital cameras, and still-frame video capture boards. 

U

UNIX

A multi-user, multitasking operating system that exists in various forms and implementations, typically used on proprietary computer workstations. Many Web servers run on UNIX systems.

 

URL

(Uniform Resource Locator) A string that supplies the Internet address of a Web site or resource on the World Wide Web, along with the protocol by which the site or resource is accessed. The most common URL type is http://, which gives the Internet address of a Web page. Some other URL types are gopher://, which gives the Internet address of a gopher directory, and ftp://, which gives the network location of an FTP resource.

V

VBA

See Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications.

 

VBScript

See Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition.

 

Visual Basic

See Microsoft Visual Basic.

 

virtual server

One of multiple Web sites running on the same server, each with a unique domain name and IP address. A Web server that supports virtual servers is called a multi-hosting Web server.

 

visited hyperlink

See followed hyperlink.

W, X, Y, Z

WAIS

(Wide Area Information Service) Supports searching over the Internet.

 

WAN

(wide area network) A computer network that spans a long distance and uses specialized computers to connect smaller networks.

 

watermark

A graphic that appears on the backgrounds of pages in a Web site to decorate and identify the pages, but does not scroll as the page scrolls. Not all Web browsers support watermarks.

 

Web browser

Software that interprets the markup of files in HTML, formats them into Web pages, and displays them to the user. Some browsers can also permit users to send and receive e-mail, read newsgroups, and play sound or video files that are embedded in Web documents.

 

web name

A web name corresponds to a folder name on a Web server, and is subject to the length, character restrictions, and case sensitivity of that server.

 

WMF

(Windows Metafile Format) A vector graphics format for Windows-compatible computers used mostly for word-processing clip art.

 

World Wide Web

The total set of interlinked hypertext documents residing on HTTP servers all over the world. Documents on the World Wide Web are called pages or Web pages, which are written in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). Web pages are identified by URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) that specify the particular computer and path name by which a file can be accessed, and transmitted from node to node to the end user under HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). Web pages may contain text in a variety of fonts and styles, pictures, graphics, movie clips, sounds, as well as small, embedded software programs that are executed when a site visitor activates them by clicking a hyperlink. Site visitors may also be able to download files and send messages to other users via e-mail by using links on a Web page. The World Wide Web was developed by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 for the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN).

 

World Wide Web Consortium

(W3C) A consortium of commercial and educational institutions that oversees research and promotes standards in all areas related to the World Wide Web.