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Terminology

Below is a listing of some of the basic terminology that is used in website design today.

Browser
A program such as Internet Explorer, Netscape, or Mozilla. Used to browse websites.
CGI
Scripting code commonly used with web based forms (i.e. requesting of information form).
Counter
A device on your website that counts how many times someone’s computer has visited your site. It may also offer other stats such as the viewers browser type, the country they’re from etc. This information can be quite valuable in determining your sites effectiveness.
Data Transfer
When you visit a website, your computer downloads all of the text and images from the site to a temporary location on your computer. Your hosting account generally has a limit to the amount of data that can be transferred from the server. The more popular your site is, the higher the transfer rate you will need.
Domain Name
A name that is registered on the internet that identifies you and is the location of your website. It is recommended that the domain name match your business name (i.e. microsoft.com). There are several different domain name extensions such as .ca, .org, .net, etc. The domain name extension doesn’t effect the website in anyway, if you register a .ca address, the general public will just assume that it is a Canadian company. It also doesn’t effect your search engine ratings.
Dreamweaver
A user-friendly program that Pixels uses to create and upload websites.
Email Address (Electronic Mail)
An address that others can send electronic mail to, usually ending with your domain name. (ie. yourname@yourbusiness.com)
Flash
A kind of website content that usually contains animation and sound. Can be used to add an attractive and interactive element to the site.
FTP
Stands for File Transfer Protocol. It is used to gain access to your website files and make changes.
Form
Used on a website for gathering information that is then sent to you via email. Uses include visitor feedback, information requests, polls, etc. The information that is sent through the form can also be sorted in a database accessible by whomever has specific permissions to view them. These are usually used for mailing lists etc.
FrontPage
An entry level but user-friendly program used to create and maintain websites. Most commonly used by amateur designers or individuals and companies to maintain their own website.
FrontPage Extensions
Must be enabled on the server in order to use FrontPage (this is usually enabled by default).
GIF
Pronounced “jiff”. A type of digital photo or image format, commonly used on websites. Can be animated. Contains a maximum of 256 colors therefore they aren’t usually photos.
Hosting/Host
This is physically where your website files are stored and maintained. When you type your website address into your browser, this is where the computer looks to find your site. A monthly fee is charged for this service, and varies depending on how much space you need and services required. The files stored on the host are also usually backed up on a separate computer or server.
HTML
A programming language used to create websites. It tells your computer how to show the website in your browser.
I.P. Address
A number representing the physical location of your website.
Javascript
Programming language that is sometimes used in building websites. Used to add interactivity and display special effects on a website.
JPG
Pronounced “jay-peg”. A type of digital photo or image format, commonly used on websites. Generally used for higher quality images or photos.
Keywords
A list of words that describes what a website is about which are embedded into the html – not visible in the website. These words are inserted into the website so that when someone uses one of the keywords in an internet search, your site will be listed.
Meta Tags
A sentence or two that describes what a website is about which are embedded into the html – not visible in the website. They describe the site and is mainly used by search engines to locate a site.
POP3
A type of email server.
Search Engine
A website that allows you to type in words or a subject you wish to find a website on, and displays results based on what you typed in. Examples of commons search engines are Google and Yahoo.
Script
Additional programming that goes into a website that allows for interactivity or special features.
URL
The website address you type into your browsers address bar that takes you to a specific site.
Web Space
The amount of space on the host that you are allowed to use to store your website files. The bigger your site, the more space you will need.
Webmail
A browser-based method of accessing your email.
Website
A term that describes all of the pages, images etc under a domain name that is made available on the world wide web.
Website Address
What you type into the address bar in your browser to get to a certain website