Descriptionary

finger a program or utility that can identify a per­son online from an e-mail address.

firewall a security system employed to protect access to a closed network by means of special soft­ware, passwords, and authentication checks.

flame war angry and insulting communications between two or more people via e-mail, chat forums, newsgroups, etc.

flaming angry and insulting communications or posts via e-mail, chat forums, newsgroups, etc.

flog a fake blog, used to promote a product or service.

flooding clogging one's mail server and blocking a recipient's mailbox by sending him or her a mass of spam.

frames separate windows on a Web page that can be scrolled down and accessed while keeping the main page and its menu in view.

fraudulent link a link that appears to be legitimate but in fact directs users to a phony site for criminal purposes.

freeware free software available for downloading from various Internet sites.

FTP file transfer protocol; a program used to send and receive files over the Internet.

geek slang for an Internet know-it-all.

ghost site an abandoned Web site that is no longer maintained. Also known as an Orphan Annie.

Google one of the Internet's most popular search engines.

Google bomb a method of increasing a search engine's ranking of a Web page by having several sites link to it with the same anchor text.

Gopher an information retrieval system or database searcher.

.gov at the end of an Internet or e-mail address, the domain designation for a government institution.

handle in a chat or other online forum, a partici­pant's moniker or name.

hijacker any spyware designed to unethically moni­tor another's browsing, infect one's computer with pop-up ads, or change search or homepages.

history a list or log of Web sites recently visited.

hits the recorded number of times a Web site has been visited, useful for measuring popularity.

home page the opening Web page of an individual, organization, company, etc.

honeymonkey a computer set up to surf the Web on its own and survey for sites that may load mali­cious code.

honeypot a computer or operating system set up specifically to lure hackers and log all attempts at access in order to catch scammers or identity thieves.

host a network computer providing multiple ser­vices, such as e-mail, for other computers.

host name the first portion of an e-mail or Internet address, identifying a specific computer user.

hotlink see hyperlink.

hot spot any place, such as a coffee shop, with a wireless Internet connection.

HTML hypertext markup language; the language coding used to create Web pages.

http hypertext transfer protocol; the protocol that enables the linking of Web sites.

hyperlink a link made up of glowing text or graph­ics that when clicked leads directly to another related Web page or site. Also known as a hotlink.

hypermedia an integration of text, graphics, video, and sound.

hypertext a text system used to create links to related documents.

instant message an online medium through which one may communicate instantly a message on anoth­er's computer screen. Also, the message itself.

internaut see cybernaut.

Internet a network of computer networks linking computer users worldwide.

Internet2 created by scientists in 1996, an inde­pendent, fee-based Internet employing faster, more advanced technology, used by universities, govern­ment agencies, and some organizations.

interactive of any communications medium, allow­ing direct, two-way contact.

intranet a communication network of comput­ers restricted to a single company, organization, or building.

IP address an identification number assigned to every computer on the Internet.

IRC Internet relay chat. The protocol that enables computers users who are online to chat or "talk" to one another in real time.

ISP Internet Service Provider, which provides users with access to the Internet.

IT information technology.

JAVA a virus-safe programming language for use on the Internet.

JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group; a com­mon graphics format used to convey photographs, three-dimensional images, etc.

keylogger a form of spyware from which someone can remotely monitor keystrokes on another user's PC in order to read e-mails or determine which Web sites are visited.

kiosk mode a screen presentation without toolbars, menus, or borders. Also, presentation mode.

LAN a computer network used only on a single floor or in a single building.

leeching the downloading of game and movie files and subsequent refusal to share them with other online users.

link a connection to another Web page or site.

link rot the process over time by which a link may become irrelevant or unneeded, especially when con­nected to a Web site that is closed or outdated.