Descriptionary

pump and dump an unethical practice through which anonymous posters on message boards and forums claim to have insider information and per­suade readers to buy shares in a risky stock. When the price is artificially driven up, the scammers sell for a quick profit.

refresh to reload a Web page for updated content. router an electronic connector of networks. scumware see spyware.

search engine a program that searches Web sites, collects information and links, and then indexes all the data for easy user access.

search engine optimization the employment of various means to heighten placement of a Web site in a search engine's ranking, thus pulling in more visitors.

search engine optimizer one who is expert at get­ting Web sites placed high in a search engine's rank­ing, thus pulling in more visitors and more business.

server a network's host computer.

session one period of use of an Internet connection.

shareware free software that is shared among users.

shouting when posting a message, using all caps. ALL CAPS GIVES THE IMPRESSION OF SHOUT­ING and is perceived as such by the receiver.

site a Web site or Web page; an electronic location on the Internet that displays Web pages, links, etc.

snail mail "old-fashioned" mail, delivered the slow and traditional way, as opposed to almost-instanta­neous e-mail.

snoopware see spyware.

social networking site any Web site on which peo­ple can post personal details and network or commu­nicate with others. A virtual community.

spam annoying advertisements and promotional messages distributed en masse throughout the Inter­net and via e-mail. Also, to distribute such advertise­ments.

spamdexing a method of increasing page viewings through the dishonest manipulation of search engine rankings with altered HTML pages.

spider a program that searches new Internet resources.

spim spam that is sent via instant messaging rather than e-mail.

splog combining spam and blog, a Web log specifi­cally devised to promote an affiliated Web site and to boost search engine rankings to that site; a form of sneaky advertising.

spyware insidious software that is often unwittingly downloaded onto one's PC and can secretly steal and report e-mail dialogue, instant messages, and moni­tor Web sites visited to another party. Also known as scumware, snoopware.

streaming the transmission of compressed video and audio signals from a Web site to a remote receiver.

surf to explore various sites on the Internet, for fun or for research purposes.

swarming the sharing by multiple users of small pieces of movie or game files, which speeds up down­loading and prevents leeching.

TCP/IP the standard communications protocol of the Internet.

telnet a communications protocol used to connect computers throughout the Internet.

thread in a newsgroup or other forum, a series of posts or messages on the same topic, actually a string of replies and counter-replies to an opening question or comment.

thumbnail a miniaturized picture clicked on to dis­play a larger version.

Trojan horse a program embedded in an e-mail attachment used by hackers to infiltrate another's computer system. The program, also known as a back door program, can be employed to operate another's computer from remote control while its user is logged on to an Internet chat room or game site. Among other things, it can be used to erase hard drives.

troll one who posts controversial or irritating com­ments in order to produce heated responses from others. Also, the owner or employee of a company who anonymously posts negative comments about a competitor's products in forums and on message boards.

Twitter an online service that offers a social net­working and blogging venue through the display of short texts known as tweets on users' profile pages.

upload to send a file from one's own computer to another via the Internet.

uRL uniform resource locator; a Web address beginning with http://.

uSENET a network of discussion groups called newsgroups.

video conferencing an Internet meeting with par­ticipants who appear on video.

viral advertising Internet advertising that is pre­sented in a novel or entertaining way to encourage people to get their friends to look at it.

virtual simulated.

vlog a blog presented with video.

VOD video on demand; any service that offers immediate viewing of video or movies over the Inter­net.

vOIP voice-over-Internet protocol; a set of rules for voice transmission or telephone calls over the Inter­net. Also, the Internet telephone service itself.

vRML virtual reality modeling language; a graph­ics systems that can produce three-dimensional effects with changing perspectives and lighting as a user "moves" through an environment, as in a game program.