Using a computer and the Internet for work can quickly lead to a feeling of being adrift in a sea of inanity. While it's not necessary to be fluent in the jargon of everything computer-related, there are bound to be some terms that leave you scratching your head. In case you need a refresher, here's a short primer.
Bandwidth. Bandwidth refers to both the rate at which your site can transmit data and the rate at which a user can receive it. The loading time of the website will increase if neither of them has sufficient bandwidth. That's why it's important to pick a host that offers enough of bandwidth and make sure your site loads quickly even on dial-up.
Browser. A browser is the piece of software (more on that below) that site visitors use to access your website. Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which is included with Windows, is by far the most widely used browser.
Cookie. Cookies are small text files that a website saves to a user's hard drive in order to recognize them the next time they visit. People's inability to place an order with you is probably due to the fact that they haven't enabled cookies on their browser.
Download. Moving information from an online source to a personal computer.
Favourite. If a user clicks "Add to Favourites" in their browser's toolbar, the site will be saved for later viewing.
Transfer files using the FTP protocol. One typical way to add content to a website is through file uploads.
Javascript. A widely used language for creating "scripts," or short programs, that add interactivity to websites. Another frequent source of frustration for guests.
JPEG. A Confederation of Photographic Professionals. The most widely used image format on the web has the name of the team responsible for its creation. Images for use on a website should be saved as JPEGs.
Hardware. Computer hardware refers to the actual devices used to run a computer system. That which is antithetical to software.
Hosting. If you have a website that is accessible to the public online, then you are paying a hosting service. In other words, it's the service of making your website accessible to users.
The HyperText Markup Language, or HTML, is used to create web pages. Markup language that specifies the presentation of web pages through the use of tags. For instance, using the 'b' tag makes the text it surrounds bold, and the 'img' tag shows an image.
Hyperlink. Hyperlinks are sections of text on a website that, when clicked, send the reader to a different website or page within the same website. An email address that, when clicked, sends an email to the owner, is a hyperlink.
Programming. Programming entails utilizing any one of numerous "programming languages" to direct a computer on what to do. PHP and Perl are examples of web-specific programming languages.
Server. Your website lives on a server, and when users access it, they establish a connection with that server. To illustrate, if someone informs you that your server is "down," it signifies that your website is currently unavailable. It's important to realize that the term "server" can be used to describe both the hardware and the software of this system.
Software. Application software, or the code that runs your website. Microsoft Word and the Apache web server are both examples of software (the most popular web server software). contrast to hardware.
Spider. If a spider happens to stop by your website, don't freak out. Search engines utilize "spiders," or automated algorithms that crawl your site in order to determine its best placement in search results. When spiders visit your site, it's a good sign that you'll soon be visible in search results.
Upload. When you upload, you send information from your personal computer to an online service. You might post an article you wrote or your company's logo. In contrast to a download, this means something completely different.
Uniform Resource Locator (or "URL" for short). Shortened form of "web address," which is what people enter in to visit a website. It's also possible to say 'Earl' when saying this name.
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