ADSL
Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line, a high speed communications line, used primarily for digital video.

ANSI
American National Standards Institute, on-line usually means the extended character set approved by ANSI, but there are also ANSI versions of computer languages, etc.

AOL
America-On-Line, the largest on-line service.

Applet
A small program, most commonly a java one downloaded via a browser.

Baud
Term generally used in rating the older modems, sometimes mistakenly used in place of bps.

Beta
"Beta testing" or "in beta" means that a program isn't ready for sale because there are still some bugs in it. Because of the fast development of the web, most of the browsers, applets, etc., ie the programs you use to access what you want, almost always seem to be "in beta."

Bit
Basic binary unit for storing and transferring data.

Bps
Speed of data transmission of 'bits' used as a measure of modem speeds.

Browser
Software programme to facilitate browsing or surfing.

Browsing
Moving from site to site, also known as 'surfing'.

Byte
Binary digit eight - one byte equals 8 bits and can store one character of data.

Client
If you are receiving information, you are the client; the sender is the server.

Cookie
Means of retrieving information from a distant computer - read my article.

Counters
Means of checking the number of visitors your page gets. Available free from many sites on the net, some of these programmes also let you check the platform (computer) and browser visitors use. This knowledge might help you in deciding whether or not to include all those black backgrounds and other techno marvels.

Daemon
A program running unseen in the background, most commonly on the internet meaning a program which keeps an IRC channel open at all times.

Decryption
Decoding data encrypted (often for security purposes) to its original.

DNS
Domain Name Service. Programme translates domain name of a computer connected to the Internet into an IP address.

Domain Name
Registered site name used as part of the address for an organization on the Internet.

Downloading
Taking documents or programmes from the Internet on to a computer or printing out in hard copy.

E-mail
Electronic mail, most used aspect of the Internet. On signing with an ISP you receive an e-mail address, there are also e-mail services available which enable you to download your e-mail from any computer. E-mail can be sent round the world in minutes via modem from your computer to your ISP usually from a local call POP and a lot cheaper than fax. E-mail has not been tested for legal binding of contracts in court in the UK or US.

Encryption
Means of encoding data to prevent unauthorized access (e.g. e-mail or credit card information). US government wish to proscribe software companies from selling most effective encryption programmes outside of US or Canada. If you are setting up a secure environment for transmission of sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, check the small print on your programme to make sure it is really secure with no 'back doors' which allow entry by people you have not authorized.
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Ethernet
A common method of linking computers into a network via coaxil cable & various types actual connections.

FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions. Many sites have a FAQ section enabling the novice to learn the answers to questions they might be too nervous to ask.

Freeware
Free software. Some are "crippled" versions of commercial programs, usually produced by small independents; others only work with commercial programs. Some are actually excellent programs; others, well, you get what you pay for.

FTP
File Transfer Protocol - way of uploading/downloading files to/from the Internet.

Gif
Format for saving images to be transferred to the Internet.

GUI
GUI=Graphic Users Interface, all those pretty icons, etc. which make macs, windows, x-windows, etc. look the way they do.

Hacker
Originally meaning an excellent programmer, it now usually means someone who specializes in breaking into computer systems, esp. via the internet.

Home Page
First page of a site, a one page site, or a company/personal page within a multi paged site.

HTML
Hyper text mark up language, language used for authoring on the Internet. Best described as 'Esperanto' for computers, enabling computers of all types to connect via the Internet.

HTTP
Hyper text transfer protocol - 'computerspeak' for a system of transfer of data between computers.

Internet
Computer based communication via telephone lines, allowing subscribers to tap into the largest data base in the world.

Intranet
Internal use of Internet within a company, saves shoe leather, legs, coffee or ciggy breaks, staff chat time.

IP
32 bit binary number identifying the position of a computer on the Internet - similar to the URL. The URL is usually easier to remember as it is alpha based rather than numerical.

ISDN
Integrated Services Digital Network, a voice and data telephone network more reliable than the analogue system, though considerably more expensive in the UK.

ISP
Internet Service Provider. An ISP will get you on line once you have a modem, telephone and computer set up with the appropriate software. ISP's will often provide software.

Java
Programming mini-applications ("applets") for web-browsers and other programs.

JPEG
Another format for saving images for uploading to the Internet.

KDE
A type of GUI being developed for LINUX users.

Keywords
A selection of words used with META tags or placed on Search Engines to make it easy for people to find your site - don't try and be clever and include everything including the kitchen sink - if the words have nothing to do with the page or site you are registering with the Search Engine you might find they will not accept your entry or will delete it.

Links
Means of turning pages or 'travelling' from a) one part of a page to another part of same page (internal links), b) from one part of a site to another part on same site (on site links), c) from one site to another site (off site links).

Lycos
Excellent Web search engine

META Tag
Tags placed at the top of the page giving title, keywords and short description of content in html, to be read by Search Engine spiders or robots, makes your page easier to search.

Modem
Modulator/Demodulator, lets your computer 'talk' over the telephone.

Monitor
Screen attached to computers.

Newsgroup
A usenet discussion group.

NNTP
The protocol which newsgroups use.

OS
OS=Operating System, ie the software that runs your computer (like UNIX, DOS, etc.)

Page
An Internet page is text and images saved at one URL address, this can print out as several A4 pages but as it has only one URL is referred to as 'a page'.

Plug-in
Basically, a general computer term for any application which can be added on to another program.

POP
Post Office Protocol, method of e-mail transfer.

Queue
Commands or processes, waiting to be processed. May also be called scrolling.

Release
Another term for a particular "version" of software.

Router
A piece of equipment which connects two or more networks or parts of networks.

Search Engines
Programmes enabling Internet subscribers to find specific sites or subjects on the net, rather like Trades Directory.

Server
Your service facilitator for your Internet connection also known as ISP.

Scanning
Importing images into computers, rather like photocopying, but image is recorded on computer rather than paper.

Site
Pages which company's, publications or individuals place on the Internet.

Spam/Spamming
Mass insolicited e-mailing by companies or individuals wanting to sell their services, sites or products. Report to your server if this happens frequently from the same sender, there are means of blocking. Spamming is also a term for mass registration of a site or page with Search Engines - not looked on with favour by them and you risk having ALL your pages deleted if you do it. If your page doesn't show up through a search try checking your META tags and the keywords you use when registering.

Surfing
The same as browsing.

TCP/IP
The software protocol that the internet runs under.

Telnet
A type of Internet computer connection, used to connect your internet connection to another computer, in order to access their public files/programs/connections.

Uploading
Sending work from the publisher's computers to the Internet to be available worldwide.

URL
Uniform Resource Locator - The address of a company's site or page, Bearpit's Site URL is: http://freespace.virgin.net/bear.pit, each 'page' within a site has a separate URL. E.g. Bearpit's classified directory is at URL: http://freespace.virgin.net/bear.pit/nat.1.national.index.html

VRML
Virtual Reality Modeling Language -- which is thought to be the coming addition to the WWW, adding 3-d interactive models to web-sites.

WWW
World Wide Web.

X-modem
A basic program to transfer files to a pc.

Yahoo
A great search site for the Web.

Zip
The most common file/program compression program. Especially useful for "zipping" groups of files together.