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A

ActiveX
  A Java-like Microsoft language that permits web-originated programs to be run from the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser.
 
AIFF - Audio Interchange File Format.
  This audio file format was developed by Apple Computer for storing high-quality sampled audio and musical instrument information. It is also used by Silicon Graphics and in several professional audio packages. Played by a variety of downloadable software on both the PC and the Mac
 
Animation
  The addition of movement to a web page. This can be accomplished by using Java, Shockwave, GIF animation, or other multimedia techniques.
 
Applet
  A high-level program that can be included in an HTML page, much like an image can be included. The program's code is then executed by the browser. Note: Many older browsers cannot interpret Java applets and disregard them.
 
Archie
  A system that automatically gathers, indexes, and serves archived information on the Internet.The initial implementation of Archie provided an indexed directory of filenames from anonymous FTP archives on the Internet. Later versions provide other collections of information. See also archive site, Gopher Wide Area Information Servers.
 
Archive
  1.A single file containing one or (usually) more separate files plus information to allow them to be extracted (separated)by a suitable program. A compressed file format. Archives are usually created for software distribution or back up. Some common formats for Internet archives are .sit, .sea. hqx. zip. tar.
 
ASCII - American Standard Code for Information Interchange
  A standard character-to-number encoding widely used in the computer industry. Plain text, Postscript files, and BinHex files are among the types of data that are transferred in ASCII format. Spreadsheets, compiled programs, and graphics are transferred across the net in binary format. In addition, the computer community has extended the ASCII character set so it includes control and other characters. This change allowed for e-mail, "8-bit clean" data transmission, essential for the development of workstation TCP/IP applications. This lets users turn their home computers into Internet hosts.
 
at sign (@)
  The at sign (@) is the separator for most e-mail addresses; it separates the user ID from the domain name of the mail computer. See also UUCP
 
Audio
  Digitizing voices, music, etc. so they can be played by a computer. Popular sound file formats include AU, WAV, SND, MPEG, MIDI, AIFF.

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B

Backbone
  A high-speed network for internetworking computer networks.
 
Background
  An attribute of the Body tag for specifying to a browser an image to be Tiled behind all other document elements. This attribute's value is the URL of the graphic that will be tiled as the background of the page. The user will not see this background for non-compliant browsers, if image loading is turned off, or if the user has overridden the background images in their preferences.‹
 
Bandwidth
  Technically; the difference, in Hertz (Hz), between the highest and lowest frequencies of a transmission channel. However, as typically used, the amount of data, usually measured in bits per second, that can be sent through a given communications circuit.
 
Banner
  A poular type of advertising found on the WWW consisting of a a graphic (usually banner shaped which acts as link to the advertiser's home page or other informational site.
 
Baud
  A measure of the rate of transmission of a modem, see bps
 
BBS
  See Bulletin Board System.
 
Binary
  "It's all ones and zeros." Computers store information in the form of on and off electrical impulses, which correspond to the binary (base 2) digits, 0 and 1. Files can be transferred over the Internet in either binary or ASCII (text) format. A binary file is one that contains any non-printable characters, such as compiled programs, graphics files, word-processing and spreadsheet files, audio files, and so on. See also File Transfer Protocol.
 
Bit
  Binary digit. A bit is the primary unit of digital data. Written in binary language as a "1" or a "0". There are eight bits in a byte. There are eight bits in one ASCII character. See also kilobit, megabit.
 
Bit Depth - Pixel Depth
  The bits per pixel used to represent color. The more bits per pixel, the more colors.
 
Bookmark
  A list of frequently accessed Web sites, which you can create using Netscape's Add Bookmark function (see also Favorites, Hotlist)
 
Browse - To Browse
  To navigate the World Wide Web. Synonyms: cruise, surf.
 
Browser
  See : Web Browser
 
bps
  bits per second, see baud
 
Bulletin Board System (BBS)
  A computer (with associated software), that typically provides electronic messaging services, archives of files, and any other services or activities of interest to the bulletin board system's operator. Although BBSs were traditionally the domain of hobbyists and accessible only by using a modem, an increasing number of BBSs are connected directly to the Internet, and many are currently operated by government, educational, and research institutions. See also e-mail, Internet, MUD, Usenet.
 
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