Information Center

ASCII - Stands for "American Standard Code for Information Interchange". ASCII is a set of 128 alphanumeric and special control characters. Most emails are sent as ASCII text. ASCII files are also known as plain text files.

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) - A document explaining the conditions for using a site or network.

AUP - See "Acceptable Use Policy"

Auto Responders - Email messages that are set to automatically reply when someone sends a message to a certain email address. You might make an auto responder for feedback@yourdomain.com, so that anyone who emails that address would automatically receive a message that read: "Thank you for your interest in XYZ Company. Your email has been received, and we will respond shortly."

Backbone - A central network connecting other networks together.

Bandwidth - Used to describe the amount of data that can be sent through a circuit. The greater the bandwidth, the greater the amount of data that can travel in a given time period.

Bit - One eighth of a byte. In abbreviations, it is represented by a lower-case "b" to distinguish it from a byte, which is symbolized by a capital "B".

BGP - See "Border Gateway Protocol"

Browser - See "Web Browser"

Byte - 8 bits of data. In abbreviations, it is represented by a capital "B" to distinguish it from a byte, which is symbolized by a lower-case "b".

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) - Intelligent routing software which can identify which path is the most efficient for each data packet, and then route the packet to its destination on the fastest path.

CGI - See "Common Gateway Interface"

Chat - See "IRC"

Client - A program that connects to and requests information from a server.

Common Gateway Interface (CGI) - A method of running an executable program from a web site to generate dynamic content. Normally, a CGI script is a small program that manipulates data from a web server. It might take the content of a form and put it into an e-mail message, or convert data into a database query. netbasiks.com allows CGI scripts, but many hosting companies do not.

Cookie - A short file, put on your system by a web page, which may keep track of you, your preferences, and your surfing habits. A cookie might remember the horoscope sign you looked up or the city for which you requested the weather, so the next time you visit the site, you wont have to search for this information. Cookies can make surfing the Internet more personal, and more efficient, but they can also be used to collect your e-mail address for marketing purposes. You can decide whether you want to accept cookies or not by going into your web browser's advanced settings.

CPU - Stands for "Central Processsing Unit". Your CPU is your computer's processor. Intel Pentium, Sun Sparc, and Digital Alpha are examples of CPUs.

Dedicated Server - A web server which can be purchased or leased in its entirety, rather than by segment. For individuals or companies who require more space, speed, or control. This is an alternative to Virtual Hosting.

Domain Name - A unique name that identifies an Internet site. A site does not require a domain name, but it does make it easier for visitors to remember a site's location. (See IP Address)

Encrypt - To code data. Credit card and social security numbers are encrypted so they can be sent securely over a network.

Ethernet - A method of networking computers in a local area network.

File Transfer Protocol. (FTP) - The Internet protocol that enables you to transfer files between your system and another system. In order to put a web page on the Internet, you must FTP the files to your server.

Front Page Extensions - Server side programs that enable Front Page users to utilize the progam's special components.

FTP - See "File Transfer Protocol"

GBps - Stands for gigabytes per second.

GC - See "Global Center"

GIF - Stands for Graphical Interchange Format. Gif is a graphic format that can only support 256 colors, or 8 bits. It is a good format for graphics with small text, and can be used to make animated images.

Gigabyte (GB) - One billion bytes.

Global Center (GC) - A Tier 1 provider whose 13,000-mile fiber optic network and Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology provide an enormous 460 gigabytes per second of capacity worldwide. They have an ATM fiber node located just a few floors below the netbasiks.com Network Operation Center.

HTML - See "Hypertext Markup Language"

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) - The coding language used to create documents for use on the World Wide Web.

IP Address (Internet Protocol Address) - A unique number which describes a site's location on the Internet. Normally, IP addresses are tied with a domain name which is easier to remember. A visitor can access a site by typing in either the IP Address, like 208.56.241.151, or a domain name, like netbasiks.com

IRC - Stands for "Internet Relay Chat". IRC is the system which allows Internet users to communicate in real time using a text-based system. IRC is not permitted on our servers. 

Java - A programming language, developed by Sun Microsystems, that is used with web pages to create applets that will run on different platforms. It has little to do with JavaScript.

JavaScript - A scripting language, developed by Netscape, for writing short programs embedded in a web page. JavaScript can be used to make menu trees, mouseovers, pop-up alerts, and much more. It has little to do with Java.

JPEG- Stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. JPG is a graphic format that was specifically made for images with more than 256-color images. Although JPGs are a good way to compress large graphics, image quality often suffers.

KBps - Kilobytes per second.

Kilobyte - 1024 bytes.

LAN - See "Local Area Network"

Linux - A free Unix-type operating system, originally created by Linus Torvalds. Linux is frequently run on Internet backbones and World Wide Web servers because it is extremely stable, includes true multitasking, has built-in TCP/IP networking, and was designed to be used by many people at the same time. For more information about Linux, visit www.linux.org or www.linux.com.

Local Area Network (LAN) - A data communications network, which is geographically limited to an immediate area, usually the same building or floor of a building.

Megabyte - Roughly one million bytes.

MIDI - Stands for "Musical Instrument Digital Interface". Midi is a high quality audio file format.

MIME - Stands for "Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions". Mime is a protocol that allows email messages to contain various types of non-ASCII media like audio, video, and images.

Mirror Site: An alternate Internet site that visitors can be directed to if the primary site is busy. A mirror site contains copies of all the files stored at the primary location.

Modem - Short for "Modulator-demodulator devices". Modems allow computers to transmit information to one another via an ordinary telephone line.

Multitasking - The ability of an operating system to do several tasks at one time.

MySQL - A database server, normally used with PHP, which gives Internet users a way to access information stored in a database.

Name Server - A computer that maps domain names to IP addresses.

Network News Transfer Protocol - The protocol that defines communication methods between news servers and news clients.

Nibble - Four bits or half a byte.

NNTP - See "Network News Transfer Protocol"

NOC - Stands for "Network Operations Center"

OC-3 - Stands for Optical Carrier Level 3. OC-3 is a circuit that transmits 155 megabits per second.

OC-12 - Stands for Optical Carrier Level 12. OC-12 is a circuit that transmits 622 megabits per second.

OC-24 - Stands for Optical Carrier Level 24. OC-24 is a circuit that transmits 1.244 gigabits per second.

OC-48 - Stands for Optical Carrier Level 48. OC-48 is a circuit that transmits 2.488 gigabits per second. This is the size of the largest Internet backbone providers' networks and is the connection that netbasiks.com uses.

OnNet - On the same network

Operating System (OS) - The basic software running on a computer, underneath things like word processors and spreadsheets

OS - See "Operating System"

Parking a Domain - The process by which a domain name is registered under someone's name servers.

Perl - A scripting/programming language, commonly used for writing CGI programs to be run from a web site.

PHP - A scripting language for writing short programs embedded in a web page. Unlike JavaScript, PHP commands are executed on the web server, making it browser independant. The web browser only sees the resulting HTML output of the PHP code.

Pointing a Domain - When a new domain name is pointed to an existing domain name or IP Address.

POP3 - See "Post Office Protocol - Version 3"

Post Office Protocol -Version 3 (POP3) - The protocol which e-mail software uses to get mail from a mail server.

Qwest Communications - A tier 1 provider who comes into Baltimore with an OC-12 line, and plans to upgrade their connection to an OC-48 in the near future. They also have an ATM fiber node 14 floors below the netbasiks.com Network Operations Center. The Qwest connection enables netbasiks.com to offer additional redundancy and better routes to Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Raw Log Files - A list of the connections and error occurrences on your page, before they are organized into site statistics.

Router - A special-purpose computer (or software package) that "routes" the path of data between 2 or more computers or networks. Routers identify which path is the most efficient for each data packet, and then route the packet to its destination on the fastest path. netbasiks.com uses a state-of-the-art software package called Border Gateway Protocol.

Secure Shell - A method of telnetting in to a Unix server, over a secure connection, in order to keep the session private. Because the data is being encrypted, it is usually a little slower.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) - A that allows for "secure" passage of data between a browser and a server.

Server - A networked computer that responds to requests submitted by a client. Often, servers store files, programs, and other data that may require too much memory to run on a client's system. Companies which host websites, like netbasiks.com, provide space on their servers for their customers' website data.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) - The Internet standard for transferring mail.

Site Statistics - A list of the connections and error occurrences on your page. netbasiks.com's web-based control panel allows a member to check their site information by day, month, or year.

SLIP - Stands for "Serial Line Internet Protocol" SLIP is a protocol which allows you to use a dial-up connection as an Internet connection.

SMTP - See "Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

Spam - Junk e-mail. Spamming is when someone sends the same message to a large number of users, usually to advertise something. It is an inappropriate use of bandwidth, which slows down the network and is generally annoying to be on the receiving end of. Many hosts, like netbasiks.com, will discontinue service if a customer is caught spamming.

SSH - See "Secure Shell"

T-1 - A network connection capable of carrying data at 1,544,000 bits-per-second. T-1 is the fastest speed commonly used to connect networks to the Internet.

T-3 - A network connection capable of carrying data at 44,736,000 bits-per-second.

TCP/IP - Stands for "Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol". TCP/IP is the foundation of the Internet. It defines how computers exchange information with eachother and is the basis for transmitting and routing data packets on the Internet.

Telnet - A protocol for logging onto remote computers from anywhere on the Internet.

UNIX - A set of standards for operating systems, like Linux. For more information about Unix, visit the Delphi Unix Forum.

Upload - To transfer a file from your computer system to another system.

Virtual Hosting - A hosting option that allows a company or individual to lease part of a server to store their website's data, rather than pay for an entire machine with more space than they need.

Web Browser - The program, like Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer, that allows you to surf the web.