Asynchronous Discussion - messages are exchanged over an extended length of time rather than back and forth simultaneously.

Attachment - A file attached to an e-mail or bulletin board message.

Bookmark - A bookmark acts like a marker to a website. Internet Explorer calls a bookmark a "Favorite". Netscape calls a bookmark a "Bookmark". Either way a bookmark will allow you to revisit a web page at a later date without having to remember the URL to the page.

Browser - A browser, or web browser, is a program that allows your computer to interface to the World Wide Web. It interprets HTML code, text, images, hypertext links, java applets, etc. allowing you to view web sites and move from one site to another. The two most popular browsers are Microsoft Internet Explore and Netscape Communicator.

Bulletin Board - Also known as Forum or Discussion Board. It is an asynchronous discussion that has a series of messages that have been posted as replies to each other. A bulletin board typically contains many threads covering different subjects. By reading each message in a thread, one after the other, you can see how the discussion has evolved.

Cache - Computers have many different types of cache, but they all serve the same purpose. Cache stores information that was used recently. For example, a web browser will use a cache to store pages, images, sounds, etc. of web sites you visit on your hard drive. This will allow your computer to reload the web page information from your hard drive rather than downloading the information again from the website when you revisit the site. Loading the information from your hard drive will allow the web page to be displayed faster; this usually speeds up web browsing. Your computer also uses disk caching, which stores information you have recently read from your hard disk in the computer's RAM. Since accessing RAM is much faster than reading data off the hard disk, this helps speed up common functions on your computer. One other type of cache is a processor cache, which stores small amounts of information. This helps make the processing of common instructions much more efficient, thereby speeding up computing time.

Chat - Real-time synchronous communication between two or more people via computer. Once a chat has been initiated, either person can enter text by typing on the keyboard, and the entered text will appear on the other person's monitor.

Copy - To copy an object from a document and place it in a temporary storage area or you can use the following hot  keys (Hot keys allow you to do things like copy, cut or paste by simply pressing a pair keys on your keyboard):
 

Windows Hot Keys
CTRL-C	Copy

Macintosh Hot Keys
Command-C	Copy

CPU - "Central Processing Unit". The component of a computer in which data processing takes place.

Cut - To remove an object from a document and place it in a temporary storage area or you can use the following hot  keys (Hot keys allow you to do things like copy, cut or paste by simply pressing a pair keys on your keyboard):

Windows Hot Keys
CTRL-X	Cut

Macintosh Hot Keys
Command-X	Cut

Download - to transfer or copy data from one computer to another, or to a disk or peripheral device (a computer device, such as a CD-ROM drive or printer, that is not part of the essential computer).

E-Mail - E-mail is the abbreviation for electronic mail, a method of transferring messages using the Internet  There are two forms. One is inside WebCT, here you will use this to communicate privately with your instructor and fellow students. Outside of WebCT you will use programs such as Hotmail or Yahoo. You will not be able to send email from WebCT to these type of accounts or vice versa.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions. A list of questions with answers designed to address the most common questions or problems.

File - uniquely named collection of program instructions or data stored on a hard drive, disk, or other storage medium and treated as a single entity.

Firewall - A firewall is used to protect a networked server from damage by those who log in to it. This can either be a computer equipped with security features, software protection, or both. A firewall allows only certain messages from the Internet to flow in and out of the internal network.

Homepage - The starting point or main page of a website. This page usually has information about the site and links to other pages within the site

HTML - "Hyper-Text Markup Language." HTML code is based on a list of tags that describe the format and what is displayed on web pages

HTTP - "HyperText Transfer Protocol." It is the protocol used to transfer data over the World Wide Web.

Internet - Countless networks and computers all over the world that allow millions of people to share information. This information is transferred all over the world through a series of lines collectively called the Internet Backbone.

Internet Explorer - An example of browser software that allows users to browse links on the Internet.

IP - "Internet Protocol." This allows for data to be transferred between systems over the Internet. It provides a standard set of rules for sending and receiving data via the Internet.

ISP - "Internet Service Provider" business that provides access to the Internet, usually for a monthly fee. i.e. AOL, Earthlink, Verizon. The difference between an ISP and a browser is that a browser allows you to view internet files (web pages) while your ISP allows you to connect to the internet.

Java - Java is a computer programming language developed by Sun Microsystems. More

Login - Username or a code that identifies you to a certain server. It is often used in conjunction with a password to verify who is accessing the server.

MB - Short for megabyte (1,000,000 or 1,048,576 bytes, depending on the context).

Netiquette - Netiquette, or net etiquette, refers to etiquette on the Internet. Based on the Golden Rule, good netiquette is basically not doing anything online that will annoy or frustrate other people. Three areas where good netiquette is highly stressed are e-mail, online chat, and newsgroups.

Netscape - An example of browser software that allows you to design a home page and to browse links on the Internet.

Operating System - Usually referred to as the "OS", this is the software that actually "talks" with computer's hardware. Without an operating system, all software programs would be useless. The OS is what allocates memory, processes tasks, accesses disks and peripherals, and acts as the user interface.

Paste - To copy an object from a temporary storage area on your computer to a file. In word processing, text is moved from one place to another by copying or cutting and pasting. You can also use the following hot  keys (Hot keys allow you to do things like copy or paste by simply pressing a pair keys on your keyboard):

Windows Hot Keys
CTRL-V	Paste

Macintosh Hot Keys
Command-V	Paste

Server - A computer with a special service function on a network, generally receiving and connecting incoming information traffic

Upload - The process of sending information from your computer to the internet or to another computer.

User - A person who uses a computer

Web Page - Web pages are what make up the World Wide Web. These documents are written in HTML (hypertext markup language) and are translated by your Web browser.

Web Site -  A collection of related, interlinked Web Pages.

WWW (World Wide Web.) - A graphical hypertext-based Internet tool that provides access to web pages created by individuals, businesses, and other organizations.