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address commands: Small extensions for UUCP/Connect that give it additional capabilities, much as XMCDs and XFCNs give HyperCard additional capabilities.
addressing: A method of identifying a resource (such as a program) or piece of information (such as a file) on a network. Methods of addressing vary considerably from network-to-network.
Adventure: One of the earliest text adventure games written for computers. It is the forerunner of the popular Zork series from Infocom.
alias: In System 7, a file that "points to" another file, folder, or disk, and may generally be used in place of the original item. In network usage, alias usually refers to a simple name, location, or command that you can use in place of a more complex name, location, or command. Aliases are commonly used for email addresses, directories, or commands.
America Online: A popular commercial information service with a graphical interface.
AOL: Shorthand for America Online. Each letter is pronounced separately.
AppleLink: Apple's commercial online information service. Expensive, but graphical. Slated to go away soon.
AppleLink packages: The archiving and compression format used solely by AppleLink. StuffIt Expander with Expander Enhancer can decompress AppleLink packages.
AppleTalk: A local area network protocol Apple developed to connect computers and peripherals over various different types of wiring.
ARA: Apple Remote Access. A software program from Apple Computer that allows one Mac to dial another Mac via a modem and, through AppleShare and/or Personal File Sharing, access local or network resources available to the "answering" Mac. (Common resources include shared directories, servers, and printers.) Although I don't cover the issue much in this book, you can do some neat things with ARA and MacTCP.
.ARC: An older DOS archiving format.
Archie: An Internet service that maintains, and allows users to search, a large database of materials stored on anonymous FTP sites.
archive site: A site that archives files for users to retrieve, via either FTP or email.
ARPA: Advanced Research Projects Agency. The governmental organization responsible for creating the beginnings of the Internet.
ARPAnet: The proto-Internet network created by ARPA.
ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange. In the context of a file, an ASCII file is one that contains only "text" characters: numbers, letters, and standard punctuation. Although ASCII text can contain international characters available on the Mac ("upper-ASCII"), these characters are not commonly supported by Internet services such as email, Gopher, and FTP. In FTP, it's a command that tells FTP that you will be transferring text files (which is the default).
atob (pronounced "a to b"): A Unix program that turns ASCII files into binary files. The btoa program does the reverse.
attachments: Files that are linked to a specific email message, just as you might paperclip a clipping to a snail mail letter.
bandwidth: Information theory used to express the amount of information that can flow through a given point at any given time. Some points have narrow bandwidth (indicating not much information can flow through at one time), and others have high bandwidth (indicating a great deal of information can flow through at one time). This term is commonly used in reference to "wasted bandwidth," indicating that some (or most) of the information flowing by a point is of no use to a user. This term can include overloading a site's network connection (thus curtailing other users' use of the lines) or including lengthy signature files in Usenet postings or discussion groups. "Wasted bandwidth" is often relative: What one person views as wasteful might be essential to someone else.
bang: The exclamation point! Used to separate machine names in UUCP bang-style addressing, which isn't all that common anymore.
baud: A measure of modem speed equal to one signal per second; 300 baud equals 300 bits per second (bps). But at higher speeds one signal can contain more than one bit, so a 9600 baud modem is not a 9600 bps modem. (The terms often are incorrectly used interchangeably). See also bps.
BBS Bulletin Board System.: A computer system that provides its users with files for downloading and areas for electronic discussions. Bulletin board systems usually are run by and for local users, although many now provide Internet, UUCP, or FidoNet mail.
Binary: In the context of a file, any file that contains non-textual data. (Images and applications are examples of binary files.) In FTP, a command that tells FTP to transfer information as an arbitrary stream of bits rather than as a series of textual characters.
BinHex: The standard Macintosh format for converting a binary file into an ASCII file that can pass through email programs. (For those of you wondering how to pronounce it, "Bin" rhymes with "tin," and "hex" rhymes with "sex," and the accent is on the first syllable.) See also uucode.
BITNET: An academic large-scale computer network, primarily connecting academic institutions. BITNET is often expanded as the "Because It's Time" Network. A friend notes, "Actually, it seems that the definitive answer to what the BIT stands for is 'It has varied, and depends on who you asked and when.'"
BIX: The online commercial information service called the BYTE Information Exchange, although I have never heard anyone use the full name in favor of BIX.
body: The part of an email message where you type your message, as opposed to the header or the
bounce: What email does when it doesn't go through.
bps Bits per second.: The measurement of modem transmission speed. Not comparable to baud after 300 bps.
Brownian motion: With apologies to Douglas Adams, the best example is indeed a really hot cup of tea. It has to do with internal movement within a hot liquid.
browser: A client program that enables one to search, often somewhat randomly, through the information provided by a specific type of server. Generally used in relation to the World Wide Web.
btoa (pronounced "b to a"): A Unix program that turns binary files into ASCII files for transmission via email. The atob program decodes such files.
BTW: Abbreviation for the expression, "By the way."
Call For Votes: What you do after discussing whether a new newsgroup should be created.
CCL Connection Control Language.: Used in Apple Remote Access, InterSLIP, and other communications programs, CCL is a scripting language that lets you control your modem.
CERN: The birthplace of the World Wide Web, although in real life they do high energy physics research. Located in Geneva, Switzerland. CERN doesn't stand for anything any more, although it once was an acronym for a French name.
CFV: See Call For Votes.
channel: In IRC, an area that theoretically has a specific discussion topic. See IRC.
charter: The document that lays out what topics a newsgroup will cover, what its name will be, and other relevant details.
chat script: A simple (you hope) conversation between your Mac and your host machine that allows your Mac to log in automatically. Chat scripts usually involve a series of send and expect strings. Your host sends a login prompt; your Mac responds with your username. Your host sends a password prompt; your Mac responds with your password.
chiasmus: A term from classical rhetoric that describes a situation in which you introduce subjects in the order A, B, and C, and then talk about them in the order C, B, and A.
CIM: See CompuServe Information Manager.
CIS: Stands for CompuServe Information Service, or simply CompuServe. Wags often replace the S with a $. See CompuServe.
ClariNet: An alternate hierarchy of newsgroups that uses the same transmission routes as Usenet, but carries commercial information from UPI and others. You, or your provider, must pay to read ClariNet news.
client: The program or computer that requests information from a server computer or program. Used in terms of client/server computing. See also server.
clone: A DOS-based computer that imitates computers made by IBM. Referred to as clones because they don't distinguish themselves enough for us to bother referring to them any other way.
CMS: Short for Conversational Monitor System. The part of the operating system on certain IBM mainframes with which you interact. Not at all conversational.
command line: Where you type commands to an operating system such as DOS or Unix. Command-line operating systems can be powerful but are often a pain to work with, especially for Macintosh users used to a graphical interface.
compress: To make a file smaller by removing redundant information.
CompuServe: One of the oldest and largest commercial online services. Sometimes abbreviated as CIS.
CompuServe Information Manager: A decent graphical program for the Mac (and Windows) that puts a nice face on CompuServe. Generally abbreviated CIM.
connect time: The amount of time you are actually connected to and using a computer. Because connect or telephone charges are based on this amount of time, you want to keep it as low as possible.
.cpt: The filename extension used by Compact Pro.
CREN Corporation for Research and Educational Networking.
cross-posted: What happens to a Usenet posting when you put several newsgroup names in the Newsgroups line. More efficient than posting multiple individual copies.
CSLIP: Compressed SLIP. A type of SLIP account that uses compression to increase performance.
daemons: Small programs in Unix that run frequently to see whether something has happened: if so, they act as they were programmed; if not, they go back to sleep.
DARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.: Replaced ARPA and had a more military bent. Has since been renamed ARPA again. See also ARPA.
DEC Digital Equipment Corporation.: Also known as Digital, this company produces the popular VAX line of computers and the VMS operating system.
dialing scripts: In InterSLIP, the scripts that control modem dialog. See also CCL.
dial up: To call another computer via modem. The term is often lumped together as one word except when used as a verb.
dialup: A connection or line reached by modem, as in "a dialup line."
digest: A single message that contains multiple individual postings to a mailing list or newsgroup.
domain: A level of hierarchy in a machine's full nodename. For instance, tidbits.com is in the com domain, as are many other machines.
domain name server: A computer that keeps track of names of other machines and their numeric IP addresses. When you refer to a machine by name, your domain name server translates that information appropriately into the numeric IP address necessary to make the connection.
domain name system: The system that makes it possible for you to think in terms of names such as penguin.tidbits.com, whereas computers think in terms of 204.25.157.10.
DOS: An elderly operating system that is frequently helped across the street by Microsoft Windows.
download: To retrieve a file from another machine, usually a host machine, to your machine.
downstream: Usenet neighbors that are downstream from you get most of their news from your machine, in contrast to machines that are upstream from you.
dynamic addressing: When your Mac gets its IP number for each session from the server to which you connect. Linked to the Server button in the Obtain Address part of MacTCP. Not to be confused with the Dynamically button, which picks an IP number from a range at random.
electronic mail or email: Messages that travel through the networks rather than being committed to paper and making the arduous journey through the U.S. Postal Service.
emoticons: A rather silly name for smileys.
Ethernet: A type of local area network that is much faster than LocalTalk. Most Macs can use Ethernet by adding an Ethernet expansion card; some recent Macs come with Ethernet built-in.
.etx: The filename extension for setext files, which are straight text files in a specific format that's easy to read online and can be decoded for even better display.
expire: After a certain amount of time, Usenet postings can be set to expire, which means that they will be deleted even if they haven't been read, so that they don't waste space.
FAQ Frequently Asked Question: Lists of commonly asked questions and their answers, often posted in newsgroups to reduce the number of novice questions. Read a FAQ list before asking a question, to make sure yours isn't a frequently asked one.
Fax Slang for facsimile: A technology that takes paper from the sender and produces more paper that looks just like it at the recipient's end. You can use fax modems to eliminate the paper step at one end or both, but they may be less reliable than stand-alone fax machines. Email is cleaner, often cheaper, and more environmentally friendly, and the results are more useful in other programs. However, you can't easily send signatures or existing paper documents via email.
feed: Shorthand for a connection to another machine that sends you mail and news. I might say, "I have a mail feed from Ed's machine."
Fidonet: A network of cooperating bulletin board systems that has some links to the Internet.
filename extension: A three-letter (usually) code at the end of a filename that indicates what type of file it is. Essential in non-Macintosh environments that lack icons or other methods of identifying files. Common extensions include .txt for text files,
fileserver or file server: A machine that provides files via a network. Perhaps because of time spent working on BITNET, I tend to use it as a synonym for mailserver, or a machine that returns files that are requested via email.
file site: Another name for an archive site or FTP site. A computer on which files are stored for anyone on the Internet to retrieve.
Finger: A method of finding out information about someone else on the Internet.
firewall: A security system that not only prevents intruders from entering, but also often prevents legitimate users from getting out to the Internet from the local network. A firewall usually has a single machine that's connected to the Internet and all Internet traffic must pass through that machine.
flame war: A conflagration in which lots of people jump in on different sides of an argument and start insulting each other. Fun to watch briefly, but a major waste of bandwidth.
flaming: The act of calling into question someone's thoughts, beliefs, and parentage simply because you don't agree with them. Don't do it.
followup: An article on Usenet posted in reply to another article. The subject should stay the same so that readers can tell the two articles are related.
forms: In the World Wide Web, online electronic forms that you can fill in if you have a forms-capable Web browser such as MacWeb or NCSA Mosaic 2.0.
Freenet: An organization whose goal it is to provide free Internet access in a specific area, often by working with local schools and libraries. Ask around to see if a Freenet has sprung up in your area. The first and preeminent example is the Cleveland Freenet. Freenet also refers to the specific Freenet software, and the information services that use it.
freeware: Software that you can distribute freely and use for free, but for which the author often retains the copyright, which means that you can't modify it.
FTP File Transfer Protocol.: One of the main ways in which you retrieve, umm, well, files from other machines on the Internet.
FTPmail: A method of retrieving files stored on FTP sites via email.
FYI: Abbreviation for the expression, "For your information."
gateway: A machine that exists on two networks, such as the Internet and BITNET, and that can transfer mail between them.
gateway script: In InterSLIP, a script that controls the login process. See also CCL.
GIF Graphics Interchange Format.: A platform-independent file format developed by CompuServe, the GIF format is commonly used to distribute graphics on the Internet. Mighty battles have been waged over the pronunciation of this term, and although Robin Williams notes that it's pronounced "jiff" in her book, Jargon, both of my glossary proofreaders flagged it as being pronounced with a hard g, as in "graphics." I surrender; pronounce it as you like.
.gif: The filename extension generally given to GIF files.
GNU: With apologies for the circular reference, GNU stands for GNU's Not Unix. Developed by Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation, GNU is (or will be, when finished) a high-quality version of the Unix operating system that is free of charge and freely modifiable by its users. GNU software is distributed at no cost with source code. Many GNU applications and utilities are mainstays of the Unix community.
Gopher: An information retrieval system created by the University of Minnesota. In wide acceptance on the Internet, Gopher is one of the most useful resources available.
Gopherspace: The collection of all available Gopher servers.
.gz: An extension used by GNU's version of ZIP, called gzip.
hard close: In MacPPP, a process that disconnects you from the Internet and prevents any programs from automatically redialing until you restart.
header: The part of an email message or Usenet posting that contains information about the message, such as who it's from, when it was sent, and so on. Headers are mainly interesting when something doesn't work.
home page: In the World Wide Web, the document that is accessed first after launching a Web browser.
host: The large computer you connect to for your Internet access.
.hqx: The filename extension used for BinHex files.
HTML HyperText Markup Language.: The language used to mark up text files with styles and links for use with World Wide Web browsers.
HTTP HyperText Transport Protocol.: The protocol used by the World Wide Web.
hypertext: A term created by visionary Ted Nelson to describe non-linear writing in which you follow associative paths through a world of textual documents. The most common use of hypertext these days is in the links on Web pages.
IAB: See Internet Architecture Board.
IBM International Business Machines.: Many flip expansions for the acronym exist, but IBM remains one of the most powerful companies in the computer industry despite numerous problems in recent years. Developer of numerous mainframes and obtuse operating systems, some of which are still in use today. Co-developer (with Apple and Motorola) of the PowerPC chip, used in the Power Macintoshes.
IETF: See Internet Engineering Task Force.
IMAP Interactive Mail Access Protocol.: A new protocol for the storage and retrieval of email (much like POP, the Post Office Protocol). It's not in wide use yet.
IMHO: Abbreviation for the expression, "In my humble opinion."
information agent: A software program (currently only an interface to frequently updated databases) that can search numerous databases for information that interests you without your having to know what it is searching. Archie and Veronica are current examples of information agents.
internet: With a lowercase i, it's a group of connected networks.
Internet: The collection of all the connected networks in the world, although it is sometimes better called WorldNet or just the Net. More specifically, the Internet is the set of networks that communicate via TCP/IP.
Internet access provider: An organization that provides Internet access for individuals or other organizations, often for a fee.
Internet Architecture Board: A group of invited volunteers that manages certain aspects of the Internet, such as standards and address allocation.
Internet Engineering Task Force: A volunteer organization that meets regularly to discuss problems facing the Internet.
IP Internet Protocol.: The main protocol used on the Internet.
IP number: A four-part number that uniquely identifies a machine on the Internet. For instance, my IP number for penguin.tidbits.com is 204.57.157.10. People generally use the name, instead.
IRC Internet Relay Chat.: A world-wide network of people talking to each other in real time over the Internet rather than in person.
ISOC The Internet Society.: A membership organization that supports the Internet and is the governing body to which the IAB reports.
JANET Joint Academic Network.: Great Britain's national network. In true British fashion, JANET addresses work backwards from normal Internet addresses. They work from largest domain to the smallest, as in joe@uk.ac.canterbury.cc.trumble. Luckily, most gateways to JANET perform the necessary translations automatically.
jargon: The sometimes incomprehensible language used to talk about specialized topics. If you need help with computer jargon, check out Jargon, by Robin Williams, a light-hearted and detailed trip through this industry.
Jolt cola: All the sugar and twice the caffeine of normal colas. First suggested as a joke by comedian George Carlin, later developed and marketed by Carlin and a food industry entrepreneur.
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group.: A group that has defined a compression scheme that reduces the size of image files by up to 20 times at the cost of slightly reduced image quality.
.jpeg: A filename extension used to mark JPEG-compressed images.
Jughead: A searching agent for Gopher, much like Veronica, but more focused.
Kermit: A file transfer protocol actually named after the popular Kermit the Frog. Kermit is generally slower than XMODEM,
leaf site: A machine on Usenet that talks to only one other machine instead of passing news onto other machines.
line noise: Static on a telephone line that causes trouble for modem connections.
LISTSERV: A powerful program for automating mailing lists. It currently requires an IBM mainframe, but that requirement may change in the near future.
local area network: Often abbreviated LAN. Two or more computers connected together via network cables. If you have a Macintosh connected to a LaserWriter printer (which contains a CPU), you have a rudimentary local area network.
LocalTalk: The form of local area networking hardware that Apple builds into every Macintosh.
login: The process by which you identify yourself to a host computer. Usually involves a userid and a password.
lurkers: Not a derogatory term. People who merely read discussions online without contributing to them.
MacBinary: A file format that combines the three parts of a Macintosh file: the data fork, resource fork, and Finder information block. No other computers understand the normal Macintosh file format, but they can transmit the MacBinary format without losing data. When you download a binary Macintosh file from another computer using the MacBinary format, your communications program automatically reassembles the file into a normal Macintosh file.
MacTCP: A control panel from Apple that implements TCP on the Macintosh. MacTCP is required to use programs such as Fetch and TurboGopher.
mail bombing: The act of sending hundreds or thousands of messages to someone you think deserves the punishment for transgressions against the Internet. Highly discouraged.
mailing list: A list of people who all receive postings sent to the group. Mailing lists exist on all sorts of topics.
mailserver: A program that provides access to files via email. See also fileserver.
man pages: The Unix manual pages. You must go to the man pages to find out more about a Unix command. Accessed through use of the man command followed by the command whose description you want to view.
Manually: A button in the MacTCP Obtain Address area. Use it if your system administrator gives you a specific IP address. Also known as static addressing.
MCC Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation.: No, I don't know where the T went, either. An industry consortium that developed MacWAIS and MacWeb.
MIME Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions.: An Internet standard for transferring non-textual data, such as audio messages or pictures, via email.
mirror site: An FTP site that contains exactly the same contents as another site. Mirror sites help distribute the load from a single popular site.
modem: Stands for modulator-demodulator, because that's what it does, technically. In reality, a modem allows your computer to talk to another computer via the phone lines.
moderator: An overworked volunteer who reads all of the submissions to a mailing list or newsgroup, to make sure they are appropriate, before posting them.
monospaced font: A font whose characters are all the same width. Courier and Monaco are common monospaced fonts on the Macintosh. You generally want to use a monospaced font when reading text on the Internet.
MPEG Motion Picture Experts Group.: More commonly, a compression format for video. Files compressed with MPEG generally have the extension .mpeg.
.mpeg: A filename extension used to mark MPEG-compressed video.
MTU Maximum Transmission Unit.: A number that your system administrator must give you so that you can configure SLIP.
MUD Multi-User Dungeon, or sometimes Multi-User Dimension.: A text-based alternate reality where you can progress to a level at which you can modify the environment: mostly used for games, and extremely addictive.
MX record Mail Exchange record.: An entry in a database that tells domain name servers where they should route mail so that it gets to you.
NCSA National Center for Supercomputing Applications.: A group that has produced a great deal of public domain software for the scientific community. They wrote NCSA Telnet and NCSA Mosaic for the Macintosh.
net heavies: Those system administrators who run large sites on the Internet. Although they don't necessarily have official posts, they wield more power than most people on the nets.
Network Information Center: An organization that provides information about a network.
Network Time Protocol: A protocol for transmitting the correct time around the Internet.
network time server: The machine from which you set your clock using Network Time Protocol.
news: Synonymous with Usenet news, or sometimes just Usenet.
newsgroup: A discussion group on Usenet devoted to talking about a specific topic. Currently, approximately 9,000 newsgroups exist.
.newsrc: The file that Unix newsreaders use to keep track of which messages in which newsgroups you've read.
newsreader: A program that helps you read news and provides capabilities for following or deleting threads.
NIC: See Network Information Center.
nickname: An easy-to-remember shortcut for an email address. Sometimes also called an alias.
NNTP Net News Transport Protocol.: A transmission protocol for the transfer of Usenet news.
nodename: The name of a machine, like penguin.tidbits.com.
NREN National Research and Education Network.: The successor to the NSFNET.
NSF National Science Foundation.: The creators of the NSFNET.
NSFNET National Science Foundation Network.: The current high-speed network that links users with supercomputer sites around the country. Also called the interim NREN.
offline: Actions performed when you aren't actually connected to another computer.
online: Actions performed when you are connected to another computer.
page: In the World Wide Web, the name for the basic document type.
PEP Packetized Ensemble Protocol.: Telebit's proprietary method of increasing throughput when two of Telebit's modems connect to each other.
POP Post Office Protocol.: A protocol for the storage and retrieval of email. Eudora uses POP.
port: In software, the act of converting code so that a program runs on more than one type of computer. In networking, a number that identifies a specific "channel" used by network services. For instance, Gopher generally uses port 70, but occasionally is set to use other ports on various machines.
post: To send a message to a discussion group or list.
PPP Point to Point Protocol.: A protocol functionally similar to SLIP that enables your Mac to pretend it is a full Internet machine, using only a modem and a normal telephone line.
proportionally spaced font: A font whose characters vary in width, so that, for example, a W is wider than an i. Proportionally spaced fonts often work poorly when you're reading text on the Internet.
protocol: A language that computers use when talking to each other.
public domain: Software that you can use freely, distribute freely, and modify in any way you wish. See also freeware and
QuickTime: An Apple technology for time-based multiple media data. QuickTime files can include text, sound, animation, and video, among other formats. Despite being internally compressed, QuickTime movies are often huge and are hard to work with on the Internet.
quoting: The act of including parts of an original message in a reply. The standard character used to set off a quote from the rest of the text is a column of > (greater-than) characters along the left margin.
ranking: The method by which WAIS displays found documents in order of possible utility.
relevance feedback: A method WAIS uses to "find me more documents like this one."
Request for Comments: Documents containing the standards, proposed standards, and other necessary details regarding the operation of the Internet.
Request for Discussion: The part of the newsgroup creation process where you propose a group and discussion begins.
RFC: See Request for Comments.
RFD: See Request for Discussion.
root directory: The topmost directory that you can see. On the Mac, you see the root directory when you double-click on your hard disk icon.
rot13: A method of encoding possible offensive postings on Usenet so that those who don't want to be offended can avoid accidentally seeing the posting. Works by converting each letter to a number (a = 1, b = 2, and so forth), adding 13 to the number, and then converting back into letters, rendering the file unreadable without deciphering.
.sea: The filename extension used by almost all self-extracting archives on the Mac.
self-extracting archive: A compressed file or files encapsulated in a decompression program, so you don't need any other programs to expand the archive.
server: A machine that makes services available on a network to client programs. A file server makes files available. A Web server makes Web pages available through the HTTP protocol.
Server: A button in MacTCP's Obtain Address area that enables MacTCP to work with a dynamically addressed account.
setext Structure-enhanced text.: A method of implicitly marking up text files to make them both easy to read online, and readable by special browser software offline.
shareware: A method of software distribution in which the software may be freely distributed, and you may try it before paying. If you decide to keep and use the program, you send your payment directly to the shareware author.
signature: Several lines automatically appended to your email messages, usually listing your name and email address, sometimes along with witty sayings and ASCII graphics. Keep them short, and leave out the ASCII graphics.
.sit: The filename extension used by files compressed with StuffIt.
SLIP Serial Line Internet Protocol.: Like PPP, a protocol that lets your Mac pretend it is a full Internet machine, using only a modem and a normal phone line. SLIP is older and less flexible than PPP but currently somewhat more prevalent.
smileys: Collections of characters meant to totally replace body language, intonation, and complete physical presence. ;-)
SMTP Simple Mail Transport Protocol.: The protocol used on the Internet to transfer mail. Eudora uses SMTP to send mail.
snail mail: The standard name on the Internet for paper mail because email can travel across the country in seconds, whereas my birthday present from my parents took a week once.
soft close: In MacPPP, the method of disconnecting from the Internet in such a way that applications can still automatically connect later on. See also hard close.
source: In WAIS jargon, a database of information. Used interchangeably with server in the context of WAIS.
spamming: The act of sending hundreds of inappropriate postings to Usenet newsgroups and mailing lists. Do it and you'll seriously regret it.
Standard File Dialog: The dialog box that appears when you choose Open or Save As (and sometimes Save) from the File menu. Also known as the SFDialog.
static addressing: When your Mac is assigned a permanent IP number. Most commonly used on networks that are permanently connected to the Internet. To use static addressing on the Mac, you select the Manually button in MacTCP's Obtain Address area.
system administrator: The person who runs your host machine or network. Also known as the network administrator or just plain administrator. Be very nice to this person.
T1: A high-speed network link used on the Internet.
T3: An even higher speed network link used on the Internet.
.tar: The filename extension used by files made into an archive by the Unix tar program.
TCP Transmission Control Protocol.: It works with IP to ensure that packets travel safely on the Internet.
TCP/IP: The combination of Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol. The base protocols on which the Internet is founded.
Telnet: Can refer to a terminal emulation protocol that lets you log in to other machines, or a program that implements this protocol on any of various platforms. On the Mac, NCSA Telnet is the standard.
terminal: A piece of hardware like a VT100 that lets you interact with a character-based operating system such as Unix.
terminal emulator: Software that allows one computer, such as a Mac, to act like a dedicated terminal, such as a VT100.
text: In terms of files, a file that contains only characters from the ASCII character set. In terms of FTP, a mode that assumes the files you will be transferring contain only ASCII characters. You set this mode in FTP with the ASCII command.
thread: A group of messages in a Usenet newsgroup that all share the same subject and topic, so you can easily read the entire thread or delete it, depending on your specific newsreader.
TidBITS : A free weekly newsletter distributed solely over computer networks. TidBITS focuses on the Macintosh and the world of electronic communications. I'm the editor, so I think it's neat. Send email to info@tidbits.com for subscription information.
timeout: After a certain amount of idle time, some connections will disconnect, hanging up the phone in the case of a SLIP connection.
.txt: The filename extension generally used for straight text files that you can read (as opposed to text files that have been encoded by BinHex or uuencode).
Unix: An extremely popular, if utterly cryptic, operating system in wide use on computers on the Internet. Other operating systems work fine on the Internet, but Unix is probably the most common.
upload: To send a file to another machine.
upstream: Machines that send you most of your Usenet news are said to be upstream from you. Machines that get most of their news from you are downstream.
Usenet: An anarchic network of sorts, composed of thousands of discussion groups on every imaginable topic.
Usenet news: The news that flows through Usenet. Sometimes abbreviated Usenet or news.
userid: The name you use to log in to another computer. Synonymous with username.
username: See userid. They're generally the same.
.uu: The filename extension generally used by uuencoded files.
uucode: A file format used for transferring binary files in email, which can only reliably carry ASCII files. See also uuencode and
UUCP Unix to Unix CoPy.: UUCP is a small pun on the fact that the Unix copy command is cp. UUCP is a transmission protocol that carries email and news.
.uud: A filename extension sometimes used by uuencoded files.
uudecode: A Unix program for decoding files in the uuencode format, turning them from ASCII back into binary files. Several Macintosh programs can perform this function as well.
.uue: Yet another filename extension sometimes used by uuencoded files.
uuencode: A Unix program that turns binary files into ASCII files for transmission via email. Several Macintosh programs also can create uuencoded files.
v.34: Currently the fastest standard modem protocol, although others are due to appear soon. Although not required, almost all v.34 modems support all sorts of other protocols, including v.42 error correction and v.42bis data compression. Don't worry about the specifics; just try to match protocols with the modems you call.
Veronica: An information agent that searches a database of Gopher servers to find items that interest you.
VMS: DEC's main operating system for their Vax computers.
VT100: Originally, a dedicated terminal built by DEC to interface to mainframes. The VT100 became a standard for terminals, and as a result almost all terminal emulation programs can emulate the VT100. The VT100s make excellent footstools these days and will be outlived only by terminals made long ago by DataMedia that can withstand being dropped out a window without losing a connection.
WAIS Wide Area Information Servers.: A set of full-text databases containing information on hundreds of topics. You can search WAIS using natural language queries and use relevance feedback to refine your search.
WAN: See wide-area network.
wide-area network: A group of geographically separated computers connected via dedicated lines or satellite links. The Internet enables small organizations to simulate a wide-area network without the cost of one.
wildcards: Special characters such as * and ? that can stand in for other characters during text searches in some programs. The * wildcard generally means "match any number of characters in this spot," whereas the ? wildcard generally means "match any character in this spot."
World Wide Web: The newest and most ambitious of the special Internet services. World Wide Web browsers can display styled text and graphics. Often abbreviated WWW.
worm: A program that infiltrates a computer system and copies itself many times, filling up memory and disk space and crashing the computer. The most famous worm of all time was released accidentally by Robert Morris over the Internet; it brought down whole sections of the Internet.
WWW: See World Wide Web.
XMODEM: A common modem file transfer protocol.
YMODEM: Another common modem file transfer protocol.
.Z: The filename extension used by files compressed with the Unix Compress program.
.z: A filename extension used by files compressed with the Unix gzip program.
.ZIP: The filename extension used by files compressed into the ZIP format common on PCs.
ZMODEM: The fastest and most popular modem file transfer protocol.