Glossary of Terms - Web Design, Logo & Branding and Print Design Company

Glossary

This is an alphabetical list of design and internet glossary terms.

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Accessibility: Refers to the practice of making Web pages on the Internet accessible to all users, especially those with disabilities.
Accessible: Content is accessible when it may be used by someone with a disability.
Accesskeys: Accesskeys are a means by which Web users can jump immediately to a specific part of an HTML page. Users press ALT (PC) or CTRL (Mac), followed by the appropriate key on the keyboard, to access a particular part of the page.
ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line): A special type of DSL line where the upload speed is different from the download speed.
AJAX: AJAX stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. It's a development technique that mixes (X)HTML, JavaScript, CSS, DOM, XML and XSLT to create interactive Web applications.
Alt text: an alt attribute allows descriptive text to be attached to certain objects on a web page written in HTML (usually these objects are images), not only providing visual clues as to the purpose of said objects, but also providing a description that can be read out by a screen reader so that a person with visual impairment can know the nature of such objects too.
Animation: In this document, an "animation" refers to content that, when rendered, creates a visual movement effect automatically (i.e., without explicit user interaction). This definition of animation includes video and animated images.
Anti-Virus Program: A computer program made to discover and destroy all types of computer viruses.
Applet: A Java program or application designed to be embedded in, and invoked from, a web page, or other application. It cannot be run by itself.
ASP: Active Server Pages - Microsoft's IIS based server side scripting architecture. ASP is a gateway for scripting languages such as VBScript and JScript.
Assistive technology: Software or hardware that has been specifically designed to assist people with disabilities in carrying out daily activities. In the area of Web Accessibility, common software-based assistive technologies include screen readers, screen magnifiers, speech synthesizers, and voice input software that operate in conjunction with graphical desktop browsers (among other user agents). Hardware assistive technologies include alternative keyboards and pointing devices.
Backward compatible: Design that works in earlier versions of a software program, e.g. in an older version browser.
Bandwidth: A measure for the speed (amount of data) you can send through an Internet connection. The more bandwidth, the faster the connection.
Banner: A banner is a graphic image (static, animated, or rich media) that is placed on web sites as an advertisement. Banners are commonly used for brand awareness and generating sales
Bit (Binary Digit): The smallest unit of data stored in a computer. A bit can have the value of 0 or 1. A computer uses 8 bits to store one text character.
BMP (Bitmap): A format for storing images.
Blog: Short for Web-log. Essentially an easily maintained Web-based diary.
Bobby: A web site accessibility assessment tool developed by CAST. Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
Bookmark: In web terms: A link to a particular web site, stored (bookmarked) by a web user for future use and easy access.
Browse: Term to describe a user's movement across the web, moving from page to page via hyperlinks, using a web browser.
BPS (Bits Per Second): Term to describe the transmission speed for data over the web.
Byte (Binary Term): A computer storage unit containing 8 bits. Each byte can store one text character.
Browser: A Web client that allows a human to read information on the Web.
Browser Testing: Browser Testing is a comprehensive examination of a website on a number of combinations of platforms to identify rendering and functionality errors.
Cache: In web terms: A web browser or web server feature which stores copies of web pages on a computer's hard disk.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS): A language that allows authors and readers to attach style (e.g. fonts, colors and spacing) to HTML and XML documents.
Case Sensitive: A term used to describe if it is of importance to use upper or lower case letters.
CGI (Common Gateway Interface): A set of rules that describes how a CGI program communicates with a web server.
Client: A program which requests services of another program. Normally, the browser is a client of a data server.
CMS: A CMS, or Content Management System, is an application designed to store, format, reproduce and manage Web/intranet data. The CMS usually uses a database to store the content and a server-side scripting language to recall and present the data.
Compliance: See Conformance.
Computer Virus: A computer program that can harm a computer by displaying messages, deleting files, or even destroying the computer's operating system.
Conformance: Part of a specification which defines the requirements that must be satisfied to claim conformance to part of the specification.
Content: Anything that a Web site contains such as text, images, sounds or videos.
Cookie: Information from a web server, stored on your computer by your web browser. The purpose of a cookie is to provide information about your visit to the website for use by the server during a later visit.
Cross Platform: Available for more than one type of computer. For example, a cross-platform program might be available for PC, OS/2, and Macintosh.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): A W3C recommendation: a language for writing style sheets. See also style sheet.
Database: Data stored in a computer in such a way that a computer program can easily retrieve and manipulate the data.
Device: An apparatus through which a user can perceive and interact with the Web.
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol): An Internet standard protocol that assigns new IP addresses to users as need.
DHTML (Dynamic HTML): A term commonly to describe HTML content that can change dynamically.
Directory: A directory (such as Yahoo, commonly mistaken for a search engine) depends on people for listings. The main difference between a search engine and a directory is that a directory does not make use of a spider or robot. One of the defining characteristics of a directory is that it is usually divided into categories.
Disability: A physical or mental impairment that renders tasks performed by an individual more difficult or impossible to achieve.
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA): A name shared by two laws passed in the United Kingdom (1995) and Australia (1992). They both prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities.
DNS(Domain Name Service): A computer program running on a web server, translating domain names (such as cotswoldmedia.com) into a numeric Internet address (such as 198.134.67.6).
Document: Any data that can be represented in a digital form.
Domain name: The name that identifies a web site (such as "cotswoldmedia.com").
Download: To transfer a file from a remote computer to a local computer. In web terms: to transfer a file from a web server to a web client. (see also Upload).
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line): An Internet connection over regular telephone lines, but much faster. Speed may vary from 128 kilobit per second, up to 9 megabit per second.
Dynamic content: Content that is generated in response to a request. This may be used for content that depends on changing environmental factors such as time (e.g., stock quotes) or place (e.g., nearby petrol stations).
Dynamic IP: An IP address that changes each time you connect to the Internet. (See DHCP and Static IP).
E-mail (Electronic Mail): Messages sent from one person to another via the Internet.
E-mail Address: The address used for sending e-mails to a person or an organization. Typical format is username@hostname.
E-mail Server: A web server dedicated to the task of serving e-mail.
Encryption: To convert data from its original form to a form that can only be read by someone that can reverse the encryption. The purpose of encryption is to prevent unauthorized reading of the data.
Error 404: This error message means Page Not Found (on a server).
Ethernet: A type of local area network (see LAN).
Export: To save a file in a different format (that of another program). For example, many Adobe Photoshop files are exported to become GIF or JPEG files.
Extensible hypertext markup language (XHTML): HTML reformulated as XML. XHTML is the latest version of HTML. Developed by W3C.
FireFox: Mozilla Firefox is a cross-platform Web browser published by the Mozilla Foundation, and based on the Mozilla project.
Firewall: Software that acts as a security filter that can restrict types of network communication. Most often used between an individual computer (or a LAN) and the Internet.
Flash: Vector graphic animation software from Macromedia that allows Flash graphics to look the same across all browsers, as long as the plug-in is installed.
Font: A particular collection of glyphs of a typeface of a given size, weight and style, for example `Times Roman Bold 12 point'.
Forms: HTML tags that define and label text-entry boxes, check boxes, radio buttons, and/or drop-down menus to create simple on-screen forms for collecting information from the viewer.
Frames: HTML that allows a web author to divide a page into two or more separate windows.Some browsers do not support frames.
FTP: One of the most common methods for sending files between two computers.
GB: Same as Gigabyte. 10GB is ten gigabytes.
GIF (Graphics interchange format): A format for pictures transmitted pixel by pixel over the Net. Created by CompuServe, the GIF specification was put into the public domain, but Unisys found that it had a patent on the compression technology used. This stimulated the development of PNG
Gigabyte: 1024 megabytes. Commonly rounded down to one billion bytes.
Graphics: Two- or three-dimensional images, typically drawings or photographs. See also GIF and PNG.
Hits: The number of times a web object (page or picture) has been viewed or downloaded.
HTML (Hypertext markup language): A computer language for representing the contents of a page of hypertext; the language that most Web pages are currently written in.
HTTP (Hypertext transfer protocol): A computer protocol for transferring information across the Net in such a way as to meet the demands of a global hypertext system. Part of the original design of the Web, continued in a W3C activity, and now a HTTP 1.1 IETF draft standard.
HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure): Same as HTTP but provides secure Internet communication using SSL.
hyperlink: A hyperlink is a link that is intended primarily for presentation to a human user.
Hypertext: Hypertext is text which contains links to other texts.
IE (Internet Explorer): See Internet Explorer.
Internet: A global network of networks through which computers communicate by sending information in packets. Each network consists of computers connected by cables or wireless links.
Internet Explorer: Microsoft Internet Explorer is the leading Web browser for the Microsoft Windows Operating System. Internet Explorer, also known as MSIE or IE, was initially based on a version of the Mosaic browser. Internet Explorer is included for free with Microsoft Windows.
Intranet: A part of the Internet or part of the Web used internally within a company or organization.
IP (Internet protocol): The protocol that governs how computers send packets across the Internet.
IP Address (Internet Protocol Address): The unique numeric identifier of every computer connected to the Internet. Each IP address consists of a four number pattern separated by periods (XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX). Each number must be between 0 - 255. IP adresses work with DNS servers to direct and route requests through the Web.
IRC (Internet Relay Chat): An Internet system that enables users to take part in on-line discussions.
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network): A telecommunication standard that uses digital transmission to support data communications over regular telephone lines.
ISP (Internet Service Provider): Someone that provides access to the Internet and web hosting.
Java: A programming language developed by Sun Microsystems. Designed for portability and usability embedded in small devices, A language for small applications ("applets") that ran within a Web browser.
JavaScript: JavaScript is a scripting language developed by Netscape.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) or JPG: This group defined a format for encoding photographs that uses fewer bytes than the pixel-by-pixel approaches of GIF and PNG, without too much visible degradation in quality. The format (JFIF) is casually referred to as JPEG.
Joomla: A Powerful Open Source Content Management System. Joomla CMS
Kilobyte (Kb): A kilobyte is a storage unit capable of storing 1,024 bytes of information.
LAN (Local Area Network): A network between computers in a local area (like inside a building), usually connected via local cables. See also WAN.
Link: A reference from one document to another (external link), or from one location in the same document to another (internal link), that can be followed efficiently using a computer.
List: Text that is categorized, be it bulleted, numbered, or unnumbered. The default list bullets and numbers are black with no special effects.
Log Files: Log files are records of raw data of web site traffic e.g. number of users, user paths through the website, IP address.
MB: Same as Megabyte. 10MB is ten megabytes.
Megabyte: 1024 kilobytes. Commonly rounded down to one million bytes.
Metadata: Data about data on the Web, including but not limited to authorship, classification, endorsement, policy and so on.
Meta-tag: Tags inserted into documents to describe the document.
MOV: A codec for computer video developed by Apple. Common file extension for QuickTime multimedia files.
MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3): An audio compression format specially designed for easy download over the Internet.
MP3 File: An file containing audio compressed with MP3. Most often a music track.
MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group): An ISO standard codec for computer audio and video.
MPG: Common file extension for MPEG files.
Multimedia: In web terms: A presentation combining text with pictures, video, or sound.
MySQL: MySQL (pronounced "My-Ess-Kew-El") is a free, open source database, commonly employed with most of the popular server-side scripting languages including PHP, JSP, and ASP.
Net: Short for Internet.
Open source: Software whose source code is freely distributed and modifiable by anyone.
Opera: Opera is a Web browser developed by a Norwegian company. Opera is available for a large number of platforms including Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, Solaris, OS/2 and Symbian OS. The source code of Opera is not free. A mobile version of Opera is the leading commercial web browser for PDAs and mobile phones.
OS X: Macintosh Operating System X is the most recent Mac OS, originally released in 2001, but re-released since.
PayPal: PayPal is an Internet business which allows the transfer of money between email users, avoiding traditional paper methods like checks and money orders.
Perl: Perl is one of the original server side scripting languages. It is still popular today.
PDA: Personal Digital Assistant. A pocket-sized personal computer. PDAs usually can store phone numbers, appointments, and to-do lists. Some PDAs have a small keyboard, others have only a special pen that is used for input and output.
Portable Document Format (PDF): Developed by Adobe Systems Inc, as a way to publish documents electronically, with good formatting for printing, and document security (documents are generally read only).
PHP (PHP Hypertext Preprocessor): A technology allowing the insertion of server executable scripts in web pages.
Pixel: How monitors divide the display screen into thousands or millions of individual dots to display an image. A pixel is one dot.
Plug-In: A software extension that provides added capabilities to the browser, for purposes such as viewing, hearing, or saving specially formatted files. Most plug-ins are available via the creator's web page for downloading.
PNG (Portable Network Graphics): A format for encoding a picture pixel by pixel and sending it over the Net. A recommendation of the W3C, replacing GIF.
POP (Post Office Protocol): A standard communication protocol for retrieving e-mails from an e-mail server.
Privacy policy: A set of rules and practices that specify or regulate how a person or organization collects, processes (uses) and discloses another party's personal data as a result of an interaction.
Protocol: A set of formal rules describing how to transmit data, especially across a network.
Resolution: The resolution of an image describes how fine the dots are that make up that image. The more dots, the higher the resolution. When displayed on a monitor, the dots are called pixels. A 640 x 480 screen (resolution) is capable of displaying 640 distinct dots on each of its 480 lines, or about 300,000 pixels.
Retrofit: Process of taking an existing web page from an inaccessible form to an accessible form. Many departments have chosen to redesign a new site rather than take on the tedious task of retrofitting.
RGB (Red Green Blue): The combination of the three primary colors that can represent a full color spectrum. In contrast, print designers typically define colors using CMYK.
Robot: See Spider.
Sans Serif: A style of typeface that means "without feet." Common sans serif typefaces include Arial, Helvetica and Verdana.
Screen Magnifier: A device (or software) that will make images and text on a screen larger for the benefit of visually impaired users
Screen Reader: A computer program that reads the screen to a user. It can be used to surf the Web, write a spreadsheet or document, or just to read pages.
Search Engine: A server (computer) or commonly a collection of servers dedicated to indexing internet web pages, storing the results in a giant database and returning lists of pages which match particular searched queries from within its database. The indexes are normally and automatically generated using spiders.
Search engine optimisation: Search engine optimisation refers to the process of optimising a Web site so that it appears prominently in search engine results for specific keywords.
Section 508: This is a common name for Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. This is an amendment to a US law that basically says all Electronic and Information Technology purchased or developed by the US Government must be accessible to people with disabilities.
Server: A computer, program or process which responds to requests for information from an user. On the internet, all web pages reside on servers (computers).
Script: A collection of statements written in a Scripting Language.
Scripting Language: In web terms: A simple programming language that can be executed by a web browser or a web server. See JavaScript and VBScript.
Scripting: Writing a script.
Search Engine: Computer program used to search and catalog (index) the millions of pages of available information on the web. Common search engines are Google and AltaVista.
Serif: A style of typeface that has "little feet." Common serif typefaces include Times Roman, Garamond, and Palatino.
Server: A program that provides a service (typically information) to another program, called the client. A Web server holds Web pages and allows client programs to read and write them.
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): A standard communication protocol for sending e-mail messages between computers.
SPAM: The action of sending multiple unwelcome messages to a newsgroup or mailing list.
Spider: A software program that search engines use which visits every site on the web, follows all of the links, and catalogs all of the text of every web page that (a) contains text, and (b) it is able to visit or crawl.
Spoofing: Addressing a web page or an e-mail with a false referrer. Like sending an e-mail from a false address.
Spyware: Computer software hidden in a computer with the purpose of collecting information about the use of the computer.
SSI (Server Side Include): A type of HTML comment inserted into a web page to instruct the web server to generate dynamic content. The most common use is to include standard header or footer for the page.
SSL (Secure Socket Layer): Software to secure and protect web site communication using encrypted transmission of data.
Static IP (address): An IP address that is the same each time connect to the Internet. (See also Dynamic IP).
Style sheet: A document that describes to a computer program (such as a browser) how to translate the document markup into a particular presentation (fonts, colors, spacing, etc.) on the screen or in print. See also CSS.
Sub−Domain (Name): A sub−domain is a domain that is part of a larger domain name. DNS hierarchy consists of the root-level domain at the top, underneath which are the top−level domains, followed by second−level domains and finally sub−domains.
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol): A computer protocol that allows one computer to send the other a continuous stream of information by breaking it into packets and reassembling it at the other end, resending any packets that get lost in the Internet. TCP uses IP to send the packets, and the two together are referred to as TCP/IP.
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol): A collection of Internet communication protocols between two computers. The TCP protocol is responsible for an error free connection between two computers, while the IP protocol is responsible for the data packets sent over the network.
Template: HTML templates are skeletal HTML pages with the main content left out. Templates provide an effective solution in creating many pages with an identical look or navigational structure but different content.
Thumbnail: A small version of a graphic image.
Typeface: A typeface contains a series of fonts. For example, the typeface Arial contains the fonts Arial, Arial Bold, Arial Italic and Arial Bold Italic.
Upload: To transfer a file from a local computer to a remote computer. In web terms: to transfer a file from a web client to a web server. (see also Download).
URI (Universal Resource Identifier): The string (often starting with http:) that is used to identify anything on the Web.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator): URL is the abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator and is an address referring to a document on the Internet. In other words, it is the address of an individual web page element or web document on the Internet.
Usability: The idea that a web site or web page is easily used by a web user.
Validation −: Validation is a way to make sure that your (HTML) code is compliant with current HTML specifications.
Virus: Same as Computer Virus.
W3C (World Wide Web Consortium): A neutral meeting of those to whom the Web is important, with the mission of leading the Web to its full potential. The World Wide Web Consortium
WAN (Wide Area Network): Computers connected together in a wide network, larger than a LAN, usually connected via phone lines. See also LAN.
WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative): A domain of W3C that attempts to ensure the use of the Web by anyone regardless of disability. The Web Accessibility Initiative
Web: Short for World Wide Web.
Web standards: Web standards are technologies, established by the W3C and other standards bodies, that are used to create and interpret web-based content. These technologies are designed to future-proof documents published on the Web and to make those documents accessible to as many as possible.
Website or web site: A web site is a collection of electronic pages generally formatted in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) that can contain text, graphic images, and multimedia effects such as sound files, video and/or animation files, and other programming elements such as Java and JavaScript.
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get): To display a web page being edited exactly the same way it will be displayed on the web.
World Wide Web: (three words; also known as WWW) The set of all information accessible using computers and networking, each unit of information identified by a URI.
XHTML (Extensible Hypertext Markup Language): HTML reformulated as XML. XHTML is the latest version of HTML. Developed by W3C.
XML (Extensible Markup Language): W3C's generic language for creating new markup languages. Markup languages (such as HTML) are used to represent documents with a nested, treelike structure.
XSL (Extensible Style Sheet Language): A style sheet language, like CSS, but also allowing document transformation.
ZIP: A compressing format for computer files. Commonly used for compressing files before downloading over the Internet. ZIP files can be compressed (ZIPPED) and decompressed (UNZIPPED) using a computer program like WINZIP.

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