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Legit website communications >> 11.03.2010, 01:09

Glossary

ALT tags
Text that is displayed instead of an image on a web page if the image is unavailable.
Bandwidth
The amount of data that can be transmitted via a given communications channel (e.g. between a website server and a user's browser).
Browser
A program that displays web pages on your computer. Examples are Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Mozilla's Firefox, Netscape's Navigator, Opera and Safari.
CGI (Common Gateway Interface)
A program that translates data from a web server and then displays that data on a web page or in an email. Web forms often use CGI scripts in order to transfer the entered data to a specified email address.
Client-side
Occurring on the client-side in a client-server system. JavaScript scripts are client-side, because they are executed by the user's browser. Opposite to server-side.
Cookie
A small file stored by a web site on a user's computer to track usage of the web site and customise the site experience based on user tendencies. Cookies allow a site owner to examine the purchasing behaviour of a user and recommend suitable products.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
How web pages are presented on screens and how they are printed. Ideally they should be included in an external file, which is imported or linked to a web page.
Directory
A categorised list of websites that is maintained by human editors. Can also refer to the structure of a website.
Domain name
A unique address identifying a website on the internet, usually consisting of two or more segments separated by full stops.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
The TCP/IP standard way of transferring files across the internet and between computers.
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)
A widely used standard for web graphics, developed by Unisys and owned by CompuServe. Best suited for artificial images such as computer-generated art. Alternatives are JPEG and the open-source PNG.
Hits
The number of times a web page sitting on a server has been accessed. If a web page contains a number of elements, each element is counted as an individual hit.
HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
A markup language designed for the creation of web pages with hyperlinks and other information to be displayed.
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
A set of rules for exchanging files (text, graphics, sound, video, and other multimedia files) on the World Wide Web. Relative to the TCP/IP suite of protocols (which is the basis for information exchange on the internet), HTTP is an application protocol.
Hyperlink
The clickable area (usually text or graphic) on a web page that takes you to another place on the same page, to a different web page, or to a different website altogether.
Incoming links
Links pointing to a website from other websites. Also known as Back Links.
Index
Search engines index web pages, so they can be used for later retrieval in keyword searches. The first page of a website (home page) is also called an index file.
Javascript
A scripting language as opposed to a programming language. The difference is mainly that scripting languages are parsed at runtime while programming languages are pre-compiled. In addition, Java Script is designed to work specifically with the DOM (Document Object Model), which is the structure of your browser and the document it displays.
JPG/JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
A popular image format used on the internet. It is used for photographs and other continuous tone images. It supports 24-bit (16.7 million) colour, but does not support animation or transparency.
KEI (Keyword Effectiveness Index)
Relates to how many people search for a term in relation to the number of web pages returned by search engines. The higher the KEI the more powerful the term.
Keyword
A word that a search engine user might use to find relevant web page(s). If a keyword doesn't appear anywhere in the text of a web page, it's highly unlikely that page will appear in the search results (but might be displayed in a pay-per-click search engine).
Keyword density
The ratio of a search phrase to the total number of words in the page.
Menu
See navigation bar.
Metatags
Information that resides in the code of web pages. Metatags are used to some extent by search engines to locate information about websites. Metatags generally include page title, page description and terms that describe the web page.
Navigation bar
A set of links that usually link to different pages in the same website. So, clicking onto "Contact" should take you to the website's contact page.
Pixel
The smallest mark or dot on a screen. The word "pixel" is derived from the words picture and element.
PNG (Portable Network Graphic)
Designed as a replacement for the older GIF file format commonly used on web pages. PNG is designed as a loss-less compression format, which supports alpha channels (also commonly referred to as opacity or transparency) and 48-bit true colour (as compared to GIF's 8-bit colour).
Prominence
If the keyword appears near the top of the page it is more prominent than one at the bottom. One at the beginning of the title tag is more prominent than one at the end, etc.
Resolution
The number of pixels across and down that will display the size of a web page on a browser's screen.
RSS feeds
Headlines and news stories, usually from major newspapers, that can be fed into any web site on a chosen topic.
Scripts
Sets of instructions to carry out actions or tasks, written in computer languages such as ASP or PHP.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
A set of strategies used to increase a site's positioning or ranking in a search engine's listing.
Server-side
For example, on the web, CGI scripts are called server-side applications, because they run on the web server. Opposite to client-side.
Sitemap
A set of ordered text links that shows all of a website's publicly available pages.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)
An established industry standard that encrypts the channel between a web browser and web server to ensure the privacy and reliability of data transmitted over this channel. However, SSL does not provide ways to validate the identities of the parties exchanging this data.
Submission
The process of requesting a web page or a website to be included in a search engine's listing or to be listed in a web directory.
Thumbnail
A small image on a web page, which is usually linked to a larger version of the same image. The user only downloads the bigger file if he/she chooses to click onto the thumbnail. This saves unnecessary download times.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
The complete address of a resource or file on the internet. It includes the protocol, the domain name, the path and the name of the file.
Web (also WWW)
A hypertext-based, distributed information system originally created by researchers at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, to facilitate sharing research information. The web presents the user with documents, called web pages, full of links to other documents or information systems.
Web development
Refers to the non-design aspects of building websites, e.g. writing markup and coding. Web development can range from developing the simplest static single page of plain text to the most complex web-based internet application such as electronic businesses or social network services.
Web page
A document containing text and media files that can be accessed through a web browser on the internet. It is usually part of a website and links to other web pages in the same website.
Website
A collection of related web pages including any digital assets such as images, music files or videos. It is hosted on one or several web server(s) and is usually accessible via the internet, handheld or cell phone.
Website design
Process of conceptualisation, planning and modelling for electronic media content delivery through a web browser and other graphical user interfaces (GUI).

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