glossary of internet terms and buzzwords


Useful, new or just plain confusing words, terms and expressions that surround the world of the internet with relevance to website design, development, promotion and use. Disclaimer: These definitions are our own quick and abbreviated definitions, for a fuller definition please utilise a website such as Wikipedia.

A record: An A (or Address) record is a type of resource record in the DNS, specifying how Internet web addresses should be routed.

AJAX: Asynchronous javascript and XML.

Back Office: We use the term for the administration access, usually through a browser, to your files held on a webserver.

Blog: Online web diary. Shortened from weblog.

Content Management System: Also known as a CMS - A CMS is a way of changing website content online. Usually changing, editing or archiving content such as text, pictures and in the good ones menus, navigation and page layouts. more on what is a CMS.

CSS: Cascading style sheets are a style sheet language used to create the appearance of a web page. CSS is there primarily to keep the documents content (written in HTML or a similar markup language) separate from the document's presentation, namely elements such as the colours, fonts, and layout. This separation improves the contents accessibility and allows for the creation of a separate look and feel from precious content at a later date.

DNS: Domain Name System. The set of records that allow computers to know where your website and email point to. In not so accurate but easy to understand language - it is the technical modern equivalent of the old library cardex system that tells you where the books are. These records are held on Name Servers.

E-commerce: Taking money online. more on e-commerce.

Forum: Discussion board on the Internet - different from a blog as a two way communication.

Googley: Google - like method or online operation.

Googlejuice: The measure of how Google friengly the online content is.

HTML: Hypertext markup language.

The long tail: A simple way of illustrating how the normal distribution curve has elongated as a consequence of the internet reshaping of buying habits.

Media 2.0: The second generation of online media.

MX record: An MX record or Mail exchanger record is a type of resource record in the DNS, specifying how Internet e-mail should be routed.

Name Servers: Also spelt as nameservers. They are the web servers that hold the records for the DNS entries. i.e the web addresses the www. bit and the IP no. 123.123.123.123 and the likes. In simple terms they are the uber complicated address books of the modern digital era. Technically they usually have addresses that look like ns1.ispname.co.uk and ns2ispname.co.uk

Permalink: A permalink is a permanent link to a page. This is very relevant link when you are writing blog entries, so that they will exist on the internet forever. All being well!

RSS: An RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed allows users to subscribe automatically to published website content. Written in XML format they usually contain summarised text such as a headlne, author and a summary paragraph of the published material they come from. Usually from blogs and news areas but they can be from any frequently updated works.

128px-RSS

SEO: Search engine optimisation - this is the process whereby websites are presented as clearly as possible for the search engines - the better presented the higher the website ranking - the higher up the search pages you rise. To read more on what is SEO

SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.

Spam: Unsolicited or undesired electronic messages.

Splog: A spamming blog.

URL: Uniform Resource Locator.  www.hammerdesign.co.uk/blog  is an example of a URL.

Web 2.0: The second generation of web design and development.

XML: Extensible markup language. One of the higher levels of language (code) of the internet. It allows the creation of customised markup languages or in simple terms a really useful tool for writing great code.