Glossary

ANTIALIASING

Related to the resolution of images, antialising involves smoothing Bitmap images to improve their appearance. It requires a very fast processor. The more antialising is used, the more time it takes.

ASP

ASP scripts are a Microsoft technology and work with a client/server architecture.
Using ASP (Active Server Pages) in designing your HTML document enables you to add dynamic content. The scripts in an ASP file are executed on the server. The results of the command are interpreted and sent back to the browser in HTML format. These scripts are executed behind the scenes and the user is unaware of them.

ATTRIBUTE

Parameter of an HTML tag modifying the resulting display.

CGI

Abbreviation for Common Gateway Interface. This is a mechanism allowing a server program to process forms and other user input.

CSS

Cascading Style Sheets

DHTML

Dynamic HTML, or DHTML, enables dynamic elements to be placed on a page. It involves an integration of JavaScript and HTML code that allows each element on the page to be assigned a specific behavior.
DHTML sometimes uses style rules to ensure uniformity and the effectiveness of special effects, style sheets and HTML code.

FILE

Local files (files on your system). Used to designate local files in a URL.

FLASH

Flash support is a multimedia object that can be incorporated into an HTML document. Although it can be used to construct an entire site, it is most often used to add frequently spectacular animation effects to a home page.
Flash is designed using specialized software, and can be read using "Shockwave", a browser plug-in.

FORM

An element on a Web page on which users can enter information. For example, the user could make an order, or enter an address. The form is processed using CGI scripts.

FTP

File transfer protocol. This abbreviation can be used in URLs.

GIF

A compressed image file, that is, the image takes up less space in terms of kilobytes. It is usually used for 256-color images.

Gopher

A system for organizing and displaying files on Internet servers. This system came before the World Wide Web and many gopher sites have been replaced by Web sites. The word gopher is used in URLs to point to Gopher servers.

JPEG

Abbreviation for Joint Photographic Experts Group. A compressed image file, that is, the image takes up less space in terms of kilobytes. It is usually used for images that contain more than 256 colors.

HOTSPOT

A hotspot is a reference area that is created on an image; it corresponds to a hyperlink. .

HTML

Abbreviation for Hypertext Markup Language, the language used for designing Web pages. It consists of a set of commands called tags. HTML is defined by the standards set by HTML 1.0, 2.0, 3.x and 4.0.

HTTP

Abbreviation for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. This is the agreement or method used by a browser and a Web server that enables Web pages to be transferred. This is commonly seen in URLs.

HYPERTEXT

A hypertext document contains underlined words. When the mouse clicks on one of the underlined words, the corresponding text is instantly displayed on the screen. This enables the user to navigate through a large document while viewing only selected sections.

IMAGE MAP

An image that is subdivided into several sections. Each section uses a link to refer to a specific Web page.

ISINDEX

A program that travels the Web searching for pages and entering their contents into a database that can be consulted by users who wish to perform a search.

SURFER

A person who uses Internet resources.

INTERNET

A group of interconnected networks that communicate with each other using a common protocol, thus forming the largest network in the world.

MAILTO

Destination for an e-mail address. Used in URLs

MARKER

Synonym for tag.

MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER

This is Microsoft’s browser. Microsoft has incorporated new HTML commands that are specific to this browser. They are known as Microsoft Internet Explorer extensions.

NAVIGATOR

Also called browser. Software used to access and display Web pages. Netscape (Navigator and Communicator) and Microsoft (MS Internet Explorer) are the most commonly used browsers.

NETSCAPE

This navigation software is designed by Netscape Communications. Netscape Communications has incorporated new HTML commands that are specific to this browser. They are known as Netscape extensions.

NEWS

Usenet groups of news.

Newsrc

Abbreviation used in a URL for Newsgroup

NNTP

Network News Transfer Protocol. The protocol for Usenet news groups. Also used in URLs

PIXELS

The smallest area that can be displayed on a screen. In other words, the image on the screen is made up of pixels of different colors which together form the image. The number of pixels depends on the screen’s resolution.

WEB PAGES

Since the World Wide Web is based on hypertext, each screen the viewer sees represents one page.

HOME PAGE

This is the first page seen on a Web site. It is the point of entry into the site.

PNG

Abbreviation for Portable Network Graphics. Graphics file format chosen to replace the GIF and TIFF formats. In most cases, the PNG format provides much better compression than the GIF format (5% to 25% difference).

WEB SITE

A set of Web pages connected by hyperlinks, located on a single Internet site, and usually developed by an individual or organization around a specific subject.

WEB SERVER

A computer connected to the Internet network whose software configuration enables Web pages to be disseminated using browsers.

HTTP SERVER

Synonym for Web server.

SGML

Abbreviation for Standard Generalized Markup Language. HTML is derived from SGML.

SSI

SCI’s (Server Side Includes) make it possible to render HTML documents interactive in different ways: by providing information about users and their habits, by executing scripts based on the results of an imposed condition, or by communicating with databases.

TAG

The name given to an HTML command. They must open with the "<" symbol and close with ">". They are labels that are incorporated into the text to enable the browser to interpret the command.

TELNET

Protocol that uses Telnet. This can be used in URLs

URL

Abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator. This is a system of addresses allowing locations to be pinpointed, and enabling access to a Web site.

VRML

Abbreviation for Virtual Reality Markup Language. It is a programming language used to construct Web pages; it allows the user to navigate in a three-dimensional world.

XML

Abbreviation for Extensible Markup Language. This language describes a class of data objects known as XML documents, which are placed on computers and partially define the behavior of programs that accompany these objects.

WAIS

Abbreviation for Wide Area Information Server protocol. Can also be used in URLs.

WAV

A Windows format for sound files.

WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW or W3)

World Wide Web, or Web, is the name given the set of Internet resources that function on the hypertext principle. To navigate the World Wide Web, you need a browser that can display Web pages.

WYSIWYG

Abbreviation for What You See Is What You Get. This expression means that the elements you create retain the same appearance when you create them as they will when they are viewed.