Applets: Small software applications that download with a Web document, enhancing its presentation on your screen and eliminating the need for specialized viewing software to be permanently installed on your computer.

BBS (Bulletin Board System): An online forum for users to browse and exchange information; a public discussion area.

Blog: (We BLOG ) A Web site that contains dated entries in reverse chronological order (most recent first) about a particular topic. Functioning as an online journal, blogs can be written by one person or a group of contributors. Entries contain commentary and links to other Web sites, and images as well as a search facility may also be included.Although some blogs invite feedback and comments from visitors, Internet newsgroup discussions, which started long before the Web, tend to be more question-and-answer oriented.

BPS (Bits per second): The speed at which information is transmitted via a modem.

Browser: Special software necessary for navigating Web pages and viewing text and graphics. Microsoft Explorer and Mozilla are two widely used browsers. The Mozilla Foundation is an organization dedicated to the open source development of the Mozilla browser and its extensions. Mozilla is often regarded as much more secure than Internet Explorer. At Thinq Web Design, we ensure that your newly constructed web site is tested and compliant and compatible with a host of popular browsers.

Bulletin Board System (BBS): An online area which members can access at any time to post and/or read messages.

Chat: A method of online communication that allows users to communicate in "real time." Information is typed on one user's computer and immediately is displayed on the other user's computer.

Compression: A method of "shrinking" a file to be downloaded in order to reduce transmission time. Most downloadable files on the Internet are compressed and require a special utility in order to be restored to their original size after downloading.

Dial-up: To connect your computer to another computer by calling it up via a modem.

Direct Internet Access: A way of connecting a computer to the Internet without using a commercial online service such as America Online or CompuServe. Direct Internet access can be purchased through an independent local or national Internet Service Provider (ISP).

DNS (Domain Name Server): A computer that matches domain names like www.Microsoft.com to numeric addresses, making them easier to locate. A "no DNS entry" message appearing when accessing a Web site means either that the site is unable to handle more traffic at that time, or that the site name has been incorrectly entered in the browser. At Thinq Web Design, we can handle all of the technical back-end configuration such as updating your DNS pointers.

Domain: Similar to a street address, servers on the Web have addresses to allow other computers to locate them electronically.

Download: To receive a file from another computer into your own computer. Scholastic Network has collections of files to download, and many Internet and Web sites do, too.

E-mail (Electronic mail): E-mail messages are sent electronically across the Internet from one computer to another. In order to send e-mail to another person, you must know his or her e-mail address. As part of your web site design project, we can configure and test all of your email settings as offered by your web hosting service.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions): Many sites, including Thinq Web Design, maintain FAQ lists in their customer service areas. Answers to common questions can then be accessed at any time. Well written FAQ information is an important component to include in a well rounded web site.

Frames: A Web page layout technique which divides the page into several smaller pages on one screen. Not all Web browsers support frames. In modern web site design, frames are generally considered poor design and are no longer frequently used.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol): A method of transferring files from one computer to another.

GIF: One of the formats for displaying graphics on Web pages. Gifs are often used for non-photographic type images such as drawings.

Home Page: Also known as the "index page," is the first, introductory page at a Web site, from which other pages at the site can be accessed. Also, a site on the Web where an individual, school, company, or other organization may present its own assortment of articles, graphics, and links.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): the coding specifications inserted into computer text that indicate how Web pages should be displayed by browsers. In modern web site design, HTML standards are ever changing. As codes are adopted as standard, other codes are "depricated," or deemed obsolete.

http:// (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): The standard prefix for most addresses (see also URL) on the Web. A Web browser will be necessary to access the site.

Hypertext Links: Highlighted and/or underlined words or images on a Web page which link that page to other related pages or files. Navigation is accomplished by clicking a mouse on the hypertext link.

Internet: The worldwide network of computer networks that are connected to each other, providing file transfer, remote login, e-mail, news, and other services.

Internet Service Provider (ISP): Any organization that provides direct Internet access.

Java: A programming language which accommodates applets into Web page design.

JPEG: One of the formats used to display graphics on Web pages.

Links: The hypertext words or images on a Web page which lead to other related files, pages, or sites on the Web. See also Hypertext Links.

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension): Allows the transmission of text, graphics, video, and sound across the Internet as an attachment to an e-mail message.

Modem: A device that allows a computer to connect to the Internet over conventional phone lines. Modem speeds are expressed in "bits per second" (bps). Modems with speeds lower than 14.4k bps will not be able to navigate the Web effectively. The term "modem" is short for "modulate/demodulate." A modem converts analog noise to a format that can transmit data over phone lines. The term is loosely used with todays technology. For example, a cable modem is really not a modem as the device does not modulate an audible signal--the entire process with cable is a completely digital signal.

Online: You are "online" when your computer is connected to a host computer, providing access to the Internet.

Plug-ins: Small software accessory programs that work in conjunction with a Web browser to give it added capabilities such as the ability to play sounds or video. Unlike applets, which your computer uses only when connected to a Web page that contains them, plug-ins must be installed on your computer in advance and configured to work with your browser.

Search Engine: One of several services on the Web designed to help users locate Web sites on specific subjects. The user types in a search word or phrase and is given a range of sites to choose from. Two popular search engines which can search the entire Web are Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com) and AltaVista (http://www.altavista.com).

Server: A machine that makes services available on a network. A file server enables others to access files, while a Web server is the computer system that makes its Web pages available to others through the HTTP protocol.

T/1 or T/3 lines: High-speed network links that greatly reduce the time users wait for Web pages to download.

URL (Universal Resource Locator): The "address" of a Web page. Most URLs begin with the prefix http://, but you may also see ftp:// (file transfer protocol) in a URL.

Web Page: The common name for one page of information on the Web. Each page displays text and can incorporate graphics, sound, video, and other special effects.

World Wide Web (WWW): A collection of multimedia pages and resources that sit on the Internet and which are woven together through the use of hypertext links.