Wildmoz Internet Glossary A-Z

Your Handy Glossary A:

Absolute Path:
Absolute Path is an absolute path or full path and is a unique location of a file or directory name within a computer or files system. (See also file Server in this glossary.) Usually starts with the root directory or drive letter. Directories and sub directories listed in a path are usually separated by a slash /.

Acronym:
Acronym is a word formed from the first few or many letters of several words. For example, HTML is an acronym for Hypertext Markup Language.

Adobe Flash:
Adobe Flash came from the old Macromedia Flash and is a multimedia platform that adds animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for broadcasting adverts, games and flash animations. Used as a tool for “Rich Internet Applications” (“RIAs”).

ADP:
ADP, Automatic Data Processing is information data processing, which has been performed for example through a computer, to produce useful information to the user. The first ADP was the IBM 701 Data Processing Machine.

Affiliate:
Affiliate, generally an affiliate is one business associated with another, for mutual benefits or profit. (Example; any business or its promoters, advertisers and vice versa).

Aggregators:
Aggregators, Internet aggregators (unlike broker aggregators) are a sort of ‘feed reader’ providing a variety of services, such as managing content metadata, as well as RSS feeds. Social media groups that include Twitter and Facebook apply aggregators for keeping up with the marketplace by getting an edge on their competitors. Aggregators deliver necessary data or content from many sources via the web, to aid instant response in real time. This data is gathered from blogging communities, news casts like CNN, Time Magazine and any other web data source, by rhythmically checking Internet addresses for new content. See RSS in this Glossary.

Algorithm:
Algorithms are mathematically derived formulas for solving problems. In computer science, algorithms solve recurring problems. Google search for example, uses algorithms to control the way its robots find content and much more. Algorithms are used for automated reasoning, data processing and calculations. Also applied are cryptographic algorithms used for XML digital signature and XML encryption.

ALT:
ALT texts or tags as they are sometimes called, are inserted in the URL of the image as. The purpose of this is to identify the image, with a description of the image that is in context to that image. Searches are made on the web for images. If the image you insert in your content is not related in this way, the search engines can’t find it. The alt text is given to describe the image, which should also include your keyword for that pages content. This way the search engines can find you by your images. Images in this way improve your web presence and serve as content themselves, which will boost your sites presence.

Analog:
Analog an analog program is a computer program that analyses log files from web servers, using web log analyser. Data that consists of continuously variable physical quantities.

Anchor Text:
Anchor texts are also known as, a label link, a text link or a title link. They are clickable hyperlinks for a desired destination, another page, another website or some or other reference on the web or other page. Text links have been used as link juice for SEO purposes as well, because they lead to relevant data, which relates to the linked material.

Apache:
Apache is short for Apache HTTP Server Project, which is a robust, commercial-grade, full featured, freely-available open source HTTP Web Server software created by the Apache Software Foundation. It is the most commonly used web server on the internet, and is available on many platforms, including Windows, Unix/Linux, and Mac OS X. Apache serves as a great foundation for publishing WordPress-powered sites.

API:
API, Application Program Interface is source code based specifications, intended to be used as an interface, by software components to communicate with each other. As such it is a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. See also Interface in this Glossary.

Applet:
Applet is a program written in the Java™ programing language. Applets like images are an HTML compatible program that is executed by your browser. See also Java applet in this glossary.

Apps:
Apps or application is a program that has a well-defined set of tasks the user controls. You buy Windows 7, which is an operating system, you install MS Office which is an application or Apps, you then upgrade MS Office 2010 by adding Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO) which is a plugin. You now know the difference between Apps and Plugins. See Plugins in this glossary.

Array:
Arrays are basic data structures for computer programing. Arrays, string or numeric values, are contained in lists like vectors that allow programmers to access data stored randomly, in one-dimensional or multi-dimensional arrays.

ASCII:
ASCII, American Standard Code for Information Interexchange. ASCII is computer code where characters such as letters and symbols are converted to computer language. These are ‘plain text files’ that can be read by almost any computer, ASCII is a plain, unadorned text without style or font specifications, as in Notepad. ASCII is pronounced as “ask ee”.

ASP:
ASP, Active Server Pages are dynamic web pages that combine the elements of HTML and scripting program environments. See also HTML in this Glossary.

Atom:
Atom or Atom-aware is a syndicated content format that works with news readers or aggregators.

Authoring Tool:
Authoring Tools do not require HTML knowledge and is a simple to use program for building websites, although very basic HTML code knowledge is helpful when mistakes occur.

Auto-responder:
Auto-responder is an automated message reply and response utility for e-mails, which have pre-preprogramed replies.

Avatar:
Avatar is understood best in a TDI and is a graphical image or picture that represents a user in picture form ID, on their navigation bar or browser tab, like the B on Blogger tabs. See TDI in this glossary.