Com Ch2 Terms

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Internet

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the vast network of telephone and cable lines, wireless connections and satellite systems designed to link and carry computer information worldwide

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ARPAnet

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the original Internet, designed by the US Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA)

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E-mail

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electronic mail messages sent over the Internet; developed by computer engineer Ray Tomlinson in 1971

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Microprocessors

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miniature circuits that process and store electronic signals, integrating thousands of electronic components into thin strands of silicon along which binary codes travel

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Fiber-optic cable

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thin glass bundles of fiber capable of transmitting thousands of messages converted to shooting pulses of light along cable wires; these bundles of fiber can carry broadcast channels, telephone signals and all sorts of digital codes

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World Wide Web

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a data-linking system for organizing and standardizing information on the Internet; the WWW enables computer-accessed information to associate with-or link to- other information no matter where it is on the Internet

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HTML (hypertext markup language)

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the written code that creates Web pages and links; a language all computers can read

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Browsers

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informaiton-search services, such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome that offer detailed organizational maps to the Internet

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Internet service provider (ISP)

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a company that provides Internet access to homes and business for a fee

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Broadband

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data transmission over a fiber-optic cable-a signaling method that handles a wide range of frequencies

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Directories

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review and cataloguing services that group Web sites under particular categories )eg. Arts and Humanities, News and Media, Entertainment)

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Search engines

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computer programs that allow users to enter key words or queries to find related sites on the Internet

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Instant messaging

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a Web feature that enables users to chat with buddies in real times via pop-up windows assigned to each conversation

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Blogs

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sites that contain articles in reverse chronological journal-like form, often with reader comments and links to other articles on the Web )from the term Web log)

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Wiki Web sites

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Internet web sites that are capable of being edited by any user; the most famous is Wikipedia

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Social Media Sites

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Web sites that allow users to create personal profiles, upload photos, create lists of favorite things, and post messages to connect with old friends and to meet new ones

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Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs)

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role-playing games set in virtual fantasy worlds that require users to play through an avatar

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Avatar

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an identity created by an Internet user in order to participate in a form of online entertainment, such as World of Warcrafy or Second Life

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Telecommunications Act of 1996

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the sweeping update of telecommunications law that led to a wave of media consolidation

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Portal

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an entry point to the Internet, such as a search engine

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Data Mining

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the unethical gathering of data by online purveyors of content and merchandise

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E-commerce

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electronic commerce or commercial activity on the Web

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Cookies

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information profiles about a user that are usually automatically accepted by a Web browser and stored on the user's own computer hard drive

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Spyware

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software with secretive codes that enable commercial firms to "spy" on users and gain access to their computers

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Opt-in or Opt-out policies

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controversial Web site policies over personal data gathering: opt-in means Web sites must gain explicit permission form online consumers before the site can collect their personal data. opt-out means that Web sites can automatically collect personal data unless the consumer goes to the trouble of filling out a specific form to restrict the practice

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Phishing

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an Internet scam that begins with phony email messages that appear to be form an offical site and request that customers send their credit card numbers and other personal information to update the account

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Digital Divide

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the socioeconomic disparity between those who do and those who not have access to digital technology and media, such as the Internet

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Open-Source Software

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noncommercial software shared freely and developed collectively on the Internet

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Mass customization

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the process whereby product companies and content providers customize a Web page, print ad or other media form for an individual consumer