Smileys, sometimes called emotions, substitute for the inflection of voice that is missing in e-mail messages.  Smileys are still the e-mail equivalent of slang, so you really shouldn't use them in a formal message or work.   Here for your use are some of the more common ones:

A

Active X :   A Microsoft standard for computer program building blocks, known as objects

ASDL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) :      A technology that lets you transmit data over phone lines faster (up to 7 million bps) in one direction, than in the other.

Alias :   An alternate label for a program on your computer.  Usually dropped on the desktop for easy access.

America Online ( AOL) :   A value -added online service that provides many services besides internet access, including making airline reservations, shopping, and access to popular chat groups.

Anchor:   A type of link,  usually located on the same page as its reference.

Anonymous FTP :    Using the FTP program to log on to another computer to copy files, even though you don't have an account on  the other computer. When you log on, you enter anonymous as the user name and your e-mail address as the password.

Applet:   A small computer program written in java programming language. You can download applets using a Web browser. Applets must obey special rules that make it hard for the programs to do damage to your computer.

Archie, Veronica, Jughead:   These are all search mechanisms for finding information, files and data bases on the internet.  They work with varying degrees of success, depending on the service you use and the time of day you try to browse. Want to be the talk of the next computer meeting? Here's one for you. Veronica is actually an acronym  for Very  Easy Rodent Oriented Network Index to Computer Archives.

Archive:  A single file containing a group of  files that have been compresses and glommed together for efficient storage.  You have to use a program like PKZIP, tar, or Stufit to get the original files back out.

ARPANET:  The original ancestor of the internet, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Article:  A message that someone sends to the newsgroups to be read by everyone who enters the newsgroup.

Attachment:   A computer file that is electronically stapled to an e-mail and sent along with it.

B

Backbone:  The top level in a network, Essentially, all networks connected to the backbone are guaranteed to be inter-connected.

Baud:  The number of electrical symbols per second that a modem sends down a phone line.  Often used as a synonym for bps ( bits per second).

BBS (Bulletin board system) :  An electronic message system you dial up directly to read and post messages.

BCC: (Blind Carbon Copy):  BCC addresses get a copy of your e-mail without other recipients knowing about it.

Binary file :  A file that contains information that does not consist only of text.

BenHex:  A file encoding system popular among Macintosh users.

Bit:  The small unit of measure for computer data . Bits can be on or off  ( symbolized by one or zero)  and are used in various combinations to represent different  kinds of information.

Bitmap:  Little dots put together to make a black -- and -- white or color picture.

BITNET:  A older network of large computers that connect to the internet.

Bookmarks: (or favorites):  This is a list of web sites you keep to return to without having to type the URL again.

Bounce:  To return as undeliverable. If you mail a message to a bad address, it bounces back to your mailbox.

BPS ( bits per seconds) : A measure of how fast data is transmitted. Often used to describe modem speed.

Browser:  A super-duper, all-singing, all-dancing program  used to view material prepared for the WWW (World Wide Web) .  Some examples  of browses are, Netscape  and Internet Explorer  (IE).

Byte: A group of eight bits. Computer memory is usually measured in bytes.

C

CC (Carbon copy):  CC addresses get a copy of your e-mail and other recipients are informed of this.

CCITT:  The old name for ITUT-T, the committee that sets worldwide communication standards.

Channel:  In IRC, a group of people chatting together. AOL and Compuserve call these rooms.

Chanop:  In IRC, the channel operator is in charge of keeping order in a channel. The chanop can can throw out unruly visitors.

Chat:  A way to talk live to other network users from any and all parts of the world.  You use Internet Relay Chat (IRC).  ICQ (Internet Chat Queue), PowWow, AOL, Compuserve, and Delphi have similar services.

CGI:  Common Gateway Interface is the specification for how a server should communicate with server gateway programs. In most cases when you reply to an automatic posting bulletin board, you are using a CGI script.

Client: A computer that uses the services of another computer or server (such as Usenet, Gopher, FTP, or the web). If you dial into another system, your computer becomes a client of the system you dial into.

Client/Server Model:  A division of labor between computers. Computers that provide a service other computers can use are known as servers. The users are clients.

Communications Program:  A program you run on on your personal computers that enables you to call up and communicate with other computers.

Compuserve (CIS) :  A value -added online service that provides many services besides internet access, including making airlines reservations, shopping and access to popular chat groups.

Country Code:   The last part of a geographic address, which indicates in which a country the host computer is.

D

Data:  Numbers or characters.  When data is interpreted by a data processing system, it takes on meaning and becomes information.

DB-25:  The style of data plug on most modems and serial ports.  DB-25s are shaped like a two inch high, skinny letter D with 25 pins. Macs use a smaller, round plug.

DCE ( Data communication Equipment):  A technical name to give to your computer's com port, or modem.

DCT (Data Terminal Equipment):  A technical name to give your computer.

Dedicated line :  a telephone line used exclusively to connect two lacerations.

Delphi:  A value-added online service that also supports text oriented internet tools. Especially good for users of older computers and for the visually impaired.

DES (Data Encryption Standard)  :  A U.S. Government standard for encrypting unclassified data. Breakable at some expense, but a newer version, triple DES, is probably safe.

Dial up: A connection between computers established over a phone line using modems.

Digital Data:  Data represented in  binary form, consisting of nothing more than zeros and ones.

Digest:  A compilation of messages that have been posted to a mailing list over the last few days.

Domain:  Part of the official name of a computer on the Net- for example,  pyramid3.net .

Domain Name Server (DNS) :  A computer on the internet that translates between internet domain names such as netscape.com, and internet numerical addresses, such as 104.186.81.2. Sometimes they are just called name servers.

Download:  To copy a file from remote computer “down”  to your computer.

DOT (.):  A period normally called dot

Dumb terminal:  Screen and a keyboard and not much else. Dumb terminals connect to a mainframe computer.

Dummies:  People who don't know everything but are smart enough to seek help. Uses "I" ironically.

Duplex:  The ability to send information in both directions.

E

Elm: a older full screen UNIX mail reader. Another good one is pine.

E-Mail (Electronic mail):  Text messages passed on from one computer user to another computer user, through various computer networks or via modems over the telephone  lines. Most popular way to communicate on the WWW.

E-mail address:  A domain based address by which a user receives mail.  At the Pyramid 3 Network your e-mail address will be   your user name or handle@pyramid3.net.

Eudora:  A popular mail handling program that runs on the Macintosh and under windows.

F

FAQ (Frequently asked questions) : An article that answers questions that come up. Many news groups have FAQs that are posted regularly.

FIDONET:  A worldwide network of bulletin board systems (BBSs) with internet e-mail access.

Finger: A program that displays information about someone on the net. When used as a verb, finger means the act of getting info on someone, on the net, by using the finger program.

Firewall: Used to separate a local network form the outside world. Usually used as a security measure.

Freenet: A free online system offering local communities information and limited access to the internet.

FTP (file transfer protocol) : A method of transferring files from one computer to another over the net.

FTP Server:  A computer on the internet that stores files for transmission by FTP.

G

Gateway: A computer that connects one network with another, where the two networks use different protocols.

Gif (Graphics interchange format): A format for storing image files used on the web.

Gigabyte: One billion (1,000,000,000)  bytes or characters of data.

GKA (Government Key Access) :  U.S. Government proposal to require that encryption software include a way for the government to break the code.

Gopher:  An older internet system that lets you find text information by using menus.

Gopherspace:  The world of Gopher menus. As you move from menus to menus you are said to be sailing through Gopherspace.

H

Handle:  A users nickname or screen name.

Header:  The beginning of an e-mail message containing to and from addresses, subject, date, and other important issues etc. to the programs that handle your mail.
 

Hierarchy:  In Usenet, the major group to which a newsgroup belongs.

HREF (Hypertext reference):  The address of the destination of hypertext link.

HTML (Hypertext markup language):  The document formatting language  understood by all computers on the web.  Used to create web pages.

HTTP (Hypertext transfer protocol):  The protocol used to transfer hypertext.

Homepage:  Homepages are sites on the internet that contain text, images, and sounds. They contain text links that can lead you to other pages.

Host:  A computer connected to a network.  The host computer may interface with a single  user or with dozens through an internal network.

Host Name:  The name of a computer on the internet. For example , iecc.com.

Hypermedia:  A system of all kinds of information such as videos, sound, and pictures, but contains no text.  It enables the information to be linked in multiple ways, be available at several levels of detail, and contain links to related documents.

Hypertext :  Is a system of writing and displaying text.  Enabling the text to be linked in multiple ways, be available at several levels of detail and contain links to related to documents.

I

IE (Internet Explorer):   Browser, developed by Microsoft.  This browser comes packaged with all Window's 95 programs.

IETF ( Internet Engineering Task Force):  The group that develops new technical standards for the Internet.

ISP (Internet Service Provider):   Pyramid 3 is an ISP. We and others like us provide you with connection to the internet.

Initialization String:  The message that your communications software sends to your modem to get it set up right.  Your modem's manual should tell you what to use.

Internet:  A network of all the computers in the world talking to each other.

IRC ( Internet Relay Chat):  A text system that enables internet folks to talk to each other in real time (rather than in delay and as with e-mail messages).

Internet Society:  An organization dedicated to supporting the growth and evolution of the internet.

InterNIC (The Internet Network Information Center):  A central repository of information about the internet itself.

Interrupt Character:  A key or combination of keys you can press to stop what ever is happening on your computer. Common interrupt characters are;  Esc, Ctrl + C , and Ctrl + D.

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) :  A faster digital phone service that operates at speeds of up to 128 kilobytes per second.

ISO:  The International Organization for standards.

ITU-T (The International Telecommunications Union):  Committee that sets worldwide communication standards.

J

Java:  Computer language invented by Sun Microsystems. Java programs can run on any modern computer, making java ideal for delivering application programs over the Internet.

JPEG:  Joint Photographic Experts Group, another image format imge on the web to portray a photo and other graphic items. .

K

Kbps (Kilo byte per second):    Term used in Data transmission for measured  bits per second. For example a data transfer rate of 14.4 kbps is sufficient to transfer about two paragraphs in one second.

Kilo:  One thousand (1,000)

Kermit:  A file transfer system developed at Colombia University and available for a variety of  computers, from PC’s to mainframes.

Kill File:  A file that tells  your newsreader which newsgroup articles you always want to skip.

LDAP (Light Weight Directory Access Protocol):  A new internet standard that lets applications access directory services.

L

Link:  A hypertext connection that can take you to another document or another part of the same document.

Linux:  A public - domain version of the UNIX operating system that runs on personal computers and is supported by a dedicated band of enthusiasts on the internet.

lurk:  To read a Usenet newsgroup, mailing list, or chat group without posting any messages.

Lynx:  A character based WWW ( world wide web) browser. no pictures but fast.

M

MacBinary: A file encoding system popular among Macintosh users.

MacTCP: TCP/IP for the Macintosh.

Mail Server:  A computer on the internet that provides mail services.

Mailing List:  A special kind of e-mail address that re-mails all incoming mail to a list of subscribers to/or on the mailing list. Each mailing list has a topic so you subscribe to the ones that interest you.

MBPS:  Mega bytes per second, one million per second.

Mega:  One million

Majordomo: like Listserve, a program that handles mailing lists.

MBone:  The multi-cast backbone. a special sub-network on the internet that support live video and other multimedia.

MSN (Microsoft Network):  A commercial online service that provides many internet services including e-mail, usenet newsgroups, and access to the world wide web.

Midi:  A way to transmit music as actual notes rather than as a digitized sounds.

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension):  Used to send pictures, word processing files , and other non-text information through e-mail.

Mirror: An FTP server that provides copies of the same files as another server.

Modem:  An electronic device that converts digital data to an audio signal and then back again, for transmission over a phone line or cable for the tv.

Moderate mailing list:  A mailing list ran by a moderator.

Moderator Newsgroup:  A newsgroup run by a moderator.

Moderator:  The moderator is someone who looks at the messages posted to a mailing list or newsgroup before releasing them to the public. The moderator can nix messages that are stupid, redundant, wildly off topic, or offensive , in his or her opinion.

MOO (Mud Object Oriented):  MUD with programming capability.

Mosaic:  An older web browser that was developed at the University of Illinois by the National Center for Super Computing. It brings text with sounds and images available in both Mac and Dos versions.

MPEG:  A type of video file found on the net.

MUD (Multi User Dungeon):    This started as a dungeons and dragons type of game that many people can play at one time; now its an internet subculture.

N

Netscape Navigator:  A popular internet browser.

Network:  Computers that are connected or “linked” together by wires.

Network Computer:  A computer that lacks a hard disk and gets all its data  instead over a computer network, like the internet.

Newbie:  A newcomer to the Internet.

News:  A type of Usenet newsgroup that contains discussions about newsgroups themselves.

Newsgroup:  A topic area in the Usenet news group.

Newsleader:  A program that lets you read and respond to the messages in Usenet news systems.

News Servers:  A computer on the net that receives usenet newsgroups and holds them so that you can read them.

NIC (Network Information center) :   Responsible for coordinating a set of networks so that the names, network numbers, and other technical details are consistent from one network to another.

Nickname:  The name by which you identify yourself  when chatting. also known as “handle”.

Node:  A computer on the internet, also called or known as a “host” .

O

Objects:  Data and the computer programs that work with the data, all tied up with ribbon so that the other programs can use the object without knowing what goes on inside.

On line services:  Companies providing content, electronic mail and discussion groups (chat rooms) through dial-up for a monthly fee. Examples include AOL and  Compuserve.

P

Packet:  A chunk of information sent over a network.

Page:  A document or hunk of information, available by way of the WWW. They can contain text, graphics, pictures, sound files, and video clips as well.

Parity: A simple system for checking for errors when data is transmitted from one computer to another.

Password:  A secret code used to keep things private.

PCMIA or PC cards:  Small computer card accessories, such as modems, that look like fat credit cards, used mostly in laptops.

PDF file:  A method for disturbing formatted  documents over the internet.

PGP:  A program that lets you encrypt and sign your e-mail.

PICS ( Platform for Internet Content Selection):  A way of marking pages with rating about what is inside.

Pine:  Popular unix based mail program.

Ping:  A program that checks to see whether you  can communicate with another computer on the internet.  It sends a short message to which the other   computer automatically responds.

PKZIP:  A file compression program that runs on PC’s.  It creates a zip file that contains compressed versions of one or more files.

Plug in : A computer program that you add to your browser to help it handle a special  type of file.

POP ( Post Office Protocol):  A system by which a mail server on the internet allows you to pick up your mail and download .

 Port Number:  On a networked computer, an identifying number assigned to each program that is chatting on the internet.  You hardly ever have to know these.  The internet programs work this stuff among themselves.

Posting:  An article published on, or submitted to, a Usenet newsgroup or mailing list.

PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol):  A scheme for connecting your computers to the internet over a phone line.

Prodigy:  A value-added online service that provides many services besides internet access, including shopping and access to popular chat groups.

Protocol:  The agreed upon rules that computers rely on to talk among themselves.

PKC (Public Key Cryptography):  A method for sending secret messages whereby you get two keys: a public key that you give out freely so that people can send you coded messages, and a second, private key that decodes them.

Q

QuikTime:  A video file format invented by Apple Computer and widely used on the net.

R

RealAudio:  A popular streaming audio file format that lets you listen to programs over the net.

RFC (Request for Comment):  A numbered series of documents that specify how different parts of the internet work. For example RFC-822 describes the internet e-mail message format.

Router:  A computer that connects two or more networks.

RSA: A popular patented, public key encryption system.

S

Serial Port:  The place on the back of your computer where you plug in your modem. Also called a communications port or com port.

Server:  A computer that provides a service to other computers (known as clients) on a network.

Search Engine:  Places to go search specific topics on the web. Some examples are Excite, Lycos, Yahoo, Webcrawler, and Info Seek.

Shareware:  Computer programs that are easily available for you to try with the understanding that, if you decide to keep the program, you will send the request payment to the shareware provider specified in the program. This is an honor system. A great deal of good stuff is available, and people's voluntary compliance makes it viable.

Shell:  The Unix shell is the program that interprets the commands typed at the terminal. A shell can also be used to run a simple script program and clad scripts.

Shockwave:  A standard for viewing interactive multimedia on the web.

SIMTEL:  A computer that use to contain an amazing archive of programs for MS-DOS in addition to Macintosh and UNIX.

Slip ( Serial Line Internet Protocol):  A software scheme for connecting your computer to the internet over a serial line.

S/MIME (Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension):  An extension to MIME that includes encryption.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) :  The misnamed method by which internet mail is delivered from one computer to another.

Soc:  A type of newsgroup that discusses social topics.

Socket:  A logical "port" that a program uses to connect to another program running on another computer on the internet.

Spam:  The act of posting inappropriate commercial messages to a large number of unrelated uninterested Usenet newsgroup or mailing lists.

SSL (Secure Socket Layer):  A technology that lets one computer verify anothers identify and allow secure connections.

Stop Bits:  Just say 1 when setting up your connections software.

Streaming Audio:  A system for sending sound files over the Net that starts playing the sound before the sound files finish downloading, letting you listen with minimal delay. Real Audio is the most popular.

Surfing:  Wandering around the World Wide Web, looking for interesting stuff or information.

T

T-I :  A telecommunications standard that carries 24 voice calls or data at 1.44 million bps over a pair of telephone lines.

TCP/IP ( Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol):  The system networks use to communicate with each other on the internet.

Telnet:  A program that lets you log in to other computers on the net.

Terminal:  In the old days a terminal consisted of a screen, a keyboard, and a cable that connected it to a computer. If you have a PC and you want to connect to a bigger computer somewhere, you can run a program that makes it "pretend" to be a brainless screen and keyboard- the program is called "Terminal Emulator, "Terminal program,"  or  "Communications Program."

Text File:  A file that contains only textual characters, with no special formatting, graphical information, sound clips, videos, etc.

Thread:  An article posted to a Usenet newsgroup, together with all the follow-up articles, the follow-ups to follow-up articles and so on.
 

U

UDP ( User Datagram Protocol):  A system used for applications to send quick, one-shot messages to each other.

Unicode:  An up-and-coming extension of ASCII that attempts to include the characters oh all active written languages.

UNIX :  An operating system used developed by AT&T.

Upload:  To put your stuff on somebody's else's computers.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator):  A standard way of naming network recourses, used for linking pages together on the WWW.

URN (Uniform Resource Name):  A web page name that doesn't change when a page is moved to a different computer, proposed as a solution to the broken link problem.

Usenet:  A system made up of thousands of different groups discussing various topics.  Generally called newsgroups.

UUCP ( UNIX to UNIX copy):  An elderly and creaky mail system still used by a few UNIX systems.

UUencode/UUedcode:  Programs that encode files to make them suitable for sending as e-mail. When the messages arrives, the recipient can run into the original file.

V

Veronica:  A program that helps find things in Gopherspace; a friend of Archie.

Viewer:  A program used by internet client programs to show you files that contain stuff other than text.

Virtual Reality:  A 3-D visual computer simulator that responds to your inputs so realistically that you feel you are inside another world.

VRML:  A language used for building virtual reality pages on the web.

VT-100:  The model number of a terminal made in the early 1980's by the Digital Equipment Corporation.

 W

WAIS (Wide Area Information Service):  Pronounced "ways," this older system lets you search for files that contain the information you're looking for.

WAV file:  A popular format for sound files.

Web Page:  A document available on the World Wide Web.

Winsock:  A standard way for Windows programs to work with TCP/IP.

WinZip:  A file compression program that runs under Windows. It reads and creates a ZIP file that contains compressed versions of one or more files.

W.W.W. (World Wide Web):  A hypermedia system that lets you browse though lots of interesting information.
 

X

X.400:  A cumbersome, ITU-based mail standard that competes with white-pages e-mail directory services.

X-modem:  A protocol for sending files between computers; second choice after Z-modem.

XON/Xoff:  One way to tell your computer to wait a min, when data is coming in to fast; the other is usually called Hardware Flow Control.

Y
 
Yahoo!:  A set of Web pages that provide a subject -oriented guide to the WWW.

Z
 

Z-Modem:  A protocol for sending files between computers; one of the best ones to use.

Zone:  The last part of an internet host name. Also called a top level domain name.
 
 
 

  

      The following table describes the "ORGANIZATIONAL" names that are currently in use.

    The following is a table of some of the "GEOGRAPHIC" names found and used in the WWW.
 

tech@pyramid3.net