GLOSSARY OF TERMS

While in no way claiming to be a comprehensive list of computer or Internet terms,
this page attempts to explain any 'geek-speak' used on the Groovy Lizard Web Site.

KEY
Black Bold = Terms or words which have a description on this page.
Black Italic  = A term which is repeated in its own section.

 

Antialias	To give the illusion of smooth, rounded edges to text or images as opposed to Aliased elements which have pixelated, jagged edges. Click here for a comparison (opens in a pop-up window)
Applet	Java programmes which can be embedded into a web page to create dynamic content. Common uses include navigation menus & image effects. Groovy Lizard uses a wide variety of Java Applets to add interest & functionality to pages.
Bandwidth	The amount of data (info) sent through a network or modem connection when uploading, downloading or accessing information on the Internet.
Branding	The markings which Groovy Lizard uses on this site's images to discourage unlawful copying & reproduction in the hope that thieves will be discouraged from taking something which has someone else's name imprinted on it. Also helps prevent bandwidth theft by making the graphics less appealing to those wishing to display them on their own sites by linking directly to Groovy Lizard's files.
Browsers	The programmes we use to access & view the World Wide Web. They interpret HTML & other coding languages, and display them as web pages. The two most popular browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer (I.E.). Browser window: The part of a web browser which displays web pages.
Buttons	The parts of a navigation system (either text or images) which contain Links to take the user to another page or part of the document. See some button examples HERE
CGI	Common Gateway Interface Applications used by web servers to receive and process data. Common uses include site searches, guestbooks, forms & password facilities.
CSS	Cascading Style Sheets A feature applied to basic HTML code which enables control over the style and appearance of a page. Text, colour, spacing & border properties are typical examples of CSS use.
Compression	The act of compacting files or folders to their minimum file size. Used in relation to graphics, they are optimized to their smallest possible size while retaining good visual appearance, most commonly in GIF or JPEG format. Compression Utilities are programmes used to to package several folders, files or documents into a single, compact file. (See sit / zip definitions.)
Copyright	As soon as someone creates an original piece of work, that entity is automatically copyrighted to the creator and should not be reproduced by anyone else. While this established law is fine in theory, in practice it is hard to prove and enforce. The copyright symbol © placed in such a work can help proclaim and establish ownership.
Cursor	The [arrow] pointer which moves over the screen in relation to mouse movements. Cursor scripts add effects to the pointer, for example with image trails or text description pop-ups boxes.
DHTML	Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language (Dynamic HTML) An advanced form of JavaScript used to add dynamic effects to web pages.
Domain Name	The name which identifies a specific web site. For example, Groovy Lizard Ltd's Domain Name is: www.groovylizard.com A variety of suffixes are available, such as .com / .net / .org etc. plus many country-specific ones for example .co.uk
Downloading	The process of getting information from the Internet to your own computer. If you do the reverse & send info from your computer to the Internet it is called Uploading. The most common way of doing this is via FTP.
E-Commerce	Electronic Commerce Conducting business / trading over the Internet.
E-Mail	Electronic Mail Sending & receiving mail via an Internet connection.
Entrance Page	Also known as a Splash Page, this is the page you will get when visiting a site's root page, for example www.groovylizard.com will connect you to Groovy Lizard's Entrance Page.
FAQs	Frequently Asked Questions It's a good idea to have an FAQs page on your site where you can list answers to commonly asked questions. It will save you having to reply individually to so many queries, and enables visitors to easily find relevant info so they are less likely to leave & seek it elsewhere.
Feedback	The input you get from visitors to your site about your site and products/services etc. A good way to encourage this is to have your contact details prominently displayed on each page, or by providing an easy-to-use feedback form somewhere on your site.
File Size	Who says size isn't important? The size of any computer-generated file (e.g.: images, text documents & sound files,) is measured in bytes, kilobytes, megabytes & gigabytes, with bytes being the smallest. When you are transferring information over the Internet it is important that file size is kept as small as possible to enable pages to load quickly and files to be downloaded in the minimum time. Images should be optimized & large files compressed to assist this.
Flash	Widely used web animation programme from Macromedia A plug-in is needed to view Flash creations & is available as a free download from Macromedia's web site.
Fonts/ Typefaces	Special files used within another program and which give the text you write its special character & appearance. Colour, size & style can be altered in the font properties tags. The text on this page uses the Verdana font, but now has switched to Comic Sans and again to Times New Roman.
Forms	Forms enable your visitors to interact & communicate with you through your web site Common uses include surveys & polls, mailing list subscriptions & feedback forms. To implement a form on your web site, you will need to include some JavaScript in the HTML of your page, & install a CGI script relevant to the form's purpose on your web server to process it
Frames	Frames allow you to divide a web page into multiple regions, each section (or frame) behaving independently of each other and displaying its own content. Each of these frames is actually a separate page, and the HTML document which brings all of them together and displays their combined layout is called a frameset. See an example page using frames here
FTP	File Transfer Protocol The most common way of transferring files from one computer to another via the Internet. Two of the most common FTP programmes are WSFTP & Cute FTP (Groovy Lizard's choice)
Gif	Graphics Interchange Format Compressed image format for small file sizes, and one of the two most commonly used in web page creation. (The other being JPEG) This is the best format for single block colours, and also the one used for transparent & animated images. (See also Transparent GIFs)
Header	The title element of your page, and usually displayed near the top. Headers can be text-only but are often combined with images for a more noticeable, decorative effect.
Home Page	The main page of a web site, also often called Main Page or Index and often the best one to visit, as information & news about the site is often placed there.
Host / Hosting company	A [web] host is a computer which acts as a server to other computers on the network & provides the content of web pages to other computers accessing it. A [web] hosting company sells space on the Internet for you to place your site, and often offers other services such as access to CGI scripts.
Hotspot	Areas of an Image Map which have particular behaviours attached to them in the HTML such as link urls.
HTM/HTML	Hypertext Markup Language The scripting language used to write web pages which is then read & interpreted by the browser.
HTTP	Hypertext Transfer Protocol The system used to transfer data across the World Wide Web. All web addresses begin with http:// as in http://www.groovylizard.com When you type in a url to access a site, your computer sends 'a request' to that computer's server asking for access permission. When it is given, the page is displayed.
Hyperlink Hypertext Links	Commonly called Links Text or images which have special tags attached to them in the HTML code so that when clicked with the mouse, will link the user to another page.
Internet Explorer / I.E.	Microsoft's popular web browser used by approximately 70% of web users.
Image Maps	Image maps (sometimes called Interfaces) are images which are divided into sections to enable individual behaviours such as links to be attached to each of them. Also see Interface Examples & info page HERE
Interactive	Web sites which enable the user to interact with it & have [some] control over the way content is displayed. For example if a site enables you to post a question which will then be displayed online it is interactive. The opposite is a static site which only displays set content at all times.
Interface	The visual area displayed in the browser's window is commonly known as the User Interface. In web page design however, the term interface refers to a design which fills the whole page and usually consists of an Image Map. They are often used on splash (entrance) pages and include links to other areas of the site. The word is also often used in the same context as Image Map
Internet	The Internet was created in 1969 by the United States Military during the 'Cold War' as a form of nuclear-proof communication. More than 30 years later, it is the largest network of computers, with people from all over the world being able to communicate with each other & share information quickly & easily. Sometimes abbreviated to net.
Intranet	A network of computers which are connected to each other within the confines of (for example) a company or institution, creating their own 'private' Internet. Many businesses use intranets to enable company-wide file sharing & information accessibility.
ISP	Internet Service Provider A network of servers which enable you to connect to & access information on the Internet.
Java	A computer programming language developed by Sun Microsystems
Java Applet	Java programmes which can be embedded into a web page to create dynamic content. Some common uses are navigation systems & image effects. Groovy Lizard uses a wide variety of Applets to add interest & functionality to pages.
JavaScript	Based on Java & also developed by Sun (& Netscape), this scripting language can be incorporated into standard HTML documents to create dynamic or interactive content to a web page. Rollovers for example get their action from a JavaScript command.
JPEG / JPG	Joint Photographic Experts Group (pronounced 'jaypeg') Along with GIF, the most commonly used format of compressed images used in web pages. Best used for photographs & other images using many subtle colour variations, such as gradients.
Layout	The collective positioning of all elements on a web page.
Links	Short for Hyperlinks Text or images which when clicked with the mouse, will connect (link) the user to another page. They are created by adding a special HTML tag to the part of the document you wish to use as a link. A Link URL is the web address of the page pointed to by the link. Hypertext Links are text-only links
Load / Loading	Term used to describe the action of displaying (loading) a web page. Web pages should load as quickly as possible. See also Download
Logo	An image / text graphic, which creates a unique & identifiable entity for its owner.
Mac OS	The Macintosh operating system from Apple Computers
Menus	The main part of a web site's navigation system, and usually consisting of button or text links to other pages on the site.
Meta Tag	HTML tags which are added to web pages to give information relevant to the page, (description, keywords, copyright etc.) but which is not displayed on the page by browsers. Search engines often use Meta Tags to collect information about pages.
Mouseovers	An effect created by JavaScript in an HTML document, which results in an image or piece of text changing its appearance when the mouse moves over it. Also known as Rollovers
Navigation	Finding your way around a web site. This can be made easier with a good navigation system which is displayed on every page, and usually takes the form of some sort of menu with buttons or text links to other pages.
Nested Tables	Tables are used to keep content areas separate & ensure accurate positioning on a web page. Nested tables are tables placed within other tables.
Netscape/NS	Currently the second most popular Operating System after Windows. Netscape Navigator is Netscape's web browser.
Network	Two or more computers connected together are called a Network. The Internet is the largest Network in the world.
Online/ Off-line	The state of your Internet connection. If you are connected to the Internet you are Online and if not Off-line.
Opera	Web browser popular for it's speed, however some common coding languages are not supported by Opera so you will not be able to see certain page effects.
Operating System / OS	Software programmes which communicate with the computer's hardware & control all its operations. The OS processes tasks, regulates memory and accesses the disc-drives and peripherals (add-ons such as printers & scanners.) The two most common operating systems are Microsoft's Windows and the Mac OS from Apple Computers
Optimize	To reduce graphics to their smallest possible file size while retaining as much of their quality as possible to ensure fast loading. See also: GIF / JPEG / Compression
Paint / Graphics Programmes	Software programmes used to create & manipulate (alter) images. Popular ones include Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, and Corel Draw
Pixels	Short for Picture Elements Computer monitors display images which are made up of millions of tiny dots called Pixels. The area size of images & web page elements are measured in pixels.
Plug-ins	Add-ons for a software programme to extend its functionality. As an example, if you want to give a special effect to an image but your paint programme isn't capable of doing so, a suitable plug-in filter will easily enable the effect. Some popular Plug-ins are BladePro - Eye Candy & Xenofex - The KPT series and many free ones available to download from the net.
PNG	Portable Network Graphic (pronounced 'ping') A newer compressed graphic's format which hopes to replace the GIF format although unlike gifs, they cannot be animated. Some browsers do not support (will not display) the PNG format.
Pop-ups/ Pop-unders	New windows which 'pop-up' either in front of or behind the page you are viewing on the Internet. They are sometimes used as 'information' boxes to alert a viewer to some relevant content about the current site, but more often than not contain (annoying & unrequested) advertising. Click HERE for a pop-up demo.
Resolution	The screen of a browser window and the size that visitors will view your pages, measured in pixels. There are many different screen resolutions & it is a personal choice as to what size the individual uses. The 'standard' at the moment is 800x600, although with the increase in larger monitors, more people are using higher resolutions than before. If a web page is too large for the viewer's set resolution, scrollbars will automatically appear in the browser window to facilitate either horizontal or vertical scrolling (or both)
Rollovers	An effect created by JavaScript in an HTML document, which results in an image or piece of text changing its appearance when the mouse moves over it. Also known as Mouseovers
Search Engines	Search Engines collect information from web sites and creates databases indexed into particular categories. Their web sites display this correlated information to (supposedly!) enable us to search for & find information with ease Some of the most well-known search engines are Yahoo, Google, Alta Vista, Excite, Lycos, & Infoseek. (Yahoo is a directory & not strictly speaking a search engine.)
Server / Web server	A server computer 'serves' information to other computers on the Internet. When your computer connects to the server, you are able to access information (files, programmes etc.) stored on it.
.sit	A file type created by compression utilities for Mac users, where several folders, files or documents are packaged into a single, small sized Sit file. Stuffit by Aladdin Systems is a popular programme for this job.
Site Map	Taken literally, a map of a web site. A site map containing a list of all pages on the site, brief description of each & their position in relation to each other, should prevent visitors getting lost and enable them to find out exactly where they are, where they want to go next, and how to get there. See Groovy Lizard's Site Map here
Software	The programmes used on a computer.
Splash Page	Also known as an Entrance Page, this is the page you will get when typing in a site's base url, for example www.groovylizard.com will connect you to Groovy Lizard's Entrance Page.
Status Bar	The toolbar located (usually) at the bottom of the page, which gives information (such as location or loading status) about the page you are currently viewing. JavaScript code added to an HTML document can specify special messages or info to be shown there.
Style Sheets	[Cascading] Style Sheets A feature applied to basic HTML code which enables control over the style and appearance of a page. Text, colour, spacing & border properties are typical examples of Style Sheet use.
Tables	Used to keep content areas separate & ensure accurate positioning on a web page. Nested tables are tables placed within other tables, again to ensure correct positioning.
Tags	All parts of HTML code are enclosed in various tags which give instructions as to their use. Tags must consist of two parts: < an opening tag > & </ a closing tag >. For example, to add a table to a page, the (extremely) simplified code will look like this: <table> table content here </table> Anything not placed between <tags> will appear on the page as text.
Text	Any writing you see on a web page is collectively called text. The appearance can be altered by using different fonts & styles. Text links are just that: text with JavaScript link behaviours attached. Also see Fonts
Transparent Gif	For various reasons it is sometimes desirable to remove the background of an image so that it can be placed on another one. This is easily done in one of the paint programmes available, with the image being exported (saved) as a transparent gif.
URL	Uniform Resource Locator The address of a specific file or directory on the Internet, for example: http://www.groovylizard.com/site/linkware.htm is the URL of Groovy Lizard's Linkware index.
Web Browser	The programmes we use to access & view the World Wide Web. Browsers interpret HTML & other coding languages, and display it as a web page. The two most popular browsers are Netscape Communicator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Browser window: The part of a web browser which displays web pages.
Web Host / Web Hosting	A [web] host is a computer which acts as a server to other computers on the network & provides the content of web pages to other computers accessing it. A [web] hosting company sells space on the Internet for you to place your site, and often offers other services such as access to CGI scripts.
Webmaster / Webmistress	The person in charge of looking after a particular web site. Duties may include creating pages, adding new features or updates, and replying to e-mails
Web Page Editors	Software programmes used to create web pages. Popular ones include Dreamweaver (Groovy Lizard's pick) Microsoft's Front Page and NetObjects Fusion Also See WYSIWYG
Web Rings	Groups of like-minded or similarly themed sites, which form a collective & link to each other using a Ring-code. If you are looking for a particular type of site, you can often easily find many simply by hopping from site-to-site via the Ring.
window	Browser window: The part of a web browser which displays web pages.
Windows	Microsoft's operating system, currently used by approximately 70% of computer users.
WYSIWYG	What You See Is What You Get A term used in relation to web page editors which allow you to see how the page looks as you create it. Groovy Lizard chooses to use Macromedia's Dreamweaver.
.zip / zip	A file type created by compression utilities for PC users, where several folders, files or documents are packaged into a single, small sized .zip file. The term has become generic for many types of similar compression. To open compressed files, you Unzip them. Winzip is the most widely-used zip programme.

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