Web Terms

New Web developers may encounter many terms that are unfamiliar. Here are a few basic definitions that may help.

Browser -

software that can access and display Web files, such as Netscape and Internet Explorer

CGI -

Common Gateway Interface - a standard for interfacing external applications with information servers. A simple HTML document retrieved through the Web doesn't change. A CGI program, on the other hand, is executed in real-time, so that it can output dynamic information.

FTP -

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) enables transfer of files over the Internet.

GIF -

Graphics Interchange Format - a file format for line art images on the Web, such as icons and graphs.

HTML -

Hypertext Markup Language - a set of tags that enable files to be accessed on the Web.

Hypertext -

text with pointers to other text.

Hypermedia -

a medium with pointers to other media.

Internet Explorer -

World Wide Web browser software supported and distributed by the CAC for IBM compatible and Macintosh computers.

ISP -

Acronym for Internet Service Provider. Many companies have been created solely for the purpose of offering server space for Web pages or for creating and publishing Web pages. If you want to run a business on your Web page or advertise commercial products for sale, you should use an ISP, not University Web space.

Java -

a language developed by Sun Microsystems that allows Web pages to contain code that is executed on the browser.

JavaScript -

A scripting language for Web pages that can be embedded into an HTML file to produce interesting effects on Web pages.

JPEG -

Joint Photographic Experts Group (the original name of the committee that wrote the standard) - a file format for photographic images on the Web.

Netscape -

World Wide Web browser software supported and distributed by the CAC for IBM compatible and Macintosh computers, and also available on UNIX workstations.

Server -

a computer that "serves" files.

URL -

World Wide Web browser software supported and distributed by the CAC for IBM compatible and Macintosh computers, and also available on UNIX workstations.

VRML -

Virtual Reality Modeling Language, an attempt to extend the Web into the domain of three-dimensional graphics.

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Browser -	software that can access and display Web files, such as Netscape and Internet Explorer
CGI -	Common Gateway Interface - a standard for interfacing external applications with information servers. A simple HTML document retrieved through the Web doesn't change. A CGI program, on the other hand, is executed in real-time, so that it can output dynamic information.
FTP -	File Transfer Protocol (FTP) enables transfer of files over the Internet.
GIF -	Graphics Interchange Format - a file format for line art images on the Web, such as icons and graphs.
HTML -	Hypertext Markup Language - a set of tags that enable files to be accessed on the Web.
Hypertext -	text with pointers to other text.
Hypermedia -	a medium with pointers to other media.
Internet Explorer -	World Wide Web browser software supported and distributed by the CAC for IBM compatible and Macintosh computers.
ISP -	Acronym for Internet Service Provider. Many companies have been created solely for the purpose of offering server space for Web pages or for creating and publishing Web pages. If you want to run a business on your Web page or advertise commercial products for sale, you should use an ISP, not University Web space.
Java -	a language developed by Sun Microsystems that allows Web pages to contain code that is executed on the browser.
JavaScript -	A scripting language for Web pages that can be embedded into an HTML file to produce interesting effects on Web pages.
JPEG -	Joint Photographic Experts Group (the original name of the committee that wrote the standard) - a file format for photographic images on the Web.
Netscape -	World Wide Web browser software supported and distributed by the CAC for IBM compatible and Macintosh computers, and also available on UNIX workstations.
Server -	a computer that "serves" files.
URL -	World Wide Web browser software supported and distributed by the CAC for IBM compatible and Macintosh computers, and also available on UNIX workstations.
VRML -	Virtual Reality Modeling Language, an attempt to extend the Web into the domain of three-dimensional graphics.