Internet - vast network of computers, located world-wide, that store and share information.
Modem - Modulates and demodulates information between digital and analog systems. The computer is digital and works with information that is concrete, finite, and in countable chucks. Phone lines are analog and they work with information that is infinite, flowing, and uncountable.
ISP - Internet Service Provider which is connected to the Internet 24 hours a day and allows users a fast connection.
Newsgroups - people with similar interests post messages, questions, and responses to a common web site.
Listserv or Mailing List - similar to a newsgroup, but utilizes email for communication among members.
World Wide Web - millions of individual web sites residing on part of the Internet.
Hypertext - text that is linked to another web page.
Browser - software that allows a user to see pages on the World Wide Web.
URL - Uniform Resource Locator or web address.
Domain Name - name that establishes your Internet Identity. More about domain names.
Plug-ins - small special software used to run animation, play games, or utilize full functionality of certain web sites. The critical plug-ins are usually part of the browser software, so having the latest version is particularly helpful.
File Extension - the ending of a file name that indicates what type of file it is. Word uses .doc, Excel uses .xls, web sites use either .html or .htm, zipped (or compressed) files use .zip, and executable programs use .exe.
Directories - group web pages into subject categories, such as Yahoo. If a web site owner has not registered her site with a directory, it will probably not be included in that directory.
Search Engines - use automated software, such as spiders, to search through web sites and newsgroups looking for the terms from your search.
Web Page - pages of html code telling a web browser what to do.
HTML - hypertext markup language - the code used to develop web pages.
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