Web Services
Web / Internet Related Definitions
Definitions are alphabetized. Click on letter below to go to that section of the definitions.B | C | D | F | H | I | L | N | P | R | S | U | W
BGo to top of page of Definitions
Browser (aka Web Browser)
Short for Web browser, a Browser is a software application used to locate and display Web pages. The two most popular browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Both of these are graphical browsers, which means that they can display graphics as well as text. In addition, most modern browsers can present multimedia information, including sound and video, though they require plug-ins for some formats.CGo to top of page of Definitions
Cookie
A Cookie is a message in a text file that is sent from a Web Server to a Web browser and then stored, as a text file on the users Workstation. The main purpose of cookies is to identify users and possibly prepare customized Web pages for them. When you enter a Web site using cookies, you may be asked to fill out a form providing such information as your name and interests. Information about your computer/Web surfing environment can also be extracted using customized programs for this use. all the information is packaged into a cookie and sent to your Web browser which stores it. This message is then accessible and is sent back to that particular Web server each time the browser requests a page from that server.DGo to top of page of Definitions
Database
See http://his.osu.edu/webdev/webtools/database/default.cfm.FGo to top of page of Definitions
FTP
Abbreviation of File Transfer Protocol, the protocol used on the Internet for sending (and receiving) files. FTP is a protocol used to upload files from a workstation to a FTP server or download files from a FTP server to a workstation. It is the way that files get transferred from one device to another in order for the files to be available on the Internet. When FTP appears in a URL it means that the user is connecting to a file server and not a Web server and that some form of file transfer is going to take place. FTP is a two-way system as files are transferred back and forth between server and workstation. Consequently, most FTP servers require the user to log on to the server in order to transfer files.HGo to top of page of Definitions
HTML
Short for HyperText Markup Language, the authoring language used to create documents on the World Wide Web. HTML defines the structure and layout of a Web document by using a variety of tags and attributes. The correct structure for an HTML document starts with <HTML><HEAD>(enter here what document is about)</HEAD><body> and ends with </BODY></HTML>. All the information you'd like to include in your Web page fits in between the <BODY> and </BODY> tags. For more instruction on basic HTML tags visit our very basic online HTML course.HTTP
Short for HyperText Transfer Protocol, the underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web. HTTP defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. For example, when you enter a URL in your browser, this actually sends an HTTP command to the Web server directing it to fetch and transmit the requested Web page.HTTP only transfers the contents of a Web page into a browser for viewing. HTTP is a one-way system as files are transported only from the server onto the workstation's browser. When http appears in a URL it means that the user is connecting to a Web server and not a file server. The files are transferred but not downloaded, therefore not copied into the memory of the receiving device.
HTTP is called a stateless protocol because each command is executed independently, without any knowledge of the commands that came before it. This is the main reason that it is difficult to implement Web sites that react intelligently to user input. This shortcoming of HTTP is being addressed in a number of new technologies, including Cold Fusion, ActiveX, Java, JavaScript and cookies.
IGo to top of page of Definitions
Internet
A global network connecting millions of computers. More than 100 countries are linked into exchanges of data, news and opinions.IP Address
Every computer that communicates over the Internet is assigned an IP address that uniquely identifies the device and distinguishes it from other computers on the Internet. An IP address consists of 32 bits, often shown as 4 octets of numbers from 0-255 represented in decimal form instead of binary form. For example, the IP address 168.212.226.204 in binary form is 10101000.11010100.11100010.11001100.But it is easier for us to remember decimals than it is to remember binary numbers, so we use decimals to represent the IP addresses when describing them. However, the binary number is important because that will determine which class of network the IP address belongs to. An IP address consists of two parts, one identifying the network and one identifying the node, or host. The Class of the address determines which part belongs to the network address and which part belongs to the node address. All nodes on a given network share the same network prefix but must have a unique host number.
LGo to top of page of Definitions
Link
On the World Wide Web, a link is a reference to another document. Such links are sometimes called hot links because, when selected, they take you to other documents or other locations on the same document.NGo to top of page of Definitions
NTSC (National TV Standards Committee)
A color TV standard that was developed in the U.S. Administered by the FCC, NTSC broadcasts 30 interlaced frames per second (60 half frames per second, or 60 'fields' per second in TV jargon) at 525 lines of resolution. The signal is a composite of red, green and blue and includes an audio FM frequency and an MTS signal for stereo. NTSC is used throughout the world, including the U.S., Canada, Japan, South Korea and several Central and South American countries.PGo to top of page of Definitions
PAL (Phase Alternating Line)
A color TV standard that was developed in Germany. It broadcasts 25 interlaced frames per second (50 half frames per second) at 625 lines of resolution. Brazil uses PAL M, which broadcasts 30 fps. PAL is used throughout Europe and China as well as in various African, South American and Middle Eastern countries. PAL's color signals are maintained automatically, and the TV set does not have a user-adjustable hue control.(See also SECAM and NSTC)
Production Server
The Production Server is the final location in which our Web sites reside. After completing and testing Web pages to make sure that the pages appear, appear correctly, the graphics appear properly, the links are accurate and the programming works correctly, the pages are then copied from the Staging Server to the Production Server using FTP protocol.Access to the production server for a departments Web site will be given, when requested, to the department Web Publisher. This access will be FTP access only. Access will typically only be given to other persons in the department when requested by that departments Web Publisher/Manager. At that time, those persons will only be given access to the location within the department Web site that is indicated by the request. The purpose of this is to create a process by which all changes on the department Web site are first created on the Staging Server and then reviewed by the Web Publisher/Manager before being placed into production.
RGo to top of page of Definitions
Root Directory
The 'top or 'first' directory in a file system. The root directory is provided by the operating system and has a special name; for example, in windows based systems the root directory is called \. The root directory is sometimes referred to simply as the root. A common example of the use of a root can be seen when typing in a URL. The 'root path' of any Web site is that which accessed by the path, alone, without a file name i.e. http://www.humanities.osu.edu/SGo to top of page of Definitions
SECAM (Systeme En Couleur Avec Memoire)
A color TV standard that was developed in France. It broadcasts 25 interlaced frames per second (50 half frames per second) at 625 lines of resolution. SECAM is used in France and Russia and many countries in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.Staging Server
The Staging Server is, by definition, the location in which we develop or 'stage' our Web sites. We have set up the Staging Server for a variety of reasons.- ONE: You have a development area, for creation of content, images, pages, etc that will keep your work together and not clutter up your hard drive.
- TWO: We keep all the development work in a location where the development is not viewed by the world outside until we are ready for them to view it.
- THREE: By putting the Web work in one, easily accessed network drive, the Web site owner can designate more than one person to work on the development, thus allowing for easier coordination of what is current and what is not.
- FOUR: The network Staging Server is backed up nightly, insuring less loss of work.
- FIVE: By maintaining almost duplicate Web sites on the staging and production servers, we have a complete backup of our entire system of Web sites.
- SIX: Keeping the Web pages on the Staging Server allows the Humanities Information Systems department to better be able to aid, when called upon, in your Web site development.
UGo to top of page of Definitions
Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
The global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web. The first part of the address indicates what protocol to use, and the second part specifies the IP address or the domain name where the resource is located.For example, the two URLs below point to two different files at the domain humanities.osu.edu. The first specifies an executable file that should be fetched using the FTP protocol; the second specifies a Web page that should be fetched using the HTTP protocol:
- ftp://his.osu.edu/webproduction/webmngrs/test.doc
- http://humanities.osu.edu/
