IT Jargon Glossary

Back End 

The part of a website or software program which handles the setup of the ‘front end.’ This is usually a very user-friendly interface which assists general users to edit parts of the program normally only editable by technical users. 

Bandwidth 

A measure of total amount of data transferred over a period of time, often used to measure how busy a website is. A web host will usually base its charges on the bandwidth a website uses, i.e. how much data per month is requested from it. 

Bmp, Bitmap (BitMaP) 

A standard type of graphics file. An uncompressed format, so the files tend to be fairly big. 

bps (Bits Per Second) 

A measure of how quickly information is being transferred, usually via a modem or network. Divide by ten to get an approximation of the number of characters per second (cps).

Broadband 

Internet access over a connection much faster than an ordinary modem, such as ADSL or cable. 

Browser 

A program used for viewing World Wide Web pages on the Internet. The most widely used are Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Bulletin Board/ Forum

A public or semi-public area on a website where you can read and post messages on a particular topic, allowing public debate. 

CMS (Content Management System) 

A software program usually built in to a website’s ‘back end’ which allows easy updating of web content copy and images. 

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Keystone black) 

The standard four colours used by most printers - almost any colour can be created out of these. See also RGB. 

Compression 

A way of making files smaller, either to fit into restricted storage space or to speed up transmission over the Internet. Popular compression standards include JPEG and GIF for pictures, MP3 for music files, and zip for just about everything else. 

Domain Name

An Internet address owned by a company, organisation or individual, such as www.magicdust.com.au.

dpi (Dots Per Inch) 

A measure of picture quality, often used to measure printer capabilities. The higher the number, the better the quality. 

eCommerce 

Conducting business over the Internet, the World Wide Web. 

Ethernet 

The most popular system used to connect a computer to a network, including most broadband Internet connections. The computer needs to be fitted with a suitable expansion card, usually called an Ethernet card. Commonly called a network card and network cable, or blue cable.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

A document on a website or in a newsgroup which gives answers to common problems and questions. Look for an FAQ if you have a problem with something, before you email or phone support. 

File Server 

A type of computer used on networks to provide files and other services to other computers. Often just called a server. 

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) 

A way of transferring files to or from an Internet server. Often how you upload web pages to the Internet. 

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