A path to a file that includes the entire address, such as http://www.chriscassell.net/gdt150/handouts.html
Accessibility
Conformance to a set of guidelines that enables a webpage to be viewed by any person or interpreted by any device that can download it, such as a newer browser, like Netscape 6, an older browser, like Mosaic, a Palm Pilot, or a screen reader.
ActiveX
A proprietary Microsoft Windows technology, that deals with updating the display. Internet Explorer 6 requires that all plugins be based on ActiveX.
Anti-aliasing
The blending of two different color pixels to simulate a smooth transition. Particularly important in graphical text.
Applet
A Java program embedded in a web page.
Architecture
The organization of content and pages in a website.
ASCII
Plain text data.
Balance
The arrangement of elements on a page to give a sense of symmetry and proportion. Balanced compositions are not necessarily exactly symmetrical, but use elements of different visual weight and size to counteract one another.
Bandwidth
The rate of data transfer over a network connection.
Binary
Encoded or compressed data; not ASCII text.
Bit
A single unit of data, commonly represented by a 1 or a 0.
Byte
Eight bits of data.
Browser Safe Colors
A set of 216 colors that can be displayed on any 8-bit monitor by any graphical browser on any platform without dithering.
Cache
A set of files that are temporarily stored on the hard drive for quicker access to web pages. The browser doesn't need to download every file each time a page is viewed.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
A set of rules that controls the display of a structured HTML document.
CGI
Common Gateway Interface: A server-side script or program that handles requests and data submissions from client. An example is a program that deals with data from an online form.
Client
The computer requesting and receiving files from the web; the computer that you're sitting at right now.
Composition
The arrangement of visual elements on the page.
Cookie
A small text file saved to a client computer by web pages. Generally used to identify a unique user.
DHTML
Dynamic HTML. A loosely-used term refering to the combination of JavaScript and Cascading Style Sheets to introduce interactivity to web pages.
Dithering
The use of several different colors to simulate another color. Shows up as a dotted pattern. Dithering generally occurs on an 8-bit monitor with non-web safe colors
Directory
A folder that holds files
DOM
Document Object Model. The way that JavaScript or another scripting language accesses elements in a web page.
Domain name
A unique identifier for a website, for example yahoo.com.
Drag-and-drop
A GUI interface technique of dragging an onscreen element with the mouse from one location to another. Drag-and-drop can be used for moving files, as well as for dropping files into a program window for quick display.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Flash
A vector-based authoring program that is used for animation and interactivity. Requires the Flash plugin.
Form (1)
A visual shape.
Form (2)
An area where the webpage user enters information. Genrally made up of text fields, check boxes, drop-down menus, and buttons.
FTP
File Transfer Protocol. A method of file transfer between computers. Used for downloading and uploading files to servers.
GIF
Graphic Interchange Format. A compression format for images that utilizes a maximum of 256 colors (8 bit). It uses the LZW compression method, which is best suited for graphics with large areas of flat color.
GUI
Graphical User Interface. A visual system for using a computer or software.
HTML
Hyper Text Markup Language; The set of tags used to mark up web pages
HTTP
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. A method of transfering files between computers. It is the protocol used for web pages.
Hyperlink
A section of text or an image that allows web pages to connect to each other.
Image Map
An single graphic that has multiple links embedded in it.
Java
A programming language developed by Sun Microsystems.
JavaScript
A scripting, or programming, language used to enable interactivity in web pages. Most javascript programs work on the client side within the browser, although some servers use javascript programs as well. No relationship to Java.
JPEG
Joint Picture Experts Group graphics format. A graphic format that can yield extremely efficient data compression, inversely proportionate to image quality. It is best suited for continuous-tone images, such as photographs.
Modern browser
A DOM-compliant browser. Generally 5.0+ browsers.
Monospace font
A font where each character takes up the same amount of horizontal space. Courier is the most common.
Path
A list of directories separated by slashes that shows how to access a file.
Pixel
The basic unit of onscreen display. From "Picture Element"
Platform
The operating system on a computer. i.e. Windows, Mac OS, UNIX.
Plugin
A small program that works within a browser to display certain types of content.
Relative URL
A path to a file described in relationship to the current file. For example: graphics/buttons/normal/handouts.gif
Resolution
The number of pixels per inch of a monitor or of a graphic.
Rollover
An image that changes when the users' mouse is over it.
Sans serif font
A font without slabs at the top and bottom of each character. Most commonly used sans serif fonts for the web are Arial, Helvetica, and Verdana.
Serif font
A font with slabs or strokes at the top and bottom of each character. The most common web serif fonts are Times New Roman, Times, and Palatino.
Server
The computer that stores web pages and distibutes them on the web. Severs also run CGI scripts and perform database requests to provide dynamic content.
Shockwave
A bitmap-based authoring program that is used for animation and interactivity. Requires a plugin.
SGML
Standard Generalized Markup Language. A general structural way of marking up text for publication or display. HTML is derived from SGML.
Structural Markup,
HTML that uses tags to describe the function of each element within a document, essentially creating an outline. For example, all headings as marked up with the structural <h1> tag, and all paragraphs are marked up with the <p> tag.
Subdomain
The prefix of a web address, such as "stu" in stu.wccnet.org
Tag
An HTML unit that starts with < and ends with >.
Top Level Domain
The three letter extension at the end of a URL, such as .com, .edu, etc.
URI
Universal Resource Identifier (See URL).
URL
Universal Resource Location. The web address of a website, such as www.wccnet.org.
Usability
The ease of use of a website, or any other product. Usability encompasses many different disciplines, from Cognitive Psychology to graphic design.
Value (1)
The lightness or darkness of a color, or element.
Value (2)
The quality or quantity assigned to an attribute or variable
Variable
A letter or name used in a script or program to represent data that can change.
The unused area surrounding text and images in a page layout. Whitespace gives the viewer or user visual rest and helps to make a webpage easier to understand.
WYSIWYG
What You See Is What You Get. Visual layout programs used for designing web pages, such as Dreamweaver and FrontPage. The program writes the HTML based on direct entry of content into a browser-like environment. Often, what you see is NOT what you get.
XHTML
HTML that uses the syntax and structure of XML.
XML
Extensible Markup Language. A generalized markup language that describes the structure of information.
