Words S-V

 

*   Search Engines: The tools used to perform searches of the World Wide Web and the many resources of the Internet.

*   Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP): See SLIP/PPP.

*  Server: A computer that shares its resources, such as printers and files, with other computers on a network. When a user of the Internet connects to a computer offering Gopher, FTP, World Wide Web, or e-mail services, the computer offering these serves is in the role of a server.

*  Shareware: Copyrighted software that is distributed free of charge on a trial basis and requires a small payment to cover costs and registration for documentation and program updates. Shareware should not be confused with freeware, the only category of software on the market that can be used with no financial obligation to the author(s).

*  Shell Account: The most basic kind of Internet account offered by a ISP. A shell account does not require the use of TCP/IP and does not allow the use of any kind of graphical user interface to the Internet.

*  Signature: The three or four line message at the bottom of a piece of E-mail or a newgroup (Usenet) posting which identifies and provides pertinent information about the sender. Long signatures (over five lines) are discouraged.

*  Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP): Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, or SMTP, is the protocol on the Internet for transporting messages from one E-mail system to another. SMTP helps ensure that mail arrives at its destination, regardless of the distance or path it must travel. The SMTP protocol, although widely used, is gradually being replaced by the newer Post Office Protocol, or POP.

*  SLIP/PPP: Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) and Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) are two methods for connecting to the Internet over a modem. Internet Service Providers offer SLIP and PPP access at up to 28,800 bits per second.

*  SMTP: See Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.

*  Spamming: The mass distribution of unsolicited E-mail messages or inappropriate Newsgroup postings. Spamming sometimes involves sending a single E-mail message to tens of thousands of recipients both individuals and those subscribing to Newsgroups.

*  Subscribe: To add your name to a mailing list or Newsgroup.

*  Summarize: To encapsulate a number of responses into one coherent, usable message. Often done on controlled mailing lists or active Newsgroups, to help reduce bandwidth.

*  SYSOP: Slang acronym for SYStem OPerator; "system" in this use being understood as a bulletin board system (BBS) and "operator" being the owner, curator, or manager of the BBS.

*  TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol): A set of protocols, resulting from ARPA (see ARPA) efforts, used by the Internet to support services such as remote login (Telnet), file transfer (FTP) and mail (SMTP). If your computer doesn't have TCP/IP, it isn't truly connected to the Internet.

*  Telnet: The Internet standard protocol for remote terminal connection service. Telnet allows a user at one site to interact with a remote system as if the user's terminal were directly connected to it. Telnet is one method of using all of the services available through the Internet, including Gopher, FTP, E-mail, and the World Wide Web.

*  Terse Output: A user-defined search engine option that will decrease the amount of information provided per hit during a query.

*  Thread: A group of replies or replies to replies; a string of messages regarding the same idea or topic.

*  Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): An Internet standard data transport protocol.

*   Unsubscribe: To remove your name from a mailing list or Newsgroup.

*   URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The technical name of a World Wide Web page address. URL addresses include both the address of the Web server and the specific directory structure that leads to an individual Web page on a Web server.

For example: http://www.research.digital.com/CRL/personal/hawe/pca.html

*   Usenet: A virtual collection of thousands of topically named Newsgroups, the computers which run the protocols, and the people who read and submit Usenet news. Not all Internet hosts subscribe to Usenet, and not all Usenet hosts are on the Internet. Some Internet Service Providers (ISP) charge more to provide Newsgroup services. See Newsgroup.

*    Verbose Output: The "full" output provided by a search engine per hit during a query that includes all information in all available fields.

*    Veronica: Very Easy Rodent Oriented Index to Computer Architecture. A database query system providing access to information resources held on most of the world's Gopher servers. In addition to native Gopher data, Veronica includes references to many resources provided by other types of information servers.

*    Viewer Applications: Viewers are programs that allow you to view many of the graphics, pictures, movies, animations, and sound clips that can be downloaded from FTP sites, accessed via Newsreaders, or made available on Gopher servers and via Web pages.

*   Virus: A program which replicates itself on a computer system by incorporating itself into executable software. Some viruses are intended to cause irreparable damage.

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