The Internet has doubtless changed all our lives but it has significantly changed our language too. We are often asked by clients what different words and abbreviations mean so we thought it a good idea to list some of the most common:

ISP – Internet Service Provider Such as BT, Demon, AOL – ie. the company providing your dial-up to the Internet

ADSL – Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line: a technology that let you transmit data over phone lines faster in one direction than in the other (by as much as 7 million bps)

Intranet – a private version of the Internet that allows people within an organisation to exchange information using Internet tools such as browsers.

Cookie – a small piece of information stored on your computer by a website that you’ve visited. Used to remind that site about you when you next visit it.

DNS – Domain Name Server: a computer on the Net that translates between domain names and Internet numerical addresses (32 bit).

Byte – a group of eight bits. Term used in measuring computer memory.

Router – a computer that connects 2 or more networks

Spam – when inappropriate commercial messages are posted/distributed to uninterested parties on the Net such as unrelated newsgroups or via mailing lists. Ineffective and antisocial!

PDF file – a method for distributing formatted documents over the Net. You need the Acrobat reader program to view such a file – program is free at http://www.adobe.com/acrobat