Netscape Communicator Glossary

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Netscape Communicator Glossary


	Absolute Positioning and Layering A feature of Dynamic HTML that allows web designers to define the exact placement of images, text, links - even applets and plug-ins - on a web page. Access Control A feature that allows Netscape Collabra and Calendar users to specify which other users may have access to their discussion groups or calendars. ActiveX An application programming interface (API) that allows web browsers to download and execute Windows programs. For example, Netscape Communicator's support for ActiveX lets users open an Excel spreadsheet from within Netscape Navigator. Agent A program that creates a model of a computer user's personal interests and tastes, and acts as a proxy in searching out and prioritizing information for that user. Agent technology is often used to classify and prioritize information for custom delivery via push technology. Applet A client-side program written in Java or JavaScript that downloads and executes on the end user's computer rather than executing on the server. Application Programming Interface (API) A standard interface built into a program that lets other programs communicate with it. Used by web browsers and databases as an alternative to CGI gateways. The client-side program is written in Java or JavaScript, and it downloads and executes on the end user's computer rather than executing on the server. BinHex A file format commonly used in sending large files and images over the Internet. Netscape Messenger can decompress messages in BinHex format. Bookmark A way for web browser users to mark a web page they want to return to later, in the same way you would put a bookmark in a book. Cache To store on a computer user's hard disk a local copy of a web page accessed via the Internet. The web browser compares the cached copy of the page to the original, and if there have been no changes, the browser and server programs will use the cached copy rather than reloading the page onto the client, saving processing and download time. Also refers to a web site's database generating static copies of frequently requested dynamic pages, reducing processing time. Castanet Tuner A program that allows Netscape Netcaster to tune in to Castanet-based channels. Castanet Tuner, developed by Marimba, is fully integrated with Netcaster. Channel A dynamic information-delivery source. A web site becomes a web channel when it dynamically broadcasts its content to users who have expressed an interest in receiving that information. Communicator users can select channels they want to receive so they do not have to type the address for each site every time they want that information. It's ready for them when they want it, stored in a cache for easy viewing offline. See also Push. Channel Finder The Netscape Netcaster guide to the best information broadcast channels on the web. Chat A feature of Netscape Conference that lets you talk with other computer users in real-time online sessions. Client Computer hardware or software used by an end user on a computer network or the Internet to query a remote server. A web browser is an example of client software. Also called a local computer. Client-Server A computing network in which the functions are divided between clients (or personal computers or terminals), and servers that store, process, and transmit the information. A standard language is used to define client-server interaction. Client-Side Program A computer program that is downloaded from a server and executed or run using the end user's computer hardware. Java and JavaScript are examples of client-side programs. Commands and Filters Used in Netscape Messenger and Collabra, commands and filters allow users to prioritize and organize incoming email messages and discussion group postings. Common Gateway Interface (CGI) A server-side communication standard supported by all web servers for accessing external programs. Examples of CGI programs are gateways to databases and scripts that process and return HTML commands to the server. Since HTML allows only one-way communication from the server, which is read by the web browser or client, CGI permits communication and interaction from the client to the server for two-way, dynamic web pages. Cookie A unique string of letters and numbers that the web server stores in a file on your hard drive. This method is used by web designers to track visitors to a web site so the visitors do not have to enter the same information every time they go to a new page or revisit a site. For example, web designers use cookies to keep track of purchases a visitor wants to make while shopping through a web catalog. Cookies may work through a single visit to a web site, such as when tracking a shopping trip, or may be set to work through multiple sessions when a visitor returns to the site. Cross-Forum Searching Allows users to search for relevant discussion forum postings throughout a collection of Netscape Collabra discussion groups. Customizable Toolbar Users can create icons to access their favorite web sites directly from the Netscape Navigator toolbar. Users may add or move buttons simply by dragging and dropping page icons. Digital Certificates The digital equivalent of positive identification, such as a driver's license. Issued by various certificate authorities, digital certificates are used to prove that a web site, or a visitor to a web site, is the entity or person they claim to be. Digital Signatures Digital signatures work just like paper-and-ink signatures, allowing document recipients to confirm the source of a document. Digital signatures are generated by digital certificates. Download To receive a copy of a file from another computer using a modem. Downloadable Fonts Typefaces or fonts that can be included with web documents or email and then automatically downloaded to a user's computer. This feature of Dynamic HTML lets users see pages as the designer intended them to look, whether or not the user has previously loaded all the fonts onto their own computer. Dynamic A web document that is created from a database in real-time or "on the fly" at the same time it is being viewed, providing a continuous flow of new information and giving visitors a new experience each time they visit the web site. Dynamic HTML (DHTML) The next generation of HTML, the language that specifies exactly how text and images will be displayed on a web page. Dynamic HTML, developed by Netscape and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), is based entirely on industry-standard HTML and Java. New features in Dynamic HTML, such as absolute positioning, give designers and developers greater control over the look and feel of web pages. Dynamic IP Addressing Allows users to automatically locate Internet or intranet sites. Netscape Communicator's Personal Address Book supports Dynamic IP addressing. Encryption A method of encoding messages to provide privacy for email, discussion group postings, and other communications as they move over intranets or the Internet. Some methods of encrypting, such as 128-bit encryption, are so difficult to break that U.S. export laws permit them to be used only within the United States. Netscape Communicator provides the option of securing U.S. documents using 128-bit encryption. Enterprise A large-scale, organizationwide computer network that may include web-based, client-server, and mainframe computing technologies. Extranet A specialized virtual community created by linking business groups via the World Wide Web. Similar to an intranet, an extranet includes outside vendors and uses web technology to facilitate interbusiness transactions, such as placing and checking orders, tracking merchandise, and making payments. File Transfer Protocol (FTP) A standard that allows users to transfer files from one computer to another using a modem and telephone lines. Firewall Computer hardware and/or software that limits access to a computer over a network or from an outside source. Used to prevent computer hackers from getting into a company's computer systems. Full-Duplex Audioconferencing A protocol that allows Netscape Conference users to speak and be heard simultaneously during an online audioconference. Unlike half-duplex, where only one person can speak or be heard at once. Graphical User Interface (GUI) A user interface that displays in graphic or pictoral format rather than in text only. H.323 A standard protocol for desktop conferencing. Because Netscape Conference complies with this standard, users are able to hold real-time audioconferences with other Internet telephone users. HTML Editor A software program that makes creating a web page nearly as easy as typing a memo using a word processor. Instead of learning HTML commands, users can format web pages using a menu. The HTML editing tools in Netscape Composer support bullets, tables, paragraph alignment, font size, font color, indenting, and other common formatting features. Many HTML editor packages, including Netscape Composer, display the page being edited exactly the same way it will be displayed on the web - a feature called WYSIWIG, or what you see is what you get. HTTP Publishing The standard for publishing documents on web servers, whether on an intranet or the Internet. Netscape Composer's support for HTTP publishing allows users to publish their documents to any web server with a single click. Hyperlink A connection that is found in web pages and other electronic documents that, when clicked with a mouse, automatically opens a file or web page in your web browser. A hyperlink may be a word, icon, or graphic. When a hyperlink is text, it typically displays in a different color and may also be underlined. A text hyperlink that has already been visited is usually displayed in a third color. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) A language used to create web pages and other documents that can contain text, graphics, and connections called hyperlinks. Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) The set of standards that allows computer users to access the Internet or the World Wide Web. `HTTP://` is the command that tells the browser that the document found at this address is HTTP-compatible, and to display it in HTTP format. Image Import A Netscape Composer feature that automatically translates graphic images from their current format into the correct format for web publication. Users can drag and drop images from an application to Composer, which automatically translates them into a standard Internet image format. Internet The "information superhighway" that is made possible by standard transmission control protocols/Internet protocols (TCP/IP). Originally developed for the U.S. military in 1969, it grew to include educational and research institutions. With the advent of Netscape Navigator, the arcane commands formerly used to access the Internet became unnecessary. The Internet includes the World Wide Web, Usenet user groups, and newsgroups. Internet Directory Access A Personal Address Book feature that allows users to access and search millions of Internet addresses in such online directories as Four11, Bigfoot, InfoSpace, and WhoWhere? To add names and addresses to the Personal Address Book, users simply click on their search results. Internet Message Access Protocol Version 4 (IMAP4) A network standard, supported by Netscape Messenger, that allows users to manage email messages and folders from multiple locations and systems. Users can choose to store their messages on their own local computer or client, or on a server. Internet Service Provider (ISP) A company or organization that lets users connect to the Internet by dialing into its computers using a modem. ISPs typically charge a fee and provide in return the dial-up telephone number, an email address, and some technical assistance (usually via email), but no online content. See also online service. Intranet A computer network that functions like the Internet using web browser software to access and process the information that employees need, but the information and web pages are located on computers within a company. Java A computer language developed by Sun Microsystems that can be read by many different computer platforms without the need for programmers to laboriously port the program to each platform. Java programs are automatically downloaded and executed on the client side by the web browser. Java Archive (JAR) A Java-based archiving format. With JAR, developers can archive, or store, applications for distribution over an intranet or the Internet. JavaScript A computer language developed by Netscape that is a subset of the Java programming language but is easier for nonprogrammers to write. JavaScript programs are run in the web browser on the client side rather than on the server. Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) An open standard for programs to store and retrieve names, addresses, email, phone numbers, and other information from an online directory. LDAP is used to build online directories on intranet networks, as well as Internet-based online directories. With LDAP support, Netscape Communicator users can search for and add corporate and Internet addresses to their Personal Address Book. Local Computer hardware used by an end user on a computer network or the Internet to query a remote server. See also client. Localization The process of adapting a computer program for a specific international market, which includes translating the user interface into a foreign language, resizing dialog boxes to fit the new language, customizing features if necessary, and testing results to ensure that the original program still works. Message Center An integrated tool for managing Netscape Collabra and Messenger email and postings. Users can send a posting or an email message (or they can file postings and email) in one set of folders from this single application. Modem A modulator demodulator, or device that allows a computer to receive and transmit data over standard telephone lines. A modem takes digital data and converts it to analog data, and the modem at the other end takes the analog data and converts it back to digital. Most computers use modems to connect to the Internet and the World Wide Web. Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) The Internet standard for sending mail messages that contain images, audio, word-processing documents, and programs. Netscape Messenger can send and receive MIME-type email. Netscape ONE Open Network Environment. An application environment based on open Internet standards. Netscape ONE makes it easy to build, deploy, and run crossware - on-demand applications that run across networks and operating systems and that can easily be extended to external partners and customers. See Netscape ONE FAQ. Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) The open Internet standard for newsgroup discussions. Because Netscape Collabra uses NNTP, Communicator users can access Internet newsgroups and integrate them with Collabra discussion forums. Offline Cache Allows users to download information from an information broadcast channel, automatically save it on their system's hard drive, and view it at a later date. This Netscape Netcaster feature lets Netcaster users view information offline just as if they were viewing it online. Online Service A company that allows computer users to connect to the Internet by dialing into its computers using a modem. Similar to ISPs, these services also offer features and online content available only to members. Personal Address Book A full-featured computer-based address book that is accessible from any Netscape Communicator component. With Personal Address Book, users can initiate Internet phone calls, preaddress email messages, and search for Internet addresses - all from a single location. Personal Address Book stores email addresses, phone numbers, and vCard digital business card information. Places A button on the Netscape Navigator toolbar that provides single-click access to Netscape Guide by Yahoo, the online guide to business, entertainment, and sports information on the web. Platform A computer operating system such as Sun, Unix, Windows, or Macintosh. Plug-ins Small applications that add new functionality, multimedia, or audio-video capability to a program. For example, an audio plug-in lets Netscape Navigator users listen to audio files on a web page or in an email message. Port To translate a computer application into another computer language so it can be read on another operating system, or platform. Post Office Protocol Version 3 (POP3) The standard for Internet mail servers. Because Netscape Messenger is POP3-compliant, it can send email to and receive it from any POP3 messaging server. Presentation Space Application Programming Internface (PSAPI) A protocol for accessing an IBM host. Java support for PSAPI allows developers to establish connections to an IBM host without launching a terminal window. PROFS The messaging protocol used for IBM mainframe-based email systems. Support for PROFS (which stands for Professional Office System) allows Netscape Messenger to exchange email with corporate email systems. Push A software program that retrieves information from web sites and deposits a copy on the user's computer to view offline. This is in contrast to traditional pull technology, where the user must manually seek and find information on the World Wide Web. See also channel. Real-Time Transfer Protocol (RTP) A protocol that provides support for applications with real-time properties, including timing construction, loss detection, and security and content-identification. Real Time At the same time, simultaneously. An event where two or more people communicate simultaneously, similar to the way people speak on a telephone at the same time. This is in contrast to time-shifting, where one person leaves a message and the other person responds later. Rich Formatting that allows the viewer to read underlined, bold, italics, colored text, and different sizes and type styles. Search A button on the Netscape Navigator toolbar that provides single-click access to the web's leading search engines. The Search button replaces the Find button in older versions of Navigator. Search Engine A web-based program that allows users to search and retrieve specific information from the World Wide Web. The search engine may search the full text of web documents or a list of keywords, or use librarians who review web documents and index them manually for retrieval. Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (S/MIME) A standard for sending and receiving encrypted mail. Developed by RSA Data Security, S/MIME enables Netscape Messenger to send encrypted messages and authenticate the originator of received messages. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) A high-level security protocol for protecting the confidentiality and security of data while it is being transmitted through the Internet. Used by most commerce servers on the World Wide Web. Based on RSA Data Security's public-key cryptography, SSL is an open protocol that has been submitted to several industry groups as the industry security standard. Denoted by the letters HTTPS in the URL. Security Advisor A button on the Netscape Navigator toolbar that provides one-click access to comprehensive information on all Communicator security features and describes how to use them. Server Computer hardware and software that is attached to a network and which automatically stores, processes, and transmits data or information that is generally accessed by many people using client programs. A standard language is used to define this client-server interaction. Shared Whiteboard An electronic location in Netscape Conference where users can view and manipulate documents and share files during a real-time conference. With its shared whiteboard and real-time audioconferencing, Conference provides users with a full conferencing tool. Shareware Copyrighted software that is distributed over the Internet or from one satisfied user to another user. No fee is charged for trying the program, but the user is expected to pay a donation to the owner and tell others about the program if he or she continues to use it. SmartUpdate A program that automatically downloads and installs Netscape Communicator plug-ins (small programs that add functionality to Communicator components). SmartUpdate eliminates the need for configuration, making it simple to add new features to Communicator. Spell Checking Spell checking is integrated throughout Communicator components. Users can check spelling in email messages, web documents, and discussion forum postings. Standard Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) The standard mail protocol for sending email over intranets and the Internet. Style Sheets Extensions to standard HTML that allow designers to control multiple web page styles from a single file. Used to predefine page elements such as font size, color, and style; image placement; and background images, and have the same style applied to a series of web pages. Universal Resource Locator (URL) Pronounced as either "U-R-L" or "Earl." The standardized addressing or naming system used for locating web sites over the Internet. Also known as an Internet address or web address. Upload To send a copy of a file from one computer to another using a modem. User-Friendly Newsgroup Names Instead of using traditional cryptic naming conventions, such as "mcom.airius.design4000," user-friendly newsgroup names (supported by Netscape Collabra) let users use real-life titles for their discussion groups, such as "Arius 4000 Design Issues." User Interface The part of a computer program that displays on the screen for the user to see. Also used to describe how humans interact with what they see on the computer screen. A good user interface makes it easy for users to do what they want to do. See also graphical user interface. UUENCODE and UUDECODE Unix-to-Unix encode and Unix-to-Unix decode. Programs that encode or decode binary information, such as graphic images or document files, to be sent over the Internet. Netscape Messenger can encode and decode messages using this standard. Virtual Reality Markup Language (VRML) A page coding language that was created to allow three-dimensional web pages on the World Wide Web. WAV A standard protocol for voicemail messaging. (WAV stands for Waveform Audio.) Web Browser A software application used to make navigating the Internet easy for the user by providing a graphical user interface (or GUI) so the user can click menus, icons, or buttons rather than learning difficult computer commands. Also called a web client because the browser application resides on the client, or the computer of the individual using it, rather than residing on a web server. Web Page A single document on the World Wide Web that is specified by a unique address or URL and that contains text, hyperlinks, and graphics. Web Server Computer hardware where web pages are stored and accessed by others using web client software, or the computer software that allows the user to access the web pages. See also server. Web Site A group of similar web pages linked by hyperlinks and managed by a single company, organization, or individual. A web site may include text, graphics, audio and video files, and hyperlinks to other web pages. Webtop Anchor A feature in Netscape Netcaster that allows users to have an information broadcast channel open on their desktop constantly. World Wide Web Also know as the web. A portion of the Internet that has a graphical user interface composed of web servers that provide access to web sites and web documents. The "www" in the URL is often pronounced "dub-dub-dub" or "3-dub." WYSIWIG What you see is what you get. To display a document being edited exactly the same way it will be displayed on the web or in print. Netscape Composer is an HTML editor that displays web documents in WYSIWIG format as they are being created. VCalendar A format that allows web pages to run scheduling and calendar applications. VCard A digital business card format. Netscape Communicator's Personal Address Book supports vCard, allowing users to easily import addresses and contact information sent in a digital business card.

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