Key Terms

Online Communication

Online community A virtual community which exists only online. It may be open to anyone (eg. a bulletin board) or restricted by interest (eg. various scientific communities.)

Network of friends A group of people who jointly keep up-to-date contact online. This may be a specific network, such as The National Youth Scientific Forum, or it may be more general, like a group of friends keeping in touch through Facebook.

Virtual world An online community which meets in a computer-generated world, for example the large multi-player online games.

Netiquette Short for ‘internet etiquette’ or ‘network etiquette’. It is a set of conventions covering the use of networks used to interact with other people. The conventions are designed to prevent people causing annoyance or offence to others.

Chat In this context, refers to any kind of real-time communication over the internet.

Chatroom Large Scale interactive conferencing with many people involved in the same conversation at the same time.

Profile A user profile is a collection of personal data about a specific person. This may include biographical information, lists of interests and photographs.

Online Communication (summary) Online community: A virtual community which exists only online. It may be open to anyone (eg. a bulletin board) or restricted by interest (eg. various scientific communities.) Network of friends: A group of people who jointly keep up-to-date contact online. This may be a specific network, such as The National Youth Scientific Forum, or it may be more general, like a group of friends keeping in touch through Facebook. Virtual world: An online community which meets in a computer-generated world, for example the large multi-player online games. Netiquette: Short for ‘internet etiquette’ or ‘network etiquette’. It is a set of conventions covering the use of networks used to interact with other people. The conventions are designed to prevent people causing annoyance or offence to others. Chat: In this context, refers to any kind of real-time communication over the internet. Chatroom: Large Scale interactive conferencing with many people involved in the same conversation at the same time. Profile: A user profile is a collection of personal data about a specific person. This may include biographical information, lists of interests and photographs.

Online Services

Spam Junk where identical messages are sent to a number of recipients.

Unsolicited bulk s s that are sent to a large number of people who haven’t requested them.

Affiliate model An affiliate website is one that is attached to another company’s website via a link. The affiliate website receives a percentage of the revenue from customers clicking through from their website to the other companies website.

Online Services (summary) Spam: Junk where identical messages are sent to a number of recipients. Unsolicited bulk s: s that are sent to a large number of people who haven’t requested them. Affiliate model: An affiliate website is one that is attached to another company’s website via a link. The affiliate website receives a percentage of the revenue from customers clicking through from their website to the other companies website.

Cloud Computing & Storage

Cloud computing This is when a computer uses services provided by another organisation’s computer systems.

Servers A computer hardware system which acts as a host for other computers on the same network.

Cloud storage This is when a computer’s storage, access and retrieval facilities are hosted by another computer system.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) The use of a wireless non-contact system that uses radio waves to transfer data from a tag attached to an object or person. The technology is mainly used for purposes of automatic identification and tracking.

Cloud Computing & Storage (summary) Cloud computing: This is when a computer uses services provided by another organisation’s computer systems. Servers: A computer hardware system which acts as a host for other computers on the same network. Cloud storage: This is when a computer’s storage, access and retrieval facilities are hosted by another computer system. Radio frequency identification (RFID): The use of a wireless non-contact system that uses radio waves to transfer data from a tag attached to an object or person. The technology is mainly used for purposes of automatic identification and tracking.

The Internet

Network A group of computers that are connected together by communication channels and that have the capability of sending and/or receiving information between them.

Protocol Communications protocol is a set of rules that allows a computer system to connect with a different system to transfer data.

Ethernet An Ethernet cable is used to connect a user to a network.

Bandwidth A way of measuring how much data is carried over a network.

Bit The amount of data transferred within a unit of time (i.e.. bits per second).

Point of Presence (PoP) An access point to the internet. Normally, it is a location that contains all of the hardware that allows internet users access to the internet. An Internet Service Provider (ISP) may operate several PoPs in their area to allow good access to the internet.

Network Access Point (NAP) An interchange between networks within the internet. It allows ISPs to interconnect with each other.

Internet Protocol The protocol used to route packets of information across the internet. A packet is an individual unit of data that is carried across a network, including the internet. It is made up of a header which identifies the packet and a body which is the actual data message. It is one of the functions of the TCP to organise an internet message into packets.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) The protocol that takes data from a user’s application program and passes it to the IP for transfer across the internet. The reverse operation is performed at the destination computer where the TCP reassembles the data (from individual packets) and forwards them to the user’s application program. The close relation of the TCP with the IP means that the terms are usually used in combination as TCP/IP.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) A standard protocol that allows files to be transferred between two computers on a TCP-based network. It is commonly used to download programs to your computer from other servers and to upload webpages that you have created to the server that is hosting them on the internet.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) Direct connection to the internet would be very costly and so ISPs provide a cost effective gateway to the internet. In the UK there are many ISPs some of the most popular ISPs are BT (British Telecom), Virgin Media and Sky.

ISP services As well as providing a gateway to the internet, ISPs normally provide additional services such as . Many also provide web space for the development of websites, technical support and troubleshooting.

The Internet (summary) Network: A group of computers that are connected together by communication channels and that have the capability of sending and/or receiving information between them. Protocol: Communications protocol is a set of rules that allows a computer system to connect with a different system to transfer data. Ethernet: An Ethernet cable is used to connect a user to a network. Bandwidth: A way of measuring how much data is carried over a network. Bit: The amount of data transferred within a unit of time (i.e.. bits per second). Point of Presence (PoP): An access point to the internet. Normally, it is a location that contains all of the hardware that allows internet users access to the internet. An Internet Service Provider (ISP) may operate several PoPs in their area to allow good access to the internet. Network Access Point (NAP): An interchange between networks within the internet. It allows ISPs to interconnect with each other.

The Internet – Protocols (summary) Internet Protocol (IP): The protocol used to route packets of information across the internet. A packet is an individual unit of data that is carried across a network, including the internet. It is made up of a header which identifies the packet and a body which is the actual data message. It is one of the functions of the TCP to organise an internet message into packets. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): A standard protocol that allows files to be transferred between two computers on a TCP-based network. It is commonly used to download programs to your computer from other servers and to upload webpages that you have created to the server that is hosting them on the internet. File Transfer Protocol (FTP): A standard protocol that allows files to be transferred between two computers on a TCP-based network. It is commonly used to download programs to your computer from other servers and to upload webpages that you have created to the server that is hosting them on the internet.

The Internet – ISPs (summary) Internet Service Provider (ISP): Direct connection to the internet would be very costly and so ISPs provide a cost effective gateway to the internet. In the UK there are many ISPs some of the most popular ISPs are BT (British Telecom), Virgin Media and Sky. ISP services: As well as providing a gateway to the internet, ISPs normally provide additional services such as . Many also provide web space for the development of websites, technical support and troubleshooting.