If you hear the same techie jargon long enough you think you’ll connect to it - or do you!

The way in which we businesses like to communicate our marketing messages is becoming shorter, crisper, and more to the point – this is because we’re being forced to do so when using online techniques, especially social media.

Twitter only allows us to use 140 characters to get a message out there into the ether and for those businesses who like to write war and peace to get every last detail into marketing, the message has found it hard work to come to terms with the latest marketing tool.

If you go back to when Twitter first started no one really saw what the public point was, as initially it was meant to be used as a tool for techies to communicate with each other. In fact, Trevor a member of our team had a Twitter account within the first 6 months of it starting but never used it for a good few years.

Messages being tweeted now have to use techie jargon in order to provide more information within the 140-character limitation – and for those writing the tweets thinking others will know what they mean, alas often this is not the case. For those who read the tweets and think they know and understand what they mean again often this is not the case.

Below are some common jargon terms which we either now all hear or see from time to time, but do we really know what they mean or stand for?

.NET

Is a programming language that is meant to replace ASP and one that all programmers will bow down to - This is also a product of Microsoft.

Accessibility Guidelines

Web accessibility refers to the practice of making web pages on the Internet accessible to all users, especially those with disabilities.

ACL

Stands for ‘Access Control Lists’ – This is basically a list that specifies who can access the system and what they can access.

Ad-aware

Is software that removes malicious cookies and files.

Adsense

Is a Google product that allows you to advertise Google ads on your website? If your site receives a substantial number of page views or visits, you might consider publishing Google ads on your site as a lucrative revenue stream.

AdWords

A Google product that allows you to advertise your website on Google? It is an ideal way to get your site promoted right away.

Alpha

A term used when software is released before its official launch for testing purposes is known as Alpha Edition.

Anti-Virus Program

Relates to software that removes viruses from your computer.

ASP

Stands for ‘Active Server Pages’ – It’s a programming language developed by Microsoft that runs on the server.

Back-End

Relates to an entry administration point for system administrators.

Beta

A term used which proceeds Alpha – In a secondary test phase

Bobby

Bobby is a check to see how well a site's design is for the less able, depending on how well the design is it could score priority 1, 2 and 3.

Bread Crumbs

Links that progressively appear as navigate on a website - You are able to use these links to navigate back to where you started from.

BSOD

The term used to mean ‘Blue Screen of Death

CGI

The term used to mean ‘Common Gateway Interface’ - A type of Server-side programming language.

Client-Side

Relates to programming code that runs on a surfer's computer.

Console

Is a user’s administration point.

Crackers (Cracking)

Are there people who de-engineer software so that you do not need a registration key?

DDA Compliance

Priority 1 (level A) WAI guidelines. This means that most disabled (and non-disabled) people will be able to work through your site, though often with some difficulty. Priority 2 (level AA) WAI guidelines. This means that the web designer has taken steps to increase the level of accessibility for his/her website. Priority 3 (level AAA) WAI guidelines. This means that disabled users can expect to easily obtain the same information and services as non-disabled users.

De-fragmentation

Relates to files on a hard disk getting disorganised - De-fragmenting helps the files get organised again.

Dedicated Server/Host

Dedicated Hosting is a service that Web hosting companies provide to their Clients' whose websites generate a lot of traffic. Essentially, an entire server is used for a single customer, ensuring that all of the server's resources are used to that Client' needs. This is important for companies that do business online, as heavy traffic tends to eat up bandwidth and make sluggish websites. This is more flexible than shared hosting, as webmasters typically have full control over the back end of the server, including the choice of Operating System (Windows or Unix) and Web serving Software (IIS or Apache). Administration, however, is still handled by the hosting company

DNS

A term used to mean ‘Domain Name Server’ - When you navigate to a website on your browser the DNS server is contacted first. The DNS tells the browser where to go to find the site you're looking for.

Domain Name

Name given to a selective URL access point to a website – in reality, it’s the name part without the www and the.COM or .CO.UK.

DOS

The term used to mean ‘Disk Operating System’ - This is a really old-school operating system by Microsoft.

DOS Attack

The term used to mean ‘Denial of Service attack' is when naughty people inundate websites and mail servers with requests - So when you try to access the site you get a busy server error.

Extranet

Imagine accessing your Intranet from your home computer. That makes it an Extranet.

Firewall

Could be viewed as your personal bouncer as it blocks unwanted traffic and hackers.

Front-End

This is an administration point for system users.

FTP

The term used to mean ‘File Transfer Protocol’ - The process of sending web pages and images you've designed to a website.

G4

Establishment of multimedia resources on local policy priorities accessible via the public website (e.g. video & audio files) - Also a PC by Apple.

Google

A popular search engine is a tool for finding resources on the World Wide Web (Googol is the mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeros. The term was coined by Milton Sirotta, nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasner).

Googlebot

Googlebot is a smart little spider that accesses your site and takes snapshots of your pages as a human would do. Googlebot checks your site's robots.txt file located at the root of your server to see whether it may access your site. Sometimes poor Googlebot can get lost in your site or may get confused because you haven't built your site friendly to search engines. If you are smart you can provide a sitemaps.xml file that helps old Googlebot find all your pages and include them in Google.

Hackers (Hacking)

It is a common misconception to brand hackers and crackers as one group. Crackers are all bad. Hackers can be good people and bad. Bad hackers break into your computer and cause havoc - A good hacker may break into your computer and do no damage and notify you that you need to get yourself a firewall.

Hardware

In information technology, hardware is the physical aspect of computers.

HTTP

The term used to mean ‘HyperText Transfer Protocol’ - This is not a programming language. It is just a protocol that you're web browser and the website you're intended to visit use to talk to each other.

HTTPS

The term used to mean ‘HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure’ or ‘Secure Socket Layer’. This is not a programming language. It is just a protocol that your web browser and the website you're intended to visit use to talk to each other in a secure one-to-one manner - Bad Hackers and Crackers cannot interfere.

Hyperlink

A reference (link) from some point in one {hypertext} document to (some point in) another place in the same document.

ID10T

ID10T (Idiot) is a Synonym for PEBKAC 'Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair'.

IIS

The term used to mean ‘Internet Information Server’ -. Microsoft Web Server.

IMAP4

This is a protocol that Apple Macs use to get an email from a mail Server.

Intranet

The Internet is a massive network of networks.

IP Address

Is a unique set of numbers and dots to identify you on the Internet.

Java

Is a web programming language.

JavaScript

Is a web programming scripting language.

JSP

Is a web programming language.

Link Popularity

Is a measure of the quaintly and quality of websites that link to a site.

MAC Address

Is a unique set of numbers and dots unique to your network device in your computer.

MS SQL

Relates to Microsoft's premier database server.

MySQL

Is an open-source database server. MySQL is a true multi-user, multi-threaded SQL database server. MySQL is fast and flexible enough to allow you to store logs and pictures in it. Its main goals are speed, robustness, and ease of use.

PEBKAC

The term used to mean which stands for 'Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair'.

PERL

Is a web programming language.

PHP

Is a web programming language.

Ping

Ping sometimes known as Pinging is an IP address - when you send a packet of information to an IP address to see whether it replies.

POP3

Is a fast email service. Not like web-based email services like Hotmail.

Port

Your computer has 65000 ports which are like doors that open. When you're browsing the Internet you are using port 80. When receiving an email you are using port 25.

Profile

Relates to an individual’s collection of files and preferences on the network.

Protocol

Is a set of instructions that explains how communication between two computers is to be carried out.

Rapid-Prototyping

Rather than spend days, a developer will quickly build a mock-up or a small part of a system.

Registry

Is a huge hidden database on an individual’s computer that stores everything about the workings of their computers.

Router

Is similar to a Switch box in that you plug all your computers in so they're networked.

Screen Readers

Is a commonly used phrase for Voice Output Technology - Hardware and software produce synthesized voice output for text displayed on the computer screen, as well as for keystrokes entered onto a keyboard.

Scripting (programming)

Many websites incorporate some form of scripting language. Simple PHP scripts may be used to process forms or facilitate interaction between the user and the website.

SEO

A term used to refer to ‘Search Engine Optimised’ or ‘Search Engine Optimisation - The term is used to describe the marketing technique of preparing a website to enhance its chances of being ranked in the top results of a search engine.

Server Side

Is programming code that runs on a Web Server.

Shared Server/Host

Shared hosting refers to the practice of splitting up server resources among many customers in order to defer the cost to many different customers.

Software

Is a program of instructions that directs the operation of a computer.

SP2

SP is Service Pack 2 for Microsoft Windows XP. It basically fixes errors made by Microsoft programmers.

Spyware

Is software that removes programs that collect an individual’s personal information.

SQL

A term used to mean ‘Structured Query Language’ - A bad programming language that allows you to talk to databases and make them do things.

SSL connection

A term used to mean ‘Secure Socket Layer’ - A security protocol that provides communication privacy. SSL enables client/server applications to communicate in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, and message forgery.

Switch

Is a box that users plug all their computers into so they're networked.

Telnet

Is a console for extremely nerdy individuals.

TLD

A term used to refer to ‘Top-level Domain’ is the suffix to a domain name - For example .com

URL

A term used to refer to ‘Unicode Reference Link’ - The full address to a page on the Internet is a URL. For example https://connectwm.com/contactus

USB

A term used to refer to Universal Serial Bus.

VB

A term used to refer to ‘Visual Basic’ - A windows programming language.

VB Script

A term used to refer to ‘Visual Basic Script’ - A programming scripting language from Microsoft.

VNC

A term used to refer to ‘Virtual Network Connection’ - A program that allows you to access a computer remotely.

VPN

A term used to refer to ‘Virtual Private Networking’ - If you are working from home you would have to authenticate with your in-house server before you are given access to our network resources like printers - Information for your home computer and the in-house server is encrypted.

W3C

An international consortium based at MIT that coordinates technical development and quality standards for the web.

W3C CSS

Cascading style sheets can also be checked for compliance.

WHOIS

Is an Internet database that provides information on ownership, billing and contact information from domain names.

WWW

A term used to refer to ‘World Wide Web’ – However, do not confuse the World Wide Web with the Internet. As they are not the same thing, the World Wide Web is a subnetwork that runs in the Internet container whereas the Internet is a massive network and the WWW is a way of accessing it.