Technical support: Glossary
It is our goal at NextGem to give both technically-minded and non-technically-minded people equally satisfactory service. Unfortunately email and the web can seem complicated at first. We try very hard to talk to everyone so they can understand us, but it's impossible to completely avoid all jargon. Here is a list of many terms that we find sometimes need explaining.
See also Raist's Canadianisms Glossary.
Alias (also Email Alias): An alternative email address that acts just like your main email address. For instance Jack might use jack@jackshomebrew.com and also brewmaster@jackshomebrew.com as an alias. Emails sent to either address would be delivered to Jack's mailbox. At NextGem you can have as many aliases as you like.
Apache: The name of the web server software used by NextGem.
Autoresponder: A service NextGem offers which sends an automatic reply to anyone who sends email to you. This can be useful for instance when you go on vacation. You can set up an autoresponder to send back an automatic message saying, "I'm on vacation and won't be checking mail until Tuesday."
Bandwidth: The maximum speed a computer can send information to the network. Also, the total amount of information a computer can send. Dial-up connections can only reach 56kb/s ("56 kilobit per second") of bandwidth. A T1 connection reaches 1.544mb/s ("1.544 megabit per second".) Cable and DSL connections vary, but are darned fast.
Bot: A program which performs some automated function on the internet. NextGem prohibits its customers from running bots on our equipment or services.
Cat5 cable (also ethernet cable): A flat cable which connects computers to each other and to network devices. The end looks very much like a telephone connector, except it has eight metal pins instead of four or six.
Catchall email account: The account that receives emails that do not otherwise go to specific accounts. For instance, if Jack has three named email addresses at his domain name jackshomebrew.com, any emails sent to anyone else at his domain (for instance mispellings or ex-employees who are no longer there) will go to the catchall account. Unfortunately, the catch-all will usually receive a lot of spam so some clients choose to have it thrown away.
C and C++: Two related programming languages often used in web programs.
CGI (also Common Gateway Interface): Any program running on a webserver which expands the capabilities of a website beyond what simple HTML can provide. CGI programs include NextGem's Mercantool, form remailers, etc.
Counter: A CGI program that displays a running total of the amount of traffic their website has. Counters display the information for everyone to see. Customers sometimes ask for a counter when they would be better served by web statistics.
CSS: (Also Cascading Style Sheets): A method for separating the formatting codes separate from the content in your web pages.
Dial-up: Internet connection service which uses common telephone lines and an acoustic modem. Dialup service is the cheapest (and slowest) method for connecting to the Internet. Unfortunately it's severely limited in speed never exceeding 56kb/s. NextGem does not provide dialup service, but will be happy to recommend a company which can.
Disk space: Storage on hard disks in computers. When you purchase web hosting from NextGem, we allocate a certain amount of disk space on our servers for you to store your web and email files on. Generally we find our allotments are more than sufficient, but if you need more, just ask.
Domain name: The name by which your website, email, and other Internet services can be reached. The address of your domain name is recorded in directories around the world so any computer which looks for it can send its requests to the correct computer. Our servers host hundreds of domain names. (See also "IP Address".)
Domain registrar: Any of the companies which maintain authoritative lists of domain names and their owners. The registrars are the authorities over domain names. To acquire a new domain name you first choose a registrar and pay them a small annual fee. NextGem will gladly register your domain name for you.
D.O.S. Attack (also Denial of Service Attack): A class of annoying methods misfits can use to disable your computer from a distance. In simple terms, a code is sent over the Internet to your computer that confuses it until it crashes. NextGem prohibits using its equipment or services to perform DOS attacks on anyone. Besides, it's illegal and rude.
Download: To transfer a file from another computer to your own. (See also Upload.)
DSL: Like dialup, DSL connects your computer to the Internet. DSL is typically much faster than dialup. NextGem does not provide DSL service, but will be happy to recommend a company which can.
Email address: An address people use to direct email to you. Every domain name comes with a potentially infinite number of email addresses. For instance, Jack can use the email address jack@jackshomebrew.com. He can also have separate email addresses for his wife (jacqueline@jackshomebrew.com) and his assistant (jacksbuddy@jackshomebrew.com). Each of these addresses can either accumulate in a separate mailbox at NextGem or be forwarded to another service. A catchall will send everything else that comes to the domain name to Jack's account.
Encryption: Information that is converted into an unreadable form as it travels the Internet so people who are not the intended recipients cannot understand or change the contents. Encryption is used when sending or receiving web files from secure servers such as when you send your credit card number to an e-commerce server.
Flash: A proprietary format for animations, video, and other exciting visuals on a web page. Often over-used to the detriment of your visitors, but also very useful when used judiciously.
Flooding: A simple but sometimes effective method for misfits to disable your computer from a distance. Essentially they send normal traffic to your computer over and over so many times your computer can't keep up and crashes. (See also D.O.S. Attack.)
Forward: To automatically send incoming email off to another server. NextGem will gladly either save your incoming emails in a POP3 mailbox or forward it to another email service for you.
FTP (Anonymous): FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. You or your web developer will use FTP to send your web files to our servers. Anonymous FTP is a service by which other people can transfer files into your account without needing a password.
GIF: A graphics file format used on the web. GIF files save in a compressed format without changing the image, unlike JPG. Unfortunately they do not compress some images as small. GIF is best used for very small graphics (less than 100 pixels across) or for larger graphics that have just a small number of colors. Large flat areas of all the same color such as line art and logos compress very well in GIF.
HTML: The language in which web pages are formatted. HTML files include the text seen on a webpage, the formatting commands that create the page, and pointers to the graphics. Programs are available to produce HTML files for you so you don't have to learn the codes. Unfortunately, all of these programs have limitations and most produce terrible, slow, buggy web pages. NextGem does not use any of these programs.
Home directory: Your base directory on our servers. When you log in using FTP, this is the first directory you will see. Your home directory contains another directory for each website you host with us. (See web directory.)
IP Address: A unique, numeric address on the Internet. An IP address looks like 127.0.0.1 or some other set of 4 three-digit numbers. Every domain name has an IP address (although sometimes domains can share one address.) Shared addresses work fine for simple websites, but unique addresses are required for some more advanced functions such as secure or encrypted transactions.
JPG: A graphics file format used on the web. JPG files save in a highly compressed format which helps them download quickly. Unfortunately, to achieve that compression the image is changed a little bit. JPG files are best for large, complex images like photographs and not very good for images with large areas of flat color such as logos or line art.
LAN: The network connecting computers located near each other physically, generally within an office or a building. (See WAN.)
Link: A word or image in a web page that, when clicked, takes you to another page or website.
Mail header: Technical gobbledeegook at the top of every email. The mailheaders contain information about who sent the email and which computers it passed through on its way to the recipient. This information can be useful in determining email problems. It can also be useful in determining the true source of spam which is usually hidden by the unscrupulous senders. Most email programs can hide the worst of the mail headers so you don't see them. Sometimes for technical support purposes NextGem will ask you to send us the complete headers of a problematic email.
Modem: The device computers use to connect to the Internet through dialup service. DSL connections use a device sometimes called a modem but more accurately is a router.
MP3: A kind of file which can contain music in a highly compressed format. MP3s are very popular for trading music on the Internet, but this practice is often in violation of the intellectual property rights of the owner of the music. NextGem prohibits using its servers for illegal distribution of copyrighted materials.
Packet spoofing: A method of disguising the origin of Internet traffic. Used by misfits to disrupt normal operations on the Internet. NextGem prohibits any use of its equipment for packet spoofing.
Password: A code word to prevent unauthorized use of services. Simple passwords such as names, English words, or birthdates are very poor security. The best passwords are constructed with random characters and include letters, numbers, and punctuation. NextGem encourages its clients to choose high security passwords.
Perl: A programming language often used in CGI programs.
Ping: A small program which asks another computer to send back a simple reply code. The purpose of the ping is to determine if the two computers can talk to each other and to measure how long messages take.Pings are often used to determine if a computer is connected to the Internet.
POP3 mailbox: A storage area on a mail server which accumulates incoming email for an account. NextGem can provide you one or more POP3 mailboxes or alternatively can forward your incoming email to another server.
Secure server: A computer set up to send and receive encrypted transmissions from other computers. NextGem has a shared secure server which our clients may use. We can also create a secure server using your domain name.
Search engine: A website that automatically searches the entire world wide web, indexes the contents of every site, and maintains a list of millions of other websites so people can quickly search the whole web. There are lots of search engines but only a few that serve a wide audience. Google, Yahoo, and MSN are the most widely used.
Server: A computer connected to a network or the Internet which listens for requests from other computers, then answers them. Common types of servers are web servers, mail servers, name servers, and ftp servers. NextGem has all of these and more.
Spam: Unsolicited commercial email. Spam is used by unscrupulous companies because it costs them almost nothing to send out. Unfortunately, the recipient is forced to pay for it through their ISP and web hosting service fees, their time, and their computer's time. NextGem firmly believes spam should be illegal and strictly prohibits its customers from sending spam in any form.
SSL (also Secure Socket Layer): A form of encryption commonly used in secure web transactions and secure email.
SSH: Similar to Telnet except all transmissions are encrypted. (See also Telnet.)
Telnet: A method of remotely connecting to a Unix server where commands you type are executed as if you were typing directly into the computer. (See also SSH.)
Trojan horse: Any malicious, destructive or nuisance computer program disguised as something desirable. Be very careful when receiving attachments on emails. If an email has an attachment you didn't expect, do not execute the attachment until you confirm its origin. (See also Virus.)
Unix: Any of several related operating systems commonly used by technical people for technical purposes. Web servers usually run a version of Unix.
Upload: To send a file from your computer to another. (See also download.)
Username: The identifier for your account on NextGem servers. Some people confuse the username for their email address but they are not the same. Every account has exactly one username but might have many email addresses.
Virus: A program which deviously takes control of your computer, usually for destructive or nuisance purposes, then uses the computer to create new copies of the virus to infect other computers.
WAN: The network connecting computers physically remote from each other. The Internet is a huge WAN connecting millions of computers around the world. (See LAN.)
Web directory: The directory on our web servers which holds the files which constitute your web site. Every domain name we host has a web directory. Your web directory is located inside your home directory and is named for your domain name.
Web statistics (also Stats): Information about the number of people who view your website. NextGem accumulates stats for every domain so the domain owner can analyze how popular their site is day to day. You can view your web stats in the Customer Support section of our website. (See Counter.)
Whois: A way to look up whether a domain name is available and if not, who owns it. NextGem offers an easy-to-use whois page.
Wireless: A method for connecting to a network (including the Internet) without direct wired connections. What you get in convenience you pay for in security.