We've put together this glossary of many common Internet technologies and computer related terms. We hope these definitions in this reference will come in hand as you start your journey on the cyber highway.

Automatic Update
Service available for Windows XP and Windows 2000 that downloads updates for your operating system and allows you to install them when you are ready.
Anti-virus
Software that helps protect a computer from malicious code.
Broadband
Service that allows high speed Internet access, usually provided by the phone or cable company.
Browser
Program that allows Internet users to interact with and navigate parts of the Internet known as the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web is made up of a series of servers that exchange data using specified protocols and languages that can be interpreted by a browser to create the pages you interact with.
Blog
Short for web log, a blog is a form of online journal. Internet users can create blogs to discuss any subject and it is readily available to the public.
Buddy List
A function of most instant messaging programs, buddy lists enable users to know when people they have put on their lists are available Using a buddy list makes it easier to contact people with whom the user chats with frequently.
Bug
An unintended behavior or consequence in a piece of software.
Cache
A collection of temporary files kept by a browser that may contain images, sounds, Web pages, etc. By storing these files on your computer, it may speed up your browsing experience since the information does not have to be resent over the Internet.
Cable Modem
A device used to bring broadband Internet into homes and usually provided by the cable company.
Certificates
Provides authenticity to a website when it is attempting to download software to your browser. Users should carefully examine the certificate to determine whether they trust the site to download software.
Chat
Internet application that allows users with shared interests to gather and hold conversations. A user has a screen name, types a message, and it is displayed to other users of the chat.
Cookie
Small text file that is stored locally on a computer sent by a web site.
Cyber Bully
A person who uses the Internet for the purpose of harassing or emotionally harming other people. Cyber bullies may use Internet features such as chat rooms, blogs, create hate sites, etc. to hurt their victims.
Dial-up
Method of accessing the Internet over a standard phone line. A slow way to connect to the Internet.
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line, a form of broadband Internet provided by the local phone company.
Digital
Any form of information that can be stored as a series of 1's and 0's that is able to be recreated by a computer. Over the last decade; music, pictures, and video have all been stored in a digital format allowing for easier storage and sharing.
Download
To copy information from another site on the Internet. Usually refers to a computer program, music, video, etc. copied from one computer to another.
Email
Short for electronic mail. Allows a user to send messages from a computer to one or more recipients over the Internet.
Favorites
Section of a browser that contains a list of sites that the user has collected for future reference.
FTP
File Transfer Protocol. Allows Internet users to upload and download large files.
Firewall
Piece of software or hardware that helps prevent hackers, viruses, and worms from reaching your computer over the Internet.
Hacker
A person who uses the Internet to break into a computer or network without authorization often causing damage.
History
List in a browser that shows which sites the user has visited.
HTML
Hyper Text Mark-up Language. The code that is sent from Web servers to browsers.
Instant Message
A form of real time Internet communication between two people using an instant messaging application.
Intellectual Property
This is a big term and covers lots of things. It can refer to books, music, movies, videos, etc. that may be available on the Internet. It is illegal to freely distribute intellectual property without permission of the copyright holder.
Internet Explorer
A popular browser available from Microsoft Corporation.
Install
The process of loading a program onto a computer.
Intranet
System of web sites that are available only to users on a specific private network. Companies often create intranets to help provide information and resources to their employees that is not available to the general public.
ISP
Internet Service Provider. A vendor that provides Internet access to its customers. An ISP may provide broadband through cable or DSL or offer dial-up service through a standard phone line.
Message Board
An online forum where Internet users can post comments and respond to other users. Usually message boards exist to discuss specific subjects such as stocks, sports, television shows, etc.
Malware
Short for malicious software. Refers to viruses, worms, and Trojan horses that intentionally perform malicious tasks on a computer.
Modem
Device used by a computer to communicate with other computers or the Internet.
Online Community
A place where users of similar interests are able to gather. Could be comprised of web sites, chat rooms, message boards, etc.
Online Predator
Someone who uses the anonymous nature of the Internet to find victims and eventually take advantage of them in the real world.
Open Source
Community of volunteers dedicated to writing and enhancing software for the purpose of freely distributing it. When software is developed by the open source community, it cannot be sold for profit.
Parental Controls
Special features or software packages that enable adults to control the online activities of their children.
Peer to Peer Network
Method of transferring data over the Internet. Peer to Peer networks are not illegal by themselves, but are often used to swap copyrighted material illegally.
PII
Personally Identifiable Information. Information that can be used to get around the anonymous nature of the Internet and discover a user's true identity.
Phishing
A scam operated online. A fake web site that closely mirrors a legitimate web site is created, official looking email is sent out in bulk to millions of Internet users, and the scam artists hope that a few people will go to the fake web site and provide personal information such as bank account numbers and passwords. This information is then used to steal from unsuspecting victims.
Pop up
Window that opens in a browser when accessing a web page. Pop ups are often a form of advertising used online.
Privacy
Ability to restrict the kind and amount of information that is needed to be shared online.
Security Bulletin
Issued by Microsoft when a security update becomes available for their software.
SPAM
An unsolicited message delivered by electronic mail usually for commercial purposes. The Internet equivalent of "junk mail".
SPIM
An unsolicited message delivered over an instant message application usually for commercial purposes.
Spyware
Term applied to software that exhibits certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer - generally without appropriately obtaining your consent.
URL
Unified Resource Locator. The name of a web site that is used by a browser to reach the site.
Trojan
A program that tricks a user into installing it that carries a secret agenda. The Trojan, once installed, will collect personal information, lock up the computer, or perform some other malicious task.
Virus
A computer program that attaches itself to other programs on your computer for the purpose of replicating itself or performing other malicious acts such as erasing files or locking up the system.
Wireless Network
Method of connecting to other computers or the Internet without the use of Ethernet cables. Wireless networks are used in homes and businesses to allow for greater computing mobility within the environment.
Worm
A self-propagating computer virus embedded in a file. A worm usually takes over a computer and tries to infect other computers over the Internet.