Glossary of Web
Design Terms
A B
C D E
F G H
I J L
M N O
P Q R
S T U
V W X
A
absolute
URL
The full Internet address of a page
or other resource on the World Wide Web. An absolute
URL includes a protocol, such as "http,"
a network location, and an optional path and file
name. For example, http://www.example.com/ is an absolute
URL.
accessibility
The quality of a system incorporating hardware or
software that makes it usable by people with one or
more physical disabilities, such as restricted mobility,
blindness, or deafness.
active hyperlink
A hyperlink that a site visitor is clicking in a Web
browser. For example, a hyperlink is active between
the time a site visitor presses and releases the mouse
button, when clicking that hyperlink.
Active Server Page (ASP)
A server-side scripting technology for creating dynamic,
interactive Web applications. An ASP file is a document
that contains scripts that are run by an ASP-compatible
Web server. After running those scripts, the Web server
sends the resulting pages and files to the Web browser.
active Web page
In FrontPage, the Web page that is currently open.
ActiveX
A set of technologies that allows software components
to interact with one another in a networked environment,
regardless of the language in which the components
were created. ActiveX is used primarily to develop
interactive content for the World Wide Web, although
it can be used in desktop and other programs.
ActiveX controls
Reusable software components that incorporate ActiveX
technology. ActiveX controls can be embedded in Web
pages to produce animation and other multimedia effects,
interactive objects, and sophisticated programs. They
can be written in a variety of programming languages,
including C, C++, Java, and Visual Basic.
ActiveX Data Objects (ADO)
A data access interface that allows client programs
to access and manipulate data in a file- or server-based
database.
ADO
See ActiveX Data Objects
Adsense
Google AdSense is a contextual advertising
solution for website publishers of all sizes to
display relevant Google ads on their website's
content pages and earn ad revenue.
Advanced Streaming Format
(ASF)
A streaming file format for use with Windows Media
Player. This file format can include audio, scripts,
ActiveX controls, and HTML documents. ASF-format files
have an .asf file name extension.
AJAX (Asynchronous
Javascript
and
XML)
AJAX is
asynchronous in that extra
data is requested from the server and loaded in the
background without interfering with the display and
behavior of the existing page.
American Standard Code for
Information Interchange (ASCII)
A coding scheme using 7 or 8 bits that assigns numeric
values to 255 characters, including letters, numerals,
punctuation marks, control characters, and other symbols.
ASCII is a standard for transmitting data between
different types of hardware and software systems,
and it is built into all personal computers.
anchor
See bookmark
animated GIF
A file containing a series of GIF-format graphics
that are displayed in rapid sequence, giving the appearance
of a moving picture.
anonymous FTP
The ability to access a remote computer system, by
using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), on which one
does not have an account. Users have restricted access
rights with anonymous FTP and usually can only list,
view, or copy files to or from a public directory
on the remote system. To help maintain security, many
FTP sites do not permit anonymous FTP access.
anti-aliasing
The smoothing of jagged edges in graphical elements
and text. Anti-aliasing softens jagged lines or curves
by shading adjacent pixels.
Apple QuickTime
See QuickTime
applet
See Java applet
article
A message or posting in a discussion group or an Internet
newsgroup. An article can be a response to another
article. An article is also called a post.
ASCII
See American Standard Code for Information Interchange.
ASF
See Advanced Streaming Format
ASP
See Active Server Page
ASP.NET
A set of technologies in the Microsoft .NET Framework
for developing Web programs and XML Web services.
Web servers that are compatible with ASP.NET can host
Web services and run Web programs. Because ASP.NET
can create HTML, XML, and other types of documents
when processing programs and services, site visitors
can display the results in a Web browser. ASP.NET
programs and services can be written in any .NET-compatible
language, including Visual C# .NET.
ASP.NET controls
Components that run on an ASP.NET-compatible server
and encapsulate user-interface and other related functionality.
They are used in ASP.NET pages and in ASP.NET code
classes.
aspect ratio. In computer displays and graphics, the
ratio of the width of a picture or picture area to
its height.
For example, an aspect ratio of 2:1 indicates that
the picture is twice as wide as it is high. The aspect
ratio is an important factor in maintaining correct
proportions when a picture is incorporated into another
document, such as a Web page.
Audio Video Interleave (AVI)
A multimedia file format for use with Windows Media
Player. This file format can include sound and video,
and it adheres to the Resource Interchange File Format
(RIFF) specification. AVI-format files have an .avi
file name extension.
authentication
The process of verifying that an entity or object
is who or what it claims to be. For example, a user
name and password may be used to authenticate a user.
authentication database
A database on a server that verifies that an entity
or object is who or what it claims to be. For example,
an authentication database can match user names to
passwords.
autostretch
In FrontPage, an option for setting all or part of
a layout table to a fixed width. After setting part
of a layout table to a fixed width, the other part
of the layout table automatically stretches to adjust
to the size of the Web browser window. See also layout
table, layout cell.
AVI
See Audio Video Interleave
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B
background sound
An audio file associated with a Web page. When a site
visitor opens the page in a Web browser, the audio
file plays either continuously or the number of times
that the code in the Web page specifies.
banner
See page banner
base location,
base URL
A URL that you can specify for a Web page in order
to convert all relative URLs on that page to absolute
URLs. A base URL should end with either a file name,
such as http://www.example.com/sample.htm, or a trailing
slash, such as http://www.example.com/subdir/.
Behaviors
Scripting options that add interactivity or increased
functionality to text or other elements in a Web page.
bevel
A three-dimensional edge effect applied to the border
of a graphic.
bitmap (BMP)
A picture consisting of a series of small dots, much
like a grid with certain squares filled in to form
shapes and lines. Bitmap is a standard graphics file
format on Windows-based computers. It supports 24-bit
color and can be saved for Windows or OS/2 systems.
BMP-format files typically have a .bmp file name extension.
blog
(web log)
Is a website where entries are written in sequential
order and commonly displayed in reverse
chronological order. Many blogs provide commentary
or news on a particular subject; or can function as
more personal diary. A typical blog combines text,
images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and
other media related to its topic with the ability
for readers to leave comments.
bookmark
A named location on a Web page that can be the target
of a hyperlink. A bookmark can be applied to a string
of characters or exist on a page separately from any
text. Bookmarks allow you to link to a specific section
of a target page. A bookmark is also called an anchor.
broken hyperlink
A hyperlink that points to an incorrect URL or a missing
page or file.
browser
See Web browser
browser-safe
palette
A color table containing only 216 of a possible 256
colors, used to precisely match and display colors
in graphics. The remaining 40 colors are omitted because
they can display differently, depending on the color-quality
settings of the computers that display them.
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C
cascading style
sheet (CSS)
An HTML specification developed by the World Wide
Web Consortium that defines how authors of Web pages
can attach style sheets to Web pages. Styles sheets
define the appearance and formatting of content on
Web pages and allow you to have more control over
how content displays in Web browsers.
category
In FrontPage, a classification for labeling and grouping
Web pages and files by common criteria, such as page
contents, file types, or similar distinction.
cell padding
The amount of space, in pixels, between the contents
and inside edges of a table cell.
cell spacing
The amount of space, in pixels, between cells in a
table. Cell spacing is the thickness of the walls
surrounding each cell.
certificate
A digitally signed document that is issued by a certification
authority on behalf of a user, a computer, or a service.
Certificates help to ensure that no other Web site
can assume the identity of a site. This helps make
sensitive online transactions, such as shopping, more
secure by preventing unauthorized access to information
sent to or from a site.
CGI
See Common Gateway Interface
character encoding
A one-to-one mapping between a set of characters and
a set of numbers. Character encodings allow Web browsers
to interpret the characters in a Web page and display
those characters correctly.
character set
A group of alphabetic, numeric, and other characters
needed to display text in a specific language.
child Web site
See subsite
class selector
In cascading style sheets, a name identifying a user-defined
style. Depending on how it's defined, a class
selector can be used with a single type of tag or
with any HTML tag inside the BODY element.
client
On a network or the Internet, a computer that accesses
shared network resources provided by another computer.
See also server.
client-side image map
An image map that directly encodes in a Web page the
destination URL of each hot spot in that image map.
Client-side image maps do not require processing from
a server when a site visitor follows the hyperlinks
in the image map.
client-side program
On the Internet, a program that is run on a client
computer rather than on a server computer.
CMS
(Content Management System)
Is a system used to manage the content of a Web
site. A CMS facilitates the organization,
control, and publication of a large body of
documents and other content, such as images and
multimedia resources.
A
web content management
system is a content management system with
additional features to ease the tasks required to
publish
web content to
web sites.
code snippet
In FrontPage, one or more lines of HTML or other code
that you can save and use again.
Code view
In FrontPage, a view that displays the HTML and other
code of a Web page or a file.
comment
In FrontPage, text that you can view in Page view,
but that does not appear in a Web browser. Comment
text appears purple in Page view and is used to insert
notes to authors and editors during the development
of the page. Although comment text does not appear
in a Web browser, site visitors can view it by viewing
the source HTML of the page.
Common Gateway Interface (CGI)
A standard method of extending Web server functionality
by running programs or scripts on a Web server in
response to Web browser requests. A common use of
CGI is in form processing, where the Web browser sends
form data to a CGI script on the server, and then
the script integrates the data with a database and
returns the results as a Web page.
component
In FrontPage, a built-in object that is evaluated
and run when you save a Web page or, in some cases,
when a site visitor browses to the page. Components
in FrontPage include search forms, which allow site
visitors to search for text in a Web site, and form
handlers, which gather information from a form.
compression
The process of reducing the size of a file by changing
its format so that it requires less storage space
or takes less time to transfer. See also decompression.
confirmation page
A Web page confirming that data entered into a form
has been successfully submitted by a site visitor.
CSS
See cascading style sheet
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D
DAO
See Data Access Objects
Data Access Objects (DAO)
A data access interface that communicates with Microsoft
Jet and ODBC-compliant data sources to connect to,
retrieve, manipulate, and update data and database
structures.
data connection
A connection that specifies the name, type, location,
and, optionally, other information about a database
file or server.
data source
A stored set of information. A data source might be
a database, an XML file, a Web service, or a list
on a Windows SharePoint Services Web site.
data validation
A set of rules that you can apply to form fields and
other types of fields to restrict the type of information
site visitors can enter into those fields.
Data View
In FrontPage, a customizable display of data that
can be populated by a variety of data sources.
database
A file or server containing records of information
that are organized and presented to serve a specific
purpose, such as the facilitation of searching, sorting,
and combining data. Databases can be published on
the World Wide Web to let site visitors search for
information or add new information to the database.
database results region
In FrontPage, an area on a Web page that can be dynamically
populated with the results of a database query when
a site visitor opens the page in a Web browser.
DAV
See Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning
(WebDAV)
decompression
The process of reversing the procedure that is run
by compression software. During decompression, the
compressed data returns to its original file size
and format so it can be accessed or played. See also
compression.
deep
linking
A
hyperlink that points to a
specific page or image on another
website, instead of that
website's main or home page.
default hyperlink
In an image map, the hyperlink that site visitors
follow when they click an area of the graphic where
there are no hot spots.
Design view
In FrontPage, a view that displays an approximated
WYSIWYG version of a Web page. You can use Design
view to insert text, forms, graphics, components,
and other items in a page.
design-time control
An ActiveX control that is used while designing or
editing a Web page. Design-time controls are installed
on the client computer. See also ActiveX.
DHTML
See Dynamic HTML
discussion group
A Web site that supports interactive discussions between
site visitors. Visitors submit topics or responses
by entering and then submitting text in a form. Visitors
can search the group by using a search form or access
articles by using a table of contents.
div (tag)
The <div> tag defines a division/section in a web
page.
DNS (domain
names service)
Internet system to translate domain names into IP
addresses. Example:
http://www.yahoo.com =
66.94.234.13
domain name
An address of a network connection that identifies
the owner of that address, such as server.organization.type.
For example, www.microsoft.com identifies a Web server
at Microsoft Corporation, which is a commercial organization.
See also network location.
Dynamic HTML (DHTML)
An extension of HTML that allows you to add interactivity
and graphical interest to Web pages. Web pages that
use DHTML can change and update dynamically in response
to site visitor actions, without being downloaded
from a server after every action.
Dynamic Web Template
An HTML file to which you can attach other HTML files
that share the same layout. When you update a Dynamic
Web Template, all pages that are based on that template
are also updated. Dynamic Web Templates have a .dwt
file name extension.
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E
e-mail
An abbreviation for electronic mail. The exchange
of text messages and file attachments between computers
over a communications network, such as a network or
the Internet.
embedded files
In FrontPage, graphics, sounds, and other types of
multimedia files that have been inserted in a Web
page. When you save the page, you are prompted to
save the embedded files with the page.
embedded style sheet
A cascading style sheet that is part of a Web page.
Styles in an embedded style sheet can be applied only
to the page containing the style sheet and either
extend or override styles defined in any external
style sheet that the page links to. An embedded style
sheet is stored in a STYLE tag in a Web page.
Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)
An extension of the PostScript graphics file format
developed by Adobe Systems Incorporated. EPS format
is a high-resolution format that is optimized for
printing by PostScript printers. If an EPS-format
graphic is printed by any other type of printer, an
alternate, lower-resolution version of the graphic
is printed. EPS-format files have an .eps file name
extension.
encoding
See character encoding
encryption
The process of encoding data to prevent unauthorized
access, especially during transmission over the Internet
or a network.
EPS
See Encapsulated PostScript
executable
folder
A folder in a Web site from which scripts and executable
programs can be run. Server administrators may prohibit
the use of executable folders.
Extensible
Markup Language (XML)
A subset of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML),
a language for creating customized data structures
that allow for the definition, transmission, validation,
and interpretation of data between programs, servers,
and organizations.
Extensible
Stylesheet Language (XSL)
An XML-based language for creating style sheets that
transform XML documents to other types of documents,
such as HTML, and that define the format or presentation
of the data in the resulting document.
Extensible
Stylesheet Language Transformations (XSLT)
A language for transforming XML documents into other
XML documents. It is a subset of
Extensible
Stylesheet Language (XSL).
external hyperlink
A hyperlink pointing to a page or file that is not
part of the active Web site.
external style sheet
A cascading style sheet (CSS) in a file with a .css
file name extension. The .css file contains style
rules in valid CSS syntax, without any surrounding
HTML tags. By defining styles in one or more external
style sheets and linking them to pages in your Web
site, you ensure a consistent appearance throughout
those pages. If you change a style in the external
style sheet, the change will be reflected in all of
the pages linked to that style sheet.
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F
file
A named collection of information that is stored on
a computer. Also, an Internet protocol (file://) that
refers to files on a disk or network.
file name extension
The characters that follow a period in a file name
and indicate the file’s format or type. For example,
the file Image.gif uses the .gif file name extension,
which indicates that the file is a GIF-format graphic.
file server
A computer running on a network that stores files
and provides access to them. A file server is also
called a server. See also Web server.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
A protocol for copying files to and from remote computer
systems on a network or the Internet. FTP sites are
frequently used on the Internet for making files and
folders publicly available.
file type
The format of a file, commonly indicated by its file
name extension.
filter
A set of criteria applied to data in order to display
only a subset of that data or to sort that data.
firewall
A combination of hardware and software that helps
secure a network or computer system. A firewall can
help prevent unauthorized access to a protected network,
while enabling the protected network to access networks
outside of the firewall.
Flash
A vector graphic animation technology, by Macromedia,
Inc., for creating movies, animations, presentations,
and more. Flash content can play on any type of computer,
if the Flash plug-in is installed on that computer.
See also plug-in.
folder
A named storage area on a computer containing files
and other folders.
folders view
In FrontPage, the view of a Web site that shows how
the content of the Web site is organized. Similar
to Windows Explorer, you can create, delete, copy,
and move folders in Folders view.
followed hyperlink
A hyperlink on a Web page that a site visitor has
activated by using a mouse device, keyboard, or other
type of device.
form
A set of data-entry fields on a Web page. The data
is sent to the server when a site visitor completes
and submits the form.
form field
A data-entry field in a form. A site visitor supplies
information in a field by either typing text or selecting
an option.
form handler
A program on a server that runs when a site visitor
submits a form.
frame
An area of a Web browser window defined by a frames
page. A frame appears in a Web browser as one of a
number of different areas in which pages can be displayed.
A frame may be scrollable and resizable, and may have
a border.
frames page
A page that divides a Web browser's window
into different areas, called frames, which independently
display different Web pages. A frames page is also
called a frameset.
frameset
See frames page
frontpage server
extensions
A set of programs and scripts that support authoring
in FrontPage and extend the functionality of a Web
server. The FrontPage Server Extensions are available
for Internet Information Services (IIS) and other
Windows-based Web servers, as well as UNIX-based Web
servers.
FTP
See File Transfer Protocol
function
An action or operation performed by a script. A function
may return a value or other result.
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G
gateway script
See Common Gateway Interface
GIF
See Graphics Interchange Format
graphic
An image or picture file that can be inserted in a
Web page.
Graphics Interchange Format (GIF)
A raster graphics file format commonly used to display
indexed-color graphics on the World Wide Web. GIF
is a compressed format, which is designed to minimize
file transfer time over the Internet. GIF-format files
have a .gif file name extension. See also interlaced
GIF.
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H
heading
A paragraph style that displays text in a font that
is larger than normal text. The size of text in a
heading relates to its level: Heading 1 is the largest,
Heading 2 is the next largest, and so on.
hexadecimal
A base-16 number system represented by the digits
0 through 9 and the uppercase or lowercase letters
A (equivalent to decimal 10) through F (equivalent
to decimal 15). Hexadecimal values are commonly used
in HTML code to identify colors.
hidden field
A form field that is invisible to a site visitor but
supplies data to a form handler.
hidden folder
In FrontPage, a folder with an underscore (_) at the
beginning of its name— for example, _hidden.
A hidden folder typically contains supporting files
for a Web site. You can specify whether you want to
show or hide these folders in the Folder List and
some views.
hit
In Web site usage reports, a value indicating the
number of times a Web page or file has been accessed.
See also visit.
home page
The entry page for a set of Web pages and other files
in a Web site. The home page opens by default when
a site visitor browses to a site by using a Web browser.
host
See server
hot spot
An area in a graphic that contains a hyperlink. A
graphic with one or more hot spots is called an image
map. See also image map.
hover
Hover means that the user has positioned the mouse
pointer over an element (link), that can be
programmed to change it's state, but has not clicked
the link, or otherwise activated the element.
HTML
See Hypertext Markup Language
HTML attribute
A value used within an HTML tag to assign additional
properties to the element being defined.
HTML tag
A text string enclosed in angle brackets (<>)
that specifies a page element's type, format,
and appearance.
HTTP
See Hypertext Transfer Protocol
HTTPS
See Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
hyperlink
A pointer from text, a graphic, or other page element
to a Web page or file. On the World Wide Web, hyperlinks
are the primary way to browse between Web pages and
Web sites. A hyperlink is also called a link.
Hyperlinks view
In FrontPage, a view that shows the status of the
hyperlinks in a Web site. The list includes both internal
and external hyperlinks, and graphically indicates
when a hyperlink is intact or broken.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
The standard markup language for documents on the
World Wide Web. HTML is a subset of Standard Generalized
Markup Language (SGML). It uses tags to indicate how
Web browsers should display page elements such as
text and graphics, and how Web browsers should respond
to actions such as the activation of a link by a key
press or mouse click.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
A protocol that allows Web browsers to retrieve Web
pages and information from servers on the World Wide
Web.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)
A protocol that allows Web browsers to retrieve Web
pages and information more securely from servers on
the World Wide Web. HTTPS provides for the encryption
and transmission of information through a special
port.
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I
ID selector
In a cascading style sheet style definition (or style
rule), a selector that is used to define a style for
an individual page element, usually as an inline style.
image map
A graphic containing one or more invisible regions,
called hot spots, that link to a page or file.
image tracing
In FrontPage, the process of using a graphical mock-up
of a Web page as a visual guide for tracing, thereby
creating, the Web page design.
initial page
The page that initially appears in a frame when a
site visitor browses to a frames page containing that
frame.
inline style
A cascading style sheet rule whose properties and
values apply only to a specific element on a Web page,
such as a table or a graphic. The style sheet rule
is part of the HTML tag for that element.
interlaced GIF
A picture in Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) format
that gradually displays in a Web browser, showing
increasingly detailed versions of the picture until
the entire file has finished downloading.
internal hyperlink
In FrontPage, a hyperlink pointing to any Web page
or file in the active Web site.
internal Web site
A Web site created within an organization and available
only on the intranet for that organization. An internal
Web site is accessible only to members of that organization.
Internet
The worldwide collection of computers, networks and
gateways that use TCP/IP protocols to communicate
with one another.
Internet address
A unique address that identifies the location of a
page, file, or other type of resource on the Internet.
An Internet address typically includes four elements:
the protocol for accessing the resource, such as http://;
the server type; the server name, which is often the
name of the organization that maintains the resource;
and, a suffix, which typically identifies the type
of organization that maintains the resource. An Internet
address is also called a Uniform Resource Locator.
Internet Protocol (IP)
A TCP/IP protocol that divides data into packets,
routes packets from a sender to a destination network
and station, and reassembles the packets into the
original data.
Internet Server Application Programming Interface
(ISAPI)
An application programming interface designed specifically
for Web servers running Internet Information Server
(IIS). When a Web browser sends or requests information
from a Web server, ISAPI processes the information
by running scripts and other processes, and then submits
the information to the Web server. ISAPI then retrieves
the results from the Web server and sends them to
the browser as a Web page.
Internet service provider (ISP)
A business that supplies Internet connectivity services
to individuals, businesses, and other organizations.
intranet
A network within an organization that uses Internet
technologies and protocols but is available only to
certain people, such as employees of a company. An
intranet is also called a private network.
IP
See Internet Protocol
IP address
An abbreviation for Internet Protocol address. A standard
for identifying a computer that is connected to the
Internet. An IP address is four groups of numbers
from 0 through 255, each separated by a period—
for example, 123.432.154.12
ISAPI
See Internet Server Application Programming Interface
ISP
See Internet Service Provider
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J
Java
An object-oriented programming language developed
by Sun Microsystems, Incorporated. Programs written
in Java are platform-independent, which means they
can run on any type of computer.
Java applet
A program written in the Java programming language
that can be included in an HTML page. Java applets
can be downloaded and run by a Web browser capable
of interpreting Java, such as Internet Explorer or
Netscape Navigator.
Java Virtual Machine
A program that runs Java applets and programs. The
Java Virtual Machine is included with most Web browsers.
JavaScript
A scripting language that can be used to add functionality
to or enhance the look of a Web page or a Web site.
JavaScript scripts can run on any type of client or
server computer.
JHTML
(Java within Hypertext Markup Language)
Is a standard for including a server-side Java
program as part of a Web page. JHTML requires
installing a Java compiler on the Web server.
Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)
A raster graphics file format for displaying high-resolution
color graphics on the World Wide Web. JPEG graphics
apply a user-specified compression scheme that can
significantly reduce the file sizes of photo-realistic
color graphics. A higher level of compression results
in lower quality, whereas a lower level of compression
results in higher quality. JPEG-format files have
a .jpg file name extension. See also progressive JPEG.
JPEG
See Joint Photographic Experts Group
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K
N/A
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L
LAMP
The
acronym LAMP refers
to a
solution stack of software, usually
free software /
open-source software, used to run dynamic
Web sites or
servers.
landing page
A landing page is the web page web surfers arrive at
after clicking on your promotional ad teaser on the
internet.
layer
A container in a Web page that holds page elements,
such as text and graphics. You can overlap, nest,
and show or hide layers on a page. You can also animate
layers by using Behaviors, which add script to any
tag in a page.
layout cell
A cell in a layout table.
layout table
A predefined layout that defines the structure of
a Web page as a table. A layout table can also include
formatting such as rounded corners, borders, and visual
effects. See also autostretch.
link. Also see hyperlink.
link bar
In FrontPage, a collection of graphical or textual
buttons containing hyperlinks to Web pages.
list members
Valid code elements, such as properties, methods,
and events, for a specific object reference.
live Web site
A Web site that has been published to a Web server
and can be browsed by site visitors. See also staging
Web site.
local Web site
When publishing files from one location to another
by using FrontPage, the Web site that is currently
active, or open, in FrontPage. See also remote Web
site.
loop
The process of playing a sound repeatedly a specific
number of times or endlessly.
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M
Macromedia Flash
See Flash
mailto
The Internet protocol for sending electronic mail.
META tag
An HTML tag in the HEAD portion of a Web page. META
tags contain information about a page, such as the
character encoding for the page.
MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type
A method used by Web browsers to associate files of
a certain type with programs that display files of
that type.
Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)
A family of standards for coding audio-visual information,
such as movies, video, and music, in a digitally compressed
format. MPEG files are typically smaller than most
video formats, but provide the same quality. MPEG-format
files have an .mpeg or an .mpg file name extension.
MPEG
See Moving Pictures Experts Group
multi-hosting
The ability of a Web server to support more than one
Internet address and more than one home page. Multi-hosting
is also called multi-homing.
mySQL
Is a
multithreaded,
multi-user
SQL
database management system
(DBMS)
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N
name-value pair
The name of a form field and the value of the field
when the form is submitted. Each field in a form can
have one or more name-value pairs and the form itself
can have one or more name-value pairs.
navigation bar
See link bar
navigation view
In FrontPage, the view for creating, displaying, printing,
and changing the navigational structure of a Web site.
Navigation view includes a folder-like view, where
you can drag and drop Web pages in the navigational
structure of a Web site.
network location
In a URL, a unique name that identifies an Internet
server. A network location has two or more parts,
separated by periods— for example, www.example.com.
Also called host name and Internet address.
news
The Internet protocol (news://) for retrieving files
from an Internet newsgroup.
news reader
'news client', a computer utility program for
reading Usenet newsgroups
NTLM
(NT LanMan) The Windows NT Challenge/Response authentication
protocol. This protocol uses encryption to help protect
the security of passwords during transmission.
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O
ODBC
See Open Database Connectivity
OLE
A program-integration technology for transferring
and sharing information between programs. OLE lets
an author invoke different editor components to create
a document that embeds or links to another document.
open database connectivity (ODBC)
A standard method of sharing data between databases
and programs. ODBC drivers use standard Structured
Query Language (SQL) to gain access to external data.
open source
Software
source code is made
available under a
copyright
license (or arrangement
such as the
public domain) that meets
the
Open Source Definition.
Users are permitted not only to use the software for
free, but to change, and improve the software, and
to redistribute it in modified or unmodified form.
optimized HTML
HTML code that doesn’t contain unnecessary formatting
or tags. By using FrontPage, you can optimize the
HTML in your Web pages when you publish them to a
Web site.
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page banner
A section of a Web page containing a graphical element
and text, such as the page title. Page banners typically
appear at the top of a Web page.
page template
A predesigned Web page that you can customize. Page
templates might include layout tables, styles, formatting,
graphics, or other page elements.
page title
Descriptive text that identifies a page. A page title
appears in the title bar of the Web browser window
when a page is open.
page view
In FrontPage, the view for creating and designing
Web pages.
parent Web site
In a hierarchical structure, the Web site that contains
the active site.
parent-level page
In FrontPage, a page in a Web site that is part of
the navigational structure of the site and links to
one or more pages on the child level of the site.
See also link bar, Web site structure.
password
The string of characters entered by a user to verify
his or her identity to the network. The system compares
the code against a stored list of authorized passwords
and users. If the code is legitimate, the system allows
the user access at whatever security level has been
approved for the owner of the password. Ideally a
password is a combination of text, numbers, and punctuation
or other characters that cannot be guessed at or easily
cracked by intruders.
path
The portion of a URL that identifies the folders containing
a file. For example, in the URL http://www.example.com/hello/world/top.htm,
the path is /hello/world/.
PC Paintbrush (PCX)
A graphics file format that compresses the graphic's
data with RLE-type compression, used by early versions
of Windows Paintbrush. PCX-format files are a type
of bitmap graphic and they have a .pcx file name extension.
PCD
See Photo CD
PCX
See PC Paintbrush
Photo CD (PCD)
A graphics file format developed by Eastman Kodak
Company. Photo CD-format files have a .pcd file name
extension.
PHP
PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting
language that is designed for producing dynamic web
pages and can be embedded in HTML.
picture
See graphic
pixels
(abbreviation for picture element)
A pixel is a single point (smallest), of reference
used in measurement in a graphic image.
plug-in
A program that allows Web browsers to access and execute
files that are embedded in HTML documents and are
in formats that browsers typically would not recognize,
such as many video and audio formats. For example,
the Windows Media Player plug-in allows Internet Explorer
to play movies in the browser window.
PNG
See Portable Network Graphics
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)
An Internet standard for transmitting data over serial
links between computers.
pop-up
An element (picture or content box), is activated by
programming (usually javascript), to suddenly appear
from a web page onto the web browser's screen with
advertising or a message etc.
port
One of the network input/output channels of a computer
running TCP/IP. On the World Wide Web, the port usually
refers to the port number a server is running on.
A single computer can have many Web servers running
on it, but only one server can be running on each
port. The default port for Web servers is 80.
PDF
(portable document format)
A file format created by Adobe Systems in 1993 for
document exchange. PDF is used for representing
two-dimensional documents in a device independent
and display independent document presentation.
Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
A file format for compressed bitmap graphics, similar
to the GIF format. PNG supports variable transparency
of images (alpha channels) and control of image brightness
on different computers (gamma correction). PNG-format
files have a .png file name extension.
PPP
See Point-to-Point Protocol
Preview view
In FrontPage, a view for viewing Web pages as they
will appear in a Web browser.
progressive JPEG
An enhancement to the JPEG graphics file format that
gradually displays a photo-realistic graphic in a
Web browser, showing increasingly detailed versions
of the graphic until the entire file downloads. Although
similar to the interlaced GIF format, the progressive
JPEG format retains high quality, 24-bit color and
offers the same compression as standard JPEG format.
See also interlaced GIF.
protocol
A set of rules and standards that allow computers
to communicate.
proxy server
A computer that acts as a gateway between a network
protected by a firewall and other networks. For example,
a proxy server passes a request for an Internet address
from a Web browser in the protected network to an
outside server and then returns the results.
publish
The process of making a Web site available on the
World Wide Web or an intranet by copying its pages
and files to a Web server that is connected to the
Internet or network.
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Quick Tag Editor
In FrontPage, a window that allows you to insert,
wrap, and edit HTML tags.
Quick Tag Selector
In FrontPage, a toolbar in the document window that
allows you to select specific sets of HTML tags.
QuickTime
A multimedia technology that is built into the Apple
Macintosh operating system. Macintosh programs that
support audio and video content use QuickTime technology
to play that content. A Microsoft Windows-based computer
can also play QuickTime files, if the QuickTime plug-in
is installed on that computer.
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raster graphics
Images created as a collection of small, independent
dots, called pixels, which are arranged in rows and
columns. See also vector graphics.
RDBMS
See relational database management system
record
In a database, a group of related fields of information
that are treated as a single unit. Records are the
logical equivalents of rows in a table. In FrontPage,
a group of records is referred to as a record set.
redirect
Refers to a URL redirect, where incoming links to
the an outdated URL can be coded to send the browser
to another Internet location automatically.
referring domain
On the Internet and intranets, the address of a network
location from which site visitors follow a hyperlink
to another Web site.
registered user
A Web site visitor whose name and password has been
recorded within the Web site.
relational database management system (RDBMS)
A database system that organizes data into related
rows and columns as specified by a relational model.
Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle are examples of relational
database management systems.
relative URL
The Internet address of a Web page or other World
Wide Web resource relative to the Internet address
of the active page. A relative URL gives the path
from the active page to the destination page or resource.
remote web site
When publishing files from one location to another
by using FrontPage, the Web site on the destination
server. See also local Web site.
remote web site view
In FrontPage, a view for publishing folders and files
in a Web site to a Web server. You can also synchronize,
or merge changes between, files in two or more locations
when you publish them.
reports view
In FrontPage, a view for analyzing the contents of
a Web site. For example, you can calculate the total
size of the files in your site, and identify slow
or outdated pages.
resample
The process of changing the pixel dimensions of a
graphic after changing its size. A graphic can be
resampled down, which decreases the number of pixels
in it, or resampled up, which increases the number
of pixels in the graphic by matching the color values
of the existing pixels.
rollover
Is a response activated when a mouse cursor is
positioned over a particular part of a webpage. This
feedback can include a change in color, image, sound
or a pop-up content box.
RSS
(formally "RDF Site Summary", now "Really Simple
Syndication") is a family of
Web feed formats used to
publish frequently updated content such as
blog entries, news
headlines or
podcasts. An RSS document,
which is called a "feed", "web feed", or "channel",
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script
A type of computer code that sends a set of instructions
to a program, such as a Web browser. A script is run
directly by a program that can interpret the language
in which the script is written. On the World Wide
Web, scripts are commonly used to customize or add
interactivity to Web pages.
section 508
(of the Rehabilitation Act of 1998)
Requires access to electronic and information
technology provided by the Federal government. This
federal law applies to all Federal agencies that
develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and
information technology. It also ensures that
technology is accessible to employees and the public
with disabilities to the extent it does not pose an
"undue burden.
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
A standard, developed by Netscape Communications,
for encrypting information and transmitting it over
the Internet more securely.
selector
In a cascading style sheet style definition (or style
rule), the HTML element linked to a particular set
of style properties and values.
SEO - search engine optimization
A separate component of web design. SEO is where a web site is designed specifically to achieve a high ranking in a search engine. This includes key words and layout and web site content etc among other important contributing factors.
separator character
A character that indicates where you want new rows
or columns to begin when you convert text to a table.
server
On a network, a computer that provides access to files
and other resources that are also part of the network.
On the World Wide Web, a computer that hosts Web pages
and responds to requests from Web browsers.
server-side image map
An image map that passes the coordinates of the mouse
pointer to a CGI handler routine on the server. Server-side
image maps require the Web server to compute the target
URL of the hyperlink based on the mouse pointer coordinates.
See also image map.
SGML
See Standard Generalized Markup Language
shared border
In FrontPage, a region of a Web page that is common
to one or more pages in a Web site. A shared border
may be a region at the top or bottom of a page (similar
to a page header or footer), at the left, or at the
right. Use shared borders to place the same content
on multiple pages in one step, rather than editing
each page.
slow page
A Web page that requires an inordinate amount of time
to open in a Web browser.
Split view
In FrontPage, a view that combines Code and Design
views by displaying each view in a separate pane of
the document window. One pane displays the source
code of the Web page and the other pane displays an
approximated WYSIWYG view of that page.
SQL
See Structured Query Language
SSL
See Secure Sockets Layer
staging web site
A Web site that is maintained on a private file or
Web server. Staging sites allow authors and workgroups
to change and review Web pages or files before publishing
those pages or files to the World Wide Web or a company
intranet. See also live Web site.
standard generalized markup
language (SGML)
A language for organizing and tagging elements and
data in a document. SGML itself does not specify any
particular formatting; rather, it specifies the rules
for tagging elements. Tags can then be interpreted
to format elements in different ways.
statement
of work (SOW)
A very comprehensive proposal document used for web
development life cycle timeline for large projects.
The SOW usually includes, scope of work, standards,
performance benchmarks, deliverable and special
requirements. Experienced web design personnel
live by this respected guideline.
Structured Query Language (SQL)
A database query and programming language widely used
for accessing, querying, updating, and managing data
in relational database systems. By using SQL, you
can retrieve data from a database, create databases
and database objects, add data, modify existing data,
and perform other, more complex functions. With SQL,
you can also change the server configuration, modify
database or session settings, and control data and
access statements.
style
A set of formatting characteristics for text or other
page elements. See also cascading style sheet.
sub domain
a specifiied section within a domain =
http://inside.head.com where "inside" is
a sub domain
No www is used in url path that contains a sub
domain.
subsite
A named subdirectory of a Web site that is also a
complete site.
synchronize
When publishing files by using FrontPage, the process
of identifying differences between two or more versions
of a file and resolving those differences by merging
the content into a single version of the file.
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table
One or more columns and rows of cells that organize
the layout of a page or arrange data systematically.
tag
See HTML tag
Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)
A high-resolution, tag-based file format commonly
used for the scanning, storage, and interchange of
gray-scale graphics. TIFF-format files have a .tiff
or .tif file name extension.
Targa (TGA)
A photorealistic, raster graphics file format developed
by Truevision Incorporated and designed for systems
that have a Truevision display adapter. TGA-format
files have a .tga file name extension.
target frame
The name of a frame in which the target of a hyperlink
is displayed. Typically, a hyperlink from one frame
on a frames page will supply as its target frame another
frame on the frames page. See also frame, frames page.
tasks view
In FrontPage, a view that lists both the tasks required
and the tasks you choose to track when completing
or maintaining a Web site.
TCP
See Transmission Control Protocol
template
A set of pre-designed text formatting, graphics, and
layout settings for a Web page or site. After you
create a page or site by using a template, you can
customize it. See also Dynamic Web Template.
TGA
See Targa
theme
In FrontPage, a set of color schemes, graphics, and
other page elements that you can apply to one or more
pages in a Web site.
thread
In e-mail and Internet newsgroups conversations, a
series of messages and replies that are related to
a specific subject.
thumbnail
A small representation of a picture on a Web page,
usually containing a hyperlink to a full-size version
of the graphic.
TIFF
See Tagged Image File Format
top-level Web site
The uppermost folder in a hierarchy of Web site folders.
A top-level Web site can be hosted on a Web server,
a virtual server network, or a local computer hard
disk. A top-level Web site is also called a root Web
site. See also subsite.
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
Internet networking software that controls the transmission
of packets of data over the Internet. Among its tasks,
TCP checks for lost packets, arranges the data from
multiple packets into the correct order, and requests
that missing or damaged packets be sent again. Computers
must run TCP to communicate with Web servers.
TWAIN
Developed by a consortium of imaging hardware and
software manufacturers, TWAIN is a cross-platform
interface for sharing graphics between computers and
TWAIN-compliant scanners, digital cameras, and still-frame
video capture boards.
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U
Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
See Internet address
UNIX
A multi-user, multitasking operating system that exists
in various forms and implementations, typically used
on proprietary computer workstations. Many Web servers
run on UNIX systems.
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variable
Letters or a name that can represent numeric values,
characters, character strings, or memory addresses.
When writing code, a programmer uses variables to
represent data. Then, when the program executes, the
variables are replaced with real data.
VB
See Visual Basic
VBA
See Visual Basic for Applications
VBScript
See Visual Basic Scripting Edition
vector graphics
Images generated from mathematical descriptions that
determine the position, length, and direction in which
lines are drawn. Vector graphics are collections of
lines rather than patterns of individual dots or pixels.
See also raster graphics.
Vector Markup Language (VML)
An XML-based language for creating two-dimensional
vector graphics in an HTML or XML document. VML uses
XML tags and cascading style sheets to create and
place graphics, such as circles and squares, in a
document, such as a Web page. These graphics can include
color and can be edited in several graphics programs.
virtual server
A collection of file and other hosting services that
appears to be a separate server, but is not associated
with a specific server. Each virtual server has its
own domain name and IP address and appears as an individual
Web site. A Web server that supports virtual servers
is called a multi-hosting Web server.
visit
In Web site usage reports, a value that indicates
that a site visitor has accessed your Web site and
viewed one or more files before following a hyperlink
to another site or closing the browser. See also hit.
visited hyperlink
See followed hyperlink
Visual Basic
An object-oriented programming language. Visual Basic
was developed by Microsoft for building Windows-based
programs.
Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
A subset of the Microsoft Visual Basic programming
language. VBA is used for programmatically accessing
Windows programs and is supported by several Microsoft
Office programs, including FrontPage.
Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript)
A scripting language that can be used to add functionality
to a Web page or a Web site, or to enhance the look
of one. VBScript is optimized for Web-related programming,
and it is a subset of the Microsoft Visual Basic programming
language.
VML
See Vector Markup Language
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W3C
See World Wide Web Consortium
watermark
A graphic that appears on the background of a Web
page. Unlike background pictures, watermarks do not
scroll with the other elements on a Web page.
web browser
A program that interprets HTML files, formats them
into Web pages, and displays them. You can use a Web
browser to jump from one Web page to another by following
hyperlinks, to download files from the Internet to
your computer, and to play audio or video files that
are embedded in a Web page.
web host
Web hosts are companies that provide space on a
server they own for use by their clients as well as
providing
Internet connectivity.
web part
A modular unit of information that contains Web-based
content and is the building block of a Web Part Page.
A Web Part is made up of several component files that
store the data and information necessary to render
the Web Part.
web portal
Is a web site that functions as a point of access to
comprehensive, yet widespread information
on the internet.
web site
A set of associated Web pages, graphics, documents,
multimedia, and other related files that are stored
in a shared directory on a Web server.
web site structure
In FrontPage, the set of relationships between the
pages in a Web site. See also link bar, Navigation
view.
Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV)
An application protocol related to HTTP 1.1 that allows
authors, using different computers, to publish and
manage files on the World Wide Web. WebDAV provides
support for storing various types of information about
a file, such as the author of a file. By using this
information, you can both view and change information
about the content of a file and its properties, without
overwriting changes that someone else might have made
to that file.
WebDAV
See Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning
well-formed XML document
An XML file in which there is only one root element
and all the elements, delimited by start- and end-tags,
nest properly within each other and are syntactically
correct.
Windows Metafile Format (WMF)
A vector graphics file format for Windows-based computers.
This format is typically used when working with graphics
in a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word.
WMF-format files have a .wmf file name extension.
WMF
See Windows Metafile Format
World Wide Web
The graphical, multimedia portion of the Internet.
The most common files on the World Wide Web are HTML
documents, which are also known as Web pages. Each
Web page, as well as other types of files, on the
World Wide Web has an address, called a Uniform Resource
Locator (URL), which uniquely identifies it.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
A consortium of commercial and educational institutions
that oversees research and promotes standards in all
areas related to the World Wide Web.
WYSIWYG
An acronym for "What You See Is What You Get."
With a WYSIWYG view, you can see how your Web page
or document will appear in the final product. You
can also directly edit the text, graphics, and other
elements in a document while using a WISYWIG view.
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X
XHTML
The Extensible HyperText Markup Language, or
XHTML, is a markup language that has the same
depth of expression as HTML, but also conforms to
XML syntax.
XML
See Extensible Markup Language
XSL
see Extensible Stylesheet Language
XSLT
see Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation
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Y
N/A
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Z
N/A
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