Internet glossary from C to F.
A-C | C-F | G-M | M-S | S-W | W-Z
Compression
Compression is the process of reducing the size of a file by encoding its data information more efficiently.
Content Management System (CMS)
A computer application used to create, edit, manage and publish content in a consistently organised fashion. Typically a database application, a CMS makes it easy to publish and administrate content in a website.
Contextual advertising (Contextual targeting)
A form of targeted advertising for advertisements appearing on websites or other media, such as content displayed in mobile browsers. The advertisements themselves are selected and served by automated systems based on the content displayed to the user.
Cookie
Information from a web server, stored on your computer by your web browser. The purpose of a cookie is to provide information about your visit to the website for use by the server during a later visit.
ColdFusion
ColdFusion is a programming language based on standard HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) that is used to write dynamic web pages.
Cost Per Click (CPC)
CPC is the Cost Per Click, or the amount you pay when a user clicks through from your Pay Per Click ad to your website.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
A language for defining web styles in web documents.
Database
A database is a collection of information organised in such a way that a computer program can quickly select desired pieces of data.
Database System
A computer program (like MS Access, Oracle, and MySQL) to access and manipulate database data.
DHTML (Dynamic HTML)
A term commonly used to describe HTML content that can change dynamically.
Display advertising
Display advertising is a type of advertising that typically contains text, logos, photographs or other images, location maps and similar items. In periodicals, display advertising can appear on the same page as, or on the page adjacent to, general editorial content.
DNS (Domain Name Service)
An application running on a web server that translates domain names into IP addresses.
DNS Server
A web server running DNS.
DOM (Document Object Model)
The specification for how objects in a web page (text, images, headers, links, etc.) are represented.
Domain Name
A name that identifies one or more IP address.
Download (in web terms)
Transferring a file from a web server to a web client.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
An Internet connection over regular telephone lines, but much faster.
DTD (Document Type Definition)
A DTD is a document type definition which states what tags and attributes are used to describe content in an SGML, XML or HTML document.
Dynamic IP
An IP address that changes each time you connect to the Internet.
Email (Electronic mail)
The transmission of a message over the Internet.
Email address
The address used for sending e-mails over the Internet. Typical format is username@hostname.
Email server
A web server that manages incoming and outgoing emails.
Encryption
Converting the data from its original form into a form that can only be read when the encryption is reversed. Encryption should prevent unauthorised data access.
Ethernet
A type of local area network.
Exit rates
The exit rate defines the percentage of visitors that leave the page based on the number of visits the page has experienced. Unlike the bounce rate, an exit rate visitor might have come to the page from another web page on your site before exiting the website.
Expandable
Expandable ads interact with a user’s action. If a user moves over the banner with his mouse the advert expands and changes size so there is more space to display the message.
Firewall
A system designed to prevent unauthorised access to, or from, a private network.
Flash
Flash is vector animation (read about vector animation software) software, originally designed to create animations for display on web pages. Vector graphics are ideal for the web because they are so lightweight.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
A common method for sending files between two computers.