The general term for a multitude of computer networks linking millions of computers together all over the planet.
WORLD WIDE WEB
Another general term that describes a method of communication on the Internet that enables information to be presented in a graphical format familiar to users.
WEB SITE or HOME PAGE
The equivalent of a printed page or pages on the World Wide Web, presented much like a printed page but in electronic form.
INTERNET ADDRESS (URL)
The address or Universal Resource Locator where a page or site or other resource can be found. Typically an address may be in the form of "http://www.aatravel.co.nz", or may be a numerical one i.e. "http://202.243.123.456".
INTERNET or WEB BROWSER
A software programme that is designed to run on a computer and display pages from the World Wide Web.
SEARCH ENGINE
A website with a web based interface for a database that stores Internet Addresses of web pages from the World Wide Web. The website will allow a user to search the entries in the database and find (hopefully) sites that are pertinent to the user's requirements. Search Engines invest time and effort to collect entries from as many of the millions of websites available on the World Wide Web as possible. Some of the many Search Engines are:
SPAM
Unsolicited email, the electronic equivalent of junk mail.
HITS
each time a page or a graphic (or other) element of a page is accessed on a site, this is termed a "hit". Thus a page with four photos may generate five "hits".
PAGE IMPRESSIONS or VIEWS
the user who views the page and four photos in "HITS" above would generate one page impression.
USER SESSIONS
the user who views multiple pages and spends time in one site generates a user session. The average length of a user session is calculated in minutes.
EMAIL
the electronic equivalent of paper based mail. Software programmes are designed to run on a computer and exchange email with one another.
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER (ISP)
a company that provides access to the Internet, to the user, usually via a telephone line to a computer.
INTRANET or EXTRANET
an "Internet" that is not publicly available but allows companies or other organizations to internally communicate in an Internet manner either within a building or across the world using Internet technology.
