Style Guide

Appendix 4:
Computer and Internet Terms

@

  • The @ (at) sign must be used in all e-mail addresses.

bandwidth

  • Capacity of a network to carry data, usually expressed in bits.

baud

  • A unit for measuring the speed of data transmission by a computer.

bit

  • Acceptable in all references as an acronym for binary digit. Actual data take the form of electrical impulses, which can be thought of as on or off or 1 and O. The pulses are bits.

bps

  • Used to describe transmission speed.
  • Coined in 1949 as Binary Digits Browser software.

byte

  • A computer “word” made up of eight bits, or binary digits.

browser

  • A software that allows personal computers to navigate the World Wide Web and perform various operations when they are linked to a Web site. The two common browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

CD-ROM

  • Acceptable on first reference as an acronym for compact disc ready-only memory.
  • CD-ROM disc is redundant.

chat room

  • A Web site that allows computer users to send messages to each other in an online conversation.

cookie

  • A term for special information about an individual computer user, stored in a file on the hard drive, and usually accessed by a server when the user connects to the World Wide Web.

cyberspace

  • A term coined by William Gibson in 1984 in his science fiction novel, Neuromancer.
  • Refers to the Internet or the digital world of computer networks.
  • Avoid other words that use cyber- as a prefix except in direct quotes.

database

  • One word.

DNS

  • Acronym for Domain Name System, an international network of Internet domain servers, names and addresses.

domain name

  • The address used to locate a particular Web site or reach an e-mail system. In e-mail addresses, it is the part to the right of the @ sign.
  • It includes a suffix such as .com (commerce), .net (network service providers), .org (organizations), .edu (educational institutions), .gov (governments), .int (international organizations), .arpa (Internet infrastructure functions). Other suffixes include: .info, .biz., .name, .pro, .museum, .aero, .coop.
  • There are also 243 country-code suffixes (.fr for France, .eg for Egypt)
  • AUC’s domain name is: aucegypt.edu.

dot-com

  • Used informally to describe companies that do business on the Internet.

double-click

  • Hyphenate.

download

  • To copy a file from one computer to another or from a network onto a computer.

dpi

  • Acronym for dots per inch, which is a measure of print and screen resolution.

DSL

  • Acronym for Digital Subscriber Line, which is a high-speed access to the Internet over the telephone network.

DVD

  • Acronym for Digital Video Disk. These are similar to CD-ROMs, but are able to hold more music, video and data.

e-mail

  • Electronic mail. Lowercase except at the beginning of a sentence.
  • Also, e-commerce, e-business, e-book, e-shopping.

emoticon

  • A typographical cartoon or symbol used to indicate mood or appearance J

end user (n.), end-user (adj.)

  • Two words. Hyphenate when used as an adjective.

e-zine

  • Stands for electronic magazine.

FAQ

  • Acronym for Frequently Asked Questions. Spell out.

firewall

  • A software that monitors incoming and outgoing Internet traffic to a computer and checks for suspicious patterns.

freeware

  • Free software.

FTP

  • File Transfer Protocol, a common procedure for transferring files on the Internet. The acronym is acceptable on second reference.

gigabyte

  • A unit of computer storage capacity. A gigabyte is one billion bytes.
  • Abbreviation is GB on second reference.

GIF

  • Graphics Interchange Format, a compression format for images.
  • The acronym is acceptable, but it should be explained somewhere in the story. Use lowercase in a file name.

hacker

  • One who uses computer skills to illegally penetrate computer systems.

home page

  • An electronic page dedicated to a person or institution.

html

  • Hypertext markup language. Lowercase in Web addresses.

http

  • Hypertext transfer protocol. Do not include in Web addresses.

hyperlink

  • A hypertext connection between one file and a related file.

hypertext

  • A system of coding text and linking electronic documents.

intranet

  • A private network inside a company or organization for internal use only.

IP address

  • Internet Protocol address, a numeric address given to a computer connected to the Internet.

Internet; Information Superhighway

  • Always capitalize.

IP

  • Internet Protocol. Some common Internet protocols are FTP, HTTP, POP, PPP, SMTP, TCP/IP.

IS

  • Information Systems or Information Services.

ISP

  • Internet Service Provider.

IT

  • Acronym for Information Technology. Spell out. IT can be used on second reference.

Java

  • A computer programming language that can be run across the Internet.

JavaScript

  • A scripting language designed by Netscape that can run inside Web pages.

JPEG, JPG

  • Acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group, one of two common types of image compression mechanisms.

kilobyte

  • A unit of measurement for storage of digital data. A kilobyte is 1,000 bytes. Abbreviation is KB on second reference.
  • Do not put a space when used with numerals: 3000KB.
  • Use Kb in abbreviations for kilobits and Kbps for kilobits per second.

LAN

  • Stands for Local Area Network, which links computers within a geographically limited area.

listserv

  • A software program for setting up and maintaining discussion groups through e-mail.

login, logoff, logon

  • Gaining access to a computer network.
  • Write as two words when used as a verb: I log in to my computer.

Macintosh

  • A computer introduced by Apple in 1984. Always capitalize.

megabyte

  • A unit of computer storage capacity. A megabyte is one million bytes.
  • Abbreviation is MB on second reference.

modem

  • A device that converts signals produced by one type of device to a form compatible with another device.

mouse (singular), mouses (plural)

MP3

  • A popular audio compression format on the Internet.

MPEG

  • Moving Picture Experts Group.

Net

  • Shortened term for Internet. Always capitalize.

offline

  • One word.

online

  • Computer connection. One word.

password

  • Allows you to log on to a Web site or server.

PIN

  • Personal Identification Number.

plug-in

  • An add-in computer program that works in conjunction with a larger application, such as a browser.

PDF

  • Portable Document Format, a file format for the Adobe Acrobat reader.

Pentium processor

  • A computer processor made by Intel Corp.
  • Use Roman numbers to describe versions of the processor: Pentium IV.

POP

  • Point of Presence.

portal

  • A starting point for searching the Web, often with its own services.

protocol

  • A specification such as http that defines how computers will talk to each other.

pulldown menu

RAM

  • Acronym for random access memory, the working memory of a computer into which programs can be introduced and executed.

ROM

  • Acronym for read only memory, a storage chip that cannot be reprogrammed by the computer user.

search engine

  • A service that allows a computer user to find a Web site by typing in the topic. Used to find information on the Web.

server

  • The computer that is host to a Web site.

screen saver

  • Two words.

shareware

  • Software programs that may be tried without cost, but require a registration fee when used.

source code

  • A set of instructions in a programming language, generally used to build Web pages.
  • There is no plural form.

spam

  • Electronic garbage.

TCP/IP

  • Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol

Telnet

  • Remote login used to connect to another computer on the Internet

uplink

  • Transmit a signal from a ground station to a satellite

upload

  • Transfer a file from a personal computer to a server on the Internet

URL

  • Uniform Resource Locator, an Internet address.
  • When the URL does not fit on one line, break it into two or more lines without adding a hyphen or other punctuation mark.
  • Do not set URLs in italics or bold type.
  • When a URL comes at the end of a sentence, put a period after.

Usenet

  • A worldwide system of discussion areas called newsgroups.

User ID

  • The name used to log on to protected areas or programs.

virus

  • A program that replicates itself across a network or the Internet. It may be destructive and delete files or it may overwhelm a network by copying itself.

Web page

  • Two words. A page dedicated to a person or organization.

Web sites

  • Two words. A collection of Web pages on the Internet.

webcam, webcast and webmaster

  • One word.

World Wide Web

  • A global system of linking documents, images, sounds and other files across the Internet.
  • The Web is also acceptable.

whois

  • A means of looking up names in remote database to find out the “who” behind the domain name.

workstation

  • One word.

worm

  • A program that replicates itself without human intervention. If a user opens an e-mail attachment and the computer gets infected, that’s a virus. But a worm scans for new victim users and attacks by itself.

XML

  • Extensible markup language, used to sort, search and format information.

zip

  • Drive and disk for storing files.