Denver DataMan Computer Glossary

These words have been defined because they have been used in Denver DataMan publications or because they are commonly misunderstood.

Accessibility

In terms of websites relates to the ability of a user using assistive technology for magnification to screen reading or the use of other technology such as captions to best use a website. There are standards set for accessibility by the W3C, an international standards organization for the Internet. There is also Section 508 standards for US government sites and others looking to be most accommodating to users with disabilities.

Algorithm

A computer term used to describe a series of mathematical steps that a computer does to process something. A computer has an algorithm for adding effects to a picture or for how Google ranks a site once its content has been indexed.

Bandwidth

The amount of information that a connection to the Internet can process at any one time. You can think of bandwidth as the size of a pipe. If you have a small pipe, less water can pass through. If you have a larger diameter pipe, than more water gets through. If you have more bandwidth (a faster Internet connection) than more data gets through and the inverse is also true.

DSL and Cable have relatively large pipes where dial-up is a very small pipe. The bandwidth for a large site might be equivalent to a water main.

Blog

A web site designed to share information that is updated often. A blog is often used like a journal to share thoughts and feelings on issues or on happenings in a company or organization. Blogs can be silly and not have much value but they can also be a key advertising and marketing technique.

Contact Relationship Management Database

A Contact Relationship Management Database is designed for tracking information and clients and others that organizations interact with. CRM databases are designed to show the relationships between contacts, their organizations and the actions that they take. For example, one might buy widgets and attend trainings on how to use their new widgets. This help you sell more of these things or other projects.

Content Management System (CMS)

A CMS is a website that uses a database to deliver content to viewers. CMSs make it possible to easily to change content on a page without having to make changes to the code of the page. A good CMS will also make it so that you can change the content independently of how that content is displayed.

Cyber crime

Crimes committed using the Internet. Cyber crimes usually involve identity theft or malisons use of content on a computer for activates like corporate espionage. Some hackers /cyber criminals use their skills just to stop computers systems from functioning properly.

Development Framework

A development framework is used as a generic starting point for creating software or Internet applications that can accomplish many specific tasks. It is like being able to build a very specific type of factory in a space that was designed for any type of factory.

Email Service Provider (ESP)

Services like Constant Contact that help you do mass emailing. These services will help you follow the Can SPAM law, maintain your list, and design emails that will work for your email recipients.

Firewall

A firewall is a security tool to keeps other users and malicious code off of your computer. You can think of it as a gate keeper for your computer - the good data is allowed to come in and the bad data is not.