In this chapter you find some easy to understand definitions for specific web terms. It is not necessary to know and understand them, but taking a look over this section, might help you to take more advantage of WinSurvey and its functions.
If you are already familiar with these terms, feel free to skip this section and go to Survey basics
Address
Generic term for a unique name or number identifying a computer or user on a network. Common usage includes: IP address, email address.
Browser
Generic term for a software application that is capable of rendering HTML documents, i.e. Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator and Opera.
CGI - Common Gateway Interface
Standard for web server scripting. Historically most CGI programs were written in scripting languages such as PERL. Nowadays there is a wider range of tools and formats for creating CGI programs.
Client
A part of software that is used to request information from a server. Common examples include all web browsers (they request HTML documents from web servers).
Daemon
From Greek mythology which describes daemons as guardian spirits. Pronounced demon or damon, this is a process that runs in the background and performs a specified operation at predefined times or in response to certain events. Typical daemon processes include emails and print queues.
Database
A set of related files that is created and managed by a database management system (DBMS). Today, DBMSs can manage any form of data including text, images, sound and video. Database and file structures are always determined by the software.
A way of transmitting and receiving messages via local (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN). Messages can be text or HTML formatted, and other documents may be 'attached' to an email message.
FTP - File Transfer Protocol
A tool to transfer files through the Internet from one computer to another. For example, it can be used to upload your website from where it was built to a website.
HTML - HyperText Markup Language
A standard method of marking up or tagging a document, so that it can be displayed on another computer with basic formatting and functions.
HTTP - HyperText Transfer Protocol
The client-server protocol upon which the World Wide Web is based. A protocol for moving hypertext files across the Internet. Requires an HTTP client program on one end and an HTTP server program on the other.
IP address - Internet Protocol Address
A unique address assigned to each computer on a TCP/IP network.
Example: 205.160.0.81.
Port
If all trains arriving at the same time at a large station had to use the same platform, there would be confusion, not to mention numerous collisions. A computer offering various services (a server) is confronted with the same problem regarding network traffic.
Protocol
The regulations that govern the transmission and reception of information across a data communications link. Language that computers use to communicate with each other. A set of standards that assures that different network products can work together. Any product using a given protocol should work with any other product using the same protocol.
Script
Similar to a DOS batch file. Writing a script allows you to automate complex sequences of instructions.
Server
A computer or a software package, that provides specific services to the client software running on other computers.
TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
A suite of protocols used as the basis of all communication on the Internet. Originally it was only found on Unix systems, now TCP/IP is the most frequently used network protocol.
URL - Uniform Resource Locator
A standard way to indicate the address of any resource in the Internet. The most common way to enter a URL is using a browser program such as Netscape, Internet Explorer or Opera.
Example: Generally a URL looks like this: http://www.disney.com/games.
WWW - World Wide Web
This has two meanings. The first, loosely used, refers to all resources that can be accessed by using Gopher, Usenet, FTP, HTTP, Telnet and other tools. The second refers to the world of hypertext servers (HTTP servers) which are the servers that allow to mix text, graphics, sound files etc. together.