General Definitions

Here you will find acronyms and descriptions of general computer terms:

Client/Server

Client/server describes the relationship between two computer programs in which one program, the client, makes a service request from another program, the server, which fulfills the request. Although the client/server idea can be used by programs within a single computer, it is a more important idea in a network.

FTP

File Transfer Protocol. A commonly used protocol for exchanging files over any network that supports the TCP/IP protocol (such as the Internet or an intranet).

GUI

Graphical User Interface. An interface that has pictures as well as words on the screen. With windows, icons, pull-down menus, and the mouse, the graphical user interface is easier to learn and work with.

HTTP

HyperText Transfer Protocol. The protocol most often used to transfer information from World Wide Web servers to browsers, which is why Web addresses begin with http://. Also called Hypertext Transport Protocol.

ISP

Internet Service Provider. An organization that offers users access to the Internet and related services.

PHP

PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor. An open source, reflective programming language.

SMTP

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. The de facto standard for e-mail transmissions across the Internet.

Socket

One endpoint of a two-way communication link between two programs running on the network. A socket is bound to a port number so that the TCP layer can identify the application that data is destined to be sent.

SQL

Structured Query Language. The most popular computer language used to create, modify, retrieve and manipulate data from relational database management systems.

TCP

Transmission Control Protocol. Transport layer protocol (L4) that is one of the core protocols of the Internet protocol suite.

Tread

A part of a program that can execute independently of other parts. Operating systems that support multithreading enable programmers to design programs whose threaded parts can execute concurrently.

VB

Visual Basic. A computer programming language from Microsoft.

WAV

WAV (Or WAVE), short for Waveform audio format, is a Microsoft and IBM audio file format standard for storing audio on PCs.

WMI

Windows Management Instrumentation. In Microsoft Windows operating systems, a set of extensions to the Windows Driver Model