Webopedia's Quick Reference Area

Use this reference section for information on common Internet and computer facts and occurrences.

Getting Started: How to Sell on eBay Ready to dive into online auctions? Our Getting Started guide offers information, tips and resources to help you list your first item on eBay. Web Search Engines & Directories If you're looking for information on the Web, there are a number of search engines from to choose. They are all different, yet they have inherent similarities. (Last updated: October 26, 2007) Data Formats and Their File Extensions Ever encounter a file extension you've never seen before? Check this page for more 3,700 data formats and their corresponding file extensions. (Last updated: October 12, 2007) Instant Messaging Abbreviations If you have ever been in a chat room or received an instant message or text message from someone that seemed to be in its own foreign language, this list will help you decipher the lingo. (Last updated: September 28, 2007) Tips for Implementing ITIL ITIL is a widely accepted approach to IT service management and provides a set of best practices drawn from the public and private sectors internationally. Here's how to make it work for you. A Guide to Web Stack Acronyms Web stacks contain an operating system, Web server, database server and programming language. One of the best-known Web stacks is LAMP, but there are many others. Social Networking Sites Web-based social networking services offer a way for individuals or groups to create a profile of themselves, then share that profile with other members of the social networking community. Public Wi-Fi Hotspots A Wi-Fi hotspot is defined as any location in which 802.11 (wireless) technology both exists and is available for use to consumers. Here are the factors you need to consider before you connect. The History of Blogging The origins of blogging go further back than the Internet to the days of personal diaries, chronicles and other written forms of personal musings. Online Auction Abbreviations With the growing popularity of online buying and selling, Internet and online classified lingo has also grown. Use our Guide To Understanding eBay & Auction Acronyms to stay up to date with the jargon. (Last updated: June 8, 2007) Brief Timeline of the Internet Although we think of the Internet as a new entity, its origins date back over 40 years. Here's a brief timeline highlighting important dates in Internet history. Graphics Software Terminology Graphics jargon is confusing. To help you better grasp this genre, we look at graphics software and define common terminology to help you work more easily with digital images. Get Your PC Ready for Windows Vista If you plan to upgrade to Vista, there are some things you need to consider first such as which verison, data backup and file transfer. A Guide to Public IM Services From AIM to Meebo to Yahoo Messenger, here's a list of the leading public (and free) instanting messaging services. How to Clean Your Computer From dusty computer fans to fingerprints on compact discs, computer parts and devices can get awfully dirty. Here are some tips to help keep things clean. What You Need in a Hosting Plan If you own a Web shop, it's especially important to find a company that offers a variety of cost-effective plans for e-commerce. We offer some tips on what to consider when shopping for a Web hosting provider. How Internet Telephony Works Discover how hardware and software enables people to use the Internet as the transmission medium for telephone calls. A Quick Guide to Google's Services Google, as you know, is much more than search. It's blogging, mapping, hopping, research and more. In fact, Google now has so many services it's hard to keep them straight. Use this quick reference to get a grip on Google. Virtualization: All About Hypervisors As virtualization — or at least talk of it — spreads through the enterprise, the word hypervisor is popping up everywhere. To understand what a hypervisor is, you first have to have a basic understanding of system virtualization. All About Browsers With the release of Microsoft's Internet Explorer this week, it's a good time for a little refresher course the role and history of browsers. Introduction to Mobile Devices Today's mobile devices are multi-functional devices capable of hosting a broad range of applications for both business and consumer use. Microsoft Windows Vista For years, computer users heard of a mysterious new operating system from Microsoft, codenamed Longhorn. In 2005, Microsoft officially removed the Longhorn codename and announced the operating System under the official name of Windows Vista. Network Security Appliances By 2008, IDC estimates that 80 percent of all security products will be delivered via an appliance How E-Commerce Sites Work Thanks to myriad products and services, doing business on the Web has been easier. However, before you can open for business, you need to understand how to offer products and accept payments. Computer Certifications Have you heard about a computer certification program but are not sure if it is right for you? Use this handy guide to find out more information and help you decide. (Last updated: 6/2/06) Blade servers These cost-efficient, slim and less power-consuming servers are a hit for high-performance computing as well as for the small and midsize business. Get a Grip on Google Services The search engine giant has so many services it's hard to keep them all straight. This reference highlights the many Google-branded offerings. Types of Internet Connections While technology changes at a rapid pace, so do Internet connections. The connection speeds listed below is a general snapshot, representing general average to maximum speeds at the time of publication. (Last updated: 4/7/06) An Introduction to Fonts Postscript versus TrueType, bit-map versus vector, screen versus printer. ... Font technology changed the way we used computers, but why are they so darn confusing? internet.com's Technology Forums nternet.com's community forums are a useful resource for getting questions answered and sharing knowledge about specific subjects. The following list contains descriptions of and links to some of the most active and helpful technology forums. Ask a question, or help others find the answers to theirs. (Last updated: 12/16/05) Wireless Networking Standards Wireless networking is becoming increasingly important to businesses, both small and large. Use this chart to make sense out of all the wireless local-area network standards. (Updated: Sept. 2, 2005) How E-mail Works Sure, you use e-mail everyday of the week, but what do you really know about the technology that has profoundly changed how we communicate. Understanding Graphics Formats Graphics file formats are not created equal. Each is designed to address a specific issue. Knowing not only which one to use, but when and how to use it is the key to presenting pleasing images efficiently. Removable Storage Reference Regardless of how big hard drive capacities get, there will always be a need for removable storage. We look at three technologies used to record and store data on the removable media: magnetic, optical and solid state. A Guide to System Memory Think deciding what computer to buy can be complicated? Just wait until you need to upgrade your system memory. We go inside Random-Access Memory (RAM) with a special focus on DRAM, which is — for now, anyway — the most common and affordable variety. The Digital Camera Picture If you can't keep up with advances in digital camera, you're not alone. We help you make sense of megapixels, zero in on the zooms (digital, optical and total) and delve into everything from price points to paper to printers. A Guide to Combating Spam Is Spam overwhelming your inbox and frustrating your employees? Is your organization's productivity being impeded by a flood of spam? Webopedia offers this list of links to resources that can help you filter it out and keep it at bay. File Size Conversion Table Giga, mega, tera, kilo? What do they mean? Do you need to find out how many megabytes are in a petabyte, or home many decimal places a gigabyte holds? Use this quick reference chart to compare computer data file sizes. Small Business Computing Essentials Small businesses have computing needs different from large enterprises. These special reports from Webopedia's sister site www.smallbusinesscomputing.com help the small business entrepreneur cut to the chase and provide the user with much needed fundamentals. Ethernet Designations IEEE 802.3 specifies a series of standards for telecommunication technology over Ethernet local-area networks. This chart details the different Ethernet designations and how they differ from one another. IRQ Numbers Prior to plug and play devices, users had to set IRQ values of devices manually when adding the device, such as a modem or printer, to a system. The following list of IRQ numbers specifies what each of the 16 IRQ lines are used for. Dial-Up Modem Standards The CCITT has classified dial-up modems according to modulation standards. Listed here are the standards and their different transmission speeds. Well-Known TCP Port Numbers In TCP/IP and UDP networks, a port is an endpoint to a logical connection and the way a client program specifies a specific server program on a computer in a network. This list of well-known port numbers specifies the port used by the server process as its contact port. N-Tier Application Architecture N-tier application architecture provides a model for developers to create a flexible and reusable application. By breaking up an application into tiers, developers only have to modify or add a specific layer, rather than have to rewrite the entire application over, if they decide to change technologies or scale up. Network Topology Diagrams Not all networks are designed the same. Here are diagrams of five of the most common network layouts. The 7 Layers of the OSI Model Use this handy guide to compare the different layers of the OSI model and understand how they interact with each other. Fiber Optical Networks By transmitting data digitally over fiber, optical networks offer increased bandwidth as well as provide higher capacity and reduce overall costs. Who's Who in Internet and Computer Technology The people listed in this section have made major contributions to the field of computer and Internet technology. As the technology leaps forward at a rapid pace, the list will continue to grow as new innovators make their mark on the industry. Server Types Different servers do different jobs, from serving e-mail and video to protecting internal networks and hosting Web sites. Learn about the many types of servers used today. Maximum Bandwidths How fast is fast? Chart puts into perspective line speeds used in Internet backbones, LANs, and WANs. Microprocessor Comparison Chart Clear up any or all processor confusion with this cut-to-the-chase comparison chart. Characters and ASCII Equivalents Special characters require special coding. Use these ascii equivalents to format special characters such as ™, ¿, ® and many others into your html document. Countries and Their Domain Extensions Not all domains end in .com, .org, or .edu. Different countries use different suffixes, usually two letters. If you encounter a Web site with a unique two-letter domain extension, look here for its country equivalent. Web Server Error Messages Ever encounter an error on your way to a Web site? Of course you have. Don't worry; you'll be glad to know most of them have nothing to do with your PC. It's usually the other guy's fault -- the Web server, that is. Here are some of the more common errors you'll see while surfing the Internet.