Applet
A Java program that creates multimedia elements on a Web page.

Application Server
A computer that handles all operations between a company's back-end applications or databases and the users' computers' Web browsers.

Application service provider (ASP)
A company that provides software functionality over the Internet or a private network for a fee.

Application Software
Software applications that are intended for end-users, such as database programs, word processors, and spreadsheets. Application software runs on top of system software.

Architecture
The overall design of a system of hardware or software, which includes definitions ranging from precise mechanisms to broad outlines.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The branch of computer science concerned with making computers behave like humans.

Authentication
The process of confirming a user's identity; commonly achieved using passwords or digital certificates.

Bandwidth
The amount of data a network can transport in a given time period. Higher bandwidth means more data per second can be transferred.

Binary
Information a computer can deal with directly. They only understand 1 or 0: on or off (1=on or 0=off) Then operating systems and programs take a sequence of 1's and 0's and translate them to information we can understand.

Bluetooth
A microchip based on proprietary short-range radio technology that connects handheld devices and computers without wires or cables.

Boutiques
Small, specialized consulting firms.

Broadband
A telecommunications network that can process a large amount of data.

Browser
Graphical interface that enables users to access, view and navigate the Web.

Business Intelligence
The sets of tools and applications that query the OLAP data and provide reports and information to the enterprise decision makers.

Cache (memory)
Special area of memory that stores recent commands so they can be executed faster than calling the information back from the Hard Drive again.

Cache (disk)
There is also disk cache that is more software related, it basically hold information in memory as it is writing to the disk, and allows the user to continue without waiting until the writing is done.

Change management
The practice of steering a company in a new strategic direction and keeping all involved people and projects aligned with the new goals as the organization, jobs, technology and processes are uprooted.

Client
The requester of information, such as a desktop computer or terminal, in a client/server computing relationship.

Client/server computing
An interconnected network environment in which servers distribute processing power and software applications to workstations.

Computer architecture
The entire blueprint of a computer system.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
The practice of designing an enterprise around customers and their wants and needs. Enterprises using the CRM approach use technology and strategy to get a more complete view of the customer.

Database
Computer program used to store information in "Records" and "Fields" containing information. (ex. Names and phone numbers; items and serial numbers; etc.)

Data mart
A repository of data that serves a particular community of knowledge workers. The data may come from an enterprise wide database or a data warehouse.

Data mining
The practice of extracting data from a data warehouse in order to analyse patterns, trends and relationships.

Data modelling
The practice of analysing an enterprise's data and identifying the relationships among the data.

Data scrubbing
The practice of monitoring a data warehouse and removing data that is not trustworthy or timely.

Data warehouse
A database containing data that usually represents the business history of an organization. This historical data is used for analysis that supports business decisions at many levels, from strategic planning to performance evaluation of a discrete organizational unit.

Delimited
What separates fields of information in text files (ex. Export a dBase database file to ASCII text in a "tab delimitated" format, so that a tab character separates the first name from the last name fields, then use the file in another program.)

Drill down
Organization method of menus for getting to settings and configurations. Meaning you open one box - click on a button to open a 2nd box, click on another button to open the third box where you can change a setting (font size, screen color, etc.)

Domain
A logical grouping of computers and/or networks. In NT networking terminology it is a logical grouping of a network. More complex and object oriented than the hierarchical structure used by DOS, Banyan, etc.

Dynamic HTML (DHTML)
The combination of the HTML Web-authoring language with languages like Javascript that enable interactivity. DHTML produces Web content that moves on the screen and rearranges itself behind the screen.

E-business
The process of conducting business on the Internet.

E-commerce
The process of selling and buying goods and services on the Internet.

Enterprise relationship management (ERM)
The practice of analyzing customer data from sales, marketing, service, finance and manufacturing databases in order to relate efficiently to customers.

Enterprise resource management (ERM)
The practice of providing users with efficient access to an organization's network resources. ERM enables the enterprise to control and track the systems and resources that each user has access to and provides consistent standards for creating and changing passwords.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
The practice of consolidating an enterprise's planning, manufacturing, sales and marketing efforts into one management system.

Expert system
A system programmed to use logic or rules to answer questions and solve problems.

Extensible markup language (XML)
An authoring language with which organizations design the appearance of and relationship between data. XML may eventually replace HTML as the standard Web language.

Extranet
A network of controlled-access Web resources that are available only to specific users, such as customers or trading partners.

e-zine
Web site dedicated to providing news and information (like magaZINEs).

Firewall
A software and/or hardware system that isolates a company's computer network from outsiders.

Front End
Interface users see to work with data. (may look like a little form to put info in)

ftp (File Transfer Protocol)
Set of standards for transferring information (in the form of files) from one computer to another; Verb: to download files from internet.

Gateway
Networking hardware used to connect several networks, mainframes, servers, etc. Has memory and software, and can process protocols and conversions.

Geek
Someone really into computer technology

Gooey (GUI)
Graphical user interface: An interface to an application that allows users to do things by clicking on a visual screen, as opposed to typing commands on a line. GUIs (pronounced "gooey") feature the following components: a pointing device (such as a mouse), icons, windows and menus.

Hypertext markup language (HTML)
An authoring language that is used to create documents on the Web.

Information services (IS)
The department within an enterprise responsible for computers, networking and data management.

Information technology (IT)
All aspects of managing and processing information with computers within companies.

Infrastructure
The hardware and physical components that make up a computing architecture.

Integrated services digital network (ISDN)
A communications standard for rapidly sending digital voice, video and data over phone lines.

Integration
The process of combining separately produced components of a product and altering them so that they can interact.

Intellectual capital
The knowledge assets that a company owns, including information in company databases as well as what individual employees know.

Intelligent agent
A program that automatically performs a service, such as gathering specific information, or that personalizes information on a Web site based on a user's registration information and usage analysis.

Internet
A global, decentralized network, often referred to as the Net, which connects millions of independent computers.

Internet protocol (IP)
A protocol commonly used with the higher-level Transport Control Protocol (TCP). IP is the network layer of the TCP/IP suite that specifies the format of packets and the addressing scheme.

Internet service provider (ISP)
A company that provides paid users with access to the Internet. Customers use software to connect to the ISP over phone or cable lines. ISPs connect to each other through NAPs (network access points).

Intranet
A collection of Web resources kept within a firewall for an enterprise's internal use.

IT value
The return on technology-related investments in terms of money and personnel. Companies assess IT value when prioritising and choosing which new IT investments to make and when gauging the payoff from a recent implementation or project.

I/O
Input Output (Type a letter = input, print the letter = output), but can also refer to more complex instructions that the computer uses internally to process information and where in memory the process is to occur. (I/O address = A020)

Java
A high-level object-oriented programming language that can run on most computers and is well suited for Web applications.

Knowledge management (KM)
Is the process of identifying and using knowledge to gain competitive advantage. The practice of researching, collecting and organizing an enterprise's employees' knowledge.

Link

• To share information from 1 program to another, such a database report to a Word doc. Differs from embedding in that if original is changed, then information is updated in 2nd program.
  
• Also refers to the actual files a computer reads when starting a program from the start button in Windows 95
  
• An area in a WWW web page that clicking on will take you to another web site.
  
• To connect 2 computers together in order to share information and resources.
  

Local area network (LAN)
A communications network that connects users within a single location, such as an office or university.

Loop
Section of code that repeats over and over (often checking for a particular condition), Often heard when a program starts a set of instructions that it can not exit from, causing a computer to lock up.

Material resource planning (MRP)
The practice of calculating what materials are required to build a product by analysing a bill of material data, inventory data and the master production schedule. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is an outgrowth of MRP.

Natural-language processing
A speech-to-text system that digitises spoken words, translates them into language a computer can understand and then converts that language to text.

Net PC
A type of network computer that acts as a terminal with a hard drive. Net PCs execute Windows applications locally and connect to a remote network to execute other applications.

Network computer (NC)
A computer with minimal memory, disk storage and processor power that executes programs and saves data on a shared network.

New economy
The current state of the global, innovative, Internet-influenced economic order. The old economy was static, with change occurring relatively slowly.

Notcom
A company with no presence on the Web.

On-line analytical processing (OLAP) glossary
OLAP technology enables data warehouses to be used effectively for online analysis, providing rapid responses to iterative complex analytical queries. OLAP's multidimensional data model and data aggregation techniques organize and summarize large amounts of data so it can be evaluated quickly using online analysis and graphical tools. The answer to a query into historical data often leads to subsequent queries as the analyst searches for answers or explores possibilities. OLAP systems provide the speed and flexibility to support the analyst in real time.

A cube has a set of dimensions. Data is stored at the intersection points of the members within the cubes.

Each dimension consists of a set of members. The members of a dimension can be consolidated or aggregated along a hierarchy or many hierarchies. This means that members can be aggregated in numerous ways. Each hierarchy has levels, and each level is made up of a set of members. The months dimension would typically be January through to December, with aggregations for quarters, half years and year. There could also be aggregations for year-to-date and average year-to-date hierarchies.

A data point (multidimensional cell or reference) is an intersection point between members of different dimensions. The number of data points in a cube is calculated by the product of the number of members of each dimension, of the cube.

A Virtual Cube is cube that links to data in another cube or cubes and may include additional information that is particular to the cube itself. The virtual cube may only not include the same dimensions that are in the source cube, although there will be some similar dimensions or virtual dimensions.

Virtual Dimensions are made up of the properties of the members within a dimension. These are extremely useful when trying to analyze patterns within a set of members.

Multidimensional OLAP (MOLAP) - Stores the OLAP summary information in efficiently structured data files. MOLAP cubes normally provide the best level of performance. Whether the calculated items are stored within these structures will depend on the OLAP product being used.

Hybrid OLAP (HOLAP) - Stores the summary information in the MOLAP cube format with the more detailed transactional information being available from the relational database.

Relational OLAP (ROLAP) - Stores all the information within a relational database. This will normally include the calculations as well.

OLE
Object Linking and Embedding - sharing information between programs, (ex. putting a spread sheet in a document)

Open source
Software built by programmers who think technology should be distributed without charge. Open source programs, such as the Linux operating system, post their source code free so that anyone can use, modify and improve them.

Operating system
The software that tells a computer how to run its most basic functions and how to interpret user commands.

Packet
A "chunck" or bit of information tied togeather to be sent or received over a network or internet. Often these packets are then "re-assembled" once they arrive at their destination, to re-form the original file.

Packet Switched Network
Networks that transfer packets of data. Packets are broken down into an efficient size for routing, each carrying its own number and the Internet address for which it is destined.

Packet-filtering firewall
A firewall technology that looks at packets of data going over a network and checks them against a routing table before permitting or denying them access.

Parallel computing
A computer processing architecture that allows several processors, which all have their own memory, to work simultaneously.

Parallel Processing
The practice of completing a task with several processors that share memory and work simultaneously.

Point-to-point protocol (PPP)
A protocol that enables two computers to communicate, typically a personal computer connected by phone line to a server.

Protocol
Rules that govern communications between connected computers.

Replication
The process of making a copy of something. When using a groupware product, replication means copying a database from one server to another so that all users share the same information.

Search engine
A program that delivers to users information and website addresses that relate to words they entered into the program's interface.

Secure sockets layer (SSL)
A security and privacy mechanism for the Web.

Short Messaging Service (SMS)
A service through which users can send text-based messages from one device to another. Messages may be as long as 160 characters.

Stand Alone
A computer that is not hooked up to a network

Structured query language (SQL)
A programming language. Pronounced "sequel," that builds applications that moves information in and out of databases.

Supply chain
The chain of suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and stores that enable a product to be made, sold and delivered.

Supply-chain management
The practice of managing the flow of goods, services and information along a supply chain-from suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, stores, on down to consumers and end users. SCM includes business strategy, information flow and system compatibility.

Symmetric multiprocessing (SMP)
The practice of completing a task with several processors that share memory and work simultaneously.

System Software
Software applications that manage computer resources and are not intended for end users, such as compilers, loaders, linkers, and debuggers.

Three finger salute
To restart the computer by pressing the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys all at the same time. Gets its title by users using 1 hand to hit all three keys at the same time.

Three-tier
A type of client/server architecture made up of three separate processes. The back-end tier stores the data in a database server, the middle tier runs an application server that handles most of the processing, and the user-facing tier runs on users' computers.

Topology
Layout of all computers, equipment, cables, and links on network. Various layers of a topology define how communication, proceedures, hardware etc., are related to or work with a network

Transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP)
The most common Internet communication protocol. The higher layer, TCP (transmission control protocol), assembles files into smaller packets that are transmitted over the Internet and received by another TCP layer that reassembles them. The lower network layer, (IP) Internet protocol, handles the address part of each packet so that it gets to the right destination.

Verify/Verification
The process of ensuring that information has not been changed in transit or in storage.

Virus
Computer instructions (code) that attaches itself to a program with the intent to cause harm - can range from annoying to destroying information.

Voice Recognition (VR)
New digital technology that allows software to translate spoken commands (analog) to computer language , input or commands (digital).

Web server
A computer that sends Web files from their publishers to Web users.

Webcasting
The practice of broadcasting digital media over the Internet.

Wide area network (WAN)
A communications network that connects separate locations.

Wireless Markup Language (WML)
A compact version of Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML), WML is based on Extensible Markup Language (XML) and will run with its own version of JavaScript (HDML does not use scripts).

Wizzy Wig
Refers to acronym WYSIWYG that means the screen displays exactly as a printed copy - "What You See, Is What You Get"