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Computer jargon explained

Just been pharmed by a Trojan?

When it comes to security, would you know phishing from keylogging, or how to get the right software to protect your PC? Our guide explains these common terms and offers valuable advice.

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Term	What does it mean?	Need to know more?
Avatar	A graphical representation you use to distinguish yourself from other people in online chat or forums. It can be a simple picture or an animation, but it should fairly represent how you are perceived by those who are chatting to you	To see examples of basic and animated avatars, check our online chat community
Banner	The most common form of online advertising, usually situated at the top of a Web page. Often animated and usually linking through to a microsite	For more information about the business side of Tiscali click here
Blog (or Weblog)	A website that performs a similar function to a diary, except that it's online and can be accessed by an audience and linked to from other Websites	You can create your own Website with Tiscali if you're a Member. Find out more
Bluetooth	A wireless communication system for PCs and other computing devices	Get connected to a wireless network with Tiscali Broadband
Blackberry	A Blackberry device is like a mobile but aims to perform more like your computer. Emails can be sent to the Blackberry just like text messages, so you get them as soon as they arrive	You can send and receive emails to your mobile with Tiscali
Bookmarks (or favourites)	An easy way to store direct links in your computer to sites you wish to return to	Simply access the Webpage you want to bookmark and (depending on your browser) go to Favourites or Bookmark and click on the add option
Broadband	A catch-all term used to describe computer connections at bandwidths higher than an ordinary modem, eg ADSL or cable	Find out about Tiscali's high-speed Broadband service or check out our free Tiscali Accelerator
Breadcrumb trail	A breadcrumb trail is a listing of pages often located at the top of the Web page that helps a user see where they currently are located and how to get back	Find out more about how to create the perfect Website here
Browser	A program used for viewing World Wide Web pages on the Internet	If you're having problems with your browser try our trouble-shooting tips
Cache	A temporary storage area for frequently or recently used data. For example, your computer will search its cacyhe to retrieve a recently viewed web page as it is quicker than downloading it from the server again	Too much information in your cache can sometimes cause your machine to slow down. Find out how to refresh it here
Channels	A collection of content (see below) grouped together by theme or function. Presented on a Portal (see below) for entertainment or informational purposes	For a full and comprehensive site map detailing all our channels and content click here
Chat	An conversation between two or more people that takes place online in a chat room	Chat online now in the Tiscali Community and find out how to stay safe while you're doing it
Compression	A method of making files smaller, either for storage or for internet speed of delivery. Includes JPEG and GIF for pictures, MP3 for music files, and zip for most others	Find out more about how to create the perfect Website here
Content	A variety of features, tools and services available on a Website for an audience to view and use. May be grouped into Channels for a Portal	For a full and comprehensive site map detailing all our channels and content click here
Cookie	A file stored on your computer by a Website, in order to track your preferences	You can reset your cookies by going to internet options under your tools menu and selecting 'delete cookies'
Cracked	Describes a program which bypasses a particular software's security code. In other words, if you have a CD or a pice of software which is a copy, the orginal has probably been cracked	Tiscali Secure PC detects and deters spyware, worms, spam and fraud. Find out more
Dial-up (or narrowband)	A computer connection which relies on telephone lines and a modem to connnect to the internet. Not to be confused with Broadband as much slower	You can sign up to a number of Tiscali dial-up products here. Or speed up your existing account for free with Tiscali Accelerator
Domain	An internet address owned by a company or individual	Find out more about how to create the perfect Website here
Emoticon	A symbol used to indicate emotion or physical reaction in a virtual space. For example, the most popular emoticon is the smiley :-)	Coming soon, a Members guide to emoticons
Firewall	A programme preventing security threats from hackers, spammers and viruses on your PC	Tiscali Secure PC contains a personal firewall to protect you from attacks. Find out more
Gb (or Gigabyte)	Measures information available on your hard disk and is worth approximately 1000 megabytes	Find out more in our encyclopaedia
Hits	Roughly speaking, hits are a measurement of visits to a website. They cannot be relied on to tell you how many unique visitors you had, however. Rather, they provide a reflection of activity on your Website	Find out more about how to create the perfect Website here
Homepage	The first page you see when you visit a website or portal	Check out http://www.tiscali.co.uk for up-to-date news and entertainment. You can make www.tiscali.co.uk your homepage by selecting internet options from your tools menu and inserting www.tiscali.co.uk into the text box
ISP (Internet Service provider)	A company or organisation that offers internet services, like Tiscali	Find out what we do here
Keylogging	A software or hardware program designed to track keystrokes on a computer to gather passwords, credit card numbers and other essential types of information	Tiscali Secure PC detects and deters spyware, worms, spam and fraud. Find out more
Mb (or megabyte)	A division of a gigabyte	Find out more in our encyclopaedia
Microsite	A small website, often created as part of an advertising or content deal by a larger Website	Tiscali creates new microsites all the time. Check out the Entertainment channel to find out more
Modem	A device that allows you to connect your PC to the internet. Many are now stored within the computer itself	If you're having problems with your modem try our trouble-shooting tips
Netiquette	A general term that covers common courtesy online, as well as an umbrella term for a multitude of informal dos and don'ts when chatting/emailing online	Find out more about netiquette here
Open relay	Service that allows users connected to the Internet to chat with each other over many channels. There are probably hundreds of IRC channels active at any one time, covering a variety of topics. Many abbreviations are used to cut down on typing	Get a grasp of basic chat commands
Page imressions	Similar to hits, in that a page impression is recorded everytime a page is accessed or looked at on the internet	Find out more about how to create the perfect Website here
Peer-to-peer	A network that does not have a central computer or server, often used for illegal file sharing	You can legally download music from Tiscali from just 69p
Pharming	The redirection of internet users from a genuine Website, such as an online bank, to a fake Website, where fraudsters can gain access to personal details by getting users to enter passwords and security answers	Tiscali Secure PC detects and deters spyware, worms, spam and fraud. Find out more
Phishing	Similar to pharming. A number of methods designed to fool users into communicating valuable information to criminals, through pop-ups or emails	Try Tiscali secure PC and find out more about online fraud from our Help channel and identity theft from our Money channel. Plus, find out how to prevent identity fraud in everyday situations
Portal	A multi-channel website often seen as a starting point on the internet eg Tiscali	Check out http://www.tiscali.co.uk for up-to-date news and entertainment
Rogue dialler	A software program that attaches itself to your computer and deliberately changes your settings to dial a premium-rate number instead of your usual number for internet access	Try Tiscali secure PC and find out more about online fraud from our Help channel
Safe mode	A simplified version of Windows you can launch on your PC to trouble-shoot any technical problems	Find more information on how to start in safe mode when dealing with PC security
Search engine	A website directory that indexes as many Websites as it can in order for you to search for information on a given subject	With Tiscali Directory you can search by subject, region and language!
Shoulder surfing	Looking over someone's shoulder when they enter a password or a PIN code	It's always wise to be aware of who's around you when you're surfing in a public space, whether an Internet cafe or at a university. Wherever, always try to ensure the latest antivirus, firewall and browser software is installed. If in doubt, don't use it.
Skyscrapers	A tall thin banner, uswually running down the right side of a web page and often used for advertising	For more information about the business side of Tiscali click here
Spam	Unwanted email that has not been requested by the recipient. The online equivolent of junk mail	Get tips on how to deal with and avoid spam and find out more about Tiscali Secure Mail
Specials	Similar to microsites in that Specials are usually part of a larger Web site, but more often dedicated to a theme such as Christmas or Valentine's Day. Often grouping content that links through to areas within the larger Website	For Tiscali's latest specials check out the left hand nav on our home page at any time
Spiders	Automated programs used by search engines to roam the internet, finding new and updated pages from other Websites to use in their directory	With Tiscali Directory you can search by subject, region and language!
Spyware	Programs that secretly monitor your online activity, often slowing your computer and threatening your online security	Tiscali SpyGuard detects and removes spyware Find out more
Trojan	A piece of malicious software that deliberately disguises itsef as useful, in order to change your settings or gain personal information. Named after the Trojan horse used to infiltrate Troy	Try Tiscali secure PC or click here to download free software which tells you whether you're infected
URL (Uniform resource locator)	Is the entirety of a website address eg www.tiscali.co.uk	Find out more about how to create the perfect Website here
Virus	A program that travels from computer to computer by email or other networks. It can destroy data, corrupt programs and more	For a list of common security threats and how to deal with them, click here. Or check out Tiscali Secure PC
Webspace	A storage space on a server where you can store your Website/Webpage on	Here's how to take advantage of your free Webspace with Tiscali

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