glossary
Active Server Pages (ASP)
Created by Microsoft, ASP allows web pages to include dynamic content, often
pulled from a database. ASP can be used to create e-commerce sites, and database-driven
sites in which the user can search through a database that resides on the
server.
ASP.NET
.NET is Microsoft's new programming technology which is
now gaining acceptance and momentum. Soon, it will completely replace
standard ASP. TropicalWebs.com is already up to speed with .NET technology,
and is fully ready for this switch. While .NET development is not
as rapid (leading to higher production costs), it is significantly
more stable, and runs much faster than older programming technologies,
opening up new possibilities for web development.
Back End
This refers to any programming that runs on the server itself, rather than
on the user's computer. Back end programming is necessary to drive any type
of e-commerce, or database-driven site (see Front End).
CGI
Common Gateway Interface -- this is a method through which information can
be passed between the user and the server. This allows web pages to run programs
on the server, usually in the programming language PERL. A PERL program running
on the server can interface with a data source, such as a text file or database,
which in turn allows for web applications such as message boards, and searches.
PERL is an older technology, and is no longer used for web applications.
Database
A database is a collection of extremely organized data which can be easily
searched and sorted. Popular commercial databases include Microsoft Access,
Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, Filemaker Pro, and DBase. A database
can be connected to a web page to allow users to view the information in
a database over the web. This can include the actual text and graphics of
a site, to allow for content that can be quickly and easily updated without
needing to redesign the pages of the site.
Front End
The opposite of Back End, the front end of a site is everything that the user
sees and experiences on a web page.
Flash
Created by Macromedia, Flash animation is one of the hottest technologies on
the web. Because Flash is vector-based (a way of storing computer graphics),
the file sizes are extremely small. This means fast streaming animation,
with special effects, sound, and even interactivity.
HTML
Hypertext Markup Language, is the basic programming language of the World Wide
Web, used to create basic web pages. HTML controls the layout and design
of the page (see Front End). For a brochure type site, HTML is all you need.
For more advanced web applications, such as product catalogs, changing content,
calendars, and e commerce, additional programming technologies become necessary.
Hosting
While web pages are designed and developed on a single computer, they must
be transferred to a server, or host, so that they are available to the rest
of the world over the Internet. A host is simply a computer that has a constant,
high speed connection to the Internet. Hosting companies rent space on these
machines. Depending on your needs, a hosting plan can cost anywhere between
$10 and $200 per month.
JavaScript
This is a programming language which is embedded into regular HTML based web
pages. While regular HTML is static, and only represents the layout of a
page, JavaScript allows for dynamic web pages. Effects such as rollover buttons,
and popup menus are created with JavaScript.
PERL
Short for Practical Extraction and Reporting Language, PERL is a programming
language once used to create programs that run on the server, adding functionality
to a web site. PERL has been replaced as a web programming language by PHP,
ASP, and Java.
PHP
PHP is a robust programming language, similar to Microsoft's Active Server
Page technology, except that it runs on UNIX servers, rather than Windows
based servers. It is used for connecting to a database to create all kinds
of web applications, such as product catalogs, changing content, calendars,
and e commerce.
Search Engine
A search engine is a huge searchable online database of web sites where most
users go to find whatever they are looking for. It is free to register a
site with a search engine. A common misconception is that search engines
actually search the Internet for pages -- this is impossible. They are only
aware of pages that have been specifically registered with them.
Server
A server, or web server, is a computer that handles your web site over the
Internet. It is nothing more than a computer with a constant high speed Internet
connection, that is running web server software. You can run your own server,
but for most companies it is more cost effective to hire the services of
a web hosting company (see Host, above). The specific web
server software running on a server is determined by the operating system
of the computer. Some servers run the Microsoft Windows operating system,
while others run the UNIX operating system. The operating system is only
relevant if you plan to build a web application, rather than a simple brochure
type site. In this case, the operating system determines what kind of database
and programming language can be used. TropicalWebs.com can create web applications
to be used on either operating system. The operating system used by your
web server has nothing to do with the operating system you use for the rest
of your business.
World Wide Web
The most popular use of the Internet is the World Wide Web, which consists
of a network of web pages. Users may view web pages by using a web browser
program such as Internet Explorer or Netscape. It is a common misconception
that the web and the Internet are the same thing. This is not the case. The
web is only one of several Internet environments, including email, Internet
Relay Chat, FTP (File transfer Protocol), and Usenet news groups.
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