We speak fluent geek.
And now you can too! We’ve put together a handy guide to many of the latest tech terms, common lingo we use and several of the design tools & services we’ll employ when working on your project. If there’s a tech term you don’t understand, just ask. We’re here to help!
We speak fluent geek. And now you can too! We’ve put together a handy guide to many of the latest tech terms, common lingo we use and several of the design tools & services we’ll employ when working on your project. From A to Z — If there’s a tech term you don’t understand, just ask. We’re here to help!
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123RF:
A stock web-based content that offers royalty-free images. In the past few years, 123RF expanded their portfolio to serve the growing market of the web-based content industry. Search and download from millions of 123RF HD stock photos, royalty free images, cliparts, vectors and illustrations.
1800Postcards:
An affordable online source for custom-designed print and mailing services. 1800Postcards
is a G7 certified printer — one of the highest accolades in the industry for equipment & systems. Specializing in personalized banners, booklets, bookmarks, business cards, brochures, calendar, flyers, menus, postcards, posters, stickers and o’ so much more!
A
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP):
An open-sourced HTML (see HTML below) framework created by Google as a competitor to Facebook Instant Articles and Apple News. AMP is optimized for mobile web browsing and intended to help mobile web pages load faster. It includes numerous global search, social and web publishing platforms. Web pages using AMP build on existing web design frameworks. And create accelerated pages optimized for mobile devices that are compelling, smooth and load near instantaneously. AMP is supported by many different platforms and compatible across numerous web browsers.
Active Server Page:
A web page that has one or more ASP scripts embedded in it. ASP scripts are like small computer programs that run when an ASP-based web page is accessed. You can tell if you’re accessing an active server page if the suffix of the URL is “.asp” (as opposed to “.html”). ASP pages are processed on a web server before they are transferred to a user’s web browser. They are typically used for pages that have dynamic or frequently changing information. For example, an .ASP script might be used to get a visitor’s zip code through an online form, then customize the content on the resulting page based on that information.
Adobe Creative Cloud:
A set of applications and services that provides paid subscribers access to a suite of creative software used for graphic design, photography, video editing, web development, etc. Created by Adobe. Adobe Creative Cloud desktop and mobile app programs include Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Adobe Muse, Dreamweaver, Flash Professional, Edge Inspect, Edge Animate, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Adobe Audition, SpeedGrade, InCopy and Prelude.
Ajax:
Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is a technique used for creating better, faster and more interactive web applications with the help of XML, HTML, CSS and JavaScript (see CSS & HTML below). Ajax uses XHTML for content, CSS for presentation and JavaScript for dynamic content display.
All In One WP Security:
A popular website security and protection platform that provides free SSL certificates, auto backups, disaster recovery, threat detection and blocking. All In One WP Security is often installed on WordPress as a third-party plug-in.
ALT tags:
ALT tags or ALT attributes are “alternative text” for a web image. The ALT tags use targeted keywords to describe an image or what the image is representing. In addition to SEO purposes, ALT tags benefit visually impaired users who use screen readers when browsing.
Applet:
An Applet is a type of Java program (see JS below) that can be embedded in a web page. The difference between a standard Java application and a Java applet is that an applet cannot access system resources on the local computer. Such as system files and serial devices (modems, printers, scanners, etc.). This is for security reasons. Applets have helped make the internet more dynamic and entertaining, while providing a safer online experience.
Autoresponder:
A program or script on a email server that automatically replies to emails. Although it is run from the mail server, an autoresponder can usually be set up through a web-based interface. Your company might set up an autoresponder for your customer support team to let users know they’ve received their support requests. The automated reply might read something like, “Thank you, we have received your message. A tech will be in touch shortly.”
Individuals may also use autoresponders to let people know when they’re away from their computer and won’t be able to respond to any emails for awhile. For example, you might set up an autoresponder for your personal email to say, “Sorry. I am self-quarantining in the Bahamas. Indefinitely. I’ll respond to your message when/if I ever decide to return.”
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B2B:
Business to business (B2B), also called “B to B.” A form of transaction between businesses rather than between a company and individual consumers (B2C). B2B includes transactions involving a manufacturer and wholesaler or a wholesaler and a retailer.
B2C:
Business to consumer (B2C) refers to transactions conducted directly between a company and consumers who are the end-users of a product or service. The business to consumer (B2C) as a business model differs significantly from the B2B model, which refers to commerce between two or more businesses.
Backup:
This is the most important tech term you should know. A backup is a copy of one or more files created as an alternate in case the original data is lost or becomes unusable or corrupted by viruses or other cyber attacks. Additionally, files can be accidentally deleted or altered. It is critical that you backup all your web files and important marketing data! Most people don’t realize the importance of having a backup until it is too late. If you have not yet backed up your business files in awhile, now is a good time to do so. Seriously, stop reading this and quickly backup your files & data. NOW! We’ll wait…
It’s much easier to backup your data now than once it’s too late. Of course, when you have lost your award-winning apple pie recipe, research data, important business documents, email archives or any other critical data that you cannot recover or replace, the importance of having a backup becomes self evident. The most traditional way to backup files is to use an external storage device, such as an external hard drive, USB flash memory device or even another computer. You can also use cloud backup, which refers to backing up data to a remote, cloud-based server. Although you will want to make the server you chose is secure. Backing up individual folders and files involves copying the files from the source media (such as your computer’s hard drive) to the destination (an external hard drive or cloud).
If you want to backup your entire system or would like to have regular backups automatically performed, you can use backup software that will schedule routine backups for you. When we perform routine backups for our clients, we store copies of all critical files in a minimum of three places. Including a secure cloud storage, a secure server and an external drive. That’s three — THREE — times the peace of mind!
Banner Ad:
A majority of the internet is run and funded by advertising. Just like television or radio, websites can offer free content by generating revenue from online advertising. While you may get tired of web ads from time to time, most people would agree that seeing an occasional advertisement is better than paying a usage fees for visiting your favorite website or search engine.
Banner ads are the most common form of website advertising. They are typically long, rectangular images that can be placed just about anywhere on a webpage. Most banner ads are 468 pixels wide by 60 pixels high (468×60) and sky-scrapper ads that are 60 pixels wide by 468 pixels high (468×60). They may contain clickable text, images or animations and will redirect the user to the advertiser’s website when clicked.
Bing:
A search engine created by Microsoft, evolving from “MSN Search.” Similar to Google, Yahoo! and other search engines, Bing offers a unique web search experience. For example, the home page has a custom picture or video with related information that updates every day. You can also choose to connect your Facebook account to your Bing login, which will allow Bing to display pages your friends like within the search results. Besides web search, Bing offers several types of specific searches. Including images, videos, shopping, news and maps. It also offers a language translation service called “Microsoft Translator.” ¡Que magnífico!
Blacklist:
In tech terms, a blacklist is a list of IP addresses or ranges that are denied access to a server system or website for security purposes (see IP below). We keep an extensive updated Blacklist currently with almost 30,000 malicious world-wide IPs. When we build your website, we will include a complete blacklist with our most recent master list. Sites that are maintained by use and/or use our web security services will receive routine blacklist updates.
Bluehost:
A web-hosting company, known for secure and reliable hosting services. Bluehost is recommended by WordPress and uses an enhanced cPanel. Offers affordable shared hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated hosting options.
BMP:
Short for “bitmap,” the .BMP file format is a commonly used format for saving graphics & images. It was introduced on the Windows platform, but is now recognized by many programs on both Macs and PCs. The .BMP format stores color data for each pixel in the image without any compression. For example, a 10×10 pixel BMP image will include color data for 100 pixels.
This method of storing image information allows for crisp, high-quality graphics, but it also produces rather large file sizes. The .JPEG and .GIF formats are also bitmaps, but use image compression algorithms that can significantly decrease their file size. For this reason, .JPEG and .GIF images are typically used on websites. While .BMP and .TIFF images are often used for hi-res printable images, such as large signs and banners.
Bot:
In the tech world, a bot is an automated software program that can execute certain commands when it receives a specific input — similar to a robot. Bots are often used for online chat, web searches and social media. Online chat bots can perform multiple functions. Such as posting ads, greeting visitors when they enter a website or ejecting users from a chat room or social media platform when they violate the platform rules. Web searching bots, also known as “spiders” or “crawlers,” search the web and retrieve millions of HTML documents. They then record the information and links found on each crawled web pages. From there, they generate electronic catalogs of all the sites that have been “spidered.” These catalogs make up the index of website links used for search engine results.
BoxUp:
An online high-quality, custom-printed designer. BoxUp.com
offers professional packaging. They feature a variety of personalized boxes. Including: Custom Shipping & Mailers. Branded Carryout & Logo To-Go Containers. Gift Boxes.
Bruteforce Attack:
An attempt to decipher a website’s username and password, find a hidden web page or find the key used to encrypt a text message, using a trial and error approach. This is an old cyber attack method, but it is often still effective and popular with hackers.
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Call to Action (CTA):
A marketing prompt on a website that compels the user to take some specified action. In online marketing, this can take a variety of forms. Such as a banner ad, the text on a CTA button, a web link where the user can go to take further action, a clickable flyer or price sheet a user can download or print and a clickable phone number or an online contact form. CTAs use a lot of action words. CALL US TODAY! ORDER ONLINE NOW! REGISTER FOR FREE! To learn more about the kinds of CTA marketing we offer, CALL US NOW AT +1 (904) 887-8807! (See what we did there? That would be an example of a CTA link. But seriously, call us today!)
CAPTCHA:
A challenge-response test that determines whether an internet user is human or an automated bot. A typical CAPTCHA includes an image of distorted text and a form field for the user to verify that they are indeed human. Some newer CAPTCHAs also use image boxes and instructions for box selection. CAPTCHAs are commonly found on a website’s login page or at the end of an online form, and must be properly filled out in order for the login or the form to be submitted. By requiring users to decipher and enter the CAPTCHA, website administrators can prevent automated programs from sending spam or other unwanted data through an online forms.
Checkfront:
A secure online booking platform and customer management solution. Checkfront comes with many useful tools and supports seamless integration with many popular online services to make online reservations and appointments quick and easy. Available as a third-party WordPress plug-in, Checkfront is fully customizable. And can be seamlessly integrated to work with WordPress, Drupal, Facebook, Square and Stripe. It is designed to facilitate the booking process with an optional secure online payment checkout. And provides analytic tools to make the best use of your booking data. We spent a lot of man hours and drank many a coffee test-driving a ton of booking software. And Checkfront is hands down, one of our new favorites.
Chrome:
An open-sourced freeware web browser developed by Google. It was first released in 2008, for Microsoft Windows. And is available for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android and iOS operating systems. Google Chrome is also the main component of Chrome OS. Where it serves as a platform for running web apps. The Chrome browser takes a sandboxing-based approach to web security. Each open website runs as its own process. This helps prevent malicious code on one page from affecting others (or the computer operating system at large).
Cloud:
The tech term “the cloud” comes from early diagrams, in which the image of a cloud was used to indicate a large computer network or system. Today the “cloud” is a metaphor for the internet. And refers to accessing computer, information technology (IT) and software applications through a network connection. Often by accessing data centers using wide area networking (WAN) or internet connectivity. Anyone with an internet connection can access the cloud and share data with other online users.
Cloud Backup:
Cloud backup or cloud computer backup refers to backing up data to a remote, cloud-based server. As a form of cloud storage, cloud backup data is stored and accessible from multiple distributed and connected resources that comprise a cloud. Popular cloud storage platforms include Dropbox, iCloud & Google Drive. And most cloud storage software is also available as a mobile app. Personally, we mostly use our own private server for cloud back ups. But we also use a combination of Dropbox, iCloud & Google Drive, to best accommodate all our client’s personal preferences.
Content Management System (CMS):
A software application that can be used to manage the creation and modification of digital content and website content management. Popular content management systems include: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Squarespace and Wix. With WordPress being our preferred CMS of choice. We’re picky that way!
cPanel:
An online Linux-based graphical interface (GUI) control panel used to simplify the management of website files and server tools. It allows users to publish websites, manage domains, organize web files, create email accounts and many other useful web-related features. Many web-hosting sites supply cPanel software as part of their hosting package or offer is as an add-on for a reasonable fee. All our preferred servers offer cPanel, which is one reason they are our web-server hosts with the most!
CPC:
Cost Per Click (CPC) is used in online advertising and defines how much revenue a publisher receives each time a user clicks on an advertised link or clickable ad on a website. For example, a publisher may place banner ads, text or image-based ads on a website. When a visitor clicks one of these advertisements, they are redirected to the advertiser’s website or a featured web page. Each click is recorded by the advertiser’s unique tracking system. And the publisher is paid a certain commission based on the CPC.
Cross-Browser:
A website that is compatible with multiple web browsers. This means the web pages show up correctly formatted in different browsers. Such as Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Safari. Cross-browser sites may need to generate browser-specific custom HTML or JavaScript in order to be fully compatible across multiple browsers. All our web designs are cross-browser compatible.
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Attack:
Cross-site scripting (also known as XSS) is a type of computer security vulnerability typically found in web applications. XSS attacks enable hackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages that are viewed by other users. A cross-site scripting vulnerability may be used by cyber attackers to bypass access controls, such as the same-origin policy.
Crowdfund:
A way to fund a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people who each contribute a relatively small amount. Typically, via the internet through websites like GoFundMe and Kickstarter.
Crowdsignal:
One of our newest marketing tools of the trade. Crowdsignal allows users to create custom surveys, polls, quizzes and ratings to help gather useful customer data and generate leads, while engaging your website visitors.
Crowdsourcing:
A resource-sharing model in which developers or organizations obtain information, input or financial aid for a particular task or project. Crowdsourcing enlists the services of a large number of people — either paid or unpaid — typically via the internet. Traditionally, Crowd-sourced services involve a rapidly-evolving group of internet users. And divides work tasks between participants to quickly achieve a cumulative result.
CSS:
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a website style sheet language used for describing the presentation of a document written in a markup language like HTML (see HTML below). CSS is used to format the layout or “style” of a website or web page. And can be used to define text styles and size, color schemes, table sizes, button styles and many other aspects of your website that previously could only be defined in each page’s HTML.
CSS3:
The latest evolution of CSS, CSS3 brings a ton of long-awaited novelties. Like rounded corners, shadows, gradients, transitions or animations, as well as new features like multi-columns, a flexible box or grid layouts.
Custom Ink:
Custom Ink is an online retail company that makes custom T-shirts, apparel, hats, office supplies and other promotional products. With affordable full-color, high-quality printing. Look for the squid!
Cyber Attack:
An attack launched as an attempt to expose, alter, disable, destroy, steal or gain unauthorized access to a computer system, network, smart device, online database or website. A cybercriminal may prey on a specific target by hacking into a susceptible system or unsecure site. Most common attacks include cross-site scripting (XSS), denial-of-service (DoS) and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS), phishing and spear phishing attacks.
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Data Mining:
Also known as Knowledge Discovery in Data (KDD). It is the process of discovering patterns in large data sets involving methods at the intersection of machine learning, statistics and database systems to generate new information. Data mining implies analyzing data patterns in large batches of data. Malicious hackers use data mining to steal sensitive information from a website’s database.
Database Query:
A request for data or information from a database table or combination of tables. The database query extracts information from a database and formats it into a human-readable form. However, the query must be written in the syntax the database requires — usually a variant of Structured Query Language (SQL). This data may be generated into pictorials, charts & graphs or other complex trend analyses forms using data-mining tools.
DDoS Attack:
A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack occurs when multiple systems flood the bandwidth or resources of a targeted system or website with traffic, usually one or more web servers, to make a machine or network resource unavailable to its intended users. Simply put, a DDoS attack is like a traffic jam clogging up a highway. Preventing regular drivers from arriving to their desired destination.
Dedicated Hosting:
A dedicated server hosting plan means that your website or websites are the only account hosted on a server. You buy or rent the entire server with a dedicated server. This is optimal for websites that have high traffic or need to set up their server in a very specific way. And provides an ideal way to keep all files secure.
DHCP:
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is used to dynamically assign IP addresses to networked computers (see IP below). The DHCP server waits for a computer to connect to it, then assigns it a unique IP address from a master list stored on the server. DHCP helps set up large networks, since IP addresses do not have to be manually assigned to each computer on the network. Because of the savvy automation involved with DHCP, it is the most commonly used networking protocol.
DM:
Also known as “DMing,” “instant messaging” or “IMing”. DM has become a popular way to communicate over the internet and is used to send a private message (or tweet) to a person you are following on social media. Facebook Messenger and Google Hangouts are also a type of DM app. We typically use Google Hangouts, so often if we tell you, “we’ll DM it to you,” that’s usually what we mean.
DNS:
The Domain Name System (DNS) is the internet’s hierarchical and decentralized naming system for converting alphabetic names into numeric IP addresses (see IP below). It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities. When a website address (URL) is typed into the browser bar, DNS servers return the unique IP address of the web server associated with that domain name.
The primary purpose of a Domain Name System (DNS) is to make finding a website easier. Websites are actually located by their IP addresses. For example, when you type “twist-o-lime.com” in your browser bar, the browser sends a request to the nearest DNS server, which finds the correct IP address for twist-o-lime. Your computer then attempts to connect to the server with that IP number. DNS is just another one of the many features of the internet that we take for granted. Without DNS, we would have to remember the numerical IP address of every site we wanted to visit, instead of just the domain name. And speaking as someone who often forgets my age, this would not be fun. At all.
DocuCopies:
High-quality online printing at affordable prices and highest quality. DocuCopies
offers 5¢ color copies, flyers, books, brochures, postcards and o’ sooooo much more!
Domain:
The part of a website’s network address that identifies it as belonging to a particular domain. Used to identify a website, businesses commonly have a domain name that is their company name with the “.com” domain suffix after it. For example, our domain name is “twist-o-lime.com.” When you access a website on your web browser, the domain name is actually translated to a specific number called an IP address. This translation is performed by a system called DNS, which directs your browser to the appropriate location.
Domain Extension:
The domain extension or suffix, is the portion of the domain that appears after the period, such as .com. They are usually based on the purpose of the website. For example, the ever-popular .com is the preferred choice for most company websites. But one could also use .biz. If the site is intended for personal use, like an online blog or a portfolio, then .me is an ideal option.
We advise our clients to purchase all the available domain extensions in order to prevent someone else from using your name/brand with a different extension. Then we can redirect all additional domains to your main site for brand protection purposes. Other common domain extensions are .net, .gov and .org. As more and more website are added to the world wide web, domain extensions also continue to expand.
Domain.com:
An ICANN-accredited registrar, offering a full range of web solutions to create and market websites. Including web hosting, domain registration, email and SSL certificates. Perfect for small businesses, startups, entrepreneurs and creative professionals looking to get their company or organization online. Domain.com
delivers high quality, reliable domain name registration and web hosting services at affordable prices.
DoS:
A denial-of-service (DoS) occurs when legitimate users are unable to access information tech systems, devices, websites or other network resources due to the actions of a malicious cyber threat. DoS attacks can cost an organization valuable time and money while their resources and services are inaccessible.
Dropbox:
A file hosting service that offers cloud storage, file synchronization, a personal cloud and client software. Dropbox is a creative collaboration modern workspace designed to reduce busywork, bring your files together in one central place and safely sync them across all your devices. So you can access them anytime, anywhere. Dropbox features a mobile app, document scanner, shared folders, offline access and more. Making collaborating and sharing large files with other users super easy. We’ve been known to Dropbox it for mock ups and images.
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E-Commerce:
Electronic-commerce is the process of buying and selling products or services online. E-commerce platforms allow for money transfers and data transmission over an electronic medium via the internet. Providing businesses and organizations the opportunity to safely and efficiently conduct business without the barriers of distance and time. Websites such as Amazon and eBay are popular e-commerce sites. The two major types of e-commerce business are Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B). While B2C companies like Amazon cater mostly to consumers, other B2B companies provide goods and services exclusively to other businesses.
Eavesdropping Attack:
Also known as “sniffing” or “snooping.” An eavesdropping attack is an incursion where a hacker tries to steal data that computers, smartphones or other electronic devices transmit via the internet.
Encryption:
Information that is put into a unique code to make ensure it is secure and unreadable by others. Websites with addresses beginning with “https://” (vs “http://”) are examples of encrypted sites.
eSigns:
Online vendor that offers custom signs and banners printed. Including vinyl banners, mesh banners, yard signs, A-frame signs and magnetic signs. Artwork can be easily uploaded. While pre-made templates can also be edited online. eSigns offers free and same-day shipping.
Evite:
Join the party! Share Evite
custom invitations and postcards on your website and social pages or sent via text. Easy-to-use Evite invitation designs launch celebrations & special events with useful party-planning tools. Helping make every occasion a huge success. Track RSVPs, manage your guest list, send messages and news alerts and post photos anytime — anywhere with the mobile app. Great for special events, fund raisers, grand (re)openings and launch parties!
Exit Intent:
Exit-intent technology is a type of behavioral tech that tracks and monitors movements of website visitors and detects when they’re going to leave your site without making a purchase or leaving their information. It’s designed to reduce cart abandonment and capture more leads. Examples of exit intent marketing is a popup ad or popup contact form or a shopping cart reminder. Known ’round here as “closers” ’cause they really help close the deal!
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Fav Icon:
Short for “favorites icon,” favicons are saved with bookmarks or “favorites” you create in your web browser. Also known as a shortcut icon, website icon, tab icon, URL icon or bookmark icon. A favicon is a compressed file containing one or more small icons associated with a particular website or brand. Browsers that support a tabbed document interface typically show a website’s favicon next to the page’s title on the tab and in the browser’s address bar to the left of the URL. While other browsers display the favicon in the window tab, next to the page title. Site-specific browsers also use the favicon as a desktop icon. Additionally, web browsers that provide favicon support typically display a page’s favicon in your browser’s history. And next to the web page’s name in your list of bookmarks or favorites.
The format for the favicon image must be 16×16 pixels or 32×32 pixels, using either 8-bit or 24-bit colors and a .PNG (W3C standard), .GIF or .ICO file extension. As a graphic designer, we can create a branded favicon as part of your brand/logo library and install it to your website.
File Extension:
A file extension is the last part of a filename, after the dot (such as .doc, .html and .pdf). Most file extensions are usually three characters long. But they can be shorter or longer as well. File extensions are used to define the file type. The operating system uses the information to determine which application should be used to open a file. And assigns the appropriate icon for each file. Other common file extensions include .xls (for excel files), .jpg (for JPEG image files) and .txt (for text files).
Firefox:
A free and open-source web browser developed by Mozilla. Firefox is available for Windows, macOS, Linux and BSD operating systems. Compared to Internet Explorer, Firefox is smaller, faster and gives users a cleaner interface with faster download speeds.
Firewall:
A system that keeps unwanted users out of a network. Firewalls also restrict certain types of data and IP addresses (see IP below). The term “firewall” originally referred to fireproof walls that were designed to prevent the spread of fire from one room or building to the next. They were typically made of brick, steel or other types of non-flammable materials that would effectively prevent the spread of a fire. In the tech world, firewalls serve a similar purpose. Limiting the flow of data that can pass through it and protecting a networked server or client machine from damage by unauthorized users. Firewalls can be either hardware or software-based and are typically included in a computer’s operating system (OS) and your router.
A router is a good example of a hardware device that has a built-in firewall. Most routers can be password protected and configured to limit traffic from certain IP addresses. Or block requests based on other criteria. Software programs that monitor and restrict external access to a computer or network can also serve as firewalls. A network firewall allows only authorized traffic from the internet to flow in and out of your secured network.
Fiverr:
An online marketplace for freelance services. Fiverr provides a platform for freelancers to offer their services to customers worldwide.
Flash:
Multimedia tech used for creating animations and interactive websites. Web developers often use Flash to add dynamic content that is not possible with basic HTML (see HTML below) or other scripting languages. Some examples include splash screen animations, YouTube videos and interactive song playlists. In order to view Flash content in your web browser, the Flash plug-in must be installed. Since so many websites now incorporate Flash, the plug-in is included with nearly all web browsers today. The standalone Flash Player is also available as a free download from Adobe.com.
FreedomVoice:
Known as “The Voice of Small Business.” FreedomVoice.com
provides smart and effective communication & marketing tools. It offers affordable cutting-edge communications. Such as a virtual phone service (VoIP) and 1-800 numbers, vanity numbers, local phone numbers with a virtual attendant and a mobile app to call or text with your business number. We really dig our FreedomVoice.com account. Never miss a phone call! Plus it adds a professional touch and allows new and smaller businesses to gain instant credibility. And helps your business SHINE!
FTP:
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used for uploading and transferring electronic files via the internet between a client and server on a computer network. Files stored on an FTP server can be accessed using an FTP client. Such as a web browser, FTP software program or a command line interface. The standard FTP protocol is not encrypted. Therefore, FTPS and SFTP protocols were developed to provide secure FTP connections. FTPS (FTP with SSL security) provides SSL encryption for all FTP communication. SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) is a secure version of FTP that uses SSH to encrypt all data transfers. FTP is built on a client-server model architecture using separate control and data connections between the client and the server.
To connect to the FTP server, you first need to enter the server name and port number. The server name often starts with “ftp,” such as “ftp.example.com.” If you connect via FTPS, you might be required to enter a custom port number. But the most common one is 990. In order to access an SFTP or FTPS server, you’ll also need to enter a username and password. And many web hosting servers have their FTP built into the cPanel for easy access to your web files.
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G Suite:
A web-based suite of cloud computing, productivity & collaboration tools, software products developed by Google (formally Google Apps). The G Suite platform helps streamline communications, data transfers and projects for a group of users or team. Free services include: Gmail. Google Calendar and Hangouts for communication. Google Drive for cloud storage. Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Keep, Forms and Sites for productivity and file collaboration. Subscription plans also offer an admin panel and vault for managing users and shared services. We G Suite! Do you?
GIF:
Short for Graphics Interchange Format (GIF). An image file format that uses a compression formula. GIFs are based on indexed colors with a palette of 256 colors or less, helping to reduce the file size. These compressed image files can be quickly transmitted over a network or via the internet. And which is why they are often used on web pages. GIF files are ideal for smaller, lo-res icons and animated images. But they lack the color range to be used for high-quality photos.
Gmail:
A free, advertising-supported email service developed by Google. Part of G Suite. Available across multiple devices including Android, iOS and desktop devices. And can be accessed online via the web or a mobile app. Gmail provides 15 GB of storage. Plus it allows the use of third-party programs that synchronize email content through POP or IMAP protocols.
Features include: A Google Apps sidebar. Confidential mode with self-destructing emails. Desktop notifications. Hover-activated trash & snooze options. Integrated search. Offline support. Smart compose & smart reply (which can suggest replies and autocomplete sentences). Spam blockers. And the newly added undo send option. who hasn’t need that little helper before? You can use your Google account’s username & password to create and sign in to Gmail.
GoDaddy:
A domain registrar, web hosting provider and certificate authority. GoDaddy is the most popular domain management platform. Known for its affordable prices and easy to use features.
GoFundMe:
A crowd-funding platform that allows people and organizations to raise money for a variety of causes and life events. Such as weddings, special occasions, celebrations, and graduations. Or challenging circumstances, like illnesses, medical emergencies, memorials or financial hardships. This is a free service available to use via the internet at the official GoFundMe.com website. Or as a mobile app. GoFundMe campaigns can be shared via email, text message, social media or posted on a webpage.
Google:
A U.S. tech company that originated as a search engine research project. While conventional search engines ranked results by counting how many times a search term appeared on a webpage, Google was designed to provide a better system that analyzed the PageRank relationships among websites. This new PageRank tech determined a website’s relevance by the number of webpages and the importance of those pages that linked back to the original website. Google specializes in internet-related services and products. This includes online advertising, a search engine, cloud computing, software programs and many other online services.
The company’s rapid growth since its launch has triggered a chain of products, acquisitions and partnerships beyond its original search engine including:
Additionally, Google offers many other unique web-based services designed for work and productivity (Google Docs, Sheets & Slides). A free email service (Gmail). GPS mapping & navigation services (Waze & Street View). And video sharing (YouTube).
Google Ads:
Google’s PPC advertising platform and main source of revenue (formally Google AdWords). Typically, PPC advertisers bid on targeted keywords to trigger paid or sponsored ads. Google Ads can be scheduled by day, time and even specific locations based on your your ad budget. Most ads appear on the top or bottom of the first and second pages of Google’s search engine results page. And are denoted by the word “Ad.”
Google Analytics:
A web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic, currently as a platform inside the Google Marketing Platform brand. Google Analytics measures your advertising ROI (see ROI below) as well as track your Flash, video and social networking sites and applications.
Google Calendar:
Time-management and scheduling service developed by Google. Part of G Suite.
Google Docs:
Word-document processing tool (files can be saved as .doc, .docx or .gdoc). Part of Google Drive and G Suite.
Google Drive:
Online file storage and synchronization service developed by Google. Part of G Suite. We typically use Google Drive for a lot of our projects, for tracking files and draft review.
Google Sheets:
Excel-styled spreadsheet program (files can be saved as .gsheets, comma-separated values (.csv), .xls or .xlsx). Part of Google Drive and G Suite. We frequently use Google Sheets for project tracking and for storing/sharing information internally and with clients.
Google Slides:
Program used for creating interactive presentations (files can be saved as .gslides, .pps, .ppt or .pptx). Part of Google Drive and G Suite.
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Hangouts:
Online DM communication software app developed by Google. Part of G Suite that allows users to initiate and participate in text messaging, voice or video chats — either one-on-one or in a group. Hangouts is built into Gmail. And Mobile Hangouts apps are also available for Apple iOS and Android devices. We tend to use Hangouts a lot, especially for internal communications.
HTML:
Short for Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML). A standardized system for tagging text files to achieve font, color, graphic and hyperlink effects on web pages. Also known as “hypertext documents.” Web pages must conform to the rules of HTML in order to be displayed correctly in a web browser. The .HTML syntax is based on a list of tags that describe the webpage’s format and what content is displayed on the page.
HTML5:
W3C specification that defines the fifth major revision of HTML. One of the major changes in HTML5 is in respect to how HTML addresses web applications. Other new features in HTML5 include specific functions for embedding audio, images & video.
HTTP:
Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the underlying protocol used for the internet. This protocol defines how messages are formatted and transmitted. And what actions web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. You will note, most website addresses begin with “http://.” Whenever you type a URL into your browser and hit “enter” your computer sends an HTTP request to the appropriate web server. The web server, which is designed to handle HTTP requests, then transmits the requested web page.
HTTP Headers:
A featured snippet that allows the client and the server to pass additional data with an HTTP request or response. An HTTP header consists of its case-insensitive name followed by a colon (:), then its value. Entity headers contain information about the body of the resource. Like its content length or MIME type.
HTTPS:
Hyper-Text Transport Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is similar to HTTP, but uses a secure socket layer (SSL) for security purposes. Websites that use the standard HTTP protocol transmit and receive data in an unsecured manner. Whereas, secure websites use the HTTPS protocol to encrypt the data being sent back and forth with SSL encryption. If someone were to capture the data being transferred via HTTPS, it would be unrecognizable.
You can tell if a website is secure by viewing the URL in the address field of your web browser. If the web address starts with “https://” you’re accessing a secure website. Most browsers will also display a lock icon to indicate the website is secure. You can click the lock icon to view the secure certificate that authenticates the website.
Some examples of websites that use HTTPS include: Banking and investment sites. E-commerce shopping carts. And websites that contain private information, like medical or school records, and require users to log in.
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ICANN:
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is a non-for-profit organization responsible for allocating the IP address and managing the domain name system (DNS). ICANN coordinates the maintenance and procedures of several databases related to the namespaces and numerical spaces of the internet. Ensuring a secure and consistent transmission.
iCloud:
A cloud storage and cloud computing service developed by Apple. The iCloud provides its users with means to store files such as documents, notes, photos, music and more on remote servers. Keeping all your data safe, up to date and available wherever you are. Files can be downloaded, shared and sent to other users via an iOS, macOS or Windows device.
iCloud is built into all Apple devices allowing users to better manage their devices if lost or stolen. And the iCloud service also provides the means to wirelessly backup iOS devices directly to the iCloud. Instead of relying on manual backups to a host Mac or Windows computer using your iTunes account. Backups can be scheduled automatically or performed manually. All Apple users receive 5GB of iCloud storage free. And you can buy more storage as needed. Users are also able to quickly share photos, music and games to other users and devices by linking accounts via AirDrop wireless.
Illustrator:
The industry-standard vector graphics editor. Used by millions of designers and artists to create everything from web and mobile graphics to logos, icons, book illustrations, product packaging, signage and more. Illustrator allows you to create beautiful vector art and illustrations. Part of the Adobe Creative Cloud software collection.
InCopy:
Professional word processor software developed by Adobe. InCopy integrates with Abobe InDesign and enables editors to write, edit and design documents.
InDesign:
A desktop publishing and typesetting software application created by Adobe. InDesign can be used to create printed materials such as books & e-books, brochures, flyers, magazines, newspapers, posters, presentations and more. Part of the Adobe Creative Cloud software collection.
InMotion Hosting:
A web-hosting network based on Linux and Unix operating systems (see Linux & Unix below). InMotion
is our preferred hosting network, monitored 24/7 for suspicious activity and benchmarked continuously for performance. InMotion provides affordable web hosting that consistently outperforms its competitors in reliability and speed. And includes a variety of user-friendly features including cPanel. Offers shared hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated hosting.
Instant Message (IM):
Also known as “IMing.” Instant messaging has become a popular way to communicate over the internet. People with the same IM client software like Facebook Messenger, Hangouts, Jabber, Skype & WhatsApp can type messages back & forth in a private or group chat session. IM software allows users to build a list of friends or followers. And displays when users are currently online and available to chat. Instant messaging can be a more efficient way to quickly communicate with others than sending multiple emails back & forth. For this reason, IMing has become a useful tool among friends and work colleagues. We typically use Google Hangouts, so if we tell you “we’ll IM it to you,” that’s often what we mean.
Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP):
When information is transferred over the internet, computer systems send and receive data using the TCP/IP protocol. If there’s a problem with the connection, an error and status message regarding the connection are sent using Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). When one computer connects to another system over the internet (such as a home computer connecting to a web server to view website files), it may seem like a quick and simple process. While the connection may take place in a matter of seconds, there are many separate connections that must happen in order for the systems to successfully communicate with each other.
In cases where there is a problem with the connection, ICMP can send back codes explaining why a connection failed. These may be messages such as, “Network unreachable” for a network that is down. Or “Access denied” for a secure, password-protected system. ICMP may also provide routing suggestions to help bypass unresponsive systems. While ICMP can send a variety of different messages, most are usually not seen by the user. Even if you do receive an error message, the software you are using, such as a web browser, has most likely already translated the message into simple (less tech-type) language you can understand.
Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP):
Pronounced “eye-map.” IAMP is a method of accessing email messages on a server without having to download them to a local hard drive. This is the main difference between IMAP and another popular email protocol called “POP3.” Which requires users to download messages to their hard drive before reading them. The advantage of using an IMAP mail server is that users can check their email from multiple devices. And the messages stay on the server until the user chooses to download them to a local drive or delete them.
Most webmail systems are IMAP based. This allows users access to send & receive messages, no matter what computer or device they use to check their email. Additionally, many email programs, such as Microsoft Outlook and Mac OS X Mail, allow you to specify what kind of protocol your mail server uses. If you use your ISP’s mail service, you should check with them to find out if their mail server uses IMAP or POP3 mail. Most importantly, if you enter the wrong protocol setting, your email program will not be able to transmit messages.
Internet Protocol (IP):
A standard set of rules for sending and receiving data over the internet. It allows devices running on different platforms to communicate with each other as long as they are online. An IP address, also known as an “IP number,” is the numerical label assigned to any device connected to the internet. Your IP address is automatically assigned by your internet server provider (ISP). It may change from day to day, unless you have a persistent IP address.
Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) VPN:
The process of creating and managing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection or service using an IPsec protocol suite. The IPsec VPN enables devices with an internet connection to establish a secure, remote-access VPN connection between an individual device (such as servers, desktops, laptops and mobile devices) and a web browser through the IPsec VPN gateway. It uses a secure means of creating a VPN through a set of protocols. Like cryptography that provides IPsec bundled security features to VPN network packets for Internet Protocol. An IPsec VPN requires the installation of specialized client software on the end user’s computer. Also known as VPN over IPsec or IP Security.
Interserver:
A web-hosting platform known for secure and reliable hosting services. Interserver is an affordable, full-service web hosting provider, and features cPanel. Offers shared hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated hosting.
IP Whitelisting:
A security feature often used for limiting and controlling access to trusted website users. IP whitelisting allows you to create a list of trusted IP addresses or IP ranges from which authorized users can access your domain (see IP above). Typically, we include our design team’s and server IPs on to our whitelist. And we would include yours as well when designing your website. Then if we turn ownership exclusively over to you after the site is completed, you can modify your whitelist as needed. Sites that are maintained by us and/or use our web security services will receive routine IP whitelist updates.
iThemes:
A third-party plug-in developer, that provides essential WordPress and business tools. The iThemes suite of products include a variety of plug-ins such as BackupBuddy, iThemes Sync, WordPress Hosting and iThemes Security. Plug-ins can be added individually or bundled together with the iThemes Plug-In Suite.
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JavaScript (JS):
An object-oriented computer programming language used to create dynamic, interactive websites. JavaScript is considered an advanced-level script and can be integrated into a .JS external file or included directly into a webpage. External JavaScript files are commonly placed within the document’s “head” tags. However, this is not a necessity. You can also place the “script” element anywhere on the document. For performance reasons, JavaScript is often placed at the bottom of the web page’s container, just before the closing “body” tag. Common JavaScript may include functions that open/close windows or popup ads, validate online form fields, enable rollover images or create engaging drop-down menus.
Jetpack:
An advanced security, backup and site management WordPress plug-in. Free & premium Jetpack website tools include automated fixes, daily backups, one-click restores, brute-force protection, spam protection and malware scanning. You can also activate site accelerator tools, such as image optimization, to decrease your page load times and speed up your mobile site to reduce bandwidth usage.
JIT:
Just in time. An inventory management method whereby materials, goods, and labor are scheduled to arrive or be replenished exactly when needed in the production process.
JPEG:
A format for compressing image files. The term actually stands for “Joint Photographic Experts Group” because that is the name of the committee that developed the format. A JPEG (file extension .JPG or .JPEG) is a compressed image file in JPEG format. JPEG images do not have color limits, like .GIF images. Therefore, the .JPEG format is recommended for compressing larger, full-color photographic images. While .JPEG images can contain colorful, high-resolution image data, it is a lossy format, This means some quality is lost when the image is compressed. If the image is compressed too much, the graphics become noticeably “blocky” and some of the detail is lost. Like .GIFs, .JPEGs are cross-platform. Meaning the file will look the same on both a Mac and PC.
jQuery:
A JavaScript library that allows web developers to add extra functionality to a website. It’s a free, open-source software using the permissive MIT License. jQuery can also work with Ajax code and scripting languages, such as PHP and ASP to access data from a database or to simplify HTML DOM tree traversal and manipulation. As well as event handling, CSS animation and Ajax.
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Kanban:
A scheduling system for lean manufacturing and just-in-time manufacturing. Taiichi Ohno, an industrial engineer at Toyota, developed kanban to improve manufacturing efficiency. Kanban is one method to achieve JIT (see JIT above). The system takes its name from the cards that track production within a factory.
Kickstarter:
An online crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. Kickstarter was developed for a variety of creative projects such as film, music, art, theater, games, comics, design, photography and more. The stated mission of Kickstarter is to “help bring creative projects to life.” It is a free web-based service available to use via the internet at the official Kickstarter.com website and as a mobile app.
Knowledge Discovery in Data (KDD):
The broad process of finding knowledge in data and emphasizes the “high-level” application of particular data mining methods. The unifying goal of the KDD process is to extract knowledge from data in the context of large databases.
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Lazy Loading:
A programming technique that delays loading resources until they are needed. A common example is a web page that defers loading images until the user scrolls to their location within the page. Lazy loading images within a webpage can speed up the load time since the browser does not need to load images that are not yet visible. As the user scrolls down the webpage, the images are loaded dynamically. This is accomplished using JavaScript that detects the position of each image and determines if it’s in the browser window’s viewable area. It is also possible to delay the loading of other resources, such as JavaScript files, CSS and even the HTML code itself (see CSS, HTML & JS above).
Linux:
An open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel (see Unix below). It sits underneath all of the other software on a computer or network. Receiving requests from those programs and relaying these requests to the computer’s hardware. The Linux kernel is a set of programs, tools and services that are typically bundled together to provide all of the necessary components of a fully functional operating system.
LiquidWeb:
A web-hosting company, known for secure and reliable hosting services. LiquidWeb is a flexible, feature-packed online host with outstanding customer service. Features cPanel and VPS hosting & dedicated hosting. While it lacks shared hosting options, LiquidWeb does offer managed WordPress & WooCommerce options.
LiveChat:
An online customer service software with online chat, help desk software and web analytics capabilities. LiveChat software can integrate seamlessly into a website and is available for a free 14 days trial. Plus, LiveChat features 170+ integrations, including Facebook Messenger, Google Ads, Google Analytics, Google Hangouts and WooCommerce.
Localhost:
The local computer that a program is running on. For example, if you are running a web browser on your computer, your computer is considered to be the “localhost.”
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Malware:
Malicious software computer programs designed to infiltrate and damage computers without the users consent. This includes the many different threats to your computer safety such as viruses, spyware, worms, trojans, rootkits, etc. Viruses, for example, can wreak havoc on a computer’s hard drive by deleting files or directory information. Spyware can gather data from a user’s system without the user’s knowledge. This can include anything from browser history to personal data, such as credit card numbers or SS#. Anti-virus and anti-spyware utilities can be installed on a computer that will seek and destroy any malicious programs found on your computer.
META Tags:
Machine-parsable tags placed within an HTML (see HTML above) or PHP document. META data is written in a machine-readable format and will not be visibly displayed on a web page. Specifically, META elements are a type of META data typically used to specify important web page information. Such as the page description, keywords, the author of the document, date last modified and other important website META data. META tags are placed in a webpage’s head section and used by internet search engines to display the title and description of the webpage in their search results.
MIME:
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME). An extension to internet standard that allows users to exchange different kind of data files via the internet. Such as images, audio, video and apps.
MPEG:
A type of multimedia file, which is denoted by the file extension .mpg or .mpeg. These files are compressed movies that can contain both audio and video images. Though they are compressed, .MPEG files maintain most of the original quality of the uncompressed movie. This is why many videos on the internet, such as movie trailers and music videos, are available in the .MPEG format.
My LiveChat:
An online chat service. All My LiveChat plans include unlimited chats, canned responses, proactive chats, customizable widgets, chat history and fast message delivery. My LiveChat is an on-demand, pay as you go, no contract, cancel anytime live website chat solution.
MySQL:
A user account that stores accounts in the user table of a mysql system database. An account is defined in terms of a username and the client hostname or hosts from which the user can connect to the server. MySQL supports multiple authentication plug-ins.
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Nameservers:
A computer application that translates domain names into IP addresses (see IP above) and implements a network service for providing responses to queries against a directory service. This makes it possible for a user to access a website by typing in the domain name instead of the website’s actual numerical IP address. For example, when you type in “twist-o-lime.com,” the request gets sent to our nameserver. This returns the IP address for our website.
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Opacity:
Opacity describes how opaque an object is. While it is not specific to tech terminology, the term is often used in graphics & images and CSS (see CSS above). For example, many website background include an “opacity” style setting that allows you to adjust the transparency of an image behind the text. The opacity property in CSS specifies how transparent an element is. Opacity has a default initial value of 1. And the property can take a value from 0.0 – 1.0. The lower the value, the more transparent the image.
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Page View:
Every time a user visits a web page, it is called a page view. Page views are tracked by website monitoring applications to record a website’s traffic. The more page views a website has, the more traffic it is receiving. However, since a page view is recorded each time a web page is loaded, a single user can rack up many page views on one website. Therefore, unique page views are commonly tracked to log the number of different visitors a website receives in a given time period.
Page views are commonly confused with website hits. While people often use the term “hit” to describe a page view, technically a hit is recorded for each object that loads during a page view. For example, if a web page contains a HTML file (see HTML above), two images and a JavaScript (see JS above) reference, a single page view will record four hits. If a page contains over 200 images, one page view can record over 200 hits. Page views are more similar to impressions, which are commonly tracked by online advertisers. Page views and impressions may be identical if one advertisement is placed on each page. However, if multiple ads are positioned on each page, the number of ad impressions will be greater than the number of page views.
PDF:
Stands for “Portable Document Format.” A multi-platform file format developed by . The .PDF file captures document text, fonts, images and even formatting of documents from a variety of applications. We typically use PDFs vs DOCs, because you can email a .PDF document to your client and it will look the same way on their screen as it looks on yours. Even if they have a Mac and you have a PC or they are using a mobile device. Since PDFs contain color-accurate information, they should also print the same way they look on your screen. To view a .PDF file, you’ll need Adobe Reader. It’s a free application program. Adobe also makes an Acrobat plug-in for web browsers that enables .PDF files to be viewed inside a browser window or your email.
Pharming:
Pharming is yet another way hackers attempt to manipulate users on the internet. While phishing attempts to capture personal information by getting users to visit a fake website, pharming redirects users to false websites without them even knowing it. One way that pharming takes place is via an email virus that “poisons” a user’s local DNS cache. It does this by modifying the DNS entries or host files. For example, instead of having the IP address 17.254.3.183 direct to www.apple.com, it may direct the user to another website determined by the hacker.
Pharmers can also poison entire DNS servers. This means any user that uses the affected DNS server will be redirected to the wrong website. Fortunately, most DNS servers have security features to protect them against such attacks. Still, they are not necessarily immune, since hackers continue to find ways to gain access to them.
While pharming is not as common as phishing, it can affect many people at once. This is especially true if a large DNS server is modified. So, if you visit a certain website and it appears to be significantly different than what you expected, you may be the victim of pharming. If this happens, you should restart your computer to reset your DNS entries. And run an antivirus program. Then try connecting to the website again. If the website still looks strange, you should contact your internet service provider, and let them know their DNS server may have been pharmed.
Phishing:
Similar to fishing in a lake, phishers attempt to catch or steal your personal information. They send out emails that appear to be from legitimate websites such as eBay, PayPal or other banking institutions. The emails state that your information needs to be updated or validated and ask that you enter your username and password, after clicking a link included in the email. Some emails will ask that you enter even more information, such as your full legal name, address, phone number, social security number and/or a credit card number. However, even if you visit the false website and just enter your username and password, the phisher may be able to gain access to more information by just logging in to you account.
Phishing is a con game that scammers use to collect personal information from unsuspecting users. The false emails often look surprisingly legitimate, and even the web pages where you are asked to enter your information may look real. However, the URL in the address field can tell you if the page you have been directed to is valid or not. If you receive an email that asks that you update your information and you think it might be valid, go to the website by typing the URL in your browser’s address field instead of clicking the link in the email.
For example, go to “https://paypal.com” instead of clicking the link in an email that appears to come from PayPal. If you are prompted to update your information after you have manually typed in the web address and logged in, then the email was probably legitimate. However, if you are not asked to update any information, then the email was most likely a spoof sent by a phisher. NOTE: Most legitimate emails will address you by your full name at the beginning of the message. If there is any doubt that the email is legitimate, be smart and don’t enter your information.
PHP:
A popular general-purpose HTML-embedded web scripting language that is especially suited to web development. PHP code can be inserted into the HTML code of a web page (see HTML above). When a .PHP page is accessed, the code is read or “parsed” by the server the page resides on. PHP stands for “hypertext preprocessor.”
Plug-In:
A third-party software add-on that provides a specific feature to an existing computer program or software. Plug-ins are commonly used for web browsers, WordPress, graphic editors and audio & video applications. Typically, plug-ins are stored within a subdirectory of the application folder. When the application is opened, the plug-ins are loaded into the program. Examples of web browser plug-ins include: Chrome Web Store, Safari Extensions and Firefox Add-ons.
A WordPress plug-in is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to the website and can extend functionality or add new features to your website. They include analytics, contact forms & subscription options, security tools, secure checkout & social media integration, SEO tools and much more! You should make sure that any plug-ins installed are compatible with your version of WordPress and come from a reputable developer. Plug-ins are frequently updated for bug fixes and to accommodate newer WP versions. Some plug-ins may not be compatible with each other. And out-dated plug-ins are frequently abandoned. So you’ll want to perform an occasional audit of all your plug-ins. However, most WordPress plug-ins are updated routinely and integrate seamlessly.
PNG:
Stands for “Portable Network Graphic.” This format was designed as an alternative to the .GIF format (which has been plagued by copyright issues). Like .GIFs, .PNG files are lossless, meaning they don’t lose any detail when they are compressed. They support up to 48-bit color or 16-bit grayscale. And typically compress about 5% to 25% better than .GIF files. However, they do not support animations like .GIFs do. Most web graphics we design are in the .PNG format.
Popup:
The term “popup” has two tech-related meanings. One refers to a popup window and the other is a type of menu.
1. Popup Window: A type of window that opens without the user selecting “New Window” from a program’s file menu. Popup windows are often generated by websites that include pop-up ads or contact forms. These popups are produced with JavaScript code that is inserted into the HTML of a web page (see HTML & JS above). They typically appear when a user visits a web page or closes a window or tab. Some popups show up in front of the main window, while others show up behind the main browser window. Ads that appear behind open windows are also called “pop-under” ads.
Regardless of where popup ads appear on your screen, they can be pretty annoying. Fortunately, browser developers have realized this, and most web browsers include an option to block popup windows. If you are noticing popup windows appear on your computer when your browser is not open, you may have an adware program running on your computer. The best solution to this problem is to run an anti-spyware program that will locate and remove the malware from your system.
2. Popup Menu: A type of menu that “pops up” on the screen when the user right-clicks a certain object or area. It can be also called a contextual menu, since the menu options are relevant to where the user right-clicked on the screen. Popup menus provide quick access to common program functions and are used by most operating systems and applications.
POP3:
Post Office Protocol (POP3) sometimes referred to as just “POP,” is a simple, standardized method of delivering email messages. A POP3 mail server receives emails and filters them into the appropriate user folders. When a user connects to the mail server to retrieve their mail, the messages are downloaded from the mail server to the user’s hard disk.
When you configure your email client, such as Outlook (Windows) or Mail (Mac OS X), you will need to enter the type of server your email account uses. This will typically be either a POP3 or IMAP server. IMAP mail servers are a bit more complex than POP3 servers and allow email messages to be read and stored on the server. Many “webmail” interfaces use IMAP mail servers so that users can manage all their mail online. But most email servers use the POP3 mail protocol because it is simple and well supported.
You may have to check with your ISP or whoever manages your email account to find out what settings to use for configuring your mail program. If your email account is on a POP3 mail server, you will need to enter the correct POP3 server address in your email program settings. Typically, this is something like “mail.servername.com” or “pop.servername.com.” Of course, to successfully retrieve your email, you will also have to enter a valid username and password.
PPC:
Pay-per-click (PPC) is model of online marketing in which advertisers pay a fee each time a visitor click on one of their ads. Essentially, it’s a way of buying visits to your website rather than earning those visits organically. Banner ads, flash ads and text ads can all be used to generate pay per click revenue for publishers. Many search engines use PPC, such as Google Ads, Bing Ads, and show sponsored results along with other relevant keyword search results. And social networking ads like Facebook Ads are some of the most popular forms of PPC ads currently available. PPC is an attractive marketing tool because advertisers only have to pay for actual traffic generated by their ads.
Protocol:
When computers communicate with each other, there needs to be a common set of rules and instructions that each computer follows. A specific set of communication rules is called a protocol. Because of the many ways computers can communicate with each other, there are many different protocols — too many for the average person to remember. Some examples of these different protocols include PPP, TCP/IP, SLIP, HTTP and FTP. Can you guess what the last “P” in each acronym stands for? If you guessed “protocol,” you’re right!
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Query:
Another word for question. In fact, outside of tech terminology, the words “query” and “question” can be used interchangeably. However, computer queries are sent to a computer system and processed by a software program rather than a person. Another common type of query is a database query. Databases store data in a structured format that can be accessed using queries. The structured query language (SQL) was designed specifically for this purpose. Users can create SQL queries that retrieve specific information from a database. Most dynamic websites query a database each time you visit a new page.
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reCAPTCHA:
A free web service that protects a website from spam and log-in abuse. reCAPTCHA uses an advanced risk analysis engine and adaptive challenges to keep automated software and bots from engaging in abusive activities on a website. While letting valid users and actual humans pass through the log-in protocol with ease.
Responsive Web Design:
An approach to web design that makes web pages render optimally on a variety of browsers, devices and screen sizes — from large computer screens to laptops, tablets and smartphones. Responsive web design uses HTML and CSS scripts (see CSS & HTML above) to automatically resize, hide, shrink or enlarge a website based on the device, screen size or browser.
ROI:
Return on Investment (ROI) is a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment or compare the efficiency of a number of different investments. ROI tries to directly measure the amount of return on a particular investment, relative to the investment’s cost.
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SaaS:
Software as a service (SaaS) are apps typically accessed by users using a thin client, such as a web browser. SaaS has become a common delivery model for many business applications. Including CRM, messaging software such as FB messenger and Hangouts, payroll processing software, human resource management (HRM), talent acquisition, learning management systems, content management systems (CMs), geographic information systems (GIS), etc.
Safari:
A web browser developed by Apple. Based on the WebKit engine. First released in 2003 with Mac OS X Panther, a mobile version of Safari has been included in iOS devices since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007. Infact, Safari is the default browser on all Apple and MAC devices.
Same-Origin Policy:
In tech terms, the same-origin policy (SOP) is an important security mechanism in a client browser. Under the policy, a web browser permits scripts contained in one web page to access data in a second web page. But only if both web pages have the same origin. The same-origin policy security model permits webpage scripts to access an associated website’s data and methods. While it restricts its access to scripts and data stored by other websites.
Search Console:
Google’s Search Console (formally Google Webmaster Tools) is a web service offered by Google. It allows webmasters to check indexing status and optimize visibility of their websites.
Search Engine:
A search engine is a website used for finding information on the internet. Examples of search engines include Google, Bing & Yahoo! As part of our web-design process, we make sure your site is search engine friendly. And we will submit your website to all major search engines prior to the final launch.
Security Hardening:
The process of securing a website by reducing its vulnerability by adding different layers of protection to reduce a potential cyber attack. Hardening often involves manual measures of adding code or making changes to the code configuration.
SEM:
Search engine marketing. A type of internet-based marketing associated with the research, submission and the positioning of a website within search engines. SEO is employed to achieve maximum visibility and increase your share of paid and/or organic traffic referrals from search engines. This form of online marketing involves the promotion of websites primarily through paid ads. Such as PPC ads, Google Ads and Bing Ads. Search engine marketing, or SEM, is one of the most effective ways to quickly grow your business in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
SEO:
Search engine optimization. A methodology of strategies, techniques and tactics used to increase the amount of visitors (traffic) to a website or web page. This is done by obtaining a high-ranking placement in the search engine results page (SERP). Including Google, Bing, Yahoo! and other search engines. SEO refers to free or “organic” improvement via unpaid search engine results. And excludes direct traffic/visitors and the purchase of paid placement and ads. As part of our web design process, we will integrate baseline SEO into your site. So that search engines will be able to easily index your website. Ongoing SEO enhancements, which include seo-rich content development, analytics and marketing tools are also available at an additional cost. And included in our web maitainance plans.
SERP:
Search Engine Results Pages. The pages displayed by search engines such as Google, Bing & Yahoo! in response to a query submission. One main component of the SERP is the listing of results in a ranking order that are returned by the search engine in response to a user’s keyword query. Note, most search engine results usually contain other targeted results, such as paid or sponsored advertisements.
Server:
A computer that provides data to other computers. It may serve data to systems on a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) over the internet. Many types of servers exist, including web servers, mail servers and file servers. Each type runs software specific to the purpose of the server.
Shared Hosting:
A website hosting service where many sites reside on one “shared” server connected to the internet. The amount of disk space and bandwidth you are allotted is limited because there are others sharing the server. In shared hosting, all accounts share the available resources with all the other accounts on the server. These include CPU time, memory and disk space. This is generally the most economical option for hosting. Since the overall cost of server maintenance is shared among many customers.
Shield Security:
A third-party WordPress security plug-in. Shield Security provides powerful core file scanners that automatically detect malicious file changes and hacks, an IP blacklist, two-factor authentication — including Google authenticator, automated comments SPAM blocker, audit trail, user activity log, reCAPTCHA, firewall, HTTP headers and more!
Shortcoder:
A shortcut to add custom features to a WordPress website that would normally require lots of complicated computer code. The tech shortcodes are used to reduce the amount of code that needs to be written and simplifies the usage of plug-ins, themes and other functions. They behave like macros. And are written inside two square brackets. When you insert a HTML or JavaScript shortcode, it is replaced on the live webpage with a snippet of code (see HTML & JS above).
Sitemap:
An overview of the web pages within a website. A sitemap allows web crawlers to get to all areas of a site no matter the size. This helps with SEO and site submission, because it makes it easier for search engines to locate and crawl all the content on your website.
A sitemap can be organized in a variety of ways. However, most use an outline form, with pages arranged by topic. This gives visitors an overall picture of how the site is organized and clearly defines all the resources the website has to offer. Sitemaps of smaller sites may include every page of the website. Whereas, sitemaps of larger sites often only include pages for major categories and subcategories of the site.
A properly designed website should allow visitors to easily navigate the entire site without using a sitemap. Incorporating a sitemap simply gives users another means of locating specific web pages. For this reason, each page listed in a sitemap is typically linked to the webpage it represents. This allows visitors to quickly jump to any section of a website listed in the sitemap. While not required, sitemaps are HIGHLY encouraged for all websites and often required for website submissions. We create sitemaps for all the sites we build.
SMTP:
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. The protocol used for sending email over the internet through a set of commands that authenticate and direct the transfer of electronic mail. Your email client (such as Gmail, Mail.com or Outlook) uses SMTP to send a message to the mail server. The mail server then uses SMTP to relay that message to the correct receiving mail server. When configuring the settings for your email service, you usually need to set the SMTP server to your local Internet Service Provider’s SMTP settings (i.e. “smtp.yourisp.com”). However, the incoming mail server (IMAP or POP3) should be set to your mail account server, which may be different than the SMTP server.
Snap Creek:
A software developer that offers a must-have third-party WordPress plugin “Duplicator Pro.” This is the single most important plug-in we have in our line up. Duplicator is used for backing up and migrating a WordPress site. Duplicator Pro is an enhanced version of Duplicator. It includes scheduled backups, cloud backups, large database support, larger file support and fast migration.
Social Networking/Marketing:
Social networking sites (also known as social media) allow users to be part of a virtual online community. The most popular social sites are currently Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat & Twitter. These sites provide users or businesses with simple tools to create a custom profile with text and graphics. A typical social profile includes basic information and at least one photo (avatar). Advanced profiles may include videos, photo albums, online applications, custom layouts, services, special offers and more. After creating a profile, users can add friends or invite followers, send messages to other users and leave comments directly on a user profile. Thanks to social networking websites, businesses can now share their profile with current and prospective customers. This provides an important linking element between users. Allowing businesses to communicate directly with their customers and local community.
Spear Phishing:
The fraudulent practice of sending spam emails ostensibly from a known or trusted sender in order to induce targeted individuals to reveal confidential information & data. Ostensibly coincidently, is quite the big word showoff by one of our more cheeky copywriters.
Spam:
Originated from the name of Hormel’s canned meat product TRUE STORY!). Spam in the tech world refers to junk email or irrelevant postings to a newsgroup or community bulletin board. The unsolicited email messages you receive about refinancing your home. Losing those pesky extra pounds. Or helping out an ill-fated Nigerian prince. Fer-goodness-sakes, won’t someone finally please help that poor Prince out? Spamming is the most notorious violation of internet etiquette (or “netiquette”).
Spoofing:
The word “spoof” means to hoax, trick or deceive. Therefore, in the tech world, spoofing refers to tricking or deceiving computer systems or other computer users. This is typically done by hiding one’s identity or faking the identity of another user online. Spoofing can take place on the internet in several different ways.
One common method is via email, which involves sending messages from a fake email address or faking the email address of another user. Fortunately, most email servers have security protocols that prevent unauthorized users from sending messages. However, spammers often send spam messages from their own SMTP, which allows them to use fake email addresses. Therefore, it’s possible to receive email from an address that is not the actual address of the person sending the message. Spoofing can also be done by faking an identity, such as a fictitious online username. Users may also fake their age, gender, occupation and location.
Another way spoofing takes place is via IP spoofing (see IP above). This involves masking the IP address of a certain computer system. By hiding or faking a computer’s IP address, it is difficult for other systems to determine where the computer is transmitting data from. Because IP spoofing makes it difficult to track the source of a transmission, it is often used in denial-of-service attacks that overload a server. This may cause the server to crash or become unresponsive to legitimate requests. Most software security systems have been developed that can identify denial-of-service attacks and block their transmissions.
Spyware:
Malicious programs that gather data from your hard drive, the websites you visit or your keystrokes. To protect your computer from spyware, you should make sure any adware you install on your computer is from a reputable company. And always read the privacy agreement that comes with it.
Square:
Square helps millions of sellers run their business — from secure credit card processing to point of sale solutions. Allowing users to buy, sell and transfer money using any Apple or Android mobile device or via a website. The Square device can turn your smartphone into a credit card machine. Or you can use your account to create a secure checkout on a website.
SSL Certificates:
Small data files that digitally bind a cryptographic key to an organization’s details. An organization needs to install the SSL Certificate onto its web server to initiate a secure session with browsers. When a certificate is successfully installed on a web server, it activates the padlock. And the application protocol (also known as “HTTP”) will change to “HTTPS” where the “S” stands for “secure.” Once a secure connection is established, all web traffic between the web server and browser will be secure. SSL is typically used to secure credit card transactions, online shopping carts and check out, and data transfer & logins. More recently, it is becoming the norm for securing data on social media sites.
SSL VPN:
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) VPN is a type of virtual private network used on standard web browsers to provide secure, remote-access VPN capability. SSL protocol enables devices with an internet connection to establish a secure remote-access VPN connection between an individual device (such as a server, desktop, laptop or mobile device) with the web browser through a VPN gateway. SSL VPN systems like Cisco, Citrix, Juniper Networks or SonicWALL, use end-to-end encryption (E2EE) network connections to protect data transmitted between the endpoint device client software and the SSL VPN server through which the client connects securely to the internet. In contrast to traditional Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) VPN, a SSL VPN does not require the installation of specialized client software on the end user’s computer.
Stripe:
A software platform providing secure online payment processing for online businesses and in-person electronic payments. Stripe offers a suite of payment APIs that powers commerce for web-based businesses of all sizes.
Strong Password:
A strong password has 12 characters MINIMUM and should contain a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters and numbers. And should contain at least 1 (although we recommend 2-3) special characters, such as !@#$%^&*(), etc. The strong password should not include any actual words, names, birthdates or special dates. And NO keyboard patterns, such as qwerty, asdfghjkl or 12345678. As part of our strong password policy, we recommend changing your passwords every three months. And keeping them in a safe & secure location.
Structured Query Language (SQL):
A standard domain-specific computer language used in programming and designed for managing data held in a relational database management system and data manipulation. SQL is used to query, insert, update and modify data.
Sucuri Security:
A popular website security & protection platform. Sucuri Security
offers users a set of security features for their website. Each designed to have a positive effect on their security posture, including security activity auditing and file integrity monitoring. Often installed on WordPress as a third-party plug-in.
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TCP/IP:
Also known as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. TCP/IP protocols were developed in the early days of the internet by the U.S. military. The purpose was to allow computers to securely communicate over long-distance networks. The TCP verifies delivery of the packets. And the IP involves the moving of data packets between nodes. TCP/IP has since become the standard protocol for the internet. Therefore, TCP/IP software is now built into all major operating systems, such as Unix, Windows and macOS.
Tidio:
A live chat service, typically installed as a third-party plug-in that allows you to communicate easily with customers. You can assign chats to specific agents and set LIVE chat availability hours. Tidio Chat is accessible through a website, a Tidio channel web link or via Facebook Messenger for the visitor. And through the Tidio Chat dashboard for the chat agent. Features also include quick responses, automated chatbots and off-line messages, with email notification during off hours.
TIFF:
Tagged Image File Format. A graphics file format created in the 1980s to be used as the standard image format across multiple computer platforms. A .TIFF format can handle color depths ranging from 1-bit to 24-bit. Since the original .TIFF standard was introduced, designers have been making several small improvements to the format. So there are now almost 50 variations of the .TIFF format. JPEG is the most popular universal format, because of its small file size and cross-browser internet compatibility.
Trello:
A web-based collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards. In one glance, Trello tells you what’s being worked on. Who’s working on what. And where something is in the timeline process. Similar to a white board filled with lists and sticky notes, where each note is a task for you and your creative team. Trello uses a web-based Kanban-style list-making app. Kanban is a method to manage and improve work by balancing demands with available capacity and improve the handling of system-level bottlenecks.
Trojan Horse:
There is a story about the Trojan War from Greek mythology, which lasted many years because the Greeks couldn’t penetrate the heavily barricaded city of Troy. According to the legend, a few Greek soldiers brought the people of Troy a large wooden horse as a peace offering. The horse was rolled inside the city walls. And after the people of the city went to sleep, Greek soldiers jumped out of the wooden horse. Opened the gates to let their fellow soldiers in. And took over the city. The moral of this story? Beware of Trojan horses. And in the tech world, Trojan horses are more than just a myth.
Trojan horses can cause real damage to your computer and operating system. Trojan horses are software programs that masquerade as regular programs, such as a game, disk utility or even an antivirus program that can cause significant harm when opened. For example, a Trojan horse might appear to be a free virus scan. But once the program runs, it begins writing over certain parts of your hard drive. Corrupting your internal data. These malicious programs are only dangerous if they are given a chance to run. Most antivirus programs can catch Trojan horses when scanning for viruses. Unlike viruses, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves. However, it is possible for a Trojan horse to be attached to a virus file that spreads to multiple computers via a shared network.
As a general rule, do not open or run a program unless you know the source and know it’s legit. This applies especially to email attachments with executable files. Even if you are pretty sure the attachment is safe, it is advisable to run the attachment through a virus scan program with the latest virus definitions just to be safe.
TrustedSite:
A website that you trust not to damage your computer. When you click on the TrustedSite trustmark, you’ll see the details about the website and its earned certification. TrustedSite checks a website for malware, viruses, phishing attacks and other malicious activities.
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UDP:
User Datagram Protocol. Part of the TCP/IP suite of protocols used for data transferring. UDP is known as a “stateless” protocol. Meaning it does not acknowledge that the packets being sent have been received. For this reason, the UDP protocol is typically used for streaming media. While you might see skips in video or hear some fuzz in audio clips, UDP transmission prevents the playback from stopping completely.
Unix:
An operating system or suite of programs that makes the computer work. It is a stable, multi-user, multi-tasking system for servers, desktops and laptops.
URL:
Uniform Resource Locator. A web address for a website. The URL is a reference to a web resource that specifies its location on a computer network and provides a mechanism for retrieving it.
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Venmo:
A digital wallet that allows you make and share payments with friends. You can easily share or split purchases or a bill. Transfer money to bank account and send money for free. Make online purchases. And much more. Encrypted & secure. Venmo users can download the mobile iOS or Android app. In addition to check & credit card, we accept payments for services through Venmo. So now if you hear someone say, “Just Venmo me!” You’re in the know.
Virus:
Computer viruses are small programs or scripts that can negatively affect the health of your computer system. These malicious programs can create hidden files, move files, erase files, corrupt files, consume your computer’s memory and cause your computer not to function correctly. Some viruses can duplicate themselves, attach themselves to programs and travel across networks. Opening an infected email attachment is the most common way to get a virus.
The best offense is a good defense, and it’s better to prevent an attack than to try and fix it. There are many antivirus programs available that scan incoming files for viruses before they can cause damage to your computer. Some of these programs include McAfee AntiVirus, Norton AntiVirus and Webroot AntiVirus. It is recommended that you install one of these programs on your computer to prevent a virus or malware attack. It is also important to update your virus definitions file at least once a month. So that your antivirus program can check for all the latest viruses and online threats.
Vistaprint:
An e-commerce company that produces slick physical and digital marketing products for small and micro businesses. Vistaprint offers custom-design desktop publishing services via the internet. And provides a variety of promotional material, such as banners, business cards, flyers, postcards, apparel, etc.
VoIP:
Voice over Internet Protocol. The technology that delivers voice communications over Internet Protocol networks. VoIP converts your voice into a digital signal, allowing you to make a call directly from your computer, a VoIP phone or other data-driven devices.
VPN:
A virtual private network. Extends a private network across a public network, enabling users to send and receive data across shared or public networks. As if their computing devices were directly connected to a private network.
VPS Hosting:
Virtual private hosting. Similar to a dedicated server. However, some features are shared. For example, the overall CPU time and memory are shared across all accounts on the server. While some portions of those resources are dedicated to each individual account. This allows for more power & flexibility than being on a shared account. If you are considering a dedicated server but are not sure if it’s the correct fit for you, starting out with a VPS host is an excellent option.
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W3C:
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international community where member organizations, a full-time staff and the public work together to develop and crowd-source web standards. W3C’s mission is to lead the internet to its full potential.
W3C Standards:
An open-web platform for application development that has the unprecedented potential to enable developers to build rich, interactive web experiences. Powered by vast data stores, that are available on any device. Although the boundaries of the platform continue to evolve, industry leaders speak nearly in unison about how HTML5 will be the cornerstone for this platform. But the full strength of the platform relies on more tech that W3C and its partners are creating. Including CSS, SVG, WOFF, the Semantic Web stack, XML and a variety of APIs. W3C develops these tech specifications and guidelines through a process designed to maximize consensus about the content of a technical report. To ensure high technical and editorial quality. And to earn endorsement by the W3C community.
WAV:
Waveform Audio File Format (WAVE, or more commonly known as .WAV due to its filename extension). An audio file format, created by the U.S. tech company Microsoft. .WAVs store an audio bitstream on PCs. A .WAV file has become the standard PC audio file format for everything from system and game sounds to CD-quality audio. Used primarily in PCs on Microsoft Windows systems. The .WAV file format has been accepted as a viable interchange medium for other computer platforms, such as Macintosh. This allows content developers to freely move audio files between multi platforms for processing.
Web Browser:
The software people use to access the internet. And serves as the interface between your computer and the world wide web. Your web browser interprets web scripts like HTML code including text, images, hypertext links, Javascript and Java applets (see HTML & JS above). After rendering the HTML code, the browser displays a formatted webpage. Popular browsers include Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Safari.
Web Host:
In order to publish a website online, you need a web hosting platform. The web host stores all the files and individual pages of a website and makes them available online. The domain name, such as “twist-o-lime.com,” is actually linked to an IP address that points to a specific web host (see IP above). When you enter a domain name into your browser’s URL address field, the IP address is located and the web site is loaded from its web host.
A web host can have anywhere from one to several thousand computer servers that run web hosting software, such as Linux, OS X or Windows Server. Most websites you view on the internet are accessed from a “shared host.” Which is a single computer that can host hundreds of websites. Larger websites often use a “dedicated host.” Which is a single machine that hosts only one website or account. Sites with extremely high amounts of traffic, such as apple.com or microsoft.com, use several computers to host their site. If you want to publish your own website, you’ll need a web host. There are numerous web-hosting servers available. However, most require a monthly or annual fee that varies depending on how much disk space and bandwidth your site needs.
Web Hosting Pad:
A web hosting platform, known for secure and reliable hosting services. Web Hosting Pad is an affordable and secure web-hosting solution. Offering a free domain, easy-to-use website management tools and 24/7 support. Features cPanel and offers shared & VPS hosting. While it lacks dedicated servers, Web Hosting Pad does offer managed WordPress options.
Web Page:
Webpages are internet-based documents that are written in web-based scripts such as .HTML (hypertext markup language) and translated by a web browser. Webpages can either be static or dynamic. Static pages show the same content each time they are viewed. Dynamic pages have content that can change each time they are accessed. These pages are typically written in scripting languages such as PHP, Perl, ASP or JSP. The scripts in the pages run functions on the server that return things like the date and time and database information. A webpage is not the same thing as a website. The website is a collection of webpages. While a web page is a single individual scripted document.
Webroot Antivirus:
An anti-malware utility developed by Webroot Software. The Webroot AntiVirus product added an antivirus detection engine to the tech company’s previous standalone anti-spyware product Spy Sweeper. Webroot AntiVirus is available for PC and Mac. And provides lightning-fast scans with no interruption. Securing businesses and individuals worldwide.
WEP:
Wired Equivalent Privacy. A security protocol for Wi-Fi networks. Since wireless networks transmit data over radio waves, it is easy to intercept data or “eavesdrop” on wireless data transmissions. The goal of WEP is to make wireless networks as secure as wired networks, such as those connected by ethernet cables. WEP protocol adds security to a wireless network by encrypting the data. If the data is intercepted, it will be unrecognizable to the system that intercepted the data, since it is encrypted. However, authorized systems on the network will be able to recognize the data because they all use the same encrypted algorithm. Systems on a WEP-secured network can typically be authorized by entering a network password.
Whitelisting:
A security feature often used for limiting and controlling access only to trusted website users. IP whitelisting allows you to create a list of trusted IP addresses or IP ranges from which your users can access your domains (see IP above). Typically, we include our design team’s and server IPs on to our whitelist. And we would include yours as well when designing your website. Then if we turn ownership exclusively over to you, you can modify the whitelist as needed. Sites that are maintained by us and/or use our web security services will receive routine IP whitelist updates.
Widgets
A web application that is embedded as an element on a web page. Widgets commonly provide users of the host page access to resources from another website. And includes advertising such as Google Ads, sponsored external links, social media buttons, maps, news and weather. However, some web widgets serve as user-selectable customizations on a website. Such as a contact form and appointment scheduler or an upcoming events calendar.
WooCommerce:
An open-source, e-commerce toolkit that helps you offer products and services online. This completely customizable e-commerce platform fuses a modular system. WooCommerce is kept lean and slick, so you can add just the options you want. It’s also made to work alongside numerous third-party WordPress plug-ins.
Wordfence Security:
A popular third-party plug-in that provides a firewall developed specifically for WordPress and blocks attackers looking for vulnerabilities on your website. The firewall is powered by a Threat Defense Feed, which is continually updated as new threats emerge. Wordfence offers a free basic service. While premium customers receive threat updates in real-time.
WordPress:
A powerful blog and website content management system (CMS) used to build and maintain websites. Known for its easy functionality and unique blogging features, WordPress is the most popular blogging and web-design tool currently available. WordPress provides an easy to use web-based user interface for designing, publishing and updating websites.
WP Cerber Security:
A popular website security & protection plug-in that defends WordPress sites against hacker attacks, spam, trojans and viruses. WP Cerber Security features include: Malware scanner and integrity checker — hardening WordPress with a set of comprehensive security algorithms. Spam protection with a sophisticated bot detection engine and reCAPTCHA. And the ability to track user and intruder activity with email, mobile and desktop notifications.
WPForms:
A third-party plug-in used for contact forms on WordPress sites. WPForms allow users to quickly & easily build mobile-friendly website forms with smart conditional logic. No coding required. Features a drag & drop form builder, analytics & reports and tons of integrations. Great for mobile forms and those looking to easily maintain their website after completion. WPForms are not, however, highly customizable.
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XHTML:
Extensible HyperText Markup Language is part of the .XML markup languages used to create webpages. XHTML mirrors or extends versions of HyperText Markup Language (.HTML), the language that web pages are formulated. Since .XHTML is based on .XML rather than .HTML, web pages coded in .XHTML must conform to a strict XML syntax.
XML:
Extensible Markup Language. A markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. The XML metalanguage allows users to define their own customized markup languages, especially in order to display documents on the internet.
Xlrpc Attack
A WordPress attack by a hacker trying to access a site through the xmlrpc.php file extension using various username and password combinations. Hackers can effectively use a single command to test hundreds of different passwords. This allows them to bypass security tools that typically detect and block brute force attacks.
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Yoast SEO:
One of the most widely popular WordPress plugins, it is a powerful tool that can help you make your site as search engine-friendly as possible. Yoast SEO is a true all-in-one SEO solution for a WordPress site. And includes on-page content analysis, XML sitemaps and much more.
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Zazzle:
An online retailer that allows designers & customers to upload images and create their own unique products. Including: candles, cards, gift bags & totes, labels, notebooks & notepads, etc. You can also purchase merchandise created by other users or use images from participating companies. Zazzle has partnered with many brands, such as like Disney and Hallmark, to amass a collection of digital images. Perfect for business merch, gifts, holidays & weddings!
