Glossary of Terms

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D

Daemon - A mysterious little program that runs while you're not looking and takes care of things you would rather not know about.

Database - A file or file system containing organized information and, most commonly, a filing and retrieval system for storing information. Most database software also includes tools for data analysis. Examples of database software include Oracle, Sybase, and Microsoft SQL.

Debit Card - Is a cash substitute for consumers. They look like credit cards, but don't provide credit. Amounts for purchases are debited immediately from the user's bank balance.

Dedicated Server - With normal hosting accounts, you are given a certain amount of disk space on a server with many other web pages on it as well. For a higher price, a web hosting company offers you an entire server completely for your own needs - this generally makes your site run much faster and allows you to be in charge of how your server will operate. Also See: Co-Location

Digest - A compilation of the messages that have been posted to a mailing list over the past few days. Many people find it more convenient to receive one big message than a bunch of individual ones.

Digital Cash - Otherwise known as electronic cash or e-cash, this is a new currency for the real world and the Internet. E-cash is just a series of numbers, but those digits mean real cash to issuing banks. E-cash is more like real cash than a credit card because it's completely transferable and reusable. Also See: Smart Cards, Digital Signature, Digital Wallet, Digital Coins, Digital Certificate, and SSL

Digital Signature - Just as a paper document is authenticated by a signature, an electronic message can be authenticated by a digital signature. Digital signatures are another way to assure the recipient of an electronic message that the message is coming from the right party.

Digital Wallet - Software that stays resident on the hard drive of an online shopper. When they are ready to make a purchase, the "wallet" pops open to reveal payment options. Some "wallets" hold credit cards with encrypted information. Other "wallets" hold digital coins. a consumer account set up to allow e-commerce transactions through a particular credit card processing system. Before the consumer can make a purchase, he or she must first establish an account with the credit card processor, who provides an ID and password. These can then be used to make purchases at any web site that supports that transaction system. Also See: Digital Cash, Smart Cards, Digital Signature, Digital Coins, Digital Certificate, and SSL

Digital Certificates - Are digital Ids used to present credentials online. Digital certificates are issued by companies that act as "trusted third parties". In a SET transaction, the buyer, the merchant and banks for these parties all have digital certificates. Also See: SSL, Encryption, Digital Cash, Smart Cards, Digital Signature, Digital Wallet, Digital Coins

Digital Coins - Can be downloaded to a user's hard drive from an account at a bank. When the shopper wants to pay, a "wallet" pops open on their screen. "Coins" are transferred from the shopper's computer to the online merchant's server. The merchant deposits the "coins" in their bank. Also See: Digital Cash, Smart Cards, Digital Signature, Digital Wallet, Digital Certificate, SSL

Directory - A structure, sort of like a file folder (and called a folder in the Macintosh world). A special kind of file used to organize other files. Directories are lists of other files and can contain other directories (known as subdirectories) that contain still more files. UNIX, DOS, and Windows systems all use directory structures. The more stuff you have, the more you need directories in which to organize it. Directories enable you to organize files hierarchically.

Discount Rate - A percentage fee paid to the merchant account provider or ISO for handling an electronic transaction. Most web merchants pay between two and 10 percent of their revenue from online credit card or electronic check orders. DNS Registration - The web host provider will perform the appropriate registration procedures with InterNic in order to setup your domain. This is important as errors in your InterNic application can delay processing. You will be responsible for all InterNic fees.

DNS Parking - The web host provider will provide DNS service for a domain without having to have a web site for that domain. Useful for holding a domain that a customer is not yet using. Domain Name Server - (Name Server or abbreviated as DNS) - A computer on the Internet that translates between Internet domain names, such as noblelabs.com and Internet numerical addresses, such as 74.53.88.242

Domain Name - The unique name that identifies an Internet site. Domain Names always have 2 or more parts, separated by dots. The part on the left is the most specific, and the part on the right is the most general. A given machine may have more than one Domain Name but a given Domain Name points to only one machine. For example, the domain names: noblelabsinternet.com, secure.noblelabsinternet.com, and us.noblelabsinternet.com can all refer to the same machine, but each domain name can refer to no more than one machine. Usually, all of the machines on a given Network will have the same thing as the right-hand portion of their Domain Names (noblelabsinternet.com in the examples above). It is also possible for a Domain Name to exist but not be connected to an actual machine. This is often done so that a group or business can have an Internet e-mail address without having to establish a real Internet site. In these cases, some real Internet machine must handle the mail on behalf of the listed Domain Name. Also See: IP Number

Download - To bring software from a remote computer "down" to your computer.

DSL - (Digital Subscriber Line) -- A method for moving data over regular phone lines. A DSL circuit is much faster than a regular phone connection, and the wires coming into the subscriber's premises are the same (copper) wires used for regular phone service. A DSL circuit must be configured to connect two specific locations, similar to a leased line. A commonly discussed configuration of DSL allows downloads at speeds of up to 1.544 megabits (not megabytes) per second, and uploads at speeds of 128 kilobits per second. This arrangement is called ADSL: "Asymmetric" Digital Subscriber Line. Another common configuration is symmetrical: 384 Kilobits per second in both directions. In theory ADSL allows download speeds of up to 9 megabits per second and upload speeds of up to 640 kilobits per second. DSL is now a popular alternative to Leased Lines and ISDN, being faster than ISDN and less costly than traditional Leased Lines. See Also: bit, bps, ISDN, Leased Line

Dumb Terminal - A screen and a keyboard and not much else. It sort of resembles a PC without the computer. Dumb terminals connect to other computers and use their data and their computing.

Dynamic Routing - A method of addressing information on the Internet (not just mail messages, but all information) so that if one route is blocked or broken, the information can take an alternative route. The U.S. Department of Defence built this method into the design of the Internet for the benefit of the military, to resist enemy attack. It's also useful when non-military networks are attacked by errant backhoes.