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Address - A series of letters and numbers that identify a location. On the internet, typing in an address lets you send or receive information from specific sources. You can type in the address for an e-mail account, web site, or network. For example HostRocks! Support e-mail address is This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , and the address for the HostRocks! web site is www.HostRocks.com.

Attachment - This is a file that has been added to an e-mail. It could be something like a photograph or a clip of your favorite song. It could be something harmful to your computer, like a virus. Remind children to never open an attachment or e-mail from someone they don't know.

Blacklisting Software - A form of filtering that blocks only sites specified as harmful. You can add and remove sites from this "no-go" list. This method of filtering allows for more full use of the internet, but is less efficient at preventing access to harmful material that is not on the list.

Blocking Software - Computer programs that block access to web sites or other services available over the internet.

Blog (short for web log) - A web log is usually defined as a personal or noncommercial web site that uses a dated log format (usually with the most recent at the top of the page) and contains links to other web sites along with commentary about those sites. A web log is updated frequently and sometimes groups links by specific subjects, such as politics, news, pop culture, or computers.

Bookmark - A way to quickly access a favorite web site by saving it in your browser. For example you could have a bookmark www.HostRocks.com so you can easily find your favorite internet hosting website.

Browser - A program that allows users to view web pages. Netscape^® Navigator and Microsoft^® Internet Explorer are examples of popular browsers.

Bulletin Board Service (BBS) - A place where people can post messages on a particular topic.

Bulletin Boards - A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and login to the system using a terminal program. Originally BBSes were accessed only over a phone line using a modem, but by the early 1990s some BBSes allowed access via a Telnet or packet radio connection.

CD-ROM - It stands for "compact-disk, read-only memory." It is a type of disk that has a lot of memory. Many computer games that you buy come on CD-ROM to be put into your CD-ROM drive. You can also save information to a CD-ROM in order to load it onto a different computer.

Chat - Real-time communication over the internet. You type and send messages that appear almost instantly on the computer monitors of the other people who are participating in the chat.

Chatroom - An interactive forum where you can talk in real-time. The chatroom is the place or location online where the chat is taking place. Many chatrooms are established so that people can discuss a common interest like music or movies.

Cookie - HTTP cookies, or more commonly referred to as Web cookies, tracking cookies or just cookies, are parcels of text sent by a server to a web client (usually a browser) and then sent back unchanged by the client each time it accesses that server. HTTP cookies are used for authenticating, session tracking (state maintenance), and maintaining specific information about users, such as site preferences or the contents of their electronic shopping carts. The term "cookie" is derived from "magic cookie," a well-known concept in UNIX computing which inspired both the idea and the name of HTTP cookies.

Cyberbullying - sending or posting harmful or cruel text or images using the internet or other digital communication devices.

Cyberspace - Refers to all the computer networks on the internet. The term distinguishes the physical world from the virtual or computer-based world.

Cyberstalking/Harassment - Terms that can refer to the online enticement of children; rude or threatening messages; slanderous information; or repeated, unwanted messages.

Discussion Group - A group of people who exchange information about a common topic.

Domain Name - A name given to the numerical or internet Protocol (IP) address of a web site. For example HostRocks.com is the domain name for this web site. A Domain Name Service (DNS) assigns domain names and translates the domain name to the IP address of the site.

Download - Putting information on your computer. You can download information from the internet, discs or CDs, and other computers.

E-Mail (electronic mail) - A service that allows people to send messages with pictures and sounds from their computer to any other computer in the world. To send someone an e-mail message you need an e-mail account and to know the other person's e-mail address. For example our email address is This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Emoticons - Animated faces that express different emotions you can send in e-mails, chat, and Instant Messaging. Emoticons are a way to show someone online how you are feeling.

File-Sharing Programs - Programs that allow many different users to access the same file at the same time. These programs are usually used to illegally download music and software.

Filtering Software - Different methods to screen unwanted internet content including whitelisting, blacklisting, monitoring activity, keyword recognition, or blocking-specific functions such as e-mail or Instant Messages.

Firewall - This is a system that creates a special "wall" used by network servers to separate their Intranet from the internet. It keeps out unwanted information like spam and viruses and unwanted people like hackers.

Forum -  An Internet forum is a web application for holding discussions and posting user-generated content.

Flaming - Sending a deliberately confrontational message to others on the internet.

Flash - Refers to Macromedia Flash. This is a program that allows you to create animated content for your web page. To be able to see Flash content you must have this program on your computer.

Gamer - Someone who plays online or computer games.

Hacker - A popular term for someone who accesses computer information either legally or illegally.

Hard Copy - This is the printed/paper copy of a file from your computer. If you printed a picture from www.HostRocks.com, then you would have a hard copy of the picture.

Hardware - Components that help a computer work such as the keyboard, monitor, and electrical parts.

History - A list of web sites the people using a particular computer have visited. Viewing the history can be used to monitor what sites your children have visited.

Homepage - The web page that your browser is set to use when it starts up, or the main page of any web site.

Hyperlinks - A hyperlink is a reference or navigation element in a document to another section of the same document or to another document that may be on or part of a (different) domain.

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) - The coded format language used for creating documents on the world wide web and controlling how web pages appear.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) - The standard method computers use to communicate via the world wide web.

Icons - Small pictures that represent the programs on your computer.

ICQ - A program that allows users to communicate with other users in real time. Users can be alerted when other ICQ users have logged onto the program. ICQ allows users to chat, Instant-Message, send files, and play games.

Inbox - A file that holds and lists the e-mail you receive.

Instant Messaging (IM) - A service that allows people to send and get messages almost instantly. To send messages using Instant Messaging you need to download an Instant-Messaging program and know the Instant-Messaging address of another person who uses the same Instant-Messaging program.

Internet - A network of millions of computers from all over the world. The internet allows computers to trade information using telephone lines, fiber-optic cables, and satellite links. It is also referred to as the "Net."

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) - A system that enables people online to join in live discussions, allowing people to engage in real-time chat. IRC is like a CB radio for the internet. Internet Relay Chat is a virtual meeting place where people from all over the world can meet and talk.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) - A company that provides internet access to customers.

Intranet - A private network inside a company or an organization.

Java^TM - A computer language allowing you to create programs that can be viewed on the internet.

Java^TM Applet - A program written in Java that allows your browser to display active content.

Javascript - A computer language similar to Java that is easier to learn, but it lacks some of Java's benefits such as speed. It allows you to put interactive features onto your web page.

Keyboard - A computer attachment with keys that you use to enter information into the computer.

Keyword - The word(s) you use when looking for information within a search engine. For example if you wanted to find information about computers , you might go to www.google.com and type "computers" in the search box.

Listservs - A system that allows users to send e-mail to one address where their message is then copied and sent to all of the other subscribers to the listserv.

Modem - A hardware device that allows computers to communicate with each other by transmitting signals over telephone lines enabling what is called "dial-up access." Modems come in different speeds. The higher the speed, the faster the data transmission.

Monitor - Like your television, the monitor allows you to see the information that you are accessing.

Monitoring Software - Software products that allow parents to monitor or track the web sites or e-mail messages that a child visits or reads.

Mouse - A computer attachment that allows you to move the cursor and select links on your computer screen.

Mouse Trapping - A commonly used technique by pornography sites where a user gets "locked" in a web site. While surfing the internet it is possible to click a web site and have multiple undesirable web sites open. When this happens, you often cannot close or back out of the sites and must close your web browser completely.

MP3 - A digital music file. MP3s allow you to play music on your computer.

Multimedia - A combination of different types of programs that allow you to see graphics, animation, and text.

Navigate - The act of moving from page to page and web site to web site online. It is also called browsing or surfing.

Netiquette - Courtesy, honesty, and polite behavior practiced on the internet.

Network - A network is created when computers are connected, allowing people to share information. The internet is an example of a large network.

Newsgroups - Virtual message boards or discussion groups that are subject-specific on the internet. Participants in a newsgroup conduct discussions by posting messages for others to read and respond to the messages posted by others. It's like a community bulletin board where you can post and read messages.

Offline - Refers to not being connected to the internet.

Online - Another way to describe having access to the internet or actively using the internet.

Online Grooming - Using the internet to manipulate and gain trust of a minor as a first step towards the future sexual abuse, production, or exposure of that minor. Sometimes involves developing the child’s sexual awareness and may take days, weeks, months, or some cases years to manipulate the minor.

Outbox - This is where pending messages waiting to be sent are located.

Password - The secret word you use when signing onto the internet or an online service that helps to confirm your identity.

Pharming - An online scam that attacks the browser's address bar. Users type in what they think is a valid web-site address and are unknowingly redirected to an illegitimate site that steals their personal information.

Phishing - In computing, phishing is the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from PayPal, eBay, Youtube or online banks are commonly used to lure the unsuspecting. Phishing is typically carried out by e-mail or instant messaging,^[1] and it often directs users to enter details at a website. Phishing is an example of social engineering techniques used to fool users.^[2] Attempts to deal with the growing number of reported phishing incidents include legislation, user training, public awareness, and technical security measures.

Piracy - Illegally copying copyrighted software, music, or movies.

Plug-in - A plug-in (plugin, addin, add-in, addon, add-on or snap-in; but see extension) is a computer program that interacts with a host application (a web browser or an email client, for example) to provide a certain, usually very specific, function "on demand". Applications support plugins for many reasons. Some of the main reasons include: enabling third-party developers to create capabilities to extend an application, to support features yet unforeseen, to reduce the size of an application, and to separate source code from an application because of incompatible software licenses.

Podcast - an audio show that is broadcast over the web. Users can listen to these shows on a digital music player or a computer. Podcasts can include talk shows, music, or other types of audio.

Post - To leave a message on a newsgroup or bulletin board.

Privacy Policy - The policy that a company or organization operating a web site uses for handling the personal information collected about visitors to the site.

Query - A request for information about a certain topic. A query is what you put in the box when you type something into a search engine.

Real Time - Refers to being in the present time on the internet. It is similar to being live on television.

RealOne^TM - A software that allows you to "stream" media.

Screen - The part of the monitor where the images appear.

Scroll - The act of moving up and down on a specific page.

Search Engine - A Web search engine is a search engine designed to search for information on the World Wide Web. Information may consist of web pages, images and other types of files. Some search engines also mine data available in newsbooks, databases, or open directories. Unlike Web directories, which are maintained by human editors, search engines operate algorithmically or are a mixture of algorithmic and human input.

Server - A server is a computer dedicated to running a server application. A server application is a computer program that accepts network connections in order to service requests by sending back responses.^[1] Examples of server applications include mail servers, file servers, and proxy servers.

Social Networking Site - A social networking site is a web site specifically focused on the building and verifying of social networks for whatever purpose. Many social networking services are also blog hosting services. As of 2005, there are over three hundred known social networking web sites

Soft Copy - This is the electronic version of a file on your computer. If you downloaded a picture, you would have the soft copy on your computer.

Software - Programs that help your computer work. For example a filter is a type of software that can keep unwanted internet content off of your computer.

Spam - Unwanted e-mail from someone you don't know. It is usually trying to sell you something.

Spimming - Mass mailings sent as Instant Messages to users. Often these can feature links to explicit porn sites.

Streaming (Media) - The exchange of video clips, sound, or other types of media over the internet. It is a way for the user to quickly download these files.

Surf - To search for information on the web in a random, non-linear way.

Temporary internet Files -  a directory on Microsoft Windows computer systems. The directory is used by Internet Explorer to cache pages on websites visited by the user. This allows such websites to load more quickly the next time they are visited.

Transmission Control Protocol/internet Protocol (TCP/IP) - The protocols or conventions that computers use to communicate over the internet.

Uniform Resource Locator is a compact string of characters used to represent a resource available on the Internet.^[1] In popular usage and many technical documents, it is a synonym for Uniform Resource Identifier (URI).

USENET - A world-wide system of discussion groups where users' postings are shared, like a worldwide bulletin board. These sites may contain material and language that is inappropriate for children, since anyone can post on these sites.

User - Refers to anyone who uses a computer.

Virus - A computer program that can destroy files or make your computer "crash." Viruses can be sent via e-mail or through other file-sharing programs. Anti-virus software and not downloading information from people you don't know can help keep viruses from damaging your computer.

Warez - Pirated or illegally distributed software.

Web-Based Chat - A form of communication where users can have real-time conversations with other users conducted through an ISP. Chat can take place in a chatroom, Instant-Messaging program, or on IRC channels.

Web Site - A collection of "pages" or files linked together and available on the world wide web.

Webmaster - The person responsible for administering a web site.

Whitelisting - A form of filtering that only allows connections to a preapproved list of sites that are considered useful and appropriate for children.

Wikis - A wiki is a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language.^[1][2] Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. The collaborative encyclopedia Wikipedia is one of the best-known wikis.

World Wide Web - The World Wide Web (commonly shortened to the Web) is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet. With a Web browser, a user views Web pages that may contain text, images, videos, and other multimedia and navigates between them using hyperlinks.

Zip File - Large files that have been compressed to make them easier to send over the internet. The receiver must download the file with a program that will unzip it, breaking it up into the individual files that were compressed together in order to view the files. For example, if you want to send a member of your family some photographs, you can zip them all together into one file to make it easier to send.