| 508 compliance |
Refers to electronic
or information technology (ie. a web page) that
conforms to Section 508, an amendment to the Federal
1998 Rehabilitation Act. This law requires Federal
Agencies to make electronic and information technology
available to all people with disabilities such as
visual, auditory, or motor impairments. |
| Accessibility |
Refers to the practice
of making electronic and information technology
that can be used or seen by people with disabilities
such as visual, auditory, or motor impairments |
| Archive |
A place in which
copies of your web pages and related documents are
preserved, such as removable media (Zip disk), or
other backup media, such as a networked file server
or CD-ROM |
| Alt tag |
HTML code which
describes an image. The code is displayed by web
browsers when images are turned off, and is read
aloud by screen reader software used by people with
visual impairments. |
| Animated GIF |
GIF stands for
Graphic Interchange Format, a bitmapped image format
commonly used in web pages. Animated GIFs contain
a series of images that web browsers play in order,
thus displaying motion or other transitions. |
Backup
(or back up) |
(Noun or verb) The act or an instance
of preserving the contents of all or part of a
computer's hard disk |
| Bitmapped graphic |
A type of image
which is composed of a rectangular arrangement of
pixels into rows and columns at a specific resolution.
Examples of bitmapped graphics include TIFF, GIF,
JPG/JPEG, PNG, BMP |
Browser
(web browser) |
A computer program
used for accessing sites or information on the Internet/World
Wide Web. Examples include Microsoft Internet Explorer,
Netscape Navigator, Opera, Safari, Mozilla, Lynx |
| Cascading Style
Sheets |
(CSS) A style sheet
technology (see style sheet) which enhances HTML
and gives web page authors increased design and
layout capabilities. All pages that use the MCPS
Web Template link back to a single style sheet.
This document defines the appearance of many type
styles and headings to give the site visual consistency.
"Cascading" refers to the fact that styles
may be specified in a series or in a succession
of stages so that some stages override others (sitewide,
page, or tag level). |
| ColdFusion |
Software that enables
application developers to build and deploy web-based
applications and services (Macromedia, Inc.) |
| Content well |
The area of the
MCPS Web Template that is not devoted to site identification
or to global or local navigation |
| Cookie |
A small file stored
on a web user's computer, created and subsequently
read by a web server. Cookies contain information
about a specific user (as a user identification
code, customized preferences, or a record of pages
visited) |
| CSS |
See Cascading Style
Sheets to
top |
| Domain Name |
A series of letters
and/or numbers separated by periods, such as www.mcps.k12.md.us,
that represents the address of a computer network
connection and that identifies its owner |
| Digital Vertical
File |
(DVF) MCPS Web
Services' online database of photos, clip art, multimedia
content, and other documents |
| Directory |
A discrete logical
area on a computer hard disk, also referred to as
a folder |
| DNS |
Domain Name Service.
A service that translates alphabetic or alphanumeric
Internet domain names into Internet Protocol (IP)
addresses. For example, the domain name www.sample.org
might translate to 222.333.444.5 |
| Download/Get |
Terms used in FTP
(File Transfer Protocol) software for copying files
from the web server to a local computer |
| Drop-down box |
An HTML form object
that allows users to select from a list or menu
of options that grow out of a (relatively) small
box on a web page. Also known as “drop-down”
or “pull-down” box, list, or menu. |
| DVF |
See Digital Vertical
File |
| File |
(Computer file)
A collection of related data or program records
stored as a unit with a single name |
| FileMaker |
Database software
for desktop, workgroup, or web use (FileMaker, Inc.) |
| File Transfer
Protocol |
(FTP) Used by client
software that allows you to transfer files between
your local computer drive and a remote server |
| Flash |
Software that lets
you include sound, animation, and interactive content
in your web pages. Requires that users install a
free player that works in conjunction with a web
browser. (Macromedia, Inc.) |
| Folder |
A discrete logical
area on a computer hard disk, also referred to as
a directory |
| Footer |
The bottom-most
part of the MCPS Web Template. It includes text-based
global navigation, copyright information, and links
to contact information, privacy policy, terms of
use, browser helper applications, and the Montgomery
County web site. |
| FTP |
See File Transfer
Protocol |
| Get/Download |
Terms used in FTP
(File Transfer Protocol) software for copying files
from the web server to a local computer |
| GIF |
Graphic Interchange
Format. GIF is a bitmapped image format commonly
used for images with flat areas of color and crisp
detail, such as line art. GIF supports full transparency
in which one color is interpreted by the browser
as transparent. (CompuServe) |
| Global navigation
|
A system for helping
users find their way through a web site's content
that is consistent throughout the site. The MCPS
Web Template has global navigation in graphical
form in the sitewide header, and in text form in
the sitewide footer |
| Header |
The top part of
the MCPS Web Template. It includes the MCPS logo,
a graphical image of the words, “Montgomery
County Public Schools, Rockville, Maryland,”
a search box, and graphical links to the main “tab”
pages: Home, About Us, Schools, Community, Parents,
Students, and Staff. |
| Hosting |
The act of maintaining
a computer (or computers) that are configured to
store and deliver web pages and related files at
the request of clients (web browser software) via
the Internet |
| HTML |
See Hypertext Markup
Language to
top |
| Hypertext Markup
Language |
(HTML) A system
for marking or tagging a document that specifies
its logical structure (such as paragraphs) and gives
instructions for its display. HTML is used to create
documents on the World Wide Web incorporating text,
graphics, sound, video, and hyperlinks. |
| Hypertext |
A computer-based
text retrieval system that enables users to select
designated elements within specific documents (ie.
web pages) which automatically allow users to view
other documents or locations within a document. |
| Hyperlink |
An element of a
hypertext document that directs users to another
hypertext document or location, usually by a mouse
click |
| Icon |
An image that represents
a specific file, directory, window, option, or program |
| IP |
Internet Protocol.
A convention that specifies the format of the information
that is sent, and the way it is delivered over a
network. IP is usually combined with Transmission
Control Protocol (TCP), which establishes a connection
between two hosts so that they can send messages
back and forth for a period of time. |
| Joint Photographic
Experts Group |
The name of the
group that created the JPEG/JPG standard |
| JPG/JPEG |
From Joint Photographic
Experts Group. A bitmapped image type used to display
continuous-tone images with gradations of color
such as photographs. JPG does not support transparency.
A progressive JPG file downloads as a series of
increasingly sharp images, allowing a viewer to
see a low-resolution image before it is fully downloaded.
|
| Key word |
A type of meta
tag that is used by some search engines to help
rank search results. Example:
<meta name="keywords" content="board
of education, boe, board of ed, school board, board
members, board meetings, agendas, board agenda,
board minutes, student member of the board, advisory
committees, distinguished service award, legislation,
ombudsman, board staff, public participation"> |
| Link |
See Hyperlink |
| Login |
(Also "log
in", "log on", "logon")
(Verb) To begin password-protected operations with
a computer or system, usually by giving a user name
and password as validation. (Noun) Synonymous with
“user account,” as in, "Have you
been given a login yet?" |
| Meta Data/Meta
Tag |
(or meta-data,
NOT Metadata) Information about a document rather
than document content. For web pages, examples are
included within the <HEAD> tag, and are not
displayed when the web page is viewed in a browser.
Common meta tags that are useful to webmasters include
“description” and “keywords.”
See Keywords. |
| Minisite |
A site-within-a-site,
such as an individual school's web site within the
larger MCPS web site |
| Navigation
bar |
An element of a
web page that is repeated consistently throughout
a web site, to help users find their way through
the content |
| NSBO |
Non-School Based
Offices |
| Password |
A sequence of characters
required for access to a file, application, or computer
system |
| PDF |
Portable Document
Format. A file format for representing documents
in a manner that is independent of the original
application software, hardware, and operating system
used to create those documents. A PDF file can describe
documents containing any combination of text, graphics,
and images in a device-independent and resolution
independent format. Requires that users install
a free player that works in conjunction with a web
browser. (Adobe Systems) |
| Pixel |
Any of the small
discrete elements that together constitute an image
|
| PNG |
Portable Network
Graphics. A bitmapped image type that preserves
a wide range of colors as well as multiple levels
of transparency. Interlaced PNG is displayed progressively
by a web browser by drawing every other line of
pixels and then filling in the gaps. PNG is not
as widely supported by web browsers as JPG or GIF. |
| Pop-up window |
Term used to describe
a new web browser window that appears when a link
is selected |
| Privacy statement |
Statement of how
MCPS uses information gathered about site visitors
as they access the web site. A link to this statement
is included in the MCPS Web sitewide footer. All
school and department minisites are required to
have a link to this policy on the home page, preferably
on every page. |
| Put/Upload |
Terms used in FTP
(File Transfer Protocol) software for copying files
from a local computer to the web server |
| Radio button |
A form element
that allows users to select one choice from a number
of options, usually via mouse click |
| Rasterize |
The act of converting
a vector graphic to a bitmapped graphic |
| Redirect |
A redirect is like
an electronic “detour” sign that says,
“The road is closed, but you can get to the
same place if you go this other way, instead.”
Redirects are used when web sites are revised to
be sure that users do not encounter dead links.
Redirects also are used to send users to custom
domain names. |
| Refresh/reload |
A command given
via a web browser that tells the web server to send
out a fresh copy of a file |
| Root |
Refers to the lowest
level of a web server's directory structure |
| Screen reader |
Software used by
people with visual impairments to access web pages
and other content displayed on a computer screen.
For examples, see the Screen
Readers and Talking Browsers page maintained
by the Adaptive Technology Resource Center at the
University of Toronto. |
| Search engine |
A remotely accessible
program that searches through a set of data (ie.
web pages, text, database) for specified information.
The term frequently refers to a web site or search
form that examines databases of HTML documents gathered
by a robot. A robot is a program that automatically
travels the web's hypertext documents by repeatedly
retrieving files and then following all linked documents. |
| Server |
A networked computer
that is configured to store and deliver files in
response to requests from users |
| Shockwave |
A computer program
for viewing files created with Macromedia Director.
Requires that users install a free player that works
in conjunction with a web browser. (Macromedia,
Inc.) |
| Site architecture |
Specifically information
architecture for web sites. The logical framework
of a web site and how all of the pieces fit together.
Includes things like behind-the-scenes directory
structure, naming conventions, organizing content
so that it may be found, navigation elements, search,
and the visual appearance of links. |
| SSI |
Server Side Includes.
A technology that allows web pages to be created
on the fly as a web server combines multiple files
into a single web page which it delivers to the
client browser. Web pages that use SSI technology
end with the extension “shtm” or “shtml” |
| Style Sheet |
A style sheet describes
how documents display on various media such as on
screens or in print. By attaching style sheets to
structured documents on the web (e.g. HTML), authors
and readers can influence the presentation of documents
without sacrificing device-independence or adding
new HTML tags. See also Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). |
| SWF |
The extension used
for Macromedia Flash files (eg. "filename.swf) |
| Table |
A tool used in
HTML to present tabular data in columns and rows
and for laying out text and graphics |
| Tab pages |
The Web Services
term for the top-level pages of the MCPS Web which
are accessed by the graphic tabs in the sitewide
header |
| Update |
To review web pages/sites
for up-to-date material. Also, the last time a web
page was modified or reviewed for current content. |
| Upload/Put |
Terms used in FTP
(File Transfer Protocol) software for copying files
from a local computer to the web server |
| URL |
Uniform Resource
Locator. An Internet address (for example, http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/pagename.html),
usually consisting of the access protocol (http),
the domain name (www.mcps.k12.md.us), and optionally
the path to a file or resource residing on that
server (pagename.html). |
| Usability |
The practice of
making it effective, efficient, and satisfying for
users to interact with a product (ie. a web site).
Web usability encompasses page design, content design,
navigation strategies, overall site architecture,
cross-browser and cross-platform issues, response
time considerations, writing for the web, multimedia
implementation, search boxes, accessibility for
disabled users, computer screen size, international
considerations, and more. |
| Vector graphic |
A resolution-independent
type of image that is defined by paths connected
by points which create lines and curves, called
vectors. Vectors describe graphics according to
mathematical characteristics. Vector graphics may
be enlarged and reduced without loss of resolution
or change in file size. |
| Web browser
(browser) |
A computer program
used for accessing sites or information on the Internet/World
Wide Web. Examples include Microsoft Internet Explorer,
Netscape Navigator, Safari, Opera, Mozilla, Lynx |
| Web site |
A set of interconnected
web pages, usually including a home page, generally
located on the same web server, and prepared and
maintained as a collection of information, often
sharing a global navigation structure |
| Web page |
A document available
the web, consisting of an HTML file and any related
files for scripts and graphics, and often hyperlinked
to other documents on the web |
| Webmaster |
A person who designs,
develops, or maintains web sites or servers |
| Web server |
A networked computer
that is configured to store and deliver web pages
and related files at the request of clients (web
browser software) via the Internet |
| WebTrends |
A software program
used by MCPS Web Services for web site usage analysis,
which provides insight on web site visitor tracking |
| WST |
Web Services Team to
top |
