SEO

Designing a Web site so that search engines easily find the pages and index them. The goal is to have your page rank as high up on the results list as possible, if not at the very top. Search engine optimization (SEO) includes the choice of keywords used in the text paragraphs and the placement of those words on the page, both visible and hidden inside meta tags.

Keep 'Em Guessing

Search engines use different criteria for ranking pages, and those criteria may be periodically changed to keep Web page designers from falsely describing their pages and obtaining a permanent, high ranking. This is why an entire industry exists to help Web site owners rank as high as possible.

  Server

A computer or software package, that provides a specific kind of service to client software running on other computers. The term can refer to a particular piece of software such as a WWW server, or to a machine on which the software is running, A single machine could have several server software packages running on it. Microsoft NT / 2004, IIS, Netscape, UNIX are some of the most common server packages.

  SET

Secure Electronic Transaction Protocol. A standard for processing credit card transactions on the WEB. Created jointly by Microsoft, Netscape, VISA and MasterCard.

  Shell Account

The most basic internet connection that allows a user's computer to establish a dial-up connection with the ISPs computer.

  Shopping Carts

A program or series of programs that lets visitors to a site or various stores in a mall, to make selections from various pages or locations, then tallies them for ordering and payment at the end. Just like a cash register, except you do not have to stand in line.

  Shockwave / Flash MX

Macromedia's Shockwave and Shockwave Flash are authoring tools that bring interactive multimedia presentations to the Web. They allow animations, interactive graphics, and sounds to be played on the Web. Strong Compression makes for slick, smooth download time. File types swf, spl, dir.

  Slugs

Small graphics/icons that are used many times, establishing a quick visual language. They may also function as buttons.

  Snail Mail

Slang for Regular Mail run through the Good Ole U.S. Post Office.

  Spam or Spamming

The inappropriate attempt to use a mailing list or Usenet, or other networks to send unsolicited E-mail or postings, usually advertising a product.

  SQL

Pronounced 'sequel', it is an industrial strength database. This is one of the databases used by huge corporations to keep track of all aspects of their business, accounts, clients, customers, etc. It is designed to be fast and flexible with few limits to the size or complexity of the database.

  SSL

Secure Sockets Layer. A protocol to enable encrypted communications across the internet, with privacy, authentication, and message integrity. URL's that begin with "https" indicate that an SSL connection will be used. In an SSL connection each side of the connection must have a security certificate, which each side's software sends to the other.

  Surfing

To browse websites; surfing refers to the ability to jump from one site to another via hyperlinks (ala channel surfing on a television) Strange, since you do not move from your chair.