GLOSSARY
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OSP |
Online Service Provider - A company that provides customer only content to subscribers of their service. Most OSPs now offer Internet access, but their main feature is the privately maintained network that is only accessible to their customers. This network is not part of the Internet, although some OSPs are currently making some content available on the Web. Because OSPs control the structure and content of their networks, they are more logical and user-friendly environments especially for beginners. The most popular OSPs are: AOL (AmericaOnline), CompuServe, MSN, and Prodigy. |
Packet |
A limited-length unit of data formed by the network, transport, presentation, or application layer (layers 3-7 of the OSI Model) in a networked computer system. Data is transported over the network, and larger amounts of data are broken into shorter units and placed into packets. Higher-layer packets are encapsulated into lower-layer packets for encapsulation into LAN frames for delivery to the ultimate host destination. |
Packet Switching
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The method used to move data around on the Internet. In packet switching, all the data coming out of a machine is broken up into chunks, each chunk has the address of where it came from and where it is going. This enables chunks of data from many different sources to co-mingle on the same lines, and be sorted and directed to different routes by special machines along the way. This way many people can use the same lines at the same time. |
Page Impressions
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Hit to HTML pages only (access to non-HTML documents are not counted). |