concordia university texas web style guide · university texas graphic identity, including the...

Concordia University Texas Web Style Guide

ConTenTS

Introduction ..................................................................................1

University Identity elements ..........................................................2

University Logo ................................................................2

Correct Logo Usage ..........................................................3

Incorrect Logo Usage .......................................................4

Official Seal ....................................................................6

Correct Seal Usage ..........................................................7

Incorrect Seal Usage ........................................................7

Tagline............................................................................8

Tagline Usage ..................................................................8

University Images .........................................................................9

Copyright ........................................................................9

University Photos ...........................................................10

Faculty/Staff/Student Pictures .........................................10

Images Used on Webpages .............................................10

Correct Image Usage ......................................................11

Incorrect Image Usage ...................................................12

Typefaces ...................................................................................13

Web Font Standard ........................................................13

Font Sizes .....................................................................13

Font Colors ...................................................................13

Correct Font Usage ........................................................14

Incorrect Font Usage ......................................................14

Color Palette ..............................................................................15

Writing Digitally ..........................................................................16

Writing Tips ...................................................................16

Proper Spelling/Punctuation ...........................................16

Assistance and editing ................................................................20

Glossary .....................................................................................21

A ..................................................................................21

B .................................................................................22

C ..................................................................................23

D .................................................................................24

E ..................................................................................25

F ..................................................................................25

G .................................................................................26

H .................................................................................26

I...................................................................................27

J ..................................................................................28

K .................................................................................28

L ..................................................................................28

M .................................................................................29

N .................................................................................29

O .................................................................................30

P ..................................................................................30

Q .................................................................................31

R .................................................................................31

S ..................................................................................32

T ..................................................................................33

U .................................................................................34

V ..................................................................................34

W .................................................................................34

X ..................................................................................35

Works Cited ...................................................................36

Concordia University Texas Web Style Guide 1

InTroDUCTIon

Concordia University is proud of our name and proud of our image. We are currently in a period of great transformation and growth potential. As our mission for developing Christian leaders extends beyond Austin – to satellite campuses in Houston, Fort Worth and San Antonio – the need for a more representative and inclusive web site has arisen.

As the University continues to grow in size and reputation, our website, logo, official seal and mascot are the most visible and distributed elements available. These are viewed by prospective students, donors, alumni, parents and other constituencies outside the University community of faculty, staff and current students. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that we maintain and ensure consistency in the use of the University graphic and typographic elements.

In concert with the move to our new campus, we have invested in a new design for our website that reflects the upward progress of growth and success. Our website represents our mission, history and future, and will provide part of a cohesive graphic identity for the University. Our website is also our only opportunity to digitally catch the attention of users who don’t know who we are. It is therefore imperative that information be as accurate as possible and well-written.

The success of our identity program is only as effective as its application. To ensure success, we have developed this Web Style Guide for use by all University Web Content Managers. We can only be effective if everyone in our campus community actively participates in the process and understands and applies these guidelines.

This Web Style Guide provides straightforward directions for the usage of the Concordia University Texas graphic identity, including the standardization of the University colors and fonts as well as University images. It also provides helpful information for anyone preparing University communications for internal or external audiences.

The standards outlined within this document are Concordia University Texas policy and apply to all campuses and departments. They also apply to any digital representation of Concordia University Texas — both official and unofficial. If a page in the www.concordia.edu domain is found in violation of these standards, the Web Content Manager responsible for that page will be contacted and the page will be suspended until the standards have been met. For pages outside the www.concordia.edu domain found outside of compliance, the person responsible will be forced to change the page to comply with policy.


UnIverSITy IDenTITy elemenTS

UnIverSITy loGo

The Concordia University Texas logo consists of two components: the shield with flame and the wordmark. The shield represents our strength as a Lutheran institution developing Christian leaders, while the flame is a symbol of our mission to enlighten those around us, both spiritually and intellectually. The wordmark reflects the bold spirit of our University.

There are three versions of the logo available: vertical, horizontal and type-only. The vertical ›or horizontal logos are the preferred versions for most applications, but the type-only version is provided for circumstances of space, color or mechanical limitations.

CU Color vertical logo

2 Color: #FDBB30

#52247F

RGB: 253 187 48

82 36 127

File Name: CU Vertical Logo_2 color.gif

CU Color Type-only logo

1 Color: #52247F

RGB: 82 36 127

File Name: CU Logo Type_1 color.gif

CU Color Horizontal logo

2 Color: #FDBB30

#52247F

RGB: 253 187 48

82 36 127

File Name: CU Horizontal Logo_2 color.gif

note: Digital logos are available on the H-drive at \\concordia\h_drive\Web Editors\logo


CorreCT loGo USAGe

› Only use the official, reproduction-quality logo files available for download at \\concordia\h_drive\Web Editors\logo. These logos are ONLY for web use. These logos may not be used for any kind of print publication, as they are not optimized for that kind of use.

› Any use of the logo for internal or external publication, printing or electronic distribution, including merchandise, must be approved in advance by the Communications Director.

› The logo may reverse, meaning the logo may be in white on a colored or black background.

› For one-color applications, the type-only logo should be used.

Never convert a color version of the logo to grayscale. ›

› The logo should always have clear space around it to avoid clutter and maintain focus on itself. Use the “O” in the Concordia wordmark at the size the logo is being produced to determine the correct minimum clear space margin (see diagram below).

Clear Space

Clear Space

Clea

r Sp

ace Clear Space

The size of the “O” in Concordia can be used to help determine the minimum acceptable clear space around the logos.


Do not distort the proportions of the logos.

Do not change the positions of the logo elements.

Do not make patterns with the logos or shield.

Never use different colors on the logos.

Do not place the color logos over dark backgrounds.

Do not place the logos over complex images or patterns.

InCorreCT loGo USAGe

The logo must not be redrawn, reproportioned or modified in any way. ›

The logo should not be placed on a patterned or complex image background. ›

› No other logo should be used to represent the University or any of its schools, offices or programs, except for those University divisions provided individual logos by the Communications Director.

Never distort or change the position of the elements in the logo. ›

Never combine the logo with another graphic or symbol. ›

Never create patterns or shapes with the logo or shield. ›

If there are any questions on the use of the University logos, please contact the Communications Director.

note:


The shield is also available as an individual graphic, but its usage should be limited and ›reserved for special circumstances, or used sparingly as a complementary design element. The shield is a new design element, and therefore is not yet as identifiable with the University without the wordmark. Approval for use of the shield alone will be provided on a case-by-case basis by the Communications Director.


offICIAl SeAl

The official seal is designed around a protective shield bearing five symbols that represent the ideals and spirituality of the University. Centered in this shield is a cross, a symbol of our Christian tradition and mission. Beginning in the top left quadrant of the shield is the descending white dove with three-rayed nimbus, representing the Holy Spirit. The lamp of knowledge in the upper right quadrant denotes the role of the University in enlightening its students, both intellectually and spiritually. The bottom right quadrant of the shield holds Lutheranism’s most recognizable symbol, the Luther Rose. Also known as the Luther seal, this symbol represents the Lutheran faith. The book in the bottom left quadrant has dual meaning. It is a book of knowledge, both of faith (the Bible) and of all worldly knowledge. Across the top of the shield is the Greek inscription, “With God we shall do valiantly,” from Psalm 108:13. Together, these elements create a seal that is representative of the University’s many roles in the lives our students, faculty, staff and community – past, present and future.

CO

NC

O

RDIA UNIVE

RS

ITY

CU Color official seal

2 Color: #FDBB30

#52247F

RGB: 253 187 48

82 36 127


CorreCT SeAl USAGe

The official seal of the University is a graphic element that should be revered and therefore ›should be reserved for official documents and communications. This list includes diplomas, commencement-related materials and presidential letters. The seal is not intended to be interchangeable with the University Logo. There are two versions of the official seal: two-color and black and white.

› Only use the official, reproduction-quality official seal files available from the Communications Director.

› Any use of the official seal for internal or external publication, printing or electronic distribution, including merchandise, must be approved in advance by the Communications Director. Other usage of the official seal may be permitted in some cases, provided the application maintains the tradition and dignity of the official seal.

InCorreCT SeAl USAGe

› Use the official seal alone in its entirety, with no changes to sizes or positions of the various elements.

The official seal must not be redrawn, reproportioned or modified in any way. ›

Never combine the official seal with another graphic, emblem or symbol. ›

› The official seal may be gold-foil stamped or blind embossed but should not be printed in another color.


TAGlIne

In order to further emphasize our tradition in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and as part of the Concordia University System, the tagline “Our Mission is to Develop Christian Leaders” has been given a standardized treatment for use as an additional graphic element.

TAGlIne USAGe

› The tagline serves as an additional design element for reinforcing the University’s mission and message.

The tagline should not be used exclusive of the logo, but instead serve as a complement to the ›logo.

To maintain consistency in proportions with the logo, the tagline bar height should match the ›height of the “O” in the Concordia logo being used.

O u r m i s s i O n i s t O d e v e l O p C h r i s t i a n l e a d e r s

O u r m i s s i O n i s t O d e v e l O p C h r i s t i a n l e a d e r s

The size of the “O” in Concordia can be used to help determine a preferred height for the tagline bar.


UnIverSITy ImAGeS

CoPyrIGHT

It is of the utmost importance to understand the gravity of copyright issues when it comes to posting images on any part of the website. It is against University policy to post any image that is copyrighted. The definition of what is considered a copyrighted image is outlined below. All Web Content Managers are responsible for recognizing (attributing) and honoring the intellectual property rights of others. All images posted on the university website MUST be owned by Concordia, purchased by Concordia, or used with the authorized written consent of the owner. If the owner is not clearly indicated, that does not mean that it’s available for public use by default. The simplest way to avoid copyright issues is to only post pictures that someone in the department has taken, or images that have been legally purchased from a stock photography site.

Below is an excerpt from Concordia’s official Computer Policies about copyright involving legal matters. The following sections specifically address this topic: 5.4 – Intellectual Property Rights, 9.1-9.4 – University Website and E-Mail Communications, and 11.1-11.22 - Appendix A: Copyright & Intellectual Property. .

11.20 lIAbIlITy for InfrInGemenT

For the most part, copyright is civil law – not criminal law. Unless you make and sell pirate copies of videotapes or computer software or enjoy some other financial gain, you could be sued for copyright infringement but not sent to prison.

The copyright holder has the choice of seeking statutory damages, which can be as much as $100,000 per instance if the plaintiff can prove in court that the infringement was willful, or actual damages to recover lost revenues. If you have not made a business out of the infringements, the former is more likely.

You are liable for damages even if you did not realize you were committing an infringement. However, Section 504 of the law provides that college employees, including faculty, may not be subject to statutory damages “in any case where the infringer believed and had reasonable grounds for believing that his or her use of the copyrighted work was a fair use under section 107...” Thus, according to this “good faith fair use defense,” if you were truly convinced that your use of the protected materials was fair use and have left no evidence to the contrary, you may (emphasize may, at the discretion of the court) escape statutory damages, even if the act in question was not fair use. On the other hand, you will be liable for your own attorney’s fees, and the court may direct you to pay for the plaintiff’s legal costs as well, and these can be significant.

The most recent version of Concordia’s official Computer Policies is available at http://www.concordia.edu/helpdesk under Helpful Documents and Links.

note:


UnIverSITy PHoToS

To help Web Content Managers use appropriate, University-approved photos that are free of copyright, there is a shared drive for Web Content Managers on the H-Drive. This folder contains current pictures of both the campus and students that are available to Web Content Managers for use on their respective pages. This can be accessed by typing in this address into the Windows Explorer address line: \\concordia\h_drive\Web Editors.

fACUlTy/STAff/STUDenT PICTUreS

If a webpage uses pictures of faculty, staff or students, a signed copy of the Model Release Form is needed on-file. If a Model Release Form is signed, it must be submitted to the Concordia Webmaster via e-mail or Campus Mail.

ImAGeS USeD on WebPAGeS

Images used on any Concordia-related pages MUST be considered quality pictures. This is defined as an image that is in-focus, well-lit, easy to determine figures, and not pixelated.

Any images used on any Concordia-related page MUST be appropriate within the context of the page where it’s posted. For example, an image of a diploma could be posted on the Registrar’s Graduation page, but isn’t appropriate on the University Services home page.


CorreCT ImAGe USAGe

In the Concordia Web Editor, aspect ratios are restricted by default. This prevents image distortion. Most average images shouldn’t be much wider than 200px, or taller than 300px.

HorIzonTAl ImAGeS

The maximum width for any horizontal image on any page on http://www.concordia.edu is 600px. The maximum height for any horizontal image on any page on http://www.concordia.edu is 400px.

verTICAl ImAGeS

The maximum width for any vertical image on any page on http://www.concordia.edu is 400px. The maximum height for any vertical image on any page on http://www.concordia.edu is 600px.

400px <<

600p

x<

<

600px< <

400p

x

<

<


InCorreCT ImAGe USAGe

The image must not be redrawn, or distorted in any way. ›

The image should not be placed on a patterned or complex image background. ›

Never distort or change the position of the elements in the image. ›

Never create patterns or shapes with the image. ›

Do not distort images

Do not change the position of the elements in the image

Do not create patterns or shapes with the image

Do not place on a patterned or complex image background


TyPefACeS

Web fonT STAnDArD

To maintain consistency in style with the rest of the University’s websites, all pages on any Concordia University Texas domain should utilize the official University fonts: Arial and Georgia. The fonts used on the website must be consistent with the rest of the website to provide seamless consistency, and to make the website professional. Fonts are as much a part of digitally representing the University as the logo. There are NO exceptions to the use of a different font on any text on any page related to Concordia. These two fonts can be viewed exactly the same on any computer. There are only eight fonts that can be viewed universally, across browsers and platforms. These are the two most widely-available.

Arial › is the official sans serif font to be used for body copy.

Georgia › is the official serif font and should be reserved for headlines and subheads.

fonT SIzeSThere are six headers available to Web Content Managers, adhering to the Web Standard. The largest is H1 and the smallest is H6. All of these have a “small caps” variant as an option as well. These sizes cannot be changed due to ADA compliance. Paragraph text is size 11pt. This size cannot be changed due to ADA compliance. Examples of both are below:

Header 1: 28pt ›

Header 2: 23pt ›

Header 3: 20 pt ›

Header 4: 17pt ›

Header 5: 14pt ›

Header 6: 11pt ›

fonT ColorS

Paragraph text is BLACK. Attention text is RED. Links are PURPLE. There is absolutely NO reason for another color to be used anywhere on the concordia.edu domain.

This text is example of what paragraph text will look like on the website, sized at 11pt. The size of this text cannot be changed due to ADA compliance.

To use “attention text” click “red” in the Styles section once logged in to the Web Editor.

note:


CorreCT fonT USAGe

InCorreCT fonT USAGe

Multiple colors, multiple fonts, multiple sizes


Color PAleTTe

The official colors in the Concordia University Texas graphics standards are #52247F (purple) and #FDBB30 (gold).

These are the other unofficial colors that are used as accents on pages on http://www.concordia.edu:

RGB

Red 82Green 36Blue 127

Concordia Purple

#52247F

RGB


Concordia Gold

#FDBB30

RGB


Dark Purple

#210E32

RGB


light Purple

#9679B2

RGB


#FFFFFF

RGB

Red 0Green 0Blue 0

black

#000000

Dark Purple White

RGB

Red 248Green 242Blue 250#F8F2FA

background Purple

The background of every page is not white. It’s a very light purple.

note:


WrITInG DIGITAlly

WrITInG TIPS

Pages must have a descriptive, but brief title that gives unique information about the page. ›This helps the CTX Site Index to be more user-friendly.

If pages consist of purely a list of links, there › must be content around those links, stating why they’re listed. Without a description, the list of links holds no real meaning to the person viewing the page. This applies to all pages. If a page only displays “Quicklinks,” it needs content that describes those links.

Unless a page is to be regularly updated, refrain from using words that give a time-sensitive ›feel, like “current” or “right now.” Other items to watch for is using the date within page content. In the past, many pages have retained the year or date it was last updated, and years later they remained unchanged, making the site look outdated and unprofessional.

Typing in ALL CAPS conveys shouting. ›

Following the bullet point, capitalize the first letter and use periods (not semicolons) at the ›end of each section.

As long as the first mention in an article is the full name, Concordia University Texas, any ›subsequent mentions can be Concordia or the University.

When referencing a website in a document use all lowercase: › concordia.edu instead of Concordia.EDU. The same goes for any reference to e-mail addresses. It should be john.smith@ concordia.edu, not [email protected].

When an acronym becomes a verb, use an apostrophe only when it’s a past participle: CC’d, ›ID’d. As gerunds, just add the “ing” to the end: CCing, IDing. If an acronym becomes a plural version, an “s” is simply added to the end, with no apostrophe: CDs, DVDs, LEDs.

File extensions appear in lowercase at the end of file names: .aiff, .gif, .html, .hqx, .jpg, .tar, ›.zip. In any other reference, style file formats in uppercase and drop the period: GIF, JPG, MP3.

Use uppercase when informing the user of the type of downloadable document s/he can ›download. Also only link the word, as is shown here in bold: “click here for the Presentation (PDF).” Incorrect: “click here for the Presentation (PDF).”

ProPer SPellInG/PUnCTUATIon

Below are some terms often used in reference to digital activity. Refer to this list when questions arise about the proper context or how to properly spell/punctuate these words.

add-on › – hyphenated.

a lot › – two words; not alot.

a while › – two words; not awhile.


back up › – two words, when used as a verb.

backup › –when used as a noun, can be one word or hyphenated.

BlackBerry › – both “B”s uppercase.

Bluetooth › – proper noun, so uppercase initial letter.

bookmark › – one word.

CDs › – no apostrophe after “D.”

cell phone › – two words.

clickthrough › – one word.

cyberspace › – one word.

database › – one word.

data mine › – two words.

desktop › – one word.

double-click › – hyphenated.

download › – one word.

dot-com › – hyphenated when used as an informal adjective describing companies that do business mainly on the Internet.

drop-down menu › – hyphenated.

DVDs › – no apostrophe after “D.”

eBay › – “E” is lowercase and “B” is uppercase.

e-book › – hyphenated.

e-business › – hyphenated.

e-commerce › – hyphenated.

e-mail › – hyphenated.

e-shopping › – hyphenated.

emoticon › – one word.

end user › , end-user – two words as a noun, hyphenated as an adjective.

Facebook › – uppercase initial letter.

FAQs › – no apostrophe after “Q.”

file name › – two words.

flash drive › – two words; synonyms: jump drive, thumb drive, USB drive.

freeware › – one word.

GIF › – use lowercase in a file name: logo.gif; otherwise, use uppercase: I need a GIF for my page.

gigabyte › – one word; abbreviated as GB; no space when used with numerals: an 80GB iPod.


google, Google › – lowercase when used as a verb; uppercase when referring to the company.

handheld › – one word.

homepage › – one word.

hotspot › – one word.

HTML › – use uppercase when referring to the type of code.

IP address › – use uppercase only for the first two letters.

iPhone › –use lowercase for the “I” and uppercase for the “P.”

iPod › – use lowercase for the “I” and uppercase for the “P.”

inkjet › – one word.

input › – one word.

Internet › – use uppercase on first letter.

iTunes › –use lowercase for the “I” and uppercase for the “T.”

JavaScript › – one word; use uppercase for the “J” and the “S.”

JPG › – use lowercase in a file name: picture.jpg; otherwise, use uppercase: I need some JPGs for my page.

kilobyte › – one word; abbreviated as KB; no space when used with numerals: a 400KB file.

laserjet › – one word.

laptop › – one word.

LCD › – never LCD display.

listserv › – one word.

login › , logon, logoff – all are nouns; use as two words in verb form: I log in to my computer.

megabyte › – one word; abbreviated as MB; no space when used with numerals: a 4MB file.

megahertz › – one word; abbreviated as MHz.

multimedia › – one word.

MyInfo › – one word and uppercase “M” and “I.”

MySpace › – uppercase initial letter, and uppercase “S.”

offline › – one word.

online › – one word.

onscreen › – one word.

output › – one word.

PDF › – use lowercase in a file name: presentation.pdf; otherwise, use uppercase: Send me the PDFs from the presentation.

plaintext › – one word.

plug-in › – hyphenated.


pop-up › – hyphenated.

PowerPoint › – one word, “P” is in uppercase in both instances.

screen saver › – two words.

screenshot › – one word.

shareware › – one word.

shortcut › – one word.

snailmail › – one word.

spellcheck › – one word.

source code › – two words.

sysadmin › – one word.

terabyte › – one word; abbreviated as TB no space when used with numerals: a 1TB hard drive.

throughput › – one word.

toolbar › – one word.

touchpad › – one word.

touchscreen › – one word.

trackball › – one word.

upload › – one word.

videogame › – one word.

voicemail › – one word.

webcam › – one word.

webcast › – one word.

WebCT › – one word, “CT” uppercase.

webmail › – one word, all lowercase.

webmaster › – one word.

webzine › – one word.

website › – one word.

webpage › – one word.

wireless › – one word.

workstation › – one word.

Yahoo! › – must have exclamation point.

YouTube › – “Y” and “T” must be uppercase.


ASSISTAnCe AnD eDITInG

Any communication bearing the University logo, official seal or tagline to be distributed or posted electronically must be reviewed and approved in writing by the Communications Director prior to publishing. This includes news articles and calendar items. As far as the website is concerned, the Communications Director is responsible for editing content readily available to the public.

Any questions or comments about increasing functionality, adding or modifying items on the website should be directed to the Webmaster. This includes items like custom-made department images or forms. The Webmaster is responsible for providing a workable design for University Web Content Managers as well as implementing the newest and best technology available.


GloSSAry

A

ADA An acronym for the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA is a wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, and other characteristics illegal. Disability is defined as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.” (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990)

Aspect ratio An image’s width divided by its height. Aspect ratios are mathematically expressed as x:y (pronounced “x-to-y”). (Aspect ratio (image))

Adobe Acrobat A file reader that decodes documents to the portable document format. (Associated Press)

AI An acronym for Artificial Intelligence. Is often used as a noun – “an AI” is a thinking and nonbreathing thing. (Hale)

alias A shortcut icon – usually kept on the desktop – that opens an application or file stored in another location. (Hale)

alpha An adjective –which sometimes stands alone as a noun—describing the precommercial, internal release of software or hardware. Then comes the beta release, which may be public. There is no gamma release –that’s called the market. (Hale)

API An acronym for application program interface. You interact with your computer through the user interface. Software interacts with software through an application program interface such as JNI, the Java Native Interface through which any Java program can talk to any computer. (Hale)

applet Small programs that can be downloaded quickly and used by computers with a World Wide Web browser. (Associated Press)

application Short for application program and often shortened to app. Think of WordPerfect, Photoshop or PowerPoint. (Hale)

ASCII An acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A numeric code used to represent the letters of the Roman alphabet, numbers and punctuation marks. Use of the acronym on first reference is acceptable if it is identified as a code. (Associated Press)


avatar In the offline world, the Sanskrit-derived word refers to the incarnation of a deity. Online, avatars are the incarnation of mere mortals, representations of ourselves through graphical handles or sometimes just text descriptions. The avatar—a cartoon, a collage of Marilyn Monroe photos, a fish—is essentially a placeholder, representing where you are in the virtual world. (Hale)

b

bandwidth The capacity of a network to carry data, usually expressed in bits per second (bps). Bandwidth is also an internal computer issue, as in the speed at which a processor can talk to memory. (Hale)

beta A public precommercial release of hardware or software, widely distributed to uncover bugs and glitches. (Hale)

binary The essential adjective of the 0 or 1, on or off, black or white world of computing. A binary or base-two number system represents data in 0s and 1s. A binary file, with its information recorded in numbers, is unreadable by humans. (Hale)

bit Acceptable in all references as an acronym for a binary digit. Actual data take the form of electrical impulses. These can be thought of as either on or off or 1 and 0. The pulses are bits. (Associated Press)

bitloss The loss of bits, or data, from a transmission. Also, used colloquially to mean loss of memory, information, or important fine points. (Hale)

blog Short for a “Web log” or Web journal. (Associated Press) Also a verb “blogging” “blogged.”

bot Derived from robot and knowbot and spelled without an apostrophe, a bot is an artificial intelligence program, an alter ego, a digital workhorse. A bot is guided by algorithmic rules of behavior—if this happens, do that; if that happens, do this. (Hale)

bounce The “return to sender” of the Net. When an address is wrong or a mail server is buggy, an e-mail will bounce back marked Undeliverable by the postmaster. (Hale)

browser Software that enables personal computer users to navigate the World Wide Web and to perform various operations once they are linked with a site. The two most often used are Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer. (Associated Press)

bug An error in the source code of a software program, often extended to mean any type of glitch. Euphemisms include “issue” and “undocumented feature.” (Hale)

bus This generic term denotes a computer data path on an integrated circuit, inside the CPU, between peripherals, or over a network. (Hale)


C

cache Small, fast memory that stores frequently used or recently accessed data. Pronounced “cash” derived from the French cacher, “to hide.” Web engineers have focused on caching as a way to speed up the network. But this doesn’t help when websites change frequently—the cached version is out of date. (Hale)

-casting This increasingly common suffix tends to indicate methods of disseminating information: broadcasting (the model for standard TV service and the Web), narrowcasting (catering to small demographic groups, analogous to niche marketing or cable television), simulcasting (broadcasting programming over two separate channels or media at the same time), webcasting (live, online programming for a discrete audience). (Hale)

CC A vestige of the days of secretaries and mimeograph machines, the abbreviation for carbon copy can be either a noun or a verb (whose past participle is styled CC’d and whose gerund is CCing). In e-mail, a CC is a duplicate message sent to recipients in addition to the primary one. Unlike BCC (blind carbon copy), a CC is recorded in the header (and so is not considered a blatant breach of netiquette). (Hale)

CGI Watch the context. To Hollywood networkers, the acronym means computer-generated image: the Titanic you watched sink, or the toys in that CG success, Toy Story. To computer networkers, CGI means common gateway interface, a communication standard that defines the rules of conversation between a Web server and other software on the same computer. The app that processes an online order form and e-mails you a confirmation is often a CGI program. (Hale)

code The lines of characters that run our lives. Programmers write source code. Computers read machine code. And binary code is the DNA of digital life. (Hale)

compression A method to store text, data, sound or images in fewer bits. Rather than store every pixel of a blue square, the computer might store one blue pixel and the dimensions of the square. Compression is carried out by any of the many compression standards: AU, GIF, JPGH, MPG, MP3, PICT, SIT, TIFF, ZIP. (Hale)

convergence The notion of convergence suggests a world in which those all-powerful forces, the TV and the PC, are merged into a seamless information system. Everything—from The Simpsons to stock prices—translates into the universal language of 1s and 0s. (Hale)

cookie Term for special information about an individual computer user, stored in a file on a hard drive, and usually accessed by a server when the user connects to a website. (Associated Press)

CPU Technically, the central processing unit is the chip that controls and performs calculations. Often used to refer to the memory as well. (Hale)


CSS An acronym for cascading style sheet, a set of codes that define the styles in a given webpage.

D

data Once there was a day when datum was singular and data was plural. That day is past. Datum is beyond vestigial. Treat data as a collective noun (it’s often used as a synonym for “information”) and combine it with a singular verb. And remember: data travels over wires or lines, not through them. (Hale)

data mining Extracting knowledge from information. By teasing useful data out of everything from supermarket buying patterns to credit histories, clever marketers can compile simple mailing lists or sophisticated psychographic profiles of potential customers. (Hale)

DBA An acronym for database administrator.

Del.icio.us (pronounced “delicious”) is a social bookmarking web service for storing, sharing, and discovering web bookmarks. The site was founded by Joshua Schachter in late 2003 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. (Del.icio.us)

demo A short demonstration of a product or prototype. As a verb, to show a demo. Past tense: demo’d. Gerund: demoing. (Hale)

digerati Coined by New York Times editor Tim Race, this is the term for the digital elite—the powerful engineers, Third Wave intellectuals, and power brokers of the wired world. Always plural. First appeared in a January 1992 article that Race edited by Times reporter John Markoff. (Hale)

digg A verb stemming from the website digg.com. Digg.com is a website made for people to discover and share content from anywhere on the Internet, by submitting links and stories, and voting and commenting on submitted links and stories, in a social and democratic spirit. Voting stories up and down is the site’s cornerstone function, respectively called digging and burying. Many stories get submitted every day, but only the most digged ones appear on the front page. (Digg)

digital Strictly speaking, digital refers to the way of information is stored as a string of 1s and 0s or any other pair of symbols that represent “on” and “off.” This is in contrast to analog, which represents data in a stream of continuous physical variables. (Hale)

DNS Acronym for the domain name system, an international network of Internet domain servers, names and addresses. (Associated Press)


doc or docs—even in reference to one. Short for documentation, the Gray’s Anatomy of a software program is intended to help users, testers, and later programmers understand how a piece of code works. It seldom does. A “.doc” at the end of a file name signifies a Microsoft Word document. (Hale)

domain name The address used to locate a particular website or reach an e-mail system. In e-mail addresses, it is the portion to the right of the @ sign. It includes a suffix defining the type of entity, such as .com (for commerce, the most common suffix); .net (primarily for network service providers); .org (organizations); .edu (reserved for educational institutions); .gov (reserved for U.S. government). There are also 243 country-code suffixes (such as .fr for France, .us for the United States). (Associated Press)

dpi An acronym for dots per inch, a measure of print and screen resolution. (Associated Press)

e

Easter eggs A hidden “surprise” in a program or on a website, as an extra level of a computer game or a message. (Associated Press)

emoticon A typographical cartoon or symbol generally used to indicate mood or appearance, as :-) and often looked at sideways. Also known as smileys. (Associated Press)

f

FAQ Acronym for frequently asked questions, a format often used to summarize information on the Internet. (Associated Press)

file extension A short tag that identifies a file’s format and tells what application—which compression software, for instance—is needed to open it. Extensions appear in lowercase at the end of file names: .aiff, .gif, .html, .hqx, .jpg, .tar, .zip. In any other reference, style file formats in caps and drop the period: GIF, JPG, MP3. (Hale)

file name Two words, like screen name and domain name. In the early DOS days, computers wouldn’t allow spaces in names and forced users to make file names one word. But file name itself was never closed up—in DOS or in English. (Hale)

file sharing Allowing multiple users to access data or applications on a network. This contrasts to sharing files by e-mail. File-sharing systems—which may limit or specify access—have been around since the mainframe era. (Hale)

firewall Software that monitors incoming and outgoing Internet traffic to your computer and checks for suspicious patterns. (Associated Press)


font Digital calligraphy. A font is defined by a typeface (Times New Roman, Myriad, Palatino), as well as size, weight, italics and other characteristics. Here’s the fine print: font and typeface are not synonymous. (Hale)

forum An Internet forum is a web application for holding discussions and posting user-generated content. Internet forums are also commonly referred to as Web forums, newsgroups, message boards, discussion boards, (electronic) discussion groups, discussion forums, bulletin boards, fora (the Latin plural) or simply forums. The terms “forum” and “board” may refer to the entire community or to a specific sub-forum dealing with a distinct topic. Messages within these sub-forums are then displayed either in chronological order or as threaded discussions. (Internet forum)

404 Error File Not Found The web equivalent of “You have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service.” Anything 404 is off the grid. (Hale)

freeware Free software. (Associated Press)

front end It’s what you see onscreen—the part of the software you interact with. The back-end software, on the other hand, runs on a network server or mainframe. Two words as a noun, hyphenated as an adjective. (Hale)

FTP File transfer protocol, a common procedure for transferring files on the Internet. (Associated Press)

G

GIF (pronounced with a “hard G” like in “gear”) Acronym for graphics interchange format, a compression format for images. (Associated Press)

gig(s) Slang for gigabyte(s).

Google An American public corporation, earning revenue from advertising related to its Internet search, web-based e-mail, online mapping, office productivity, social networking, and video sharing as well as selling advertising-free versions of the same technologies. (Google)

GUI Pronounced “gooey,” and standing in for graphical user interface, this breakthrough was brought to us by Xerox PARC and SRI International, where it was developed in the early 1970s under the name of Wimp (for “window, icon, menu, pointing device). (Hale)

H

hack To work on a project. As a noun, it denotes a solution. A good hack is synonymous with clever, bad hack with shoddy. (Hale)


hacker In common usage, the term has evolved to mean one who uses computer skills to unlawfully penetrate proprietary computer systems. (Associated Press)

handle Online name. Borrowed from the world of CB radios. (Hale)

homepage the “front page” of a particular website. (Associated Press)

host A computer on a network that provides a service or information to other computers. A machine may be known on the network by its hostname or by its IP address. (Hale)

hotspot A region of high or special activity within a larger area of low or normal activity (Hotspot)

HTML An acronym for hypertext markup language. (Associated Press)

HTTP An acronym for hypertext transfer protocol. (Associated Press)

I

icon That trash can on your desktop, that pseudo-manila folder. In other words, any small onscreen image—often a pictogram or visual metaphor—representing an application or document or directory in a graphical user interface. (Hale)

intellectual property Legal jargon for “protected idea.” Intellectual property covers patents, copyrights, and trademarks—all intangible, original assets that can be bought and sold. The cut-and-paste ease of digital technology has heightened the debate, in which movie studios, record labels, and database companies scream the loudest. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act became law in 1998 and criminalizes efforts to circumvent technologies that restrict unauthorized copying. The law also makes it a crime to produce or sell any technology that can be used to break copyright protection. (Hale)

internet A network of connected networks. A generic term, often proceeded by “an,” which distinguishes it from the Internet. (Hale)

Internet A worldwide network of computers communicating in a common language—TCP/IP—over telephone lines or microwave links. (Hale)

Internet time The accelerated speed of time in the digital world. A twist on the notion that every human year translates into seven dog years: one Internet year is the equivalent of seven years of analog existence. (Hale)

intranet A private network inside a company or organization, only for internal use. (Associated Press)

IE An abbreviated acronym for Microsoft’s browser, Microsoft Internet Explorer.


IM AOL converted millions of people with its instant messenger—the app of e-mails that announce themselves on your screen rather than waiting patiently in the inbox. One of those knows-no-boundaries e-mails is an instant message. The acronym instantly messaged itself into a verb, as in: Hang on, I just got IMed, or I was IMing this guy last night and he… (Hale)

IP address An acronym for Internet protocol address, a numeric address given to a computer connected to the Internet. (Associated Press)

ITS An acronym for information technology services. (Associated Press)

J

Java A trademark of Sun Microsystems Inc. for a computer programming language that can be run across the Internet. (Associated Press)

JavaScript A scripting language, developed by Netscape, designed to run inside webpages. (Associated Press)

JPG An acronym for joint photographic experts group, one of the common types of image compression mechanisms used on the Web. (Associated Press)

K

killer app The software application that breathes life into an underused technology. (Hale)

kilobyte A unit of measurement for digital data storage. In the metric system, a kilobyte is 1,000 bytes; in computer binary terms, it is 1,024 bytes. (Associated Press)

l

LAN Acronym for a local area network, which links computers within a geographically limited area. (Associated Press)

LCD An acronym for liquid crystal display. Do not write “LCD display.” (Hale)

LED The tiny butlers of electronics: light-emitting diodes are the little red, green or yellow lights. (Hale)

listserv A software program for setting up and maintaining discussion groups through e-mail. (Associated Press)

log on To access a computer or network. When you’re done, you log off. The verb must stay detached from the preposition—after all, would the verb survive in the past tense as logoned or logged-on? Keep the to discrete—don’t write “log onto” or “log into.” (Hale)


login The account name used to gain access to a network, server, website, or other computer system. In addition to a login, registered users have a password. (Hale)

logon The procedure to gain access to a network. Its partner: logoff. Also an adjective: Some boards offer 20 minutes a day of free logon time. (Hale)

m

macro In tech talk, macro often stands alone as an adjective (we need to think in macro terms) and as a noun is short for macroinstruction, where a single command or keystroke represents a set of more complicated instructions. (Hale)

malware Software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner’s informed consent. The term is a portmanteau of the words malicious and software. The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code. (Malware)

meg(s) Slang for megabyte(s).

megabyte A unit of storage capacity in computer systems, loosely 1 million bytes. (Associated Press)

megahertz A measure of the speed of a computer processor. (Associated Press)

MP3 A digital audio file format with CD quality that lets Internet users download songs to a PC or to a portable player like the iPod. (Hale)

multimedia A vague term used for anything that combines text, sound, graphics, video, and interactivity. (Hale)

n

netiquette The do’s and don’ts of the cyberworld, the need for which was described by Virginia Shea in her 1996 book, Netiquette: ”The Net right now is a little like New York in the late 19th century—waves of immigrants imposing themselves upon an established society. Not surprisingly, the newcomers don’t always behave according to local custom, and members of the old society are sometimes suspicious and resentful.” (Hale)

newbie Pronounced “noo-bie,” the condescending term for a neophyte that derives from “new being.” (Hale)


o

OCR An acronym for optical character recognition. Software that uses this technology translates images of typewritten text into machine-editable text.

OEM The hardware maker, or the original equipment manufacturer, is not the retailer. (OEM can, however, refer to a company that re-sells systems under its own brand name.) Often used in marketing analyses: OEM sales versus retail sales. (Hale)

open source An adjective, sometimes shortened to open and sometimes abbreviated as OSS for open source software. It refers to nonproprietary computer systems—such as Linux or Apache—that are not limited to a single platform or controlled by a single manufacturer. (Hale)

operating system The underlying software that gives a computer its look and feel and upon which all other applications and hardware depend. Although the technical definition of OS has become a legal issue, think of the operating system as the conductor orchestrating the inner workings of the computer, the peripheral hardware, and you—the user. (Hale)

P

pageview A standard measurement of Web traffic. A webpage might contain a headline, some body text, an ad banner, and a Java applet—elements that a client computer must request and download individually. Each request is one hit; the combination of hits and downloads that make up a screen is one pageview. (Hale)

patch A programmer’s Band-Aid solution. The quick fix for a bug. Also a verb. (Hale)

PC An acronym for personal computer.

PC card This credit-card-size network adapter card slides into the PC-card slot of a portable computer and expands memory, adds video capabilities, works as a modem—and more. (Hale)

PDF An acronym for portable document format, a file format for the Adobe Acrobat Reader. (Associated Press)

ping A message sent by one computer to another computer to see if it is active. Also used colloquially: you ping a friend to see if she’s around or, in a secondary meaning, to remind her of a meeting. (Hale)

pixel The shortened form of picture element, for the dots that make up an image or character on a computer or TV screen. The more pixels, the better the resolution. Abbreviation: px. (Hale)

plaintext Simple, unformatted, unword-processed, unencoded text. In contrast, rich text includes special fonts and styles. (Hale)


platform An almost indefinable noun, equal to the sum of the operating system, hardware architecture, and software running on a machine. The US is basically a three-platform market, dominated by Windows, Mac and Unix. A few others control slivers of the market. Cross-platform software or hardware will run on multiple systems. (Hale)

plug-in An application that works seamlessly with a Web browser. Flash, for example, enables a browser to run animations. (Hale)

pop-up Adjective describing a menu or dialog box that appears on the computer screen during certain procedures. (Hale)

port As a noun, the spot where information passes in and out of a computer: printer port, USB port. As a verb, to port is to translate a program from one platform machine to another. (Hale)

portal A starting point for searching the Web, often offering services of its own. (Associated Press)

post As a verb, post refers to the act of sending a missive to an online forum. Prepositionally speaking, a Webmaster or editor would publish an article on a site, while a reader might post a response to a site. As a noun, the post or posting is the message itself. (Hale)

protocol A specification, such as http, that defines how computers will talk to each other. (Associated Press)

Q

query A precise request given through specific programmer code for information retrieval with database and information systems.

r

RAM An acronym for random access memory, the ”working memory” of a computer into which programs can be introduced and then executed. (Associated Press)

readme A file containing vital information about a software program or file. (Hale)

real time No lag time. No processing time. The minute-by-minute amount of time it takes you to open Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary and ready the following definition: “the actual time during which something takes place.” Hyphenated as an adjective: real-time conferencing. (Hale)

resolution Image or audio quality; the more data used to create a picture (or audio track), the higher the resolution. Related slang includes hi-res, an adjective commonly paired with “file” or “image,” and its opposite, lo-res. (Hale)


RGB Red, green, blue. Think computer screen. Technically, the RGB signal is delivered by three distinct wires—one red, one green, one blue—and each pixel is colored by some mix of the three. (Hale)

ROM An acronym for read-only memory, a storage chip that cannot be reprogrammed by the computer user. (Associated Press)

router The traffic cop of networking, a router is a machine that knows hundreds of thousands of possible pathways from Point A to Point B and is responsible for directing packets of data across the Internet. (Hale)

RSS An acronym for really simple syndication, a way for websites to broadcast updated or new content to interested users through browsers or other medium.

S

screenshot An image captured from or displayed on a computer screen. (Hale)

search engine A service that allows a user to find a website by typing in the topic. (Associated Press)

server The computer that is host to a website. (Associated Press)

shareware Software programs that may be tried without cost, but require a registration fee if used. (Associated Press)

SMS An acronym for short message service. It’s a communications protocol allowing the interchange of short text messages between mobile telephone devices. (Short message service)

social network service Uses software to build online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. (Social network service)

spyware Computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user’s interaction with the computer, without the user’s informed consent. (Spyware)

software Digital DNA. From the operating system to a word-processing program to a plug-in, the software encompasses the elements of a computer that you can’t physically touch. Note: software is a collective noun—never say “softwares.” (Hale)

source code A set of instructions or tags in a programming language, generally used to build webpages. There is no plural form. (Associated Press)


spam Electronic junk mail. Purportedly named in honor of SPAM, that tasteless luncheon-meat-in-a-can. (Hale)

spec As a verb, to analyze the facts of a project before diving in. The plural noun, specs, refers to the facts themselves. (Hale)

spider Search engine technology. A simple program that scans the Web, crawling from link to link in search of new sites and recording the URLs. (Hale)

streaming media Web technologies that let viewers hear and see audio and video data as it arrives, rather than waiting for an entire file to download. (Hale)

stylus The oversize plastic toothpick used to input and access information from a touchscreen. The plural, according to the makers of the Palm, is styli. (Hale)

sync The essential act of palmtop and BlackBerry life: to ignite a conversation between a handheld device and a desktop or laptop computer. (Hale)

sysadmin The systems administrator is the person who keeps your office network—or any network—running smoothly. (Hale)

T

TCP/IP The mother tongue for the Internet: transmission control protocol/Internet Protocol. (Hale)

text As a verb, to send a short message via SMS from a cell phone. She just texted me that she can’t make it.

third-party The adjective denotes hardware or software developed to work with another company’s product. Those plug-ins, applications, and peripherals help turn an operating system into a platform. (Hale)

thread An ongoing discussion on a website, in which posts are added one by one, in linear fashion. (Hale)

throughput The rate at which data is transferred or at which a processor can perform jobs. No space between words, as with output and input. (Hale)


U

URL Uniform Resource Locator, an Internet address. Example: http://politics.ap.org/states/mi.html

http: › is the protocol, or method of transfer.

// › indicates a computer name follows.

politics › is the server.

ap.org › is the domain.

/states › is the folder.

/mi.html › indicates a file (.html is the file type).

(Associated Press)

USB An acronym for universal serial bus, a serial bus standard to interface devices. (Universal Serial Bus)

v

viral marketing Marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives (such as product sales) through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer viruses. It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet. Viral marketing is a marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily. Viral promotions may take the form of video clips, interactive Flash games, advergames, ebooks, brandable software, images, or even text messages. The basic form of viral marketing is not infinitely sustainable. (Viral marketing)

virus A program that replicates itself across a network, or the Internet as a whole. The virus payload may be destructive, like deleting files, or it could simply try to overwhelm a network by copying itself. (Associated Press)

W

W3C An acronym for the World Wide Web Consortium. The industry organization is led by Tim Berners-Lee and his colleagues at the Laboratory for Computer Science at MIT in collaboration with a few other research institutions. (Hale)

watermark A digital watermark marks an electronic document, often with a copyright notice, much as its analog twin marked paper. (Hale)

webcam A video camera hooked up to the Web. (Hale)

webcast A live broadcast on the Web, using audio- and video-streaming technologies. (Hale)


webmail An e-mail service or account, almost always free, through a website such as Yahoo! or Google. (Hale)

webmaster The creator of a site. And also its janitor. Derived from postmaster, the person responsible for handling the quirks and queries related to the web domain. (Hale)

webzine Media of the Web and for the Web, sites such as Feed or Salon that publish original content. Also called an e-zine. (Hale)

wiki A collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. The collaborative encyclopedia, Wikipedia, is one of the best-known wikis. Wikis are used in business to provide intranets and Knowledge Management systems. (Wiki)

worm A program that replicates itself without human intervention. If the victim has to open an e-mail attachment to get infected, it’s a virus. But if it scans for new victims and attacks by itself, it’s a worm. (Associated Press)

WYSIWYG Pronounced “wizzywig,” the acronym for what you see is what you get denotes computer display technologies that show documents onscreen as they will appear when published either digitally or on paper. (Hale)

X

XML An acronym for extensible markup language, used to sort, search and format information. (Associated Press)


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