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Internet: The Internet consists of the entire interconnecting global network of computers. While there still are separate computer networks that are not connected to the Internet, almost all major networks are now connected to the Internet.

Internet Explorer: One of the two most popular Internet browsers, Microsoft's Internet Explorer 3.0 offers rudimentary parental control features. At this time the blocking capabilities are sorely lacking in important fundamentals, such as blocking pornographic newsgroups, so Internet Explorer should not be considered a viable alternative to filtering software..

IP Address (Internet Protocol Address): Every computer on the Internet has an IP Address which functions in much the same fashion as a telephone number – enabling computers to identify and contact one another. In general, IP Addresses are invisible to users because most browsers hide this level of technical detail and only display the computer’s associated domain name.

IRC (Internet Relay Chat): This is a tool that enables users to "talk" to real people via short written messages back and forth as if it were instant e-mail. IRC programs require a TCP/IP, SLIP or MAC/IP connection to function. AOL and CompuServe have their own chat rooms that provide much of the same function with lower technical complexity. IRC chats can have many more participants than AOL or CompuServe, but also require participants to have more technical expertise.

ISP (Internet Service Provider): ISPs, which come in all sizes and types, connect you to the Internet. Some specialize in business users, some in "high-end" users, and some in general consumers. In the context of this book, ISPs refer to both straight ISPs and ISPs that that add additional proprietary content such as online magazines or stock market information.

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JPEG (Joint Partner Experts Group or Joint Photographic Experts Group): JPEGs, pronounced "jay peg," are one of the popular file formats for graphic images on the Internet (along with GIFs). JPEG images can be viewed by browsers and also are recognized by many other applications such as Microsoft Word.

Kilobyte (KB): A once common unit of measurement for memory, one thousand KB equals one MB (megabyte). Because most computers now come equipped with more memory, and many software programs likewise take up more memory, the term MB is more frequently used than KB.

Link: A Link is a word or graphic that can be clicked with a mouse to bring the user to a new web site.

Lurker: A lurker is someone who subscribes to a mailing list or reads messages from a newsgroup without participating. Most mailing lists and newsgroups have many lurkers.