The lingo is constantly evolving so it’s easy to lose track of definitions and their many variants. To try to help keep everyone on the same page, we’ve organized a glossary of common terms you’ll see throughout the site. Please feel free to browse the list and let us know if you have any feedback.
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Data Binding
As a computer science term, data binding is the substitution of a real value in a program after it has been compiled.
For example, during compilation a compiler can assign symbolic addresses to certain variables or instructions. When the program is bound, or linked, the binder replaces the symbolic addresses with real machine addresses. The moment at which binding occurs is called “bind time” or “link time.” In dHTML, data binding allows the client to look into a database and retrieve the content. This data can be automatically displayed in your table using the HTML data binding extensions, or you can manipulate the data with a script.
DeCSS
DeCSS is a software program that allows decryption of a CSS-encrypted movie and copying of the files to a hard disc (CSS stands for content scrambling system, and it’s used to protect the content of a DVD disc.)
Deep Link
A hyperlink either on a Web page or in the results of a search engine query to a page on a Web site other than the site’s home page. Typically, a Web site’s home page is the top page in the site’s hierarchy, and any page other than that is considered “deep.”
Degrade
How a web page “degrades” refers to how it will be displayed by older or less popular browsers.
The hope is that the web page will “degrade gracefully,” meaning the images and text will be displayed in roughly the same way across a variety of browsers and platforms.
Demographics
Demographics are the DNA of marketing: age, sex, income, profession, marital status, location, and so on.
Advertisers rely on demographics to help decide which sites are most likely to help them reach their specific audience. Knowing your audience demographic not only helps you sell ads, it also lets you know who your users are and what they want.
Device Independent
A program or application that will work on any peripheral devices within a certain protocol is considered device independent.
DHCP
The dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) is an addressing protocol for TCP/IP networks.
IP addresses are leased to individual computers on the network from a DHCP server. DHCP allows users to move to different locations on a network without having to bother a network administrator to manually assign a new IP address.
dHTML
Dynamic HTML (dHTML) is a markup language designed to heighten the interactive browsing experience.
Because dHTML can utilize each action of the user (a mouseclick, a rollover, a keystroke), it provides a rich and transparent way to process this data.
One of the powerful abilities of dHTML is to pass JavaScript through a browser as part of a form. For example, when a user checks a box within an HTML form, that click of the mouse can be the action that launches a new window to give or receive further data.
Direct Response
A form of marketing designed to solicit a direct response which is specific and quantifiable. On the Web, direct response can refer to a clickthrough on an ad banner, completing a form, voting in a poll or any other measurable user response.
DNS
The domain name system (DNS) is an internet service that translates domain names (like internetprofessionals.org) into an IP addresses (like 69.167.150.243).
We use domain names because people can remember words better than numbers, but web servers still need the IP numbers to access the page. Every time you use a domain name, a DNS server must translate the name into the corresponding IP address.
Document_Object_Model
The document object model (DOM) is the specification for how objects on a web page are represented.
A DOM defines each object on a web page (images, text, scripts, links, etc.) and also defines what attributes are associated with these objects and how they can be manipulated.
DPI
Dots per inch (DPI) measures the resolution of images on a screen or printed page. The more dots, the better the resolution
DRM
Digital Rights Management. Technology that manages commercial licenses and usage rights of digital assets, and that helps protect against piracy.
DSL
A digital subscriber line, or DSL, is a communications technology that allows data to travel at very high speeds over standard telephone wire without interrupting normal telephone service.
The primary market for DSL is the home office since the technology makes it easy for residential homes to receive high-speed internet access at a reasonable price. DSL speeds, on the average, run at about 600kbps for downstream and 128kbps for upstream.
Duotone
Duotones are images that only display in two colors.
Like most visual techniques on the Web, duotones come from the world of print. In print, the more colors you use, the slower the production time and the higher the cost, so duotones were often an economical alternative. Duotones can also improve efficiency on the web by enabling the creation of cool-looking images with small file sizes.
Dynamic Content
Web site or blog content that changes frequently and engages the reader, dynamic content can include animations, video or audio.
