EIDX Glossary of Terms

Name Server - A computer running software that converts domain names into IP addresses and vice-versa.

Name-Value Pair - All HTML form elements have name and value attributes.  When a field is added to a form, the field is given a name.  A default value may be specified, or the user may enter a value, yielding a resulting name-value pair.  The term is also used to describe data that is represented as a qualifier and qualified data element.

Namespace - In general, a namespace uniquely identifies a set of names so that there is no ambiguity when objects having different origins but the same names are mixed together; a  set of names in which all names are unique.  The use of namespaces allows different organizations or standards to use the same names to have different meanings; the namespace can be used to identify the authority who defines the semantic meaning of a term.  Essentially, the namespace qualifies a term.  For example, the name "net" might have one meaning in the fishmonger namespace, and the same name, "net," have a different meaning in the  the volleyball player namespace.  A namespace groups identifiers in a named scope. By so specifying the scope of identifiers within the namespace of the group to which they belong, the potential for conflict between identifiers is greatly reduced. 

• An XML Namespace is usually a Uniform Resource Indicator (URI), because the namespace may be associated with the web site or page of that URI, and because the URI is likely to be a unique name.

National Science Foundation (NSF) - Funds the NSFNet, a high-speed network that once formed the backbone of the Internet in the US.

Nested Segment - A segment which directly relates to another segment in an identified and structured group of segments covering the requirements for a specific message type. [ISO 9735]

net.god - One who has been online since the beginning, who knows all and who has done it all.

net.personality - Somebody sufficiently opinionated/flaky/with plenty of time on his hands to regularly post in dozens of different Usenet newsgroups, whose presence is known to thousands of people.

net.police - Derogatory term for those who would impose their standards on other users of the Net. Often used in vigorous flame wars (in which it occasionally mutates to net.nazis).

Netiquette - A set of common-sense guidelines for not annoying others.

Network - Group of computers and associated devices connected by means of communications facilities.   A network can involve permanent connections, such as cables, or temporary connections made through telephone or other communications links.  A network can be as small as a local area network consisting of a few computers or many small and large computers distributed over a vast geographic area to provide computer users with the means of transferring information electronically. Some types of communication are simple user-to-user messages; others, of the type known as distributed processes, can involve several computers and sharing of workloads or cooperative efforts in performing a task.

Network Administrator - Person in charge of operations either on a Wide Area Network system or a Local Area Network system. Duties might include such tasks as installing new workstations and other devices, adding and removing authorized users, archiving files, overseeing password protection and other security measures, monitoring usage of shared resources, and handling malfunctioning equipment. Also referred to as a system administrator.

Network Architecture - See Architecture.

Network Data Base - Type of data base in which data records can be linked (related to one another) in more than one way. A network data base is similar to a hierarchical data base in that it contains a progression from one record to another. It differs in being less rigidly structured, since any single record can point to more than one other record and, conversely, can be pointed to by one or more records. A network data base allows more than one path between any two records, whereas a hierarchical data base allows only one, from parent (higher-level record) to child (lower-level record).

Network Security - The protection of networks and their services from unauthorized modification, destruction, or disclosure to or by unauthorized third parties.

Network Trusted Computing Base (NTCB) - The totality of protection mechanisms within a network system-including hardware, firmware, and software-the combination of which is responsible for enforcing a security policy.

Newbie - Somebody new to the Net.

Newsgroup - A Usenet conference.

Node - Junction of some type. On Local Area Networks, this is a device connected to the network and able to communicate with other network devices. In tree structures, a location (set of information) on the tree can have links to one or more nodes below it (child nodes). Some authors make a distinction between node and element, with an element being a given data type and a node comprising one or more elements as well as any supporting data structures (such as pointers).

Non-repudiation Receipt - Complete, accurate, and undeniable record of an event or interaction.  Ensures that the sender cannot deny having sent a transaction, and the recipient cannot deny having received the transaction.

Non-secure - Refers to content, a Web site, or a transaction that is not protected from third-party interference.

NSA line eater - The more aware/paranoid Net users believe that the National Security Agency has a super-powerful computer assigned to reading everything posted on the Net. They will jokingly (?) refer to this line eater in their postings. Goes back to the early days of the Net when the bottom lines of messages would sometimes disappear for no apparent reason.