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Data Rate
The speed at which data flows; it is often a critical measurement when dealing with audio and video files that require high bandwidth and must not be interrupted..

DHTML
Dynamic HTML; the combination of HTML, Cascading Style Sheets, and Javascript used to create dynamic Web content which can move, hide, or animate as a result of user events..

Digitize
To encode images or sound in a format that may be processed by a computer; to convert analog information, such as an audio or video signal into data..

Dithering
A process attempting to improve perceived quality of onscreen graphics. Unavailable colors are approximated by mixing pixels of similar colors which are available in the image palette.

Domain
In an Internet address, the part of the naming hierarchy that consists of a sequence of characters separated by dots. The four most common types of domains are .com for company, .org for organization, .edu for education, and .gov for government.

Downsample
To reduce the amount of data in a file by selecting only certain pieces of the original content. .

Dpi
Dots per inch; a measurement of graphical resolution that defines the quality setting or output of a computer display or printer. Graphics intended to be Web, CD-ROM graphics will have a resolution of 72 dots, or pixels per inch while graphics destined for printing will have resolutions of at least 300.

Drop Shadow
A common graphic effect that creates the illusion of a light source shining on an object from above so that a shadow appears to be cast behind and below the object.

DSL
Digital subscriber line; a twisted-pair copper wire connection with a special modem at either end that filters out background noise and interference and allows high-speed data transfer.

DVD
Digital video disc; a second-generation compact disc capable of high quantities of data (4.2 gigabytes) with low transfer times.

8-bit Audio
Process of using an 8-bit sample to digitize and play back sound. The quality is inferior to 16-bit samples. It is adequate for speech but relatively useless for music.

8-bit Color
A monitor setting that allocates 8 bits of memory to each pixel and yields up to 256 different colors simultaneously.

FAQ
An acronym for Frequently Asked Questions.

Firewall
On a local area network (LAN) connected to a larger network, the security system that prevents outside intrusion as well as inside information from getting out. Typically, all traffic must pass through a single machine where the firewall is implemented.

Firewire
The designation for an interface standard that specifies a transmission method, media and protocol.

Flash
A popular vector based animation program by Macromedia. In addition to traditional animation, Flash is also known for its sophisticated scripting, interactivity features, and its ability to stream.

Flat-file Database
A database that holds records in a single file. Flat-files are not as fast or as powerful as relational databases.

Fps
Frames per second; in video or animation, the number of times each second that a new picture is drawn on the screen.

FTP
File Transfer Protocol; a method of transferring data files from one computer to another over networks or telephone lines, usually involving a modem.

Full Motion Video
Video that plays back at the full resolution and frame rate in which it was encoded, resulting in a smooth, continuous display. Following broadcast video standards, this is usually considered 30 frames per second.

Generational Loss
Reduced quality in audio or video clarity as a result of successive duplication.

GIF
A common file format for Web graphic images. GIF is a palette-based, 8-bit format that compresses images with the lossless LZW compression scheme. GIF is most appropriate for images with areas of flat color and sharp contrast, as opposed to JPEG which is the compression choice most appropriate for photographs.

GUI
Graphical User Interface; an environment in which icons represent objects that a computer user can manipulate with a mouse or other pointing device.

Helper Application
Related to a Web browser, a small program that enables a browser to play multimedia file types such as audio, video, and animation.

Hexadecimal
A base-16 numbering system with numbers 0-9 and letters A-F which is used in HTML for specifying RGB color values.

HTML
Hypertext Markup Language; a set of commands for marking a document so that it can be read by a Web browser.

Hypertext
Indexed words that are linked to graphics, audio, or other words not located in close proximity. Theodore Nelson is credited with the first usage of the term in 1963.

HTTP
Hypertext Transfer Protocol; the protocol that defines how Web pages and media are requested and transferred between servers and browsers.

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