A (Address) Record
Address records assign a hostname (e.g.: support.yourdomain.com) to a specific IP address (e.g.: 123.123.123.123).

Access
Refers to the database program "Microsoft Access", also called Jet Database.

ADSL- Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
A technology that allows more data to be sent over existing copper telephone lines (POTS). ADSL supports data rates of from 1.5 to 9 Mbps when receiving data (known as the downstream rate) and from 16 to 640 Kbps when sending data (known as the upstream rate). ADSL requires a special ADSL modem. It is not currently available to the general public except in trial areas, but many believe that it will be one of the more popular choices for Internet access over the next few years.

Alias
An alias is an e-mail address that forwards its mail to a specified mailbox, masking the true name of the mailbox in which the mail is actually received. For example, Sales@JoesDomain.com could be an alias for Joe1234@aol.com.

Analog
This word is often used to denote the opposite of digital. Loosely, it means the measuring of data on more physical grounds, as opposed to the more electronic or "wired" state of digital.

Anonymous
The means that allow a person to connect to an FTP site, search through available files, and download any file, document or program without having to establish a userID and/or password on the system where the material resides.

Anonymous FTP
An Internet File Transfer Protocol (FTP) option that allows you to let others onto your Web site to download files that you have made available, without first establishing an account. Most FTP servers are set up to allow a limited amount of anonymous FTP users to log in at the same time, and only provide access to designated files.

Apache
A popular Web server. By some estimates, it is used to host more than 50% of all Web sites in the world. The original version of Apache was written for UNIX, but there are now versions that run under OS/2, Windows and other platforms.

Applet
A mini-program that can be downloaded quickly and used by any computer equipped with a Java- or ActiveX-capable browser. Applets carry their own software players.

ARPANET - Advanced Projects Agency Network
The precursor to the Internet. Developed in the late 60's and early 70's by the U.S. Department of Defense as an experiment in wide-area-networking that would survive a nuclear war.

ASP - Active Server Pages (Windows 2000/NT Only)
A specification for a dynamically created Web page with an .ASP extension that contain either Visual Basic or JScript code. When a browser requests an ASP page, the Web server generates a page with HTML code and sends it back to the browser. ASP pages are similar to CGI scripts, but they enable Visual Basic programmers to work with familiar tools. ASP is only available on NT servers.

Autoresponder
An e-mail that is automatically sent in reply to any e-mail received in a specified mailbox. Also known as a vacation message.