Word Wednesday - Web Browser Jargon (Part 1)

One of the difficult aspects of personal computing is basically learning another language. For example what is a browser? Most people use web browsers more than any other tool for interacting with the Internet. Web browsers allow for easy access to websites, social media and work. If you asked someone what browser they use, surprisingly enough the typical answer is I don't know. One of the first steps to making the most of your technology is to understand its parts and how they work together. I have spent hours over the phone trying to help people fix their computers, and it amazes me the number of people who don't know what the address bar is. For example, I've heard it referred to as that blank bar at the top or the search bar orand this one's my favorite The place that takes me where I want to go. Here is some some basic browser terminology that may come in handy. (We are going to cover this in two posts, so watch for part two next #WordyWednesday.)

Address Bar This input box at the top center of your browser displays the address, or URL (see definition below), of the webpage you are viewing. You can enter any web address in this box to navigate to new pages. The address bar allows you to go to a specific website directly instead of looking at search result trying to determine the correct page.

Bookmark A bookmark (a.k.a., favorite) is a marker that you can place on web pages and files so that you can easily return to them later, or recommend the page or file to someone else. Bookmarks/Favorites can be made using your menus/toolbars at the top of your web browser. Getting into the habit of bookmarking sites is a valuable habit that can really enrich your Internet experience.

Browser A browser is a free software package that lets you view web pages, graphics, and most online content. Browser software is specifically designed to convert HTML and XML code into readable documents. The most popular web browsers in 2013 were: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Apple Safari.

Cookies A cookie is a piece of information stored in the form of text strings on your device. When you visit a site that uses cookies for the first time, a cookie is downloaded onto your PC. The next time you visit that site, your PC checks to see if it has a cookie that is relevant (that is, one containing the site name) and sends the information contained in that cookie back to the site. Generally the role of cookies is beneficial, helping your computer remember bits of information about websites and making your interaction with frequently visited sites smootherfor no extra effort on your part.

Come back next Wednesday to learn more key web browser terms. Or let us know in the comments if there is a word or term you'd like to better understand.