Definitions of Internet services and other words -

Do you understand what things like IRC, WWW or FTP stand for or mean?

Well have a look at this list and it might help a bit, hopefully not confuse you anymore atleast -

• BBS - Bulletin Board Sysytem
• DNS - Domain Name Server
• E-MAIL - Electronic Mail, as opposed to Snail-mail (your normal postal service)
• FTP - File Transfer Protocol telephone number
• GOPHER - The mascot of the University which created it. Not sure though.
• HTML - Hyper-Text Markup Language
• HTTP - Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol
• IP - Internet Protocol
• IRC - Internet Relay Chat
• ISP - Internet Service provider
• URL - Uniform Resource Locator
• PPP - Point-to-Point Protocol
• SLIP - Serial Line Internet Protocol
• SMTP - Simple Mail Transport Protocol
• SNMP - Simple Network management Protocol
• TCP - Transmission Control Protocol
• TELNET - Service that allows you to log-on to another bbs without calling their telephone number
• VRML - Virtual Reality Modelling Language
• WWW - World Wide Web

Abreviations used in BBS chat and messages -

Do you type C:\WORD6\FILES\prn letter.doc when you want print a copy of a file you've been typing up in Word, or do you just click on the little printer button when you want to print?

Who wants to spend extra time at the keyboard typing just to do such a simple thing as print? In the same way when you are chatting to a person over a BBS or IRC you don't want to spend extra time trying to get your thoughts across to them. Therefore you use lots of abreviations or for words and greetings. A virtual bbs and internet language has developed over time and here is a list of abreviations and meanings that I have come across and used in my time on bbs'. Of course it varies from place to place, country to country. But it's fascinating wherever you go -

• BBS - Bulletin Board System
• Sysop - System's Operator
• Msg - Message
• Ppl - People
• Bbk - Will be back soon
• Bk - I'm back now
• Afk - I'll be Away From the Keyboard for a while
• Re - Greetings again
• Rofl - Rolling on the floor laughing
• Egrin - Evil Grin
• D/l - Download
• U/l - Upload
• Cool, kool, kewl, coolies, 0/3 - all ways of saying great, thats interesting etc. etc. There are just so many variations on this one I could go on for pages. Other words can also be used to express the same sort of idea. Try and think of some for yourself because constantly using the same phrase can get annoying for other people.
• Hi, hiya, hello, hey, hiho, huwwo, hey thar, howdy, greetings, gday, hi all - all various forms of saying hello to someone, there are many more and new ones are always coming around. Don't over use any of the greetings and it should be fine
• Cya, see ya, be seeing you, goodbye, bye, ta ta, cya l8r, gotta go, I'm off, cya round, later - yes you guessed it, they are all ways of saying goodbye. Once again there are heaps more variations and you can make up your own. Once again I recommend not to over use any of the phrases.

Smileys :-)

Ever wondered what those funny symbols that people put at the end of sentences mean? Thought they were some bug in the program?

Well they're not. What you probably saw was what is known as a smiley or smiley face. Just remember that they are on their side, as if the face is lying down on a pillow. Look at them that way and use your imagination and the whole world will be smiling with you.

In the absence of voice communication and being able to see a person's face they are very useful in getting across how you feel to the other person. You don't need people taking a joke as something serious do you?

Here is a selection of smiley's and a general definition. Of course you can make your own smiley and soemtimes they mean different thing to different people. There are hundreds of variations of hair, eyes, noses and mouths possible. Some smiley's even have hands and legs!

• :) - very basic smiley, eyes and mouth
• :-) - with a nose
• ;-) - winking
• 8) - with glasses
• :( - frowning, sad
• :-/ - hmmm, bit unhappy
• B-) - with mask
• =) - variation on eyes
• *:-) - with hair
• #:-) - maybe you like this hair style better?
• :~) - weird nose, been in a fight?
• :-} - different mouth
• :-] - square mouth
• :^7 - nice chin
• 0:-) - angel
• :-D - another happy face
• <8') - you can make you're own up
• *8^)
• #%^)
• :-P - poking tongue out

Well that's enough of the smiley faces for now. they look different depending on what font you use and whether you use special characters. They are great fun for everyone!

BBS links

• Nest BBS (best BBS in Melbourne)

If you find any of my definitions that you think are wrong, you can expand on or any things you could add to the lists above I would appreciate an e-mail from you with your suggestion and I may be able to include it.

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