This was last updated on the 13th of February 2010.
A large selection of useful information on file formats, abbreviations, and components that you may want to know.
Feel free to link to this from your site or print this page.
| Jargon Word | Description |
| Abbreviations | |
| INTERNET RELATED | |
| CSS | Cascading Style Sheet: A language used in HTML, XML, SVG and XUL. It provides information such as colour, size, and layout of text and other modules of a page. |
| FTP | File Transfer Protocol: A network protocol used to transfer files and data over the internet from one computer (or server) to another. |
| HTML | HyperText Markup Language: A large majority of web sites on the internet are coded in this or the more modern XHTML. |
| HTTP | HyperText Transfer Protocol: A communications protocol for transferring information across the internet. |
| HTTPS | HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure: The same as HTTP, but on a secure server that other people shouldn’t be able to access. Generally used for private file storage or online payments. |
| ISP | Internet Service Provider: An internet service provides is a service you pay for to provide you with your internet access. |
| PHP | Originally stood for Hypertext Processor: Another common coding for web sites, or dynamic web pages. |
| COMPUTER BASED | |
| CPU | Central Processing Unit: Known for short as the processor, this is where your computer manages all the commands from programs on your computer. |
| HDD | Hard Disk Drive: Where all the files, programs, and system information is stored for your computer. |
| RAM | Random Access Memory: Basically a temporary memory source for a computer. Think of it as short term memory for a human, but the computer decides how short or long it is. All programs store their resources here while that program is running. |
| Common File Types | |
| DOC | DOC is a file format used in Microsoft Word and OpenOffice. |
| EXE | EXE (executable) is a file Windows programs and installations use. Also used in DOS. |
| GIF, JPEG, TIFF | Typical image file types. JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) usually uses the least memory while can still provide good image quality. GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is slightly more memory consuming, and more generally used in animations or moving images. TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a slightly less common format but still used to store images and photography. |
| ISO, BIN | ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and BIN (no official abbreviation) are common image types which are generally stores of CD’s or DVD’s. In basic terms, it is a block of files merged into one large file. |
| MPEG, AVI, WMV | These are common file formats for videos. MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) is a series of file formats used on a number of devices. For example, MPEG-2 is the format for DVD video, and MPEG-4 is commonly used on portable video players. AVI (Audio Video Interleave) is a common video format used more generally on computers. WMV (Windows Media Video) is a compressed video format used in Windows Media Player. |
| PDF (Portable Document Format) is a file format used by Adobe Reader that can be encrypted and is extremely useful on websites preventing files from being edited or copied. | |
| PPT, PPS | PPT (PowerPoint Presentation) is used by Microsoft PowerPoint for slideshows. PPS is the show only, and cannot be edited. |
| RAR, ZIP | RAR (no official abbreviation) and ZIP (no official abbreviation are compressed file formats generally used across the internet to save file space and download times. |
| TORRENT | Used to store bit-torrent data and information. |
| TXT | TXT (text file) is used for many programs, as well as a text format for typing basic text. |
| WAV, MP3, WMA | These are common audio file formats. WAV (Waveform Audio Format) is used in Windows regularly and for program sounds, but not usually music because it uses massive file space and DRM (Digital Rights Management) can’t be used with it. MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3) is a more common music file format, used regularly in CD ripping and music sharing over the internet. DRM can also not be applied here. WMA (Windows Media Audio) is another common audio format, similar to MP3 – the only massive difference being that DRM can be applied to it. |
| XLS | XLS is the format used in Microsoft Excel for spreadsheets. |
| Less Common File Types | |
| AMR | Apaptive Multi-rate Compressed Audio is a file format for music and audio and is generally used in mobile phones for ringtones and the likes. |
| BAT | A batch file used by MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows. |
| DAT | Data files used by software programs. |
| DVR-MS | DVR-MS is a video format developed by Microsoft. It is used in Windows Media Center (Vista Home Premium and Ultimate) and Media Center (Windows XP Media Center Edition) to store TV recordings. The copy protection on the recording depends on whether the program recorded was marked as Copy Protected by the broadcaster. |
| FLV | FLV or Flash Video is used commonly on video sharing websites. It is a very useful format for the internet since it can store large amounts of video at high quality whilst maintaining a relatively low file size. |
| SYS | Windows system file. |
| VOB | The file type used in DVD Video. If you extract a DVD, these are the files you will find. VOB files can be encrypted for DVD copy-protection, but most common DVD Decrypters can decrypt them. |
1 comment
Jubjamie says:
December 22, 2009 at 9:09 pm (UTC 0 )
There is a definition in your Jargon which is wrong.
PHP is not Personal hopepage, it’s PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor