For
application-specific terms, refer to the help feature of that
application.
Palette
A set of colors.
PDF
Portable Document Format. An electronic file format developed by Adobe Systems that can display documents with their original formatting intact and allow for digital signatures, collaborative feedback, and user input with forms.
Practical Extraction and Report Language. A scripting language often used to create server-side scripts. See CGI, Scripting Language.
A server-side script, similar in syntax to Perl, used to create dynamic web pages. PHP can perform any task that a CGI program can do, but its strength lies in its compatibility with many types of databases. See Perl, CGI, Server-side, Script.
A graphic file format developed by Apple to hold bitmap images. See WMF, BMP.
Acronym for Picture Element. A pixel is a single point in a graphic image. Computer monitors display images by dividing the screen into thousands of pixels arranged in rows and columns. The pixels are so close together that they appear connected. The number of bits used to represent each pixel determines how many colors can be displayed. For example, in 8-bit color mode, the monitor uses 8 bits for each pixel, making it possible to display 2 to the 8th power (256) different colors. See Bit, Bitmap Graphic, Opacity, Resolution, Transparency.
Public Key Infrastructure. Digital certificates that verify and authenticate the validity of each party involved in an Internet transaction. See SSL.
Platform
The operating system of a computer. For example, Windows, Mac OS, Linux.
Programs that can be added to your browser to increase the types of files it can read. RealPlayer is an example of a plug-in. Splash Page.
A graphic file format that uses lossless compression and can support transparency and interlacing but is not well supported in browsers. See GIF, JPEG, Lossless Compression.
Pixels per inch. A measure of resolution for on screen images. See DPI, Resolution, Pixel.
A set of rules for exchanging information between computers over a network. See IANA, IP, TCP, HTTP, FTP.