Piracy could cost you thousands in fines and land you in jail...

Adware: Software throughout which advertisements are continually running whilst the software is in use. Also known to collect personal information and web-surfing habits.

Bandwidth: Essentially the capacity/speed of the connection to the internet.

Bit: Smallest way of representing data as it can only have two values, 0 or 1; which are then interpreted by systems.

BitTorrent: Protocol designed for transferring files. It is peer-to-peer in nature, groups of users connect to each other directly to send and receive portions of files, all activities are co-ordinated by a central server. It is not necessary to have complete files in order to make them available for download. The process will use a variety of individuals’ files to download from, not just the one source. As individuals are uploading and downloading at the same time, it makes optimal use of the network bandwidth resulting in shorter download times.

Broadband: Communications which send several different channels at once down a wire, similar to a highway lanes - the more lanes available the more traffic that can flow through it. The speed at which the traffic flows is measured in ‘bytes’ and each direction of traffic (uploads and downloads) may have different speeds.

Byte: One of the smallest ways of expressing data. Comprises of 8 bits. One byte to represent a single character on a keyboard. 8 bits can define up to 128 characters (not 256 as one bit is used to check the integrity of the entire byte.

Cache: High speed storage mechanism, either a reserved section of the main memory or an independent high speed storage device (such as disks and tape drives).

CAL: Client Access Licence - gives the user the right to access the services of a server on which the software is stored. There are a number of varieties of CALs such as ‘per seat’, ‘per server’, ‘per processor’ and ‘per user’

CD-ROM: Compact Disk-Read Only Memory - designed to store computer data in the form of text, graphics and hi-fi stereo sound. Once data has been installed onto CD-ROMs it cannot be erased and filled with new data.

CD-RW: Compact Disk-rewritable, similar to a CD-ROM only that the data can be erased and new data installed, i.e re-used.

Chat room: A virtual room where people can meet and converse with each other.

Client: in reference to BitTorrent - the program used to download the file.

Cookies: Information that a web site puts on the hard disk so that it can remember the visit. Used to determine preferences when using a particular web site, so that it may be possible to customise the web page for them.

Dial-up: Similar to a phone connection except the devices at either end are computer devices. As it uses normal telephone lines, quality is not always good and the size is limited, i.e. slow and subject to ‘still time’, may also be limited.

Data: Information stored in an electronic format so that it can be accessed by mechanical devices such as computers and displayed in a human readable form.

Domain name: Identifies one or more IP addresses. They are used to identify the actual website.

Dongle: Two definitions i) hardware device that plugs into a computer, ensuring only authorised personnel can access certain areas; and ii) a device used to connect a laptop to a network.

DOS attack: Denial Of Service attack - An attack on a network, from an external source designed to cripple the network, by flooding/overwhelming it with useless traffic.

Downloads: Files containing a variety of media - films, games, music and software, which have been permanently copied from a website onto the hard drive of a computer.

Email: Electronic form of correspondence/letters.

Encryption: translating data into a secret code which can only be read using a secret key/password to translate the data back (decrypt)

EULA: End User Licence Agreement. A type of generic licence, which is normally available when purchasing a fully boxed retail/off the shelf new software application.

Firewall: A system/software which prevents unauthorised access to or from a private network. Often used to prevent unauthorised internet users from accessing private networks which are themselves connected to the internet, in particular intranets, by screening all incoming and outgoing messages.

Forum: An online community where visitors may read and submit/post topics for discussion.

Freeware: Software which can be used and distributed without paying royalties to the publisher. It should be noted that this software does still have a licence.

FTP: File Transfer Protocol - process by which files are exchanged over the internet. It is used by hosts to ensure a reliable and efficient transfer of files, as well as providing remote file storage.

Gigabyte: Abbreviated as GB. A unit of information equivalent to one billion bytes or 1024 megabytes.

Hacking: Refers to the activities of people who electronically break into a third party’s computer and misusing the data/resources on that computer.

Hard-drive / Hard Disk: Where data is physically stored on a computer.

Host: Stores all the pages of a website and makes them available to computers connected to the internet.

HTML: Hyper Text Markup Language - language used to create documents on the internet. Defines the structure and layout of a web document using ‘tags’.

HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol - used to exchange information on the internet. Defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what action should be taken in response to the messages by the connected servers and clients.

Instant Messaging: Abbreviated IM. A communications service which creates a private chat room. Communications take place in real-time over the internet. Similar to texting online.

Internet: Independent global network connecting millions of computers.

Internet Watch: Software program which can be used to regulate when users can access the internet and which sites can be visited.

Intranet: An organisation’s own internal internet for the efficient sharing of common files and information on its’ network.

IP Address: A 32-bit number that identifies each computer or device on a network. The address is written as four numbers separated by full stops (periods), each number can be 0 to 254. A registered IP addressed which is unique to the users is required when connecting a private network to the Internet, thus avoiding any duplicates.

IRC: Internet Relay Chat - chat system which enables people connected to the internet to join live discussions. Need to be connected to same IRC server.

ISP: Internet Service Provider - company that provides access to the internet, normally for a monthly subscription. Most ISPs provide software, security controls, access phone number and modem.

Keyboard: A device which has alpha-numeric keys set up similar to a typewriter, which can be used to input data onto a computer.

Key logging: Covert software program which records all keystrokes and which may send this onto an external third party.

LAN: Local Area Network - a group of computers and devices linked together which share the resources of a single server or processor.

Leecher: Reference to BitTorrent - individual downloading the file, also known as ‘peer’.

Licence: Documentation/process by which the rights-owner/software publisher, outlines the terms and conditions under which their product can be used by an end-user.

Licensee: In context with the licence, the end-user of the software product

Licensor: In context with the licence, the rights-owner or software publisher.

Linux: A popular open source operating system.

Megabyte: Data unit comprising one million bytes.

Memory: Storage space of chips within a computer, holds programs and data temporarily whilst they are in use. Often used to refer to the actual chips capable of holding data. Computers also use virtual memory which expands physical memory onto a hard disk.

Meta-tag: A HTML tag which provides information about a web page such as who created it, how often it is updated, summary of what it is about and which keywords represent the page. Often used by search engines when building their indices.

Modem: Device used to connect computers by a telephone line. It converts digital signals into analogue signals so that they can be transferred over an analogue (telephone) line as well as converting analogue signals back to digital.

Motherboard: The main circuit board within a computer, contains connections for all components needed to make a computer work such as, memory, display screen, CPU, keyboard and disk drive

Mouse: A small device used by a computer user to navigate around the computer screen. Traditionally it is a small plastic device which can be moved across a desk and those movements are translated by software into movement of the cursor/pointer across the display screen.

News Group: An online discussion group

OEM licence: Original Equipment Manufacturer licence, is supplied to software which is pre-installed onto a computer by the reseller prior to delivery to the end-user, commonly as a bundle supplied by most well known retailers. It should be noted that the bundle should still be supplied with the original disks for all software installed on the machine as well as the OEM licences. OEM software and therefore the licences are machine specific they can not be transferred to another machine. They live and die with that machine. OEM software cannot be sold on its own, it must be pre-installed onto hardware - otherwise there is a risk that the software has been sold outside the terms of it's licence and as such is not authorised.

Online Auction: As the name suggest the internet equivalent of auctions, most sites would require prior registration and can participate in auctions in the global arena. The auction sites are not a party to the deals they are merely the conduit through which interested parties can place objects on auction and bid, they normally charge a small fee for the selling of the object. It should be noted that care needs to be taken when using online auction sites as not all items placed for auction are authentic and checks should be made beforehand to determine exactly what is being bought.

Open Source: Software available freely in the internet. The source code is freely accessible and the licence permits source code to be altered to meet own requirements, provided amendments to product are shared.

P2P Also known as peer-to-peer. Network of computers connected to each other through the internet, allowing files to be shared between the systems on the network without the need for a central server.

Patches: A fix for a software program where modifications are required to correct a weakness identified in the source code.

PDA: Personal Digital Assistant - a handheld computer or a digital memory device

PDF: Portable Document Format - file format developed by Adobe Systems, although other platforms are now available, whereby any document can be copied exactly and stored in electronic form.

Pharming: Malicious code is installed onto a computer or a server, which then misdirects users to a fraudulent website, without their knowledge or consent, made to look like an authentic web page. A form of ‘phishing’ without the enticement.

Phishing: Web pages made up to look like authentic sites, so as to obtain personal or confidential information. Often imitate banks, online retail sites, auction sites, credit card companies etc. It is advised not to access any sites via links provided in an email, but to access the main website and navigate the website to the area in question.

Pop-ups: A display window which ‘pops’ open, without an apparent reason, when you enter a web site.

Protocol: Communication rules/process used by computers to determine the format and transmission of data.

RAM: Random Access Memory - main computer memory storage. Refers to read and write memory, in that data can be both read and written into RAM. Requires a steady flow of power to maintain its contents, as soon as the power is turned off the data is lost.

Ratio: Reference to BitTorrent - the amount downloaded compared to the amount uploaded

Real-time: Occurring immediately or at the same speed that they would have occurred in real life.

Reseed: Reference to BitTorrent - requesting the reposting of a torrent file that has no seed

ROM: Read Only Memory - Holds instructions for starting the computer.

Scan: Actual process by which a physical document is copied into an electronic format.

Search Engine:Program used to focus a search on the internet, can be likened to an index.

Seeder: Reference to BitTorrent - uploading files so that others may download.

Server: A software program or a computer on which that program is installed that provides services to other computer programs, either on the same or different computer. Servers are also used as common hosting points for information which is available to anyone connected to that server.

Shareware: ‘Try before you buy’ software. Trial version of software made available, typically free of charge, which can also be distributed but not sold to others. It should be noted that all shareware software has a licence. The end user is able to use the software for a fixed duration without payment, upon completion of the fixed period the user would be required to make a payment should they wish to continue to use the software or alternatively remove the software from their system. The software will not be serviced or amended until a payment has been made.

Spyware: Software program typically installed onto a computer without the owners knowledge, which monitors and records the users activities - be they on the internet or by ‘key logging’ and sends the information to an external third party.

Swarm: Reference to BitTorrent - the total number of computers (seeds + peers) involved in any particular BitTorrent grouping.

Source code: Software program in its most basic form, the instructions used by the developer to the computer telling it what the software looks like and what it does. The source code will tell the computer what the screen should look like and how the end-user can interface with the program

Tag: abbreviation for meta tag.

Terabyte: One trillion bytes of data

Thin client: A network computer without a hard drive.

Tracker: Reference to BitTorrent - a server which keeps track of which seeds and peers are in the swarm. Not involved in the data transfer and does not have any copies of the files.

Trojan horse: Malicious program that appears harmless but steals or destroys data or provides unauthorised external access to third parties to the computer on which it is installed.

Uploads: Individuals who place files (films, games, music and software) onto their computers, which are themselves networked with other computer users, so that these can be copied/downloaded, often without the end-users permission.

URL: Uniform Resource Locator - the address of documents and files on the internet. The first part of the address (the part before the colon (:) notifies the computer which protocol to use and the second specifies the actual IP address or domain name where the file is located.

USB: Universal Serial Bus - a plug-in connection used to connect devices, such as phones to computers, so as to enable data transfers.

Virus: A program which searches out other programs and infects them by embedding itself in them, so that they become Trojans. When the programs are activated so too is the virus which begins the process anew. This takes place without the end-users knowledge. It is recommended that anti-virus and /or firewalls be used to minimise the risk of virus infections.

Virtual: Not in actual physical existence, imaginary or available in the electronic world only.

Virtual memory: Computers hold a finite amount of RAM therefore it is possible to run out of memory if too many programs are running at the same time. Virtual memory increases the available memory by enlarging the address space or places in memory where data can be stored by using the hard disk for additional memory allocation. The hard disk processes data slower than RAM therefore data must be mapped/copied into real memory in order to be used. Data will be mapped from the hard disk as and when required by the program. The process of mapping data from the hard disk to RAM is time consuming and may slow down the computer. The more virtual memory that is in use the slower the computer will be. It is recommended that computers have as much RAM as possible to avoid using virtual memory.

Web Blog: A web site characterised by frequent articles displayed in chronological order, typically with time stamps. The content of web blogs varies; some are informal journals, or a means to track specific topics through a variety of links, as well as news sites. Web blogs can take any shape that the author wishes it too.

Web-surfing: When an individual uses the internet to visit a number of sites

www: World Wide Web - the internet

State of Software Licensing Compliance & Piracy/b>
29th July, London.