- decompression
- Files that can be downloaded from the Internet are usually stored in a compressed format to save disk space and downloading time. In order to read or use the files on your computer, you need a decompression program to decompress the files. Find out more about compression and decompression.
- decryption
- Decryption is the process of descrambling a scrambled or 'encrypted' message. Web transactions and e-mail messages are sometimes encrypted for security reasons.
- DHTML
- DHTML is an extension of HTML that allow Web pages to react to user input after the page has been downloaded to the browser. DHTML stands for Dynamic HTML.
- digital cash
- Digital cash is a form of electronic currency. Digital cash is issued by a bank, and each piece of digital cash has a unique serial number, and represents a certain amount of real cash. The numbers can be transmitted from a buyer to a seller over the Internet, allowing people to make online purchases.
- digital certificate
- A digital certificate is an attachment to an encrypted Web page, used to verify the identity of the organization you are dealing with, and to provide the means to encrypt a reply. Certificates are issued by a Certificate Authority.
- digital signature
- A digital signature is a code attached to an encrypted e-mail message used to verify the identity of the sender, and to prove that the message has not been forged or tampered with.
- directory
- A directory is a special file that organizes other files into a hierarchical structure. In graphical user interfaces like Windows 95 and Macintosh, it is usually called a folder.
- DNS
- DNS is a system of mapping names to Internet numbers. Every computer on the Internet has a number. Since humans work better with names, DNS maps names to the numbers. When you type in a URL into your browser, your computer consults the DNS to find the number for that name. DNS stands for Domain Name Server.
- document object model
- A document object model is a specification for how objects (i.e., images and links) are represented in a Web page. Netscape Communicator and Microsoft Internet Explorer use different Document Object Models, which is why their implementations of Dynamic HTML are different.
- domain name
- A domain name is a standard system of names to refer to computers on the Internet. Domain names provide a convenient way for people to keep track of Internet computers, and also provide a recognizable presence for organizations on the Internet. Domain names are composed of parts separated by periods. The last part is usually a three letter extension like .com, or a two letter extension, like .ca.
- download
- To download is to transfer a file from the a computer on the Internet to your computer. Your browser downloads a file every time it displays a Web page.
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