In the past nine months I've done the proverbial 180 degree turn around on this internet thing. So right now there is nothing more rewarding than logging on to my own web site from a remote location that I've never been to before. Along those lines, during a recent tour of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine I logged on to the Futon Life web site (http://www.futonlife.com) and set a bookmark on the system so all eighteen-hundred students could easily find the site.

When I saw the Futon Life logo come up on this computer screen in Maine it all began to sink in. With 20,000 new web sites every month and millions of new users every year (38.2 million households by the year 2000, and millions of businesses too) the information superhighway delivers. Our company has made the commitment to be on the cutting edge of this new technology and to help anyone we communicate with to be up to speed as well. The article that follows will help you better understand the lingo and hopefully learn enough so you too can be a true web master (or mistress), surfing the web with the greatest of ease. Use the article as a simple multiple choice exam and see how much you don't know.

Should you need more help than afforded here give me a call or send me an e-mail message at jtatulli@rtppub.com. I'm looking forward to hearing from you, over the internet highway. &endash; EDITOR

The World Wide Web: You read about it and hear about it everywhere these days. But to understand the Web &emdash; and to use it effectively &emdash; you must learn its unique vocabulary.

Test your awareness of Web terminology with this brief vocabulary quiz. And then use the quiz answers (located at the end of this feature) to help you understand the workings of this vast internet resource.

1. You can quickly return to a Web site previously visited if you inserted a (a) bookmark (b) icon (c) locator.

2. An example of a popular character-based Web navigation tool is (a) Mink (b) Lynx (c) Otter.

3. Encryption software allows for confidential (a) commercial transactions on the Web (b) on-line Web meetings (c) translation of Web pages into foreign languages.

4. When you enter a Web site, the first thing you usually see is a (a) software identification code (b) home page (c) password screen.

5. Documents composed for the World Wide Web are typically coded with (a) universal symbol language (b) applied ASCII language (c) hypertext markup language.

6. A Webmaster is (a) a hands-on administrator of a Web site (b) a highly experienced Web navigator (c) an editor of Web software.

7. A software package that allows you to reach Web sites and retrieve Web information is known as a (a) surfer (b) browser (c) handler.

8. A "hit" refers to (a) any of the "Top Ten" Web sites (b) the number of times a Web page is reached (c) the number of times a Web site's hypertext links are used.

9. Web sites are classified by typology into (a) domains (b) links (c) launchers.

10. The mechanism by which computers can access other computers' Web sites is known as (a) universal programming protocol (b) hypertext transfer protocol (c) multi-link exchange protocol.

11. In Web terminology, a "client" is (a) software that requests data from another computer (b) a subscriber to a national on-line service (c) any Web user.

12. A computer that plots the direction your Web search will take is known as a (a) mainframe (b) router (c) prime server.

13. "Lists of lists" of Web sites are usually known as (a) master directories (b) search sites (c) Web archives.

14. The World Wide Web was created in (a) 1968-1970 (b) 1983-1985 (c) 1989-1991.

15. "Clickthroughs" refer to (a) the number of attempts a computer user must make to access a site (b) the number of times visitors reach ads and pages related to a site (c) the number of times visitors return to a Web site within a thirty-day period.

16. The Web's multi-media capabilities refer to (a) integration of the Web with television (b) use of sound, video and animation at Web sites (c) the links between Web sites and research libraries.

17. A Web page that allows you to respond to its creator in some way is often called (a) an interactive internet searcher (b) a form (c) a communication launcher.

18. The linking of text with sound, photos and other features is known as (a) hypermedia (b) mixed media (b) cybercapacity.

19. A "space" in your computer that stores Web documents that you've accessed is known as (a) RAM (b) a cache (b) a bookmark.

20. Web pages that have unusual colors or illustration beneath their text are often known as (a) hypertext (b) crawlers (c) background.

21. Every site on the World Wide Web is represented by a (a) Uniform Resource Locator (URL) (b) Synchronized Internet Pathway (SIP) (c) Hypertext Markup Language Identifier (HTMLI).

22. An example of a sophisticated programming tool useful in creating Web applications is (a) Sinko (b) Java (c) Transmit.

23. The Web feature which allows you to jump from one document to another on the basis of a single word or phrase is known as (a) regression (b) point-to-point protocol (c) hypertext.

24. Netscape is (a) a popular Web navigation software (b) World Wide Web etiquette (c) a popular Web adventure site.

25. The advantage of using the Web over other internet features is that (a) the Web contains well-researched, highly sophisticated and accurate content (b) it's easy to jump from one document to other related documents (c) Web content is carefully indexed by subject area.

26. A Web "presence" or destination is known as (a) an e-mail address (b) an electronic home (c) a site.

27. Hyperlinks allow you to (a) move from one part of the Web to another (b) help you solve reference problems on the Web (c) contact the creators of home pages.

28. Web sites used to disseminate information within an organization are often termed (a) intranets (b) personal webs (c) homesites.

29. A computer that holds one or many Web pages is called a (a) mainframe (b) server (c) Web site.

30. A single document on the Web is known as a (a) home page (b) Web page (c) Web site.

31. The "home" of the Web is in (a) Washington, D. C. (b) Switzerland (c) New York City.

32. You can move data from a Web site to your own computer by a process called (a) downloading (b) uploading (c) transference.

33. A security system that carefully separates an organization's Web function from its other computer systems is known as a (a) hypersecurity network (b) firewall (c) mainframe disconnect.

34. You can obtain the ability to use the Web by (a) purchasing a Web server (b) subscribing to an access provider's service (c) opening an e-mail account at a major university.

35. Standard templates that allow you to easily create your own home pages are known as (a) easy links (b) wizards (c) hyperlinks.

36. Links, or pointers, that provide quick access to very popular sites are known as (a) software markers (b) hot links (c) boot links.

37. The electronic mechanism that allows you to obtain information from Web sites over serial lines is known as (a) point-to-point protocol (b) hypermedia (c) windows extensions.

38. A national service allowing you access to Web sites is known as a (a) software documentation source (b) online service (c) local access provider.

39. Graphic symbols that represent "locations" on the Web are known as (a) visual bits (b) maps (c) icons.

40. Local restaurants that offer food, beverages and Web access are known as (a) internet cafes (b) cybermalls (c) cybercounters.

41. A graphical browser that allows you to search the Web according to specific criteria is known as (a) International Net Browser (b) Mosaic (c) Net Surf.

42. Moving around the Web is known as (a) navigation (b) browsing (c) scaping

43. A software system that allows you to create hyperlinked material is known as an (a) encoding system (b) authoring system (c) internet browsing system.

44. You can build speedy access to the Web if you have (a) extra RAM (b) a fast modem (c) modern navigation software.

45. A service that allows you to navigate through text-based sites is known as (a) gopher (b) bookmark (c) EZ internet.

Now for the answers ...

1. (a) Many modern navigation software packages allow you to place electronic bookmarks at favorite Web sites.

2. (b) Lynx is an easy-to-use tool, popular among many people who don't have full-fledged computer graphics capability.

3. (a) Encryption software is becoming quite sophisticated, allowing for exchange of financial and credit card information. It's essential for the development of Web commerce.

4. (b) Home page: It's what your browser loads when you enter a site.

5. (c) Hypertext markup language (HTML) codes are commonly used on Web documents. HTML codes, roughly analogous to early word processing software codes, are relatively easy to learn.

6. (a) Administrator of a Web site.

7. (b) Netscape is currently the most popular browser.

8. (b) Number of times a page is reached.

9. (a) The domain classification is usually placed as a suffix at the end of the Web site address. Common domain designations: com (commercial site), edu (educational institution site), gov (government site).

10. (b) Hypertext transfer protocol. You'll notice that almost all Web addresses begin with the letters http. This electronic symbol indicates that a Web address, using this protocol, follows.

11. (a) Software that requests data. If you're accessing the Web via your computer, you're using client software.

12. (b) A single Web search might criss-cross the continent &emdash; or the world &emdash; numerous times, along different electronic pathways.

13. (b) Examples of popular search sites: Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com) and Lycos (http://www.lycos.com). These sites contain "search engines," often known as "spiders," which identify other sites meeting criteria specified by visitors.

14. (c) The Web is a relatively new phenomenon.

15. (b) Web advertisers, in particular, note the difference between serious visits to Web sites which result in customer response, and "clickthroughs," which may be little more than a sampling of a site's multiple pages by curiosity seekers.

16. (b) A powerful feature of the Web is its ability to integrate text, graphics, photos, audio and animation.

17. (b) An "interactive page" is a form.

18. (a) The term "hypermedia" broadly defines the topical links, or connections, among various pages &emdash; and media &emdash; on the Web.

19. (b) Cache.

20. (c) Background &emdash; a term you'll hear frequently when complex Web pages are discussed.

21. (a) The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is the "address" of a site. It almost always begins with the designation "http."

22. (b) Unlike many Web tools, Java requires some programming knowledge and skill.

23. (c) Hypertext unleashes the full power of the Web. It allows you to access many different Web sites through key words or phrases in a document. For example: A site containing a hypertext notation on the phrase "consumer marketing" (usually marked by bold facing or underlining) allows you to visit other locations bearing information or views on this topic &emdash; with a few clicks of your mouse.

24. (a) Netscape is currently the best-selling navigation software in North America.

25. (b) Hypertext &emdash; the ability to "jump" from one site to another in non-linear fashion &emdash; is the Web's most powerful feature. The Web, incidentally, is not indexed and the quality of Web sites varies considerably.

26. (c) Web site.

27. (a) "Hyperlinks" are the electronic "pointers" which allow you to move quickly from one site to another related site.

28. (a) Intranets are among the fastest-growing Web sites. They're used to disseminate company or organizational news, and as a reference for organizational policies and information.

29. (b) Server.

30. (b) Web page. Many pages may comprise a site.

31. (b) The Web was created and is monitored at CERN, a Swiss research laboratory.

32. (a) Downloading.

33. (b) An adequate firewall, a combination of hardware and software developed by an organization sponsoring a Web site, is an essential security precaution against unauthorized intrusion into a computer system by Web site visitors.

34. (b) Access providers can furnish you with the client software necessary to access the Web.

35. (b) Wizards can be purchased commercially, obtained in shareware form from some software companies, and even obtained from several national on-line services as part of their subscription packages.

36. (b) "Hot links" are especially popular links.

37. (a) PTP transmits data in "packets" and reassembles it at your computer.

38. (b) CompuServe and America Online are examples of national service providers.

39. (c) Icons.

40. (a) Internet cafes are becoming popular in many metropolitan areas. They offer refreshment, opportunities to socialize, and easy access to the internet.

41. (b) Mosaic was an early Web browser.

42. (a) Navigation.

43. (b) The term "authoring system" includes any software tool that allows you to create material that's hyperlinked, user-driven and, frequently, interactive.

44. (b) A fast modem &emdash; commonly a 28800-baud modem &emdash; brings speed to your Web operations.

45. (a) Gophers are "directories" that allow you to search for internet information topically.