What Planet did THIS come from?

By Silky (Pat Jennings)

Well, cyberspace to be exact. Since most communication on the net is via typed communications, to speed things up an entirely new "language" has developed. Once you know a few of these acronyms, entire converstations could be carried out using them almost exclusively! Since there are thousands of these, they cannot all be listed here, if you get stumped...try this service.

Acronyms

Emoticons

Also known as "smileys." A way to convey tone in written conversations in lieu of spoken and physical cues. Emotions such as happiness, sadness, and tongue-in-cheek signals are displayed with the use of colons, dashes, periods, etc. Turn your head to one side to read. : = ( Although these can be cute, it's usually best of avoid overusing them.

Definitions

  • Cyber... -- A prefix attached to many words, often on-the-fly to denote something in the virtual world of "the net" vs. the "real" physicial world. Cyberspace, cybergeek, cyberdictionary...etc.

  • Flame or Flaming -- A verb which means to post an excessively rude and personally insulting response to another's message. Better to be ignored than responded to.

  • Lurking --The act of "hanging around" an e-mail address list or newsgroup for the sole purpose of listening and not participating. It is an effective way of learning a system before becoming an active member. Not a bad or sinister thing, a good way to scope out territory before jumping in and usually recommended.

  • (the)Net -- The most often used term for the Internet in general, usually referring to web pages, although it could refer to anything done over a SLIP or PPP connection.

  • Netiquette -- A pun on the word etiquette. It refers to appropriate behavior in network communications.

  • Newbie -- Internet slang for new user, not necessarily used in a derogatory manner.

  • Sig -- Short for signature. These often use ASCII art work to make them rememberable. Most e-mail utility programs will let you include "signature" files to the end of your correspondence.

  • Snail-mail -- Regular postal mail vs. e-mail which is much faster.

  • Spamming -- Saying the same thing over and over quickly to annoy others. Also used in connection with mass unsolicited e-mail distributions usually of a commercial nature. VERY frowned upon by the net community.

  • Surfing -- Browsing Internet sites by clicking on embedded hypertext links on a webpage.

  • Trolling -- To act in a manner which deliberately elicits flames.

  • Zine -- (pronouced zeen) Term commonly used to refer to an on-line site set up as a magazine.

    Copyright ©1996 Cutting Edge! Publications, Inc., The Network Edge!, The Cutting Edge!. All rights reserved.
     Contact webmistress@tne.net - the author of this document with any questions or concerns regarding this net jargon.