Cache Busting
The process by which sites or servers serve content or HTML in such a manner as to minimize or prevent browsers or proxies from serving content from their cache. This forces the user or proxy to fetch a fresh copy for each request. Among other reasons, cache busting is used to provide a more accurate count of the number of requests from users.
Cache/Caching
Cached files are those that are saved or copied (downloaded) by a web browser so that the next time that user visits the site, the page loads faster.
Catch-all Email Account
An email account which allows any email of the form, anything@your-domain.com, to be forwarded or placed into a single email address. For example, webmaster@you.com, info@you.com and anything@you.com, will all be sent to the same email address. Often hosts allow you to also specify particular email addresses to be forwarded to different email addresses, in addition to the catch-all email which sends any other email address to one designated email address.
CGI
Common Gateway Interface. The standard for running programs on a server from a Web page. CGI files are commonly used for form submission, guest books, Web-based games and more.
Click Fraud
Click fraud is a type of internet crime that occurs in pay per click online advertising when a person, automated script, or computer program imitates a legitimate user of a web browser clicking on an ad, for the purpose of generating a charge per click without having actual interest in the target of the ad's link.
Click-stream
1) the electronic path a user takes while navigating from site to site, and from page to page within a site; 2) a comprehensive body of data describing the sequence of activity between a user‘s browser and any other Internet resource, such as a Web site or third party ad server.
Clicks
1) metric which measures the reaction of a user to an Internet ad. There are three types of clicks: click-throughs; in-unit clicks; and mouseovers; 2) the opportunity for a user to download another file by clicking on an advertisement, as recorded by the server; 3) the result of a measurable interaction with an advertisement or key word that links to the advertiser‘s intended Web site or another page or frame within the Web site; 4) metric which measures the reaction of a user to linked editorial content. See iab.net for ad campaign measurement guidelines.
Client-Side
Client-side refers to scripts that are run in a viewer’s browser, instead of on a web server (as in server-side scripts). Client-side scripts are generally faster to interact with, though they can take longer to load initially.
CMS
Stands for Content Management System. A CMS is a backend tool for managing a site’s content that separates said content from the design and functionality of the site. Using a CMS generally makes it easier to change the design or function of a site independent of the site’s content. It also (usually) makes it easier for content to be added to the site for people who aren’t designers. An example of a CMS is WordPress.
CNAME Record
Short for Canonical Name Record. An entry in your DNS table (zone file) that aliases a FQDN to another FQDN (i.e. www.your-domain.com -> your-domain.com). In other words, the CNAME record specifies another domain to which the user would be redirected.
Cold Fusion
A scripting language for interfacing databases and advanced web development. Cold Fusion supports databases such as Microsoft Access, FoxPro, dBASE, and Paradox.
Comment
In web design terms, a comment is a bit of information contained in a site’s HTML or XHTML files that is ignored by the browser. Comments are used to identify different parts of the file and as reference notes. Good commenting makes it much easier for a designer (whether the original designer or someone else) to make changes to the site, as it keeps it clear which parts of the code perform which functions. There are different comment formats for different programming and markup languages.
Compression
A method of packing data in order to save disk storage space or download time. JPEGs are generally compressed graphics files. Compression is a technique to make a file or a data stream smaller for faster transmission or to take up less storage space. Concerning images, most graphics used on the Web are compressed using software that reduces as many colors in the color palette as possible, while still retaining the maximum quality of the image.
Content
A word you'll likely see around a lot is "web content" and by definition, content is the 'stuff' that makes up a web site. This could be words, pictures, images or sounds. In essence however, when we talk about web content, we are essentially referring to content in a textual nature. Content therefore is the 'information' in text form a web site provides.
Cookie
The most common meaning of "Cookie" on the Internet refers to a piece of information sent by a Web Server to a Web Browser that the Browser software is expected to save and to send back to the Server whenever the browser makes additional requests from the Server. Depending on the type of Cookie used, and the Browsers' settings, the Browser may accept or not accept the Cookie, and may save the Cookie for either a short time or a long time. Cookies might contain information such as login or registration information, online "shopping cart" information, user preferences, etc. When a Server receives a request from a Browser that includes a Cookie, the Server is able to use the information stored in the Cookie. For example, the Server might customize what is sent back to the user, or keep a log of particular users' requests. Cookies are usually set to expire after a predetermined amount of time and are usually saved in memory until the Browser software is closed down, at which time they may be saved to disk if their "expire time" has not been reached. Cookies do not read your hard drive and send your life story to the CIA, but they can be used to gather more information about a user than would be possible without them.
Cookie Buster
Software that blocks the placement of cookies on a user‘s browser.
CPC
Stands for Cost Per Click. The cost of advertising based on the number of clicks received.
CPM
Stands for Cost Per Thousand. Media term describing the cost of 1,000 impressions. For example, a Web site that charges $1,500 per ad and reports 100,000 visits has a CPM of $15 ($1,500 divided by 100).
Crowdsourcing
Taking a task that would conventionally be performed by a contractor or employee and turning it over to a typically large, undefined group of people via an open call for responses. Good luck with that.
CSS
Stands for Cascading Style Sheet. CSS is a feature of HTML developed by the W3C. With Cascading Style sheets, both web designers and end users can create style templates (sheet) that specifies how different text elements (paragraphs, headings, hyperlinks, etc.) appear on a web page. Currently, not all browsers express CSS formatting in the same manner. A Cascading Style Sheet allows you to put all your page styles (colors, fonts, layout, etc.) into one external file, rather than manually formatting each individual page and clogging the HTML code with hundreds of lines of excess coding.
CSS Framework
A CSS framework is a collection of CSS files used as the starting point to make XHTML and CSS web sites quickly and painlessly. They usually contain CSS styles for typography and layout.
