Frequently Asked Questions


CGI
CGI stands for "Common Gateway Interface." CGI scripts are written to take advantage of the common gateway interface. Scripts can be written in a variety of languages, although Perl is quite common. When a visitor performs a “submit” on a webpage (e.g. subscribing to a newsletter and clicking submit), the form information is passed through a common gateway interface. Acting like mini programs, scripts help make these functions work because they are already prewritten to handle specific tasks.

PHP
PHP is a scripting language, typically versions 3 and 4. PHP is a tool that allows you to create dynamic web pages. PHP-enabled web pages are treated like regular HTML pages and you can create or edit them in the same manner as regular HTML pages.

Perl
Perl is the most popular language used for the Custom Gateway Interface. Typically, servers come with preinstalled Perl scripts such as mail form, counters, etc. There are countless numbers of pre-made scripts available on the Internet.

MySQL
This is an advanced SQL (Structured Query Language) database server that allows you to capture data. Most advanced e-commerce sites use this database because of its reliability and speed.

Windows Media
This is a multimedia format competing against Real Player. It allows users to play streaming multimedia files, such as videos and audio, over the Internet without downloading the entire file.

FrontPage Support
Microsoft FrontPage extensions typically include 1998, 2000 and the new 2002. If you wish to publish your FP site, you can use the interface from the program and click "Publish." Your site will be online as soon as you have finished. No knowledge of FTP or uploading is required. With FrontPage, publishing a website is easier than ever before.

SSI (Server Side Includes)
SSI is a type of HTML command that is a powerful tool for web developers. This command directs the web server to dynamically generate data for the website upon request. In addition, SSI can be used to execute programs and insert results into the website. Some websites with SSI have extensions that end with “.shtml”. However, this is not a requirement. The varying extension filenames enables the web server to differentiate those pages that need to be processed before being sent to the browser.

MIME Types
MIME stands for "Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension". This is a specification for formatting non-ASCII messages so that they can be sent over the Internet. This is needed to send file attachments, such as graphics and audio over the Internet. With custom MIME, you are able to display, stream or download any type of file downloaded from the website.

Public SSL Certificates
A Public SSL Certificate enables SSL (“Secure Socket Layer") on your web server and allows you to communicate with your customers in a secure environment. SSL is a technology that protects data being sent from the user to the website, and vice versa. Up to 128-bit encryption can be supported. Typically, you still need to purchase your own SSL Certificate so a visitor won’t be prompted with a security mismatch between your domain and the shared, public certificate (Reference http://www.thawte.com/ or http://www.verisign.com).

Shockwave
This is a technology that was first made by Macromedia for offline presentation use, but soon developed into a popular multimedia application for the Internet. This technology allows web pages to include multimedia objects, such as interactive images. Most browsers require the Shockwave Plug-in before they can properly view a website with this technology.

Flash
Flash is one of the Internet's most popular multimedia technologies. Nearly all browsers today come equipped with the Flash Plug-in. Flash enables a website to become more interactive with its users and is the most popular tool web developers use in creating fantastic looking websites.

Web-based Control Panel
A control panel is the complete management tool for your web hosting account. Features typically include: adding and deleting accounts, sub-domains, and purchasing additional services for your account. In addition, statistical bar graphs show how much disk allocation, FTP and HTTP transfer has been consumed, along with how much space / transfer is left. Every account management tool, including billing and support, is typically completed through this type of control panel.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
Also referred to as the "Outbound Mail Server", the SMTP server (mail.yourdomain.com) allows you to send email messages from your own domain to anyone on the Internet.

POP3 (Post Office Protocol)
Also referred to as the "Inbound Mail Server", POP3 is the most common protocol that users utilize in retrieving email from a server. With POP3, you are able to leave or delete email messages from the server after you download them. Unlike web-based email, you do not need to be online in order to view your old email. Outlook, for example, provides an option that allows leaving a copy of new mail on the server. By enabling this, you can receive new mail from a remote location (e.g. somewhere other than your office) – you will get that same mail again upon returning to the office. This feature analyzes the IP address of your current session to determine which email is “new” for your current location. Because of that, you could have one main location (your office) and several remote locations for fetching your email (a laptop, a client’s computer). However, you’ll be reading the same email over and over at each location until you receive it at your main location whereupon the mail server permanently removes it.

Virtual FTP
With your own Virtual FTP Server, users can access your site via ftp.yourdomain.com. This not only makes your site more organized, but it allows users to distinguish your FTP server from your web server. One can be used for downloading programs, while the other is used for viewing information. Virtual FTP Servers allow other guest users to download, upload or view files in your FTP directories on the hosting server. Anonymous FTP is typically available even if optionally.

Transfer Logs
Transfer logs tell you exactly what files are being transferred from your site to your visitors. This will give you the ability to use advertisements and count the amount of redirections to your site. Moreover, you are able to track people who were unauthorized when trying to access the secure sections of your website.

Error Logs
Error logs enable you to view the specific types of errors that users receive while accessing your website (including 404 “missing page” errors) or when users execute certain scripts from your site.

Webalizer / ModLogAn
These traffic / hit analyzers enable you to view detailed information, such as what time visitors come to your website most often, physical locations of your visitors, which particular page at your website is most popular, how many hits you received total, where they surfed in from, etc.

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