Background Terms

These are terms you need to learn about before you can fully understand, the statistics produced by a website.

These terms are:
Website, Web Server, Web Host, Domain name, Web Server log file, Web Page, Web Browser

WEB BOWSER
This is the software used to request and view web pages on the internet (e.g. Internet Explorer)

WEBSITE
A website is a collection of web pages, typically common to a particular domain name on the Internet, and that is stored on a web server.

WEB PAGE
A web page is a document, typically written in HTML/XHTML/PHP/ASP.NET/CFML, to mention a few, which is displayed in a user's web browser. It is made up of both text and/or images, and it can also contain special programs like swf files, javascripts, and vbscripts (that enables a page to be more dynamic), and more.

DOMAIN NAME
A name that is entered into a web browser and then looked up on the internet, to find out which web page to display in the web browser (e.g. webtraffix.blobspot.com)

WEB SERVER
A computer that is responsible for accepting requests from web browsers, and serving them Web pages.

WEB SERVER LOG FILE
This is a file (or several files) automatically created and maintained by a web server of pages requested by web browsers. Information about the request, including client IP address, request date/time, page requested, HTTP code, bytes served, user agent, and referer are typically added.



WEB LOG ANALYSIS SOFTWARE
Because the web server log file is not easy to understand, several soft wares has been developed to read and interpret information contained in the web server log file, in such a way that it is easy for most people without technical skills to view and understand. (E.g. Smarter Stats, Webalizer, Urchin)


Please note that unless otherwise indicated, the definitions here are primarily editings from www.wikipedia.com. Also note that this list and the definitions here are far from exhaustive.

If you have any personal comments, please forward them to samizybiz@yahoo.co.uk