Frequently
Asked Questions
In order to
better address your questions about our Plesk Control Panel, please visit
our convenient online Help & Support from within the QuickByte
Productions Web Server Administrator Control Panel.
All the jargon on the Internet can get pretty confusing. It gets even
more confusing when trying to set up a web site for the first time. We
have assembled a list of commonly used terms related to running a web
site. We hope it helps.
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
This 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.
Webmail
This browser-based email program allows you to check your email from an
internet web browser by typing webmail.yourdomain.com in the browser location
window. Horde Webmail is perfect for people who travel and do not have
a nation-wide ISP. You can check your mail at any public place with an
internet connection such as a library, hotel lobby, internet cafe, etc.
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