In trying to understand the basic computer and web terminology, I must admit I'm finding it all a bit complicated, excessive, and overwhelming. Here, I tried to assemble the best understanding of the basic elements and components of web configuration and proper functionality of a website. And I added a couple of diagrams which helped me gain a little better of an understanding of some of the terms.
One of the largest features is a web server, which is essentially a computer program created to acknowledge and read HTTP requests and respond to these requests with HTTP content which usually include HTML (web pages) and linked objects such as images. A web server could also be classified as a computer that is set up to host Web pages. So if someone types the URL http://www.fandango.com/ into their computer, a web server will locate this information in the W3C and send the information to the computer/person that requested it.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a simple and secure means of exchanging files over the Internet. The most common way that FTP is utilized is by downloading files from the Internet, such as music and pictures. Just as with a typical Website (an HTTP site), an FTP site stores and
organizes information and offers the creator the option to make their site public or private. It is often difficult or impossible to upload FTP files on a Web browser. Often an FTP Client is required for uploading and downloading FTP files, which is basically software that is designed to transfer files back and forth over the Internet between two computers. A typical FTP Client design is composed of two panes and looks like this diagram to the right. The left pane illustrates the files on your computer while the pane on the right side shows the files on the opposite computer.A Domain Name System is a system created to apply names to computers, services, and basically any resource involved with the Internet. A DNS is a great organizing principle that associates various information to domain names given to participants as a means of identification across the Web spectrum. It doesn not depend on a users physical location. The naming system is basically an easier way to name computers' numerical addresses and make them more personified and identifiable. I found this bit a little too complicated to really fully grasp.
A chmod allows a user to set permissions for certain files on ones Web server. Such permissions vary and allow certain individuals access to certain information. For instance, permissions may be set that allow only the owner to view files while others can be set to allow a certain group or everyone access. Permission codes are set up with corresponding numbers that range from 0-7, with seven allowing the most access. The following diagram gives a better understanding of how the numbers and permissions correspond to allow access.
The number 0 essentially grants no permission while 4 grants permission to Read only, and the number 7 grants permission to Read, Write and Execute a file. So the number 777 allows for the most access by anyone while number 700 only allows the owner access to a file. This was perhaps the easiest aspect of Web configuration for me to understand. Why can't all of the codes and instructions be this simple?Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_server
http://www.ftpplanet.com/ftpresources/basics/htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_name_system
http://www.pageresource.com/cgirec/chmod.htm
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