Application: Software that employs the capabilities of a computer directly to a task that the user wishes to perform. This is contrasted with system software, which integrates a computer’s various capabilities, but typically does not directly apply them in the performance of tasks that benefit the user.Application Service Provider: A vendor who provides Web-based services to customers over the Internet. Through ASPs, the complexities and costs of software can be cut down. In addition, placing the onus on the ASP to maintain up-to-date services eliminates issues of upgrading.

Barcoding: A machine-readable code printed on a surface. Barcodes can be read by optical scanners called barcode readers, or scanned from an image by special software. Barcodes are widely used to implement Auto ID Data Capture (AIDC) systems that improve the speed and accuracy of computer data entry.

Blog: Blogs began as online journals or web-logs and have evolved into a source of alternative media that is delivered via an RSS feed. Blogs entries, or “posts” can be personal or professional in subject and tone, and are often a mix of both. The blogosphere is the community of bloggers who read, write, comment on, and link to other blogs. *

CRM: In the commercial sector, CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. For the social change sector, the term Constituent Relationship Management is often used. CRM supports an organization to better manage and track their constituents through the introduction of reliable systems, processes, and procedures.

GIS Mapping: Geographical Information System (GIS) is a system for creating, storing, analyzing, and managing spatial data and associated attributes. In the strictest sense, it is a computer system capable of integrating, storing, editing, analyzing, sharing, and displaying geographically referenced information. For example, many organizers use GIS mapping as a canvassing tool to overlay census data on a map, providing block-by-block information about potential voters.

On-Demand Software: The term “on-demand” refers to a service that can rapidly respond to customers needs by providing ongoing feature enhancements to the online application, as opposed to issuing major software upgrades every couple of years that customers must install or repurchase. On-demand applications are accessed entirely online, and typically paid for via a subscription service.

Online: Information or applications accessible through the Internet.

Podcast: A podcast is an audio file delivered online via an RSS feed.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication): Developed by Netscape in 1999, RSS is a syndication format popular for aggregating updates to blogs, the latest news from Web sites, podcasts, and other media. RSS has also stood for “Rich Site Summary” and “RDF Site Summary.”

SMS Blasts: Technology that enables users to send a single text messages to multiple recipients.

SMS/Text Messaging: A service that sends short messages (also known as text messages) between mobile phones, other handheld devices, and even landline telephones.

Social Bookmarking: Social bookmarking programs like del.icio.us and ma.gnolia allow people to share their Internet bookmarks with other people rather than only on their computer. Bookmarks are labeled with “tags” or descriptive words. By searching for a tag (i.e. knitting), you can find other web sites about that topic that like-minded people have bookmarked. See Social Networking. *

Social Networking: Social networking programs like MySpace, Friendster and LinkedIn help people to connect online by searching through people’s profiles for areas of common interest. Most social networking profiles include links to the person’s network of contacts or friends. *

Web 2.0: The term “Web 2.0” is actually a marketing phrase popularized by O’Reilly Media. It is used to describe any number of emerging trends in Web-based technology and services, which generates a lot of disagreement about its exact meaning. O’Reilly used the term to indicate a second generation of services available on the Web allowing people to collaborate and share information online. In contrast to the “first generation,” Web 2.0 gives users an experience closer to desktop applications than to traditional static Web pages. Web 2.0 applications also move away from single-source publication and toward group participation in the creation of documents. Flickr, Writely, Del.icio.us, 43Things, YouTube, and Platial are considered typical examples of Web 2.0-style products.

Wiki: A type of Website or software that allows users to easily add, remove, or otherwise edit and change available content. This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for collaborative authoring. The best-known example of this technology in action is Wikipedia, an online, collaborative encyclopedia.

* Many thanks to Britt Bravo for pointing out the obvious (like, duh) omissions from this page and contributing definitions.

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