RSS/Web Feeds. Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a system of transporting articles across the internet. An RSS feed (sometimes simply called a 'web feed') contains either full or summarized articles without all the fluff contained on the website. These feeds can be read by other websites or by RSS readers.

RSS Reader / News Reader. The program used to read an RSS feed. RSS readers allow you to aggregate multiple web feeds and read them from a singular place on the web.

There are both online and offline RSS readers. A Guide to RSS Readers.

Semantic Web. This refers to the idea of a web capable of gleaning the subject matter of web pages without relying on keyword phrases within the content. In essence, it is the process of teach a computer to 'read' the page. Read more about the Semantic Web.

SEO. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of building a website and creating content in such a way that search engines will rank the web page(s) higher in their listings.

Social Bookmarking. Similar to web browser bookmarks, social bookmarking stores individual pages online and allows you to 'tag' them. For people who like to frequently bookmark web pages, this can provide an easier way to organize the bookmarks.

Social Networking. The process of building online communities, often accomplished both through 'groups' and 'friends lists' that allow greater interaction on websites. Find out more about social networking.

Social Media. Any website or web service that utilizes a 'social' or 'Web 2.0' philosophy.

This includes blogs, social networks, social news, wikis, etc.

Social News. A subset of social bookmarking that concentrates on news articles and blog posts and utilizes a voting mechanism to rank the content.

Tag / Tag Cloud. A 'tag' is a descriptive keyword or phrase often used to categorize a piece of content. For example, an article about World of Warcraft might have the tags "World of Warcraft" and "MMORPG" because those tags accurately categorize the article's subject matter. A tag cloud is a visual representation of tags, usually with the more popular tags being shown in a larger font.

Trackback. A system used for a blog to automatically recognize when another blog links to an article, usually creating a list of 'trackback' links at the bottom of the article. Read more about how trackbacks fuel the social web.

Twitter / Tweet. Twitter is a micro-blogging service that allows people to type in short messages or status updates that can be read by people following them. An individual message or status update is often referred to as a 'tweet'. Find out more about Twitter.

Viral. The digital version of grassroots, 'viral' refers the process of an article, video or podcast becoming popular by being passed from person to person or rising to the top of popularity lists on social media websites.

Web 2.0. While there is no set definition of Web 2.0, it generally refers to the use of the web as a more social platform where users participate by generating their own content alongside the content provided by the websites. Read more about Web 2.0.

Web Mashup. The most recent trend of the web is the 'opening up' of websites whereby they allow other websites access to their information. This allows information from multiple websites to be combined for creative effect, like the information from Twitter and Google Maps being combined to create a visual representation of 'tweets' coming in from all across the map. Check out the best mashups on the web.

Webcast. A broadcast that takes place over the web and uses both audio and visual effects. For example, a web-based conference call that sends a presentation with charts and graphs to go alongside the speech. Webcasts are often interactive.

Widgets / Gadgets. A widget is a small piece of transportable code, for example a calculator or a countdown to a movie's release. Widgets can be placed on websites like a social networking profile, a custom home page or a blog. The word 'gadget' is often used to refer to a widget that is designed for a specific website, like iGoogle gadgets.

Wiki / Wiki Farm. A wiki is a website designed for multiple people to collaborate by adding and editing content. Wikipedia is an example of a wiki. A wiki farm is a collection of individual wikis, usually hosted by the same website. Browse through a list of wikis by catagory.