| Word | Description |
| ACIF | Australian Communications Industry Forum. An industry self-regulation body that agrees on technical protocols and standards to protect the communal interest. See the ACIF web site http://www.acif.org.au |
| Active Server Pages (ASP) | A specification for generating web content as needed. ASP passes the dynamically created HTML to the browser to be displayed to the user. Microsoft created Active Server Pages to make it easier for developers to create dynamic web sites in a Windows environment. |
| ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) | Asymmetric DSL. This is a technology designed to give basic broadband performance over the copper lines that have been used traditionally for telephony. Speeds range from 256kbps to about 8mbps, with the higher speeds available only over short, good quality copper lines. In the interests of a product range that can be offered widely, Telstra arbitrarily caps the maximum speed of its ADSL to 1.5mbps. Various other ADSL providers offer speeds closer to the maximum performance that can be achieved on a given line. |
| ADSL2 | A marginally faster version of ADSL. The speed improvement is due to smarter chips being more adept at isolating signals from background noise that accumulates on a copper circuit. ADSL2 speeds reach 12mbps. |
| ADSL2+ | An enhancement to ADSL2 that uses a wider frequency range to achieve substantially faster speeds, but only over short distances (less than about 1.5 kms). ADSL2+ speeds reach 25mbps. It was ratified by ACIF for use on Telstra’s network in April 2005. |
| Anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP) | This allows users without accounts to download files from an FTP server by using the username 'anonymous'. |
| ASP (application service provider) | A service provider that offers hosting of applications and data off-site, which can be accessed via a network connection. Not to be confused with Active Server Pages (ASP), see below. |
| Attachment | A file attached to an email, usually in its original format; an efficient way to send word processor files across the Internet. |
| B2B | Business-to-business electronic commerce. |
| B2C | Business-to-consumer electronic commerce. |
| Backhaul | A communications link that is used for carrying aggregated traffic from a local community back to a central location where services are managed. |
| Backup | Backup, or backing-up, refers to making a copy of data, files and databases to preserve a relatively current copy in case something should happen to the current data, such as corruption or deletion. |
| Bandwidth | Refers to the speed and how much data (capacity) a network link can transmit, which is usually measured in bits per second. |
| Banner ad | An advertisement that typically runs across a web page or is positioned in a margin or other space reserved for ads. It is usually animated and tending to conform to standard sizes so that the file displays quickly. |
| Barcode | A series of vertical lines that contain information about a product, document or service. A scanning device is required to extract the information from the barcode, which is then presented in a user-friendly format. |
| Baud | Modem speed measured in signals per second. |
| Bit | Binary digit – either a zero or a one. Complex information (characters, numbers, email messages, documents, sound files, video files etc) can be stored and communicated as a sequence of bits. |
| Bits per second | A common measurement of the data speed when transmitting electronic data. |
| Bluetooth | A communications technology that enables wireless networking, between devices such as mobile phones, laptops, personal computer, printers, digital cameras and video game consoles over a secure, globally unlicensed short-range radio frequency. The Bluetooth specifications are developed and licensed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. |
| BPON | Broadband PON. See PON. |
| Broadband | Fast internet network and access technology that offers bandwidths of 256kbps or more. |
| Browser | Software used to view and navigate documents on the Internet. Examples include Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mozilla and Safari |
| Bug | A coding, hardware or software fault. |
| Cable modem | A modem that transmits data over cable TV networks. |
| Cache | A memory storage area for regularly accessed or recently used data. |
| Certification Authority | A trusted third party that issues digital signatures. For example VeriSign and Thawte. |
| CGI (common gateway interface) | A bi-directional protocol that allows the transmission of data within an active or dynamic environment (that is, between a server and a program designed to accept and return data of this type). |
| CGI scripting language | A language that is used to create CGI programs or scripts, e.g. C, Visual Basic, Java. |
| Clicks & mortar | A business model where an organisation exists both physically and as an online presence. |
| Client/server | A distributed system architecture where client systems are connected to server systems. |
| Communication software | A software program that runs on personal computers, and allows the computer to communicate with other computers via a modem and phone lines. |
| Cookie | Information that is sent from a web site to a computer's hard disk in the form of a text file. Cookies contain all types of information, such as registration information and user preferences, which is used by the web site that sends the cookie. |
| Cryptography | An encryption process that encodes and decodes data or information to protect it from unauthorised or unintended use. |
| Dark Fibre | An optical fibre can be thought of as a very small tube through which light can be sent over long distances. Electronics and lasers are needed to generate the light at one end of the fibre; equipment at the other end of the fibre receives the light and converts it back into electrical energy. It is the equipment at either end of the fibre that dictates what capacity can be delivered over the fibre – ranging upwards from about 100mbps (at the low end). The term ‘dark fibre’ simple refers to optical fibre that is provided without any equipment at either end. Users must provide their own equipment, but they have the flexibility to drive the fibre at whatever speed is desired. |
| Database | An organised collection of information stored on a computer. Databases can be used to store customer contact details, stock/inventory details or customer orders. |
| Database management system (DBMS) | A computer program for organising a database that provides the operations necessary to manage data. |
| Digital cash | A monetary system whereby online currency is used to purchase goods and services in small amounts. The credit is stored on your computer and updated every time you make a purchase over the Internet. |
| Digital signature | A unique electronic signature that is used to authenticate electronic documents and transactions and to ensure that documents have not been tampered with. |
| Digital watermark | An encryption that is embedded in an electronic document and used to identify ownership or authenticate a document. |
| DNS (Domain Name Service) | A server that is used to convert a domain name (for example www.tecc.com.au) into an IP address. |
| Domain | Part of the Internet address structure. The address customers use to find you in the Internet. For example www.tecc.com.au. |
| Download or downloading | The process of copying computer files from the Internet to your own computer. |
| DSL (digital subscriber line) | A technology that is used for bringing high-bandwidth information to private residents and small businesses through the use of ordinary copper telephone wires. |
| DSLAM | DSL Access Multiplexer. This is a unit of electronics that aggregates traffic from multiple customer loops onto a backhaul circuit. DSLAMs come in many different shapes and sizes, ranging from large rack-mounted units that can accommodate many plug-in line cards, to small pizza-box sized units designed for location in street cabinets, building basements and the like. |
| e-Procurement | An online system that enables organisations and buyers acquire products and services. |
| EFTPOS | An acronym for 'Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale'. EFTPOS can accept either credit or debit cards and, depending on the type of card used, funds may be instantly debited from an account. |
| Electronic commerce | The use of any form of electronic communication technology, such as the Internet, bar coding, etc. to communicate and conduct functions and transactions enabling commercial activities with your business. |
| Electronic data interchange (EDI) | The automated exchange of standardised documents in electronic form between computer systems of separate entities. |
| Electronic form (e-form) | A screen-based form, which is typically provided via the World Wide Web. |
| Electronic funds transfer | See EFTPOS. |
| Electronic mail (email) | The electronic transfer of unstructured messages between organisations or individuals. |
| Email address | A string of characters that identifies the source or destination of an email message. An email address is composed of the mailbox (i.e. the recipient), followed by the symbol @ then the address of the host computer, e.g. info@tecc.com.au |
| eMarkets | A central hub based on the Internet that helps to improve the procurement process by putting suppliers in touch with buyers. |
| Encryption | The process of scrambling digital messages so that only the sender and receiver can read the message. |
| EPON | Ethernet PON. See PON. |
| Ethernet | A common standard for networking computers, usually in a local area network (LAN). |
| Expert system | A software system with two basic components: a knowledgebase and an inference engine, which is used to mimic an expert's reasoning process. |
| FAQs (frequently asked questions) | Can be found on some web sites; a collection of frequently asked questions that relate to the site. From a business viewpoint they can be used to answer questions that are commonly asked by customers. |
| Fibre optic | Data is transferred over fibre cables in the form of light pulses, and this occurs with greater reliability and security than is possible using conventional (telephone) copper cable. |
| Finger | A software tool used to determine whether another user is logged on to the Internet. It can be used to find out a user's address. |
| Firewall | A piece of software that regulates who can access a network from outside the network via a modem or computer. |
| Freeware | Software that can be obtained and used free of charge. |
| FTP (File Transfer Protocol) | A system for delivering files across computer networks. |
| FttH | Fibre-to-the-home. |
| FttK | Fibre-to-the-kerb. The optical signal that is sent over the fibre is converted to an electrical signal in a kerb-side equipment cabinet and delivered over copper wires – typically with a maximum distance of 300 m or less. |
| FttN | Fibre-to-the-node. Similar to FttK, but the neighbourhood node serves more premises than the kerb-side node, and copper distances are accordingly longer – typically up to about 1 km. |
| FttP | Fibre-to-the-premises (same as FttH in residential areas but a more neutral term that includes non-residential premises in commercial and industrial precincts). |
| FttX | Fibre-to-the-X. This is a generic term for any network architecture that uses optical fibre to replace all or part of the usual copper local loop used for telecommunications |
| Gateway | A computer that is connected between two networks and acts as an information transfer point. |
| Gateway site | A centralised location – typically a small building located within the development estate – from which all premises in the estate can be accessed via the communications infrastructure. |
| gbps | Gigabits (or thousands of millions of bits) per second – a measure of communications speed. Links that operate at 1gbps or higher are typically only used today for carrying the aggregated traffic of many individual users. |
| GPON | Gigabit PON. See PON. |
| Groupware | Software that provides collaboration and communication over the web, or across an organisations network. |
| GUI (graphical user interface) | The user’s interface that consists of icons, buttons etc, which allows them to interact with a computer. |
| Hacker | A computer user that attempts to use security flaws in a network or computer system to gain unauthorised access. Not all hackers are malicious (many are just curious amateurs) but this is a risk that cannot be ignored. |
| Hardware | The physical components of a computer, such as the screen, keyboard, modem, and printer. |
| HFC | Hybrid fibre coax – a technology and architecture optimised for the delivery of Cable TV services. Over recent years, most HFC networks have been upgraded for two-way traffic, allowing support for data services (using cable modems) and telephony (usually on top of the data service). |
| Home page | The main page of an organisation’s web site. |
| Host name | The name designated to a network device, which permits it to be addressed without using the full IP address. |
| HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) | The standard computer language used to format, display, and link the information contained in web pages. |
| HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) | The protocol that enables a web browser to send out a request to a web server and receive web pages via the Internet. |
| Hub | A place on a network where data arrives from various hardware, and is then forwarded onto its destination. |
| Hyperlink | The spot on a web page (text or image), which is linked to another web page or site. |
| Hypertext | Text that includes hyperlinks to other documents. |
| Icon | An image that represents an object, folder or program, which launches the program when clicked. |
| Information system(s) | A collection of linked components used for the gathering, processing, storing, retrieval and manipulation of information in an organisation. |
| Information technology | Information technology (sometimes called IT) is a term that covers all forms of technology used to create, store, transmit, interpret and manipulate information in its various formats. |
| Internet | A worldwide, publicly accessible series of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP). It is a "network of networks" that consists of millions of smaller domestic, academic, business, and government networks, which together carry various information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, file transfer, and the interlinked web pages and other resources of the World Wide Web (WWW). |
| Interoperability | The capability of software or hardware to operate interactively with other software or hardware without requiring special or additional technology. |
| Intranet | A network that uses the same kind of software as that used on the Internet, but is used by a company as a private network for internal use only. |
| IP (Internet Protocol) | The method of breaking streams of information up into packets that can be sent over a data network and reassembled at the destination. |
| IP address | The physical IP address that consists of 32 bits, which identifies a network and its connected computers. |
| IPTV | The delivery of television streams over an IP data network. |
| ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) | Provides digital data transfer over normal telephone lines and allows users to send and receive both voice and data transmission on the same line. |
| ISP (Internet service provider) | An organisation connected to the Internet that provides services such as Internet access, electronic mail accounts, and data storage to its customers. |
| JavaScript | A programming language that enhances the functionality of a web page and can be used to ensure the correct information has been entered on an electronic form before it is submitted, for example. |
| JIT (just-in-time) inventory | A method of controlling inventory by having suppliers deliver new materials ’just in time’ for manufacturing. |
| kbps | Kilobits (or thousands of bits) per second – a measure of communications speed. Peak dial-up speed is 56kbps – in contrast, broadband speeds start at 256kbps and extend to speeds many hundreds of times faster. |
| KBS (knowledge-based system) | An alternative name for an expert system, based on heuristics, each comprising the fact and conclusion. |
| Killer app | A good or service that establishes an entirely new category and, by being the first, tends to dominate the market. |
| Legacy data | Existing data that has been acquired by an organisation. |
| Legacy system | A system, application, or operating system that is from a previous generation of computer systems. |
| Local area network (LAN) | A connection of devices, such as computers and printers, which are close together, usually in the same building. |
| Logistics | The shipping and distribution functions used by an organisation; sometimes used to define a role that manages all the company's resources. |
| Loop | Simply another term for the pair of copper wires over which telephony and xDSL services are delivered. Loop is often used synonymously with the terms line or circuit. |
| Mailing List | A list of subscribers to a group, where all the subscribers receive their messages via email.I It may be used to distribute newsletters, product updates information, as a basis for discussions groups etc. |
| Managed bandwidth | An end-to-end service offered by a carrier between two locations. The user has no insight into the technology or route used. Rather, the service contract is framed in terms of an agreed capacity and performance characteristics between the two ends of the service. |
| Markup tags | Tags that are added to the data of a document in order to convey information about it, and define how the content is to be displayed. |
| mbps | Megabits per second (or millions of bits) – a measure of communications speed equivalent to 1024kbps. Broadband speeds are commonly measured in mbps, ranging from 0.25mbps (or 256kbps) through to about 100mbps. |
| Meta tags | Used in html page headers, they contain information about keywords and descriptions of the web page. Meta tags provide search engines with the information they require to catalogue sites, which allows users who are doing a search on keywords to find relevant web sites. |
| Middleware | Software that is used to manage the communication between a client program and a database, which is also transparent to the client. |
| Mirror site | An Internet site that duplicates the functionality and content of another site. |
| Modem | An electronic device that converts digital computer signals into analogue audio signals so data can be sent over existing telephone lines. The name is an abbreviation of modulator/demodulator. |
| Multimedia | Describes the use of media formats, such as video and text. |
| Network | A series of hardware components that are interconnected, through which data is transmitted. |
| Newsgroup | A discussion list on a particular topic. |
| NIC (network interface card) | A device used to connect hardware to a network. |
| Node | Either a connection or redistribution point for data transmission. |
| ODBC (open database connectivity) | An internationally agreed standard for interfacing with and accessing databases. |
| Online | Any activity carried out on a computer whilst connected to an Intranet or the Internet. |
| Online purchasing | Ordering and paying for items online, usually by providing credit card details. |
| Open system | A system that is capable of communicating with other open systems through common international standard protocols. |
| Operating system | The program installed on a computer that manages all the other programs or applications that run on the computer. Unix, Mac OS, Windows XP, Windows 98, and Windows NT are some examples of operating systems. |
| OSI (open systems interconnection) | The seven-layer industry-standard reference model, which has been applied extensively to the client/server architecture. |
| Outsourcing | Contracting work to another company. |
| Pair gain | A technology that ‘squeezes’ two telephony circuits into the capacity normally allocated to an individual circuit. This has no appreciable impact on voice services, but effectively halves the capacity that can be achieved on modem circuits. Instead of a peak of 56kbps, users connected by pair gain circuits can typically only achieve around 28kbps. |
| PDF (portable document format) | A file format designed by Adobe, and is a popular way of formatting documents, which can be viewed and printed on multiple platforms through the freely available Adobe Acrobat Reader. |
| PGP (pretty good privacy) | PGP is a program used for encrypting and decrypting email and data files. |
| PON (passive optical network) | Strictly speaking, a PON is a purely optical network – that is, without any ‘midstream’ electronics to boost signals or multiplex multiple customers onto a common fibre. As such, a point-to-point optical fibre is a PON. However, more commonly the term refers to an optical network architecture where an optical splitter distributes light between one source and many destinations (downstream), or multiplexes light from multiple sources to one destination (upstream). The most common split ratio is 32:1. |
| POP (point of presence) | Used by ISPs, it means giving local access to a network. |
| PPP (Point to Point Protocol) | Commonly used for connecting two or more computers. |
| Protocol | In IT, a protocol is the set of rules that describe a format or method to enable the transmission of data between nodes on a computer network. |
| Proxy | A machine used as a storage area for commonly accessed files, and is used to speed up the transfer of information from the Internet. |
| QBE (query by example) | A proprietary database query method. |
| Query language | A defined set of syntax and a command, which is used to update, delete, and insert data into a database. |
| Radio frequency identification tags (RFID) | Come in many shapes and sizes, such as tags and cards. They are able to store more data than a conventional magnetic strip card with the advantage that the stored information can be easily and automatically updated. |
| RAM (random access memory) | The amount of memory in your computer, which is available to programs. |
| RDBMS (relational database management system) | A database management for a relational database. |
| Real-time | An operating system that responds to an external event within a short and predictable time frame. |
| Relational database | A database system that is organised and accessed according to the relationships between data items. |
| Repository | A facility for storing descriptions and behaviours of objects within an organisation, and is a single point of access for definitions on all system resources. |
| Router | Hardware that routes data within a network. They can also be used to allow only authorised machines to transmit data into a local network. |
| Script | The series of instructions that can be interpreted by program, sometimes referred to as macros. |
| SD RAM (static dynamic RAM) | A type of random access memory (RAM) that offers comparatively short access time. |
| Search engine | An Internet-based program that returns a list of web pages that contain the search terms entered by the user into a search form. |
| Security | Involves ensuring that private information stays private. It also entails protecting your computer from viruses. The use of passwords, anti-virus software and firewalls are three examples of common security measures. |
| Security gateway | A security layer, which fortifies the network against hostile virus attacks by screening incoming executables files and data. |
| Server | Computers that run web sites and email services, and are connected to the Internet 24 hours a day. |
| SET (secure electronic transaction) | A standard means of securing payment transaction made to online merchants. |
| Skype | A program that can be downloaded from the Internet, and allows you to phone people, either via the Skype network or their conventional phone line. Skype also advises you when employees, friends or contacts are online, which allows you to chat to them online. You can also send messages, documents and files directly to their computers. |
| Smart card | The term used to describe the use of a sniffer program to monitor data traffic to a network or server, in order to gain access to information. |
| Sniffing | The term used to describe the use of a sniffer program to monitor data traffic to a network or server, in order to gain access to information. |
| Software | The programs and applications that run on a computer. Examples include word processors, spreadsheets, and databases. |
| SPAM | Unsolicited or junk email. |
| Spoofing | When an email message appears to come from a legitimate source but in fact is from an impostor. Email spoofing can be used for malicious purposes such as trawling for sensitive business data and other industrial espionage activities. |
| SPX/IPX | A network protocol. |
| SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) | A protocol that is commonly used for managing the security of data transmissions over the Internet. |
| Supply chain (value chain) | A chain or progression beginning with raw material and ending with the sale of the finished product or service. |
| Surfing | Using a browser to visit sites on the Internet. |
| TCP/IP | An acronym for 'Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol'. TCP/IP is a set of rules that establish the way data is transmitted over the Internet between two or more computers. TCP/IP is the standard protocol upon which the Internet relies. |
| Telco (telecommunications organisation) | Generally linked with electronic commerce through the provision of e-commerce-enabling hardware and/or software. |
| Terminal | The term 'terminal' has several uses. It is sometimes used to refer to any computer connected to a network. It can also be used to refer to a device, usually at least a keyboard and a screen, which allows you to send commands to a computer. |
| Thumbprint | A hash value that generates or verifies digital signatures. |
| Token Ring | Refers to a type of local area network (LAN) where hardware is connected in a ring or star layout. A particular method of passing information from one computer to another is used. This ’token passing‘ scheme ensures information is passed efficiently between computers. |
| Trap door | A deliberate hole built in to a computer program, which can be used to gain unauthorised access to a computer or network. |
| Trojan | Named after the Trojan horse used by the rescuers of Helen of Troy. A Trojan is a computer program that disguises itself as a useful software application that is actually used to gain access to your computer. |
| ULL (Unconditioned Local Loop) | The ‘raw’ copper wires that provide the connection from a telephone in the customer’s premises back to the point in the network (usually an exchange, but sometimes a kerb-side equipment cabinet) where the first electronics in the circuit are encountered. Telstra’s wholesale operation sells other carriers access to the ULLs at regulated prices. |
| Unix | A computer operating system. It does not have a 'point and click' interface that most other operating systems have; instead the user must type in specific line commands. |
| Uploading | The process of copying computer files from your own computer to a computer on the Internet. |
| URL (Uniform Resource Locator) | The address of a file or web page accessible on the Internet. |
| Usenet | A network of discussion groups on the Internet. |
| Validating credit | The authorising of credit card transaction using a merchant bank. |
| Value added network (VAN) | A privately owned, or proprietary, network. VANs generally provide specialised services, such as electronic data interchange services or access to a particular database. By definition, a VAN adds something of value to the transmission. |
| VDSL | Very high speed DSL. VDSL is designed to operate over much shorter distances than ADSL, but delivers much higher speeds. Today’s leading VDSL chipsets are capable of delivering 100mbps in each direction, but only over distances of about 300 m. |
| Vector graphics | The presentation of images stored as line segments or other mathematical representations. |
| VeriSign | A US source for supplying digital certificates. |
| Video conferencing | Involves two or more parties in different locations engaging in communication via video transmission. |
| Viral marketing | A technique encouraging users to pass on messages, especially slogans or product recommendations, to friends and relatives. |
| Virus | Any program written to damage computer systems. A virus may cause major damage to a computer system, such as erasing vital files, or the user may not even detect its presence. There are many different types and forms of viruses, and the use of anti-virus software is essential. |
| VOD | Video on demand. This is a broadband service where a movie is sent over the network, commencing within a few seconds of the user requesting it. In the most advanced implementations, the user has full ‘stream control’ (stop, fast forward, fast reverse etc.) – exactly as if they were watching the movie on a DVD player. |
| Voice mail | Electronic transmission of voice messages over the Internet. The messages are stored on a computer until the recipient accesses and listens to them. |
| Voice recognition | The ability of a machine or computer program to receive and interpret spoken commands and act upon those commands. It can also be used to refer to a computer program’s ability to transform dictation into text. |
| VoIP (Voice over IP) | VoIP is a technology for providing telephony services over broadband connections. It relies on taking voice signals, digitising them and breaking them into small ‘packets’ of data that can be sent the same way that other digital information is sent. The key benefits are substantially reduced costs and enhanced features. For example, someone can re-establish their VoIP service from any location where they can get broadband connectivity, and calls to their normal number will be sent to that location. |
| VPN (virtual private network) | A network that may be built using Internet technologies. |
| W3C (The World Wide Web Consortium) | An organisation dedicated to the standardisation of Internet related technologies. |
| Web browser | See browser. |
| Web cam | A web site featuring real-time video broadcasting from one or more locations. |
| Web page | A document that is located on the World Wide Web. Web pages are created using HTML which defines the contents of a web page such as images, text, hypertext links, video and audio files. |
| Web site | A related collection of web files that includes a beginning file called a home page. A user accesses the other pages of the site from the home page. |
| WHOIS | A TCP/IP utility program that allows you to query compatible servers for detailed information about other Internet users. |
| Wide area network (WAN) | A number of computers separated by distance, but joined via dedicated lines. |
| World Wide Web (WWW) | The entire collection of web pages that are distributed across the Internet, which are accessed via a web browser. |
| Worm | Self replicating programs that tie up computer and network resources, and are easily transmitted to other computers in the same way that viruses are spread. |
| WYSIWYG | Pronounced 'wizzywig', this term means 'what you see is what you get'. Essentially it means that what you see on your screen when working with a document is what you will have on paper when you print the document. |
| X Standards | A series of evolving recommendations covering data networks. |
| X12 | An accepted standard for using EDI. It allows organisations to exchange data electronically using their own normal form layout. |
| X400 | An example of a standard that allows electronic messages to be sent from one computer to another regardless of hardware and software differences. |
| xDSL (digital subscriber line) | A generic name encompassing many variants of DSL technology such as ADSL, HDSL and VDSL. |
| XML (extensible mark-up language) | A language that is used to describe the structure of data. |
| YModem | A protocol that is used for transferring files during direct dial-up communications sessions. |
| Zip drive | A zip drive is a portable disk drive used to back up files from a personal computer. Zip drive disks hold up to 750 megabytes of data, zip drives have for the most part been superseded by other high capacity storage devices. |