DTI - A New Way to Live, Work&Play

This list provides links to specific examples of how the applications have been used, what they are capable of, what service they provide and, of course, what benefits they make possible.

3D Sales Catalogues: An online sales catalogue that uses engineering companies) 3D imagery to display products. Particularly useful for businesses with highly detailed products (e.g. where items are best illustrated in 3D. Often these sites allow the viewer to rotate and zoom in to examine the images in detail.

Application Service Provision (ASP): ASP providers offer subscriptions for software applications, and manage the software application on behalf of their clients. The advantages are that smaller companies can now take advantage of advanced applications, without the need for full-time IT support.

Closed Circuit Television: CCTV but using Internet technology with web cameras.

Content Management: Sometimes called 'knowledge management', content management is used to refer to the process of capturing, storing, sorting, integrating, updating and protecting any and all information.

Customer relationship management (CRM): Creating meaningful valued, ongoing relationships with existing and potential customers. CRM strategies involve improving the people, processes and technology associated with marketing, sales and services in order to enhance customer satisfaction.

Data Transmission: The electronic transfer of information between two computers.

E-Commerce: Electronic Commerce refers to the general exchange of goods and services via the Internet.

E-Learning: Education via the Internet, network, or standalone computer. E-learning refers to using electronic applications and processes to learn, these include web-based learning, CD ROMs, virtual classrooms, and digital collaboration.

Email: Electronic mail, a service that sends messages on computers via local or global networks.

Email Server: A computer connected to a network that sends and receives email traffic to other computers.

Extranet: The part of a company or organisation's internal computer network which is available to outside users, for example, information services for customers.

File transfer: Transferring a copy of a file from one computer to another, the case study examples normally refer to very large files.

High Resolution Imagery: Resolution refers to the number of pixels per square inch, the higher the resolution the better quality the picture.

Internet: A network of networks; a group of networks interconnected via routers. The Internet (with a capital I) is the world's largest internet.

Intranet: A local area network which may not be connected to the Internet, but which has some similar functions. Some organizations set up Web servers on their own internal networks so employees have access to the organisation's Web documents.

Instant Messaging: A service that alerts users when friends or colleagues are on line and allows them to communicate with each other in real-time through private online chat areas.

Media Downloads: The downloading of large files often containing video, moving graphics, and/or audio.

Mobile Technology: Covers a variety of mobile devices, but where all data is transferred wirelessly.

Multiple Text Messages: Ability to send text messages to multiple recipients from a single computer, or originator.

Online Banking: Access to banking facilities that enable nearly all transactions, except cash withdrawal, to be handled online.

Online Booking: Software applications that allow customers to book hotel rooms, tickets, or other services, online.

Online Databases: A database located on a remote computer and accessed through the Internet.

Online Gaming: Growing more and more popular, the playing of games online and in real-time with other online players.

Online Meetings: These can take a variety of forms, from text messaging to video conferencing. There are many software applications that facilitate this — some of them free, which can be used to reduce the amount of unnecessary travel.

Online Security: With access to web cameras, web users can see their homes or business premises from a distance to check on security.

Remote Assistance: This refers to IT support given remotely; one computer can take temporary control of another computer. This allows smaller companies to gain access to high quality IT support without the need for hiring full time staff.

Remote Backup: Where essential data is saved on to an online server, so the location of the server is no longer bound by the location of the person doing the work.

Remote Diagnostics: Similar to Remote Assistance, where computer problems can be analysed and fixed from a distance.

Remote Presentations: Where detailed, and media rich presentations can be shown to clients without the need for travel. Some of the example case studies show how UK based businesses are able to conduct business around the globe while cutting costs.

Remote Working: The ability to work away from the office, or on the move, while having full, secure access to a company’s computer networks.

Rich Media Streaming: Refers to any media, video, animation, audio etc. that is being provided or accessed online and in real-time.

Shared Business Logic: Where two or more users share access to information via an application (like Customer Relationship Management software), they share business logic.

Shared Network Environments: Where information is centrally stored in a secure server online, providing access to the same (up to date) information for a range of people based in different locations.

Software Downloads: Referring to the downloading and updating of software applications on a computer, saving the need of visits from IT specialists. Can also cover automated updates, so that companies have access to the latest versions of software they’ve purchased, seamlessly and without costly IT overheads.

Supply Chain Logistics: Software applications that facilitate the monitoring and management of logistics based businesses or departments.

Uploading Websites: The updating of content to websites, the case study examples cover issues regarding speed and ease of updates.

Video Conferencing: Real-time video to allow multiple users to broadcast and receive sound and vision simultaneously. Video conferencing has been around for a while, and used to involve specialist and expensive equipment. The advances in online video conferencing, often involving just a web cam and free software, enables business meetings, or family gatherings, to happen without the need for travel.

Virtual Private Networks (VPN): A method of using the Internet, to give individual users or remote offices secure access to their company's network.

Virtual Reality Tours: Usually referring to 360 degree ‘panorama’ photographs, these can be used as an effective marketing tool to show views of a city, conference facilities, hotel rooms etc.

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP): Enables users to make phone calls across computer networks, providing a low cost and efficient way to complement traditional phone systems.

Web Cams: Cameras that are connected to the internet to provide 24 hour imagery, for marketing, information and security.

Website Updating: Improved access to the internet to allow websites to be changed and updated in a fraction of the time taken on a dial-up connection.

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