Terms Glossary

TERMS GLOSSARY

The following terms shall have the following definitions:

1. Alpha. A pre-release version of developed code that is not ready for public use. Alpha versions are missing critical features and are likely to experience breaking changes in the future.
2. API. An Application Programming Interface is a specification defining how applications access the functionality of an operating environment or another application. APIs are used to allow applications and computers to communicate with each other. See: Wikipedia 
3. Authentication. The process of verifying that a user or other agent is authorized to access a particular Privileged System.
4. Backend. A piece of software, usually accessed as a Privileged System, that controls and manipulates the underlying data. See: Wikipedia
5. Backlog. A list of all tasks that have been requested by the Client. This list is maintained in Patmos’s Project Management system and is used to prioritize and execute work in an Order.
6. Backup Withholding. A tax levied at a specified rate by a taxing authority that must be withheld by the payer and remitted to the taxing authority. See: IRS, Wikipedia
7. Bandwidth. The capacity of a line or connection to carry data, this measures how fast data flows on a given transmission path.
8. Beta. A pre-release test copy of developed Code which is used to test a product with a small group of users who agree to report any bugs or problems they encounter while using the product. Beta releases are generally not intended for wide-spread production use.
9. Breach (of Contract). A material failure of a party to fulfill an obligation of the Agreement, when, after being given 14 days notice of potential breach in writing, the party does not rectify the material failure.
10. Breach (of Data). A security violation, in which sensitive, protected or confidential data is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen or used by an individual unauthorized to do so. See: Wikipedia
11. Business Days & Hours. Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mountain time, holidays excepted (see Paragraph 26).
12. Change Order. An agreement to change the scope of work of an existing Work Order.
13. Code. Any instructions written in a programming language, scripting language, or markup language that a computer can execute or interpret. Common languages used in custom digital services include PHP, Ruby, ASP, ASP.NET, JavaScript, Java, Swift, Objective C, Python, and HTML/CSS. See: Wikipedia
14. Content Management System (CMS). A software tool used to add, delete, modify, and maintain the particular copy, images, and other content displayed on a website or in an application. Common systems include ExpressionEngine, Craft, Statamic, and WordPress. See: Wikipedia
15. Cron. A UNIX-based tool which permits identical tasks to be performed at regular time intervals on a given server.
16. CSS. A Cascading Style Sheet is used to tell a web browser how certain elements on a website should look.
17. Database. An organized collection of data stored and accessed electronically from a computer system. Common databases used in custom digital services include MySQL, MariaDB, Percona, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, CouchDB, and ElasticSearch. See: Wikipedia
18. Days. Unless otherwise modified, days refer to all calendar days of the week and year without regard to business activity or holidays.
19. Dedicated Hosting. A service provided by a web hosting company which includes the exclusive use of server hardware along with all software necessary to run a website. In some instances, a dedicated internet connection or reserved bandwidth may also be provided.
20. Deliverable. Any work product created by Patmos as part of an Order and handed off to the Client or deployed to the Client’s technical environment.
21. Design. See Web Design.
22. Development. Also referred to as Engineering, the process of writing Code to transform concepts, ideas, and designs into functional elements with which users or other computers can interact.
23. DNS. The international network of Internet Domain Name Servers, names, and addresses that enables you to locate other computers on the Internet.
24. Exception Period. A possible period of a Flex Retainer’s life cycle in which hours that would otherwise expire are not expired due to our inability to deliver work on a timely basis.
25. Expirable Hour. Any hour of a Flex Retainer that has exceeded the allocated timeline for use by the Client.
26. Fixed Price Agreement. An Order for a set of fixed deliverables at a fixed cost. No changes can be made to the scope of work without a Change Order.
27. Fixed Retainer. An Order for a fixed number of hours of service per month at a fixed price.
28. Flex Retainer. A block of hours allocated to a Client for use over a predefined period of time. In general, hours may be consumed at uneven rates and scope of work may be easily changed, providing greater flexibility than either a Fixed Retainer or a Fixed Price Agreement.
29. Framework. An abstraction in which common code providing generic functionality can be selectively overridden or specialized by user code providing specific functionality.
30. Hosting. See Web Hosting.
31. HTML. Hypertext Markup Language is used to tell a web browser what content to display.
32. Maintenance Base Costs. Any fixed price portion of a maintenance Order that does change based on usage or other variables.
33. Name Servers. Network resources that map human recognizable identifiers (e.g., a domain name) to a system-internal identification or addressing component (e.g., an IP address).
34. Open Source. The free distribution of a program’s underlying code so that it can be seen and modified by anyone. Just because a product is Open Source does not necessarily mean that anyone can use it for any purpose whatsoever. Open Source products are generally covered by one of several common open source license types, but may have custom license terms, as well.
35. Out-of-pocket Expenses. Customary expenditures in the provision of custom digital services which are necessary for us to perform our obligations, but which are part of neither Professional Fees nor Third Party Fees. Out-of-pocket Expenses differ from Third Party Fees in that Out-of-pocket Expenses would normally be considered operating expenses for Patmos if incurred outside the scope of an Order.
36. Privileged System. Any network or resource that requires specific user credentials to access. Common Privileged Systems encountered in the provision of custom digital services include web hosts, cloud providers, domain registrars, DNS providers, CDNs, and email services.
37. Professional Fees. The labor costs paid to us for services rendered under one or more Orders.
38. Release Candidate. A pre-release copy of developed Code which we believe to be ready for public use in a production environment, but which may still contain bugs, known or unknown. There may be more than one Release Candidate before the Client approves a release.
39. Script. See Code.
40. Server. Hardware or software on a network which controls the resources of that network. There are different types of servers, each which controls different resources. A web server parses instructions and passes data for display to client-side users. A data server stores and transmits files, such as video or audio. A database server is a dedicated server which processes database requests. In many cases, a single machine may act as all three types of servers. See: Wikipedia
41. SLA. A Service Level Agreement as commonly understood in the web development industry. See: Wikipedia
42. Third Party Fees. Fees paid to third parties for use of or access to resources or licenses. Third Party Fees differ from Out-of-pocket Expenses in that Third Party Fees could often be classified as operating expenses of the Client if the Client paid for them directly.
43. Web Design. The process of producing graphical representations of a website. A web design is not a functional product; rather, it is exclusively an effort to capture what the look and feel of a final site will be.
44. Web Development. See Development.
45. Web Hosting. A service provided by vendors who will manage the hardware and network infrastructure required to run a website or web application. Web Hosting can be in a shared environment where many users’ websites are on the same physical machine, or it can be on a private server to which only one hosting client has access.
46. Web Server. See Server.
47. Work Order. A contract between Patmos and the Client for one or more deliverables.