When thinking of a server, most people envision someone who brings you food in a restaurant. In computer circles, however, a server is something different.

Simply put, a server is a computer which serves some very specific purpose. There are many different types of servers: print servers, file servers, web servers, etc. Let’s stick with the restaurant analogy and pretend your printer is Grand Sultan of your office. All of the individual PCs in the office are the sultan’s many chefs, cooking up fabulous documents for the printer’s consumption. Just like a server at a restaurant, the print server delivers the documents from the chefs (your PCs) to the Sultan (the printer) .

A file server works the same way, only this time the individual PCs are all the guests in the restaurant and the file server is in charge of delivering food (files) fom the central kitchen (its hard drive).

Finally, a web server delivers web content from a central location (again, the server’s hard drive) to a multitude of guests (your web site visitors).

What is podcasting?

1) Fishing for trout using pea pods as bait
2) Creation of magical spells using a group of marine mammals
3) A method of publishing via the internet

The word “podcasting” is actually a combination of the words “broadcasting” and “ipod”. It usually involves users subscribing to a feed of new files. Typically these files are mp3 audio files, that are downloaded onto a personal computer or a portable player. Podcasts became popular in late 2004 and have since sprung up all over the place.

You can find a podcast on just about any subject you want, from business to poker to the random bantering of Ben and Heather after their son goes to bed.

If you want to listen in on a podcast, a great place to start is Podcast.net. Now you’re no longer limited to local radio. Enjoy.