On-line

Online (from English on "on" and line "line", German about "connected" or more specifically: "in the network") mostly refers to an intact and operational connection of a peripheral device (e.g. printer) with a computer or a computer a communication network , in particular the Internet . If a connection has been disconnected or is no longer operational, it is referred to as offline . Devices without a network connection are also referred to as stand-alone . In the ON / OFF scale, "online" can be understood as graduated from the perspective of Internet users: The scale ranges from 1 (access to online content without being connected to the Internet) to 6 (hyper-networked). The gradations result from the type of Internet access, from active interaction with web-enabled devices and the risk of data being tracked.

Occasionally the term “online processing” is also used as a synonym for dialog processing or as the opposite of batch processing . However, both are only partially correct. B. an automatic transfer of data (batches) with storage for later processing can also take place “online”; printing on remote printers would also be online batch processing; on the other hand, classic representatives of dialog processing, e.g. B. Computer games and spreadsheets can also be operated on “stand-alone” computers, ie not “on line”.

Special meanings

The status of a user who is connected to the corresponding server or communication partner via an instant messenger is specified as online .

Computers are online when they have a data connection with other computers, often with higher-level servers . Opposite: offline - not connected or "standalone".

On the Internet, computers or webcams are considered to be online when they are connected to the Internet.

For printers connected to a computer, online can mean that the connection between the printer and the computer is established and operational. In this case a network does not necessarily have to be involved, a direct connection e.g. B. via USB is enough.

In the case of server programs, online means that they can be addressed via a network. For example, a running and accessible web server is referred to as "online".

Online can also stand for “at runtime” or “during operation”, especially in the technical area. For example, some file systems can defragment or repair themselves “online”, or files can be compressed or decompressed online (i.e. automatically in the background).

Services offered online

Services offered online make information available over the Internet, very often free of charge, or allow it to be processed.

Further examples

In various areas of society, previous "offline activities" have been transferred to the Internet, including:

Web links

Wiktionary: online - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Wiktionary: on - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

^ Prof. Peter Fischer, Peter Hofer: Lexicon of Computer Science . 15th edition. Springer, 2011, ISBN 978-3-642-15125-5 .
↑ Sarah Genner: Always and everywhere online? Risks and opportunities of hyper-networking . In: Mastering "Grand Challenges" . Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, 2018, ISBN 978-3-8452-8356-2 , p. 271–286 , doi : 10.5771 / 9783845283562-271 ( nomos-elibrary.de [accessed on November 15, 2018]).

[1] Prof. Peter Fischer, Peter Hofer: Lexicon of Computer Science . 15th edition. Springer, 2011, ISBN 978-3-642-15125-5 .

[2] Sarah Genner: Always and everywhere online? Risks and opportunities of hyper-networking . In: Mastering "Grand Challenges" . Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, 2018, ISBN 978-3-8452-8356-2 , p. 271–286 , doi : 10.5771 / 9783845283562-271 ( nomos-elibrary.de [accessed on November 15, 2018]).