No idea what this conversation was about? You’re not alone. Drop into any Internet company and chances are, you’ll hear similar conversations and terms like brick-and-mortar, synergy, viral marketing, and scalability.

In case you’re not familiar with all the jargon being bandied about, this article should get you up to speed than you can say "sync-up."

Bandwidth: Traditionally, this meant the amount of data that a transmission line could carry, usually measured in bits per second (bps). However, this term now is used to refer to the resources/time/capability/ability that is available.
Example: Do you have the bandwidth to get XYZ project done by Tuesday?

Buy-in: Consensus; agreement from all parties
Example: Do we have buy-in from the tech department on the new customer service software?

Convergence: The coming together of two or more disparate disciplines or technologies such as TV and the Web
Example: The convergence of TV and the Web helps make TV more interactive.

Drill down: To go into a Web site below the top-level. Also, used to describe delving deeply into a project, question, or issue.
Example: To find corporate bios, you’ll have to drill down into the site.

Eyeballs: Visitors to a Web site
Example: We’ve added content to attract more eyeballs.

Functionality: How a site works. The ability of a website to provide services.
Example: Interactive tools can add to a site’s functionality.

Hard-wired: Naturally born or made a certain way and unable to change
Example: He is hard-wired to create controversy no matter how much he tries to avoid it.

In that space: In that industry. Also, can refer to a person’s job function.
Example: Monster.com is in the career/job site space.
Example: She’s in the network management space.

Integration: Generally used to refer to the bringing together of two different, but often complementary, technologies
Example: The IT department is working on the integration of the Oracle and Microsoft SQL databases.

Internet time or Internet speed: Doing business at a breakneck pace. Another way of saying, "we needed it yesterday."
Example: We need employees who can work on Internet time, not slow bureaucratic types.

Let's download: to get information
Example: Make sure to download with John from IT on the new tracking system.

Let's upload: to give information
Example: I’ll be away during the meeting, but upload me when I get back so I’ll know what’s going on.

Mindshare: Having a piece of people’s consciousness
Example: In the e-commerce battle, companies are all competing for mindshare.

Newbie: Someone who is new to the Internet and online culture
Example: Can you believe that newbie spammed everyone in the office with a bad joke?

On the same page: To understand where everyone else is coming from
Example: I hope we’re on the same page about the site redesign.

Offline: In private, outside of a meeting
Example: I don’t think everyone needs to be in on this. Why don’t we discuss this offline?

Robust: Hardy, resilient. Often used to refer to technology applications.
Example: This new e-commerce back end is far more robust than the last one. Now customers can save their personal information for the next time they order with us.

Pre-IPO: A company before going public on the stock market
Example: We are pre-IPO now, but we’ll be going public sometime in the first quarter.

Sticky: An adjective used to describe sites that have content that attract and retain visitors. A relocation site that offers a moving calculator is stickier than one that doesn't because visitors do not have to leave to find a resource they need.
Example: We need to add some useful tools to our site to make it stickier than our competition.

Strategic fit: The action being contemplated will further the business plan. Often cited as a reason for partnering, buying or taking over another company or organization.
Example: We’re buying Widget.com because it’s a strategic fit.

Sync-up: Share current information; understand each other. When used as a noun, suggests a meeting.
Example: Let’s get together this afternoon and sync-up on the Smith report.

Synergy: Collaboration and cooperation. By far, one of the most overused buzzwords.
Example: We feel that there is a great deal of synergy between our two management teams.

Usability: According to Jakob Nielsen, an expert on Web usability methodology, usability is "the measure of the quality of the user experience when interacting with something -- whether a Web site, a traditional software application, or any other device the user can operate in some way or another. It makes sense to talk about the usability of a water faucet: Can you immediately figure out how to turn it on? Do you burn your hands?
Example: A well-placed navigation bar/menu can add to our site’s usability.

Viral marketing: Describes any strategy that encourages individuals to pass on a marketing message to others, creating the potential for exponential growth in the message's exposure and influence. Off the Internet, viral marketing has been referred to as "word-of-mouth," "creating a buzz," "leveraging the media" or "network marketing." But on the Internet, for better or worse, it's called "viral marketing." (source: Dr. Ralph Wilson, www.wilsonweb.com). Viral marketing may be done through discussion groups, email lists, and message boards.
Example: We didn’t have a big budget so we relied on viral marketing to get the world out about our company.

Win-win: Both parties walk away happy. Generally used as a negotiating tactic to get one side to buy into something.
Example: Hiring Susan is a win-win for her and our team.