---++ GUID Glossary

Here is a list of terms that are used (or have been created) by our community, i.e., those trying to standardize the use of globally unique identifiers for Biodiversity Informatics.

*Biodiversity Informatics* - According to the [[http://jbi.nhm.ku.edu/][Biodiversity Informatics Electronic Journal]], Biodiversity Informatics is an emerging research field concerned with the creation, integration, analysis, and understanding of information regarding biological diversity.

*DNS* - Domain Name Service.

*DOI* - Digital Object Identifier. A GUID system for eletronic publications and other digital objects. See the [[http://www.doi.org/hb.html][DOI Handbook]]

*GUID* - Globally Unique Identifier. The term is used by this community to refer to any kind identifier (including software and specifications supporting it) that is unique in a global context. For us, it rimes with _squid_. Not to be confused with [[http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/G/GUID.html][Microsoft's GUID]] which is a specific kind of globally unique identifier used to refer to operating system and application components, such as programming classes, files, database entries, and users.

*Handle* - Individual identifier in the Handle System.

*Handle System* - Another GUID system. Used by the DOI system for identifier resolution. See the [[http://www.handle.net/documentation.html][Handle documentation]].

*Identifier* - A character string (such as _TDWG_ or _urn:lsid:1234_) associated with an information object.

*LSID* - Life Sciences Identifiers. A GUID system for the Life Sciences. See the [[http://www.omg.org/docs/dtc/04-05-01.pdf][LSID Specification]]

*Resolution* - Process of submitting an identifier to a GUID system and receiving back information related to the identified object.

*URL, URN, URI* - An attempted [[http://www.w3.org/TR/uri-clarification/][clarification]] by the W3C. Here is an [[http://www.pierobon.org/iis/url.htm][explanation]] in simpler terms.