In computer technology and telecommunications, online indicates a state of connectivity, and offline indicates a disconnected state, specifically an internet connection.
Online and offline are defined by Standard 1037C. They are states or conditions of a "device or equipment" or of a "functional unit". To be considered online, one of the following may apply to a system : it is under the direct control of anotherdevice; it is under the direct control of the system with which it is associated; or it is available for immediate use on demand by the system without human intervention.
In contrast, a device that is offline meets none of these criteria (e.g., its main power source is disconnected or turned off, or it is off-power).
The Oxford dictionary defines "online" (sometimes also referenced as "On the Line") as "controlled by or connected to a computer " and as an activity or service which is "available on or performed using the Internet or other computer network". The term is utilized within terms such as these: "online identity", "online predator ", "online gambling ", "online shopping ", " online banking ", and "online learning ". The online context is given to other words by the prefixes "cyber" and "e", as in the words "cyberspace", " cybercrime ", " email ", and "ecommerce".
