What is a pop-up?

Answer by: Kristen Jourdonais, Aplus.Net Knowledge Base Support

A "pop-up" is a window that suddenly appears (pops up) when you select an option with a mouse or press a special function key. The pop-up window usually contains a menu of commands and stays on the screen only until you select one of the commands. It then disappears.

A pop-up ad is a type of window that appears on top of the browser window of a Web site that a user has visited. A pop-up is usually obtrusive as it covers other windows, particularly the window that the user is trying to read. Pop-up ads are used extensively in advertising on the Web, although advertising is not the pop-up's only purpose in every circumstance.