Domain Name Whois - An Internet program that allows users to query a database of people and other Internet entities, such as domains, networks, and hosts kept at the NIC. The information for people shows a person's company name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. See white pages. Wide Area Information Servers (WAIS) A distributed information service that offers simple natural language input, indexed searching for fast retrieval, and a "relevance feedback" mechanism that allows the results of initial searches to influence future searches.