The BOS want to see the Heinemann definition, as far as I know, as it is in relation to the HSC IPT Course, and of course, it is in line with the syllabus.
The same goes for mail server, file server, and so on.
Accept it, and regurgitate it.
I know that with real-world experiences and implementation, this would differ. For example, in the 2003 CSSA Trial, I wrote something like "domain" as one part of the URL.
They wanted to see "DNS Server" explicitly.
Their definitions of other terms are a bit vague/off, but I would recommend that you agree with the textbook, because it has been written in accordance with the syllabus, (revised).
This is how I look at it:
Let's say that there are 10,000 IPT, HSC students.
If you're 1 in 10,000 who writes "A web server is ... an example would be apache, etc" -- whereas the
majority of students seem to answer with:
"a computer in a network that provides a connection to the Internet. All the internet traffic is directed through this server".
You must remember the
context of this definition. As it says "...computer
in a network that provides a connection to...".
Strictly speaking, you are 'correct', but remembering that you are an IPT student, they (examiners/markers) have an expectation that you will be using IPT terminology and structuring responses from the point of view of an IPT student, sitting for the HSC.
Other definitions can be argued as well, for example Gateway, Router, Switch, and so on. But for IPT, we'll accept it and answer it according to the definitions, the textbook, the syllabus, and in agreement with the HSC Marking grids/guidelines, to which the markers will have to mark against.
Just remember, your answer will not be in the marking criteria, so write what they want to hear!
For your answer, you might be awarded a zero (0).
"Says nothing relevant to the question" or something like that.
I hope that clears it up for you, xlr9