CSCC1: Introduction to Internet WU-P Aurora BSCS 1

Computers

Internet Basics

In this Learning Unit, we are going to explore the fascinating and ever-changing world of the
Internet. The Internet is the largest computer network in the world, connecting more than a
billion computer users. The Internet is most often used for three main purposes:

1. Communication
2. Buying and selling (e-commerce)
3. Searching for information

One of the most important things you need to know about the Internet is that it is a self-publishing
medium, which means that no one is in charge of the content found on it. Anyone can publish
anything on the Internet, whether the information is true or not. Later in this Learning Unit, you
will learn some tips for evaluating the information you find on websites.

Basic Terms and Concepts

Let’s start with some basic terms and concepts:

Internet: It might be helpful to think of the Internet as a vast system of roads all connecting
to each other. You may have heard the term “information superhighway.” It’s a vast
infrastructure of pathways allowing computers to “talk” to each other, even though the
computers may use different operating systems. They do this through unique
identification numbers called Internet Protocol Addresses (IP addresses).

The abbreviation “www” stands for World Wide Web. Many people think the World Wide
Web is the same thing as the Internet. It isn’t. While the Internet is a large connection of
networks (hardware), the World Wide Web is a way to access the information on the
Internet. It’s like the software you need to run programs on the hardware of your computer.
So, the Internet is broader than the World Wide Web.

The Web uses common communication protocols (sets of rules) and special languages.
One of these is called HyperText Markup Language (HTML). These special languages
act as a bridge, allowing computers to communicate that don’t use compatible operating
systems. This means that you don’t have to use a specific type of computer in order to
access a website.

Besides the Web, there are other ways to disseminate information, such as email, File
Transfer Protocol (FTP), and Telnet.

Connecting to the Internet

Now, let’s look at how one goes about connecting to the Internet. Before you can start using the
Internet, you need to have a way to connect to it. This requires you to have the necessary
hardware to make a connection on your end, as well as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) which
provides the Internet service to which your computer will connect. Then, you’ll need a web
browser to begin exploring the World Wide Web.

1
CSCC1: Introduction to Internet WU-P Aurora BSCS 1
Computers

Internet Connection Methods

1. Dial-up: Dial-up is a method that uses a telephone line, which you connect to a phone
jack, just as you would connect your telephone to the wall. Dial-up is the slowest
connection method and it requires your computer to have a dial-up modem.

2. Broadband: Broadband is a high-speed connection method which can utilize

cable, DSL, or satellite. Each of these methods requires different types of
hardware.

3. Fiber-optic: Fiber-optic communication transmits data by sending pulses of light

through ultra- thin optical fiber. Because light travels so quickly, this technology can
transmit Internet data at super-fast speeds.

Internet Service Provider (ISP): Internet Service Providers are companies that connect
you to the Internet – for a fee, of course. ISPs are available on a local, state, and national
level. Large communication companies control access to the main lines of the Internet
structure. They, in turn, supply Internet access to the smaller ISPs, who pass this along to
the consumer. Not all ISPs offer all methods of connection to the Internet. Make sure the
ISP you select offers service that corresponds to your connection method and hardware.

Web Browser: You’ll need to have a web browser installed on your computer. This is a
software program that allows you to view web pages and navigate the Internet. Microsoft’s
Internet Explorer is probably the most commonly used web browser. It often comes pre-
installed when you purchase a computer that has a Microsoft Windows operating system.
There are other free web browsers available, including Mozilla’s very popular Firefox web
browser and Apple’s Safari. You can have more than one browser installed on your computer.

In summary, you need three basic things to connect to the Internet:

1. A connection method
2. An Internet Service Provider (ISP)
3. A web browser

Surfing the Web

“Surfing the Web” or “Web Surfing” refers to browsing the World Wide Web by going from
website to website in search of something that interests you. Before we talk about how to
surf the web, it may be helpful to explain a few key terms. Take note of how they are spelled
and used.

A web page is a single page of information on the World Wide Web.

A website refers to a group of web pages identified by a single domain. For example, all
of the web pages on the Indian Hills website begin with “www.indianhills.edu.”

A homepage is the first or front page of a website. If you were to type “www.indianhills.edu”
into your web browser, the first web page that came up would be the website’s homepage.

For example: The Indian Hills website contains many web pages, including the homepage.

2
CSCC1: Introduction to Internet WU-P Aurora BSCS 1
Computers
A URL or “Uniform Resource Locator” is the unique address of each web page. For example,
the URL for the Indian Hills Bookstore is: http://www.indianhills.edu/bookstore/index.html

Each URL has several parts that appear in a specific order. Let’s look at each part by using
the URL for the Indian Hills Bookstore as an example:

http://www.indianhills.edu/bookstore/index.html

Protocol: A protocol is a set of rules, used to retrieve a specific document. The “http” in
our URL refers to HyperText Transfer Protocol. The “http” is followed by a colon and two
forward
slashes, then “www,” which refers to the World Wide Web.

Domain Name: The domain name consists of two parts. In our example,
“indianhills.edu” is the domain name. where “indianhills” is the host and “.edu” is the top-
level domain. This suffix
indicates the type of organization to which the host belongs. As you can probably guess,
“.edu” indicates that the host, “indianhills,” is an educational institution.

Common Top-Level Domains

.com Commercial or business websites, however anyone may use this now
.gov United States Government websites
.mil United States Military websites
.org Organizational websites (often non-profit organizations)

Directory/Page: The next part of the URL tells the web browser where to find the specific
web page on the website. In our example, the “/bookstore/” tells us that the web page
we are looking for lives in the directory/folder entitled “bookstore.” The next part,
“index.html,” is the name of the actual web page. The “.html” refers to the programming
language used to create the page (in this case, HyperText Markup Language or HTML).

Knowing the URL of a web page is the fastest way to find the page you want to visit. Just type the
URL
into the address bar of your web browser, hit the Enter key, and you’re off to that web page.
However, if you don’t know the URL, there are two other popular tools that can help you find the
information you need.

A Search Engine is a website that searches the World Wide Web for specific keywords, which
you enter into a search field. The search engine then displays a list of web pages that are
somehow related to the keywords you entered. You can then click the links to any of these web
pages that interest you. Search results are not perfect. You may be looking for a specific website
that does not appear right away. Most search engines have advanced options that allow you to
narrow your search. For example, you may want to find information about jaguars (the animal
not the automobile). If so, you could use the
advanced features of your chosen search engine to exclude search results that include the
words “car” and “automobile.” Each search engine does this differently. So, you will have to
explore the website of your selected search engine for more.

3
CSCC1: Introduction to Internet WU-P Aurora BSCS 1
Computers
Google (www.google.com) and Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com) are two popular search engines.

A Subject Directory is a listing of websites organized by topic. As mentioned earlier, not every
web page that comes up in your search results may have the most relevant or the most reliable
information related to your topic. Subject directories are usually more selective in what they
include than are search engines. To use a subject directory, select a main subject from the
directory, which then displays subdirectories or folders. Continue to drill down, narrowing your
topic, until you find a web page that interests you. Some search engines include subject
directories in their list of features and some academic and professional websites include subject
directories related to their specific areas of interest.

In summary, there are three basic ways to begin to surf the web:
1. Enter the URL of a website you want to visit
2. Use a Search Engine
3. Find your topic in a Subject Directory

Internet Communication
Email is an extremely popular means of communication. In fact, it has become so integrated
with the flow of our work and personal lives that it may be difficult to remember a time when
we could not communicate this way. However, there are also many other ways to communicate
via the Internet. We’re going to describe some of them, now, but we encourage you to find out
more about each of these options on your own and consider how they might be useful to you.

Instant Messaging (IM) and Chat Rooms: These tools allow you to communicate with
others who are online at the same time as you. The key difference between this and email
is that with email there is a delay, as you wait for the other person to receive the email,
read it, and reply, whenever they are next online, while with Instant Messaging or Chat
Rooms, all participants are online at the same time, interacting “live.

Podcasts: Podcasts are audio or video recordings available for download from the
Internet. TV shows, newscasts, and instructor lectures are some examples of content that
can be delivered via a podcast. While some audio and video recordings are streamed
over the Internet, meaning you watch them in your web browser, podcasts are different
in that they are downloaded for offline listening or viewing. Podcasts can also be
subscribed to via RSS feeds. An RSS feed allows your computer to automatically
download a new podcast whenever it is created, without your having to visit its website
directly.

Blogs: A blog (short for “web log”) is a public journal posted on the Internet. The word
blog can be used as both a noun and a verb. You may have a personal blog or you may
blog about your career field. People blog about a wide variety of topics. If you have a
hobby or topic which you enjoy, you can probably find any number of blogs related to the
subject. One distinguishing characteristic of blogs is that they usually allow readers to
post comments responding to the
original blogger’s post. In this way, large interactive communities can develop around
popular blogs.

4
CSCC1: Introduction to Internet WU-P Aurora BSCS 1
Computers
Social Networking: Social networking sites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter,
Flickr, and YouTube are convenient ways to meet new people, share photos and
videos, connect with friends, and more. These are typically easy to use and include
free services.

Voice over Internet Protocol (“Voice over IP” or “VoIP”): This is a voice-based
Internet communication solution that uses a standard Internet connection to place phone
calls. Skype is an example of a software program that allows you to place calls over the
Internet. Skype users can call one another over the Internet for free, while calls from
Skype to traditional landline phones may be made for a fee.

Tips For a Better Internet Experience

While there are great benefits to using the Internet, there are also downsides of which you
should be aware that range from simple annoyances to serious risks.

Spam refers to unsolicited, junk email. If you use your email at all, chances are good that your
email address will eventually be discovered by spammers (those who send junk email) and be
added to their mailing lists. The good news is there are some ways you can minimize spam.

1. Create a free webmail account. Webmail or “web email” refers to an email account
accessed through a website. Keep this secondary webmail account separate from your
primary email account and have it forward to your primary account. Use this secondary
webmail account whenever you fill out forms on the web or perform similar tasks, rather
than your primary email account. If the webmail account gets overwhelmed with spam,
you can always create another one and delete the old one. Just be sure to update your
email address on any important
websites you use, before you delete the old one. Gmail, Google’s free webmail service,
is one popular option for creating a webmail account.

2. A spam filter is a feature provided by most computer-based email programs and webmail
service providers. Spam filters identify junk emails and move them automatically to a
separate folder for you to examine or delete later. This keeps them from cluttering your
Inbox. Be sure to check your spam or junk email folder regularly to make sure a legitimate
email hasn’t been placed there by mistake.

3. Do not reply to spam emails, even just to request that they remove you from their mailing
list. Doing so confirms to the spammer that your email address is valid and ensures they
will continue to use it and, likely, sell it to other spammers, resulting in more spam.

Identity Theft and Online Predators: Providing too much personal information on social
networking sites, in chat rooms, or in emails can cause you problems. Some criminals collect
personal information and use it to “steal” a person’s identity, accessing their bank accounts,
setting up credit card accounts, and worse. Identity theft can have devastating results. Also,
dangerous online predators are known to seek the “real world” addresses of people they
encounter online, which can lead to physical assaults. Further, homes have been robbed simply
because someone shared on a social networking site that they would be gone on vacation during
a specific time. Be wise about what you share online. Remember that what you share with one
person can easily be shared with others and that a person you meet online may not be who they

5
CSCC1: Introduction to Internet WU-P Aurora BSCS 1
Computers
say they are.

Phishing is another way criminals can attempt to get your personal information. Phishers send
spam emails that appear to be from legitimate companies, such as banks, online stores, and the
like. They usually ask you to verify your account information, such as your user name, password,
social security number, credit card number, or other items. If you receive such emails, do not
reply. No legitimate bank or store will ever ask you to supply your account information over email.
Remember, the legitimate company would already have your information. Beware of web pages
that look like well-known online companies, as well. This is another way phishers can trick
unsuspecting web surfers. Be sure the URL is correct, before you attempt to log into your online
accounts.

Shopping Online: Before you enter personal information on a website, be sure the site is secure.
Look at the URL in your web browser’s address bar. You should see “https” at the beginning of
the URL. The “s” refers to “secure.” Secure pages make it more difficult for hackers to intercept
your information as it is submitted to the website.

As you can see, there is a lot to learn about using the Internet and we’ve only just scratched the
surface. Learning to use the Internet effectively can prove to be a great advantage to you, both
personally and professionally.