8 The Internet and World Wide Web
TODAY AND TOMORROW
11th Edition
CHAPTERCHAPTER1Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
2Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Learning Objectives Discuss how the Internet evolved and what it is like
today.
Identify the various types of individuals, companies, and organizations involved in the Internet community and explain their purposes.
Describe device and connection options for connecting to the Internet, as well as some considerations to keep in mind when selecting an ISP.
3Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Learning Objectives, Cont'd Understand how to effectively search for information
on the Internet and how to properly cite Internet resources.
List several useful things that can be done using the Internet, in addition to basic browsing and e-mail.
Discuss censorship and privacy and how they are related to Internet use.
Describe the possible format, structure, and use of the Internet in the future.
4Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Overview This chapter covers:
The evolution of the Internet
Different options for connecting to the Internet Internet searching
Common Internet applications
Censorship and privacy issues
The future of the Internet
5Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Evolution of the Internet Internet: largest and most well-known computer
network, linking millions of computers all over the world
The Internet furnishes a standard way of sending messages and information across virtually any type of computer platform and transmission media
While Internet has become a household word only during the past decade, it has actually operated in one form or another for much longer than that
6Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
From ARPANET to Internet2 ARPANET: the predecessor of the Internet, named after
the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), which sponsored its development
The World Wide Web: the collection of Web pages available through the Internet Proposed by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 Originally only text-based content Release of the graphical Mosaic browser in 1993 led to
graphical content Wide variety of content available via Web pages today
Internet2: created to develop and implement advanced Internet applications and technologies
8Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
The Internet Community Today Users (people who use the Internet) Internet service providers (ISPs) (provide access
to the Internet, typically for a fee)
9Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
The Internet Community Today Internet content providers (provide Internet
content) Application service providers (ASPs) (provide
access to Web-based software applications) Infrastructure companies (own or operating the
physical structure of the Internet) Hardware and software companies The government and other organizations (Internet
Society, ICANN, W3C, etc.)
10Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Myths About the Internet
Myth 1: The Internet is Free Most people and businesses pay for Internet
access Free services are often in exchange for providing
contact information or viewing advertisements Fee-based content is growing Micropayments may be implemented in the future
for Web content
12Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Myths About the Internet, Cont’d Myth 2: Someone Controls the Internet
Governments can somewhat regulate Internet use within its country but difficult to control it well
Myth 3: The Internet and World Wide Web Are Identical Internet = physical network WWW = one resource (Web pages) available via
the Internet Other resources are available via FTP, e-mail,
Telnet, etc.
13Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Getting Set Up to Use the Internet Getting set up to use the Internet typically involves
three decisions Determining the type of device you will use to
access the Internet Selecting the type of connection desired Deciding on the Internet service provider to be
used Once these determinations have been made, your
computer can be set up to access the Internet
14Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Type of Device Possible devices include:
Desktop, notebook, or tablet PCs
Internet appliances
Mobile devices
15Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Type of Connection and Internet Access
Need to be connected to the Internet to access it
Connections can be: Dial-up (PC has to dial via a phone line to
connect) Direct (PC is continually connected to the
Internet) Direct connections are typically broadband Home broadband use is growing
16Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Type of Connection and Internet Access, Cont’d
Dial-up connections Conventional dial-up
Slow, but cheap Ties up phone line
ISDN Faster, but pricey Doesn’t tie up phone line Used by businesses more than individuals
17Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Type of Connection and Internet Access, Cont’d
Direct connections T1 lines
High-speed, usually used by schools and large businesses
Cable Most widely used home broadband connection
DSL Broadband option for locations where it is
available (must be less than 3 miles from switching station)
Satellite Broadband option for rural areas
18Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Type of Connection and Internet Access, Cont’d
Direct connections, cont’d Fixed wireless
Broadband option where available Mobile wireless
Access via mobile phone or device 3G is much faster than earlier types of mobile
wireless connections Public hotspots
Both free and fee-based are available Currently Wi-Fi so short range, but WiMAX
may soon be available
20Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Selecting an ISP and Setting Up Your PC
When selecting an ISP, consider
Services (e-mail limits and requirements, Web space, etc.)
Speed (both upstream and downstream speeds, consistency of service, etc.)
Support (free telephone support, response time, etc.)
Cost (local access number for dial-up, hardware costs, set-up fees, etc.)
21Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Selecting an ISP and Setting Up Your PC, Cont'd
To set up your PC
Install necessary hardware Install necessary software Set up your telephone dialing software (for some
conventional dial-up connections only) Select user name, access telephone number (for
dial-up connections), and a payment method Change browser and e-mail settings as needed
23Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Searching the Internet The Internet provides access to a vast amount of
information That information is useless if you cannot find it
opportunely An important skill an Internet user can acquire is
how to successfully search for and locate information on the Internet
Search sites: Web sites that help you find Web pages containing the information you are seeking Typically use a search engine in conjunction with a
database containing information about Web pages to locate appropriate Web pages
24Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Keyword search: keywords are typed in a search box to locate information on the Internet; can be found on
Directory search: categories are selected to locate information on the Internet
Matching Web pages are called hits; clicking on the name of a Web page displays that page
Some search sites search multiple search sites (metasearch sites); others allow natural language searches
Many search sites contain additional tools, such as to: Search for items such as music files, image files,
newsgroups, news articles Search for maps, people, telephone numbers Google is one of the most versatile search sites
Searching the Internet, Cont’d
26Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Search Strategies Use phrase searching (more than one keyword)
27Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Search Strategies, Cont’d Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) Use multiple search sites Use appropriate keywords Use synonyms (different words that mean the same
thing)Use variant word forms (variations of your keywords, alternate spellings, etc.)
Use wildcards (such as * to search for keyword patterns)
28Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Search Strategies, Cont’d Use field searches (searches limited to a particular
characteristic, such as page title, page text, URL, or domain)
29Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Evaluating Search Results The quality of a hit can be preliminarily evaluated by
looking at Page title and description Company or organization hosting the page
General guidelines for evaluating a Web page include considering Source Author Timeliness Accuracy
30Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Citing Internet Resources To avoid plagiarizing, proper citation procedures
should be used for all Internet content used in a paper, book, or on a Web site
31Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Beyond Browsing and E-Mail Types of online communications
Discussion groups (message boards, newsgroups, or online forums)
Chat rooms: multiple users chat Instant messaging (IM): exchange of real-time
messages Videoconferencing (teleconferencing or Web
conferencing) Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): Internet
telephony applications involve placing telephone-to-telephone calls over the Internet—called VoIP
33Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Beyond Browsing and E-Mail, Cont'd Online shopping and investing
Be sure all e-commerce activities are performed via a secure Web server
Online shopping Can purchase items via manufacturers, large
businesses, small businesses, etc/ Usually paid via credit card, though other
options may be available
34Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Beyond Browsing and E-Mail, Cont'd Online shopping and investing, cont’d
Online auctions (eBay, etc.) Buy from individuals Seller pays auction fees
Online banking (transfer funds, check balances, pay bills, etc.)
Online investing (buy and sell stocks, bonds, and other securities
36Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Beyond Browsing and E-Mail, Cont'd Online entertainment
Online music (Internet radio stations, online music stores, etc.)
Online TV (TV broadcast via the Internet) Online videos (often found on news sites, popular
TV show sites, etc.) Video-on-demand (VOD)
Download movies and TV shows Often only viewable for a limited time Available for cell phones and mobile devices
today as well
37Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Beyond Browsing and E-Mail, Cont'd Online entertainment, cont’d
Video-on-demand (VOD) Download movies and TV shows Often only viewable for a limited time Available for cell phones and mobile devices
today as well
Online gaming (both individual and multiplayer games played via the Internet)
E-books (purchased e-books and library e-books)
39Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Beyond Browsing and E-Mail, Cont'd Peer-to-peer file sharing: sharing resources directly
between users via the Internet Napster background and issues Both legal and illegal peer-to-peer file sharing
exists today With the availability of legal ways to obtain digital
content, some experts predict that, eventually, legal alternatives will become the norm for consumers
40Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Beyond Browsing and E-Mail, Cont'd Online news and research
News (online newspapers, magazines, news sites, etc.)
Product, corporate, and government information (lots of information available online)
Reference sites (allow you to look up ZIP codes, phone numbers, view maps, dictionary terms, etc.)
Portals: designed to be used as a browser’s home page (Yahoo!, MSN, Bolt, etc.)
42Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Beyond Browsing and E-Mail, Cont'd Online education
Web-based training (WBT) and distance learning
Advantages: Self-paced instruction, flexible location, up-to-date material, immediate feedback, and customized content
Disadvantages: Technology requirements and problems, anonymity, and lack of face-to-face contact
Online testing (available for both objective and performance-based exams)
43Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Beyond Browsing and E-Mail, Cont'd Online writing
Blogs (personal Web logs) Wikis (editable collaborative Web page) E-portfolios (personal online portfolio)
44Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Censorship and Privacy Issues Censorship
Free speech vs. offensive or indecent materials Internet
filtering: using software or browser options to block access to particular Web pages or types of Web pages
45Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Censorship and Privacy Issues, Cont'd
Web browsing privacy Cookies: small files stored on the user’s hard
drive by a Web server Add functionality (such as shopping carts and
personal preferences) to Web sites Can be used to track Web activity Cookie information can be personally idenfiable
or non-personally identifiable Cookie data can be viewed or deleted Cookie settings can be changed and software
can be used to manage cookies
47Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Censorship and Privacy Issues, Cont'd
Web browsing privacy, cont’d Web bugs: small, usually invisible, images on a
Web page that transmits data to a Web server Difficult to spot or stop Software can be used to notify you when Web
bugs are being used
48Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
Censorship and Privacy Issues, Cont'd
Web browsing privacy, cont’d Spyware (transmits data secretly through the
user’s Internet connection) Adware (software supported by onscreen
advertising) E-mail privacy
Only encrypted e-mail can be transmitted privately Employers and ISPs have access to the e-mail
you send through those organizations Businesses and ISPs typically archive e-mail
messages
49Chapter 8 Understanding Computers, 11th Edition
The Future of the Internet Likely to be a very high-speed optical network with
virtually unlimited bandwidth
Access devices will probably be small and less obtrusive; possibly built into everyday objects
The primary interface will likely be the voice, and most network connections will be wireless
Ever-growing number of day-to-day Internet activities