What is the Internet?

The Internet is a global network of computers that uses a software protocol and a common machine language to communicate.

All types of computers can connect to each other, from PCs and Macs to supercomputers.  By using TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), different systems are able to understand and communicate with each other on the Internet.

To connect to the Internet, you need:

• a computer with a modem connected to a phone or cable line
• an Internet Service Provider (ISP)
• installed software for connecting to your ISP (communications software)
• installed software for navigating and viewing web pages (browser software)

A modem is a piece of hardware that allows you to send information from your computer to another computer through a telephone line, coaxial cable hook up, dedicated service line (DSL), or a fiber optic line. Modems with wireless capability can also connect through cellular phone towers (called Wi-Fi).   Most new computers come with the modems and communications and browser software installed.

You must also have an Internet Service Provider. You usually pay a monthly fee and connect to the Internet through your phone or cable line. Try The List: The Definitive ISP Buyer's Guide http://www.the list.com for a comprehensive directory of ISPs. 

Communications software for connecting to the Internet must be configured with the settings of your ISP. Generally, you receive a compact disc with the proper communications software on it. Place the disc into the CD reader on your computer and follow the instructions on the screen. If you need help, call your ISP.  You must also have web browser software such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Foxfire.

Check out Webopaedia http://www.pcwebopaedia.com/ for definitions of Internet and computer terms.

Internet Explorer Buttons

To explore the Web, you need to be familiar with some basic buttons and commands.  The below list includes the toolbar buttons for Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0. Other browsers have many of the same features.

Back
Click left pointing arrow to take you back to the last viewed pages.

Forward
Click the right pointing arrow to move you forward through pages you have viewed.

Stop
Click Stop to discontinue a loading a web page.  This is useful if it is taking too long for the page to appear.

Refresh
Click Refresh to reload the Web page. This is useful when viewing pages that are updated frequently: stock quotes, traffic, weather, and news reports. 

Home
Click Home to go to the preselected page set in your Options/Preferences. The B&ECPL web site is Home on library computers.  The Home Page is the opening page of a Web site.

History
Click History to see a list of Web sites visited during an Internet session. You can use the History list to return to a page you visited previously during your Internet session. The history will be erased after you logoff from the Library computers.

Favorites
Click Favorites to view a personal list of permanently stored sites to revisit at a later time. To add favorite web pages to your favorites list, click Favorites from the menu bar and select Add to Favorites.  Favorites are not available on B&ECPL computers.

Print Preview
Click the Print Preview button to see how many pages the Web site contains and how it will look before you print it. This is especially important because many Web sites use frames and they will not print as shown on the monitor.

Print
Click the Print button to print the web page you are viewing.  Be careful when using this button because it does not provide control over the number of pages printed.

Internet Explorer Drop-Down Menu Commands

To explore the Web, you need to be familiar with the basic buttons and commands.  The below list includes the commands for Microsoft Internet Explorer  6.0. Other browsers have many of the same features.

• File - Print Preview
  Use Print Preview to see how a printed web page will look.  This feature also tells you how many pages the Web page contains, and you can limit printing to a particular page or pages.
• File - Print
  Choose Print from the File menu to get additional print features.  This is especially useful when printing a page that uses frames.  A word of warning: you cannot tell how many pages you are printing unless you use Print Preview.
  
  NOTE: You will be charged $.10/page for printing at the Library. Pick up your printing at the Print Release Station.
  
  
• File - Save As
  Use File/Save As to save the page you are viewing.  At B&ECPL, you can only save to the floppy drive or USB drive.  You will need to specify either HTML file or plain text file.

• View - Text Size
  Click Text Size to adjust the size of the text displayed on a Web site.  This is helpful if you have trouble reading the size of the print.

The Internet is More Than the Web

The Web is the most publicized aspect of the Internet, but there are other important Internet applications.

Communication

E-mail

• Send e-mail to other people with Internet e-mail addresses.
• Receive e-mail from other people with e-mail addresses.
• You can get a free Web-based e-mail account on many sites including Hotmail.
• There are directories for finding a person's e-mail address - Yahoo People Search http://people.yahoo.com
• Subscribe to Internet mailing lists to receive messages from a group on a specific topic.
• Try Topica to search for available mailing lists topics.  http://lists.topica.com

Newsgroups

• An electronic bulletin board where people can post and read messages on specific topics.
• Try Google Groups to find available newsgroups and archived messages. 
  http://groups.google.com

Chat

• Real time communication among many computer users.
• Chat services such as Yahoo Chat and AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)
  http://chat.yahoo.com and http://dashboard.aim.com/aim

Access to other Computer Systems

• Telnet
  A service for accessing other computers on the Internet as though you were a user on that remote computer.  Telnet is not available on B&ECPL computers.

What the Web does best: Dissemination of Information

• Communication Channels for News Sources
  ABC News  http://www.abcnews.com
  New York Times  http://www.nytimes.com
  

• Research and Education
  Library of Congress - American Memory  http://lcweb2.loc.gov/
  SUNY at Buffalo  http://www.buffalo.edu

• Personal Growth and Entertainment
  The Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society http://www.bechs.org
  E! Online  http://www.eonline.com

• Marketing and Public Relations
  Buffalo Bills  http://www.buffalobills.com
  Microsoft  http://www.microsoft.com

• Shopping
  Amazon http://www.amazon.com
  Overstock.com http://www.overstock.com
  Bizrate: rates Internet sales web sites  http://www.bizrate.com

Web and Browser Basics

The World Wide Web works through an interaction of computers, networks, and software.  This interaction provides access to documents or files on Internet connected computers.  Very briefly, the elements that make the web work are:

• Web servers (powerful computers connected to the Internet)
• Web browser software
• Hyperlinks (URLs or Internet addresses)
• Clients (any computer that makes requests for information from servers)

Web Server
An Internet connected computer running server software that offers (serves) web documents.  Web documents or pages are files stored on Web server computers.

Web Browser
Software that navigates and displays Web pages.  We use browsers to follow hyperlinks and to view and print Web pages. At B&ECPL, we use Microsoft Internet Explorer.  Other popular browsers include Firefox, Safari, and Google's Chrome.

URL (uniform resource locator) or web address
The Web works because each web page has a unique web address or URL that the browser can find.  A URL is a string of letters, punctuation, and sometimes numbers. The browser's address box displays the URL of the document you are currently viewing. 

Using and Typing URLs
When you find a document that you want to view again, write down the URL. Type it exactly as written in the address box. URLs do not have spaces, and most versions of Web browsers do not require the http:// prefix.

Try typing a URL into the browser's address box.

Domain Names
Domain names are used in URLs to identify particular Web pages. Look at the URL and in particular the domain name for clues to its origin. Every domain name has a suffix that indicates what type of organization owns it.  For example:

• .com indicates a commercial business
  http://www.bloomingdales.com   Bloomingdales
• .edu indicates an educational institution
  http://www.ecc.edu  Erie Community College
• .gov indicates a governmental institution
  http://www.irs.ustreas.gov  U.S. Internal Revenue Service
• .mil indicates military
  http://www.navy.mil  United States Navy
• .net indicates a general Internet or network organization
  http://www.arthistory.net Art History Network
• .org indicates a non-profit organization
  http://www.pbs.org  PBS

Hypertext/Hyperlinks
When viewing Web pages, you will see that some words are highlighted.  Click on these highlighted words or images to connect to another document anywhere on the Web. If you are unsure whether the text or graphic is actually a link, put your mouse over it.  If the white mouse arrow changes to a hand, it is a hyperlink.

A link can be a colored, underlined word or words.  By clicking on the Central Library Training Lab link, you will be at B&ECPL's Computer Training home page.

A link can also look like a graphic. As in the following example, sometimes the graphic looks like a box or button.

Put your mouse over the graphical button and click the button on your mouse to connect to information about the Library's graphic novels initiative.

Finding Information on the Web

You now know how to connect to a web page once you've learned its URL.  But how do you find resources on the Web if you don't know the address?   Fortunately, there are many effective methods for finding information on the Web.

Follow Links
Web pages usually include links to other sites with related content.  By clicking on one of these links, you can connect to another Web site without typing the URL.

Browse Subject Indexes or Directories
Subject indexes are collections of Web sites organized by topic and subtopic.  They are built by humans who select, review, and evaluate web sites.  They are similar to using an online or card catalog subject search.

The advantage is that they are especially useful for finding broad topics. 
The disadvantage is that only a limited number of sites are indexed. 

Choose your favorite hobby or interest and browse through the following directory.

• Librarians Index to the Internet http://lii.org
• B&ECPL Reference Desk http://www.buffalolib.org/referencedesk/

Search Engines
A search engine is a Web site designed to perform searches of the Net.  Although impossible, most search engines try to reference every page on the Web.  Because they are built by "Robot" programs and not people, results are not organized, selected or evaluated.

The advantage is that it allows very precise searching of an enormous number of sites.
The disadvantage is that you are often faced with far too many web sites in the results.

• Google http://www.google.com

Note:   Commercial search engines may show ads related to the search you enter. This can result in surprising ads in some cases.

Portals
Portals are all purpose Web sites offering directories (subject collections), search engines, e-mail, chat rooms, news, weather, travel, and stock information.  Portals are helpful starting points for directed use of the Web.  As commercial sites with advertisers, they want to attract users and continually add features as they become available.

Try searching your name in the search tools on one of these portals.

Search Tip
Use each search tool's Help resource for suggestions on how to improve your search skills.

Check out Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html  from Berkeley for an introduction to the Web, a glossary of terms, and tips for searching.

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