INTERNET BASICS
Note: In an attempt to simplify and make practical the vast amount of information available about these concepts the authors have edited out many items. The reader is encouraged to go directly to Wikipedia to drown in more information.
The Internet is a global system of interconnected
computer networks that use the standard Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP)* to
serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that
consists of millions of private and public, academic, business, and government
networks of local to global scope that are linked by a broad array of electronic
and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries a vast array of
information resources and services, most notably the inter-linked hypertext
documents of the World Wide Web** (WWW) and the infrastructure to support
electronic mail.
Most traditional communications media, such as telephone and television
services, are reshaped or redefined using the technologies of the Internet,
giving rise to services such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Internet
Protocol Television (IPTV).
Newspaper publishing has been reshaped into Web sites, blogging, and web feeds.
The Internet has enabled or accelerated the creation of new forms of human
interactions through instant messaging, Internet forums, and social networking
sites.
WOW!
Using the above as a point of reference the CLC staff will
attempt to translate knowledge into blocks of useable information. The
previously offered one course containing all (The Internet, the Web, and
e-mail) has been divided into two courses; The Internet/Web and e-mail. As
technology advances and these areas keep exploding additional divisions may become
necessary.
At one time the Internet could be seen as serving six or seven individual needs
or service areas. As technology matured these areas became intertwined and
grew into software bundles that performed multiple services. This is
confusing to persons attempting to learn the use of modern day electronic tools.
Youth today has learned to accept many things at face value, i.e. what can I do
with it? They never need to understand how and why it works. Their
learning and acceptance is by rote. Older individuals usually require
understanding of a concept in order to embrace it and find utility in it.
NETWORKING
Whenever computers are hooked together to share information in a Network there must be an associated protocol. This protocol instructs the computers with the agreed upon data transfer techniques. This process becomes messy as it crosses many cultures and governmental boundaries, not to mention the myriad of technologies involved.
SOFTWARE
For every computer task there must be an associated software application. The most versatile internet tool is a called a Browser. There are many different browsers, the most common is MS Internet Explorer (current version 8). Modern browsers perform many tasks including Internet Navigation, assembly of downloaded pages, gathering and downloading many and various types of files. Browsers with more capability are normally more complex and difficult to learn. Foxfire is one of the more popular simpler browsers. Browsers will track your surfing habits and allow you to save a favorite list of sites you like to visit. Many sites contain their own programs you use after you visit them. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) usually provide software to assist you in the management of your messages on their computers, these programs are referred to as Web Based e-mail Programs. Web based e-mail software varies among ISPs. These software programs have different names and various capabilities.
If you have a large volume of mail from many e-mail accounts there are specific software programs which download the mail onto your computer and assist you in it's management. The advantage is that you have access to your messages when you are not on the Internet. The disadvantage is that it requires more security to prevent viruses from entering your system. This type of e-mail is referred to as Application Based e-mail. There are several of these programs available, one old favorite was Outlook Express, a pared down version of MS's Outlook which was packaged with MS Office. Information to allow your computer to gather the files from your ISP's mail server requires that you establish the protocol in a small files called accounts. This file contains the names of your server, your account name, and your password. The password serves as a "key" to unlock your mail on the ISP's server.
Links to the current Classes are provided below.
Internet and the Web Course
19 December 2009
The Computer Learning Center
Dean Christensen
* The Internet Protocol Suite (commonly known as TCP/IP) is
the set of communications protocols used for the Internet and other similar
networks. Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol - TCP/IP
{The Internet Protocol Suite, like many protocol suites, may be
viewed as a set of layers. Each layer solves a set of problems involving the
transmission of data, and provides a well-defined service to the upper layer
protocols based on using services from some lower layers. Upper layers are
logically closer to the user and deal with more abstract data, relying on lower
layer protocols to translate data into forms that can eventually be physically
transmitted.}
** The World Wide Web, abbreviated as WWW and W3 and commonly known as The Web, is a system of interlinked hypertext documents contained on the Internet.