Introduction to the Internet

Objectives: You will be able to:

• State what you need to access the Internet.
• Describe some similarities and differences between Internet Service Providers and content providers.
• Access World Wide Web locations by entering a URL (Universal Resource Locator).
• Perform searches on the web.
• Describe chat, voice, and video conferencing applications.

Course Outline:

1. What is the Net and how do I get there?
2. What can you do on the Net?
   World Wide Web
   newsgroups
   email
   information
   getting software
   college classes
   meeting people
3. Internet Service Providers and Content Providers
4. The Web.
   Internet Browsers
   Search Engines -Searching the Web
5. Communications
   Snail Mail vs. Email.
   Talking on the Net.
   Chatting with text
   Internet Telephony
   

Video Conferencing

6. Creating Your own Homepage
   Put Your Resume on the Net
   

   

Recommended References

Ause, W. And Arpajian, S. How to use the World Wide Web. Emeryville, CA: Ziff-Davis, 1996. $24.99.

Gagnon, E. What's on the Internet. Berkeley: Peachpit Press, 1995. $19.95.

Grimes, G. 10 Minute Guide to the Internet and the World Wide Web. Indianapolis: Que, 1994. $14.99.

Pike, M. And Pike T. The Internet QuickStart. Indianapolis: Que, 1994. $21.99.

Shipley, C. And Fish, M. How the World Wide Web Works. Emeryville, CA: Ziff-Davis, 1996. $24.99.

What is the Internet?

Main parts of the Internet

World Wide Web -

Email -

Usenet

FTP -

Gopher -

IRC -

Getting on the Net

You need:

Computer

Modem

Software

Internet Service Provider

1. Your computer dials your ISP (Internet Service Provider) on a regular phone line.
2. The phone connection is routed to the central phone office nearest your ISP.
3. The ISP receives your incoming call and processes your request to log on. I gets and verifies your user name and password. The ISP has banks of modems to process many simultaneous requests.
4. Computers with dedicated links to the Internet backbone are always on. These machines have a permanent IP (Internet Protocol) address (i.e. 155.40.200.45. Note: we use a URL - Universal Resource Locator name such as http://www.microsoft.com rather than the IP address.). This address allows other machines to find it. When you connect to the Internet backbone, your computer is assigned a temporary IP address.
5. The host runs special web server software that reads and processes your requests and sends the appropriate information back to your computer. It is connected to the backbone by a very fast telephone line called a T1 or T3 connection.

World Wide Web

Information

Commerce

newsgroups

email

software

college classes

meeting people

Visit George and Mike's Guide to Windows 95 - The Internet and Introduction to the Internet.

Life on the Internet provides an overview of some of the ways in which the Internet influences and changes our global culture. Links are provided so you can explore on your own.

Some Neat Web Sites

Some Web Sites for Kids and Parents

Internet Relay Chat

Internet Voice Communication

Video Communication

One-Stop Software

Computers