MODULE 6

THE INTERNET

Introduction to the Internet and World Wide Web

• A computer network is a communication system that connects two or more computers so that they can exchange information and share resources.

• A network can be set up in different arrangement to suit users’ needs.

Types of networks

• Local Area Network• Metropolitan Area Network• Wide Area Network

Local Area Network (LAN)

• A local area network (LAN) is a network with nodes that are in close physical proximity—within the same building for instance.

• Node—any device that is connected to a network. It could be a computer, printer, or data storage device.

• Typically, LANs span distances less than a mile and are owned and operated by individual organizations.

LAN

Types of LANs

• Home Networks is a LAN for home and apartment use; typically wireless.

• Wireless LAN (WLAN) is a LAN where all communication passes through access point.

• Personal Area Network is a LAN that connects digital devices such as PDAs.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

• MAN spans distances up to 100 miles.• These networks are frequently used as link

between office buildings that are located throughout a city.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

• Wide area networks (WANs) are countrywide and worldwide networks.

• These networks provide access to regional services (MAN) providers and typically span distances greater than 100 miles.

• They use microwave relays and satellites to reach users over long distances—for example, from Los Angeles to Paris.

WAN

The Internet

• The Internet is the widest of all WANs, which spans the entire globe.

• The Internet is often referred to as the Information Superhighway.

• In a sense, it is like a highway that connects you to millions of other people and organization.

• Unlike typical highways that move people and things from one location to another, the Internet moves your ideas and information.

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• The Web provides an easy-to-use, intuitive, multimedia interface to resources available on the Internet.

• It has become an everyday tool for all of us to use.

• The Internet was launched in 1969 when the United States funded a project that developed a national computer network called ARPANET.

The Web

• The Web provides an easy-to-use, intuitive, multimedia interface to resources available on the Internet.

• The Web was introduced in 1991 at the CERN in Switzerland.

• Prior to the Web, the Internet was all text―no graphics, animations, sound, or video.

• The Web made it possible to include these elements.

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• The first generation of the Web, known as Web 1.0, focused on linking existing information.

• In 2001, the second generation, Web 2.0, evolved to support more dynamic content creation and social interaction.

• Facebook is one of the best known Web 2.0 applications.• Some suggest that we have entered into the next

generation, Web 3,0. • It focuses on computer-generated information requiring

less human interaction to locate and to integrate information.

Uses of the Internet and the Web

• Communicating • Shopping• Searching for information• Education or e-learning• Entertainment

Accessing the Internet and the Web

• The most common way to access the Internet is through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

• ISPs in Zanzibar are Zanlink, Zantel, Zanzibar Connect, Tigo, Airtel and Vodacom.

• When provided with a connection to the Internet, you can use a browser program to search the Web.

• Users connect to ISPs using one of a variety of connection technologies including DSL, cable, and wireless modem.

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• Browser• URLs• Domain name• HTML• Web page

Browsers

• Browsers are programs that provide access to Web resources.

• This software connects you to remote computers, opens and transfer files, displays text, images, and multimedia, and provides in one tool an uncomplicated interface to the Internet and Web documents.

• Four well-known browsers are Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Google Chrome.

URL

• Uniform Resource Locator (ULR) is a web address of the resource.

• http://www.suza.ac.tz• http represent the protocol used for Web

traffic.• Protocols are rules for exchanging data between

computers.• www.suza.ac.tz represents the domain name of

the organization.

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• It indicates the specific address where the resource is located.

• ac indicates an academic site.• tz indicates the site is in Tanzania.

HTML

• Web documents must be writing using the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).

• The browser interprets the HTML formatting instructions and displays the document as a Web Page.

Electronic Mail

• E-mail—provides a fast, efficient alternative to traditional mail by sending and receiving electronic documents.

• E-mail is the transmission of electronic messages over the Internet.

• Husein.Shaaban@suza.ac.tz• Web email for example yahoo.com,

hotmail.com or google.com.

Search Engines

• Search engines are specialized programs that assist you in locating information on the Web and the Internet.

• Example is Google’s search engine.

Electronic Learning Tools

Features Available in Student Registration System (Zalongwa)