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Chapter 2: Technology Infrastructure: The internet and the world wide web
The World Wide Web (www)
The terms Internet and World Wide Web are often used in every-day speech without much
distinction. However, the Internet and the World Wide Web are not one and the same. The
Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks. In contrast, the Web is
one of the services that run on the Internet. It is a collection of interconnected
documents and other resources, linked by hyperlinks and URLs. In short, the Web is an
application running on the Internet.

Viewing a web page on the World Wide Web normally begins either by typing the URL of the
page into a web browser, or by following a hyperlink to that page or resource. The web
browser then initiates a series of communication messages, behind the scenes, in order
to fetch and display it.

The World-Wide Web was developed to be a pool of human knowledge, and human culture,
which would allow collaborators in remote sites to share their ideas and all aspects of
our life.

It’s software which allows us to view multimedia documents on the web. That is text,
videos, audio, animations, images etc. it’s a standard developed by Tim Berners Lee in
1990, which has two main parts means use HTML to design websites and use web browser to
view all the websites on the web.

Web Site
A web site is a collection of web pages or related web pages which are interlinked Web
Pages. Example www.Yahoo.com, where hundreds of web pages are interlinked together.

Web Page
The basic unit of information displayed over the net is a web page. Various web pages
are prepared independently and in the end they are linked in the required sequence.
Link for a web page is basically URL(Uniform Resource Locater)

Home page
It is the front end of the web site. First user access point to the user of the web
site. Welcoming the reader who has logged on the site. Home page provides labeled
links to the main web pages Home page can have access to online forms for ordering
items, online product catalogs, have a chat page where the customer can chat with
supplier.

The Internet and Services

The Internet is a worldwide network of computers connected through phone lines and
cables. Unlike an ordinary network, which is controlled by one central computer
called a server, the Internet is decentralized so that it can keep functioning even
when part of the network is knocked out of service. To connect to the Internet from
home, your modem dials into an Internet computer (called an Internet Service
Provider), then a program on your computer called a web browser displays web pages for
you to view.
The Internet is a worldwide collection of networks used to provide services such as…
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– World Wide Web (WWW) – Websites

– Email, Instant Messaging (IM)
– Telephony – Voice over IP (VoIP)
– Social network, newsgroups, discussion boards
– File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
– E-commerce – business transactions

What is an Intranet?
When internet technology is used to create a private network within a company. It Uses
Internet tools, such as Websites, Web browsers, and Internet protocols. Employee
within organization may use web pages in order to share information among each other.
Example: Kabul Bank might have a network design using internet technology within their
building and each employee share information by having their login web page, messenger
etc.

What is an Extranet?
A network that uses the Internet to link multiple intranets. Extranets allow selected
customers and suppliers to have access to a company’s intranet. For example EDI
(Electronic Data Exchange) which is a standard format to exchange data. Example: Kabul
Bank connect each of their intranets which are in different provinces through internet
and allowing their selected customers who is having Credit card and are able to access
their account and can withdraw money from any part of the country.

Types of website
As we know, on the internet million of websites are hosted. Some are special purpose
websites and some are general purpose websites. There are two types of websites,
Commercial website and Non-commercial website
– Commercial websites
Any website that offers products or services for sale. An example of commercial
website is www.amazon.com, www.yahoo.com. Both are specifically designed for the
purpose of business.

– Non-commercial website
Any website that offers products or services not for sale. These websites are not
designed for business. An example for non-commercial websites are Academic
institution (www.kardan.edu.af), NGO, Religious organization, Social Organization,
Gov agencies

Elements for making a good commercial website

For making a good commercial website, not just only attractive homepages are required
but there must be some more elements which must be taken under considerations in order
to design a very good commercial website.
Following are the seven elements that must exists in any commercial website

1. A well organized collection of products or services

A website should contain organized collection of products in terms of Directories so
that the customer can easily find the required product without wasting too much time.

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Website should have Search engines, Complete information about products, some way of
Comparing products and Update website by removing products and change prices

2. A convenient way for a customer to select products

A website must provide an easy to select products by mean of different technologies like
Shopping cart, Shopping basket so that Customer must be able to select and delete the
product

3. Convenient order form

On the website the order form must be having few fields, customer should be provided
default information so that not to type it every time. Example: City Kabul and also some
Gift message must appear on the screen when the order submitted.

4. Convenient way of payment

While paying for goods and services the merchant must provide more than one payment
options like Credit card, Debit card, Cash, Check and ofcourse E-payment system where
customer feel relax while sending credit card number

5. Secure communication system

Not only protect transmission of a credit card number but guarantee privacy of
customer. For making communication system much secure the website must provide User
registration system with password to prevent unauthorized access

6. Some way of storing information about customers

As we know customer is the main Entity in any business so there must be some way to
store information about customers by means of Cookies which allows user not to reenter
their information. This will also allow user to have a customize website with ads of his
own choice For Example…..yahoo inbox
7. Customer support and feed back
For customer convenience there must be FAQs on the websites so that any question if the
customer wants to ask can be answered.

Connecting to the Internet

Internet Service Provider (ISP)
These are companies that provide internet services. People normally connect to Internet
through phone lines. Analog modem is used to Converts digital signals into analog
signals.

Types of Internet connections

1. Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL)

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High-bandwidth Internet access over telephone lines normally up to Up to 55
Mbps. The Speed of DSL decreases rapidly over distance. Only available up to
20,000 feet from central office.

DSL is the specific technology for making high speed transmissions on the
existing telephone networks. DSL requires Digital phone to be install at the
customer side and need DSL modem.

Some 40 times faster than 56k modems. With the internet, there will be no need
to log on and off, download times will be lightning fast and fears over the cost
of the call will be removed.

DSL is dedicated line and is remain the same as in peak or off time. Two reasons
makes the DSL speed slows down, one is the quality of phone line is not good and
second when DSL office is far.

Types of DSL
Asymmetric DSL
Sending data upstream (3-9 Mbps) slower than receiving downstream (16-55
Mbps)
Symmetric DSL
Same upstream and downstream (upto 3 Mbps)

2. Broadband
It is the name given to systems designed for high-speed transmission of huge
amounts of electronic data.

Broadband benefits
24-hour internet connection
Video on demand
Fast interactive digital television
Fast interactive home shopping
Video e-mail
Video conferencing
Fast downloading of games, music and software
High-bandwidth always connected no need to dial. Can handle voice, data and
video information

3. Cable modem
Translates digital signals for transmission over television cables. Bandwidth
shared among many users. Downstream up to 1.5 Mbps, upstream of 128 Kbps

4. ISDN
Speed up to 128 Kbps. Bandwidth divided into three channels
• Basic Rate Interface (BRI)
• Two bearer (B) channels

Compile by Irfan Khan