NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

Laoag City

MODULE 2
The Internet
and the World
Wide Web

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LESSON 5: THE INTERNET AND THE WEB

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this module, you will be able to:
 Describe, define and differentiate Internet and World Wide Web.
 Use keywords to search for information.
 Evaluate the quality of the Web page content.
 Observe intellectual property laws.
 Cite Internet resources.
 Describe the components of electronic communication and identify
several Internet communication services.
 Identify the advantages and disadvantages of electronic communication.

Introduction
The Internet (often referred to as the Net) is a huge global interconnection of computer
networks around the world. The World Wide Web (often referred to as the Web and abbreviated
as WWW or W3) is a global collection of interconnected documents (Web pages) and other
resources.

A Web site is a Web page or a collection of related Web pages located on the Web. The
pages within the Web site can contain text, images, and multimedia elements such as audio, video,
and animation. Hyperlinks (often referred to as links) are an essential part of the Web, because
they automatically connect you to another part of the same Web page or to another Web page. A
Web page link can be a word, a phrase, or a graphic.

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is the main markup language used to create Web
pages. HTML defines the format and layout of a Web document. Just as most filenames include an
extension to identify that file type (such as .docx for a Word document or .jpg for a graphical file),
the Web page file often includes a file extension to indicate the file type. For example, the
extension may be .html or .shtml. SHTML is an HTML file that includes special commands for the
server to process.

The Web pages are transferred between computers via HyperText Transfer Protocol
(HTTP), which is the underlying protocol for the Web. This protocol defines how messages are
formatted across the Internet. An HTTP client program is required at one end, and an HTTP
server program is required on the other end.

Each Web site possesses at least one Internet Protocol (IP) address. The Uniform
Resource Locator (URL) (often referred to as a Web address) identifies the unique IP address.
URL addresses are presented in alphanumeric form because it describes the resource and makes
it easier to remember (such as http://www.cengage.com). However, the actual URL is a set of four
numbers separated by periods (such as 212.987.12.3), and the Domain Name System (DNS)
translates the alphanumerical address to a numeric address.

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A domain is a group of computers and devices on a network that are administered as a

unit with common rules and procedures. All devices sharing a common part of the IP address are
said to be in the same domain. The domain name provides an online identity (such as an
organization or company name). If your Web site has a lot of information to organize, you can
create a subdomain, which is a domain that is part of a larger domain and is dependent on the
larger domain. A subdomain is like a folder under your root directory.

Every Web site domain name also ends with a two- or three-letter extension which
identifies the type of domain or the country of origin. There are various domain types, and each
type has its own basic rules such as the type of characters and the minimum and maximum
number of characters.

Domain Types

Domain types and extensions are also assigned to a specific country. For example, England
is .uk, Canada is .ca, Japan is .jp, and Spain is .es. Accredited registrars manage the registrations of
domain names. Once the domain name is registered, a Web hosting service makes the Web site
accessible via the WWW.
A URL always includes a protocol, the domain name, and the domain type or a country
code. As shown in the figure below, after the single forward slash /, the URL may also include a
resource ID which provides the name of the file and any directories or subdirectories under which
the file is stored on the specified computer. The domain name is the most easily recognized part
of the URL.

Parts of the URL

A Web browser is a software application you use to view and retrieve documents from
the Web and to display the documents in a readable format. Browser software (such as Microsoft
Internet Explorer, Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox) sends a message to a Web server
to retrieve a requested Web page. For example, when you enter a URL in your browser, you send
an HTTP command to the Web server to tell it to locate and transmit the requested Web page.
The browser then extracts the HTML code to display the page.

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Web Content
As the use of the World Wide Web continues to grow, it is important to understand how
to find information effectively.

Searching for Information on the Web

The Internet is a valuable source for acquiring knowledge and solving problems. As the
Internet continues to expand, finding accurate and reliable Web sites, information, and answers
to questions depends on using resourceful search tools effectively. Two primary tools are
available for online searches—a search engine and a Web directory.

A search engine is a program that searches documents for specified keywords and then
provides a list of the sources where the keywords were found. Without search engines, you would
need to know the specific URL to find information on the Web. There are a number of search
providers available, such as Bing, Google, and Yahoo!.

A Web directory (also referred to as a search directory) is a collection of Web sites

organized by category, and then they are often further organized by geographic region. The
purpose of the Web directory is the same as the search engine—to locate specific information.
The difference is that a Web directory index is created by humans, not software. Examples of Web
directories include Yahoo! Directory (dir.yahoo.com), Open Directory Project (dmoz.org), and
Bing Directory (bingbusinessdirectory.com).

Searching for Keywords

To answer questions and solve problems, you use a search engine to search for keywords,
words that describe the information the user is trying to locate. The keywords enable you to get
specific information from dependable sources. By default, most search engines perform a Match
Any search. The list of results will first display pages that contain all your keywords, then the list
will show results for pages that contain some of your keywords.

Another feature provided by several search engines is a related search. These are
preprogrammed queries or questions suggested by the search engine that often lead to other Web
pages containing similar information. A related search can improve your odds of finding the
information you are seeking.

Searching for Specific Types of Media or Disciplines

You can further refine your search by entering criteria for different types of media, such
as videos, or by identifying a specific file type, such as a .png.

You can search for different types of media by searching related databases. For example,
you can search youtube.com for videos, you can search itunes.com for music, and you can search
flickr.com for photos. Web sites like these often organize information by category, which makes
the search go faster.

Because large Web sites contain many pages and links, they often provide their own
search engine that allows users to find what they need specific to the site. Likewise, most

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browsers provide a search box so you can search for key words or characters on the current page.
You can also use search engines to search for information for a specific Web site or for a specific
domain type. For example, you can search for government Web sites or education Web sites.

Not all information on the Web is posted in an HTML file format. For example, sometimes
when you open a Web page, it prompts you to open the document in Adobe Reader. Many
academic papers are uploaded to the Web in PDF format.

Evaluating the Credibility of Web Page Content

The Internet contains Web sites on every imaginable topic and come from sources around
the world. Anyone can publish information of any type on the Internet—true or false, factual or
incorrect. The Internet does not enforce rules or quality controls about content. Therefore, you
should not accept everything as true and accurate. As with any other document, you must
evaluate the nature and source of the information.

When considering whether to use the content of a Web page, do not accept any
information presented on the Internet at face value. The source of the information should be
clearly stated, whether it is original or borrowed from somewhere else. Ask yourself the following
questions to assess the relevance and reliability of the information.

 What is the purpose of the Web site?

Institutional sites for schools, nonprofit organizations, or government agencies should

clearly state their mission. A commercial Web site (.com or .net) may be presented in a way that
promotes a product or service. Forums are online discussions among individuals with an interest
in a specific topic. A wiki can contain entries from any numbers of users. An entry could be from
an expert or from a lay person. No qualifications or expertise is required for the person
contributing to the wiki.

 Does the content meet your needs?

Explore the information to determine if the information is factual, biased, or opinionated.
Sometimes articles are published to document research findings, but articles are also created to
provide product reviews and express personal opinions. Ideas and opinions supported by
references are additional signs of the value of the site.

 Is the information accurate, current, and broad enough?

To determine the validity of the information, check other online resources, books,
professional journals, and offline sources that contain similar information. Determine if the
content is current and if it covers a specific point of view.

 Does the information come from a source that can be trusted?

Find the author or the company who provided the information. The domain name and
domain type will indicate the type of source, such as government sites, published journals, and
personal Web sites.

 Is the Web site layout professional?

The overall page layout and ease of navigation is important. The Web site should be well-
organized and well-designed, and all the links should work effectively.

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 Is the writing style and language appropriate?

The page should be free of spelling and grammatical errors. Even if the page appears to
contain valuable information, misspelled words and incorrect grammar can be warning signs that
the information itself is not completely reliable.

Intellectual Property Laws

For the most part, information displayed on a Web site is easy to copy. Often you can select
the text or graphics that you want to copy, use your browser’s Copy command, and then paste the
content into another document. You can also display a page on your monitor and print the entire
page. The ease with which information can be copied, however, does not mean that users have
the right to do this.

Most sites have copyright protections. A copyright is the exclusive right, granted by law
for a certain number of years, to make and use literary, musical, or artistic work. The recognition
of the ownership of those rights is referred to as intellectual property. Even if the copyright
notice isn’t displayed prominently on the page, someone wrote or is responsible for the creation
of the content on a Web page. This means that you cannot use the information as your own. You
must give credit to the person who created the work.

If Internet content, such as a music file, is copyrighted, it cannot be copied without the
copyright holder’s permission. To copy without permission is a violation of copyright laws.
Violating these laws can lead to criminal charges for theft as well as civil lawsuits for monetary
damages.

A company’s logo or other graphic information may be protected as a trademark, which

means much the same thing as a copyright but relates specifically to the exclusive right to visual
or commercial images rather than text or intellectual property. In addition, processes and
business methods may be protected by patents, which guarantee the inventor exclusive rights to
the process or method for a certain period of time.

When intellectual property rights have been forfeited or expired, then the work is
considered to be in the public domain and the literary, musical, or artistic work is available for
anyone to copy or use. Copyright and patent laws do provide certain exceptions to the general
prohibition against copying.

Citing Internet Resources

You must cite Internet resources used in reports and other documents. In an academic
setting, claiming someone else’s words, or intellectual property, as your own is called plagiarism.
You must give proper credit to any information you include in a report that is not your original
words or ideas. Providing credits and citations also provides the reader of the document with
information about additional research.

Core elements in citing material include the author’s name, the date of publication or
last update, the document or Web page title, the URL where the content is hosted, and the
date you accessed the source. There are several style preferences for citing or referencing
online sources. Common citation styles include APA (American Psychological Association),

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Chicago/Turabian, and MLA (Modern Language Association). It is important for students to

follow the style requested by the instructor.

Communication Services
Communication is the process of exchanging information. Traditional means of
communication media include telephone, newspaper, and television. Technology developments
have provided new communication media for interacting and sharing information, and the
achievements have changed the way the world does business and the way we live our lives.

Components of Electronic Communication

Electronic communication is the technology that transmits text, numbers, voice, and video
from one computer or device to another. Today’s electronic communication requires a user agent
which is a software application such as e-mail, text message, or an instant messaging program.
The computer sending the message is the sender. The computer or device receiving the message
is the receiver. The media that carries or transports the message, such as the radio signal or the
coaxial cable, is called the channel. Protocols are the rules that govern the transfer of data and
ensure that information created by one system can be interpreted and read by another. The
communication is completed when the information is transferred between user agents

Internet Communication Services

 E-mail (electronic mail) enables you to combine numerous media—text, graphics,

sound, video—into a single message, and then quickly exchange information in dynamic,
two-way communications.
 You use instant messaging services to send and receive messages in real time while you
and someone else are both connected to the Internet.
 Instead of using a computer to communicate, text messaging (often referred to as
texting) enables you to send short messages from one cell phone to another, or from the
Web to a cell phone.
 Voice over IP (VoIP) is a methodology and group of technologies that transport voice,
data, and video communications using Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the
Internet.
 Online conferencing, also referred to as video conferencing, uses computer networks
to transmit audio and video data so that two or more participants can conduct a
conference at different sites.
 Chat rooms are Web sites that allow real-time communication so you can exchange
messages with others through the computer. After you submit text typed on your
computer, your submitted text displays on the other person’s monitor.
 Social networking sites are Web sites that provide a way to build online communities of
people who share common interests or activities.
 A blog (short for Web log) is a type of personal journal created by one person or by a
group. Entries are published in reverse chronological order.
 Message boards and newsgroups provide bulletin board systems that serve as
discussion sites; users can post messages asking for assistance.

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Communications and Collaboration

Growing developments in technology are creating new opportunities to quickly and easily
find and share information and communicate with others from virtually anywhere in the world.
The availability to deliver a message to any device or person at any time and in any place, changes
how we communicate and collaborate with others in a profound way.

Time-Shifting and Real-Time Communication Methods

Social networking, chat rooms, blogs, message groups, and forums are part of our daily
sources of interaction. Using collaborative communication tools enables us to share information
with one other person or an unlimited number of people. In addition to sharing text messages,
you can engage in other types of correspondence including live voice, full-motion video, and
interactive desktop sharing. A combination of the preceding communication methods may be
used, especially for group collaboration. For example, a group of people who live in different parts
of the country may be enrolled in the same online class. This group can use e-mail, instant
messaging, file sharing, and video chatting to communicate about a class project. They could also
use a blog to post project updates and social networks to keep in touch with each other.

Time-Shifting Communications

When you send messages by e-mail, post information on a bulletin board, or publish a
blog, there might be a significant delay between the transmission and the receipt of the
information. This type of communication is referred to as time-shifting mode. The receiver can
choose when they want to review the information.

The primary use of a blog (short for Web log) is for individuals to post a personal diary
or journal on a Web site to share his or her observations and opinions. People who respond to the
comments in the blogs are notified when the blog is updated. Users attach tags, keyword
descriptions to identify images or text, to simplify the search process. Blogs are also used for
marketing. Companies use blogs to provide customer feedback and links to several other Web
sites.

Real-Time Communications

Real-time communications occur instantly or without noticeable delay. In other words,

they are “live” connections. Real-time responses are often understood to be in the order of
milliseconds, and sometimes microseconds, so they make it faster and easier for people to
connect and to access and share information. There are a variety of electronic methods available
for real-time communication and collaboration. The communication method you use depends
on the people with whom you are corresponding and the topic of the correspondence.

 Text messaging, often referred to as texting or Instant messaging (IM), is a text-based

form of communication primarily used for conversational text.
o Short Messaging Service (SMS) technology initiated the development and
growth of text messaging. SMS is a service provided by phone, Web, or mobile
communication
o Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) extends the core capability of SMS and
enables you to send messages that include multimedia content.

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 Chatting is talking to other people in real-time on the Internet. Most commonly, the “talk”
is created with typed messages, but a chat can also be conducted using sound or sound
and video.

 VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is technology that enables the delivery of voice
communications and multimedia sessions using Internet Protocol. VoIP is widely used to
conduct online meetings and training. The connections can be at home, at work, in a
corporate network, or during travel.

 A podcast is a method of publishing files (primarily audio files) to the Internet that can
be downloaded for playback on a computer or a mobile device. Podcasts provide an
effective way for businesses and organizations to deliver content for a variety of topics.

 Web conferencing (also referred to as a Webinar) is a presentation, lecture, workshop,

or seminar that is transmitted over the Web. Presenters are able to deliver a presentation
over the Web to a group of participants in different geographic areas.

 Video conferencing is using computer networks to transmit audio and video data. Video
conferencing has become an essential tool in business, education, medicine, and media.

 Video chat is where you see the person with whom you are talking.

Social Media Sites

Social media is a term used to describe a variety of Web-based platforms, applications and
technologies that enable people to keep in touch with friends, find people with similar interests,
and build relationships online. Social media is also a powerful marketing tool. Some examples of
social media sites and applications include Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter, and Instagram.
Social networks such as LinkedIn also increase networking opportunities.

Advantages of Collaborative Electronic Communication

 enable people to connect worldwide

 it is convenient and it is not restricted to a specific place and time
 access is available from not only computers but also mobile devices, which allow users to
communicate from remote locations and transmit text, graphics, audio files, and video
files
 online document sharing allows users to create and edit documents online while
collaborating in real time with other users
 fosters community building by connecting members of a group who share the same
general interest

Disadvantages of Collaborative Electronic Communication

 after sending a message, you may not be aware that there is misconception of your
correspondence
 security risks- when you use electronic communications users may misuse and abuse
shared computing resources
 messages left on public sites such as blogs, message boards, or posts to social networking
sites can be publicly and even permanently accessible

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 excessive use of online communications can cause problems; the lack of personal
interaction can damage relationships and even reduce overall productivity.

Protecting Privacy on the Internet

Any time you submit information on the Internet, it is possible for this information to be
gathered by many persons and used for various situations. Information can also be gathered from
online data regarding school, banking, hospitals, insurance, and any other information supplied
for such everyday activities. Much of the information gathered and sold results in your name
being added to mailing lists. These lists are used by companies for marketing purposes. Junk e-
mails are used for the same purpose. Information regarding one’s credit history is also available
to be sold.

A cookie is a small text file that a Web site’s server puts on your computer to store
information about you and your preferences. When you revisit the Web site, the Web server can
retrieve the information and display any preferences or other customized settings you selected,
such as user names, passwords or items stored in a shopping cart. Cookies may make it easier for
you to use the Web site when you return, but they may also provide the Web site owner with
information about you and your computer. Some Web sites use cookies to track your computer
use, which many consider to be an invasion of privacy. You need to balance the ease of use
provided by cookies with security concerns. For example, you might get a prompt to allow cookies
when attempting to open a Web page you need to view because allowing cookies is the only way
to view that site. It’s up to you to decide which sites are the most secure and safest to use.

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Reference:

Morrison C, Wells D, and Ruffolo L (2015). Computer Literacy BASICS: A Comprehensive Guide to
IC3, Fifth Edition. Cengage Learning.

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