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Using the World Wide Web. Access to “Everything”. What is the Web?. The World Wide Web is a collection of millions of computers around the world These computers make information of all kinds available to anyone that wants it. What is the Web?.
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Using the World Wide Web Access to “Everything”
What is the Web? • The World Wide Web is a collection of millions of computers around the world • These computers make information of all kinds available to anyone that wants it
What is the Web? • Most of the information is free, though there are some websites that you must pay to use • Other websites offer goods and services for sale • The free information is growing explosively
What kinds of things can I find on the Web? • General Information • Hobby Information • Travel Information • Services • Bad Guys!!!
General Information • Encyclopedias • Newspapers and Magazines • Maps
Encyclopedias • Some encyclopedias are the same as their print versions (except a lot lighter!) • Others provide only overview articles
Encyclopedias • “Wikipedias” allow general public to contribute to the content, so should be taken as the “conventional wisdom” rather than final authority. • Because they are electronic, you can use software to make them easier to read
Newspapers and Magazines • Many newspapers and magazines provide their content on-line. • This makes it possible to keep up with local news in your home town, even when you now live across the country.
Newspapers and Magazines • Some magazines offer “enhanced” articles (more content) on-line than in print • Sometimes, the information is available only to subscribers, but in most cases, the content is free
Maps • MSN Maps allows you to see maps of the entire country in high detail • MSN Maps provides driving instructions from one place to another (similar to AAA)
Maps • When traveling, MSN Maps can also show nearby points of interest
Weather • Local • Weather service add-ins can show you current weather conditions, and storm warnings • You can get forecasts for the day (hourly) or the week
Weather • Anyplace Else • You can ask for the current weather from any location that the service is available for, delivered to your computer
Hobby Information • Unless you are the only person in the world who pursues a particular hobby, it’s likely that information about it is available on the web • Some of this information is provided by businesses selling supplies for your hobby
Hobby Information • Other sites are created by enthusiasts who share your interests • Discussion groups allow you to share stories or ask for help from others with similar interests
Travel Information • When traveling, you can plan your trip, make reservations, and even buy your tickets on-line • You can use the on-line maps to locate hotels near your destination
Travel Information • You can often see a typical room, and learn what facilities are available at the hotel • For major hotel chains, you can make reservations, including for specific room features, for the dates of your planned stay • Compare flight schedules and costs, including discount services
Travel Information • Purchase tickets for your desired flight, and select preferred seating • Rent a car at the destination, to be picked up on arrival
Services • Government services • Social Security • Taxes • Medicare
Services • On-line government services include • Providing information about services and responsibilities • Obtaining forms and assistance • Making appointments for individual meetings
Services • Private services • Medical information – Make appointments, get reports, etc. • Pharmacy – Order refills, check information about prescriptions
Services • Home – Locate local contractors, check contractors • Music and/or movie purchase and rentals
Bad Guys! • Not all information on the web is trustworthy, and not all websites are safe
Bad Guys! • Some sites will try to get you to provide personal information that can be used for identity theft • As a rule, unless you know who you are communicating with, you should only confirm, never supply personal information on-line
Bad Guys! • Some websites will attempt to place programs on your computer that will use it for criminal activities • You should have, and maintain, antivirus and anti-spyware software on your computer
Bad Guys! • In general, the web is neither more nor less dangerous than telephone or mail business • Be similarly cautious, and you’ll be fine • Remember, if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is!
What Do I Need? • A Computer • A connection to the internet • This will be provided by a local “Internet Service Provider” • Your ISP will probably work either through your telephone service or your cable television provider
Types of Internet Connection • Dial-Up • Your computer uses your telephone line to connect to the internet • When on-line, you cannot make or receive telephone calls • Available anywhere there is a telephone (but may be long-distance in some cases) • Relatively slow (fast enough for email, not fast enough for watching on-line video)
Types of Internet Connection • “Broadband” • Can be many times faster than dial-up connections • Can be either through your telephone or cable television provider • Does not interfere with your telephone • Always connected
What else do I need? • A “web browser” • A web browser is the program that converts the computer language messages received from the internet into text, pictures, and sounds that you can interpret
What else do I need? • Internet Explorer comes with Windows Vista, and will be used for this training
Start Your Browser! • Open the Start Menu
Start Your Browser! • At the top of the left side, locate “Internet” • Below this, it says “Internet Explorer” unless you have selected an alternate browser
Start Your Browser! • Move the mouse cursor over the “Internet Explorer” icon
Start Your Browser! • Click the left mouse button once • The browser will start
Your Browser’s Home Page • When you first connect to the web, there must be somewhere that you connect to • This is called the “home page”
Your Browser’s Home Page • The home page is one that your browser shows unless you tell it to show you something else • In addition, your browser shows some controls and information
The Browser Controls • In the upper left of the browser window you will see two circles with arrows • These are the “Back” and “Next” buttons
The Browser Controls • Clicking the “Back” button will return you to the page you came from • If you have just pressed the back button, the “Next” button will take you forward to the place you started
The Browser Controls • Just to the right of the “Next” button you’ll see a long “box” with an odd string of letters • This is the Address Box • We’ll talk about this more later
The Browser Controls • Just below “Back” and “Next” buttons are a small “star” and a second star with a “+” covering part of it • The star shows a list of “favorites”
The Browser Controls • In the beginning, it shows a list of sites that Microsoft’s developers hope will be favorites • The “Plus Star” lets you add new locations to your favorites • We’ll also discuss this in more detail
Browser Controls • Just to the right of the “Address Bar” you will see a pair of arrows, one pointing up and one pointing down • This is the “reload” button
Browser Controls • Next to the “reload” button is a red “X” in a box, called the Stop button • This forces to browser to stop trying to get a page that is taking a long time to arrive
Browser Controls • To the right of the Stop Button is a box with a gray label reading “Live Search” on the left, and with a magnifying glass symbol on the right