Internet and WWW

Internet Network linking computers to other computers Access to numerous resources – Communications systems Instant messaging FTP – WWW Does not contain information!

Connecting to the Internet Dial-up – Telephone line & modem Broadband connections – Cable – Satellite – DSL

World Wide Web (WWW) Incorporates Internet services to retrieve – Documents – Images Uses HTML – Hypertext Markup Language

Step 5 Host server receives request and returns appropriate information. Step 2 Request travels from your computer to local and regional companies. Step 3 Requests are routed to national company, that provides main Internet pathway access. Step 4 National company routes request to host server computer, where information you want is located. Step 1 Request is made for information. Information Sharing

Browsers Computer programs/ software that enable you to: – Locate, view & navigate the WWW Including: text, graphics, sound & video What are the most common browsers? – Internet Explorer & Netscape

Navigating the Web Series of connected paths or links Each Web site has a unique address or URL – Uniform Resource Locator

URL – Protocol – Domain name – Directories or path – Resource Name /depts/aeedhp/courses/agme2903 /default.htm

Search Engines Specific words Have three parts – Spiders select information – Indexer program organizes information into a database – Search engine software Searches database and returns results Engines only search their own index More academic- or research-based Most engines cannot include every Web site available What are examples of search engines? – Google, AlltheWeb, Altavista, Dogpile, Excite, Teoma

Subject Directory Structured outlines of Web sites – Topics – Subtopics More commercial or consumer-oriented Select a subject – Narrow search by selecting successive subfolders What are examples of popular subject directories? – Yahoo!, MSN, Lycos, CompletePlanet, LookSmart, Open Directory Project

Search Strategies Use more than one search engine or subject directory Use operators – Words that make searches more effective And, Not, Or Combine operators using parentheses Wildcards +, -, “” Learn about your search engine

Advanced Strategy Examples COOL 119,000,000 hits COOL and agriculture 2,010,000 hits COOL and agriculture and commodities 178,000 hits Google COOL 520,000,000 hits COOL and agriculture 5,500,000 hits COOL and agriculture and commodities 360,000 hits Yahoo

Advanced Strategy Examples Google Yahoo fashion merchandising 667,000 hits fashion merchandising and careers 514,000 hits fashion merchandising and careers and international 223,000 hits fashion merchandising 3,210,000 hits fashion merchandising and careers 526,000 hits fashion merchandising and careers and international 374,000 hits

Sources UC Berkley Evans, A., K. Martin and M.A. Poatsy. (2006). Technology in Action. New Jersey: Pearson Education.