Introduction
to the Internet
Charter 1
First Things First
Charter
Goals
·
Understand the purpose of your computer’s CPU, RAM, and hard drive.
·
Learn about bits, bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, and gigabytes.
·
Find out how the Internet is structured and how computers
become part of the Internet.
·
Discover how IP and DNS addresses are used
·
Master the basic navigational features of your Web browser
·
Learn about other browsers and browser features.
learning all about the internet. Whether you are a "newbie" or an old "pro" you
will learn something new while working on the Internet.
As we
all have probably spent quite a few hours on the Internet. Also called the
NET, even if you don’t own a computer.
In 2001, college seniors used the Internet an average of 11 hours a week.
Four out of five seniors turned to the Net for news and information,
making it their preferred source for news, well ahead of radio or television.
It’s time to set aside all the hype about how the Internet is changing
everything --- the Internet to transform our lives is a given.
Now we need to get down to the serous business of really putting the
Internet to work for us.
Each of us brings our own set of interests and needs to the Internet.
By using Internet resources intelligently,
we can be better informed,
better connected to others who share our interests,
and better able to pursue our goals.
However, achieving
these benefits doesn’t happen automatically.
We can easily spend too much time socializing in chart rooms,
surfing for
Entertainment, or exploring online
games. In order to make our time
Online as productive as possible, we
must begin by learning about the
Internet and software applications for the Internet.
Things to Remember
·
An Internet connection is only as fast its weakest link.
·
Additional RAM might speed up your computer;
a larger hard drive will not.
·
Each character in the ASCII character set requires one 8-bit byte of memory.
·
On average, video files consume more memory than audio files,
audio files
Consume more memory than graphics files,
and graphics files
consume more
Memory than text files.
·
Computer memory is measured in bytes,
kilobytes, megabytes, and gigabytes.
Bandwidth is measured in bits per second.
·
When your browser displays the error message “404 Not Found,”
you might still
Be able to find the missing page.
·
You can save time while browsing by using keyboard shortcuts instead of your
mouse.
Important Concepts
Bandwidth
=
the maximal rate at which
symbols may be transmitted over a given
communication channel
Clients
= Internet hosts
that consume information from the NET
Domain Name Server (DNS) =
translates host names into IP address.
Domain Name Service (DNS)
address = a symbolic name for an Internet host.
Dynamic routing =
a
strategy for finding the best pathway between two hosts, given
Heterarchical network =
a connected
structure in which no nodes are more
central or
than any other nodes.
Hierarchical network =
a connected structure in which all nodes have a common
ancestor
(the root node).
Host machine
= a
computer connected to the Internet.
Internet Protocol (IP) address =
a numerical name for an Internet host
Servers =
Internet host that serve
information on the Net.
Web browser =
software for viewing Web pages found on Web servers.
Web server =
a software program on an Internet host that offers
Web pages for
Where Can I Learn More?
Bandwidth Place
Chronology of Personal Computers
Cnet’s
Latest in Browsers
Computer Training 2000
Digital Literacy Checklist:
Plug-Ins
Hobb’s Internet Timeline
How MP3 Files Work
ICANN for Beginners
Internet Errors Explained
Internet Traffic Report
New TLDs
NUA Internet Surveys
PC Pitstop
Webopedia
Problems and Exercises
1.
Explain the difference between a
software application
and an operating system.
software application is a computer program such as Microsoft Excel or Adobe Photoshop.
Operating system (OS) is a large program that starts whenever you turn on your computer.
The operating system controls the operations of the computer.
The application software is what the user uses to accomplish a
task.
2.
Is the Interent heterarchical or
hierarchical in its overall design?
Explain the difference between
a heterarchical network
and a hierarchical
network.
Why was the Internet’s overall
networking design initially adopted?
a heterarchical network a
connected structure in which no nodes are more
central or more important than
any other nodes.
a hierarchical network
a connected structure in which all nodes
have a common
ancestor (the root node).
A dynamic routing is a strategy
for finding the best pathway between two hosts, given current conditions on the
Net.
4.
Explain the difference between
an IP address and a DNS address.
IP address is Internet Protocol
address a numerical name for an Internet host.