1. 1 Section 4 Web Skills

2. 2 Aims By the end of this section You will have a clear idea of the potential of the Web. You will have taken a few steps towards becoming a competent Web author and publisher. You will learn the basics of the HTML: the language of the Web. This will be covered in two main: Finding Information on the Web. Creating web pages using HTML.

3. 3 The WEB The Web is a system that connects information, regardless of where it is stored. The Web is just a part of the Internet, it is the most accessible and user friendly part, as well as the fastest growing. Other pieces of the Net include newsgroups and mailing lists, FTP, Gopher and Telnet. The Web is one of many services that run on the Internet. E-mail is another service. The Web went public in 1991. It was invented for people to provide information and links to each other's documents. It is also defined by a set of standards such as: HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). This standard specifies how information exchange between machines should be handled.

4. 4 URL (Universal Resource Locator = Uniform Resource Locator), which defines the location at which documents are stored. HTML standard (Hypertext Markup Language). Any document which confirms to HTML standard can be put on the Web (WWW), and can be read using "browsers" The WEB

5. 5 The Internet: It is a way of linking large multi-user computers. Such a connection consists of physical links that were set up between them. This connection consisted of wires when the internet was developed in 1969, but now, it includes microwave link, Satellite links, Optical fibers and wireless connection. The Internet includes also the standards and mechanisms for routing information from one computer to the next which ensure that all computers connected to it can understand the information on it. Such standards are called TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol).

6. 6 The difference between Internet and Web The Internet is a way for computers to communicate. It is all the word's computer Networks connected together with smaller and slower moving Networks connected to it. The net has an enormous amount of information available for any one to access and it provides an instantaneous delivery of information around the world. This allows people worldwide to communicate with each other within seconds or minutes rather than hours or days. It is noticeable that people's knowledge and use of the Internet has been increasing day by day over the last ten years.

7. 7 Web Importance It hides the complexity of Internet addresses and commands. It summarizes most of the different features of the Internet into a single interface used by Web applications. It allows you to see pictures, and even hear sounds or watch movies while you are reading/writing texts. WWW is the most popular on-line medium. It displays a rich variety of text, graphics and interactive information. The basic technology defining the Web is the hypertext that jumps you to another file or to some specified location within a document. Graphics can also serve as links.

8. 8 The Net Who owns of the Network? Many people are astonished (surprised) by the fact that no one owns the Internet. It is run by volunteers. It has no central headquarter, no centrally offered services, and no comprehensive index to tell you what information is available on the Net. Your job is to look for it!!

9. 9 What is the core of the Internet? There is some thing called the "Backbone of the Internet", which is the core of the Internet. It is a group of host computers linked by a dedicated high speed telecommunication connection. Service providers (ISPs) get their high speed connection by connecting to the backbone group; others (networks, regional companies, educational institutes, governments…) can connect into service providers and the regional or educational networks. The Net

10. 10 Finding Information on the Web. By the end of this subsection, you should Know useful information sources. Organize bookmarks and favorites. Know what search engines are. Know how to find links for your Web channel. Be able to find free software. Different sites and links are useful in achieving the above objectives, such as www.google.com. Here, you should complete five exercises, namely E20-E24.

11. 11 Finding Information on the Web. All the major browsers offer some means of storing the names and URLs of sites that you like so that you can easily return to them later. As an example, in Netscape Navigator these stored site addresses are called bookmarks; in Internet Explorer, they are called favorites. If you accumulate a lot of bookmarks/favorites, you may want to organize them into folders. If you upgrade to a new version of the same browser, your bookmarks/favorites will be there for you automatically.

12. 12 Organizing your Favorites/Bookmarks To keep track of your favorite and frequently visited Web sites, you can organize them into folders. Most browsers (such as Netscape Navigator and Internet explorer) have features that allow you to save your favorite Web sites and displays the history of the Web pages you have visited. Exercise: Store the address of the Web site you are viewing in a new folder. To quickly open a favorite page, click the Favorites option on the menu bar and then click the site you want to open. Solve the designated exercises E20-E24.

13. 13 Free Software Software that is distributed freely, together with the original programmer's “source code”. Another name for free software is open source software. Why do programmers produce free software? Some people produce such free software for fun or for the prestige and appreciation they get for doing something of value to the community. The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a non-profit organization based in Boston, USA. It relies on support from individuals to carry out our mission to preserve, protect and promote the freedom to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer software, and to defend the rights of all Free Software users.

14. 14 Benefits of free software Other programmers could Improve the program Learn what clever tricks the first programmer had used. Build on the best of each other's ideas Catch and correct errors they had found. Have other sources of income

15. 15 Shareware A shareware is a software that allows free copying and trial use, but asks users to pay a small fee if they like and use it. No source code is included Is not meant for use by programmers. Asks users to voluntarily pay a small fee if they like and use it.

16. 16 Freeware Is a gift from the programmer to the user community. There is a variety of software available ranging from small utilities to games, internet tools, business tools and educational tools. An example of a site for downloading software is: CNET’s download.com. No source code is included Is not meant for use by programmers. Is the gift of the programmer to the user community.

17. 17 Plug-in s PlugIns are another type of free software. They are extensions to other software such as browsers or graphics software. Some good general purpose sites for getting plug-ins are: –“Netscape's plug-in page” gives links to plug- ins for its browser. –“Browser watch” gives up to date information about browsers and plug-ins for them. One of the most popular types of plug-ins at present is that which plays music in the 'MP3' format.