1. Internet & Website Basics An LEDC Initiative Provided by Resource Forge, LLC Hosted by the RII School District An Introduction to your presence on the World Wide Web

2. About this Presentation Assumes very basic computing skills Ideally, you should be comfortable sending an email, surfing the web, creating a word processing document, and file management. Three sections (1) Internet Basics, (2) Website Basics and (3) Launch a WordPress site. This presentation is vocabulary-heavy There are a lot of technical terms that Internet users come across. They often sound scary and mysterious. Our goal is to remove the fear and demystify the Internet; but we will move through these ideas pretty quickly. “Somebody stop me!” I may not realize when I’m moving too fast, or if I skim over something you need more detail to understand. My goal is for you to leave with more than the average daily Internet user. Stop me if you need time to write a note or review a term. My name is Bart. My number is (636) 699-6328. Consider this a beginning. Consider me an ongoing resource. Call me tomorrow, next month, or next year if you have a question. Internet & Web Site Basics

3. Section 1: Internet Basics How does the Internet work? What is the relationship between an IP and a Domain Name? What are the parts of an internet address/URL? What are some common Internet Protocols? What is “Secure Browsing?” What are some forms of Malware?

4. A Heterarchy of Hierarchies Originated in 1960’s as ARPANET Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA). The magic of “packets.” It is a “heterarchy” Includes hierarchies Universities (1981) National Science Foundation Commercial (1992) Backbone UUNET, Level 3, Verizon, AT&T, Qwest, Sprint, IBM Protocols and Administration Internet Society, Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), Internet Architecture Board (IAB), Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Section 1: Internet Basics

5. Break the file into pieces called “packets.” Each packet has:  Header: Where it is going and which sequentially numbered part of how many parts.  Payload: The data, like a piece of your email message.  Trailer: validation; a way to check that the packet was fully received. Separate routes to destination. Some packets arrive sooner than others. “Routers” do the complex work of determining the fastest route and confirming receipt at each step across the Internet. Reassemble the packets into the complete file. How it Works: Packets Section 1: Internet Basics

6. The Client/Server Model The client/server model describes the relationship of cooperating programs (software) in an application. The server component provides a function or service to many clients. Peer-to-peer (P2P) Client/Server contrasts with Peer-to-peer architecture which involve two or more computers pooling resources as equals. Each P2P computer acts as both a client and a server. The Server Has the content or functions you need. Examples: Web Server, Email Server, FTP Server, Database Server, Chat Server The Client Requests the content or functions you need. Examples: Web Browser, Email Client, FTP Client, Chat Client How it Works: Client/Server Section 1: Internet Basics

7. Regulated by ICANN Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers Internet Protocol Address (IP Address) Example: 64.68.190.220 Domain Names We rent ‘em! Example: ResourceForge.com Domain Name System (DNS) ResourceForge.com = 64.68.190.220 Internet Address Section 1: Internet Basics

8. Uniform Resource Locator (URL) URL: The full address to a file on the Web Format: protocol://subdomain.domain:port/path/file?variables Example 1: http://ResourceForge.com Example 2: https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contacthttp://ResourceForge.comhttps://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact  Protocol: https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact The protocol is not case sensitive.https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact  Domain: https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact The domain is not case sensitive.https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact  Subdomain: https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact The subdomain is not case sensitive.https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact  Port: https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact The port can only be a number.https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact  Path: https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact The path may be case sensitive.https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact  File: https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact The file may be case sensitive.https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact  Variables: https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact Variables are usually case sensitive.https://www.resourceforge.com:3455/admins/index.php?action=contact The protocol, port, and file can be implied “ResourceForge.com” = “http://ResourceForge.com:80/index.php” Section 1: Internet Basics

9. Address Field vs. Search Field The Browser’s Address Field vs. Search Fields Not the same thing! Sometimes!  Section 1: Internet Basics

10. Common Protocols Hypertext Transfer Protocol Web pages use this protocol. Includes normal HTTP and secure HTTPS. Example 1: http://www.ASLpewter.com Example 2: https://www.ASLpewter.com/storehttp://www.ASLpewter.comhttps://www.ASLpewter.com/store Mail Protocol Email uses this protocol. Traditionally, SMTP for sending and POP for receiving. More advanced methods use IMAP. For example, Microsoft Outlook uses mail protocols. File Transfer Protocol File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is how we copy and maintain files across the Internet. It is like Windows Explorer for the Internet. Particularly useful for large or numerous file transfers. Example: ftp://files.ResourceForge.comftp://files.ResourceForge.com Other Protocols… There are many proprietary and specialized protocols for things like online games and advanced telecommunications. Section 1: Internet Basics

11. Secure Browsing Encryption Imagine having a lockbox for which only you have a key. You send the unlocked box, not the key, across town where your friend puts something inside and locks it before sending it back. When you get it, you can open it with the key. But if it is intercepted, nobody else has a key. HTTPS Protocol HTTPS is the protocol that defines how the client and server are going to negotiate a secure connection. Using the HTTPS protocol allows for encryption. SSL Certificate An SSL Certificate allows a visitor to verify (via SSL protocol) that the connection is to the organization they believe it to be (for example, to assure someone isn’t pretending to be your bank). Where HTTPS is like driving, an SSL Certificate is analogous to having a driver’s license. Section 1: Internet Basics

12. Verify an SSL Certificate Looking at an SSL Certificate A website with an SSL Certificate will show a ‘lock’ in most browsers. Clicking on the lock shows the certificate. Some certificates cost more and verify more information than others. Section 1: Internet Basics

13. Malware: The Bad Guys SPAM Advice: use filters or route through Gmail. Use Snopes. Stay updated. Spam is the use of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages, especially advertising, indiscriminately. Spamming remains economically viable because advertisers have no operating costs beyond the management of their mailing lists, and it is difficult to hold senders accountable for their mass mailings. Viruses Advice: use Norton/Symantec, McAfee, or Avast. Stay updated. A virus is a program hiding on your computer which replicates itself when you start up your computer or access an infected file or disk. Viruses can copy, damage or even transmit data on your computer. They might even send out spam without your knowledge. Trojan Horse Advice: use Norton/Symantec, McAfee, or Avast. Stay updated. Often lumped in with viruses, a Trojan Horse actually announces a presence, pretending to be something it is not, like a video viewer or a helpful tool. Often the ruse it uses is truly helpful; it just comes with an undisclosed malicious payload similar to that of a virus. Spyware Advice: use Norton/Symantec, McAfee, or Avast. Stay updated. Spyware advertises, collects personal data, or changes the configuration of your computer without your consent. Spyware is often extremely difficult to remove. Common symptoms of spyware include pop-up windows when you are not on the web; resetting your homepage; new browser toolbars that are hard to remove; significant slow-down of your computer; or a sudden rise in computer crashes. Section 1: Internet Basics

14. How did we do? How does the Internet work? What is the relationship between an IP and a Domain Name? What are the parts of an internet address/URL? What are some common Internet Protocols? What is “Secure Browsing?” What are some forms of Malware? Section 1: Internet Basics End of Section 1: Internet Basics

15. Section 2: Website Basics What is a website? What do you need to launch a website? What do you know about domain names? What is hosting? When might you need a dedicated IP? What is a website’s framework? What are some examples? What is the client/server relationship? How do server side processing and client side processing compare? Why might you use each? What does “Web 2.0” mean? What is SEO? What are “organics?” What are some key considerations when using images on a website? What are FLASH and HTML5? What are Web Analytics? What kinds of Web Authoring Tools are available? How do they compare?

16. What is a Website? A collection of files unified around a common message. Examples: business, organization, person, idea, movement, topic, activity, etc. Hosted Online A Web server keeps the files available 24/7. Usually a hierarchy of data under a domain name. Examples: Whitehouse.gov, WalMart.com, ChristChurch.org, Missouri.edu. (NB: To keep our costs down we will be using sub-domains rather than domains.) Most commonly accessed through a Browser. Examples: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari Written in Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML). Might be dynamically converted to HTML. Frequently contains JavaScript. Section 2: Website Basics

17. What do I need to launch a site? Domain Name o A Domain Name is a human friendly address equated to your IP through DNS. o ICANN Licenses Domain Registrars to sell (rent) domain names ($13+). Examples of Registrars: GoDaddy, Tucows (OpenSRS, etc.), Network Solutions… o Your domain name is pointed at your hosting company through its DNS Record. Hosting o Your hosting company provides disk space and a 24/7 connection to the Internet. o Your hosting company usually provides your e-mail accounts. Content Your content is the collection of files and data that comprise your website. o Information: Your message (including images) o Framework: The technology your message is hung upon (navigation, behaviors, logic) Section 2: Website Basics

18. More About Domain Names… Extensions o There are over 280 top level domain extensions. o Most common ones are available to anyone. Examples:.com,.org,.net,.biz,.info o Some require verification. Examples:.edu,.gov,.mil,.int o Some indicate a country. Examples:.us,.uk,.de,.af,.eg,.ru o Some country codes are used commercially Examples:.me,.to,.cc,.co o The.xxx domain and pornography WhoIs Record The WhoIs System documents the ownership and status of a domain name. Ownership & Availability o Copyright & Corporate Identity o Squatters o Backordering Section 2: Website Basics

19. More About Hosting… Cost Costs are usually based on (1) storage space, (2) bandwidth, and (3) services. Professional hosting packages start at about $10/month. A dedicated server (or instance) starts around $450/month. “Up-Time” and Support Most professional hosting companies have up-times above 99.7%. “Who you gonna call?!” Shared IP vs. Dedicated IP Most websites are on a shared IP. Dedicated IPs are commonly used for an SSL Certificate (required). Commonly used for the website address only; not the email server. Additional Services Email, FTP, SSH, database, Server Side Processing, CMS Framework… Hosting in “The Cloud” Alternate to a server on a rack in a server room. Hosting in “the cloud” allows the resources required to be spread across more than one web server and rendered as per need basis. Better reliability and load balancing. Section 2: Website Basics

20. More About Content… Information This is the knowledge-base presented by the website. Might come from a Subject Matter Expert (SME) or users of the site. This includes text, images, database content, and work-flow. Framework The framework is the delivery vehicle for presenting the site’s information. This includes the programming language, user interface (UI), and associated design components to make it work for the end user. o Static Pages A brochure style site. The same each visit. One-way communication. o Server Side Processing Adds database information or performs secure logic based on the client’s request. Content Management System (CMS): Allows for the web-based updating of Information without needing to know code. Examples: X-standard, WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Dot Net Nuke Section 2: Website Basics

21. “Web 2.0” Cumulative change in expectations and use of the Web. First used in 1999 to mean a more interactive environment was coming. Focus on Information Sharing, User-Centered Design, and Collaboration. Database driven content and CMS, coupled with more sophisticated client side scripting. Social media, like Facebook, are good examples of Web 2.0. Greater emphasis on client side UI features. Manipulation of information already received from the server is done on the client computer, not on the server computer. This is usually done through JavaScript (not to be confused with “Java”). Section 2: Website Basics

22. Search Engine Optimization Search Engine Optimization (SEO) The process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine's results. Organics The things you can do to your own site to improve your search ranking. These are intrinsic strategies which include: meta tags, careful phrasing, clean code, and promoting backlinks. o White Hat vs. Black Hat strategies o Relevant and current content Paid Listings The most common non-organic SEO strategy is Pay Per Click. Advertisers typically bid on key words or phrases in a dynamic market and pay when someone clicks on an ad targeted by that search term. Google AdWords, Yahoo! Search Marketing, and Microsoft adCenter are the three largest paid ad deployment systems. Section 2: Website Basics

23. Web Statistics (July 2012) World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) A great resource: Web standards, tutorials and statistics. www.w3.org and www.w3schools.com www.w3.orgwww.w3schools.com Browser’s have Quirks Chrome: 42.9% Firefox: 33.7% Internet Explorer (IE): 16.3% Safari: 3.9% Browser Display Resolution 800 x 600 (3:4): 1% 1024 x 768 (3:4): 13% 1366 x 768 (3:4): 19% 1280 x 1024 (3:4): 12% 1280 x 800 (3:4): 11% 1920 x 1080 (3:4): 8 % 1440 x 900 (3:4): 8% Other over 1024 x 768: 28% Section 2: Website Basics 1024 x 768 1280 x 1024

24. Images for the Web Load Time Images are much slower than text to load. They should be used carefully and only as necessary. Resolution Except for some print applications, the image resolution for a website does not care about dots per inch (DPI); only about the pixel dimensions given in width x height. Web Image Formats o JPG: Excellent color depth, excellent compression, lossy, no transparency o GIF: Poor color depth, small file size, lossless, transparency o PNG: Excellent color depth, moderate file size, lossless, translucency Search Issues Search engines don’t “read” text as an image. Use the “alt” attribute of the image tag. Screen readers use the alt attribute. Section 2: Website Basics

25. FLASH and HTML5 Adobe FLASH o Proprietary (Formerly Macromedia FLASH). Free to view. o Very rich web environment. Can do much more than HTML4 and JavaScript. o Often used for its animation features. Often for advertisements. o Required a “plugin” for your browser (95% have it) to view SWF format. (Traditionally called "ShockWave Flash" movies, "Flash movies," or "Flash applications.”) o Challenges with exclusion from Apple devices and poor SEO characteristics. In substantial overall decline since late 2011. o Flash video format (FLV) remains very popular due to its streaming and relatively small file size. HTML5 o HTML4 standard since 1997. Unless you are IE. o The HTML5 standard is still officially under development, but it is already actively being used. o HTML5 allows for multimedia and animation without a plugin (such as FLASH). o The biggest hurdle will be legacy browsers. Section 2: Website Basics

26. Web Analytics Metrics Web analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of internet data for purposes of understanding and optimizing web usage. Web analytics is not just a tool for measuring web traffic but can be used as a tool for business and market research, and to assess and improve the effectiveness of a web site. Used for analysis of a particular part of a website all the way to up to analyzing the Internet as a whole (i.e. common browser resolution). Common metrics collected: o Unique Visitors o Total Traffic o Duration of Stay o Entry and Exit Pages o Browser and version o Browser Resolution A Note on Cookies o Frequently used to collect Web analytics. o Cookies are bits of text stored on a website visitors computer to track them. Usually benign and useful (i.e. “remember I am logged in and prefer larger text”). o Cookies are frequently created without the permission or knowledge of the user, in which case it can be a breach of privacy. Section 2: Website Basics

27. Web Authoring Tools Text Editor HTML and javascript are just plain text. Most editors have syntax highlighting. Examples: Notepad, UltraEdit, Bluefish, Eclipse, Dreamweaver (code view)… Online CMS A web-based, word-processor-like interface where you can modify, add, or delete content including text, images, pages, and navigation elements. Examples: WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Dot Net Nuke, X-Standard… Desktop WYSIWYG Usually more sophisticated and easier to use than an online CMS. A word-processor-like program where you can build whole websites and control all of the files in the framework. Some programs not dedicated to the Web, can save HTML files. (MS Word) Examples: Web Expressions (previously FrontPage), Dreamweaver Section 2: Website Basics

28. How did we do? What is a website? What do you need to launch a website? What do you know about domain names? What is hosting? When might you need a dedicated IP? What is a website’s framework? What are some examples? What is the client/server relationship? How do server side processing and client side processing compare? Why might you use each? What does “Web 2.0” mean? What is SEO? What are “organics?” What are some key considerations when using images on a website? What are FLASH and HTML5? What are Web Analytics? What kinds of Web Authoring Tools are available? How do they compare? Section 2: Website Basics End of Section 2: Website Basics

29. Internet & Website Basics A Louisiana Economic Development Initiative Provided by Resource Forge, LLC Hosted by the RII School District An Introduction to your presence on the World Wide Web THANK YOU