1. The Internet, the Web, and Electronic Commerce
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The Internet, the Web, and Electronic Commerce
Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

2. Competencies computing ESSENTIALS     Internet and Web resources
Internet communication
Search tools
Electronic commerce
Web utilities
Intra- and extranets
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3. Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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Internet Beginnings
Advanced Research Project Agency Network (ARPANET) (1969)
National computer network
All text
World Wide Web
Center for European Nuclear Research (CERN) (1992)
Multimedia interface
Most developed network system currently in use; connects people all over the world
Originally started in 1969 when US funded a research project: Advanced Research Project Agency Network (ARPANET).
Originally started as research and text-based network to exchange research ideas from university to university.
World Wide Web (Web) introduced in 1992 by consortium in Switzerland
The Web is a part of the Internet – not the Internet
Developed into what it is today – especially after the introduction of the Web.
The Internet connects over 65 million computers and resources worldwide.
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4. Internet Applications
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Internet Applications
Communication
Searching
Shopping
Entertainment
Education
Communication
Most popular activity on the Internet
Discussion groups and live chatting also take place
Searching
Information is very convenient
Virtual libraries, check out books, find latest local, national, international news
Shopping
Fastest growing Internet application
Cybermalls, online auctions
Purchase using checks, credit card electronic cash
Entertainment
Music, movies, magazines, computer games
Education
E-learning
Take classes online
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Access Providers
Common way to attach to the Internet
Internet service providers (ISP)
National
Regional
Wireless
Providers - already connected to the Internet -- furnish a pathway for other users
Typical providers include
Colleges and universities – usually “free”
Internet service providers (ISP)
national : can be accessed from almost anywhere in the country
local (regional) : Smaller service area, if accessed outside the region, the user can incur long-distance charges
Wireless services provider discussed in earlier chapters (dsl, cable, wireless modems)
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Browsers
Software that connects to Internet
Allow navigation of the Web
Uniform Resource Locator (URLs)
Display Web pages
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
Text
Graphics
Hyperlinks
Navigate search for information and communicate using the Web
Use URL (uniform resource locator) to connect to other resources
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7. Uniform Resource Locator
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Uniform Resource Locator
Address of Web resources
Consists of
Protocol
Domain name
Domain code
Browser is software package that allows users to navigate the Web and read the multimedia formatted pages
Connect to Web sites using URL addresses (uniform resource locator)
Two parts to URL:
protocol (usually
second is domain name or server where resource located (
Document is sent to computer usually coded in HTML (hypertext markup language) or some variation
Interprets the HTML codes displaying page
May contain
Hyperlinks -- allow users to quickly connect to other pages or Web sites
Graphics
Text
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Navigation
Web sites
Informational locations
Home page
Surfing
Moving from Web site to Web site
Following hyperlinks
Web sites are informational locations on the Web that contain Web pages, documents that contain HTML code to format how the Web page is displayed in the browser.
The first page of a Web site is called the home page
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Web Portals
Variety of services
Searching, , news, sports updates
Horizontal portals
Appeal to mass audiences
Vertical portals
Focused content
Appeal to special-interest groups
Most search engines offer variety of services and links so user can set up own portal (access to often-needed information)
Two types of portals – “home base” on site – can customize to fit your needs:
horizontal -- mass audience appeal
Yahoo!, MSN, AOL
vertical – focused content
Sports :
News :
Your “gateway” to what interests you most
Creates links to
News
Weather
Sports
Financial – can even have ticker tape scroll on screen always
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Global connection
Family, friends, business
Basic elements
Header
Address, Subject, Attachments
Message
Body of letter
Signature
Additional information about sender
By far the most common Internet activity
With Internet access and an program, one can reach anybody in the world similarly equipped
An message has three basic elements
Header
Address - address of sender, recipient, and whomever is copied
Subject – One-line description about the topic of the message
Attachments – Attached files, such as photos, programs, etc.
Message
Body of the letter
Signature
Additional information about the sender
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Addresses
Domain name system (DNS)
Consists of
User name
Domain name
Domain code
Internet uses the domain name system (DNS), which gives names and numbers to people and computers
Address has three parts
User name - identifies unique user or computer in the domain
Domain name - references a specific organization
Domain code - geographical location or organizational identification
Domain identification = .com = commercial
= .edu = education and research
= .org = organizations (usually non-profit)
= .net = major network centers (usually easier to access than commercial)
= .gov = government
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Discussion Groups
Online groups that discuss various topics
Different forms
Mailing lists
Newsgroups
Chat groups
Instant Messaging
Discussions online on subjects from US foreign policy to Star Trek.
Different forms of communicating online with people you have never met in person.
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13. Mailing Lists and Newsgroups
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Mailing Lists and Newsgroups
Mailing lists
Communicate via a list address
is sent to each subscriber
Must first subscribe to participate
Newsgroup
UseNet
Messages routed across UseNet
Message is not sent to each subscriber
Mailing lists
Members communicate by sending to the list address.
The message is then forwarded to directly to all subscribers.
Members must first subscribe to be on the list.
To stop delivery, members must unsubscribe.
Newsgroups
Over 10,000 different newsgroups.
Uses a special network of computers called UseNet.
Each message is sent to one of the computers on the UseNet, which then propagates the message to all other machines.
Members then check for messages in that newsgroup.
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14. Chat Groups and Instant Messaging
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Chat Groups and Instant Messaging
Chat groups
Allow direct live communication
Select a channel
Others see message as typed
Instant Messaging
Similar to chat groups
Greater control and flexibility
Specify list of friends
Chat Groups
Popular chat service - Internet Relay Chat (IRC) favorite of many users
Allow “live” communication in real time among many users simultaneously
Communication by typed messages
Uses special chat-client software to access the server.
Instant Messaging
Similar to chat groups
Greater control because you specify your list of friends, and the software notifies them when you are online, and lets you know when they are online.
Must register with an instant messaging server.
Usually more private then chat groups
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15. Common Discussion Group Terms
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Common Discussion Group Terms
FAQ
Flaming
RFD
Lurking
Saint
Thread
Wizard
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions – usually a list of common questions that come up frequently on the list. New users with a question should look here first
Flaming – Insulting, putting down, or attacking – typically, heard in conjunction with flame wars. Basically, an argument online.
RFD – Request for Discussion
Lurking –
Lurking is good for a new member.
Reading communications before contributing.
Helps potential participants understand the culture of the group.
Saint – Someone who helps new members by answering questions.
Thread – Sequence of ongoing messages related to the same subject.
Wizard – someone who has comprehensive knowledge about a subject
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Search Tools
Search services
Huge database of information
Web site addresses
Content descriptions
Keywords
Databases updated continuously
Agents, spiders, bots
Search services ( providers) help you locate information; they maintain the database that helps you get where you want
Special programs called agents, spiders, or bots, continually look for info and updated services
Search engines – assist you to locate information; Yahoo; Google; HotBot
use keyword search; know “rules” i.e. use + or quotes to look for phrases rather than individual words
use directory search – list of categories or topics; also known as index search
Metasearch engines – programs that automatically submit your search request to several search engines simultaneously.
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Search Engines
Information lookup assistance
Search approaches
Keyword search
Looks through database for keywords
Returns hits
Specific information
Directory search
List of categories & topics
Successively select subtopics
General information
Search engines are specialized programs that maintain huge databases of information from websites on the Web.
They contain links, content information, and keywords
Google is an example of a search engine.
Keyword searches
Used for finding specific information
The users enters a keyword or phrase, and the engine returns a list of potential Hits, or websites that contain the keywords or phrase.
Directory search
Also called an index search
Websites are grouped into lists of categories.
The user successively selects categories and subcategories until the webpage he is interested in appears
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18. Special Search Engines
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Special Search Engines
Metasearch engine
Automatically submits search to several search engines simultaneously
Organizes and eliminates duplicate hits
Specialized search engine
Focuses on subject specific Web sites
Saves time
Metasearch engines automatically submits a user’s search request to different search engines simultaneously.
The results are organized, duplicate Web sites are removed, and then displays the edited list to the user.
Specialized search engines focus searches to specific Web sites. This saves time by narrowing the search.
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Electronic Commerce
Buying and selling goods over the Internet
Rapidly growing
Types
Business-to-consumer (B2C)
Consumer-to-consumer (C2C)
Business-to-business (B2B)
Electronic commerce, known commonly as e-commerce, is buying and selling over the Internet.
Three basic types of electronic commerce:
business to consumer – A business sells product or service directly to customer. Includes manufacture direct sales, or retailers who create a presence on the web such as Wal-Mart
consumer to consumer – Individuals sell to individuals. Includes classified ads and online auctions like Ebay. The buyers and sellers typically never meet face to face.
business to business – Sale of product or service from one business to another. Typically a manufacturer-supplier arrangement.
Web storefronts are virtual stores for B2C commerce; just like being in the store except you do it from home
Web auctions growing in popularity; similar to traditional auctions – no one sees each other
Auction house sites – merchandise presented for auction
Person-person auction sites – more like flea markets; forum for buyers and sellers to gather
Electronic payment -- easy, secure payment method
Checks -- slowest and least convenient
Credit cards -- Easier to work with, Somewhat vulnerable to theft
Electronic cash or e-cash -- also known as cybercash and digital cash
Purchased from third party (usually a special bank); More secure than credit cards
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Web Storefronts
Virtual stores
B2C e-commerce
Commerce servers
Help businesses create virtual store Web sites
Handle payment options, taxes, shipping costs
Ensure reliable and secure communication
Consumers can visit Web sites which act as virtual stores. They can view merchandise and make purchases right there.
Web storefront creation packages, or commerce servers have evolved to help businesses set up shop on the Web.
The programs allow visitors to register, place products into shopping carts, total prices adding tax and shipping automatically.
They also track inventory and ensure a secure communication to transfer payment.
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Web Auctions
Growing popularity
C2C E-commerce
Buyers submit bids electronically
Auction house sites
Run like traditional auction houses
Generally safe
Person-to-person
Like flea markets
Sellers and buyers should be cautious
Web auctions have been growing in popularity for several years.
There are 2 types of Web auctions
Auction house sites
Auction house owners typically sell surplus merchandise
Operate like a traditional auction.
Generally safe place to shop
Sotheby’s Web site is an example.
Person-to-person
Similar concept to a flea market.
The site is a forum for sellers and buyers to gather.
These Web site only facilitate the sales, they do not participate in completing transactions or verifying authenticity of the goods or payments.
Ebay is an example.
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Electronic Payment
Desired characteristics are fast, secure and reliable payment
Payment options
Checks
Credit Card
Electronic cash
Great challenge for e-commerce is the development of fast, secure, and reliable payment for goods.
Three types used today
Checks
Most traditional and secure
Slowest form of payment since the check is sent through the mail and then verified that it is good before the seller can send the goods.
Credit Card
Faster and more convenient then checks.
Major concern is credit card fraud.
Electronic cash (e-cash, cybercash, digital cash)
Internet equivalent to cash.
Buyers purchase e-cash from a third party (specialized banks) by transferring funds from their banks.
Sellers convert the e-cash back to traditional currency also through the third party bank.
More secure, though less convenient then credit cards
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Web Utilities
Special programs to make the Web and Internet easier and safer
Telnet
FTP
Plug-Ins
Filters
Telnet runs programs on remote computers; connect to another computer and run programs on it
FTP transfers files; file transfer protocol; Internet service for file transfer
Downloading - transmitting files from the host to client
Uploading - transmitting files from the client to host
Plug-ins -- automatically loaded by and work with your browser; Acrobat Reader; Cosmos from Silicon Graphics (3-d displays); Media Player; Quicktime from Apple; RealPlayer; and Shockwave from Macromedia
Filters – block access to specified sites. Used by parents to protect children from the seamier side of the Internet. Also used by schools, businesses, and libraries to make sure their Internet resources are not abused.
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24. Organization Internets
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Organization Internets
Intranets
Private within organization
Extranets
Private that connect more than one org
Firewalls
Security system for organization networks
Intranets are private networks within an organization.
Like the Web outside, browsers, web pages and web sites are employed
Prime objective is information availability and flow for company employees
Extranets are private networks connecting organizations.
Private networks connecting two or more organizations
Increases efficiency and reduces costs by facilitating information flow between firms that do a lot of business with each other
Firewalls use proxy servers to provide security
Information security is very important to businesses
Firewalls are designed to control access to the company network from the outside
Key component is the proxy server, which acts as a gatekeeper
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A Look to the Future
Internet 2
Limited access
More costly
High speed
Primary beneficiaries
Federal Government
Major corporations
Universities
Internet service expected to get busier
Separate, private Internet called Internet 2
High-speed fiber optic system.
It will be very costly to get on, and have limited accessibility.
Will be used primarily by universities, research labs, and government entities.
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