The Internet

The Internet is a global network of inter-linking computers. Each running software to provide access or view information. The Internet is a transport mechanism whereby information stored in files or documents are moved between computers.

The Internet itself does not contain information. It is simply the means to move information from one computer to the next.

Computers on the Internet may use one or all of the following Internet services:

• Electronic mail (e-mail). Allows you to send and receive mail.
• Telnet or remote login. Permits your computer to log onto another computer and work as if you were sitting in front of it.
• FTP or File Transfer Protocol. Allows your computer to quickly retrieve files from a remote computer. You can then look at the files and save them if required.
• The World Wide Web (WWW). The largest and fastest growing activity on the Internet incorporating all the above services and many more exciting opportunities for communicating with people.

Browser software, such as Netscape or Explorer, is used to log-on to the Internet allowing users can search for the documents that they require.

Each document on the web is given its own URL (Uniform Resource Locator) address which describes exactly where it can be found.

A Search Engine such as Alta Vista or Yahoo provides a simple means by which users can search for the information they require. A list of possible locations for such information is provided and users can choose which they require.

The world wide web uses a language that discribes exactly how web pages should look. This is called hypertext markup language (HTML ), it also allows for highlighted links to be generated on pages to other documents on the Web.