Internet Basics

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Internet Basics

• Library! _at_ Collister
• Fall 2008

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What is the internet?

• A system of interconnected
• computers that share information.

• There are different ways to share information
  over the internet. The world wide web (www) is
  just one of them.

Things that are not the web -Local Area Network
LAN -Intranet
Also known as -WWW -Web -Net
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What can you do on the internet?

• Send and receive e-mail
• Search for information 
• Join discussion groups using chat or email
• Shop online
• Read newspapers, magazines, and books
• Watch TV shows and movies

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How the internet works

• Your computer uses some kind of data connection
  (phone, cable, or wireless) to connect to an
  internet service provider (ISP).

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Connecting to the internet

• Dial-up/modem - Uses a phone line and a modem.
  When youre on, your phone is busy.
• DSL runs through your phone line, but your
  phone line is available.
• Cable operated by the cable company. No need to
  subscribe to cable TV.
• Wireless/satellite operates over radio waves

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Browsers

• Different programs (software) that allow you to
  navigate the WWW and see and hear text, graphics,
  sound, and video.

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How browsers work

• You tell the browser which computer you want to
  connect to by typing in a website address (URL).

Your browser doesnt go anywhere. The page comes
to you! (Thats why they call them web servers.)
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Title Bar
Menu Bar
Tool Bar
Address Bar
Status Bar
Tips for web addresses (URLs) -No spaces -Can
usually omit http// -Press ENTER or click GO
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Navigating
Back Return to the previous page
Forward Return to page you backed up from
Refresh Reloads, or downloads the page again
Stop Stops the browser from loading the page
Home Takes you back to the home page
History See the sites youve visited in the
current or previous sessions
Print Make a hard copy of the website
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In newer versions of browsers, you can open more
than one page in the same window.
Close Tab
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Websites (AKA webpages)

• -Can be a single page or collection of pages
• -Have an address (URL)
• ex. http//www.boisepubliclibrary.org
• You need to type a URL exactly for your
  browser to locate the desired web page, otherwise
  you will access the wrong site or get an error
  message.

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Links -Usually underlined, different color
example - URL will appear in status bar -Arrow
will change to hand -Can also be images or
buttons
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Searching
Locate information, businesses, organizations, or
people on the WWW.

• Go to the search engine web site and enter your
  search word(s).
• Sites may not be about the topic you want your
  search word(s) may appear on the web page in a
  different context.
• Results are NOT everything on the web.  At best
  you will be searching 25 - 35 of the web.

• Popular Search Engines
• www.google.com www.yahoo.com
• www.ask.com www.live.com

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Most engines will surround results with
advertisements or sponsored links.
Advertisements
Search Results
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E-mail

• Electronic messages or letters, can include
  attachments such as pictures or sound files.
• Takes mere seconds to reach any destination.

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E-mail

• Electronic messages or letters, can include
  attachments such as pictures or sound files.
• Takes mere seconds to reach any destination.

Email Addresses -Like URLs, must be typed
exactly in order for the message to be
delivered. president_at_whitehouse.gov Recipients
ID at Domain or host
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Webmail vs. E-mail Client

• Web based email or E-mail software
  such as Outlook

• An e-mail client will download messages to your
  computer so you can read them and compose new
  mail offline.

• Webmail allows you to access email from any
  computer hooked up to the internet.

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Signing up for a free e-mail account
Pick a provider http//www.gmail.com
http//login.yahoo.com http//www.hotmail.com

Choose a username Usually a combination of
letters and numbers such as poodlelover452_at_hotma
il.com
Pick a password that you will remember The
most secure passwords are a combination of - 1.
word(s) not found in the dictionary 2.
numbers 3. symbols (!.)
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Cautions

• Dont give out personal information
• Internet is not regulated, be prepared to see
  ideas and images that may offend you.
• When shopping, deal only with known, reputable
  firms that provide secure connections for
  purchasing transactions.

CLAIM YOUR PRIZE!!
CONGRATULATIONS
FREE! IPOD!
YOUR ARE THE 1000000th VISITOR!!!!
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Whats Next?

• Please fill out a short survey about the class.
  Id appreciate your feedback in improving the
  class and selecting other topics for future
  classes.
• Class Reservations 562-4995
• Find more computer class info at
  www.boisepubliclibrary.org/About_BPL/Computers/Com
  puter_Classes/
• Questions or Comments?
• Jeremy Darrington
• 562-4922
• jdarrington_at_cityofboise.org