A Quick Tour of Cyberspace

1
Chapter 3

• A Quick Tour of Cyberspace

2
Chapter Objectives

• After completing this chapter, you will be able
  to
• Understand the difference between the Internet
  and the World Wide Web.
• Explain how Internet addresses are used to
  identify computers, Web pages, and people on the
  Internet.
• List several activities that can be performed
  using the Internet.
• Describe possible options for accessing the
  Internet.
• Explain how a browser, URLs, and hyperlinks are
  used to display Web pages.
• Understand how to send and receive electronic
  mail.
• Discuss some societal implications of the
  Internet, such as security, privacy, and
  differences in the way we communicate online.

3
Overview

• This chapter begins with an overview of what the
  Internet and World Wide Web are, what they can be
  used for, and how they can be accessed. Youll
  learn about various options for connecting to the
  Internet, as well as the basic Web browsing and
  e-mail skills you will need to do research for
  class projects and to access the Web-based
  resources that accompany this book. The chapter
  closes with a look at some important societal
  issues regarding cyberspace.

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The Internet

• Evolved from an experimental network called
  ARPANET
• Protocols (standards) developed over the years
• Not owned by any person or organization
• Internet Society and World Wide Web Consortium
  help to set standards
• Used for a variety of purposes such as exchanging
  E-mail and instant messages and transferring
  files
• One of the most widely used Internet resources is
  the World Wide Web

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The World Wide Web

• Internet refers to the physical structure of the
  network the World Wide Web is one resource
  available to users.
• The Web is a collection of documents called Web
  pages.
• Web pages are displayed with a software program
  called a Web browser.
• Web pages can contain text, animation, graphics,
  sound, video, and 3-D virtual reality objects and
  are connected by hyperlinks.
• When a hyperlink is clicked, the appropriate Web
  page is displayed regardless of where it is
  located on the Web.

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Internet Address

• Internet addresses are used to identify resources
  accessible through the Internet, such as
  computers, Web pages, and people. Each Internet
  address is unique and is assigned to one, and
  only one, person or thing. The most common types
  of Internet addresses are IP addresses and domain
  names (to identify computers) URLs (to identify
  Web pages) and E-mail addresses (to identify
  people).

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What Can The Internet Be Used For

• Information Publishing/Information Retrieval
• E-mail and Other Types of Online Communications
• Online Shopping and E-Commerce
• Entertainment
• Web-Based Training and Distance Learning
• Telecommuting

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Information Publishing and Retrieval

• To publish information, a person or an
  organization with access to a Web server can
  publish web pages. Once a Web page is published
  to a Web server, it is available to anyone with
  access to the Web.

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Information Publishing and Retrieval

• To retrieve information on the Internet from a
  Web site, you can go directly to that site using
  its URL. If you know the type of information you
  want, but dont know the specific URL, a search
  site can be used.

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E-mail and Other Types of Online Communications

• Electronic mail (more commonly called E-mail) is
  the process of sending electronic messages to one
  computer to another over a networkusually the
  Internet. E-mail messages travel from the
  senders PC to her ISP, and then to the
  recipients ISP via the Internet. In addition to
  text, E-mail messages can include photos and
  other graphics, as well as attached files.
• Other types of communications include discussion
  groups, chat rooms, instant messaging,
  videoconferencing and Internet telephony.

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Typical E-mail Route
Senders PC
Recipients ISPs mail server
Senders ISPs mail server
Recipients PC
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Online Shopping and E-Commerce

• E-Commerce refers to performing any type of
  online financial transaction, such as paying a
  phone bill, ordering products or services, or
  trading stocks. The following common E-Commerce
  activities are illustrated in Figure 3-7.
• Online shopping
• Online auctions
• Online banking
• Online investing

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E-Commerce Activities
Online shopping
Online auctions
Online banking
Online investing
14
Entertainment

• There are many ways to use the Web for
  entertainment, including music, videos, and games.

Click to play the video clip in theappropriate
player program
Click to download the file or to justlisten to
the song.
Once the file is downloaded,double-click on it
to play
Click to select a room and opponent, and the
game begins.
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Web-Based Training and Distance Learning

• Computer-based training (CBT) refers to
  instruction delivered using a computer. When CBT
  takes place over the Internet, it is referred to
  as Web-based training (WBT). It is typically
  experienced individually and at the users own
  pace. Some advantages of WBT include
• Self-paced instruction.
• Flexible location.
• Up-to-date material.
• Immediate feedback and customized content.
• WBT is often a component of distance learning,
  where students take classes from a location
  different from where the instruction originates.

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An E-Learning Environment
WebCT provides easy access(through a single web
site) to allthe tools and information
studentsneed to participate in an online course.
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Telecommuting

• Telecommuting refers to people working at home,
  connected to their place of business using such
  means as the Internet, fax machines, PCs,
  telephones and pagers. This arrangement allows a
  company to save on office and parking space and
  offers employees considerable freedom in choosing
  when and where they wish to work.

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Disadvantages of Telecommuting

• Disadvantages of telecommuting from an employers
  standpoint include being less aware of what
  telecommuting employees do on a regular basis and
  how many hours per day they are working.
• Disadvantages of telecommuting from an employees
  standpoint include less face-to-face interaction
  with coworkers and people in general, the need to
  allocate a portion of the home for a home office,
  and the difficulty with getting away from work.
  Some telecommuters report feeling they have less
  opportunity for advancement since they are less
  visible to their employer.

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Accessing and Using the Internet

• Devices for accessing the Internet
• Types of Internet connections
• Selecting an ISP and setting up your PC
• Surfing the Web

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Devices for Accessing the Internet

• In order to use the Internet, your computer needs
  to be connected to it. The type of devices used
  to connect to the Internet can vary from a
  conventional PC to a smart phone. Some
  possibilities are shown here.

Desktop PC
Internet appliance
Smart phone
Handheld PC
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Types of Internet Connections

• To connect to the Internet, some type of
  connection hardware must be used. Some Internet
  connections are dial-up connections, which means
  that your PC dials up and connects to your ISP
  only when needed. Other Internet connections are
  direct or always on connections, which means that
  your computer is always connected to your ISP.

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Dial-up Internet Connections

• Dial-up connections usually work over regular
  telephone lines. To connect to the Internet, your
  computer dials its modem and connects to a modem
  attached to a computer belonging to your ISP. The
  two most common forms of dial-up Internet service
  are standard dial-up and ISDN.
• Standard dial-up Internet connections use a
  conventional dial-up modem rated at a maximum
  data transfer rate of 56 Kbps.
• ISDN (integrated services digital network) also
  transfers data over ordinary telephone lines, but
  it is faster than standard dial-up and can use
  two phone lines to transfer up to 128 Kbps.

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Direct Internet Connections

• Unlike dial-up connections that connect to your
  ISP only when you need to access the Internet,
  direct (always on) connections keep you
  continually connected to your provider and,
  therefore, continually connected to the Internet.
  Most office and school PCs are physically
  connected to a company or school LAN for both
  network and Internet access.
• Direct Internet connection types include DSL,
  cable Internet access, satellite Internet access,
  fixed wireless Internet access, and mobile
  wireless Internet access.

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Common Types of Modems
Internal modem
External modem
PC card modem
Wireless modem
25
Selecting an ISP and Setting Up Your PC

• The type of service used, the type of Internet
  connection desired, and your geographical
  location will likely limit your choices. Refer to
  the figure on the following slide for a list of
  factors to consider when choosing an ISP.

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Things to Consider when choosing an ISP
27
Surfing the Web

• Once you have finished configuring your PC to use
  your new ISP, you are ready to start using the
  Internet. For most individuals, this means
  surfing the Web that is, using your Web browser
  to visit Web sites and explore what is available
  to you on the World Wide Web. In addition to
  being able to display Web pages, most Web
  browsers can be used to perform other Internet
  tasks, such as downloading files, exchanging
  email, accessing discussion groups, and
  participating in chat sessions.

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Surfing the Web

• Using URLs and Hypertext links - To change from
  your browsers starting Web page to a new Web
  page for which you know the URL, type that URL in
  the browsers address bar or location bar and
  press Enter. If there is a hypertext link
  displayed for the page you want to go to, you can
  click the link to display the page associated
  with that link.

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Surfing the Web

• Using bookmarks and the history list - Virtually
  all browsers have a bookmark or favorites feature
  that will save the Web page addresses you specify
  so you can return to them easily. It is common to
  create bookmarks for any page that you visit on a
  regular basis. In addition, browsers usually
  maintain a history list, which is a record of all
  Web pages visited in the last week or two (how
  long a page stays in the history list depends on
  your browser settings).

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Sending and Receiving E-Mail

• E-mail messages are sent and read using an E-mail
  program, such as Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft
  Outlook Express, or Netscape Mail, among others.
  Common steps for sending and receiving email are
  shown on the next slide (Figure 3-21).

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Sending and Receiving E-Mail
2. Click to open the message composition window
3. Type the recipients email address here.
4. Type a subject line here.
5. Type the message here.
1. Click to open your email program.
6. Click to attach a file if needed.
7. Click to send the message.
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Societal Implications of Cyberspace

• Security
• Privacy
• Differences in online communications
• The Anonymity factor
• Information Integrity

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Security

• One of the most common online security risks
  today is your PC becoming infected with a
  computer virusa software program designed to
  change the way a computer operates without the
  permission or knowledge of the user. The
  following precautions can help.
• As a rule never open E-mail attachments from
  someone you dont know or that contain an
  executable file extension such as .exe, .com,
  .vbs, .shs, or .pif without first checking with
  the sender.
• Install an antivirus program on your PC and set
  it up to scan all E-mail messages, attachments,
  and files before they are downloaded.

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Privacy

• Some people view the potential risk to personal
  privacy as one of the most important issues
  regarding our networked society. At risk is not
  that data is collectedwith virtually all
  organizations using computers for record-keeping
  thats just going to happenbut how the data is
  used. Many Web sites post a privacy policy, which
  states what they intend to do with any personal
  information submitted to the site.

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Privacy Policy
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Differences in Online Communication

• In general, online communication tends to be less
  formal than traditional communication such as
  phone calls and written letters. E-mail has
  helped speed up both personal and professional
  communication. However, we all need to be careful
  not to get so casual in our communications that
  our message becomes too personal with people we
  dont know or appear unprofessional. To help in
  this regard, a special etiquettereferred to as
  netiquettehas evolved to guide online behavior.

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Netiquette Guidelines

• Use good subject lines - Use short, descriptive
  titles
• Dont shout - Use capital letters only for
  emphasizing a few words
• Watch what you say - Be careful and check
  spelling and grammar.
• Use emoticons and abbreviations - This saves time
  and shortens your message.
• Avoid email overload - Dont send spam mail or
  email chain letters.
• Read the FAQs -This will prevent wasting peoples
  time and help you avoid making common mistakes.
• Lurk, before you leap - Observe a newsgroups
  activities first before jumping in to
  participate.
• Avoid flame mail - Avoid caustic or inflammatory
  remarks directed toward specific individuals.

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The Anonymity Factor

• By its very nature, online communication lends
  itself to anonymity. Being anonymous gives many
  individuals a sense of freedom, which can make
  them feel free to say or do anything online. This
  sense of true freedom of speech can be
  beneficial. But, like all good things, online
  anonymity can be abused. Using the Internet as
  their shield, some people use rude comments,
  ridicule, profanity, and even slander to attack
  people, places, and things they dont like or
  agree with.

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Information Integrity

• As stated time and time again, the Web contains a
  huge amount of information on a wide variety of
  topics. While some of the information is factual,
  other information may be misleading, biased, or
  just plain wrong. As more and more people turn to
  the Web for information, it is crucial that they
  be able to determine if the information they are
  obtaining is accurate.

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How ToSearch the Web

• To search for Web pages about a particular topic,
  you need to perform an Internet search. Though
  some browsers have some built-in capabilities, it
  is more common to use a search site. At a search
  site, you may have one or both of the following
  search options
• Keyword search
• Category search
• Be sure to appropriately credit Web pagesas well
  as any other Internet resourcesas you use them.

41
Summary

• With the completion of this chapter, you are now
  able to
• Understand the difference between the Internet
  and the World Wide Web.
• Explain how Internet addresses are used to
  identify computers, Web pages, and people on the
  Internet.
• List several activities that can be performed
  using the Internet.
• Describe possible options for accessing the
  Internet.
• Explain how a browser, URLs, and hyperlinks are
  used to display Web pages.
• Understand how to send and receive electronic
  mail.
• Discuss some societal implications of the
  Internet, such as security, privacy, and
  differences in the way we communicate online.