Using the Web: A Short Introduction

1
Using the WebA Short Introduction

• This brief overview, with resources for further
  learning at the end,
• was produced by the ITSS Instructional Program,
  Stanford University,
• October 2000. An online version can be found at
• http//computertraining.stanford.edu/web-intro/

2
Accessing the Web

• Youll need a computer, a modem, and an ISP -- an
  Internet Service Provider. AOL and Earthlink are
  two examples of ISPs. They provide the connection
  between your computers modem and the Internet.
• The World Wide Web (WWW) is part of the Internet
  and is accessed via a browser. Netscape and
  Internet Explorer are examples of browsers.
• The software that makes up a browser is installed
  on your computer.

3
Launching a Browser

• There are several ways to open, or launch, a
  browser
• Open the software itself (in Windows at the
  Start/Programs, on the Mac by clicking on the
  program icon).
• Open a file created by the browser software.
• Click on a link (often blue underlined text) in a
  document such as an email message or an MS Word
  document.

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Netscapes Home Page
5
Netscapes home pageis a portal.

• A portal is a useful site containing links to
  other Web sites arranged by topic. Portals are
  like shopping malls - places to go to browse, or
  to look for specific Web sites.
• Other examples of portals include
• the Stanford University home page
• Yahoo.com

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There are three waysto find a site

• Click on topics of interest you see at a portal.
• Use the search tool to locate the site.
• Type in the address (URL) of a known site in the
  Location line.

7
Moving Around the Web

• You can go from one place to another on the Web
  by clicking on a link. A link is a piece of text
  or a graphic that responds to your cursors
  click. As your cursor moves over it, its shape
  changes to a hand.
• You can also use the browsers menu bar and tool
  bar to move from one page to another.

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The Tool Bar

• Back -- To return to the previous location. There
  is also a Forward button.
• NOTE If a new page opens but the Back button is
  not responsive, the browser may have opened a new
  window. If you close the window, youll be back
  at the page you came from.
• Use Stop to halt the page loading process if its
  not working or taking too long.
• Use Reload (or Refresh) to get a fresh copy of
  the page you are viewing. (This is especially
  important for pages that contain information that
  is updated frequently, like stock market prices.)
• The Go (History) menu lists the sites youve
  already visited. Click there to locate a site to
  go back to.
• Use Edit/Find in Page to find specific text on a
  page.

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BookmarkingImportant Sites

• When you come upon a site that youd like to
  revisit in the future, you can save that sites
  location.
• In Netscape, you click on Bookmark/Add Bookmark.
• In Internet Explorer, select Favorites/Add to
  Favorites.
• Bookmarks can be sorted by topic to make them
  easier to find in the future, and deleted. This
  housekeeping is done at Bookmarks/Edit Bookmarks
  in Netscape and Favorites/Organize Favorites. You
  can also delete bookmarks.

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Collecting Information

• Besides bookmarking a site so you can return to
  it later, you can also print out material from
  the site.
• To print an entire page, use the Print menu or
  click on the printer icon on the tool bar.

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URLs

• The URL, Uniform Resource Locator, of a Web site
  is its address.
• Type it in your browsers URL locator field,
  press enter/return, and you will connect to that
  Web site. (Be sure to TYPE ACCURATELY, using the
  correct capitalization and punctuation.) Whenever
  possible, copy and paste the URL rather than type
  it, to avoid typos.
• The last three letters of the URL tell you
  something about who set up and maintains the
  site, for example
• .edu for an educational institution
• .org for a non-profit group/agency
• .gov for a governmental agency
• .com for a commercial/business concern

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Using a Search Tool

• To locate a Web site by subject or specific
  words, use a search tool.
• Examples of search tools www.yahoo.com,
  www.google.com, www.altavista.com
• To learn more about how a particular tool works
  and how to set up a search, look for Search Help
  at the search tool Web site.
• Be sure to bookmark the search-tool sites youve
  found useful.

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Stanford University Web Sites Home
Page http//www.stanford.edu/
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Resources for Learning To Use the Web

• Yahoos Tutorial for Web Surfershttp//howto.yaho
  o.com/resources/webguides/
• Internet 101http//www2.famvid.com/i101
• Netscape tutorialGo to Help/Help Contents on the
  menu bar
• Internet Explorer tutorialGo to Help/Tour on the
  menu bar
• A Stanford document on searching the
  webhttp//www.stanford.edu/group/itss-crc/pubs/s
  earching.html

• University of South Carolina's tutorial on
  searching http//www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/bones
  .html
• University of South Carolina's Back to School (an
  introduction to the Internet)http//www.sc.edu/bc
  k2skol/fall/fall.html
• For links to lots of learning siteshttp//www.lea
  rnthenet.com/
• A web site for looking up IT related words and
  terms and for signing up for email
  newslettershttp//www.whatis.com/

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More Online Resources for Seniors from Stanford
Human Resources

• MEDICAL PLAN INFORMATION
• Blue Cross, Senior Secure and CaliforniaCare
  HMOhttp//www.bluecrossca.com/
• Blue Shield, Retiree Plan, Triple Option and
  Out-of-Areahttp//www.blueshieldca.com/http//ww
  w.mylifepath.com/
• Health Net, Seniority Plus and Supplement
  Planhttp//www.healthnet.com/
• Kaiser Permantente, Senior Advantage and
  Supplement Plan (Cost Plan)http//www.ca.kaiserpe
  rmanente.org/

• PacifiCare, Secure Horizons and Supplement
  Planhttp//www.securehorizons.com/
• United Behavioral Health http//www.ubhnet.com/
• DENTAL PLAN INFORMATION
• Delta Dental, Preventive and Diagnostic, Delta
  Preferred Provider Option (DPO)http//www.deltade
  ntalca.org/
• Prudential Dental Maintenance Organizationhttp//
  www.aetnaushc.com/pruhealthcare/

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More Online Resources for Seniors from Stanford
Human Resources

• Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program
  (HICAP) counseling on Medicare-related
  issueshttp//www.aging.state.ca.us/internet/prog
  rames/hicap.htm
• Department of Managed Health Care information on
  managed care health plans and health care-related
  mattershttp//www.dmhc.ca.gov/
• HealthScope care data on HMOs, doctors/medical
  groups, and hospitals in California offers
  plan-specific information for Stanford
  retireeshttp//www.stanford.healthscope.org/
• A portal for seniors sponsored by
  PacifiCarehttp//www.senior.com/

• Government agency, health portal
  http//www.healthfinder.gov/
• Medicarehttp//www.medicare.gov/
• Social Security Onlinehttp//www.ssa.gov/
• Avenidas senior resources Palo Alto-based but
  open to larger communityhttp//www.avenidas.org/
• AARPhttp//www.aarp.org/
• Independent lab testing agency that evaluates
  potency of supplements such as vitamin E and
  calciumhttp//www.consumerlab.com/
• American Dietetic Associationhttp//www.eatright
  .org/olderamericans/

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More Online Resources for Seniors from Stanford
Human Resources

• Ergonomic devices for kitchen and home and daily
  livinghttp//www.maturesmart.com/
• Genealogy research, Church of Latter Day Saints
  http//www.familysearch.org/
• Genealogy, a commercial Web sitehttp//www.myhist
  ory.org/
• Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco De Young,
  Palace of Fine Artshttp//www.thinker.org/
• League of Women Voters 2000 Election Non-Partisan
  Web Sitehttp//www.smartvoter.org/

• Britannica online (a portal) http//britannica.co
  m/
• Martha Stewart Livinghttp//www.marthastewart.com
  /
• Catalog for readers and editors ergonomic items
  such as slanted props for books,
  etc.http//www.levenger.com/

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Popular Sites

• Portals
• http//www.netscape.com/
• http//www.yahoo.com/
• http//www.stanford.edu/
• Search Tools
• http//www.google.com/
• http//www.altavista.com/
• http//www.askjeeves.com/
• Sports
• http//www.espn.com/
• http//www.quokka.com/
• Travel
• http//www.travelocity.com/
• http//www.expedia.com/

• Financial
• http//www.fool.com/ (Motley Fool)
• http//www.cbsmarketwatch.com/
• Miscellaneous
• The New York Times onlinehttp//www.nytimes.com/
• Maps and driving directionshttp//www.mapquest.co
  m/
• Weather data and forecastshttp//www.weather.com/
  
• Send online greeting cardshttp//www.bluemountain
  .com/
• Check time anywhere in the worldhttp//www.time.g
  ov/
• National Library of Medicine, with link to
  Medlinehttp//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/
• American Journalism Reviewhttp//ajr.newslink.org
  /