Study Unit

Internet Basics
By

Carol Y. Mull

About the Author Carol Y. Mull has more than 20 years of experience in training computer users. In addition to providing training in a college computer lab setting, she provides consulting services to industry professionals and is a writer and technical editor for major publishers of books focused on administrative and technology topics. Throughout her career, Ms. Mull has been committed to helping computer users develop skills needed for success in an ever-changing workplace.

A vast world of information exists on the Internet, and youre going to learn all about it. Youll search a variety of Web sites to gather information on topics ranging from where to purchase a book to joining newsgroups to the latest business news. Youll learn about Internet service providers and browsers as well as which browser would best serve your purpose. Well discuss Web addresses and how to use them. Youll learn about e-mailing and how to use its special tools. The World Wide Web awaits you, so lets get started.

Pr eview

When you complete this study unit, youll be able to

Discuss the history of the Internet and the World Wide Web Identify current uses for the Internet and the Web Recognize and name Internet service providers (ISPs) and search engines Explain how to use a search engine and its features Navigate through the Internet using Web URLs and links Name the parts of a URL and know how to enter one Discuss how to use e-mail and its special features Explain how to download files from the Internet Explain how to upload files to the Internet List and describe services available online Use Internet resources to search for specific information Discuss current issues related to Internet use

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Contents

THE INTERNET
Introduction Browsers Types of Browsers Using Your Browser E-mail Other Internet Services How to Get Technical Help on the Internet Plug-ins

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1 4 7 10 22 29 34 36

SEARCHING THE INTERNET

Using Web Search Engines Multiple-Search or Meta-Search Engines Subject Directories Conducting Research on the Internet Special Utilities Join an E-mail List Other Resources on the Internet Security and Privacy Internet Reliability Netiquette

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41 48 52 53 54 55 57 60 61 63

SELF-CHECK ANSWERS EXAMINATION

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THE INTERNET
Introduction
In the 1950s, people who entered the inner sanctum of their organizations computer area encountered large mechanical machines that filled entire roomsoften in a windowless basement. Flashing lights, punch cards, and printouts of indecipherable data gave the impression that computers and those who programmed and operated them possessed strange and profound powers. Today, few people find these machines as mysterious or as menacing as theyve been portrayed to be in Hollywood movies. Who would have guessed in 1951, when the first computer the UNIVAC Iwas introduced, that computers would be the center of a worldwide revolution in business, education, research, travel, and communication. Computers today are easy to use, affordable, and even portable in many forms. Theyre purchased for the home as well as for the office. And as demand rose, technologies were refined and consumers were ready to move with the tides of change. Today, one of the major reasons for a computer purchase is to obtain access to the Internet. What is the Internet? How is it related to the World Wide Web? Are they one in the same? How did they get started? How do you travel on the Web? These are only a few of the questions that will be answered in pages that follow. Youre about to learn the basics of one of the greatest catalysts of economic, cultural, and social change of the century.

The Internet and the World Wide Web

The Internet and World Wide Web (called the WWW or the Web for short) give you global access to information. With the Internet you can Find out the current temperature in London, Moscow, and Cairo Stay up to date on local, national, and world news Track prices of your favorite stocks and other investments Bid on an antique poster Check your bank account balance Pay your bills Take a college course Play a game with a player in another continent Download music Send e-mail messages and reply to the ones sent to you The Internets potential seems endless; however, most Internet activities revolve around e-mail, research, and commerce. Thats because it can be accessed anywhere in the world, as long as you have the equipment and the connection (Figure 1). Lets take a moment to explore a few facts about the Internet and the World Wide Web, starting with a little bit of history.

FIGURE 1The Internet continues to evolve. As it does, it changes the way we communicate with people around the world.

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In 1969, at the height of the Cold War, an agency of the United States Department of Defense built a network of computers that would allow scientists at different locations to share research. This network was configured so that if any part of the network were disabled as the result of a nuclear attack or a natural disaster, it would still function. This network was named ARPANET after the agency that created it, the Advanced Research Projects Agency. Over the years, many users other than scientists and researchers saw the benefits of the Internets powerful electronic mail and information researching capabilities, and got connected. Up until the early 1990s, the information on the Internet was entirely text based. It carried no pictures, audio, or video. The big breakthrough came with the invention of the World Wide Web, a software program designed by Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist. The Web became an Internetbased standard for sharing information that included hypermediagraphics, audio, and video. Berners-Lee invented the software for CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, in Geneva, Switzerland (Figure 2).
FIGURE 2Tim BernersLee invented software to facilitate information sharing among physicists. It quickly grew into the communications medium known as the World Wide Web. (Photo
courtesy of CERN)

Today, Internet users depend on the Web for viewing pictures and videos, listening to music and voices, and exploring various text and nontext sources of information. When most people use the term Internet, theyre referring to both the Internet and its component, the WWW. Youll find people using the Web or the Net when referring to the Internet. In this study unit, well use the term Internet. Just remember that the Web is part of the Internet.
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Who owns and controls the Internet today? No single person, university, organization, or government agency owns or controls it. Berners-Lee, the Webs inventor, was the first to recognize the social and commercial potential of the Web, and he continues to defend universal, unrestricted access to its capacity for global communication of all kinds. However, standards are defined and issues addressed by several international groups. The World Wide Web Consortium (called W3C) is the primary group that sets standards and guidelines; it also oversees research to ensure that the Internet and the WWW remain reliable and maintain standards and protocols for international use.

How It Works
How does the Internet work? As mentioned, the Internet is a global network of networks. Its not maintained by any person or any entity. To get linked, you must have a computer, specialized software to communicate with the Internet (such as a browser to view Web pages), and a means of connection (telephone lines, wireless, cable, or direct access). Lets take a look at the work performed by your browser.

Browsers
A browser is a type of software installed on your computer that enables you to access and view Web pages. Browsers interpret the data so we can see pictures and graphics as well as words. Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator are the two most popular Web browsers used to access Web sites. For a browser to work, it must connect to the Internet. One way to connect is through an Internet service provider, or ISP. An Internet service provider is a regional or national business that sets up Internet services for you, providing you with access to the Internet. You register with an ISP, pay them a monthly or yearly fee, and you receive unlimited access to the Internet.

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Many consumers still use telephone connections called dial-up access, but cable companies also offer Internet connections. If you get your television signals through a satellite dish, you may be able to get an Internet connection through the dish as well. Ask the company that services your dish. These connections are generally more expensive, but youll receive and send information faster than through a phone connection. When you become the customer of an ISP, the ISP will provide a browser as part of the introduction and sign-up process. When you buy a new computer, a browser is frequently part of the software that comes with the computer. If youre using a computer at work and your company wants you to be able to access the Internet, theyll provide you with a browser. In all likelihood, this browser will be either Microsoft Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Another way to connect to the Web is through an OSP (Online Service Provider). OSPs, such as AOL (America Online) and MSN (Microsoft Network), are very large suppliers of Internet access. They differ from ISPs by offering a multitude of services, including browsing, e-mail, search engines, Web services, and more. You dont have to use the browser supplied to you by your ISP or OSP. Both Netscape and Microsoft offer free copies of their browsers to anyone who would like to use them. Its often a good idea to have at least two different browsers. Thats because no browser is perfect. If you have trouble accessing a Web site with one of them, it sometimes works to try accessing the site with another. You can get a free copy of Netscape or Explorer by downloading (copying) it from their Web sites. The process is very simple. You can use one browser to download another. For instance, if you use America Online (AOL) as your OSP, you probably already have a copy of Explorer. If you would like to have Navigator, you can go to the Netscape site with your AOL browser (or your copy of Explorer). Then follow the instructions there for downloading and installing your own copy of Netscape. If all you have is a computer and a modem, but no software, the easiest way to get started is to call America Online, toll-free at (800) 827-6364, Earthlink at (800) 327-8454, or MSN at (866) 205-6768. Theyll mail you a copy of their software along with detailed instructions for installing it. ISPs offers free software

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CDs in many locations, such as grocery stores, computer stores, or other retail outlets (Figure 3). You can also check your local yellow pages for an ISP. Some people are reluctant to try to install software because theyre afraid that theyll somehow harm their computer. But installation isnt very difficult. Just follow the step-by-step instructions that you can find on the surface of the CD or printed in the CDs jacket.

FIGURE 3America Online, Netscape Navigator, and other service providers offer free software to help you access and browse the Web.

If you want to download free browsers from the Web, go to the following Internet sites. http://www.netscape.com http://www.microsoft.com http://www.operasoftware.com http://www.lynx.com

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Types of Browsers
Netscape Navigator
Netscape Navigator is the older of the two key browsers (Figure 4). If you have a powerful computer, Navigator has many useful tools, including a built-in one that can help you find places on the Web when you dont know the exact addressa type of Internet directory assistance. In Figure 4, youll see many of the features of this browser. They include much more than being able to locate and go to Web sites on the Internet.

FIGURE 4Netscape Navigator Home Page

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Microsoft entered the browser business much later than Netscape, and so in many ways Microsoft followed Netscapes lead rather than creating something original (Figure 5). The latest version of Internet Explorer makes searching the Web and keeping track of where youve been much simpler than it has ever been before.

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FIGURE 5Microsoft Internet Explorer Home Page

America Online
When you first log in to AOL, the page thats displayed is really the browser home page. AOLs graphic interface and built-in search engine make it very easy to use, even for those who find technology a little bit intimidating (Figure 6). Type a key word and then click on the search button, and a page opens giving you a list of Web sites to explore. AOL will deliver several alternatives to you. You can also use another powerful search engine, Google, directly from AOLs home page. Well discuss search engines later in this study unit. When AOLs built-in browser and searching devices arent finding the sites you want, it also gives you an opportunity to go to Internet Explorer or other sites for more advanced exploration. If youve installed other browsers, like Netscape, you can open them and use them to explore.

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FIGURE 6AOLs Home Page (Reprinted with permission from America Online, Inc.)

Other Browsers
You might think that there are no other browser choices besides those weve discussed. But thats not true. Some very good alternatives exist. Well talk about three of them here. There are others, but these are particularly reliable and useful in some special circumstances that you may encounter. Opera. A small Norwegian company developed Opera. The Opera browser is fast and takes up a small amount of space in your computer. It will run briskly even on older, slower computers. Opera lets you open multiple windows, which is very useful for those who use the Internet to do research or compile information. Download the software at http://www.opera.com. To use it, you must subscribe, which costs a few dollars per month. Arachne. Arachne is a DOS-based Web browser that runs on all computers, even very old ones. On older computers, Arachne uses toolbar icons for most common browsing chores, and doesnt require a mouse. It also lets you send and receive e-mail. Its free to noncommercial users; others have to pay a fee. You can find it on the Internet at http://www.browser.arachne.org.

( 2004 Opera, Inc.)

( 2004 Arachne, Inc.)

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Avant. Avant Browser is a stand-alone browser designed to expand services provided by Microsoft Internet Explorer. Its based on Internet Explorer, yet it requires fewer computer system resources. That means that it loads Web pages faster. Avant Browser is different because it lets you browse several Web sites at the same time. It also blocks unwanted pop-up messages and ads. Avant is integrated with two of the most popular and powerful search engines, Yahoo! and Google. You can perform a search directly without actually opening those search engines. Avant is available free of charge at http://www.avantbrowser.com.

Using Your Browser

In this section, well talk about using your browser to its greatest advantage. Were going to assume that youll use Netscape, Microsoft Explorer, or America Onlines browser. If youve opted for another browser, much of the advice here is still of use because most browsers work similarly. You may have to spend some time exploring your browser to find out how you can use the features discussed here.

Setting Preferences
Once youve installed your browser, youll find that by setting preferences, youll be able to use the software more efficiently. To set preferences, you must first access the function on your browsers home page. It may be found on a dropdown menu or on a button. Setting preferences is easy. Your software will give you step-by-step instructions. Examples of preferences include Storing passwords Setting security levels Selecting your preferred news groups and Web browser Changing the look of your e-mail Setting audio and video

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 Organizing your e-mail Setting chat member lists Besides these basic preferences, there are many other choices that you can make about the appearance and operation of your browser. A beginner doesnt have to make many of the decisions. There are default settings already established when the program is installed on your computer. For the most part, these defaults work fine. Occasionally, you may find yourself wishing that your browser worked differently. In that case, resetting the preferences can make a big difference. Some of the preferences you should definitely consider resetting are Size, color, and style of type Whether or not you accept a cookie, which is a text file that a Web site puts on your hard drive so that the Web site can remember something about you at a later time. A cookie will record your preferences when you use a particular Web site. Whether or not youre alerted when you enter a secure site, like an online store that accepts credit cards

Uniform Resource Locations (URLs)

Probably the most confusing part of using the Internet is the cryptic language in which it operates. It can be downright intimidating trying to learn to speak Computer Geek. But theres some logic to it. Every browser has an address bar (Figure 7). Explorer calls it Address. Navigator calls it Netsite.

FIGURE 7 Every browser has an address bar similar to this one used by Explorer. (Reprinted with permission from
Microsoft, Inc.)

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To go to a site on the Web, you must type a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) in the address bar. A URL is an address for a document on the Web. The format for the URL is protocol:/domain name/pathname. Heres a sample URL: http:// protocol www.planet.com/ domain name travel/index.htm path name

http:// Most URLs begin with this prefix, which stands for hypertext transfer protocol. Other prefixes include ftp:// (file transfer protocol) and gopher://. Well discuss these later. www. The letters www tend to be a standard part of a Web address, but theyre not always present. They stand for World Wide Web. planet.com. This is the domain name, or the name of the host computer where the site is located. The com suffix is short for commercial. Youll also encounter other suffixes, including orgUsually a nonprofit organization eduUniversity or college govGovernment organization milU.S. military agency netNetwork intinternational organization Because of the phenomenal growth of the Internet, domain suffixes have been expanded. The following are seven newer ones: aeroair transportation bizrestricted to business coopcooperatives infoinformation services providers museummuseums and related namepersonal Web sites, individuals only prolicensed professionals such as doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc.

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These are functions under consideration that may be approved by the time this book is published: artsentertainment and cultural organizations firmfirms and businesses recorganizations for recreation storebusinesses that sell goods weborganizations that are related to activities of the WWW Another part of the URL that you may not have noticed or seen is the country code. As the Internet became global and larger and larger, it became necessary to expand domain names to include the country of origin. If youre in the United States and go to a Web site originating from a network server in this country, its unnecessary for you to key in the country code of .us. The next time you navigate to a site originating in another country, look for the country code. Examples of other countries codes are .uk .de .au .ca .fr United Kingdom Germany Australia Canada France

/travel/index.htm This is an extension. It tells the computer which particular page to look for. Concerning URLs, you should also know that the most recent versions of most browsers dont require you to type the http:// part of the address. You can start with planet.com. The latest versions will allow you to simply type in the letters, such as at&t, and it will search its database to find the correct address for the AT&T corporation. Some URLs are case sensitive. If the URL appears in all capital or lowercase letters, you must type it that way. If theres already something in the address box, youll have to click once to darken the address box, then type right over it.

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Another point about URLs: Be sure to type them as they are, with every slash, colon, letter, and period in place. URLs rarely end with a period. However, if you see a URL at the end of a sentence, the period is there for punctuation. Remember: If you dont enter a URL exactly as it should be, your browser wont be able to go to the site. Once you key in the URL in the address box, you can either click on the Go button on your toolbar or hit the Enter or Return key on your keyboard. You can also pull down on the word File at the top of the toolbar. Select Open and type the URL in the space provided. Click on Open. Dont let this confuse you. All of these methods take you to the same place.

Moving from One Site to the Next

Lets try moving from one sight to another. 1. Type www.att.com into the address bar and hit Enter. The home page for AT&T should appear on your screen. But there are other long-distance services out there. Lets find another. 2. Click once on the address bar and type in www.mci.com. The Web site for MCI long-distance service should appear. 3. Now click on the bar again and type in www.sprint.com and the third big player in the business should appear. Youve just moved from one site to the other, but this is certainly not the only way to do it. While you have http://www.sprint.com/ on your screen, click on one of the links. Youll recognize links because theyre usually underlined. On www.sprint.com, some of the links are underlined and others have small icons next to them. If you click on either the underlined phrase or the icon, youll connect to that Web page. Some people call moving from link to link surfing. The third way to move around the Web is to travel where youve been before. You can do that by clicking the back or forward buttons on your browser. Hitting the back button will take you back a page at a time. If you decide that youve passed the point where you want to be, then hit the forward

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button and move in that direction. Or, if you want to move more quickly, use the small button between the two to open a pull-down menu of the sites youve last visited and click on the one you want (Figure 8).

FIGURE 8Using the Back and Forward buttons is an easy way to return to one page at a time without having to key in URLs. The center button opens a list of recent site visitsjust click on the one you want.

Finally, browsers keep a history of where youve been in your current Internet session. Explorer calls it History (Figure 9); Netscape calls it the Go menu. In either case, you can see your current location and, using the mouse, you can move to where you would prefer to be. Suppose you click on a URL or enter an address and instead of being transported there, you get a message that says The page cannot be found (Figure 10), Bad Request, Connection timed out, Unknown Host, or, worse yet, Fatal Error. No, your computer isnt going to self-destruct. You simply tried to go to a site that doesnt exist, or one that isnt operable at the moment. It could be a site with access limitations. The simplest fix is to try again or click the Refresh button. Sometimes a malfunction will be repaired. Sometimes you can get around problems by switching browsers. You can often reach an inaccessible site simply by using another browser.

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FIGURE 9The History Menu (Reprinted with permission from Microsoft, Inc.)

FIGURE 10Error Message with Suggestions for Help

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Occasionally, you can enter a site by whats called the back door. In the address bar, delete everything after the .com or .edu and press enter again. This will sometimes take you to the main site, and youll be able to find a link that will lead you to where you really want to be.

Bookmarks
Youll often find a site you would like to visit frequently, or one that you want to return to at some other time. To save yourself the trouble of remembering its address and retyping it each time, use the Bookmark feature of Netscape. Explorer and AOL call it the Favorites feature. Simply go to the Bookmark or Favorites menu and pull it down (Figure 11). Then click on Add Favorite or Add Bookmark. Netscape keeps them in the order in which you add them, unless you go to the Window menu and find Bookmark. By opening that, you can move the Bookmarks into folders. This is also the way to eliminate Bookmarks you no longer want. Explorer Favorites are easier to manage. When you add a Favorite, Explorer gives you the option of putting it in the appropriate folder. AOL keeps Favorites alphabetically under the graphical red heart marked Favorites.
FIGURE 11The Explorer Favorites Menu (Reprinted with permission from
Microsoft, Inc.)

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Just for practice, go to http://www.att.com and Click on the Directory Assistance link at the bottom of the page. This will lead you to AT&Ts online directory assistance. This is a very good site to add to your Bookmarks or Favorites because occasionally everyone needs to look up a local or long-distance telephone number of either a person or a business. This site will allow you to do that and much more, free of charge.

Saving Text and Graphics

Occasionally, you may read or see something on a Web site that you would like to keep for later use. While most of the items on the Internet are copyrighted, under the copyright law its generally permissible to copy something that youll save for your own personal use. Heres how you go about doing so. Text. In both Navigator and Explorer, click on the File menu. Youll see Save As. When you click on Save As, a window will open that will give you the opportunity to choose where you would like to save the document and in what format (Figure 12). If you Save as Text, then you can open the Web page later in a word processing program like Word. The graphics will be missing, and that may cause the page to be a bit jumbled or badly spaced, but the text should be readable. If you find the spacing and arrangement of such a text file bothersome, you can use the mouse to highlight the text. Hold down the left button to highlight, click Edit, click Copy, and then Paste the file into a new page in the word processing program. You can delete the graphics by clicking on them and using the Delete key. Then save the document.

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FIGURE 12Saving Text from the Internet (Reprinted with permission from Microsoft, Inc.)

Graphics. Suppose you want to save a graphic from a Web site. You can do so by positioning your mouse over the image you want to save and clicking the right-hand button. A shortcut menu will appear offering to let you open, save, or copy the image (Figure 13). If you click on Open, the image will transfer to its own separate Web page and you can save it to a file of your choice in your computer. If you click on Save, youll have a similar choice, but you may create a different file name for it. If you click on Copy, you can copy the image temporarily and paste it someplace else, like a document in Word or an e-mail message. If you have AOL, you already have software that lets you send and receive e-mail files with photos and graphics in them. You also can use the tools AOL provides to build a simple Web site containing photos and graphics that AOL will allow you to display on its Web server. Click on FIGURE 13To save graphics from the Internet, Youve Got Pictures to find out how to share your right-click on the image and choose a function from the menu. (Reprinted with permission from pictures online.
Microsoft, Inc.)

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Downloading Files
The Internet has a wealth of informationtext, videos, music, photosthat you might like to acquire and keep on your own computer. The materials run the gamut from those listed to document and database files and software available both free of charge and for a price. Downloading is simple. For the most part, the site providing the download will attach instructions that walk you through the process (Figure 14).

FIGURE 14Files and programs available on the Internet usually include instructions for downloading. (Reprinted
with permission from Microsoft, Inc.)

To make downloading simpler, you should have a download file and two key pieces of softwareAdobe Acrobat and WinZip. Both are available free of charge on the Web. You may already have them on your computer. To download a file, first set up a download folder so you have files in which to place things when you complete the download. In Windows, go to your desktop screen and click the right-hand button on your mouse. Click on New, then on Folder. With the words New Folder still highlighted, name the

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folder something youll remember, like Download Folder. On newer versions of Windows, theres already a download file in My Documents. If you dont have them, you can easily download Adobe Acrobat and WinZip. Lets start with WinZip. WinZip is a helper program that allows you to zip (condense) and unzip large files so they can transfer smoothly across the Internet, taking up little space. You can find WinZip by searching for it using a search engine. Go to http://www.dogpile.com. In the search box, type WinZip and press Enter or click on Fetch. Look for a link that indicates WinZip is available for downloading at that site (Figure 15). Click on the link that you choose. If this turns out to be incorrect, just click the Back button to return to your search results. Click on the version of WinZip that matches your operating system. The file will self-extract.

FIGURE 15WinZip Link at http://winzip.com (Courtesy Dogpile.com)

Next youll have to decide whether to Open the file at this point or Save it to disk. We recommend that you save it to a disk because youll have more control over what you put on your computer. When you click OK to save it to disk, it will land in your download folder. A few seconds later, WinZip is yours. Leave WinZip in your download file. This is where youll want to open most zipped files.

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Now were ready to download Adobe Acrobat. Acrobat Reader is a program that allows Internet users to exchange formatted documents without worrying that the recipient doesnt have the right software to open and read the file. Acrobat files are portable document format (PDF) files. Go to http://www.adobe.com. In the lower left-hand corner of the page youll see Get Acrobat Reader. Click twice and youll go to a site that gives you several choices. Youll have to decide which Reader version, platform version, and language version you need. Next, click the Download button at the bottom of the page. Adobe Reader will go to your download file. This is another good file to keep there (Figure 16).

FIGURE 16Adobe Reader (Reprinted with permission from Adobe Systems incorporated)

E-mail
Believe it or not, the most-used feature on the Internet is electronic mail (e-mail). E-mail takes the work out of written correspondenceno envelopes, stamps, formal constructionjust straight-to-the-point communication delivered instantly. Its also useful for transmitting photographs and

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documents that otherwise would have to be packaged in overnight-mail pouches. Using e-mail takes much of the work out of keeping in touch. E-mail is much faster than the U.S. Postal Service, known as snail mail by the Internet crowd, and theres never a charge for extra weight. No matter how many documents you create, the price doesnt go up. To exchange e-mail, youll need an e-mail program. If you use Internet Explorer, you probably already have Microsoft Outlook, and if you use Netscape Navigator, then you also have Messenger. These are both powerful programs, but theyre not the only good e-mail programs. There are also several e-mail programs that are available for free online. Some of these free programs have restrictions regarding the size of the messages and the number of attachments, but otherwise they function like the e-mail programs bundled with your browser or your Internet access software. There are several advantages to having such an e-mail account. 1. Even if you change Internet service providers (AOL to CompuServe, for example), your e-mail address never changes. 2. If the account resides on the Internet, youll always be able to access your e-mail from any computer connected to the Internet. 3. Because its free, theres no reason you cant open more than one account. Thus, you can have a personal e-mail account and one dedicated to your job. 4. Its anonymous. You can correspond without revealing anything about yourself. Some of the most popular free e-mail programs are these: Hotmail: http://www.hotmail.com E-mail at Yahoo!: http://www.yahoo.com Juno: http://www.juno.com (You must install free Juno software on your computer to access your Juno accounts.)

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E-mail Addresses
Your ISP or e-mail provider will supply you with your e-mail address. Theyll probably let you pick your own as long as somebody else hasnt already chosen the same name. When choosing an e-mail address, pick one thats not too complicated. People will have trouble keying it. If they dont key it correctly, you wont get your mail. Suppose you wanted to write to the President of the United States. You would address mail to president@whitehouse.gov. We can use that address to understand how to pick our own. The first half of the address is usually your name or your nickname. Bill Gates e-mail address, for instance, might be bill@microsoft.com. Bill is a pretty common name. Most Bills, and other people with common names, cant use their first name only, so many of them tag on their last name. For instance you can correspond with famous writer Tom Clancy at tomclancy@aol.com. Think carefully about what you would like to use for an e-mail address before you let your e-mail provider know your decision. The last half of the e-mail address is the location of your account on the Internet. It will usually involve the name of your ISP along with the kind of organization it is. As we already discussed, besides com, which usually stands for commercial, theres edu (education), gov (government), mil (military), net (network) and org (organization, usually nonprofit), as well as others. How do you let the world know that you have an e-mail address? There are several directories on the Internet that allow you to search for e-mail addresses. One is http://www.people.yahoo.com. Two other popular directories are http://www.addresses.com and http://www.bigfoot.com. Directories rely on people registering and updating their own listings, so theyre nowhere near complete. If you would like to make your e-mail address available, register it with a directory. If you subscribe to AOL, you can also create a Profile for yourself. Youll automatically become listed among the members, but unless your e-mail address is your full name, chances are people wont be able to find you unless you create a Profile. The easiest way to share e-mail addresses is still pretty low-tech just ask people what their address is and write it down.

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Sending and Receiving E-mail

No matter what e-mail program you use, the basics are still the same. Open up a new e-mail page (Figure 17). Explorer and Messenger both call the button you click on New Message, or you may see New Mail. From there the procedure is pretty obvious. Where it says From, your own e-mail address or name appears; where it says To, you type the address of the person to whom youre sending the message. Under Subject, identify the basics of the message. Being clear in your writing helps people who are busy and get lots of e-mail messages decide whether they ought to read yours right away. Cc: stands for Carbon Copy and Bcc: stands for Blind Carbon Copy. This allows you to send the same message to several people without them knowing that others have received the same message.

FIGURE 17An AOL E-mail Page (Copyright 2004, America Online, Inc. All Rights Reserved)

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In the middle of the New Message box, there will be a blank area. Click once in the box and type your message. If youre a poor speller, most e-mail programs include a spell checker to help you, so go to the toolbar above and look under Edit. Theres where youre likely to find this tool. Some e-mail programs will check spelling automatically, either while youre writing the message or before you send it. If you would like to attach a document or photo to a file, just click on the Attach button (sometimes marked with a symbol that looks like a paperclip). This will open a window that allows you browse among your saved documents to locate the one you would like to send. Click on the document and attach it to the e-mail file. Click on Send and your message is speeding on its way. After youve sent a message, chances are youll be receiving one soon. Thats one of the good things about the Internet. Because its easy, people tend to respond quickly. So if you write a few e-mails, youll soon be getting some in return. The mail you receive is stored on a server. To download it, you must click on a button that says something like Get Mail. The e-mail will show up in bold in your Inbox. Click on a new message, and its contents will appear in the window. You may have to scroll down to read the entire message. When you finish reading the message, there are several things you can do. You can click on Reply or Return and answer the e-mail message. Clicking on Reply or Return automatically replaces the address with that of the sender and puts your address as the person who is sending the mail. Its the simplest way to reply to an e-mail message. You can also forward a message. Click on Forward and then fill in the address of the person to whom you would like to send this message. A small window will open, and that gives you an opportunity to explain to this person why youre sending this message. Click on Send, and off it goes. The original e-mail is still in your computer. You have to decide whether this is a message that you would like to keep or would rather delete. In both Microsoft Outlook and Netscape Messenger, you can create files and save the messages that you want to keep. If a message is something that

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you dont want, highlight it and hit Delete on your keyboard or click on the Delete button in the e-mail window. In AOL, you can file a message in the Filing Cabinet or you can delete it. You also can choose to Keep It As New, if you cant decide what to do about it. In most programs, if you simply close the message, it will remain in your Inbox. Make it a habit to clean out your e-mail regularly. The messages build up, and they take up a surprisingly large amount of space. If you dont file or trash them regularly (then empty the trash), you soon find that your e-mail program takes up a large amount of your computers hard disk space, which can slow everything down.

Composing Effective E-Mail Messages

We write e-mail to friends and family; we write e-mail to business associates and customers or to make inquiries to organizations or online retailers. E-mail can be either informal or formal, just as hard-copy letters and memos can. Electronic mail is written communication, so the same principles of appropriate writing should be followed as those used for paper documents. When writing business e-mails, make sure your writing style is formal (dont be too familiar with the recipient by using slang or calling someone you dont really know personally by their first name). E-mail messages should be brief and to the point without appearing discourteous. Because e-mail is fast and easy, sometimes users write hastily, without thought or planning. This can be a mistake and lead to misunderstandings and damaged business and personal relationships. Before you write your message, consider the following: Plan your message. Be brief and concise. Be polite and courteous in tone. Avoid using negative language. When you take time to plan your message, your e-mails wont accidentally give a wrong impression of you and of your organization. Use attachments. If you need to send a lengthy document, prepare it in a software application and attach it to your e-mail message as a document file.

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Check for errors. Always proofread your message to make certain that it contains no spelling or grammatical errors. Even quick, personal messages need to be read, in case you left something out or mistyped an important date. Double-check important messages. Remember, just as in a paper document or oral message, once the words have been communicated, they cant be taken back. Your message leaves a definite impression of you, so you want to ensure that this impression is positive. Answer promptly. Answer an e-mail message within 24 hours, if possible. Keep senders informed. Use your e-mails automatic response feature to inform senders when youre away from your e-mail. If youre on a trip or a vacation, your automatic message tells them you cant answer right away. Use company e-mail appropriately. E-mail at work is a resource owned by your company. Your time is also a resource being paid for by your organization. Refrain from using your work time engaged in personal e-mailing. Also remember that theres no assurance of privacy for what you write on company e-mail. Your company may monitor your mail. Avoid spamming others. Spamming is flooding people with unwanted e-mail. Save emoticons for informal messages. Emoticons are punctuation symbols and abbreviations used to convey emotion. Theyre fun to use in personal e-mail, but should not be used in professional correspondence. A few examples of the variety of emoticons are shown in the table below.

:) :( ;) :-0

Smiley face Sad or frowning face A wink for sarcasm or humor A shouting face

:X :* <vbg> <tic>

Dont tell A kiss Very big grin Tongue in cheek

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Address Books
Just as you have a book listing all your important phone numbers and street addresses, youll want to use an e-mail address book to keep your e-mail contacts handy. Most browsers come with them. Adding an address is easy. Generally, there are two ways. You can open the address book and simply type in a new contact, or, when you receive an e-mail from someone, click on the Address Book icon on the toolbar while the message is open. It will automatically add the address to the book. If youre serious about keeping up with your e-mail correspondence, youll make sure you enter all your important e-mail addresses in the address book. Its also worth your time to open the address book and insert the full names, titles, and phone numbers of your contacts.

Other Internet Services

Newsgroups
Usenet is a massive, decentralized group of international electronic discussion forums. People who participate in Usenet represent virtually every age group, profession, and country around the world. People will join a specific group based on a shared interest or topic. They then proceed to read and write messages, called posts, that everyone who joined that particular newsgroup can see. Well over 10,000 different newsgroups exist in Usenet with a practically indeterminable total number of participants. Usenet is composed of newsgroups.

Newsgroup Names
Each newsgroup has a unique name such as news.answers or alt.antiques or soc.libraries.talk. Though these names may look somewhat cryptic at first, theres a definite method in how newsgroups become named. The groups all make use of a type of catalog of predefined namesabbreviations really. The abbreviations are called dot designations, and they all

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describe something about the groups they name. (The word dot refers to the period (.) that appears after the abbreviation.) We list several dot designations below. comp. Groups dealing with computer-related topics rec. Groups involving recreational topics soc. Groups dealing with social issues talk. Groups concerned with scientific topics news. Groups discussing Usenet and its uses alt. Groups discussing alternate topics misc. Groups concerned with odds-and-ends topics that dont have a separate category

How to Join a Newsgroup

Newsgroups are electronic discussion forums. You must have a newsreader to participate in Usenet newsgroups. A newsreader is a software application that may or may not already be included with your browser. The newsreader formats and organizes messages that have been posted to a newsgroup. Thus, the many postings are formatted into some readable arrangement. Netscape has a highly functional, built-in newsreader called Netscape News. To access Netscape News once youve loaded Netscape, simply click on Window and then Netscape News. Explorer offers Internet News. You can launch it from Windows by clicking on it under My Computer. AOL offers a newsreader options on its home page. If you need to get a newsreader, you can download one from the Internet at a variety of sites. Youll find several newsreader sites listed at each of these Web sites. The following are examples: Free Agent: http://www.forteinc.com News Readers: http://www.newsreaders.com

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Before you can use your newsreader, you must set its preferences. The most important items to configure are the news server and your user ID (your account name). You can modify other options later, when you become more familiar with the program and know what you like and dislike. If you used the newsreader thats part of your browser, you probably configured it when you first installed it. If you have a newsreader thats separate, ask your ISP for advice or read the instructions in the read-me file that came with the download. How do you go about finding all these different newsgroups? You can use the Usenet search feature that several search engines havesearch engines like AltaVista http://www.altavista.com and HotBot http://www.hotbot.com, for example. One of the best ways to find news groups is a site within Google, at http://groups.google.com, which not only allows you to search by topic interest, but also will search the lists themselves for discussions you might find interesting. Google gives a good introduction to newsgroups. Reading some of the discussions will give you a better idea of whether you want to subscribe to a particular newsgroup (Figure 18).
FIGURE 18Google.com Home Page ( 2004 Google)

Even More Internet Services

Message or discussion boards are easy-to-use alternatives to newsgroups. A newsreader is not required. Many Web sites provide their own message boards within their Web pages for visitors to use.

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A mailing list uses e-mail addresses and names to allow its subscribers to automatically send a message to each and every address on the list. The members share a common interest. If you have thoughts or information to share about the topic, you write your message and send it. When you send the e-mail, its automatically sent to everyone on the list. When anyone else on the mailing list does the same, you receive their e-mail along with everyone else. Being a member of a mailing list can be fun and informative; however, you can also be inundated with e-mail messages when the list of members is lengthy and unlimited. Many people find it necessary to unsubscribe to a mailing list when overwhelmed with messages. If you want to locate a mailing list related to a specific topic of interest to you, all you have to do is use your Web browser to find one. Lists may be moderated or unmoderated. With a moderated list, only those messages that have been read and approved by a human moderator will be sent to you, thus reducing the number of messages you receive. So, obviously, an unmoderated list will give you 100% of all messages sent to members, which may be unmanageable. If you want to carry on real-time, live online conversations with others, you can use real-time communicationseither a chat room or instant messaging. Unlike with regular e-mail, you dont have to wait until your recipients open their mail and find time to reply to your message. A chat room is a location on a server thats just like being in a room with a group (a very large group) of people. You key in your comment, send it, and it appears on the screen. When someone else keys in and enters a comment, his or her dialog appears on the screen. New technology provides video and voice chat rooms that enable you to see and hear others, and they can see and hear you. Instant messaging is another online service that provides you with notification when someone is trying to communicate with you. Think of it as receiving a phone call on your cell phone. You may be working on a computer project, or you may be using your hand-held pocket PC. You may even receive instant messaging on your Web-enabled cell phone.

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You get a pop-up message letting you know that someone wants to chat with you. All you have to do is answer the message, and a live, back-and-forth conversation can begin. To use instant messaging you must have instant-messaging software installed on your PC or hand-held device. One of the hottest online services is blogs. The search engine Ask Jeeves defines a blog as a shared, online journal where people can post diary entries about their personal interests and hobbies. Blogs allow you to publish your thoughts, list favorite links to other sites, and, in short, give your own voice on the Internet. The word blog comes from Weblog. Originally created to provide users with a means of expressing their opinions about Web sites by keeping an updated log of favorite links for others to follow, the use of blogs is expanding. Today people use blogs to Get help with and solicit comments on their writing (essays, poems, novels, etc.) Publish personal diaries Reveal inner thoughts Let others know about breaking news Express personal opinions about any topic Get feedback about whatever theyre publishing on their blog Post photos Add audio files Blogs have actually been around for years. It has only been in the past several years that everyday Internet users have caught on to their versatility. Every day, more and more people are creating their own blogs, and theyre coming up with new and inventive ways to use them. Users enjoy reading feedback from others who are from virtually all over the world.

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How do you go about creating your own blog? If you perform a search by keying in blog, youll get back many results that can lead you to a provider. Some blogs are free; some require a monthly fee. One of the most popular blog providers is

FIGURE 19Blogger is one of the most popular free Weblog providers. ( 2004 Google)

Blogger (Figure 19). Blogger is a Google Tool. Setting up a blog is easy. The provider that you choose will walk you through the steps quickly.

How to Get Technical Help on the Internet

The Internet is vast, and it can be both intimidating and frustrating at times. But there are plenty of sources for help out there, if you only look. Here are some places where help is usually available. Instructions. Save the manuals and the technical information thats available online for every piece of software and equipment you acquire. Reading the instructions is always a good place to start.

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Web searches. Conduct searches to find information. Your browsers Help function is another source of technical information. Product support. Virtually every computer hardware and software manufacturer has a technical support number, and many also have online technical support, including user bulletin boards, e-mail, and other opportunities to post requests for help. The appropriate phone numbers and Web addresses should be in the material that came with the product. File them away along with the serial number of the product and the receipt for its purchase. All of this can be very valuable when you have a question or a problem and you contact your vendor. Your ISP. One criterion when choosing an ISP is the availability of live technical support. Some of the big ISPs prefer that you first turn to their e-mail support, but that can be slow. A good reason for signing on with a small ISP is that it may have people who will talk you through your access problems 24 hours a day. AOL offers live online support, as well as phone support. But obviously, if you cant get online, you cant get e-mail help. Computer sales and repair shops. Today theres an increasing number of independent computer technicians who can assist you in setting up your computer, installing software, and resolving many kinds of technical issues. If you purchased equipment from them, theyll often answer quick questions at little or no charge. Community colleges and technical training centers. You may find computer classes for beginners offered at virtually every continuing-education center. Taking a class removes much of the confusion and mystery. Newsgroups. Popular products have newsgroups associated with them. There are always people online and willing to share their expertisefree. FAQs. FAQ is computerese for Frequently Asked Questions. Many sites include FAQs to provide quick help for users who need it. If you become confused while at a Web site and you see FAQ somewhere on the site, click on it and it may solve your problem.

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Plug-ins
Sometimes youll visit a Web site and click on a link, and a box will pop up that says, Sorry, you dont have the right plug-in to see this information. What do you do about this? Go find the plug-in that you need, download it, and install it. A plug-in is a piece of (usually free) software that allows you to access files of particular types. Plug-ins expand your basic browsers capabilities. In many cases, the basic plug-ins that youll need to listen to music, watch movies, or view animation or other graphics on the Internet will come included in the newer versions of the software youre likely to use, including MSN, AOL, Navigator, and Explorer. However, if youre using an older version, here are the basic procedures for downloading a plug-in. Suppose you click on a link that requires a plug-in that you dont have. Your browser will tell you that you need the plug-in. It will also tell you where to find it and take you there. When you get to the site, you just follow the instructions. Typically, your browser creates a plug-in directory when you install the browser on your computer. You can find the directory on your hard drive in the browser folder. Most plug-ins will be installed into this directory. You can generally install a plug-in in one of three ways: 1. You download the zipped (compressed) file to your download folder. After expanding it, you move the files to the correct directory. 2. You download the plug-in file itself and place it in your browsers plug-in directory. 3. You download a self-installing plug-in that automatically places the files in your plug-in directory.

Trouble with Plug-ins

If you have trouble making a plug-in work, try the following troubleshooting techniques. 1. Check to make sure that the plug-in has been installed in the plug-in folder. If it hasnt, the browser wont know where to find it.

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2. Reread the instructions in the read-me file. Make sure you downloaded the right file. 3. If youre working behind your companys firewall (security system), you may not be able to install a plug-in without help from your system administrator. 4. Occasionally, a plug-in can cause a conflict with some other piece of software already installed on your computer. If a plug-in crashes or freezes your system, take a look at the read-me file. Youll find a listing of generally known conflicts and a proposed solution. Or go back to the site from which you downloaded the software. Chances are there will be a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) link. Take a look at that file to see if you find your problem mentioned (Figure 20). 5. When all else fails, look for a technical support phone number or e-mail address.

FIGURE 20Clicking on the FAQs link in WinZip will bring you to WinZips Frequently Asked Questions page, as shown here.

Deciding Which Plug-ins You Want

On its Web site, Netscape offers a variety of plug-ins that you can download free of charge. Do you need them all? The answer is probably not. It would be a waste of time and disk space. Beyond that, every time you download a program from

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a Web site about which you know little, you risk downloading a virus, a damaging computer program. If you must download, be certain that you do it from a reliable company and always keep preventive antivirus software running on your computer.

Plug-ins Worth Having

RealPlayer. Your system should have a sound card and speakers, so you can enjoy listening to music or news on the Web. Progressive Networks RealAudio Player brings sound instantly, allowing you to enjoy radio broadcasts and other real-time events. To download RealAudio Player for free, go to http://www.real.com. Shockwave. Shockwave is another commonly used Web software for multimedia playback. It lets you view games, business presentations, entertainment, and advertisements with your Web browser. Youll find Shockwave in action on such diverse sites as Disney.com and IBM.com. If you have an old version or you dont have it at all, you can download it for free at http://www.macromedia.com. Flash Player. Macromedia Flash is available using the Flash Player available from Macromedia as a separate download. The latest version of Shockwave includes the Flash Player. LiveVideo, LiveAudio, and QuickTime. These players let you view movies on your computer. Since QuickTime has been around a while, chances are its already loaded on your computer. QuickTime was originally developed for the Macintosh, but its available for all platforms now. You can get these for free at www.apple.com/quicktime.

( 2004 RealPlayer, Inc.)

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Self-Check 1
At the end of each section of Internet Basics, youll be asked to pause and check your understanding of what youve just read by completing a Self-Check exercise. Answering these questions will help you review what youve studied so far. Please complete Self-Check 1 now. 1. What are the names of the two most popular browsers? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 2. Label these parts of the URL: http:// atlasvideo.com /products

__________________________________________________________________________ 3. Assuming that your Internet service provider is AOL, construct an e-mail address for yourself. __________________________________________________________________________ 4. Define plug-in and name one that will let you listen to music online. __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 5. Why would you save a copy of something that you see online and how would you save it? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 6. What Is a Favorite or a Bookmark and why would you want to make one? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
(Continued)

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Self-Check 1
7. Where can you go for help when youre having trouble with your computer? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 8. What type of organizations do the following domain suffixes denote? com bet edu org pro __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

name __________________________________________________________________ 9. True or False? E-mail you send and receive at work is your property and protected by privacy laws. 10. Define the following terms: a. ARPANET ____________________________________________________________ b. www ________________________________________________________________ c. URL ________________________________________________________________ d. http__________________________________________________________________ e. newsgroup____________________________________________________________ f. mailing list __________________________________________________________ g. blog ________________________________________________________________ Check your answers with those on page 67.

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SEARCHING THE INTERNET

Previously in this study unit, weve used the term search engine. One way to find information in cyberspace is by using search engines. Many different search engines are available on the Web. You can see a list of hundreds of different ones at My Search Engine http://www.refdesk.com/newsrch.html. Several aspects can make one search engine different from another. Here are four of the aspects that can differ: 1. The method used to search 2. The areas of the Internet the search engine can access 3. The individual Web sites contained within the engines database 4. Special search functions specific to the search engine Because there are millions of pages on the Web, search engines were created as a way of searching through all these pages to find the ones pertinent to your research or personal interests. At the most basic level, you enter words, called keywords, relevant to your search. Then you tell the engine to search through its database of Web sites to find only those sites that contain the word or words you entered. When it finishes searching, the search engine provides you with a list of the sites found. This list not only identifies each Web site by name, but it also provides a link so that you can go directly to that site.

Using Web Search Engines

Heres how to get the most out of some of the most popular search engines and a few of the more obscure ones. Suppose youre searching for information on Egyptian mummies in United States museums. The words you might use for the search are Egypt, mummy, museum, and United States. There are several ways to phrase your search so you get the best results. Here are three of the basic ways of searching that are simple and yield powerful results.

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1. Boolean The term boolean refers to a system of logical thought developed by the English mathematician and computer pioneer, George Boole. In boolean searching, an and between two words, for example, Egypt and mummy searches for documents containing both of the words (Figure 21). An or operator between two words, Egypt or United States, searches for documents containing either of the words. Putting the operator not between two words, mummy not Egypt will give you documents that include the word mummy, but not the word Egypt.

FIGURE 21Performing an AND Search on Dogpile (Courtesy Dogpile.com)

You can also limit the distance between the words. For instance, the Boolean operator w/3 can limit a search for Egyptian mummies by typing Egyptian W/3 of mummy. That tells the search engine that youre only looking for documents that have the words Egyptian and mummy within three words of each other. 2. Double Quotes ( ) Double quotes tells the search engine that youre looking only for single phrases. A search for Egyptian mummy without quotes will yield very different results from a search for Egyptian mummy with quotes. The first search will find all the documents that contain both words; the second will yield only those documents that have the two standing together as a phrase.

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3. The Plus Sign (+) and Minus Sign () The plus sign (+) tells an engine what words must be included in the results, while the minus sign () sign tells the engine what words must not be included. For instance, if youre looking for any mummies other than Egyptian mummies, you could limit the search by saying mummyEgyptian. The position of the + and signs should be adjacent with no spaces. Some search engines will allow you to use all three tools. Some allow only one or two of them, and some dont recognize any of them. The best way to understand how a search engine works is to start by reading its Help files. In virtually every case, theyll guide you toward making the most powerful search. Another secret of successful searching is to search your results, which is particularly good for targeting when the subject for which youre looking can be tightly described. Here are some of the most popular, general search engines and some tips for using each one. First, lets look at one of todays fastest-growing search engines, Google. Like all modern search engines, Google is free. Besides offering searching services, Google, along with other top search engines, is always expanding its services. Go to the Google Web site at http://www.google.com/options/index.html and navigate through its pages by clicking on the many buttons (Figure 22). Youll find out that Google provides you with many online goodies, such as giving you different ways in which to search, tools such as Blogger, a language translator (English to French, Spanish to German), and API, which is used by developers to program in their favorite programming language.

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FIGURE 22Google isnt just a search engineit offers a wide variety of other tools and services, as well.
(Courtesy Google 2004)

AltaVista http://www.altavista.com
AltaVista is one of the most powerful search engines on the Internet, but nonspecific queries with AltaVista are impractical because they can return hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of search results (Figure 23). Digital Equipment Corporation developed AltaVista in 1995. This search engines claim to fame was that it indexed the entire Internet. By using AltaVista, you should be able to find any Web site that contains your keyword or keywords. In addition, AltaVista allows searches in Usenet newsgroups. A drop-down menu on the AltaVista home page allows you to select exactly what part of the Internet the engine will search. AltaVista also claims that Digitals Alpha technology allows the engine to search the entire Web in less than one secondmaking your searching with AltaVista more time efficient.

Excite http://www.excite.com
Excite claims access to millions of Web pages, as well as hundreds of thousands of selected Web sites in the Excite Web Guide. Excite uses a patented technology called Intelligent Concept Extraction, or ICE. This technology allows you to

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FIGURE 23AltaVista (Reprinted with permission from AltaVista.com)

search not only for the exact word or phrase youve entered, but also for related concepts. For example, if your keywords were ancient civilizations, Excite would search for these exact words as well as for related concepts such as old, very old, cultures, and societies. This ICE technology should help make searching with Excite more productive, as the engine is essentially predicting specific words that Webmasters might have used when indexing the content of their sites (Figure 24).

FIGURE 24Excite Home Page (Excite, WebCrawler, and Excite Search are trademarks of Excite, Inc., and may be
registered in various jurisdictions. Excite screen display 2004 Excite, Inc.)

HotBot http://www.hotbot.com
Hotbot offers multiple search options, including the use of advanced Web filters (Figure 25). In its more sophisticated searches, it offers features not found in most engines. It allows you to restrict your search in terms of how long the pages have been on the Web. It even allows you to restrict

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your search to Web sites that have specific geographic origins (for instance, North America, Africa, and so on). You also can restrict your search by domain type (for instance, .com, .gov, .org, and so on). There are limited Boolean-like choices in pull-down boxes. Search terms in the title result in a significantly higher ranking, and this can have the obvious impact on the usefulness of what you find.

FIGURE 25HotBot Homepage (Reprinted with permission from HotBot, Inc.)

All in all, HotBot is a great search engine, and you should spend some time exploring all the options it has to offer. Because of all the special ways of searching available on the site, its practical for broad-category and for topic-specific searching. Also, because it can return results published within a specified time frame, its especially good for research on current topics.

Lycos http://www.lycos.com
Lycos started out as a search engine, but has become more of a subject index (Figure 26). Lycos catalogs sites within 22 different top-level categories ranging from Shopping to News. Clicking on a category brings you to a page that includes subcategories, community guides, resources, services, and headline newsall of which relate to the category you chose. Its advanced search capabilities also are extensive, including Web, Usenet, news, stocks, weather, and multimedia image

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and sound files. Lycos allows boolean searches using dropdown forms. Lycos indexes its results to the number of times the documents are linked to other documents, putting the more popular ones at the top of the results. If youre searching for something obscure, Lycos can be a negative. Go to http://www.lycos.com/sitemap.asp to see all the tools and Lycos topics.

FIGURE 26Lycos ( Lycos, Inc. Lycos is a registered trademark of Carnegie Mellon University. All rights reserved.)

Yahoo! http://www.yahoo.com
Yahoo! is one of the most popular Web sites used today. Yahoo! isnt really a search engine, its an index (Figure 27). Human indexers decide what goes in it and then they organize and catalog the material. Yahoo! has cataloged sites into categories and subcategories. Searching Yahoo! is as easy as entering a keyword (or keywords). Every page in the Yahoo! directory includes a search text box. You also have the option of combining the searching and browsing features. For example, if you click to browse the News and Media category, youll

FIGURE 27Yahoo! (Reprinted with permission from Yahoo!, Inc.)

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then have the option of searching only within that category. If your query gets no hits in this manner, Yahoo! offers you the option of searching only within Yahoo! or you can search the entire Web. Yahoo! is also case insensitive, so if what youre looking for should be in capital letters, type it in that way. If you know what youre looking for, Yahoo! is a great place to search. Yahoo! also offers e-mail, instant messaging, Web hosting, radio, games, and shopping. It has become a portal to the Web for many users.

Multiple-Search or Meta-Search Engines

You dont have to use just one search engine at a time. Turn, instead, to a search engine that sends your query to several different search engines. The advantage to using these types of search services is that you can cover more ground per query. No single search engine can have a complete listing of all the sites on the Web. In theory then, using a multiplesearch engine could return total results you wouldnt be able to duplicate using only particular search engine. Multiplesearch engines are actually particularly good for finding the right individual search tool. When you put your query in, some search engine will return few or no results. Others will come back with dozens or hundreds of results. You then rewrite your query to better target it and again query those search engines that brought you the most results.

Ask Jeeves http://www.askjeeves.com

Ask Jeeves a question in simple English, and he will find the answer as best he can and present it to you. Sometimes Jeeves is surprisingly on point. He is also good at finding related topics that sometimes can help you think differently about a topic (Figure 28).

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FIGURE 28Ask Jeeves

(Used by permission of Ask Jeeves, Inc., Berkeley, CA, USA, copyrights Ask Jeeves, Inc., 19962004 all rights reserved. The name Ask Jeeves is a trademark of Ask Jeeves, Inc.)

Dogpile http://www.dogpile.com
Dogpile (Figure 29) will simultaneously send your query to multiple search engines and present the results to you. Dogpile starts with the search engine that provides the most focused results, allows you to select which search engines you want to use, and allows advanced-syntax searches.

FIGURE 29Dogpile (Courtesy Dogpile.com)

Internet Sleuth http://www.isleuth.com

Internet Sleuth lists thousands of search tools by subject and allows you to query major search engines simultaneously (Figure 30).

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FIGURE 30Internet Sleuth (Reprinted with permission from ISleuth.com)

InfoSpace http://www.metafind.com
InfoSpace helps users find people, businesses, products, and services online. Its a directory service. Users are customers/consumers, as well as advertisers who are trying to reach potential buyers (Figure 31).

FIGURE 31InfoSpace ( 2004 InfoSpace, Inc. All Rights Reserved)

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MetaCrawler http://www.metacrawler.com
This meta-search engine queries the Webs most popular engines for you, and then MetaCrawler (Figure 32) collates and verifies the results. MetaCrawler also offers statistics about what everyone in the world is searching, e-mail, maps, horoscopes, classifieds, and searches of public records. MetaCrawler charges a fee for many of these services.

FIGURE 32MetaCrawler ( 2004 InfoSpace, Inc. All Rights Reserved)

Webcrawler http://www.webcrawler.com
WebCrawler uses meta-search technology to search through top search engines such as Google and Yahoo. WebCrawler (Figure 33) offers its own unique set of tools, including spelling correction, preferences settings such as an adult content filter, and showing results by search engine.

FIGURE 33Webcrawler ( 2004 InfoSpace, Inc. All Rights Reserved)

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Subject Directories
The following is a list of subject directories that will help you search the Internet. Many popular search engines also provide subject directories, as youve learned. About http://www.about.com Originally called the Mining Co., this unique and very helpful service offers a network of sites devoted to hundreds of different topics. A guide, an individual with expertise or keen interest in a particular topic, maintains each site. The topic sites are annotated for ease of use, and the content is updated periodically by the site guides. This is the place for quickly finding the best Internet sites on a topic. Academic Info http://www.academicinfo.net The directory offers links to topic-specific directories. Its a subject directory of educational resources for college and high school students. Galaxy http://www.einet.net/ Galaxy is a hierarchical index of links and a powerful search interface on each page that allows you to search for the most relevant sites about a topictop to bottom in importance. Real humans, Internet librarians, apply a high standard of discretion when choosing sites to add to Galaxys database. LookSmart http://www.looksmart.com Youll find recommended Web sites arranged by subject in LookSmart. Links include brief, but helpful, descriptions. Starting Point http://www.stpt.com A popular place to start exploring the Internet, Starting Point arranges selected links by topic.

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Conducting Research on the Internet

If you need help mastering the overwhelming task of searching for information on the Internet, there are Web sites devoted to assisting you. The Internet is not a library where you can do research and find all the needed information in one convenient place. Its an infinite assortment of unmonitored sites that offer opinion, unsupported theory, and propaganda, as well as accurate, factual articles. No one really knows how many files are now located on the Internet. The number is in the billions, and still growing rapidly. And because of its self-publishing capabilities, you must carefully evaluate the reliability of each site you visit based on purpose, source, content, style, and functionality. Many, such as a university Web site like http://library.albany.edu/, can give you valid information or sound advice. Others may not be so reliable. Well discuss Internet reliability in more detail later. The following is a short list of reliable sources for a variety of topics. Visit some of these sites to get a feel for whats out there and how information may be presented. A quick search on any search engine will get you to the sites. U.S. government State governments Professional organizations Library of Congress The History Channel The Discovery Channel PBS (Public Broadcasting System) American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Better Business Bureau Universities and colleges Online dictionaries Online encyclopedias

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 Television networks News agencies Major periodicals The Weather Channel Businesses and organizations

Special Utilities
Because you have a seemingly endless variety of engines with which to search online, youll often face a list of results thats very long and not as well organized as you would like. Search tools can be a lot of help, as theyre usually easy to understand and use. They can group links according to category, eliminate repeat and dead links, and even put the links you find into a cache or file so you can refer to them at a later time. The following are three good Web search utilities. Copernic 98plus http://www.copernic.com This product is available in a free Basic version, or for a fee in the Personal and Professional versions. If you purchase Copernic 98plus you can search various content-specific channel sets of Web sites. You can also search different search engines and channels simultaneously, including ABCNEWS.com and CNN Interactive, CNN/Sports Illustrated, and Yahoo! Sports. You can also search Disney, ZDNet Software Library, WhoWhere?, and BigFoot, plus all the major search engines. WebTurbo http://www.webturbo.com WebTurbo has been touted as the Internets first Web Previewer. Its free software that works within the Netscape and Microsoft browsers. This program simultaneously queries popular search engines. Its truly unique feature is its interface, which allows you to view summaries of hits in one window while downloading individual pages in another. In the search summary

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window, you can also conduct several different searches at once. You can even save the summary results of individual searches. Essentially, you get to browse while performing multiple searches. If you want to avoid the advertising banners that are a part of the free version, you can purchase pop-up blockers from a variety of software retailers. Alexa http://www.alexa.com Alexa is free and offers instant background information on the site youre currently visiting, so you can determine the value of that site (traffic rankings). The program also gives you hyperlinked suggestions of places you might want to visit nextsuggestions based on a review of the site youre currently visiting. Also, because its referencing its own archive of Web sites, Alexa can sometimes get you access to currently unavailable Web pages in its archive, eliminating the problem of Not Found messages. In addition, icons on Alexas interface link you to top sites being accessed by others, as well as to related links.

Join an E-mail List

Youve learned that discussion or mailing lists are something like coffeehouses, but they meet in e-mail cyberspace instead of around a table. People interested in a particular topic subscribe to mailing lists. Usually, theres a list manager who sets some basic rules and otherwise lets the e-mail discussion flow. When you send a message, everyone on the mailing list gets a copy. Theyre at liberty to respond, and often do. Some mailing lists have thousands of members, and you get hundreds of e-mail messages from the list in a week. Others have limited memberships and keep the mail to a minimum. Subscribing to an e-mail list can be a lot of fun. People who belong to some of the interest-based lists become friends and occasionally even decide that they would like to meet each other in person. However, even if that never happens, theres a great deal of information and conversation that goes back and forth. Lists centered around professions are particularly good for networking and even finding opportunities (Figure 34). Joining one is usually risk-free. Most mailing lists are

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free of charge and are easy to subscribe to and unsubscribe from. You can use a nickname rather than your own name, if you choose, to maintain anonymity. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about mailing lists. How do I find mailing lists that interest me? A number of Internet sites index the hyperlinks to assorted mailing lists. The following are two of these more popular sites.

FIGURE 34A whole world of networking and friendship is available through Internet mailing lists.

Topica http://www.topica.com This is a searchable database of thousands of mailing lists. You plug in a keyword, and up come suitable lists. Apple Mailing Lists http://lists.apple.com/ Apple helps you find e-newsletters and product announcement lists, as well as discussion lists related to Apple products and technology. How do I subscribe? Once you decide you want to join a mailing list that interests you, you need to subscribe to it. Instructions on how to subscribe to specific lists vary, but once you find a list, youll receive directions on how to subscribe. Most often, youll need to send an e-mail message to the mailing list server, usually from the account where you want the list sent. To ensure youre added to the mailing list, enter the subscription message exactly as youre told to do. Dont add any additional spaces or characters.

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Most subscription messages go to an automatic responder that will send a message back to you within a couple of minutesusually a welcome message that tells you a little more about the list you just subscribed to and how to unsubscribe from it if you ever choose to. You should save this message, or at least the information about how to unsubscribe, for future reference. Sometimes the auto-responder sends back a subscriptionverification e-mail with, for instance, a special code. The auto-responder wont add your address to the mailing list until it receives back that special code. Thats to ensure you really wanted to join the list and somebody didnt just sign you up without your knowledge. How do I get involved in a mailing-list discussion? Most mailing lists serve as a forum for the subscribers to voice their opinions on issues. If you want to add something to the topic in such a mailing list, or if you want to begin a discussion of a certain topic, you post an e-mail message to the appropriate address. The mailing list will provide all the details.

Other Resources on the Internet

The Internet continues to grow. Practically every company, every interest, every government entity has a site. If you need help with any aspect of buying or using products or services, the Internet is the place to turn. Lets discuss the possibilities.

Banking
Chances are your bank will allow you to bank online. That means you can access your account, check your balances, move money from one account to another, and pay your billsall from the comfort of your home computer. The next time youre at the bank, ask about online banking.

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Shopping
The number of stores and manufacturers with online sites expands every day. Choices range from clothing, CDs, and books to major appliances, jewelry, and even automobiles. Gifts of flowers, candy, or specialty items can be delivered directly to the recipient. Try doing a search for an unusual product or specific type of business from which you would like to buy, and see if theyre available. Chances are, youll find what youre looking for. Online auctions such as eBay offer an unimaginable selection of antiques, collectibles, and everyday items that are up for bid. You can follow the instructions on how to place a bid or sell your own items through the site.

Health
Telemedicine is increasingly popular. Many hospitals have Web sites that describe their services and even provide health professionals to answer questions that people e-mail to them. Online pharmacies are also popular. See if your doctor can recommend a health-care site to you.

Libraries
Many public libraries have opened their card catalogs to online customers. Through the Internet you can search for a book from a public library. If you find a book you want, you can usually request it through your local librarian, as long as you have a local library card. You dont even have to live in the community where the library is located to borrow the book. Your librarian can arrange for the book via an interlibrary loan.

Education
Online courses are becoming increasingly common. Most colleges and universities now offer online programs, and there are institutions that operate only in cyberspace. Use a search engine to find the Web site of an institution that you would like to attend (Figure 35). From there you can e-mail and find out if they offer online classes.

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FIGURE 35Many choices in career and degree programs are available online.

Newspapers
Newspapers both big and small now have their contents online. While you may prefer to subscribe to the paper version of your local newspaper, its fun to look at out-of-town newspapers for news of different areas. Find a state-by-state index of newspapers at http://www.usnpl.com/.

Travel
The Internet is the very best way to find travel information prices, fares, hotel reservationseverything you need to know to make a trip efficient and fun. Start by searching for your destination. If the results are too numerous, limit them by adding the word hotel to your search.

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Popular sites such as Travelocity, Hotels.com, Priceline, and Expedia are helping consumers book hotels, air travel, and rental cars without the help of a travel agent.

Security and Privacy

As you travel through cyberspace, you may visit a shopping site that will want you to register and give your real name and address. The site might also request your e-mail address and possibly other information, including a credit card number. Be cautious; not everyone is trustworthy. Dont make yourself vulnerable. These days, many reliable sites have published privacy statements. Before you offer personal information, see if the privacy statements are available and read what they intend to do with the information youre about to give them. Having a privacy statement is no guarantee, of course, but it does indicate that the site has concern for its users welfare. Sites that sell things online should be secure sites, which means they have special software that keeps other people from stealing the information you send them. Both Netscape and Internet Explorer have default settings that warn you when youre about to do business on a site that isnt secure. Its a setting that you can turn off if you like, but thats probably not a good idea if you think that you might be shopping online. Some online businesses have push technology. They keep your e-mail address and other personal information available and use it to tell you when they think they have something else of interest to you. One of the best examples of a popular push technology program is the airlines weekly e-mail alerts that go out to subscribers who have interest in cheap airline fares. Millions of people sign up and enjoy the benefits. Some classified advertising services also use push technology. Instead of searching the classified ads daily for that perfect used car, just tell the site what youre looking for, and when it comes available, they send you an e-mail alert. Some people dont think push technology is such a good idea, especially when theyre flooded with e-mail they dont want. We call such e-mail spam. Spam is usually generated for

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advertising purposes, and is sent via a mailing list. Some people call it electronic junk mail, since its much like the mass advertising sent through the postal service. If you become inundated with spam, the best way to get rid of it is to talk to your ISP. They can put a filter on your account to keep spam out and/or provide you with a filter that will help your computer refuse spam. There are also spam filters available online; a search will reveal many choices.

Internet Reliability
You may wonder how reliable the Internet is as a source of information. To gauge the reliability of online sources, think of the Internet as a virtual library, and apply the same evaluation tools you currently use to rate more traditional reference materials. Theres a catch, however: Libraries sort and classify publications as fiction, nonfiction, and reference. On the Internet, youll have to distinguish fiction from nonfiction yourself. It will take a critical eye and certain evaluative skills to separate the treasure from the trash, the jewels from the junk. Here are some important points for you to follow that will help you evaluate the validity of the information you find on the Internet. Be discerning. This isnt really an evaluative method or a tool as much as a frame of mind. Remember that the Internet isnt one particular publication. Its a network of millions and millions of publicationssome are reliable as sources of information and some arent. The Internet doesnt bar anyone from developing a Web site and publishing his or her opinions. So, as rational and literate adults, we need to question extraordinary claims like Giant Elephant Squashes Tall Buildings in New York City. If the same headline appeared on the front page of a tabloid magazine, chances are you would laugh at it. Of course, some stories may seem more plausible than that without being true. So dont believe a source simply because it exists online. If an article sounds unlikely or an e-mail request sounds suspicious, there are Web sites like http://www.scambusters.org/ that attempt to quash rumors and urban legends and reassure Web users.

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Evaluate the author. Before you invest time, energy, or money at a Web site, ask yourself the following questions about the author of the Web page. 1. Have you ever heard of this person before, or has your instructor or someone with recognized credentials ever mentioned this author? 2. What are the authors qualifications and credentials? 3. Are his or her credentials appropriate for the subject matter? 4. Is the author considered an expert in the content area? 5. Does he or she mention others whose names and credentials are familiar to you? 6. Is this author associated with a reputable organization, a corporation, educational institution, or governmental body, for instance? If so, what are the organizations goals? Another way to evaluate the author is to look for potential bias in your sources. For example, suppose youre researching whether lenient gun control laws contribute to violence in a society, and you find an essay written by an official from the National Rifle Association. The author may not give you both sides of the story. Neither would someone writing for the Web site of Handgun Control, Inc. Bias isnt always easy to spot, but you should be able to catch and recognize any obvious sources of it. Evaluate the source of the Web page. Look at the Uniform Resource Locator (URL). While the URL may not always be a definite indicator, theres usually more validity to a publication on www.NASA.gov than on someones personal Geocities home page. We can usually rely on Web sites with the extensions .gov (government) and .edu (educational institution). Evaluate the writing. Look at the composition. Are there any misspelled words? Does it follow the basic rules of grammar? Are there footnotes and a bibliography that reference other scholarly works? Are main points presented clearly and organized in a logical fashion? If you find that the author employed care and skill with the text, chances are good that he or she verified the facts.

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Evaluate any publication data. Look at the publication date or copyright date. Is the source current or out of date for your topic? For example, if youre researching the most recent archaeological discoveries in Egypt, an article published in 1990 wouldnt be current. However, if youre researching some historical event like the discovery of King Tuts tomb in 1922, an article from 1930 may be just what you need. Look for a publisher. While not always an indicator of quality, publications from reputable publishers and university presses are usually more reliable. If youre reading an article published in a magazine or journal, ask yourself if its a scholarly journal like the Journal of the American Medical Association, or a more general magazine like Cosmopolitan. Experts in the field usually write for scholarly journals. Also, journal articles are typically subjected to a period of peer review before theyre published.

Netiquette
No study of the Internet is complete without learning about acceptable online behavior. Because the Internet is not controlled or presided over by any person, organization, government, or other entity, its users serve as the arbiters of behavior. But some problems have arisen (Figure 36). With the assumption of privacy and freedom from law, the Internet has opened doors to behavior thats illegal or considered immoral or dangerous in our culture. Predators of all kinds have emergedidentity thieves, child molesters, hackers, and scammers are all looking for opportunities online. Online gambling and pornography are widespread. Copyright violators download music, movies, and text. Some users seem to become addicted to Internet games, e-mail, surfing, and chat rooms. And data on the accessibility and acceptance of plagiarism by students is troubling, a result of the growing dependence on the Web for quick research and ready-made term papers.

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FIGURE 36While the Internet offers wonderful resources, individuals must learn to protect themselves and their families from the dangers that are also there.

Our legal system has not caught up with the age of global communication, but much is being done to alleviate these concerns. Laws are being written, criminals are being caught, and software is being developed to safeguard our children, our privacy, our assets, and our social and moral standards. Theres one thing that we, as Internet users, can do to help: We can control our own online conduct by following a code of acceptable behaviors known as Netiquette. In general, that means adhering to the same general standards of conduct online as you do in your everyday encounters with others. Netiquette is evolving as technology evolves; however, there are certain positive behaviors that foster a safer online environment. Below are some tips for you to follow as you travel the world online. Safeguard all personal information. Use an alias or nickname in chat rooms and other public online places. Never give out personal information such as your social security number, street address, or financial information without careful considerationor not at allonline.

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 Give authors credit for their material. If youre reporting to others in a formal research document, cite all references, not just the ones from traditional printed materials. Be brief in your e-mail messages. Long messages and large file attachments quickly fill the recipients mailbox. You may also be wasting others time by not getting to the point quickly. Never read someone elses private e-mail or try to enter a site without proper security clearance. Beware of downloading attachments, both from people you dont know and from those you do know. Using e-mail attachments is one of the most common ways of spreading computer viruses. Dont answer spam, even when the message offers to allow you to unsubscribe from its listthats often a trick used to confirm addresses. Its best to delete it without opening it, if you can guess by the address or subject that its spam. Remember that in all your online communications (e-mails, chat rooms, instant messages, newsgroup postings, etc.) youre communicating with real human beings with feelings and opinions. Respect those feelings, as well as peoples time and privacy. Now, before you take the examination, please complete Self-Check 2.

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Self-Check 2
1. Name two of the better general-purpose search engines. __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 2. Name two meta-search engines. __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 3. Explain what a mailing list is and why you might want to join one. __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 4. What is push technology? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 5. How do you decide whether information on the Internet is reliable? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 6. What is Netiquette? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Check your answers with those on page 68.

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Self-Check 1
1. Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator 2. http:// protocol atlasvideo.com domain name /products path name

Answers

3. The first part of your e-mail address is whatever you want. The last part will be @aol.com. 4. A plug-in is a tool that expands the capabilities of your browser. Real Audio Player will let you listen to music online. 5. You may find an article or information that you know youll want to refer to at a later time. To copy it, you would go to the toolbar under File. Click on Save As. Specify Text and put the file wherever you want to save it. 6. A Favorite or a Bookmark is a Web site that you want to go to often. On the tool bar, go to Bookmark or Favorites and click. 7. You could go to the read-me file or the instruction booklet that came with the computer and its software. You can also go to the manufacturer or the software developers Web site for assistance. Many of them also have toll-free numbers. The retailer who sold you the product may also provide technical support. If you deal with a merchant in town, he or she will want to help a good customer. 8. com: a commercial, for-profit business nte: networking service or organization edu: university or college org: nonprofit organization pro: licensed professional name: personal Web site or individual 9. False 10. ARPANET: A network of computers named after the U. S.

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Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency created in 1969, which evolved into the Internet www: Worldwide Web, a collection of Web pages that include text, graphics, audio, and video (hypermedia) URL: Uniform Resource Locator or Web site address Http: Hypertext transfer protocol Newsgroup: Online discussion forum about a specific topic or area of common interest Mailing list: A group of e-mail addresses given a name. When a message is posted to the mailing list, every address is sent a copy of the message Blog: A Web log where a user posts personal writings, favorite links, or anything else of interest to its author

Self-Check 2
1. Any two of the following: AltaVista, Excite, HotBot, Lycos, Google, and Yahoo! 2. Any two of the following: DogPile, Ask Jeeves, Internet Sleuth, InfoSpace, MetaCrawler, WebCrawler 3. A mailing list is a list of people who affiliate to discuss issues and share information via e-mail. People join them for fun, to conduct business, and to get and give information. 4. Push technology sends usually unsolicited information to your computer, often via e-mail, that you may have interest in based on your interests in other things. 5. Be discerning, evaluate the author, evaluate the source of the Web page, evaluate the writing, and evaluate any publication data. 6. The online code of acceptable behavior

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Examination

Internet Basics

EXAMINATION NUMBER:

08300402
Whichever method you use in submitting your exam answers to the school, you must use the number above. For the quickest test results, go to http://www.takeexamsonline.com

When you feel confident that you have mastered the material in this study unit, go to http://www.takeexamsonline.com and submit your answers online. If you dont have access to the Internet, you can phone in or mail in your exam. Submit your answers for this examination as soon as you complete it. Do not wait until another examination is ready. Questions 120: Select the one best answer to each question. 1. The Internet was created to be used for A. B. C. D. shopping. sending e-mail. scientific research. international communication.

2. Which one of the following is a domain name of a URL? A. Wilson@ B. Http: C. AOL.com D. /Products

3. Explorer calls them Favorites; Navigator prefers to call them Bookmarks. What are they? A. E-mail letters you want to save B. User instructions that you shouldnt throw away C. Internet service provider customers who use the Internet frequently D. Web sites that a user visits frequently

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4. One kind of software thats required to be able to access the World Wide Web is a/an A. Internet connection. B. browser. C. e-mail address. D. search engine.

5. A Web site created for Maui Services has a URL of .pro. Which of the following types of organizations is Maui Services? A. Nonprofit organization B. Licensed professional 6. Business e-mail messages should A. B. C. D. be short and to the point. be answered within one week. add expression by using emoticons. include your opinions of the messages topic. C. Professional association D. For-profit organization

7. In the language of the World Wide Web, This page cannot be displayed means A. B. C. D. your computers software is damaged. the browser cant find the Web site that youre seeking. the e-mail youre trying to open has been lost. the ISP youve chosen is going to go out of business.

8. What does the program WinZip do for the files on your computer? A. B. C. D. It It It It provides security for your computer when youre not using it. helps you move quickly through a variety of Internet tasks. closes Windows when youre working in other programs. condenses and expands files so they move easily over the Internet.

9. In an e-mail message, what do the initials Bcc mean? A. B. C. D. Blind carbon copy Broken channel connection Business configuration cooperative British compiled corrections

10. Which one of the following best describes what a plug-in does? A. B. C. D. Makes it safer to attach your modem to an electrical connection Expands a browsers capabilities Fills gaps in the phone line so data isnt lost Inserts information in online forms

11. Which of the following tools is best for accessing Web pages and connecting to the Internet? A. ISP B. Modem C. Search engine D. Browser

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12. For what purpose would you use boolean operators when you search the Internet? A. B. C. D. To logically wire a computer to operate most efficiently To organize searches to find particular Web sites among the millions available To write software thats particularly useful in mathematics To organize news groups so people with all sorts of interests have opportunities to participate

13. When youre at work, your company e-mail is considered A. B. C. D. the property of your employer. secure and private for your correspondence. an unofficial benefit. an informal way to do business.

14. A blog allows you to A. B. C. D. send a message to everyone in your address book. carry on a real-time conversation. publish your thoughts in a personal diary. receive news updates related to a specific topic.

15. Which of the following is not a meta-search engine? A. DogPile B. Ask Jeeves 16. Which of the following best describes spam? A. B. C. D. Electronic junk mail A program thats not compatible with your browser Computer viruses A program that will give your computer extra power C. Internet Sleuth D. Yahoo!

17. What do you have to do before you can participate in an e-mail list? A. B. C. D. File posts in your address book Send e-mail to all the other members Join the e-mail list by registering Write a letter of introduction

18. Which of the following best describes a privacy statement regarding the Internet? A. A statement in your e-mail account that guarantees security B. A notice that appears on a Web site, especially one that requires registration with personal information C. A name you choose as a member of an e-mail list to ensure your anonymity D. A statement attached to software stating the designers copyright claim

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19. Which of the following helps to moderate online behavior? A. Governments B. Professional organizations C. Netiquette D. Cyber police

20. Which kind of URL suffix would you most likely find attached to a site maintained by the Red Cross? A. .edu B. .com C. .org D. .ca

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