Transcript The Internet - Delta State University

The Internet
What is the Internet?
A worldwide network of computers which
are connected to each other. The Internet
makes disseminating information quick
and easy.
3 Features of the Internet
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The Web (WWW)
Discussion Lists (also known as
discussion boards or forums)
Email
Comparing Internet Features
Feature
Used For
The Web
Viewing Information
Discussion Lists
Viewing and Sending
Information (Groups)
Email
Viewing and Sending
Information
(Individuals)
The Web
Also known as the World Wide
Web, this is where you will find
Web sites.
Types of Web Sites
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Commercial (.com sites)
Educational (.edu sites)
Government (.gov sites)
Organizational (.org sites)
Commercial Web Sites
These are the types of Web sites designed to
sell a product or service. You will usually find
advertising on this type of site. These are
probably the most common type of Web sites
on the Web. For example, Amazon.com
Educational Web Sites
These are the Web sites of colleges,
universities, and some K-12 schools. Also,
many Web sites created by professors tend to
be .edu sites. An example of an educational
Web site: DSU’s Web site
Government Web Sites
There are both federal and state government
Web sites on the Internet. Information for
local governments may be found within state
government Web sites or other sites. An
example of a government Web site: the
United States Dept. of Agriculture Web Site.
Organizational Web Sites
These are Web sites created by nonprofit organizations, such as the
American Red Cross Web Site.
Search Tools for Finding Web
Sites on the Web
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Search Engines
Directories
What is a Search Engine?
A computer program for retrieving
information from the Web. Search engines are
used when you want to do a KEYWORD
SEARCH for Web sites. Use a search engine
when you want to find Web sites containing a
particular word, phrase, or quote.
2 Types of Search Engines
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Individual Search Engines
Meta-Search Engines
Individual and Meta-Search
Engines
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Individual
Compile their own
lists of search
results
Use spiders to
search the Web
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Meta-Search
Group lists of
individual search
engines’ results
together
Use individual
search engines to
search the Web
Examples of Individual Search
Engines
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Google (www.google.com)
Lycos (www.lycos.com)
Alta Vista (www.altavista.com)
Go.com (go.com) (No www prefix)
msn (www.msn.com)
Examples of Meta-Search
Engines
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Dogpile (www.dogpile.com)
Metacrawler (www.metacrawler.com)
Search.com (www.search.com)
What is a Directory?
A categorized listing of Web sites. In a directory,
you will find broad subjects. Under each subject,
there are more specific topics. Under the topics,
you’ll find Web sites. Use a directory to BROWSE
for Web sites by subject.
Examples of Directories
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Dmoz Open Directory Project
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(www.dmoz.org)
Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com)
Google Directory
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(www.google.com/dirhp)
Main Differences Between a
Search Engine and a Directory
Search engines are for keyword or phrase
searching and directories are for subject
browsing. Search engines operate without
human intervention, but directories use
subject categories created by human editors.
What is a Discussion List?
A discussion list, also known as a discussion
forum or group, is a feature of the Internet
which allows you to communicate with others
on the Web. In a discussion list, you can send
messages to others and read their messages.
2 Types of Discussion Lists
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General
Subject Specific
Examples of General Discussion
Lists
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Google Groups
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(www.google.com/grphp)
Yahoo! Groups
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(http://groups.yahoo.com)
Examples of Subject Specific
Discussion Lists
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Internet.com Forums
Civil War Forum
Google Discussion Groups
What is Email?
Similar to discussion lists, email is also a
feature of the Internet which allows you to
communicate with others. However, there is a
main difference: discussion lists are mostly
for group communication and email is mostly
for communication between individuals.
2 Types of Email Accounts
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Commercial Email Accounts (Freely
available on the Internet and usually
free of charge)
Email Accounts Associated with a
School, Business, or Other Organization
(only available to those associated with
the organizations)
Examples of Freely Available
Email Accounts on the Internet
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Hotmail (www.hotmail.com)
Yahoo! Mail (www.yahoo.com)
Excite (www.excite.com)
An Example of an Email Account
Not Available to Everyone
A Delta State University email account
(Only available to students and faculty of
DSU)
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Netiquette
What is Netiquette?
Netiquette is exercising common courtesy
when using the Internet. It requires using
caution when posting messages in a
discussion forum and when sending someone
a message through email.