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%  Introduction to computing 


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\me{Andy Harris, aharris@klingon.cs.iupui.edu} % author(s) names
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\begin{document}

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\docheader{Introduction to Computing}
{2}   % module number
{Communication and the World Wide Web}  % module name


 
\begin{goallist}
\item Students will be able to separate media exaggerations about the
Internet from the current realities 

\item Students will become familiar with the general background of network
communication as it applies to the Internet

\item Students will be familiar with the important features of browser
applications

\item Students will practice using search engines, directory searches, and
other skills to find information on the WWW
 
\end{goallist}



\begin{prereqs}

\item Comfort with the keyboard and mouse 

\item Experience with the STAIR process 

\end{prereqs}




 
\section{The Changing Role of Computers}
 
The popular conception of how computers are used can be misleading.
We still tend to think of computers as powerful calculators, skilled
at mathematical processes.  Indeed, the earliest computers were used
almost exclusively for mathematical computation.  The term computer,
as defined before World War II, referred to a person who undertook
complex mathematical calculations.  The early computing machines were
immediately pressed into such mathematically intensive roles as
calculating artillery firing tables and code breaking.  Even now,
computing is often taught as part of a math curriculum in early
grades, and we think of computers as large machines with flashing
lights and cryptic output.  Computers are still being used for
calculation.  They are better than ever at doing this type of work,
but computers employed in this way are used principally at
Universities and large corporations.  Most computers today sit on the
desks or in the homes of individuals.  Although ``regular people'' have
some calculating needs, most of us rarely have to generate an
artillery firing table.  The main use of computers has shifted from
calculation to communication.  Most of the applications we run on
computers are designed to help us communicate more clearly with other
humans.  Even those programs which still have a heavy calculating
ability (such as spreadsheets) are frequently used to turn the results
of the calculations into charts or graphs that are more easily
understood by humans.  Even when we use a computer to calculate, our
real goal is frequently communication.
 
Since the advent of written language, tools have been used to enhance
and control human communication.  The invention of the printing press
made communication via the written word practical. The telephone, television 
and radio have had the same kinds of effects on visual and auditory communication. 
Modern office tools such as voice mail, pagers, and FAX machines have done much 
to change communication, but the bulk of business communication has still been
paper documents.  As you may be aware, the advent of the Internet has
the potential to change the way we communicate in some fundamental
ways.  We cannot watch the news without hearing a story about the
Internet.  In one story we hear enthusiastic praise of the technology
that will change everything for the better, and in the next story we
hear about the abundance of smut, filth, crime, and other dangers being
forced upon us.  We need to understand what the Internet is and what
it is not.  It is a very real part of our present and future.  The Internet
will not go away any time soon. The effects it may have on us are profound.
Our level of understanding of this phenomenon will decide whether the 
Internet controls our actions or we use it as a powerful
tool to advance our personal ideals.
 
\section{The Evolution of Computer Communication}
The history of computing as a communications medium illustrates how
the use of computers has evolved.  The early days of computing
foretold the development of huge, multi-purpose machines.  In 1943,
Thomas Watson, then the chairman of IBM, is reported to have said: ``In
the whole world there is a market for maybe five computers.''  Today,
the average family car on the road has eleven microprocessors. 
(Some have many more!) 


\subsection{Mainframes}
In Watson's day, his statement was not at all controversial.
Computers of the time were mammoth machines.  They were expensive to
build and maintain, and were extremely difficult to program.  These
computers evolved into a type of computer called mainframes.  A
mainframe computer was a massive computer that could be used by many
users simultaneously.  Each user had her own monitor and keyboard, but
there was only one main computer ``brain''.  The processor quickly
jumped from individual to individual.  Each person had the impression
she had the computer to herself.  This illusion broke down when a
large number of people were using the system or somebody was running
an especially demanding process.  An important advantage of this
scheme was the use of the computer as a communication medium.  Since a
large number of people were sharing the same computer at the same
time, it was not too difficult to use the computer to talk to others
in the system.
 
\subsection{The Personal Computer and the LAN}
The development of the microprocessor in the 1970's initiated the
personal computer.  Now a computer that was nearly as powerful as the
earlier mainframes was small enough, cheap enough, and reliable
enough to be on many people's desks and in their homes.  Each computer
could do the work in its own processor, so there was little need for
mainframes in many situations.Mainframes continued to be used, (and
they are still very much with us) but the popular image of a computer
changed to the individual machine on each person's desk.
 
This change brought about some interesting side effects.  Individuals
were empowered by having their own machine, but the communications
capabilities of the mainframes were lost.  The ``paperless office'' has
long been touted as a potential benefit of computing, but anyone who
works in an office knows better: Computers started generating more
paperwork than ever, because it was so easy to do so.  Paper remained
the transfer medium of choice, although trading disks became an
option.  The solution to this predicament was the Local Area Network
(LAN).  This innovation was a combination of programs and hardware
designed to connect a series of personal computers so they could
communicate electronically.  Once a LAN was set up in an office, it
became much easier to send documents across the LAN to other computers
on the network.  People still had the power of individual computers,
and now they had regained some of the communications abilities of the
mainframe days.
 
LAN's, however, had some problems of their own.  It became much easier
to communicate electronically within an organization tied together
with a LAN, but that organization became an ``information island''.
Transferring information beyond the LAN involved the same old problems
of transfer to paper or disk. Connectivity created a larger problem.
As we shall see, different types of computers have different ways 
of storing information.  In the mid-1980's, there were
as many as 10 different types of computers popular within the home
market.  None of these machines could speak directly with each other.
As the market settled down, there became far fewer popular operating
systems, but the problem still persisted.  If you create a document on
a Macintosh at work, your IBM at home will not recognize it without
some special modifications.  There was not a uniform way to describe
and transfer information across computing platforms.

\subsection{The Internet and Its Major Ancestors} 
Solutions to the problems of cross-platform computing are just now
starting to be developed.  We think of these problems as being
relatively new, but research about how computers communicate has been
ongoing for many years.  The development of the Internet actually has
a much longer history than most people realize.  It has been around
nearly as long as computers, although it has caught popular attention
only within the last two years.  The Internet actually got its start
in the heart of the Cold War, during the 1960's.  Much of the research
in computing was funded by the US military.  In particular, the
military was interested in a communications network that could tie 
together the various geographical locations that would be involved 
in the control and launching of nuclear missiles.  There was an 
important tactical consideration: If an intermediate station was 
blown up by the bad guys, the communication still needed to get 
there through alternative means.  A protocol was developed that 
took messages, broke them into packets, and sent each packet
separately to its destination.  If the way was blocked, the packets
could find an alternate route.  When they got to the destination,
the packets would automatically re-join.  This ingenious strategy, 
known as TCP/IP ( Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) became 
the foundation of today's Internet.  The entire network which used 
TCP/IP to tie together the military computers was first referred 
to as ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network).
 
Eventually the military emphasis of the ARPANET was modified to
include scientific and educational capabilities.  Control of the
ARPANET was absorbed by the National Science Foundation (NSF), so the
name of the network was changed to NSFNET.  It is interesting to note
that commerce was strictly forbidden on the NSFNET.  This explains
resistance among long-time Internet users to some of the current
commercial utilization of today's Internet.
 
The term ``Internet'' came into popular use in the 1992 U.S. presidential
campaign.  The charter of the NSFNET was substantially changed to
encourage personal and commercial use of the Internet.  The NSFNET
(which is a US institution) joined with other large networks to form
the Internet as we currently know it.  A consortium of private
entities known as the Internet Network Information Center (InterNIC)
actually has what little control there is of the Internet.  The
Internet is global in scope, so other parts of the backbone are owned
by various entities.  It is not owned or controlled by anybody,
although there is an international coalition known as the Internet
Architecture Board (IAB) that helps to establish mutually agreed
standards for Internet protocols.
 
Notice that the history of computers as communication tools is very
much a history of problems and solutions.  The evolution of the
Internet is a collective effort of millions of people trying to solve
problems with methodologies similar to the STAIR technique we have
been studying.
 
\section{Description of the Internet}
The popular press is entranced with the novelty and potential of the
Internet.  Those stories about the Internet that have the biggest news
potential are not always the ones that best describe the Internet.  It
would be easy to believe some things about the Internet that are not
true:

\subsection{What the Internet is NOT}

\begin{definition} 

\item[\bf It is not a centrally owned or organized institution.]
There is no ``Dept. of the Internet'' or ``Internet Inc.''.  Although the
NSF and InterNIC do have some limited organizational authority, the
Internet is largely unorganized and uncontrolled.
 
\item[\bf It is not a single entity.]
The Internet is an evolving collection of hardware elements, programs,
protocols, and agreements.  It cannot be easily classified as a type
of program or a set of hardware components.
 
\item[\bf It is not a ``Den of Iniquity'']
There is certainly pornography, recipes for bombs, and subversive
material available on the Internet.  It is easy to over-rate the
prevalence of these materials.  The Internet is a reflection of
society.  There is as much seamy material on the Net as there is in
the society it reflects.  There is conversely as much wholesome, good
material (whatever that is) as there is in society.  Most of the time,
the bad stuff is pretty clearly marked as such.  Innovations in
software applications and proposed changes to protocols have the
potential to limit inadvertent exposure to any type of material you
don't want yourself or your children to see.  Legislative efforts by
themselves have little chance of impacting the prevalence of such
materials.  You will find as you explore the Internet that perhaps 80%
of what you see is harmless and meaningless.  You will find a small
percentage that is very worthwhile, and an even smaller percentage
that could be interpreted as offensive.  You are very unlikely to find
the offensive materials if you are not deliberately looking for them.
 
\item[\bf It is not crawling with eight-year-old children
controlling nuclear bombs.]  The image of a young child with
impressive computer skills is very popular, and has some basis in
fact.  However, there are NOT hackers behind every web site.  There
are very few people capable of breaking into your computer and
stealing your information.  Very few of the people with the skill to
misuse this technology have the motivation to do so.  There are people
out there that misuse technology, but the danger is not nearly as
pervasive as the movies would have you believe. We will discuss later
a few precautions you can take to minimize your security risk.
 
\item[\bf The Internet is not a hive of viruses waiting to attack your
computer.]
Some people are afraid to use the Internet because they are certain to
contract a virus the minute that they get on line.  Viruses are a real
threat, but again they are very much over-emphasized.  Just being
connected cannot cause your computer to catch a virus.  We will teach
you some principles of ``safe computing'' that will help you minimize
the risk when you do the kinds of activities that can put you at risk.
It would be extremely difficult to catch a virus from today's
exercise.
 
\item[\bf The Internet is not just for pimple-faced teenagers with 
propeller beanies.]
In its earlier days, the Internet was a formidable place.  A person
had to be relatively proficient with computers before attempting to
utilize the Internet.  With the advent of the World Wide Web, which is
now the most used user interface for the Internet, and new
browser software, the Internet is friendly enough for nearly everyone.
Using the Internet can be much easier than using a word processing
program.

\end{definition}

\subsection{What the Internet IS}

\begin{definition}

\item[\bf A vast repository of information]
Anyone with a little skill can add to the pool of information on
the Internet.  Many people with widely differing interests have added
information to the Web.  The wealth of subject matter available on the
Web is due to the thousands of people who post information for
themselves, organizations they belong to, or their employers.
For example, information has been posted on just about every hobby
imaginable.  This freedom also means there is absolutely no editing 
on the Web, except that which is self imposed by Web authors.  
There is absolutely no reason to believe that something is true 
just because it is posted on the Web.  

\item[\bf Relatively universal]
It doesn't matter much what type of computer you are using, once it is
hooked up to the Internet.  You can read documents that were written on 
any type of computer, provided they were written according
to some type of established Internet protocol.  Computer scientists
refer to this concept as platform independence.

\item[\bf Dynamic]
The content of the Internet changes many times a second.  Millions of
people are adding and deleting information from their own personal
part of the Internet at any given time.

\end{definition}

\section{The Problem}

Knowing that this vast resource is available, how do we take advantage
of it?  Specifically, how can we find the information we want?  What
kinds of problems are best solved using the world wide web?  

There are many types of communication available through the Internet.
The world wide web in particular, is good at serving information.
Look to the web when you want some kind of information that you think
somebody has placed somewhere on the web.  A more advanced user can
also use the web as a publishing resource, to help place information
into the public domain.  In this class we are interested mainly in the
first usage, searching for existing information.  
 
\section{The Tools}
There are a number of tools available for our use.  The term ``tool''
takes on at least two distinct meanings in the Internet context.
First of all, the specific protocol we are using could be considered a
tool.  Also, within a web browsing program, we will have a number of
commands available for our use.  Each of these could be considered a
tool as well.

\subsection{The World Wide Web As A Tool}
There are many formats for storing, retrieving, and transferring
information on the Internet.  These formats are called protocols.
Each of the major protocols could be considered a tool.  Today we are
only interested in one such protocol, the World Wide Web.  The World
Wide Web is also known as the Web, WWW, or w3. It is different from
many of the other protocols (we will learn about them later) in some
very profound ways:
 
It uses a model based on pages.  Each page can contain multimedia.
(Multimedia is words and pictures; even music and video clips!)
 
It is designed to encourage hypertext.  (Certain words or pictures are
highlighted.  Clicking on them with a mouse takes you to a new page of
information about that word or picture)
 
It is designed to allow exploration without the user having to worry
about exactly which computer he is accessing.  It is just as easy to
access a page on a computer in Japan as it is to access one on the
computer next door.  You might not even know you are getting
information from Japan!

It is very easy to use.  Web browser programs are generally less
complex to learn than word processors and other major applications.
The web itself is designed to be easy to use.
 
It is also very easy to create pages.  Nearly anyone with an Internet
account can learn to create simple pages in a couple of hours, and
there is no practical limit to what kind of information can be on a
page. (This explains why the Internet is growing so fast, and is so
difficult to regulate.)
 
It is designed to share information independent of the type of
computer being used to view the page.  If you create a page on a
Macintosh, you can read it with a UNIX machine or a Windows machine,
and it will be pretty much the same.
 
\subsection{Browsers Are Also Tools}

The software programs used to view web pages are referred to as web
browsers, or simply browsers.  There are a number of popular browser
programs.  They all have various features that make navigating the WWW
easier:

\begin{definition}

\item[\bf Location Box] - This is some way of specifying the address
of the page you want to visit.  If you know the address (often called
a URL for Uniform Resource Locator) you can type it into the location
box, and the browser will go directly to that location.
 
\item[\bf Navigation Buttons] - Like most modern software, browsers
often have command buttons near the top of the screen that help you
move around.  We will discuss some of the features you might access
through these buttons below.
 
\item[\bf Menus] - Like most modern programs, most browsers have a
menu structure that allows you to find all the commands you may need
to move through the web.
 
\item[\bf On-Line Help] - Usually there is a help button or help
option in the menus that takes you to an on-line help facility.  This
feature may help you figure out problems when they occur.

\end{definition}
 
\subsection{Commands Within Browsers Are Tools}
 
In addition to the features listed above, most browsers will have some
form of a few basic commands.  They can almost always be accessed by
the browser's menu structure.  You may also find a button on the
toolbar that does a specific command. Toolbars contain buttons which
have pictures on them; when they are clicked with the mouse a
certain task is performed. Many commands have specific key
combinations attached to them.  Generally, beginners don't worry about
these shortcut keys.  As you get more comfortable with any type of
program, you will find yourself ready to learn shortcuts such as key
combinations.  Don't worry about memorizing commands now.  You can
always check the on-line help for assistance in how to do something.  
The important thing is that you recognize what these tools
are, and think about them when you are searching for a specific tool
to do a web navigating job.  Once you know WHAT you want to do and
what tool you are using to do it, figuring out exactly how to do it is
not a terribly difficult exercise.  We deliberately will not give you
specific command names or key combinations, because they will vary
from browser to browser. Below is a list of commonly found commands on
Internet browsers.  

\begin{definition}
 
\item[\bf Previous page] - This is often shown by an arrow pointing
left.  When you want to back up one page, (which will happen
frequently) activate this command.
 
\item[\bf Home page] - This is frequently depicted as button with a
picture of a house.  The home page is the page your browser starts up
with.  In universities, businesses, or other public settings, it is
frequently a special page designed for the specific university or
corporation that owns the computers you are using.  If you are ever
confused, or you come to a browser somebody else has been using,
pressing the home page button should get you to a page you should
recognize. As you get more experience with your browser, you can 
set up a browser so that the home page is any page you specify, 
even one you have created yourself!
 
\item[\bf Search] - There is usually some type of command that takes
you to a series of search engines.  These are special pages that allow
you to type in a word or phrase, then press a button.  The program
will return a list of sites (often thousands of them!) that contain
the word you are looking for.  There are many search engines
available.  Experienced Internet users have passionate arguments about
which one is best.  It really is a matter of personal preference.  Try
a few out, and see which ones you prefer.  Some search engines are
faster than others, some have more detailed databases, some have
easier interfaces.  Most experienced Internet users choose one or two
of their favorites and use a bookmark (see below) to return to them.
 
\item[\bf Directory] - You will often see a button or command that
allows you to do a directory search.  This takes you to another series
of pages that allow you to browse parts of the Internet.  These pages
are edited lists of links, organized by content.  (Yahoo is by far the
most influential, although there are many others) The advantage of a
directory search over a search engine is that if you know the type of
information you are looking for, you can browse through a set of
topics until you find the one you want, then have a list of potential
pages to visit.  The advantages of this approach are organization and
editing: Somebody has gone out and checked the content of these pages.
They are likely to contain the kind of information you are looking
for, and it is relatively easy to find pages on any topic that the
directory engine covers.  There are some disadvantages.  There may be
very good pages that the list editor didn't know about or did not add
to the list.  The lists are never as up-to-date as the search
engines.  Finally, such lists often include advertising targeted
specifically to the subject matter you are looking up.  If you search
for vacations, for example, you are very likely to see advertising for
travel agencies on the pages you peruse, even before you start dealing
with the actual pages that contain real content.
 
\item[\bf History] - Often you will find yourself taking advantage of
the easy links between pages and discover you have strayed far from
your original intention.  Most browsers automatically keep track of
the places you have been.  There will be some kind of command that
lets you look at this history list and return to one of your previous
pages.
 
\item[\bf Bookmarks] - When you find a place you like, you might want
to return there directly.  Most browsers have bookmark capabilities.
This means you can add a `bookmark' to a page, and then when you want
to return to the page, consult a `check bookmarks' command to see a
list of the pages you have bookmarked.  This feature works well on
your own computer, but it is often disabled on public computers.
 
\end{definition}

\section{Example - Finding Information on the World Wide Web}
 
The STAIR method can be very useful when trying to locate information
on the web.  There is so much available, and it is so loosely
organized, that you can easily become disoriented if you do not follow
some kind of structured technique.  Let's look at an example:
 
Dan and his brother get in an argument after viewing the Disney Movie
``Beauty and the Beast.''  In particular, Dan insists that the line in
the song ``Kill the Beast'' that starts ``screw your courage to the
sticking place'' is a Shakespeare quote.  His brother asks ``Oh yeah,
what play, act, and scene?''  and leaves feeling triumphant.  Dan
decides to use his Internet skills to find whether the quote is listed
in any Shakespeare plays, and if so, where the quote occurs.
 
He starts by firing up his web browser.  Dan begins by clicking on the
net directory button of his browser, since he knows he's going to have
to search to find the reference.  Dan likes Yahoo, and he thinks he
remembers seeing a section on literature there, so he decides to click
on the Yahoo symbol.
 
When the Yahoo screen comes up, there is no Shakespeare section, but
he does see a section on Arts and Humanities.  That sounds promising,
so he clicks on the word 'Humanities.'  He immediately sees the word
`Classics' and decides ``Hey, Shakespeare is considered classic
literature, isn't it?''  He presses the button and finds a page full of
references to Ancient Greek and Etruscan material.  Fascinating, but
not Shakespeare.  He hits the `back up' button to get back to the
humanities page.  He looks more closely at the topics available.  ``Oh,''
he says, ``there's a literature link.  Looks a bit more promising.''
He clicks on it.
 
Within the literature section, he sees a link for authors.  He clicks
on it, and sees a link for playwrights.  This is looking promising
indeed!  As expected, there is a link to Shakespeare from here.  He
clicks it.

There are a number of interesting links here, including a
`Shakespearean Insult Generator.'  He is very tempted to look up the
Shakespearean insults so he can call his brother an appropriate name
later, but he decides to press on.  He knows that the page he is
currently on will be stored in his history list, so he can always come
back.  He sees a link called indices, so he clicks on the link.  There
are two listed, and one is in German, so he decides to try the other
one, titled `Mr.  William Shakespeare on the Internet.'
 
This is a beautiful page, put together by someone who obviously adores
Shakespeare and technology.  There are a number of interesting sites
here that tempt Dan, but again he decides to persevere and concentrate
on finding his text.  One link that really catches his eye is called
`Search Engines' The accompanying text explains that the link leads to
`a collection of links to search engines along with a helpful article
on how to use them.'  He clicks here, and ends up at a page that has
links to Yahoo, InfoSeek, and other web search programs.  Essentially
this would be starting over!  (Ooops!)  He doesn't worry, but backs up
a page and tries again.
 
This time he sees a page called `Shakespeare the Works.'  On this
page, he sees a link called 'MIT Shakespeare Home Page' It claims to
have a Shakespeare search engine.  Perfect!  He clicks on this search
engine link.  He sees a page that allows him to type in any text in a
search keywords box and select which work to search from.  He chooses 
the ``all the texts'' option, and types in ``screw your courage to the 
sticking place''. Nothing happens until he presses the ``submit''
button, but when he does, he gets a page that says:

                                        MACBETH 
 
     Act 1, Scene 7 
 
But screw your courage to the sticking-place, [text] 
 
Cool!!  The phrase [text] appears to be a hyperlink, and he clicks
it to see the context of the quote.  It turns out that the phrase
occurs near the end of Scene 7.  Lady MacBeth says it as she is
convincing MacBeth to kill Duncan.
 
Dan prints out this page, then checks the history list to find the
``Shakespearean Insults'' page.  He takes the printout of the page with
Lady MacBeth's quote on it to his brother and calls him a ``mammering
rude-growing mammet''.
 
\subsection{Some of the Places Dan Visited}
The Shakespeare Search page: http://the-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/search.html 
 
The Shakespearean Insult Generator:
http://www.nova.edu/Inter-Links/cgi-bin/bard.pl
 
\subsection{Notes on Dan's Adventure:}
 
You may want to try to follow Dan's steps, but the Internet has
changed since this document was written.  It is possible that the same
path does not exist anymore!  

Dan did not necessarily choose the most efficient path.  Another
person went to the Altavista search engine
(http://www.altavista.digital.com) and typed in the whole phrase.  She
got several links to versions of the play on the Internet.  (She also
found some links to a column for the love-lorn !?!?) She found the
answer much more quickly than Dan did, but she didn't get to any other
related resources like the insult generator.  Which approach was best?
It doesn't matter.  The important thing is whether the problem got
solved.
 
Notice the process.  Dan reached a couple of dead ends, but he just
backed up and tried again.  With persistence, he found what he was
looking for.
 
Dan showed a lot of restraint.  It is easy to get sidetracked on the
web.  Dan had to remind himself a couple of times that he was there to
solve a problem, and he needed to solve that problem first.  It's a
good idea to write down or bookmark any places you want to visit
later.  Try to have the discipline to solve your problem without
getting sidetracked.
 
 
\section{The STAIR Process and Searching the WWW}

The STAIR method of problem solving is adapted easily to searching for
things on the web.

{\bf Statement of problem}: What are you trying to find?
 
{\bf Tools}: Will you use a search engine or directory?  Which one will you
use?  Each of the commands we discussed earlier in this chapter can be
considered a tool as well.  When you are stuck, which browser commands
can you use to reorient yourself?
 
{\bf Algorithm}: Although this will depend upon the tool, eventually it 
will come down to making an incrementally closer approximation to the eventual 
page.  You may start by looking at a very general topic.  Keep getting more and
more specific, until you have a page that has the answer to your question.
 
{\bf Implementation}: This step is simply trying your search.  Just keep
moving closer to your goal.  If you find yourself getting further than
you previously were (as Dan was a couple of times in the example
above), simply back up a page or two and try again.
 
{\bf Refinement}: The entire process is mainly a matter of refinement.  It
is very unlikely that you will find the answer to your question on the
first link you access.  You will need to make several attempts until
you get the page you want or realize you have picked a completely
inappropriate approach.
 
The same process could be applied to any kind of search that might
occur using the web.


\section{Laboratory Assignment}

Your lab instructor will show you how to start the web browser
software installed in your lab.  You will go on an Internet treasure
hunt.  Use the stair method to answer the following questions.  For
each question below, write the answer to the question, and the URL of
the site where you found the answer. URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is
the address location of a particular Web page. On some Web browsers the URL may
be found in a box at the top of the page which is labeled ``Location''.

\begin{enumerate}
\item  What is your lab instructor's Email address? 
\item  Find a picture of a cow.  What is your cow doing? 
\item  What is today's high temperature in Hong Kong?   
\item  Who has the best batting average on the Cincinnati Reds? 
\item Who wrote a poem containing the phrase ``yet know I how the
heather looks;''
\end{enumerate}
 
Note: Some questions will have multiple right answers.  There are
many ways to find each answer.  Use the STAIR process to aid you in
your search.
	

\section{Vocabulary / Important Concepts}
\begin{vocab}
\begin{definition}
\item [\bf The Internet] - A network of networks connecting computers worldwide.

\item [\bf Mainframe] - A large, multi-user computer.

\item [\bf Processor] - The central part of the computer that handles all the
information manipulation.

\item [\bf Personal Computer (PC)] - A computer based on integrated circuit
technology designed for single person use.

\item [\bf Local Area Network (LAN)] - A combination of hardware and software
designed to allow many computers within a small area such as a
building or campus to communicate with each other.

\item [\bf TCP/IP] - Transfer Control Protocol / Internet Protocol - The
underlying protocol of the Internet.

\item [\bf http] - HyperText Transfer Protocol - The protocol that
supports the world wide web.  Like other Internet protocols, it is
based on TCP/IP.

\item [\bf ARPANET] - Advanced Research Projects Agency Network - One
of the earliest ancestors of the Internet.

\item [\bf NSFNET] - National Science Foundation Network - The name
given to the combination of ARPANET and university research computers.
Now sometimes referred to as the ``NSF backbone''.

\item [\bf InterNIC] - Internet Network Information Center - An
international coalition of Internet organizations that has what control
there is of the Internet.

\item [\bf IAB] - Internet Architecture Board - An organization that sets
standards for the Internet.

\item [\bf Hacker] - Originally used to describe a person extremely
skilled at computing.  The term is used generally to refer to
people who use such skills in illegal or unethical manners (such as
breaking into accounts that do not belong to them).

\item [\bf Virus] - In the computing world, a virus is a program which
has been designed to act much like a biological virus; it attacks
files and makes copies of itself.  The term has spread to refer to any
number of programs which are designed to sneak into a victim's files
and cause destruction.

\item [\bf Safe Computing] - Simple precautions and programs you can
use to protect yourself from computer viruses.

\item [\bf World Wide Web] - (the web, w3, WWW) - A protocol that is
extremely popular because of its ease of use and support for hypertext
and multimedia.

\item [\bf Protocol] - A standard for storing, reading, and transferring
information on the Internet.

\item [\bf Hypertext] - Text that has been specially prepared so that
when a user clicks on certain words or phrases, she is taken directly
to a new page.  The world wide web is an excellent example of
hypertext.

\item [\bf Multimedia] - The integration of text, graphics, and other elements
which could include video, audio, or other types of media into one
document.  The world wide web supports limited multimedia.

\item [\bf Web Browser] - A special program designed to help a user
navigate the Internet.  As of this writing, the most popular browsers
were Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.  There are many
others available.

\item [\bf URL - Uniform Resource Locator] - The address location of a WWW
document.  The URL usually starts with http:// (specifying it is a
document designed specifically for the world wide web), then contains
the name of the machine that holds the document, then has the name of
the document itself.  URLs are usually entirely in lower case, and are
always one word.  The URL can often be typed directly into a location
box to direct a browser quickly to a certain location on the web.

\item [\bf Search Engine] - A special web page that connects the user
to a computer with a database program containing many web pages.  The
user types in a list of words to search, and the program returns a
list of links that contain the words.

\item [\bf Bookmark] - In the world wide web, a bookmark is a location
you have told your browser to ``remember''.  There is usually some kind
of command in the menu structure that allows you to easily return to
files you have bookmarked.

\item [\bf History List] - Most browsers keep a list of all the places
you have recently visited.  You can return to a place on your list by
examining the list through a command on the menus, or via the forward
and back buttons.

\item [\bf HyperLink] - Any text in a hypertext document that is
designated as a link to another document.  In most web browsers,
hyperlinks are underlined, and are usually a different color than
other words on the screen.
\end{definition}
\end{vocab}

\section{Summary}

Computers were originally thought of as calculating devices.  Although
they retain this ability, they are increasingly used as communication
devices.  The Internet is an outgrowth of this phenomenon.  It
consists of a number of protocols, or agreements for how information
will be transferred.  The most elemental protocol is TCP/IP.  The most
popular protocol in recent times is the World Wide Web.  The web is
navigated with special programs called browsers.  A user can
direct a browser to pages on the Internet in a number of ways.
Searching for information on the Internet is an application of the
STAIR process that can involve the use of special searching pages
called search engines or directory pages.  It is often necessary to
start with a wide search topic and use successive approximations to
get closer to the goal you seek.

\section{Review Questions}

\begin{quest}
Put the following developments in the proper chronological order:
  \begin{itemize}
  \item The personal computer
  \item The LAN
  \item The mainframe computer
  \end{itemize}
\end{quest}

\begin{quest}
Put the following developments in the proper chronological order:
  \begin{itemize}
  \item The Internet
  \item ARPANET
  \item NSFNET
  \end{itemize}
\end{quest}

\begin{quest}
What is the difference between hypertext and multimedia?
\end{quest}

\begin{quest}
Given the current nature of the World Wide Web, which kinds of
information are you LEAST likely to find on the Internet?
\end{quest}

\begin{quest}
Given the current nature of the World Wide Web, which kinds of
information are you MOST likely to find on the Internet?
\end{quest}


6.  Think of a problem from another class.  Try to find the answer
using the World Wide Web as a resource.

7.  Use the Web to obtain information on a hobby you enjoy.  Search
for your favorite sport, musical group, sports team, hobby, or some
other field that interests you.

8.  Use the web to locate a beginners' guide to the Internet.  Add a
bookmark to this site so you can return there whenever you wish.

9.  Learn how to create your own home page.  Look up HTML as a
starting place.


\anslist{abwwwans}

\end{document}

% \section{Questions for team}
% Module Effectiveness Assessment / Questions for the committee

% Obviously, this is in straight text.  I will convert it to HtX this
% week as we get the system installed.  From HtX we will create HTML
% documents and other styles as needed.
% Can the students complete the lab?

% Do they really understand the process?

% Do they use STAIR to help guide their thinking?

% Does the history segment belong here?

% Could we integrate it better?

% How does this chapter relate to the communications chapter?



