Tuesday 5 April 2011

The Internet, The Web, and Electronic Commerce

The Internet is often referred to as the Information Superhighway because it connects millions of people across the globe.
Unlike a typical highway, the Internet moves idea and information.
The Web provides an easy-to-use, intuitive interface to connect to the Internet and is used by millions of people every day.

Most developed network system currently in use; connects people all over the world
Originally started in 1969 when US funded a research project (ARPANET—Advanced Research Project Agency Network)
CERN – Center for European Nuclear Research
World Wide Web (Web) is a part of the Internet – not the Internet; introduced in 1992 by consortium in Switzerland.
Originally started as research and text-based network to exchange research ideas from university to university
 Developed into a network of networks
One of the most powerful tools of the 21st century
Internet & Web further clarified
Internet is the actual physical network comprised of  wires, cables (Key Term), & satellites
Being connected to the network is often referred to as being online (Key Term)
The Web is a multimedia interface to resources available on the internet

Most common Internet applications
Communicating - sending e-mail and discussion group participation
You can chat live with others
Ask students what chat software they use
Shopping – fastest-growing applications
Searching - using virtual libraries
Entertainment – music downloads; integration of TV and PC
Education or e-learning (Key Term)
You can take classes on almost any subject (Key Term)
Replace with new Figure 2-18.
Replace with new Figure 2-23.

The common way to access the Internet is through a provider or host computer
Providers - already connected to the Internet -- furnish a pathway for other users
Typical providers include:
Colleges and universities – usually “free”
Internet service providers (ISP) (Key Term)can be local (regional) or national
Ask students to identify various ISPs used in their environment
Types of providers
National – like AOL
Regional – smaller service area
Wireless
No telephone lines used
Provide connection through wireless modems (Key Term)
Client-server network is comprised of users that are connected to a ISP via a variety of connecting technologies (dial-up (Key Term), telephone connections, wireless modems, DSLs (Key Term), etc…)
The users computer is the client that requests services from the provider’s computer or server

Browsers allow you to search or surf (Key Term) the Web
Navigate, search for information and communicate using the Web
Use URL (uniform resource locator) (Key Term) to connect to other resources

Two parts to URL:
protocol (Key Term), rules for exchanging data between computers (usually http://);
domain name (Key Term) also known as a top-level domain (Key Term) or server where the resource is located (www.mtv.com)

Browser is software that allows users to navigate the Web and read the multimedia formatted pages
Connect to Web sites using URL addresses (uniform resource locator)
Document is sent to computer usually coded in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) (Key Term) or some variation
Interprets the HTML codes displaying page
May contain
Hyperlinks (Key Term) -- allow users to quickly connect to other pages or Web sites
Graphics
Text
Web server– the computer that stores and shares graphics, test, audio & video clip files
Web pages contain links (Key Term) to programs called applets (Key Term)
These are special programs written in a programming language called Java (Key Term)
These programs can be quickly downloaded and run by most browsers

E-mail or electronic mail (Key Term)
Transmission of electronic messages over the Internet
Has three basic parts: header (Key Term), message (Key Term), and signature line (Key Term)
Header (Key Term)
Address (Key Term)
Subject (Key Term) – very important to include this in a message
Attachments (Key Term)

Internet uses the domain name system (DNS), which gives names and numbers to people and computers
Address (Key Term) has two parts
User name - identifies unique user or computer in the domain
Domain name (Key Term) - references a specific organization
Top-level domain code identification includes geographical location or organizational identification
.com = commercial
.edu = education and research
.org = organizations (usually non-profit)
.net = major network centers (usually easier to access than commercial)
.gov = government

Spam (Key Term) – unsolicited e-mail
Distraction, Nuisance
Computer viruses (Key Term) can also be attached to spam
Spam blockers (Key Term) use a variety of different approaches to identify and eliminate spam
CAN-SPAM Act requires that every marketing related email provide an opt-out option
Tips to blocking spam:
Choose a complex address
Keep a low profile
Don’t ever respond to spam
Use ez-mail filter options
Use anti-spam

Instant Messaging (Key Term)
Extension of email that allows two or more people to contact each other via direct, live communication
To use instant message, specify list of friends (Key Term) and register with an instant messaging server
Some services include video and file-sharing
Different services do not always play well together. Universal instant messenger (Key Word) programs are being developed (i.e. Gaim, Odigo, Trilogy), to overcome this limitation.
Direct students to p. 35 for table on Spam Blocker(s)

Specialized programs that assist you in locating information on the Web and the Internet
Search services (Key Term) help you locate information; they maintain the database that helps you get where you want
Special programs called spiders (Key Term) continually look for information and updated services
Search engines (Key Term) – assist you to locate information
Use keyword search (Key Term); know “rules” i.e. use + or quotes to look for phrases rather than individual words
Use directory search (Key Term) – list of categories or topics; also known as index search (Key Term)
Examples
AOL
Ask Jeeves
Google
MSN Search
Yahoo!
Metasearch engines (Key Term) – programs that automatically submit your search request to several search engines simultaneously
Specialized search engines (Key Term) - Programs that focus on subject specific Web sites

Keyword search (Key Term) – enter a keyword or a phrase reflecting the information you want
Returns a number of hits (Key Term)
Each hit includes a hyperlink
Directory search (Key Term)
Known as an index search
Select a category or topic that fits the information you want
Note: a recent study by the NEC Research Institute found that any one search engine includes only a fraction of the informational sources on the Web. Therefore, it is good to use more than one search engine when researching important topics.

Anyone can publish to the web
Not all Web information has been subjected to peer review or submission guidelines
Ways to evaluate accuracy of Web information:
Authority – Is author an expert in the subject area? Is the site an official site for the information presented, or, is it an individual person’s Web site?
Accuracy – Is the information subject to critical review prior to posting? Does the site provide a means to report errors to the author?
Objectivity – Is the information factual, or does the author have a bias?
Currency – Is the information current? Is there a “published on” date or “updated on” date indicated?

B2C is fastest growing type of e-commerce
Three types
Online banking (Key Term)
Becoming a standard feature of banking institutions
Customers use standard browser to perform many banking operations
Financial trading
Online stock trading allows investors to research, buy, and sell stocks and bonds over the Internet
Shopping
Buying and selling of consumer goods via the Internet
Sites exist that provide support for consumers looking to compare products and locate bargains

Recent trend in C2C e-commerce is Web auctions (Key Term); similar to traditional auctions – no one sees each other
Auction house sites (Key Term) – merchandise presented for auction
Person-person auction sites (Key Term) – more like flea markets; forum for buyers and sellers to gather Similar to Web traditional auctions
Buyers and sellers seldom meet face-to-face
Ask the students if they have ever used E-bay
Example auction sites include Amazon, Bidz, eBay, Sotheby’s, and Yahoo!

A challenge is the payment for goods
Should be reliable, secure, and fast
Electronic payment -- easy, secure payment method
Checks -- slowest and least convenient
Credit cards -- easier to work with, somewhat vulnerable to theft
Criminals known as carders (Key Term) specialize in stealing, trading, and using stolen credit cards over the internet
Digital cash (Key Term)
Purchased from third party (usually a special bank); more secure than credit cards
Providers include Ecash, Google, Internet Cash, and PayPal
Web-based applications (Key Term) are offered by Web-based services (Key Term) (often free) that provide Internet access to programs with capabilities similar to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
FTP transfers files; file transfer protocol (Key Term); Internet service for file transfer
Downloading (Key Term) - transmitting files to your computer
Uploading (Key Term) - transmitting files from your computer to another computer
Plug-ins (Key Term) -- automatically loaded by and work with your browser; Acrobat Reader; Cosmos from Silicon Graphics (3-d displays); Media Player; QuickTime from Apple; RealPlayer; and Shockwave from Macromedia
Filters (Key Term) – block access to specified sites; set time limits
Internet Security Suites (Key Term) – collection of utility programs designed to maintain your security and privacy while you are on the Web

Web-based applications (Key Term) are offered by Web-based services (Key Term) (often free) that provide Internet access to programs with capabilities similar to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
FTP transfers files; file transfer protocol (Key Term); Internet service for file transfer
Downloading (Key Term) - transmitting files to your computer
Uploading (Key Term) - transmitting files from your computer to another computer
Plug-ins (Key Term) -- automatically loaded by and work with your browser; Acrobat Reader; Cosmos from Silicon Graphics (3-d displays); Media Player; QuickTime from Apple; RealPlayer; and Shockwave from Macromedia
Filters (Key Term) – block access to specified sites; set time limits
Internet Security Suites (Key Term) – collection of utility programs designed to maintain your security and privacy while you are on the Web


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