Internet – SS2 Data Processing Lesson Note (Third Term)

The internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use TCP/IP to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks made up of private, public, academic, business and government networks. It carries information resources and services, most notably the World Wide Web and electronic mail.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• define the internet and state where it began;
• explain basic terms associated with the internet, such as browser, download, upload, e-mail, HTTP and ISP;
• name the main internet browsers and describe their common features;
• list and describe common internet services;
• state the benefits of the internet to society.

What is the internet?

The origins of the internet date back to the 1960s, when the United States funded research projects of its military agencies to build reliable, fault-tolerant and distributed computer networks.

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business and government networks of local to global scope. These networks are linked by a broad array of electronic and optical networking technologies.

The Internet carries a vast array of information resources and services, most notably the interlinked hypertext documents of the World Wide Web (www) and the infrastructure to support electronic mail. One of the simplest definitions of the internet is that it is a collection of computers linked together.

What are the basic terms associated with the internet?

1. Browse: This is a term used to refer to the process of accessing and viewing web pages on the internet.
2. Browser: A browser is also called a web browser. It is a software application that is used to access and view web pages on the internet. Most browsers can be used to send and receive email, connect to web-based email services and read newsgroups. Some popular browsers are Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari, Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
3. Chat rooms: These are virtual communication platforms where many people keep in contact with family, friends and classmates. Some websites that have chat rooms are Yahoo, AOL, MSN and Google. Some chat rooms allow the use of a webcam to view each other and communicate emotions using emoticons.
4. Cyber café: It is a place where several personal computers connected to the internet are made available for use by customers at a price. Customers are charged an amount of money for using the computers within a period. A cyber café is also known as an Internet café.
5. Cyberspace: This term is used to describe internet networks and the www.
6. Download: This is the process of retrieving information from the internet onto a personal computer. A user can download files, music, software or games onto a personal computer.
7. Electronic mail (e-mail): A mail that is sent and received through the internet is called an e-mail. For a user to send and receive messages on the internet, he or she must have an email address. An example of an e-mail address is robert_egbe@yahoo.com.
8. Home page: This is the start page of any website. It refers to the initial or main page of a website that loads when a user specifies the URL of the website in a web browser.
9. HTML: HTML, short for HyperText Markup Language, is a computer language with sets of markup symbols and codes that are used for building websites.
10. Protocol: It is the standard or set of rules by which computers communicate over the network.
11. HTTP: HTTP stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol. It is the protocol for transferring web pages on the web.
12. ISP: Internet Service Provider is a company that provides individuals and companies with access to the Internet. Examples of ISPs in Nigeria are IPNX, Linkserve Limited, Cobranet Limited and Swift Networks Limited.
13. Upload: This term refers to the process of transmitting a file from a local computer onto the internet. It is the opposite of downloading.

What are the main internet browsers?

The common internet browsers are:

1. Internet Explorer
2. Firefox
3. Opera
4. Netscape Navigator
5. Google Chrome

Descriptions of the browsers

1. Internet Explorer: Internet Explorer is a graphical web browser developed by Microsoft.
2. Firefox: Mozilla Firefox is a free and open-source web browser managed by Mozilla Corporation. It is one of the widely used browsers.
3. Opera: The Opera browser is a web browser developed by Opera Software. It is described as the smallest and fastest browser in the world.
4. Netscape Navigator: Netscape Navigator is a product of the Netscape Communications Corporation.

What are the features of a main browser?

The common features of the main browser are:

1. Title bar: The title bar is at the very top of the browser window. In both Firefox and Internet Explorer, it is normally seen as a blue bar at the top. The title of the web page is displayed on the title bar.
2. Menu bar: The menu bar contains menus such as File, Edit, View and History. It is the bar underneath the title bar.
3. Toolbar: The toolbar and its icons are displayed at the top of the browser window, underneath the menu bar. This is where the Back button, the Home button and the Refresh button are found.
4. Address bar: The address bar is the box at the top of the browser window that displays the entire URL, or website address.

What are the internet services?

The internet offers many services to its users. With the internet, users can interact with one another, advertise their products, chat with friends, watch video clips, download software, buy products and do banking transactions. Some of the most common internet services are:

1. Email: The word email stands for electronic mail. It is an internet service that enables internet users to send and receive messages.
2. Email discussion group: These groups are made up of people anywhere on the internet who agree to communicate by email as a group, sharing messages that are related. Examples of these groups are Usenet and newsgroups.
3. Usenet: The word Usenet stands for Users Network. This is an online discussion system. Usenet encompasses a wide variety of forums or newsgroups where participants can discuss topics with people in other parts of the world.
4. Telnet: Telnet is the main internet protocol for creating a connection with a remote computer. It allows the user to access the resources on another computer. For example, if the system were goodshepherdschools.net, the command would look like this: telnet goodshepherdschools.net
5. FTP: This stands for File Transfer Protocol. It is the simplest way to exchange files between computers in a network. FTP is commonly used to download or upload files to or from your computer.
6. www: This stands for World Wide Web, also abbreviated as w3. It consists of interlinked HTML documents accessed via a web browser.

What are the benefits of the internet to society?

The internet is used in society in the following application areas:

1. Education and e-learning: With the internet, people can get educational materials and read them in preparation for examinations, or use them for school assignments. The internet also supports electronic learning, where courses or subjects are taught online using audio or visual material.
2. E-registration: The internet provides users with facilities for online registration for examinations such as WAEC, NECO and JAMB.
3. Entertainment: The internet reduces boredom and improves leisure by providing users with the latest entertainment in the form of movies, games, news and more.
4. Communication: This is one of the key benefits of the internet. It provides many ways for users to communicate with friends, family and colleagues, through email and social sites such as Facebook, Yahoo Messenger, 2go and Twitter.
5. E-banking: The internet can be used to carry out transactions with banks irrespective of the user’s location.
6. E-commerce: The internet is also a tool for e-commerce. It allows users to buy and sell goods and services online regardless of their location.

Evaluation

1. What is the internet?
2. Explain the difference between downloading and uploading.
3. What does ISP stand for? Give two examples of ISPs in Nigeria.
4. List the four common features of a main browser.
5. State three benefits of the internet to society.

Assignment

1. List four internet services and explain each in one or two sentences.
2. Explain the following terms: home page, protocol, HTTP and cyber café.