The World Wide Web

            There is no denying the fact that in modern world, the World Wide Web may be one’s favorite source of information which is inevitable to communicate with outside world in the field of business, communication, economics, information and electronic world. The reason of being enthusiastic is to be motivated with others out side environment.  Not too many years ago, we are boost of the set of files that we preserve with vendor product documentation. We conscientiously send for information on magazine reader service cards for products that we might need to incorporate into one of our projects. Our goal is to be able to pull out the product literature when we had to prepare that quick turn-around proposal and then simply confirm pricing. This system does work, but it becomes a burden to maintain where we have to spend a lot of time in filing the information that we receive. Can organize our information by vendor and sometimes, however, we wish that we have the information by product category (tape drives, for example), because we may face troubles remembering what some of the smaller vendors actually provide for. We also have trouble keeping track of when we receive all the information. It seems as if we have to work hard to keep refreshing the literature, especially in light of the rapid change in products and pricing that goes on in the computer industry. On many World Wide Web sites, including CERN's home page,   we can find more extensive details and a more complete listing of actual events than the brief history of the World Wide Web given here. This introduction to the World Wide Web history aims at providing only a brief overview of events involved in its creation. At first, the World Wide Web contained only a few server and client machines. Within a period of a couple years, however, the computing people caught onto the benefits and stimulation of this new expansion, and the World Wide Web inhabitants growth detonated.

            About new Term relevant to Server and client envisaging such type of computers which are the basis for the entire Internet and in due sense, a server is any computer that "serves" or delivers information and data. A client is any computer that requests or receives the information and data. In 1993, the Web had only about 50 servers. Within 18 months, this number was greater than before by over 3,000 percent and within the last few years, this number has grown into the millions, and today we can find information and files on the Web from practically anywhere in the world. The World Wide Web was beyond doubt a farsighted undertaking. The future seems to hold no limits. In time, most day after day activities may very well take place through the World Wide Web. Almost every home, school, company, and organization will be connected, and with the click of a mouse, the world will exist at   our fingertips. In   our travels through the World Wide Web, we are bound to stumble upon some methodological terms and phrases that we don't know much of this terminology relating to common activities and components present on the World Wide Web. In an attempt to clear the path for some smooth "surfing" through the World Wide Web, several of the most common terms and phrases for encounter are provided here for  us to learn and refer to. Specific examples of many of these elements are provided later in the lesson. Just a Minute: The terminology presented here may have many variations in meaning, depending on whom   we   ask. We’ve tried to stick to the most basic definitions to help us easily understand some of what   we’ll distinguish on the Web.

            The most important parts of the World Wide Web are the elements, such as servers, pages, hot links, and more--all of which comprise the bulk of the World Wide Web. The following are some related terms   we   may see:

• Web site: A collection of World Wide Web documents, usually consisting of a home page and several related pages. we might think of a Web site as an interactive electronic in such critical phenomena.
• Home page: Frequently, the "cover" of a particular Web site. The home page is the main, or first, page displayed for an organization's or person's World Wide Web site.
• Link: Short for "hypertext link." A link provides a path that connects   us   from one part of a World Wide Web document to another part of the same document, a different document, or another resource. A link usually appears as a uniquely decorated word that we can click to be transported to another Web page.
• Anchor: A link that takes   us   to a different part of the same Web page.
• Image map: A feature available on the World Wide Web that enables   we   to click various locations in an graphic image to link to different documents.
• Frame: A feature available on the World Wide Web that presents text, links, graphics, and other media in separate portions of the browser display. Some sections remain unchanging, whereas others serve as an exhibit of linked documents.
• Table: A feature available on the World Wide Web that presents document text, links, graphics, and other media in row and column format. Table borders may be visible in some documents but invisible in others.

·         HTML: Hypertext Markup Language. HTML is the coding language for the World Wide Web that informs browsers how to display a document's text, links, graphics, and other media. This language forms the foundation for all Web pages.

·         Webmaster: The individual responsible for maintaining and updating the content of a World Wide Web document. Webmasters are the creative forces behind the World Wide Web.

·         Domain name: The name given to any computer registered on the World Wide Web as an official provider of information and files. Domain names are usually two or more terms separated by periods. Some examples are aol.com or www.msu.edu.

·         URL: Uniform Resource Locator. A URL (pronounced   we -Are-El) serves as identification for all World Wide Web documents. The URL is sometimes referred to as a World Wide Web page address. Every site and page on the World Wide Web has a URL.

·          Browser: A software program that requests, interprets, and presents World Wide Web documents. Frequently used browsers include Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Lynx, and Mosaic.

·         Client: In addition to being a computer, a client also can be a software program that requests and acquires information from computers that store World Wide Web documents and files. World Wide Web browsers are also known as clients.

·         Hot list: An option available in most World Wide Web browsers that maintains a list of frequently accessed home pages. A hot list also refers to a list of home pages related to a particular subject that is published on an organization's home page.

            One of the most commonly a used capability of the Web is its ability to help   we   locate just about anything. Planning to take a trip or need to locate a place somewhere in the world? Several Web sites are designed to help   we   do just that. The World Wide Web contains sites for every automobile manufacturer in the world. Current prices, lease programs, different models, various options, company information, dealership locations nearest   we and residuals are all available at these sites.

            Assuming that we would like to want to attend a class next year at a local campus or university. Well, just about every educational institute maintains a site on the World Wide Web. Michigan State University, for example, provides an extensive site that offers information ranging from courses available to credit prices, degree program details, and career planning services. Many educational opportunities are available on the Web because many institutions offer for-credit courses and live lectures, right on the Internet. Some of the most practical uses for the World Wide Web include activities in which   we   participate on a regular basis. If   we're interested in owning stock (or if   we   already do), for example,   we   can find annual reports, current stock prices, and other pertinent information relating to just about any corporation or business,   we   can also buy and sell stock directly on the World Wide Web without leaving. Okay, now that are well conversant what's out there on the World Wide Web, we may want to know what it looks like. Again, the only limits to what   we   find are the imaginations of the Webmasters. The World Wide Web acts as the canvas for millions of undiscovered artists around the world. Sites display text, graphic images, links, and attached media in a variety of styles, designs, and patterns. Many pages display these elements in a simple format that's easy to understand and navigate. Much of what appears on the Web, however, may use some special elements to add that extra bit of "zing" to a page. Several such features for designing sites include tables, image maps, frames, and animation. Webmasters use these features to design unique, effective, and attractive home pages. Tables involve the organization of information into a row and column format. This World Wide Web feature is particularly useful for charting and graphing text, graphic images, and links,. Furthermore, if the desired appearance involves the arrangement of information into specific dimensions, tables provide the perfect format. On the World Wide Web, we   will encounter image maps as well. This feature enables   we   to click various locations in an graphic image to link to different documents.

            Frames are a more advanced design tool for World Wide Web sites. The use of frames allows the division of the display screen into separate sections, each of which may contain text, graphic images, and links. Frames are especially useful if a site contains a list of links related to a certain subject, and the Webmaster wants the linked documents to appear on the screen while the list of links remains visible as well. With the various tools available for constructing a World Wide Web site,   we may encounter just about everything in   we  imaginations during   we are to travel as to what is not available now will be shortly, as futuristic ideas for site development already live in the minds of designers. Some futuristic plans for World Wide Web sites include 3-D and interactive displays. The technologies that facilitate this type of design now exist, and a few sites already show a glimpse of the future.

            One of the first serious uses of the Web by trade, especially those in the computer industry, was marketing. They understand that with the way they changed their product lines and pricing, it was almost impossible to keep their clients up-to-date. They also had the advantage those computer techniques where among the first users of the Web, so they could reasonably argue that their Web pages were reaching the buying audience. Anyway, it is a great way of doing business when researching and integrating computer systems. If   we   assume that vendors keep their Web pages up-to-date, which I have found to be the case,   we   are guaranteed to get the latest information whenever   we   need it.   We do not have to listen to salespeople trying to make a sale or answer all the calls to see whether   we   are going to buy anything after   we   receive the literature.

            What is the actual process for finding information using the Web for many vendors, we already know their Web addresses (URLs in Internet parlance). For example, www.microsoft.com, www.oracle.com, and www.intel.com are appealing easier to remember (www in front and com on the back). We will usually try to see whether the company has a Web site that fits this pattern when I am trying to look up information. If we do not succeed in finding the simple pattern (because the parent company has a name that is different from the common product name or someone else got that Internet name first), we will try one of the Internet search engines to find the appropriate page. Some of the common search engines can be found at the following addresses: These engines typically have a box in which   we would enter the search criteria. Suppose, for example, that we wanted to find the address for Hewlett Packard printers. We would type Hewlett Packard in as our search criteria and then touch the search button. Virtually we would then get a number of matching responses back in a display. The nice feature about this result is that the underlined lines are actually links to the pages themselves.   We   can just click on the underlined text to go to the Web site that is described. It is a very easy way to navigate to an unknown location.

            Once   we   find the address of the site that   we   want,   we   will typically be taken to the main page for the company. After that,   we   have the opportunity to follow links to other pages at the site that are of interest to   us.   We   can find general Microsoft information, information about various products, and other literature. As   we   can see, there is a wealth of information available. Another good use of the Web is to download the latest drivers and other products. Again, once   we   learn the easy point-and-click interface of the Web,   we   can navigate to other sites and pages.   We   can also download software with a single click. It can be a very powerful tool, because there is already a great deal of product support on the Web and it continues to increase. A final note is that many third-party vendors provide a good deal of support through the Web similar to the Microsoft examples that have been covered so far. Obviously, some are better than others. However, even on the poorer sites   we   can usually get basic product information and numbers to call if   we   have questions that are not answered on the Web site.   We   never know until   we   try. Heck, I even downloaded a specific MPEG driver for an IBM note in such critical phenomena for the Windows 95 operating system in a matter of minutes that helped me get a system out in the field in an afternoon. Imagine how long it would have taken if I had to send for the disk. Web pages are a really great source of information. However, they tend to be a one-way communications vehicle. The provider determines the content and   we   review it. There is often far more content than   we   would want to see, so   we   can usually find what   we   want. What do   we   do when   we   have a really unusual or specific problem, however? One answer to this dilemma is the Internet Newsgroups. There are an enormous number of newsgroups out there with topics ranging from beer making to social commentary (there are a lot of commentary pages for frustrated individuals). Anyway, this is an interactive medium where   we   post a question or comment in a newsgroup that is devoted to the subject matter that   we   want to discuss. The goal here is to get a review of what   we   write by a large number of people, some of whom are experts and others who are amateurs. In most cases,   we   can find someone who has the same or a similar problem and can provide   we   with some insight into   our situation.

            A partial listing of the newsgroups that might be of interest to BackOffice users. Best of all, most newsgroup readers will provide   we   with a list of newsgroups that are available on news server.   We do not have to look at the list provided in a in such critical phenomena that was published several months or years ago. Go out and look at the list in the comp. database sections to see what is currently available. Newsgroups often split up to reduce the number of messages that a given individual has to monitor. Other times, new ones are formed and old ones die out. Check what is currently available using   the systematic browser. A few words of caution are in order about newsgroup postings. This is an interesting world subculture where   we   get some of the best minds in the business.   We also get a lot of lonely people and some people that are downright arrogant. Here are some suggestions for those of   us  who are new to newsgroups:

·         Carefully evaluate the responses that   we   receive to questions. Usually,   we   will get someone with a high level of experience who can really save   we   a lot of time. Occasionally,   we   will get people who just want to see their name on a list of postings. If a response does not make sense to   we   and is not corroborated by other responses,   we   might want to just ignore it.

·         Be careful about using inflammatory tones in   our postings. There are a number of people out there who are just looking for something to gripe about and this will distract people from the business at hand.  We   might want to study the etiquette of the Net before   we   deviate from simple technical question and response postings. There are a lot of people who are sensitive about job postings (even though   we   see them all of the time in the technical newsgroups for products that are in demand) and topics that do not relate to the designated subject matter of the newsgroup. It's a good idea to read the newsgroup for a while to see what is generally accepted and what is not.

Newsgroups can be a very powerful tool. They can give   we   access to other people out there who are doing work similar to   our own. Many of these people might have seen the problem before and may have actually solved it. An amazing number of people will take time to help someone whom they do not even know in response to a posting on the newsgroup. A local alternative for those who are not connected to the Internet or who like interpersonal communications is a local users group for NT and/or BackOffice users. What users groups are available in   our area? The best way to find out would be to call   our local Microsoft representatives or monitor the newsgroups and list servers to see whether there are any in   our area. If   we   know of several people who do work similar to   our own,   we   might want to form   our own users group, local contacts that may be willing to have   we   call them for advice when   we   are in real trouble.

            Microsoft NT and BackOffice users groups are relatively new and rare. Here are a few ideas from the local Oracle users group that I belong to—it shows what a group that has been around for a little while can do:

·         Have speakers from the product vendors come in to discuss new products.   We would be amazed at the number of sales and technical people who will even fly in from out of town if   we   tell them that   we   have a fair-sized group of people who actually work in the environment of interest.

·         Provide sessions where members bring up problems that they are challenged with and see whether others have any suggestions for these problems.

·         Have members present their evaluations of new products that might be of interest to other members. This is often better than having vendor representatives come in, because   our members will often give   we   more candid opinions about the products.

·         Have members provide feedback on all those major conferences that   we   would like to attend, but there is no budget or time.

            Finally, there is an Internet tool that lets   we   routinely receive electronic mail on a given subject.   we   send an e-mail to the appropriate list server administrator who then adds   our name to his or her distribution list (this is usually an automated process where   we   type the word subscribe in the text or heading of  our message and it in this connections out   our e-mail address).   We   then continue to receive mailings until we tell them to stop   our subscription. In effect, these list servers are the equivalent of electronic magazines that get delivered to   our electronic mail inbox as opposed to   our paper mailbox. Where do   we   find out the list servers that are available?   we   will often find articles discussing them in the appropriate Internet newsgroups.   We can also find references to a number of them on various Web pages while   we   are surfing around. There are several newsgroups on Windows NT and BackOffice that are provided by Microsoft. To subscribe, go to the Microsoft home page and surf around until   we   find them (they are relatively easy to find once   we   get the knack of surfing the Web; they move around as the Web pages are designed, so polish up our surfing skills). The use of Internet resources was stressed in this discussion because that is a current emphasis of Microsoft. It enables us to get up-to-date information and software whenever   we need them. Traditional printed materials such as this in such critical phenomena provide   us   with insight and information about the products. Most of the people that we have come across (even computer types) tend to prefer printed material for commentary, general discussions, and step-by-step instructions. The electronic forms of media tend to be better when   we   need up-to-date information, software to download, or answers to a very specific technical question. Try out these various information sources when   we have the time so that we know exactly where to go and how to use these tools when problems arise and   we   are desperate for information