Computer Basics for Seniors Part 2 The Internet

Computer Basics for Seniors, Part 2 The Internet instructor: Shayna Keces 236 -0302, ext. 441 April 2004

Agenda Definition of internet Internet functions Browsing Email Chat Other Internet browsers/Internet explorer

What is the Internet? Network of networks No overall organization Content determined by participants Today synonymous with WWW

Most popular uses of the internet

Browsing Research Finding people Playing games Reading newspapers and magazines Banking Government information Job searching Shopping Downloading programs or files

Email Electronic mail Non-secure Client software – company or ISP Resides on computer Needs special program (eg. Outlook, Eudora, Netscape Messenger) Not available in public libraries Advantage re contacts on web pages "Ottawa Public Library contacts, " (http: //www. library. ottawa. on. ca/english/contact/i ndex. htm)

Email (cont. ) Web-based email Program resides on web page Free service Available from any internet computer Must go to website to send/receive mail Attached files may be problem

Chat Used most often by children and teens Safety precautions necessary Wide variety of chat rooms/subjects dir. yahoo. com/computers_and_internet/inter net/world_wide_web/chat/ Should monitor first IRC, web-based and instant messenger

Web-based chat Most common with improvements in bandwidth Kind used in libraries Need plugin or applet to use so not all will work Available from many websites

Other functions Usenet Newsgroups (groups. google. com) Telnet Joining another computer system Often used for receiving non web-based email Ftp Site set up to distribute files (called anonymous ftp)

Browsers Way to view html documents (URLs) Often needs plugins for multimedia applications 3 main browsers Internet Explorer (Microsoft) Netscape Navigator (Communicator) Opera (independent company known for efficient design, linked to Qualicum)

Web Pages Effects and display different in different browsers Applications not always available on public computers URL (address) starts with name of server or host computer separated from the domain name (sponsor of the site) by a period. After domain name have a period and then the type of domain (eg. gov mean U. S. government, mil mean U. S. military, com refers to commercial site, edu a university site, org a non-profit organization and gc. ca Canadian federal government)

Web pages cont. Frames Scroll bars within page (up and down and side to side) Address in address bar belongs to host site instead of displaying actual address Printing will print frame unless text clicked on before printing.

Internet Explorer Ways to access a Web page or URL Address bar (type in or use drop-down menu) Open file (website or file) Hypertext links (look for hand cursor) Bookmarks/Favourites (not available in library) Personal links (not available in library)

Internet Explorer menu bar File New (CTL +N) – New window View two pages at once or waiting for new page Keep to minimum Open (CTL +O) – File or web page Saving web pages Html (open in browser) Text (for word processor and email) Print – Page one to see no. of pages or selection (new version of IE has Print Preview)

Practice Open a new screen Use File menu to open http: //www. ithaca. edu/library/training/us eful. html Save this web page as an HTML file on your desktop

Internet Explorer menu bar (cont. ) Edit Find (CTL-F) View Go To Stop (ESC) Refresh (F 5) www. globeinvestor. com Source Text size Encoding (for non roman alphabets)

Practice A Minimize the screen Open How Can You Find Anything web page which you saved on the desktop Find the words EDGAR Click on that hyperlink

Practice B Type the following URL in the address bar http: //www. ithaca. edu/staff/jhenderson/ Click on Stop after a few seconds to halt downloading graphics

Tool bars Back and forward buttons Stop Refresh Home (choose wisely) Search History Print

Bookmarks/Favourites Way to keep track of useful websites Not available on library machines Should have organizational structure Personal links for heavily used sites

Bookmarks/Favourites (cont) Add to favourites Create in (choose folder or create a new one) Make sure correct folder is highlighted when creating subfolder or favourite Press create in If you already see the list of folders you only have to highlight the relevant folder and click on the OK button

Further study Carroll, Jim. Canadian Internet new user's handbook. 004. 678 C 319 c 1999 The Internet handbook for writers, researchers, and journalists. 004. 678 I 612 2000 Snell, Ned. Sams teach yourself Internet and web basics all in one. 004. 678 S 6715 s Kent, Peter. The complete idiot's guide to the Internet. 004. 678 K 37 2001

Further Study : Videos The interconnected world of Internet basics V 004. 678 I 61 Teach yourself Internet Explorer 5. 0 V 005. 713769 I 5 v Internet 1 -2 -3 -- getting on-line V 004. 67 I 616 An Introduction to Microsoft Internet Explorer V 005. 71369 I 5 Lib

Further Study : Websites Internet 101 http: //www. internet 101. org/internet 101. html Exploring the Web http: //www. sofweb. vic. edu. au/internet/explore. htm Browsing Basics – Internet Explorer http: //www. websearchguide. ca/tools/IE 5 Win/n avfram. htm