sign in sign up
<<
Home , BlogBridge, Windows Messenger

INTRODUCTION TO INTERNET

Temitope Aladesanmi INTRODUCTION

• This module introduces students to the general concept of Internet and especially as it applies to academic life in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. • Students are introduced to basic terminologies, use and safe practice on Internet. • In the present age of information technology, use of Internet is becoming quite popular for accessing information on any topic of interest. • It also provides tremendous opportunities to students; researchers and professionals for getting information on matters related to academic and professional topics and lot more. • It is important for every student academic pursuit in OAU. OBJECTIVES

• At the end of this module, you should be able to: • Understand the meaning of Internet • Be acquainted with various services available on the Internet • Use those services especially as it relates to work environment • Conduct search using Search Engine • Be able to send and receive e- • Download files in various format What is Internet?

• The Internet or simply the Net is a worldwide network of computer networks. It is an interconnection of large and small networks around the globe.

• In brief, Internet is: • Networks connected to Networks • Computer connected to Computer • Organisation connected to Organisation • connected to People BRIEF HISTORY

• 1960 -- (Advanced Research Projects Agency network), designed to withstand partial outages such as a bomb attack.

• 1980 -- desktop computer workstations became increasingly popular

• 1986 -- the National Science Foundation (NSF) established five super computing centers creating the NSFnet backbone BRIEF HISTORY (CONT’D)

• 1991 --The National Research and Education Network (NREN) was founded and the was released.

• 1993/1994 –Interests in the use of the World Wide Web exploded after the release of the Mosaic and Netscape browsers.

• 1995 --the U.S. federal government relinquished its management role in the Internet and NSFnet reverted back to being a research network. SERVICES AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET SERVICES AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET • FTP • USENET Newsgroup • Gopher • Email • SNSs • Telnet INTERNET TODAY

• Banking • Education • E-commerce • Entertainment • Information • Online-Repository THE WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW)

• The World Wide Web, Web for short, was invented in 1991 by Tim Berners-Lee. The Web is a distributed information system. It is a collection of websites on all computers in the world. The websites themselves are made up of related hyperlinked files called webpages. The www has become the most used tool of the Internet. THE WORLD WIDE WEB (CONT’D)

• What makes the Web so powerful is that the websites can contain so many things: • Text • Pictures • Movies and animation • Moving graphics • Sound files and real-time sound • Database and catalogs • Programs that run directly on your computer • Opportunities to send information to the owner of the Web site. WEB BROWSER

• A web page is a document on the World Wide Web. A web browser is a computer program use to access or view webpages. Few popular browsers are:

• Netscape • • • Mozilla • , Opera Mini • Google Chrome WEB BROWSER STARTING A WEB BROWSER

• You launch (open) your browser (it could be Internet Explorer or Crazy browser or Netscape Navigator or Mozilla Firefox) when you want to access the Internet. • On the address bar of the browser window, you type the url (universal resource locate) which is just the address of the site you want to visit. The address is just a name identifier of the site you are visiting, analogous to the way our residence are identified via house addresses. • You instruct the browser to fetch the requested webpage/website or a file on the site by issuing go (or enter command). • There is a series of interaction between the web browser also known as the ) and the PC which physically hosts the site technically refered to as the web . Web server in the sense that it serves webpage(s) when request is made by the web client or browser. • Both the request and the answer transverse arrays of network and communication devices before the webpage is finally served if it is available or return an error if the page can not be found. DOMAIN AND DOMAIN NAME

• A domain is your identity online. A domain name is the address of your web site on the Internet.

• There are two parts to a domain – the domain name itself, and the TLD (top level domain) extension, like .edu, .com, .net or .org. TLDs are broadly grouped into 2 groups namely:

• Generic TLD (gTLD) and • Country TLD (ccTLD). DOMAIN AND DOMAIN NAME GETTING INTERNET CONNECTION ON YOUR COMPUTER • Any terminal to activate internet services on it requires an internet connection from a Internet Service Provider

• In Nigeria, the commonest options are:

• Dial-Up • ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) • Leased Connection (Direct Internet Access) • DSL (Digital Subscriber Line or Dedicated Service Line) • Fibre Optics Cable • VSAT • Wireless Access • Mobile Telephone Providers GETTING INTERNET CONNECTION ON YOUR COMPUTER • VSAT SEARCH ENGINE

• . A search engine is a program designed to help find information stored on a computer system such as the World Wide Web, or a personal computer.

• Some of the important search engines are: • Google (http://www.google.com ) • Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com) • MSN Search (http://search.msn.com) • Ask Jeeves (http://www.askjeeves.com) • AltaVista (http://www.altavista.com) SEARCHING WITH GOOGLE

• Launch your browser • Type www.google.com on the address browser • Hit Enter on your Keyboard or Click on Go button on your browser • In the space, type a keyword or keywords. Keywords are descriptive words relating to your search. • Scan through the pages and check for web pages with relevant requests or search.

• To make search faster, search operators can also be used but it is beyond the scope of this training. EXERCISE

• Search for information about weather for your town • Search for your popular home video actor/actress E-MAIL (ELECTRONIC MAIL)

• E-Mail or Electronic Mail is a paperless method of sending , letters, video and graphics from one person to another or many people at the same time via Internet.

• A few among them are: Yahoo Mail (http://www.mail.yahoo.com), Hotmail (http:// www.hotmail.com) , Gmail (http://www.gmail.com) , Rediffmail (http://www.rediffmail.com). Organisations can also run their own mail services e.g. mail.oauife.edu.ng Components of an E-Mail Address

• Internet e-mail addresses typically have two main parts: [email protected]. The first part is the User ID (chams) that refers to the recipient’s mailbox. Then there is an ‘at’ sign (@). Next comes the host name (domain), also called the domain name.

• The end of the domain name consists of a dot (“.”) followed by three or more letters (such as .com and .gov) that indicate the top-level domain (TLD). This part of the domain name indicates the type of organization or the country where the host server is located. How to send, read and reply to E- Mails

• Type in the web address of your mail provider e.g. www.gmail.com - then login by using your user ID and password that you have created. • After Successful Login; Click on Compose button, it follows the screen: E-mail messages are similar to letters, with two main parts: The header contains the name and address of the recipient, the address of anyone who is being sent a copy (cc) and the subject of the message. • In header section: Type the e-mail address of the recipient in the “To:” field. For more than one person, e-mail id should be separated by commas. At least one e-mail ID is a must. • In the “Cc:” field, enter the email address of those to whom you would like to send a “carbon copy” of your message. All recipients of the message will be able to see that the person you designated as a “Cc:” has received a copy of the message. How to send, read and reply to E- Mails (CONT’D) • In the “Bcc:” field, enter the e-mail address of those to whom you would like to send a “blind carbon copy” of your message. This is nearly identical to the “Cc:” feature, except that “Bcc:” recipients are invisible to the “To:” and “Cc:” recipients of the message as well as to each other. • Type subject of your message in the “Subject:” field. • Use the large text box to enter the contents of your message. • Click on Attach files to attaching file(s) and Insert Photos to attach Photos if required. • Click on send button to send the message. Reading, Replying/ Forwarding a message

• Click on Check Mail or Inbox to Read/Reply a message. • Click on the subject of the message to read. • One can Reply/ Forward the message by clicking appropriate button. EXERCISE 2

• Open a free gmail account from www.gmail.com (See manual guide to be distributed in Class) • Send a mail to a colleague and confirm receipt

• Instant messaging (IM) is growing in popularity as the Internet becomes more widely used in a social context.

• Popular IM applications include MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and AOL Messenger. In addition to these dedicated applications a number of Web-based services also provide instant messaging facilities within the Web site, such as YahooGroups. The JISCMail list management service also provides a Web-based instant messaging facility. INSTANT MESSAGING BENEFITS OF INSTANT MESSAGING

• Instant Messaging software can provide several benefits:

• • The immediacy provided by instant communications • • Avoiding swamping list members with unnecessary messages • • Value-added features, such as sharing desktop applications, use of Web cams, etc. • Instant messaging fans appreciate the immediacy of communications it provides, which can be particularly valuable when working on small-scale concrete tasks. POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WITH INSTANT MESSAGING • • Need to install an appropriate IM client. • • Lack of interoperability across IM clients from different vendors. • • Dealing with interruptions. • • Lack of an archive of discussions, missing messages when away, etc. • • Difficulties in following discussions when used by several people. How is it Different from Email?

• IM connects people in disparate locations and facilitates interactions. IM is a complement to -- not a replacement for – email • With IM, as with email, you type your thoughts into a computer, but unlike email, IM lets you see whether the person is available at the moment you are sending the message, and the experience is more like having a conversation than like leaving each other messages • AN INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES WHAT IS A SOCIAL NETWORK?

• Wikipedia defines a social network service as a service which “focuses on the building and verifying of online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others, and which necessitates the use of software.

• SNSs are web sites primarily designed to facilitate interaction between users who share interests, attitudes and activities, such as Facebook, Mixi and MySpace SOCIAL NETWORKING What Can Social Networks Be Used For? • Support for learning • Support for members of an organisation • Engaging with others • Ease of access to information and applications • The Facebook Platform provides an example of how a social networking service can be used as an environment for other tools Opportunities and Challenges

• Effective use of social networking services poses a number of challenges for institutions • including long-term sustainability of the services; user concerns over use of social tools in a work or study context; a variety of technical issues and legal issues such as copyright, privacy, accessibility; etc. • Institutions would be advised to consider carefully the implications before promoting significant use of such services. TWITTER

• Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables users to send and read "tweets", which are text messages limited to 140 characters. • Registered users can read and post tweets, but unregistered users can only read them. Users access Twitter through the website interface, SMS, or mobile device app. BLOG

• A blog (a portmanteau of web log) can be described as a Web site where entries are written in chronological order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. • A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Providing A Blog

• Blogs can be provided in a number of ways. Blog software can be installed locally (open source or licensed), or blogs can be deployed using an externally hosted service (Blogger.com and Wordpress.com are popular). • In an organisation or educational institution you may find tools provided by existing systems (e.g. a VLE, a CMS, etc.) which have blog functionality provided. Alternatively, many social networking services (e.g. Facebook, MySpace, etc.) provide blogging or similar functionality. Reading Blogs

• A key strength of blogs is that they can be accessed and read in a number of ways. Blog readers can take the conventional approach and visit the blog Web site using the web address. New posts on a blog can be read using an RSS reader.

• These readers can be Web-based (e.g. , , etc.) or a desktop RSS reader (e.g. Blogbridge). If you read a number of blogs, you may wish to use a blog aggregator, which allows you to view posts from lots of blogs in one place or have subscribe to have blog posts delivered to your email. Blogs can be accessed by using a mobile device such as a PDA or mobile phone. Blog Features

• RSS or Feeds • Tags/Categories • Blogroll • Comments • Archive • Widgets • PRACTICALS Opening an E-mail (Gmail) Account

• Step 1: Open up your internet browser and go to the Google home page: http://www.google.com • Step 2: At the top left corner of the page of the main Google page is a menu bar. Click on Gmail in the bar. • Step 3: You’ll now be in the ‘Sign in’ section. As you don’t have a Google account yet, you need to create one. Click Create an account. Opening an E-mail (Gmail) Account

• Step 4: To set up your new account, Google needs some information about you – first, your first and last names. The ‘choose your username’ is the unique email address that you wish to use, which will be placed before ‘@gmail.com’. Because it needs to be unique, Google may have to check the availability of any name that you decide on to make sure that no one already has it. • Type an email name into the ‘choose your username’ box and then fill out the rest of your information. You will need to ensure that the ‘I agree to the Google terms of service and Privacy Policy’ is ticked. Then click next step. • • Step 5: If the email name that you requested in is not available, you’ll get a message saying that somebody already has that username and offering you some alternatives. You can decide to accept one of the alternatives or type in another name and check its availability once more. • You will have to complete some of the other boxes again. You may have to do this a few times. Once you finalise your email address, it’s a good idea to make a note of it so that you can refer to it until you remember it. Opening an E-mail (Gmail) Account

• Step 6: You’ll need to come up with a password so that you can log in securely to your account. Google may explain that you should try one with at least 8 characters long to be secure. Use letters and numbers to make the password more secure and difficult to guess. You’ll need to re-enter your password to ensure that it’s you choosing it and not a hacker’s (ro)bot. • This is why it also asks you to insert two random words at the bottom of the page – this is a CAPTCHA code. You can skip this step if you don’t want to type in the CAPTCHA code but you will need to verify via a mobile phone if you don’t. Opening an E-mail (Gmail) Account

• Step 7: Once you have completed this page fully, clicking Next Step will take you to the Create Profile Page. If you don’t wish to have a picture on the web, click Next Step to complete setting up your email. If you do, Click on Add Profile Photo and find a photo to add. Then click Next Step. • Step 8: You will now have set up your account. You can go straight to your inbox and get started, or you can set up a photo to show as your profile picture. Click on Add a photo to upload a photo and select a photo Opening a web browser

• Open your . • Open the selected "All Programs" or "Programs" menu. Select the "Accessories" link. Select the "Internet Explorer" link. Opening a Twitter Account

• Go to www.twitter.com • Click "Sign up for Twitter." You can find this option on a yellow button on the bottom right side of the screen • Provide basic information about yourself. You'll need to provide the following information to create a Twitter account: • Your full name • Your email address • Your password

• Choose your username. It has to be fewer than 15 characters long. If the name you've chosen is invalid or unavailable, you'll be informed about it. Once you've chosen an acceptable name, you'll see that it's available for you. Opening a Twitter Account

• Decide whether you always want to be signed in to Twitter on the computer you're using. If it's your own computer, this is a good option. If it's a public computer, you should uncheck the box next to this option. • You can also choose whether or not you want Twitter to be tailored toward your recent website visits by leaving or unclicking the check mark next to this option.

• Click "Create my account." Opening a Facebook Account

• Choose a search engine and simply type Facebook into the bar. • Click on the first link. It will either say Facebook or Welcome to Facebook. • Notice the boxes in the middle of the page. They include: • First and last name • Email address • Password • Sex/gender • Birthday • Fill in all of the details in order to create your account.

• Click the green Sign Up button. Have fun on Facebook! You may fill in your profile and other details as you set up your page. Opening a Linkedln Account

• LinkedIn is the largest and most dominant social network in the professional arena. Totally different from the likes of Facebook, it is used for maintaining a professional persona and brand. Other uses for Linkedin include finding a job, networking, recruiting new employees, getting sales leads and even getting your business news

• Join LinkedIn at their website. Click on the link, add your relevant personal information, and click "join LinkedIn." • Create your profile. Your profile is the condensed picture of how the professional world sees you. A great, detailed profile projects someone who is successful, thorough, and connected. A thin or outdated profile projects someone who doesn't care or who can't be bothered. Make sure your profile says the thing(s) you want to project. • LinkedIn's profile wizard will take you through the steps of entering your region, industry, company and current job title. • You will also be asked whether you are employed, a business owner, looking for work, working independently or a student. • This information completes your basic profile. Opening a Linkedln Account

• Confirm the email account you used to create your profile via the link provided. This will help you efficiently complete the next step, which is finding connections. • Add your connections. Connections are professional contacts whom you know or wish to know. The connections you add on LinkedIn become part of your social network. • LinkedIn will prompt you to search for connections by crawling your email, which you give LinkedIn access to. You can use this to see who among your email connections already has a LinkedIn account and invite them to become part of your professional network. • You may opt to skip this step if you prefer to add connections individually. Opening a Linkedln Account

• Continue to build your profile. Enter your previous employment details and your education information. Then enter a brief summary and/or headline. A brief summary or headline stating who you are professionally in a few sentences. This headline should give a sense of your most outstanding professional attributes. • • Upload a profile photograph. Unlike other social networks, this picture should reflect you at your most professional. No pictures of binge drinking, girls around the arm, or smoke wafting from the background, even if it's a reaaallly good picture. Choose an illustration that represents your professional image. This can be a traditional head and shoulders shot, a shot of you at work or a copy of your logo. • Use a clear, vertical rectangular image. • Add specialties to your profile. Including specific skills or specialties, such as veterinary dentistry or congressional campaign communications, allows other users can find you more easily. Opening a Linkedln Account

• Add your website or your company's website and your Twitter or blog information. The more ways there are for people to find you, and access information about you, the more valuable your LinkedIn profile will be. • Invite connections suggested by LinkedIn based on your employment and education listings. How to Instant Message (CHATTING)

• Instant messaging is a fairly new way to communicate quickly and easily with colleagues. It is mostly used by young people, but it is finding its way into everyday society, especially in businesses. This how-to deals with (i.e. Windows Messenger, MSN Messenger), but many steps are applicable to other programs as well.

• Download an instant messaging (IM) program. You might also use a web-based interface such as Windows Messenger. Popular examples include AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger. How to Instant Message (CHATTING)

• Create a user/screen name. You will want your user name to be unique to identify you. Since each program is different, use the instructions and follow the steps in the program or on the company's web site to do this.

• Tell all your friends about your new screen name.

• Add more contact details to your friends' information. Try adding phone numbers, birthdays, addresses, and other details. • Personalize your appearance to others. For example, you can change your display picture. Although there are default options in the program, you can change some of these to better match your personality and profile online • THANK YOU