Chapter 12Internet Activities

1
Chapter 12 Internet Activities

• 12.1 World Wide Web 21
• 12.2 Basic Uses of the Internet 22
• 12.3 e-Commerce 31
• 12.4 e-Learning 33
• 12.5 Public Services on the Internet 34

2
12.1 The World Wide Web
Chapter 12 Internet Activities

• World Wide Web (WWW)
• relatively new portion of the Internet
• Large collection of Web page
• Accessible through network
• Including
• text, graphics, audio and video, and linkages
• Hyperlink
• pre-defined connection embedded with a target URL
• Clicking on it would be brought to other location
• Displayed as
• highlighted word (usually underlined blue
  characters) or
• graphic (icon)

3
12.2 Basic Uses of the Internet
Chapter 12 Internet Activities

• A. Web Browsing
• B. Search Engines or Directories
• C. E-mail
• 1. Dedicated e-mail software
• 2. Web-mail
• D. E-card
• E. File Transfer
• F. Videoconferencing

4
12.2.1 Web Browsing (1)
12.2 Basic uses of the Internet

• The Web
• client/server based
• Surfing the Net means
• using Web browser and clicking hyperlinks to
  visit different web sites
• 1. Web Browser
• Client software
• contacts remote Web server and requests
• information or
• resources
• MS Internet Explorer and Netscape Netvigator
• freeware (see Chapter 17)

5
12.2.1 Web Browsing (2)
12.2 Basic uses of the Internet

• Downloading
• receiving files from a server on the Internet
• Uploading
• putting files onto a server
• 2. HTTP
• HyperText Transfer Protocol
• Set of rules used in Web browsers
• Only for downloading files
• To upload files to a Web server requires an FTP
  software

6
12.2.1 Web Browsing (3)
12.2 Basic uses of the Internet

• 3. Interactivity
• Allowing dialogs between the user and the
  computer
• React according to the input of users
• Typical example Search Engine
• Applications
• e-commerce
• e-learning
• delivery of public services etc.

7
12.2.2 Search Engines and Directories (1)
12.2 Basic uses of the Internet

• 1. Search Engines
• An interactive program
• Find Web sites using keywords
• Return a list of URL of the Web sites
• Refining your search
• use multiple keywords to reduce the size of
  search results
• How search engine works
• Crawler a program automatically locates new
  sites by
• following hyperlinks from server to server.
• Information stored in a huge database
• Increasing efficiency by index search
• Index a smaller table

8
12.2.2 Search Engines and Directories (2)
12.2 Basic uses of the Internet

• 2. Directory
• A structured directory of topics
• classifying topics into meaningful categories

9
12.2.3 E-mail (1)
12.2 Basic uses of the Internet

• E-mail (electronic mail)
• Exchange of messages with other users via network
• One of the first uses of the Internet
• The most popular tool to keep up with other
  people
• e-mail accounts of users
• Maintained by the mail server of an organisation
• e.g. ISP, school or Web-mail company
• Requires a user name and password to log on the
  mail server
• Each user name must be unique within a domain
• An e-mail message consists of
• Simple text and/or
• Attachment which is one or more files

10
12.2.3 E-mail (2)
12.2 Basic uses of the Internet

• E-mail software allows easy
• create, send, receive, reply, forward, store,
  print and delete e-mails
• 1. Dedicated e-mail software
• Independent of the Web browser
• e.g. Microsoft Outlook or Eudora
• Need configuration
• Save information about e-mail account and mail
  server in the computer.
• Should not be used with a public computer.
• Allow secure transmission
• that involves digital signature (Chapter 20)
• e.g. e-cert issued by The Hong Kong Post Office

11
12.2.3 E-mail (3)
12.2 Basic uses of the Internet

• 2. Web-mail using Web browser
• Handled by a Web browser
• e.g. Hotmail
• the free e-mail service
• Can send or receive mail anywhere
• Should NOT be used to transmit confidential
  information,
• e.g. credit card number, HKID or passwords etc.

12
12.2.4 E-cards
12.2 Basic uses of the Internet

• E-cards
• Services provided by some Web sites
• Send greetings or invitations
• An e-card is usually
• Web page or an animation, based on the senders
  choice
• Recipient is informed through e-mail

13
12.2.5 File transfer
12.2 Basic uses of the Internet

• HTTP
• For downloading only
• Single way transmission
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
• two-way file transfer
• uploading files to the Web server
• publish Web pages
• Compared with HTTP
• more simple
• more efficient

14
12.2.6 Videoconferencing
12.2 Basic uses of the Internet

• Videoconferencing
• meeting of several people at different locations
• Visual image and sound transmitted
• via networks
• Each participant has
• video input device, microphone, and speakers
• Dedicated software
• e.g. Microsoft Messenger
• with Chat window
• Virtual whiteboard for drawing pictures
• Getting more popular in
• conducting business meeting, training and distant
  learning.

15
12.3 E-commerce (1)
Chapter 12 Internet Activities

• E-commerce
• doing business on the Internet
• for purchasing products and services online
• Online storefront
• a Web site including
• A. Electronic catalogue
• information about the products and the prices
• B. Virtual shopping cart
• used by a customer to collect items
• C. Secure transmission
• transmitting personal and financial data securely

16
12.3 E-commerce (2)
Chapter 12 Internet Activities

• The most common payment method
• Credit card
• Using encryption for secure transmission of
• personal and financial data
• Products delivered by post or delivery services
• Modes of operation
• B2C business to consumer
• retail online storefront
• B2B business to business
• purchase orders between companies
• C2C consumer to consumer
• customers post their products online for others
  to bid.

17
12.3 E-commerce (3)
Chapter 12 Internet Activities

• Impact of e-commerce
• Allow shopping without leaving home
• Security concern
• personal information is stolen during the
  transmission
• cheated by an Internet fraud shop
• Many companies are investing on this new platform
  
• Will by more popular
• people understand the secure transmission
• further improvement in Internet security

18
12.4 E-learning
Chapter 12 Internet Activities

• E-learning
• learn through electronic media, like the Internet
• Ranging from learning in cyber university to
  life-long learning
• Different from traditional lectures
• Learn any time and anywhere -- No need to travel
• Self-paced -- No fixed time-table or course
  duration.
• Tools
• Text, multimedia learning material, interactive
  software
• Most Web based courses require
• Answer certain questions before proceeding to the
  next
• Videoconferencing-- learn with other people

19
12.5 Public Services Using the Internet
Chapter 12 Internet Activities

• Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) Scheme
• Use of IT to deliver government services
• More efficient and cost-effective
• saving time and money
• One-stop-shop and accessible anytime.
• Accessible on the Internet.
• Without leaving home, you can
• pay Government bills, book a squash court, renew
  driving licenses, register as a voter, change
  your personal particulars etc.
• Some services require
• digital certificate
• e.g. paying Government bills