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The Internet, the Web, and Electronic Commerce - Chapter 2 (Computing Essentials 2025)

The Internet and The Web

  • The Internet: a large global network connecting smaller networks worldwide; the foundation of the digital era; enables near-instant sharing of words, images, and any digital file.

  • The Web: a multimedia interface to resources on the Internet.

  • Relationship: The Internet is the physical network; the Web is the interface to resources available on that network.

  • Origins:

    • The Internet launched in 1969 as a United States-funded project to develop a national computer network (ARPANET).

    • The World Wide Web (WWW) was introduced in 1991.

  • Key distinction: The Internet and the Web are not the same thing; one is the network, the other is a system of interlinked documents and resources accessed via the Web.

  • End-user awareness: For effective and efficient use, users should understand the resources available on the Internet and the Web.

The Generations of Web (Web 1.0 to Web 5.0)

  • Web 1.0 (1st generation):

    • Linking existing information; focus on static pages; early search programs emerged.

  • Web 2.0 (2nd generation):

    • Dynamic content creation; user-generated content and social platforms (e.g., Facebook) become prominent.

  • Web 3.0 (3rd generation):

    • Identifies relationships between data; personalized content creation for users.

  • Web 4.0 (4th generation):

    • The mobile web; mobile devices are integral; similar to Web 3.0 but with emphasis on mobility.

  • Web 5.0 (5th generation):

    • Still being developed; expected to be greatly influenced by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

  • Web 2.0 to Web 5.0 progression indicates increasing interactivity, personalization, mobility, and intelligent data relationships.

Common Internet Uses

  • Communicating

  • Shopping

  • Searching

  • Education or e-learning

  • Online entertainment

Making IT Work for You – Online Entertainment

  • Online options for TV, movies, music, books, social media, and news feeds include:

    • Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Amazon Kindle, CNN, Instagram, Tidal, HBOMax, Apple Podcasts

Internet Access Providers

  • ISP: Internet Service Provider; a common way to access the Internet.

  • Provides a path to access the Internet; connect via digital subscriber line (DSL), cable, and/or wireless connections.

  • Common providers: Verizon, Comcast, Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T

Browsers

  • Provide access to web resources and allow you to explore the web; connect to remote computers; offer a user-friendly interface; support file transfer and display multimedia.

  • Popular browsers: Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome

URLs (Uniform Resource Locators)

  • URL fundamentals:

    • Location or address of a resource; https is the most common protocol for web traffic.

    • Two parts: Protocol (rules for exchanging data) and Domain name (where the resource is located).

  • Example: https://www.google.com

  • Accessibility note: Text alternatives exist for slide images in accompanying materials.

Top-Level Domain (TLD)

  • Examples of TLDs:

    • .com — Commercial

    • .edu — Educational

    • .gov — Government

    • .mil — US Military

    • .net — Network

    • .org — Organization

HTML and Hyperlinks

  • HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): markup language used to display web pages; browsers interpret HTML commands to render a web page.

  • Hyperlinks (links): connect to other web pages or resources.

  • Link types include:

    • Text files

    • Graphic images

    • Audio and video clips

Interactive Web Sites

  • Technologies used to provide highly interactive and animated websites:

    • JavaScript

    • PHP

    • Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

    • Mobile Browsers

Web Utilities

  • Specialized utility programs that make using the Internet and the Web safer and easier:

    • Filters

    • File Transfer Utilities

    • Internet Security Suites

Filters

  • Function: block access to selected sites; set time limits; monitor total time spent on the Internet and on individual sites.

  • Examples: Net Nanny, Qustodio Parental Control, Circle with Disney, Symantec Norton Family Premier

File Transfer Utilities

  • Function: upload and download files to and from the Internet.

  • Activities: downloading and uploading data

  • Three popular types:

    • Web-based file transfer services

    • BitTorrent

    • FTP / SFTP (Secure FTP)

Internet Security Suites

  • Purpose: designed to maintain your security and privacy while on the Web.

  • Two best-known suites: Symantec Norton Internet Security; Bitdefender Internet Security

Communication

  • The most popular Internet activity area includes:

    • Social Networking

    • Blogs, Microblogs, Podcasts, and Wikis

    • Messaging

    • E-mail

Social Networking

  • Definition: connecting people and organizations that share a common interest or activity.

  • Common features:

    • Profiles

    • Pages

    • Groups

    • Friends

    • News feed

    • Share settings

Blogs and Microblogs

  • Blogs: regular written content; Microblogs: shorter, frequent posts (e.g., micro-updates)

Webcast, Podcast, and Wikis

  • Podcast: delivered over the Internet; typically an audio program in a series.

  • Wiki: specially designed website that allows visitors to edit contents; supports collaborative writing.

Messaging

  • Types:

    • Text Messaging

    • MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)

    • Instant Messaging

E-mail

  • Transmission of electronic messages over the Internet.

  • Four basic elements: Header, Address, Subject, Message, Signature, Attachments.

E-mail Systems

  • Client-based: an e-mail client must be installed on a computer (e.g., Apple Mail, Microsoft Outlook).

  • Web-based: Webmail client; no installation required (e.g., Gmail, Outlook Web, Yahoo Mail).

Spam and Security

  • Spam: unwelcome e-mail.

  • Computer viruses: destructive programs often transmitted via e-mail.

  • CAN-SPAM Act: antispam laws.

  • Spam blockers/filters: tools to identify and control spam.

Search Tools

  • Search Services: operate websites using crawlers/spiders.

  • Search Engines: help locate specific information.

  • Content evaluation note: information on the web is often not reviewed for accuracy.

  • Examples of search engines: Bing, DuckDuckGo, Google, Yahoo!

Content Evaluation (for web information)

  • Authority

  • Accuracy

  • Objectivity

  • Currency

Electronic Commerce

  • Definitions:

    • B2C: Business-to-consumer

    • C2C: Consumer-to-consumer

    • B2B: Business-to-business

Business-to-Consumer (B2C)

  • Definition: sale of a product or service to the general public.

  • Fastest growing type of e-commerce.

  • Common B2C applications: Online banking, Financial trading, Shopping.

  • Example: Amazon.com as a widely used B2C site.

Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C)

  • Definition: consumer-to-consumer e-commerce; individuals selling to individuals.

  • Web auctions: buyers and sellers rarely meet; bids submitted electronically; online auction sites.

Business-to-Business (B2B)

  • Definition: sale of a product or service from one business to another.

  • Primarily a manufacturer-supplier relationship.

Security in E-commerce

  • Requirements: payment methods must be fast, secure, and reliable.

  • Two options: Credit card; Digital cash (Internet equivalent of traditional cash).

  • Digital currencies: Cryptocurrency uses public ledgers (blockchains) to record all transactions.

Cloud Computing

  • Definition: shifts computing activities from users’ computers to computers on the Internet; users no longer need to own, maintain, or store software and data locally.

  • Three basic components:

    • Clients (end-users)

    • The Internet

    • Service providers

  • Visual idea: clients connect to a service provider over the Internet to access software, storage, and processing power.

  • Expressed as a set: ext{Cloud components} = { \text{Clients}, \text{The Internet}, \text{Service Providers} }

Internet of Things (IoT)

  • Ongoing development of the Internet to allow everyday objects to send and receive data.

  • Examples:

    • Smartphones

    • Wearable devices

    • Coffee makers

  • Uses Web 3.0 applications

Careers in IT - Webmasters

  • Roles and responsibilities:

    • Develop and maintain websites and resources

    • Backup of company website

    • Design and development of websites

    • Work with the marketing team

    • Increase site traffic

    • Development of web promotions

A Look to the Future

  • Home Smart Home concept: interconnected devices within the home controlled or monitored via the Internet.

Open Ended Questions (Review Prompt)

1) Discuss the Internet and Web, including origins, the four generations of the web, and most common uses.
2) Describe how to access the Internet. What are providers? Define desktop and mobile browsers, and discuss URLs, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and mobile browsers.
3) What are web utilities? Discuss filters, file transfer utilities, and Internet security suites.
4) Discuss Internet communications, including social networking, blogs, microblogs, podcasts, and wikis; client-based and web-based e-mail; text and instant messaging.
5) Define search tools, including search services. Discuss search engines and fake news. Describe how to evaluate the content of a website.
6) Describe electronic commerce, including B2C, C2C, B2B e-commerce, and security.
7) Discuss the Internet of Things (IoT). Describe how Apple Watch and Apple Health App are examples of an IoT device interacting with a Web 3.0 application.
8) What is cloud computing? Describe three basic components of cloud computing.

Accessibility and Text Alternatives (as noted in supplements)

  • Text alternatives accompany images (alt text) to aid accessibility for visually impaired users.

  • URL decompositions and diagrams illustrate how protocols, domain names, and top-level domains map to full URLs.

  • Interactive Web Sites, Internet Security Suites, Social Networking, Blogs, E-Mail, Cloud Computing, and IoT sections include accompanying text alternatives for images to support accessibility.

URL Example and Components (recap)

  • Example URL: \text{https://www.google.com}

  • Components: protocol (https), domain name (www.google.com), top-level domain (.com)

Quick References from Slides

  • ARPANET = early Internet precursor

  • WWW = introduced 1991; not the Internet itself

  • Key technologies: HTML, hyperlinks, JavaScript, PHP, CSS

  • Security references: CAN-SPAM Act; Norton; Bitdefender; Bitdefender

  • E-commerce constructs: B2C, C2C, B2B; payment methods; digital currencies; blockchains

  • IoT examples: wearables, smart devices, health apps, home automation

  • Future concepts: mobile web (Web 4.0), AI influence on Web 5.0