Printer-Friendly Version

Getting Started on the World Wide Web

This article is designed to help you learn the basic steps required for using a browser and navigating the World Wide Web. It also will explain how to use Web-based search tools. Note that there are many ways to access and browse the Internet; your system may differ from the descriptions in this article. If so, don't worry; the tools and techniques discussed here are common to nearly all Web browsers, and your instructor can assist you with any issues specific to your system.

This article provides an overview of the following subjects:

• Browser Basics
• Navigating the Web
• Getting Help With Your Browser
• Using Web-Based Search Tools

The Internet can potentially link your computer to any other computer. Anyone with access to the Internet can exchange text, data files, and programs with any other user. The Internet itself is the pipeline that carries this data between computers.

One of the major features of the Internet is the World Wide Web (also referred to as the Web or WWW). A broad definition of the Web comes from the organization that Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee helped found, the World Wide Web Consortium: "The World Wide Web is the universe of network-accessible information, an embodiment of human knowledge." In a more technical terms, the Web is a combination of all the resources and users on the Internet that use the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). HTTP is the set of rules for exchanging data on the Web. In order to navigate (move from place to place) easily on the Web, you need a Web browser.

BROWSER BASICS
A Web browser is a software application that enables you to view specially formatted Web pages. Netscape Navigator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer are two examples of browsers. A Web page is simply a document formatted in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) which your PC downloads (requests and receives) from another computer across the Internet. To format a document in HTML, HTML tags (codes) are placed throughout the document. These HTML tags tell the browser how to display the page's contents.

When you navigate the Web, you simply move from one Web page to another. That is, you tell your browser to find different Web pages, download them onto your PC, and display them on your screen. Each Web page has its own unique "address" that identifies its location on the Web. An address is sometimes referred to as a uniform resource locator (URL, pronounced "U-R-L"). When you provide a URL for the browser, the browser loads that URL's page onto your PC.

You will learn more about navigation later in this article; first you must become familiar with some of your Web browser's basic tools. The following tools and features are common to most browsers. However, depending on the type of browser you are using, the names and functions of the tools described here may slightly vary.

To open your browser, use the following steps:

1. Click the Start button (at the bottom-left corner of the screen). The Start menu appears.
2. Click Programs; then click the name of your browser (for example, Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator); you may need to scroll down to find your browser's name in the menu. The browser window opens.

In your browser window, a series of buttons will appear across the top of the screen. Here is a brief description of some of the buttons you may see:

• Back. This button returns you to the Web page that you previously opened. When you view several pages in succession, this button allows you to move back through the pages without retyping their addresses (URLs). Think of it as flipping backward through a magazine, looking at pages you have already read.
• Forward. After you use the Back button to return to a previously opened Web page, you can use the Forward button to move forward again--that is, to return to the last page you opened. If you compare this feature reading a magazine, it's similar to returning to the page where you stopped reading when you started flipping backward.
• Stop. Click this button whenever you want to stop the current page from downloading any further. For example, if you realize that you have chosen the wrong Web page and want to stop it from fully displaying, or if a page is taking too long to load, click the Stop button. When you stop a transfer, your browser will "idle" (do nothing) until you issue a new command or go to another page.
• Refresh (or Reload). Sometimes Web pages do not open correctly for a variety of reasons. This button reloads the current page, ensuring that all the page's elements are on screen. The Refresh button is also helpful if you are viewing a Web page that changes frequently--for example, a page with sports scores or stock quotes. You can use this button to make sure that the content is updated.
• Home. You can set your browser so that it always opens to the same page, which can be a favorite Web page stored on your local disk. This button returns you to that page--called the home page--any time, no matter where you are on the Web.
• Favorites (or Bookmarks). If you find a Web page that you are likely to visit often in the future, you can bookmark it--save its URL. Most browsers let you save an unlimited number of bookmarks and provide ways to categorize them and automatically update them. To quickly return to a bookmarked site, click the Favorites button and choose the desired URL from the list that appears.
• History. Your browser keeps a list of the sites you visit. You can choose a URL from this list and return to a previously opened page without having to use the Back button or any other tools.
• Print. If your PC is connected to a printer, you can click this button to print out the Web page that is currently displayed on your screen. In most browsers, the Print function prints the contents of the entire Web page, even if it is more than one screen in length. (Note that you may need to click in the body of the page before it will print correctly.)

Your browser probably provides a number of tools in addition to the ones listed above, such as a Search tool. Search tools are described in greater detail later in this article. Most browsers also feature a variety of pull-down menus. These menus provide all of the same features found on the browser's toolbar and many others.

To close your browser, open the File menu and choose Close. You also can close the browser by clicking the Close button on the title bar. It may be necessary to close your Internet connection, too.

back to contents

NAVIGATING THE WEB
You navigate the Web by moving from one Web page to another. You can do this in the following ways:

• Type a URL in the Location bar and then press Enter. Your browser has a Location box (sometimes called Address box) where you can type the address of the Web page you wish to visit. For example, to go to the White House Web site, click in the Location (or Address) box. Type http://www.whitehouse.gov/ and press Enter. Note the status bar at the bottom of your browser's window; this bar shows the progress of pages and graphics as they download.
• Click hyperlinked text. Web designers make it easy to move to other pages (and other points on the same page) by providing hyperlinks in their Web pages. A hyperlink is simply a part of the Web page that is linked to a URL. When text has a hyperlink assigned to it, you can click it and "jump" from your present location to the URL specified by the hyperlink. Hyperlinked text looks different from normal text in a Web page; it is usually underlined, but can be formatted in any number of ways. When your mouse pointer touches hyperlinked text, the hyperlink's URL appears in the browser's status bar, and the pointer changes shape to resemble a hand with a pointing index finger.
• Click a hyperlinked navigation tool or image map. Many Web pages provide pictures or graphical buttons--called navigation tools--which direct you to different pages, making it easier to find the information you need. Another popular tool is the image map, a single image that provides multiple hyperlinks. You can click on different parts of the image map to jump to different pages. When your mouse pointer touches a navigation tool or image map, it turns into a hand pointer, and the hyperlink's URL appears in the status bar of your browser.
• Use the Back and Forward buttons. As described in the preceding section of this article, the Back and Forward buttons return you to recently viewed pages.
• Choose a Web page from the Favorites list. If you saved any "bookmarks" to pages you visited earlier, you can open the Favorites list (or Bookmarks list), select a page, and quickly return to that page.
• Choose a Web page from the History list. When you type URLs in the Location box, your browser saves them, creating a list of pages you have visited. You can choose a URL from this list to return to a previously opened page without having to use the Back button or other tools.

back to contents

GETTING HELP WITH YOUR BROWSER
Although most browsers are easy to use, you may need help at some point. Newer browsers provide comprehensive Help systems, which can answer many of your questions about browsing and the World Wide Web. Use the following steps to access your browser's Help system:

1. Open your browser's window and click Help on the menu bar. A pull-down menu of options appears.
2. On the Help menu, click Contents. (Depending on your browser, this menu option may be called Help Contents, Contents and Index, or something similar.) A Help dialog box appears, listing all the topics for which help or information is available.
3. Look through the list of topics and choose the one that relates to your questions or interest. When you are done, click the Close button on the Help window's title bar.

To get help from your browser manufacturer's Web site, open your browser's Help menu and look for an option that leads you to the product's Web site. (In Netscape Navigator, you can get Web-based help information by clicking the Reference Library, Release Notes, or Product Information and Support options. In Microsoft Internet Explorer, click the Online Support option.) The resulting Web page will provide access to a knowledge base of questions and answers, lists of frequently asked questions, links to help topics, and methods for getting in-depth technical support.

back to contents

USING WEB-BASED SEARCH TOOLS
It is not always easy to find what you want on the Web. That is because there are tens of millions of unique Web sites, which include hundreds of millions of unique pages! To search the Web successfully, you should use this article as only a starting point; spend some time experimenting with a variety of search tools. The exercises in this section assume that your computer is connected to the Internet and you can launch and use a Web browser to navigate the World Wide Web.

The two most basic and commonly used Web-based search tools are the following:

• Directories. A directory enables you to search for information by selecting categories of subject matter. The directory separates subjects into general categories (such as "companies") which are broken into increasingly specific subcategories (such as "companies-construction-contractors-builders and designers"). After you select a category or subcategory, the directory displays a list of Web sites that provide content related to that subject.
• Search Engines. A search engine lets you search for information by typing one or more words. The engine then displays a list of Web pages that contain information related to your words. (This type of look-up is called a keyword search.)

Note that both types of search tools are commonly called search engines. While this is not technically correct, the differences between the two are blurring. This is because most Web-based search tools provide both directories and keyword search engines.

Using a Directory
Suppose you want to find some Web sites that provide information about the latest digital cameras. In the following exercise, you will use the LookSmart directory to find Web sites that provide "buyers guide" information.

1. Launch your Web browser.
2. In the Location/Address bar, type http://www.looksmart.com/ and press Enter. The LookSmart home page opens in your browser window.
3. Under Computing, click the Hardware category. A new page appears, displaying a list of subcategories under the Hardware category.
4. Click the Peripherals subcategory; then click Digital Camera/Video; then click Buyers Guides; then click General Guides. After you click the last subcategory (General Guides), a new page appears that lists sites with information about buying digital cameras.
5. Browse through the list of Web sites, and click one. The new site opens in your browser window.
6. After reviewing it, you can use your browser's Back button to navigate back to the list of buyers' guides to choose another.

Sites listed in a directory will generally provide valuable, relevant information due to the fact that most directories review a site's content before adding it to their list. Sites that offer poor content may not be included in the list. For this reason, Web sites listed in a directory are considered to be "pre-screened." Because the list of suggested sites has already been reviewed, you are unlikely to find a site listed multiple times within the same topic category. This is a big advantage over search engines, which are notorious for listing the same sites multiple times.

Using a Search Engine
Suppose you want to find some information about ink jet printers. You know there are many different types of printers available at a wide range of prices. You also know that you are interested in a color printer rather than a black-and-white one. In the following exercise, you will use a search engine to help you find the information you need.

1. Launch your Web browser.
2. In the Location/Address bar, type http://www.lycos.com/ and press Enter. The Lycos home page opens in your browser window.
3. In the Search For text box, type "ink jet printer" (include the quotation marks) and click the Go Get It! button. A new page appears, listing Web sites that contain information relating to ink jet printers. Note, however, that the "Web Sites" list includes thousands of pages! (You may need to scroll down a little to get to the beginning of the list.) Unlike most directories, search engines generally do not "screen" other Web sites for quality of content. Rather, they assume a Web site is relevant to your needs if it contains terms that match the keywords you provide.
4. To narrow the search results, you must provide more specific search criteria. Click in the Search For text box, and type "color ink jet printer" (again, including the quotation marks); then click the Go Get It! button. Another page appears, listing a new selection of Web sites that match your keywords. Note that this list is shorter than the original one. Still, you want to continue narrowing your search, so you decide to provide more criteria.
5. Click in the Search For text box, and type "color ink jet printer reviews" (with quotation marks); then click the Go Get It! button. The list of matching Web sites has shrunk even further.
6. Scroll through the list, and notice if it contains any duplicate entries. How many of the suggested pages actually seem irrelevant to your search criteria? Duplicate and useless entries are two significant problems that users encounter when working with search engines.

Fortunately, most search engines allow you to use special words, called Boolean operators, to modify your search criteria. There are three basic Boolean operators you can use in searching: AND, OR, and NOT. To use an operator, simply include it in the text box where you type your keywords. The following table shows simple examples of keyword searches that include the operators, and explains how the operator affects each search.

Some search engines also support a fourth operator, NEAR. This operator determines the proximity, or closeness, of your specified keywords. For example, you may specify "printer NEAR color," with a closeness of 10 words. This tells the search engine to look for pages that include both terms, where the terms are no more than 10 words apart.

A good way to determine whether you need to use operators is to phrase your interest in the form of a sentence, and then use the important parts of the sentence as your keywords along with the appropriate operators. Here are some examples:

A few (but not all) search engines will let you use multiple operators and set the order in which they are used. Suppose, for example, that you want to want to find information about cancer in dogs. You might set up your search criteria like this:

(dog OR canine) AND cancer

This tells the engine to look for pages that include either "dog," "canine," or both, and then to search those pages for ones that also include "cancer."

A few search engines accept symbols to represent operators. For example, you may be able to use a plus sign (+) to represent the AND operator, and a minus sign (-) to represent NOT.

Many search engines use implied Boolean logic by default, meaning you may not need to include an operator in some searches. For example, if you type this search criteria:

dog canine

Some search engines will assume that you want to find pages that include either term (using the OR operator by default), and others will assume you want pages that include both terms (using the AND operator by default).

When dealing with implied logic, remember that each search engine operates in a slightly different way. For example, in some engines, you should use quotation marks when searching for a phrase or when you want all words to be included, as in:

"ink jet printer"

Without the quotation marks, some engines will return pages that include the word "ink," others that include "jet," and others that include "printer," as well as pages that include all three.

The best way to determine how any search engine works is to study its Help-related pages. The Help section will tell you whether or how you can use operators with that particular engine.

Metasearch Engines
In addition to the tools described in the preceding sections, a new breed of Web-based search engines is also gaining popularity. These sites, called metasearch engines, use multiple search engines simultaneously to look up sites that match your keywords, phrase, or question.

Examples of metasearch engines include Dogpile (www.dogpile.com/), Mamma (www.mamma.com/), and The BigHub (www.thebighub.com/). Metasearch engines are helpful if you are not certain which keywords to use, or if you want to get a very long list of Web sites that meet your search criteria.

Site-Specific Search Tools
Many high-volume Web sites feature built-in search tools of their own, meaning you do not have to navigate to a different site in order to conduct a search. Sites such as Microsoft Corporation (www.microsoft.com/), CNN Interactive (www.cnn.com/), Netscape Communications (www.netscape.com/), and many others feature such tools. Generally, these site-specific search tools enable you to look for information on the Web site that you are currently visiting.

Suppose, for example, you are visiting the Microsoft Web site and want to find information about Flight Simulator, a popular Microsoft game. Instead of jumping from one page to another looking for information, you can click in the Search box, type the words Flight Simulator and click the Go button. The site's search engine displays a list of pages on the Microsoft site that are related to Flight Simulator.

Some site-specific search tools also let you search outside that particular site. At ZDNet's site (www.zdnet.com/), for example, you can type one or more keywords in the Search box, then decide whether you want to search only the USA Today site or the entire Web for related information before clicking the Go button.

back to contents