WORLD WIDE WEB

W o R L d   W i d E   W e B

SINCE 1993, THE WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW) has become one of the fastest growing communication systems in history. Consisting of an expanding pool of "pages" created by companies, associations and individuals, it is accessible to anyone connected to Internet. Two features of the Web make it appearing. The first is the non-linear method of presenting information known as "hypertext". This enables users to jump between documents of subject-related material at the click of the mouse. The second is the multi media format of Web pages, which can be designed using sophisticated graphics, sound and animation and displayed on-screen by a program called a "graphical browser". Since the development of the browser, the Web has become more sophisticated and easier to use and interest in the WWW has exploded.

THE INTERNET AND THE WEB: Tim Berners-Lee, the physics researcher who first conceived the Web in 1989, compared the Internet and the Web to the difference between the brain and the mind; where the Internet is the physical method of communication and the Web is the information itself.

WEB SITES: A Web site is a collection of linked documents stored on a single computer, anywhere in the world. Sites can be linked up to other using "hyper links"

NAVIGATING THE WEB

There are millions of pages available on the Web and graphical browsers, such as Netscape Navigator, provide a window in the computer screen on which these pages are displayed in fine detail. Keyword searches can be performed using a facility called a "search engine"; particular topics can be explored using directories called "subject trees"; and specific pages can be accessed by typing the exact address, or URL (universal resource locator). Others browser tools include"history lists", "hot lists" and "bookmarks".

CHOICE AND VARIETY ON THE INTERNET

From finding a pen-pal to linking up to educational resources, the Web provides information, education and enjoyment for children.

Placing sites on the World Wide Web is becoming an increasingly popular marketing  strategy for many companies around the world.

                                          

Musicians are able to present themselves and their music to the public, and fans can find more information on their favourite bands.

Many news papers and magazines now have regularly updated .on-line editions, such as the UK's Daily telegraph.

HYPERTEXT AND HYPERMEDIA

Using a format called hypertext or hypermedia, Web documents contain links to other pages or text, pictures, sound recordings or video, which can be activated by clicking on highlighted or underlined text or picture icons, known as "hyper links" or "hot spots". These links are created by the programming language HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), which also defines how the text and graphics will appear on the page.