The Internet, or the "Net," is a global system of millions of interconnected computers that makes it possible for the computers to share information (data) with each other. All of the connected computers use the same coding system or protocol to transmit and receive the information electronically through the Internet.

The Internet contains many resources: e-mail; listservs; chat rooms and newsgroups; program and text files; and the World Wide Web. This guide focuses on the subset of the Internet referred to as the "Web." It is a user-friendly collection of specially formatted documents (webpages) that can include text, pictures, sounds, and other media. These documents are stored on computers at specific locations around the world.

WEBSITES, WEBPAGES & LINKS

All connected webpages that reside on the same computer are referred to as a website. Most websites are arranged with one page designated as the homepage. This page acts like a "Table of Contents" to the website and contains connections or links to other locations. Linking is a powerful aspect of a webpage and is accomplished through hypertext or graphics that are formatted to provide a connection to another part of the document, to other webpages, or to different websites that contain related information. These links, also called hyperlinks, often appear as underlined or specially colored words (blue is common), or as a special graphic (or button) on a webpage. When you move your cursor over a link, the pointer on your mouse changes to the shape of a hand, and on some links will be highlighted. To use a link, just point your cursor over the link and click with your mouse.

contains many types of resources and information:

• E-mail
• Listservs
• Newsgroups
• Chat rooms
• Program and text files
• World Wide Web (WWW) pages

Tip: After you use your mouse to click on a link, the link will change color on some websites. This helps you remember links you’ve already visited on a website.

To Learn More: For more information on the Internet and the World Wide Web, go to the following address: http://www.ci.keene.nh.us/library/tutorial.htm. This site has links to a variety of tutorials. Learn the Net might be a good starting point for more in-depth information.

• A Web address starts with http://
• An E-mail address contains @

Tips: Remember:

• Type the URL exactly or your browser will not be able to locate the website.
• Don’t leave spaces when typing in a URL address.
• Use forward slashes(/) when typing the address, not backward slashes(\).
• Don’t use upper case letters unless they are part of the Web address.
• Don’t be discouraged if nothing happens – it can take a while to connect.
• Double check your typing and be sure to hit the Enter/Return key after typing in the address.

Tip: There are three-letter abbreviations for different domains:

• .com = business(commercial)
• .edu = educational
• .org = non-profit
• .gov = government
• .net = network provider
• .mil = military
• .us = country code for United States

Each web document or file on the Internet has a unique address by which it can be located. This address has a specific format that is used uniformly across the world to locate information in the vast sea of resources and therefore is called a Uniform Resource Locator. This address, or URL, gives information about the type of resource that is located on a specified computer, as well as where that particular file or page resides on the computer.

All webpages on the Internet begin with the prefix http:// to designate that they are webpages. The next part of the address tells the domain name of the computer followed by a forward slash(/). This part designates which folder or directory the file is located in on the computer. The final part of the address follows another forward slash and includes the name of the file.

For example, if we look at the Web address of a prevention page linked from the Maine Office of Substance Abuse website, we see the full Web address is http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/bds/osa/prevention/

The "http://" designates that it is a webpage. The "www.maine.gov" is the domain name, the name of the State of Maine Government computer that holds the website homepage. Notice that the name of the computer gives us information about the website. It tells us that the computer is a Government (.gov) computer.

Often the address gives us additional hints about the website. The next three parts "/dhhs/bds/osa/" designate that the page is located in the osa folder inside the bds folder within the dhhs folder. And finally, the webpage name is "prevention."

Once you have an address to the location of your information, you need a vehicle to get there. If it were a physical location you might get in a vehicle like your car and drive there. Given that it is an electronic location we use a computer program called a browser to take us there. This program brings the document into your computer so that you can view its contents.

There are multiple versions of the browser programs for both Macintosh and PC platform (IBM compatible) computers; most display the following basic components on your screen:

• Title: This is the title of the webpage. In the example used earlier the title was "Office of Substance Abuse – Prevention." This title appears at the very top of the browser window.
• Text Menus: This includes a list of text menu choices similar to those in word processors and other applications. This is where you will find the commands to Save, Print, Edit, and find Help.
• Button Bar: This bar provides a variety of buttons needed to navigate the Web. These include graphical representations of many of the features available under the text menus. The Back, Forward, Stop, Home, Refresh/Reload, and Print are examples of available buttons.
• Location Field: This field shows the Internet address (URL) of the webpage you are currently viewing. This is also where you enter the new address of a website you wish to visit.
• Body of the webpage: The center of the screen contains the page content.
• Hyperlinks: Text or graphics that take you to another location. Usually these links are designated by differently colored or underlined text, or pictures.
• Scroll bars: Scroll bars are narrow gray rectangles that appear at the right hand side or at the bottom of the document if it is too large to fit on the screen. You can move them by clicking on them and dragging the bar up and down, or back and forth. This allows you to see the parts of the document below or to the side of your screen.
• Progress or Status Bar: At the bottom of the screen the status bar provides information about your progress when linking to a new URL. If your browser doesn’t show any of these bars, you can turn them "on"/"off" under View.

The most commonly
used browsers are:

• Netscape Navigator©
• Microsoft Internet Explorer©.

Tip: If you have an older version of a browser, consider updating, since webpages are often designed to display best in newer versions.

• The address was typed incorrectly; check to be sure it is exactly the same.
• The link you seek has moved or no longer exists.
• The computer where the document is stored may be busy or temporarily out of order. Try it again later.
• If you have trouble connecting to a website with a long address, try typing in just the portion of the address that includes the domain name. This will usually take you to the website’s homepage.

Tip: If you change your mind about connecting to a website you just typed in and want to stay where you are, just click the Stop button on your tool bar.

Tip: The type of connection that you have (modem speed, for example) makes a difference in how long it takes to access individual websites.

To Learn More:

There is a selection of annotated websites at the end of this guide that you can use to practice connecting.

I have the URL (Web address) of a website I want to visit, how do I connect to it?

If you have the URL of a specific document, you can access it by:

1. Starting up, or launching, your browser by using your mouse to double click on the browser icon (image) or choosing the browser from your program menu.
   
2. Going to the Location Field, clicking the cursor in the box, and typing in the new URL.
   
3. Hitting the Enter or Return key on your keyboard.

These three steps will connect you. Then it takes a short time to load the page. While you are waiting an hourglass or watch shape will appear, letting you know that a connection is being made and will take a little more time. You can also look at the status bar at the bottom of the screen to see the progress that is being made in connecting you to the website.

Is it taking too long to connect to the website?

• Try clicking on the Stop button, then click on the Refresh /Reload button on your button bar at the top of the screen.

• You can turn off the downloading of the graphics on a webpage and just print the text. Graphics take more time to download. Call your technical support for instructions, or follow the directions under the Help tool bar.

• Try a different time of day. The busiest times in the US are usually 4 PM to 10 PM Eastern Time.

The text doesn't all fit on the screen; how can I read it?

To move (scroll) up and down in the document:

• Use the mouse to click on, or click and hold down, the arrows at each end of the scroll bar on the side of the document.

• Hold the mouse button down on the scroll bar and drag the bar up or down by moving the mouse.

To move (scroll) left and right:

• Follow the above procedures with the scroll bar at the bottom of the document .

To move around using links:

• Click the mouse on the hypertext links or buttons located within the document. This will take you to different parts or "pages" of the document, or to related websites.

• You can tell that a word or phrase is a hypertext link because it is often a different color and/or underlined. Your cursor will change shape as it passes over a linking word. Sometimes the color of a linking word will change as you move the cursor over the word. If you’re not sure, it won’t hurt to click on a button, picture or word because if it’s not a hyperlink, nothing will happen.

Tips:

Use the Space bar on your keyboard to move down through the document. (Press Shift and Space bar to go up.) You can also use the PageUp and PageDown keys on your keyboard, or the up/down arrow keys on the keyboard.

Tip: Depending on which browser you have, you may have a History button (on the toolbar) that you can click to review a list of previously visited websites that have been saved in your computer’s memory.

Tip: Both the websites available from History and the websites listed when you click on the arrow at the end of the Location Field box can be accessed at future Web browsing sessions. (The number of websites and length of time saved vary with different browsers.)

Tip: If you retype a Web address (URL) in the Location Field box, it will take longer to connect than if you use any of the other methods listed on this page.

I'm ready to go to different websites, how do I make sure I don't get "lost"?

Once you have gone to several websites by either typing the Web address (URL) into the Location Field box, or by clicking on hypertext links, find your way back to previously visited websites by:

• Clicking on the Back toolbar button (at the top of the screen), to return to a previous document.

• Clicking on the Forward toolbar button (at the top of the screen), to return to the document you were looking at before you used the Back button.

• Clicking on the Go button on the text menu at the top of the screen, or (depending on your browser) clicking on the View and then the Go To button, also gives you Back and Forward options.

Additional Suggestions:

• To review a list of the websites you've visited lately, click on the arrow at the end of the Location Field box (where the URL is typed) for a list of previously visited websites. You can click on any of these addresses if you want to return to a website.

• To orient yourself within a website, study the website's homepage to see all that is available on the website. Some websites also have a Site Map link on the homepage that you can click on for a graphic illustration, with links, of everything on that website.

• Click on the Home button located on the toolbar at the top of the screen to go back to your homepage (the page you see when you first connect to the Internet).

I found a website I really like; how can I save the address so I can find it again?

To make a permanent record of websites you want to revisit frequently, you can put the address on your Favorites or Bookmarks list that is located on the button bar of your browser.

While you are connected to the homepage of a website that you wish to save:

• Click on the Bookmarks or Favorites button (located on the button bar at the top of the browser screen).

• Click on Add Bookmark or Add To Favorites and the website will be automatically listed for you.

• You can bookmark a particular page of a website, if that is what you are interested in, by following the above steps while that particular page is displayed on your screen.

To return to a bookmarked website:

• Click on the Bookmarks or Favorites button which will display a list of websites.

• Click on the name of the website you wish to revisit.

• Your bookmarked website will appear on the screen.

To Learn More: For more detailed directions on creating folders with Netscape and Microsoft Explorer go to the following address: www.learnthenet.com and click on "World Wide Web" and then click on "Bookmarks and Favorites, " or go directly to this address: http://www.learnthenet.com/english/html/17bookmark.htm

Tip: When you go to a webpage from a bookmark, hit the Refresh or Reload button on your browser if you want to update the page. It is a good idea to do this for any website you have not visited in a long time.

To Download Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Adobe website at: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

1. Scroll down the page to "Get the Free Acrobat Reader" and follow the 3-step directions to download the program.
2. If the preset choice (Windows XP) is not the operating system you are using, you can click on the arrow at the end of the Platform Field box for additional options.
3. Answer the survey question in step 2 by clicking on your choice, then type in your e-mail address.
4. Click on the "Download" button.
5. If you have any problems downloading, click on "Troubleshooting" on the left side of the screen, scroll down the page and click on the options that apply to you.

I found some good information; how do I print it?

• While the document is on your screen, click on File (on the text menu at the top of your screen).
  
• Click on Print; follow directions on the screen.

If you only want to print some of the information in the document (and your browser allows it) you can:

• Highlight the portion of the text you wish to print.
  
• Click on File (on the text menu at the top of the screen).
  
• Click on Print; then click on Selection; then OK.

ADOBE ACROBAT READER

I found a website that looks good, but when I try to download the document, all I get is funny looking symbols. What's wrong?

Many websites, including government websites, format their files in Portable Document Format, or PDF, which allows you to view the document in its original layout. To read a document that was formatted this way, you need to download, or install, Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer. There is no charge to download this program. Websites that have documents formatted in PDF will display a button (icon) that you can click on to download the program or you can go to the Adobe website. Just follow the five steps listed to the left.

Some sites allow other options besides PDF, including ACSII and Text file formats. Both of these work on almost any computer without an additional program, but they allow viewing of the text only, not the original format, diagrams or pictures.

What's a computer virus anyway?

A computer virus is a program that enters your computer system when you use something that is infected, such as a disk that has infected files on it or an infected e-mail attachment. There are many different types of viruses that behave in different ways, but basically they can destroy information on your computer. Before you download (transfer any file from the Internet to your computer), make sure that you install an up-to-date virus protection program in your computer, and always use caution when downloading programs or information from an unknown site. To really protect you, virus protection programs need to be updated frequently.

PROCEED WITH CAUTION

How do I know if the information I find on the Web is reliable?

Anyone can post information on the Web, so it is important to evaluate the information you find to check its validity, accuracy and authority. The following are some things to keep in mind:

• What is the source of the information, and how is the website funded? Government websites, universities and respected organizations and foundations are all good bets for reliable information. You can look at the URL for ".gov" or ".edu" sites.

• How current is the information? When was the document written and how often is the website updated? Latest update information is sometimes at the bottom of the homepage.

• What are the credentials of the author? Be wary of information that is posted anonymously, or when the author's credentials are not listed.

• What is the bias of the information? Is it factual information, the author's opinion, or an ad to get you to buy something? Ads and paid opinions are more often on ".com" sites.

• If it is published information, is it the full text or a modified version?

For your safety:

• Only use a credit card to pay for something on the Web when you know the company is reputable and you know where they are physically located.

• Be cautious about giving out your name, home address and phone number on an on-line form, as your privacy is not necessarily guaranteed.

To Learn More: To check out the truth about a virus warning, one good website to go to is F-Secure, a computer information service at: http://www.f-secure.com/.

To Learn More: For additional examples of citation styles see the Learning Page of the Library of Congress at the following address:

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/start/cite/index.html

or go to the Columbia University Press at this Web address:

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/cgos/idx_basic.html

(Please note the underscore in the above address: idx_basic)

If you are using information that you downloaded from the Web, you need to cite your source to give credit to the author(s) and to allow the reader to locate the cited information. There is currently no agreed upon single way of citing Internet or Web resources, and variations of standard citations have been adapted to electronic technology. The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is a frequent choice. For a listing of websites that have electronic information citation guides, visit the following page at the Internet Public Library: http://www.ipl.org/ref/QUE/FARQ/netciteFARQ.html.

Internet information is often, but not always, copyright-free. Before printing and distributing Internet information, make sure it is in the public domain or get permission.

CLOSING YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION

The way you close your Internet connection will vary, depending on how your computer is set up to relate to your Internet Service Provider. It is important that you understand how to do this to be sure that you are actually disconnected in order to avoid extra charges for Internet time. This will differ depending on your set-up. Ask your technical support person or your Internet Service Provider for details.

Also note that, depending on how you are set up, your Internet connection might be terminated if your computer sits idle for a period of time. If this happens, you will need to reconnect.